Books — In Stock — Books 
A special selection of disc guides and discographies, music history, record art books, graphic novels, and some nicely-priced remainders!
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(Items 1 – 79 of 79)
PS Artbooks (UK), Mid 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Stunning work from the glory days of the 50s horror comic – issues of the legendary publication Adventures Into The Unknown – one of the first and most important comics to plumb the depths of supernatural and science fiction! The publication inspired countless imitators, but was always ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Mid 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Stunning work from the glory days of the 50s horror comic – issues of the legendary publication Adventures Into The Unknown – one of the first and most important comics to plumb the depths of supernatural and science fiction! The publication inspired countless imitators, but was always ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Amazing adventures all the way through – a publication whose covers evoke the glory days of the pulps in the 30s, but whose contents are pure early 50s comics all the way through! The tales are more adventure than anything else – but have a fair bit of horror and sci fi elements in the ... read more Book
University Of Washington, 2011. New Copy ... $5.99 26.95
After the big grunge years, we had a habit of never touching any music book with Seattle in the title – but this one's different, and really does an amazing job of getting at the city's lost musical legacy! The book goes back – way way back – and looks at the musical communities ... read more Book
IDW Publishing, 2017. New Copy ... $8.99 29.99
A beautiful book of graphic imagination – a book that features 60s-styled ads for toys that never existed – but which take us back to the glory days of Matchbox, Big Daddy Roth, and Aurora Monster Models! The artwork is all by Marty Bauman – who would have made a heck of a toy ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
Chicago Review Press, 2012. New Copy ... $4.99 29.95
A stunning look at the great Mary Wells – one of Motown's first female acts of the 60s, and one of the decade's most important early soul figures as well! Mary's work on record is very well-known, but the story behind the music is completely different, and surprisingly dark at times – ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Beware – the contents of this book are as creepy as the cover – seven full issues of this classic horror publication from the early 50s – all presented in living, lurid color! Beware was maybe one of the grittiest of its generation – and got even more so as the issues moved ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Beware – the contents of this book are as creepy as the cover – seven full issues of this classic horror publication from the early 50s – all presented in living, lurid color! Beware was maybe one of the grittiest of its generation – and got even more so as the issues moved ... read more Book
St Martins, 2016. New Copy ... $6.99 34.99
That's quite a cover photo on the book – and the interweaving of key talents in the image really gets at the style of the narrative within! Author Steven Blush delivers a decidedly one-sided document of the New York scene from the late 60s onward – a picture of countless creative ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
Powerhouse Books, 2016. New Copy ... $5.99 27.50
A pretty great book about folks who almost made it in the music business, but who never quite hit the stardom they were destined for – even though a few of these figures have become legendary over the years! The book looks at rock and soul artists from the 60s and 70s, almost all of them ... read more Book
Princeton Architectural Press, Late 60s/Early 70s/2015. New Copy ... $5.99 24.95
Not rare tapes by The Smiths – but a book of rare interviews conducted by journalist Howard Smith – an overlooked counterculture figure whose questions and commentary here go way past the usual fluff! The book features complete interviews conducted between 1966 and 1972 – key ... read more Book
Running Press, 2015. New Copy ... $15.99 65.00
A stunningly beautiful book on the 60s work of director Federico Fellini – one that's oversize, and overflowing with images that include film stills, publicity shots, candids, film posters, and other vivid representations of his cinematic imagination – all put together in a special ... read more Book
Kitchen 93, 2012. New Copy ... $11.99 49.95
Maybe the most amazing graffiti book you'll ever hope to own – an amazingly heavy, oversized volume that tells the tale of the birth of the format and its global spread – served up in dozens of articles brought together in the space of an imaginary newspaper! The pages are huge, and ... read more Book
Faber & Faber (UK), 2015. New Copy ... $4.99 36.00
An incredibly dense book on the psychedelic scene of the 60s – a huge volume that not only looks at an impressive array of music, but also the wider trippy culture, too – but all with a level of text that goes far beyond most of the thinner volumes on the period! Many of the chapter ... read more Book
University Of Chicago, 2019. New Copy ... $16.99 20.00
A tremendous achievement from music writer Aaron Cohen – a book that finally gets at the deeper, richer story of Chicago soul – the spirit of empowerment and pride that have always made us so honored to be part of the Windy City legacy! Cohen picks up where other soul writers have left ... read more Book
Shipwrecked, 2020. New Copy ... $20.99 29.99
Chris Connelly is a hell of a singer – a man with a god-like voice that we'd rank right up there next to David Bowie and Scott Walker – and we're sometimes so entranced by the sound of his voice that we actually forget to listen to the lyrics of his songs, which are equally great! This ... read more Book
(Initial copies signed by Chris Connelly himself!)
Soberscove, 2020. New Copy ... $31.99 38.99
One of the most unique books we've ever gotten from John Corbett – an author who's given us some fantastic music writing over the years! This book is completely different – not written, but "salvaged" – as the contents are a lost manuscript from the early 30s – ... read more Book
Duke University Press, 2017. New Copy ... $18.99 24.95
An incredible look at the format of vinyl – put together by a guy who's got one of the hippest record collections we've ever seen! John Corbett's been writing about music, art, and other formats for decades – but his real labor of love is vinyl records – a format he continued to ... read more Book
Harper Perennial, 2013. New Copy ... $4.99 16.99
The story of Charlie Parker is often draped in hyperbole and exaggeration – which is why it's extra great that this biography is handled by Stanley Crouch – one of the few writers we could trust to get past the hype and really find a way to link Parker's life and music! As you might ... read more Book
(Spine has a remainder mark.)
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Dark Mysteries promises "eerie adventures" and it definitely lives up to that promise – as the book is filled with very creepy stories from the glory days of postwar horror comics! The publication ran alongside the early days of EC Comics horror, and also features some of that ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Dark Mysteries promises "eerie adventures" and it definitely lives up to that promise – as the book is filled with very creepy stories from the glory days of postwar horror comics! The publication ran alongside the early days of EC Comics horror, and also features some of that ... read more Book
Prestel (Germany), 2015. New Copy ... $8.99 60.00
A treasure trove of beautiful objects designed at mid-century – all creations of designer Peter Muller Munk – German by birth, and part of the wave of creative talent to come to America during wartime – which meant that we got to reap all the benefits of Peter's genius! Famous ... read more Book
Soul Jazz (UK), 2014. New Copy ... $18.99 49.95
Way way way more than just another book of album cover images – and instead, a stunningly huge volume that offers up key images from the disco generation, plus a wealth of knowledge and information too! The book really lives up to the "encyclopedic" promise of its title – as ... read more Book
Duke University Press, 2016. New Copy ... $4.99 26.59
A collection of essays on a great range of musical topics from Chuck Eddy – a writer whose work you might know from Creem or The Village Voice – and who covered a surprising amount of music in his decades in publication! The book brings together columns from a four decade stretch that ... read more Book
Powerhouse Books, 2018. New Copy ... $6.99 35.00
Powerhouse Books has given us some great volumes on classic hip hop culture in New York – but this book is more about the contemporary scene, and the world of bling and booty – full color images that resonate very much with the photo on the cover, and which maybe have less of the ... read more Book
V&A (UK), 2012. New Copy ... $4.99 35.00
A fantastic look at the use of images in political activity on the British scene – a great legacy that runs from the early 20th century to the present – presented here a book of stunning full color images! Most of the work here focuses on the strong role that posters, billboards, and ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), 1958. New Copy ... $9.99 47.99
Great work from the comics code run of the legendary Forbidden Worlds – a time when this important early horror book moved into heavy sci-fi territory, but barely missed a beat at all! Instead, the comic almost seemed to hit a new sort of stride – as the stories by the great Richard ... read more Book
Fantagraphics, 2014. New Copy ... $8.99 34.99
Drew Friedman is a hell of a comics artist – one who's always admitted a great legacy to the legends of the past, which really comes through in the classic style of his draftsmanship! Drew's been amazing us with his images for many decades – and with this special project, he goes back ... read more Book
Pantheon, 2017. New Copy ... $6.99 40.00
One of the greatest writers on singers presents his essential collection of albums from the 20th century – all served up with the kind of loving detail that's always made the prose of Will Friedwald so great! Will's written the book on Frank Sinatra – literally – and on Tony ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
Little Brown, 2018. New Copy ... $8.99 40.00
Gary Giddins' great second chapter in the career of Bing Crosby – handled with all the same detail and deep knowledge of the music as the first volume – and continuing this much-needed look at one of the most important figures in pop music during the 20th Century! Crosby helped forge ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
Doubleday, 2015. New Copy ... $4.99 26.95
The legendary Iceberg Slim has given us plenty of his own story over the years – but this book is the first to look at the man behind the man – writer Robert Beck, who started as a pimp and became a surprisingly successful author – as well as an underground figure who inspired a ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
Powerhouse Books, 2013. New Copy ... $11.99 75.00
A massive book of beautiful photographs from the 50s, 60s, and 70s – all done by photographer Ormond Gigli, who worked heavily for Life, Time, and other publications at the time! The book is huge – almost like one of those large Taschen books – and each page presents a stunning ... read more Book
Bloomsbury, 2018. New Copy ... $6.99 28.00
One of the best writers on Memphis gives us a journey through his musical hometown – portrayed through chapters that focus on some of the city's most legendary figures – including James Carr, Sam Phillips, Jim Dickenson, Robert Johnson, Charlie Feathers, Jeff Buckley, Tav Falco, Bobby ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
Black Cat, 2005. New Copy ... $4.99 16.00
The story of Guided By Voices – a group who labored in the American underground for quite some time before finding big fame – a story that makes the group's success far more interesting than most! The book details all the work and time that Robert Pollard put into getting the group ... read more Book
Duke University Press, 2020. New Copy ... $15.99 21.95
Groundbreaking work from David Grubbs – a name you might know from his decades as a musician, singer, and improviser in a variety of settings – or from his more recent emergence as an author – heard from here in a book that unifies both sides of his creative personality! In some ... read more Book
Seven Stories Press, 2018. New Copy ... $8.99 29.95
Evergreen Review was a seminal American cultural publication in the 60s – and in addition to showcasing important writers of the time, the magazine also turned its talents to the worlds of music, film, and other cultural pursuits! This book presents the first-ever anthology of writings from ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
Flatiron Books, 2015. New Copy ... $6.99 19.99
Way more than just a simple book of record cover images – and instead a love letter to the sound and style of the disco generation – put together from classic album artwork, and augmented by thoughtful musings by the author! The book features full color reproductions of over 250 album ... read more Book
(The spine has a small remainder mark.)
Duke, 2013. New Copy ... $5.99 26.95
The future of jazz is now, even if it's in the past – as the editors here bring together a selection of essays that document the forward-thinking movements in jazz from the mid 60s onwards – some of which are only getting full appreciation all these many years later! There's a nice ... read more Book
Duke University Press, 2020. New Copy ... $18.99 25.95
A fascinating look at a very unique musical scene – Iranian music created in Los Angeles, a city that's home to the largest Iranian population outside of the homeland! Author Farzaneh Hemmasi spent years doing ethnographic fieldwork in the city – and presents a richly detailed portrait ... read more Book
Lucky Kind, 2021. New Copy ... $13.99 14.99
A small book of notes from author Dave Hoekstra – designed to accompany the documentary of the same name, and like that film – a volume to tell the overlooked tale of this lost center of Midwestern music! The 42 page book is less of an historical tome, than added notes for the film ... read more Book
Powerhouse Books, 2012. New Copy ... $8.99 35.00
A really great book, and one that's maybe more up-close and personal than you'd guess from the title – as the volume brings together dozens of interview essays with key figures in comics – all juxtaposed with images from some of their greatest creations! The book is half art book, half ... read more Book
Thomas Dunne, 2018. New Copy ... $8.99 29.99
Drummer Kenney Jones finally gets his time in the spotlight – a fantastic force on the drumkit, and maybe one of the few who could replace the late Keith Moon in The Who – not to mention a core element in the great sound of both The Faces and Small Faces, plus some of the early Rod ... read more Book
(Spine has a small remainder mark.)
PS Artbooks (UK), 1953/1954. New Copy ... $9.99 47.99
The title's a great one for this creepy horror comic of the 50s – as the stories have this stark, spooky feel that definitely helps you take a journey into fear! The publication was maybe a bit more low-budget than some of its contemporaries – but that also makes some of these stories ... read more Book
Abrams, 2012. New Copy ... $11.99 40.00
A lavish examination of the work of William Klein – an important postwar photographer who moved into the worlds of film and graphics in the 60s – and left an indelible imprint on both the scenes in New York and Paris! The book offers up Klein's work in a few different slices – ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Lars Of Mars may not have been the biggest space hero of the postwar years – but he steps out here nicely alongside another space age title, and an issue of the horror comic Eerie Adventures! All three publications were put out by magazine giant Ziff Davis, and they've got great art ... read more Book
Salem, 2019. New Copy ... $6.99 24.99
One of the more unusual books on Johnny Cash – as the author looks at his history through the lens of his faith – showing how Cash's road to stardom and his well-documented troubles were also intertwined with his sense of spirit! There's plenty of history here – the book is a ... read more Book
(Small remainder mark on spine.)
Almighty & Insane Books, 2020. New Copy ... $16.99 20.00
The secret history of Chicago house music – a side of the scene that's even more obscure than its many rare records or long-departed clubs! The book is a fantastic follow up to the first volume – and like that one, features rare flyers, posters, and ads for some of the underground ... read more Book
Aaron Lupton & Jeff Szpirglas —
Planet Wax – Sci-Fi/1984, 2020. New Copy ... $39.99
A fantastic book on a unique slice of soundtrack culture – the rise of the sci-fi soundtrack in the 60s and 70s, which also matched a real rise in new musical styles too! The book is filled with color images of vintage records, but is also way more than just an artwork book – as the ... read more Book
(Limited edition of 1000 – signed bookmark edition, with green vinyl 7" single with unused music from the Tobe Hooper film and more work by Christopher Young!)
Duke University Press, 2021. New Copy ... $20.99 29.99
One of the best books we've ever seen to look at the role of black women in American music – a huge volume that's meticulously researched, beautifully presented, and which ties together different strands of sounds and performers to support a very powerful thesis! That's an image of Tina ... read more Book
Countryman Press, 2016. New Copy ... $4.99 18.95
A great introduction to the world of New Orleans music – one that looks both at the long legacy of sounds from the city, and ties it in with contemporary practice – moving back and forth with listings of artists past and present, and current clubs where the music can still be heard. ... read more Book
Beacon, 2016. New Copy ... $6.99 25.98
A well-written book, and one that's about way more than just the records hinted at in the cover – as music critic Rashod Ollison tells his tale of growing up in the south during the 80s, living with upheavals in his household, struggles with his own sexual identity, and other issues that ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Pre-code horror from the excellent Standard Publications – one of the smaller companies in the b-grade world of postwar comics – but one who managed to really deliver the goods when it came to creeped-out material like this! Standard always had a great eye for a cover – and would ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Pre-code horror from the excellent Standard Publications – one of the smaller companies in the b-grade world of postwar comics – but one who managed to really deliver the goods when it came to creeped-out material like this! Standard always had a great eye for a cover – and would ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Late 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
A fantastic collection of space age sci-fi and horror comics – served up here with full color reproductions of the contents, the covers, and even the ads! The work is from the 50s powerhouse of Charleston Comics – kind of the low-budget answer to DC, but a company that brought loads of ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Late 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
A fantastic collection of space age sci-fi and horror comics – served up here with full color reproductions of the contents, the covers, and even the ads! The work is from the 50s powerhouse of Charleston Comics – kind of the low-budget answer to DC, but a company that brought loads of ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), 1959. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
A fantastic collection of space age sci-fi and horror comics – served up here with full color reproductions of the contents, the covers, and even the ads! The work is from the 50s powerhouse of Charleston Comics – kind of the low-budget answer to DC, but a company that brought loads of ... read more Book
Powerhouse Books, 2008. New Copy ... $6.99 35.00
The cover looks more punk rock than hip hop, but the book's a really fantastic look at the Cypher – a key move in the freestyle dance world of hip hop – taken places here that are way more than early 80s images of b boys in the streets! The photography of Charles Peterson is in black ... read more Book
Soul Jazz (UK), 2020. New Copy ... $40.99 49.99
A beautiful book of ultra-rare album cover art – Cuban records from the 50s through the 90s – a fair bit of which were never available here in the US market! The book follows similar projects by Stuart Baker under the Soul Jazz imprint – but this one is maybe even more essential, ... read more Book
Duke University Press, 2019. New Copy ... $20.99 29.99
A fantastic look at the music of Henry Cow – that important British band of the 70s, and a key bridge between the worlds of art, experimentation, politics, and improvisation at the time! Henry Cow trafficked in ideas that were fairly intellectual, but the group had a way of bringing them ... read more Book
Mike Reed, ed —
City Was Yellow – Chicago Jazz & Improvised Music 1980-2010 ... Book Mike Reed, 2019. New Copy ... $28.99 35.00
A beautiful book on the Chicago jazz scene, and the things that make it really special – not the Windy City world of years back – when Ramsey Lewis and other big names were dominating things – but Chicago in more recent years, when the city has been a non-stop hotbed of continuous ... read more Book
Philip Wilson Publishers (UK), 2009. New Copy ... $3.99 53.00
A really special selection of work from British artist David Harrison – a large volume that focuses mostly on his paintings of the early 21st Century – a time in his career when Harrison was creating these amazing paintings that were both representational and fantastic at the same time! ... read more Book
Numero, 2020. New Copy ... $16.99
That typo in the title is intentional – well, not entirely intentional, but reflected in the image on the front cover – which is one of hundreds inside this fantastic book – a really cool set of found tributes to the greatness of Madonna! The full color volume features sketches, ... read more Book
Powerhouse Books, 2016. New Copy ... $5.99 20.00
A strange little book that is part prose, part photography – and which recalls the spirit of some of the beat-era writers who would talk about life on the seedier side of the streets – like Hubert Selby or John Rechy! Scot Sothern combines creative activity with his own sexual desire, ... read more Book
WW Norton, 2013. New Copy ... $4.99 27.95
Not the first book on the groundbreaking comedy of the National Lampoon – but a very detailed document of the fantastic story of the magazine – a publication that not only shaped our sensibilities in the 70s, but also had a pretty big impact on radio, recording, and film as well! The ... read more Book
University Of Chicago, 2017. New Copy ... $26.99 32.00
A much-needed look at the genius of The Art Ensemble Of Chicago – one of the coolest, most compelling groups to emerge in the great wave of avant jazz in the late 60s – and one who continued to give the world a lifetime legacy of groundbreaking music! There's been plenty written on the ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
With a name like Strange Terrors, you know this stuff's going to be creepy – and the rare comics within definitely live up to that promise! The publication is one of the most obscure from the world of postwar horror comics – and features lots of weird and unusual work from those late ... read more Book
Fantagraphics, 2017. New Copy ... $8.99 49.99
A surprisingly beautiful book on the famous 60s radical Jerry Rubin – one that's not only the first-ever look at the man's life, politics, and influence – but one that's also presented in a lavishly visual style that really conveys the crossroads of art and ideas of which Rubin was a ... read more Book
Canongate, 2004. New Copy ... $5.99 16.00
Elvis Costello has given us his own detailed account of his life and music – but before that well-circulated volume was released, Grame Thomson did a pretty great job with this one – using his years of experience as a music journalist to plumb the depths of the man and his recordings! ... read more Book
Harper, 2016. New Copy ... $8.99 35.00
There have been a number of art books over the years about George Herriman – groundbreaking cartoonist and animator, and the creator of Krazy Kat – but this may be the first really well-done historical look at his live and creations – presented in a beautiful format that still ... read more Book
(Small remainder mark on spine.)
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Great space age adventure from the postwar years – served up here in the guise of Tom Corbett, Space Cadet – a feature that was lavishly done by Dell Publications! The quality here is really a cut above – with beautiful painted covers, and a lack of ads that means that you'll get ... read more Book
Da Capo, 2016. New Copy ... $6.99 25.99
An insanely detailed book on the role of drugs in American music – written by a guy who's already written a fair bit about drugs and culture! This time around, Martin Torgoff turns his eye towards the postwar years – looking at the interwoven landscapes of jazz, underground culture, ... read more Book
Jonny Trunk —
Wrappers Delight ... Book Fuel (UK), 2020. New Copy ... Just Sold Out!
Jonny Trunk's a man who's given us plenty of great music over the years – his fantastic productions on the Trunk Records label – but this time around, he's presenting us with something sweeter – hundreds of rare candy wrappers from the 20th Century, mixed with some soda cans and a ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
The Unseen has been unseen for decades – a short-lived publication that was part of the big pre-code horror comics boom of the early 50s – but this book brings back vintages issues in all their glory – complete with full color reproductions of all the stories, covers, and vintage ... read more Book
Pantheon Books, 2019. New Copy ... $6.99 35.00
We love the work of cartoonist Chris Ware, but we maybe love his Rusty Brown character even more than the rest – as Rusty's an inveterate collector, with the sort of special drive that's plagued us all of our lives! Yet the depth of this volume really matches Ware's more famous character ... read more Book
Wax Poetics, 2007. New Copy ... $8.99 39.95
The first 5 issues of the legendary Wax Poetics – the one-and-only genius publication dedicated to the art of crate-digging, aka funky soul & hip hop vinyl archeology – collected in this massive hardcover tome! Anthology Vol 1 tackles the essential chore of bringing those earliest ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
There's plenty of weird horrors within – ghosts, ghouls, and even a Medusa head – served up here in a nicely gritty style! Weird Horrors was one of those comics that liked to shock with hints at a variety of inside stories on the front cover – a bit like mid 50s Marvel ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
A great lost entry from the world of postwar comics – a magazine that's maybe not as totally horror-oriented as some of its contemporaries, but which makes up for that vibe with some nice sci-fi and revenge-based tales as well! The feel here is a bit like DC's Tales Of The Unexpected – ... read more Book
PS Artbooks (UK), Early 50s. New Copy ... $9.99 49.99
Worlds Of Fear was a short-lived publication, but it really featured some top-shelf art – maybe no surprise, given that the book was one of the horror comics entries from Fawcett – best known to the world as the publisher of Captain Marvel! The company always had an approach that was a ... read more Book
Simon & Schuster, 2019. New Copy ... $5.99 28.00
Elvis Presley made his first stage appearance in Las Vegas in 1969 – and that began the start of a run that would add hundreds more shows in the city before his death, and leave a legacy that forever transformed the role of entertainment in Vegas! The King and the city are linked together in ... read more Book
(Small remainder mark on spine.)
(Items 1 – 79 of 79)
