Alanis: Thirty Years of Jagged Little Pill book cover
Credit: Epic InkOne of the most influential and groundbreaking albums was released upon the ears of the listening audience. It was June 13, 1995, and the much-anticipated Alanis Morissette album, “Jagged Little Pill,” hit record stores.
“You Oughta Know” had already gotten a ton of radio airplay and was instantly the most requested song. I remember playing it on the air for the first time and thinking, “This woman is angry, but this song is amazing.” That was only the first song of many that would rule the airwaves for months and are still heard frequently.
Now, there’s a brand new book released on June 10th that takes a deep dive into the meaning and inspiration behind every track on the album. It examines in detail the raw lyrics and iconic Alanis melodies.
“Alanis Thirty Years of Jagged Little Pill,” by Selena Fragassi was released on June 10th and is available now in stores and on Amazon.com.
When I spoke with Selena, she shared how she broke down every song on the album. She said, "I really wanted to make sure there was some deep analysis. I also bring in her own thoughts about those songs as well as my interpretation. People really tagged her as an angry woman when this album came out, and that really wasn't totally who she was. That was just one emotion she had of many on this album, I wanted to explore everything she brought to the table."
Interview with Alanis Author
Selena Fragassi is a longtime music journalist who began her career covering women in music and culture. She started her own publication, Boxx Magazine, with a mission to close the gender gap in music editorial coverage.
The first piece she published was about Adele, who was a complete unknown at the time. Selena is a featured contributor for the Chicago Sun-Times. Her bylines have been published in many publications, including SPIN, Loudwire, The A.V. Club, Paste, Nylon, Popmatters, Blurt, and Under the Radar. She was also on staff and wrote for Chicago Magazine, where she was the Pop/Rock Critic.
Selena has interviewed numerous artists, including Gene Simmons, Jennifer Hudson, Chrissie Hynde, Demi Lovato, Debbie Harry, Slash, Deftones, Evanescence, Alice Cooper, Jack White, The Black Keys, Charlie Puth, Bon Jovi, and Bonnie Raitt.
Other books by Selena Fragassi include "New Kids on the Block 40th Anniversary Celebration," "NSYNC 30th Anniversary Celebration," and "The Work, Life, and Style of Greta Gerwig."
