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In 1999, as the end of an old century loomed, five musicians
entered a recording studio in Paris without a deadline. Their band
was widely recognized as the best and most forward-thinking in
rock, a rarefied status granting them the time, money, and space to
make a masterpiece. But Radiohead didn't want to make another rock
record. Instead, they set out to create the future. For more than a
year, they battled writer's block, inter-band disagreements, and
crippling self-doubt. In the end, however, they produced an album
that was not only a complete departure from their prior
guitar-based rock sound, it was the sound of a new era, and
embodied widespread changes catalyzed by emerging technologies just
beginning to take hold of the culture. What they created was Kid A.
At the time, Radiohead's fourth album divided critics. Some called
it an instant classic; others, including the U.K. music magazine
Melody Maker, deemed it "tubby, ostentatious,
self-congratulatory... whiny old rubbish." But two decades later,
Kid A sounds like nothing less than an overture for the chaos and
confusion of the 21st century. Acclaimed rock critic Steven Hyden
digs deep into the songs, history, legacy, and mystique of Kid A,
outlining the album's pervasive influence and impact on culture, in
time for its 20th anniversary in 2020. Deploying a mix of
criticism, journalism, and personal memoir, Hyden skillfully
revisits this enigmatic, alluring LP and investigates the many ways
in which Kid A shaped and foreshadowed our world.
Ever since Pearl Jam first blasted onto the Seattle grunge scene
three decades ago with their debut album, Ten, they have sold 85M+
albums, performed for hundreds of thousands of fans around the
world, and have even been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame. In Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack Of A Generation,
music critic and journalist Steven Hyden celebrates the life,
career, and music of this legendary group, widely considered to be
one of the greatest American rock bands of all time. Long Road is
structured like a mix tape, using 18 different Pearl Jam classics
as starting points for telling a mix of personal and universal
stories. Each chapter tells the tale of this great band - how they
got to where they are, what drove them to greatness, and why it
matters now. Much like the generation it emerged from, Pearl Jam is
a mass of contradictions. They were an enormously successful
mainstream rock band who felt deeply uncomfortable with the pursuit
of capitalistic spoils. They were progressive activists who spoke
in favor of abortion rights and against the Ticketmaster monopoly,
and yet they epitomized the sound of traditional, male-dominated
rock 'n' roll. They were looked at as spokesmen for their
generation, even though they ultimately projected profound
confusion and alienation. They triumphed, and failed, in equal
doses - the quintessential Gen-X tale. Impressive as their stats,
accolades, and longevity may be, Hyden also argues that Pearl Jam's
most definitive accomplishment lies in the impact their music had
on Generation X as a whole. Pearl Jam's music helped an entire
generation of listeners connect with the glory of bygone rock
mythology, and made it relevant during a period in which tremendous
American economic prosperity belied a darkness at the heart of
American youth. More than just a chronicle of the band's career,
this book is also a story about Gen- X itself, who like Pearl Jam
came from angsty, outspoken roots and then evolved into an
establishment institution, without ever fully shaking off their
uncertain, outsider past. For so many Gen-Xers growing up at the
time, Pearl Jam's music was a beacon that offered both solace and
guidance. They taught an entire generation how to grow up without
losing the purest and most essential parts of themselves. Written
with his celebrated blend of personal memoir, criticism, and
journalism, Hyden explores Pearl Jam's path from Ten to now. It's a
chance for new fans and old fans alike to geek out over Pearl Jam
minutia-the B-sides, the beloved deep cuts, the concert
bootlegs-and explore the multitude of reasons why Pearl Jam's music
resonated with so many people. As Hyden explains, "Most songs pass
through our lives and are swiftly forgotten. But Pearl Jam is
forever."
THE MAKING AND MEANING OF RADIOHEAD'S GROUNDBREAKING,
CONTROVERSIAL, EPOCHDEFINING ALBUM, KID A. In 1999, as the end of
an old century loomed, five musicians entered a recording studio in
Paris without a deadline. Their band was widely recognized as the
best and most forward-thinking in rock, a rarefied status granting
them the time, money, and space to make a masterpiece. But
Radiohead didn't want to make another rock record. Instead, they
set out to create the future. For more than a year, they battled
writer's block, intra-band disagreements, and crippling self-doubt.
In the end, however, they produced an album that was not only a
complete departure from their prior guitar-based rock sound, it was
the sound of a new era-and it embodied widespread changes catalyzed
by emerging technologies just beginning to take hold of the
culture. What they created was Kid A. Upon its release in 2000,
Radiohead's fourth album divided critics. Some called it an instant
classic; others, such as the UK music magazine Melody Maker, deemed
it "tubby, ostentatious, self-congratulatory... whiny old rubbish."
But two decades later, Kid A sounds like nothing less than an
overture for the chaos and confusion of the twenty-first century.
Acclaimed rock critic Steven Hyden digs deep into the songs,
history, legacy, and mystique of Kid A, outlining the album's
pervasive influence and impact on culture in time for its twentieth
anniversary in 2020. Deploying a mix of criticism, journalism, and
personal memoir, Hyden skillfully revisits this enigmatic, alluring
LP and investigates the many ways in which Kid A shaped and
foreshadowed our world.
A leading music journalist's riveting chronicle of how beloved band
Pearl Jam shaped the times, and how their legacy and longevity have
transcended generations. Ever since Pearl Jam first blasted onto
the Seattle grunge scene three decades ago with their debut album,
Ten, they have sold 85M+ albums, performed for hundreds of
thousands of fans around the world, and have even been inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In Long Road: Pearl Jam and
the Soundtrack Of A Generation, music critic and journalist Steven
Hyden celebrates the life, career, and music of this legendary
group, widely considered to be one of the greatest American rock
bands of all time. Long Road is structured like a mix tape, using
18 different Pearl Jam classics as starting points for telling a
mix of personal and universal stories. Each chapter tells the tale
of this great band - how they got to where they are, what drove
them to greatness, and why it matters now. Much like the generation
it emerged from, Pearl Jam is a mass of contradictions. They were
an enormously successful mainstream rock band who felt deeply
uncomfortable with the pursuit of capitalistic spoils. They were
progressive activists who spoke in favor of abortion rights and
against the Ticketmaster monopoly, and yet they epitomized the
sound of traditional, male-dominated rock 'n' roll. They were
looked at as spokesmen for their generation, even though they
ultimately projected profound confusion and alienation. They
triumphed, and failed, in equal doses - the quintessential Gen-X
tale. Impressive as their stats, accolades, and longevity may be,
Hyden also argues that Pearl Jam's most definitive accomplishment
lies in the impact their music had on Generation X as a whole.
Pearl Jam's music helped an entire generation of listeners connect
with the glory of bygone rock mythology, and made it relevant
during a period in which tremendous American economic prosperity
belied a darkness at the heart of American youth. More than just a
chronicle of the band's career, this book is also a story about
Gen- X itself, who like Pearl Jam came from angsty, outspoken roots
and then evolved into an establishment institution, without ever
fully shaking off their uncertain, outsider past. For so many
Gen-Xers growing up at the time, Pearl Jam's music was a beacon
that offered both solace and guidance. They taught an entire
generation how to grow up without losing the purest and most
essential parts of themselves. Written with his celebrated blend of
personal memoir, criticism, and journalism, Hyden explores Pearl
Jam's path from Ten to now. It's a chance for new fans and old fans
alike to geek out over Pearl Jam minutia-the B-sides, the beloved
deep cuts, the concert bootlegs-and explore the multitude of
reasons why Pearl Jam's music resonated with so many people. As
Hyden explains, "Most songs pass through our lives and are swiftly
forgotten. But Pearl Jam is forever."
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