Greg Prato

There is a common misconception about KISS, one of the greatest hard-rock/heavy metal-bands of all-time: that their `non-makeup era of 1983 1996 is not as enduring as the period when they stalked stages as the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman, and the Cat. This is untrue. In fact, this period helped resuscitate KISS s career, as they reestablished themselves in arenas, on the charts, and via MTV, and yielded some of their most popular songs including `Lick It Up, `Heaven s On Fire, `Tears Are Falling, `Crazy Crazy Nights, `Hide Your Heart, `Forever, `Unholy, and more many of which consistently found their way into the band s setlists. While the majority of KISS books are focused on the glitz and glamor of the iconic makeup era, the non-makeup years are ripe to be explored in book form, and Take It Off! does just that, zeroing in on the eleven albums KISS issued during this period including such gold- and platinum-certified hits as Lick It Up, Animalize, Revenge, and Alive III as well the resulting tours, videos, and other escapades. Take It Off! draws on all-new interviews with KISS experts and associates, including the band s lead guitarist throughout most of this period, Bruce Kulick, plus Crazy Nights producer Ron Nevison and video director Paul Rachman (`Unholy /`I Just Wanna /`Domino ). Among the other contributors are Charlie Benante (Anthrax), K.K. Downing (ex-Judas Priest), Derek Sherinan (ex-Dream Theater), and rock music experts Eddie Trunk, Katherine Turman, and Lonn Friend. The book also includes a foreword by Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho and an afterword by acclaimed producer Andreas Carlsson, as well as rare photographs and memorabilia from the period. With KISS currently in the midst of their last ever tour, now is the time to get Truly Unmasked.

There have been countless books penned about the leading grunge bands - namely, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. But strangely, few have been assembled about the mighty Soundgarden. But this all changed with the arrival of 'Dark Black and Blue: The Soundgarden Story.'Written by author/journalist (and longtime Soundgarden fan) Greg Prato, the book tells the Seattle band's complete story - beginning with its members pre-SG days, all the way to today. Also included are all-new interviews for the book, including chats with Matt Pinfield, Marky Ramone, Jim Rose, the Reverend Horton Heat, and Dave Wyndorf, among others, as well as rarely seen photos from throughout the band's history.In addition to dissecting, analyzing, and telling the stories behind all of their albums (including such classics as 1991's 'Badmotorfinger, ' 1994's 'Superunknown, ' and 1996's 'Down on the Upside'), readers will learn about the stories behind their classic songs ("Black Hole Sun," "Jesus Christ Pose," "Outshined," "Hands All Over," "Flower," etc.), as well as recollections of tours (including multiple stints on Lollapalooza, opening several legs of Guns N' Roses' 'Use Your Illusion' tour, Neil Young, Faith No More, etc.), goings on behind the scenes, and singer Chris Cornell's surprising and tragic death in 2017. Finally, Soundgarden's legion of fans worldwide now have a book that tells the entire story - 'Dark Black and Blue

There is a reason why there have been countless books penned over the years about Queen and their legendary singer, Freddie Mercury - they were unquestionably one of the greatest and most universally beloved rock bands of all-time. However, most of these books can be neatly filed into one of three categories - a recounting of the band's history, an examination of the singer's life story, or a collection of photographs. Long Live Queen: Rock Royalty Discuss Freddie, Brian, John & Roger is the first-ever book to be comprised solely of interviews conducted with renowned musicians, who discuss what they admire most about Queen, their favorite songs and albums, and other standout Queen-related memories (attending shows, meeting members, etc.) from throughout the years. The result is a book that uncovers facts, insight, and analysis, and adds a new spin on what truly makes Queen the champions of the world.

There have been seemingly countless "Greatest Rock Guitarists" lists assembled over the years - for articles or books. But...what about bassists? In 'The 100 Greatest Rock Bassists, ' author/journalist Greg Prato courageously attempts to level the playing field, single-handedly. In addition to counting them down from the bottom to the top, each entry contains info on each player - including background data, standout tracks, similar players, preferred makes/models, etc. And that's not all Also featured are ten all-new interviews for this book, with some of the greatest rock bassists of all-time (Billy Sheehan, Les Claypool, John Myung, Mike Watt, Doug Wimbish, Doug Pinnick, David Ellefson, Glenn Hughes, Glen Matlock, and Cris Kirkwood), as well as vintage/rarely-seen photos of many of the top names. So...put down your bass for a bit, pick up this book, and discover just who are 'The 100 Greatest Rock Bassists.

`It s amazing that this style came to be. Can you imagine being a struggling musician back then? It must take an incredible amount of restraint to play that gently. Actor/comedian Fred Armisen, from his foreword to this book. Just what is `yacht rock, you ask? Perhaps the easiest description is: music that would not sound out of place being played while carousing aboard a yacht back in the good old days. But these songs were also some of the top pop gems of the 70s and 80s. And while some associate yacht rock s biggest songs with one-hit wonder artists, several of rock s most renowned artists fall under this category, too including Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, Steely Dan, Hall and Oates, The Doobie Brothers, Toto, and more. By the early twenty-first century, yacht rock seemed to have become extinct until a comedic video series, simply titled Yacht Rock, went viral and introduced captain s hats and blazers to a whole new generation as well as the emergence of a popular cover band, the Yacht Rock Revue, and of course, Jimmy Fallon s on-air admiration of all things yacht rock. Now, yacht rock is one of the most celebrated `yesteryear styles of pop music, and has resonated with a new generation of musicians (including the Fred Armisen/Bill Hader led Blue Jean Committee and soul/funk/electronica crossover act Thundercat). But despite all the hoopla, there has never been a book that told the entire story of the genre. Until now. Featuring interviews with many of the heavy hitters of the genre, including John Oates, Kenny Loggins, and Don Felder, The Yacht Rock Book leaves no sail unturned. This is the definitive story of the yacht rock s creation, rise, chart-smashing success, fall, and stunning rebirth.

How fast can you play? What guitar do you have? Who is better, Van Halen or Steve Vai? For metal fans in the 80s, these were common and important questions. Tune in to MTV, pick up a magazine, or walk into an instrument store, and more often than not you d be exposed to what is now known as shredding the fast, virtuoso soloing popularized by musicians like Vai and Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads and Dimebag Darrell. Inspired by these pioneering guitarists, thousands of young musicians would spend hours at home in their bedrooms, perfecting both their playing and their poses. Though shredding fell out of favour during the grunge/alternative rock era, it has become increasingly popular again in recent years, spurred by the rise in popularity of bands like Children Of Bodom, DragonForce, and Trivium. Drawing on more than 70 exclusive interviews with key shredders past and present, author and guitarist Greg Prato has assembled the definitive guide to the fastest players of them all.