{"title":"Books by Greg Prato","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780760398425","title":"Alternative for the Masses","description":"\u003cb\u003eGet the definitive story of the ’90s alt-rock movement straight from the musicians and figures who lived it.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo period in the history of rock music offered such an abrupt shift in prevailing tastes as the 1990s. While just a short while before, radio and MTV were clamoring for hair metal bands, suddenly alt-rockers such as Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Primus, Smashing Pumpkins, and of course, Nirvana, brought a sea change not just in what the most popular bands sounded like, but also in fashion, politics, and seemingly all aspects of pop culture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eAlternative for the Masses: The Oral History of the ’90s Alt-Rock Revolution\u003c\/i\u003e, veteran music critic Greg Prato presents more than 60 new interviews conducted exclusively for the book—with an emphasis on the 1990–1995 peak period—including \u003cb\u003einsights from renowned names like:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIan MacKaye (Fugazi, Dischord Records)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrank Black (Pixies)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCorey Glover (Living Colour)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMoby (solo artist\/DJ)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAl Jourgensen (Ministry)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLes Claypool (Primus)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKennedy (host of MTV’s \u003ci\u003eAlternative Nation\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMatt Pinfield (host of MTV’s \u003ci\u003e120 Minutes\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eButch Vig (producer of Nirvana’s \u003ci\u003eNevermind\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTanya Donnelly (Belly, Breeders)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFred Armisen (\u003ci\u003ePortlandia\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSaturday Night Live\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrato also includes excerpts from one of the last interviews with Steve Albini, arguably the period’s most influential recording engineer and producer, responsible for influential albums by the likes of Nirvana and PJ Harvey producer, among many others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrato sets out his book in thematic chapters \u003cb\u003ecovering topics such as:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Lollapalooza music festival\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe impact of Nirvana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlt-rock’s many subgenres\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNotable producers of the period\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe impact of women rockers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMTV’s influence\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDrugs and addiction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eand much more!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDo you long for the days when it seemed rock artists were all about daring to be different, speaking their minds, and shaking up the music industry? The last decade before the internet, downloads, and streaming took over music? \u003ci\u003eAlternative for the Masses\u003c\/i\u003e will take you back to that time when alt-rock truly promised something different.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56294807437685,"sku":"9780760398425","price":22.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780760398425_b1581746-9574-40ef-acfa-f6d3627f4c85.jpg?v=1786015633"},{"product_id":"9781636140681","title":"Primus: Over The Electric Grapevine","description":"Usually when the alternative rock revolution' of the early 1990s is discussed, Nirvana's Nevermind is credited as the recording that led the charge. Yet there were several earlier albums that helped pave the way, including the Pixies' Doolittle, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Mother's Milk, Jane's Addiction's Nothing's Shocking and especially Primus' 1991 album Sailing the Seas of Cheese. This fascinating and beautifully curated oral history tells the tale of this truly one-of-a-kind band that merged funk, punk, rock and experimental music, with Les Claypool's distinctive humour.'","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56304623452533,"sku":"9781636140681","price":19.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781636140681_9f94cc3e-d7d4-426a-bece-a57d29233a05.jpg?v=1786023543"},{"product_id":"9781911036579","title":"Take It Off","description":"There is a common misconception about KISS, one of the greatest hard-rock\/heavy metal-bands of all-time: that their ‘non-makeup’ era of 1983-1996 is not as enduring as the period when they stalked stages as the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman, and the Cat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This is untrue. In fact, this period helped resuscitate KISS’s career, as they reestablished themselves in arenas, on the charts, and via MTV, and yielded some of their most popular songs – including \u003ci\u003eLick It Up\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHeaven’s On Fire\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTears Are Falling\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCrazy Crazy Nights\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHide Your Heart\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eForever\u003c\/i\u003e, Unholy, and more – many of which consistently found their way into the band’s set lists.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e While the majority of KISS books are focused on the glitz and glamour of the iconic makeup era, the non-makeup years are ripe to be explored in book form, and \u003ci\u003eTake It Off\u003c\/i\u003e does just that, zeroing in on the eleven albums KISS issued during this period – including such gold- and platinum-certified hits as \u003ci\u003eLick It Up\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAnimalize\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRevenge\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eAlive III\u003c\/i\u003e – as well the resulting tours, videos, and other escapades.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eTake It Off\u003c\/i\u003e draws on all-new interviews with KISS experts and associates, including the band’s lead guitarist throughout most of this period, Bruce Kulick, plus \u003ci\u003eCrazy Nights\u003c\/i\u003e producer Ron Nevison and video director Paul Rachman (\u003ci\u003eUnholy\u003c\/i\u003e\/\u003ci\u003eI Just Wanna\u003c\/i\u003e\/\u003ci\u003eDomino\u003c\/i\u003e). Among the other contributors are Charlie Benante (Anthrax), K.K. Downing (ex-Judas Priest), Derek Sherinan (ex-Dream Theater), and rock music experts Eddie Trunk, Katherine Turman, and Lonn Friend. The book also includes a foreword by Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho and an afterword by acclaimed producer Andreas Carlsson, as well as rare photographs and memorabilia from the period.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With KISS currently in the midst of their last ever tour, now is the time to get \u003ci\u003eTruly Unmasked\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309009154421,"sku":"9781911036579","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781911036579_a697e5f7-20e0-4314-a022-7847b9bb9912.jpg?v=1786029638"},{"product_id":"9781911036210","title":"Shredders!","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"How fast can you play?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"What guitar do you have?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Who is better, Van Halen or Steve Vai?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor metal fans in the 80s, these were common and important questions. Tune in to MTV, pick up a magazine, or walk into an instrument store, and more often than not you'd be exposed to what is now known as shredding - the fast, virtuoso soloing popularized by musicians like Vai and Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads and Dimebag Darrell. Inspired by these pioneering guitarists, thousands of young musicians would spend hours at home in their bedrooms, perfecting both their playing and their poses.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThough shredding fell out of favor during the grunge\/alternative rock era, it has become increasingly popular again in recent years, spurred by the rise in popularity of bands like Children Of Bodom, DragonForce, and Trivium. Drawing on more than 70 exclusive interviews with key shredders past and present, author and guitarist Greg Prato has assembled the definitive guide to the fastest players of them all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309197308277,"sku":"9781911036210","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781911036210_bd8c8716-0e63-4d30-9242-4c231cced5d3.jpg?v=1786029628"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-greg-prato.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}