Tattoos. Sometimes Forever Is Too Long
If you’re like me, you are a reluctant sports fan unless it’s tennis. (I believe all sports should be able to be watched live while eating sushi and drinking high-end vodka, hence my eternal love for the US Open, but I digress.) So it was with great trepidation that I got suckered into watch a NBA playoff game. But between me zoning out and eating a delicious, creamy white bean dip, a revelation happened. Basketball is really enjoyable to watch if you stop focusing on the game and instead start noticing THE GOD AWFUL, RIDICULOUS, LAME TATTOOS the players are sporting. My eyes, they bleedth.
This dropped me down a rabbit’s hole of tattoo Google searches. Sadly, basketball players, while notorious, are not alone with their terrible, celebrity ink. There several categories of awful. Let’s go on a journey together.
First up, THE MUSICIAN.We get it, you’re a rocker. That doesn’t mean you need to have cliche tattoos but it seems like a prerequisite. My suggestion: play music, don’t put a crucified Jesus on your back. After much research, the winner, however, was clear…Fred Durst, front man for Nu Metal band Limp Bizkit. Somehow I don’t think Kurt Cobain and Elvis want to hang out together…on Fred’s chest.
Runner up, boy band friendly Nick Lachey. If Zack Morris had a tattoo, this capri sun surely would have been it. 
Next category, THE HOOCH. These tattoos are meant to be titillating and are usually located in coy places near the breast, back of the neck, ankle or the lower back (affectionately known as the tramp stamp). The competition was fierce but in a tight race…Mena Suvari wins! Oh, honey. Lions and words of wisdom do not belong on the nap of your neck. Obviously, Mena had a very profound trip to the zoo. Next time I suggest a long journal entry. 
Runner up, Eve with her paw prints. Part of me sort of likes the sexah-ness of the look but mostly it looks like she’s got some schmutz on her front parts and I want her to wash it off.
Next category, CELEBRITY CHEFS. This one was a doozy–too many to choose a winner. It seemed too easy to select a food-themed tattoo (there’s a lot of pork/white meat references out there) but then I stumbled upon Hell’s Kitchen contestant Tommy Stevens’ forehead and the decision was made for me. Straight from the artist’s needle to your plate.
And the final category of awful, BASKETBALL STARS. There are no words and so, I leave you with pictures.
Too young to die, too talented to forget
One of the best parts of working in publishing is getting to read a book early, before everyone else. “Na-na na-na boo-boo” my brain always chants as I crack open a fresh manuscript. This weekend while sitting on my unfinished (ie illegal) roof deck, I reveled in the job perk as I read Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse—a heartfelt account of what went right and wrong with the incredibly talented Amy Winehouse.
With a soaring music career right out of high school and a distinctive, gorgeous voice that sounded mature beyond her years, it is easy to forget that Amy’s success and death all happened before her 28th birthday. But Amy’s legacy lives on. There’s a recently launched foundation in her honor and, of course, her music. While reading the book, I was compelled to listen to her albums and while it is hard to choose my favorite song–in Amy’s short life she wrote and sung with such skill and brutal honesty–there are some top contenders. RIP Amy and her famous beehive hairdo.
#5 - Valerie. Though not technically an Amy Winehouse song (it was written by Mark Ronson), it was her vocals that skyrocketed the song to fame.
#4 - Rehab. Perhaps her most famous song, its message is dark and, sadly, prophetic. It is a true pop song in the best sense–playful, catchy and a tad dangerous.
#3 - Love Is A Losing Game. A sultry torch song that thrills as it breaks your heart.
#2 – Tears Dry on Their Own. A brutally honest conversation about loving someone who doesn’t love you back. Reading about Amy’s relationship with Blake, you see how she wrote this song from experience.
#1 - You Know that I’m No Good. This. Song. Is. An. Anthem. Amy’s soulful 60′s musical style is imbedded in your head after one listen.
Attention New Orleans: Get Ready to Swoon
I’ve been obsessed with street art for as long as I’ve lived in New York. I can remember walking around the East Village in the nineties spotting OBEY GIANT stickers and posters everywhere 
and trying to figure out what it all meant. Years later, Shepherd Fairey is probably second only to Banksy as the world’s most-recognized street artist thanks to the campaign poster that helped galvinize Obama’s base during the 2008 election; but he’s far from the only one transforming wheat paste and paper into transitory, unexpected moments of joy. (And isn’t that the best thing about street art? Stumbling across a thing of beauty–and often provocation–left as a gift in the most unlikely of places, and suffering at the mercy of weather, municipal agencies, and competing provacateurs.)
Among my favorite artists working today is Swoon, a former painting student at Pratt and a Brooklyn resident, she makes life-size wheatpaste prints and paper cutouts inspired equally by the German Expressionists and folk art.
Swoon Poster Art
She’s also known for her more interactive and site specific projects, such as The Miss Rockaway Armada, in which a group of performers and musicians floated down the length of the Mississippi River on rafts made from scavenged and recycled materials. Now she’s turned her eye to New Orleans and along with a group of artists and musicans across the nation is setting out to create a permant sculputural installation out of the remains of a Creole Cottage in the Bywater District. Called The Dithyrambalina, it will look like a house, function like a musical instrument, and be open to all. And while it’s meant as a permanent gift to the city, like the best street art, lord knows how its fortunes will bear out…
Scale Model of the Dithyrambalina
http://www.dithyrambalina.com/blog/
and here:
There’s an app for that
The summer’s only half way over, so there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the warm weather, fun nights out with friends, and travel plans you’ve been considering, but haven’t quite gotten around to. Here are 5 free apps to download on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to help you get the most out of your summer and make your plans run a little bit smoother:
1. Gas Buddy: We all know that one of the most painful things to pay for this summer is filling up your gas tank. With gas prices constantly changing, this app will show you the cheapest place to find gas wherever you are. (Network/Wi-Fi needed)
2. Mixology™ Drink Recipes: Even if you’re not a bartender, this app gives you access to thousands of drink mixes to impress your friends. It allows you to search in several ways, depending on what you want to make, and gives enough options to be sure to please everyone you’re entertaining!
3. Urbanspoon: Finding a restaurant (especially while on vacation) can be somewhat of a hassle, trying to please everyone and find somewhere you don’t go every week. This app can help! Urbanspoon allows you to do an open search of restaurants in your area or a specific search where you can dictate price, neighborhood, and type of food you want to eat. (Network/Wi-Fi needed)
4. Lose it!: Has this been the summer you were going to lose weight… but it hasn’t happened yet? This app can help you get on track. It allows you to set personal goals and food choices. Each day, record your food intake and the amount of exercise you do to stay within your previously set goals, and start to lose the weight you want.
5. Fandango Movies: Tickets and Times: With the amount of movies that are coming out this summer, download this app to make sure you never miss one. This app shows the times of the movies you want to see at a theater near you… plus allows you to purchase tickets in advance! (Network/Wi-Fi needed)
Anything that comes up this summer, remember… there’s an app to help!
BATTLES | A LOVE STORY
Cover of MIRRORED
Really, I could never have predicted this love affair. Battles is a band that, say a year ago, appealed to me as much as a needless appendectomy. No offense to the band but, I couldn’t bear them–hadn’t taken to their shtick. The listening experience was something like being thrashed by synth bleeps, lawn mower tugs, and engine growls.
Now, I have a difficult time listening to anything else. After fortuitously revisiting Mirrored (2007), their breakout album, I was spellbound by their garbled vocals, croaking samples, and arrhythmic drumbeats. Favorites:
Cover of GLOSS DROP
Gloss Drop (June 6th), Battles’ newly released album, marks the loss of key member, Tyondai Braxton, but also the diversification of the band’s overall sound.
With this album, they seem to have made a stylistic leap from songs that sound mechanical to ones that could pass for carbonated. Favorites:
At the end of the day, Battles is definitely not for everybody. But I’d urge you to give them a try. Listen to them take chances. Here is the band’s new, sense-bombarding video for the single, “Ice Cream (feat. Matias Aguayo)”:
BATTLES | Ice cream from MGdM | Marc Gómez del Moral on Vimeo.
You don’t need 21 reasons to love Adele
Since every piece of music I own is on my iPod and I spend way more money than I should on iTunes, I find myself buying more and more individual songs rather than entire albums. I go through and find songs I want to purchase by certain artists and buy only those. It’s rare for me to find an album I can listen and enjoy EVERY song.
Adele’s 21, however, is definitely one of the exceptions. Since this album was released in the UK in January, it’s just about all I listen to. It’s become a constant because it plays in my car every time I get in. I used to listen to the radio constantly, but since I found a CD I can play (and not get sick of…yet) I find it harder and harder to listen to the constant ads that appear on the radio. I’m pretty sure most stations play about one good song every half hour.
21, named after the age she was during production (just 21!), has become more and more popular over the past few months. Adele recently toured in the US, and 21 has spent 10 non-consecutive weeks at number one. Her single for Rolling in the Deep also debuted at number one in the US.
Her first album, 19, was released two years prior. After four Grammy nominations and two wins, the album became more popular and made it to the top ten on the charts. Chasing Pavements was the hit single in the US.
This past week, 21 was once again number one on the charts, 16 weeks after the album was released in the US. It took the spot of Lady Gaga’s new album, just three weeks old.
Adele continues to amaze me and my only hope is that her next album is as good as this one.
A personal favorite song:
‘Glee’ Does New York, and Your It List Loves It.
(OK, so we are slightly biased towards our own city.)
Glee’s sophomore season concluded on Tuesday with the much-anticipated finale, “New York.” It’s amazing what shooting on location does for a show. The NYC outdoor scenes just felt so free and BIG. (I’d like to see them try to film on Fifth Avenue during the holiday season.) Co-creator/exec producer/episode director Brad Falchuk told EW.com that they normally keep the camera very tight on the action, since they don’t want a stray SoCal palm tree wandering into the Ohio-set scenes. But during the “I Love New York/New York, New York” mash-up, we got to see New Directions use Times Square, Lincoln Center, Washington Square Park, and Central Park as their huge stages–and it was GREAT! Here are our favorite moments from the finale:
Rachel’s hair: Ms. Berry had a great hair episode. From the neat but not overly curled ponytail at Tiffany’s to her sweet low side knot during her date with Finn, New York did wonders for Rachel’s style.
Love the hair AND the flowers. (Photo from PacificCoastNews.com via EOnline.)
Puck on the accordion: Yes, the scene was cheesy, but hello, this is Glee. Rachel and Finn had just finished dinner at Sardi’s, met Patti LuPone, and were on their rom-com-worthy walk through the West Village (these kids travel all over town, and quickly). Thank you, Glee, for cutting the cutesy romance with the absurdity of Puck playing an accordion, and the guys singing “Bella Notte.” I still don’t know if they were meant to be surreal background music or actually there, stalking Finnchel on their date.
Puck, you are one talented guy. (Photo from daemonstv.com.)
Rachel and Kurt’s Wicked visit: These two are such cute friends, and their duet of “For Good” from Wicked was endearing and touching. It had much more weight than their first duet of “Defying Gravity”, and part of that was thanks to their being in the actual Gershwin Theatre! Yay for the gruff-but-indulgent security guard who let them have their 15 minutes on the Broadway musical’s stage. (If only all NYC tourists were so lucky as Rachel, Kurt, and Mr. Schue.) Listen to the studio version here–but I highly recommend watching the video clip (it adds so much more). [ETA: you can now watch it on Hulu; the Wicked scene starts at 15:24.]
Rachel and Kurt sing from Wicked again, this time "For Good."
Thank you for a great second season, Glee! Hope you get to Nationals again next year, and I can’t wait to hear more about how Kurt’s summer project goes: he’s writing Pip Pip Hooray, a musical about the world’s favorite maid of honor, Pippa Middleton.
Grammy Awards 2011: Best & Worst Dressed Recap
The Grammy Award’s red carpet looks are much more eclectic than the other award shows. Rockers and pop princess, rappers and jazz singers, all share the red carpet, creating a very different fashion palette Here’s our take a look at the best & worst (& other) dressed of the 2011 Grammy Awards.
BEST
Jennifer Lopez — Because who doesn’t love a hot Latina mama dressed as a disco ball? Seriously, she is too hot not to include. Damn, girl! (Wearing Emilio Pucci)
Selena Gomez — Nice to see the Disney crew all grown up. She looks impeccable without being overdone. (Wearing J. Mendel)
Lea Michelle — As much as her bubbly personality, immense talents, and unimaginable successes rub me the wrong way, Lea Michelle looks fab. (Wearing Romona Keveza)
Julianna Hough — Great pattern and a very flattering cut for her. She looks young and fun! (Wearing Malandrino)
WORST
Ciara – Just no. It looks like she’s auditioning for the role of Wonder Woman. (Wearing Pucci)
Hayley Williams — I love Paramore and this alterna girl’s look. But last night? Something went wrong, very wrong… (Wearing Jeremy Scott)
Natasha Bedingfield — There’s a lot going on with this dress: floral pattern, beading, and sheer. Too much, in fact. And her pinned up ’20s hairstyle doesn’t help. (Wearing Abed Mahfouz)
Jordin Sparks — She’s young and beautiful So why does she look stiff and dowdy in all that satin? Plus, its wrinkled! (Wearing Zang To)
OTHER
Rihanna — She’s beautiful, and often on the cutting edge of style. And yet, here we are looking at what appears to be a toothpase Halloween costume. (Wearing Jean Paul Gaultier)
The Best of the Night: It Books Awards the Grammys
The 53rd Grammy Awards, held last night, was an evening of stellar performances, bizarre imagery, star-studded tributes, and, of course, awards. Only ten Grammys were actually presented during the telecast and three of them went to Lady Antebellum. Arcade Fire won the Grammy for Best Album, and followed the win by closing the show with Ready to Start. Key players went home sans awards including Katy Perry and Justin Bieber.
The list of performances was outstanding –Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Eminem, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Bob Dylan, Lady Antebellum, Muse, Mick Jagger, Mumford & Sons and more – reminding us why this award show is so much more entertaining than the Golden Globes was a few weeks ago.
In one of the most anticipated performances of the show, Eminem and Rihanna gave another powerful performance of Love the Way You Lie. Their chemistry is just so intense. Eminem was then joined by his mentor Dr. Dre for “I Need a Doctor,” giving us one of the more compelling performances of the night.
Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, Florence Welch and gospel singer Yolanda Adams came together for a tribute to the legendary Aretha Franklin (who has won the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy a record 11 times, 8 of them consecutively). It was a wonderful, heartfelt performance by some of the best vocalists out there, so let’s overlook poor Xtina’s slipping on the stage and just focus on a great start to the evening.
After the jump are the It Books Awards:
Metal: The Hardest Rock of All
Following Grunge, Alternative, and Hip Hop Your It List and Rolling Stone now bring you back to The ’90s and into the hardest rock of all: Metal.
The metal chapter kicks off with an introduction by the one, the only, the legendary Slash of Guns’n'Roses fame and the chapter includes articles from David Fricke about Metallica, Kim Neely on Guns’n'Roses, the man himself Neil Strauss chronicles Marilyn Manson and ends with a return from David Fricke this time writing against Rage Against the Machine.
Buy your copy of The ’90s today.
Cool Gifts for Everyone on Your List
Your It List presents our eleven top books to give this holiday season.
Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Lifeby Justine Picardie
Richly illustrated with hundreds of color and black and white photos, Coco Chanel illuminates Chanel’s path from little-known seamstress to the aristocracy of style in this stunning look at the fashion icon.
Perfect Gift for anyone who loves Chanel in all it’s forms – clothes, perfume, jewelry, bags, shoes –as well as all those who loved Audrey Tautou‘s award-winning role of Gabrielle Chanel in the film Coco Before Chanel.
Buy Coco Chanel, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
The # 1 New York Times bestseller and inspiration for the hit CBS sitcom, $#*! My Dad Says, starring William Shatner, Justin Halpern’s memoir of his dad is laugh out loud hilarious and heartwarming at the same time. You’ll never think of little league, Denny’s or your dad the same way again.
Perfect gift for your Dad, for fans of the show and followers of Twitter.com/ShitMyDadSays.
Buy Sh*t My Dad Says or read an excerpt.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers: An Oral/Visual History by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
One of the biggest bands in the world, The Red Hot Chili Peppers finally bring fans an audacious look back at their thirty-year odyssey, in their own words and accompanied by over 300 photos.
Perfect gift for all RHCP fans, past and present, and those who can’t wait for their next album.
Buy The Red Hot Chili Peppers or read an excerpt.
The Tattoo Chronicles by Kat Von D
The New York Times bestselling follow-up to High Voltage Tattoo, The Tattoo Chronicles delves deep into Kat Von D‘s personal journals and notebooks to reveal one tumultuous year in the life of the star of TLC’s LA Ink and contains photos taken and drawings made by Kat herself as well as the stories behind some of the most meaningful tattoos Kat has ever created.
Perfect gift for fans of LA Ink and lovers of tattoos.
Buy The Tattoo Chronicles, read an excerpt or watch a video.
How to Beat Up Anybodyby Judah Friedlander
An instructional and inspirational Karate book by the World Champion and star of 30 Rock, Judah Friedlander. Learn how to beat up street gangs, attackers with weapons, ninjas, dinosaurs, and gangs of street ninjas with weapons riding on dinosaurs! With over 500 photographs, this is a book that could quite possibly save your life.
Perfect gift for fans of 30 Rock and anyone wanting to survive.
Buy How to Beat Up Anybody, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley
The official, behind the scenes guide to ALL the Harry Potter Films, including the recently released Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Volume 1 AND the upcoming Volume 2, Harry Potter Film Wizardy shows fans why Yule Ball ice sculptures never melt, where Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts are really “minted,” how to get a Hippogriff to work with actors, the inspiration behind Hogwarts castle, and why Dementors move the way they do.
Perfect gift for all Harry Potter fans.
Buy Harry Potter Film Wizardry, read an excerpt or watch a video.
The Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide by Matt Groening
At 1,200 pages, this cromulent compendium provides a comprehensive synopsis of every episode for the past twenty years, including every couch gag, every “D’oh” and “Mmm…” Homer has ever muttered, every song ever sung by citizens of Springfield, over 400 character profiles and lots more stuff you may have missed!
Perfect gift for all Simpsons fans.
Buy The Simpsons World or read an excerpt.
Designs on Film by Cathy Whitlock
Open the curtain on movie magic and explore the set designs of the biggest films in movie history including The Wizard of Oz’s yellow brick road, Cleopatra‘s ancient Egypt, the Dakota apartment building in Rosemary’s Baby, Norma Desmond’s “white elephant of a place” from Sunset Boulevard and the vast world of Pandora from Avatar.
Perfect gift for fans of classic films and those interested in behind the scenes details of their favorite films.
Buy Designs on Film or read an excerpt.
The Art of Classic Rock by Rob Roth
For many, the items lovingly cataloged in the pages of The Art of Classic Rock will evoke nostalgic memories of their youth—of blazing lights, drifting smoke and of the all-pervading power of their favorite rock concerts.
Perfect gift for fans of classic rock, especially the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Queen, Alice Cooper and Elton John, as well as fans of album and music poster art.
Buy The Art of Classic Rock, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Al Jaffee’s Mad Life by Mary-Lou Weisman
A biography of Al Jaffee, creator of the massively popular MAD magazine “fold-in” delves deep into the artist’s life and brings readers from the shtetls of Lithuania to the streets of New York and deep inside the world of the top cartoonists of the 20th century, fully illustrated by Jaffee himself.
Perfect gift for fans of MAD magazine and readers interested in 20th century America.
Buy Al Jaffee’s Mad Life, read an excerpt or watch a video.
The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs by Larry Marion
A revealing look at the earliest days of the legendary Rolling Stones, captured in a collection of personal, never-before-seen photographs—the largest single trove of such important rock images ever uncovered—shot as the band were on the brink of international stardom.
Perfect gift for all fans of The Rolling Stones and readers of Keith Richards’s memoir Life.
Buy The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs or read an excerpt.
Kara DioGuardi hits A Helluva High Note
It Books is thrilled to be publishing A Helluva High Note by the amazing Kara DioGuardi, coming April 2011.
Hip Hop: The Revitalization of Rap
The Editors of Rolling Stone have brought you back to when Grunge Was King and when Alternative Went Mainstream. In YourItList’s third installment from The ’90s: Inside Stories from the Decade that Rocked we give you Hip Hop: The Revitalization of Rap.
In addition to an introduction from RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, Rolling Stone brings you back to Snoop Dogg and Dre in Compton from 1993, “The Short Life and Violent Death of Tupac,” Anthony Bozza’s “Eminem Pisses off the World,” as well as essays about Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z and Missy Elliott.
Buy your copy of The ’90s today.
Meet The Red Hot Chili Peppers in Los Angeles
November 4, 2010 is a day Red Hot Chili Peppers fans have been waiting for! Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith and Flea will be making an appearance at Barnes & Noble: The Grove at Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles to sign copies of their book The Red Hot Chili Peppers: An Oral/Visual History. Please see below for event rules and regulations.
“I am struck with the moments of these photos, the feelings of the times they were taken, and where we were at on our beautiful and happy-sad journey. It’s pretty fucking heavy, actually, like thinking how much we have changed over the years, and all the different dynamics of our lives that shaped us, and also realizing so clearly that nothing has changed at all—we’re all still just trying to get it on, make something great. It is all here, nothing can hide: all the honesty, the pretense, the courage and one-of-a-kind-ness, the unbridled joy, the melancholy, and the shields we put up to shelter our scared, vulnerable little selves.” —Flea
Please note:
- Only those in possession of a bracelet will be granted admittance the day of the signing.
- A limited number of bracelets will be available at Barnes & Noble: The Grove at Farmer’s Market beginning on Wednesday, November 3 at 9:00 am PST.
- The band will only be signing copies of The Red Hot Chili Peppers: An Oral/Visual History. No albums or memorabilia, please.
- The signing will begin promptly at 12:00 pm PST. Please arrive early.
- Photography and audio/video recording devices are not allowed within the venue.
Written in indelible Ink
In case you haven’t noticed, we have a thing for books, and for tattoos. We just had to share this great video featuring THE WORD MADE FLESH: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide by Eva Talmadge and Justin Taylor. Just released by our friends at Harper Perennial, this book is a beautifully packaged full-color collection of literary tattoos and short personal essays.
Jerry Lee Lewis to Pen Autobiography for It Books
LEGENDARY ROCK ’N’ ROLL PIONEER JERRY LEE LEWIS TO WRITE AUTOBIOGRAPHY FOR IT BOOKS
NEW YORK, NY (October 13, 2010) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today a deal to publish the memoir of rock ’n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis in 2012.
The book was acquired at auction by Cal Morgan, Vice President and Editorial Director of It Books. The agent was Erin Hosier of the Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency.
One of the greatest showmen of all time, Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the founding pioneers of rock—and his life story is at least as dramatic as his famously outrageous performances. From his childhood in Louisiana and his evangelical upbringing (Jimmy Lee Swaggart was his double first cousin) to his expulsion from Bible college in Texas, Lewis always knew he was going to be a star. In this long-awaited memoir, he will share a lifetime of untold stories, from his early years at Sun Records, where he lit up the music charts in 1957 with the back-to-back hits “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire”; to his longtime friendships with Sun stablemates Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and others; to the scandal that scuttled his first UK tour and jeopardized his career; to his triumphant comeback in the late 1960s, when he became the #1 Country Music star in America; to the cycles of excess and tragedy that dogged him for decades—to his present-day comeback with a pair of hit CDs, Last Man Standing and Mean Old Man. The result will be a truly no-holds-barred memoir—a rock epic if ever there was one.
“I have spent my life listening to those who know so little say so much about me and my life,” said Lewis. “I am ready to say a whole lot about why I lived my life the way I did. People can read it, burn it, or never give it another thought. Either way the truth is about to be told, and I’m the only man still standing who can touch it.”
“Mr. Lewis personifies the American story, in all its richness and contradiction,” said Morgan. “He’s a man of astonishing natural talent, profound belief, and indomitable spirit. What a thrill to have the chance to work with him on this unforgettable book.”
Jerry Lee Lewis was the first person inducted in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, at its opening ceremony in 1986. His original recording of “Great Balls of Fire” was elected to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” received this honor in 1999. He has garnered countless honors, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Rolling Stone ranked him one of their Top 25 Greatest Artists of All Time, and he is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Hit Parade Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Lewis has had 14 #1 Hits, 47 Top 20 hits, and 10 Golden Records. In 2010, actor Levi Kreis won a Tony Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Lewis in the hit Broadway show Million Dollar Quartet. At the age of 75, Lewis is currently on tour in support of his latest CD, Mean Old Man, a deluxe 18-track collection of duets and collaborations with some of the greatest musicians in rock and country music.
About It Books: Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern, Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald, Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie, I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand and Satiristas by Paul Provenza and Dan Dion. Upcoming publications include Blow by Blow by Detmar Blow with Tom Skyes, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, How to Beat Up Anybody by Judah Friedlander, True Whit by Whitney Port, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss and Al Jaffee’s Mad Life by Mary Lou Weisman. It Books is an imprint HarperCollinsPublishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.
Meet Kat Von D
We are thrilled to announce the following appearances where Kat Von D will meet fans in conjunction with the release of her latest book The Tattoo Chronicles, on sale Tuesday, October 26, 2010.
If you’re unable to meet Kat on tour, pre-order your copy of The Tattoo Chronicles today.
Complete schedule after the jump.
(more…)
“Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”: Exes Who Still Rock Together
Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Who knows—especially when you’re stuck 24/7 in a band with your former beloved. That’s why I give major props to bands like Paramore, who managed to stick together even when the romantic relationship between guitarist Josh Farro and singer Hayley Williams fell apart. Neon Trees is another one who soldiered through the love storm. Rilo Kiley, too.
And don’t even get me started on Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac.
If you ask me, being in a band with an ex-bf/gf is my idea of hell. However, if you can make it work—and manage to churn out some amazing lovelorn tunes in the process—then hats off to you. (This hat in particular.)
That’s why this post is for the lovers, Richard Ashcroft-style. Without further adieu, here are my top picks for bands who didn’t go through a breakdown after an internal breakup.
EXES: Jack White (vocals/guitar) and Meg White (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: When non-Detroiters started paying attention to the White Stripes, it was because of the Lego-rific video for “Fell In Love With A Girl,” off their peppermint-schtick sophomore album White Blood Cells—well, that and the fact that Jack and Meg White lied about being brother and sister. Yup, the dynamic duo tied the knot back in 1996 but eventually divorced in 2000. Despite their romantic parting of the ways, the Whites soldiered on and in one fell incestuous swoop, secured their place in rock ’n’ roll infamy. They’ve been playing side-by-side ever since—although Jack fools around with Raconteurs and Dead Weather in his spare time. The only one we hear Meg fools around with is Jackson Smith, Patti Smith’s son and Meg’s fiancé.
2. NO DOUBT
EXES: Gwen Stefani (vocals) and Tony Kanal (bass)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Unless you’ve been living under a boulder for the past 13 years—or, more than likely, you weren’t even conceived yet—everyone knows that Gwen and Tony used to date. Before the glitz and the g-L.A.M.B.-our, the two were your typical SoCal, Madness-loving, high-school sweethearts but, unfortunately, young love didn’t last and the breakup inspired Stefani to pen No Doubt’s biggest song “Don’t Speak.” Understandably, it’s gotta be awkward for Kanal to finger-pick the tune’s bass lines every night onstage; however, it seems like everyone’s moved on and is better for the heartbreak. After all, Stefani went on to marry babelicious Gavin Rossdale and pop out two illegally cute lil’ boys. Kanal, on the other hand, went on to marry… well… no one. (Sucks to be him!)
3. THE SOUNDS
EXES: Maja Ivarsson (vocals) and Fredrik Nilsson (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Back in 2004, when the Sounds started rocking out “Seven Days A Week” on Warped Tour, it was widely known in dance-punk circles that Ivarsson and Nilsson were an item. However, when the band returned to Warped two years later, the Swedish lovers were no longer together. The band was still a tight-knit unit, but it seemed like with the Sounds’ second album, Dying To Say This To You—complete with it’s suggestive lesbian-esque cover and song titles like “Queen Of Apology” and “Hurt You”—Ivarsson was also trying to say something to Nilsson and the rest of the world: She was a switch-hitter. (“She’s my first girlfriend,” admitted Ivarsson in an interview with Out Magazine regarding her three-year current relationship. “I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”)
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? Don’t make me call Kingston Rossdale and have him throw a temper tantrum on your collective tushes.
Sex and Drugs and Guns N’ Roses
Steven Adler, the infamous former drummer for Guns N’ Roses, kicked off his book tour to promote My Appetite for Destruction tonight at Book Revue in Long Island to a rapt crowd of fans.
In his memoir, Adler shares the shattering untold truth of GNR and his own personal struggles with addiction, as seen on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Adler bares it all in My Appetite for Destruction including:
- His childhood: As a young teen Steven was lured into a private party where he was sexually assaulted and beaten. Never before has this shocking, harrowing tale been told. Steven emerged a less trusting, but wiser 14 year-old. He reveals how he discovered a way to learn how to play from some of the best rock drummers in the world.
- His love life: One of Steven’s lovers, thinking Steven was leaving her, tried to commit suicide by jumping out a fifth-floor window. And his first wife went out with one of her girlfriends one night, never to return…
- His health: Steven delves into the brutal depression and humiliation borne of his botched suicide attempts, his drug-related heart attacks, and the debilitating stroke that caused him muscular paralysis and permanently slurred speech.
- His band-mates: How Slash, against all reason, reached out to help Steven one last time after the rest of Guns N’ Roses had given up on him. How Duff snubbed Steven, humiliating him in front of thousands of fans at Farm Aid. And what Slash and Axl Rose did to Steven that can never, ever be forgotten.
- His heroics: How Steven discovered a seemingly unconscious and non-responsive Nikki Sixx all alone, and saved his life.
- …and his endless antics: How Steven managed to earn the seething wrath of Axl Rose, Eddie Van Halen and Rod Stewart. And incredible accounts of how Guns N’ Roses’ endless partying made virtually every night a gamble on whether they’d make it to the stage or to the morgue.
*Expires October 27, 2010.
She & Him Rock Out on the Tambourine and Triangle
She & Him at the Bowery last March. (www.brooklynvegan.com) Photos weren't allowed at last night's show.
Last night, the folk/indie band She & Him put on a wonderful, sold out show at Terminal 5. The large, barren room was packed with fans, the room swelteringly hot. But, showing dedication to the band, very few left before the end of the encore.
The opening act, strangely enough, was not musical but comedic – comedian Eugene Mirman, a Brooklyn resident and author of The Will To Whatevs, a humorous guide to modern life (HarperCollins, 2009). His topics ranged from the Tea Party and Obama to a twelve-year-old with Asperger’s to those stupid security questions credit card websites ask you. While the question is generally something along the lines of “What is your mother’s maiden name?” Eugene took the liberty of changing the question to “What are you wearing?” so that he can respond, “I don’t think that’s appropriate!” to whomever is asking on the line. He was well received by the fans.
The room only got more packed and the crowd more eager as the night wore on. When She & Him came on, the room erupted. As effortlessly glowing as she was in 500 Days of Summer, Zooey DesChanel nonchalantly asked how the crowd was doing and jumped into “Change is Hard,” a sleepy, soulful ballad, while the crowd loudly sang along. During her more fast-paced songs, she jumped up and down while playing the tambourine, her long brown hair flailing around her. The show, with Zooey’s twangy voice and retro songs, had a 60’s vibe to it. Zooey, very at ease on stage, did not hesitate to stop a song a few seconds in to change the octave. Lead guitarist M. Ward sang along in a few memorable duets. The two back up singers sang and rocked out on their tambourines, while occasionally playing the triangle, a subtle touch to the alt-country songs.
In addition to girls in dark-rimmed glasses and long boho dresses, I was surprised to see a fair amount of male fans singing along merrily. The burly man behind me sang both the guy and girl parts to “You Really Got a Hold on Me” and got really into the chorus, which goes, “Hold me, hold me, hold me….”
The band played three covers for the encore. Certainly one of the highlights of the show, the band closed with Nina Simone’s “I Put a Spell on You,” featuring just M. Ward on a few vocals and guitar and Zooey on vocals. The song featured her impressive range, as she wailed, “No, I ain’t lyin!!” The memorable show left the fans begging for more.
Passion Pit rocks Governor’s Island: Electro-pop band plays to a crowd of 7,500
Passion Pit lights up Governor's Island. Photo by Becky Atkinson.
“You came to an ISLAND to see us! That means a lot,” said Michael Agelakos, lead singer of Passion Pit, completely bewildered. The crowd of 7,500 Passion Pit fans on Governor’s Island Wednesday night couldn’t have been more content. The weather was ideal, the ferry ride pleasant, the night brimming with enthusiasm for the band and the music. It was Boston-based Passion Pit’s biggest show in their short history. The indie, electro-pop band played a steadily escalating set, opening with their dream-ey single “I’ve Got Your Number” and closing with their break-out hit “Sleepyhead.” They also threw in a fast-paced cover of The Cranberries’ “Dreams.” Michael’s falsetto voice impressed listeners song after song.
Get your "Chicken Fingers Make Me Hard" tee shirt at http://rollercoaster.spreadshirt.com/.
The band had no less than three opening acts – Suckers, We Were Promised Jet Packs, and the Tokyo Police Club, leaving the fans eager for Passion Pit. The crowd was young included hippies and hipsters, wearing mom’s ripped cut-off jeans or too tight pants and oversized concert shirts – drinking, smoking, dancing. There were a few notable exceptions, however, including a middle-aged woman avidly reading “Eat Pray Love” throughout the three opening acts, and a middle-aged man sporting a “Chicken Fingers Make Me Hard” tee-shirt (he later got in a very impressive glow-stick-twirling contest with a younger dude). There seemed to be an outdoor bar in every corner and a steady cloud of cigarette smoke around the island.
The only downside to the concert was the mass exodus of people swarming – sprinting, rather – to the ferry when all was said and done. Only one ferry was loaded at a time so when everyone had moved as close to the dock as possible, it was more body-to-body packed than the 6 on a Monday morning. But, the fans found ways to bide the time. These included singing a range of songs, from the National Anthem to Chumbawamba’s Tub-Thumping, and crowd surfing. While people complained noisily, only a few went to desperate measures to cut the line (“Excuse me! Coming Through! Woman in labor!!” Yeah, right.).
Lead singer Michael Agelakos of Passion Pit. Photo by Aubrey Siegel.
The concert was fun but the crowd was happy to be back on the mainland once the ferries had docked…back to the town that apparently got Passion Pit started –“We may be from Boston but New York City made us,” Michael Agelakos declared.
It Books signs Sammy Hagar for Autobiography
PRE-ORDER now at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
NEW YORK, NY (June 24, 2010) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today a deal to publish Sammy Hagar’s autobiography in 2011. Hagar, the multi-platinum Red Rocker, is best known as the bombastic front man of Van Halen, one of the biggest-selling rock groups in history, and the lead singer of the hard rock group, Chickenfoot.
The book was acquired by Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development for HarperCollins from Frank Weimann, President of The Literary Group International. Senior Editor Matt Harper will edit the book.
Hagar will provide readers with incredible behind-the-scenes stories from his multi-platinum career, including his rise as a solo artist and his eleven years with Van Halen, after the controversial departure of original lead vocalist David Lee Roth. During Hagar’s time with Van Halen, the band released four consecutive No. 1 albums. From worldwide stadium concerts tours to private jets, Hagar enjoyed the trappings of fame and success with Van Halen until he was, as he puts it, “unceremoniously fired.” Hagar later thrived as a solo act, leading his band, the Cabo Wabos, before returning triumphantly to Van Halen for an historic reunion tour after which he set off on his own once again.
“I’ve been writing this book my whole life,” says Hagar. “It’s time to put it between two covers.”
Honest and compelling, Hagar’s account spares no one, least of all himself. Hagar’s autobiography reveals the inside story of one of rock music’s most recognizable voices, from his humble beginnings in the town of Fontana, California, to his incredible business success with Cabo Wabo Tequila and the Cabo Wabo Cantinas. The book will be co-authored by Joel Selvin, longtime pop music writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.
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About It Books:
Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern, Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald, Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie, I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks, and Satiristas by Paul Provenza and Dan Dion. Upcoming publications include Blow by Blow by Detmar Blow with Tom Skyes, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, How to Beat Up Anybody by Judah Friedlander, True Whit by Whitney Port, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss and Al Jaffee’s Mad Life by Mary Lou Weisman. It Books is an imprint HarperCollinsPublishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV).
It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.
PUBLICITY CONTACT: Alberto G. Rojas, Senior Director of Publicity, 212-207-7891; alberto.rojas@harpercollins.com
YOURITLIST.COM CONTACT: youritlist@harpercollins.com
IT BOOKS CONTACT: itbooks@harpercollins.com
Why Pearl Jam matters
Its taken a week to wrap my head around Pearl Jam’s show at Madison Square Garden on May 21st - and to get my voice back to normal. Without a doubt, Pearl Jam always puts on an amazing show. Though not seeing them for several years (after seeing them a dozen times in a few short years with the exception of Eddier Veder’s solo acoustic show), maybe I forgot how incredible a group they are.
So…my thoughts on why Pearl Jam matters….
- Ed’s ever-present bottle of wine on stage to, you know, keep his throat from getting dry
- Tribute song, “I’m Open,” dedicated to Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States
- How Eddie still acts amazed when he stands on stage and lets the crowd sing “Better Man” to him
- The crowd clears out for bathroom breaks during a “popular radio song,” (ie “Daughter”) but no one moves when he stands on stage and talks to the crowd
- No matter how massive a Pearl Jam fan you are, you will hear at least one, possibly two, songs you don’t know
- No matter how massive a Pearl Jam fan you are, and how many times you’ve seen them in concert, you will hear at least one song performed that you have never heard them perform live before
- After doing this for twenty years, the band still brings it like its their first concert and keeps it going like it might be their last
- Because even though they will forever be linked by time and place, Pearl Jam is not Nirvana, which is a good thing for both bands
As incredible as the show was as a whole (I would have paid just to hear Eddie belt out “Neverman”), the show was stolen when Eddie invited Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) out to accompany him on “Hunger Strike.” Watch that performance and sometime around 45 seconds into it Bridwell seems to realize what he is singing and who he is singing with. The only thing better than the look of awe on his face is the look of pride on Ed’s face.
Pearl Jam, Madison Square Garden, May 21, 2010
Main Set:
Corduroy, Hail Hail, Do the Evolution, Worldwide Suicide, Got Some, Breath, Nothingman, I’m Open (Dedicated to Howard Zinn), Unthought Known, Grievance, Amongst the Waves, Present Tense, Not For You/Modern Girl, Push Me Pull Me, Rats, Daughter/WMA, The Fixer, Why Go
Encore 1:
The End (w/ string quartet), Just Breathe (w/ string quartet), Slow Lukin (w/ strings), Black Red Yellow, Sweet Lew, Given to Fly, Spin the Black Circle, Rearviewmirror
Encore 2:
Wasted Reprise, Betterman, Black/We Belong Together, The Real Me, Hunger Strike, Alive, Kick Out the Jams, Yellow Ledbetter/Star Spangled Banner
“I Want To Go To There”: Favorite City-Inspired Songs
A year and a half ago, I moved from Cleveland to Los Angeles. Ever since I watched the first episode of the original Beverly Hills, 90210, I fantasized about hoofing it West—and marrying Jason Priestly, of course. However, when the time came to make that dream a reality—the moving part, not the Jason Priestly part, sadly—I had no idea how homesick I would be.
Thankfully, I was able to find solace in a song like Limbeck’s “In Ohio On Some Steps,” which reminded me of home (without the gnarly winters.) Then, when I started to feel more at home in Pacific Standard Time, I started pumping tunes like Phantom Planet‘s “California” and Everclear‘s “Santa Monica” to get me better acquainted with my new HQ.
Without the help of those geographically desirable tracks, I might still be desperately missing C-Town, watching the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video ad infinitum in order to catch a fleeting glimpse of my former stomping ground.
Now that I’ve gotten over the homesick hump, I can listen to a bunch of other songs about other cities without feeling a knot in my stomach. Tons of bands have been inspired by various cities and produced some loving musical homages—like Fountains Of Wayne, Fall Out Boy and The Distillers. Take a peek below and see why long distance isn’t always the wrong distance.
1. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE‘s “Hackensack”: I was watching Just Friends for the umpteenth time on TBS this weekend and was immediately struck by this strange song played in the initial bar scene where Ryan Reynolds’ character connects with his unrequited love from high school. I only heard a couple chords and the chorus, “If you ever get back to Hackensack, I’ll be here for you,” but I was completely smitten. Since discovering that Fountains Of Wayne penned the track for 2003′s Welcome Interstate Managers, which launched the more-popular hit “Stacy’s Mom,” I also came to discover that Katy Perry covered the song for herMTV Unplugged special, as well. I’m not a super-fan of that version, but it still makes me wish I was from the Dirty Jerz—and how many songs can make you say that?
+ Listen to “Hackensack” off Welcome Interstate Managers
(Credit: Kazumichi Kokei)
2. FALL OUT BOY‘s “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago”: Before bassist Pete Wentz’s peter made him a household name and singer Patrick Stump lost a shit-ton of weight, Fall Out Boy was just a rag-tag group of pop-punk purists from the Windy City. Listening to this song is like taking a trip in the way-back machine to a time when jeans were skinny, song titles were unnecessarily long and “emo” wasn’t a four-letter word. Le sigh. I might live in Los Angeles now, but thanks to songs like this, I’m reminded that Midwest is best.
+ Listen to “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago” off Take This To Your Grave
3. THE DISTILLERS‘ “City Of Angels”: Like I said in the paragraph above, I currently live in Los Angeles and I can’t think of a better anthem for my new hometown than this angsty Distillers jam. No matter how many times I listen to it, I still can’t decipher everything frontwoman Brody Dalle is spewing, but that doesn’t really matter because I somehow manage to spit out a bunch of gobbledygook that sounds close enough to the actual lyrics. I haven’t seen a lot of dead wings in this city, but I’ve definitely seen more than my share of open condom wrappers in parking lots. That’s gotta count for something, right?
+ Listen to “City Of Angels” off Sing Sing Death House
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? Don’t make me call Brody Dalle and have her sink her coral fangs into you ’cause I totally will!
