VIA PRESS RELEASE | The On Record book series looks at the evolution of popular music from 1978 to 1998 through images, interviews, and insights.
Respected veteran music journalist, broadcaster and historian G. Brown has authored the first in an encyclopedic series of books celebrating popular music, to be released March 24. On Record—Vol. 1: 1978 features Classic Rockers from Journey to Bruce Springsteen to the Cars; nascent new wavers such as the Police, Talking Heads, and the Clash; as well as the year’s greatest releases from Pop, R&B, Country and Jazz. Celebrating his 50th year as one of America’s foremost popular music writers, G. Brown has interviewed more than 2,500 musicians, including Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, and Kurt Cobain, all of whom recounted their escapades and reminisced about what their time on the charts meant to them personally and musically.
“In addition, my curated archive of more than 15,000 rare promotional photos tells a remarkable visual history of seminal periods of music history,” G. Brown said. “A lot of time, creativity and capital was invested by the artists in the creation of these images. I did not want them lost to time. It’s a privilege and even a responsibility to share them and the artists’ stories via the On Record book series.”
Each volume of the On Record series highlights nearly 200 limited and extraordinary images and 100 profiles with an array of musical artists from the late Jerry Garcia and Dave Matthews to Bono and Santana. Every edition is beautifully crafted and geared to every music fan’s library and institution.
1978 saw the first ever cellular mobile phone, the first computer video game (“Space Invaders”), gold reaching $200.00 per ounce, Roman Polanski fleeing to France, the first test tube baby born, and the Susan B. Anthony Dollar minted. On Record—Vol. 1: 1978 highlights the year’s mass of musical genres—from disco, punk and funk to R&B, rock and new wave.
Proceeds from book sales will benefit the Colorado Music Experience, a non-profit organization established to preserve the legacy of Colorado music. CoME serves as a repository for informational and archival resources and presents them in intriguing, engaging, and entertaining ways.
G. Brown has navigated the Rocky Mountain musical landscape for decades, both as a journalist and as a radio personality. He contracted with The Denver Post for 26 years, and was published in numerous national magazines, including Rolling Stone and National Lampoon. Brown also covered music news and hosted and programmed for a myriad of Denver-based radio stations. He is the author of four other books, including the award-winning Red Rocks: The Concert Years, Colorado Rock Chronicles, and Telluride Bluegrass Festival: The First Forty Years. He was the founding director of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame beginning in 2011; he then launched and now oversees the Colorado Music Experience, a nonprofit cultural and educational organization established to preserve the legacies of Colorado music.
