In the digital world that popular music has become, the holidays are a good time to reward music lovers with something they can hold. Here are a few books, DVDs and CDs — remember them? — to consider for your shopping list.
Books
"Jimmy Page" (Genesis, $60): A man of few words, the Led Zeppelin leader put together "a visual documentary to reflect my contribution to music." With 512 pages and hundreds of photos, it captures Page as a choir boy and a young rocker on his knees (in sport coat and tie) as well as countless Zep concerts — including 1977 at Met Center, with a few cool rehearsal shots. Only one shot suggests the band's infamous decadence (Page guzzling from a Jack Daniels bottle) but this tome is all about celebrating guitar glory.
"I'll Take You There," Greg Kot (Simon and Schuster, $16): This well-sourced biography of Mavis Staples and the Staple Singers is essential. Chicago critic Kot traces Pops Staples' life back to a Mississippi plantation and then to Chicago, where the Staples kids went to school with Sam Cooke and Lou Rawls. He puts these Rock Hall of Famers in a cultural context, examining their roles in the civil rights movement and the genre-blending emergence of soul music. And he shares priceless details on how Bob Dylan proposed to Mavis and Prince produced her comeback.
"Danny Clinch: Still Moving" (Harry Abrams, $50): As one of the premier music photographers, Clinch has worked with everyone from Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to 2Pac and Pearl Jam. He has a knack for making stars relax and capturing their character in offbeat portraits. This remarkable collection features more than 200 photos. Unlike most concert photographers, he shoots from the stage and documents magical offstage moments, too.
"Nick Drake: Remembered for a While" (Little, Brown and Co., $45): A master of gloomy introspection, the Brit singer-songwriter became a beloved cult figure after his death in 1974 from an overdose of antidepressants. Drake's ever-growing legion of hipster rock fans will be fascinated by this coffee-table book featuring family photos, tributes and even passages from Drake's diary. This look at his private pain gives insights into why he's been called a pinup for depressives.
DVD
"Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances" (Music Store, $35): Vintage clips capture one of the greatest voices of recent times, from her pre-album debut on Merv Griffin's TV show to her 2009 performance on "Oprah Winfrey." These were mostly staged-for-TV performances — including the landmark Super Bowl national anthem (was it lip-synced?) — rather than concerts, so it's less about the performer than the singer.
Boxed sets
Bruce Springsteen, "The Album Collection Vol. 1 1973-84" (Columbia, $75): The Boss in a compact box, with remastered CDs of his first seven albums, original artwork and a scrapbook of clippings, photos and backstage passes. You might need a magnifying glass to read the reviews and lyrics, but the music demonstrates why there were such high hopes and regard for Springsteen.
John Coltrane, "Offering: Live at Temple University" (Resonance, $24): A giant of the jazz sax, Coltrane died of liver cancer eight months after this concert, but he and his quintet played with raw power in his hometown of Philadelphia this night in 1966, stretching out on 20-plus-minute versions of "Crescent," "Leo" and "My Favorite Things." Visceral, cerebral and spiritual, the music — presented in an exceptional package with illuminating liner notes — works as either a summation of Coltrane's greatness, or an introduction.
