A Nice Pair: Rent

It’s Sunday and it’s time for A Nice Pair – book and vinyl pairings that go together like freshly sharpened skates and a frozen lake. Today we’re pairing Anthony Rapp’s book Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss and the Musical Rent with the Rent soundtrack.

Anthony Rapp’s memoir explores his early connection to Rent, from the moment he auditioned to the show’s explosive success. Unfortunately this success was shadowed by the sudden death of its creator, Jonathan Larson. Anthony’s rising success onstage unfolded alongside the painful reality of his mother’s decline from cancer. Without You is a story of deep love, grief and growing up too soon, both onstage and off.

Rent (the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is a 2025 Record Store Day Black Friday exclusive release, pressed on milky clear and red vinyl. The first time it was pressed on vinyl, it celebrates the movie’s 20th anniversary and was limited to 4,500 copies. It features hits such as Seasons of Love and Take Me or Leave Me.