Sonoran Sounds (First-Run, Hand-Numbered Hardcover Edition)
This is a pre-order. Soronan Sounds is set for release in March 2027.
Mill Avenue Rock, Desert Folk, and the Enduring Legacy of Arizona Music
First-Run, Hand-Numbered Hardcover: These are the first books off the presses in March 2027. These hardcover editions will be hand-numbered and signed by the author. This one is for diehard fans of Arizona music and supporters of all independent, original music and those who bring it to you. It contains a 30-page bonus chapter outlined below.
Sonoran Sounds is a journey across the Arizona landscape — from the skyscrapers, back alleys and college bars in greater Phoenix and Tucson to the high deserts, border towns (and beyond) that gave rise The Grand Canyon State's folk, rock and country music scenes. This book is a walk along Mill Avenue in Tempe, the centerpiece of the post-grunge heyday where Gin Blossoms, the Refreshments and Dead Hot Workshop paid their dues. It's the story of Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers forging a loyal fanbase the hard way while building a festival from the ground-up that reshaped the future of Rocky Point, Mexico. It's a reminder that Jimmy Eat World and The Format launched themselves from Arizona. It's an appreciation of the career that native son Evan Honer built for himself. It's an appraisal of the life of Waylon Jennings and the music that Shooter Jennings continues to unearth to this day. It's a recognition that Drew Cooper, the Jons and more are keeping independent, original music coming from the same desert sands. And it's a reminder that artists like Micky & The Motorcars, Dalton Domino and Shelby Stone would not have the careers they have without Arizona.
Written by Josh Crutchmer — New York Times editor, Rolling Stone contributor and Back Lounge Publishing author with five books to his name since 2020 — Sonoran Sounds takes the form of in-depth profiles, short-form essay commentary, and gripping concert reviews, all in service of the living legacy of Arizona's roots music. We'll also recap the 30th anniversary Circus Mexicus festival on the beaches of Puerto Penasco, Mexico, held in May 2026.
Josh Crutchmer says:
I grew up in Northeast Oklahoma, raised country and listening to country music — until high school, when I heard Gin Blossoms' New Miserable Experience for the first time, and it redirected my entire life. A few years later, The Refreshments' Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy became the soundtrack to my late teen years. In college in the early 2000s, I immersed myself in the Red Dirt and Americana scenes, and I was shocked to discover that one band, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, was the next iteration of those same Refreshments from my high school days. Five years later, I was living in Arizona, exploring the same Tempe bars that gave rise to my favorite artists and watching them give rise to a new wave of rock, punk and emo outfits like Jimmy Eat World and The Format. I never lost my fascination with the music being made in Arizona, and now, 20 years later, Sonoran Sounds is my best effort at reminding fans of the impact Arizona continues to have on our favorite music.
All direct orders come signed by the author.
Details
The book is anticipated to be 250 pages, including 20+ pages of photography featuring the artists showcased in Sonoran Sounds. The cover will be revised slightly in late summer 2026 to feature the names of showcased artists.
All-Access Edition
The book will add a 30-page bonus chapter to the original release and will include:
• The best of the Artist's Editions of Evan Honer and Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, including exclusive behind-the-music tales and one-of-a-kind interviews.
• Even more tales from the artists featured in the book, including stories and interviews held back from the original release.
• A Spanish-language translation of the chapter featuring the Circus Mexicus featival in Puerto Penasco, Mexico.
• An exclusive set of high-quality photography showcasing the artists and stories in Sonoran Sounds.
• Early E-book access (at least two weeks before the release date)
• The official Sonoran Sounds sticker.
• The official Sonoran Sounds bookmark.
• A 1" Sonoran Sounds logo button.
This edition comes with a $10 donation to the Sweet Stuff Foundation, and a commemorative sticker for your donation.
This book will ship via USPS Priority Mail or the equivalent.
The exact release date for Sonoran Sounds will be determined by the timing of a special release event, and will be announced no later than January 1, 2027.
Ai statement: All Back Lounge books are entirely written, photographed, edited and designed by humans and always will be, full stop.