Rock n Roll Book and Documentary Reviews: Rock Talk Studio

Looking for a doc that is artsy, gutsy and very real. A doc that is meaningful, clever, and deep. Bono does something in 86 minutes that most documentaries struggle to do-he grabs your attention, sparks your emotion and delivers on a very high level.  

*Want to win a free copy of Guns N' Roses at 40 book?  It's easy, just send me an email to sign up. You can find a link to my email address below. *Reminder this is for US c...

Guns n Roses at 40 is a hardcover beast—sleek, embossed, and packed with full-color photos, gatefold timelines, and handmade Sunset Strip flyers. It’s pure class with just the right amount of dirt under the nails. 

 *This episode is sponsored by Motorbooks—one of my favorite sponsors because they always hook up the Rock Talk Studio audience with a chance to win great books! And with this sponsorship, they’re taking it one step furth...

Buzz Me In: Inside The Record Plant Studio chronicles how two men (with a little help from Hendrix) built the go-to recording hub of the decade. Over-the-top partying, tight deadlines, all-night sessions, and egos the size of hotel suites — this is the 1970s music scene in full throttle. 

*This episode is sponsored by Thames & Hudson - the world's great publisher of illustrated books on Art, Architecture, Design, Photograph...

Looking for a great new rock n roll documentary to check out? Here's the Top 5 rock n roll docs that have been released so far in 2025.

This episode is sponsored by Thames & Hudson Publishing, who were kind enough for hooking one lucky reader up with a free copy of the new book Buzz Me In: Inside The Record Plant Studio. 

*This episode is sponsored by Thames & Hudson who is sending me over a new book to give away!! Want ...

Looking for a new great rock n roll book to check out? Here's the Top 5 rock n roll books that have been released so far in 2025.

*This episode is sponsored by Thames & Hudson who is sending me over a new book to give away!! Want to win a free copy of the new book Buzz Me In: Inside The Record Plant Studio?  It's easy, just send me an email to sign up. You can find a link to my email address below. *Reminder this is fo...

The last genre that truly changed everything? Author Rob Janicke’s book Slacker tells how grunge didn’t just change music—It changed people.

*This episode is sponsored by Thames & Hudson who is sending me over a new book to give away. Want to win a free copy of the new book Buzz Me In: Inside The Record Plant Studio?  It's easy, just send me an email to sign up. You can find a link to my email address below. *Reminder this ...

Celebrating all the great Rock n Roll podcasts! Here's the top recommendations for a bunch of great shows to check out. 

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Sign up for the Monthly BLAST!! the newsletter that comes out on the last Friday of the month that features book buzz and doc news, recently released titles, top 5 lists, and more. Just shoot me over an email at the address b...

Richard Manual's biography finally does justice to one of rock’s most heartbreaking and beautiful voices. Author Stephen T. Lewis paints a vivid, deeply human portrait of Richard Manuel: gentle, complicated, and quietly unraveling. 

*Want to win a free copy of Queen & A Night At The Opera: 50 Years?  It's easy, just send me an email to sign up. You can find a link to my email address below. *Reminder this is for US cit...

SMiLE was an album that never came out. Not in the ’60s when it was made. Not after Pet Sounds. Brian Wilson made an album-when he was 24- that was so visionary it nearly broke him. And this tremendous book gives you everything you ever wanted to know about how SMiLE became myth, then obsession, then burden, and then finally against all odds- triumph! 

*Want to win a free copy of Queen & A Night At The Opera: 50 Years?  It'...

One rehearsal in the summer of ’68 lit the fuse—Becoming Led Zeppelin captures the raw formation of a band that would change music forever. With newly unearthed John Bonham audio and exclusive interviews from Page, Plant, and Jones, this doc is pure voltage—no critics, no fluff, just Zeppelin, and a ton of great music, in their own words.

*Want to win a free copy of Queen & A Night At The Opera: 50 Years?  It's easy, just s...

This isn’t just a book. It’s a front-row seat to the moment Queen became immortal.

Queen & A Night at the Opera: 50 Years by Gillian G. Gaar is a lavish, photo-packed look into the album that changed everything. With over 250 stunning images, behind-the-scenes stories, and rare insights, this book captures the chaos, craft, and brilliance behind Queen’s boldest leap. Built like a coffee table book, packed like a vault — this is ...

 In 1983, Cameron Crowe — still early in his career — picked up a camera and quietly captured something incredible. The result? A grainy, gutsy, joy-fueled snapshot of a band still hungry, and still trying to figuring it all out. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in their hungry years. 

MTV aired it once in the middle of the night, then shelved it for being too raw.
Now it’s restored, with 20 extra minutes, There’s no script, no p...

From McCartney, The Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bob Dylan, to Live Aid, farewell tours, tribute acts and Cherry Garcia ice cream. This book by David Hepworth, documents how and why rockers have made it this long, and looks at the pivotal moments that pushed their careers, whether they liked it or not, into the future. 

*Want to win a free copy of Mike Campbell's memoir Heartbreaker?  It's easy, just send me an...

Perry Farrell's vision transformed a chaotic farewell tour into one of the most influential music festivals, blending diverse acts and cultures in a groundbreaking way. This book features over 200 interviews from artists, promoters, and crew, on how Lollapalooza reshaped the music industry and became a cultural phenomenon.

*Want to win a free copy of Mike Campbell's memoir Heartbreaker?  It's easy, just send me an ema...

The Who at two very different stages of their career is presented not only visually (this book has over 500 pictures!) but also with an engaging narrative. Teenage Wasteland: The Who at Winterland, 1968 and 1976 is an innovative approach. One that succeeds because it found a way of delivering all these pictures with comprehensive coverage of The Who during a pivotal time in the bands career. 

*Want to win a free copy of Mike Campbel...

Sly Stone invented a sound and style that took the world by storm. It's safe to say there would be no Prince if it weren't for Sly. So why did it come to such a crashing end? Questlove directs a documentary that goes right after the challenges that ruined Sly's music and life while celebrating his genius.  

BIG NEWS ABOUT THIS MONTH"S GIVEAWAY!!

*Want to win a free copy of Mike Campbell's new memoir Heartbrea...

Peter Wolf ex lead singer of The J.Geils Band delivers 35 chapters on his encounters with the most unusual, and extremely interesting people who came into his life. Alfred Hithcock, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, David Lynch, Julia Child, Norman Rockwell, Van Morrison, John Lee Hooker and Faye Dunaway all play a significant part in this story. And that is just a few of the names!! This is one of rock n roll's most unique memoirs. 

**...

Mike Campbell's memoir Heartbreaker, written with Ari Surdoval, is going to blow the minds of every Tom Petty fan. This book includes stories never told and a depth that is rare in a memoir. It is chock full of stories never told and uncovers the inner workings of Mike's relationship with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. 

******This week's SHOUT OUT goes to Mad Music Radio

Mad Music Radio is a small cluster of five int...

All the latest book buzz and doc news from artists like: Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Tom Petty, Genesis, The Cars, Peter Wolf of The J.Geils Band and many more. Find out the news on all the upcoming titles. 

*Want to stay on top of the world of Rock N Roll Book and Documentaries? That's also easy. Sign up for the Monthly BLAST!! the newsletter that comes out on the last Friday of the month that features book buzz and...