In his first book, Australian singer-songwriter Robert Forster takes readers on an idiosyncratic journey through the past and present of popular music - from Bob Dylan to Cat Power, from "AC/DC" to Nana Mouskouri, from "The Saints" to "Franz Ferdinand." With thirty years experience as a recording artist/performer and an undimmed love of popular music, Forster's observations about his fellow artists balance the enthusiasm of a fan with an insider's authority. He is that rare thing, a musician who can write about music, and he brings to this collection of critical essays the erudition, wit and craft of his songwriting. Paperback, 256 p.

For the first time, industry expert Moses Avalon, the author of truth-to-power tomes like "Confessions of a Record Producer" and "Secrets of Negotiating a Record Contract," answers readers' questions directly in this pointed analysis of business issues for musicians, producers and managers. Chosen from questions submitted by readers of Avalon's popular blog, the 50 questions he addresses in this book represent the most pressing issues in the modern music business, and his no-nonsense answers make up an essential "cheat sheet" for anyone looking to break into this challenging industry. Paperback, 250 p.

This exciting book from the editors of Guitar World is a treasure trove for any guitarist. Featuring electrifying profiles of everyone from hard rock gods (Wes Borland, Dimebag Darrell, Tony Iommi) to British giants (Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, even Nigel Tufnel) to trailblazing bluesmen (John Lee Hooker, Reverend Gary Davis) to country gents (Clarence White, Albert Lee) to the founding fathers (Chuck Berry, Dick Dale) as well as jazzmen, progressive rockers, punks and rockabilly superstars, Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitarists puts all these inspiring masters at your fingertips. But the fun doesn't stop there. Guitar World has also assembled the riveting stories behind the 100 greatest guitar solos. You know them note-for-note, from David Gilmour's transcendent phrasing in Comfortably Numb to Jimi Hendrix's rich notes in Little Wing to Kurt Cobain's unforgettable melodic turns in Smells Like Teen Spirit, and now you can get the inside stories of how these magic moments were captured for all time. Rounding off the collection is bonus material such as a lesson with Metallica's Kirk Hammet, a guide to the 12 greatest guitar tones, and 25 guitar masters weighing in on their favorite solos. 128 p.

This guide to guitarists features the most accomplished performers from the vast legions of metal. As well as celebrating the classic metal musicians who've defined the scene since the '70s, it delves deep into thrash metal, death metal, black metal, doom metal, power metal, and battle metal to unearth those players for whom no tremolo divebomb is too high, and no tuning is too low.

This cassette is chock-full of great ideas from practicing church musicians Mark Cabaniss and Phil Mitchell. It is an ideal item to listen to in the car and pick up ideas that will work with your program. Covering all aspects of music ministry, from selection of materials to choir recruitment, this is a resource every church director should have.

Ever wondered how to get the same sound on your home studio projects that the pros get on your favorite CDs? Agonized over the right guitar sound? Pondered the perfect mic placement? Now, with Home Recording Magazine's 100 Recording Tips and Tricks, you can start getting the sound you've always wanted, while learning the secrets of pro recording engineers and producers. In this video, you'll learn several strategies for turning your recording sessions into productive experiences that help you make the most of your music. Recorded at New York's Bass Hit Studios, where the music for HBO's hit series Oz is produced, and featuring the contributions of more than 10 recording engineers, producers and professional musicians, the video offers 100 useful tips and tricks for all sorts of recording studio activity, including: miking drums and other instruments, recording guitars, using computers, pre-production, tracking, mixing, post-production, and more. Running Time: 36 minutes.