Is it really better to burn out than to fade away? Aldo Evans is a desperate man. Fired from his job and deeply in debt, he struggles to balance a broken family life with his passion for music. Luce Figura is a troubled woman. A rhythmic perfectionist, she is haunted by childhood trauma and scorned by her religiously devout mother. Ross McArthur is a wise ass. Orphaned as an infant, his interests include game shows, home-grown weed, occasional violence and the bass guitar. They are Public Alibi. A rock n’ roll band going nowhere fast. But when the sharp-suited, smooth talking producer Gappa Bale offers them a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make their dreams come true, they are caught up in a maelstrom of fame, obsession, music and murder. This book contains graphic sex and violence, and is not suitable for readers under the age of 18.

In its 114th year, Billboard remains the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends.

John Mellencamp's numerous hits, awards, and recognitions—including his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame—puts him in such celebrated company as Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan. In Mellencamp, David Masciotra explores the life and career of this important talent, persuasively arguing for his space among the most distinguished songwriters of our time. Beginning with Mellencamp's modest start in Seymour, Indiana, Masciotra details the artist's road to fame, examines his struggles with the music industry, and celebrates the success he found by remaining true to his midwestern roots. With themes that range from small-town life, race, and religion to poverty and the struggles of adulthood, Mellencamp's songs remain central to the social and historical context of contemporary America. Acting as an artistic archivist, he has never forgotten the hardships faced by workers and Black Americans, and in line with his tributes to 1960s rock and Americana folk, he tells a story his audience and his country need to hear. From a cultural critic whose work has also appeared in the Washington Post, Atlantic, and Los Angeles Review of Books, this thoughtful analysis—now with a new foreword describing the author's interview with Mellencamp at his private recording studio in Nashville, Indiana—highlights four decades of the artist's music, showing how it has consistently elevated the dignity of everyday people, and spanned the genres of folk, soul, and rock and roll to amplify the struggle of democracy.

Featuring interviews with everyone from childhood friends to band members, producers and engineers, this is a portrait of the real man, who grew up in Indiana and still lives there today – a passionate musician and a tireless campaigner for the lifestyle and values of the American family farmer. This is the complete story of John Mellencamp, tracking his progress as he matured from youthful rocker with a made-up name to major star with a social conscience. It is a journey typified by his 2007 release, Freedom's Road, an impassioned call to arms to rediscover America's founding traditions of freedom, justice, and never-say-die spirit. An unlikely story but, in the end, an inspirational one that reveals a remarkable and unique fusion of heartland values and rock 'n' roll stardom.

Laser welding is a rapidly developing and versatile technology which has found increasing applications in industry and manufacturing. It allows the precision welding of small and hard-to-reach areas, and is particularly suitable for operation under computer or robotic control. The Handbook of laser welding technologies reviews the latest developments in the field and how they can be used across a variety of applications.Part one provides an introduction to the fundamentals of laser welding before moving on to explore developments in established technologies including CO2 laser welding, disk laser welding and laser micro welding technology. Part two highlights laser welding technologies for various materials including aluminium and titanium alloys, plastics and glass. Part three focuses on developments in emerging laser welding technologies with chapters on the applications of robotics in laser welding and developments in the modelling and simulation of laser and hybrid laser welding. Finally, part four explores the applications of laser welding in the automotive, railway and shipbuilding industries.The Handbook of laser welding technologies is a technical resource for researchers and engineers using laser welding technologies, professionals requiring an understanding of laser welding techniques and academics interested in the field. - Provides an introduction to the fundamentals of laser welding including characteristics, welding defects and evolution of laser welding - Discusses developments in a number of techniques including disk, conduction and laser micro welding - Focusses on technologies for particular materials such as light metal alloys, plastics and glass