What do Madonna, an ex-Beatle, Weird Al Yankovic, and Australian-bound band The National have in common? (Aside from music, wise-guy.)
They’ve all taken to the world of children’s literature, alongside a rather impressive roll-call of musos who’ve penned books for kids, and now two more names can be added to that list.
First up is someone who’s more likely to be seen swearing and singing juvenile narratives of de-flowering “your mom” than penning bedtime stories, but Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge has dropped the pottymouth and picked up the pen for a Christmas tale that looks to raise funds for children’s charity, as Anti-Music (via Alan Cross) reports.
The singer/guitarist and Angels & Airwaves frontman releases The Lonely Astronaut On Christmas Eve this month, written by DeLonge and illustrated by Mike Henry, is “a wistful story for the young and the young-at-heart alike,” according to the press release, which points out that the “punk papa” enjoys reading to his own children, Ava and Jonas.
The children’s book follows the tale of “a rocketeer alone on the moon on a cold Christmas night, and the gift he receives from a few unexpected (and extraterrestrial) friends.” Pre-sales of The Lonely Astronaut On Christmas Eve were made available from today to premium members of the official Angel & Airwaves online shop, in a limited edition package for $50 to 1,000 quick-clicking customers including guaranteed shipping in time for Christmas.
DeLonge and his illustrator are also launching a charity auction to benefit San Diego’s Rady Children’s Hospital over at CharityBuzz.com. The Blink-182 muso will be auctioning the complete 22 pages of signed original artwork from the book, as well as a signed guitar and a chance for a meet and greet with the singer/guitarist in his San Diego studio where Blink have been hard at work on a new album, due in 2014.
It’s not the first time that the holiday spirit has inspired Tom DeLonge, with Blink-182 releasing a Christmas-themed EP last year as their first new material since their 2011 reunion album Neighborhoods, while their Yuletide-related history of music includes ‘Won’t Be Home For Christmas‘, their contribution to It’s A Santa Cause: A Punk Rock Christmas, and the curse-fuelled album track, ‘Happy Holidays You Bastard’ from 2001’s album Take Off Your Pants And Jacket. (Key lyric: “It’s Christmas Eve and I’ve only wrapped two fuckin’ presents.”
(Image: Mike Henry. Source: Angels&Airwaves.com)
From cussin’ punk frontmen to Aussie legends, Peter Oxley of popular alternative rock outfit The Sunnyboys, is releasing a children’s book that directs kids into being a hit in the kitchen with a series recipes to transform them into budding young chefs.
Teenage Kitchen Rampage, set for release on 2nd December via Love Police, is designed as a “cookbook for parents, aunts and uncles grandparents or older siblings to gift their sons or daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or younger siblings when they think it is time to do a bit of cooking,” according to the press release.
Compiled by Oxley, the bass-playing brother of Sunnyboys frontman Jeremy Oxley, the culinary collection includes “tasty and healthy, step by step” recipes for meals, sides, and dishes aimed at the “young leaver.” Inspired by Oxely’s own adventures after leaving home at 18 with “$10, his bass guitar and a recipe for lamb shank soup from his mum. He always thought having a few more recipes would have been useful.”
Later in life, the musician also took young kids under his employ at the Wedgetail Woodfired Pizzeria, opened in Newtown in 1994, in some cases becoming the first job for the young cooks, who in turn inspired Oxley’s decision to pen Teenage Kitchen Rampage.
Meanwhile, The Sunnyboys – who have been on the comeback trail in the last 12 months – are continuing to reignite their musical legacy with the release of Sunnyboys: Our Best Of, a comprehensive retrospective compilation that gathers hits, rarities, and more.
The band are also returning to the road for an Australian Tour in March 2014 of their first headline tour across the country since a one-off reformation tour in 1991. The tour has been triggered by a reunion in April 2012 as part of the Hoodoo Gurus Dig It Up! festival and culminating in a triumphant sold out performance at the Sydney Opera House last June, and then a heroic slot at last year’s Meredith Music Festival.
(Peter Oxley with his new kids cookbook. Image: Provided. Source: Love Police)
