Brian Heffron Aka The Blue Meanie

Black Crowes drummer and cofounder Steve Gorman shares the band's inside story in this behind-the-scenes biography, from their supernova stardom in the '90s to exhilarating encounters with industry legends. For more than two decades, the Black Crowes topped the charts and reigned supreme over the radio waves, even as hair bands, grunge, and hip-hop threatened to dethrone them. With hits like "Hard to Handle," "She Talks to Angels," and "Remedy," their massive success launched them to stardom in the early '90s, earning them a place among rock royalty. They were on the cover of Rolling Stone, MTV played their videos 24/7, and Generation X rediscovered the power of classic rock and blues by digging into multi-platinum classics like Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. But stardom can be fleeting. For the Black Crowes, success slowly dwindled as the band members got caught up in the rock star world and lost sight of their musical ambition. Despite the drinking, drugs, and incessant fighting between Chris and Rich Robinson -- the angriest brothers in rock and roll, with all due respect to Oasis and the Kinks -- the band continued to tour until 2013. On any given night, they could be the best band you ever saw (or the most combative). Then, one last rift caused by Chris Robinson proved insurmountable for the band to survive. After that, the Black Crowes would fly no more. Founding member Steve Gorman was there for all of it -- the coke- and weed-fueled tours; the tumultuous recording sessions; the backstage hangs with legends like Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and the Rolling Stones. As the band's drummer and voice of reason, he tried to keep the Black Crowes together musically and emotionally. In Hard To Handle -- the first account of this great American rock band's beginning, middle, and end -- Gorman explains just how impossible that job was with great insight, candor, and humor. They don't make bands like the Black Crowes anymore: crazy, brilliant, self-destructive, inspiring, and, ultimately, not built to last. But, man, what a ride it was while it lasted.

Chris Candido loved professional wrestling. From the day he met his grandfather Popeye Richards, he wanted nothing more than to follow in his footsteps. Chris Candido started wrestling at an age when many of his peers were discovering the sport. From the Galaxian Gym in Brooklyn to the Monster Factory, he honed the skills that would lead him to greatness. He even promoted his shows, acting as wrestler and referee, while still in junior high. Candido's natural talent and charisma led him to Memphis, to Smoky Mountain, and to the WWF, where he and life-long girlfriend became superstars as the Bodydonnas. But it was in ECW that Chris became one of the most beloved men in the history of professional wrestling. Chris Candido was an NWA World Champion and a WWF Tag Team Champion, but a turbulent relationship, financial woes, and an addition to pills nearly destroyed him. Against all odds, he defeated his demons and staged an incredible comeback, only to have his life cut short at age 33. John Cosper and Jonny Candido reveal the full story of the "No Gimmicks Needed" superstar through the eyes of his family, friends, and fans. Discover what made Chris Candido a wrestler's wrestler. See for yourself how an undersized kid from Jersey made a deep impact on the sport he loved.

"Irish" Mickey Doyle is a journeyman professional wrestler who started working in the Detroit wrestling territory in the early 1970s, then went on to some success in other territories like Alabama and Los Angeles. Along the way, he wrestled some of the businesses' greatest names and became friends with legends like Don Muraco, Andre the Giant, Al Snow and Sabu, just to name a few. As might be expected, Doyle's life outside the ring was just as wild as it was inside the squared circle. Foreward by Don Muraco. Afterward by Sabu.

The bestselling, vivid and energetic history of Van Halen’s legendary early years featuring 230 original interviews — including with former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and power players like Pete Angelus, Marshall Berle, Donn Landee, Ted Templeman, and Neil Zlozower “Fascinating (even for non-VH fans) … A book almost anthropological in its level of detail.” — Vulture “It’s the tale of hardworking kids with nothing in common learning to fuse pop and heavy metal into a new sound that completely changed the music world. It also vividly shows that the personality clashes that would later destroy the band were there from Day One.” — Rolling Stone “A fascinating read.” — Pasadena Star News “The book is fantastic.” — Ted Templeman, Grammy-winning music producer for Van Halen and David Lee Roth “If you’ve got it bad, got it bad, got it bad for Van Halen, get Van Halen Rising.” — Martha Quinn, original MTV VJ, Sirius XM host After years of playing gigs everywhere from suburban backyards to dive bars, Van Halen — led by frontman extraordinaire David Lee Roth and guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen — had the songs, the swagger, and the talent to turn the rock world on its ear. The quartet’s classic 1978 debut, Van Halen, sold more than a million copies within months of release and rocketed the band to the stratosphere of rock success. On tour, Van Halen’s high-energy show wowed audiences and prompted headlining acts like Black Sabbath to concede that they’d been blown off the stage. By the year’s end, Van Halen had established themselves as superstars and reinvigorated heavy metal in the process. Combining exhaustive research and original interviews, Van Halen Rising reveals the untold story of how these rock legends made the unlikely journey from Pasadena, California, to the worldwide stage.