Planet of Sound 3: Even More Essays From the Rock and Roll Globe Era, 2021-2024

Planet of Sound 3 is the third and final archival collection of rants, raves, and reviews penned by award-winning rock critic and music historian Rev. Keith A. Gordon. The Reverend covers a diverse range of popular music with these 46 essays, from well-known artists like Frank Zappa, Neil Young, and rapper Ice T to cult favorites like Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett, rocker Joe Grushecky, and punk godfather Johnny Thunders. 

Planet of Sound 3 expands the series' coverage of live albums, with in-depth reviews of legit and bootleg releases from rock 'n' roll greats like The Yardbirds, Rory Gallagher, and Michael Bloomfield. You'll find reviews of punk-rock (Hüsker Dü, Dead Kennedys), garage-rock (The Unclaimed, The Vipers), and the blues (John Lee Hooker, Skip James) as well as book reviews and tributes to artists like Keith Richards, John Mayall, and Spirit. 

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about classic rock and blues music over 50 years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former ‘Blues Expert’ for About.com, Gordon has written for over 100 publications worldwide, including Creem, Blurt magazine, Goldmine, Blues Music magazine, High Times, The Blues (U.K.), and Live! Music Review. The Reverend has also written or edited 29 previous music-related books, including Nuggets Redux, The Jimi Hendrix Reader, and Sonicbond Publishing's Spirit...On Track! 

 Get an autographed copy from the Reverend for $19.99 postpaid! (U.S. orders only)

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 Buy the print version or an eBook from Amazon!

Nuggets Redux: A Song-By-Song History of the History of the Most Influential Album In Rock 'n' Roll

Since its release in 1972, the multi-artist compilation Nuggets – featuring songs hand-chosen by legendary musician and rock critic Lenny Kaye – has arguably become the most influential album in rock ‘n’ roll history. With 27 songs spread across two vinyl records and packaged in a colorful, multi-hued cover, Nuggets, sub-titled “Original Artyfacts From the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968,” would become one of the most popular and enduring anthologies of rock music ever created.

With Nuggets Redux, music historian Rev. Keith A. Gordon dives deep into the album, providing a song-by-song history of the magic made by psych-and-garage rock legends like The Electric Prunes, The Vagrants, The Remains, The Shadows of Knight, The Chocolate Watchband, and many others. Gordon also digs into the album’s ongoing influence in the decades since and provides a succinct history of Nuggets sequels and copycats, including the 50th anniversary Record Store day vinyl box set. Nuggets Redux is illustrated with over three dozen color and vintage B&W photographs.

Order an autographed copy of Nuggets Redux for $17.99 postpaid direct from the publisher! (U.S. orders only)

Rather buy the book from Amazon? Here are some links:
Nuggets Redux print version
Nuggets Redux eBook

Planet of Sound 2: More Essays From the Rock and Roll Globe Era (2021-2023)

Planet of Sound 2 is the second collection of rants, raves, and reviews penned by award-winning rock critic and music historian Rev. Keith A. Gordon. Originally published by the Rock and Roll Globe and Book and Film Globe websites, the Reverend covers a wide range of rock and blues music with these 33 essays.

From well-known artists like John Lee Hooker, Lou Reed, Muddy Waters, The Kinks, Edgar Winter, and the Georgia Satellites to lesser-known talents like Joe Grushecky, The Jazz Butcher, Randy California, and Willy DeVille, the Reverend explores the history of these artists and places their legacies into proper context. Planet of Sound 2 also includes several book reviews that delve into the history of the underground comix of the 1970s.

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about classic rock and blues music for 50 years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide, and the former ‘Blues Expert’ for About.com, Gordon has written for over 100 publications worldwide, including Creem, Blurt magazine, Goldmine, Blues Music magazine, High Times, The Blues (U.K.), and Live! Music Review. The Reverend has also written or edited 26 previous music-related books, including The Jimi Hendrix Reader, The Other Side of Nashville, and and Anarchy In The Music City!

Get an autographed copy from the Reverend for $19.99 postpaid!

Buy the print version or an eBook from Amazon!

The Jimi Hendrix Reader w/annotated discography, reviews & more!

Better than 50 years beyond his tragic death at the too-young age of 27, Jimi Hendrix still manages to turn heads and stir up controversy. Arguably the most innovative and influential guitarist to wear the “guitar god” mantle in rock ‘n’ roll, Hendrix – for reasons outlined in this book – was all of the above, and more. Hendrix created an entirely unique musical voice and language, blending such diverse (and divergent) genres as blues, jazz, R&B, soul, British Invasion rock, psychedelia, and even American folk music into the creation of a newly-exploding supernova of sound.

The Jimi Hendrix Reader attempts to provide the rock ‘n’ roll fan with an introductory tome. Hendrix’s catalog of music may seem daunting – there are a lot of recordings out there to choose from – which is why The Jimi Hendrix Reader was built around an annotated discography to help separate the wheat from the chaff. An incomplete biography outlines the highs (and lows) of the guitarist’s career, whereas reviews of a dozen key Hendrix albums provide greater context and insight into his music and enduring popularity.

Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about rock and blues music for over 50 years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has written or edited 25+ previous music-related books, including Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide, The Other Side of Nashville, and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

The Jimi Hendix Reader
140 pages w/color and B&W photos • 6” x 9” trade paperback

Buy an autographed copy of The Jimi Hendrix Reader directly from the Reverend for $19.99 with free shipping!

 

 

Prefer to buy from Amazon.com? Here's a link to the print version of The Jimi Hendrix Reader (also available as a $3.99 Kindle eBook) 

Anarchy In The Music City! The Other Side of Nashville's Musical Pioneers

Since the early 1960s, Nashville has been known worldwide as the "Music City" for its robust country and gospel music industries. For over 40 years now, Nashville has also been home to a thriving hotbed of rock, blues, rap, and Americana music. "The Other Side of Nashville" has grown from a few makeshift bands playing original songs and scraping for gigs into an internationally-respected scene that has attracted creative immigrants from across the globe.

Anarchy In The Music City! is an oral history of the origins and evolution of Nashville's alternative music scene as told by the pioneers that made the music. Using artist interviews culled from the pages of Rev. Keith A. Gordon's critically-acclaimed book The Other Side of Nashville, this illustrated volume includes conversations with both well-known music-makers like Jason & the Scorchers, Webb Wilder, Tony Gerber, David Olney, and Chagall Guevara as well as regional cult rockers like Tommy Womack, the Dusters, Donna Frost, and Aashid Himons, among many others.  

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Gordon has been writing about rock and blues music for 50 years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has written or edited 25 previous music-related books and eBooks, including Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide, Planet of Sound, The Other Side of Nashville, and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

Buy an autographed copy for $14.99 directly from the Reverend:

 

Prefer to buy from Amazon.com? Here's a link to the print version of Anarchy In The Music City! (also available as a Kindle eBook)

Anarchy In The Music City! The Other Side of Nashville's Musical Pioneers

Since the early 1960s, Nashville has been known worldwide as the "Music City" for its robust country and gospel music industries. For over 40 years now, Nashville has also been home to a thriving hotbed of rock, blues, rap, and Americana music. "The Other Side of Nashville" has grown from a few makeshift bands playing original songs and scraping for gigs into an internationally-respected scene that has attracted creative immigrants from across the globe.

Anarchy In The Music City! is an oral history of the origins and evolution of Nashville's alternative music scene as told by the pioneers that made the music. Using artist interviews culled from the pages of Rev. Keith A. Gordon's critically-acclaimed book The Other Side of Nashville, this illustrated volume includes conversations with both well-known music-makers like Jason & the Scorchers, Webb Wilder, Tony Gerber, David Olney, and Chagall Guevara as well as regional cult rockers like Tommy Womack, the Dusters, Donna Frost, and Aashid Himons, among many others.  

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Gordon has been writing about rock and blues music for 50 years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has written or edited 25 previous music-related books and eBooks, including Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide, Planet of Sound, The Other Side of Nashville, and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook. 

Buy an autographed copy for $14.99 directly from the Reverend:

 

Prefer to buy from Amazon.com? Here's a link to the print version of Anarchy In The Music City! (also available as a Kindle eBook) 

The Rev sez "Paint It Black!"

The fifth and final collection of the Reverend’s personal archives, Paint It Black! is now available for order from Excitable Press and Amazon.com. Named for the classic Rolling Stones song, Paint It Black! is a collection of over 150 rock ‘n’ blues album and book reviews penned by the “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon over the course of his nearly 50 years as a rock critic and music historian.

From classic rockers like Bob Seger, David Bowie, and Frank Zappa to blues legends like John Lee Hooker and Stevie Ray Vaughan or punk rockers like the Dead Kennedys (and everything in between) if you love music, Paint It Black! is the cratediggers' guide to your next album purchases!

Order an autographed copy of Paint It Black! directly from the Reverend for $15.95 postpaid in the U.S. by using the PayPal button below. Canadian and European orders should be made through Amazon.com. Paint It Black! is a 5.5” x 8.5” trade paperback, a respectable 356 pages and profusely illustrated with B&W album cover artwork.

Paint It Black! $15.95

Prefer to buy from Amazon.com? Here's a link to the Reverend's Paint It Black! paperback (also available as a Kindle eBook)

Planet of Sound book now available!

The Reverend's latest effort, Planet of Sound, is now available from Amazon.com. Planet of Sound is a collection of essays, retrospectives, artist interviews and album reviews penned by award-winning rock critic and music historian Rev. Keith A. Gordon. Originally published by the Rock and Roll Globe website, the Reverend covers a wide range of rock and blues music with these essays.

From well-known artists like Steve Miller, Walter Trout, Frank Zappa, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and the Blues Brothers to lesser-known talents like avant-garde guitarist Eugene Chadbourne, singer/songwriter Buzzy Linhart, British oddball Screamin’ Lord Sutch, and cult rockers the Flamin’ Groovies, the Reverend explores the history of these artists and places their legacies into proper context.  

Within these pages are 33 aggressively looong essays, etc on rock and blues music – popular and otherwise – that you can read for free online but, in keeping with my obsessive quest to publish nearly every word I’ve ever written in some misguided and utterly futile attempt at immortality, I’m trying to sell you in printed and eBook form. I can only hope that you have as much fun reading this stuff as I did in writing it. Rock on!

Get an autographed copy from the Reverend for $12.99!

Buy the print version from Amazon.com: Planet of Sound

FREE copies of Alt.Culture.Guide books!

The Reverend realizes that this pandemic has got us all a little (or a lot) freaked out. As we all shuffle around our homes in self-imposed isolation, we've listened to every record, read every book, watched every TV show.

As a public service, the kindly ol' Rev has uploaded PDF copies of the three Alt.Culture.Guide™ books from the early 2000s which you can download at NO CHARGE and enjoy years of writing from the finest music webzine around (at the time). Just click on the link in the titles and be transported away from your daily grind with FREE rock 'n' roll reading...

WARNING! These are quite large PDF files!

Alt.Culture.Guide™ 2003

• Feature article: "A Critic's Guide to the New Rock Sound" (with The Strokes, The White Stripes, etc)
• Interviews with heavy metal bass legend T.M. Stevens, bluesman Richard Johnston, and rock legend Wayne Kramer (MC5)
• Other articles include "Tower Records On the Ropes," "In Defense of the White Bluesman," "The Rise & Fall of Heavy Metal" and more!
• Dozens of CD, DVD, book & zine reviews
• Writers include Rev. Gordon, Bill Glahn, Tommy Hash, Kels Koch & others
• 7.25" x 9" trade paperback, B&W photos, 150pp w/color covers

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Alt.Culture.Guide™ 2005

• Feature article: "Prog-Rock, An Introduction"
• Special Prog-Rock/Metal section featuring interviews with Neal Morse (Spock's Beard), Jerry Gaskill (King's X), Roine Stolt (Flower Kings) & members of Kotipelto, Pallas, Tiles & others!
• Articles include "Kansas Sails On - A Look Back," "Nashville - What Went Wrong?" and "The RIAA vs the Rest of Us" & more!
• Dozens of CD, DVD, book & zine reviews
• Writers include Rev. Gordon, Bill Glahn, Steve Morley, Tommy Hash, Ivadd Grimstone & others
• 7.25" x 9" trade paperback, B&W photos, 205pp w/color covers

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Alt.Culture.Guide™ 2006

• Feature article: "Minimum Wage Rock 'n' Roll"
• Interviews with bluesman Bobby Rush, Steve Hackett (Genesis), Alex Skolnick (Testament), Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and others!
• Other articles include "Deford Bailey: The First Star of the Grand Ole Opry," "Return of the Son of the RIAA vs the Rest of Us" and more!
• Dozens of CD, DVD, book & zine reviews 
• Writers include Rev. Gordon, Bill Glahn, Tommy Hash, Ivadd Grimstone, Eric Saeger, Kena Sosa & others
• 7.25" x 9" trade paperback, B&W photos, 265pp w/color covers

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A Review of Alt.Culture.Guide 2006 by the esteemed Kent Orlando:

Way, waaaaaaaay back in the dim, farthermost reaches of human prehistory – sometime shortly after the advent of the velociraptors, but just a few scant ticks prior to that fateful moment in time when the Rolling Stones finally speed-boated their way irrevocably 'cross the Rubicon of Suck – I churned out a vast, eminently forgettable froth of record and concert reviews for various music-oriented publications in and around Nashville, Tennessee. (The Nashville Gazette, Hank, Take One, Anthem, etcetera and so on.

Rock'n'roll newspapers and 'zines in Music City, USA throughout the greater portion of the '70s and '80s were uncannily like the criminal super-organization "Hydra" in all those old Marvel comics: for every one inevitably cut down, two more would instantly spring up to take their place. My longest-lived column at that point ('Bunnies from Hell'; don't ask, and I solemnly pledge not to try and explain) netted an appreciably-better-than-warranted write-up in The Rolling Stone Review 1985, which was pretty much it for me, last hurrah-wise, insofar as serious, journeyman rock journalism goes.

The absolute, balls-to-the-wall, case-closed best of the whole boisterously opinionated lot of us, however – casually performing the written equivalent of great, looping Immelmann turns over my own comparatively lead-efforts; better, even, in certain specific respects, than contributing contemporary Allen Steele (who later went on to become a multiple Hugo Award-winning grandmaster in the SF field, so that's all right, then) – was this one guy, in particular: a perpetually black-clad, bearded, obelisk-sized-and-shaped primal force by the name of Keith A. Gordon, A.K.A. "The Reverend."

Unlike the more dilettantish among us [Insert Nervous, Self-Conscious Coughing Into Hand Here], The Rev remained hunkered and watchful in the rock journo trenches, from that day to this – selflessly standing guard against the Nazgul forces of musical darkness. His is the spiritual and intellectual impetus behind the stone essential Alt.Culture.Guide music webzine (boasting not only a genuinely jaw-dropping backlog of columns, CD/DVD playlists and recommended reading lists, but – bonus, BIG-time! – is home to the Mondo Weed music downloading system), as well as regular jeremiads re: the innumerable business follies and fetishes of the music industry on his other blog, Ryan Adams Sucks; not to mention his ongoing chronicling of the histories of the indie and prog rock scenes in Nashville, circa 1976 to present, on his other OTHER blog, The Other Side of Nashville. (At some point along the way, the Reverend evidently had himself surgically reconfigured into some freakish, sleep-eschewing cybernetic creature-thing of sorts. Persistent online scuttlebutt has it that the poor bastard hasn't actually seen direct sunlight since the latter part of 1989, give or take.)

The very best bestest of each year's material from the Alt.Culture.Guide site is attractively and conveniently collected annually in trade paperback format, with the latest edition – ALT.CULTURE.GUIDE: Aspects of (Un)Popular Culture v3.0, 2006 – clocking in at a fat and sassy 260+ pages of wittily perspicacious industry analysis and over 250 (!!!) music reviews, only one or two of which (inexplicably positive reviews for new releases by '80-era mellow rockschlocks Journey and Asia; both provided by contributor Tommy "Hashman" Hash, whom NO ONE MAN OR WOMAN LIVING MAY LOVE OR TRUST EVEREVEREVER AGAIN!) might legitimately qualify as being "indefensible"; pretty damned impressive any way you want to look at it, overall percentage-wise.  (… and when's the last time you could genuinely say the same of such comparatively calcified house organs as Rolling Stone or Spin, incidentally…?)

Standout pieces in v3.0 include "Minimum Wage Rock & Roll," the Reverend's intriguing, outside-the-box proposal for remedying the industry's present-day fiscal doldrums; thoughtful appreciations of bassist Pete Trewavas (Marillion) and Steve Hackett (Genesis); and convincing, spot-on analyses of the latest offerings (both new and reissued) from such disparate artists as Billy Idol, Roky Erickson, Robert Plant, the Go-Betweens, Jon Mikl Thor, Johnny Winter, The Tubes, Spock's Beard, The Subteens, The Shemps, Dash Rip Rock, Living Colour… you get the idea.

If you aren't reading this man's stuff:  you damned well oughtta be. I don't know how to phrase it any more plainly than that.

New Book: Fossils, Relics of the Classic Rock Era v2

Back in the day, record labels didn’t have a network of blogs, artist websites, and social media to help market new music. They only had FM radio, cash ‘payola’ to DJs and, if the budget allowed, advertisements in a handful of music rags like Creem, Trouser Press, and Rolling Stone to help provide hype for a new release. Much like album cover artwork, advertisements created for new album releases were often works of art in themselves.

Creative record label graphic designers often came up with ads that cleverly promoted the artist and their work; just as often, corporate hacks cranked out copy with little or no relation to the album being promoted. With this second volume of Fossils, award-winning rock critic and music historian Rev. Keith A. Gordon takes another look at these “relics,” album advertisements found in frayed and graying copies of cherished old music magazines. Offering insightful and informative commentary on over 60 ads, the ‘Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ explores this overlooked artistic aspect of the classic rock era.

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about music for almost 50 years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has also written for Blurt magazine, Creem, High Times, and The Blues (U.K.), among many other publications, and has written two-dozen previous music-related books, including Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide, The Other Side of Nashville, and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

Fossils v2 is a 140pp 5.5” x 8.5” paperback with B&W photos and is only available in paperback at $11.95 (no eBook version of this one, kids!). Get your copy through the handy Amazon.com link below or buy an autographed copy direct from Excitable Press:

Fossils, Relics of the Classic Rock Era, Volume Two: The 1960s-'80s 

Buy an autographed copy direct from Excitable Press ($11.95 postpaid, PayPal):

The Rock 'n' Roll Archives, Volume Five: Rockin' 'round the World

Excitable Press and That Devil Music’s Rev. Gordon are happy to announce the publication of the fifth and final volume in the Rev’s ongoing collections of artist interviews. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Five: Rockin' 'round the World is a budget-priced collection of vintage interviews with seventeen musicians from around the world, including Little Steven, Sisters of Mercy, R.E.M., John Wesley Harding, Wayne Kramer, and Midnight Oil, among others. The book also includes album reviews for many of the featured artists.

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about music for almost 50 years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has also written for Blurt magazine, Creem, High Times, and The Blues (U.K.), among many other publications, and has written two-dozen previous music-related books, including Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide, The Other Side of Nashville, and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Five: Rockin' 'round the World is a 108pp 5.5” x 8.5” paperback with B&W photos, priced at $8.99 for the print edition and $2.99 for the eBook. Get your copy through the handy Amazon.com links below:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Five: Rockin' 'round the World print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Five: Rockin' 'round the World eBook edition

Also available:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Four: Cult Rockers print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Four: Cult Rockers eBook

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal eBook

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock eBook edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers eBook edition

The Rock 'n' Roll Archives, Volume Four: Cult Rockers

Excitable Press and That Devil Music’s Rev. Gordon are happy to announce the publication of the fourth volume in the Rev’s ongoing collections of artists interviews. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Four: Cult Rockers is a budget-priced collection of thirteen “cult rockers” who have made great music that failed to find a mainstream audience, talents like Billy Bragg, Eugene Chadbourne, Mojo Nixon, Kirsty MacColl, Band of Susans, Barrence Whitfield, and They Might Be Giants, among others. The book also includes album reviews for many of the featured artists.

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about music for 45+ years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has also written for Blurt magazine, Creem, High Times, and The Blues (U.K.), among many other publications, and has written eighteen previous music-related books, including Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide, The Other Side of Nashville, and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Four: Cult Rockers is a 74pp 5.5” x 8.5” paperback with B&W photos, priced at $7.99 for the print book and $2.99 for the eBook version with the same content. Get your copy through the handy Amazon.com links below:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Four: Cult Rockers print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Four: Cult Rockers eBook

Also available:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal eBook

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock eBook edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers eBook edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal

Excitable Press and That Devil Music’s Rev. Gordon are happy to announce the publication of the third volume in the Rev’s ongoing series of archive interviews. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal is a budget-priced collection of ten vintage artist interviews from metal pioneers like Living Colour, Faith No More, King’s X, and Sepultura as well as cult artists like Killing Joke, Voivod, and Warrior Soul, among others. The book also includes album reviews for many of the featured artists.

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about music for 45+ years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has also written for Blurt magazine, Creem, High Times, and The Blues (U.K.), among many other publications, and has written fifteen previous music-related books, including The Other Side of Nashville and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal is a 70pp 5.5” x 8.5” paperback with B&W photos, priced at $6.99 for the print book and $2.99 for the eBook version with the same content. Get your copy through the handy Amazon.com links below:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Three: Heavy Metal eBook

Also available:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock eBook edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers eBook edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock

Excitable Press and That Devil Music’s Rev. Gordon are happy to announce the publication of the second volume in the Rev’s ongoing series of archive interviews. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock is a budget-priced collection of eleven vintage artist interviews from 1990s-era punks like Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Billy Idol, Joey Shithead (D.O.A.), Michael Muir (Suicidal Tendencies), Joey Ramone, and members of Rancid, Descendents, Blanks 77, Choreboy, the Screamin’ Sirens, and the Meat Puppets. This second volume also includes album reviews for many of the featured artists.

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about music for 45+ years. A former contributor to the All Music Guide books and website, and the former Blues Expert for About.com, Rev. Gordon has also written for Blurt magazine, Creem, High Times, and The Blues (U.K.), among many other publications, and has written ten previous music-related books, including The Other Side of Nashville and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock is a 64pp 5.5” x 8.5” paperback with B&W photos, priced at $5.99 retail with a $2.99 eBook version with the same content. Get your copy through the handy Amazon.com links below:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume Two: Punk Rock eBook edition

Also available:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers print edition

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers eBook edition

The Rev's Boogie Chillun now available!

The fourth volume of the Reverend’s personal archives, Boogie Chillun is now available for order from Excitable Press and Amazon.com. Named for the classic John Lee Hooker song, Boogie Chillun is a collection of over 150 rock ‘n’ blues album, DVD, and book reviews penned by the “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon over the course of his 44+ year career as a rock critic and music historian. Boogie Chillun also includes a number of articles from the Rev's archives, including obituaries for Abbie Hoffman and Timothy Leary, a look back at the Kent State killings, musical piracy and more!

From classic rockers like Bob Seger, Jimi Hendrix, and Joe Grushecky to blues legends like Walter Trout, Tommy Castro, and Muddy Waters, if you love music, Boogie Chillun is the cratediggers' guide to your next album purchases! Order an autographed copy of Boogie Chillun directly from the Reverend for $15.99 postpaid in the U.S. or $22.99 for Canada by using the PayPal buttons below. European orders should be made through Amazon.com. Boogie Chullun is a 5.5” x 8.5” trade paperback, a respectable 414 pages and profusely illustrated with album cover artwork.

Boogie Chillun $15.99 U.S.

Boogie Chillun $22.99 Canada

Prefer to buy from Amazon.com? Here's a link to the Rev's Boogie Chillun 


What critics had to say about Let It Rock!, the third volume in the Rev’s archive series:

"Bottom line: There’s something here for all of us, kids, ‘cos when the Rev. sets up his tent to preach the gospel, it’s a big goddam tent he pitches. Apologies for the cursing; but this is, after all, the devil’s music." – Fred Mills, Blurt magazine

Fossils, Volume One now available!

Maybe you’ve read one of the Reverend’s “Fossils” pieces here on That Devil Music; it’s been a popular feature hereabouts for a couple years. Back in the day, record labels didn’t have a network of blogs, artist websites, and social media to help market and promote new music. They only had FM radio, cash ‘payola’ to DJs and, if the budget allowed, advertisements in a handful of music rags like Creem, Trouser Press, and Rolling Stone to help provide hype for a album new release.

Much like album cover artwork, advertisements created for new album releases during the ‘70s were often works of art in themselves. Creative record label graphic designers often came up with ads that cleverly promoted the artist and their work; just as often, corporate hacks cranked out copy with little or no relation to the album being promoted. With the “Fossils” posts, I looked at these “classic rock relics,” album ads found in frayed and graying copies of cherished old music magazines.

The Reverend’s Fossils, Volume One: The '70s book is now available in paperback for the low, low one-time fee of $9.95, and if you order direct, I’ll even autograph your copy (U.S. orders only, please). Offering insightful and informative commentary on this often overlooked aspect of the classic rock era, the Rev took the 20 or so “Fossils” posts from That Devil Music and wrote a whole bunch more of ‘em…over four-dozen ads total in a 5.5”x8.5” trade paperback that runs 100 pages with high-rez scans of each advertisement.

Get your copy from Amazon.com or direct from the publisher, Excitable Press (PayPal link below).

Buy the book from Amazon.com

Buy the book from Excitable Press (via PayPal, U.S. orders only):

The Rev’s Let It Rock! book hits the shelves!

The third volume of the Reverend’s personal archives, Let It Rock! is now available for order from Excitable Press and Amazon.com. Named for the classic 1960 Chuck Berry song, Let It Rock! is a collection of over 100 rock ‘n’ blues album and book reviews penned by the “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon over the course of his 44+ year career as a rock critic and music historian.

From classic rockers like King Crimson, Hawkwind, and Jimi Hendrix to relative newcomers like Graveyard and the Black Keys, if you love music, Let It Rock! is your guide to your next album purchases! Published on October 4th, 2016, you can order an autographed copy of Let It Rock! directly from the Reverend for $14.95 postpaid in the U.S. or $20.95 for Canada by using the PayPal buttons below. European orders should be made through Amazon.com. Let It Rock! is a 5.5” x 8.5” trade paperback, a respectable 274 pages and profusely illustrated with album cover artwork.

What critics had to say about Rollin’ ‘n’ Tumblin’, the second volume in the Rev’s archive series:

“To say that the good Reverend Keith A. Gordon knows a thing or two about the blues is akin to saying that a duck likes water…” – Terry Mullins, Blues Blast magazine

“More of a reference work than a tome designed to be read cover to cover, Rollin’ ‘n’ Tumblin’ is a useful consumer guide to the world of currently-available blues (and blues-informed) music.” – Bill Kopp, Musoscribe blog

“These are actual, genuine, honest-to-Wolf, get-your-mojo-workin’ blues reviews, the kind that display an abiding passion for the artform, an appreciation for and deep knowledge of its history, and most important, the kind of descriptive, illuminating and no holds barred style of writing that serves to make its subject come alive.” – Fred Mills, Blurt magazine


Let It Rock! $14.95 U.S.

Let It Rock! $20.95 Canada

Prefer to buy from Amazon.com? Here’s a link to the Rev. Gordon’s Let It Rock!

Blurt magazine reviews Rollin' 'n' Tumblin'!

The Reverend's friend and former editor Fred Mills has delivered a lengthy review of Rollin' 'n' Tumblin', my latest book, for Blurt magazine online, Fred's insightful comments are accompanied by an email interview between the two of us. Here's but a taste of Fred's book review:

"Rev. Gordon’s just-published Rollin’ ‘n’ Tumblin’, a compendium of over 100 long-form (e.g., 400+ words, with many clocking in at over 1,000) blues reviews that he wrote from 2008 to 2014 for such venues as Blues Music here in the States and The Blues in the U.K., plus All Music Guide, BLURT, and About.com where Gordon authored that site’s “Blues Guide” section, doing reviews, interviews and features. These are actual, genuine, honest-to-Wolf, get-your-mojo-workin’ blues reviews, the kind that display an abiding passion for the artform, an appreciation for and deep knowledge of its history, and most important, the kind of descriptive, illuminating and no holds barred style of writing that serves to make its subject come alive."

Check out Fred's full review of Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' and our lengthy interview exclusively at Blurt online!

New Book! The Reverend's Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' hits the shelves!

Named for the classic Muddy Waters' song, Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' is the second volume in The Reverend's Archives, a collection of over 100 blues-related long-form album and book reviews written by the award-winning music critic, Rev. Keith A. Gordon. From classic blues by legends like B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters to contemporary albums by talents like Walter Trout, Duke Robillard, and George Thorogood, Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' provides a wealth of musical information guaranteed to send you to your local record store in search of new music!

Published on January 5th, 2016 you can buy the book via Amazon.com or order Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' direct from the Reverend for $14.95 postpaid for the U.S. or $24.95 for Canada by using the PayPal buttons below. European orders should be made through Amazon.com. Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' is a 5.5" x 8.5" trade paperback, a whoppin' 390 pages and profusely illustrated with album cover artwork.

Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' $14.95 (US)

Rollin' 'n' Tumblin' $24.95 (Canadian)

CD Review: Vanilla Fudge's Spirit of '67

Vanilla Fudge made their bones by covering pop, rock, and R&B songs long before the hair metal ‘80s made it an artistic requirement. The band’s psychedelic, acid-washed arrangements kept enough of a song’s original flavor to entertain while still adding something new and original to the mix. Formed by singer and keyboardist Mark Stein, guitarist Vinny Martell, bassist Tim Bogert, and drummer Carmine Appice, the Fudge came to the attention of legendary product George “Shadow” Morton, who was smitten by the band’s slowed-down, sludge-drenched live performance of the Supremes’ hit “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” The band recorded the song with Morton producing, scoring them a deal with Atco Records (an Atlantic label subsidiary), and their subsequent self-titled 1967 debut.

That album rose to number six on the Billboard albums chart on the strength of the band’s unique readings of popular songs by the Beatles, Sonny Bono, Curtis Mayfield, and Rod Argent. Slowing down a song’s tempo, layering in a rich brew of Stein’s Hammond keyboards and Martell’s stinging guitar, and backed by the sludge-like stew of Bogert and Appice’s mesmerizing rhythms, the album struck a chord with young rock fans. Morton would go on to produce the band’s following two albums, both of which went Top 20, but the further the Fudge strayed from that initial plodding approach to cover tunes, the more their commercial returns diminished, and Vanilla Fudge broke up in 1970, after the release of their fourth album, Rock & Roll.

Vanilla Fudge’s Spirit of ’67

The Fudge reformed in 2000, sans Bogart, who had retired from touring after a lengthy career, and they’ve been performing occasional shows ever since. Spirit of ’67, a collection of cover tunes of songs made popular in, yes, 1967, is the Fudge’s first album in ten years. Unfortunately, there’s little to like about Vanilla Fudge’s Spirit of ’67. The arrangements proffered these classic songs aren’t so much imaginative as they are dated and boring, the band trying to add a contemporary sheen to vintage tunes that, by their very familiarity, are part of the hardcore music fan’s DNA and thus require no feats of imagination. Even sadder, the “contemporary” edge the band attempts to bring to the material is from the 1980s or ‘90s…wielding overused, abused musical tropes that barely outlasted their initial use two or three decades ago. I’m not against a band bringing its own vision to classic material, but it has to improve upon the original, not deconstruct it in favor of something less.

Take, for instance, the Fudge cover of the Doors’ gem “Break On Through (To The Other Side),” which is “spiffed” up with backing harmony vocals and a vague flamenco rhythm that completely overwhelms an otherwise engaging Vince Martell guitar solo. The song is stripped of its original malevolence and turned into a Vegas stage show with a truly outrageous and unnecessary exit. Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” is…well, I’m not sure what they were trying to achieve here. There are Gothic tinges to the song’s instrumentation, which is overly lush and claustrophobic rather than cautious and celebratory. The Rolling Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday” is completely shorn of its pop-psych charm in favor of tinkling pianos and a thick, Tran-Siberian Orchestra-styled soundtrack.

I Heard It Through The Grapevine

The band has always had luck with the Motown songbook, but their stab at Marvin Gaye’s classic “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” is just downright embarrassing. The vocals are straining to achieve soulfulness, the instrumentation is overblown and over-the-top all around. True, the bar for covering this song was set pretty high by Gaye and, later, John Fogerty’s CCR, but the Fudge’s arrangement robs the song of its heartbreak, making it sound more like a house party than a tearjerker. The rapping in the middle of the song does nothing to redeem it, either…and speaking of embarrassing, the band’s cover of the Boxtops’ “The Letter” is equally blustery and OTT, with crescendos of out-of-place orchestration and an overall vibe that is at odds with the original’s frantic, romantic “in-a-hurry” intentions. Alex Chilton is likely spinning in his grave at the song’s lounge-singer vocals and (too) busy instrumentation.

Not all of Spirit of ‘67 is thus, however…the band manage to hit the right tone throughout much of their cover of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “The Tracks of My Tears,” creating just the right balance of pathos and emotion to make it work, even if the instrumentation is a wee bit more grandiose than necessary. Their take on the Monkees’ “I’m A Believer” is more imaginative than most of these covers, sounding like a cross between Argent and Iron Butterfly, with flailing keyboard riffs and heavy percussion bringing a share of that old Fudge black magic to the song. The Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin’” is given more of a throwback sound (think 1970s), and while Vince Martell is no Steve Winwood, his vocals here are OK (although I could do without the gratuitous backing vox), his guitar solos crisp and creative. Procol Harum’s “White Shade of Pale” benefits from Mark Stein’s eerie Hammond B3 licks, and although the song’s instrumental arrangement attempts to fly a little too close to the sun, the performance comes back to earth with its wings only singed.  

The Reverend’s Bottom Line

OK, so it’s brass tacks time…Vanilla Fudge’s Spirit of ’67 is an overall mess. By my count, only four or five of the album’s cover songs (i.e. half) add anything to the original performance, while the rest are mostly just mundane and gimmicky. The album’s one new song – Stein’s “Let’s Pray For Peace” – is of a similar overblown nature as much of Spirit of ’67, but that’s OK. It’s an original song with a solid melody, an earnest message, and heartfelt, if a bit overwrought vocals. It works, even if it’s completely out of context of the rest of the album’s conceptual conceit.

If you’re a diehard, longtime patron of Vanilla Fudge, my words won’t dissuade you from buying Spirit of ’67, nor should they. Enjoy, I say, it’s all rock ‘n’ roll to me! But for the Fudge newcomer, your money would be better spent on the band’s self-titled 1967 debut album or even Psychedelic Sundae, a “best of” collection which offers up some tasty covers of the Beatles, Motown, Donovan, and others. As for Vanilla Fudge, I’d just as soon they applied their long-suffering shtick to current songs by the likes of Taylor Swift or Sam Smith. That, my friends, is something I’d like to hear! Grade: C (Cleopatra Records, released March 3, 2015)

Buy the CD on Amazon.com: Vanilla Fudge's Spirit Of 67