Publisher Description

Bestselling author Eric Spitznagel speaks with an all-star lineup of rock-n-rollers — from Perry Farrell to the Indigo Girls — to discover the uproariously wild, sentimental, and unexpected pre-stardom stories behind their favourite recordsRock Stars on the Record is a collection of first-hand tales by artists of all ages, backgrounds, and musical influences, remembering the meaning behind the records that mattered most to them. From Laurie Anderson to Ian Mackaye, Don McLean to Yuka Honda, Alice Bag to Mac DeMarco, and many more, bestselling author Eric Spitznagel talks to rock stars across the musical spectrum about the albums that changed them in ways only music can change someone. Everyone's most cherished childhood record — be it a battered piece of vinyl, torn cassette tape, or scratched CD — has a story, and those stories can be more revealing about their owners than you might expect. Read about how Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy furtively scratched the Parental Advisory sticker off the sleeve of the Clash's London Calling so that his mother would consent to buy it — cementing its influence on the Grammy-winning band. Or about Mojo Nixon's relationship to George Thorogood's Move It On Over, or Dar Williams's connection with Judy Collins's Whales & Nightingales. Each profile is more emotional, fascinating, and hilarious than the last. So place that needle in the groove, and prepare to hear something revelatory from your favourite rockers past and present.

Author Biography

Eric Spitznagel is the author, editor, or ghostwriter of ten books, most recently on his quest to reclaim his lost vinyl collection in Old Records Never Die, and Jeff Tweedy's bestselling memoir, Let's Go (So We Can Get Back). His work has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Vanity Fair, Playboy, Men's Health, and Esquire, among others. He lives with his wife and son in Chicago, IL.

Table of Contents

Angelo Moore of Fishbone  •  Alice Bag of Bags  •  Donny Osmond  •  James Alex of Beach Slang  •  Suzi Quatro, former singer and bassist of the Pleasure Seekers  •  Cherie Currie of the Runaways  •  Don McLean  •  Mojo Nixon  •  Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses and 50FOOTWAVE  •  Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction  •  Frank Turner of Kneejerk and Million Dead  •  Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo  •  Alison Mosshart of Discount, The Kills, and supergroup The Dead Weather  •  Damon Johnson of Alice Cooper, Thin Lizzy, Dam Yankees, and Brother Crane  •  David Pirner of Soul Asylum  •  Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers  •  Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman of The Revolution, Prince's longtime backing band  •  Chris Stein of Blondie  •  Tommy Roe  •  Mac DeMarco  •  Mia Berrin of Pom Pom Squad  •  Mike Bishop (Blöthar the Berserker) of GWAR  •  Geoff Downes of the Buggles, Yes, and supergroup Asia  •  Mitski  •  Weird Al  •  Caithlin De Marrais of Rainer Maria  •  Amanda Shires of the Texas Playboys, the Highwomen, and solo fame  •  Ian MacKaye of the Teen Idles, Minor Threat, Embrace, Fugazi, The Evens, and Coriky  •  Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy  •  James Petralli of White Denim  •  Laura Ballance of Superchunk, and cofounder of Merge Records  •  Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire  •  Craig Finn of The Hold Steady  •  Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!  •  Wayne Kramer of MC5

Review

Praise for Eric Spitznagel

For Old Records Never Die (2016):
"Calling someone's work Nick Hornby-like is a bit cliché, but Spitznagel gives high fidelity to Hornby's feel for music and its relationship to life."—New York Post

"Spitznagel knows that a good story can sometimes lead to a greater truth."—KQED

"I'm working on a list of things that make me laugh harder than Eric Spitznagel's writing. So far, it includes old Albert Brooks movies, videos of animals riding bicycles and…well, that's about it. What I'm trying to say is: Eric Spitznagel is hilarious. And this book is perfectly Spitzagelian: Funny, smart, even a bit wistful at times."—AJ Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically

Promotional

• ARC distribution to trade and consumer media, traditional and online.
• Targeted outreach to music organizations, websites, podcasts, and publications.
• Social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads giveaways.
• PR Campaign with print, radio, and digital interview targets, including NPR and national TV.

Long Description

Bestselling author Eric Spitznagel speaks with an all-star lineup of rock-n-rollers-from Perry Farrell to the Indigo Girls-to discover the uproariously wild, sentimental, and unexpected pre-stardom stories behind their favorite records. Rock Stars on the Record is a collection of first-hand tales by artists of all ages, backgrounds, and musical influences, remembering the meaning behind the records that mattered most to them. From Laurie Anderson to Ian Mackaye, Don McLean to Yuka Honda, Alice Bag to Mac DeMarco, and many more, bestselling author Eric Spitznagel talks to rock stars across the musical spectrum about the albums that changed them in ways only music can change someone. Everyone's most cherished childhood record-be it a battered piece of vinyl, torn cassette tape, or scratched CD-has a story, and those stories can be more revealing about their owners than you might expect. Read about how Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy furtively scratched the "Parental Advisory" sticker off the sleeve of the Clash's London Calling so that his mother would consent to buy it-cementing its influence on the Grammy-winning band. Or about Mojo Nixon's relationship to George Thorogood's Move It On Over, or Dar Williams's connection with Judy Collins's Whales & Nightingales.Each profile is more emotional, fascinating, and hilarious than the last. So place that needle in the groove, and prepare to hear something revelatory from your favorite rockers past and present.

Review Quote

Praise for Eric Spitznagel For Old Records Never Die (2016): "Calling someone's work Nick Hornby-like is a bit clich

Description for Sales People

* Enormous Potential Audience: RSOTR will appeal to fans of a diverse set of rockers--Jeff Tweedy, Weird Al, Steve Van Zandt, Alison Mosshart, and Robert Cray, to name just a few--as well as record collectors, musicians, and industry folks. * Strong Author Platform: Eric Spitznagel has written for the New York Times , New York Post , Rolling Stone , Billboard , Vanity Fair , Playboy , Maxim , Men's Health , Vice , and Esquire , among others. High-profile endorsements are a guarantee. * Successful Author Sales Track: The author recently ghostwrote Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy's bestselling memoir, which has sold nearly 50K copies in hardcover. He is the author, editor, or ghostwriter of ten other nonfiction books. * High-Quality Package: High-quality glossy paper presents an especially gifty package. * Stunning photo program: This 4-color paperback featuring 40 photographs provided by interviewees, a visual accompaniment that recalls the tactile experience of listening to a favorite record, will add value.

Details