Hec, have you contacted the folks at Sepiachord? [link] I know I mentioned the book to my friend who runs the site, but it was during a big event, so he might have forgotten.

Yeah, it's pretty overwhelming how many books there are in the series.

Here's an insider tip: Start with my book, and then go to Corwood's.

Other ones I particularly like:

Neutral Milk Hotel by Kim Cooper (really a very moving book for anybody that ever liked any kind of indie rock)

Low - Bowie: really well researched and written.

Meat is Murder by Joe Pernice: a perfect little novella about teenagers discovering the Smiths in the 80s.

Dusty in Memphis by Warren Zanes: First book in the series. Kind of quirky but I referred back to this one more than any other while writing my book. Very free ranging and smart, plus interviews with Jerry Wexler.

Ones that look really good:

Led Zeppelin - Erik Davis: He's my neighbor and he's really cool and he writes for Arthur and he gets into all that mystical Zep stuff.

Bee Thousand - Guided by Voices - He interviewed all the major contributors.

Village Green - Kinks: Their #2 seller. Great mix of inside stuff and analysis for Kinks fans.

Hec, have you contacted the folks at Sepiachord?

I haven't, but if you think they're pimpworthy I will.

I haven't, but if you think they're pimpworthy I will.

Yes, very much so. They've been introducing a lot of people to all sorts of new music, and I know that bunches of people in the steampunk subculture/genre check Sepiachord on a regular basis.

Yes, very much so.

Who can I contact there? Do you have an email address? I can have my publicist send a review copy.

David, insent with contact info.

David, if you and Kim can pass some tips my way, I'd be most appreciative. I emailed our publicist Claire a couple of days back about organizing a reading and book release party here in Austin, and I haven't heard squat. I mean, I can do it myself, but it would be nice if they had some advice for me on that. I might try John Mark next, because he's at least emailed the group once or twice.

Also, I've started reviewing all of the 33 1/3 books I've read over at my secondary blog: [link]

Congrats on the kudos, Hec. I know nothing about nothing where Waites or music talk is concerned, but it seems that people who do like what they're reading.

Check out the very cool cover for Michael Chabon's Maps and Legends

I had never heard the term "belly band" until this very moment. What an auspicious introduction. A comment on that page mentions a Craig Thomas CD design for Menomena which sounds like something I need to see in 3D.

the front cover has eight possible permutations, four when the CD is in the case, and four when it's in the player (it'll be there a lot)-- and that's not counting all of the slight variations you can get by rotating the disc when it's in the tray

Hec, I totally plan to start with your book and then Corwood's - and perhaps I will continue as you suggested.

My feeling is that lots of collectors, being completists, will want to start with #1 and go on. And having so many out, all at once, makes it a bit overwhelming.

Remember back in ... January? February? ... when there was a fuss about Cassie Edwards plagiarizing all over the place? well, it seems her publisher, Signet, has now severed the relationship. The copyrights are reverting to her.

Question - how valid is the copyright on plagiarized material?