For those with more than a passing interest in 60's-70's fashion, Biba is the stuff of legend. You've got the lucky women who lived in London at that time who dreamily recall the days of shopping at the groovy emporium for the latest in fab gear. Then there's the rest of us, unfortunate souls who arrived in the world after the store had ceased to exist and wish for the spontaneous ability to travel back in time 40 years if only to go on the best shopping spree ever (or is that just me?). So until time travel is fully realized, we can only devour books like The Biba Experience (Antique Collector's Club) and sigh.
Written by Alwyn W. Turner, this beautiful read gives a very informative history of the company, from founder Barbara Hulanicki's very first mail order catalog through to the decline of the Big Biba empire on Kensington High Street. The story is accompanied by photographs of not only the store and its customers, but of the most extensive collection of Biba clothes and paraphernalia from one of the leading experts on the subject, Pari (no last name required). Some of it you'll covet (like the suede platform boots and heart-print babydolls), some of it, not so much (cans of Biba brand baked beans...ewwww). But most stories, like how a very drunken group of New York Dolls played in the Rainbow Room lounge of Big Biba, will make you wish you were there. The timing of this book's release must have been at least in part to the relaunch of the label (now designed by Bella Freud). Lucky for us, many of the original designs have been reimagined so it is possible to have a piece of new Biba, just be prepared to pay more than £10 for a frock. Order this book

When Madonna made a guest appearance at the NYC dance party MisShapes, her publicist remarked that this type of crowd was full of kids the pop star would have hung out with back in her early street punk days. However, I think her publicist got it all wrong. The scene Madonna frequented before boarding the good ship to superstardom was inhabited by people of genuine talent, creativity, and chutzpah, not a bunch of bandana-wearing, asymmetrical hair-cutted clones clammouring for their 5 minutes of fame. Just one flip through the photo book Maripolarama (powerHouse) and it's easy to see the difference between the two scenes.
Pop-culture junkies may know Maripol as the one who first outfitted Madonna in her plastic jewelry and jelly bracelets that ultimately spawned a million Madonnabes. She was a fashion stylist before styling was even a viable career option. She also took her Polaroid camera everywhere, unwittingly documenting an art and music scene that would become legendary, and where legends were born. Along with Madonna, you'll find soon-to-be famous faces Anna Sui, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Debbie Mazar pictured alongside those which were already familiar like Linda Blair, Debbie Harry, and Grace Jones. Hitting the Mudd Club to check out the latest bands, following some dodgey staircase up to a shady loft party. You sort of start to believe that "those were the days" even if you weren't there (or born yet, for that matter). There is also an unmistakable mix of cultures and ethnicities amongst the crowd that seems a little lacking today. Flipping through the book you get the feeling that everyone (celebs and scenesters alike) was treated the same and no favoritism was given to the more well-known of the subjects. And most of all, you find that the kids are happily posing for Maripol's camera for no other reason than for the fun of it, without any kind of pretense or ulterior motives. And never in the hopes of being an internet pin-up on LastNightsParty.com. Order this book

	"Very facsist". Those were the instructions that George Lucas gave to art director Suzy Rice, who was hired to design the very first Star Wars logo back in 1976. It appeared in white against a black background, accompanied by nothing but the words "Coming To Your Galaxy This Summer". With the creation of this simple "teaser" poster a new world had begun in the land of movie art, one with droids, X-Wing Fighters, and the Max Rebo Band. And lucky for us, much of it can be found in the stunning new compilation, The Star Wars Poster Book" (Chronicle).
Gathered from the archive of Star Wars memorabilia experts (and Lucasfilm honchos) Stephen J. Sansweet and Peter Vilmur, the two do a brilliant job of not only explaining the histories behind the 350 posters captured in this book but of also accompanying them with extremely vivid photos of the artwork They provide a lot of information about the artists behind the posters, almost all of which were done in traditional paint mediums (unlike today where photography reigns supreme). Posters from all over the world can be found, including some particularly oddball numbers from Poland and Russia as well as those created for various product placements (our faves are the 1977 Burger King posters painted by Del Nichols in watercolor-style acrylic). And although all six films are documented, it's the art from the original trilogy that is the real star. Order this book

Just one walk around the East Village or Williamsburg sections of New York and it is hard not to notice the visual influence of Blondie's Debbie Harry: the messy bottle blonde hair, the asymmetrical hemlines, the colorful tights and boots. Referred often as the "Punk Marilyn Monroe", Ms. Harry will tell you that she herself was inspired by the bombshells of Hollywood past. It's hard to imagine a pop music world that is not littered by blondes (Britney, Christina, Jessica), but back in her day, Debbie was the first and only one.
In Picture This: Debbie Harry and Blondie By Mick Rock (Sanctuary), über-famous rock lensman Mick refers to Debbie as "The greatest blonde that ever rocked" and one flip-through of this book and you'd be hard-pressed to find one that rocked harder. Included in this collection are Mick's famous red and blue shots initially taken for Viva magazine, which show Debbie as more screen goddess than punk rock idol. There are some sweet photos of her and Chris Stein (her then-boyfriend and fellow bandmember) at their Manhattan penthouse, with the couple looking surprisingly adorable and domestic in nothing more than tees and sneakers. And although it's the blonde that got most of the attention in this outfit, Mick has not forgetten to include the "Blondie Boys", the trio or dark-haired mop-tops who photographed particularly well along side their frontwoman. What's most interesting, however, is that unlike the pop tarts of today, Debbie shows very little skin in the photos and yet has much more innate sexual appeal than all of the aforementioned Top 40 girls combined. Order this book

	We all know the drill: something new and cool appears in the underground, whether it be a fashion statement (ironic thrift store tees), a dance craze (break-dancing), or an entire music genre (grunge). The hip kids do it and then, trying to be hip themselves, the less-than-hip kids adopt it with the intention of turning cool. Madison Avenue discovers it, exploits it, and then ultimately, middle America gets into it and before you know it, "it" is so over.
That's Matthew Vescovo's idea behind The Life and Death of "Bling Bling" (Jorge Pinto Books), his new book that follows the roots, rise, oversaturation, and downfall of that all-too-familiar catchphrase that seems to have infiltrated every area of pop culture and beyond. Vescovo, a Brooklyn-based illustrator best known for his series of Instructoart how-to books, explains in satirical rhyme (and accompanied by his signature minimalist color line drawings) how the phrase "bling bling" was initially coined by a singular hip hip artist and how it moved from the mouths of cool black kids into those of lame white people trying to sound black and ultimately to "middle-age housewives" who knew very little of where it even came from in the first place. It's a really fun read, as Voscovo's formula of verse plus artwork runs like Dr. Suess for grown-ups. And it's actually quite interesting as right after I received this book, I was flipping through a department store circular and on the jewelry page printed in big bold text "Summer Bling Fling!" I just had to roll my eyes. Order this book

You know that photo of Johnny Cash flipping the bird to the camera? That’s the work of Jim Marshall, one of rock’s most preeminent photographers. And in his new book Jim Marshall: Proof (Chronicle Books) , not only do you get to travel back through pop culture history through the artist’s most famous work, but you have the chance to take a peak at the entire proof sheet that resulted from each roll of film giving the reader an intimate glimpse of the musicians with a behind-the-scenes feeling.
Most photographers are lucky to get one or two good shots on a sheet but to look at Marshall’s pictures, you have to wonder how he ultimately picked the photos that he did; every single photo he took looks as historic as the last. Mick Jagger on the Stones’ private jet in ‘72 is definitely intriguing but take a look at the other 33 shots and you wish you had 8x10 glossies of the entire sheet. The photograph of Cream sporting velvet coats against the floral wallpaper of the Sausalito Hotel is the perfect time capsule of San Francisco in ’68. Then there’s the Jimi Hendrix military jacket shot at the Montery Pop Festival which upon closer inspection shares a proof sheet with Otis Redding’s mind-blowing performance the previous evening. You almost expect each one of these photos to be printed on a postcard with the words, “Wish you were here”. Order this book

	I recently uncovered a shoe box full of high school notes that were passed back and forth from me to my best friend and back again. We were both madly in love (me with Keith, Marni with Josh) and that was always the top topic of conversation. Unfortunately, the boys had no idea of our feelings for them so it should come as no surprise neither of us ever actually hooked up with our beloveds. However, I reckon if Dene Larson, author of the fantasticically fun 2Gether 4ever: Notes of a Junior High School Heartthrob had been a friend of mine, I would have gotten some solid advice on how to deal with my crush.
2gether 4ever is a collection of real junior high notes to and from "Deno", his buddy Charles, and the countless cuties they loved during those early years of teenagedom, where meeting someone, "going" with them, and breaking up could all happen in a day and a half. The actual notes are reprinted in all over their spiral notebook fringed glory which unfortunately makes some of them hard to read due to age but adds to the charm. Choice cuts include "She took a picture from my math book and ruined it (it was Farrah). So I took her Starsky and Hutch scrapbook and drew vampire teeth on one" and "Take Beth and stick her up your ass...I hate you (but will always love you)". In the back of the book you'll find a glossary of "Note-Speak" (TGFU=Too Good For You) and a guide to making your own Triangunote. It's an often hilarious snapshot of a time before two-way pagers, text messaging, and camera phones. Come to think of it, do kids even write notes in school anymore? I haven't polled any of them myself, but I get the feeling the answer is "not really". But boy, they don't know what they're missing. Order this book

Hip Hop Immortals: Volume 1 The Remix (Thunder's Mouth Press) is Sock Bandit Productions' and author Bonz Malone's compilation of hip hop's 100 most influential artists. But rather than just put together a book with the names and work of each individual, they've assembled a stylin' in-your-face collection of super hot photos that is more visual work-of-art than technically informative novel. We'd also wager a bet that a couple decades from now, this book could very well be a textbook and bible for the rap music of the 90's and 00's as it's an intense colorful look at the style and attitude that goes hand-in-hand with the lyrics and beats.
Of the shots included, many were taken by photographers that are as famous as the musicians themselves. These pairings often resulted in some of hip hop's most memorable pictures. Who can forget Mark Seliger's famous portrait of Ice-T's sporting a police officer's uniform? David LaChapelle used his trademark candy-colored style to enhance the larger-than-life personas of Lil' Kim, Coolio, and 2 Pac. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Danny Clinch's moody often stark black n' whites of Kid Frost, MC Shan, and Busta Rhymes. Also running through the pages are some snippets of info about the artists that does allow the reader learn something. That is should they not be blinded by the bling of the accompanying pictures. Order this book

	One walk down Sunset Boulevard today and you may be hard-pressed to believe that this famous strip of real estate was once a haven for the young hot hipsters of Hollywood, where some of the most lurid accounts of rock 'n' roll debauchery took place. Erik Quisling and Austin Williams's novel Straight Whisky (Bonus Books), attempts to retell a "living history" of the 'Strip through the goings-on of its three most famous tenants: the Whisky, the Roxy, and the Rainbow Bar and Grill. The result is a chronological collection of wildly juicy stories that will definitely have you wishing you were part of the "in crowd" indulging in the festivities for yourself.
Each chapter is comprised of two parts: Williams' re-creation of a Whisky, Roxy, or Rainbow event and Quisling's account of the time period surrounding the event. It's an interesting structure to the book that makes for a really great beach-blanket read that moves fast. And although some of Quisling's writing is a little cheesy and overly-dramatic and we aren't exactly sure how Williams' knows what David Bowie was thinking while being stalked by Karate Kurt, the voyeur in us would like to think that this stuff is more accurate than not. Let's put it this way: Straight Whisky is sort of like the written equivalent of an "E! True Hollywood Story" or "VH-1 Behind the Music" so if you're into that sort of thing (like we are), you won't be able to peel away from the pages. Order this book

Today when you walk into any clothing store, whether it be the swankiest shop in Soho or the (god forbid) Hot Topic in your local mall, you're most likely to find youthful salespeople behind the counter, racks jammed with the latest gear, and pop music blasting from the speakers. But did you know that shopping used to consist only of bland department stores where girls and their mothers shopped for clothing so that the daughters would look like miniature versions of their moms? Pretty scary thought.
The new book by Marnie Fogg, Boutique: A 60's Cultural Phenomenon (Mitchell Beazley), takes a fanciful look at how boring snotty salespeople and designer couture were replaced by hip shop girls, fast-fashion, and the boutique. The boutique was a means of self-expression for the young people who wanted nothing more than to spend their weekly wages on clothing and entertainment, and most of all, on being "cool". The books boasts countless wonderful photographs and illustrations of 60's fashion from the innovators of the time including Mary Quant, Biba, and Foale & Tuffin. But also included are chapters on the explosion of teen style rags, young men's fashion, and do-it-yourself clothing (something sadly missing from the hobbies of today's kids). This book is a ton of fun and might make the reader wish they could somehow transport themselves back to 1967 to do a little shopping of their own. Order this book

	I was first drawn to the work of Jordi Labanda after attending a Custo Barcelona fashion show and receiving a calendar of his artwork in a goodie bag. The exaggerated fashion illustrator style, the sexy environments, and the incredibly detailed situations had me wanting to know more about him. After doing some research, I found out that his work has been featured in many international publications, including W, Vogue, The New York Times Sunday Paper, and Wallpaper*, in which he was a regular contributor. Now, a collection of his work has been gathered into a new book. In Hey Day (Actar), Labanda's illustrations are displayed at their best.
His unique vision of swanky cocktail parties, jet-setting fashionistas, and French Riviera getaways are wonderfully rendered down to the smallest detail. From a socialite's over-sized sunglasses and upswept 'do to an Apocalypse Now poster on the wall of a film-maker's pad (a film-maker who is being seduced by his bikini-clad girlfriend), no detail is too small for Labanda when creating his perfect world. Done entirely in gouache on paper, every one of his paintings tells a story, and it's always one of naughty decadence, priveledge, and very often a bit of drunken debauchery that ends up with naked boys and girls dancing on tables or skinny dipping in the nearest pool. Order this book

In 1935, Kodak introduced the first widely available high-quality color film that was made to fit into small cameras and to be used by people other than professional photographers. What they didn't know at the time, and what we know now, is that Kodachrome was the only color-film of the period that has stood the test of time. Most photographs taken in the 40's and 50's have faded and deteriorated so much that they barely look like the original image. By contrast, Kodachrome photographs are usually in tact in full blooming color, documenting the history of the mid-20th century in something other than black and white.
Kodachrome: The American Invention of Our World (1939-1959) (Delano Greenidge) is the new book by Els Rijper that chronicles two decades worth of news and entertainment through Kodachrome prints largely dug up from old magazine archives. Legends like Yogi Berra, Rocky Marciano, Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardo, Sophia Loren, Harry Belafonte, have all been immortalized in Kodachrome. There are shots from the 1956 presidental campaigning of Eisenhower and Nixon as well as fashion photos from Vogue. However, most interesting are the images of the events surrounding World War II. Since most photographs from the late 30's and early 40's that we see today are black and white, seeing those events in vivid color makes the period seem surprisingly less abstract. Order this book

	In 1964, 18 year-old photographer Gered Mankovitz took some very lovely photos of a very lovely Marianne Faithful. Her manager Andrew Loog Oldham, loved the pictures. Loved them so much, in fact, that he thought Gered would do a damn fine job with his other project, The Rolling Stones. And so began a two year relationship between Gered, his camera, and the rough and tumble band of English hooligans. Between the years of 1965-1967, Gered was the "unofficial official" lensman for the Stones, capturing moments in their lives that preceded the tabloids, the drug busts, and the San Francisco Hell's Angels.
From the manic non-stop days of the '65 "Satisfaction" tour of the US to a cold hazy early morning album cover shoot, The Stones 65-67 (Vision On) is a marvelous chronical of the band's earliest days on the road and in the studio. There's the shot of Charlie taking a whiz in a sink at an American auditorium before a show as well as a scary one of Keith out-cold on the floor after an electrocution incident in Sacramento (he survived, by the way). Then there's the resulting photos from that chilly sunrise shoot in Primrose Hill, where Gered was quickly trying to take some shots for the new record, Between the Buttons. Later that day, Gered showed the resulting shots to Andrew and discussed how although they were brilliant it was as if Brian "wasn't really there". Never before was a camera so prophetic. With a foreward by Loog Oldham and interview with Marianne Faithful. Order this book

In Rhino's Psychedelic Trip (Miller Freenman Books), writers Alan Bisbort and Parke Puterbaugh take a cheeky look at the acid-induced halcyon days of the mid to late 1960's. With a foreward by Turtle Howard Kaylan (who stresses that the cliche of "if you can remember the 60's, you weren't there" is most definitely true), Psychedelic Trip starts in explaining the clinical origins of LSD, the natural origins of "magic mushrooms, and the beginning of Timothy Leary.
It then tumbles into the birth of the altered-consciousness of the music movement, which began in Virgina City, Nevada with The Charlatans, a band of rag tag rock boys who fancied dressing in Old West gear and playing at the Red Dog Saloon. The book then moves forward through the remainder of the decade, bouncing back and forth from London to Haight-Ashbury, mixing in the dayglo recollections from those who weren't there with revolutionary events of the time and the emergence of a higher-state of genius including Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and Sgt. Pepper. In true Rhino style, "Psychedelic Trip" offers up far-out graphics and clever writing for anyone who is intrigued with the 60's but wasn't around, and of course for those who were, but can't remember. Order this book

	Beware of Swingin' Chicks of the 60s' (Cedco Publishing). You could find that after reading one smashing page, it just may attach itself to your hands until you finish it, cover to cover. The book actually is a spin-off of the highly successful website of the same name. It was author Chris Strodder's "personal curiosity" that drove him to create the affectionately titled website-turned-paperback. The idea was to put together a listing of some of the most famously switched-on gals that defined the decade.
Each of the 101 featured ladies has a short yet in-depth bio, a paragraph or so about her look and style, and a time-line of her professional career up through the 60's. Everyone from the more obvious choices (Julie Christie, Diana Rigg, Raquel Welch) to the lesser knowns (Jane Asher, Victoria Vetri) are included and it's difficult to come up with someone who should be here but is not (and should you find a lady who you feel is missing, go to the Swingin' Chicks Website and let them know). The chapters are divided into categories such as "The Bond Girls" , "The Elvis Girls, Girls, Girls!" and "The Songbirds" (there is even a section called "Cartoon Cuties" with Judy Jetson). The language of the book is irresistable as well (see each girls' "Bonus Swingability") and the information is incredibly detailed and well-researched. Visually, the book is like a Laugh-In episode come to life (which is fitting with adorably sexy Goldie Hawn as one of the cover-girls): it's all pop-art graphics, candy colors, and swirling flower power. The photos are really indicative of the fashions and styles of the times as well. Basically, "Swingin' Chicks" is a *must have* for any pop-culture addict as well as you folks who digs anything 60's-related. One big bonus is that after you have pryed yourself away from the pages, it also looks just super sitting on your lovely Eames coffee table. Order this Book

It seemed that on one magical night in the early 60's, London went from being a dreary, gray, and positively backwards city to a bright glowing epicenter of cutting edge art, music, and style. Girls would line up to have their hair shorn by Vidal Sassoon and then sashay off to Mary Quant's Bazaar boutique to suit up in some fab gear. David Bailey was the ace photographer, always with a beautiful woman on his arm, who's life and work inspired the film Blow Up. Terrance Stamp and flatmate Michael Caine were the young playboys who were also the toasts of the movie industry. The Rolling Stones were quickly gaining their bad ass reputation while the Beatles were off conquering the world. For the first time, England was ahead of the United States when it came to art and culture, while the US spent the greater part of the decade trying to catch up to its far hipper trans-Atlantic cousin.
Ready, Steady, Go! The Smashing Rise and Giddy Fall of Swinging London (Doubleday) chronicles the lives of these and other famous (and semi-famous) London scenesters during one of the most exciting periods in pop-culture history. Author Shawn Levy paints a picture of a city that, like The Wizard of Oz, went from black and white to color in the blink of an eyelash. In a series of connected and fascinating real-life tales, the reader is transported back in time to the Ad Lib's celebrity packed dancefloor to the Indica art gallery happenings to the Stones' career changing gig at the Crawdaddy. But with the rise of this electric scene, of course, eventually came the downfall, when Carnaby Street became a tourist mecca, psychedelic drugs inhibited the progressiveness of the cool kids, and America finally caught up (and surpassed) the UK, starting with some cat called Jimi Hendrix (the book jacket, with its striking Union Jack graphic super-imposed with the image of top American model Peggy Moffit, is a bit telling, although this was probably unintentional) . Filled with lots of juicy gossip, off-the-wall human interest stories, and rumors that are supported and refuted, if these stories weren't true, they could fill a couple trashy beach blanket novels. But they are, which makes them even more fun to read (and equally beach worthy). Another great read for those obsessed with the 60's, "Ready, Steady, Go!" will teach a thing or two to even the most learned afficionado of this era. Order this Book