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

The Reverend's Spirit...On Track (Every Album, Every Song)

Even in an age of unparalleled innovation and artistic freedom, Spirit stood head and shoulders above their 1960s-era rock ‘n’ roll contemporaries. Perhaps only Love shared the same sort of expansive and adventuresome artistic vision as the five guys in Spirit, whose disparate and diverse musical backgrounds led the band to explore the outer regions of rock ‘n’ roll as the band incorporated elements of the blues, folk, R&B, and jazz into their heady brew of psychedelia-tinted hard rock. Although they never experienced the level of commercial success that their talents and innovative music deserved, few bands since have matched Spirit in eccentricity, originality, intensity, and instrumental virtuosity.

For all their creative accomplishments, Spirit’s legacy is that of a half-forgotten band whose name is seldom brought up in ‘classic rock’ discussions. Published by Sonicbond Publishing in the U.K., On Track...Spirit corrects this oversight, revisiting the band album by album, song by song, from their ground-breaking self-titled 1968 debut and their masterpiece, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus through the break-ups and reunions and solo efforts of the lean years until their resurgence in the 1990s with albums like Tent of Miracles. More than a mere album guide, On Track...Spirit recounts 30 years of the trailblazing artistry of Spirit.     

The “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Rev. Keith A. Gordon has been writing about classic rock and blues music for 50 years, his words appearing in over 100 publications worldwide including Creem, Blues Music magazine, Live! Music Review, and the Rock and Roll Globe. A former All Music Guide contributor, Gordon has written 25 previous music-related books including Anarchy In The Music City!, The Other Side of Nashville, and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

Buy the book from Amazon: Rev. Keith A. Gordon’s On Track...Spirit

 Early book review from The Beat magazine in the U.K.

 

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

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

Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide

Joe Bonamassa fans rejoice, for the Reverend and Excitable Press are happy to announce the publication of Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide. The latest literary effort by the Reverend, Blues Deluxe is an album by album guide to the music of popular blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa. Profusely illustrated with dozens of color photos, including album cover artwork for every release, the guide also features eighteen album reviews covering many of Bonamassa’s solo efforts as well as albums recorded with Beth Hart, Black Country Communion, and Rock Candy Funk Party. The book also reprints a rare, long out-of-print 2011 Bonamassa interview previously-published by Blues Revue magazine.

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, Blues Music magazine, 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 and several volumes in The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives series (including Southern Rock, Punk Rock, and the upcoming Heavy Metal).

Blues Deluxe: The Joe Bonamassa Buying Guide is a 188-page 5.5” x 8.5” trade paperback printed with gorgeous full-color photos and is available as a $26.99 print edition (sorry, but color ain't cheap) and as a less-expensive $4.99 eBook for your Kindle. Signed copies of Blues Deluxe are available from the Reverend through the PayPal link (with free shipping), or get your copy from Amazon with the handy links below.

Blues Deluxe print edition [Amazon.com link]

Blues Deluxe eBook edition [Amazon.com link]

Get your copy of Blues Deluxe personally signed by the Reverend Gordon his own bad self (U.S. orders only, please)!

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 Rock 'n' Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers

Excitable Press and Rev. Gordon are happy to announce the publication of the first book in what will be an ongoing series of material from the good Reverend’s files. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers is a budget-priced collection of ten artist interviews with the ‘90s generation of Southern rockers like Dan Baird (Georgia Satellites), the Cactus Brothers, Warren Haynes, Brent Best (Slobberbone), Kevn Kinney (Drivin’ ‘n’ Cryin’), Widespread Panic, the Kentucky Headhunters, Webb Wilder, and Jason Ringenberg and Warner Hodges as well as old school influence Charlie Daniels.

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 written or edited nine previous music-related books, including The Other Side of Nashville and Scorched Earth: A Jason & the Scorchers Scrapbook.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Archives, Volume One: Southern Rockers is a 54pp 5.5” x 8.5” paperback  with B&W photos, priced at $5.99 retail with a $2.99 eBook version available with the same interviews. Get your copy through the handy Amazon links below:

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

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

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!