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Our aspirations are wrapped up in books
Our inclinations are hidden in looks
-- Belle & Sebastian
Our inclinations are hidden in looks
-- Belle & Sebastian
Stuart Murdoch
belleandsebastian.com
If you’re a fan of the Scottish band Belle & Sebastian, you’re likely already familiar with its songs, what with their lyrical turns of phrase and decidedly literary bent. (I could easily envision short films being made out of the stories woven in songs like “The State That I Am In” and “The Boy With the Arab Strap.”) To wit, prolific singer and songwriter Stuart Murdoch—who wrote and directed the indie film God Help the Girl in 2014—has published his debut novel, Nobody’s Empire, which is also the name of a B&S song from the band’s 2015 album. Both the song and the novel sound to be somewhat autobiographical, a coming-of-age story recounting illness, dark days, and salvation through music. Murdoch had been reading excerpts from the novel during the band’s U.S. tour this year (at the Oakland show, he referenced the protagonist taking the local BART transit system). And for the U.S. release of the book, Murdoch is doing a one-man tour in select cities in 2025, offering up “an evening of songs, readings, stories, book-signing and more.” Fans of twee and indie pop, rejoice.
Book Tour
January 30 / Brooklyn, NY / The Bell House
February 1 / Boston, MA / The Rockwell
February 3 / Toronto, ON / The Great Hall
February 5 / Chicago, IL / Constellation
February 7 / Portland, OR / Polaris Hall
February 8 / Seattle, WA / Fremont Abbey
February 10 / San Francisco, CA / The Chapel
February 12 / Los Angeles, CA / Barnsdall Gallery Theatre
February 14 / Austin, TX / Stateside
(Hosts to be announced)
belleandsebastian.com
If you’re a fan of the Scottish band Belle & Sebastian, you’re likely already familiar with its songs, what with their lyrical turns of phrase and decidedly literary bent. (I could easily envision short films being made out of the stories woven in songs like “The State That I Am In” and “The Boy With the Arab Strap.”) To wit, prolific singer and songwriter Stuart Murdoch—who wrote and directed the indie film God Help the Girl in 2014—has published his debut novel, Nobody’s Empire, which is also the name of a B&S song from the band’s 2015 album. Both the song and the novel sound to be somewhat autobiographical, a coming-of-age story recounting illness, dark days, and salvation through music. Murdoch had been reading excerpts from the novel during the band’s U.S. tour this year (at the Oakland show, he referenced the protagonist taking the local BART transit system). And for the U.S. release of the book, Murdoch is doing a one-man tour in select cities in 2025, offering up “an evening of songs, readings, stories, book-signing and more.” Fans of twee and indie pop, rejoice.
Book Tour
(Hosts to be announced)
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Emma Ruth Rundle
emmaruthrundle.com
Portland singer/songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle announced a poetry book called The Bella Vista, marking this her literary debut. The musician has released six solo albums over the past decade.
Talking about The Bella Vista, Emma Ruth Rundle explains, “Written on the road over the course of a year, ‘The Bella Vista’ is equal parts travel-log, love story and journal of dark existential reflection. It is what I have spent the last two years of my creative life working on and I am both relieved and excited to finally be sharing it.”
The Bella Vista will be published by Unnamed Press and available at bookstores and online on February 11, 2025. To coincide with the book, Rundle will release a limited edition audio album consisting of minimalistic, contemplative piano sketches à la Harold Budd of whom the book was named in honor of, and was highly influential to The Bella Vista. Copies will be limited to 300 and available in a signed first edition hardcover + exclusive vinyl bundle here.
Emma Ruth Rundle Live Dates:
11/01 - Brooklyn, NY - Littlefield +
11/02 - Hamden, CT - Space Ballroom +
11/03 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church +
11/04 - Brooklyn, NY - Public Records +
11/29 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios #
11/30 - Seattle, WA - Tractor #
12/02 - Sacramento, CA - Harlows #
12/03 - San Francisco, CA - GAMH #
12/05 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon #
12/06 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon #
12/07 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar #
12/09 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar #
12/10 - Santa Fe, NM - Meow Wolf #
12/12 - Austin, TX - Austin Central Presbyterian #
12/13 - Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves #
12/14 - Oklahoma City, OK - Resonant Head #
12/16 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre #
+ with Ora Cogan
# with Storefront Church
emmaruthrundle.com
Portland singer/songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle announced a poetry book called The Bella Vista, marking this her literary debut. The musician has released six solo albums over the past decade.
Talking about The Bella Vista, Emma Ruth Rundle explains, “Written on the road over the course of a year, ‘The Bella Vista’ is equal parts travel-log, love story and journal of dark existential reflection. It is what I have spent the last two years of my creative life working on and I am both relieved and excited to finally be sharing it.”
The Bella Vista will be published by Unnamed Press and available at bookstores and online on February 11, 2025. To coincide with the book, Rundle will release a limited edition audio album consisting of minimalistic, contemplative piano sketches à la Harold Budd of whom the book was named in honor of, and was highly influential to The Bella Vista. Copies will be limited to 300 and available in a signed first edition hardcover + exclusive vinyl bundle here.
Emma Ruth Rundle Live Dates:
+ with Ora Cogan
# with Storefront Church
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Dua Lipa
service95.com
I had no idea Dua Lipa has a book club called Service95 Book Club. Each month, Dua personally picks a book to read and discuss. There’s new exclusive essays, further reading lists and playlists, as well as interviews with the writer. It’s all very cool.
This month’s book is Lincoln In The Bardo by George Saunders.
“I loved this unique, bold and compassionate book,” Dua shares. “At its heart, this is a story of one of the most famous men in history – President Abraham Lincoln – grieving for his dead son Willie, whose death foreshadows the hundreds of thousands of lives that are about to be lost in the American Civil War.”
Dua adds, “The action takes place over just 24 hours and is narrated by a cacophony of monologuing, bickering ghosts in a graveyard. Yes, you read that right, and yes, it does take a while to settle into this unusual style. But stick with it and your mind will be well and truly blown – there is no one writing today who can match George Saunders for compassion and empathy. The very last page still replays in my mind. The voices of these spirits – the wretched and the brave, and the dead boy Willie Lincoln – will stay with me forever.”
While you’re at the book club, you can also check out Dua’s At Your Service podcast, as well as joining the Service95 newsletter.
service95.com
I had no idea Dua Lipa has a book club called Service95 Book Club. Each month, Dua personally picks a book to read and discuss. There’s new exclusive essays, further reading lists and playlists, as well as interviews with the writer. It’s all very cool.
This month’s book is Lincoln In The Bardo by George Saunders.
“I loved this unique, bold and compassionate book,” Dua shares. “At its heart, this is a story of one of the most famous men in history – President Abraham Lincoln – grieving for his dead son Willie, whose death foreshadows the hundreds of thousands of lives that are about to be lost in the American Civil War.”
Dua adds, “The action takes place over just 24 hours and is narrated by a cacophony of monologuing, bickering ghosts in a graveyard. Yes, you read that right, and yes, it does take a while to settle into this unusual style. But stick with it and your mind will be well and truly blown – there is no one writing today who can match George Saunders for compassion and empathy. The very last page still replays in my mind. The voices of these spirits – the wretched and the brave, and the dead boy Willie Lincoln – will stay with me forever.”
While you’re at the book club, you can also check out Dua’s At Your Service podcast, as well as joining the Service95 newsletter.
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This Ain't No Disco
TrouserPressBooks.com
Long out of print book This Ain't No Disco: The Story of CBGB is getting a new printing this October 2024. The book details warts-and-all history, with memories, stories and gossip from dozens of insiders who worked, played or just hung out at CBGB. Expect to read all about the birth of punk and new wave in the 70s with The Ramones, Blondie, Television, Talking Heads.
This new edition includes a foreword by Chris Frantz of Talking Heads, 12 pages of photographs by Ebet Roberts and two pieces of historical reporting about the club’s closing in 2006.
As a companion book, there’s also Marquee: The Story of the World’s Greatest Music Venue, which tells the club’s 30-year story in fascinating detail. Co-written by the son of the club’s founders (Robert Sellers and Nick Pendleton), the book is packed with dates, memories, wild stories, musical milestones and behind-the-scenes drama, all as told by the musicians, management, staff and fans who were there.
The This Ain't No Disco: The Story of CBGB launch party will take place on November 2 at Generation Records (210 Thompson Street in the West Village in New York City): a panel of CBGB legends — including (subject to change): Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz, photographer Ebet Roberts, Ramones tour manager Monte A. Melnick, musician/CBGB door person Deerfrance, CBGB booker Louise Parnassa Staley and musician/producer Jonathan Paley — will be on hand to share stories and answer questions.
TrouserPressBooks.com
Long out of print book This Ain't No Disco: The Story of CBGB is getting a new printing this October 2024. The book details warts-and-all history, with memories, stories and gossip from dozens of insiders who worked, played or just hung out at CBGB. Expect to read all about the birth of punk and new wave in the 70s with The Ramones, Blondie, Television, Talking Heads.
This new edition includes a foreword by Chris Frantz of Talking Heads, 12 pages of photographs by Ebet Roberts and two pieces of historical reporting about the club’s closing in 2006.
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Marquee: The Story of the World’s Greatest Music Venue (2024)
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The This Ain't No Disco: The Story of CBGB launch party will take place on November 2 at Generation Records (210 Thompson Street in the West Village in New York City): a panel of CBGB legends — including (subject to change): Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz, photographer Ebet Roberts, Ramones tour manager Monte A. Melnick, musician/CBGB door person Deerfrance, CBGB booker Louise Parnassa Staley and musician/producer Jonathan Paley — will be on hand to share stories and answer questions.
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Bear McCreary
bearmccreary.com
If you watch any genre TV or play video games, you’ll know the name Bear McCreary.
I was already familiar with the talented composer through enjoying Battlestar Galactica in 2009. Since then, he’s been spotted on recent shows, like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Walking Dead, God of War, Outlander, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
McCreary’s latest project is a new rock concept album and graphic novel companion, The Singularity… which he debut at the New York Comic Con last week in a panel, entitled “Bear McCreary: Musical World-Building.”
The comic book (produced by Black Market Narrative and published by Image Comics) features writers Mat Groom and Kyle Higgins, with art by Ramón K. Pérez.
Based on McCreary’s writing on The Singularity, on his website, it seems he’s been working on it right before the pandemic hit, which will explain why it took so long to get everything together.
Excerpt of working with Gene Hoglan:
bearmccreary.com
If you watch any genre TV or play video games, you’ll know the name Bear McCreary.
I was already familiar with the talented composer through enjoying Battlestar Galactica in 2009. Since then, he’s been spotted on recent shows, like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Walking Dead, God of War, Outlander, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
McCreary’s latest project is a new rock concept album and graphic novel companion, The Singularity… which he debut at the New York Comic Con last week in a panel, entitled “Bear McCreary: Musical World-Building.”
The comic book (produced by Black Market Narrative and published by Image Comics) features writers Mat Groom and Kyle Higgins, with art by Ramón K. Pérez.
Based on McCreary’s writing on The Singularity, on his website, it seems he’s been working on it right before the pandemic hit, which will explain why it took so long to get everything together.
Excerpt of working with Gene Hoglan:
Our recording process began with the most time-money-and-labor-intensive aspect of record production: tracking drums. Getting the drums right on The Singularity was a top priority because drums lay the rhythmic and sonic foundation for the rest of the project. I composed this project with one drummer in mind: Gene “The Atomic Clock” Hoglan. Ever since I heard his playing in Dethklok and Strapping Young Lad, I was inspired to channel his energetic sound, especially his supersonic double kick pedal footwork, into my own music.
I met Gene when we recorded my cover of Blue Öyster Cult’s “Godzilla” in 2019, but it was not until 2020 that I got to know him. Knowing his astonishing physical power behind the drums, I was struck by his gentle demeanor, inquisitive nature, and the childlike glee with which he talked about music. I could not understand how this positive, soft-spoken, well-mannered teddy bear of a man could pick up two sticks and turn into an absolute monster of metal behind the drum kit!
I sent Gene early sketches of my songs and did not hear back for a few days. Calling him up, I was shocked to learn he had already been practicing my songs for days and had most of the parts memorized! We spent long phone calls together talking about the project, with plentiful detours into discussions of life and art. Speaking with Gene, I ended every call with a smile. He was so focused on the album that he ended up co-writing “The Automaton’s Heart” with me, contributing heartfelt lyrics to the choruses.
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Dust & Grooves Vol.2
dustandgrooves.com
There’s no doubt about it, vinyl is back and it’s bigger than ever. If you were a fan of Dust & Grooves Volume 1 book from 2014, Dust & Grooves Vol.2 is out now! Ten years in the making, this book captures the zeitgeist of the vinyl culture and offers a glimpse in the lives of record collectors worldwide.
The full title Dust & Grooves Vol.2: Further Adventures in Record Collecting was created by Eilon Paz, with editor David Ma, and documents 150 record collectors, including A-Trak, Colleen, Murphy, DāM FunK, Peanut Butter Wolf, Quantic, DJ Spinna, Kid Koala, Don Letts, Andy Votel, Shawn Lee, Mayer Hawthorne, and bass maestro Ron Carter.
Here is the full 150 record collectors listing:
dustandgrooves.com
There’s no doubt about it, vinyl is back and it’s bigger than ever. If you were a fan of Dust & Grooves Volume 1 book from 2014, Dust & Grooves Vol.2 is out now! Ten years in the making, this book captures the zeitgeist of the vinyl culture and offers a glimpse in the lives of record collectors worldwide.
The full title Dust & Grooves Vol.2: Further Adventures in Record Collecting was created by Eilon Paz, with editor David Ma, and documents 150 record collectors, including A-Trak, Colleen, Murphy, DāM FunK, Peanut Butter Wolf, Quantic, DJ Spinna, Kid Koala, Don Letts, Andy Votel, Shawn Lee, Mayer Hawthorne, and bass maestro Ron Carter.
Here is the full 150 record collectors listing:
A-Trak, Rui Miguel Abreu, Eric Andre, Gustavo Aquino, Toni "Tostoni" Arellano, John Armstrong, Aroe, Daniele Baldelli, Zack Bar, Ray Barbee, Luca Barcellona, Kristine Barilli, Zoe Baxter, Bart Bealmear, Devon Behelak, Barbie Bertisch, Kornelia Binicewicz, Bas Bogerd, Marc "Mr. Thing" Bowles, Olivia Bradley-Skill, Eduardo Brecho, Caroline Cardenas, Darìo “Ritmonzón” Maldonado Cardeño, Maestro Ron Carter, Andrea Carthy, Edson Carvalho, Claudio Casalini, Alexis Charpentier, Louise Chen, Kevin Cole, Rocio "Wyldeflower" Contereras, Mark Cruz, Keith D'Arcy, DāM-FunK, Mafalda Daniel, Charlie Dark, Pierpaolo De Sanctis, Sander Van Der Loo, John Devore, Massimo Di Lena, Shawn Dub, Melissa Dueñas, Cole Evelev, Francis Falceto, Alex Figueira, Giovanna Fiorentino, Brendan Flannery, Grazi Flores, Matt "DJ Format" Ford, Ken Freedman, Zero Freitas, Ellen G, Mary G, Andrea Galtieri, Robert "Mr. Big Happy" Garcia, Tony Garcia, Marvin Goffe, Jonny GoFigure, Deb Grant, Eduardo “Dudu” Gregory, Gunter Gretz, Binky Griptite, Anna Haleta, Jess Hart, Mayer Hawthorne, Will "Quantic" Holland, Danny Holloway, Carlos Icaza, Hiroki Igarashi, Deborah Ipekel, Nabihah Iqbal, Trevor Jackson, Gerd Janson, Rafa Jazz, Mark Jones, Kenan Juska, Koray Kantarcioglu, Anya Karmanova, Kassin, Kid Koala, Michael Kurtz, Shay Landa, Morgan Jesse Lappin, Keith Lawrence, Shawn Lee, Lefto, Jen Lemasters, Don Letts, Rankin Levy, Kevin Lewandowski, Rob Life, Elisse Locomotion, Valerio Iuliano, Adrian Magrys, Adam Mansbach, Coco Maria, Tony McDermott, Millie McKee, Chris Menist, Frank Merrit, Leon Michels, Colleen Murphy, DJ Nuts, DJ Nyack, Ross One, Thes One, Hiroko Otsuka, Oxman, Fabian Pablo, Gladys Palmera, Alex Paterson, DJ Paulao, Mickey Perez, Platurn, Paola Puente, Paul Raffaele, Ruben "Ruffy" Rangel, Edgar Raposo, Victoria Rawlins, Chris Read, Christine Renee, Julia Rodionova, Majoo Salguero, Luca Sapio, Felix and Simon Schütze, Fred Schneider, Jeremy Sole, Grace of Spades, Anton Spice, Spinna, Mike Steinberg, Ariel Tagar, Allen Thayer, Andre Torres, Rainer Truby, Jose Trujilio, Alessandra and Elisabetta Umiliani, Carter Van Pelt, Carlos Vera, Sven Vogtland, Andy Votel, Hector Waluyo, Julia Weckelmann, Avidan Weiss, Jonathan Weiss, Alice Whittington, Peanut Butter Wolf, Victor Schneider, Andrew "Lespam" Yeomanson, Daniela "Xica Soul" Zepeda.
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