Biography: arts and entertainment Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe music industry often paints a glamorous picture of its stars'' lives and achievements, but what is life really like behind the gloss? How does it feel to have a No.1 record, or to live on the road for over 300 days a year? And what happens after the hits stop? The answers to these and many other questions are contained within the pages of this book, as twenty-six major American hitmakers of the Fifties and Sixties reveal their own fascinating stories. Includes previously unpublished interviews with Gary ''US'' Bonds, Pat Boone, Freddy Cannon, Crickets Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis and Joe B. Mauldin, Bo Diddley, Dion, Fats Domino, Duane Eddy, Frankie Ford, Charlie Gracie, Brian Hyland, Marv Johnson, Ben E. King, Brenda Lee, Little Eva, Chris Montez, Johnny Moore (Drifters), Gene Pitney, Johnny Preston, Tommy Roe, Del Shannon, Edwin Starr, Johnny Tillotson and Bobby Vee. Over 150 illustrations including previously unpublished recent portraits as well as vintage ads, record sleeves, label shots, sheet music covers, etc.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRoy Ashton was one of the cinema's greatest make-up designers. He designed most of Hammer's most famous monsters. Inside Greasepaint and Gore you will enter Ashton's own private world, featuring: never-before-seen original drawings and test photographs; Ashton speaking in his own words plus interviews with key actors and crew -- many speaking for the first time about a man the press dubbed The King of Horror! Greasepaint and Gore is a behind-the-scenes insight into the creative processes of the golden years of Hammer Films through the eyes of the people who made the Horrors possible!

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Montana award-winning author Jill Trevelyan comes the first biography of Peter McLeavey, the charismatic, pioneering art dealer who since the 1960s has shaped - even transformed - New Zealand art. McLeavey''s personal story is remarkable, but his contemporaries will recognise common themes: the religious upbringing, the struggle to be bohemian in repressive mid-century small town New Zealand, the challenges of marriage and fatherhood, the dilemma of whether to stay or leave New Zealand, and the need to make a mark. Through exclusive access to McLeavey''s extensive and hitherto untapped archive of letters, diaries, exhibition files and more, this book offers insights into the artists McLeavey has represented across half a century. Here, in their own words - lively, salty, and often heart-breaking - are Colin McCahon, Toss Woollaston, Len Lye, Milan Mrkusich, Bill Hammond, Gordon Walters, Michael Illingworth, Robin White, Richard Killeen, John Reynolds, Yvonne Todd and many more. Far more than a simple biography, this is the big story of contemporary New Zealand art itself, in a period of massive change and growth, and Trevelyan offers an utterly fresh and compelling historical account of the birth of the modern art market and the status of art today. A must-read for anyone interested in New Zealand''s art, culture or recent history.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisCompleted before he died, thirty years ago, this is the newly discovered autobiography of one of the most influential comedians of recent times, Marty Feldman. Marty Feldman was one of the most essential creative forces in British comedy embodied also by his close friends and creative partners from Beyond the Fringe (especially Peter Cook and Dudley Moore) and Monty Python (especially John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Eric Idle).Marty played the fool, often very happily and with tremendous talent and volcanic, anarchic energy, for his entire life. Marty finished, and set aside eYE Marty soon before travelling to Mexico to shoot his final film. He did not know that he would die there, although he certainly felt he might die soon, and was haunted by the notion. The book is exactly as Feldman wrote it, with even the photos inserted where Feldman had noted they should go. Hilarious, deeply charming, aphoristic, ironic, charged throughout with lust forTrade ReviewHe was a pioneer of comedy who inspired pioneers of comedy, a hero to my comedy heroes. * Sarah Silverman *No one has ever made me laugh as hard as Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein, he was pure comic perfection. * Judd Apatow *He was totally unique. Like something out of mythology. But funny. * Martin Sheen *A fascinating insight into the mind of Feldman for weirdos everywhere. Long live this comic genius. * John C. Reilly *The only thing more wonderful than this book is actually watching Marty Feldman perform. Both thrill me. * Jeff Garlin *This is a warm and engaging memorial. * The Sunday Times *Feldman's life...is extraordinary...Another early Feldman sketch finds Cleese in a railway compartment irritated unto violence by the inane interruptions of his fellow passenger, a wing-collared Marty. In the end, Feldman simply disappears, but his voice persists. This too is a prophetic metaphor for Feldman - his early death, his lingering influence and, yes, his genius. * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the outset, Caroline Lamb had a rebellious nature. From childhood she grew increasingly troublesome, experimenting with sedatives like laudanum, and she had a special governess to control her. She also had a merciless wit and talent for mimicry. She spoke French and German fluently, knew Greek and Latin, and sketched impressive portraits. As the niece of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, she was already well connected, and her courtly skills resulted in her marriage to the Hon. William Lamb (later Lord Melbourne) at the age on nineteen. For a few years they enjoyed a happy marriage, despite Lamb''s siblings and mother-in-law detesting her and referring to her as ''the little beast''. In 1812 Caroline embarked on a well-publicised affair with the poet Lord Byron - he was 24, she 26. Her phrase ''mad, bad and dangerous to know'' became his lasting epitaph. When he broke things off, Caroline made increasingly public attempts to reunite. Her obsession came to define much oTrade ReviewA zig-zagging Shakespearean drama, played out in the highest echelons of fashionable Georgian society . . . Fraser packs Lamb's life into short, sharp book which can be devoured in an afternoon. She has an eye for delightful detail which paints a colourful picture of the Georgian world . . . This is an expertly crafted, scholarly book, which not only examines the playful though ultimately tragic life of Caroline Lamb, but celebrates her imperishable spirit too -- Alice Loxton * Daily Telegraph *Sparklingly succinct ... Our Chief of Readable Historians -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Times *Characteristically readable, accomplished and in places positively revolutionary ... Fraser shows that she has more élan and attack - or passion and sense - than writers a third her age. Should this be her final sally, it is as inimitable and impressive as anything in her distinguished bibliography -- Alexander Larman * Spectator *Fraser's major achievement is to invest Caroline Lamb's life with a long-overdue sense of proportion ... Fraser writes with charm, empathy and the kind of readability that makes the findings of modern scholarship easier to swallow. And there can be no doubt that her understanding of Caroline owes something to a kind of wisdom derived from her own experience ... A wonderful swansong -- Mark Bostridge * The Oldie *[Fraser is] a meticulous researcher and an agile, vigorous writer . . . She wisely resists any temptation to hold up Lamb as a feminist heroine (which she was not), while acknowledging the constraints placed on her because she was a woman -- Clare McHugh * Washington Post *Fraser approaches Lady Caroline Lamb as an eminent historian of the British era of reform, and a major biographer of complex, victimised women including Mary, Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette. She privileges the evidence of primary sources to recover Lamb the ambitious, politically informed writer from the sensationalist anecdotes recycled by Byron biographers and historians of her husband's political career . . . Through her determined pursuits of intellectual and sensual experience, Lamb the entitled socialite gained what Fraser recognises as the 'wry self-knowledge' to articulate the paradoxes she inhabited as the early victim of a celebrity culture still blighted by sexual double standards * Irish Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisGreta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, and Barbara Stanwyck—to name a few—maintained their images as glamorous big-screen sex symbols complete with dashing escorts, handsome husbands, and scores of male admirers, thanks to studio publicity departments. But off the set, all three box office divas were involved in “lavender” marriages (marriages of convenience, often to gay men) or remained stoically single. They, and several other Hollywood starlets of the era, were members of a discreet women’s “club” called the Sewing Circle, Hollywood’s underground lesbian society. Madsen takes a candid look at the very complicated dual lives these great stars led and the impact their preference for same-sex relationships had on their movie careers. Trade Review“Quite a revelation . . . Madsen documents his observations convincingly.” —Gay Times

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I squealed laughing at this but now worry that my knowledge of history has been dangerously ruined' Matt FordeA fascinating and hilarious gallop through twentieth-century British history, by comedian Al Murray.An awful lot has happened in the last 100 years or so. In fact, when you look at how much went on in the 20th century, it's amazing it didn't take longer than that. And what have we learnt? A few obvious lessons include: megalomaniac men with moustaches in charge of countries tend to turn out to be BAD; anyone who thinks they can explain let alone sort out the Middle East is WRONG; France simply cannot be relied upon; America may or may not be the cause of everything GOOD and BAD in the world (depending on who you ask).This isn't your bog-standard history book. We all know that history books (Which Shall Not be Questioned because they ARE ALL TRUE according to our History Teachers of Yore) are dry and dull, and they go on as if there's only ONE version of history (spoiler: it's all about perspective). Enter Al Murray, alter-ego of everyone's favourite Pub Landlord.Al knows his way around 20th century Britain, and he's good enough to illuminate it for you. From the Big Bang of the 20th Century, DOUBLEYOUDOUBLEYOU ONE, to the eve of the new Millennium (when all the computers in the World DIDN'T stop working and the Queen had to do the Hokey Cokey with Tony Blair) and all the forgotten tales in between, this is a brilliantly funny, irreverent and eye-opening whistle-stop tour of Britain since 1914.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFamous European Artists by Sarah K. Bolton is a collection of biographical sketches of the famous artists of Europe, including Turner, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Murillo, Rubens, Leonardo, Titan, Raphael and Reynolds. Famous European Artists is a useful general introduction to the world of art.Table of ContentsPreface; Michael Angelo; Leonardo da Vinci; Raphael of Urbino; Titian; Murillo; Rubens; Rembrandt; Sir Joshua Reynolds; Sir Edwin Landseer; Turner; Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first biography of George Rickey, one of the greatest kinetic sculptors of the 20th century. His moving blades, squares, triangles, and circles can be found in museums and public spaces around the world, from bucolic landscapes to the streets of New York City. Now, here is the story of his life, his times, and his vision of balance that created something new―sculpture that is defined by movement.Before his death in 2002, George Rickey created more than 3,000 moving sculptures, including hundreds of major outdoor installations. His “useless machines,” as he called them, achieved complete rotation, used multiple variations of the pendulum, and delighted viewers with the joyride effects of conical movement. George Rickey: A Life in Balance follows the life of a renowned artist―first a painter, then a sculptor―who found inspiration all around him―as a child visiting the Singer Sewing Machine factory managed by his father, in his adventurous youth in the London and Paris art studios of the 1920s, as an engineer in the Army Air Corps during World War II, and later as a pioneer in academic art programs around the United States when he embarked on the sculpture he became famous for.But this is not only the story of a single artist’s creativity and achievement but of Rickey’s life in the larger context of the twentieth century: from Depression-era America to the upheaval of World War II, from the rise of New York as the world’s art capital at mid-century to the tumultuous 1960s, when Rickey emerged as an international figure rubbing elbows with Alexander Calder, David Smith, Christo, and many others. It is also the story of an exceptional marriage and of Rickey’s charismatic, devoted wife, Edith Leighton, who managed her husband’s career and reputation in the high-powered art circles of New York, Berlin, and Los Angeles.Belinda Rathbone (author of The Boston Raphael and Walker Evans: A Biography) has captured the spirit of an artist and his world in this deeply researched and engrossing biography. George Rickey: A Life in Balance is for any reader fascinated by the lives of artists, the creation of enduring art, or twentieth century modernism. Includes 30 photographs that document Rickey’s life and work.Trade Review“George Rickey: A Life in Balance has everything a biography should have: up-close-and-personal first person accounts of the day-to-day life of an artist. An engaging and page-turning portrait.”—The ArtsFuse “Rathbone has written a model artist’s biography. She deftly interweaves life and art, showing how Rickey’s real-world experiences shaped his evolving aesthetic. She discusses [his art] with authority and insight…”—The New Criterion “This biography, much like the artist’s sculptures, is a wise, balanced, and enjoyable creation, capturing Rickey’s life and character with a light, sure touch.”—Scottish Art News "Like one of his sculptures, George Rickey: A Life in Balance has many moving parts that . . . gracefully twist and turn to tell a very personal and public story. It feels like a Rickey revival.”—Hyperallergic “Rathbone’s marvelously readable biography succeeds in bringing the Rickeys and the world in which they lived into timely focus.”—Santa Barbara Independent “In her enthralling biography, Belinda Rathbone traces George Rickey’s long Wanderjahre—artistic, intellectual and erotic—across Europe and the United States, and shows how his dual training in art and engineering helped him re-invent kinetic sculpture for the postwar era. In the second half of the book, Rickey’s tempestuous marriage to Edie Leighton provides a dramatic counterpoint to his growing professional success. From beginning to end, Rathbone adeptly explores the mysteries of art and love.”—Pepe Karmel, author of Abstract Art: A Global History “If you’re of a mindset (like I typically am) that biographies are dry (whereas memoirs aren’t), you’ll be captivated by Rathbone’s exceptional prose and impeccable research.”—Lorraine Kleinwaks, Enchanted Prose“Belinda Rathbone’s George Rickey: A Life in Balance is far more than a portrait of the artist, although with deft strokes and canny perspectives this master biographer renders a fully satisfying account of an energetically lived life. But there is this, too: a skillfully told history of twentieth century art, from Cubism to Constructivism and beyond, woven into the life story of a brilliant and influential practitioner whose working years spanned six decades and whose circles of association reached across the globe. Read George Rickey to be inspired, educated, and immersed in what the sculptor called his ‘box of colors,’ the stunning elements of his visual vocabulary Rathbone names: gravity, momentum, inertia, rotation, acceleration.” —Megan Marshall, author of Margaret Fuller: A New American Life and Elizabeth Bishop: A Miracle for Breakfast “Deftly navigating a massive archive of personal letters, notebooks, and interviews, Rathbone humanizes George Rickey, an artist-intellectual whose kinetic sculptures are canonical in the history of postwar modernism. She presents the man intimately: his childhood in Scotland, his elite education, his years as a painter, his teaching, writing and worldly travels, his international recognition, and his friends and family, especially his spirited wife Edie. Rathbone’s brilliant research and incisive narration basks in George Rickey’s good company as well as his mechanical wizardry.” —Wanda M. Corn, author of The Great American Thing: Modern Art and National Identity, 1915-1955 “Belinda Rathbone has crafted a superb and deeply researched biography. She constructs a narrative that adroitly chronicles the life of the great kinetic sculptor George Rickey, deeply erudite, intellectual, and creative man, and his tumultuous era. Equally satisfying and timely is Rathbone's fascinating portrayal of the powerful alliance between Rickey and his charming, strong-willed wife, Edie Rickey.”—Gabrielle Selz, author of Light on Fire: The Art and Life of Sam Francis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA nostalgic look back at the exciting teen music and dance craze of the 50s through the classic hits era of the60s, 70s, and 80s. Twin Destinies tells the story of Pete and Mike Pappas, the twin sons of Greek immigrants who defied predictions of failure and worked their way to the top of the broadcasting business in the exciting and glamorous classic hits era of 1950s radio and television. Pete and Mike pitched the idea for a show dedicated to teens, Pete and Mikes Dance Time, in their hometown of Modesto, California, and, due to their talent and charismatic personalities, quickly found themselves local celebrities. Soon the twins entered the burgeoning television industry with their own half-hour program, Pete and Mikes Variety Show, airing on KTVU in Stockton. Fame followed Pete and Mike even after they enlisted in the military. While in the service, bags of fan mail arrived weekly, and love letters from fans followed them wherever they were based. After returning from the service, Pete and Mikes strong, loving bond as identical twins found them pursuing broadcasting careers and living their lives together, overcoming obstacles in the business world and achieving the success their immigrant parents had dreamed would one day be theirs. Twin Destinies is a story of hard work, perseverance, and the love between twin brothers that was the foundation of their American success story.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced' Eric Clapton'No one did more to spread the gospel of the blues' President Barack Obama'One part of me says, "Yes, of course I can play." But the other part of me says, "Well, I wish I could just do it like B.B. King."' John LennonRiley 'Blues Boy' King (1925-2015) was born into deep poverty in Mississippi. Wrenched away from his sharecropper father, B.B. lost his mother at age ten, leaving him more or less alone. Music became his emancipation from exhausting toil in the fields. Inspired by a local minister's guitar and by the records of Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker, B.B. taught his guitar to sing in the unique solo style that, along with his relentless work ethic and humanity, became his trademark. In turn, generations of artists claimed him as inspiration, from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton to Carlos Santana and the Edge.King of the Blues presents the vibrant life and times of a trailblazing giant. Witness to dark prejudice and lynching in his youth, B.B. performed incessantly (more than fifteen thousand concerts in ninety countries over nearly sixty years) - in some real way his means of escaping his past. His career roller-coasted between adulation and relegation, but he always rose back up. At the same time, his story reveals the many ways record companies took advantage of artists, especially those of colour.Daniel de Visé has interviewed almost every surviving member of B.B. King's inner circle - family, band members, retainers, managers and more - and their voices and memories enrich and enliven the life of this Mississippi blues titan, whom his contemporary Bobby 'Blue' Bland simply called 'the man.'Trade ReviewAs someone who has written about Black music history and repeatedly bumped into B.B., I understand the challenge of an accurate chronology of King's life and development as a unique guitar stylist and singular vocalist, and appreciate seeing the work done so well...There's tons of great stuff here that TMZ won't pick up but that readers who crave a great story of American culture will devour. -- Preston Lauterbach * Wall Street Journal *King of the Blues . . . tracks B.B. King's multifarious career with such efficiency and clarity that surely little of biographical significance remains to be said. . . . [T]he evaluations of King's recordings are comprehensive and almost always judicious. * Mojo *[De Visé] has an eye for a good story, tells a tale well, and likes a lively quote. . . . It's clear that he has done his investigative legwork, both in revisiting the vast range of printed and archival sources and carrying out his own interviews, in person and by correspondence. King's early days require a bit of care and caution for any writer, and it's encouraging that this one carefully unpicks seemingly contradictory accounts [and] pulls together as much documented evidence as we're likely to find at this stage. * Blues & Rhythm *Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist De Vise...amply demonstrates his masterful storytelling and research skills in this definitive look at legendary blues musician B.B. King (1925-2015). Informed by his conversations with "dozens of surviving friends and relatives, bandmates and producers," De Vise provides an intimate portrait of a cultural luminary "whose achievements transcended his genre." ...Even readers who aren't fans of the blues will be engrossed by this nuanced look at an American icon. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *As blues royalty and one of the 20th century's most influential musicians, B.B. King (1925-2015) has long deserved a well-considered biography that places his achievements in a cultural and historical context. This is it. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist de Visé deftly interweaves tales of American history, pop culture, racial relations, music theory, and much more to fully demonstrate King's significance...The thrill is here, as B.B. King finally gets his due in this first meticulous account of his historic life. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *The definitive biography of blues master Riley 'B.B.' King . . . Engaging. The book expertly interweaves King's music career into the U.S. social fabric, especially the civil rights movement. With this fast-moving, informative, evenhanded and exhaustive biography, de Vise´ vividly captures King's life. * Library Journal (starred review) *De Visé tells King's story in the context of his swirling times, intertwined with profiles of historic people and events musical and otherwise. A fine portrait of an iconic musician. * Booklist (starred review) *There's a lot to admire about this book . . . and if King of the Blues is your first B.B. book purchase, you'll be getting a fully rounded look at the life of a true American legend. * Now Dig This *B.B. King, one of the great bluesmen of all time. Can any other person hold one note on the guitar and make it say so much? Daniel de Visé's book on B.B. King is a great read. -- Joan ArmatradingB.B. King is one of, if not the best of, America's treasured heroes! Mr. de Vis­é meticulously dives deep into why, what and how young Riley, who graced this planet from a world of extreme complications, was able through his talent, relentless drive and humility, to rise to the deserved title 'King of the Blues.' Get your records out and enjoy the read. I did!!! -- Robert CrayThe name B.B. King now resonates with longevity amongst blues lovers and music enthusiasts alike. With more than six decades of noteworthy expressions of a great American art form, B.B. King's guitar playing and singing hold a strong place with an unmistakable sound of his professional and effervescent personality. Get a head start within these fine pages for an intimate trip with B.B. King's lifetime attachment to creativity. B.B. is truly King of the Blues, oh yeah! -- Billy Gibbons, guitarist and singer, ZZ TopDe Visé writes beautifully. His command of narrative is compelling. The level of detail he amassed is awesome. -- Charles Sawyer, author of THE ARRIVAL OF B.B. KINGLike hopping onboard B.B.'s tour bus for a ride straight to the heart of the blues. Told me about the B.B. I knew and a few other B.B.'s as well. I loved them all. -- Shemekia Copeland, three-time Grammy-nominated recording artistB.B. King was a marvelous man and an international ambassador for the blues. King of the Blues tells the extraordinary story of his life in great detail, and a wonderful story it is. A fitting tribute to a great artist. -- John Landis, director of THE BLUES BROTHERSB.B. King was the stone truth, the man who took down home uptown and, yes, the undisputed king of the blues. This, his first full and authoritative biography, is both right on time and long overdue. Dan de Visé has done a solid for music lovers everywhere. -- Leonard Pitts, Jr., Pulitzer Prize-winning national columnist and authorExtremely thoughtful, thorough and insightful. -- David Ritz, biographical collaborator with B.B. King, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and biographer of Marvin GayeTable of ContentsIntroduction: Introduction 1: Sharecropper 2: On the Run 3: Indianola Mississippi Seeds 4: The Blues 5: Memphis 6: The Blues Boy 7: Lucille 8: On the Road 9: Big Red 10: Fallow 11: Regal 12: Revival 13: Fillmore 14: Mythology 15: Live and Well 16: Back in the Alley 17: Moscow on the Mississippi 18: Homecoming 19: Lovetown 20: Riding with the King 21: A Golden Chain Epilogue: Epilogue Lyrics Referenced: Lyrics Referenced Discography: Discography The King's Court: The King's Court Acknowledgments: Acknowledgments

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBrainstorm is an amazing five-year probe into the mysterious death of beloved movie star Natalie Wood by a real-life criminal law authority who determinedly pursued the truth in the face of Los Angeles County officials hell-bent on keeping it buried forever. “After four decades, there is still more to learn about Natalie Wood’s tragic drowning. Brainstorm is one man’s passionate quest to unearth the truth.” —Beth Karas, Host of Oxygen’s Snapped: Notorious, former prosecutor, and investigative journalist “If you have any interest in deciding for yourself whether someone got away with the murder of Natalie Wood, this book is for you.” —Marilyn Wayne, eyewitnessBrainstorm: An Investigation of the Mysterious Death of Film Star Natalie Wood is the first-person account of Sam Perroni’s probing investigation of the actress’s death. Through lawsuits, freedom of information requests, and persistent digging, Perroni obtained unseen and confidential files, documents, photographs, and information from long-lost witnesses revealing the true circumstances surrounding Natalie Wood’s drowning.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPrine on Prine definitively presents the iconic American songwriter’s songwriter across the many eras of his celebrated life, career, and songs in his own words. John Prine hated giving interviews, but he said much when he talked. Embarrassed by fame, delighted by the smallest things, the first songwriter to read at the Library of Congress, and winner of the Pen Award for Literary Excellence, Prine saw the world unlike anyone else. The songs from 1971’s John Prine remain spot-on takes of the human condition today, and his writing only got richer, funnier, and more incisive. The interviews in Prine on Prine trace his career evolution, his singular mind, his enduring awareness of social issues, and his acute love of life, from Studs Terkel’s radio interviews from the early ’70s to Mike Leonard’s Today Show packages from the ’80s, Cameron Crowe's early encounter to Ronni Lundy's Shuck Beans, Stack Cake cookbook, and Hot Rod magazine to No Depression’s cover story, through today. Editor Holly Gleason enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Prine and his longtime co-manager, and she often traveled with him on tours in the late 1980s and represented him in the 2000s.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy the mid-1980s, singer-songwriter John Hiatt had been dropped from three record labels, burned through two marriages, and had fallen deep into alcoholism. It took a stint in rehab and a new family to inspire him, then a producer and an A&R man to have a little faith. By February 1987, he was back in the studio on a shoestring budget with a hand-picked supergroup consisting of Ry Cooder on guitar, Nick Lowe on bass, and Jim Keltner on drums, recording what would become his masterpiece, Bring the Family. Based on author Michael Elliott's multiple extensive and deeply personal interviews with Hiatt as well as his collaborators and contemporaries, including Rosanne Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, and many others, Have a Little Faithis the journey through the musical landscape of the 1960s through today that places Hiatt’s long career in context with the glossy pop, college-alternative, mainstream country, and heartland rock of the last half-century. Hiatt’s life both pre- and post-Family will be revealed, as well as the music loved by critics, fellow musicians, and fans alike.Table of Contents Introduction Prologue: Eclipse I It Hasn't Happened Yet (1952–1982) 1 Seven Little Indians 2 This Racket Down Here 3 Drive South 4 Sure as I’m Sittin’ Here 5 Old Days 6 Angry Young Man 7 The Broken Promise Land II Have a Little Faith (1983–1990)8 Riding with the King 9 Adios to California 10 Bring the Family 11 Turning Point 12 The Rest of the Dream III Loving a Hurricane (1991–1999)13 Don’t Bug Me When I’m Working 14 Something Wild 15 Nashville Queens IV Stumbling into the Twenty-First Century (2000–2010)16 Crossing Muddy Waters 17 Memphis in the Meantime V Long Time Comin’ (2011–2019)18 The Caveman Cometh 19 Only the Song Survives Epilogue: Before I Go (2020)

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt all began with one small step. Game Changer is the story of how a twenty-three-year-old waiter from Seattle had the outrageous dream of beating industry giants Milton Bradley and Mattel at their own game. With no experience, Rob Angel used his guts, drive, and intuition to create one of the most beloved board games of all time: Pictionary. Rob did it his way. He produced the first 1,000 games by hand in his tiny one- bedroom apartment, disrupted the market by selling to nontraditional retail outlets, and did countless demonstrations at the bottom of the escalator at Nordstrom" "a store with no game department. Anything to succeed. Getting there wasn''t easy; Rob had to navigate his way through production mishaps, cash flow troubles, and countless copycats trying to scratch their way past Pictionary. Still, within three years, Pictionary became the bestselling board game in North America, and shortly after, the world. When Mattel acquired Pictionary in 2001, a staggering 38,000,000 games had been sold in 60 countries. In Game Changer, Rob shares the remarkable inside story of taking Pictionary from simple idea to iconic global brand by breaking rules and breaking records, never giving up or giving in, and working harder when most would walk away all while having the time of his life. Candid and compelling, Game Changer is as much a captivating memoir as it is a blueprint to personal and professional success.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Monumental Gift for Music Lovers: A Deluxe Boxed Set of Philip Glass's Most Beloved and Personal Body of Work, Along with a Book of Appreciations from Notable Fellow Artists Philip Glass is one of the most influential artists of our time. In his long and staggeringly creative career as a composer, he's reached millions of people and transformed how we listen to music. He's written 26 operas, 12 symphonies, 13 concertos, and 35 film scores. But his most beloved, personal, and listened-to work is a series of 20 piano etudes. Originally created to "address the deficiencies in my own playing," in Glass's words, they've taken on a life of their own as a modern masterpiece-majestic and intimate at the same time, these compositions for solo piano have been performed and recorded by dozens of artists and streamed over 100 million times. Philip Glass Piano Etudes is in every way a one-of-a-kind tribute to this singular work. A deluxe boxed gift set, it includes the complete etudes, 1 through 20, plus a hardcover book: Studies in Time: Essays on the Music of Philip Glass. Each etude has been newly engraved (the technical term used for drawing music notation at the highest quality), and each is printed on oversize heavy stock and sewn-bound into individual folios. In Studies in Time, artists and writers including Laurie Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Maira Kalman, Pico Iyer, Alice Waters, Tim Page, Ari Shapiro, and others reflect on the music, the art of composition, the meaning of practice, and so much more. In its heirloom box, this deluxe edition of the etudes is to be cherished by music lovers, piano students and players, and anyone attuned to contemporary culture, savoured for its beauty and insights, and, of course, explored at the keyboard.Trade Review“Gorgeously printed and prepared, they’re a perfect gift for beginners and experienced players alike.”—The Washington PostTable of ContentsList of Contributors Alice Waters Angelique Kidjo Ari Shapiro Dennis Russell Davies Ira Glass Jenny Saville JLin Justin Peck Laurie Anderson Lucinda Childs Maira Kalman Maki Namekawa Martin Scorcese Michal Rovner Nathan Chen Nico Muhly Phelim McDermott Pico Iyer Tania Leon Tim Page Timo Andres

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisGay never recorded an album, never won a Juno. His music existed in the moment, appreciated by the few who were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. For the rest of us, those late-night jam sessions in a shack in an alley on the bad side of Edmonton never happened. We never got to hear him play the Cole Porter songs he loved with Carlos Montoya, never got to watch the ashes build dangerously on the end of his menthol cigarette. And when Frank Gay died, only the guitar players gently wept. — Shelley Youngblut Until his death in 1982, Edmonton luthier and guitarist Frank Gay built guitars for several famous musicians, including country stars Johnny Cash, Don Gibson, Webb Pierce, and Hank Snow. He captivated listeners with his singular talent on guitar and other instruments, and was well known within the music industry. Trevor Harrison’s detective work uncovers the story of this private, charming, and bohemian man, doing a tremendous service to Canadian culture and music history. Harrison pieces together Frank Gay’s life through interviews with people who knew him and saw him play. Very few recordings of him playing exist, and the sparse accounts of Gay’s life and work raise more questions than they answer. Musicians and instrument makers, as well as those interested in Canadian music or Edmonton’s colourful past, will be fascinated by this biography of western Canadian luthier, musician, and guitar virtuoso Frank Gay.Trade Review"Persons interested in Canadian music will find this book on the life of Frank Gay well worth reading." * Alberta History *"A truly impressive body of research by Trevor W. Harrison...has resulted in an exceptionally well informed and informative biography of Frank Gay.... An extraordinary and enthusiastically recommended addition to community and academic library Canadian Biography and Canadian Music History reference collections..." -- Paul T. Vogel * MBR Bookwatch *Trevor Harrison weaves multiple accounts of Frank Gay's life as a luthier, musician, and local character, together with his own personal memories.... Through Harrison's exploration of Gay's life, Prairie Bohemian also illuminated the social and musical history of the prairie towns and cities that Gay called home.... While documenting Gay's history, Prairie Bohemian also provides an account of the built and social history of Edmonton in the early to mid-twentieth century.... Harrison's account of Gay's life, awash with personal, emotional, and creative struggles, reminds us that speculation and subjective exploration of a life can be as valuable as the fact-finding mission that began it all." [DOI: 10.1353/gpq.2017.0024] -- Justina Watt * Great Plains Quarterly *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements 1 | Beginnings 2 | Army Tunes 3 | Postwar Toronto 4 | Edmonton the New 5 | The Shop 6 | Guitar Maker to the Stars 7 | World-Class Concerts 8 | The Dark Side 9 | Musical Flights and Nothing More 10 | Giving Back 11 | House Parties and Mr. Montoya 12 | Marriage Redux 13 | Wood Songs from the South Side 14 | Frank Gay’s Travelling Music Show 15 | Jack Paget’s Tape 16 | Searching for a Miracle 17 | The Final Years 18 | Frank Agonistes 19 | Final Days 20 | The Funeral 21 | Legacy 22 | “The Repressed Unmakeable” 23 | Coda Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMalcolm Forsyth (1936–2011) was a musical legend: a much-loved composer, performer, teacher, and mentor. Reflections on Malcolm Forsyth presents a captivating and approachable portrait of one of Canada’s finest modern composers. Readers will discover both public and private sides to the man and gain fresh insights from critical assessments of a broad range of Forsyth’s compositions, his continuing popular appreciation, and his lasting influence on the next generation of musicians and music scholars. Drawing from the perspectives of leading scholars, composers, and musicians, as well as on those of family, friends, students, and colleagues, Reflections on Malcolm Forsyth honours the rich life and cultural significance of this exceptional creative mind. It is important reading for music students and researchers, professional performers, and anyone who loves contemporary music. Contributors: Tommy Banks, Allan Gordon Bell, Nora Bumanis, Robin Elliott, Amanda Forsyth, Valerie Forsyth, Allan Gilliland, Carl Hare, Mary I. Ingraham, Edward Jurkowski, Ryan McClelland, John McPherson, Fordyce C. (Duke) Pier, Roxane Prevost, Kathy Primos, Tanya Prochazka, Leonard Ratzlaff, Rayfield Rideout, Robert C. Rival, Julia Shaw, Dale Sorensen, Christopher TaylorTrade Review"Reflections On Malcolm Forsyth has obvious interest for musicologists, but also tells an uncommon and compelling tale of an immigrant who fell under Canada’s spell." -- Holly DoanTable of ContentsFigures Acknowledgements Prelude / AMANDA FORSYTH Introduction / MARY I. INGRAHAM & ROBERT C. RIVAL 1 Reflections on a Life and Career / ROBIN ELLIOTT 2 Sonorous Pleasure: Portrait of a Master Orchestrator as Pedagogue / ALLAN GORDON BELL 3 Remembering and Continuing: Rhapsody for 14 Strings / RYAN MCCLELLAND 4 Finding Inspiration in Canadian Folk Songs: An Analysis of Three Métis Songs from Saskatchewan / ROXANE PREVOST 5 Breathing in G: Harmonic Tension and Repose in the Cello Concerto Electra Rising / ROBERT C. RIVAL 6 Allusion and Reflection in Je répondrais… for Solo Piano / EDWARD JURKOWSKI 7 “Here, All Is a Beginning”: Reflections of Forsyth in A Ballad of Canada / MARY I. INGRAHAM 8 Interlude: Reminiscences / CARL HARE, TOMMY BANKS, NORA BUMANIS & JULIA SHAW, ALLAN GILLILAND, JOHN MCPHERSON, FORDYCE C. (DUKE) PIER, TANYA PROCHAZKA, RAYFIELD RIDEOUT, CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR 9 A Life Experience: The Early Orchestral Works / KATHY PRIMOS 10 Splendour in the Brass: A Legacy of Brass Music / DALE SORENSEN 11 The Choral Music / LEONARD RATZLAFF Postlude / VALERIE FORSYTH List of Works Contributors Permissions Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs Canada's punk poet laureate, Art Bergmann has been tearing up stages, and terrifying the music industry, for half a century. Often referred to as "Canada's Lou Reed," Art's story is one of rock and roll's great tales untold. Until now. From his days helping to lay the foundation of the Vancouver punk scene with The K-Tels, to his acclaimed solo work in the '80s and '90s, and a late career resurgence that has culminated with being named to the Order of Canada, The Longest Suicide chronicles every unlikely twist and turn Art's life has taken. Working with veteran music journalist Jason Schneider, Art lays it all out in his own inimitable way, with dozens of people who took part adding their own voices to corroborate (and sometimes dispute) the often-incredible chain of events. With cameos by John Cale, Bob Rock, The Clash, Bob Geldof and many others, The Longest Suicide is both a triumphant story of personal survival, as well as a unique glimpse inside the rise of alternative rock. Above all, it is a tribute to Canada's most unheralded singer-songwriter, whose greatness is only now being widely recognized. From the Introduction: "The story of Art Bergmann's career is perceived by many to be a succession of failures, but the story of Art's life? If Art doesn't have the best story, it is always the most magical." - Michael Turner, author of Hard Core Logo

Read more less

Book SynopsisBruce Forsyth's career spanned an astonishing eight decades - from the old music halls to primetime television on a Saturday night. This is the story of one of Britain's greatest national treasures and a true showman, whose type we'll never see again. Born in 1928 in north London, Bruce's dream from boyhood was to go into show business. However, it was to take years before his dreams began to become a reality - as he and dancing in variety shows on piers and stages up and down the country - until his big break came hosting Sunday Night at the London Palladium in 1958. And so it was that Bruce Forsyth became part of our lives, beamed into living rooms just as TV viewing began to become a national pastime. He went on to become one of our most versatile and popular TV personalities, fronting game shows, talent competitions and variety shows such as The Generation Game, Strike it Lucky and Play Your Cards Right, creating catchphrases that will continue to live on. As Strictly Come Dancing marked his TV comeback in 2004, he once again captured the nation's heart as one of the last entertainers of his kind. In this authoritative and fully up-to-date biography (with a new chapter detailing the tributes paid to Bruce across the entertainment world and his final years), author Jules Stenson looks back at the career of one of our most legendary entertainers and a life lived to the very full.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlexander ('Sandy') Goehr is a leading British composer and teacher. Born into a Jewish musical family in Berlin in 1932, he arrived in England in 1933 with his father, Walter, a composer, conductor, and pupil of Arnold Schoenberg; and his mother Laelia, a trained pianist from Kyiv. Raised in Amersham, he attended Richard Hall's classes at the Royal Manchester College of Music. There he formed the 'Manchester School' – a group of young composers and performers including Peter Maxwell Davies, Harrison Birtwistle, and John Ogdon. He was introduced to Olivier Messiaen when his father conducted the first British performance of Turangalîla-Symphonie in 1953, and he later studied with Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod in Paris. In the late 1950s and early '60s Goehr became known as a radical exponent of serial music. Since then, he has composed more than one hundred major works, including operas, orchestral and chamber pieces, and music for film, television, dance and theatre. He is Emeritus Professor of Music at Cambridge University and one of Europe's most important music educators. He has written and lectured extensively and his music is performed all over the world. Jack Van Zandt (b. 1954), an American composer and Goehr's former pupil and assistant, has co-written this first comprehensive account of the life, creative foundations, and teachings of this great composer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE TOP TEN BESTSELLER'Candid, brilliant and bizarre' Guardian'Stories about the frontman and his bandmates are legion ... [like] Peter Kay with menaces' The Sunday TimesAs lead singer of Happy Mondays and Black Grape, Shaun Ryder was the Keith Richards and Mick Jagger of his generation. A true rebel, who formed and led not one but two seminal bands, he's had number-one albums, headlined Glastonbury, toured the world numerous times, taken every drug under the sun, been through rehab - and come out the other side as a national treasure.Now, for the first time, Shaun lifts the lid on the real inside story of how to be a rock star. With insights from three decades touring the world, which took him from Salford to San Francisco, from playing working men's clubs to headlining Glastonbury and playing in front of the biggest festival crowd the world has ever seen, in Brazil, in the middle of thunderstorm. From recording your first demo tape to having a number-one album, Shaun gives a fly-on-the-wall look at the rock 'n' roll lifestyle - warts and all: how to be a rock star - and also how not to be a rock star. From numerous Top of the Pops appearances to being banned from live TV, from being a figurehead of the acid-house scene to hanging out backstage with the Rolling Stones, Shaun has seen it all. In this book he pulls the curtain back on the debauchery of the tour bus, ridiculous riders, run-ins with record companies, drug dealers and the mafia, and how he forged the most remarkable comeback of all time.'There are enough stories about Happy Mondays to keep people talking about them forever. Bands live on through the myth really, myth and legend' (Steve Lamacq)Trade ReviewCandid and brilliant -- Emma Garland * Guardian *Table of Contentsi: Intro 1: Myths 2: Starting a band 3: Band names 4: Rehearsals 5: Clothes and haircuts 6: Songwriting 7: Lyrics 8: Record labels 9: Live gigs 10: Riders 11: Top of the Pops 12: Drugs 13: Rehab 14: Fame 15: Rivalries 16: Interviews 17: Video shoots 18: Hotels 19: Homes 20: The recording studio 21: Producers 22: Singles 23: Artwork 24: Managers 25: Awards 26: Fans 27: Festivals 28: Touring the world 29: The tour bus 30: Musical differences 31: Teeth 32: Reality TV 33: Social media 34: Reunions 35: Encore

Read more less

Book Synopsis'In this highly readable biography of Nellie Melba...Robert Wainwright tells the story of the girl with the incredible voice who, by sheer force of her personality and power of her decibels, took the operatic world by storm and managed to escape from her violent husband' Ysenda Maxtone Graham, DAILY MAILNellie Melba is remembered as a squarish, late middle-aged woman dressed in furs and large hats, an imperious Dame whose voice ruled the world for three decades and inspired a peach and raspberry dessert. But to succeed, she had to battle social expectations and misogyny that would have preferred she stay a housewife in outback Queensland rather than parade herself on stage. She endured the violence of a bad marriage, was denied by scandal a true love with the would-be King of France, and suffered for more than a decade the loss of her only son - stolen by his angry, vengeful father. Despite these obstacles, she built and maintained a career as an opera singer and businesswoman on three continents which made her one of the first international superstars. Award-winning biographer Robert Wainwright presents a very different portrait of this great diva, one that celebrates both her musical contributions and her rich and colourful personal life.Trade ReviewIn this highly readable biography of Nellie Melba...Robert Wainwright tells the story of the girl with the incredible voice who, by sheer force of her personality and power of her decibels, took the operatic world by storm and managed to escape from her violent husband -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *Jolly gossipy reading, easily digested * The Telegraph *Wainwright's delightfully revisionist biography of Dame Nellie Melba rescues her from fusty Victorianisms to analyse her struggles and resilience to overcome misogyny and social expectation in becoming one of history's greatest opera singers. * Waterstones.com *[A] rounded portrait...the Melba that emerges is not only a prodigious talent but a trailblazing, fiercely independent and determined woman. * Sydney Morning Herald *Most people know the outlines of the career of the legendary nineteenth-century diva Nellie Melba, but this biography offers new insights. What Melba went through to become the toast of the musical world is almost unbelievable to our twenty-first century eyes and how she handled it makes for remarkablereading -- Judging panel for the 2022 Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award (longlisted title)Wainwright has a reporter's eye for the telling detail, and an ear for good copy...a racy tale, and briskly told. * The Australian, on NELLIE *A gem of a biography. * The Lady, on ENID *My jaw kept dropping as I devoured Robert Wainwright's wonderfully racy biography, full of comedy and tragedy and populated by some of the most dissolute and eccentric aristocrats of the 20th century. -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail, on ENID *Enid's story is dazzling and uplifting, and she certainly lived up to her code: "Never be afraid, never be jealous, and never complain when you are ill." -- Christopher Silvester * Spears, on ENID *As social history Sheila Chisholm's life is fascinating... it's undeniably enjoyable to read of all that glitter and gold. -- Selina Hastings * Spectator, on SHEILA *Table of Contents1: Opposites attract 2: 'I must make some money' 3: 'You wait and see' 4: The audition 5: The house of women 6: The dress 7: Becoming Melba 8: 'You are the star' 9: Covent Garden 10: A doctrine of rivalry 11: 'An Australian girl' takes Paris 12: The devil who leaves 13: The patron 14: Taking a cold house by storm 15: Prince Gamelle 16: A diva meets a duc 17: To Russia with lust 18: Melba nights 19: 'I'll whip him and see what he's worth' 20: Crossing boundaries 21: Armstrong v Armstrong 22: A just dessert 23: Facing the music 24: Murphy's law 25: A resolute intent 26: The first singer in the world 27: A fall from grace 28: Of envious men 29: A Wagnerian tragedy 30: A Star-Spangled Banner 31: Divorce, Texas-style 32: Australia finally 33: The brutal Truth 34: 'I am five feet eleven inches' 35: The long farewell

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe warm, funny and entertaining memoir of much-loved TV personality and loveable posh boy, Jamie Laing.Funny, charming, and romantic to a fault, everyone loves Jamie Laing. The affectionate and exuberant blonde puppy dog has come a long way - and broken many hearts - since he first graced our screens in 2011 as the joker of the King''s Road on Made in Chelsea. Ten years on, he became king of the ballroom making the final of Strictly Come Dancing. Now he''s ready to spill the tea - and (McVitie''s) biscuits - about life, love and everything in between.From his idyllic upbringing in the countryside to the grey walls of boarding school, Jamie has always had a knack for getting himself into trouble. He reveals how he won popularity at school teaching the rest of the boys the proper way to ... [PARENTAL ADVISORY]. He hilariously recounts blagging his way into a casino aged 17, and winning so much money his mother thought he was a drug dealer. Jamie h

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Making of George Wyllie has been co-written by his elder daughter, Louise Wyllie, and arts journalist Jan Patience. Containing never-beforeseen images and fresh insight into his influences and early life, this book seeks to answer questions about the forces which shaped Wyllie's unique worldview.The voyage begins with Wyllie's Glasgow childhood - a period 'disadvantaged by happiness' - and moves on to time spent serving in the Pacific with the Royal Navy during WWII, where he witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by the world's first atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. After the war, like Robert Burns and Adam Smith before him, Wyllie became an Excisemen. He made 'time for art' in his forties, going on to create memorable public art works such as the life-sized Straw Locomotive, which hung from the Finnieston Crane in Glasgow, and the giant seaworthy Paper Boat, with the letters QM (Question Mark) on her side.By the time of his death at the age of ninety in 2012, this idiosyncratic self-taught artist had laid out his vision of himself as the artist-shaman, arrow in hand, making a last Cosmic Voyage.Trade Review'George Wyllie is a credit to the artistic brilliance of Scottish people' - Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs; 'A fascinating insight into the great, quixotic life of George Wylie, and how he came to leave his indelible mark on the Scottish arts landscape' - Alan Cumming

Read more less

Book SynopsisA compelling personal account of Terry Farrell’s life in architecture, as an influential Postmodern designer, architect-planner and principal of a leading global practice. What have the defining projects and watershed moments and encounters been in Farrell's career? How has did he secure significant building projects such as Charing Cross, The MI6 Building and Beijing South Station? What have the highs and lows been in realising such large-scale schemes? Providing the inside view of what it is like to be an architect at the top of his profession, this autobiography highlights what it takes to develop a successful international practice. Farrell, alongside his High-Tech contemporaries, was a game-changer in the way he ran his business, with a deep commitment to marketing and finance. Working with the private sector, he made a complete break from a previous post-war generation of firms that were almost solely reliant on publicly funded building programmes. Tracing the story of his early life growing up in Greater Manchester and then on the post-war Grange Estate in Newcastle, before attending Newcastle University and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and subsequently setting up in practice in London with Sir Nicholas Grimshaw in 1965, it highlights how Farrell, despite his working-class background, was able to seize the opportunities provided to him in the 1950s through free access to education. Featuring a richly illustrated full-colour section, including photos from his own private collection and images of Farrell’s most significant buildings, this book is a window into the life and career of one of Britain’s leading architects.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. A family background 2. The 1940s 3. The 1950s 4. The 1960s 5. The 1970s 6. The 1980s 7. The 1990s 8. The 2000s 9. The 2010s onwards Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisDunedin-born artist Grace Joel (1865--1924) exhibited to acclaim in London and Paris, yet she and her art are relatively unknown today. Joel excelled at portraiture and mother and child studies and was skilled in portraying the nude. She received her artistic training in Melbourne and lived for the mature years of her career in London, where her work appeared at the prestigious Royal Academy, as well as the Paris Salon and the Royal Scottish Academy. One possible reason why Joel''s work has not remained visible is that few details of her personal life survive; only three letters have been found, and they reveal little of the person who wrote them. Undaunted, author Joel Schiff has pulled together from the words of her contemporaries, various newspaper accounts, scraps in other historical archives, and close study of her extant paintings a portrayal of this talented woman that is as intimate and engaging as her work.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStephen Botek apprenticed at the side of some of the greats of the jazz era, learning not only about music, but about life. Growing up in small-town Pennsylvania in the shadow of the Dorseys, Botek decides to follow his muse to a future in jazz. He gets mentored by clarinet great Buddy DeFranco and saxophone legend Joe Allard, meets up with greats such as Artie Shaw and Dizzy Gillespie along the way, and follows in Glenn Miller''s footsteps with the Army Air Force Band. A primer on the jazz era, as well as an account of the benefits of apprenticeship, SONG ON MY LIPS not only recounts stories of the greats but takes us backstage, to their studios, and to many of the unique venues of the time. Jazz aficionados and new musicians alike will learn much about the music from this unique life story.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStephen Botek apprenticed at the side of some of the greats of the jazz era, learning not only about music, but about life. Growing up in small-town Pennsylvania in the shadow of the Dorseys, Botek decides to follow his muse to a future in jazz. He gets mentored by clarinet great Buddy DeFranco and saxophone legend Joe Allard, meets up with greats such as Artie Shaw and Dizzy Gillespie along the way, and follows in Glenn Miller''s footsteps with the Army Air Force Band. A primer on the jazz era, as well as an account of the benefits of apprenticeship, SONG ON MY LIPS not only recounts stories of the greats but takes us backstage, to their studios, and to many of the unique venues of the time. Jazz aficionados and new musicians alike will learn much about the music from this unique life story.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt seems that so many of today''s Hollywood stars come from Canada, but at one time only a few could claim to have conquered Tinseltown. Here are the biographies of those Canadians who crossed the border and beat down the studio doors of Hollywood to leave an outstanding legacy that inspired later generations of talent: Mary Pickford, a Canadian dubbed America''s Sweetheart, was instrumental in creating the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and in helping to form United Artists Lorne Greene, famed patriarch of Bonanza''s Cartwright clan, was a generous father figure to a younger generation of Canadian actors Fay Wray, a young girl from southern Alberta, became famous as Hollywood''s Queen of Scream and is forever remembered for her role in King Kong Raymond Burr, the actor who seemed indistinguishable from his two renowned television roles as Perry Mason and Robert Ironside Christopher Plummer, who came to motion picture fame opposite Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, has enjoyed a long and diverse career in film and on stage Norma Shearer, considered the very definition of glamour during her glory days in Hollywood, had a trophy case filled with five Oscars by 1936 William Shatner, forever an icon of film and television as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, has more recently found fame again with his unique brand of self-deprecating humour Leslie Nielsen, possibly one of the most original talents to come out of Canada, earned his fame through comedic roles in Airplane! and the Naked Gun series and more...

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisVerity Sweeny Purdy at the age of eleven was sent to England to live with an aunt and train as a classical dancer. This memoir tells of her experience crossing Canada by train, the Atlantic Ocean by ship, and her arrival in England. Her story continues as she tells about her Aunt Doffrie and her bohemian way of life. We learn about her schooling and dance training. She writes about her mothers'' Scottish cousins, their mansions and castles, and their life style that was so different from Verity''s. For five years of her young life, Verity was the Luckiest Girl in the World.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisMorrissey is a figure cult. But what drives his fans devotion? What makes them trek halfway round the world to catch his shows in the US or South America when he is playing in their city a few months later? Why do they fight over pieces of his shirt, thrown each night into the crowd? Is this healthy? Should they seek help? Is Moz messainic or does he calculatedly whip the mob into a frenzy to maintain his status? And what of Morrisseys own adolescence and his obssessions with 50s rock n rollers and stars such as Bowie and Patty Smith. And what about the places of pilgrimage, venues such as Salford Lads Club or Southern Cemetry''s gates. Why do these places give fans a special connection with their hero? Morrissey devotee (and proud owner of an intact Moz shirt) Matt Jacobson examines his own obssession and that of his fellow fans to discover the lengths some will go to, from risking physical injury to ending long friendships, to get closer to their hero.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a city that has produced more than its fair share of musical heroes, Ian Moss remains a steadfast figure in the Manchester musical underground. As one of the handful of people who were actually at the first Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester in June 1976, and the co-creator of the legendary band Hamsters, that John Peel described as being too dark and dangerous to appear on his Radio 1 show, Ian has often found himself at the cusp of key events in the evolution of music in the city. 45 THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK traces the development of his musical taste during his teenage years as a self-confessed ''misfit''. The records selected here provided him with ''an escape from humdrum routine'' before teenage emotional crises made them take on even more importance as the ''oxygen'' keeping him alive, later admitting that ''without music I was nothing''. This first volume covers Ian''s growth from callow teenager to young adult during the golden years of popular music.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisCanadian siblings Margo, Michael and Peter Timmins and Michael's childhood friend, Alan Anton, first started making music together over thirty years ago. Sixteen studio albums and five live albums later, Cowboy Junkies are still touring the world. Based on interviews with the group themselves, Music is the Drug is the official biography of one of the best-loved folk-rock bands around.

Read more less

Book SynopsisQuitting Your Day Job: Chauncey Hare's Photographic Work is the first critical biography of the American photographer Chauncey Hare (1934-2019). Although Hare received a significant, if fleeting, degree of professional success, including a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in 1977, an Aperture monograph, and three Guggenheim fellowships, his work has not received the critical attention it deserves and his extraordinary life story remains obscure. This lack of recognition has much to do with Hare's fanatical aversion to the commercial realms of the art world even at the height of his professional success. Perhaps his most overt declaration of aesthetic disavowal was his ultimate decision to renounce his identity as an artist in 1985 and pursue a career as a clinical therapist specializing in "work abuse" (which is also the title of a book he co-authored on the subject in 1997). Hare would subsequently donate his entire archive to the Bancroft Library at the University of California-notably not the Berkeley Museum of Art-with the provision that the original prints cannot be exhibited and that any reproduction of his work must include a caption that states that the photograph was created "to protest and warn against the growing domination of working people by multinational corporations and their elite owners and managers." Quitting Your Day Job considers the vexed relation between art and politics that defined Hare's career, drawing upon largely unexamined archival materials, new interviews and analyzing Hare's brilliant and moving photographs alongside the prolix and oftentimes bathetic prefaces he wrote for the three collections of his photographs. The book presents a wide-ranging critical account of Hare's life and art, suggesting the ways in which his work continues to resonate with contemporary concerns about the reach of corporations into everyday life, documentary photography's longstanding complicity with the politics of liberal guilt, and art's vexed relation to elite channels of power.

Read more less