My phoner with Stone Temple Pilots lead guitarist Dean DeLeo might have went overtime but it felt good to bond with a musician I’ve admired for years. In my book, he’s up there with Martin Barre and Steve Howe in the pantheon of great rock lead guitarists. His new solo album, One More Satellite, is actually a duo album with British singer-songwriter Pete Shoulder and two of the songs—“Long Way Down” and “Spit It Out”—rocked my world so hard that the neighbors must be sick of it. I know my music teacher wife is. I was told specifically by the DeLeo camp to keep the conversation to this album. After all, that’s why he’s speaking to me in the first place. But, halfway through a chat that seemed more like two guys at a bar discussing their favorites, I called an audible and asked him about the late Scott Weiland. He didn’t flinch. The story graces our “Up Close” section.

This month’s “Jersey Bookshelf” is on a 2023 short-story collection, Zero-Sum, from my favorite living writer, Joyce Carol Oates, 85, who writes books faster than I can read them. The stories are truly shocking and kept me up nights. This Princeton educator is right up there with Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft, Anne Rice, Stephen King and Clive Barker. But only when she wants to be. Oftentimes, she eases up on the macabre and every book she writes is “The Great American Novel.” But don’t trust me, go read Blonde, On Boxing, Foxfire, The Gravedigger’s Daughter, Mudwoman, Daddy Love, My Life As A Rat and 48 Clues Into The Disappearance Of My Sister. For starters.

Also this month: “Meet…” Vespid (from Camden County), a moshpit-inducing hardcore metal-punk banger of a band. Check out the 60 shows in the 60 days of our “Calendar,” the “Events” section where we spotlight certain evenings that demand attention. Peruse “The Hot 100” with 100 songs by 100 artists who have lived in this state or—a new wrinkle—with songs about New Jersey locations. Learn more “Jersey History,” with this month’s installment on one of the all-time great blues guitarists, Hubert Sumlin. And watch the five videos of “Visual Sound.”

See You In September (as The Happenings, from Paterson, sang in 1966).