At last, the authorized biography of Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), who wrote such unforgettable songs as Pancho &amp; Lefty” and If I Needed You.” Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, Texas, hounded by alcoholism and an unshakable depression, Van Zandt pursued a nomadic existence following his muse, whatever the cost to himself, friends, and family. Based on exclusive interviews with everyone who knew Van Zandt, including his best friend Guy Clark and colleagues like Steve Earle and John Prine, To Live's To Fly is a compelling portrait of a complex, haunted artist.

To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt

Biographies & Memoirs

Kruth, John

Arts & Literature

Da Capo Press

At last, the authorized biography of Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), who wrote such unforgettable songs as Pancho &amp; Lefty” and If I Needed You.” Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, Texas, hounded by alcoholism and depression, Van Zandt pursued a nomadic existence following his muse, whatever the cost to himself, friends, and relatives. Based on exclusive interviews with those close to Van Zandt, including his best friend Guy Clark and colleagues like Steve Earle and John Prine, To Live's to Fly captures all the humor, hijinks, poetry, and heartbreak of this revered, genuinely outlaw country artist.

Humor & Entertainment

Da Capo

Rain On A Conga Drum: The Ballad Of The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt

Sensei Pubns

Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison

Two eight-page B&amp;W and color photo inserts

Backbeat

Hold On World revisits Lennon and Ono's love affair and startling collaborations. John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band was arguably the most emotionally honest album ever made. It wasn't merely another record but more like a sonic exorcism, a spiritual, public bloodletting. Lennon's album drove a stake through the heart of the Beatles' myth while confronting everything else in John's life, from Dylan to God to his glorified status as a "Working Class Hero." Determined to rid himself of childhood traumas-abandoned by his father, John, at age nine, watched helplessly as his mother was killed by a car-Lennon wrote the most powerful song cycle of his career, confronting fear, disappointment, and illusion, all the while espousing his love for Yoko Ono. Released simultaneously, Ono's album Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band is emotionally raw and challenging. It inspired bands like the B-52s and Yo La Tengo to employ pure sound, whether shrieking vocals or guitar feedback, to express their deepest feelings.

Hold On World: The Lasting Impact of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band, Fifty Years On

After Syd Barrett departed Pink Floyd, the band that he had co-founded and fronted became a rudderless ship, releasing a series of nebulous (though highly inventive) jam albums and taking on touring expenses that nearly bankrupted them. Their eighth album was a make-it-or-break-it proposition, and its timing could not have been better. Released in March of 1973, The Dark Side of the Moon quickly topped the US Billboard charts and took up residence there for over 700 weeks, selling over forty-five million copies to date. In Lunacy, award-winning music biographer John Kruth ("A fantastic writer"—Jim Jarmusch) delves into the making of this iconic record and considers why it continues to speak to generation after generation of music lovers around the world. 
Placing the album in its full cultural and musical context, Kruth provides an illuminating look at the ingredients of its great "sonic stew"—a mixture of musical styles from avant-garde electronic to jazz to classical, all of them contributing to its timeless originality. Lunacy features in-depth interviews with musicians, artists, DJs, and many others who have deeply personal relationships with the record, including a passionate astrophysicist, a leading brain surgeon's nurse (who has performed surgery while "Brain Damage" plays), and a woman who gave birth while screaming along to the Floyd's "Great Gig in the Sky." 
Packed with behind-the-scenes details and unexpected insights, Lunacy is not just another rock history rehash, but a celebration of a unique time and the music that made it great.

Lunacy: The Curious Phenomenon of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, 50 Years On

Arts & Photography

Music

Roy Orbison emerged as an artist alongside his Sun Records contemporaries in the early days of rock 'n' roll. He did not possess the good looks of Elvis Presley or the everyman toughness of Johnny Cash, nor did he conduct wild-child stage antics like Jerry Lee Lewis. But he did possess a magnetic mystique that would captivate fans around the world and inspire countless musicians. A quiet man, who k.d. lang would refer to as “Buddha ” Orbison was more interested in building model airplanes, watching films, and reading books in his den than talking about himself or partying hard. Yet he was nothing shy of a superstar – determined to succeed, driven by a relentless love for music that started in childhood, and blessed with some of the best pipes in the business. Standing still onstage, hidden behind his perpetual Ray-Bans, Orbison delivered his melodious songs with haunting emotional depth. His artful recordings, mysterious image, and angelic voice have left an indelible mark on popular music. In Rhapsody in Black, John Kruth tells the story of Roy Orbison in prose as musical as the artist's melodies and does not shy away from or trivialize the personal pain, alienation, and tragic events that shaped Orbison's singular personality and music. Featuring interviews with people who worked closely with Orbison, career-spanning photos, a select discography, and a new afterward for the paperback edition, Rhapsody in Black is both celebratory and touching. It delves into the behind-the-music details of Orbison's collaborations, recording sessions, tours, and business affairs, as well as his personal life – his roots, his marriages and his children – to present a telescopic view of his legacy.

Rahssan Roland Kirk was one of the most unique and colorful creators in music. Such imagination. Such a creative individual. He was awesome, at the top of my list. Quincy Jones

Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Welcome Rain Publishers

The first bioghraphy of the legendary jazz musician Rahsaan Roland Kirk, establishes once and for all the brilliant multi-instrumentalist's place n the pantheon of Jazz giants.

The Beatles' sixth studio album, Rubber Soul, was a game changer. By December 1965, when the album was released, the Beatles had played the first arena rock show at Shea Stadium for 55 000 delirious fans, been awarded MBE (Member of British Empire) medals, and were indisputably the greatest musical phenomenon since Elvis Presley. With their first film, A Hard Day's Night, John, Paul, George, and Ringo laid down the blueprint for everyone who ever wanted to form a group. The movie, entertaining as it was, became an instruction manual for aspiring pop stars of the day on how to play, dress, and act. Richard Lester's 1964 comedy turned out to be the touchstone for every music video that followed. Then, with the release of Rubber Soul, the Beatles created an artistic benchmark to which their peers measured their craft and creativity. Touring the world over two years, the band had grown up fast. Both musically and lyrically their new album represented a major leap. Upon hearing Rubber Soul, Bob Dylan allegedly remarked, “I get it, you're not cute anymore.” Newsweek hailed the Beatles as “the Bards of Pop ” while critic Greil Marcus claimed Rubber Soul was “the best album they would ever make.” For Traffic's Steve Winwood, the album “broke everything open. It crossed music into a whole new dimension and was responsible for kicking off the sixties rock era.” In This Bird Has Flown, John Kruth not only analyzes the songs and making of Rubber Soul, putting the album in context of the turbulent times in which it was created, but captures the spirit of musical innovation and poetry that makes the record a standout in the Beatle's canon.

This Bird Has Flown: The Enduring Beauty of Rubber Soul, Fifty Years On

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Kruth, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Kruth, John

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Kruth, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt

To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt

Rain On A Conga Drum: The Ballad Of The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt

Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison

Hold On World: The Lasting Impact of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Plastic Ono Band, Fifty Years On

Lunacy: The Curious Phenomenon of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, 50 Years On

Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison

Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk

This Bird Has Flown: The Enduring Beauty of Rubber Soul, Fifty Years On