Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Simon Reynolds, Neon Screams explores the plethora of new street genres that have emerged at the turn of the 2020s. Neon Screams is a manifesto, a rallying cry for the new musical futurism. Taking street music’s embrace of Auto-Tune in the late 2000s as his starting point, Kit Mackintosh launches you through a whirlwind tour of the last decade of cutting-edge music, championing the modern genres still uncovering the sonic impossible, from mumble rap to drill to Afrobeats, bashment and beyond. Beginning where most future music chronicles end, Mackintosh establishes a new pantheon of pioneers and innovators. Offering dizzying insights into the likes of Future, Young Thug, Migos and Vybz Kartel, Neon Screams is conceptual weaponry to use against all those who say music isn’t what it used to be. Part polemic, part synesthetic possession, Neon Screams is essential reading for everyone eager to uncover the new frontiers of future music.Trade Review"The best music book I've read in years.”

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Book SynopsisTonight It's a World We Bury is a radical re-writing of the history and politics of black metal music. Challenging the commonly-held perception that black metal is a genre of the right - full of wannabe Vikings, Nazis, skinheads and other unsavoury characters - Tonight It's a World We Bury looks at an array of black metal artists to re-affirm the genre as radically anticapitalist, revolutionary and left-wing. Utilizing an eclectic range of black metal bands, including Darkthrone, Burzum, Liturgy and Deathspell Omega, and taking in the works of Marx, Nietzsche, Deleuze and more, Tonight It's a World We Bury is a book on black metal like no other.Trade Review"Peel incisively juxtaposes disturbing examples of metal culture and capitalist excess with one hand, and offers black metal assemblage with the other. This work is an exciting addition to metal studies for its focus on the culture's non-musical potential." "As bone-shakingly impactful and brutally straight to the point as one's first exposure to Mayhem's Chainsaw Gutsfuck (although slightly more theory heavy)... Bill Peel asks us to reconsider our entire world view when it comes to black metal." "This book is not just for the true believers, but for the sincere heretics: those who recognise that there is something both destructive and beautiful beneath the noise. An astounding read!" "With Tonight It's a World We Bury, Bill Peel has produced a lucid, briskly written and eminently readable manifesto for the present and future of metal's darkest extremes." "Black metal today is a hotly contested cultural battleground, and a musical genre that must be reclaimed from the far right. As this brilliant book ingeniously argues, black metal is also a tool that can be used against the greatest enemy of our time: capitalism."

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Book SynopsisHomemade records, tape-hiss worship and a taste for a very peculiar kind of psychedelia have carved themselves a weird niche in the contemporary musical landscape under the name of lo-fi. This genreless genre, characterized by poor recordings and rough sounds, spanning from the most extreme heavy metal to the sweetest ear-candies pop can offer, has become a solid presence in our collective sensibility. And yet, it has largely been neglected: this staunch refusal of anything hi-fi and hi-tech has fallen under the radar of the categories we use to analyse ourselves and our times. The Great Psychic Outdoors, dedicated to the most interesting and controversial artists in this movement, will rectify this injustice and vindicate the revolutionary potential of lo-fi music, engaging with this weird genre on its own terms and facing head on the contradictions and possibilities of this multi-faceted phenomenon. Confronting the aesthetic and conceptual stakes of this sonic craft, The Great Psychic Outdoors shows what lo-fi says about us, our lives under capitalism and the strange ways we cope with pain, madness and beauty.Trade Review"Enrico's doting warmth for all things Lo-fi will surely enchant you. Expect to find yourself perusing the dusty shelves of your local charity shop for a half working cassette deck the moment you close this book. Do you want to know why 'bad' is really good? Start reading!""Many will buy this book for the sonic adventures it promises, only to find themselves down unexpected rabbit holes of radical politics and philosophical inquiry. It is an experience to be cherished. We don't tend to write books about music like this anymore. But we should."Through the pioneers of recording sabotage, this book punches aseries of holes on Pop music’s silhouette to drag you through the joys and curses of sonic interzones, obsolete technologic patchworks and outcast techniques. For those who dwell in the uncertain fields of broken frequencies and hijacked transducers, this is it."The Great Psychic Outdoors is today’s bible of outsider glam... Read about lo-fi as a sovereign act of slackerdom. Ride waves of foggy meanings, where music drifts off into noise, cut-ups, soundscapes, echoes, feedback and other imperfections—and listen how poetry derails.""A well written and informed intro into the world of lo-fi interweaving politics, philosophy... From Monacelli’s bedroom, listening to Smog, to the cult of R. Stevie Moore, the mystical Daniel Johnston and many more. A great overview for those new to the genre and a must read for anyone wanting to know more.""When the world is too much, when everything is just too slick, too smooth, too processed - that is when lo-fi music, thanks to its very subtractions, can take us someplace else, someplace new. In this book, Enrico Monacelli guides us through the surprising varieties of lo-fi experience."“I’m so glad someone has finally written a book like this. It helped me realize all the reasons why I love lo-fi music — why it’s been so important to me in my life, and why it deserves greater attention and recognition.”"The Great Psychic Outdoors is not only a history and theory of Low Fidelity. It is the most urgent aesthetic treatise of our century.”

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Book SynopsisMany myths, masquerading as facts, were flourishing, when Anthony Meredith’s first Arnold biography came out, almost twenty years ago. Accordingly, he misrepresented several key issues, just as previous biographers had done. He also fudged others, for Arnold was still alive, and so, too, was his forceful carer. The many Arnold myths lived on. Three years ago, however, Malcolm Arnold’s daughter, Katherine, encouraged the biographer to write a new book with the true story of her father’s last thirty years. She had much new evidence to support it - material that confirmed her suspicions that when her father, in mid-life, came under the total control of two different carers, his vulnerability had been terribly exploited. Arnold’s last thirty years could only properly be understood if seen in the context of his earlier life, so a full biography beckoned. Nor could the years after the composer’s death be omitted, for things occurred in this period that shed much light on previous dramas. The Inside Story, then, sweeps away the many myths that have surrounded the intriguing figure of Malcolm Arnold. It offers arresting new facts about his life, fresh insights into his music and much food for thought about the care of the mentally ill and its legal aspects. This important addition to the literature of British music is an engrossing saga, told with compassion and candour.

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Book SynopsisWith riots, prison sentences and equipment stolen, 1980 and the earlier part of 1981 was an incredibly turbulent time for The Stranglers. Their misfortune provided the press with excellent stories but rarely was their music written about. Understandably, with its paranoid exploration of extraterrestrial themes, The Gospel According To The Meninblack hadn’t really caught on. With everything to play for when it came to making the next album, La Folie – and indeed the hit single, ‘Golden Brown’ – it would see The Stranglers back at the top of their game. In this book, Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on La Folie from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of The Stranglers’ legacy today.

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Book SynopsisDeep Purple In Rock is, as its iconic cover suggests, a landmark in rock music. From its opening moments of mayhem to its final crash into incoherent noise, it is a fuzzbox fuelled masterpiece with not a single wasted moment. Its release was also a watershed moment for the band, a defiant and irrevocable statement that they were going in a different direction from that followed on their first three albums. It would be wrong, however, to suggest that the album came from nowhere. Not only was it one side in a musical debate that had been raging within the band, but its antecedents can be traced through both Deep Purple's earlier releases and those of some of the source bands from which the principal players were drawn. Sculpting In Rock takes up that challenge, exploring the roots of the album, placing it into its proper context to consider how it was produced as well as why it was produced. Part history, part essay, part memoir, the book is essential reading for any fan of Deep Purple, In Rock or the exciting, uncompromising, genre of which it is arguably the masterpiece.

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Book SynopsisJon Lord will forever be immortalised as a musical pioneer. His attitude towards his art form - "It's all music" ensured that he embraced his joint passions for rock 'n' roll and orchestral music, along with other genres, throughout his career. Having initially found his feet in sixties r'n'b group The Artwoods, the formation of Deep Purple with co-conspirator Ritchie Blackmore escalated Jon to huge success with one of the biggest bands of the seventies, and again in the mid-eighties when the band reformed. In between, several years spent in Whitesnake added to his portfolio. Outside of his commitment in both these rock bands, Lord produced many albums under his own name, fusing his various musical interests, producing some sublime work in the process. Eventually deciding that his desire as a composer required more time and commitment than his day job with Deep Purple would afford, he eventually left the band he had helped to create, in 2002. For the next decade, Jon engrossed himself in his composing - producing monumental works such as Durham Concerto that became a firm favourite on Classic FM radio - and Boom Of The Tingling Strings, a four movement piano concerto. All aspects of Jon's long and illustrious career are plotted throughout this book, accompanied by numerous photos, many previously unpublished that help to emphasise the incredibly colourful career of this extraordinarily talented musician.

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Book SynopsisPink Floyd author Glenn Povey delves deep into Floyd’s history within the biggest music market in the world. This book not only charts the concerts they played and records that Floyd released in the USA and Canada from 1967 through to 1983 but it also looks in great detail at the band’s relationship with their American record company; the promotional aspects (or lack off!) that propelled Floyd to stadium status, and extensive details of TV and radio appearances, along with band interviews and much more. With loads of new information unearthed, Pink Floyd In North America shines new light on these crazy diamonds from their days playing small clubs right through to superstar status as one of the world’s biggest bands.

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Book SynopsisThroughout the 1970s, Emerson Lake & Palmer were phenomenally prolific. Not only that, but each of their albums brought something new and innovative to the minds of their many fans. From the early days of the band and their iconic performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1970, to Love Beach and beyond, this book documents the amazing journey of a band whose legacy not only continues to attract a loyal following, but who are still held in high regard by their peers. Historic documentation of some of the band’s under-reported gigs, and context surrounding each of their albums throughout the seventies – it’s all in here as Laura Shenton MA LLCM Dip(RSL) offers a detailed and comprehensive exploration.

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Book SynopsisEndearingly, the differences between Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson were key ingredients in what would become the musical and writing chemistry of Supertramp - a band that made a fascinating and diverse contribution to music. From their first commercial breakthrough in 1974 with Crime Of The Century, they exceeded their own expectations with the colossal success of Breakfast In America in 1979. But it was never a smooth journey. With ups and downs financially, commercially and in terms of their working relationship, Supertramp lived the highs and lows of the music business. From local gigs to many highly demanding tours, this book documents it all. As Roger Hodgson once said, "The music always came pretty easily. Both the music and the lyrics come from the same place. For me, composing is literally losing myself in the music. I let the inspiration just come naturally. It is a very magical process. When I start hearing melodies, then I just start singing and the words start coming. The words will have something to do with what I am going through in my life, or what's in my heart at the time. I will have an idea of what the song's about and then work with the melody."

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Book SynopsisThis illustrated biography celebrates Taylor Swift''s many hits and achievements Taylor Swift''s discography spans multiple genres, and her narrative songwriting, which is often inspired by her personal life, has received widespread media coverage and critical praise. She has scored eight Billboard Hot 100 number-one songs, and won 11 Grammy Awards (including three Album of the Year wins), an Emmy Award, 34 American Music Awards. She featured on Rolling Stone?s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time (2015) and Billboard?s Greatest of All Time Artists list (2019). Having sold over 200 million records around the world she is one of the best selling music artists of all time. Named the Woman of the 2010s Decade by Billboard and the Artist of the 2010s Decade by the American Music Awards, Swift has been recognized for her influential career as well as advocacy of artists? rights and women?s empowerment in the music industry. This is her story.

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Book SynopsisAfter the breakup of the Beatles in 1971, Paul McCartney formed Wings with his wife Linda on keyboards, ex-Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine, and American session drummer Denny Seiwell. For ten dramatic and turbulent years, the band weathered the critics, endured drug busts, survived a harrowing recording session in Nigeria, changed drummers constantly, and produced a great deal of remarkable music. One of the most successful bands of the seventies?this post-Beatles years book tells the stories behind the #1 hits "Listen To What the Man Said," "My Love," "Band on the Run," "Jet," "With a Little Luck," and "Coming Up." Pete Chrisp reveals the band''s inner dynamics and Paul''s determination to pursue a new sound, the criticisms Linda initially got from fans and bandmates, and the character conflicts that kept the lineup changing. With a feature on Wings guitarist Henry McCullough, the book features a complete discography, a list of singles and albums also includes a treasure chest of Wings promotional material?album covers, posters, ads, and photos of the band on tour.

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Book SynopsisPhoto journal from a crucial stage in Nirvana's development. Photos taken by Bruce Pavitt, founder of SubPop records, the most influential company in the grunge scene.

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Book SynopsisAs featured in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The A.V. Club, Consequence, Mashable, Mental Floss, Book Riot and more!“Weird Al” Yankovic continues as one of our most beloved comedians, actors, and musicians. A skilled accordion player and lyricist, the California native not only crafts meticulous parodies, but also creates hilarious originals and pop culture-themed polkas. Now in his fifth decade of recording and performing, Al has maintained a career that has outlasted many of the artists that he has lampooned.Since 1980, Al’s drummer Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz has been by his side, photographing and documenting his career. Jon has taken more than 20,000 images of Al in his element: on tour, in the studio, on video sets, and backstage.Lights, Camera, Accordion! presents over 300 images of Al, culled from Jon’s personal collection of color photography, all restored from the original negatives. This exhaustive volume represents the 25 years that Jon shot Al on 35mm color film, from 1981 to 2006, before switching to digital photography. Jon additionally provides previously unheard stories and anecdotes throughout.From “Eat It” and “Like a Surgeon” to later classics such as “Smells Like Nirvana,” “Amish Paradise,” and the Star Wars parody “The Saga Begins,” Lights, Camera, Accordion! showcases a body of work that spans ten albums, five Grammys, and nearly 2,000 concerts to millions of fans – and is packed with the weirdness and fun that always surrounds the undisputed king of comedic music.Trade Review"One of the 10 books to read this month [November, 2022]. Longtime drummer and band archivist Jon 'Bermuda' Schwartz is back with a color counterpart to Black & White & Weird All Over, having whittled down the thousands of 35mm images he took over 25 years. Chapters, organized chronologically by album and tour, open with short contextualizing intros peppered with behind-the-scenes memories (the one touring rule: 'no number two' allowed on the bus!), followed by images of Al on tour, on set, on stage, backstage, and just generally hamming it up. As the pages turn, you see Al and the band grow into a national sensation." – The A.V. Club"Holiday Gift Guide selection / 2022. More than 300 color photos represent 25 years of touring, filming, and recording with Alfred Matthew Yankovic, aka Weird Al, taken by [Jon "Bermuda"] Schwartz, his longtime drummer. This is a treat for fans." – Publishers Weekly"An entertaining pictorial tribute to a one-of-a-kind musician by someone who knows him better than most [Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz]. It’s also proof that the weirdness doesn’t stop as soon as Weird Al leaves the stage.” – Mental Floss"Lights, Camera, Accordion is a visual Weird Al time machine." – Bleeding Cool“There are shots of Al in the studio. Eating pizza. Having fun with his friends. Recording the ‘Amish Paradise’ video. Performing ‘Like a Surgeon.’ When I first saw it, I thought ‘Wow. He looks like he’s having fun with his life.’ And because I know him just well enough to write the foreword to this book for free, I can tell you that he’s always like that. He IS the greatest.” – comedian Drew Carey“Jon ‘Bermuda’ Schwartz has been at Weird Al's side from the beginning and when not holding drumsticks has been holding a camera. Jon’s hobby and Al’s exercise in tolerance are now our joy.” – comedian, UHF co-star (and current tour opener) Emo PhilipsTable of ContentsChapter 1: DebutChapter 2: In 3-DChapter 3: That Stupid YearChapter 4: Polka Party/Even Worse/UHFChapter 5: Off The Deep EndChapter 6: AlapaloozaChapter 7: Bad Hair DayChapter 8: Running With ScissorsChapter 9: Poodle HatChapter 10: Straight Outta Lynwood

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Book SynopsisBorn four months apart, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel both released their debut albums in the early 1970s, quickly becoming two of the most successful rock stars of their generation. While their critical receptions have been very different, surprising parallels emerge when we look at the arcs of their careers and the musical influences that have inspired them. Bridge and Tunnel Boys compares the life and work of Long Islander Joel and Asbury Park, New Jersey, native Springsteen, considering how each man forged a distinctive sound that derived from his unique position on the periphery of the Big Apple. Locating their music within a longer tradition of the New York metropolitan sound, dating back to the early 1900s, cultural historian Jim Cullen explores how each man drew from the city’s diverse racial and ethnic influences. His study explains how, despite frequently releasing songs that questioned the American dream, Springsteen and Joel were able to appeal to wide audiences during both the national uncertainty of the 1970s and the triumphalism of the Reagan era. By placing these two New York–area icons in a new context, Bridge and Tunnel Boys allows us to hear their most beloved songs with new appreciation. Trade Review“Jim Cullen is a wide-ranging historian with unusual insight into American pop culture. In Bridge and Tunnel Boys, he turns his focus to two giants of rock and roll, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen, a winning combination resulting in an entertaining and provocative book that will appeal to anyone interested in pop music and its relationship to the historical currents that influence its creation.”— Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children “A thoughtful and probing look at the work and careers of two artists born just months apart, Bridge and Tunnel Boys lends highly readable context as to where Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen overlap—in terms of geography, musical approach, and audience—and where they diverge. Not solely for fans, this is a work that evokes a broader sense of the time and place in which the music was made, and how that music continues to influence the wider culture.”— Fred Schruers, author of Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography “Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel are epic figures who have been listened to, loved, and finally understood by Jim Cullen’s Bridge and Tunnel Boys. Long an astute observer of American popular culture, Cullen provides a radiant analysis of both artists’ music that is right on the money: perceptive and smart.”— Peter Ames Carlin, author of Bruce "Historian Cullen (1980) tracks in this meticulous study how Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel ascended to fame...[T]his is an engrossing take on two music legends who documented the glory and melancholy of 'ordinary American life.'"— Publishers Weekly "It’s always a pleasure to read a new Jim Cullen book. This one is no exception as Cullen finds striking parallels in the music and lives of two very different—yet similar—musicians: Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel. A fascinating cultural history of late twentieth century American popular music."— June S. Sawyers, author of We Take Care of Our Own: The Faith-Based Politics of Bruce SpringsteenTable of ContentsPreface: You See? I Was Right! Author's Note I: Gauging Success Author's Note II: Historical Records INTRODUCTION Margin and Center 1 NEW YORK STATE OF MIND The Emergence of the Metropolitan Sound in Popular Music 2 HARD TIMES, BOOM YEARS Social Mobility and Its Discontents, 1949-1971 3 POINTS OF DEPARTURE Finding Their Way, 1972-1974 4 ARRIVALS Movin' Out––and Back, 1975-1977 5 THROUGH GLASS, DARKLY Years of Growth and Uncertainty, 1978-1982 6 RIGHT TIME The Stars Align, 1983-1986 7 FAMILY FEUDS Domestic Politics, 1986-1995 8 HOMING Legends Take Root, 1996-Present CONCLUSION Swift Currents Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisPerson und Musik Mozarts faszinieren bildende Künstler bis heute. Zum 100-jährigen Jubiläum des Mozartfests Würzburg gehen eine Ausstellung im Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg und der begleitende Katalog dieser langen Wirkungsgeschichte nach. Neben originalen Zeugnissen Mozarts spannen rund 60 Kunstwerke – unter anderem von Chagall, Klee und Slevogt – einen Bogen von Porträts und Denkmälern, die das Bild des Komponisten nachhaltig bestimmen, über Bühnenbilder zur Zauberflöte bis hin zur abstrakten Malerei. Die Ausstellung legt einen besonderen Akzent auf die schöpferischen Energien, die Mozarts Schaffen freisetzte und den Wandel von der Darstellung beliebter Opernszenen und -figuren seit dem frühen 19. Jahrhundert hin zur Reflexion von Kompositionsprinzipien im 20. Jahrhundert und der Gegenwart. Blick ins Buch https://issuu.com/deutscher_kunstverlag/docs/9783422986411_imagine_mozrat_blick-ins-buch

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Book SynopsisThis collection presents a selection of Franz Schubert''s works that will delight every pianist. In addition to the Longing Waltz and the popular Impromptu in E-flat major, the volume also contains arrangements of his best-known symphonies, chamber music works and songs. All pieces have an intermediate level of difficulty and have been supplemented with fingerings and metronome suggestions. The reader-friendly print is recommended not only for lessons but also for all amateur piano players.Instrumentation:piano

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Book SynopsisLet these 20 easy and modern piano pieces from the genres of pop and neoclassicism take you into a romantic dream world. Imaginative titles such as Amélie in Dreamland, In Seventh Heaven, Rainbow Way, Every Cloud a Dream stimulate the imagination and invite to dream and relax.Dreamworld is ideal, varied and fascinating supplementary material for every advanced beginner. The pieces can be mastered quickly and are well suited for lessons, playing in one's free time and first auditions.Instrumentation:Piano

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Book Synopsis“Nobody knows Dolly like Dolly,” declares Dolly Parton. Dolly’s is a rags-to-riches tale like no other. A dirt-poor Smoky Mountain childhood paved the way for the buxom blonde butterfly’s metamorphosis from singer-songwriter to international music superstar. The undisputed “Queen of Country Music,” Dolly has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has conquered just about every facet of the entertainment industry: music, film, television, publishing, theatre, and even theme parks. It’s been more than 50 years since Dolly Parton arrived in Nashville with just her guitar and a dream. Her story has been told many times and in many ways, but never like this. Dolly on Dolly is a collection of interviews spanning five decades of her career and featuring material gathered from celebrated publications including Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, Playboy, and Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. Also included are interviews which have not been previously available in print. Dolly’s feisty and irresistible brand of humor, combined with her playful, pull-up-a-chair-and-stay-awhile delivery, makes for a fascinating and inviting experience in downhome philosophy and storytelling. Much like her patchwork “Coat of Many Colors,” this book harkens back to the legendary entertainer’s roots and traces her evolution, stitching it all together one piece at a time.Trade Review" Dolly on Dolly magnificently encapsulates Dolly Parton's career through her own words. It's a must read for fans of all ages." Gary and Larry Lane, actors and filmmakers ( Hollywood to Dollywood )

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Book SynopsisA 'Cognitive Book' that everyone can enjoy and is suitable for people living with dementia or other cognitive difficulties. In collaboration with Alzheimer's Society, there's a contribution to the charity with each purchase. Includes a free audio download, read by Bill Nighy. Supporters' guide helps carers and loved ones enjoy the book too.

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Book SynopsisThe first biography of arguably the most influential gospel artist of the 20th century, brought to life through interviews with his collaborators, friends, and familyGospel singer and seven-time Grammy winner Andraé Crouch (1942-2015) hardly needs introduction. His compositionsThe Blood Will Never Lose Its Power, Through It All, Jesus is the Answer, Soon and Very Soon, and othersset the gold standard for gospel music and remain staples in modern hymnals today. He is often spoken of in the same genius pantheon as Mahalia Jackson, Thomas Dorsey, and the Rev. James Cleveland and was lauded as the foremost gospel singer of his generation by former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama upon his death in 2015. In Soon & Very Soon,authors Robert Darden and Stephen Newby celebrate the countless ways that Crouch indelibly changed the course of gospel and popular music. Not least among them was Crouch's progressive pursuit to address the sociopolitical issues of his time, including AI

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Book Synopsis''In what is the most comprehensive biography of the group to date, Browne compiles a fun and fast-paced music history.... an authoritative chronicle.'' --Publishers WeeklyThe first and most complete narrative biography of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, by acclaimed music journalist and Rolling Stone senior writer David Browne Even in the larger-than-life world of rock and roll, it was hard to imagine four more different men. David Crosby, the opinionated hippie guru. Stephen Stills, the perpetually driven musician. Graham Nash, the tactful pop craftsman. Neil Young, the creatively restless loner. But together, few groups were as in sync with their times as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Starting with the original trio''s landmark 1969 debut album, the group embodied much about its era: communal musicmaking, protest songs that took on the establishment and Richard Nixon, and liberal attitudes toward partners and lifestyles. Their group or individual songs--''Wooden

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Book SynopsisFew heavy metal acts survived the turmoil of the early 1990s music scene. Pantera, featuring the peerless guitar playing of the late Dimebag Darrell Abbott, was different. Instead of humouring the market, the band demanded that the audience come to them by releasing a series of fiercely uncompromising platinum albums, including Vulgar Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven - albums that sold millions of copies despite minimal airplay.This is the previously untold story behind one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history, written by the man best qualified to tell the truth about those incredible and often difficult years of fame, excess, and tragedy.Trade ReviewAOL Music's Noisecreep.com, 3/6/13 "A warts and all look at Brown's journey from small town Texas music geek to platinum-selling, arena-filling rock star. Besides the insightful, and always colorful, Pantera stories included throughout Official Truth, Brown also comes clean about his own personal battles with drugs and alcohol." SkullsNBones.com, 3/6/13 "Rex is completely honest and forthcoming in this book, and it's a major insight to one of the most influential bands of all time...A must read!" The Aquarian, 3/13 "Offers the shocking insight into one of the most influential and extremely popular metal bands to ever reach the annals of heavy metal history!... Fans of Pantera and Rex Brown will love this book!" BackstageAxxess.com, 3/10: "Rex's story is both honest and brutally real...Rockstars are often put on a pedestal and made to seem larger than life. Rex Brown gives us the other side of the story. His heartfelt account tells us the good, the bad, and the ugly, making Official Truth, 101 Proof much more than just a book about a rock band. It is a tale of friendships made and friendships lost and the triumphs and tragedies along the way. Dust off your bookshelf and clear some space. You're going to want to add this one to your collection." RidgewoodPatch.com3/11 "Offers a very inside look at the band that we were never afforded the opportunity to voyeur into back in the day...Straight up, if you're a Pantera fan then read the book, you'll enjoy it...A satisfying read. As a fan of Pantera I couldn't put the flippin' thing down." Bass Guitar magazine, May 2013 "Rock star autobiographies are everywhere these days, some of them great, some less so. Official Truth, 101 Proof...falls easily into the former category. Brown...waited years to tell his tale, but the wait has been worth it...Official Truth recounts the formation and rise to prominence of Pantera, as well as the stories of Brown's later bands Down and Kill Devil Hill, with unflinching courage, offering a new perspective on the chaos within those bands." SLUG (Salt Lake Under Ground) magazine, May 2013 "Rex Brown has long since taken the 'voice of reason' mantle in the ever-fracturing post-Pantera camp. Though he's the group's least public member, he's the most fit to write a memoir on the experience. Brown pulls no punches in his yarn, nonchalantly discussing the spandex-clad inception, multiplatinum explosion and untimely demise of the '90s' most definitive metal band. Most compelling are his unflinching looks into the band members' individual demons, which never come off as antagonistic or gossipy, but genuine attempts at 'telling it like it is'...As the murder of one Dimebag Darrell becomes more and more distant, no other publication has come this close to truly exploring the impact and meaning of what this band meant to the heavy metal landscape, and for that, Brown's work shouldn't go unnoticed, and is highly recommended." PowerlineMag.com, 4/27/13 "Pantera's fans will enjoy this up close and personal look at the band, especially those interested in hearing how the band's classic records came together." Examiner.com, 4/30/13 "If you are looking for dirt or something shocking, its all there as Rex didn't pull any punches and told it how it was including the bad times as well. If you are a fan of Pantera or if you just like a good biography I recommend this book because it will not disappoint." "A compelling read." SonicExcess.com, 3/12: "Offers a perspective from the eyes of the silent member of Pantera. Often humorous, tragic, brutally honest, and always entertaining...A must read for any fan of Rock, Metal, and Pantera...Official Truth is similar to the music of Pantera, no compromise with no room for bullshit." SkullsNBones.com, 3/12 "Rex holds nothing back and really invites you into his Pantera world like never before...Now with this new book, we understand a little more about one of the most historic bands to ever walk this planet...A very blunt and honest read that will definitely get people talking in the metal scene...A must read for all metal fans." Examiner.com, 3/12 "Will appeal not just to fans of Pantera and heavy metal, but anyone interested in a look at that time in music." Horns Up Rocks, 3/12: "[A] very honest piece of literature...Not only is it a great read, but it will open your eyes about how the music industry works." TheGauntlet.com, 3/13 "The journey of the rise and fall of one of the biggest bands in heavy metal history...An honest account of what transpired during [Brown's] years in Pantera." Rich Stambolian, 3/15 Record Collector (UK), Issue 414 "Brown recounts his life in parallel to Pantera's story, exploring his addiction to alcohol in courageous detail and pulling no punches when it comes to explaining the band's split and its tragic aftermath. He ascribes the various fallings-out to each of the personalities involved, without leaving anyone (including himself) blameless. Kudos to the guy for digging deep into a set of obviously painful memories to get this book done, and to his co-writer Mark Eglinton for focusing Brown's recollections into an eminently readable memoir." Decibel, June 2013 "Revealing...Brown deftly explains why Pantera's music works...This book won't interest the casual Pantera fan. But are there any casual Pantera fans?" Metal Forces, March 2013 "Official Truth, 101 Proof sugarcoats nothing." John Shelton Ivany Top 21 "Definitive...This is a lucid account of the previously untold story behind one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history, written by the man best qualified to tell the truth about those incredible and often difficult years of fame and excess." WomanAroundTown.com, 5/28/13 "A book detailing the highs and lows of super-stardom." Curled Up With A Good Book Loudwire.com, 3/21/13 "An unflinchingly honest look at the group, from their earliest beginnings to the ending moments and the things which have happened since then...The first official statement on Pantera and the legacy of the group from a band member." NoTreble.com, 3/21/13 "Describing the book as 'starkly honest' almost seems like an understatement as Brown details his ride with anecdotes on events and the characters involved in the band's story." MediaMikes.com, 3/18/13 "A gritty in your face tale from the man who lived it...Here is your chance to get whole truth and nothing but...Candid, brutally honest, and at times shocking Rex Brown touches on everything and pulls no punches while doing so...From start to finish a great read." North Coast Voice, 3/20/13-4/3/13 issue and The Cleveland Sound, 3/21/13 "A candid, unpretentious autobiography from one of rock's modern day survivors--a southern-fried, fist-pumpingly fun read." Alternative Control blog, 3/22/13 "A great read about one of the best metal bands of all time." Houston Press, 3/29/13 "A tell-all history of the band...The most comprehensive insider account of Pantera's rise and fall." BackstageAxxess.com, 3/24/13 "Brown gives us the inside story in his new book...It's a great read." FullMetalRock.com, 3/24/13 "This is the real deal inside story, from the man himself, who was there and lived it...A no holds barred account of the rise and fall of Pantera...It is all covered here straight up...A must read for any fan of Pantera or Rock and Metal." Every Day is a New Day blog, 3/28/13 "The story of one of the craziest party bands of all time...This book was an eye opener...If you've ever been into Metal music, I'd say this is required reading." The Metal Den, 4/8/13 "Hands down the most brutally frank rock memoir you will ever read in your life...This is a cautionary tale (beware of the 'hangers on') that will make you laugh out loud and wipe away a few tears at the same time." About.com Heavy Metal "Brown pulls no punches in the book...The behind the scenes story of Pantera is fascinating...There have been a lot of books written about Pantera, but Brown provides insight an outside author simply can't...It's a very well-written and compelling book." Music As Therapy blog, 4/14/13 "Gives you insight to the real world of Pantera and makes no qualms about it...An extremely honest look at the behind the scenes of one of the biggest bands of all time. [Brown] pokes a few holes into the fabric of our perception of band life and what being a rock star is all about...If you are a fan of Pantera and road stories then you should definitely pick this book up. It will make you laugh, choke you up, and blow your mind with the reality of what some of your favorite personalities are really like." MTVHive.com, 3/18/13 "Wildly entertaining." Boston Phoenix, 3/20/13 "'No holds barred' and 'warts and all' are typical qualifiers when it comes to rock-and-roll memoirs, but rarely do they fulfill the promise. Which makes it all the more refreshing when something like Official Truth, 101 Proof comes along. Pleasantries are dispensed sparingly in this unflinching, and often biting, but also affectionate portrait." Dallas Observer, 3/18/13 "Rex takes readers into the familiar world of the Rock Star, where rivers of whiskey flow like cash pouring into the band members' bank accounts...Rex's memoir delivers to fans what the bassist intended: a behind the scenes look at the events that led to the downfall of one of America's greatest rock bands. It's full of conflict, raw emotion and backstage antics." "No one was closer to the heart of the band than Brown. He was there from the beginning and relates the ups and downs with an unabashed honesty...A book about one of the most original metal bands ever." Illinois Entertainer, 7/1/13 "[A] tell-all." Soho Tribune, 6/22/13 "A poignant and heartfelt account of life in a monstrous heavy metal band...Read the book. It's like finally getting the quiet kid in class to open up." GhostCultMag.com, 7/12/13 "The book has an easy-going style, and doesn't seem to be ghost-written like so many other tomes of this sort...If you are a fan of Pantera or '90s metal in general, this book is essential reading." Metal Hammer "A no-holds-barred insight into the mind of someone who became known as 'the drunk guy in Pantera,' which is some feat." Hard Rockin' Homemaker, 7/29/2013 "A notable and refreshing change from the vast majority of other memoirs I've read." MetalKaoz.com, 9/7/13 "I enjoyed every page of Official Truth, 101 Proof and learned a ton of stuff about this band." HeavyMetalICU.com, 9/9/13

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Book SynopsisA TAROT DECK FOR MUSIC LOVERS with the biggest stars representing the cards'' meaningsAN ACCESSIBLE ENTRY TO TAROT or an exciting new addition to a card collectionCULT FAVOURITES AND BIG STARS: there''s something for fans of every genreSTUNNING ILLUSTRATIONS with more to find on every readingINCLUDES A BOOKLET that unpacks the meanings of the cards and explains how to conduct your own readingsTune into your inner wisdom with this unique tarot deck inspired by cult music icons. Inside you''ll find musicians who perfectly encapsulate the tarot card meanings: Lorde is the Fool, Prince is the Emperor and David Byrne is the Hermit. The 78 cards work as a fully functional tarot deck, and the kit also includes a booklet with more information about the musicians, as well as information on how to interpret the cards and conduct your own readings.

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Book SynopsisMichael Jackson died in 2009, but he has never really left us and there are no signs he ever will. A globally acclaimed child star in the 1970s, the world's premier entertainer in the final decades of the 20th century, a perplexingly odd character in the 21st century, Jackson defied every known category and became borderline incomprehensible. To remedy this, in The Destruction and Creation of Michael Jackson, Ellis Cashmore reflects the restless, unorthodox and mysterious life Jackson led in order to understand more about him as well as his cultural impact. Exploring how Jackson emerged from the post-civil rights era when America was searching for someone who symbolized a new age as it struggled to unburden itself of racial inequality, Cashmore's book is the first to examine Jackson's career through the prisms of American racial politics and celebrity culture. Uniquely structured, beginning in the present and journeying back to Jackson's birth, The Destruction and CreTrade ReviewCashmore’s book attempts to be more than another rehash of scandals. He discusses Jackson, who he calls ‘a bewilderingly complex character’, in the light of his role as a ‘shining symbol of a post-civil rights land of opportunity’, and looks at how Jackson’s character was affected by American culture. -- Martin Chilton * The Independent *In The Destruction and Creation of Michael Jackson, Ellis Cashmore takes a unique look at the life and career of one of the most controversial and ubiquitous figures in popular culture in this brilliantly written and well-researched biography-in-reverse. * Buzz *The Destruction and Creation of Michael Jackson … travels backwards, from death to birth, in considering the strange, troubled life of the one-time child star, through the prism of celebrity culture and America’s radical politics. * Choice *As innovative, entertaining, and slyly subversive as its subject was at his peak, Ellis Cashmore’s vibrant and challenging counter-clock world examination of Michael Jackson prompts us to reconsider the relationship between Jackson the icon and Jackson the abuser: it is no less than a Time’s Arrow for the former King of Pop. * Joe Street, Associate Professor in History, Northumbria University, UK *The Destruction and Creation of Michael Jackson can hardly be classified as a biography, though it does trace the events in Jackson's life. Rather, Cashmore uses the pop star as a prismatic lens through which readers can consider how popular music, race, and celebrity intersect to produce the multiple, conflicting and still-emergent meanings of Jackson and his legacy. This innovative, gripping reverse genealogy prompts a profound rethinking of how we come to sanctify, abhor, and retell the life stories of global icons like Jackson. * Lindsay Bernhagen, Lecturer in Women's and Gender Studies and Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, USA *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Destruction and Creation: Timeline 1 1. Pact with the Devil 2. Ticket to Ride 3. Nothing Strange about Your Daddy 4. Prisoner of All Those Around Him 5. Yesterday’s News 6. Through the Eyes of a Child 7. With Walt Disney or Michelangelo 8. A Nightmare 9. In Aladdin’s Cave 10. Whatever Reality They Want 11. Shifting the Needle 12. From His Sexuality to His Face 13. True or Not, It Didn’t Matter 14. Wearing Different Masks 15. Prophets of Black Conservatism 16. Nothing Was the Same After 17. Phantasmagorical Bubble Machine 18. Without the Grit of Reality 19. The Wand 20. Old Soul in a Young Body 21. In This Good Land of Ours 22. Close to the Threshold of Hell Destruction and Creation: Key Players Playlist Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBlackstar Theory takes a close look at David Bowie's ambitious last works: his surprise comeback' project The Next Day (2013), the off-Broadway musical Lazarus (2015) and the album that preceded the artist's death in 2016 by two days, Blackstar. The book explores the swirl of themes that orbit and entangle these projects from a starting point in musical analysis and features new interviews with key collaborators from the period: producer Tony Visconti, graphic designer Jonathan Barnbrook, musical director Henry Hey, saxophonist Donny McCaslin and assistant sound engineer Erin Tonkon.These works tackle the biggest of ideas: identity, creativity, chaos, transience and immortality. They enact a process of individuation for the Bowie meta-persona and invite us to consider what happens when a star dies. In our universe, dying stars do not disappear - they transform into new stellar objects, remnants and gravitational forces. The radical potential of the BlackstarTrade ReviewThe lively complexity of Blackstar Theory is a fine match for Bowie – a sparkling, timely invitation to reimmerse oneself in the density of his final works, even if the shock of grief remains palpable. * The Wire *This is the Bowie book that many of us DB fans have been waiting for Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie is a bravura performance by Leah Kardos, a sonata of glorious prose, amazing research, and academic erudition. ... I recommend it to any serious fan of David’s, well actually, I recommend it to any serious fan of music, full stop. Go out and buy it now! * Bowie Fascination *Kardos elegantly sidesteps speculation about Bowie’s personal life in his final years, focusing instead on the work, taking in nods to Morrissey, Elvis Presley, Peaky Blinders and “the lust for life against the finality of everything”. * Uncut *Someone recently said there will never be a definitive book on Bowie and I would probably have agreed. But now that I’ve read this book I’m not so sure. This is as good as it gets. * The New Music Café *Leah Kardos deftly uncovers the patterns in David Bowie’s “late style,” seeing the mortality, morality, and self-consciousness hiding in plain sight. While musicological analysis is at the heart of her endeavor, she is nevertheless attuned to the places in his epic career where there are fissures and unexpected correspondences with other forms of art. Blackstar Theory is a feast for any Bowie fan—rabid or casual—and performs the closure that many of us were seeking. A welcome addition to the growing canon of Bowie studies. * Shelton Waldrep, Distinguished Professor of English, University of Southern Maine, USA *This is one of the most intelligent studies of David Bowie’s music that will ever be published. It illuminates the interconnected web of meanings that are discoverable in his work in ways I have never encountered before. Leah Kardos shows with genuine illumination that the music of the late Bowie tackles big ideas such as the nature of identity, creativity, chaos, transience and im/mortality and provides us with signposts that take us back to the very start of his extraordinary life and musical career. The book is a major achievement. * Keith Ansell-Pearson, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Warwick, UK *A star-gazing telescope of sorts, Blackstar Theory provides an illuminating view of the last great works of a dying star. Intimately connected to the music and art of David Bowie, Leah Kardos elegantly crafts a respectful conduit for readers to share in her examination of the meanings generated by Bowie’s work. As an in-depth scholarly guide and probing navigational tool, Blackstar Theory is a must-read for anyone wishing to engage with the constellation of meanings generated by Bowie’s late music and art. * Lisa Perrott, Senior Lecturer, Waikato University, New Zealand, and series editor of New Approaches to Sound, Music and Media (Bloomsbury) *Leah Kardos’s book is a lovely theoretical company. She notes how music is only a small part of a huge cycle that leads us on to other music, to art and literature via fashion, film, philosophy and form and back to the work in question. * Svenska Dagbladet *Table of ContentsList of musical figures List of track analyses Preface Part 1: Last Act 1. Lateness 2. Remystification 3.The Next Day 4. Assemblage Part 2: Per Ardua ad Astra 5. Icarus Takes His Pratfall 6. Lazarus 7. The Next Bardo Part 3: Black Star 8. Black Holes, Black Music, Black Arts, Black Hearts and Button Eyes 9. Chaos and Chemistry 10. Prodigal Sons 11. Blackstar Theory Epilogue: Legacies and Voids Reference list and bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisEvery album and every song ever released by the Beatles - from "Please Please Me" (U.S. 1963) to "The Long and Winding Road" (U.S. 1970) - is dissected, discussed, and analyzed by two music historians in this lively, fully illustrated work.All the Songs delves deep into the history and origins of the Beatles and their music. This first-of-its-kind book draws upon decades of research, as music historians Margotin and Guesdon recount the circumstances that led to the composition of every song, the recording process, and the instruments used.Here, we learn that one of John Lennon's favorite guitars was a 1958 Rickenbacker 325 Capri, which he bought for £100 in 1960 in Hamburg, Germany. We also learn that "Love Me Do," recorded in Abbey Road Studios in September 1962, took 18 takes to get right, even though it was one of the first songs John and Paul ever wrote together. And the authors reveal that when the Beatles performed "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, John's microphone wasn't turned on, so viewers heard only Paul singing.The hundreds of photographs throughout the book include rare black-and-white publicity stills, images of Beatles instruments, and engaging shots of the musicians in-studio.All the Songs is the must-have book for the any true Beatles fan.

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Book SynopsisIt's 1982 and the Ramones are in a gutter-bound spiral. Following a run of inconsistent albums and deep in the throes of internal tensions the legendary quartet is about to crash and burn.ÞEnter Richie Ramone.ÞThen a 26-year-old from New Jersey named Richard Reinhardt he's snapped up by the group to be their new drummer and instantly goes from the obscurity of the underground club scene to membership in the most famous punk-rock band of all time revitalizing the pioneering outfit with his powerful precise and blindingly fast beats ä composing classic cuts like the menacing anthem Somebody Put Something in My Drink and becoming the only Ramones percussionist to sing lead vocals for the group. With the Ramones he performs over five hundred shows at venues all around the world and records three storming studio albums ä before abruptly quitting the band and going deep underground. To most fans this crucial figure in the band's history has remained a mystery his tale untold.ÞUntil now.ÞÊI Know Better Now: My Life Before During and After the RamonesÊ is the firsthand four-on-the-floor account of a life in rock 'n' roll and in one of its most influential acts ä straight from the sticks of the man who kept the beat.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Absorbing . . . Nichols gives an assured overview of Poulenc’s life and work, applying a light touch that is appropriate to the subject’s man-about-town façade.”—Alex Ross, New Yorker“Roger Nichols examines Poulenc’s life and charming music . . . An accessible biography for the common reader.”—John Check, Wall Street Journal“I don't think anyone writes better about classical music than Nichols, his wry humour and gift for surprising connections never losing touch with scholarly erudition.”—Duncan Fallowell, Spectator“Nichols interweaves life and works in a narrative richly informed by his long immersion in modern French music.”—Rupert Christiansen, Literary Review“True to form, Nichols presents the life of Poulenc in a scholarly, clear and authoritative style…This beautifully produced, meticulously researched book will certainly grace the shelves of music lovers, especially those with a keen interest in French music.”—Stephen Greenbank, MusicWeb International“Refreshingly open about the limits of the evidence, especially for the composer’s various flings, Nichols provides rich context making this essential reading for anyone interested in the French musical culture of Poulenc’s time. This is the biography the composer deserves.”—Christopher Dingle, BBC Music Magazine 'Best Books of 2020'“This expertly researched, well-written volume contains a surprising recent discovery about its subject's private life.”—George Hall, Opera“Expertly details how music drama was an essential part of [Poulenc’s] life and achievement, almost from birth...Nichols presents the full background information needed to understand just how Poulenc became passionate about opera.”—Benjamin Ivry, Opera NowCHOICE 2021 Outstanding Academic Title“Nichols is the perfect biographer for Poulenc. He has the same light touch, the same urbane charm and wit, and he knows everything there is to know about French music, its sources, its context and its psychology.”—Stephen Walsh, author of Debussy“Packed with entertaining detail and engagingly written, Nichols’ biography is essential reading for anyone interested in French music of the 20th century.”—Caroline Potter, author of Erik Satie“A fluent biography, written with sensitivity and compelling enthusiasm for the composer's music. Readers are guided to the poetry behind the music and the theology behind his Carmelites, all in the context of the highs and lows of the life of this fascinating man.”—Professor Richard Langham Smith, Royal College of Music“It is with great expectation that we should welcome the release of this book about the quintessential French musician Francis Poulenc; all the more so for being written by Nichols who is such an authority on the subject.”—Yan Pascal Tortelier, conductor and violinist

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beethoven, A Life continues the journey towards a more complex and nuanced picture of the great composer. . . . Caeyers seeks to unravel the networks that influenced Beethoven’s career, to paint portraits of those who supported him, and to outline the many interests that were at play in forming Beethoven both as a man and an artist. . . . The result is a very readable book that, as a byproduct, offers a generous supply of scene-setting detail. This ranges from life in Vienna in the early 19th century to the grinding economic impact of the French revolution and its aftermath, and even the bathing customs in Bohemian spa towns." FT Books of the Year 2020 * Financial Times *"Among the books about the legend . . . in this anniversary year, the most substantial is Jan Caeyers’s Beethoven: A Life, a magisterial account, rich in archival findings, translated with revisions from the German edition of 2009." Books of the Year 2020 * Times Literary Supplement *Notable Music Books of 2020 -- Alex Ross, * The Rest is Noise *"Detailed and engaging, this fitting tribute to the iconic composer will enrich anyone’s enjoyment and appreciation of his great music." * Library Journal *Table of ContentsForeword by Daniel Hope Prologue Part One: The Artist as a Young Man (1770–1792) 1 • Louis van Beethoven: A Grandfather Figure 2 • Jean van Beethoven: The Absent Father? 3 • The Early Years 4 • Christian Gottlob Neefe: The Mentor 5 • The Young Professional 6 • Bonn Turns to Vienna 7 • Beethoven’s First Crisis 8 • A Second Home, and New Horizons 9 • Renewed Vigor and the First Major Works 10 • Farewell to Bonn Part Two: A Time of Proving (1792–1802) 11 • Vienna in 1792 12 • Beethoven’s First Patron: Karl von Lichnowsky 13 • Haydn and Albrechtsberger 14 • Career Plans 15 • Family, Friends, and Loves in Vienna 16 • In Anticipation of Greater Things 17 • Lobkowitz’s “Center of Excellence” 18 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode One 19 • The Road to a Broader Public 20 • A Word from the Critics 21 • The Disciples: Carl Czerny and Ferdinand Ries 22 • The Heiligenstadt Testament Part Three: The Master (1802–1809) 23 • A “New Way” Forward 24 • The Laboratorium Artificiosum 25 • Publishing Pains and the “Warehouse of the Arts” 26 • Composer in Residence 27 • Salieri’s Opera Lessons 28 • The Mystery of the Eroica 29 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode Two 30 • In Search of the Perfect Piano 31 • Leonore: A Work in Progress 32 • The Golden Years Part Four: Crowds and Power (1809–1816) 33 • A New Social Status 34 • New Prospects 35 • An Imperial Pupil 36 • Beethoven and Goethe 37 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode Three 38 • Se non è vero . . . 39 • The End of the Classical Symphony 40 • Music for the Masses 41 • A Lucrative Sideline 42 • From Leonore to Fidelio 43 • From Coffee and Cake to Congress and Kitsch 44 • The Fight for a Child 45 • From the “Immortal Beloved” to a “Distant Beloved” Part Five: The Lonely Way (1816–1827) 46 • Longing for Greater Things 47 • Post-Congress Vienna 48 • London Plans 49 • A Faustian Sonata and a Diabolical Contraption 50 • The Missa solemnis: A Mass for Peace 51 • The Circle Is Complete: The Late Piano Works 52 • Estrangement 53 • Encounters with the Younger Generation 54 • An Ode to Joy 55 • Decline 56 • Karl’s Emancipation 57 • Money Matters 58 • The Discovery of Heaven: The Late String Quartets 59 • Comoedia finita est Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Illustration Credits Index of Works Index of People

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Book SynopsisMax Baca was born to play music. By his eighth birthday, he was already playing in his father's band. Polkas, redovas, corridos, boleros, chotises, huapangos, and waltzes were in his blood. Baca's music grew out of the harsh life of the borderland, and the duality of borderland music remains a recurring theme in everything he does.

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Book Synopsis“Friend, asshole, angel, mutant,” singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt “came along and made us gross and broken people seem . . . I dunno, cooler, I guess.” A quadriplegic who could play only simple chords on his guitar, Chesnutt recorded seventeen critically acclaimed albums before his death in 2009, including About to Choke, North Star Deserter, and At the Cut. In 2006, NPR placed him in the top five of the ten best living songwriters, along with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Paul McCartney, and Bruce Springsteen. Chesnutt’s songs have also been covered by many prominent artists, including Madonna, the Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M., Sparklehorse, Fugazi, and Neutral Milk Hotel.Kristin Hersh toured with Chesnutt for nearly a decade and they became close friends, bonding over a love of songwriting and mutual struggles with mental health. In Don’t Suck, Don’t Die, she describes many seemingly small moments they shared, their Trade ReviewThe book's great sadness is matched by the skill and vitality of Hersh's writing; it will make treasured and troubled reading for fans of Chesnutt and the author alike. * Kirkus Reviews *Don't Suck, Don't Die is not only one of the best books of the year, it's one of the most beautiful rock memoirs ever written. Hersh is as stunningly talented an author as she is a musician, and her portrayal of Chesnutt is perfectly done. * NPR *A raw, poetic memoir . . . a last, wonderful example of Chesnutt at his most charismatically mischievous * The Guardian *Hersh’s language is vivid and conversational, as descriptive and elliptical as her own music. * Salon *[Hersh’s] observations . . . always ring with a harsh lyrical truth . . . an eloquent, heartbreaking testament. * Pitchfork *In under 200 little pages, it paints a more honest, insightful picture of the late singer-songwriter than any biography could . . . Beautifully, poetically told. * MOJO *A powerful and moving insight . . . A book that will move anyone who’s loved and lost, regardless of whether they’re a fan of the author of Chesnutt. * R2 *An intimate, complicated portrait of the artist as road warrior . . . a beautiful but often dark, heartbreaking read. * Atlanta Journal-Constitution *An ode, an elegy and an examination of the physics of friendship. * WABE 90.1 Atlanta *Through beautifully phrased, dark, honest prose, [Hersh] paints a poetic portrait of earnest struggle, friendship as significant savior, and learned empathy. * The Austin Chronicle *The music made by the late Vic Chesnutt was evocative, haunting and often heartbreaking. Kristin Hersh's book about the singer-songwriter shares all of these qualities . . . It's a book that gives a tremendous sense of what friendship with such a person was like, for good and for bad, and leaves the reader feeling his absence even more once the book has ended. * Rolling Stone *It’s messy and spiky and unforgiving, crushingly sad, sometimes funny, and humane . . . I couldn’t speak for a while after finishing Hersh’s book. * Inside Higher Ed *[I]n this haunting, poetic, musical road show memoir, singer/songwriter Kristin Hersh takes us inside her friendship with Chesnutt. Her experience is as insightful to a musician's life as it is to the human existence—constantly probing and reevaluating self-understanding along with her footing on the planet. . . . There are lines you'll never forget, and you can't help but love the adorable, self-sabotaging, curmudgeon Chesnutt revealed in these pages. You'll wish you'd been there to absorb his flak backstage or in the southern sun. On balance, this book stands as a testament to the sincerity of his songwriting. * The US Review of Books *[A] piercing chronicle...Hersh uses vivid, engaging prose to capture Chesnutt’s complicated nature...Don’t Suck, Don’t Die is a moving portrait of an artistic genius—and a vulnerable manual on how to navigate immense grief after the death of someone we love. * The A.V. Club, "The 15 most essential music bios (and autobiographies) so far this century" *Table of Contents Foreword by Amanda Petrusich I. Eat Candy II. Thickety Time III. Go Outside and Look at the Moon IV. First, Give V. See You in My Dreams Selected Discography

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Book SynopsisHow a DJ’s innovative chopped and screwed technique changed the Houston hip-hop scene.Trade ReviewWeaving flashes of his own voice into an oral history featuring over 130 of Screw’s friends, family, heroes, students, and more, Walker stitches together a full picture of the iconic DJ’s legacy. -- Mankaprr Conteh * Rolling Stone *DJ Screw: A Life in Slow Revolution offers an overdue look at the life of this titan and his often-overlooked compatriots...the Screw bio lays out a historically informed, nuanced survey of the economic and technological factors that drove an artist’s creations and the Screwed Up Click’s career...A Life in Slow Revolution not only offers Screw the studied biographical record he deserves, but also puts so many of his fellow S.U.C. members, who’d never gotten a high-profile book of their own, squarely within the rap canon: Al-D, E.S.G., Big Pokey, Big Moe, and, of course, Big Floyd. -- Nitish Pahwa * Slate *This book is the ultimate word on both [DJ Screw] and his seismic imprint...Walker transubstantiates Screw’s lore into something more permanent and tangible, interviewing just about everyone that ever knew the DJ, along with a number of aficionados and famous fans of his that helped make the Screw tape the hip-hop fetish objects that they have become in the decades since Davis’s death. -- Israel Daramola * Vulture, "The 18 Best Books of the Year (So Far)" *DJ Screw: A Life in Slow Revolution is a worthwhile biography and oral history, even for those who already know the story of Screw's short, impactful life....this book is a worthy topography of Screw’s life, from its humble start to its tragic end. -- Chris Vognar * Texas Monthly *[DJ Screw] delivers not just the story of one individual but the birth of a culture and the rise of a movement. We get to feel the excitement, pitfalls, rivalries and triumphs of a young scene coming into its own...[DJ Screw is] a deeply researched and carefully curated work, devoting as much consideration to Screw’s own story as it does to those he influenced and those who influenced him...Walker’s extensive knowledge of and, more important, his great respect for his subject come across on the page...[Walker's] prose often has the rhythm and flow of poetry. -- Santi Elijah Holley * Washington Post *In this sensational oral history, hip-hop historian Walker (Houston Rap Tapes) offers a riveting look at why 'DJ Screw is the stuff of Texas legend'...Though [DJ Screw's] life was cut short, Walker’s meticulous account underscores the enduring legacy of the rapper’s pioneering music and his awe-inspiring ability to capture 'the sound of the streets.' This engrossing work will fascinate fans. * Publishers Weekly *An ambitious love letter to one of Houston’s beloved mixtape kings...An insightful portrait sure to engage DJ Screw’s longtime fans and newcomers alike. * Kirkus, Starred Review *[A] fascinating oral history chronicling the life of DJ Screw...Walker’s years of research and personal expertise about Houston’s music scene will help cement Screw’s legacy as an innovator who still inspires. * Library Journal *The 'chopped and screwed' sound has become such a staple of hip-hop that most fans probably don’t even wonder where the slowed-down, stop-start sonic approach came from—and thus, the late DJ Screw, a.k.a. Houston native Robert Earl Davis Jr., is one of the truly unsung heroes of the genre...he's finally receiving his due in the form of DJ Screw: A Life in Slow Revolution. -- Jem Aswad * Variety *The sort of history from below that Walker pursues [in DJ Screw], organised around dialogues with Screw's family and friends, and framed by some light touch narration, seems appropriate. This is the story, after all, of a folk hero who rarely left his hometown...and who resided outside the circuits of official culture...As a written form, oral history suits the circumstantial nature of Screw's artistic development too...It's a form that also serves here to dispel some enduring myths, especially the oft repeated function of Screw's sound to a function of intoxication. -- Paul Rekret * The Wire *To have created music so immersive, and sedated to the point of psychedelia, it was assumed [DJ Screw] had to have been out of his mind, operating in his infamous Wood Room home studio on a different time zone to the rest of us. I’ve honestly lost count of the internet posts I’ve read telling me Screw’s music doesn’t make sense unless you listen to it stoned. Yet what’s so great about veteran writer Lance Scott Walker’s long-awaited DJ Screw...is how it demystifies all this, treating its subject less like a mysterious campfire tale and more like a human being...[DJ Screw] is a breezy combination of biography and oral history. -- Thomas Hobbs * Okayplayer *DJ Screw single handedly created a hip-hop culture in Houston. Screw’s invention has inspired superstars like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and A$AP Rocky. And via interviews from family, friends, and Chopped and Screwed nerds, he finally gets his due. -- Darryl Robertson * Esquire, "Best Music Books of 2022 (So Far)" *[DJ Screw is one] of the best books of this year...[breaks] every rule of the hip hop biography to rewrite them in a way that suggests something new, and more ambitious for the future of rap scholarship. -- Abe Beame * Passion of the Weiss *[A] sprawling story of the man who put Houston rap on the map...In talking to most of the Houston rap world, Walker is able to paint a portrait of the artist that hasn't really been seen before. -- Chris O'Connell * MySA *This book is an absolute powerhouse...Lance Scott Walker delivers a poignant and personal tale that should solidify and codify Screw’s place in the hip-hop pantheon while also never shying away from who he was as a person in everyday life. -- Adam P. Newton * Bearded Gentlemen Music *Walker...manages to harness the flashlike life and career [of DJ Screw] and slow it down to create a clearer representation of a crucial 20th-century artist. Through hundreds of interviews with family, friends and collaborators spanning thousands of hours, Walker presents Screw’s work not as an incredible moment of combustion but rather what the title implies: a slow revolution. -- Andrew Dansby * Houston Chronicle *DJ Screw: A Life in Slow Revolution is an essential book for any hip hop fan. Few artists changed hip hop the way that Screw did, creating a distinct production style that was immediately recognizable and quickly associated with the sound of Houston. As you read this book, you not only get a sense for how that happened and how DJ Screw worked, but you get a sense of how much the greater Houston area latched on to what he was building and made it a part of their identity. It’s a loving and well-researched book that fills in a gap on any hip hop lover’s book shelf. -- Chi Chi Thalken * Scratched Vinyl *[Walker] uses Davis’s story to cobble together the history of Houston hip-hop’s early days...he makes Screw an oral history, rounding up quotes (many from firsthand interviews) from the men and women who were there...Even in death, J Dilla and DJ Screw continue to be two of the most influential figures in hip-hop. And Charnas and Walker use their biographies to remind both diehards and novices why that is — and to give the performers hella flowers in the process. * Los Angeles Review of Books *Walker does scrupulous research in the form of a broad span of interviews with nearly everyone who knew the seminal Houston DJ. -- Jordannah Elizabeth * New York Amsterdam News *[Walker] has made the story of rap in Houston accessible for those who weren’t there to experience it...Walker is discreet, taking up only as much space as necessary to put order to his narratives and leaving the rest for witnesses and participants to fill in. His work is a portrait of a time hard to remember now, even for those of us who lived it...and it deserves a place alongside such classics of American oral history as Please Kill Me, The Other Hollywood, and Meet Me in the Bathroom. -- Adrian Nathan West * The Baffler *Every hip hop fan should know not just DJ Screw’s name, but also the deep influence he had on all of modern music...To get the full story of his extraordinary life, author Lance Scott Walker spoke to childhood friends, collaborators, and rap moguls to paint a picture of just how important he was to not just his community, but music as a whole. * VICE, "The Best Gifts for Every Music Lover" *An amalgam of firsthand accounts from the people closest to DJ Screw, from family and close friends to members of Screwed Up Click (the popular hip hop collective he founded)...While the book’s narrative ultimately ends in tragedy, readers are also exposed to the beauty, brotherhood, generosity, and passion for music that dominated DJ Screw’s life...Told in detailed and intimate language, each person Walker interviews helps personify the kind of man and artist DJ Screw was, no matter what name you might have known him by. -- Shelby Stewart * Houstonia Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFrom the young Black teenager who built a bass guitar in woodshop to the musician building a solo career with Motown Records—Prince’s bassist BrownMark on growing up in Minneapolis, joining Prince and The Revolution, and his life in the purple kingdom In the summer of 1981, Mark Brown was a teenager working at a 7-11 store when he wasn’t rehearsing with his high school band, Phantasy. Come fall, Brown, now called BrownMark, was onstage with Prince at the Los Angeles Coliseum, opening for the Rolling Stones in front of 90,000 people. My Life in the Purple Kingdom is BrownMark’s memoir of coming of age in the musical orbit of one of the most visionary artists of his generation. Raw, wry, real, this book takes us from his musical awakening as a boy in Minneapolis to the cold call from Prince at nineteen, from touring the world with The Revolution and performing in Purple Rain to inking his own contract with Motown.BrownMark’s story is that of a hometown kid, living for sunny days when his transistor would pick up KUXL, a solar-powered, shut-down-at-sundown station that was the only one that played R&B music in Minneapolis in 1968. But once he took up the bass guitar—and never looked back—he entered a whole new realm, and, literally at the right hand of Twin Cities musical royalty, he joined the funk revolution that integrated the Minneapolis music scene and catapulted him onto the international stage. BrownMark describes how his funky stylings earned him a reputation (leading to Prince’s call) and how he and Prince first played together at that night’s sudden audition—and never really stopped. He takes us behind the scenes as few can, into the confusing emotional and professional life among the denizens of Paisley Park, and offers a rare, intimate look into music at the heady heights that his childhood self could never have imagined.An inspiring memoir of making it against stacked odds, experiencing extreme highs and lows of success and pain, and breaking racial barriers, My Life in the Purple Kingdom is also the story of a young man learning his craft and honing his skill like any musician, but in a world like no other and in a way that only BrownMark could tell it.Trade Review"A story of low notes and high stakes, of Revolution and of evolution, of bands and fans and best-laid plans, of pills and thrills and daffodils. Hang tough, children, and read it."—Questlove, from the Foreword"This is not a tell-all book. It is simply a candid, honest, heartfelt story about a young kid who goes on to achieve his dream of making it in the music industry, and the price that he pays along the way. It’s an uplifting tale about working with Prince, and it is an enjoyable read that serves as another piece of the puzzle that is Prince."—The Great Song Traveler"This page-turning memoir... will appeal to BrownMark’s fans and general music enthusiasts."—Library Journal"Those looking for a memoir awash in sex, drugs, and the seamier sides of Prince’s private life will instead discover hard work and rigid discipline under a stern taskmaster, an artist who became what he was through minute attention to detail as well as genius. A memoir of vivid detail and understandable ambivalence."—Kirkus Reviews"If you want to get to know Mark Brown, the human, I would say this book is a good way to go."—Insight News"The profound life lessons BrownMark learned while playing in the Revolution, as well as his experiences touring the world with Prince, forever changed his life. And BrownMark proudly carries those memories with him as he continues to blaze new trails while keeping Prince’s legacy alive."—City Pages"Simultaneously poignant and inspiring."—The Arts Fuse"By turns a reflective examination of his own place in the Paisley world over those years and a straight-shooting account of the less beautiful side of Prince’s modus operandi at his commercial zenith."—SoulTracks"An arresting piece of social history, often interesting and original."—Moving the River"Enlightening."—Chicago Review of Books"This memoir could be a real inspiration to someone with dreams."—The Bookworm Sez"My Life in the Purple Kingdom makes it clear anyone who thinks BrownMark was handed phenomenal success at a young age on a platter can think again."—Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder "Seemingly overnight, BrownMark was thrown into an entirely different reality, sharing the stage with The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and more. With Prince & The Revolution, he’d tour the world in one of the most iconic bands in history, perform some the greatest hits in popular music and experience an overwhelming level of fame."—Forbes Magazine Table of ContentsContentsForewordQuestlovePrologueRadio DaysDiscovery YearsChain ReactionsThe Skin I’m InNew Look, New SoundOff to See the WizardPrimping for PrnControversy, SexualityThreshold of a NightmareControversy TourMojo1999The ShadowLet’s Go CrazyThe Carrot and the Hat TrickThe Bitter TasteMoving OnEpilogue

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Book SynopsisThe Biographic series presents an entirely new way of looking at the lives of the world's greatest thinkers and creatives. It takes the 50 defining facts, dates, thoughts, habits and achievements of each subject, and uses infographics to convey all of them in vivid snapshots. Each Biographic title is designed to be as entertaining as it is informative. Timelines not only pinpoint significant dates, but set them in the context and culture of their times. Dynamic maps locate biographical events alongside other points of interest. Character traits are illuminated by visual comparisons. Many people know that David Bowie (1947–2016) was an iconic singer, songwriter and actor, whose lyrics, performances and ever-changing persona were at the heart of pop culture for over five decades. What, perhaps, they don't know is that he smoked 80 cigarettes a day, acted in 27 films, sold over 140 million albums and once shared a Berlin apartment with Iggy Pop. Biographic: Bowie presents an instant impression of his life, work and fame, with an array of irresistible facts and figures converted into infographics to reveal the artist behind the music.

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Book SynopsisTraces the position, experiences and reception of women in Irish traditional music through detailed ethnographic and statistical findings.This book is the first of its kind to engage in the larger subject of women in commercial Irish traditional music. It considers the experiences of performers in the various commercial arenas of the tradition, while also engaging in critical discussions of choice, agency, feminism and sexualisation. It reveals how the commercial music industry and Celtic music label continues to place women within a stereotypical idealised role or occupation.The book provides new insight into the legacy of women-led bands and compilations as well as their impact on Irish traditional music over five decades. Its findings on commercial dance shows are equally significant. While these shows had a positive impact on performers, at the same time they enforced gendered, racial and heteronormative expectations. Drawing on extensive ethnographic and statistical research, the book finds strong evidence that women and other marginalised practitioners continue to face greater challenges and different expectations when maintaining a professional career and participating in Irish traditional music. It also uncovers characteristics and dynamics related to the recreational and commercial spaces of the Irish traditional music and Irish dance scene that enable harmful and predatory behaviour. The author's findings support understandings and aid future legislation for creating a safe, inclusive and equitable performance space for all.Cover artwork by Claire Prouvost

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Book SynopsisSpeaking for the first time about the profound impact that his brother's death had on him, the author offers a tribute to Duane that only a younger brother could write, showing how, to this day, he still confronts the grief of losing his big brother, even as Duane continues to guide and inspire him.Trade Review...This book is everything you could hope for: in a grizzled, laconic drawl, Allman provides a rambling backstage account of his five decades with the Allman Brothers Band, and he doesn't seem to hold anything back. -- New York Times Book Review A soul-searching rumination on a hard-lived life... For generations of fans, Allman's book provides insights into the many turns in that long road... MY CROSS TO BEAR carries a welcome seal of honesty. -- USA Today In his memoir, the rambling and rambunctious Gregg Allman lays bare his soul... In the end, Allman, writing with music journalist Light, has produced a fiercely honest memoir. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) This is a story about musical brotherhood. Rich and moving... Nothing less than profound. Life, love and music from one of the most influential American recording artists of the last 40 years. -- Kirkus Reviews "Packed with juicy anecdotes, gripping details and raw energy...Fans of the Allman Brothers Band are certain to relish the revelations... MY CROSS TO BEAR provides a window into Allman's tortured soul - he presents himself as a man cracked and flawed, yet somehow intact." -- Birmingham News

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Book SynopsisFrom his early work as lyricist for West Side Story to acclaimed creations such as A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, and Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim is widely regarded as the most important figure in musical theater since the second half of the 20th century. Who better to discuss this prolific artist’s work than the master himself? Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions is a collection of interviews conducted by Mark Eden Horowitz, senior music specialist in the music division of the Library of Congress. In these guided conversations, Sondheim expounds in great depth and detail on his craft. As a natural teacher, thoughtful and opinionated, Sondheim discusses the art of musical composition, lyric writing, the collaborative process of musical theater, and how he thinks about his own work. The entire scope of Sondheim’s career is covered here, in which Sondheim’s greatest works are discussed—from Passion, Assassins, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, and Pacific Overtures to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Merrily We Roll Along, Company, Follies, Anyone Can Whistle, and A Little Night Music. Sondheim even provides thoughts about the film adaptations of his works, such as Sweeney Todd. The book also features an entire chapter on Bounce, the previous incarnation of his latest musical, Road Show. Preserving the essential elements of the previous volumes, this edition includes all of the interviews—verbatim—and features a revised introduction and a postlude with an additional conversation. Finally in paperback, Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions, The Less Is More Edition is a must-have for fans of these creative genius.Trade ReviewI've learned so much from the work of Stephen Sondheim, and in this book, others interested in the craft of musical theatre composition, whether as professionals or fans, will find a myriad of lessons and inspirations. -- Stephen Schwartz, composer/lyricist, Wicked; GodspellIndispensable for any student, writer, or ardent fan of drama and musical theater. It puts the reader in the room with one of our greatest American masters. -- Jeanine Tesori, composer of Caroline, or Change and Fun HomeHorowitz has managed to relax Sondheim into loquacity, technical generosity, and humour far more than most, perhaps all, of his predecessors (and there have been many); they exude an unusual sense of well-being, for which Horowitz must be credited with extraordinary skill and amenability. -- Stephen Banfield * The Musical Times *Any with a curiosity about the musical theatre of the past half century or a passing interest in the creative process behind it will find gems here. The real meat of the book is in free-ranging discussions of Sondheim’s choices, tastes, and reflections on music and theater throughout and beyond his own career. -- Rob Kendt, Backstage WestMark Horowitz reveals the compositional process of Stephen Sondheim through a fascinating series of conversations with the composer. It is thrilling to discover the intimate details of how these classic songs, scores, and shows were created. Utterly captivating and illuminating. -- Stephen Flaherty, Tony Award-winning composer of Ragtime, Once On This Island, and SeussicalOne of the finest books focusing on [Sondheim's] work. * Playbill *In these remarkable dialogues Mark Horowitz has elicited cogent, illuminating insights into the creative process from Stephen Sondheim, the ever-astonishing titan of the musical stage. -- Robert Kimball, Musical theatre historian and artistic advisor to the estates of Cole Porter and Ira GershwinSondheim devotees will be forever grateful to Library of Congress music specialist Mark Horowitz for the interviews he conducted with Sondheim. -- Chip Brown * Smithsonian Magazine *An excellent companion work to the esteemed composer's book. Horowitz skillfully balances his technical content, serving both the needs of the music student and the theatre enthusiast. * Bay Stages *A provocative, illuminating portrait of a creative powerhouse. * Baltimore Sun *Recommended for libraries with a prominent emphasis on music. * Library Journal *For musicians, Horowitz's book is a treasure trove of self-revelation from the most significant living composer for the American musical theatre. * International Record Review *What sets this milestone work apart from other texts on Sondheim or other interviews with the composer is the fine balance between broad and specific questions. The broader questions can be understood and enjoyed by any audience, since they deal very generally with Sondheim's thoughts and opinions about theatre. On the other hand, the specific questions provide an outstanding, first person source for scholars of music and theatre in particular, with pointed discussions on the musical scores, and a rare view of Sondheim's own compositional sketches. * Studies In Musical Theatre *Mr. Sondheim was interviewed on stage by Mark Eden Horowitz, whose essential book, Sondheim on Music, offers in-depth discussions with the composer. * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe authorised biography of one of the most creative and colourful musicians of the 60s, featuring extracts from his previously unpublished memoirs. Reissued with new cover art and foreword.

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Book Synopsis* The sensational autobiography of Sharon Osbourne - the First Lady of Rock - an icon for our times with an amazing story to tell - from an often shocking childhood, through a rollercoaster marriage, and still hitting the headlines today.Trade ReviewI have been kept awake for the past two nights, utterly gripped by Sharon's story . . . She makes Keith Richards, Kurt Cobain et all look like kiddies at a tea party, overdosing on fizzy drinks . . . she is radiant, confident, assertive and glamorous. And enormously successful, having turned Ozzy's career into a multimillion-dollar global industry, having recovered from colon cancer herself, and having finally seen her husband do a year without a drink. She is totally phenomenal * SUNDAY INDEPENDENT (IRELAND) *An emotional roller-coaster read. If you thought you'd already had a warts-and-all look at the Osbournes, think again. Sharon's frank memoirs lift the lid on what really goes on in their crazy house. Her wickedly infectious sense of humour sparkles on ev * B MAGAZINE *Sharon has beaten cancer, starred in the X Factor, and been the steely heart of The Osbournes, that jaw-dropping real-life soap opera of a genuinely loving family . . . vividly captured here in this pungent and distinctive autobiography * SUNDAY TIMES *She is currently scaling the heights of a career that has now surpassed her famous husband, and this is Sharon's story. Explicit in detail with her characteristically fruitful turn of phrase, this book will have you laughing out loud * WOMAN’S WAY *

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Book SynopsisOutside his native France, the view of Serge Gainsbourg was once of a one-hit wonder lothario. This has been slowly replaced by an awareness of how talented and innovative a songwriter he was. Gainsbourg was an eclectic, protean figure; a Dadaist, poète maudit, Pop-Artist, libertine and anti-hero. An icon and iconoclast. His masterpiece is arguably Histoire de Melody Nelson, an album suite combining many of his signature themes; sex, taboo, provocation, humour, exoticism and ultimately tragedy. Composed and arranged with the great Jean-Claude Vannier, its score of lush cinematic strings and proto-hip hop beats, combined with Serge's spoken-word poetry, has become remarkably influential across a vast musical spectrum; inspiring soundtracks, indie groups and electronic artists. In recent years, the album's reputation has grown from cult status to that of a modern classic with the likes of Beck, Portishead, Mike Patton, Air and Pulp paying tribute. How did the son of Jewish Russian immigrants, hounded during the Nazi Occupation, rise to such notoriety and acclaim, being celebrated by President François Mitterand as "our Baudelaire, our Apollinaire"? How did the early chanson singer evolve into a musical visionary incorporating samples, breakbeats and dub into his music, decades ahead of the curve? And what are the roots and legacy of a concept album about a Rolls Royce, a red-haired Lolita muse, otherworldly mansions, plane crashes and Cargo Cults?Trade ReviewThis book is intended to be a biography of an album, but due to Darran Anderson’s thorough research and skilled prose storytelling, Serge Gainsbourg’s Histoire de Melody Nelson morphs into a brilliant (if often dark) illustration of Serge Gainsbourg himself, even more than that of the title character, Melody Nelson. That said, when one knows this much more about the album, the artist and his muse, much like the narrator himself, one will find it almost impossible to avoid falling in love with Melody. -- J.C. Macek III * PopMatters *Table of ContentsIntroduction Early Days The Chanson Years Turning Point Histoire de Melody Nelson The Aftermath Influence

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Book SynopsisIn 1991, a loose-knit collective released a record called Blue Lines under the name Massive Attack, splicing together American hip-hop and soul with the sounds of the British underground. With its marauding bass lines, angular guitars, and psychedelic effects, Blue Lines built on the Caribbean soundsystems and nascent rave scene of the 1980s while also looking ahead to the group's signature blend of epic cinematics and lush downtempo. In the process, Blue Lines invented an entirely new genre called trip hop and launched the career of a rapper named Tricky.Ultimately, Blue Lines created the sonic playbook for an emerging future: hybrid, digital, cosmopolitan, and rooted in the black and immigrant communities who animated the urban wreckage of the postindustrial city. Massive Attack envisioned an alternate future in sharp counterpoint to the glossy triumphalism of Brit Pop. And while the group would go on to bigger things, this record was both a warning shTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Cider Punks 2 Five Man Army 3 The Coach House 4 The Tricky Kid Interlude: Living in My Headphones 5 The Cherry Bear Organization 6 Flammable Materials 7 Daydreaming 8 Big Wheel Keeps on Turning Notes

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller, revised and updated for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. ---- As heard throughout 2020 on Classic FM ---- You know the music... but do you know the man? ---- Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the world's best loved and most influential composers. His life - its dramas, conflicts, loves and losses - is played out in his music. ---- In this special edition to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth - with a new section featuring his most celebrated pieces - John Suchet shows us the man behind the music. He reveals a difficult and complex character, struggling to continue his profession as musician despite increasing deafness, alienating friends with unprovoked outbursts of anger one moment, overwhelming them with excessive kindness and generosity the next, living in a city in almost constant disarray because of war with France. ---- This is the real Beethoven, and Suchet brings him faithfully and vividly to life. ---- This updated edition of Suchet's acclaimed biography contains new material, including a detailed guide to Beethoven's most important compositions, family tree and timeline.Table of ContentsContents; Note on this Edition ... xi; Preface ... xv; Prologue ... xviii; 1. The Spaniard ... 1; 2. The Right Teacher ... 23; 3. Meeting Mozart ... 42; 4. Word Spreads ... 61; 5. Impressing the Viennese ... 88; 6. My Poor Hearing Haunts Me ... 105; 7. Only My Art Held Me Back ... 121; 8. Egyptian Hieroglyphics ... 134; 9. O, Beloved J! ... 151; 10. A Deeply Immoral Woman ... 168; 11. Under Cannon Fire ... 188; 12. Immortal Beloved ... 202; 13. An Utterly Untamed Personality ... 216; 14. Into the Witness Box ... 235; 15. A Musical Gift from London ... 252; 16. 'I Want to Be a Soldier' ... 273; 17. Two Pistols and Gunpowder ... 291; 18. Frightening the Oxen ... 307; 19. Terminally Ill ... 323; 20. The Last Master ... 339; Postscript ... 346; Beethoven's Music ... 351; Cast of Characters ... 407; Timeline ... 419; Acknowledgements ... 431; About Classic FM ... 433; Index ... 435; About the Author ... 443

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Book SynopsisRush. In their own words, 'The World's Biggest Cult Band', started from humble beginnings: three suburban teenagers. Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, and John Rutsey formed a Led Zeppelin-influenced trio, eventually scratching a living playing the bars and clubs of their native Toronto.

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Book SynopsisA complete new edition of Beethoven's conversation books, in 12 volumes, now translated into English in their entirety for the first time. Covering a period associated with the revolutionary style of what we call "late Beethoven", these lively and compelling conversations are now finally accessible in English for the scholar and Beethoven-lover.Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) is recognized the world over as a composer of musical masterpieces exhibiting heroic strength, particularly in the face of his increasing deafness from ca. 1798. By 1818, the Viennese composer had begun carrying blank booklets with him, for his acquaintances to jot their sides of conversations, while he answered aloud. Often, he himself used the pocket-sized booklets to make shopping lists and other reminders, including occasional early sketches for his compositions. Today, 139 of these booklets survive, covering the years 1818 up to the composer's death in 1827 and including such topics as music, history, politics, art, literature, theatre, religion, and education as perceived on a day-to-day basis in post-Napoleonic Europe. An East German edition, begun in the 1960s and essentially complete by 2001, represents a diplomatic transcription of these documents. It is a masterpiece of pure scholarship but is difficult to use for anyone who is not a specialist. Moreover, Beethoven scholarship has moved on significantly since the long-ranging genesis of the German edition.These important booklets are here translated into English in their entirety for the first time. The volumes in this series include an updated editorial apparatus, with revised and expanded notes and many new footnotes exclusive to this edition, and brand new introductions, which together place many of the quickly changing conversational topics into context. Due to the editor's many years of research in Vienna, his acquaintance with its history and topography, as well as his familiarity with obscure documentary resources, this edition represents an entirely new venture in source studies - vitally informative for scholars not only in music but also in a wide variety of disciplines. At the same time, these often lively and compelling conversations are now finally accessible for the English-speaking music lover or history buff who might want to dip into them and hear what Beethoven and his friends were discussing at the next table.

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