Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever
Jimi Hendrix at Fillmore East, May 1968 © Frank Mastropolo
BEST CLASSIC ROCK MUSIC BOOKS OF ALL TIME!
Rock impresario Bill Graham opened Fillmore East in New York City on March 8, 1968 with headliners Janis Joplin and Big Brother & the Holding Co. In just over three years, the Fillmore East presented rock royalty that included Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Carlos Santana, and James Taylor.
The Allman Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joe Cocker, Derek & the Dominos, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Frank Zappa, and the Grateful Dead recorded groundbreaking live albums at what became known as the "Church of Rock and Roll."
The book features more than 150 photos, many never before published, and a foreword by Joshua White, founder of the Joshua Light Show.
BEST MUSIC BOOKS OF THE YEAR!
If you want to know about the rock ‘n’ roll scene in New York City in the late '60s, early '70s, this is the book to read. Straight from the horses' mouths. — Peter Albin, Big Brother & the Holding Company​​​
Fillmore East: The Venue that Changed Rock Music Forever is a wonderful book. It’s authentic. It takes me back. I can almost smell the pot in the front row. — Corky Laing, Mountain
The minute I hit the stage I knew I was on Cloud Nine. And no, it was not a contact high, although I could not be more comfortable if I were at home. The ambiance, the smell, the feeling of absolute freedom. Yes, that was the Fillmore East. Hey, Frank Mastropolo, YOU NAILED IT! — Genya Ravan, Ten Wheel Drive
For more information, visit the Fillmore East website!
Greatest Performances
Would you like to learn the stories behind the greatest songs of the 1960s? Let the artists, songwriters, and producers of 200 of the era's best-loved songs tell you in their own words!
Psychedelic rock, British Invasion, protest songs, horn rock, surf rock, Motown, garage rock, pop, blues rock, the San Francisco Sound, blue-eyed soul, and folk rock are all here. The musicians, songwriters, and producers explain how they created the music.
Of course, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Beach Boys are represented. But you'll also learn in Vol. 1 about tunes by Moby Grape, the Castaways, Mary Hopkin, the Electric Prunes, the Swingin' Medallions, and the Trashmen.
Vol. 1 includes interviews with Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals, Connie Francis, Tommy James, Robby Krieger of the Doors, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, Bobby Rydell, and Mark Volman of the Turtles.
Vol. 2 tells the stories of tunes by Iron Butterfly, the Association, Joni Mitchell, the Seeds, Cream, Wilson Pickett, and the Blues Magoos.
Vol. 2 features interviews with Judy Collins, Chris Hillman of the Byrds, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, Jerry Miller and Don Stevenson of Moby Grape, Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge, and David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears.
"What a great book! Thank you for preserving rock 'n' roll history!" — Jim Donna, The Castaways ("Liar, Liar")
By 1970, the Beatles had disbanded and embarked on solo careers. Psychedelic rock, protest songs, surf music, and folk rock were out.
The new decade was defined by the singer-songwriter. Punk rock, new wave, Southern rock, disco, and glam rock exploded in clubs and on the airwaves. Philadelphia replaced Motown as the capital of soul and R&B. The back stories of the music are as varied as the genres themselves.
Vol. 1 has songs by Elton John, Queen, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Blondie, Talking Heads, the Allman Brothers Band, the Bee Gees, and the Eagles. You'll also read about tunes by Mountain, Lou Reed, Bill Withers, Brownsville Station, the Sanford-Townsend Band, Carly Simon, Alice Cooper, Boz Scaggs, and Iggy Pop.
There are enlightening interviews with Leo Sayer, Bobby Whitlock of Derek and the Dominos, Harry Wayne "KC" Casey of KC & the Sunshine Band, and Michael Brewer of Brewer & Shipley.
Vol. 2 has the stories of tunes by Alice Cooper, Peter Frampton, the Boomtown Rats, Billy Joel, Kansas, the Temptations, ZZ Top, and many more.
Throughout Vol. 2 are photographs and in-depth interviews with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman (Yes); Robert Lamm (Chicago); John Lodge (Moody Blues); and Dave Mason (Traffic) as well as Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull); Randy Bachman (Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive); Gerry Beckley (America); Ian Hunter (Mott the Hoople); Jim Messina (Loggins & Messina); Eddie Money; and Paul Roberts (Sniff ‘n’ the Tears).
By the 1980s, cable networks MTV and VH1 played music videos 24 hours a day. Fans were introduced to New Wave and synth-pop bands. New female artists and groups stormed the charts. Heavy metal made a comeback. Concerts for Live Aid and Band Aid and recordings like “We Are the World” supported charities.
The songs of Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Queen, Cyndi Lauper, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Kool & the Gang, the Police, and John Mellencamp are here. But you'll also learn about tunes by the Eurythmics, the Clash, U2, AC/DC, Eddy Grant, R.E.M., Twisted Sister, and many more.
Throughout the book are photographs and in-depth interviews with some of the musicians who made the 1980s such an eclectic period of rock music: Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Gina Schock of the Go-Go’s, and Gary U.S. Bonds, whose collaboration with Springsteen revitalized his career.
Soul music burst on the scene in the early 1960s and became a voice of the black community during the Civil Rights movement. Motown, Philly, Memphis, New York, and Muscle Shoals all produced songs with timeless melodies and powerful messages.
Unlock the secrets behind the greatest soul music of all time as the artists, songwriters, and producers share the personal stories behind the creation of these iconic songs.
The stories of the music of James Brown, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Aretha Franklin, the Supremes, Tina Turner, Curtis Mayfield, and Marvin Gaye are all here. You will also learn about tunes by Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, the Isley Brothers, the Delfonics, the Pointer Sisters, and many more.
100 Funniest Comedy Albums takes you behind the scenes of the most iconic stand-up specials, sketch routines, and musical parodies ever recorded!
The world's greatest comedians share the stories behind their legendary albums—how they crafted their sharpest jokes, built unforgettable characters, and turned laughter into an art form. Plus, enjoy clips from the funniest routines ever put on record.
From Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld, and Dave Chappelle to Kevin Hart, Sam Kinison, Wanda Sykes, and Sebastian Maniscalco—plus Jeff Foxworthy, Margaret Cho, Bill Burr, and many more—100 Funniest Comedy Albums celebrates the legends and rising stars who keep us laughing.
What's Your Rock IQ? Music Trivia Quiz
Bob Seger sang, "Rock and roll never forgets." How much do YOU remember about rock and roll?
Challenge your mastery of 1960s and 1970s Rock with 400 demanding multiple-choice questions in What's Your Rock IQ? Will you be baffled by brain-teasers on the British Invasion, Motown, Psychedelic Rock, Philly Soul, Punk Rock, Southern Rock, Surf Music, and more.
Everyone from the Beatles to the Beach Boys, Janis Joplin to Jimi Hendrix, the superstars, teen idols, and one-hit wonders are all here in quizzes that put your knowledge to the ultimate test. Your degree from Rock and Roll High School may not be enough.
Grab a copy of What's Your Rock IQ? and puzzle your pals at the next Trivia Night party. An ideal gift for rock fans of any age!
New York
BEST MUSIC BOOKS OF THE YEAR!
Where did Elvis record "Hound Dog" and Bill Haley record "Rock Around the Clock"? Where did Dylan play his first major gig? Or the Beatles make their US debut? Where was Hendrix discovered? New York City, where rock history has been made on the street corners of Harlem, the coffee houses of Greenwich Village, and the city's clubs, theaters, studios, and arenas.
Learn the inside stories of 200 of the artists, writers, DJs, and impresarios who came together in Manhattan to make rock history from the 1950s to today. You will go behind the scenes of New York's legendary gigs at Fillmore East, Madison Square Garden, the Bottom Line, Central Park, and the Apollo Theater. Discover how the iconic songs written about New York were produced. And visit rock's landmark recording studios, record shops, and radio stations.
Jackie Gleason wanted to produce a TV comedy set in the Brooklyn tenement of his childhood that starred a bickering but loving couple he called The Honeymooners. CBS Television executives thought it would never work. Who would watch that?
Follow Gleason’s journey from that cold-water Brooklyn flat to Manhattan’s Adelphi Theater, where the “Classic 39” episodes of TV’s The Honeymooners were filmed.
On the way you’ll learn that when Gleason was nine, his father abandoned the family, leaving him and his mother destitute. You’ll visit Gleason’s schools and childhood hangouts and the vaudeville theaters, saloons, and dives where Gleason got his start. Gleason’s starring roles on Broadway led to a short stay in Hollywood until his return to the Big Apple and the role he was born to play.
Beware! The streets of New York are teeming with wildlife! Just not the kind that barks, tweets, or growls.
Lions and giraffes, eagles and elephants, horses and bulldogs, roosters and rabbits are among the 50 architectural treasures found on entrances, windows, and balconies.
Each animal sculpture is accompanied by its address and a relevant quotation from the world’s great writers, philosophers, and humorists. Download to your phone and use as a guide for an archaeological safari adults and kids will enjoy!
If you like urban adventures that are educational, enlightening, and fun, you’ll love this tribute to the city’s silent menagerie that has improbably endured for decades.
Comedy for Kids and Adults
What happens when a snarky kid tries to drag his no-tech parents kicking and screaming into the 21st century?
He writes a book about it!
This whiz kid can handle every new piece of technology out there but he’s unable to teach his Mom and Dad to use email, social media, Zoom calls, voice mail, Alexa, smartphones, and streaming music.
Mom is baffled by low-fat, fat-free, and two percent milk; she asks, “What’s in the other 98 percent?” Dad refuses to use GPS. He says, "Great, now I have two women telling me how to drive."
If you like wisecracking humor about a kid and his clueless parents, you’ll love this laugh-out-loud quick read! Illustrated with hilarious photo-cartoons that will bring the funny to your whole family. Buy Mom & Dad Are Dinosaurs! and spot the dinosaur in your family!
Edgar Street Books® is proud to publish books in traditional and digital formats that celebrate New York City history and the stories of the musicians, songwriters, producers, and impresarios who enrich our lives.
We do not accept unsolicited submissions at this time.
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