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  • Emily MandelREVIEW: ‘The Lola Quartet’ is another gem by Emily St. John Mandel
    Review by Michelle Simon
    UNBRIDLED BOOKS; 288 PAGES; $24.95

    Emily St. John Mandel (pictured) is back with a third novel and in a development that will surprise nobody, “The Lola Quartet” features a protagonist who is in search of an identity – a theme running through her prior novels novels, “Last Night in Montreal” and “The Singer’s Gun.” Read More
  • REVIEW: YA author de la Cruz pitches captivating tale in adult debut 'Witches of East End'
    Review by Michelle Simon
    HYPERION; 288 PAGES; HARDCOVER; $23.00

    Melissa de la Cruz, best known for her addictive Blue Blood series of novels geared to young adults, has switched to writing for an adult audience. Her first book in this mid-career transition is "Witches of East End" (Hyperion Books), a captivating novel about three witches living in North Hampton, Long Island. Read More
  • REVIEW: Talyor Stevens' prose, plot twists make 'The Informationist' a solid thriller
    Review by Michelle Simon
    CROWN; 307 PAGES; HARDCOVER; $23.00

    "This is where he would die." When a novel opens with such a comment and it's from an event in West Central Africa, the reader knows to expect some chilling scenes, perhaps a haunting past. 'The Informationist' by Talyor Stevens (Crown Publishers) is a thriller set in Dallas and North Africa that lives up to its early promise. Read More
  • WORD: Fiction for the holidays from novelists James, Morrison, Schwartz

    With holiday shopping season underway and literary fans on the lookout for hot new offerings, WORD’N’BASS.com’s choices include the freshly completed novels of American icon Henry James, a new thriller from breakout author Boyd Morrison, and a prequel short story from Stephen Jay Schwartz. Read More
  • WORD: Quick takes on hot fall novels from authors Schwartz, Gruen, Reuss
    By BPM Smith

    Indian summer has struck, and with the scorching temps of fall underway it’s time to round up some hot September novels that’ll buoy your visits to the cafes, beaches and parks of the San Francisco Bay. Our choices include Stephen Schwartz’s detective novel set in San Francisco, the long-awaited latest from author Sara Gruen and a DC story from acclaimed author Frederick Reuss. Read More
  • Emily MandelREVIEW: ‘Last Night in Montreal’ marks new voice in literature
    Review by BPM Smith
    UNBRIDLED BOOKS; 256 PAGES; $24.95

    Everyone loves a good road novel. It need not pass from the gritty Francophile streets of Montreal to Arizona’s dust-laden motels, and it doesn’t even need be a linear journey. Just bring us on a trip and let the characters transpose readers into your fictional world. Emily St. John Mandel (pictured) does that in her debut novel "Last Night in Montreal" (Unbridled Books) and left me anticipating what’s next from this promising young talent. Read More
  • REVIEW: Brian D’Amato is back, and the Apocalypse is coming
    Review by BPM Smith
    DUTTON, 649 PAGES; HARDCOVER; $29.95

    After a hiatus of more than a decade, Brian D’Amato is finally back with his sophomore novel "In the Courts of the Sun" (Dutton) that is equal parts literary exodus, science fiction and thriller, and oh yes -- don’t forget about the Apocalypse that is coming in the not-too-distant future. Read More
  • BehrouzREVIEW: Behrouz mixes a set of 'Pure' addictive House beats
    Review by BPM Smith
    NERVOUS RECORDS

    Every year a DJ will spin a mixed album that is so smoothly compiled with head bobbing tracks that it remains fresh despite getting constant play in my car stereo. San Francisco DJ/producer Behrouz has compiled just such an album in "Pure Behrouz NYC" that Nervous Records recently launched in stores across the USA. Read More
  • WORD: JA Konrath spins another liquor soaked tale in ‘Fuzzy Navel’

    Longtime novelist JA Konrath, an Anthony and Macavity Award finalist, told WORD’N’BASS.com that he decided to throw in some new angles with the latest installation of his Jack Daniels mystery "Fuzzy Navel" (Hyperion). "Lately I've been reading a lot of thrillers that seem to have forgotten how to thrill," Konrath said. "So I tried to do a book that begins with a bang and just keeps picking up speed, like a bobsled, or a runaway train." Read More
  • Fontella BassREVIEW: The Cinematic Orchestra leaves SF basking in bass
    Review by BPM Smith

    The Cinematic Orchestra played Saturday night at Bimbo’s 365 Club here in San Francisco, and the UK-based troupe sure put on a euphoric show. After a rough patch in their very first song they recovered to do a fantastic set that combined tracks from their new album "Ma Fleur" with some old time favorites from "Man With a Movie Camera" that had catapulted them to cult status among American Downtempo fans and stoners worldwide. Read More
  • KluteREVIEW: Klute’s ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ has another dose of melody
    Review by BPM Smith
    COMMERCIAL SUICIDE

    After launching a fifth Drum & Bass album last month in the UK through his record label Commercial Suicide, Klute’s latest is now trickling into record stores across the US. ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes,’ coming on the heels of his memorable 2005 release ‘No One’s Listening Anymore,’ has everything you’d expect from a Klute D&B release: bountiful melodies, varied drum lines and the occasional bass bomb. Read More
  • BPM Smith.45: All the author and DJ buzz that’s unfit to publish!
    By BPM Smith

    Now that 2006 is coming to a close it is time to reflect on the year’s best in the worlds of books and music. Our second year covering the scene at WORD’N’BASS.com saw authors like Walter Satterthwait firm up his status as one of today’s unique crime novelists and so-called ‘mid-list’ author Sara Gruen morph into a star, while the electronic music scene continued evolving thanks to technology and the creative breakthroughs of Chus & Ceballos, Sandra Collins and Nu:Tone. The latest .45 column gives a peek of where we’ve been and where we’re going. Read More
  • REVIEW: Sidney Blumenthal has a message in book ‘How Bush Rules’ -- vote Democrat
    Review by Michelle Simon
    PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS; 416 PAGES; $26.95

    Since stepping back from a political career as a former assistant and senior advisor to President Clinton, Sidney Blumenthal has catalogued how the Bush Administration systematically stripped Americans of their basic freedoms, evoked trickery regarding the invasion of Iraq, and undermined of one of the country’s basic tenements: separation of the executive and legislative branches. Blumenthal tackles these issues in his new book How Bush Rules: Chronicles of a Radical Regime that Princeton University Press published in time for this year’s heated midterm elections. Read More
  • REVIEW: Iberican Sound flourishes in Chus & Ceballos album ‘Back 2 Back’
    Review by BPM Smith
    STAR 69 RECORDS
    Chus & Ceballos, a Madrid, Spain-based pair of DJs who introduced the "Iberican Sound" to the global Tribal House scene, have launched the homemade genre to an American audience with seemingly effortless remixing in their fourth full-length album, Back 2 Back. Read More
  • BPM Smith.45: All the author and DJ buzz that’s unfit to publish!
    By BPM Smith

    Replace "hilarious romp" with "tepid humor" and you’ve got the latest post dot-com gimmick posing as a novel. Also, San Francisco is known for its vibrant DJ scene but one local drum & bass spinmeister just graduated to producer status. Plus, blind mentions and the tale of a naked DJ, Russian sexpot, and balls. That’s right, it’s the latest .45 column. Read More
  • REVIEW: Alternative music fans embrace Pixies oral history ‘Fool The World’
    Review by Michelle Simon
    ST. MARTIN’S GRIFFIN; 336 PAGES; $14.95

    Before Nirvana elevated garage punkers into arena headliners, a handful of artists held down a tradition of hardcore like the Minutemen and Pixies, who are now revered by today’s grunge musicians. Journalists Caryn Ganz and Josh Frank have released a unique and interesting oral history of the Pixies, Fool The World: The Oral History of a Band Called Pixies (St. Martin’s imprint Griffins). Read More
  • BPM Smith.45: All the DJ and author buzz that’s unfit to publish!
    By BPM Smith

    It’s the year of the sociopath, judging by two hot novels on tap for release in 2006. In one corner is a serial killer who targets obese women and the other has a maniac hounding a female detective. Meanwhile, is someone terrorizing San Francisco’s club scene with the ‘date rape’ drug? Also, blind mentions galore plus the latest celebrity train wreck pawning himself as a 'novelist'. Read More
  • WORD: Hilary Swank trainer Hector Roca to juggle writing, training pro boxers

    Professional boxing trainer Hector Roca has cashed in on his ever-growing fame since preparing actress Hilary Swank for her role in hit film Million Dollar Baby, landing a cool six figures to write a health and fitness book. Read More
  • DJ FreshReview: The bass goes boom in DJ Fresh’s Bass Invaders
    By BPM Smith
    HUMAN IMPRINT
    There aren’t too many DJs trying to pull off a theme album. That’s something you expect from sleepy 70’s bands like Pink Floyd, not a spirited Drum & Bass mix. DJ Fresh angles his way from dark beats to uplifting anthems in his album Bass Invaders, all the while pursued by video game robots who demand more bass. Read More
  • WORD: Molly Jong-Fast ends absence with new memoir

    Molly Jong-Fast made a smash debut with her novel Normal Girl a few years back, at the age of 21 surprising readers with a smooth literary style and bitingly humorous take on life as the drugged up, party-hopping daughter of a famous author. Writing was in her blood, they said. Then Erica Jong’s daughter disappeared. Read More
  • BASS: Late nights return as Photek, UFO! headline April Fools day; Noodle Factory party stomped
    As predicted weeks ago, drum & bass continues to take front stage at San Francisco club 1015 Folsom. Heavyweight DJs Photek of Metalheadz UK and Eklektic’s UFO! will headline a rugged lineup on Friday, April 1, at the Straight Up Drum & Bass In Your Face party. Meanwhile, the Noodle Factory in Oakland held a rave this past Saturday, on Mar. 19. Read More
  • Armin Van BuurenBASS: Armin Van Buuren uplifts trance music at 20th Annual Winter Music Conference
    Trance DJ Armin Van Buuren was nominated for four awards at this year’s 20th Annual International Dance Music Awards, including the "Best European DJ" and "Best CD Compilation" categories, continuing his emergence as one of today’s top DJs. Winners will be announced Mar. 24 at the awards ceremonies at Wyndham Miami Beach Resort, during the 2005 Winter Music Conference. Read More
  • Sasha will reunite with John Digweed to play a set together in New York City on April 1, according to Sasha’s promoters. Sasha and Digweed defined trance music in the late 1990’s with their signature uptempo sets, and their performance at Fundacion will be their first time spinning together in at least a year.
  • Seth GreenlandWORD: Film rights for Greenland’s The Bones goes to Sony; heavyweight producer tapped
    Hollywood screenwriter and debut author Seth Greenland has informed WORD’N’BASS.com that Sony Pictures optioned the film rights to his novel The Bones, which was recently published by Bloomsbury. Greenland will read at San Francisco's Booksmith in the Upper Haight district Tuesday, Mar. 23. Read More
  • WORD: Prep author Curtis Sittenfeld has two novels on tap; Random House buys
    Less than three months after debut author Curtis Sittenfeld made a killing with her novel Prep – about boarding school life, awkward moments, social class, and blowjobs, perhaps not in that order – publisher Random House assured it would continue publishing her work after buying two additional novels.

    According to Publishers Lunch, agent Shana Kelly of William Morris Agency closed the two-book deal that includes Sittenfeld’s sophomore work The Man of My Dreams. The novel reportedly follows a young woman from age fifteen to thirty and chronicles her “messy yet enlightening relationships with men.”
  • WORD: Book industry bigwigs depart to London; New York City conferences in June
    Expect a flurry of deals to get announced soon for 2006 publication, as publishers, agents, and various rights acquirers form a mass migration to London. The annual London Book Fair starts March 13 to kick off three days of non-stop pitches and rights negotiations. The industry’s next major series of meetings will be in New York City, from June 2-5 at two different conferences. Read More
  • BASS: House and techno take front seat in Reno for Lollipop Love 2
    In Reno, G.A.M.M.A. will spin a set during the official CD release party of his new album, Obsidian Future. Party promoters Andy and Friends say the Saturday, March 12 party will be a schoolgirl themed event. “Girls” in schoolgirl outfits will get a $5 discount off the $10 admission (they didn’t return calls for clarification, but we presume men can show up attired for a discount; preferably men over 500 lbs.).

    Nine techno and house DJs will churn out sets during the party, which is headlined by San Francisco area spinmaster DJ Denise. The party takes place at 71 South Wells and runs from 8 pm to 5:30 am. This is an all ages event, with a full bar for those over 21.

  • BPM SmithAUDIO: BPM Smith drum & bass set
    BPM Smith began mixing drum & bass in 2000, after experiencing an epiphany at the legendary pre-millennium Eklektic parties in San Francisco. Here he cooks up a DNB set that typifies his “blunted” style. More

     
  • DJ FreshDJ Fresh and Dieselboy tear up 1015 on Bass Invaderz tour; club plans more DNB By Sam "Supa" Arroyo
    DJ Fresh and Dieselboy hit San Francisco club 1015 Folsom last week during their west coast stop of the Bass Invaderz tour, signaling the re-emergence of drum ‘n’ bass at this big party venue. Read More
     
  • REVIEW: Growing up fast and rich in The Sex Doctors in the Basement
    Review by Michelle Simon
    VILLARD; 192 PAGES; $21.95
    Many struggling novelists probably wish their mom was a world famous author. After all, in the book biz, a recognizable name is another way of saying currency. Molly Jong-Fast gives us a taste of growing up with literary queen Erica Jong in her sophomore effort, The Sex Doctors in the Basement. Read More
  • WORD: Stephen King, Bob Dylan audiobook downloads at MSN; Sean Penn a sharp dresser
    Book browsers who are too busy to read, take note: MSN users can now download audiobook titles from best-selling authors Stephen King, Dan Brown and Ann Rule, MediaBay announced on Tuesday. The marketing and publishing company added that Simon & Schuster, which published several of the authors’ titles, would also make various other audiobooks available through MSN.

    The most interesting title among a bevy of those MediaBay listed was Bob Dylan's Chronicles: Volume One. It’s read by Sean Penn, whom we give props for dressing in shambles at Sunday’s Oscars Award ceremonies.
  • DJ DeniseBASS: DJ Denise to perform set on WORD’N’BASS Show, March 11
    DJ Denise, one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s top house music DJs, will spin an exclusive set on the WORD’N’BASS Show with host BPM Smith on Friday, Mar. 11. Read More


     
  • Big ups to WORD'N'BASS.com Web designer Candi Diaz, who last week gave birth to a baby girl named Sophia. Amazingly, Candi introduced 6 lb., 5 ounce-Sophia to the world on February 23, the same day she brought our Web site live. Congratulations, Candi!
  • BASS: Blue Dog marks five years of steady DNB in Montreal
    In Montreal, legendary club Blue Dog hosted its fifth year anniversary drum ‘n’ bass party Junglist Fridays on Feb. 25, with DJs Stabba & Krinjah, RCola, Mayday, Stalker and Generic churning out beats alongside MCs Big Trigg & MC Y.

    Party promoters at Blue Dog say their celebration, which marks one of the longest ongoing DNB events in North America, included champagne and mix CD giveaways. DJ Krinjah, who originated the party back in 2000, was also said to be in attendance.

    Blue Dog’s weekly DNB party takes place every Friday at 3958 St- Laurent at the corner of Duluth Street in Montreal, Canada. Expect a party review of Junglist Fridays at WORD’N’BASS.com in June, when we pass through the greatest city in Canada.
  • Future Prophecies of Norway to hit San Francisco in March
    Norwegian drum ‘n’ bass artists Future Prophecies will hit San Francisco on Saturday, Mar. 12 at the Shadow Lounge, according to party promoter Rhythm Method. Future Prophecies, which has toured throughout Europe and North America in recent years, combines live jazz musicians with DJs to form a breakthrough style of DNB. DJs Bicolas, E$KR, Vega and Lady MS B will also spin. The party runs from 9pm to 4am with tickets $10 at the door. This is a 21 and over show.
  • BASS: Sasha bags Grammy nomination, tours North America
    Longtime trance and downtempo DJ and producer Sasha was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Remixed Recording" category, according to his promoter. Sasha – best known for his collaborative trance parties with Digweed – was nominated for his remix of Felix da Housecat’s Watching Cars Go By, which appears on Sasha’s 2004 album Involver. Read More

     
  • WORD: Edgar Award nominees for fiction announced
    The Mystery Writers of America announced its nominees for the 2005 Edgar Allen Poe Awards, which honor the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, television and film published or produced in 2003. The MWA will present the Edgar Award winners at its 59th Gala Banquet on April 28 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. Read More
  • Stephanie KleinWORD: Stephanie Klein breaks into six-figure club on Regan Books deal
    Artists Literary Group said it has sold Stephanie Klein's STRAIGHT UP AND DIRTY: The Life of a Young New York Divorcee -- described as a humorous tell-all following the author's return to single life as a twenty-something -- to the flamboyant Judith Regan at Regan Books, in a two-book transaction. Meanwhile, ALG has churned out deals since it was founded five months ago like Page Six whips out gossip. Read More
     
  • BASS: Groundscore booking DNB talent at Haight Street Fair; Klute returns
    Groundscore.net, a popular Bay Area drum ‘n’ bass community message board, said they would operate the Masonic Street stage at The Haight Street Fair on Saturday, June 12. With Groundscore operating bookings and stage management at the event, this year will likely have a significant DNB presence – a big improvement over the typical jam band flavor of past years.

    The Haight Street Fair is the world’s largest independent street fair and has drawn an average 100,000 yearly attendees since its inception in 1972. Groundscore says they’re considering both DJs and instrumental bands to play the street party.

    DJs and bands interested in submitting a demo for consideration can send their music links and MP3s to Groundscore via e-mail at masonicstage@groundscore.net Or send video, CDs, and DVD submissions via snail-mail to: Groundscore, 2021 California Street #103, SF, CA. 94109.

    Klute, one of today’s top DNB talents whose tracks we notice are getting a lot of play among DJs, returns to San Francisco on Tuesday, March 8. Drum ‘n’ bass party promoter Phuturo said UK’s Klute would headline its Mar. 8 bill at Underground SF, the Upper Haight DJ bar that is the former site of The Top. Phuturo throws a weekly DNB party at the same club every Tuesday (see Events & Links page for details).

    Party promoter Tech Support says that its tsunami benefit slated for Thursday, Feb 17 at San Francisco’s Il Pirata will be its last party. All proceeds go to the American Red Cross. Silent drum ‘n’ bass still takes over Il Pirata on the third Saturday each month.
  • WORD: P. Diddy stiffs Random House, publisher sues
    Hip hop producer P. Diddy stiffed Random House Inc. on a $300,000 advance for a memoir he never wrote, according to court filings by the publisher and local news reports. Random House said it sent P. Diddy, real name Sean Combs, the nice six-figure advance for a memoir way back in 1998. P. Diddy never wrote his memoir but kept the advance, probably to finance one of his famous yacht parties. Read More
  • BASS: 18 and up party in San Francisco; DJ Fresh hits 1015 this month
    Here’s something the drum ‘n’ bass community needs more of. Blake Scrivner says he hosts a weekly party on Wednesdays that’s open to DNB heads aged 18 and up. It goes from 10pm to 2am at El Rincon in San Francisco. El Rincon is at 2700 16th Street, on the corner of 16th and Harrison. Cover is $5 and free before 11pm. Blake also DJs under the name BScrivn’.
  • DJ Fresh is on tour in support of his new album Bass Invaderz. Known for his dark and heavy bass lines, crisp snares, and smooth percussion, DJ Fresh hits San Francisco club 1015 Folsom on Thursday, February 24, with Dieselboy and MC J-Messinian also headlining. The show also bills Method One, MC Duh, and Phuturo. Tickets are $10 or $5 before 11pm. South of Market’s 1015 is a 21 and over venue.

    Dieselboy’s HUMAN Imprint released the album courtesy of DJ Fresh’s regular label Bad Company UK on February 8. According to the label, DJ Fresh’s latest is a blend of remixes and includes tracks from Dillinja, Total Science, and High Contrast.
  • D-BridgeAlso with Bad Company UK, popular UK drum ‘n’ bass pair D-Bridge and MC Verse will make their U.S. tour debut in May. Tour promoter Upfront Industries has yet to announce tour dates, but D-Bridge’s go round is expected to include San Francisco. D-Bridge hosts a monthly party at London venue Plastic People, collaborating with artists like Dwele.

    D-Bridge started in the music scene back in 1992 with his first 12-inch release. In 2003, he co-produced Vintage High-tech, the sophomore effort of British soul artist Spacek. Electronica label !K7 released the album.
  • WORD: Two UK authors join six-figure club
    Two authors in the UK recently joined the six-figure club, after dealmaker Darley Anderson completed major deals for Cathy Cassidy’s novel Driftwood and two upcoming books by Sheila Quigley. Anderson told Publishing News that a Puffin executive “came round in a taxi to hand deliver a large six figure advance."

    In the other sweet deal, Random House publisher Susan Sandon and Anderson agreed to terms “involving a high six figure advance for a new two-book deal,” said Quigley, adding that she’s now working on the first of her two books. She previously authored Run For Home and Bad Moon Rising, which comes out this April from publisher Century. Quigley says her work in progress is tentatively titled Living on a Prayer and is about smuggling and religious cults. Century will release it in Spring 2006.
  • BASS: Il Pirata to host drum ‘n’ bass benefit party for Asian tsunami relief
    The San Francisco drum ‘n’ bass community continues helping out Asia’s post-tsunami relief efforts. Il Pirata says it will donate all proceeds from its DNB party on Thursday, February 17 to the relief efforts still underway. Their line-up includes Femme Fatale vs. Ultraviolet, Cubehead vs. Salski, The Doctor vs. Matty G, and Salokin vs. Journee. Expect to find a few surprise DJs as well. Read More
  • Drum ‘n’ bass spinmeister DJ Kozee says she hosts a weekly show on www.drumandbasstv.com. Her program is live every Monday from 2:30pm to 4 pm Pacific Standard Time. Listeners can also chat with DJ Kozee in real time during her show.
  • WORD: Literary agent heavyweights form Dunow, Carlson & Lerner
    Authors looking for representation always get excited when an agent changes firms. Maybe that’s because agents on the move are often looking for new clients. Keeping that in mind, we hear reports that a few agents recently flew the coop. Google the agents for contact information. Read More
  • Amanda MarquitWORD: St. Martin’s Press line-up creating early buzz
    The St. Martin’s Press 2005 line-up is already stirring buzz early in the year. Of course, when your titles detour from the same old coming-of-age doldrums that the industry churns out every year, buzz tends to follow. Here are three St. Martin’s authors to watch in 2005. Read More
     

 

  • Future Primitive Sound says they hosted a launch party promoting the latest portfolio of artist Brian Barneclo on February 3, during their regular Thursday show at San Francisco club Milk. DJ talent at the popular Upper Haight District bar included Doc Fu, B-Love, and FPS resident Enki. FPS adds that Barneclo is exhibiting all of his new collection, called “Takeover,” at its headquarters in the Lower Haight. Barneclo’s work, known for its vivid portrayals of cityscapes, neighborhoods, and urbanites, runs through April 6.

 
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