Biography: arts and entertainment Books

Book SynopsisWritten in collaboration with Family Man and other surviving band members, "Wailing Blues" reveals the truth behind the Marley legacy. It traces the early lives of the Barrett brothers before they joined Marley in the '60s and discusses how reggae artists like Lee 'Scratch' Perry influenced the band. It includes insider accounts of the assassination attempt on Marley and his exile in London. It examines how hits like "Exodus", "Waiting in Vain", "No Woman No Cry", and "I Shot The Sheriff" were made - songs that have helped change the face of popular music.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWho was Dan Leno? In 1901 everyone in Britain knew who he was. They had seen him live on the music hall stage, listened to his jokes on the new gramophone and watched his funny antics in some of the earliest moving pictures. Even King Edward VII was a fan and the popular press dubbed Dan Leno 'The King's Jester'. But his path to fame was a hard one: he journeyed from being a child performer in the London and Liverpool slums to a chaotic career in hard-bitten northern variety theatres. Dan became the nation's favourite comedian, but as one of the first mass media stars he suffered from this continual exposure and died at the early age of forty three. Drawing on many previously unused sources, this is first, authoritative, biography of Dan Leno. Only Charlie Chaplin, often compared to Dan in style and appearance, was to occupy a similar position in the hearts of the British public. In telling the full story of Dan's life and career on the stage and screen, Barry Anthony brings to life the everyday life of Victorian Britain, as well as Dan's unique brand of humour and its resonance with later comedians such as Spike Milligan and the Monty Python team.Trade Review'Barry Anthony has learned so much more than I about the great little clown who became the King's Jester. He has brought it all together in this fascinating and so well documented story of Dan Leno's life and times.' - Roy Hudd President of the British Music Hall SocietyTable of Contents1 Prelude 2 An Inconvenience 3 The Infant Wonder 4 Nightmare Years 5 Monarch in Wooden Shoes 6 Leno's Grand Varieties 7 The Talk of London 8 Dame Durden & Mr Tambo 9 The War between the Sexes 10 Muffins and Mumpets for Tea 11 A Large, Genial Gentleman 12 Popularity 13 Regime Change in Drury Land 14 The Funniest Man on Earth 15 Orlando Dando 16 Grimaldi's Scissors 17 The Living Image 18 Postscript Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisJessie Kesson is forever associated with her first novel, the fictionalised autobiography of her early years, The White Bird Passes. Born illegitimate in a Workhouse and raised in an Elgin slum, she was removed from her beloved but neglectful mother and sent to an orphanage in Kirkton of Skene. There she throve and shone, but was refused any chance of higher education, and ended up a year in a mental hospital. After marriage, she became a cottar wife around North East Scotland, before moving to London, where she combined writing novels and radio plays with jobs from cleaning a cinema to producing Woman's Hour. The first edition of her authorised biography won the National Library of Scotland/Saltire Research Book of the Year in 2000. It revealed an extraordinary woman making her life and art out of all life threw at her, overcoming and transforming it all. This second edition at last reveals the truth about her ever-absent father, here named.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRunaway Dreams tells the story of brothers Pat, John and Tommy McManus who, as Mama's Boys, wrote their own chapter in the history of rock music. From a farmhouse in Derrylin, Northern Ireland, and a family steeped in the traditions of Irish folk music, the three brothers set out at the height of 'The Troubles' to make their mark on a world stage. Given an early leg up by Barry Devlin of Horslips, then by Hawkwind and Wishbone Ash, their success was assured when Phil Lynott chose Mama's Boys to accompany Thin Lizzy on their farewell tour. The band went on to circuit the world many times over, sharing the stage with the likes of Deep Purple, Rush, Sting, Black Sabbath, Rory Gallagher, and Foreigner; and touring in the company of Twisted Sister, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Ratt and Bon Jovi. At the height of their success tragedy struck the band when youngest brother, Tommy, after years of struggle, died of leukaemia at the age of 28. There could be no Mama's Boys without Tommy, and yet it was unthinkable for the two remaining brothers not to play on. So, after a brief hiatus, the music and the successes continued with Pat and John's new venture, Celtus. Playing their debut at the Royal Albert Hall, the band went on to win the 1998 Irish World Music Award, ahead of U2, The Corrs and Enya, and toured with Sheryl Crow, Deacon Blue, Paul Carrack and Jimmy Nail. Their final performance was with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Runaway Dreams is the story of a band of brothers who, through passion, talent, loyalty and determination, became cultural icons in Ireland and in the words of Mary Anne Hobbs 'living, breathing Irish history.' Michael Walsh lost count years ago of how many times he saw Mama's Boys, and of how many nights he hitched home in the rain through the back roads of Northern Ireland after their shows. He is now, in addition to being a Mama's Boys and Celtus fan, an Associate Professor of Art History at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Previous books include: This Cult of Violence (Yale University Press, 2002); A Dilemma of English Modernism (University of Delaware Press, 2007); Hanging a Rebel (Lutterworth Press, 2008) and London, Modernism and 1914 (Cambridge University Press, 2010).Trade Review'Morals, ethics and a lack of ego; now there's a real rock 'n' roll story.'- Eric Egan, Music Book of the Fortnight, Hot Press.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn July 1996, Edinburgh College of Art offered a Masterclass with the Italian-Scottish sculptor, Eduardo Paolozzi. He particularly wanted to run this course in his home city. Although born in Leith, the eldest son of Italian immigrants, Paolozzi left Scotland after studying at Edinburgh College of Art to pursue further studies in London and to establish an international reputation as a sculptor. Plans for two previous classes elsewhere had fallen through. The selection process chose 17 students with widely different backgrounds. Plunged into ten days of unconventional tutoring, each found widely differing responses. Paolozzi asked the members of the class to keep a diary of their time with him. Ann Shaw, a former journalist with The Glasgow Herald, documented her days and recorded scenes of chaos and progress. Her unabridged account is illustrated throughout with some of the photographs she took as the appointed 'official' class photographer. Paolozzi is seen as human, vulnerable, gracious and rude, inspiring and shy.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn updated edition of the best-selling in-depth biography of the world's most popular rapper.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith Fairport Convention and solo, Sandy Denny displayed one of contemporary music''s finest voices; she also composed her own material, including "Who Knows Where The Time Goes"--a huge U.S. hit for Judy Collins--and sang on Led Zeppelin IV.However, Sandy tragically got caught in a spiral of drink and drugs and died at age 31 in 1978.Best-selling Dylan biographer Heylin draws on hours of new interviews to tell Sandy''s story.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor the first time, author Sophie Johnson reveals the story behind Miranda's rise to fame. The comedian was born in Torquay in 1972, yet despite graduating with a degree in politics, she always wanted to be a comedian. In 2002 she performed at the Edinburgh Festival, and her early career was followed by Jennifer Saunders, who cast Miranda in an Ab Fab Christmas special. TV roles such as The Vicar of Dibley, Nighty Night, Hyperdrive and Not Going Out followed - before Miranda Hart's Joke Shop was commissioned by BBC Radio 2 in 2008, leading to the development of the smash hit series Miranda, which made her a household name. Since then, Miranda has branched out into straight acting, with a highly-acclaimed role in BBC drama Call the Midwife. She is the newest comedy legend to capture the imagination of the public - this is her full story.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIncluding her survival of Japan’s Great Kanto Earthquake, this book is an enthralling account of Dorothy Britton’s life, loves and discoveries in an amazingly varied life and career. Bilingual from birth, she found the immense joy of blending in with peoples of different cultures simply by getting the sound right when speaking their languages to the extent that she herself sounds Japanese. While interviewing Talent Education’s Shinichi Suzuki, she realized his peerless ‘mother tongue method’ for learning the violin was ideal for foreign languages too. While composing music for many documentary films introducing Japan to the world, in Empire Photosound’s beautiful My Garden Japan she used the ancient instruments of the Imperial Court Orchestra. The film was shown daily at Montreal’s EXPO 67 where it garnered a prize. Amusing episodes and stories of fascinating people and relationships abound in the book, as do valuable insights into topics such as the post-war Occupation and its impact on everyday life, the role of women, learning Japanese, marriage customs, food and many other aspects of Japanese culture and society. Appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2010 for her highly regarded contributions to bridging two cultures, this long-awaited memoir will be widely welcomed. Here is the remarkable and remarkably frank story of a life lived to the full by the doyenne of British residents in Japan that has benefited so many and touched the lives of countless others.Table of ContentsPlate section faces page 128 Preface List of Plates 1. Rhythms Are What Divide Us 2. My Mother 3. My Father 4. How Marrying Changes my Father’s Life 5. The Great Kanto Earthquake 6. Hayama 7. Mother Contacts Her First Japanese Friend 8. Royal Friends 9. The Japanese Language 10. Winters in Yokohama 11. Father’s Sudden Death 12. England 13. Bermuda 14. Mills College, 1943-1945 15. London, 1945-1949 16. Innocence and Ignorance 17. Back in Japan – 1949 18. Love and Sex 114 19. Meeting ‘Boy’ 20. Society in Japan 21. Marriage Customs 22. Washoku and O-furo 23. My Royal Neighbours 24. Two Composers 25. London and Paris 26. Harps and Angels 27. Back to Work in Japan 28. Dreaming of Elephants 29. Finding the Britton 30. Sea Shells 31. The ‘Katakana Prison’ and Mr Suzuki 32. Poetry 33. The Island in Between 34. Marrying ‘Boy’ – 1968 35. The Japanese Crane – Bird of Happiness 36. Comfort and Solace with Ted Dorothy Britton’s Published Works Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBill Bruford, once called the godfather of progressive-rock drumming, has been at the top of his profession for four decades. This is his memoir of life at the heart of prog rock, art rock, and modern jazz, playing with Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, Earthworks and many more. It is an honest and entertaining account of life on the road and in the studio, rubbing shoulders with the famous, the less famous, and the infamous, and creating an impressive tally of great music.A rock musician with the temperament of a classical musician who became a jazz musician, Bruford defies all the clichés about drummers. He says: 'You write what you have to write, you play what you have to play, because you cannot sleep at night. If you can sleep at night, you shouldn't be doing this anyway.'From time to time, at polite dinner parties, someone will ask Bill what he does. He replies that he is a musician. 'Yes, but what do you really do?' retorts the enquirer. This unusual, funny and insightful music memoir answers that question.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOriginally written in Danish in 1980, Pink Moon was the first biography of Nick Drake, and remains the only one to include exclusive interviews with the singer’s parents, Rodney and Molly Drake. In this new, significantly updated edition, available in English for the first time, author and poet Gorm Henrik Rasmussen reveals more from his visits to the Drakes in their home Far Leys – the first, just five years after the death of their troubled son. Rasmussen includes new interviews with Nick’s friends and collaborators plus extracts taken from his eight-year correspondence with the Drakes, and from telephone conversations he had with Rodney every month over four years. Full of intimate detail about the last three years of Nick’s life spent at his childhood home, Pink Moon – A Story about Nick Drake is a personal, original, and moving retelling of the life, death, and posthumous rise of a poet and guitarist who was strangely unsuited for his own time, and is more popular now than he ever was in life.Trade Review"...constructs the story of Drake’s life with insights from those who knew him best... Rasmussen writes elegantly about the music, while his detailed account of the last years of Drake’s life are sensitively handled. By the end of this book, Rasmussen has breathed new life into his subject and his music." source: www.mojo4music.com -- Mark Blake.'Gorm tells the story with great understanding of Nick and his art. He must be credited with writing the first book about Nick, and possibly the best one too. Like Nick's own works, it was unappreciated for many years.. now that its truth and magic are revealed, it deserves to find a much wider audience and will undoubtedly bring satisfaction to all those who wish to know the real Nick Drake a little better.' -- Jason Creed. * Pynk Moon fanzine *'A story in which straight biographical bits are interwoven with skillfully composed, extrapolated scenes ... fans will find it a great companion book to Drake’s music, and rock lovers will enjoy the author’s serious, personal attempt to get intimate with his icon.' Source: www.reviews.libraryjournal.com/2012/03/collection-development/books-for-dudes/books-for-dudes/ -- Douglas Lord.Table of ContentsForeword 1 Zeeland, 1978 Rodney and Molly The Music Room 2 The Guitar A Trip to Africa A Poet with a Guitar The American What Exactly is a Dream? The Royal Festival Hall The Girl and the Monkey Bryter Layter Pink Moon Hanging on a Star 3 Existential Depression Time of No Reply Family Tree Discography Sources

Read more less

Book SynopsisOriginally written in Danish in 1980, Pink Moon was the first biography of Nick Drake, and remains the only one to include exclusive interviews with the singer’s parents, Rodney and Molly Drake. In this new, significantly updated edition, available in English for the first time, author and poet Gorm Henrik Rasmussen reveals more from his visits to the Drakes in their home Far Leys – the first, just five years after the death of their troubled son. Rasmussen includes new interviews with Nick’s friends and collaborators plus extracts taken from his eight-year correspondence with the Drakes, and from telephone conversations he had with Rodney every month over four years. Full of intimate detail about the last three years of Nick’s life spent at his childhood home, Pink Moon – A Story about Nick Drake is a personal, original, and moving retelling of the life, death, and posthumous rise of a poet and guitarist who was strangely unsuited for his own time, and is more popular now than he ever was in life.Trade Review"...constructs the story of Drake’s life with insights from those who knew him best... Rasmussen writes elegantly about the music, while his detailed account of the last years of Drake’s life are sensitively handled. By the end of this book, Rasmussen has breathed new life into his subject and his music." source: www.mojo4music.com -- Mark Blake.'Gorm tells the story with great understanding of Nick and his art. He must be credited with writing the first book about Nick, and possibly the best one too. Like Nick's own works, it was unappreciated for many years.. now that its truth and magic are revealed, it deserves to find a much wider audience and will undoubtedly bring satisfaction to all those who wish to know the real Nick Drake a little better.' -- Jason Creed."A story in which straight biographical bits are interwoven with skillfully composed, extrapolated scenes ... fans will find it a great companion book to Drake’s music, and rock lovers will enjoy the author’s serious, personal attempt to get intimate with his icon." Source: www.reviews.libraryjournal.com/2012/03/collection-development/books-for-dudes/books-for-dudes/ -- Douglas Lord.Table of ContentsForeword 1 Zeeland, 1978 Rodney and Molly The Music Room 2 The Guitar A Trip to Africa A Poet with a Guitar The American What Exactly is a Dream? The Royal Festival Hall The Girl and the Monkey Bryter Layter Pink Moon Hanging on a Star 3 Existential Depression Time of No Reply Family Tree Discography Sources

Read more less

Book SynopsisGlen Matlock was a founding member of the Sex Pistols and co-wrote most of their iconic songs. His story of the Pistols’ rise to global infamy is an honest, insightful account of a group of intelligent malcontents, determined to change the music business and to attack hypocrisy and stale conventions in society at large. Glen brilliantly captures the flavour of seventies Britain and reveals the complexities and personality clashes that made the Pistols so explosive at that time. Also includes true tales of the Pistols reunion tours of 1996 and 2003. Never mind the other bollocks-filled books about the Sex Pistols, here’s the truth.Trade Review'As the first band-member's view of the group that rescued rock from the foolishness of the mid-'70s, this is an engaging memoir' Source: www.ew.com/ -- Margot Mifflin.

Read more less