Hands up all the Gen X pop tragics out there! Yes, I’m one of those, my pre-teen years were right there from 1980 – 1985, so I have a long history of boy bands, pop idols and pin ups in my past.  The good news is, all of those pop idols, at least those that are still with us, are writing books and being written about.  I’ve chosen a few of my favourites to share with you all here.

Please please tell me now : the Duran Duran story / Davis, Stephen
“In ‘Please Please Tell Me Now’, bestselling rock biographer Stephen Davis tells the story of Duran Duran, the quintessential band of the 1980s. Featuring exclusive interviews with the band and never-before-published photos from personal archives, this book offers a definitive account of one of the last untold sagas in rock and roll history – a treat for diehard fans, new admirers, and music lovers of any age.” (Catalogue)

Wham! : George & me / Ridgeley, Andrew
“Wham! were the band that never underestimated the power of pop, nor the healing powers it possessed. In 1981, what started out as a boyhood friendship, catapulted two suburban adolescents to worldwide pop domination, becoming icons of their era.” (Catalogue)

 

 

This thing called life : Prince, race, sex, religion, and music / Vogel, Joseph
“What were Prince’s politics? What did he believe about God? And did he really forsake the subject- sex- that once made him the most subversive superstar of the Reagan era? In this illuminating, thematic biography, Joseph Vogel explores the issues that made Prince one of the late 20th century’s most unique, controversial, and fascinating artists.” (Catalogue)

 

Didn’t we almost have it all : in defense of Whitney Houston / Kennedy, Gerrick
“A candid exploration of the genius, shame, and celebrity of Whitney Houston a decade after her passing. This is the story of Whitney’s life, her whole life, told with both grace and honesty. Hers was a once-in-a-generation talent forged in Newark, NJ, and blessed with the grace of the church and the wisdom of a long lineage of famous gospel singers. A sweeping look at Whitney’s life, Didn’t We Almost Have It All contextualizes her struggles against the backdrop of tabloid culture, audience consumption, mental health stigmas, and racial divisions in America. It explores exactly how and why we lost a beloved icon far too soon.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Sweet dreams are made of this : a life in music / Stewart, Dave
“Dave Stewart’s life has been a wild ride, filled with music, constant reinvention, and the never-ending drive to create… Stewart shares the incredible, high-octane stories of his life in music–the drug-fueled adventures, the A-list collaborations and relationships, and the creative process that brought us the blockbusters from Eurythmics… With a behind-the-scenes look at Stewart’s innovative endeavors that keep him on the cutting-edge of the music business.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Beastie Boys book / Diamond, Mike
“Adam “ADROCK” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond offer revealing and very funny accounts of their transition from teenage punks to budding rappers; their early collaboration with Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin; the debut album that became the first hip hop record ever to hit #1, Licensed to Ill… For more than thirty years, this band has had an inescapable and indelible influence on popular culture. With a style as distinctive and eclectic as a Beastie Boys album, Beastie Boys Book upends the typical music memoir. Alongside the band narrative you will find rare photos, original illustrations, a cookbook by chef Roy Choi, a graphic novel, a map of Beastie Boys’ New York, mixtape playlists, pieces by guest contributors, and many more surprises.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Madonna : an intimate biography of an icon at sixty / Taraborrelli, J. Randy
“In Madonna, J. Randy Taraborrelli has crafted a brilliant biography full of vivid detail, insight and humour. From the driven, ambitious young woman struggling to get a break in New York to the outrageous pop diva and more spiritual mother, the changing faces of Madonna are revealed. Madonna is based on decades of research and exclusive interviews with people speaking of her publicly for the first time – including friends, business associates and family members. Taraborrelli has also interviewed the star herself on numerous occasions, and he draws on first-hand experiences to bring Madonna to life as not merely a sensational tabloid delight, but as a flesh-and-blood woman with human foibles and weaknesses, as well as great strengths.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Can’t slow down : how 1984 became pop’s blockbuster year / Matos, Michaelangelo
“The definitive account of pop music in the mid-eighties, from Prince and Madonna to the underground hiphop, indie rock, and club scenes. Can’t Slow Down is the definitive portrait of the exploding world of mid-eighties pop and the time it defined, from Cold War anxiety to the home-computer revolution. Big acts like Michael Jackson (Thriller), Prince (Purple Rain), Madonna (Like a Virgin), Bruce Springsteen (Born in the U.S.A.), and George Michael (Wham!’s Make It Big) rubbed shoulders with the fermenting scenes of hip-hop, indie rock, and club music. Rigorously researched, mapping the entire terrain of American pop, with crucial side trips to the UK and Jamaica, from the biz to the stars to the upstarts and beyond, Can’t Slow Down is a vivid trip to a thrilling, turbulent time when pop was remaking itself, and the culture at large, one hit at a time. Let’s go crazy!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Mad world : an oral history of new wave artists and songs that defined the 1980s / Majewski, Lori
“The authors provide an oral history that celebrates the New Wave music phenomenon of the 1980s via new interviews with some of the most notable artists of the period. Each chapter begins with a discussion of their most popular song but leads to stories of their history and place in the scene, ultimately painting a vivid picture of this colorful, idiosyncratic time.” (Catalogue)