Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisIn over sixty years the Northern Soul scene has become Britains longest surviving dance culture. Its rise in popularity has been phenomenal, all thanks due to a network of clubs and hardworking knowledgeable, passionate deejays, who have championed early American rhythm and blues music that eventually became Northern Soul.

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Book SynopsisSouth Africa possesses one of the richest popular music traditions in the world - from marabi to mbaqanga, from boeremusiek to bubblegum, from kwela to kwaito. Yet the risk that future generations of South Africans will not know their musical roots is very real. Of all the recordings made here since the 1930s, thousands have been lost for ever, for the powers-that-be never deemed them worthy of preservation. And if one peruses the books that exist on South African popular music, one still fi nds that their authors have on occasion jumped to conclusions that were not as foregone as they had assumed. Yet the fault lies not with them, rather in the fact that there has been precious little documentation in South Africa of who played what, or who recorded what, with whom, and when. This is true of all music-making in this country, though it is most striking in the musics of the black communities. Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music is an invaluable publication because it offers a first-hand account of the South African music scene of the past decades from the pen of a man, Max Thamagana Mojapelo, who was situated in the very thick of things, thanks to his job as a deejay at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. This book - astonishing for the breadth of its coverage - is based on his diaries, on interviews he conducted and on numerous other sources, and we find in it not only the well-known names of recent South African music but a countless host of others whose contribution must be recorded if we and future generations are to gain an accurate picture of South African music history of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

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Book SynopsisBeing on the road - the ultimate litany?I am simply a traveling explorer conducting research, without a commission, specialty, or expertise. In this semi-fictional account, Blixa Bargeld recounts life on tour in 2008 with Einstürzende Neubauten - from Lisbon to Moscow, Oslo to Naples, criss-crossing Europe. Along the way we encounter mind numbing routines, interesting restaurants (good and bad), colorful museums, rocky bus rides, mundane hotels, odd characters and old friends - they''re all there. Along with the structure holding it all together, namely, a recurring setlist that is invoked as a litany. In the end the book proves to be a declaration of love for Europe, and in the current dark times we are presently living through, more immediate than ever.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe Estate of Amy Winehouse will donate 100% of the advance and royalties it receives from the production and sale of this book to The Amy Winehouse Foundation. These funds will help assist the charity in continuing their vital work helping thousands of young people to feel supported in managing their emotional wellbeing and making informed life choices.* Global icon Six-time Grammy winner Headline-maker The most talented recording artist of her generation Much has been said about Amy Winehouse since her tragic death aged at age 27. But who was the real Amy?Amy Winehouse: In Her Words shines a spotlight on her incredible writing talent, her wit, her charm and lust for life. Bringing together Amy’s own never-before-seen journals, handwritten lyrics and family photographs together for the first time, this intimate tribute traces her creative evolution from growing up in North London to global superstardom, and provides a rare insight into the girl who became a legend.* The Estate of Amy Winehouse will donate 100% of the advance and royalties it receives (net of agency fees charged) from the production and sale of this book to The Amy Winehouse Foundation (registered charity number1143740). The minimum donation will be 70,000. Initiatives include Amy’s Place, which provides addiction recovery housing for young women; resilience-building programs in schools and music therapy programs supporting children with special educational needs and life-limiting conditions. More information can be found at https://amywinehousefoundation.org.

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Book SynopsisThe Treasures of Noel Coward is a celebration of the life and work of this legendary figure, still a household name today, nearly 40 years after his death.

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