Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide: Music-Themed Books

Find some recommended titles for the book lover on your holiday gift list or yourself...

Title: Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music

Authors: Debbie Gibson (with Richard Buskin)

Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster

Hardcover; 312 pages; $30

Back in 1988, Debbie Gibson scored her first Billboard Hot 100 chart topper with “Foolish Beat.” With that achievement came another one: the youngest female artist (at age 17) to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 hit — a record she still holds today.

Throughout her memoir, Eternally Electric, Gibson (with co-writer Richard Buskin) openly and often lightheartedly describes what it was like to achieve stardom at such a young ago, the health issues she endured (and still does), the major role late mother Diane had in her career as manager – or “momager” as the elder Gibson is lovingly referred to in the book, past and present tours with New Kids on the Block (plus ‘N Sync), local, regional and national theatrical roles and stints on Broadway, moving into film and television acting, withstanding career lows (but having a positive attitude and learning to pivot often) and more.

It’s a testament to Gibson’s good nature and reputation within the music and theater that she still remains friends with colleagues dating back decades. As a casual fan, who bought her 1987-88 albums Out of the Blue and Electric Youth on cassettes upon release, I particularly found the chapter sections devoted to her early tours, a longstanding fatherly relationship with first label boss Ahmet Ertegan, the co-founder of Atlantic Records and more recently, a professional friendship and collaborations with NKOTB’s Joey McIntyre (who wrote the book’s forward).    

Info: amazon.com

Title: Desert Dreams – The Music, Style, and Allure of Coachella

Author: Katie Bain

Publisher: Epic Ink/Quarto

Hardcover; 256 pages; $24.99

Featuring over 150 photos, this gorgeous coffee table book on Coachella includes sections devoted to The Foundations (Goldenvoice, the ‘90s SoCal Music Scene). The Site (Art Installations), The Arrival, The Hype (top headline moments), The Performances (surprise guests, 21 most essential sets), The Fashion and Cultural Influence. Katie Bain, a senior music correspondent at Billboard Magazine, has attended, reported on, and interviewed artists at the event. She does a good job here at providing a history on the grandaddy of the modern annual American music festival.

As someone who has attended and written about all but two editions of Coachella, it was great to relive key moments from the past that I personally witnessed and see all the glossy color festival images through 2025. While there is a bit too much emphasis on the festival’s fashion aspect and the pop, rap, and R&B (enough Beyonce, already!) performers over rock, alternative and electronic ones that were the bread and butter of the early years, those are minor quibbles. Desert Dreams is a fine keepsake for anyone that has gone to the Indio festivities more than once.

Info: amazon.com

Title: The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told

Author: Bill Janovitz

Publisher: Da Capo Press

Hardcover; 400 pages; $32.50

Led by enigmatic frontman Ric Ocasek, Boston band The Cars enjoyed a successful decade-long run on the pop and rock radio charts starting with 1978’s “Just What I Needed,” followed by “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Let’s Go,” “Shake it Up,” “You Might Think,” “Magic,” “Drive” and others. The first five albums were all certified platinum.

Throughout the first definitive Cars biography, author/musician Bill Janovitz - whose credits include books on Leon Russell and The Rolling Stones and is the long-running frontman for Boston alt-rocker Buffalo Tom - does an exceptional job getting to the heart of what made The Cars so beloved and influential. Janovitz touches upon all the key career moments (studio albums, Live Aid, reunion, Rock Hall induction, solo work), right up to Ocasek’s passing in 2019.

Janovitz definitely did his due diligence by interviewing the band’s three surviving members, key players in the New England music scene, producers, the musicians’ wives, artists Ocasek produced (Weezer, Suicide, Bad Brains) and others. There are several revelations; in fact, Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes, who wrote the book’s forward, said, “I’ve learned things about all The Cars that I never knew before, and I have come to appreciate the talents and perspectives of the other members of the band— Ric, Ben, Elliot, and David— a little better having read this book.” It contains color photos, annotated notes, and index sections as well. Highly recommended for all Cars fans.

Info: amazon.com

To read a 2024 interview that I conducted with Debbie Gibson, go here: https://tinyurl.com/584uafur

Lucinda Williams enlists Norah Jones, Mavis Staples on January album

Lucinda Williams has teamed up for a duet with Mavis Staples on a rendition of Bob Marley's 1979 tune “So Much Trouble In The World.”

The track appears on the multi-Grammy winner’s (Car Wheels on a Gravel Road) forthcoming album World’s Gone Wrong (out January 23rd). Listen HERE.

“’So Much Trouble In The World’ was a song that hit me right away, and we had been messing around with for a few years,” says Williams. “When the new album started to take on a topical nature we knew that we absolutely had to get it recorded. It was a centerpiece of the record and who better to get to sing it with me than Mavis Staples. I am so thrilled that the two of us could finally do something together, and on such an amazing song.”

Previously, Williams released the new song “We’ve Come Too Far To Turn Around,” featuring Norah Jones on piano and harmony vocals. 

World’s Gone Wrong was co-produced by Tom Overby (Williams' husband) and her longtime collaborator Ray Kennedy, who recorded and mixed the album at his Room & Board Studio in Nashville, TN.

Track Listing:

The World's Gone Wrong (feat. Brittney Spencer)
Something's Gotta Give (feat. Brittney Spencer)
Low Life
How Much Did You Get For Your Soul
So Much Trouble In The World (feat. Mavis Staples)
Sing Unburied Sing
Black Tears
Punchline
Freedom Speaks
We've Come Too Far To Turn Around (feat. Norah Jones)

Melissa Etheridge album, tour set for spring

Rise, the new Melissa Etheridge album will be released on March 27 via Sun Records. It is her first studio album in five years and includes a duet with Chris Stapleton ("The Other Side of Blue”) - written and co-produced by Etheridge, who worked with Grammy winning producer, Shooter Jennings on the album.

Of working with Etheridge, Shooter said "Getting to work with Melissa was one of the greatest times of my life. From the moment she walked into the studio the first time I met her, she exuded such light and wisdom, I was floored. She’s one of the greatest rock and roll artists of our lifetime and an incredible songwriter as well. Watching her work, wearing her songs, basking in her abilities, was a high mark in my career as musician. Nobody plays a 12-string acoustic like Melissa. The only thing I can say is I am lucky to have had the chance to work with Melissa and her incredible band on this album. Being around her is to be second party to the kind of experience, excellence and musicianship that made the rock and roll heroes of our generation. And Melissa Etheridge is certainly one of those. I had a blast making this album and I can’t wait for the world to hear it."

The new single is “Matches” and has an accompanying music video. Available now across all streaming platforms, “Matches” finds Etheridge reflecting on what first sparked her interest in music - Johnny Cash’s performance at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth in 1970. As she puts it, “I was 8, and a huge Johnny Cash fan. His music really lit my fingers and made me so excited. When I say ‘Mama, let me play with the matches’ I really wanted to play that music.”

In addition to “Matches” and “Don’t You Want A Woman,” Rise features “Call You,” a tribute to Melissa’s son, Beckett. Full track listing is below.

Etheridge's THE RISE TOUR kicks off in March 26 in Detroit and will travel across the States through early May. Tickets for all dates are on sale now and all tour dates are listed below. She is also scheduled to appear on Talk Shop Live on March 12 to promote the release of RISE. Fans can pre-order and watch the show HERE.

For additional information, please visit MelissaEtheridge.com.

Track listing:

Bein’ Alive
Matches
Rise
Don’t You Want A Woman
Other Side Of Blue
If You Ever Leave Me
Davina
To Be A Woman
Tomboy
Call You
More Love

Tour Dates 2026:

March 26 - Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts - Detroit, MI
March 27 - Venue TBA - Pickering, ON
March 28 - The Vine at Del Lago Resort & Casino - Waterloo, NY
March 31 - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts - Burlington, VT
April 2 - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom - Hampton Beach, NH
April 3 - Stadium Theatre for the Performing Arts - Woonsocket, RI
April 4 - Merrill Auditorium - Portland, ME
April 8 - Plymouth Memorial Hall - Plymouth, MA
April 10 - Bergen Performing Arts Center - Englewood, NJ
April 11 - Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts - Patchogue, NY
April 12 – Bardavon 1869 Opera House - Poughkeepsie, NY
April 14 - The Ridgefield Playhouse - Ridgefield, CT
April 15 - Chevalier Theatre - Medford, MA
April 17 - Count Basie Center for the Arts - Red Bank, NJ
April 18 - XCite Center at Parx Casino - Bensalem, PA
April 19 - The Ramkat - Winston-Salem, NC
April 21 - Harvester Performance Center - Rocky Mount, VA
April 22 - Norton Center for the Arts - Danville, KY
April 24 – Venue TBA - Tulsa, OK
April 26 - ACL Live at The Moody Theater - Austin, TX
May 1 - The Factory - St. Louis, MO
May 2 - Four Winds Casino Resort - Silver Creek Event Center - New Buffalo, MI
May 3 - Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center - Carmel, IN
May 5 - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead - Munhall, PA
May 6 - Troy Savings Bank Music Hall – Troy, NY
May 8 - Hershey Theatre - Hershey, PA
May 9 - Weldon Mills Theatre - Roanoke Rapids, NC

2025: Year in Review - Best Albums

This year saw noteworthy albums from Brits such as The London Suede and The Vapors; Australia’s esteemed elder statesman Paul Kelly and young electropop group Parcels (they also turned in a stellar Coachella Festival set last spring); the consistently dependable My Morning Jacket, New York rock singer/songwriter Brian Dunne, plus long-awaited studio releases that didn’t disappoint from: The Hives, Suzanne Vega, Charlatans U.K., Peter Murphy (enlisting Trent Reznor and Tool musicians with riveting results), and Yellowcard (where Travis Barker produced and played drums).

Meanwhile, often-humorous NYC indie rockers We Are Scientists got more serious and made one of their best efforts in 20 years. The Waterboys revealed an intriguing concept album surrounding actor Dennis Hopper. Then John Oates returned to a soulful groove sound that evoked his 1970s work with Daryl Hall (still crossing fingers for a future physical album release).

Below are my Top 5 albums of 2025:

photo: Sarah L. Bennett

1. Sam Fender, People Watching – Hailing from a small town outside Newcastle, England, Fender writes lyrics with a keen eye for observational detail, much like his hero Bruce Springsteen. Since debuting in 2019, the singer/guitarist’s albums have all reached No. 1, and he has won all the prestigious UK awards (Ivor Novello, Mercury Prize, Brits). Stateside, a duet version of Noah Kahan’s “Homesick” garnered prominent airplay, as did “Seventeen Going Under.”

Fender poignantly delves into the toll of his grandmother’s dementia (a brass band accented “Remember My Name”), pays tribute to a deceased mentor (the euphoric title track), Britain’s railway system (“Crumbling Empire”), and dating awkwardness (“Arm’s Length”). The inspiring songs’ gauzy sound is often textured with glockenspiel, harmonica, saxophone, synths, and sleek early Dire Straits-leaning guitar work. Much credit goes to Adam Granduciel from The War on Drugs who plays multiple instruments and co-produced along with Markus Dravs (Arcade Fire), Fender, and his bandmates. The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn adds guest vocals too. Note: A deluxe edition was recently released with Elton John and Olivia Dean duets. 

photo: Frank Lebon

2. Lady Gaga, Mayhem – Since the late 2000s, the Lady Gaga has been a musical chameleon, effortlessly shape shifting into various musical styles with panache. Mayhem, her sixth platinum album (excluding soundtracks and Tony Bennett collaborations) is no exception. It debuted at No. 1 and includes “Die with a Smile,” Gaga’s sublime Grammy winning, pop chart-topping, Bruno Mars duet. In many ways, the album is Gaga’s most audacious and hard hitting. A self-described return to the “gothic dreams of the first two albums,” the artist envisioned the lyrical arc as a night out on the town with friends. French DJ/record producer Gesaffelstein, Cirkut and Andrew Watt are the main collaborators; Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith also drums on a tune.

Among the bangers: the disco-fueled “Shadow of a Man”; an EDM-laced “Abracadabra,” where Gaga sings about facing challenges, finding magic and interpolates Siouxsie & The Banshees’ “Spellbound”; the 2000s electronica of “Garden of Eden”; and industrial funk of “Killah” (containing a cool guitar nod to Bowie’s “Fame”). Then there’s the gorgeous ‘80s synth pop (think: Yaz) of “How Bad Do You Want Me?,” and dramatic ballad “Blade of Grass” (inspired by the singer’s engagement). Fascinating at every turn.

photo: Lewis Evans

3. Inhaler, Open Wide – The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Frontman Elijah Hewson possesses a stirring vocal style much like his father Bono. Since debuting in 2021, the Dublin-based alt-rock band has gone from strength to strength, notching five top 20 hits at AAA radio in America, and three top 5 albums in the UK.

The third and latest one was produced by Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles). Inhaler displays more of its pop side and fortifies a few choruses with a 12-piece choir. Hewson said the songs’ lyrics revolved around the feeling you might have right before jumping off a cliff. There’s a distinct elation surrounding several tracks as a result.

Key examples: an ebullient “Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah),” driven by a frothy melody a la The 1975; “Your House,” which, despite being about the stalkerish nature of young love, boasts a joyous vibe, Muse-styled guitar effects and finds Hewson singing, “There ain’t a sharp enough knife/To Cut Me Out of Your Life”; a driving, totally infectious “A Question of You” and danceable “All I Got is You,” propelled by a crystalline guitar and emotional vocals.

4. Djo, The Crux – Djo, the stage name of Joe Keery - an actor/musician whose recent prominent TV credits include “Stranger Things” and “Fargo” – watched his dreamy 2022 song “End of the Beginning” go viral on TikTok last year and land in the top 10 most streamed songs on Spotify (currently 1.8 billion).

Djo’s third album is an engaging sonic step forward from the bedroom pop of its predecessor with an increased guitar rock presence. Keery co-produced, co-wrote and played several instruments on the songs. Fellow “Stranger Things” actor Charlie Heaton supplied dialogue and music to the Beatlesque “Charlie’s Garden.” Members of Keery’s family and his former psych rock band Post Animal also contributed.

Highlights include the baroque-sounding “Potion,” 1970s glam rock stylings on “Back to You,” a bouncy synth-laden “Busy Being Basic,” where Djo channels late ‘90s Beck and name checks luggage/handbag company Vera Bradley,” and the giddy power pop of “Link.” Note: a deluxe version is also available. 

5. Lord Huron, Cosmic Selector, Vol. 1 – This LA-based indie folk/rock band is best known for the mid-2010s platinum-certified sleeper hit “The Night We Met,” which went top 5 at rock radio and has more than 3 billion streams on Spotify (a version with Phoebe Bridgers was featured on the soundtrack to Netflix series “13 Reasons Why”).

Listening to the group’s enrapturing fifth album is like inhabiting another world, as if you’d walked into a real life “Twin Peaks,” where nothing is as it seems and the soundscapes are drenched in reverb. Singer/songwriter Ben Schneider writes evocative lyrics which ponder questions of life, mysteries of the universe and the natural world.

The title “cosmic selector” itself refers to the theme of choosing your path and how it’s never quite what you imagined. A haunting “Who Laughs Last” features spoken word by actress Kristen Stewart, while Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino adds guest vocals to “Fire Eternal.” Jay Joyce produced the more Americana-leaning “Nothing I Need” and brought in some well-known Nashville session men for an earthy sound.

A version of my roundup originally appeared in the December digital issue of Rock Cellar Magazine, which can be accessed at www.rockcellarmagazine.com.

Holiday Gift Guide: Alternative Pop, Rock Albums

The Replacements

Let it Be - Deluxe Edition 

(Rhino/Twin Tone)

After The Replacements released their third full-length album (whose title was a private Beatles joke) in 1984, the Minneapolis four-piece became one of the most revered and critically acclaimed indie rock bands around. 

The jaunty single “I Will Dare,” featuring a guest guitar solo Peter Buck of R.E.M., topped playlists at more than 50 college radio stations. 

Other songs showed singer/guitarist Paul Westerberg’s evolution as a songwriter as he adeptly tapped into youth and social issues (“Unsatisfied,” “Androgynous,” “16 Blue”). This exceptional box set – available on 4LP, 3CD or digitally - includes the original album remastered, plus revelatory unreleased studio and live recordings. A complete Chicago 1984 gig, taken from audience tape and cleaned up, finds the ‘Mats in fine, raw form, previewing Let it Be material, an early version of “Can’t Hardly Wait,” and covering KISS, The Beach Boys, Bad Company, T-Rex and more in typical rousing style. There are several rare photos, a 20-page booklet with historical context essay and an interesting back story courtesy of co-producer/manager/label owner Peter Jesperson. 

Info: rhino.com

Thompson Twins

Industry & Seduction: A Collection

(BMG)

Hailing from Sheffield, England, Thompson Twins – best known for major U.S. hit “Hold Me Now” - stood out from the new wave pack due to the classic lineup’s male and female, multi-racial makeup, and a penchant for unique, sometimes Arabian-tinged melodies.

The first compilation overseen by the musicians includes liner notes with single sleeve covers, seldom seen photos, and a new interview with principals Tom Bailey & Alannah Currie. The 2LP (there’s a cool limited edition orange/green variant) and 1CD formats include the major American and British hits, plus select deep cuts from gold/platinum albums Into the Gap and Here’s to Future Days (Chic’s Nile Rodgers co-produced the latter; Steve Stevens of Billy Idol fame added guitar firepower). Serious fans will want the expanded 3CD or digital configurations for a broader career overview and California concert recording. 

Info: amazon.com

Simple Minds

Once Upon a Time – 40^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

(Universal Music Group/Virgin)

The Glasgow group released seven albums before an outlier single - “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from “The Breakfast Club” soundtrack – went to #1 and finally got America to take notice. 1985’s high water mark Once Upon a Time followed and reaped all the benefits. 

This stellar 5CD edition is handsomely packaged in a clamshell box with cardboard gatefold sleeves, fascinating historical liner notes, track by track commentary and ample photos. The main album and legendary Live in the City of Light from Paris ‘86 sound brighter than ever. Diehard fans will revel in the wealth of B-sides, rarities, and extended dance mixes. Standouts include “Alive and Kicking,” “Sanctify Yourself,” “All the Things She Said,” and “Ghostdancing.” Highly recommended.

Info: udiscovermusic.com 

NAMM '26 news: Vicki Peterson of The Bangles to co-host She Rocks Awards

Women's International Music Network (WiMN) has announced the co-hosts and honorees for the 14th Annual She Rocks Awards on Friday, January 23, 2026, at the Anaheim Hilton during The NAMM Show. 

The 2026 She Rocks Awards will feature live performances, celebrity presenters, and appearances by many of this year’s honorees. This inspiring evening brings together artists, industry leaders, and fans to celebrate the women whose work continues to move the music industry forward.

2026 Co-Hosts:

Vicki Peterson – Founding member of The Bangles, known for hits like “Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Eternal Flame.” Peterson has collaborated with artists including Tom Petty and The Go-Go’s and recently released Long After The Fire (2024) with her husband, John Cowsill. She is a 2015 She Rocks Awards honoree.

Alecia Demner – Frontwoman of the hard rock band Stitched Up Heart, which has toured with  Godsmack and Halestorm, with a new album slated for release in 2026. She was honored with a She Rocks Award in 2024.

2026 Honorees:

Rachel Platten – Platinum-selling singer-songwriter best known for her empowering hit “Fight Song.”

Kay Hanley – Emmy and Peabody-winning songwriter, lead vocalist of Letters to Cleo, and co-founder of Songwriters of North America (SONA), where she champions creators’ rights.

Judith Hill – Vocalist, songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist known for her work with Stevie Wonder, Spike Lee, Prince, Michael Jackson, and more.

Lisa Worden – SVP Rock & Alternative for iHeartMedia; Program Director for ALT 98.7 Los Angeles; and host of She Is The Voice.

Sophie Burrell – Guitarist, educator, and online personality.

Rhonda Smith – Bassist who worked with Prince and Jeff Beck, and member of Jimmy Kimmel Live band

Michelle Lewis – Multi Emmy and Peabody-winning songwriter and co-founder of Songwriters of North America (SONA), leading the fight for fair rights and compensation for songwriters.

Andreea Gleeson – Chief Executive Officer of TuneCore behind Be the Change initiative.

Susan Lipp – Owner and CEO of Full Compass Systems

Lisa MacDonald – Director of Vertical Marketing for Yamaha Corporation of America and inaugural Chair of the Women of NAMM (WON) Council.

Heather Dembert Rafter - Attorney in audio and music technology, principal counsel at RafterMarsh

The She Rocks Awards is supported by NAMM, our presenting sponsor, along with PRS Guitars, Positive Grid, Roland, Monster, Freeman, M·A·C Cosmetics, Sennheiser, 108 Rock Star Guitars, Shure, Sweetwater, Martin Guitar, Seymour Duncan, Boss, dw, Venus Guitars, Music Admin, Rafter Marsh, Casio, Hudson Audio Works, DiGiCo, D’Addario, Guitar World Magazine, Guitar Player Magazine, The Hollywood Times, and AXS TV.

Tickets are on sale now at www.sherocksawards.com.

For more information about the She Rocks Awards or to explore sponsorship opportunities, visit www.sherocksawards.com.

Zombies frontman Colin Blunstone documents special solo album concert with new home video box set

On Nov. 25, 2024, Zombies vocalist Colin Blunstone returned to London’s Union Chapel for a rare concert. Performing his 1971 debut solo album One Year in its entirety alongside career favorites, Blunstone was joined by a full ensemble, featuring bandmates from the current Zombies lineup and former Strawbs, plus the Q Strings quartet. 

Blunstone says, "Looking back this was not an undertaking to be taken on lightly knowing that “One Year” encompasses so many different genres of music. With very little rehearsal time my solo band (Dave Bainbridge, Søren Koch, Chas Cronk and Steve Rodford) and the incredible Q Strings took on the challenge without a moment's hesitation.”

Gonzo Distribution has released an audio/visual document of that night as a limited collector's edition box set, available now. Find the box set and more here.

The contents include: 

2CD + full concert DVD

Gold foil–embossed box with gold satin lining

Exclusive 24-page booklet with never-before-seen photographs of the concert

Each set includes an autographed and numbered certificate

Blunstone, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 as the voice of The Zombies, whose major hits were “She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No,” and “Time of the Season.”

Released in 1971, One Year was listed in UK publication The Guardian’s “1,000 Albums to Hear Before You Die”...and has influenced artists from Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) to Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys), and even Jeff Buckley, whose A&R Rep cited Blunstone’s strings as an inspiration for Grace.

Track Listing: 

FIRST SET-

TIME TO MOVE
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKENHEARTED
WILD PLACES
LEVI STUBB’S TEARS
TRACKS OF MY TEARS
HUNG UP ON A DREAM
ANDORRA
ANY OTHER WAY
OLD AND WISE
I DON’T BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

SECOND SET-

SHE LOVES THE WAY THEY LOVE HER
MISTY ROSES
SMOKEY DAY
CAROLINE GOODBYE
THOUGH YOU ARE FAR AWAY
MARY WON’T YOU WARM MY BED
HER SONG
I CAN’T LIVE WITH YOU
LET ME COME CLOSER TO YOU
SAY YOU DON’T MIND
JUST OUT OF RE