The White Label Promo Preservation Society, Vol. 2

 

Back in 2017, I had written a series of posts titled "The Other 100," featuring 100 records, personal faves, that have been in heavy rotation since their release, but rarely get mentioned in your basic Top 100 lists. In all the years of Burning Wood, I don't think I had as much fun as I did writing about these records. If you missed it, you can catch up here.

That idea, although, tweaked a bit, was the basis of a book from my pal and bassist extraordinaire Sal Maida, Mitchell Cohen and a select group of friends titled, "The White Label Promo Preservation Society."

As Sal and Mitchell explain in the introduction:

"No one needs to tell you why Pet Sounds, Revolver or Blonde On Blonde are essential parts of any decent record collection, or guide you towards classics – or even somewhat lesser efforts – by the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry or the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Although we have strong opinions about pantheon artists like Led Zeppelin and Marvin Gaye, and are happy to share those views with anyone in earshot, that isn’t what this book is about. We aren’t here to challenge or endorse rock orthodoxy. Neither is the mission to, once again, assert the brilliance of Skip Spence’s Oar, of such artists as Nick Drake, Big Star, and the Velvet Underground, whose influence, despite the lack of any commercial success in their time, has been thoroughly – one might even say exhaustively – documented elsewhere.”

"The White Label Promo Preservation Society returns with another collection of essays celebrating albums that fell short of cracking Billboard’s top 100, but belong in the libraries of discerning music-obsessives. Among the artists who turn up in these pages are members of the pop, rock and soul pantheon, as well as many who remain obscure or underappreciated. Sal Maida and Mitchell Cohen and their dozens of contributors take a trip from the Kinks and the Beach Boys to the Violent Femmes and Teardrop Explodes. Get ready to spend your money at used vinyl stores, garage sales and flea markets."

 

I am proud, once again, to have contributed to this book, alongside such wonderful people as Lenny Kaye, Steve Wynn, Bob Merlis, Gregg Geller, Ira Robbins, Peter Holsapple, Don Fleming, John Dunbar, Tammy Faye, Bebe Buell, and so many more.

 

Pre-order your copy here and now! You won't regret it.