This is the first biography of Joe Walsh, from his days in the James Gang to his membership in the Eagles. One of the most colorful characters in all of rock and roll, Walsh has enjoyed a successful musical career for more than five-decades. With his offbeat attitude and quirky sense of humor, he earned a number of nicknames including the Analog Man and the Clown Prince of Rock Guitar. In the process, he wrote and recorded some of the most memorable classics of the 1970s including Rocky Mountain Way, Life's Been Good and Funk #49. As a member of the Eagles, Walsh helped to craft a number of enduring rock standards such as Hotel California, In The City and Life In The Fast Lane. This book chronicles Walsh's often-complicated life as a musical showman, a talented guitarist and a much-respected ordinary, average guy.

As the definitive biography of American-bred rocker Tom Petty, this updated and revised book examines his extensive music career, his personal life and his many public battles. After a momentary but pivotal encounter with Elvis Presley at age 10, Petty felt destined to pursue a career in rock and roll. Raised on a steady diet of Elvis and the Beatles, Petty left the safe confines of Gainesville in 1974 and headed for Los Angeles. Although Petty fared poorly with his early group Mudcrutch, he later formed the Heartbreakers. But with his career taking various twists and turns, Petty also thrived as a solo artist, a cofounder of the rock supergroup the Traveling Wilburys and a member of the reformed Mudcrutch. Along the way, Petty was forced to battle his own record company in court, nearly lost his life in a house fire, spent two years as a recluse after a painful divorce and became best friends with a former Beatle, George Harrison. As a prolific singer and songwriter, Tom Petty made music that mattered and remained at the top of his game for four decades with timeless rock anthems such as Breakdown, Refugee and I Won't Back Down.

Are we not men? Best known for their industrial suits and red energy domes, Devo merged innovative stage sets, robotic choreography and futuristic stage uniforms with experimental music and quirky lyrics. Challenging the boundaries of popular music in the 1970s and '80s, Devo wrote their own rules. Emerging from the industrial rust-belt city of Akron, the Spud Boys were products of their Midwestern upbringing. This book chronicles Devo's formative years, the many twist and turns in the group's lengthy career as well as the stories behind the group's songs. There is also an examination of the Akron music scene that spawned Devo and other like-minded rock bands.

Rock and roll's various musical ingredients are examined, including jazz, blues, country, folk and gospel. Also explored are rock's early musical trends such as rockabilly, doo-wop, girl groups, surf music, teen idols, R&B and soul. Additionally, rock and roll was impacted by technological advances such as the transistor radio and the 45rpm record, cultural and social movements, fast-talking deejays, the emergence of the teenager, revolutionary dances such as the Twist, payola, and the rise of independent record companies. The book concludes with the arrival of the British Invasion.

More than 3,500 entries are listed in chronological order in a day-by-day record of rap and hip hop including industry awards, television and film appearances, noteworthy concerts and music festivals, personal disputes and controversies, arrests and court trials, and birthdays and deaths. There is also a strong focus on the biggest as well as the most influential songs and albums, from the earliest years of rap to the modern era. Lastly, there are plenty of historical tidbits and pieces of interesting trivia that gave hip hop its unique character and prominent status on the global stage. This book is a celebration as well as a historical reference guide of the hip hop era, from its origins on the tough streets of New York City to its current status as a multi-billion dollar industry.

A comprehensive overview of rock & roll in Ohio from the 1950s to the present, the book is divided into 14 chapters. Inside you'll find: the complete story behind Hang On Sloopy and the Ohio State University tradition; How Cleveland won the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Alan Freed and the rise of rock & roll; New Wave and the Akron sound - Devo & The Pretenders; Cincinnati powerhouses WLW radio and King-Federal Records; Alternative rock in Ohio; Heartland rock - Joe Walsh, Michael Stanley and the Raspberries; Buckeye rock on TV - WKRP In Cincinnati; Soul, Funk and R&B in Ohio; and much, much more This well-documented book also chronicles the musical scenes around the Buckeye State.