Publisher's Synopsis
Secret Stars: The Greatest Underdogs of the Rock 'n' Roll Era tells the incredible true stories of the ten best bands and songwriters of the last sixty years that you (mostly) didn't hear on the radio. For every band like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Nirvana or songwriters like Dylan, Hendrix and Springsteen who become iconic rock stars, there are bands and songwriters who are arguably every bit as talented... but you just haven't heard them or maybe even heard of them. YET. Secret Stars takes the reader on a journey through rock history to examine some of its best kept secrets like Arthur Lee & LOVE in the 1960s; Nick Drake and Big Star in the 1970s; Robyn Hitchcock from 1978-present as the Soft Boys, Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, and solo; Tanya Donelly, the Queen Bee of indie rock, who co-founded Throwing Muses, the Breeders, and Belly; Joe Henry, the closest thing to Bob Dylan in the last thirty-five years; Elliott Smith, one of the most influential and talented songwriters and musicians of his generation; Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices, an indie rock god and the most prolific songwriter of all time; and Drive-by Truckers, the most critically-acclaimed Southern rock band (and rock band from the South) of the 21st century.
Beloved by music critics, revered by their musical peers, and worshiped by their cult followings, these Secret Stars deserve to be regarded as major artists alongside their better-known brethren. Their music and this book are for people who care about music."What a great read. I learned a lot about some of my favorite artists that I already knew a lot about. And Matt weaved together super engaging storytelling in the process. A totally enjoyable page turner." (Rob Schnapf, music producer of artists including Beck, Elliott Smith, Guided by Voices, and the Vines)
"Anyone who's ever visited a record store multiple times in one day, anyone who's ever struggled to sleep at night on the eve of a new release day (am I outing myself here?) will recognize themselves in Matt Berenson's excellent Secret Stars, but anyone who's never done those things--who floats on the tide of Spotify's algorithm, excited to discover new music--needs this book as well. With an irresistible enthusiasm and passion, a jeweler's discernment, and with a delightful feeling of discovery, Berenson guides us through the shop aisles, radio dials, and sometimes-checkered histories of ten artists you should (and, I suspect, will) spend the rest of your life listening to. Secret Stars is invaluable." (Matthew Specktor, author of Always Crashing in the Same Car; editor, Los Angeles Review of Books) "Put those Beatles and Stones records down! SECRET STARS illuminates the unfairly unworshipped Rock Gods, the ones deserving of much bigger cults. The book's bracing message: We Never Knew How Amazing We Had It. A genius at exposing genius, Matt Berenson is a scholar who is not afraid to let his passion get in the way, blistering with joy for the music and wrath for many of these artists' fates, deliriously enmeshed with tangy personal memories and unhealthy obsession."(Daniel Waters, screenwriter of Heathers, Batman Returns)
