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“What are the greatest rock albums of all-time?” Perhaps one of the more common questions examined between music-loving chums, that has led to many a good-natured debate. But if you really dig deeper into the question…is it from the standpoint of the album’s importance in rock history? A classic release that proved significant to an artist’s career? Or perhaps merely a personal favorite, that you just can’t get enough of?

Today, yacht rock is one of the most celebrated "yesteryear" styles of pop music, and has resonated with a new generation of musicians. But despite all the hoopla, there has never been a book that told the entire story of the genre. Until now. Featuring interviews with many of the heavy hitters of the genre, including John Oates, Kenny Loggins, and Don Felder, The Yacht Rock Book leaves no sail unturned. This is the definitive story of the yacht rock’s creation, rise, chart-smashing success, fall, and stunning rebirth.

"How fast can you play?" "What guitar do you have?" For metal fans in the '80s, these were common and important questions. Tune in to MTV, pick up a magazine, or walk into an instrument store, and more often than not you'd be exposed to what is now known as shredding—the fast, virtuoso soloing popularized by musicians like Van Halen and Dimebag Darrell. Though shredding fell out of favor, it has become increasingly popular again in recent years. Drawing on more than 70 interviews with key shredders, Greg Prato has assembled the definitive guide to the fastest players of them all.

Renowned guitarists (or experts) discussing “tools of the trade” in their own words serve as the basis of Iconic Guitar Gear. Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brian May, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Johnny Ramone, The Edge, Gary Moore, Alex Lifeson, Billy Sheehan, Les Claypool, Mike Watt…the list goes on and won’t let you down! If you’ve ever pondered what rock’s top guitarists and bassists favor gear-wise (instruments, amps, effects), then Iconic Guitar Gear is most certainly the book for you.

It seems like the days of flipping through vast vinyl, cassette, or CD collections is a thing of the past. And while there's no denying the convenience of having all your favorite albums on a mobile device, it's becoming more common for recordings to get lost in the shuffle and/or completely forgotten about. Author/journalist Greg Prato is willing to provide some assistance, with his 12th book overall, Overlooked/Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention.

There have been seemingly countless “Greatest Rock Guitarists” lists assembled over the years - for articles or books. But...what about bassists? In The 100 Greatest Rock Bassists, author/journalist Greg Prato courageously attempts to level the playing field, single-handedly. In addition to counting them down from the bottom to the top, each entry contains info on each player. Also featured are 10 all-new interviews for this book, with some of the greatest rock bassists of all time.

There have been few rock singers as beloved as the late, great Bon Scott of AC/DC. After all, it was his unmistakable vocals and streetwise/sexually charged lyrics that were a major part of such all-time classic rock anthems as “Highway to Hell", “Sin City”, “Whole Lotta Rosie", “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, and “TNT”. And it was the “Bon era” that set the stage for AC/DC to go on to become one of rock’s most universally popular and enduring bands. But few rockers partied as hard as Bon - sadly resulting in his death at the age of 33.

There is a reason why there have been countless books penned over the years about Queen and their legendary singer, Freddie Mercury - they were unquestionably one of the greatest and most universally beloved rock bands of all time. However, most of these books can be neatly filed into one of three categories - a recounting of the band’s history, an examination of the singer’s life story, or a collection of photographs.

There's no denying that the seven year span between 1977-1983 was one of the darkest in New York Mets history. After all, it was during this time that the team failed to post a single winning season, traded away the most beloved Met of all-time, and took a back seat once again to their crosstown rivals, the Yankees (who were busy winning two World Series).

Who doesn’t like to learn about the stories behind our favorite rock songs from throughout the years? We all do! And now, author/journalist Greg Prato is prepared to guide listeners through 100 bona fide classic songs from a multitude of rock genres - heavy metal, punk rock, grunge, hair metal, funk, instrumental, classic rock, arena rock, power ballads, new wave, prog rock, soft rock, yacht rock, power pop, thrash metal, hardcore, southern rock, rap, alternative, etc. - with each listing containing background info plus insight from someone closely associated with the track.

When Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1975, many a rock n’ roll fan was left befuddled. Why would one of rock’s top guitarists leave one of the world’s most popular bands? Regardless of the reason, listeners would ultimately be thankful, as Blackmore soon launched Rainbow - a band that rocked just as ferociously as Purple, whose music has proven to be timeless and incredibly influential on subsequent heavy metal bands.

Few rock bands were as successful as the Scorpions by the mid '80s - headlining arenas/stadiums worldwide. German Metal Machine: Scorpions in the '70s is the first-ever book to focus solely on this period of the band. Interviews include such former members as Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, and Herman Rarebell, longtime Scorpions producer Dieter Dierks, plus members of other bands that are major admirers,

Since its inception in the late 1960s, heavy metal has experienced quite a few ups and downs in popularity. But there was one specific decade that sticks out as the most troubling - the 1990s. In what seemed like one fell swoop, a style of metal that had been popular for much of the 1980s was rendered obsolete, and in its place, was a much more real, raw, and unique approach - detected in several new metal-based "sub-genres".

There have been few times in modern music history that an instant shift in how we listen to - and view - music has occurred. However, the launch of MTV on August 1, 1981, was certainly one such occurrence. Instantly, music fans were now “listening with their eyes” rather than relying solely on their ears.

Few rock artists were as fearless and uncompromising as the late/great John Lennon. Whether it be standing up for causes he believed in, promoting peace, or penning some of rock’s all-time classic tunes (while taking unexpected musical twists and turns along the way), Lennon has become one of rock’s most unforgettable figures.

It is widely believed that Jimi Hendrix was one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time...and quite possibly, the greatest. All you have to do is compare what rock guitar sounded like before Jimi burst on the scene in the late ‘60s and what it sounded like after. And in addition to trailblazing new sounds and approaches, his influence reached beyond just the guitar community.

Few rock drummers remain as universally praised as Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. Listen to any Zeppelin album, and you will hear a virtual showcase on expert rock drumming, while never getting in the way of the group’s other members and their contributions - singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, and bassist John Paul Jones. But sadly, one of rock’s all-time greats died tragically young - he was only 32 years old - resulting in the end of one of rock’s most celebrated bands.

In late 1983/early 1984, one of the biggest metal bands in the US was Quiet Riot. Their album, 'Metal Health,' had topped the charts (over Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and other now-classic mega-sellers), their single "Cum on Feel the Noize" was a top-5 smash, the album's title track became an instant anthem for headbangers, they were all over MTV and the covers of rock mags, and were a highly-sought after opening act (by the likes of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, the Scorpions, ZZ Top, and Judas Priest).

Few bands in rock history have proven to be as enduring and influential as Led Zeppelin. And during the '80s, there was an overabundance of "Zeppelin disciples," or, as guitar great Gary Moore once put it, Led Clones.

There have been few seasons by a professional sports team as bad as the New York Islanders' inaugural 1972-73 season. However, the lessons learned on and off the ice served as a crucial building block for the team's quick turnaround. And eventual, dynasty. 'Hapless Islanders' is the first-ever book to thoroughly study this era of the team, mixing brand new interviews with those directly involved, along with archival material. And also, serving as a study of the rough n' tough playing style of the NHL at the time, Long Island history, plus, the early '70s in general.