Fleetwood Mac: The Definitive Story

Evans, Mike, 1941 October 30-. Fleetwood Mac : The Definitive Story, New York : Sterling, c2011.

“Definitive” probably the most apt word to describe this book, which is more akin to a fascinating but not too in-depth coffee table book. Overall, it is a nice overview of the British-American soft-rock legend, Fleetwood Mac, complete with incredible pictures and illustrations throughout—featured on almost every other page. Presenting excessive photos of the band, album covers, tour books, other odds and ends, the London based author, Mike Evans triumphantly tells the tale of Fleetwood Mac in his written-meets-visual combination. If you are new to the band or a long time Fleetwood Mac pack rat, this book represents a 288 page encyclopaedia: each album is given it’s own page with album info (tracks, credits and full cover artwork) including most of the solo albums up through Stevie Nick’s Rock a Little. Along the way, most of the famous stories—sexual affairs within the band, high consumptions of drugs and alcohol, partnership breakup and reconciliations—told.

•Image: Goodreads | Citation: Trove | Annotation: Goodreads, Amazon

Motörhead: Live to Win

Burridge, Alan, 1951-. Motörhead : live to win, Los Angeles : Cleopatra, 2012.

This 220 page chronicle is a first class, serious, in-depth look at the metal band Motörhead. Written by British Alan Burridge, who happens to also be the president of the fan club "Motörheadbangers", he takes the readers back to the beginnings of the musical group who once won the New Musical Express poll for “the best worst band in the world”. The struggles, the hardships, the poverty, many never before published facts and a great deal of rare and early photos are revealed in this full colour, glossy, thick paper biography. Longing for incredible attention to detail about Motörhead since the pre-Ace of Spades era? This is the ace of reads.

•Image: Goodreads | Citation: Trove | Annotation: Goodreads, Amazon

Neil Young: The Definitive History

Evans, Mike. Neil Young : The Definitive History, New York : Sterling, 2012.

This coffee table book is a quick but entertaining encyclopaedia of Neil Young’s nearly six-decade rock ’n’ roll journey. Written by London based musician-cum-writer Mark Evans, this overly illustrated life retrospective traces the Canadian singer/songwriter’s collaborative work (with Crazy Horse, Buffalo Springfield, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), solo career—highlighting almost every album, his tour—his live performances often used as his stage to advertise his political point, his activism—particularly for green causes and Farm Aid, as well as his personal life—his relationship and his near fatal brain aneurism. All in all, the book is 288 pages of informative and encyclopaedic-like chronicle which will easily appeal general adult readers and definitely hungry-for-more “Neilophytes”.

•Image: Goodreads | Citation: Trove | Annotation: Goodreads, Amazon