Composers and songwriters Books

Book Synopsis Tommy Thompson arrived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 1963, smitten by folk and traditional Appalachian music. In 1972, he teamed with Bill Hicks and Jim Watson to form the nontraditional string band the Red Clay Ramblers. Mike Craver joined in 1973, and Jack Herrick in 1976. Over time, musicians including Clay Buckner, Bland Simpson and Chris Frank joined Tommy, who played with the band until 1994. Drawing on interviews and correspondence, and the personal papers of Thompson, the author depicts a life that revolved around music and creativity. Appendices cover Thompson''s banjos, his discography and notes on his collaborative lyric writing.

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Book Synopsis Beyond revolutionizing rock and roll, Bob Dylan became a preacher on stage in the late 1970s, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, opened a series of exhibits of his paintings, wrote three books, worked as a film director, and performed as an actor.Despite his decades in the public eye and vast range of artistic achievements, he remains an enigmatic figure. This book contains original interviews with 13 leading Dylanologists about why Dylan has remained such a compelling and important artist to the present day.Topics discussed are diverse, including his music, histime in cinema and his comparisons to Stanley Kubrick, his spiritual wisdom, and his award-winning poetry.Table of Contents Preface Introduction: Why a Book of Interviews on Bob Dylan? The Interviews Richard F. Thomas: Dylan, Rome and the Classics (July 15, 2019) Andrew Muir: Dylan and Shakespeare (September 28, 2019) Britta Lee Shain: Meeting and Touring with Dylan (February 19, 2020) Heinrich Detering: Voices from the Underworld (February 26, 2020) Phil Mason: The Christian Message of Bob Dylan (March 13, 2020) Anne-Marie Mai: The Multi-Layered Poetry of Bob Dylan (March 23, 2020) Aubrey L. Glazer: Gnostic Dylan (July 14, 2020) Graley Herren: From DeLillo to Dylan (September 18, 2020) Rudy Salvagnini: Dylan and Cinema (October 4, 2020) Stephen Daniel Arnoff: Dylan's Multitudes (February 8, 2021) Graley Herren: Time Out of Mind Revisited (November 27, 2021) Stephen Daniel Arnoff: The Spiritual Wisdom of Bob Dylan (February 25, 2022) Giulio Pantalei: David Lynch and Bob Dylan (April 27, 2022) Aubrey L. Glazer: Kubrick, Dylan, Cohen—Intuitive Kabbalists? (September 9, 2022) Doris Hambuch and Ioannis Galanopoulos Papavasileiou: Martin Scorsese and Bob Dylan (October 25, 2022) Final Thoughts Index

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Book SynopsisThe Jazz Masters: Setting the Record Straight features twenty-one conversations with musicians who have had at least fifty years of professional experience, and several as many as seventy-five. In all, these voices reflect some seventeen hundred years'' worth of paying dues. Appealing to casual fans and jazz aficionados alike, these interviews have been carefully, but minimally edited by Peter Zimmerman for sense and clarity, without changing any of the musicians'' actual words. Five of the interviewees--Dick Hyman, Jimmy Owens, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, and Yusef Lateef--have received the National Endowment for the Arts'' prestigious Jazz Masters Fellowship, attesting to their importance and ability. While not official masters, the rest are veteran performers willing to share their experiences and knowledge. Artists such as David Amram, Charles Davis, Clifford Jordan, Valery Ponomarev, and Sandy Stewart, to name a few, open their hearts and memories and reveal who they a

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Book SynopsisExperimentations provides a detailed historical and theoretical analysis of the first three decades of experimental composer John Cage's aesthetic production (ca. 1940-1972). Paying particular attention to Cage's inter- and cross-disciplinary engagements with the visual arts and architecture during this period, the book sheds new light on some of Cage's most controversial and influential innovations, such as the use of noise, chance techniques, indeterminacy, electronic technologies, and computerization, as well as upon lesser known but important ideas and strategies such as transparency, multiplicity, virtuality, and actualization. Ultimately, it traces the development of Cage's avant-garde aesthetic and political project as it transformed from the emulation of historical avant-garde precedents such as futurism and the Bauhaus, to the development of important precedents for the post-World War II movements of happenings and Fluxus, to its ultimate abandonment in the aftermath ofTrade ReviewBranden W. Joseph's formidable Experimentations: John Cage in Music, Art and Architecture throws open the terrain [of Cagean studies] once again. * The Wire *Branden Joseph gradually unfolds the role of chance, transformation, performativity and transparency in music, and provides an interesting multi-layered understanding of the latter’s intercourse with other disciplines ... The book provides an innovative understanding of the examined ideas that remains open, allowing for other disciplines to enter into the suggested discourse ... In this way Joseph offers to artists and architects valuable tools to work on the further development on the role of tracing, documenting, scoring and attuning in the performative understanding of their areas. * The Journal of Architecture *Experimentations: John Cage in Music, Art, and Architecture is a brilliant and vital critical contribution to the growing body of art historical scholarship on John Cage’s multidisciplinary legacy. The readymade Cage of chance and silence is replaced by a rich and nuanced narrative of a compositional practice nourished by its evolving and often conflicted exchanges with the artistic, architectural and political avant-gardes. * Ina Blom, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo, Norway *With great musical and historical sensitivity Joseph unpacks John Cage’s struggles, on the one hand, with Beethoven, Schoenberg, Stockhausen—the whole weighty European musical tradition, and on the other, with changing notions of experimentation and the avant-garde. What emerges is an artist who places music in the service of remaking the entire institution of art. Joseph succeeds in writing a brilliant book that is equally captivating for musicians and art historians. * Alexander Rehding, Professor of Music, Harvard University, USA *...Experimentations: John Cage in Music, Art, and Architecture provides its reader with an overview of Branden W. Joseph’s two-decade engagement with John Cage and represents some of the most intellectually rigorous writing about the composer … nuanced and important. * Critical Inquiry *Table of ContentsI. Introduction II. A Therapeutic Value for City Dwellers III. Hitchhiker in an Omnidirectional Transport IV. The Architecture of Silence V. Chance/Indeterminacy/Multiplicity VI. Ghost or Monster? Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAndrew Barker is a Senior Features Writer for Variety.Trade ReviewThe book traces the album’s fitful creation through its release, and shows how five guys who were never as good apart as they were together could shine so bright on a single album. * Vinyl Me, Please *Barker's journalistic study offers a vivid insight into how five hip-hop everymen came to make one of the genre's defining works. * Record Collector *Table of ContentsTrack Listing Interlude: 4 Better and 4 Worse Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Interlude: If I Were President Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Interlude: Quinton’s Here Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Interlude: The Pipe Chapter Fifteen Acknowledgements Works Cited

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Book SynopsisBrooke McCorkle Okazaki is Assistant Professor of Music at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. McCorkle Okazaki co-authored the book Japan's Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema (2018) with Sean Rhoads. In it, they explore the various ways Japanese monster movies address contemporary ecological concerns. Thanks to a Japan Foundation Fellowship, McCorkle Okazaki is currently completing her next book, Searching for Wagner in Japan.Table of ContentsList of Images and Tables Acknowledgements Preface Introduction: Itadakimasu! (Let’s Eat!) 1. Girl Bands and Josei Rock, 1950s–1980s 2. Food, Gender, and Music in Postwar Japan 3. Shonen Knife’s Songs in the Key of Food 4. Konnichiwa!: An Introduction to Happy Hour (1998) and its Cover Art 5. Happy Hour: Food, Music, and Transnational Flow 6. The Delicious Banality of “Banana Chips” 7. Sweet Candy Power: Shonen Knife and Their Josei Rock Legacy Notes Bibliography Discography Index

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Book SynopsisNatasha Lasky is a writer and filmmaker living in Chicago, USA.Trade ReviewFantastic. . . . An amazing book. * New Books Network *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. A Sicko Producer’s Dream 2. Bimbos of the Apocalypse 3. Just Real Bitches in a Fake-Ass World Coda

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Book SynopsisFor Swifties of all ages, I Love Taylor Swift is now updated for the Tortured Poets era with fun coloring pages and new journaling prompts inspired by Taylor’s life and lyrics.Whether you’ve been a fan since “Our Song” or just discovered her, I Love Taylor Swift Updated and Expanded Version is for you! This book lets you obsess over your favorite songs, appearances, and looks of the amazing Taylor Swift with personalized journal prompts, trivia, and scrapbook pages. Each page is filled with fun prompts to help you relive the moment you discovered Taylor’s music, reflect on meaningful songs or music videos, and imagine hanging out with Taylor. You’ll get to explore topics like favorite collaborations, hidden Easter eggs, and the one question you’d ask Taylor if you met her. This updated version includes new journaling prompts and trivia focused on Taylor’s 2024 double album The Tortured Poets Departm

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Book SynopsisFrom his early work with The Birthday Party to the future sounds of Ghosteen, Nick Cave has rewritten the language of rock ‘n’ roll.Darker with the Dawn uncovers the history and deeper meanings behind Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ most well-known songs from “Tupelo”, “The Mercy Seat”, “Red Right Hand”, “Stagger Lee”, “Into My Arms”, to “Higgs Boson Blues” and beyond. The book explores Nick Cave’s life in music drawing upon his inspirations of the Bible, Greek myth, and literature, as well as his enduring passion for gospel, blues, and progressive rock. Steiner reflects upon Cave's journey from his childhood in Australia, struggles with drug addiction, his young fascination with the nightmare landscapes of America's wild west and the southern gothic towards a reckoning with his own sense of Christian spirituality. In a career spanning four decades Cave's songwriting has moved from the saints and sinners of the traditional murder ballad to piano-based heartbreak songs, deconstructed garage rock and ambient fever dreams delivered through minimalist electronica. Adam Steiner dives into the world of a complex songwriter who, in his universal expressions of love and death, continues to speak to us of the light and shade of humanity.

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Book SynopsisIn this candid and perceptive memoir of his 45-year career bassist Jerry Scheff takes us onto Elvis's private jet on tour with Bob Dylan and into the studio with The Doors. A stalwart presence behind some of the greatest names of popular music Scheff has also played with Roy Orbison Elvis Costello the Association Neil Diamond Johnny Mathis the Everly Brothers John Denver and Nancy Sinatra to name just a few. Eschewing hype Scheff provides a behind-the-scenes perspective from having worked sleeves rolled up side by side with the great artists in their factories.ÞThe book opens with the TCB band's learning of the King's death while en route to a tour date a pivotal moment for him the rest of the band and the world at large. He then proceeds on a nonlinear journey that mirrors the process of true life-reflection from his roots in San Francisco to his touring all over the world.ÞThis is a tale of a man who has truly grown a career from a genuine love of music and of his instrument proving how following that gift can bring a person to places beyond his wildest dreams. It is an exciting inside view of the evolution and craft and work of making rock and roll ä a must-have for true music craftsmen and music junkies in general.

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Book SynopsisLed by the iconic frontman Robert Smith, the Cure remain one of the most beloved and influential bands in the history of alternative rock. Thanks in part to classic singles like "Just Like Heaven," "Boys Don't Cry," "Lovesong," "In Between Days," and many others, the Cure have sold millions of records worldwide and have performed in front of countless fans in every corner of the globe. Albums like Disintegration, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, and The Head on the Door are universally hailed as landmarks of the genre. For the first time, The Cure FAQ covers the band's forty-plus year career while offering fresh insight into each song in the Cure's vast canon. Each album is dissected and reviewed with candid commentary and extensive research. With their March 2019 entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame firmly establishing the Cure's place in the musical stratosphere, the timing for a career overview is perfect and The Cure FAQ delivers.

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Book SynopsisThe story of a brief music career, 'Your Secrets Are Safe With Me' is much more a narrative of the quest for meaning. At once funny and sad, poignant and absurd, it is not the exploration of one life. Rather, it marks the convergence of many lives linked by music--lives that became intertwined on a journey to discover what it means to be human. For most, the end of the journey came much too soon. It is left to the one who remains to speak for those who can no longer speak for themselves, to express gratitude for all they gave and love for all they were, to show that their lives mattered, to insist that they not be forgotten, and, finally, to recall the music that they made together. 

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Book SynopsisWas John Lennon meeting Paul McCartney more significant than John Lennon meeting Yoko Ono? Rubber Soul or Revolver? Which Wings album was Paul McCartney’s solo pinnacle?In 100 brief chapters, John M. Borack discusses and ranks the greatest moments in Beatles history. An avid Fab Four fan since childhood and a music journalist for more than thirty-five years, Borack has created a book to agree with and disagree with, and one that is sure to spark conversations. A love letter to the greatest rock band of all time, The Beatles 100 is a book for Beatles buffs and casual fans alike.

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Book SynopsisThe first feminist analysis of some of the most performed works in the American-opera canon, emphasizing the voices and perspectives of the sopranos who brought these operas to life. In the 1950s, composers and librettists in the United States were busy seeking to create an opera repertory that would be deeply responsive to American culture and American concerns. They did not break free, however, of the age-old paradigm so typically expressed in European opera: that is, of women as either saintly and pure or sexually corrupt, with no middle ground. As a result, in American opera of the 1950s, women risked becoming once again opera's inevitable victims. Yet the sopranos who were tasked with portraying these paragons of virtue and their opposites did not always take them as their composers and librettists made them. Sometimes they rewrote, through their performances, the roles they had been assigned. Sometimes they used their lived experiences to invest greater authenticity in the roles. With chapters on The Tender Land, Susannah, The Ballad of Baby Doe, and Lizzie Borden, this book analyzes some of the most performed yet understudied works in the American-opera canon. It acknowledges Catherine Clément's famous description of opera as "the undoing of women," while at the same time illuminating how singers like Beverly Sills and Phyllis Curtin worked to resist such undoing, years before the official resurgence of the American feminist movement. In short, they ended up helping to dismantle powerful gendered stereotypes that had often reigned unquestioned in opera houses until then.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1 American Opera at Midcentury Chapter 2 A Conniving Gold Digger: Elizabeth "Baby Doe" Tabor Chapter 3 A "Really Vicious Monster": Lizzie Andrew Borden Chapter 4 A Chaste White Woman: Laurie Moss Chapter 5 A Dangerous Jezebel: Susannah Polk Epilogue "The World So Wide": Beyond the Virgin or the Whore in the Twenty-First Century Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Next Great Rock and Roll NovelOn a September afternoon in Santa Barbara, a private jet carrying the members of Poor Ghost—one of America’s most storied rock bands—plunges into the backyard of Caleb Crane, a retired insurance salesman. Still mourning his wife’s death from Covid, Caleb finds himself navigating trauma, grief, and loss, all while his quiet neighborhood is invaded by pushy reporters and rabid Poor Ghost fans.For fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & the Six and its fictional documentary structure, Poor Ghost moves back and forth between the impact of the plane crash on Caleb’s life and an oral history of Poor Ghost—from its beginnings as a working-class punk band to rock icons. As the twisting and turning strands of the plot converge, readers are shown what happens when different worlds (literally) collide with one another, and how we view, negotiate, argue with, and aid those who are unl

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Book SynopsisHere is an in-depth look at the life of one of pop music's hottest international stars. This book reveals the details of Rihanna's unhappy childhood, her wild child past that earned her the nickname of Rebel Flower, and how she found it therapeutic after her parents' troubled marriage to join the army. A fascinating story of her transformation from schoolgirl Robyn Fenty to one of the most successful R&B artists in the world. Explores her turbulent relationship with singer Chris Brown which resulted in a photograph of her battered face making headlines around the globe. Features exclusive interviews with Rihanna's old schoolfriends, producers, songwriters, video directors, journalists and many more who witnessed her transformation over the years. A must-read for fans new and old. "

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Book SynopsisIn 1963, it was unusual for a pop group to have a monthly magazine devoted exclusively to their career. Only Elvis Presley had been considered important enough to warrant such an honour. But then the Beatles were unusual. Within the space of that pivotal year, the Fab Four became the biggest thing in British popular culture and their worldwide fame was soon inescapable. One of the first to astutely recognise their greatness was Sean O'Mahony and the monthly magazine he launched with the full blessing of The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein - The Beatles Book.Looking Through You presents a selection of over 300 images from the precious Beatles Book photo archive, many unpublished or unseen in their original form from the original negatives, as well as the story behind the success of the regular Beatle bulletin.With each new issue, Beatle fans worldwide would voraciously devour the contents from cover-to-cover, discovering the Fab Four's latest news and activities and most of all, savouring the exclusive B&W photographs, captured by in-house photographer, Leslie Bryce. During the magazine's six-year run only a small fraction of these photographs were printed - and then often altered in some way. The Beatles Book Monthly captured the Beatles' development from British provincial theatres - through foreign tours including their ground-breaking first American visit - and onwards to the band's withdrawal into the recording studio. It was unique in its access - as well as concert tours and television shows, the band were photographed off duty, at their homes and in the studio - locales that were generally out-of-bounds to most Beatle observers. This unique and original photographic record preserves many important moments within the Beatles' career, providing a historically important glimpse into the world's greatest ever entertainment phenomenon.

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Book SynopsisRobert Johnson. Brian Jones. Jimi Hendrix. Janis Joplin. Jim Morrison. Kurt Cobain. Amy Winehouse. They were inspirational, controversial, talismanic and innovative. They lead lives full of myth, scandal, sex, drugs and some of the most glorious music that has ever heard. Though each of their lives were cut tragically short at the age of 27, they would all leave the world having changed it irrevocably. Chris Salewicz tells, in intimate detail, the stories behind these compelling figures. From Robert Johnson and his legendary deal with the devil, to Jimi Hendrix appearing like a psychedelic comet on the London scene, through to Amy Winehouse's blazing talent and her savage appetite for self-destruction.Trade ReviewOne of the most rivetingly detailed, revealing music biographies ever written - The Sunday TimesA great read. Brutally frank and full of insights - MojoA riveting read that will keep you gripped to the end - Daily Mirror

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Book SynopsisDmitry Shostakovich was one of the most successful composers of the twentieth century – a musician who adapted as no other to the unique pressures of his age. By turns vilified and feted by Stalin during the Great Purge, Shostakovich twice came close to the whirlwind of political repression and he remained under political surveillance all his life, despite the many privileges and awards heaped upon him in old age. Yet Shostakovich had a remarkable ability to work with, rather than against, prevailing ideological demands, and it was this quality that ensured both his survival and his posterity. Pauline Fairclough’s absorbing new biography offers a vivid portrait that goes well beyond the habitual clichés of repression and suffering. Featuring quotations from previously unpublished letters as well as rarely-seen photographs, Fairclough provides a fresh insight into the music and life of a composer whose legacy, above all, was to have written some of the greatest and most cherished music of the last century.Trade Review'Pauline Fairclough’s attractively readable and fair-minded new biography sails elegantly past old arguments, while taking fascinating account of the mass of new research that has appeared in recent years. The result is a wise and sympathetic portrait of a remarkable man, which will appeal broadly to musicians and music-lovers, to those who already love Shostakovich’s music and those who would like to discover it for themselves.'-Gerard McBurney, Composer

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Book SynopsisThe first book-length study in English of composer Mathias Spahlinger, one of Germany’s leading practitioners of contemporary music. One of the most stimulating and provocative figures on the new music scene on Germany, he has long been a touchstone for leftist, ‘critical’ composition there, yet his work has received very little attention in Anglophone scholarship until now. Born in 1944, Spahlinger has risen only gradually to prominence in his native Germany and for many years was considered an outsider within the contemporary music scene. Yet, his position as one of the most venerable exponents of post-WWII modernism in his homeland is now undeniable: his music is regularly performed, he has received commissions from many of the major orchestras and new music groups in Germany, and in 2014 he received the Großen Berliner Kunstpreis (Berlin Art Prize – Grand Prize) from the city’s Akademie der Künste (Academy of Arts). Spahlinger is, however, becoming increasingly known as a significant figure within later twentieth-century music – in 2015, a festival in Chicago focused exclusively on his music, and he was a keynote speaker at a conference on Compositional Aesthetics and the Political at Goldsmiths, University of London. This new book provides an essential reference for scholars of new music and twentieth-century modernism. There are no other book-length studies of Spahlinger in English, though there is a monograph and a book of essays in German, and books of interviews. This original work promises a more critical perspective upon the composer and his aesthetics and political ideas compared to previous publications. The illustrations include musical examples. Its primary market will be a specialist musicological readership, including academics, researchers and composers, but the writing style such that it could be accessible also to undergraduates interested in the field. The discussion of aesthetic debates in post-war Germany, and the interesting reading of the work of Jacques Rancière, means that it could also have significant appeal across the disciplines of philosophy and critical theory.Trade Review'While on the one hand, Neil Thomas Smith succeeds in filling up a void in academic literature on Spahlinger in English, his writing exceeds that purpose by bringing Spahlinger’s work into a general cultural and political context.[...] What is perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Smith’s book is the detailed analysis of many notable works of Spahlinger, which generations of composers will find very useful after listening to the music. On the whole therefore, this very enlightening book illustrates how one of the most influential composers at the dawn of the 21st century put thought and sound into the wholeness of his unique works that continue to intrigue the global artistic community.' -- Jonas Baes, Popular MusicTable of ContentsIntroduction Part 1 Modernism Underestimated Biography and Context: Spahlinger and Twentieth-Century Germany Part 2 Musique Concrète Instrumentale Order Open Form Perception Conclusion Mathias Spahlinger: List of Works

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Book SynopsisBruce Springsteen called him 'one of the great, great American songwriters', Jackson Browne hailed him as 'the first and foremost proponent of song noir', and Stephen King once said that if he could write like him, he 'would be a happy guy'. The list of artists that lined up to appear on his records include Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Dave Gilmour and Emmylou Harris. So how is it that most people, if they have heard of Warren Zevon at all, know him only as 'that Werewolves' guy'? This book goes beyond that solitary hit single to examine all aspects of Zevon's multifaceted, five-decade career, from his beginnings in the slightly psychedelic folk duo Lyme and Cybelle, through to his commercial breakthrough in the late Seventies with Excitable Boy, his critically acclaimed late Eighties comeback Sentimental Hygiene, his decline into cult obscurity, and his triumphant if heart-breaking final testament, The Wind, released just prior to his death in 2003. Along the way the reader will discover one of rock's consummate balladeers, as well as a cast of characters including doomed drug dealers, psychopathic adolescents, outlaws of the Old West, BDSM fetishists, ghostly gunslingers, an unfeasibly large assembly of apes, and, yes, lycanthropes unleashed on the streets of London.

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Book SynopsisReleased in 1977 during the height of disco fever and punk rock, Bat Out of Hell is an ambitious debut album that bucked the trend and confounded critics. With the help of several hit singles, it struck a chord with record buyers and became one of the best-selling albums of all time.

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Book SynopsisAlkan: lonely 19th century genius, virtuoso pianist and also composer of some of the most difficult and disturbingly powerful piano music. After a long period of neglect his piano music is being discovered by an ever-widening public and played and recorded by some of the world's leading pianists. This edition, in two parts, was originally published in two separate volumes - the first dealth with the man, and the second was devoted solely to his music. With this reprint in one volume the books have been extensively revised, with two extra appendices added, and new bibliographies and discographies included.Trade Review'This book, which contains a number of fascinating illustrations, should interest all lovers of 19th century piano music and introduces us to an uniquely historic figure.' - Humphrey Searle, HiFi News; 'This is a book to linger over and savour, and from which to gain much more knowledge of some of the greatest piano music ever written.' - Harold Truscott, Music & Musicians; 'I found this book completely absorbing.' - Max Harrison, Musical Opinion; 'I'll tell you how good this book is: it kept me from piano practice before an important engagement. I'm sure its wisdom will inform my future piano practice and compensate for what it stole today.' - Ronald Stevenson, Piano; "This is an excellent overview of the life and works of the greatest pianist who ever lived by one of his foremost interpreters. Even Liszt was intimidated by the thought of playing in front of Alkan! It is strongly recommended for all lovers of classical music, but for pianists, it is indispensible."Table of ContentsBook 1: Alkan - The Man, Acknowledgements, Introduction, 1. Prodigy, 2. Virtuoso, 3. Delaborde, 4. A Lost Symphony, 5. The "Grande Sonate", 6. Marmontel, 7. Recluse, 8. Prometheus Bound, 9. Les Petit Concerts, 10. The Final Years, 11. The Death of Alkan, 12. Rescue of a Lost Cause, 13. Personality and Appearance, 14. The Reluctant Virtuoso, 15. The MusicIndex, Index of Alkan's Works, List of Illustrations, Family Tree of Alkan Morhange, Book 2: Alkan - The Music, Introduction and Acknowledgements, 1. Early Works, 2. The Concerti da Camera, 3. The Crystallisation of Style, 4. The Miniatures, 5. The Thirty Chants, 6. The Grande Sonate and Sonatine, 7. Trois Grandes Etudes Op.76, 8. Douze etudes Op.35, 9. Douze etudes Op.39, 10. Miscellaneous piano music, 11. Transcriptions and Cadenzas, 12. Chamber Music, 13. Orchestral and Vocal Music, 14. Organ or Pedal-piano? 15. Alkan's Creative Personality

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Book SynopsisBob Sawyer - one time guitarist with both Iron Maiden & Praying Mantis tells his story covering the previously unchartered depths of the early days of both bands with all the gigs recalled from Bob's own archive, including previously unpublished photos. This unique account details Bob's musical journey from the early seventies to being the guitarist in Iron Maiden during the band's formative years in the mid-seventies - before they had even signed a record contract. The band gigged relentlessly in an around their native East end of London, where they regularly played the pubs and clubs such as the Cart & Horses and Bridge House. Although Bob left Iron Maiden before they were signed to EMI, the advent of a surge in this genre dubbed the New Wave of British Heavy Metal saw Bob touring with one of the chief exponents Praying Mantis as part of the 1980 Metal For Muthas Tour that included bands such as Motorhead, Saxon and Samson, as well as his former band Iron Maiden. Bob also picked up with Iron Maiden again when Praying Mantis toured as the support act on Maiden's first headlining tour. Bob kept diaries, which now published in this book, give a great behind the scenes look at the formative days of not just these bands but of the enduring heavy metal movement as well.

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Book SynopsisFrom humble beginnings in Teignmouth, Devon on England’s South West Coast, since the band’s inception around twenty-five years ago Muse has grown into one of the biggest bands in the world. Since the release of debut album Showbiz in 1999, Muse has gone on to mega status, selling out stadiums around the globe. From a band that was helped in the nineties with a £150 grant from the Prince’s Trust, they have escalated into leading torch bearers for twenty-first century rock music. Never shy to acknowledge influences from the past, Muse has also created its own unique style from blending numerous music genres into their own defining image. Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard have remained together through thick and thin; time and time again producing huge selling albums and sold out concert tours. This Visual Biography is a wonderful keep-sake souvenir portraying the band’s rise to superstardom, right up to 2019’s Simulation Theory tour. The largely, previously unpublished photos are complimented with a 15,000 word band history by music author Laura Shenton.

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Book SynopsisA quietly spoken, true English eccentric with something of a rebellious streak, Tony Stratton Smith initially charmed and blustered his way into the music business as a manager during the early 1960s and a few years later, when the record labels stopped playing by what he believed to be the rules, he simply went and formed his own -The Famous Charisma Label - and set about spinning the record business on its head. An independent label like no other, it is fair to say that without Strat's total belief and unwavering long-term support there would be no Genesis - Phil Collins has said as much - and a long line of artists owe Tony a similar debt of gratitude, from Monty Python to Malcolm McLaren, Lindisfarne to Sir John Betjeman, Vivian Stanshall to Julian Lennon. A former sports journalist and close friend to Jimmy Greaves and Sir Matt Busby (Strat narrowly missed a seat in the Munich Air crash) he later became a popular figure in the horse racing world. But making money was never very high on Tony's agenda, simply a means to an end that enabled him to fund the music and mayhem that brought him so much enjoyment. Strat was never happier than when the artists that he had so carefully nurtured were fulfilling their creative potential, delighting in working with the talents of Peter Gabriel, Alan Hull, Clifford T. Ward, Howard Werth and Peter Hammill. Ultimately, what he really cared about were the people, the creativity, about imagination, inspiration and risk, and the sheer joy to be had in bringing all those elements together, lighting the Charisma-pink touch paper and standing back, glass in hand, to watch what might happen when the sparks began to fly.

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Book SynopsisOn 26th March 1971 at Newcastle City Hall, Keith Emerson, Greg Lake & Carl Palmer performed their version of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An Exhibition. An iconic classical piece given an innovative spin by the talented trio, it was released as an album following the success of their second studio album, Tarkus. In many ways, Pictures At An Exhibition is the underdog of Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s longstanding discography — so much so that there was uncertainty surrounding whether or not it was going to be released at all! And yet, despite the band’s uncertainties surrounding the LP at the time, it is now vital — both in terms of ELP’s history and in the wider sense of how it bridged a gap between rock and classical music. It certainly wasn’t the first album to do this but it is nevertheless a relevant and important part of such discourse. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on ELP’s Pictures At An Exhibition from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time, how it compares to Mussorgsky’s original piece and what it means in terms of ELP’s legacy today.

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Book SynopsisReleased in 1978, This Year’s Model was Elvis Costello’s second album and his first with The Attractions. Abundant in clever songwriting that often-made bold observational statements (even about the music industry itself!), This Year’s Model grabbed the attention of both UK and US audiences. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on This Year’s Model 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 Elvis Costello’s legacy today.

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Book SynopsisFZ88 follows in the wake of our hugely successful Zappa The Hard Way, written by Zappa aficionado Andrew Greenaway. That title published in 2010 documented Zappa's last tour in great detail. The only thing it really lacked was a swathe of great photos to accompany the insightful and in-depth story. This new title now completes the picture in more ways than one, built around the photos of Sergio `Milo' Albonico. The name will be familiar to Zappa buffs as Albonico was Zappa's official photographer and his photos were used on the 1988 tour programme as well as the album release Guitar. An extensive selection of Albonico's photos adorn the pages of this book. With additional text from Greenaway that puts the photos in context, along with words from Albonico, this publication is further enhanced by other previously unpublished photos as well as memorabilia from the time. This collection is a visual documentary of Zappa's last tour and a perfect companion to Zappa The Hard Way. But it also stands alone as a great collection of never-before-seen photos of Zappa from the rehearsals and concerts of his last tour.

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Book SynopsisSlaves And Masters is arguably one of the most divisive albums in Deep Purple's history. A product of Ian Gillan's sacking from the band and the recruitment of former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, in 1990, Slaves And Masters divided the fanbase enormously. But with four fifths of the classic MKII line-up at the helm and a desire to recapture the live feeling in the studio, that had been a hallmark of their seventies' albums, was it really the worst Deep Purple album as some fans claim? In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Deep Purple's thirteenth studio album 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 Deep Purple's legacy today.

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Book SynopsisBy 1978, the landscape of pop music had changed considerably since Jethro Tull’s earlier hit albums Aqualung (1971) and Thick As A Brick (1972). Punk, disco and new wave were in and progressive rock’s heyday was over. Despite all of this, during the year of the band’s tenth anniversary, a cohesive line-up of Jethro Tull worked happily together to release the successful studio album, Heavy Horses. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Heavy Horses 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 Jethro Tull’s legacy today.

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Book SynopsisReleased in 1980, bold and original, Remain In Light features a fascinating blend of African-inspired music and innovative use of recording technology. Hosting the hit single ‘Once In A Lifetime’, it was an album that commanded attention. As Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison put it, “Remain In Light was the beginning of a new vision. It was a very creative period and really amazing.” In this book, Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Remain In Light 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 Talking Heads’ legacy today.

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Book SynopsisWithout doubt Ian Gillan is one of the greatest and most enduring rock singers of all time. From his early career in sixties pop band Episode Six, through to Deep Purple, as well as a brief period with Black Sabbath, he has continued to surprise and delight millions of fans around the world. Forays into unchartered territory, such as his role in the original Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as a variety of solo projects, including the jazz inspired Ian Gillan Band have proven that time and again, Ian Gillan is more than just the lead singer with Deep Purple. This publication plots his career from the early sixties through to the present day in a visual timeline that charts his extraordinary and colourful career. Digging deep into the archives we have managed to pull together a vast array of photos and imagery, much of which has never been seen before. This includes many previously unpublished photos from his days with Episode Six and beyond. Off stage and backstage photos from his early career, through to Deep Purple and his solo projects are all included, alongside on-stage photos capturing Ian doing what he does best. A Visual Biography also includes many rare items of memorabilia, including a full itinerary from the Ian Gillan Band’s 1977 Japanese tour, plus posters and cuttings that help to document over fifty years as one of rock’s most iconic frontmen.

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Book SynopsisWild Mood Swings: Disintegrating The Cure Album by Album, Martin Popoff’s innovative new project on iconic post-punk pioneers The Cure, celebrates 50 years now since key actor of the band Robert Smith got hold of his first guitar. And the form this celebration takes is a critical analysis of the band’s 13 studio albums, utilising a panel of thoughtful and engaging music critics culled from the author’s and Marco D’Auria’s video channel, The Contrarians. Presented in easy-to-read Q&A format, Martin gathers these wise music swamis into small teams with an aim toward deconstructing and reassembling each album, hopefully generating myriad new ways for the reader and Cure fan to appreciate the band’s seminal records, beginning with Three Imaginary Boys in 1979 and ending with 4:13 Dream in 2008. As bonus to the discussion, Popoff has created a detailed timeline linked to each album, echoing the format used for his many celebrated visual biographies issued through Wymer Publishing in recent years. The end result presents a fresh methodology with which to consider a band’s catalogue, with the hope being that the mix of hard chronological reference material and freewheeling opinion, review and analysis makes for a lively celebration of—and subsequent richer appreciation for—everything Robert Smith has done for millions of Cure fans around the world, much of it therapeutic, redemptive and in so many inspiring instances, urgently life-saving.

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Book SynopsisAn updated version of Loud 'n' Proud: Fifty Years of Nazareth, drawing on copious images and items of memorabilia, this large format 240-page book is a treasure trove for Nazareth devotees — crammed full of live and off stage shots that portray the band’s journey through the decades. It also includes loads of super cool memorabilia including backstage passes, gig posters, media adverts and much more, all reproduced on high quality art paper. From the early days of the seventies through to the current day, nestling alongside the wonderful imagery, the band’s whole career is documented by esteemed rock writer Martin Popoff who was assisted through the whole narrative by Nazareth’s founder and only remaining original member Pete Agnew. Popoff also interviewed Agnew for the book in addition to previous interviews the author has conducted, not only with the bass player extraordinaire but with many other band members past and present, all neatly laid out in a timeline, making this the essential go to Nazareth book.

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Book SynopsisAfter their last studio album in 1991 and the tour that followed it, fans have eagerly awaited a Dire Straits reunion ever since. Whilst the likelihood of that remains incredibly slim, this book is a celebration of the band and their amazing musical accomplishments — with 'Sultans Of Swing', 'Private Investigations' and 'Money For Nothing' being just the tip of the iceberg! From the early days of playing at London's Hope & Anchor in 1977, to the dizzying heights of the 1985-86 Brothers In Arms tour and beyond, this book documents it all. With vintage interviews and reviews aplenty, the story of Dire Straits is one that needs to be told and this mammoth book is the most comprehensive biography of the band yet published. Not only is the band’s story covered in detail through the narrative — this lavish coffee table book is also visually stunning — printed on high quality art paper and illustrated throughout with numerous photos and items of memorabilia making this a highly desirable Dire Straits collectible.

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable story ofSwedish singer and songwriter?and two-time Eurovision winner?Loreen Loreen was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Moroccan Berber parents, and rose to fame after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 with her song ?Euphoria.? Following her Eurovision success, Loreen released her debut album Heal in 2012. The album showcased her unique sound, characterized by a blend of pop, dance, and electronic elements, and received incredible reviews from critics. Loreen also won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest held in Liverpool England with her song "Tattoo." Loreen?s victory at Eurovision 2023 brought her international recognition and established her as a prominent pop artist. ?Tattoo? had become a massive hit across Europe and topped the charts in several countries. Loreen?s powerful vocals, captivated audiences and made her performance one of the most memorable in Eurovision history. Loreen has been an advocate for various causes, including human rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights. Her outspokenness on these issues has further endeared her to her fans and demonstrated her commitment to using her platform for positive change. This is her story

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Book SynopsisThis is Taylor Swift, as a bona-fide fashion goddess. Diveinto Taylor Swift: Fashion Manifesto' and discover, through an array of stunningimages, the depths of her style evolution and fashion journey. What better way to tell her lively fashion story than through this visual journeyspanning the course of her stardom.

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Book SynopsisVon der Song-Idee zur Hitsingle: In diesem Buch finden Sie alles, was Sie wissen müssen, um mit Ihrem Song in der Musikindustrie Erfolg zu haben. Finden Sie den Stil, Rhythmus und Reim, der zu Ihrem Genre passt, und fesseln Sie Ihre Zuhörer mit eingängigen Texten und unvergesslichen Melodien. Mit vielen Übungen und Beispielen unterstützen die Autoren Sie bei den grundlegenden, kreativen Elementen des Songwriting, aber auch bei dem, was danach kommt: Demotape, Online-Marketing, digitale Downloads, Urheberrecht, Verträge, Agenten und Plattenfirmen - so lernen Sie, wie Sie mit Ihren Werken die größten Erfolge erzielen können.Table of ContentsÜber die Autoren 7 Vorwort 19 Einführung 21 Teil I: Sie wollen also Songwriter werden 25 Kapitel 1: Finden Sie ein Goldstück und lassen Sie es strahlen! 27 Kapitel 2: Die verschiedenen Genres: von Country über Folk und Blues bis hin zum Rock 53 Kapitel 3: Die Ausarbeitung: Bringen Sie Ihren Song in Form! 75 Teil II: Entfesseln Sie den Dichter, der in Ihnen steckt 95 Kapitel 4: Am besten, die Sache hat einen Haken! 97 Kapitel 5: Wie Sie Ihre Hörer mit guten Texten beeindrucken 113 Kapitel 6: Über den Text zu seiner eigenen Stimme finden 135 Kapitel 7: Wie man gute Reime macht 161 Teil III: Schreiben Sie Musik, die man nie wieder vergisst! 181 Kapitel 8: Herzschlag der Musik – der Rhythmus 183 Kapitel 9: Musiker als Magier der Melodien 197 Kapitel 10: Wie man beim Songwriting Akkorde benutzt 215 Kapitel 11: Gut geblufft ist halb gewonnen: allerlei technische Hilfsmittel, Tricks und Gimmicks 227 Teil IV: Zusammenfinden, zusammenarbeiten, zusammenschließen 243 Kapitel 12: Talente zusammenführen: Teamgründung und Networking 245 Kapitel 13: Online-Marketing und soziale Netzwerke für Songwriter 263 Kapitel 14: Songwriting für Bühne, Kinoleinwand, TV und Radio 275 Kapitel 15: Wie Sie sich Gehör verschaffen: das Demo 291 Teil V: Des Künstlers Alter Ego – der Geschäftsmann 315 Kapitel 16: Ziele setzen, Termine festlegen! 317 Kapitel 17: Wie Sie Musiknoten in Banknoten verwandeln 327 Kapitel 18: Das Geschäftsteam – die klugen Helferlein des Songwriters 339 Kapitel 19: Der juristische Teil samt allem Papierkram 357 Teil VI: Der Top-Ten-Teil 371 Kapitel 20: Zehn Songs, die man kennen sollte 373 Kapitel 21: Zehn Singer/Songwriter, die man kennen sollte 379 Abbildungsverzeichnis 385 Stichwortverzeichnis 387

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