Biography: arts and entertainment Books

Book SynopsisAn occasion to appreciate Dexter's resounding musical genius as well as his wish for major social transformation.Angela Y. Davis, political activist, scholar, author, and speakerSophisticated Giant presents the life and legacy of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon (19231990), one of the major innovators of modern jazz. In a context of biography, history, and memoir, Maxine Gordon has completed the book that her late husband began, weaving his solo turns with her voice and a chorus of voices from past and present. Reading like a jazz composition, the blend of research, anecdote, and a selection of Dexter's personal letters reflects his colorful life and legendary times. It is clear why the celebrated trumpet genius Dizzy Gillespie said to Dexter, Man, you ought to leave your karma to science. Dexter Gordon the icon is the Dexter beloved and celebrated on albums, on film, and in jazz lore--even in a street named for him in Copenhagen. But this image of the cool jazzman fails to come to terTrade Review"Maxine Gordon astutely frames the fiery daring of Dexter Gordon’s generation of bebop innovators in the context of rising black consciousness and creative agency in midcentury America…“Sophisticated Giant” is a work of considerable sophistication, the first-person testimony of its subject employed with affectionate discipline, smartly contextualized and augmented by material from interviews Maxine Gordon conducted with the tenor saxophone masters Sonny Rollins and Jimmy Heath, the record producers Bruce Lundvall and Michael Cucsuna, and others." -- David Hajdu, * The New York Times *“Dexter Gordon’s deep tone, relaxed delivery—even the frequent witty musical quotations—seemed like extensions of his gravely playful speaking voice. That voice carries over on the page too. You can hear it when you read his written testimony and extracts from letters included in Maxine Gordon’s illuminating biography.” -- Kevin Whitehead, * NPR's Fresh Air *“‘Affectionate, enjoyable and informative, painting a portrait of a handsome, elegant, easygoing person and artist who refused to agonize about his past.” * Wall Street Journal *“A particularly intimate look at . . . career highs in this wonderful biography of the iconic jazzman. . . . Most striking for this reader was how, through her intimate, first-hand knowledge of her husband’s life, Maxine was able to convey how the art of jazz was far more than a career path for Dexter and his colleagues. “ * The Austin Chronicle *“[Gordon] displays firsthand knowledge of the political economy of jazz playing and the discrimination and grievances musicians endured...her honesty and passion bleed into her prose to create a lively and valuable look at the jazz giant and his world. Verdict: For jazz lovers first but enjoyable for general readers, too.” * Library Journal *"Throughout the book, Maxine provides rich descriptions of people, places, and events, often quoting from Dexter. Through her meticulous research, new information about him emerges. . . While meticulous about details, the author is also a good storyteller, so, aside from its scholarly discipline, the book is intriguing and leads the reader forward like an absorbing detective novel." * All About Jazz *“Maxine’s book shows us not only the world Dexter Gordon lived and breathed, but many other musicians we know, don’t know and should know. We see the reality of the Jazz world, the unthinkable hardships and struggles brought together through the common love of music. The book is incredible. Maxine Gordon is incredible. Her passion to share, explore and discuss the reality of the Jazz world is a true inspiration." * Jazz in Europe *“An informative, well-paced, suite like literary work that chronicles the saxophonist’s family, influences, inspirations, zeniths, and nadirs, and documents his legacy as one of the most influential saxophonists in jazz history.” -- Eugene Holley Jr., * Publishers Weekly *"Gordon’s life has previously been chronicled, but not with so much of his own achingly personal, brutally honest voice. Sophisticated Giant is not a critical analysis of his music; instead, Maxine has interwoven Dexter’s own letters and poetry with a broad spectrum of anecdotal accounts, plus her own meticulous scholarship and adoring reflections, to craft a vivid life story. . . . This is a must-read for jazz fans." * Jazz Times *"Blending forensic research with scholarly insight, Sophisticated Giant’s compelling story unfurls like one of Gordon’s sinuous sax solos. Essential reading for jazz fans." * Record Collector *“Dexter Gordon left us almost three decades ago, but his presence in 2018 has virtually brought him back to center stage." * All About Jazz *“There’s a major new biography out of saxophonist Dexter Gordon, and it’s worth checking out.” * Stereogum *“When I say that this is essential reading for anyone interested in modern jazz from the late thirties on, you'd better believe it!. . . . Tell your own true love that, this year, you don't want any more partridges in a pear tree, lords a-leaping or even five golden rings. No, what you want for Christmas this year is (apart from him/her) a Sophisticated Giant.” * bebop spoken here *“Offers a rare vantage point into the life of one of jazz’s most cherished figures.” * Jazziz *“Easy-to-read, well-written, superbly documented, much-anticipated. . . . One unique thing about the book is that it makes you feel like you are there with her listening to her talk, about her time in the jazz world with some of the best musicians on earth. But just when you get used to her writing like an excited jazz fan, she easily switches to a keen researcher and a solid scholar.” * Jazz Corner *“Maxine Gordon's recently released book ‘Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Times of Dexter Gordon’ is no ordinary jazz biography. It is a book that transports you into the reality of a Jazz musicians’ life, the highs and lows, the hardships and the inexplicable power of Jazz – beautifully written by an author whose passion for ensuring Dexter’s story is told honestly, is inspiring. Dexter Gordon was indeed a ‘Sophisticated Giant’ but when you read the book, you can’t help but feel there are actually two sophisticated giants here.” * The Jazz Room @ Style Quarterly Magazine *"Exceptional. . . . Maxine Gordon believes that 'the story of Dexter's life is nothing less than a cultural history of creative Black Americans in the interwar and postwar years.' In Sophisticated Giant, she's written a book that reflects this important truth." * New York City Jazz Record *“Sophisticated Giant paints a convincing picture of an extremely charming, intelligent, resilient, and talented man." * Arts Fuse *“This is a story that had to be told.” * KUVO/KVJZ *“An intimate, keenly-rendered new biography that will interest jazz enthusiasts and anyone with an interest in American popular culture. . . . It’s a warm, subjective story that trains an astute lens on the social and political circumstances that helped shape a career; and for that, it stand outs as a landmark contribution to the literature of the jazz.” * Seattle Times *“A work that’s both scrupulously researched history and intimate memoir.” * MOJO *Table of Contents1. The Saga of Society Red 1 2. An Uncommon Family 13 3. Education of an Eastside Altar Boy 26 4. Leaving Home 35 5. Pops 44 6. Blowin’ the Blues Away 51 7. Business Lessons 62 8. Mischievous Lady 77 9. Central Avenue Bop 87 10. Trapped 99 11. Resurgence 113 12. New Life 120 13. Very Saxily Yours 134 14. Trouble in Paris 144 15. The Khalif of Valby 155 16. Homecoming 167 17. Bebop at Work 179 18. Round Midnight 191

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Book SynopsisAn October 2022 IndieNext pick”[An] engaging and beautifully narrated quest for personal fulfillment and musical recognition...This is a fast-paced tale in which music and love always take center stage...A truly gifted musician, Price writes about her journey with refreshing candor.”—Kirkus, starred review”Brutally honest…a vivid and poignant memoir.”—The GuardianCountry music star Margo Price shares the story of her struggle to make it in an industry that preys on its ingenues while trying to move on from devastating personal tragedies. When Margo Price was nineteen years old, she dropped out of college and moved to Nashville to become a musician. She busked on the street, played open mics, and even threw out her TV so that she would do nothing but write songs. She met Jeremy Ivey, a fellow musician who would become her closest collaborator and her husband. But after worTrade Review[An] engaging and beautifully narrated quest for personal fulfillment and musical recognition...This is a fast-paced tale in which music and love always take center stage...A truly gifted musician, Price writes about her journey with refreshing candor. * Kirkus, starred review *[A] dazzling debut...Told with moving candor, Price’s tale of overcoming squalor and pain provides powerful emotional context to her hard-won country music stardom. Fans will adore this story of survival. * Publishers Weekly *[Maybe We'll Make It] documents [Price's] prolonged plight and the unsung truth of breaking into the biz: It’s not glamorous...Her candid memoir takes the reader on a life-affirming journey. * BuzzFeed News *Brutally honest…a vivid and poignant memoir. * The Guardian *Margo Price delivers an unflinching self-portrait of an artist striving to find her sound and make her Music City dreams come true...Artists of all creeds will find something relatable in Maybe We’ll Make It, with its raw depictions of the artist’s perennial dilemma: bridging the transcendental need to create with the very real need to survive. Beyond this, Price’s memoir offers a heart-wrenching account of her journey as a mother. * Chapter 16 *Price has a knack for telling stories and drawing readers into her life and experience, and Maybe We’ll Make It radiates with her bright candor; she’s not interested in hiding her heart in the shadows and covering her feelings with darkness. Price bares her soul and the jaggedness of her emotions, making Maybe We’ll Make It one of the best music memoirs so far this year. * No Depression *An astonishing tale of an incredible journey...Of its many notable successes, the book efficiently and effectively seals the chapter on popular, mainstream country music's divorce from its diverse, rustic roots. Plus, Price's tales highlight that split's honest, near-destructive impact on the genre's metaphorical orphaned children. Even deeper, these artists energizing themselves and their careers via digital-era globalization and DIY bootstrapping—amid East Nashville-residing marginalization from country music's mainstream industry—reads like the most authentic and timeless outlaw tale combining elements of punk rock and country's crossover into 70s-era rock and roll. * The Tennessean *The gritty struggle of how to get noticed in Nashville…Now established as a favourite songwriter of Willie Nelson, Margo Price had a hard ride to where she is today, her memoir reading like a soap opera borne from a song...As Price's music evolved, so her wisdom grows during the book, and at its heart is stoic love: for each other, for family and friends, and above all for music and creative freedom. * Mojo *Courageously frank, utterly moving...Price tells us, with breathtaking honesty and courage, her story to achieve a sustainable career as a singer-songwriter. Through all manner of struggles, humiliations, disappointments, and personal tragedies, Price maintains her perseverance despite being tested to the core. * The Current *Compelling, honest, and powerful...Maybe We’ll Make It should be required reading for anyone thinking about how music is made in the 2020’s. That applies not only to artists, but also (perhaps especially) to club owners, journalists, or record company executives. * Americana Highways *[A] stunning, emotional, inspiring new memoir…In her authentic, no-nonsense voice, Price shares the stories that became songs, and the small acts of love and camaraderie it takes to survive in a music industry that is often unkind to women. * Our Quad Cities *A rough, rowdy, and brutally honest story of dreams and frustrations, good and bad choices, pain and joy...Price’s willingness to be open and honest about her experiences and mistakes is one of the most fascinating aspects of the book. She also avoids the twin traps common to memoirists, neither amping up her tales for exploitative shock value nor casting her past in self-pitying justification. Instead, she presents her stories of substance abuse, bad choices, and infidelity as simple facts...While Price’s personal journey centers the book, a larger story unfolds alongside it. Price’s encounters with the 21st-century mainstream Nashville music-biz complex are informative, entertaining, and, at times, unsettling. * The Nashvillian *[Maybe We'll Make It] begins with Price’s childhood in rural Illinois and ends with her April 2016 appearance on 'Saturday Night Live.' Most of her fans have followed the music she’s made since then, but Maybe We’ll Make It sheds light on the long road that got her there. * Austin American-Statesman *Margo Price's memoir of grit and resilience is one of our favorites to come out on University of Texas Press's consistently quality American Music Series. The Nashville-based, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter relates the twenty years since she dropped out of college to become a musician with a keenly illustrative narrative voice and invokes a storyteller who 'quit trying to change the past' in order to share the lessons for 'the recent future.' * Rough Trade, "US Books of the Year 2022" *[Price’s] new memoir, which covers her childhood and her years struggling to start her career in Nashville, proves that she’s just as talented at penning prose as she is at writing songs – which is to say, really damn good. Reading this book feels like hanging out with one of your smartest, liveliest friends. * NPR, "2022 Books We Love" *Maybe We’ll Make It is a beautiful, soul-bearing memoir…Despite her elegant prose, Price does not hold back any of the ugly details of her starving artist lifestyle…Her unabashed commentary on the sexist undertones of the country music industry, and the grueling need to prove herself to record labels that are only too eager to cast her aside, reveal her fighter spirit...Even in her darkest moments, Price writes with crushing honesty and humility. Her story serves as a poignant reflection on finding courage in chaos and leaning on a support system when life is too difficult to shoulder alone. * SPIN, "9 Can’t-Put-Down Music Memoirs Of 2022" *[An] unflinching memoir...Price paints a vivid portrait of a musician who moves to Nashville with big dreams. * The Boot, "10 Best Country Music Books of 2022" *Maybe We’ll Make It never becomes a morality tale, which would be out of character for the artist and a poor interpretation of her life. Price’s early years become part of the complexity of who she is, not just as an artist but as a person...It might be unusual for an artist to pen a memoir so early in her career, but Price has never done things the normal way, and in this case, the choice to write was an excellent decision. * Spectrum Culture *[Maybe We'll Make It leaves] you hankering for a sequel this sharply remembered, keenly written and marvelously self-perceptive. * Variety, "Best Music Books of 2022" *Price is a forthright and spirited raconteur with a quick turn of phrase. Her affable, earnest nature draws in the reader, despite her occasional transgressions (and, at times, maybe even because of them). * Relix *This is the best music memoir of the year. As she does in her music, Price lays her soul bare here, pulling no punches in revealing her highs and lows, including her struggles with addiction and the faltering early days of her marriage, with bright candor. Price knows well how tell a story and draws us easily into the shadows and light of her life and music. * No Depression, "2022's Most Memorable Music Books" *[An] excellent memoir. * Rolling Stone *It would be an understatement to call her poignant, pulverizing memoir, ... Maybe We’ll Make It, soul-baring. Price practically plops her heart, spleen, and a couple of kidneys onto the page. * Jezebel *A riveting, often shocking read. * Clash Music *In terms of heartbreaking honesty, [Maybe We'll Make It] gives Prince Harry a run for his money. * The Irish Times *Much like [Price's] music, her memoir is written with an authentic, singular voice. She opens up more about loss, motherhood, drinking, her songs, and much more. * The Bluegrass Situation *[Maybe We'll Make It] offers a beautifully wrought narrative of cheerleading, waitressing, poverty, substance abuse, drunk tanks and grievous personal loss as she was rebuffed by the music business for over a decade. * The Telegraph *The writer and woman we find in the memoir is the same person we find in [Price's] music: candid and vulnerable with the ability to make you laugh with one line and make you cry with the next. Maybe We’ll Make It explores the balance of art and life, the ups and downs of 'making it,' profound love, and profound loss. Price’s writing is conversational, lyrical, and above all, human. You can hear the person behind the prose. * Literary Hub *[An] outstanding and unflinching memoir. * Nashville Scene *Price has to be praised for writing such an open and honest account of her early life as a musician, struggling to ‘make it’ in the modern day music business. Reading this book, you can’t help but think that every wannabe music star should be sat down and forced to read this before they embark on their first gig, because this is an incredibly honest account of just how difficult it can be to even get on the bottom rung of that long climb to the top...This book is every bit as compelling as her songs...[Maybe We'll Make It] is, quite simply, a great read. * Americana UK *'Singing is not a real job,' a guidance counselor once told a teenage Margo Price. What she shows us in her moving memoir is what a heck of a lot of work it is...Here, you sense, is someone who has fought every day for what she wants to do—and a reminder of how much unseen toil goes into a creative life. * Wall Street Journal, "Five Best Books on Country Music" *The story of [Price's] development as an artist—and a person—who, by almost any means necessary, is making it by sticking to her beliefs and doing it her way, makes for a interesting read. * Ft.Myers Magazine *Price’s music is the soundtrack to her courageous story in progress. In the best possible way, this book reads like the liner notes: honest, heartfelt, and profound. * Shepherd *She has never lost that early hunger, or her rebellious streak. Hers is a tale of committed endurance punctuated by euphoria, and gives insight into several unlikely influences – the Kinks and Sylvia Plath among them – on her irrepressible music. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of Contents Prologue Chapter 1. The Unpaved Road Chapter 2. Rearview Mirror Chapter 3. Fifty-Seven Dollars Chapter 4. Strays Chapter 5. Lay Around with the Dogs Chapter 6. This Town Gets Around (and Around and Around) Chapter 7. Black Water Chapter 8. Stealing from Thieves Chapter 9. Floating Chapter 10. Pearls to Swine Chapter 11. Hell in the Heartland Chapter 12. Everywhere Chapter 13. Mesa Boogie Chapter 14. C for California Chapter 15. Aimless Fate Chapter 16. Ball and Unchained Chapter 17. New Mama Chapter 18. Ezra and Judah Chapter 19. Drowning Chapter 20. Uppers, Downers, Out-of-Towners Chapter 21. Burn Whatever’s Left Chapter 22. Treading Water Chapter 23. Weekender Chapter 24. A Band of My Own Chapter 25. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter Chapter 26. One Dark Horse Chapter 27. The Recent Future Epilogue Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisAmos Vogel was one of America's most innovative film historians and curators. An émigré from Austria who arrived in New York just before the Second World War, in 1947 he created Cinema 16, a pioneering film club aimed at audiences thirsty for work "that cannot be seen elsewhere," and in 1963 was instrumental in establishing the New York Film Festival. He later embarked on an ambitious teaching career, synthesizing decades of experience and directing his ideas towards students and, eventually, the wider public. In 1974 he published the culmination of his thoughts – along with an extraordinary collection of stills – in Film as a Subversive Art. On his death, the New York Times wrote that Vogel "exerted an influence on the history of film that few other non-filmmakers can claim." Be Sand, Not Oil is the first book about Vogel, and includes uncollected writings, an unpublished interview, and new essays documenting his never-ending quest for what Werner Herzog, his friend of many decades, has described as "adequate imagery."Trade ReviewAn important new book. * The New Yorker *An indispensable study...If the book is invaluable for gathering together numerous never-before-collected or previously unpublished pieces by Vogel himself, the newly commissioned essays by various scholars are every bit as welcome. -- filmcomment

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Book SynopsisCelebrate the incredible career of pop music’s biggest star in this sparkling biography.We’re all living in the Taylor Swift Era. Since her 2006 debut album she’s sold more than 200 million records, sold out countless arenas and become one of the most influential artists of her generation. Her Eras tour is on track to gross more than $1 billion by the time it concludes in December 2024, and her most recent studio album hit No. 1 in more than 25 countries.In this revealing and entertaining biography, author and music journalist Caroline Sullivan charts Taylor’s journey from budding country starlet to pop music phenomenon, encompassing her evolution as an artist, her high-profile relationships and the stories behind her songs. Each of Taylor’s Eras is explored in depth, detailing her influences, her collaborators and the aesthetics that have become such a crucial part of her performance.Fea

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Book SynopsisChairman at the Board is an intimate, funny, and absorbing look at the music business by an insider who has recorded a host of the greatest musical artists of the twentieth century. Bill Schnee takes the reader inside the studiobehind the curtainand through the decades with a cavalcade of famous artists as he helped them to realize their vision. After his high school band was dropped by Decca Records, Schnee began his quest to learn everything he could about making records. Mentored by recording legend Richie Podolor at his American Recording Studio and mastering guru Doug Sax, he immediately began recording the top acts of the day as a freelance engineer/producer in Hollywood. Clive Davis soon hired him to work for CBS where he partnered with famed music producer Richard Perry. Schnee went on to record and/or mix most of Perry''s biggest albums of the ''70s and ''80s, including those by Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, Art Garfunkel, and the Pointer

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Courageous and passionate enough to always embrace change, Linda has infused her life, love, and creativity with spirituality and a truly open heart." -- Jane Seymour, actress "Linda and Elvis sitting in bed doing [Monty] Python sketches in shrilt middle-aged women's voices was something I found hard to believe. I love this woman. You will too." -- Eric Idle, comedian "Linda has led an extraordinary life filled with both blessings and challenges, but she has met them both with grace and kindness." -- Roma Downey, actress "From Graceland's Jungle Room to the beaches of Malibu, my dear friend Linda shares her incredibly interesting and emotional journey, where she never once lost her sense of humor or maiden name." -- Kevin Nealon, comedian "Once in a while a memoir comes along that will change your life. This is not that book, but it is a fascinating inside look at pop-culture history from the nicest, most beautiful woman in the world." -- Jon Lovitz, comedian "Linda Thompson has had quite a life, and she's quite a woman. She is sweet, gentle, articulate, and loving. She's glamorous, so fun-and she's a mom. As her song says, this is all 'a little thing called life' but her life was no little thing." -- Tony Danza, actor "A funny thing happened on the way to Linda's life, namely Elvis, Bruce/Caitlyn, David Foster, and a rock star son. I was mesmerized by the front row seat 'behind the curtain.' A must-read!" -- Sela Ward, actress "Linda is loving, full of spirit, and always makes you feel as if you are the most important person in the room." -- Tim Allen, comedian "Words are the voice of the heart, and with Linda's Southern grace, she speaks with the tenderness, strength, and resilience of a true Steel Magnolia." -- Billy Ray Cyrus, musician "What amazes me about Linda goes far beyond her ridiculous talents for writing lyrics-it is that amidst the interesting and seemingly overwhelming and unique life she's led, she has remained the same beautiful human being she has always been." -- Brooke Shields, actress

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Book SynopsisFrom the mind of brilliant historian Robin Kelley comes the first full biography of legendary jazz musician Thelonious Monk, including full access to the family''s archives, dozens of interviews, and an afterword for Monk’s 2017 centennial.Thelonious Monk is the critically acclaimed, gripping saga of an artist’s struggle to “make it” without compromising his musical vision. It is a story that, like its subject, reflects the tidal ebbs and flows of American history in the twentieth century. To his fans, he was the ultimate hipster; to his detractors, he was temperamental, eccentric, taciturn, or childlike. His angular melodies and dissonant harmonies shook the jazz world to its foundations, ushering in the birth of “bebop” and establishing Monk as one of America’s greatest com­posers. Elegantly written and rich with humor and pathos, Thelonious Monk is the definitive work on modern jazz’s m

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Book SynopsisGRANT GREEN REDISCOVERING THE FORGOTTEN GENIUS OF JAZZ GUITAR

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Book SynopsisTHE YARDBIRDS THE BAND THAT LAUNCHED ERIC CLAPTON JEFF BECK AND JIMMY PAGE SFTCOVER

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Book Synopsis“When Ben got out of the hospital he said, ‘When I fall down and can’t pick myself up we’ll know it’s over. Until then, we rock!’” – Jeff CarlisiBenjamin Orr was the co-founder, co-lead singer, and bassist for the platinum-selling rock band The Cars. Often considered the band’s heartthrob, Orr possessed an incredible voice, diverse musical talent, and rare stage presence, all balanced by an enigmatic personality and a relentless determination to reach rock stardom.Selling over 30 million albums worldwide with fifteen Billboard Top 40 hits, The Cars certainly achieved success. Within a decade of the debut album, though, Orr found himself adrift and without a band. Veteran music journalist Joe Milliken draws together interviews with over 120 family members, friends, bandmates, and music associates from Orr's life, as well as many unpublished and never-before-seen photos from private collections, to reveal an intimate portrait of one of classic rock’s greatest talents. From Orr’s first performances as a house-band musician for the TV show UpBeat through his creation of The Cars with Ric Ocasek to Orr’s eventual rebirth with the supergroup Big People, this definitive account of Orr’s life is a rollercoaster ride that sheds new light on the history of The Cars.Orr is no longer able to rock with The Cars, but the music he made with them continues to attract new generations of fans. Coinciding with the band’s 2018 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this first-ever biography of Benjamin Orr immortalizes his legacy as a deeply kind-hearted and exceptionally talented musician who would stop at nothing to live his rock and roll dream.Trade ReviewIf rock star genetics truly exist, Benjamin Orr was certainly born with the gene. His persona and his talent came naturally, without trying to play the role. His generosity and love are a big part of his legacy and that comes through beautifully in Milliken’s book. -- Jeff Carlisi, guitarist for 38 Special, Big PeopleMilliken lifts the veil on the ice-cool demeanor of Ben Orr, the languid rocking voice at the center of The Cars' classic pop-rock sound, uncovering details behind his musical journey. I'm very glad that such an informative and insightful book has finally been written about Ben since his contribution to classic rock music is vast and cannot be ignored. -- Pat Travers, rock guitaristI find it fitting that my talented friend Joe would write a book about another friend, Benjamin Orr. Ben was a fantastic singer and musician, and a gifted writer - another thing Ben had in common with Joe! -- Charlie Farren, vocalist, guitarist for FARRENHEIT, Joe Perry ProjectTo know Ben was an honor and a pleasure. He could go from ‘rock god’ to ‘bro’ in seconds, ready to go hang with the boys, but usually be a magnet for the girls. There was no pretense, just talent and good nature. Hats off to Joe Milliken for making sure his story is remembered. -- Bill Gerber, film producer and formerly of Lookout ManagementThis book is a roller-coaster ride through the 60s and 70s with the movers and shakers of the Cleveland music scene, where Ben Orr grew up! -- Walt Masky, Cleveland television and record producerMy adventures with Ben before, during and after The Cars and pop stardom, were always marked with mischief and an effortless connection. He was a delightful, generous, magnetic and down-to-earth guy, with one of the greatest voices I’ve ever heard. I’m so glad Joe Milliken is telling Ben’s story. -- Fuzzbee Morse, multi-instrumentalist, film and music composer, producer

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Book Synopsis‘My favourite moment is when I finish a song, that is the moment I cherish.’ – Rod TempertonThe Invisible Man tells the remarkable story of how Rod Temperton worked his way up from a Grimsby fish factory to become one of the most successful songwriters of all time.Born in Cleethorpes in 1949, Temperton embarked on a career in music with the funk band Heatwave, for whom he wrote the international hits ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Always and Forever’, before his songwriting talent caught the attention of Michael Jackson’s legendary producer, Quincy Jones.For Jackson’s Off the Wall album, Temperton penned both the hit ‘Rock with You’ and the album’s title track. Three years later, he started work on what would become the best-selling album of all time – Michael Jackson’s Thriller – writing three songs, including the now legendary title track. And yet despite collaborating with some of music’s biggest stars, including Donna Summer and Michael McDonald, Temperton was famously reclusive and seldom gave interviews. Having enjoyed unprecedented access to the great man for his Sony Award-winning radio documentary on Temperton, Jed Pitman presents the fully updated, definitive story of one of music’s most talented individuals.

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Book SynopsisYOU''LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU''LL CATCH: CHEAP TRICK FROM THE BARS TO THE BUDOKAN AND BEYOND

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Book SynopsisBest known for co-founding the early punk duo Suicide, Alan Vega lived a complex and labyrinthine life, driven by a desire to express himself uncompromisingly through art. From his first sketch in art class at Brooklyn College to the 2021 release of the album Mutator five years after his death, Vega continues to shock and inspire.This first-ever biography of Vega tells the story of the man's life and art, beginning with his early attempts to live a normal life and his epiphanic encounter with Iggy Pop in 1969. Although becoming a performer on stage had been at the bottom of Vega's list of lifetime ambitions, Iggy changed his mind: he needed music to truly express his vision. Radical Dreams goes on to describe Vega's many experiments across a variety of media, including the partnership with Marty Rev that became Suicide, which challenged audiences to look deep inside themselves and to not settle for distractions.Written by Vega's widow Liz Lamere in collaboration with a

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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest artists our country has is Benny Golson. He is not only a great musician, but an original and fabulous composer. He is inventive and creative and his work is loved the world over. Benny is a rare, creative genius. All I would like to say is THREE CHEERS for Benny Golson!Tony BennettComposer supreme, tenor man supreme, jazz man supreme, good guy supreme: that's BENNY GOLSON!Sonny RollinsBorn during thede factoinaugural era of jazz, saxophonist Benny Golson learned his instrument and the vocabulary of jazz alongside John Coltrane while Golson was still in high school in Philadelphia. Quickly establishing himself as an iconic fixture on the jazz landscape, Golson performed with dozens of jazz greats, from Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, and Jimmy Heath to Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, and many others. An acclaimed composer, Golson also wrote music for Hollywood films and television and composed such memorable jazz standards as Stablemates, Killer Joe, and Whisper NTable of ContentsPreface, by Jim Merod IntroductionPart I John Coltrane Chapter 1 One of a Kind: John Coltrane Chapter 2 John and I Meet Diz and Bird Chapter 3 John Becomes a Dynamo Part II The ’Hood and Youthful Reckonings Chapter 4 Uncle Robert and the Man Chapter 5 Two Heroes and a Night at Minton’s Chapter 6 Early Tragedies and Victories Chapter 7 Welfare Days, Hard TimesPart III Great People Chapter 8 No One Else: Bobbie Hurd Chapter 9 Moose and Bostic Chapter 10 Art Blakey’s Neophytes and Tadd Dameron’s Luck Chapter 11 Further Adventures with Tadd and an Evening with Louis Armstrong Chapter 12 The Duel: Clifford Brown and Fats Navarro Chapter 13 Wonder and Beauty: Betty Carter and Art Farmer Chapter 14 Genius Squared: Jimmy and Percy Heath Chapter 15 Unrivaled Aces: Sarah Vaughan and Bill Evans Chapter 16 Four "Brothers": Mulgrew Miller, Woody Herman, Henry Brant, and George RussellPart IV Hollywood Chapter 17 Starting Over Chapter 18 Gettin’ My Mojo Workin’ Chapter 19 M*A*S*H Chapter 20 Movie Stars Like Jazz, TooPart V Amazing Friendships Chapter 21 Quincy Jones Chapter 22 Sweets and Diz Chapter 23 Philly Joe Jones Chapter 24 Monk, Max, and Dinah Chapter 25 Curtis Fuller and The JazztetPart VI Music and Writing Chapter 26 Writing Chapter 27 Lessons Chapter 28 "Stablemates": My First Recorded Song Chapter 29 "Along Came Betty" Chapter 30 "I Remember Clifford" Chapter 31 The Ballad and "Weight"Part VII Icons Chapter 32 Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks Chapter 33 Duke and Strayhorn Chapter 34 Coleman Hawkins Chapter 35 Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk Chapter 36 Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Chapter 37 Kenny Dorham and Lee Morgan Chapter 38 Sonny Rollins Chapter 39 Great Performances: Oscar Pettiford, Ron Carter, Billy Higgins, Billy Taylor, and Walter Davis, Jr. Chapter 40 Charles Mingus, Benny Goodman, Gigi Gryce, and Horace Silver Chapter 41 Peggy Lee and Diana Ross Chapter 42 Milt "Bags" Jackson, Larry Young, Joe Farrell, and Tony Williams Chapter 43 Wynton Kelly and Chick Corea Chapter 44 Miles Davis and Geoffrey Keezer Chapter 45 Mickey Rooney, Redd Foxx, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Muhammad AliPart VIII Verses and a Coda Chapter 46 Notes on Starting Over Chapter 47 The Blues Chapter 48 Brielle Coda: A New Way of Life Acknowledgments Index

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Book Synopsis'Authoritative . . . highly nuanced . . . gives the reader a palpable sense of Mr. Eastwood's career.'--The New York TimesFrom the moment The Man With No Name first fixed the screen with his murderous squint, from the first time audiences heard Dirty Harry Callahan growl 'Make my day,' Clint Eastwood has been an icon of American manhood in all its coolness and ferocity. But that icon is also an actor of surprising subtlety, a filmmaker of vast intelligence and originality--and an intensely private man who eludes the stereotypes with which his fans and critics try to label him.In this in-depth biography, the distinguished film critic Richard Schickel talks with Eastwood's family, friends, and colleagues--and, above all, with his notoriously reticent subject--to produce a portrait more astute and revealing than any we have ever had. Following Eastwood from his unstable childhood through his turbulent love affairs, assessing films from A Fistful of Dollars to t

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Book SynopsisAward-winning music journalist Don McLeese offers the first musical biography of the electrifying artist who has most successfully bridged the disparate worlds of commercial country and alternative/Americana/roots music, Dwight Yoakam.Trade ReviewThis lovingly crafted and compulsively readable biography is essential for fans of Yoakam and lovers of good music writing. * Library Journal *Table of Contents Introduction: A Thousand Miles from Nowhere 1. How Far Is Heaven? 2. Readin', Rightin', Rt. 23 3. South of Cincinnati, West of Columbus 4. Corvette Cowboy 5. From Kentucky Bourbon to Babylonian Cowboys 6. Who You Callin' Cowpunk? 7. Honky-Tonk Man 8. "It's Jes' Ol' Hillbilly Stuff" 9. Hillbilly Deluxe 10. Streets of Bakersfield 11. Bonus Cut 12. "Well, I'm Back Again . . ." 13. Wild Ride 14. Gone, Real Gone 15. Act Naturally 16. The Same Fool 17. Playing Out the String 18. South of Heaven, West of Hell (and Off the Charts) 19. Splitsville 20. Produced by Dwight Yoakam 21. The Buck Stops Here 22. "I Wanna Love Again, Feel Young Again" Appendix. The Dwight Dozen: A Selected Discography Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisIn early 1991, top music manager Danny Goldberg agreed to take on Nirvana, a critically acclaimed new band from the underground music scene in Seattle. He had no idea that the band''s leader, Kurt Cobain, would become a pop-culture icon with a legacy arguably at the level of John Lennon, Michael Jackson, or Elvis Presley. Danny worked with Kurt from 1990 to 1994, the most impactful period of Kurt''s life. This key time saw the stratospheric success of Nevermind turn Nirvana into the most successful rock band in the world and make punk and grunge household names; Kurt met and married the brilliant but mercurial Courtney Love and their relationship became a lightning rod for critics; their daughter Frances Bean was born; and, finally, Kurt''s public struggles with addiction ended in a devastating suicide that would alter the course of rock history. Throughout, Danny stood by Kurt''s side as manager, and close friend.Drawing on Danny''s own memories of KurtTrade ReviewInsightful, passionate, and clear-eyed, Goldberg's account of his personal and professional relationship with Kurt Cobain is required reading. It is essentially the story of two men, a generation apart, who became unexpected friends and a contemplative requiem to losing someone you love who immeasurably touched the entire planet with a singular magic. * THURSTON MOORE, SONIC YOUTH *As soon as I started reading , I got sucked in, and I couldn't put it down... any music fan should want this book. Any Nirvana fan "must" have this book. * JOAN JETT *Serving The Servant is a clear, straightforward look into a gifted artist's struggle to balance integrity with ambition. Danny Goldberg shows us how Cobain dealt with sudden, massive acclaim while continuing to hone his unique creative vision. There has been a lot of mythologizing and deification of Cobain, but Goldberg humanizes him. * JULIANA HATFIELD *There have been many portraits of Kurt Cobain, but none as warm and clear-eyed as this one. Danny Goldberg has always been one of my favorite observer/journalist/architects of popular culture. It's no surprise that his deeply personal memoir does what Cobain's best work does. It burrows in deep, and sticks around. Add this to the rich sonic legacy of Nirvana - Goldberg's soulful account of Cobain as a close friend, gone way too soon, yet vividly alive on every page of this remarkable book. * CAMERON CROWE *People always ask, "What was Kurt really like?" That's probably not a question that any one person can answer about anybody, but anyone who knew Kurt will tell you that this book sends you vividly back to that person, in that time, at those places. Serving the Servant contributes an invaluable piece to a complicated collage. * MICHAEL AZERRAD, author of Come as You Are *A deeply honest book that provides crucial insight into a brilliant life and a death that broke all of our hearts. * ANN POWERS, author of Good Booty *Goldberg's portrait of Cobain is loving, intimate, and three-dimensional. We feel the pain of Cobain's loss anew, palpably - as we do the indelible power of the great gift of his music. * ANTHONY DECURTIS, author of Lou Reed *As a fan and onetime rock journalist, Danny Goldberg treasures Kurt Cobain as an artist. As Nirvana's manager, he witnessed the ambition and empathy that drove Cobain toward stardom. As an activist, he admires Cobain's courageously explicit politics. As Cobain's shrewd advisor and fond friend, he misses him even more acutely than the rest of us. * ROBERT CHRISTGAU, author of Is It Still Good to Ya? *

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Book SynopsisINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The first oral biography of John F. Kennedy Jr. is an extraordinarily intimate, comprehensive look at the real man behind the myth. Sharing never-before-told stories and insights, his closest friends, confidantes, lovers, classmates, teachers, and colleagues paint a vivid portrait of one of the most beloved figures of the 20th century, revealing how the boy who saluted became the man America came to know and love who still captures public imagination twenty-five years after his tragic death.Born into the spotlight, John F. Kennedy Jr. lived a short but remarkable life filled with expectation, ambition, family pressures, love, and tragedy. JFK Jr. dives deep into his complicated psyche and explores the what-ifs, illuminating both the cultural and political moment he inhabited and the way this son of a president, so full of promise and possibility, embodied America’s most cherished hopes.

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Book SynopsisHR Giger (19402014) is one of the outstanding figures in Swiss art and design history, celebrated around the world for his design of the fantastic creatures and eerie environments that terrified moviegoers in Ridley Scott's 1979 science fiction film Alien. Yet very little is known about Giger''s childhood and youth in his native town of Chur. A trove of photographs, drawings by the young boy Hansruedi, and early art works that already reveal the future HR Giger's artistic force, recently unearthed in the Giger family's former holiday home in the Grisons, now offer intimate insights into his early years until the early 1960s.Richly illustrated with more than 230 images from that collection, HR Giger: The Early Years tells, for the first time, the story of those two decades before Giger decided to move to Zurich and train as an architect and designer in 1962. Supplemented by brief texts as well as by statements from his schoolmates, friends, a

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[Isabella Stewart Gardner] shed[s] light on this complex woman and cut[s] through the misconceptions that have grown up around her."---Michael Patrick Brady, WBUR"A fascinating life story of a woman who defied convention to create an enduring legacy."---Sarah Cascone, ArtNet"Nathaniel Silver and Diana Seave Greenwald...have drawn on the personal archive of the celebrated philanthropist and collector, bringing to light new details about her art tastes and collecting activities along with her vision for her palazzo-style museum."---Gareth Harris, The Art Newspaper ​​​​​​​"As befits an official biography, Silver and Greenwald approach their subject with decorum and respect: they neither hide nor emphasize potentially controversial elements, carefully outlining the sources of money in Isabella’s family and the old Boston Brahmin fortune of her devoted husband."---Peter Walsh, Arts Fuse

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Book Synopsis An attractive new hardcover edition of the classic biography of Tamara de Lempicka, whose paintings defined Art Deco and whose life epitomised the Jazz Age. As F. Scott Fitzgerald portrayed the mad glories of the 1920s on the printed page, Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980) captured them on canvas. A seductive Garbo-esque beauty with an irresistible force of personality, this refugee of the Russian Revolution successively conquered Paris, Hollywood, and New York with coruscating portraits of the world''s rich and famous. Her Art Deco paintings earned for her a life more fabulously excessive than anything Fitzgerald dreamed of. Passion by Design, authored by Tamara de Lempicka''s own daughter, is an intimate look at a fascinating personality, and remains the best account of her life and work. This new edition is illustrated with vibrant colour reproductions of her finest paintings, as well as exclusive photographs from family albums. An additional chapter by Victoria de Lempicka, the artist''s granddaughter, explores the ever-evolving legacy of Tamara de Lempicka, from the record eight-figure price fetched by her painting La Tunique Rose in November 2019 to the new musical based on her life.

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Book SynopsisGet inside the head of one of the most influential women in the world, one who has penetrated almost every media space with her unique combination of savvy business sense, practical homemaking advice, and good humor. This collection of quotes has been gathered from Martha Stewart’s numerous public statements—interviews, op-eds, television appearances, books, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her business empire, her advice for life and the home, and her comeback after scandal and imprisonment. Martha Stewart has called herself a “late bloomer,” but after she published her first book, Entertaining, at the age of 49, she rapidly built on that first success, launching magazines, television shows, retail lines, and more books to establish a media empire. Her name is synonymous with tasteful decor, delicious from-scratch foods, and the covetable estates she keeps in upstate New York, the Hamptons, and Maine. Even after the insider trading scandal that threatened to derail her career in 2004, Stewart was able to rebuild her image of classic domesticity matched by a tireless work ethic. New ventures like “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party” have added a sense of playfulness to her personal brand and introduced her to new audiences. A winner of multiple Emmys and James Beard Awards, and the chairperson of her own media conglomerate, Stewart has proven she has staying power across generations. She’s a true icon, not just for fans who learned how to cook and keep house from her books and television shows, but for audiences who associate her name with taste, simplicity, and style.

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Book SynopsisFollowing methods known to have been adopted by Bach himself, the exercises provided in chorale harmonization are graded in such a way as to encourage the student to develop both technique and imagination within a closely-defined framework. The instrumental counterpoint section is based on Bach's two-and three-part Inventions. By close analysis the author helps the reader to recognize the procedures Bach adopted in various musical situations. The exercises are taken largely from Bach's keyboard works.Trade ReviewMalcolm Boyd's lucid text investigates how often various chords and progressions occur, in what contexts and (where possible) for what reasons. Following methods known to have been adopted by Bach himself, the exercises are graded in such a way as to encourage the student to develop both technique and imagination within a closely defined framework. Recommended for all music students.Table of ContentsPart One - Chorale Harmonization: Introduction, 1. Melodic Characteristics of the Chorale, 2. Cadences, 3. Harmonic Resource, 4..Unessential Notes, 5. Consecutives, 6. Textures, 7. Modal Chorales, 8. Exercises, Appendix, Part Two - Instrumental Counterpoint: 1. Introduction, 2. Melodic Characteristics, 3. Harmony, 4. Rhythm and Texture, 5. Musical Forms, 6. Exercises

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Book SynopsisMiles Davis was one of the musical giants of the twentieth century. In a career that spanned more than five decades, Miles transformed the face of jazz four or five times, and his music resonates far beyond the bounds of his genre. Miles made the most famous album in the history of jazz, "Kind of Blue", formed one of the greatest jazz quintets in the 1960s and fused jazz with rock. Including unique interviews with dozens of Miles' closest colleagues, many of whom have never before been interviewed about their time with him, "The Last Miles" concentrates on the final period of Miles' life, after he had emerged from a five-year lay-off from the world of music. Right up until the end of his life, he was still searching, still exploring and still refusing to play it safe. The focus is on the music Miles recorded and played, and how it evolved in the eyes of the musicians he played with. Those interviewed include, George Duke, Teo Macero, Tommy LiPuma, Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones and Easy Mo Bee. There are also interviews with musicians who played with Miles before the 1980s, including Dave Liebman, Pete Cosey, Michael Henderson and Mike Zwerin, who give their own assessment of the music Miles played during the final period of his life. Cheryl Davies, Miles' only daughter, is also interviewed. "The Last Miles" is full of fascinating new facts and stories about Miles. For the first time, every member of the group of young musicians from Chicago who helped bring Miles back into the music scene gives their story. Music journalist George Cole also reveals for the first time the full story behind a lost Miles Davis album recorded in 1985, tells you about a song Miles co-wrote for "Mick Jagger", how he worked with Prince, and discovers new and unreleased music that Miles recorded. If you've ever wanted to know how Miles recruited his band members, what it was like working with Miles in the studio or to play with him on-stage, "The Last Miles" has the answers. There is at least one chapter devoted to each album that Miles recorded during this period. Full track-by-track descriptions contain many new and interesting tales behind the songs including how Sting came to record on one of Miles' tracks, why Prince dropped a song slated to appear on the "Tutu" album, how Gil Evans helped Miles compose many of the tunes on the album "Star People", what Splatch means and who Ursula was.Trade Review"'The best Miles Davis book ever.' Randy Hall, singer, guitarist and producer, who worked with Miles in the 1980's 'Engagingly written from start to finish, The Last Miles is an essential portrait of Miles' last decade and a strong argument that his music was both valid and perfectly in keeping with a musical philosophy that would ultimately stretch over six decades.' John Kelman, All About Jazz 'Cole does for Miles' late work what Ian Macdonald's Revolution In The Head does for The Beatles, examining each album in meticulous detail.' John Lewis, Time Out 'Cole's certainly produced a fascinating book.' Chris Ingham, Mojo '[Miles] comes out of Cole's account larger, warmer and if anything even more important than ever.' Brian Morton (co-writer of The Penguin Guide to Jazz), The Wire 'A fantastic book, an amazing insight into Miles.' Guy Barker, jazz trumpeter 'For Miles fans, this book is a must.' Jez Nelson, presenter BBC Radio Jazz on Three 'I really do recommend The Last Miles... It is a fine work.' John Cavanagh, presenter Radio Scotland's Be-Bop to Hip-Hop 'A great book that plays a great tribute to the last years of Miles' life.' Erik Telford, presenter of Miles Radio 'Cole is a persuasive writer: he prompted me to go and dig out albums that I'd dismissed as inconsequential and listen again with fresh ears... A rewarding read.' Charles Waring, Blues & Soul 'The Last Miles needs to be covered by working musicians, producers and Miles' fans alike.' Livingstone Marquis, Straight, No Chaser"Table of ContentsPrelude; Introduction; Miles, the man; Miles - His life and music before 1975; Into the Shadows; The man with the horn; We Want Miles; Star People; Decoy; You're Under Arrest; Aura; The road to Tutu; The road to Tutu: The Rubberband album; The road to Tutu: Miles and Prince; Tutu; Siesta; Amandla; Doo-Bop; Live Around the World; Miles Alive; Miles' other recordings; Miles' guest recordings; The verdict on the music of the 1980s; Notes; References; Compilation albums; Tribute albums; The eighties music - cover versions; Unreleased material; Miles' tunes; Miles' bands; Discography; Books and websites.

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Book SynopsisIn the early months of 1966, a handsome, hardworking thirty-five-year-old Canadian-born actor named William Shatner was cast as Captain Kirk in Star Trek, a troubled, low-budget science-fiction television series set to premiere that fall on NBC. Star Trek struggled for viewers and lasted only three seasons, but it found a huge, rabidly dedicated audience when it premiered in syndication following its cancellationturning Shatner into a pop-culture icon and launching him on a career path he never could have imagined after graduating from McGill University with an economics degree twenty years earlier. As he approaches his ninetieth year, he''s still working at a furious pace as a man of boundless contradictions: by turns one of the most dissected, disliked, revered, respected, mocked, imitated, and beloved stars in the show business firmament. Shatner takes a comprehensive look at this singular performer, using archival sources and information culled from interviews with frie

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Book SynopsisÊRingo: With a Little HelpÊ is the first in-depth biography of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr who kept the beat for an entire generation and who remains a rock icon over fifty years since the Beatles took the world by storm. ÊWith a Little HelpÊ traces the entire arc of Ringo's remarkable life and career from his sickly childhood to his life as The World's Most Famous drummer to his triumphs addictions and emotional battles following the breakup of the Beatles as he comes to terms with his legacy.ÞBorn in 1940 as Richard Starkey in the Dingle one of Liverpool's most gritty rough-and-tumble neighborhoods he rose from a hardscrabble childhood ä marked by serious illnesses long hospital stays and little schooling ä to emerge against all odds as a locally renowned drummer. Taking the stage name Ringo Starr his big break with the Beatles rocketed him to the pinnacle of worldwide acclaim in a remarkably short time. He was the last member of the Beatles to join the group but also the most vulnerable and his post-Beatles career was marked by chart-topping successes a jet-setting life of excess and alcohol abuse and ultimately his rebirth as one of rock's revered elder statesman.

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Book SynopsisGathering the 30 most vital Miles Davis interviews—on his music, his life, and his philosophy—this collection reveals the jazz icon as a complex and contradictory man, secretive at times but extraordinarily revealing at others. Miles was not only a musical genius, but an enigma, and nowhere else was he so compelling, exasperating, and entertaining as he was in his interviews, which vary from polite to outrageous, from straight-ahead to contrarian. Many were conducted by leading journalists like Leonard Feather, Stephen Davis, Ben Sidran, Mike Zwerin, and Nat Hentoff; while others have never before been printed, and are newly transcribed from radio and television shows—making this the definitive source for anyone wanting to really encounter the legend in print.Trade ReviewIt's pleasurable to have [these interviews] in this one handy and thoughtfully edited volume." —Library Journal"Here is Miles Davis's less familiar voice, his speaking voice. . . . Maher and Dorr gather together Davis's greatest hits in Q & A, and they make compelling reading." —Jack Chambers, author, Milestones: The Music and Times of Miles Davis"Most worthy . . . illustrative." —Jazztimes"Effectively portrays what the editors call the 'myriad mirrors to his life.'" —Sacramento News & Review"Miles [presented] in all his glory . . . fascinating." —popmatters.com"Provides startling insight." —Star Tribune"[A] telling book…gripping from beginning to end. You will not be able to put it down." —examiner.com"Everybody should read at least one book about Davis' life and music, and Miles on Miles is the perfect place to start." —Winston-Salem Journal

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Book SynopsisCompelling biography of the breakthrough singer/songwriter, hailed as the 'Dylan for the 21st century'.

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWho made the phone call that got HBO to launchthe show? What's the significance of all those eggs? And, what the hell ever happened to the Russian? In Woke Up This Morning, Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripahave all the answers and they're revealing where all the bodies are buried.Inspired by the incredibly successful Talking Sopranos podcast, The Sopranos stars Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) and Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri) finally reveal all the Soprano family secrets in a surprising, funny, and honest new book. Woke Up This Morning is the definitive behind-the-scenes history of the groundbreaking HBO series that became a worldwide cultural phenomenon, ushered in a new Golden Age of Television, and to this day continues to be one of the most binged shows of all time.Michael and Steve tell all the incredible stories that The Sopranos fans have been waiting to hear for over twenty years. The book covers the entire history of The SopranTrade Review‘I will be reading and rereading Woke Up This Morning ….These rollicking gabfests… bring together nearly everyone, on screen and off, who made the series a creative and cultural landmark. The freely offered admiration expressed by so many for their missing comrade and unofficial cast captain, Gandolfini, makes these stories about playing tough guys all the more tender’ New York Times ‘Ever wished you could hang out with the cast and crew of The Sopranos and just listen to them trade stories? … There are plenty of tantalizing bits of trivia—Tony was Tommy Soprano in the pilot script; producers wanted Lorraine Bracco to play Tony’s wife, but she said she would only consider playing Melfi, the psychiatrist—but this isn’t just a trivia collection. Mostly it’s about friends and colleagues getting together to pay tribute to one another and to a series that rewrote many of the rules of television. Love and respect for the show’s star, the late James Gandolfini, permeates the book, as does admiration for the show’s creator, David Chase, who started with a vague idea about a crook and his mother and built it into something that’s almost Shakespearean in its thematic scope. For Sopranos fans this one is an absolute must-read’ Booklist ‘Essential for fans, with a revelation on every page … Devotees will revel in the stroll into series minutiae’ Kirkus Reviews ‘A spectacular tell-all about the making of the Emmy-winning hit television series … What makes this sing is the passion and energy brought by Imperioli and Schirripa and its indelible tribute to the late James Gandolfini. As Aida Turturro (Janice Soprano) recalls, 'He was there for you no matter what.' This is the ultimate book on The Sopranos, made by the people who lived it’ Publishers Weekly

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Book Synopsis''Love me or hate me. It''s a great read' - Billy Bragg He was a punk. He was a soldier. He was a flag-waver for the Labour Party and the miners. He is Billy Bragg, passionate protest folk singer and tireless promoter of political and humanitarian causes around the world. His life encapsulates so much about his generation: born in the late '50s, passions forged by punk, politics shaped by Thatcherism, career inspired by engagement, hope provided by the end of the Cold War and ideology galvanised by what he sees as a post-ideological' twenty-first century. He adapts to survive: serious about compassion and accountability, he likes a laugh too, and has never forgotten where he comes from.Still Suitable for Miners is the official Billy Bragg story, tracing his life, family and career at close range from Barking to the present day. This 20th anniversary edition has been updated to include the rise of Corbyn, the unfolding of Brexit, BTrade ReviewLove me or hate me. It's a great read. * Billy Bragg *

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