Showing results by author "Greg Prato" in All Categories

“What are the greatest rock albums of all-time?” Perhaps one of the more common questions examined between music-loving chums that has led to many a good-natured debate. But if you really dig deeper into the question...is it from the standpoint of the album’s importance in rock history? A classic release that proved significant to an artist’s career? Or perhaps merely a personal favorite, that you just can’t get enough of?

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 when they rocked stages as the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman, and the Cat. In fact, this period helped resuscitate KISS' career. While the majority of KISS books are focused on the iconic makeup era, the non-makeup years are ripe to be explored in book form, and Take It Off does just that, zeroing in on the albums KISS issued during this period, as well the resulting tours, videos, and other escapades.

"How fast can you play?" "What guitar do you have?" For 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 Van Halen and Dimebag Darrell. Though shredding fell out of favor, it has become increasingly popular again in recent years. Drawing on more than 70 interviews with key shredders, Greg Prato has assembled the definitive guide to the fastest players of them all.

Renowned guitarists (or experts) discussing “tools of the trade” in their own words serve as the basis of Iconic Guitar Gear. Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brian May, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Johnny Ramone, The Edge, Gary Moore, Alex Lifeson, Billy Sheehan, Les Claypool, Mike Watt…the list goes on and won’t let you down! If you’ve ever pondered what rock’s top guitarists and bassists favor gear-wise (instruments, amps, effects), then Iconic Guitar Gear is most certainly the book for you.

In 2008, Greg Prato issued his first ever book, A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other: The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon, which, as its title states, retraced the life and career of one of rock’s greatest – yet tragic – singers/performers of all time. In the ensuing years, Prato crossed paths with several key figures who were not interviewed for Devil/Angel....These interviews now serve as the basis for a follow-up book, Shannon.

It seems like the days of flipping through vast vinyl, cassette, or CD collections is a thing of the past. And while there's no denying the convenience of having all your favorite albums on a mobile device, it's becoming more common for recordings to get lost in the shuffle and/or completely forgotten about. Author/journalist Greg Prato is willing to provide some assistance, with his 12th book overall, Overlooked/Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention.

There have been seemingly countless “Greatest Rock Guitarists” lists assembled over the years - for articles or books. But...what about bassists? In The 100 Greatest Rock Bassists, author/journalist Greg Prato courageously attempts to level the playing field, single-handedly. In addition to counting them down from the bottom to the top, each entry contains info on each player. Also featured are 10 all-new interviews for this book, with some of the greatest rock bassists of all time.

There is a reason why there have been countless books penned over the years about Queen and their legendary singer, Freddie Mercury - they were unquestionably one of the greatest and most universally beloved rock bands of all time. However, most of these books can be neatly filed into one of three categories - a recounting of the band’s history, an examination of the singer’s life story, or a collection of photographs.

The 1980s New York Yankees were loaded with talent - their always-outspoken owner made sure of that. Just Out of Reach: The 1980s New York Yankees is the first-ever book to focus solely on this decade of the team. Featuring nearly 30 all-new, exclusive interviews with players and those close to the team, Just Out of Reach is a fly-on-the-wall view of what was going on behind the scenes and on the field.

There's no denying that the seven year span between 1977-1983 was one of the darkest in New York Mets history. After all, it was during this time that the team failed to post a single winning season, traded away the most beloved Met of all-time, and took a back seat once again to their crosstown rivals, the Yankees (who were busy winning two World Series).

Who doesn’t like to learn about the stories behind our favorite rock songs from throughout the years? We all do! And now, author/journalist Greg Prato is prepared to guide listeners through 100 bona fide classic songs from a multitude of rock genres - heavy metal, punk rock, grunge, hair metal, funk, instrumental, classic rock, arena rock, power ballads, new wave, prog rock, soft rock, yacht rock, power pop, thrash metal, hardcore, southern rock, rap, alternative, etc. - with each listing containing background info plus insight from someone closely associated with the track.

Few rock bands were as successful as the Scorpions by the mid '80s - headlining arenas/stadiums worldwide. German Metal Machine: Scorpions in the '70s is the first-ever book to focus solely on this period of the band. Interviews include such former members as Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, and Herman Rarebell, longtime Scorpions producer Dieter Dierks, plus members of other bands that are major admirers,

Few rock artists were as fearless and uncompromising as the late/great John Lennon. Whether it be standing up for causes he believed in, promoting peace, or penning some of rock’s all-time classic tunes (while taking unexpected musical twists and turns along the way), Lennon has become one of rock’s most unforgettable figures.

Comprising nearly 30 all-new, exclusive interviews with players, coaches, trainers, broadcasters, and a celebrity fan, the book is not only a genuine account of the Islanders from this time, but also of the National Hockey League in general. Set up in the oral history format, Dynasty sounds like a documentary but in book form, as the participants weigh in on the ups and downs of the Islanders and pull no punches in their recollections and opinions.

It is widely believed that Jimi Hendrix was one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time...and quite possibly, the greatest. All you have to do is compare what rock guitar sounded like before Jimi burst on the scene in the late ‘60s and what it sounded like after. And in addition to trailblazing new sounds and approaches, his influence reached beyond just the guitar community.

Few rock drummers remain as universally praised as Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. Listen to any Zeppelin album, and you will hear a virtual showcase on expert rock drumming, while never getting in the way of the group’s other members and their contributions - singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, and bassist John Paul Jones. But sadly, one of rock’s all-time greats died tragically young - he was only 32 years old - resulting in the end of one of rock’s most celebrated bands.

Comprised of exclusive interviews with Jets players, coaches, and other figures surrounding the organization, Sack Exchange: The Definitive Oral History of the 1980s New York Jets is an eye-opening account of a memorable era in one team's history, which also takes a step back and looks at the state of the National Football League as a whole during the 1980s.

Over their long history, the New York Jets have provided their fans with countless unforgettable football memories. However, not all of them have been enjoyable. And now, every miscalculation and misstep has been compiled into one book–Butt Fumbles, Fake Spikes, Mud Bowls, & Heidi Games: The Top 100 Debacles of the New York Jets–which was updated/expanded in September 2023 for your (dis)pleasure.

In late 1983/early 1984, one of the biggest metal bands in the US was Quiet Riot. Their album, 'Metal Health,' had topped the charts (over Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and other now-classic mega-sellers), their single "Cum on Feel the Noize" was a top-5 smash, the album's title track became an instant anthem for headbangers, they were all over MTV and the covers of rock mags, and were a highly-sought after opening act (by the likes of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, the Scorpions, ZZ Top, and Judas Priest).

Este era o audiolivro que faltava para completar a biblioteca de todo fã de Kiss. Eric Carr: a biografia chega para contar a história oral de vida do baterista do Kiss, conhecido como The Fox. Composto por entrevistas inéditas, o audiolivro também traz revelações sobre o Kiss da década de 1980. Você encontrará informações sobre todos os álbuns do Kiss que apresentavam Carr (dos produtores Bob Ezrin, Michael James Jackson e Ron Nevison).