2025 books
Both books are now available at any independent local bookstore everywhere via Ingram. They’ll know how.

Heart of Gold: in this alternate history, the music industry died in the sixties. Most of the rock stars you know are playing dive bars and back rooms. Will Neil Young give up on music before anyone has even heard his songs?
Young Nuns: the 2007 release of the iPhone sparked a zombie apocalypse, thwarting the dreams of midwest metalcore band Young Nuns. After rescuing a pop star, they decide to roll out on tour through a dangerous world.
–AUDIOBOOK for Heart of Gold is available on Audible
Full description for Heart of Gold, ISBN: 979-8-9987452-0-1
It’s 1980 and Neil is a burned-out local musician whose band never made it. He put his heart and soul into his music for a decade but has little to show for it except a dozen of tapes of his songs that nobody has ever heard.
He’s getting ready to take a promotion at work and give up music forever when he gets a freak opportunity to go on tour. But there are no limos or hotels, just bus stations and dive bars. Will Neil Young give up on music, or will he thrive with the help of Ozzy Osborne, Jerry Garcia, and Ziggy Stardust?
Love, drugs, regret, and great music feature prominently in this rock and roll odyssey. Musicians, music fans, and pop culture junkies will all root for Neil on his journey through this treacherous and spectacular alternate history.
Full description for Young Nuns, ISBN: 979-8-9987452-1-8
Young Nuns were a teenage Midwestern metalcore band planning their first tour when the smartphone-borne zombie apocalypse of 2007 began. The surviving members toiled in a cul-de-sac compound but during a raid they discovered a secret celebrity rehab clinic where they inexplicably find Britney Spears, alive and unharmed by the zombie horde.
At first she is too distraught to cope but soon takes a liking to the band and their brutal music. Together they make a plan to load up the van and head West to find her children, playing gigs along the way with Britney as their singer.
Amongst the dead they find audiences in cult-like towns on the brink of disaster, young farmers desperate for a party, abusive cannibals, corrupt billionaires, and happy-go-lucky circus folk. But also they find that their myths of manliness and womanhood are holding them back as much as the dead-eyed zombies.
The bodies are piling up and the van is about to blow. It’s time to lay down a blast beat and scream into the mic, “It’s Britney, bitch!”
Written by Joey Molinaro of Pittsburgh, PA, “Zombie Capital of the World.” In addition to playing in Midwestern extreme metal bands, Joey has toured the world with his black metal/ grindcore violin music and written the novels Heart of Gold and YearZer0.
Heart of Gold Audiobook
Although I intend to formally promote the book when I release it in print along with my second novel, xXxYoungxNunsxXx, I decided to record and release the audiobook in advance on Audible!
Now Booking, Summer 2025 West Coast Tour



To me, being a “touring artist” means the way you travel matters. It’s always been my dream to travel in a Mercedes w123, and after years of wrenching I’ve had my baby on the road for gigs in New Orleans, Cincinnati, Nashville, and Chattanooga. I’ll be taking her out West for heavy metal/ punk gigs, acoustic bookstore gigs/ readings, and electronic parties. Email me with inquiries! joeymolinaro (AT) gmail (DOT) com
1980 Special Twin, electronic/ DJ side project
I’ve been augmenting my tours with 1980 Special Twin sets for many years, most notably in New York City. After compiling six albums worth of material, I’ve decided to release them all at once and produce DJ sets by weaving my original music with goth, industrial techno, and experimental dance music. I plan to continue touring with 1980 Special Twin this Summer!