When you think of bands and artists that have moved mountains and carved undeniable paths for the alternative music scene to have a space in, The Used is easily one of the first bands that come to mind. Vocalist Bert McCracken has always remained a polarizing figure in the spotlight of the scene every time he embraces a stage. If you’re familiar with the band's story and upbringing, then it’s probably not a shock to learn that Bert’s life has a roller coaster-like series of ups and downs. It’s only fitting that he is finally commemorating these stories in a reflecting notebook titled after the bands second full length album, ‘In Love And Death’.
The book will contain images of handwritten pages, lyrics, poems, and reflections from decades past and which will surely be a roller coaster of emotions for any die hard fan. These passages seemed to have been lost forever, but after recently resurfacing online, the content was safely returned to McCracken over twenty years later. In case the title doesn’t give it away, these stories are taking place predominantly during the process of making their influential sophomore release ‘In Love And Death’, one of the most influential emo albums of all time. Bert has emphasized how much of a time capsule the notebook was for him, and that finding it after all these years brought him a wave of emotions from pain, joy, chaos, and everything in between.
Besides the unedited entries and passages Bert jotted down in the notebook, there’s also doodles, countless lines of lyrics, and reflections on how he’s feeling coming from the other side of addiction and grief. It is truly a book that will showcase McCracken’s creativity like never before. The expected release date is November 4, 2025. You can look into signed pre-orders now available at rarebirdlit.com.
