The Set List

Publishers Dig The Beats of the '60s and '70s

Publisher's Weekly has a rundown of books about or written by musicians that will be published this year.
Among the highlights:
A Joe Nick Patoski biography of Willie Nelson; Sheila Weller's overview of  the careers of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon in "Girls Like Us";  James Sullivan's  James Brown tome "The Hardest Working Man"; and two Supremes books,  Mark Ribowsky's "The Supremes"  and Peter Benjaminson's "The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard."
Michael Bracewell tackles  Roxy Music in "Re-Make/ Re-Model" and John Kruth chronicles Townes van Zandt in "To Live's to Fly."
Since he is no longer with the Eagles, former guitarist  Don Felder tells his side of the saga in "Heaven & Hell."
David Byrne is writing about his observations while biking through 10 cities and  Brian Eno's book on art is tentatively titled "44 Minutes: A Big Theory about Culture."
For writers looking for an entry into that world though, a cautionary tone is struck in the article.
“Generally, I'd say that it's getting tougher to come up with worthy and commercially viable subjects,” says literary agent Paul Bresnick, who handles a large number of music books, “primarily because so many of the obvious people are in the process of writing their own books."
“There has been a trend toward rock stars finally telling their life stories themselves,” says Ben Schafer, executive editor at Da Capo. “Once something like Clapton happens, they say, 'Hey, I can do this.'” 

L.A. Critic Hilburn To Pen Memoirs

Robert Hilburn, the former teacher who defined rock journalism in Los Angeles in the 1970s and was the voice of the L.A. Times pop music criticism for more than three decades, will pen his memoirs for Modern Times/Rodale. After he left the Times, he had hinted that a book was a possibility and LA Observed has quoted the publisher saying Hilburn will recount his personal ties with many rock stars in a highly opinionated manner. Should be worth reading: This is the rare critic who could put a plaque on his couch that reads "John Lennon slept here."
A 2009 publication date is being penciled in.
Press release reports: "book will share intimate moments with artists that are revealing, humorous and titillating. For example on a visit with Michael Jackson, Hilburn reveals, 'I didn't think anything odd about it at the time when Michael asked me to climb onto the bed with him and watch cartoons on television,' or one of the many late evenings he spent with the brilliant but eccentric producer Phil Spector in the 1970s, including one in which Spector, waving a handgun, barked, 'No one leaves the house until Smith & Wesson says so.'"

Bruce Springsteen Fans' Glory Days Compiled in Book

Lawrence Kirsch has published "For You," a book of fans' stories regarding their experiences with Bruce Springsteen and his music, memories of concerts and hours spent listening to particular records. Accompanied by hundreds of photos, the stories hit on the typical facets of fanaticism - the quest for connection, the pinpoint clear recollections of first-time experiences and the life-enriching quality of poignant songs. Only 2,000 copies of the book are being printed.
Having read just a small sampling of the letters, naturally the stories involving mortality were the most moving, like this one from Roy Opochinski of Toms River, N.J.:

Jazz By the Book

The Monterey Jazz Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with the publication of "The Art of Jazz: Monterey Jazz Festival/50 Years" by  music and culture writers Keith and Kent Zimmerman.
Book is a decade-by-decade look at the jazz world and the festival explored through essays and art , including posters, program covers and photographs dating back to the first festival in 1958.  Clint Eastwood wrote the forward.
Among the artists photographed are Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Joshua Redman, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Christian McBride, Al Jarreau and Dianne Reeves.
John McLaughlin, Dave Holland, Ornette Coleman, Terence Blanchard, Sonny Rollins and Dave Brubeck will appear at the Sept. 21-23 fest.