SPRING IS in the air and British book publishers are gearing up for a rockin’ good season by launching a flotilla of new titles with a contemporary music focus. Among the choicest cherries of the crop are:

The Smiths: The Visual Documentary: The first ever, fully illustrated chronology of The Smiths’ career by the band’s biographer, Johnny Rogan – the man who Morrissey wishes would “end his days very soon in an M3 pile-up”. The book features previously unpublished interviews, a detailed breakdown of every known Smiths performance and the most comprehensive Smiths discography ever produced. It also includes many previously unpublished photographs.

Omnibus also promise illustrated biographies of Guns ’N’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, k. d. lang, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Take That.

Steely Dan: Reelin’ In The Years: The long-awaited ‘definitive’ biography of the great Steely Dan by Brian Sweet, editor of the Dan magazine, Metal Leg. Compiled after years of detailed research in the US, and featuring numerous interviews with musical associates of the group, this will be the only book about Steely Dan currently in print.

Up Tight: The Velvet Underground Story: An updated history of The Velvet Underground, including details of their association with Andy Warhol and The Factory, by acclaimed rock writer Victor Bockris. The book also features an in-depth look at the background to the band’s reunion in France in 1990, and their subsequent, and hugely successful, European tour in 1992. This new edition also records the death of their mentor Andy Warhol and former chanteuse Nico.

Blues In Britain: The History From 1950s to The Present: Self-explanatory really, this illustrated paperback provides an in-depth overview of one of the most seminal music movements of this century. Written by Rob Brunning, a blues bass guitarist and founder member of Fleetwood Mac, the book also features a foreword by Paul Jones.

Captain Trips: The Life And Fast Times Of Jerry Garcia: This is the first detailed and official biography of Grateful Dead founder Jerry Garcia. Garcia’s life has, in the words of the blurb, “been one of immense flux, strife and incredible achievement”. From playing in front of the Great Pyramids of Egypt to being busted for drugs possession in his car, he has helped save acres of Malaysian rain forest and seen friends and band mates die of drug overdoses. Captain Trips tells it all.

The Fall And Rise Of Aerosmith: Mark Putterford tells what is, perhaps, the greatest survival and comeback story in the history of rock – a candid account of the extraordinary 20 year career of Aerosmith.

The Beatles: Complete Lyrics: Twenty-five years after the Fab Four went their separate ways, a raft of Beatles books are set to hit the bookshops over the coming months. Among them is this attractive volume featuring the lyrics to all The Beatles’ best loved songs. It also comes complete with a full discography detailing singles, EPs and albums, recording dates and lead singer credits.

Other soon-to-be-published Beatles titles in include: With The Beatles: The Historic Photographs, The Beatles: After The Break-Up, In Their Own Words and The Beatles Story, In Their Own Words.

Rock Talk: Edited by Yorkshire-born rock writer Jim Driver, this fascinating collection features a wide variety of pieces on an even wider variety of subjects by musicians, writers and broadcasters from the rock world. Miles Hunt and Chris Jagger take us on tour, Nick Coleman reflects on writing about music, Vince Power recalls the trials and tribulations of setting up his Mean Fiddler empire, John Otway explains how failure finally made him a success and there are contributions from Wilko Johnson, Roy Harper, Tom Robinson, Ron Kavana and John Cooper Clarke among others.

The Secret History Of Kate Bush (And The Strange Art Of Pop): This unique book, written by Fred Vermorel, traces Kate’s family history to reveal its influence on her life and highly individual career.

The Wild, Wild World Of The Cramps: Loud, lewd, aggressive and funny – this is the first English biography of one of the most influential cult bands in the world. Written by Ian Johnston, the book features numerous interviews with the band members and their associates.

AS ALWAYS, Irish publishing houses can be relied upon to offer some of the most varied and interesting rosters of books on the market.

Current and forthcoming titles include; Every Day Like Sunday? In his weekly Irish Times column, former Hot Press journalist John Waters has written about a wide range of subjects. In Every Day Like Sunday? he brings those ideas together and unites them around their core theme – death by flawed thinking. A stimulating and inciteful read. (Poolbeg).

Mind That ’Tis My Brother – Billed as a “Lethal mixture of sex, religion and MTV”, this new novel by Cork woman Gaye Shortland has been described, by the author’s teenage daughter, as “not very healthy but a good laugh”. Its central theme examines “the spiritual dimensions of sexuality and the need for the world to immediately recognise Prince as our one true hope of salvation”. (Poolbeg).

The Prisoner’s Wife: Jack Holland’s powerful novel of betrayal, suspected betrayal and love amid the entangled web of Belfast’s paramilitary underworld. (Poolbeg).

When Food Becomes Your Enemy: The first Irish book to tackle head-on the complex subjects of anorexia, bulimia and compulsive over-eating. With the help of case studies, authors Gillian Moore-Groarke and Sylvia Thompson illustrate the painful process from the initial stages to recovery and illuminate just what goes wrong when food becomes your enemy. (Mercier Press).

Whose Housework Is It Anyway? Fionnuala Hayden’s “judo manual of housework”. This helpful tome uses the analogy of judo to assist the reader in achieving the highest honour in housework, the housework black belt. More importantly, it teaches you everything you need to know about how to get others to attain their housework black belt too. (Marino Books).

Real Cool Poems To Grow Up With: Edited by Niall MacMonagle, this upbeat and original collection gathers together works by Irish and international poets of the first rank, guaranteed to appeal to young people and to even perhaps “throw light on some of the shadows of troubled adolescent years.” (Martello Books).

• Chris Donovan