300 pictures and countless quotations, bringing back the hopes, fear, and dreams of a one-of-a-kind generation, the nifty 50s.

Drooling fanatic, n. 1. One who drools in the presence of beloved rock stars. 2. Any of a genus of rock-and-roll wannabes/geeks who walk around with songs constantly ringing in their ears, own more than 3,000 albums, and fall in love with at least one record per week. With a life that’s spanned the phonographic era and the digital age, Steve Almond lives to Rawk. Like you, he’s secretly longed to live the life of a rock star, complete with insane talent, famous friends, and hotel rooms to be trashed. Also like you, he’s content (sort of) to live the life of a rabid fan, one who has converted his unrequited desires into a (sort of) noble obsession. Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life traces Almond’s passion from his earliest (and most wretched) rock criticism to his eventual discovery of a music-crazed soul mate and their subsequent production of two little superfans. Along the way, Almond reflects on the delusional power of songs, the awkward mating habits of drooling fanatics, and why Depression Songs actually make us feel so much better. The book also includes: • sometimes drunken interviews with America’s finest songwriters • a recap of the author’s terrifying visit to Graceland while stoned • a vigorous and credibility-shattering endorsement of Styx’s Paradise Theater • recommendations you will often choose to ignore • a reluctant exegesis of the Toto song “Africa” • obnoxious lists sure to piss off rock critics But wait, there’s more. Readers will also be able to listen to a special free mix designed by the author, available online at www.stevenalmond.com, for the express purpose of eliciting your drool. For those about to rock—we salute you!

From iconic love songs and odes to domestic bliss, to bloodcurdling screams and provocative performances, TIME-LIFE presents a history of rock and roll, and the stories behind the songs.

Long neglected in the annals of American music, the Nutmeg State's influence on the history of rock'n'roll deserves recognition. Connecticut's musical highlights include the beautiful harmonies of New Haven's Five Satins, Gene Pitney's rise to fame, Stamford's the Fifth Estate and notable rockers such as Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and Saturday Night Live Band's Christine Ohlman. Rock Hall of Famers include Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of the Talking Heads and Dennis Dunaway of the Alice Cooper Band. Some events became legend, like Jimi Hendrix's spellbinding performance at Yale's Woolsey Hall, Jim Morrison's onstage arrest at the New Haven Arena and teenage Bob Dylan's appearance at Branford's Indian Neck Folk Festival. With in-depth interviews as well as rare, never-before-seen photos, author Tony Renzoni leads a sonic trip that captures the spirit and zenith of the local scene.

For half a century he has been the heart and soul of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band. A riff master of the highest order, his direct, incisive and catchy licks have energized such timeless rock anthems as "Satisfaction," "Start Me Up," "Brown Sugar," "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women." A disciple of such great guitarists and proto-rockers as Scotty Moore, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, Keith Richards has forged a personal vocabulary on the instrument that has influenced generations of aspiring rockers. And as the song-writing partner of lifelong friend and frequent foe Mick Jagger, he formed an indelible team that has secured a spot in the Songwriters' Hall of Fame. The personal life of this larger-than-life rock star and bona fide guitar hero has been plagued by heroin addiction and excessive recreational drug use, which transformed his one-time baby face into a grizzled visage that bears the scars of a road warrior's life. And yet, he is still here. The ultimate rock 'n' roll survivor, Keith Richards is still rocking and rolling after all these years. AUTHOR: Bill Milkowski is a New York-based freelance writer who has contributed to several publications since the 1970s, including Down Beat, Jazz Times, Jazziz, Bass Player, Guitar Player, Modern Drummer, Absolute Sound, Jazzthing (Germany), Guitar Club (Italy) and Guitar (Japan). He is also the author of JACO: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius, Swing It! An Annotated History of Jive, Rockers, Jazzbos & Visionaries, and Legends of Jazz (Edizioni White Star, 2010). Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he began his career in music journalism, Milkowski relocated to New York City in 1980. He moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1993, returning to New York in 1997 and settling in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan, where he currently lives. Milkowski was named Writer of the Year in 2004 by the Jazz Journalists Association. An avid guitar hobbyist, he is also the proud father of a 16-year-old daughter, Sophia Vincenza Milkowski. ILLUSTRATIONS: 140 colour photographs

“Gruen chronicles his adventures as one of the preeminent photographers of rock and roll in his spectacular memoir . . . a roller-coaster narrative” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Bob Gruen is one of the most well-known and respected photographers in rock and roll. From John Lennon to Johnny Rotten; Muddy Waters to the Rolling Stones; Elvis to Madonna; Bob Dylan to Bob Marley; Tina Turner to Debbie Harry, he has documented the music scene for more than fifty years in photographs that have captured the world’s attention. In Right Place, Right Time, Gruen recounts his personal journey from discovering a love of photography in his mother’s darkroom when he was five, through his time in Greenwich Village for 1960s rock and 1970s punk, to being named the world’s premiere rock photographer by the New York Times. With fast-paced stories and iconic images, Gruen gives the reader both a front row seat and a backstage pass to the evolution of American music culture over the last five decades. In the words of Alice Cooper, “Bob had the ultimate backstage pass. Can you imagine the stories he’s got?”