Alan Goldsher Books In Order

Paul Is Undead

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to really meet the Beatles. This is a delightfully gory retelling of the Beatles’ U.S. tour that reimagines the Liverpool foursome as bloodthirsty zombies who take over the world…
literally!

For John Lennon, a young, idealistic zombie guitarist with dreams of global domination, Liverpool seems the ideal place to form a band that could take over the world. In an inspired act, Lennon kills and reanimates local rocker Paul McCartney, kicking off an unstoppable partnership. With the addition of newly zombified guitarist George Harrison and drummer/Seventh Level Ninja Lord Ringo Starr, the Beatles soon cut a swath of bloody good music and bloody violent mayhem across Europe, America, and the entire planet.

In this searing oral history, discover how the Fab Four climbed to the Toppermost of the Poppermost while stealing the hearts, ears, and brains of smitten teenage girls. Learn the tale behind a spiritual journey that resulted in the dismemberment of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Marvel at the seemingly indestructible quartet’s survival of a fierce attack by Eighth Level Ninja Lord Yoko Ono. And find out how the boys escaped eternal death at the hands of England’s greatest zombie hunter, Mick Jagger.

Through all this, one mystery remains: Can the Beatles sublimate their hunger for gray matter, remain on top of the charts, and stay together for all eternity? After all, three of the Fab Four are zombies, and zombies live forever.

Jam

Everybody knows someone like James Justus. James is a wonderboy, that guy who can do anything he sets his mind to all with seemingly little effort. Good looks, great personality, big heart, amazing artistic instincts, the works. You d be hard pressed to find a chink in his armor. Everybody knows someone like Frank Craft. Frank is the eternal outsider, the resolute sort whose off center goals compel him to howl against the prevailing winds. He’s not your prototypical natural, but his determination more than compensates. He ll work his hindquarters off to realize his dreams, whatever they might be. James Justus and Frank Craft are friends. Good friends. James Justus and Frank Craft are also musicians. Great musicians. James is the definition of a prodigy. With little to no training, he s mastered the entire woodwind family, trumpet, trombone, guitar, and piano. The quantity and quality of his talent is almost frightening. Conversely, Frank is, well, Frank he s a superb drummer, but has to constantly fight his own limbs to achieve the perfection he so desires. But driven by an obsessive love for jazz and an abiding love for his high school dreamgirl Sara Rogers Frank Craft molds himself into one helluva percussionist. After a rocky start, James and Frank s quartet HoverCraft develops a unique bebop meets rock style that enraptures their fellow Chicagoians, and attracts the attention of record industry maven Mitch Busey. After the band signs their major label recording contract, Busey renames them Jam, then immediately throws them into the recording studio, where they wax an album highlighted by the stalwart single, Guess What. As Guess What begins its steady climb up the charts, Jam takes to the road, where their life becomes a blur of sold out shows, lustful and worshipful listeners, interminable bus rides, power struggles, petty arguments and head spinningly brilliant music. James, the band s frontman, is forced to deal with the fallout of sudden adulation, while Frank, the band s heart and backbone, is forced to deal with James expanding ego an ego that threatens to tear apart both the band and their friendship. An internationally recognized musician, a music industry veteran, and a respected music journalist, Alan Goldsher has delivered an authentic, compelling, poignant novel peppered with insider insights about the enigmatic and fascinating music business. Jam is a passionate tale of money hungry musicians, sleazy record companies, over adoring fans, the majesty of jazz, and ultimately, a creative soul who is true to himself and to his art.

Hard Bop Academy

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers was one of the most enduring, popular, reliable and vital small bands in modern jazz history. Blakey was not only a distinguished, inventive and powerful drummer, but along with Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, he was one of jazz’s foremost talent scouts. The musicians who flowed seamlessly in and out of this constantly evolving collective during its 36 year run were among the most important artists not just of their eras, but of any era. Though their respective innovations were vital to the evolution of bebop, hard bop and neo bop, the recorded work of the Messengers sidemen has never been properly analyzed. Until now. Hard Bop Academy: The Sidemen of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers critically examines the multitude of gifted artists who populated the many editions of the Jazz Messengers. In addition to dissecting the sidemen’s most consequential work with Blakey’s band, jazz musician and acclaimed novelist Alan Goldsher offers up engaging profiles of everyone from Wynton Marsalis to Terence Blanchard to Hank Mobley to Wayne Shorter to Horace Silver to Keith Jarrett to Curtis Fuller to Steve Davis. And that’s only the beginning. Goldsher conducted over 30 interviews with surviving graduates of Blakey’s Hard Bop Academy, many of whom spoke at length of their tenure with the legendary ‘Buhaina’ for the first time. Alan Goldsher is a bassist who has recorded with Janet Jackson, Digable Planets, Cypress Hill and Naughty By Nature. His writing has been published in Bass Player, Tower Pulse, Sport and BasketBull: Chicago Bulls Magazine. Goldsher’s debut novel, Jam, was published in 2002 by Permanent Press. He lives in Chicago. Hardcover.

Modest Mouse

THE BEST WAY TO BECOME A ROCK STAR IS SOMETIMES THE WORST WAY TO BECOME A ROCK STAR Unruly and antagonistic, the Washington State rock trio Modest Mouse would seem like one of the least likely candidates for mainstream stardom: Their often brilliant live performances sometimes collapsed into utter chaos. Their highly original, highly off center songs ran as long as eleven minutes. And their leader managed to raise eyebrows among music writers, law officials…
and sometimes even his fans.
But Modest Mouse persevered. They didn t compromise their original, compelling musical style, nor did they lighten up on the attitude. They just waited for the world at large to catch up.
In 2004, with the release of their smash single Float On, it finally happened. And it was worth the wait. For everybody.
Journalist Alan Goldsher uncovers the strange, little known details of Modest Mouse‘s rise from DIY indie heroes to platinum selling, Grammy nominated international superstars. Goldsher also reveals the troubled background and fractured history of frontman Isaac Brock, a charismatic, cantankerous singer/songwriter who has spent as much time avoiding the media as he has attempting to control it.
Thoroughly researched, sharply funny, and filled with more than thirty rare photos, this unauthorized biography shows how Modest Mouse trashed the Behind the Music mold and created their own unique version of the rock n roll, rags to expensive rags success story.

Dancing to the Music in My Head

One of the most popular contestants ever to appear on American Idol gives his fans an all access pass to the wildly popular television show and opens up about how becoming an Idol star changed his life forever

Sanjaya Malakar didn’t need to win American Idol to take America by storm. He was just seventeen when his unique style, soft spoken demeanor, and memorable song selections on the record breaking show’s sixth season captured hearts across the country.

In his candid new book, Sanjaya opens up about what it feels like to go from obscurity as a high school student near Seattle to worldwide fame as a top ten finalist on one of the most popular television shows in American history. For the first time, the ‘People’s Idol’ talks about life before Randy, Simon, Paula and ‘Sanjayamania,’ and offers his devoted ‘Fanjayas’ an intimate behind the scenes look at the blockbuster show. From going to Hollywood with his beloved sister, Shyamali, to becoming the most highly anticipated performer of season six, to facing the unforgiving chopping block, Sanjaya tells his fans everything they want to know. Finally, he shares how his life has changed since he left Idol, and where his music and unforgettable persona will take him next.

Hollywood Monster

ONE…
TWO…
FREDDY’S COMING FOR YOU…
. You’ve seen him in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series and in your darkest dreams. The sad*istic killer with the flame charred face. The knife blade claws. The razor sharp wit. Freddy…
But you’ve never seen him like this. Unflinching. Uncensored. Unmasked. Meet Robert Englund, the award winning actor best known for his role as Freddy Krueger the legendary horror icon featured on the American Film Institute’s ‘100 Greatest Heroes and Villains’ roster a character as unforgettable and enduring as Bela Lugosi’s Dracula and Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein. Now, for the first time, the man behind the latex mask tells his story in this captivating new memoir, published to celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of the first A Nightmare on Elm Street film. You see, Robert Englund is no monster at all, but a deeply funny, charming Hollywood veteran. Packed with Robert’s hilarious stories, playful self deprecation, and a generous helping of never before revealed A Nightmare on Elm Street trivia, Hollywood Monster offers an unparalleled look at the beloved film icon. With insider savvy and gallows humor, Robert recounts his audition for Wes Craven, the inspiration for Freddy’s character, the grueling makeup sessions, his soon to be famous costars, the often disastrous on set blunders, and the wave of popularity that propelled this humble California surfer kid all the way to the top. Of course, fame and fortune as Freddy came years after the young actor shared a trailer with screen legend Henry Fonda, was punched in the face by Richard Gere, took down Burt Reynolds, and muscled his way between Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sally Field, and Jeff Bridges. But soon after his high profile stint in the groundbreaking TV miniseries V, Robert Englund took on the most celebrated role of his career the macabre and wisecracking killer who quickly became a household name. From the moment Freddy Krueger dragged his claws across a rusty pipe in the opening dream sequence, a legend had been unleashed and a star was born. This is his story. ‘Welcome to prime time, bit*ch.’ Frederick Charles Krueger, bast*ard son of a hundred maniacs