c.2025, various publishers
$19.99 – $32.00
various page counts
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Truth Contributor
They’re with you when you have lunch on the patio.
You hear them while you’re tinkering in the back yard. They join you on the beach, and when you ponder the meaning of the stars in the sky. Summertime is best enjoyed with your favorite tunes softly (or loudly!) playing in the background, so why not read up on concerts, musicians, and the music you love?
If you’ve ever been to an outdoor music festival, you know that it’s nothing like you’ve ever experienced before. In Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock’s Wildest Festival by Richard Bienstock & Tom Beaujour (St. Martin’s Press, $32.00), you’ll get a sense of what it was like to actually be there – but not from a fan’s point of view. This book tells the story from behind the scenes, the roadies, the musicians, and from industry folks who made Lollapalooza the legend it was. It’s a book meant for summertime: as an oral history, you can dip into it and read a few pages here or there, no problem.
If you’re an air-drum expert, then you’ll want to read a book about a real drummer: The Master of Drums: Gene Krupa and the Music He Gave the World by Elizabeth J. Rosenthal (Citadel Press, $29.00). This biography of one of the greatest drummers the world has ever seen begins in South Chicago and moves to Carnegie Hall and beyond, in a trip that readers of any age will devour. It’s a particularly special treat for the jazz aficionado and for the drummer you know.
If old-school rock and roll is your thing, then turn up the music and find Sound N’ Fury: Rock N’ Roll Stories by Alan Niven (ECW Press, $22.95), a collection of stories by the manager who helped Guns N’ Roses become one of the bands you love. But it’s not just about that band: Niven writes about his brushes with the Rolling Stones, Whitesnake, Aerosmith, and others. It’s a lively book, fun to read, and worth waiting for. Released on June 24.
And finally, if your child’s Mama do dance, then At Night, They Danced by Victoria Scott-Miller, illustrations by Toni D. Chambers (Simon & Schuster, $19.99) is perfect for your family. When it’s date night for their parents, Langston and Emerson are happy, too: it means they get to see the best babysitter in the world and they can eat pizza all night. But then their parents plan something different, and the boys aren’t sure about how it’ll happen: this time, their parents are staying home for date night! This sweet book is great for kids ages three to six, and it’ll make parents smile, too.
Not enough music for your reading pleasure? Then head to your favorite bookstore or library and ask the people there for more. They can point you toward biographies, more oral histories, books for kids, teens, headbangers, classical music listeners, opera lovers, or country music fans. So turn on the tunes, turn ‘em up, dance under the stars – and read.