Additional information
by Timothy David Minneci (Author)
Power Ballad: A Definitive Guide to Hard Rock's Softer Side Volume One revisits the decade of decadence like no other before, putting the big hair and spandex rockers' most significant pop culture contribution under the microscope. In Power Ballad, author Timothy D. Minneci dissects the history of the genre and the defining essential criteria before diving in track-by-track to determine the songs worthy of the title "Power Ballad." Born out of frustration with an internet culture that had allowed Celine Dion and other non-rock pop stars to be placed alongside Every Rose Has Its Thorn and When I See You Smile, Power Ballad seeks to reclaim the mantle for the worthy, deconstructing songwriting, influences and band histories with perceptive insight and biting humor. Because all Power Ballads were not created equal, even thosewho successfully survive the cut are not spared honest critiques, whether it's Aerosmith's heavy reliance on outside songwriters and Alicia Silverstone, Jon Bon Jovi's desire to write a Western concept album, or Great White's knack for writing cringe-inducing lyrics. Multi-platinum selling acts such as Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe andWhitesnake receive as much love (and scorn) as obscure lesser-knownand less successful bands like Craaft, Tyketto or Southgang, with every song getting a chance to prove its mettle. Fans of classic and hard rock can finally settle the age old debate of which songs are truly worthy of being called a Power Ballad.
Author Biography
Timothy D. Minneci has been living and breathing music since his childhood spent recording songs off the radio onto his double-cassette boom box. In college, he spent several years in the DJ booth broadcasting the alternative music explosion of the 1990s before giving up his microphone for a bass guitar, spending ten years recording and touring with several regional Midwestern bands. He created and now co-hosts the weekly Dig Me Out podcast, dedicated to digging out lost and forgotten alternative and indie rock of the 90s one album at a time, as well as interviewing a variety of musicians of the era, including members of Luscious Jackson, The Posies, Chainsaw Kittens and many more. Dig Me Out receives 5,000 unique downloads monthly, and has been written about online at USA Today and the Onion AV Club. Power Ballad is his first nonfiction book. When not DJing at his college radio station and earning his degree in Sports Information and Journalism, he wrote pop culture, sports and opinion pieces for The BG News throughout the 1990s. From 2004 to 2007, he edited and contributed to PeopleHaveThePower.org, focusing on political, economic and social issues impacting the state of Ohio. Currently he writes regularly at timminneci.com. Be sure to visit PowerBalladPodcast.com to download interviews with people like Eric Martin of Mr. Big, Jeff Keith of Tesla and more, and visit Power Ballad at Facebook at PowerBalladBook, and on Twitter at @powerballadshow.
