How fast can you play? What guitar do you have? Who is better, Van Halen or Steve Vai? For metal fans in the 80s, these were common and important questions. Tune in to MTV, pick up a magazine, or walk into an instrument store, and more often than not you d be exposed to what is now known as shredding the fast, virtuoso soloing popularized by musicians like Vai and Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads and Dimebag Darrell. Inspired by these pioneering guitarists, thousands of young musicians would spend hours at home in their bedrooms, perfecting both their playing and their poses. Though shredding fell out of favour during the grunge/alternative rock era, it has become increasingly popular again in recent years, spurred by the rise in popularity of bands like Children Of Bodom, DragonForce, and Trivium. Drawing on more than 70 exclusive interviews with key shredders past and present, author and guitarist Greg Prato has assembled the definitive guide to the fastest players of them all.

There is a common misconception about KISS, one of the greatest hard-rock/heavy metal-bands of all-time: that their `non-makeup era of 1983 1996 is not as enduring as the period when they stalked stages as the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman, and the Cat. This is untrue. In fact, this period helped resuscitate KISS s career, as they reestablished themselves in arenas, on the charts, and via MTV, and yielded some of their most popular songs including `Lick It Up, `Heaven s On Fire, `Tears Are Falling, `Crazy Crazy Nights, `Hide Your Heart, `Forever, `Unholy, and more many of which consistently found their way into the band s setlists. While the majority of KISS books are focused on the glitz and glamor of the iconic makeup era, the non-makeup years are ripe to be explored in book form, and Take It Off! does just that, zeroing in on the eleven albums KISS issued during this period including such gold- and platinum-certified hits as Lick It Up, Animalize, Revenge, and Alive III as well the resulting tours, videos, and other escapades. Take It Off! draws on all-new interviews with KISS experts and associates, including the band s lead guitarist throughout most of this period, Bruce Kulick, plus Crazy Nights producer Ron Nevison and video director Paul Rachman (`Unholy /`I Just Wanna /`Domino ). Among the other contributors are Charlie Benante (Anthrax), K.K. Downing (ex-Judas Priest), Derek Sherinan (ex-Dream Theater), and rock music experts Eddie Trunk, Katherine Turman, and Lonn Friend. The book also includes a foreword by Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho and an afterword by acclaimed producer Andreas Carlsson, as well as rare photographs and memorabilia from the period. With KISS currently in the midst of their last ever tour, now is the time to get Truly Unmasked.

Weaving together the definitive story of the Seattle music scene through a series of interviews with the people who were there, this book contains more than 130 interviews, along with essential background information.

`It s amazing that this style came to be. Can you imagine being a struggling musician back then? It must take an incredible amount of restraint to play that gently. Actor/comedian Fred Armisen, from his foreword to this book. Just what is `yacht rock, you ask? Perhaps the easiest description is: music that would not sound out of place being played while carousing aboard a yacht back in the good old days. But these songs were also some of the top pop gems of the 70s and 80s. And while some associate yacht rock s biggest songs with one-hit wonder artists, several of rock s most renowned artists fall under this category, too including Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, Steely Dan, Hall and Oates, The Doobie Brothers, Toto, and more. By the early twenty-first century, yacht rock seemed to have become extinct until a comedic video series, simply titled Yacht Rock, went viral and introduced captain s hats and blazers to a whole new generation as well as the emergence of a popular cover band, the Yacht Rock Revue, and of course, Jimmy Fallon s on-air admiration of all things yacht rock. Now, yacht rock is one of the most celebrated `yesteryear styles of pop music, and has resonated with a new generation of musicians (including the Fred Armisen/Bill Hader led Blue Jean Committee and soul/funk/electronica crossover act Thundercat). But despite all the hoopla, there has never been a book that told the entire story of the genre. Until now. Featuring interviews with many of the heavy hitters of the genre, including John Oates, Kenny Loggins, and Don Felder, The Yacht Rock Book leaves no sail unturned. This is the definitive story of the yacht rock s creation, rise, chart-smashing success, fall, and stunning rebirth.

Ask any hockey historian about the greatest all-time teams, and the 1980-1984 New York Islanders are sure to be towards the top of their list. Assembled by general manager Bill Torrey and taught the art of dominance by head coach Al Arbour, the Islanders of this era included such subsequent Hall of Famers as Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, Denis Potvin, Clark Gillies, and Billy Smith, and won four consecutive Stanley Cups. Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders, 1972-1984 focuses solely on this period of the Islanders. Comprised of nearly 30 all-new, exclusive interviews with players, coaches, trainers, broadcasters, and a celebrity fan, the book is not only a genuine account of the Islanders from this time, but also, of the National Hockey League in general. Set up in the oral history format, Dynasty reads like a documentary, but in book form, as the participants weigh in on the ups and downs of the Islanders, and pull no punches in their recollections and opinions.

The 1980s New York Yankees were loaded with talent - their always-outspoken owner made sure of that. But somehow, someway, it did not all add up - resulting in one of the few decades in Yankee history that did not include at least one World Series championship. However, the '80s weren't a complete washout, as it contained quite a few classic Yankee moments, including a no-hitter, a 300th win for an eventual Hall of Fame pitcher, welcoming two of the biggest stars in all of baseball aboard, and the emergence of a popular, homegrown first baseman. 'Just Out of Reach: The 1980s New York Yankees' is the first-ever book to focus solely on this decade of the team. Featuring nearly 30 all-new, exclusive interviews with players and those close to the team, the book is a fly-on-the-wall view of what was going on behind the scenes and on the field. Set up in the oral history format, 'Just Out of Reach' reads like a documentary, but in book form.

Place any musical style in front of Faith No More, and seemingly, a timeless song of their own would soon be created. Between 1985-1997, Faith No More issued six full-length recordings (including such classic titles as 'The Real Thing' and 'Angel Dust') and in the process, influenced countless musicians throughout the world. But that's not to say it was smooth sailing - members coming and going, inter-band bickering, never being the toast of the critics, etc. And much of the same could be said about the zanier Mr. Bungle, which also featured FNM singer Mike Patton. Now, for the first time ever, there is a book that explores and analyzes both bands' histories - 'The Faith No More & Mr. Bungle Companion.' Interviews include: Wes Borland (Black Light Burns/Limp Bizkit), Max Cavalera (Soulfly/ex-Sepultura), Johnny Christ (Avenged Sevenfold), Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N' Roses), Everlast (House of Pain/solo artist), Mike Fleischmann (Vision of Disorder), John Garcia (Vista Chino/ex-Kyuss), Mitts (Madball), Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Jason Newsted (Newsted/ex-Metallica), Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria), Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Devin Townsend (Devin Townsend Project/ex-Strapping Young Lad), Ville Valo (HIM), and Jeff Walker (Carcass). Finally, a complete and thorough overview of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle's careers...strap yourself in and/or hold on tight