Biography: arts and entertainment Books
History Press Growing Up Yinzer
Book Synopsis
£19.99
History Press Hidden History of Atlantic City
£17.66
History Press Live at McCabes Guitar Shop
£18.01
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Ukulele PlayAlong Bob Marley Ukulele PlayAlong
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£14.24
Hal Leonard Corporation Rhapsody in Black The Life and Music of Roy
Book SynopsisRHAPSODY IN BLACK: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF ROY ORBISON
£18.99
Amazon Publishing David Lynch The Man from Another Place 10 Icons
£10.90
Backbeat Leonard Cohen Everybody Knows
Book SynopsisLEONARD COHEN: EVERYBODY KNOWS
£29.74
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Pete Seeger Banjo PlayAlong Volume 5 Hal Leonard
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£15.29
Archway Publishing Memories of La La Land
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£37.99
Globe Pequot Press To Hell and Back
Book SynopsisThere have been many books written about Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, but only by people who weren't there. Walter Lure wasfrom the band's chaotic beginnings on New York's Lower East Side, through a now-legendary UK tour with the Sex Pistols and the Clash, and on to a yearlong stay in Londoneyewitness and midwife to the birth of UK punk.Now, he tells his story in To Hell and Back, a thrilling ride through the clubs and dives of two continents, in the company of one of the most notorious junkies in rock 'n' roll history. Drawing from his own contemporary journals, Lure paints a vivid portrait of life in both cities, during perhaps the most crucial musical uprising of the past forty yearsthe music, the characters, the clothes, the fights, the drugs, the orgies, the lot.Lure lays bare his own battle with drugs, and reflects upon his life after the band's splitrising to become a Wall Street fixture yet still finding time to make music.
£18.99
Backbeat Freddie Mercury A Kind of Magic
Book SynopsisFREDDIE MERCURY: A KIND OF MAGIC
£29.74
Backbeat I Wrote That One Too A Life in Songwriting from
Book SynopsisI WROTE THAT ONE TOO: A LIFE IN SONGWRITING FROM WILLIE TO WHITNEY
£25.49
Hal Leonard Corporation Shatner
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 friends and coll
£23.75
Kensington Publishing Girl on the Balcony
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£20.40
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE USA INSOMNIA
£20.89
Rowman & Littlefield Chasing Tone: How Rob Turner and EMG
Book SynopsisPrince, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Toto, James Taylor, Keith Richards—these stars and thousands of others all owe a debt of gratitude to Rob Turner who revolutionized the electric guitar and bass.Chasing Tone tells Rob Turner’s story from humble beginnings rewiring his father’s transistor radio components to founding EMG and, finally, to the world’s largest concert stages. Jim Reilly provides a wealth of fascinating insights by weaving together many exclusive interviews with top artists and colleagues, including James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo of Metallica; legendary session musician Leland Sklar; Vernon Reid of Living Colour; Victor Wooten; Béla Fleck; Nili Brosh; Jim Root of Slipknot; and guitar builders Mike McGuire and John Carruthers. Along the way, Reilly not only sheds light on the history of the electric guitar and bass and how EMG pickups forever altered their course but also explores the elusive relationship between builder and creator, showing how these artists found their sound.This book takes a deep dive into the creative process while providing a history of popular music told from a side of the stage previously underexplored.Table of Contents Foreword: Tom Mulhern A Brief Introduction from the Author and Alison Turner Prologue: Friday Nights Chapter One: Just a Kid from Sunny SoCal Chapter Two: Lessons at Every Curve CHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 1: Vernon Reid, Jim Root, & Nili Brosh Chapter Three: Am I Living the Dream? Chapter Four: From Coast to Coast and Across the Seas CHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 2: Joel Landsberg, Chris Pandolfi, Richard Battaglia & Nate Lopez Chapter Five: Welcome to the Big Leagues Chapter Six: Enter Sandman CHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 3: Robert Trujillo, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield (& Zach Harmon) Chapter Seven: Brother Bill Chapter Eight: Sometimes You Just Leave It Alone – But More Often You Explore CHASING TONE – THE ARTISTS’ JOURNEY 4: Bobby Vega, Victor Wooten Chapter Nine: The Journey Continues Epilogue: A Note from the Author with Thanks Appendix: EMG Artists To Date
£34.80
Rowman & Littlefield Lead Sister: The Story of Karen Carpenter
£23.75
Grand Central Publishing The Last Days of John Lennon
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£10.44
Grand Central Publishing What Really Happens in Vegas
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£17.59
Grand Central Publishing What Would Dolly Do?: How to Be a Diamond in a
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£18.40
Grand Central Publishing Radiant: The Dancer, the Scientist, and a
Book Synopsis Part hidden history, part love letter to creative innovation, this is the 'imaginative and immersive' (The Star Tribune) true story of an unlikely friendship between a dancer, Loie Fuller, and a scientist, Marie Curie, brought together by an illuminating discovery. At the turn of the century, Paris was a hotbed of creativity. Technology boomed, delivering to the world electric light, the automobile, and new ways to treat disease, while imagination blossomed, creating Art Nouveau, motion pictures, and modernist literature. A pivotal figure during this time, yet largely forgotten today, Loie Fuller was an American performance artist who became a living symbol of the Art Nouveau movement with her hypnotic dances and stunning theatrical effects. Credited today as the pioneer of modern dance, she was perennially broke, never took no for an answer, spent most of her life with a female partner, and never questioned her drive. She was a visionary, a renegade, and a loyal friend. In the early 1900s, she heard about Marie Curie's discovery of a glowing blue element and dreamed of using it to dazzle audiences on stage. While Loie's dream wouldn't be realized, her connection with Marie and their shared fascination with radium endured. Radiant is the true story of Marie Curie and Loie Fuller, two revolutionary women drawn together at the dawn of a new era by a singular discovery, and the lifelong friendship that grew out of their shared passion for enlightenment.
£20.89
Little Brown and Company Tiger Tiger
£16.99
Grand Central Publishing Disgraceland: Musicians Getting Away with Murder
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£25.20
Grand Central Publishing The Last Days of John Lennon
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£16.14
Grand Central Publishing The House of Kennedy
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£9.99
Grand Central Publishing Diana William and Harry
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£10.26
Hal Leonard Corporation 100 Great Guitarists: The Gear That Made Them
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£15.19
£46.49
Graywolf Press,U.S. Crying at the Movies: A Film Memoir
Book Synopsis'In these insightful essays, even the writing itself is cinematic as Sprengnether's memories and quick film summaries meld into one another, making it seem as if the author hasn't just seen many movies, but has actually lived one.' - Publishers Weekly In this fascinating memoir, Srengnether looks at the interactions between happenings in the present, troubling events from the past, and the fantasies of the individual dreamer -in this case the individual moviegoer.
£12.59
Chicago Review Press Duke Ellington: His Life in Jazz with 21
Book SynopsisDuke Ellington, one of the most influential figures in American music, comes alive in this comprehensive biography with engaging activities. Ellington was an accomplished and influential jazz pianist, composer, band leader, and cultural diplomat. Activities include creating a ragtime rhythm, making a washtub bass, writing song lyrics, thinking like an arranger, and learning to dance the Lindy Hop. It explores Ellington’s life and career along with many topics related to African American history, including the Harlem Renaissance. Kids will learn about the musical evolution of jazz that coincided with Ellington’s long life from ragtime through the big band era on up to the 1970s. Kids learn how music technology has changed over the years from piano rolls to record albums through CDs, television, and portable music devices. The extensive resources include a time line, glossary, list of Ellington’s greatest recordings, related books, Web sites, and DVDs for further study.Trade Review"The many black-and-white excellent photos show up well on the glossy pages . . . an informative account in an attractive paperback format." --Booklist"Stein Crease delivers a closely written biography bespeaking her Ellington scholarship." --Kirkus Reviews"[A] thorough look at Ellington's musical life and legacy." -- School Library Journal"Crease's wonderful book has earned the phrase Ellington reserved for his highest praise: It is beyond category." --David Hadju, former president of the Duke Ellington Society and author, Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn"Fabulous read." -- Rutherford Parent , Nashville Parent and Williamson Parent"Accessible to today's youngsters." -- New Orleans Magazine"A great musical adventure" -- Education.com"A good book, and quite interesting . . . the activities are kid-friendly . . . this book will quickly become a favourite." --syvjournal.com, Sunday Journal , and The Chicago Crusader
£14.20
Ivan R Dee, Inc Louis Armstrong: The Soundtrack of the American
Book SynopsisIn the twentieth century, African Americans not only helped make popular music the soundtrack of the American experience, they advanced American music as one of the preeminent shapers of the world's popular culture. Vast numbers of black American musicians deserve credit for this remarkable turn of events, but a few stand out as true giants. David Stricklin's superb new biography explores the life of one of them, Louis Armstrong. The life story of this great instrumentalist, bandleader, and entertainer illustrates much of the black entertainer's impact on American culture and illuminates how popular culture often intersects with politics and economics. Armstrong emerged from a precarious background and triumphed over almost impossible odds, becoming a transcendent public figure and an international icon. Mr. Stricklin concentrates on Armstrong's musical talent, something many observers called a thing of genius. But he also pays special attention to Armstrong's identity a black man in America and the ways in which he triumphed over the mistreatment and disrespect dealt countless people like him. The creativity and exuberance he shared with the world came from his unique vantage as an artist and as an African American with a striking and lively spirit of freedom. He might have been able to demonstrate that determination in any line of work, but his story has special urgency because he expressed his creative power through music. With 16 black-and-white photographs.Trade ReviewIn Stricklin's biography, Louis Armstrong: The Soundtrack on the American Experience, he gives us a very compelling revisit to the total majesty of Louis Armstrong. . . . His book re-illuminates the greatness that he consistently displayed on trumpet and vocals but also puts the spotlight on Louis's impact on society and culture at large from the vantage point of a pioneering African-American artist. His stances on mistreatment and injustices give us the full picture of Mr. Armstrong the human being and how we are deeply in his debt for showing us the way musically, socially, spiritually, and humanly! This book is a must have for all to remind us the toll we pay to Armstrong every time we pick up an instrument or enjoy freedoms that he, along with other ancestors, felt were entitled to his race, the human race! -- James CarterTable of ContentsPreface Introduction Chapter 1: Humble Origins Chapter 2: A Rising Talent Chapter 3: Hot Music in a Strange Time Chapter 4: An Independent Musician Chapter 5: Fully Free African American Chapter 6: Looking to a New Future Chapter 7: International Icon Chapter 8: The Soundtrack of the American Experience
£18.99
Chicago Review Press Bowie on Bowie Volume 8: Interviews and
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£23.36
Riverhead Books Goldwyn
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£24.48
Centerstream Publishing C. F. Martin & His Guitars, 1796-1873
Book Synopsis(Reference). The Martin is considered the finest acoustic guitar in the world, a distinction it has held for more that 160 years. Martin guitars have been played by performers Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills, Judy Collins, and Johnny Cash, as well as hundreds of thousands of other professional and amateur musicians. In C.F. Martin and His Guitars, 1796-1873 , Philip Gura chronicles the career of Christian Frederick Martin from his humble start as an importer and repairman of musical instruments in New York City in the 1830s through his move to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and the founding of C.F. Martin & Company. Gura is the first historian to thoroughly study the Martin company records dating back to the 1830s: Letters, account books, inventories, and other documents. Using this rich archive, Gura establishes how a German immigrant from Saxony's guild tradition became the finest American guitar maker of his time and created a uniquely American business that successfully eclipsed its competition. As Gura shows, Martin's success was based on his successful navigation of the rapid economic expansion and industrialization of his time. The many sketches and hundreds of photographs illustrate how Martin adapted his artisanal craft to modern industrial methods, maintaining quality while meeting increased demand for instruments. Gura traces the network of suppliers who provided Martin with his raw materials and explores the advertising and other methods Martin employed to build a market for his goods. After Martin's death in 1873, the company continued to grow. It thrives today under the leadership of a sixth-generation Martin, producing instruments that are still the most sought after and collectable in the world. Includes an 80-page color section!
£23.75
Centerstream Publications Chick Webb Spinnin the Webb The Little Giant
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£18.04
University of North Texas Press,U.S. A Deeper Blue: The Life and Music of Townes Van
Book SynopsisThis is the first serious biography of a man widely considered one of Texas’—and America’s—greatest songwriters. Like Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, and Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt was the embodiment of that mythic American figure, the troubled troubadour. A Deeper Blue traces Van Zandt’s background as the scion of a prominent Texas family; his troubled early years and his transformation from promising pre-law student to wandering folk singer; his life on the road and the demons that pursued and were pursued by him; the women who loved and inspired him; and the brilliance and enduring beauty of his songs, which are explored in depth.The author draws on eight years’ extensive research and interviews with Townes’ family and closest friends and colleagues. He looks beyond the legend and paints a colorful portrait of a complex man who embraced the darkness of demons and myth as well as the light of deep compassion and humanity, all “for the sake of the song.”
£13.46
Cherry Lane Music Co ,U.S. The School House Rock Songbook
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£16.99
Triumph Books Elizabeth Taylor
Book SynopsisElizabeth Taylor was a woman of stunning beauty—an actress blessed with immense talent, and someone whose never-dull life shaped the world's view of what it meant to be a celebrity. This must-have keepsake uses a breathtaking collection of photographs to tell the story of a life well-lived, following Taylor from her debut as a child star to her two Academy Awards and her years as an activist for AIDS research and other causes. It recalls her many loves, her costars, her family, her friends, and her fans—people touched by an unforgettable woman bursting with warmth and passion.
£13.25
University of New Orleans Press His Other Life: Searching for My Father, His
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£17.95
Boutique of Quality Books These Are My People
Book SynopsisWhat would it be like to be a part of country music history? Singer/songwriter and manager Merle Kilgore could have told you. He awed his fans with tales of his life in the music business, always with a supporting cast of impossibly famous friends. At age fourteen Merle carried the guitar for Hank Williams Sr. Four years later he wrote his first song, and Webb Pierce turned it into a million-seller. He double-dated with Elvis Presley, wrecked hotel rooms with Johnny Cash, held seances with Johnny Horton, and convinced Audrey Williams to put Hank Jr. on the road at fourteen-years-old. Merle became a prolific songwriter, entering the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He co-wrote his signature accomplishment, Ring of Fire with June Carter Cash. This work is listed by CMT as one of the top four all-time country music songs. These are just a few of the amazing stories of Merle's life, showcased in These Are My People, written by his grandson Mark Rickert.
£15.15
University of Iowa Press Wrong: A Critical Biography of Dennis Cooper
Book SynopsisDennis Cooper is one of the most inventive and prolific artists of our time. Working in a variety of forms and media since he first exploded onto the scene in the early 1970s, he has been a punk poet, a queercore novelist, a transgressive blogger, an indie filmmaker - each successive incarnation more ingenious and surprising than the last. Cooper's unflinching determination to probe the obscure, often violent recesses of the human psyche have seen him compared with literary outlaws like Rimbaud, Genet, and the Marquis de Sade.In this, the first book-length study of Cooper's life and work, Diarmuid Hester shows that such comparisons hardly scratch the surface. A lively retrospective appraisal of Cooper's fifty-year career, Wrong tracks the emergence of Cooper's singular style alongside his participation in a number of American subcultural movements like New York School poetry, punk rock, and radical queercore music and zines. Using extensive archival research, close readings of texts, and new interviews with Cooper and his contemporaries, Hester weaves a complex and often thrilling biographical narrative that attests to Cooper's status as a leading figure of the American post War avant-garde.
£32.25
History Press (SC) The Heart of Branson The Entertaining Families of
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£18.69
History Press Alabama Musicians
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£18.69
Bancroft Press Sondheim & Me: Revealing a Musical Genius
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£24.26
Bancroft Press Sondheim & Me: Revealing a Musical Genius
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£21.56
Bancroft Press Becoming JFK
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£27.50
Savas Beatie Running the Race: The 'Public Face' of Charlton
Book SynopsisThundering across the screen, Judah Ben-Hur’s iconic chariot race against his former friend turned bitter foe remains an indelible part of cinematic history and established Charlton Heston as an international superstar. In many ways the race was a metaphor for the actor’s dynamic life, symbolizing his struggle to establish himself in his profession. Brian Steel Wills captures for the first time a comprehensive view of the actor’s climb to fame, his search for the perfect performance, and the meaningful roles he played in support of the causes he embraced.The actor was born and raised in the Michigan woodlands and suburbs of Chicago, where he found his love of acting in the books he read and the movies he saw. 'Chuck' Heston’s introduction to the craft that would become his life’s work began at New Trier High School and spilled over into Northwestern University. The Second World War interrupted his journey when he served his country, after which he and his wife Lydia headed to Asheville, North Carolina, where they both acted and directed in theatre.The lights of New York City and Broadway beckoned, and live television offered an important platform, but Hollywood and feature films were his destiny. His roles were as varied as they were powerful, and included stints as Moses, Ben-Hur, El Cid, Michelangelo, Mike Vargas, and Charles 'Chinese' Gordon under legendary directors like Cecil B. DeMille, William Wyler, Franklin Schaffner, and Orson Welles. He shifted to science fiction in Planet of the Apes and Soylent Green, a wide range of action and disaster films, and more nuanced roles such as Will Penny.Over his decades of performance Heston defined and redefined his 'public face' in a constant quest for an audience for his work. He undertook wide-ranging public service roles for the government, the arts, and other causes. His leadership in the Screen Actors Guild and American Film Institute carried him from Hollywood to the halls of Congress. He became an outspoken advocate of the arts and other public and charitable causes, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington, and supported Second Amendment rights with the National Rifle Association. He did so even when his positions often clashed with other actors on issues ranging from nuclear arms, national security, and gun rights. The proud independent shifted decidedly to the Republican Party and appeared at political rallies and conventions, but rebuffed calls to run for office in favour of assuming similar roles on the big screen.Award-winning historian Brian Steel Wills digs deep to paint a rich portrait of Heston’s extraordinary life – a mix of complications and complexities that touched film, television, theatre, politics, and society. His carefully crafted 'public face' was impactful in more ways than the ordinarily shy and private family man could have ever imagined.
£22.99
Chicago Review Press Cobain on Cobain Volume 9: Interviews and
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£23.36
