Edgar Street Books
@edgarstreetbooks.bsky.social
Edgar Street Books® publishes books that celebrate New York City's music, history, and humor that include the best seller Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever. For more information, visit www.edgarstreetbooks.com
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s Incendiary Shows at Fillmore East - ‘Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever’ Book Excerpt #fillmoreeast www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-cra...
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s Incendiary Shows at Fillmore East
“The God of Hellfire,” Arthur Brown, is noted for his dynamic performances in a flaming metal helmet. Brown is one of the acknowledged pioneers of theatrical rock. The frontman of The Crazy World of A...
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January 20, 2026 at 11:08 AM
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s Incendiary Shows at Fillmore East - ‘Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever’ Book Excerpt #fillmoreeast www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-cra...
Replacing Janis Joplin: The Toughest Job in Rock - Sam Andrew of Big Brother & the Holding Company: Interview #janisjoplin www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/replaci...
Replacing Janis Joplin: The Toughest Job in Rock
Sam Andrew of Big Brother & the Holding Company: InterviewFrank MastropoloReplacing an iconic vocalist may be rock’s most challenging job. But a singer’s departure, though devastating, does not always...
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January 19, 2026 at 11:24 AM
Replacing Janis Joplin: The Toughest Job in Rock - Sam Andrew of Big Brother & the Holding Company: Interview #janisjoplin www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/replaci...
Think You Know Rock & Roll? Take This Rock Quiz! - 'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt #rock #trivia #quiz www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/think-y...
Think You Know Rock & Roll? Take This Rock Quiz!
'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt
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January 18, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Think You Know Rock & Roll? Take This Rock Quiz! - 'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt #rock #trivia #quiz www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/think-y...
Supertramp’s ‘The Logical Song’ Explained - ‘200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt #supertramp #rogerhodgson www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/supertr...
Supertramp’s ‘The Logical Song’ Explained
Supertramp’s 1979 LP Breakfast in America featured its memorable title track and “The Logical Song,” which reached №6 and was the band’s biggest hit. The song, an indictment of the UK’s education syst...
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January 17, 2026 at 11:11 AM
Supertramp’s ‘The Logical Song’ Explained - ‘200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt #supertramp #rogerhodgson www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/supertr...
Leslie West on Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix: Interview - Funny and Revealing Reflections by the Mountain Guitarist on Two Music Icons www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/leslie-... #bobdylan #jimihendrix #lesliewest
Leslie West on Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix: Interview
In 2016, we spoke with Leslie West, the late singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Mountain, the supergroup he formed with bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer Corky Laing.
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January 16, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Leslie West on Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix: Interview - Funny and Revealing Reflections by the Mountain Guitarist on Two Music Icons www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/leslie-... #bobdylan #jimihendrix #lesliewest
The Clash Created Pandemonium in Times Square - 'New York Groove’ Book Excerpt #theclash www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-cla...
The Clash Created Pandemonium in Times Square
In May 1981, the Clash — Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, and Paul Simonon — were in New York City to promote their album Sandinista! The British punk rockers were too popular for a small club like CBGB but ...
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January 15, 2026 at 11:23 AM
The Clash Created Pandemonium in Times Square - 'New York Groove’ Book Excerpt #theclash www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-cla...
James Brown’s Anthem ‘Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud’ Cost Him His Crossover Audience - ‘100 Greatest Soul Songs’ Book Excerpt #jamesbrown #soul www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/james-b...
James Brown’s Anthem ‘Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud’ Cost Him His Crossover Audience
“Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud” was written by James Brown and his bandleader, Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis. Released as a two-part single in August 1968, four months after the assassination of Dr. ...
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January 14, 2026 at 10:49 AM
James Brown’s Anthem ‘Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud’ Cost Him His Crossover Audience - ‘100 Greatest Soul Songs’ Book Excerpt #jamesbrown #soul www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/james-b...
‘A Girl Anyone Might Know’: Elvis Costello’s ‘Alison’ - ‘200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs Vol. 2’ Book Excerpt #elviscostello www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/a-girl-...
‘A Girl Anyone Might Know’: Elvis Costello’s ‘Alison’
“Alison” is one of Elvis Costello’s most popular songs but did not chart in 1977 when released as a single from his debut album My Aim Is True. Costello explains the song’s inspiration in his 2015 aut...
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January 13, 2026 at 10:42 AM
‘A Girl Anyone Might Know’: Elvis Costello’s ‘Alison’ - ‘200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs Vol. 2’ Book Excerpt #elviscostello www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/a-girl-...
'Foolish Heart' by Steve Perry: 'The Head and Heart Conflict Everybody Goes Through' - ‘100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs’ Book Excerpt #steveperry www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/foolish...
'Foolish Heart' by Steve Perry: 'The Head and Heart Conflict Everybody Goes Through'
Perry included “Foolish Heart” on his 1984 album Street Talk, and it reached №18. “The feeling was just basically one of being confused about falling back in love again,” Perry explained to Dick Clar...
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January 12, 2026 at 10:39 AM
'Foolish Heart' by Steve Perry: 'The Head and Heart Conflict Everybody Goes Through' - ‘100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs’ Book Excerpt #steveperry www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/foolish...
Think You Know Rock & Roll? Take This Rock Quiz - 'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt #brucespringsteen www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/think-y...
Think You Know Rock & Roll? Take This Rock Quiz
1. Springsteen called it emotionally autobiographical
A. “Adam Raised a Cain”
B. “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
C. “Glory Days”
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January 11, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Think You Know Rock & Roll? Take This Rock Quiz - 'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt #brucespringsteen www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/think-y...
‘Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie’ by Jay & the Techniques Left a Sour Taste in Its Singer’s Mouth - ‘200 Greatest 60s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/apples-...
‘Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie’ by Jay & the Techniques Left a Sour Taste in Its Singer’s Mouth
When “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” was released, the band’s name was changed to Jay & the Techniques without their knowledge. “I think Jerry changed it because there was Smokey Robinson & the Miracle...
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January 10, 2026 at 11:06 AM
‘Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie’ by Jay & the Techniques Left a Sour Taste in Its Singer’s Mouth - ‘200 Greatest 60s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/apples-...
When Steve Martin’s ‘A Wild and Crazy Guy’ Became a Comedy Icon - ‘100 Funniest Comedy Albums’ Book Excerpt #stevemartin www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/when-st...
When Steve Martin’s ‘A Wild and Crazy Guy’ Became a Comedy Icon
Steve Martin’s second album, 1978’s A Wild and Crazy Guy, cemented his position as a comedian who had attained rock star status.
It reached №2 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, only kept off the top ...
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January 9, 2026 at 11:00 AM
When Steve Martin’s ‘A Wild and Crazy Guy’ Became a Comedy Icon - ‘100 Funniest Comedy Albums’ Book Excerpt #stevemartin www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/when-st...
Remembering Fillmore East Producer Bill Graham - ‘New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows & Songs That Make NYC Rock’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/remembe...
Remembering Fillmore East Producer Bill Graham
Bill Graham, founder of the rock palaces Fillmore East and West among many accomplishments, was born January 8, 1931. In this excerpt from New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows & Songs T...
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January 8, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Remembering Fillmore East Producer Bill Graham - ‘New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows & Songs That Make NYC Rock’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/remembe...
'Missing You' by John Waite: 'It Was About the End of My Marriage and the Beginning of Something New' - ‘100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/missing... #johnwaite
'Missing You' by John Waite: 'It Was About the End of My Marriage and the Beginning of Something New'
“Missing You” is the №1 single from John Waite’s 1984 album No Brakes. The former frontman of the British band The Babys explained its inspiration in American Songwriting.
“I was getting divorced. I ...
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January 7, 2026 at 10:41 AM
'Missing You' by John Waite: 'It Was About the End of My Marriage and the Beginning of Something New' - ‘100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/missing... #johnwaite
The Story of ‘Vehicle’ and the Friendly Stranger in the Black Sedan - ‘200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-sto...
The Story of ‘Vehicle’ and the Friendly Stranger in the Black Sedan
“Vehicle” was one of the biggest hits in the jazz rock era when horn bands dominated the charts. The Ides of March reached №2 in 1970 with the tune, their only hit. Singer-songwriter Jim Peterik told ...
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January 6, 2026 at 11:22 AM
The Story of ‘Vehicle’ and the Friendly Stranger in the Black Sedan - ‘200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-sto...
Who — or What — Is Sam the Sham's ‘Wooly Bully’? ‘200 Greatest 60s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/who-or-...
Who — or What — Is Sam the Sham's ‘Wooly Bully’?
Despite their robes and headdress, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs were part of the Tex-Mex musical tradition of Doug Sahm and Freddy Fender. Sam is Domingo Samudio, a Dallas, Texas rocker whose first a...
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January 5, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Who — or What — Is Sam the Sham's ‘Wooly Bully’? ‘200 Greatest 60s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/who-or-...
Just released: 100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs!
They’re all here: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Phil Collins, Tiffany, Hall & Oates, Richard Marx, and Cyndi Lauper, alongside Rick Springfield, Paula Abdul, Foreigner, Bryan Adams, New Kids on the Block, Corey Hart, and more.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0GDR9XJHS
They’re all here: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Phil Collins, Tiffany, Hall & Oates, Richard Marx, and Cyndi Lauper, alongside Rick Springfield, Paula Abdul, Foreigner, Bryan Adams, New Kids on the Block, Corey Hart, and more.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0GDR9XJHS
100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs: The Stories Behind Pop Music of the 1980s (Greatest Performances)
100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs: The Stories Behind Pop Music of the 1980s (Greatest Performances) - Kindle edition by Mastropolo, Frank. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading 100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs: The Stories Behind Pop Music of the 1980s (Greatest Performances).
www.amazon.com
January 4, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Just released: 100 Greatest 80s Pop Songs!
They’re all here: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Phil Collins, Tiffany, Hall & Oates, Richard Marx, and Cyndi Lauper, alongside Rick Springfield, Paula Abdul, Foreigner, Bryan Adams, New Kids on the Block, Corey Hart, and more.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0GDR9XJHS
They’re all here: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Phil Collins, Tiffany, Hall & Oates, Richard Marx, and Cyndi Lauper, alongside Rick Springfield, Paula Abdul, Foreigner, Bryan Adams, New Kids on the Block, Corey Hart, and more.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0GDR9XJHS
The Surprising Inspiration for ‘Come On Eileen’ by Dexys Midnight Runners - ‘200 Greatest 80s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-sur...
The Surprising Inspiration for ‘Come On Eileen’ by Dexys Midnight Runners
“Come On Eileen” was a monster hit for Dexys Midnight Runners in 1982, reaching №1 in the US and seven other countries. Singer Kevin Rowland told Spin that the band was on the verge of breaking up ear...
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January 4, 2026 at 10:51 AM
The Surprising Inspiration for ‘Come On Eileen’ by Dexys Midnight Runners - ‘200 Greatest 80s Rock Songs’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/the-sur...
'It Was the Forbidden Record': Cheech & Chong's Big Bambu - ‘100 Funniest Comedy Albums’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/it-was-... #cheechandchong
'It Was the Forbidden Record': Cheech & Chong's Big Bambu
Big Bambu is Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong’s 1972 album that features a cover designed to look like a giant rolling paper package. Vinyl copies contained a large rolling paper with the record. Big Bamb...
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January 3, 2026 at 10:38 AM
'It Was the Forbidden Record': Cheech & Chong's Big Bambu - ‘100 Funniest Comedy Albums’ Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/it-was-... #cheechandchong
Ronnie Spector, the Original Bad Girl of Rock - 'New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows and Songs That Make NYC Rock' Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/ronnie-...
Ronnie Spector, the Original Bad Girl of Rock
Born Veronica Yvette Bennett, Ronnie Spector was born in Spanish Harlem, where growing up was tough for a girl with African American and Cherokee heritage. “When you don’t look like everyone else, you...
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January 2, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Ronnie Spector, the Original Bad Girl of Rock - 'New York Groove: An Inside Look at the Stars, Shows and Songs That Make NYC Rock' Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/ronnie-...
New Year's Eve with Jimi Hendrix at Fillmore East - Mountain's Corky Laing Was Introduced to 'Magic Dust' by the Rock Legend www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/new-yea...
New Year's Eve with Jimi Hendrix at Fillmore East
In this excerpt from Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever, drummer Corky Laing of Mountain — the thunderous band with guitarist Leslie West and bassist Felix Pappalardi — recalls m...
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December 31, 2025 at 9:46 PM
New Year's Eve with Jimi Hendrix at Fillmore East - Mountain's Corky Laing Was Introduced to 'Magic Dust' by the Rock Legend www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/new-yea...
Think You Know Rock and Roll? Take This Rock Quiz - 'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/think-y... #rock #music #quiz #trivia
'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt
'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt
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December 31, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Think You Know Rock and Roll? Take This Rock Quiz - 'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/think-y... #rock #music #quiz #trivia
Rock's 2026 New Year's Resolutions - The Bad Habits You Should Change Next Year... but Won’t www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/rock-s-...
Rock's 2026 New Year's Resolutions
Here are the stories behind the songs that describe characteristics - gluttony, greed, etc. - that we should be New Year's resolutions to end but probably won't
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December 30, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Rock's 2026 New Year's Resolutions - The Bad Habits You Should Change Next Year... but Won’t www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/rock-s-...
New Year’s Eve 1968 at Fillmore East: 'I Got Out of It Without Getting Killed' - 'Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever' Book Excerpt #fillmoreeast www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/new-yea...
New Year’s Eve 1968 at Fillmore East: 'I Got Out of It Without Getting Killed'
New Year’s Eve was always an important night for promoter and impresario Bill Graham. It was celebrated in grand style at San Francisco’s Fillmore West and New York’s Fillmore East.
In this excerpt fr...
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December 29, 2025 at 11:57 AM
New Year’s Eve 1968 at Fillmore East: 'I Got Out of It Without Getting Killed' - 'Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever' Book Excerpt #fillmoreeast www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/new-yea...
‘That Wasn't Encore Applause’: Bill Graham's Backstage Battles at Fillmore East - 'Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever' Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/that-wa...
‘That Wasn't Encore Applause’: Bill Graham's Backstage Battles at Fillmore East
Bill Graham left an indelible mark on the rock music industry with his Fillmore East and West concert halls, eclectic show lineups, and mega-sized concerts he staged until his death in 1991 in a helic...
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December 28, 2025 at 4:25 PM
‘That Wasn't Encore Applause’: Bill Graham's Backstage Battles at Fillmore East - 'Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever' Book Excerpt www.edgarstreetbooks.com/post/that-wa...