NYC Author Greg Prato Publishes New Book “MTV Ruled the World: The Early Years of Music Video”

NYC-based author Greg Prato has two new titles that are now available for purchase.

Greg Prato has just published, "MTV Ruled the World: The Early Years of Music Video"

The first, “MTV Ruled the World: The Early Years of Music Video,”  (427 pp, $24.99) is the first-ever book to focus solely on the channel’s important building-block years, specifically from the launch of NYC-based MTV to when its original group of VJs left the channel. Comprised of over 70 all-new interviews (“Weird Al” Yankovic, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rob Halford, Stewart Copeland, Rick Springfield, Jerry Casale, Geddy Lee, Ann Wilson, Chuck D, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, and more), the book is an account of the early years of MTV and the stories behind its biggest videos, and also of the music industry, important music developments/events, and the “Big ’80s” in general.

The second, “The Eric Carr Story,” (256 pp, $19.99) is the first-ever book to tell the life story of the late Kiss drummer Eric Carr. Comprised of all-new interviews, the book also doubles as a study of 1980’s era Kiss. Readers will find insight into all of Kiss’ albums that featured Carr (from producers Bob Ezrin, Michael James Jackson, and Ron Nevison), as well as those closest to him (sister Loretta Caravello, girlfriend Carrie Stevens, Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick), and music-related friends (Eddie Trunk, Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy, Anthrax’s Charlie Benante).

Also included is one of the last-ever interviews conducted with Kiss’ original manager, Bill Aucoin, and for the first time ever, Kiss fans will be able to learn what the real story line to Kiss’ controversial release “(Music From) The Elder” was all about, via an explanation from Ezrin.

Both books are set up in an “oral history” format and have a multitude of rarely seen/never-before-seen photographs.

Previous titles from Prato include the author of “Grunge is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music,” “Touched By Magic: The Tommy Bolin Story,” and “A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other: The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon.”

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