This book is your gateway to the 90's gritty, plaid-wearing underground. A Field Guide to ... delves into music’s most influential genres to uncover the innovators and agitators who changed music history forever. In A Field Guide to Grunge, Steve Wide explores the dynamic scene that sprung from the ashes of punk and underground metal in America’s Pacific Northwest. From the sludge metal of Melvins and the noise punk of Mudhoney, to the point where Nirvana blew the charts apart, this book examines the artists, albums, music labels, who’s who, and hangouts that shaped an alternative scene into a worldwide phenomenon.

This book is your gateway to the safety-pinned, leather-clad, mohawk-toting, anti-establishment, and generally badass Punk movement. What makes punk... punk? We might all know the Sex Pistols from the opening bar of their songs. But how do we place the punk movement in the context of the wider zeitgeist of the time? And how do the various international offshoots of punk - American, British, Australian - intersect and overlap? Well, that's precisely what DJ and author Steve Wide explains in this book. In these pages, Steve explains the social climate of Thatcherism, along with a detailed timeline of foundational bands (as well as connected artists, like Damien Hurst, and other subversive genres like Britpop). There are breakdowns of the most iconic punk artists, as well as fashion designers, record labels, DJs, producers, engineers and magazines - all of which applied their own layer to the punk patchwork. There are deep dives into controversies, rivalries, and band breakups. And lastly, there's a dissection of how evolutions of punk carry on today, in recorded music and in wider pop culture. If you, or someone close to you, is obsessed with the nitty-gritty of the Punk movement, then this book is a must-have.

A celebration of the unparalleled impact of cultural icon David Bowie. This decidedly not-for-kids illustrated A–Z, celebrates the many faces and facets of David Bowie. From Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust, Bowie A–Z is densely packed with everything you need to know about the rock legend – from the greatest hits of trivia to the most obscure B-side facts. Bowie’s extraordinary cultural significance was highlighted by the worldwide outpouring of love following his tragic passing in January 2016. A huge influential source to many in the fields of music, art and fashion, David Bowie towers as a cultural figure of the twentieth (and into the twenty-first) century. Celebrate his enormous life in this fun, pop-cultural book.

A “hugely entertaining” history of the 1980s New Wave music scene told through new interviews with its biggest artists (Rolling Stone). Mad World is a compelling oral history that celebrates the New Wave music phenomenon of the 1980s via new interviews with 35 of the most notable artists of the period. Each chapter begins with a discussion of their most popular song and leads to stories of their history and place in the scene, ultimately painting a vivid picture of this colorful, idiosyncratic time. Mixtape suggestions, fashion sidebars, and quotes from famous contemporary admirers help fill out the fun. Participants include members of Duran Duran, New Order, The Smiths, Tears for Fears, Adam Ant, Echo, and the Bunnymen, Devo, ABC, Spandau Ballet, A Flock of Seagulls, Thompson Twins, INXS, and more. “One addictive chapter after another.” —Rob Sheffield, author of Talking to Girls About Duran Duran “Tells the tale of some of the decade’s most unforgettable songs . . . in fascinating detail, letting the architects of these memorable records shine a light on how the sound of a generation came to be.” —The Hollywood Reporter “The new wave era is often dismissed for its one-hit wonders and silly haircuts, but [Mad World] examines the period with a great deal of love and reverence.” —Buzzfeed “A really informative and insightful read.” —People

This book is your gateway to the pop-rock-y, disco-esque, electronic and mod-tastic movement that was (and is) New Wave. What makes New Wave... New Wave? It's the catchall name of punk's poppy offshoot, born in the 70s, simultaneously in the United States and United Kingdom. But how would you describe New Wave's context in the zeitgeist of the time, or explain how this new electro-rock made people feel? Well, that's precisely what DJ and author Steve Wide explains in this handy book. In these pages, Steve explains the social and music industry climates of the 70s and 80s, unpacking the influence of the punk genre on NYC-based groups like the Velvet Underground and New York Dolls. There's also a timeline on the usage of the term New Wave - for a long chunk of the 70s it was used almost interchangeably with punk. There are breakdowns on the key record labels, DJs, producers, engineers and magazines - all of which stitched their own layer on the New Wave patchwork. There are deep dives into controversies, rivalries, and messy band breakups. And lastly, there's a dissection of how ripples of New Wave are still felt today, in recorded music and across wider pop culture. If you, or someone close to you, is obsessed with the minutiae of the New Wave movement, then this book is a must-have.

Musicians strive to "keep it real"; listeners condemn "fakes"; but does great music really need to be authentic? By investigating this obsession in the last century, this title rethinks what makes popular music work.

An illustrated A-to-Z, celebrating the unparalleled artistic impact of the cultural icon Grace Jones. Singer, songwriter, supermodel, record producer, actress, and iconoclast, Grace Jones is truly one of a kind, equal parts intriguing, intimidating, and indefatigable. From her early days as a model working with Yves Saint Laurent and Kenzo, to her rise to disco stardom in New York City’s Studio 54, followed by her storming the New Wave with her reggae-infused post-punk sound, through to her arresting, decade-defining work, Jean-Paul Goude, and featuring her eclectic and iconic film career and her continuing artistic output in the current day, Grace Jones A to Z charts her incredibly rich life. This book looks at her life,her art, creative collaborations, films, friendships, and fun—all in a brilliantly illustrated A-to-Z format.