Composers and songwriters Books

Book Synopsis*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*The brand new memoir from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Road Beneath My Feet. Taking 36 songs from his back catalogue, folk-punk icon Frank Turner explores his songwriting process. Find out the stories behind the songs forged in the hedonistic years of the mid-2000s North London scene, the ones perfected in Nashville studios, and everything in between. Some of these songs arrive fully-formed, as if they''ve always been there, some take graft and endless reworking to find ''the one''. In exploring them all, Turner reflects with eloquence, insight and self-deprecating wit on exactly what it is to be a songwriter. From love songs and break-up songs to political calls-to-arms; songs composed alone in a hotel room or in soundcheck with the Sleeping Souls, this brilliantly written memoir - featuring exclusive photos of handwritten lyrics and more - is a must-have book for FT fans and anyone curious about how to write music.Trade ReviewIt is moments of honesty and personal revelation such as this that make Try This at Home come alive; the sense that we are getting real insight into someone's life and the way they have tried to make sense of it . . . this fascinating section illustrates the impact of putting your beliefs into lyrics. * The Times *

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Book Synopsis'Was Bowie an aloof and unavailable artist, or a 'Starman' who descended to bring good news to the masses? This book presents Bowie as revealed by the testimony of his closest friends and partners, a Bowie with humour, grace and humility and a highly focused Bowie - a borrower of ideas combining ideas from multiple sources creating new visions.

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Book SynopsisDesmond Child is the ultimate hitmaker, contributing to some of the biggest smash global hits that helped ignite the success of music icons KISS, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ricky Martin, Katy Perry, and countless others. In Livin’ On A Prayer, he reveals how he climbed his way to the top and beyond amid extraordinary circumstances and shares his very personal and unbelievable journey that shaped him into an artist of international renown. For over half a century, Desmond Child has collaborated with the world’s most celebrated artists creating timeless hits, such as Bon Jovi’s “Livin' On A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name” as well as Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “The Cup Of Life” amongst his vast catalog. But in Livin’ On A Prayer, Desmond himself takes center stage to share his transformational story from misfit outsider to cultural pacesetter. In collaboration with legendary music biographer David Ritz, Child recounts his unconventional upbringing as his colorful family fled Cuba in the 1960s and fell into poverty. He details his shocking discovery at age 18 that the man he called “dad” was not his biological father after all, and he courageously bares his soul about navigating the trials of being a Latino gay man in the macho world of rock and roll. His is a story of willing himself to succeed and overcome impossible odds to establish himself as one of the most influential composers and lyricists of all time.Trade Review"A page-turner of an autobiography full of the remarkable stories behind his songs."—The Guardian“The Desmond you don’t know about is the one who not only taught me the next level of songwriting, but so many of the true aspects of friendship: truth, honor, and loyalty."—Jon Bon Jovi“I can describe him in three words: Blood, Sweat & Hits.”—Alice Cooper“He only knows how to write one kind of song… a hit.”—Cher“I love myself for writing with him.”—Joan Jett“The first time we met, we wrote ‘Angel’ in about an hour and 45 minutes—and I’m not bullshitting. The guy’s a fucking genius.”—Steven Tyler“Desmond Child is a game-changer. As a singer, songwriter, producer, and visionary, he has deconstructed and reconstructed the global soundscape, adding an electrical charge that continues to light up our musical culture.”—Emilio Estefan“For over five decades of #1 hits that stretch across two centuries, Desmond Child and Diane Warren have ruled as the King & Queen of popular songwriting. The only problem is trying to figure out which one is which!”—John Stamos“Desmond Child… always a threat.”—Diane Warren"In the realm of music history, there are legends, and then there’s Desmond Child."—Give it a Spin“Child is a fascinating character, a candid individual with a multitude of anecdotes. It feels like you’re right there in the room with him as he tells his story. With the assistance of ghostwriter David Ritz, Desmond tells a life story that’s seen many highs and lows. It’s a real rags-to-riches story in which Child comes across as a good guy with plenty to say.”—Rock Candy Magazine

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Book SynopsisThe first book of photography to be published by the Academy Award-winning film director and photographer Spike Jonze. Will appeal to every fan of Beastie Boys and golden-era hip hop, as well as photography and Spike Jonze''s own focused audiences.Spike Jonze and Beastie Boys met for the first time in Los Angeles in 1991, when Jonze went out to photograph the band for the cover of Dirt magazine. A connection formed between the three MCs and the young photographer, which has lasted throughout their careers.Almost thirty years later--published to coincide with the release on Apple+ of a new documentary, Beastie Boys Story--this book collects for the first time more than two hundred of Spike Jonze''s personal photographs of his time spent with the group. Edited and with an afterword by Jonze, and including new writing by Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz themselves, this book shows an intimate look at the greatest act of the hip-hop generation in their truest colors as

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Book SynopsisWhich Song is the Best and Why? Read it and see! Organized by rank, from 1 to 100, this illustrated celebration of the best songs by the boys who revolutionized rock-and-roll includes expert commentary, historical context, interview material, and lots of great sidebars (including 'best' lists from some of today's pop music powerhouses.) Like all 'best of' lists, the book's opinionated stance generates animated discussion.Here, There, and Everywhere is profusely illustrated with photos of the band at work and play, and all of the unforgettable album-cover art. Appendices include a complete song list, discography, videography, and bibliography, making it a one-stop source of Beatles facts and figures.

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Book SynopsisWords like "inspiring," "expansive," and "moving" are regularly used to describe Sigur Rós's ( ), and yet the only words heard on the record itself are a handful of meaningless nonsense syllables. The album has no title—or rather, its title is no title: just an empty pair of parentheses. The intention being that listeners will fill in the parentheses with their own title, their own interpretation of the sounds on the record. The CD sleeve consists of twelve pages that are essentially blank, lacking song titles, liner notes or production credits. Instead, it contains only semi-translucent frosted images of abstract natural scenes (tree branches, clouds, etc.), on which the listener is free to inscribe their own notes—or no notes at all. And then there are the lyrics, sung in a deliberately unintelligible tongue called "Hopelandic" which the band invites listeners to interpret freely. Ethan Hayden's book doesn't try to fill in the gaps between the album's parentheses, but instead explores the ways in which listeners might attempt to do so. Examining the communicative powers of asemantic language, the book asks whether music can bring sense to nonsense. What happens to the voice when it stops singing conventional language: does it simply become another musical instrument, or is it somehow more "human"? What role does space play on ( )? And how do we interpret music that we cannot possibly understand, but feel very deeply that we do?Trade ReviewWhile Sigur Ros fans who are not also students of linguistics would probably prefer a book that concentrated more on the music and less on things like trochaic rhythm, xenogloss and echolalia, there’s no denying that Hayden does make his points successfully and reading this book did give me a new level of appreciation for an album I already loved. * Midnight to Six *Ethan Hayden painstakingly transcribes the eight untitled tracks on ( ) into a series of long vowel sounds and odd clusters of consonants in an attempt to diagram the syntax of this strange new tongue and figure out what the band might be saying (despite their best efforts not to say anything). -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *Table of Contentsacknowledgements ( nonsense voice space hope ) bibliography index

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Book SynopsisIt was 1969, and Miles Davis, prince of cool, was on the edge of being left behind by a dynamic generation of young musicians, an important handful of whom had been in his band. Rock music was flying off in every direction, just as America itself seemed about to split at its seams. Following the circumscribed grooves and ambiance of In A Silent Way; coming off a tour with a burning new quintet—called ‘The Lost Band’—with Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette; he went into the studio with musicians like frighteningly talented guitarist John McLaughlin, and soulful Austrian keyboardist Joe Zawinul. Working with his essential producer, Teo Macero, Miles set a cauldron of ideas loose while the tapes rolled. At the end, there was the newly minted Prince of Darkness, a completely new way forward for jazz and rock, and the endless brilliance and depth of Bitches Brew. Bitches Brew is still one of the most astonishing albums ever made in either jazz or rock. Seeming to fuse the two, it actually does something entirely more revolutionary and open-ended: blending the most avant-garde aspects of Western music with deep grooves, the album rejects both jazz and rock for an entirely different idea of how music can be made.Trade ReviewWhen Davis felt he could go no further with straight-ahead acoustic jazz, he embraced the electric age… by 1969, when he recorded the monumental double album Bitches Brew—the subject of a perceptive new monograph by George Grella Jr. in the 33 1/3 series—he had forged a bold new style, later dubbed the “electric Miles.” Today no period of Davis’s work exerts as much fascination for young jazz musicians. * The New York Review of Books *George Grella Jr. discusses time and the slippage thereof in Bitches Brew (one of the latest additions to the brilliant 33 1/3 series) ... [An] articulate and thought-provoking book ... [Grella] writes well about the music on the album itself, providing a readable and non-technical description of musical themes ... [and] offering insight into the construction ... of individual tracks and the album as a whole. * International Times *George Grella dissects the creative process engineered by Miles Davis album, delves into the motivations that led its creator to break with the basics of swing and incorporate influences from rock and unprecedented use of recording techniques in jazz . Grella also devotes two chapters to study the outstanding technical features of each of the six items on the double LP … and explores with passion, wit and analytical rigor [the] constellation of musical, social and psychological forces that came together to produce one of the most revolutionary works of contemporary music. * El Intruso (translated from Spanish) *A worthwhile companion to your next Miles Davis listening session. * Jazzinstitut (Bloomsbury translation) *Table of ContentsIntroduction Miles Davis Doesn't Care What You Think Directions in Music by Miles Davis Gramaphone, Trumpet, Razor Blade Bitches Brew, CS 9995 Bitches Brew, CS 9996 It's About That Time Selected & Annotated Bitches Brew Discography Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA forensic but sprightly account of the period when Bob Dylan, then indisputably the most important figure in popular music, made some of the finest and most influential recordings of all time.

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Book Synopsis"Tusk", the first record in history to cross the million dollar threshold in production costs, was the Fleetwood Mac's critically acclaimed, commercially disappointing 1979 double album. This book looks at one of the most unusual albums ever released by a major rock band.Trade Review[The] journalistic revelations and general insight add yet more layers to the double album's controversial standing. * The Austin Chronicle *Trucks doesn’t spend much time analyzing songs; the book is a tribute to the auteur spirit ... Readers may skim Trucks’ long digressions into his own autobiography, which is too bad because they contain some interesting anecdotes, especially regarding the popularity of the Buckingham Nicks album in the author’s native Alabama. The real draw of the book, however, are interpolated testimonials from indie rockers such as Camper Van Beethoven’s Jonathan Segel and Dave Portner of Animal Collective. -- Kirk Curnutt * Paste Magazine *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Intro: The Warning Shot Chapter One What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk Jonathan Segel of Camper Van Beethoven Chapter Three What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk Walter Egan Chapter Five What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk Kaki King Chapter Seven What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk A.C. Newman of the New Pornographers Chapter Nine What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk Gretchen Heffler of the USC Spirit of Troy marching band Chapter Eleven What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk Dan Boeckner and Hadji Bakara of Wolf Parade Chapter Thirteen What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk Dave Portner, a/k/a Avey Tare, of Animal Collective Chapter Fifteen What We Talk About When We Talk About Tusk Michael G of Tusk, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band Chapter Seventeen

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Book SynopsisAn indispensable and captivating document, now back in print!Table of ContentsIntroduction to the 2000 Reprint, by David CannataPrefaceProloguePart I1. Zverev and His Cubs2. A New Family3. Aleko and "Free Artist"4. Deaths and Failure5. Second Concerto6. Imperial Theater7. Operas and Projects8. Dresden9. Europe10. First American Tour11. "Re" and The Bells12. War and Night VigilPart II13. Virtuoso14. Ties with Russia15. The Composer Resumes16. Work and Rest17. Exile Reinforced18. Senar and Rapsodie19. The "Russian" Symphony20. The Composer Rebuffed21. Retreat from Europe22. Symphonic Dances23. CaliforniaNotes on the TextAppendix 1. WorksIndex

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Book SynopsisInspirational and entertaining, this autobiography chronicles the life of a performing artist with a deeply devout outlook. Mary OâHara won global acclaim as a singer and harpist, yet behind public success was an unsuspected tragedy in which joy turned to sorrow. From her humble beginnings in the west of Ireland to her first husbandâs tragic death and her 12-year sojourn in a monastery, this tale of triumph over tragedy also journeys with OâHara into the wilds of Africa following her second marriage. Written with warmth and humor, this book is also filled with insights into OâHaraâs albums and concert tours.

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Free were formed in 1968 towards the end of the British blues boom. After two critically acclaimed albums, the release of ‘All Right Now’ and the album Fire and Water in 1970 brought them major success. Musical and personal differences took their toll and they split after the comparative failure of their next album and single. After starting new bands that never took off they reformed, but following further dissension and guitarist Paul Kossoff’s drug problems they disbanded for good in 1973. Vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke then formed Bad Company, who became one of the hottest bands on both sides of the Atlantic, maintaining a stable line-up with ex-Mott The Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell for the rest of the decade. Each member later pursued outside ventures, although they regrouped at intervals, recruiting new members after Ralphs’ retirement and Burrell’s death. This book examines both bands’ work and career from 1968 to 1980, plus the Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu, Rabbit album, Kossoff’s solo work and Back Street Crawler, with a chapter on their later history, notably Rodgers’ three years with Queen.

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Book SynopsisFrom being caught having their first orgasm by their mum's best friend to being stalked and propositioned by a fundamentalist pastor; from soliciting spanking dates over the Internet to scoring a coveted invitation to a threesome with some elf fetishist neighbours, art rock darling (Xiu Xiu) Jamie Stewart's journey of fleshy self-discovery and queer awakening makes for an extraordinary, cringy, unputdownable epic in miniature, burning always with radical and often shocking self-criticism. A one-of-a-kind exploration of abasement, depravity, joy, and embarrassment (and even joy in embarrassment), Anything That Moves is a series of comic, tragic X-rays of sex. It is funny, erotic, anti-erotic, honest, brave, icky, and hauntingly sad by turns. It demonstrates too how love and forgiveness can percolate around the edges of even the most traumatic relationships. Stewart's band Xiu Xiu has been called 'self-flagellating', 'brutal', 'shocking' and 'perverse', but also 'genius', 'brilliant', 'unique', 'imaginative' and 'luminous'. Readers can expect nothing less from Jamie Stewart's debut, Anything That Moves.Trade Review'As I would have put it at the peak of my Xiu Xiu fandom: yesssssssssssssssssssssss.' Emily Temple, Lit Hub ---- 'A tragicomic depiction of how Stewart used sex to cope with deep - and even tragic - family dysfunction. At the beginning, Stewart offers a telling author's note: "If we are related, please, for the love of God, do not read this book." A powerfully erotic memoir.' Kirkus Reviews ---- 'Jamie Stewart smears themself across every page like a sexorcism on bad acid. Deviant. Down and dirty. Get your freak on. Then wash your hands.' Lydia Lunch ---- 'On its surface, Anything That Moves would appear to be a book about Jamie Stewart's sexual history, but I found - as is the case in Jamie's work with Xiu Xiu - that it is more of a delineation of the most hidden and forbidden parts of our subconscious, and the complicated and insane ways we relate to ourselves and each other.' Owen Pallett 'Jamie Stewart has become my favourite literary figurine with their tasty memoir Anything That Moves. Move over Denton Welch and Monique Wittig there's a new lovesexy kid on the block.' Vaginal Davis ---- 'Jamie Stewart wraps up the first kiss-and-tell story in this tome, "but I also put my dick into a vacuum cleaner hose, so being on thee fuck list didn't mean much". Damn! But after you dig in, it's nowhere near as cold-blooded as that. Not exactly tender but so truthful and present in the timeline. Sexual antics try to kick off in very young pre-erection childhood, and there's a polemic in daring express child hyper-sexuality in this reality where the spectre of the child purity is held up. But possibly safe in the first person. How to tell your mother you feel odd because the neighbour child spunked in your butthole? Sometimes the deepest thinking is when the veil of allusion is lifted, and boners fail, third wheels are not as advertised. Sexual identity is fluid and casual, there is no poly-pan agenda. Stewart digs into the situations that are horny and evolve into meaningful relationships (or not), but doesn't leave out the nugget of truth when hardcore masochism reveals itself to be unhinged self harm. Impressively this is revealed without judgement. Maybe one incident of anal brutality but always back to pleasure. Not to give away the punchline but even my jaded self almost puked in a rimming encounter, "I'd licked a tapeworm out of her ass." Revelations and a deeper love and admiration for the man, I picked myself up and rinsed myself off. There are no Daddy Issues in these stories but if that chapter unfolds, it better fucking be me.' Ron Athey ---- 'An ecstatic ritual purging of all the weird sex, abject humiliation, visceral, bone-deep sadness, and sheer laughing-in-the-face-of-it-all that a human life can accumulate in the course of a few decades spent on this earth. For Stewart to have rendered so compellingly on the page an exercise as profoundly uncomfortable as this one is a remarkable feat, and I was absolutely here for it. One for the freaks.' Ollie Simpson, Pages of Hackney ---- 'I remember when I first heard Xiu Xiu over 15 years ago and from page one, reading Jamie Stewart's Anything That Moves brought me right back to that feeling. This book is honest, very funny and like all of Stewart's work, it holds both a tender vulnerability while also deeply, truly not giving a fuck what you think. Perfect.' Liz Freeman, East Bay Booksellers ---- 'An eternally underrated facet of Jamie Stewart's oeuvre is his instinct for the nauseously hilarious, delivered with shocking candour, which comes through clearer than ever in Anything That Moves. It should be read while on the make, drinking continuously and irresponsibly.' Michael Abraham, Book Culture ---- 'Fans of lauded experimental band Xiu Xiu know exactly what they're in for with Jamie Stewart's memoir, but for the uninitiated - this book is an outrageous force of lunatic bravery. An onslaught of confessions about desire in all of its messy forms, it jumps effortlessly from caustic to tender, gross to hypnotic, straightforward to subversive. Like so much of Stewart's work, Anything That Moves dares you to blink first, but will reward you if you don't.' Josie Smith-Webster, Greenlight Bookstore ---- 'A scintillating & sultry selection of shorts that left me in a wonderful limbo between shock and awe.' David Kelly, Blackwell's, Oxford

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Book SynopsisBruce Springsteen: An Illustrated Biography offers fans an intimate look into the life of this beloved artist, including photos of The Boss, both on stage and off, and 10 removable pieces of memorabilia.Table of ContentsIntroduction My Hometown Escape Great Expectations Darkness American Icon Second Skin Lost Years The Rising American Skin High Hopes Selected Bibliography About the Author, Dedication & Acknowledgments Image Credits

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Book SynopsisFlip the Script showcases some of the best rappers currently making music in the UK. It has taken a significant amount of time for women to get recognition in the genre, even though there have been phenomenal women in hip hop since its beginnings in the Bronx in the 1970s - but why did we take so long in the UK? Flip the Script gets to know the women who have paved the way, the successes and experiences of those that shape the thriving scene we have today. Arusa goes in depth with a number of female rappers who are making waves right now to find out about their relationships with hip hop, why they were attracted to the scene, what their thoughts are on the future of the genre and whether or not they feel a sense of belonging. Using her own research, and with reference to pioneers and critical theory, she explores hip hop's history of misogyny and how women have traditionally been looked over by their peers, and celebrates the brilliant icons who have made this one of the most exciting genres to be part of. A must read for fans of music, feminism, and culture.

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Book SynopsisThe Little Book of Elvis Presley is a superb collection of quotations by and about the man regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the twentieth century. A perfect companion for Elvis fans everywhere, this book of bite-sized quips helps capture exactly what made the The King of Rock 'n' Roll so special. From insightful quotes by fellow artists, collaborators and friends, to words of wit and wisdom from Elvis himself, you'll find more than 170 amusing and inspiring soundbites inside. 'I figure all any kid needs is hope and the feeling he or she belongs. If I could do or say anything that would give some kid that feeling, I would believe I had contributed something to the world.' Elvis Presley. Table of ContentsIntroduction. The Man from Memphis. The King. Elvis & Friends. Behind the Scenes. The Vegas Years. Hollywood Calls.

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Book SynopsisSteve Tupai Francis has over 25 years' experience in writing in a range of contexts including music, academia and civil society. Steve is obsessed with music, with David Bowie, Kate Bush, Prince, Japan and Kraftwerk taking pride of place in his collection of over 3,000 records.Trade ReviewSteve Tupai Francis pops the hood on Kraftwerk’s Computer World and delivers a lovingly exhaustive examination of the road to realizing their perfect sonic vision, the reverberations of which are still felt today … Artfully balancing key elements from the band’s previous work while shedding light on the various tools that helped create Computer World, (shoutout Speak and Spell!), Francis does an exceptional job of managing an avalanche of information, and keeping it moving and relevant. -- Wayne Jessup * The Owl Mag *Francis brings clarity to subjects like Bauhaus-influenced design, the Düsseldorf division of IBM, Hazeltine 1500 computers (the monitor that graces the album’s cover) and the intricate details of how Kraftwerk's Kling Klang studios came to be. * Spectrum Culture *Table of Contents1. Ohm Sweet Ohm 2. We Are the Robots 3. Planet Rock 4. Speak & Spell 5. From Station to Station 6. “We had no fathers”. 7. Interpol and Deutsche Bank, FBI and Scotland Yard… 8. Hiroshima Mon Amour 9. Tomorrow’s World 10. “Here’s to the Crazy Ones” 11. The Pleasure Principle 12. Neon Lights

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Book Synopsis''Arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music,'' says Jimi Hendrix''s citation in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. James Marshall Hendrix remains unique as an African American who broke out of the traditional ''Black'' genres of blues, r&b and soul to play hard rock to an overwhelmingly white audience, almost single-handedly creating what became known as heavy metal. With unprecedented access to Jimi''s younger brother, Leon, the two most important women in his life and numerous previously untapped sources, bestselling music biographer Philip Norman resurrects the real Jimi from the almost mythical icon who has continued to influence young guitarists. His death in 1970, aged only twenty-seven when his fame was at its height, has long been rock''s greatest unsolved mystery. But finally we learn where the responsibility lay for Jimi''s lonely, squalid end.''An engaging memorial to a rock revolutionary whose music, in contrast to many of his reTrade ReviewAn engaging memorial to a rock revolutionary whose music, in contrast to many of his revered Sixties peers, retains much of its explosively thrilling voodoo power -- Stephen Dalton * THE TIMES *Norman's access to Hendrix's younger brother Leon brings a greater clarity to the facts of their wretched upbringing. Hendrix was haunted throughout his life by his bullying, overbearing father Al, alcoholic mother Lucille, and their doomed, loveless union. Likewise, Norman puts Jim Crow America during the early 1960s into sharp focus through the prism of Hendrix's slogging on the Chitlin' Circuit, as back-up guitarist to other black powerhouses such as Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Little Richard and Curtis Mayfield... Wild Thing confirms what we already know of Hendrix: he was a true one-off, star-bright shining, and ultimately someone for whom it was all too much, too soon. -- Paul Rees * DAILY EXPRESS *It's 50 years since Jimi Hendrix died and, as Norman puts it, became "president for eternity" of the infamous 27 Club. The guitar legend's excess all areas life story is familiar but new details emerge. Jimi's brother fills in the blanks on his wretched childhood in the US, and the racism of the UK, his adopted home, is sadly laid bare. The mystery over whether his death was accidental or murder is no clearer but Norman has one big revelation: Jimi loved watching Corrie * THE SUN *Hendrix's short life is outlined in detail and with insight by Norman...From being rock music critic of The Times during the 1970s to writing acclaimed biographies (deemed by many to be definitive) of Elton John, the Rolling Stones, John Lennon and Eric Clapton, Norman has the historical perspective and authentic writing nous to dig deep and achieve results -- Tony Clayton-Lea * BUSINESS POST IRELAND *WHEN McCartney, Jagger and other grandees first saw Hendrix, 'Everyone was dumbstruck, completely in shock, as if hit by a 50-megaton H-bomb'. This book is a first-rate analysis of Hendrix's 'fretboard wizardry and showmanship' - but nothingbecame the guitarist's life like the leaving of it, aged 27. Philip Norman gives a forensic account of Hendrix's death, about which controversy still rages -- Roger Lewis * DAILY MAIL *This is a good read that throws up interesting facts about the hugely exploitative nature of the 1960s music industry and its relationship to organised crime ... Wild Thing reveals some of the man behind the well-encrusted mythology, and sends the reader back to those wonderful records that still radiate with supernatural light -- Jon Savage * NEW STATESMAN *

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Book SynopsisKasey Chambers Just Don’t Be a D**khead and Other Profound Things I’ve Learnt is a whirlwind of great stories, rock-solid life lessons and Kasey Chambers at her most heartfelt and honest. From her childhood in the Australian outback to the heights of her chart-topping international success as a singer/songwriter, Kasey has trusted her gut, stuck to her values and learned some hard truths, always while trying to live by the best advice she’s ever received: just don’t be a dickhead.

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Book SynopsisIn August 1994, Manic Street Preachers released The Holy Bible, a dark, fiercely intelligent album that explored such themes as mental illness, murder and war. Richey Edwards, the band's lyricist and motive force, vanished five months later; he was never found. In his absence The Holy Bible entered the rock canon alongside Joy Division's Closer and Nirvana's In Utero, the valedictory works of troubled young men. This book tells the dramatic story of Manic Street Preachers'' masterpiece. Tracing the album''s origins in the Valleys, an industrialised region of South Wales where the band spent their formative years, the author argues that The Holy Bible can be seen as a meditation on the uses and abuses of history.Trade ReviewEvans approaches the Manics' dark, sinewy third album, The Holy Bible, with the same studious zeal that precipitated its arrival ... An essential companion piece. [Five stars]. * Record Collector *In this book David Evans does a beautiful and passionate job of placing the record in the context of the band’s Welshness … as well as the political and cultural landscape of the UK in 1994 ... If as a Manics fan you ever picked up a specific book because it was referenced in The Holy Bible, it’s essential further reading. * Classic Rock *A careful and thoughtful examination of The Holy Bible that manages to make sense of an album with which ... it’s hard to know where to begin...[Evans] insightfully examines the influence of the Welsh chapel tradition on Richey’s lyrics and outlook. * Review 31 *For the non-academic reader who happens to love the Manics, this book is absorbing and highly readable; for the specialist there are the sprinklings of ivory towerism – like chilli flakes on a fine risotto, just enough. In this wonderful world of purchase power, I hope you will all go and find a copy. You won’t regret it. * Daryl Leeworthy, author of Labour Country: Political Radicalism and Social Democracy in South Wales 1831-1985 *The Holy Bible is an album which has stimulated hundreds and thousands of words ... [and] has intrigued, perplexed, worried and inspired an army of listeners. It is thus a triumph that this small book is able to encapsulate so much of what is vital, special and worth celebrating on the record ... For anyone new to The Holy Bible, this well written, enthusiastic, literate, easy to read and totally 4Real book is a perfect introduction to why it is a unique record. For anyone who's grown up with it, Evans achieves the essential feat of impelling you to listen to it and think about it again. * R*E*P*E*A*T fanzine *[A] well-rounded, comprehensive and smart document of the album, its contexts and legacy...More than anything, Evans’ book is a reminder of the album’s strength as a recurring galvanising force * Concrete Islands *It took me back to when a band meant everything. I loved the Welsh angle, the big nod to the music - often overlooked because of the focus on Richey's lyrics - and the respect it shows to the fans. It's a brilliant book. The album is an alternative bible and here it has the treatment it deserves. * Mariana Enríquez, author of Things We Lost in the Fire *What a thing of beauty this book is. I love how as well as describing the song recording process and band chronology it also reads around the album, interrogating literary works thoughtfully and looking for threads to pull. It made me see the music in new ways. * Rodge Glass, author of Alasdair Gray: A Secretary's Biography, winner of the Somerset Maugham Award *Table of ContentsTrack Listing Prologue Introduction Scars The bigger things Things can only get better This is yesterday Machines Into the black Portals Forever delayed Epilogue

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Book SynopsisCorey Taylor has seen a lot of unbelievable things. The Grammy Award-winning singer of Slipknot and Stone Sour''s curiosity has drawn him into situations that would've sent most people screaming scared and running for the hills. Corey's ballsy enough to go into the darkness and deal with the consequences though. As a result, he's seen ghosts up close and personal, whether it be while combing through an abandoned house in his native Iowa as a child or recording an album in the fabled Houdini Hollywood Hills mansion. He's also got the memories (and scars) to prove it. For some reason, he can't seem to shake these spectral stories, and that brings us to this little tome right here...At the same time, being an erudite, tattooed, modern Renaissance Man, he never bought into the whole God thing. Simply put, he's seen ghosts, but he hasn't seen Jesus. Corey especially can't find a reason why people do the insane things they do in HIS name. That's where everything really gets intereTrade ReviewHe’s done it again, folks, put out a piece of art and work that will leave you speechless and thinking harder than you have in awhile. Taylor’s second book…is probably more highly-anticipated than his first book and will have your hair standing on end, chills down your spine while making you laugh hysterically at some parts…A well-written, in-depth, intellectual and bone-chilling piece of work that will go down in history as one of the best books written by a metal singer of all time. * thefrontrowreport.com *

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Book SynopsisUnderpinned by author John Rink''s internationally acclaimed scholarship and experience as a musician, this book addresses fascinating topics in the field of musical performance studies concerning the history, analysis and psychology of music, as well as artistic research. It offers manifold practical insights into musical performance, ranging from detailed technical features to overall shape. The volume has four main parts, focusing on performance and performance studies, historical performance, analysis and performance, and artistic research. Case studies of romantic piano pieces appear throughout, including Liszt''s ''Vallée d''Obermann'', Brahms''s Fantasien Op. 116, and select preludes and concertos by Rachmaninoff and Chopin. The book also includes discussions of recordings by such artists as Alfred Brendel, Artur Rubinstein and Nikita Magaloff along with some outstanding performances in the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in 2015.Rink explores issues surrounding Trade ReviewWritten in characteristically lucid and incisive prose this book is both a seminal and a culminating contribution to the field that Rink helped to define, and will be essential reading for anyone interested in musical performance. * Eric F. Clarke, Emeritus Professor of Music, University of Oxford *Building on and developing key writings published in a wide range of sources, this book provides an overview of Rink's thinking that will be equally indispensable for academics interested in performance and for performers seeking to understand and develop their creative agency. * Nicholas Cook, Emeritus Professor of Music, University of Cambridge *A twelve-step scrutiny of music performance studies, John Rink's Music in Profile offers the reader an astute, insightful and subtly personalised perspective on the discipline. Approaching the subject as both scholar and musical practitioner, the author maps a conception of performers' strategies, analysis, and self-reflection. * Lina Navickaitė-Martinelli, Professor and Senior Researcher, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. *This book brings together three decades of John Rink's work rethinking and recasting scholarship on musical performance. His musicality, scholarship, and deep affection for Romantic piano music come through on every page. * Edward Klorman, Associate Professor, Schulich School of Music, McGill University *This collection of essays surveys the thinking of a pioneering figure in performance research, distinguished by methodological adventurousness, and steeped in love for the Romantic keyboard repertoire. * Natasha Loges, Professor at Hochschule für Musik Freiburg *John Rink explores how performance and scholarship-so unalike in their nature, culture and procedures-can communicate, interact, sometimes even merge. Judiciously and humanely, he enriches the reader's sense of how variously they may make music together. * Daniel Leech-Wilkinson, Emeritus Professor of Music, King's College London *Table of ContentsList of figures List of music examples List of tables Acknowledgements Credits Note to readers Preface Part 1 On performance and performance studies Chapter 1 The state of play in musical performance studies Chapter 2 Impersonating the music in performance Chapter 3 The work of the performer Part 2 On historical performance Chapter 4 Moments of truth: performing musicology Chapter 5 Translating musical meaning: the performer as narrator Chapter 6 Authentic Chopin Part 3 On analysis and performance Chapter 7 From analysis to 'performer's analysis' Chapter 8 Playing in time Chapter 9 Analysing motif and gesture in performance Chapter 10 The (f)utility of performance analysis Part 4 On artistic research Chapter 11 Judging Chopin: an evaluation of musical experience Chapter 12 Between practice and theory: performance studies and/as artistic research Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisExplores how musicians, both individually and collectively, learn to improvise. Chronicling musicians from their first encounters with jazz to the development of a unique improvisatory voice, Berliner demonstrates that a lifetime of preparation lies behind the skilled improviser's every note.Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Music Texts Acknowledgments Introduction: Picking Notes out of Thin Air? Improvisation and Its Study Ch. 1: Love at First Sound: Early Musical Environment Ch. 2: Hangin' Out and Jammin': The Jazz Community as an Educational System Ch. 3: A Very Structured Thing: Jazz Compositions as Vehicles for Improvisation Ch. 4: Getting Your Vocabulary Straight: Learning Models for Solo Formulation Ch. 5: Seeing Out a Bit: Expanding upon Early Influences Ch. 6: The More Ways You Have of Thinking: Conventional Rhythmic and Theoretical Improvisation Approaches Ch. 7: Conversing with the Piece: Initial Routines Applying Improvisation Approaches to Form Ch. 8: Composing in the Moment: The Inner Dialogue and the Tale Ch. 9: Improvisation and Precomposition: The Eternal Cycle Ch. 10: The Never-ending State of Getting There: Soloing Ability, Ideals, and Evaluations Ch. 11: Arranging Pieces: Decisions in Rehearsal Ch. 12: Adding to Arrangements: Conventions Guiding the Rhythm Section Ch. 13: Give and Take: The Collective Conversation and Musical Journey Ch. 14: When the Music's Happening and When It's Not: Evaluating Group Performances Ch. 15: The Lives of Bands: Conflict Resolution and Artistic Development Ch. 16: Vibes and Venues: Interacting with Different Audiences in Different Settings Epilogue: Jazz as a Way of Life Music Texts Appendix A: House Congressional Resolution 57 Appendix B: List of Artists Interviewed Sources Notes Discography Videography Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“In this one-of-a-kind book, Beghin presents a detailed study of Beethoven’s Erard piano and its significance for Beethoven’s music. This is a tour de force of organological research. Beghin’s association with the Orpheus Institute has given him the resources to conduct extensive research on a replica of the Erard instrument under controlled conditions. Beethoven’s French Piano achieves something truly remarkable, inviting us to rethink the now-receding paradigm of absolute instrumental music—serenely detached from any dependence on the physical world—through some of the very music on which that paradigm depends.” * Robin Wallace, author of 'Hearing Beethoven: A Story of Musical Loss and Discovery' *“Blending performance research and organology, Beethoven’s French Piano demonstrates how historical instruments can alter our interpretation and appreciation of music from the past. The complex story of Beethoven’s acquisition of and subsequent experimentation with his Erard piano has never been told with such verve and subtlety. Beghin’s insights challenge us to listen anew to many of Beethoven’s keyboard works.” * Robert Adelson, author of 'Erard: A Passion for the Piano' *“Beethoven’s French Piano is a synthesis of historical, organological, stylistic, and aesthetic considerations. Beghin has given us keen insights into the relationship between the acquisition of Beethoven’s Erard and its influence on his musical language. Pianists, historians, and piano builders will be enlightened by this fascinating book.” * Robert Levin, Harvard University * “Expert . . . the book is lavishly illustrated with printed music examples, complex diagrams and pictures.” * BBC Music Magazine *"For their doughty efforts, Tom Beghin and his team of researchers and instrument builders deserve every piano lover's thanks." * International Piano Magazine *"When a leading fortepianist-scholar teams up with a world-renowned piano builder plus experts in various scientific and technical fields, and a group of talented and curious students to investigate every imaginable artistic significance of the Erard fortepiano Beethoven received in 1803, the results are revelatory. . . Beghin exhibits his research discoveries with total commitment, imbuing every moment of his playing with vital conviction to produce a Beethoven unlike any you’ve heard before." * Early Music America *"This significant contribution to historical performance studies and organology offers an extremely detailed examination of Beethoven’s Erard piano and the author's own replication of it . . . Recommended." * Choice *"For those of us who perform, teach, study, and above all, love Beethoven’s piano works, Tom Beghin’s Beethoven’s French Piano is a gift of insight and inspiration." * Quarterly Journal of the Music Library *

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Book SynopsisA biography of composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, published in collaboration with the Bard Music Festival. One of the most popular classical composers of all time, Sergei Rachmaninoff (18731943) has often been dismissed by critics as a conservative, nostalgic holdover of the nineteenth century and a composer fundamentally hostile to musical modernism. The original essays collected here show how he was more responsive to aspects of contemporary musical life than is often thought, and how his deeply felt sense of Russianness coexisted with an appreciation of American and European culture. In particular, the essays document his involvement with intellectual and artistic circles in prerevolutionary Moscow and how the form of modernity they promoted shaped his early output. This volume represents one of the first serious explorations of Rachmaninoff's successful career as a composer, pianist, and conductor, first in late Imperial Russia, and then after emigration in both the United States anTable of ContentsIntroduction Philip Ross Bullock Permissions and Credits Acknowledgments Note on Transliteration and Dating MOSCOW AND MODERNITY Reading the Popular Pessimist: Thought, Feeling, and Dance in Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Narrative Peter Franklin Sergei Rachmaninoff and Moscow Musical Life Rebecca Mitchell Love Triumphant: Rachmaninoff’s Eros, the Silver Age, and the Middlebrow Marina Frolova-Walker Rachmaninoff and the “Vocalise”: Word and Music in the Russian Silver Age Philip Ross Bullock THREE OPERAS Tchaikovsky’s Echoes, Chaliapin’s Sobs: Aleko, Rachmaninoff, and the Contemporary Emily Frey Rachmaninoff’s Miserly Knight (On Money, Honor, and the Means to Create) Caryl Emerson Burning for You: Rachmaninoff’s Francesca da Rimini Simon Morrison NEW WORLDS Rachmaninoff and the Celebrity Interview: A Selection of Documents from the American Press Selected and Edited by Philip Ross Bullock The Eighteenth Variation Steve Swayne “One of the Outstanding Musical Events of All Time”: The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 1939 Rachmaninoff Cycle Christopher H. Gibbs “The Case of Rachmaninoff”: The Music of a White Emigré in the USSR Marina Raku, translated by Jonathan Walker Aesthetic Ambition and Popular Taste: The Divergent Paths of Paderewski, Busoni, and Rachmaninoff Leon Botstein Index Notes on the Contributors

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Book SynopsisAn authoritative history of the trailblazers of the independent rock 'n' roll record industryTrade ReviewAwarded a Certificate of Merit by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) for Best Research in Recorded Rock and Popular Music, 2010. "Broven ... keeps the text moving right along, his fill-in facts and explanations welcome, his segues from interviewees' words to his own smooth and easy. The author clearly loves the music and holds the achievements of the record people in high regard, but he stays level-headed and avoids overpraising his heroes."--Downbeat"A fascinating new book about the early independent labels of rock 'n' roll underscores again the central role that radio played in turning rock 'n' roll into the musical language of modern American popular culture. Record Makers and Breakers ... is a rich and engaging history of those early years, largely told through the words of the smart guys, hustlers and Runyonesque characters who shaped them". --New York Daily News"Broven has put together a detailed and engrossing study of the independent record labels of the 1940s-70s. . . . An outstanding and important study that goes well beyond comparable predecessors; highly recommended."--Library Journal (starred review)"4 stars. Welcome to a world filled with payola, the mob and jukebox sounds."--MOJO"Covering the convoluted history of the recording industry from the 1940s to the 1960s, [Broven] combines in-depth archival research with fascinating anecdotes about chart-toppers, shady characters and label owners. . . . The impact of conniving entrepreneurs on the musicians and the layering of rich details and digressive detours as Broven traces the transition from R&B to rock make this equal to Roger D. Kinkle’s massive, four-volume Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz.--Publishers Weekly"The depth of factual details is incredible, but it's presented in the style of a rich oral history . . . so as not to lose any of the flavour of their anecdotes. . . . It's a chronicle of the entrepreneurial American spirit, liberally punctuated by the creation of some of the most exciting and innovative music of all time."--Record Collector“Broven is masterful, making Record Makers an essential book for anyone interested in not only American musical culture but American culture, period."--American Songwriter"This is by far the most complete picture painted to date of the independent recording industry and it has the added advantage of illuminating many of the personalities who helped make that tick."--Blue Suede News "A remarkable, carefully documented oral history written as an approachable narrative. . . . Recommended."--Choice "An invaluable addition to understanding American music and indispensable for those into pop music history."--Jazz & Blues Report "Record Makers and Breakers is a big train of a book that follows the rise of blues, R&B, soul and early rock 'n' roll through the lives behind the independent labels. Long though it is, the ride is rich for anyone curious about the business dynamics of popular culture."--New Orleans Magazine "A treasure. John Broven has given the academic world a good dose of old-fashioned shoe leather journalism. This book will be invaluable to scholars studying the music industry and particularly the rock 'n' roll era."--Don Cusic, author of Johnny Cash: The Songs "Record Makers and Breakers is replete with groundbreaking research that more than any other single book explains how the popular music industry worked. A must read about the record industry."--Robert Pruter, author of Doowop: The Chicago Scene and Chicago Soul

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Book SynopsisThe first full-length narrative biography of Led Zeppelin''s John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest drummers in rock history, and a genuine wild man of epic (and sadly fatal) proportions. Beast: John Bonham and the Rise of Led Zeppelin is the first-ever biography of the iconic John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) rock drummer of all time. Bonham first learned to play the drums at the age of five, and despite never taking formal lessons, began drumming for local bands immediately upon graduating from secondary school. By the late 1960s, Bonham was looking for a more solid gig in order to provide his growing family with a more regular income. Meanwhile, following the dissolution of the popular blues rock band The Yardbirds, lead guitarist Jimmy Page sought the company of new bandmates to help him record an album and tour Scandinavia as the New Yardbirds. A few months later, Bonham was recruited to join

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Book SynopsisFrom the Hoodoo-inspired sounds of Elvis Presley to the Eastern odysseys of George Harrison, from the dark dalliances of Led Zeppelin to the Masonic imagery of today''s hip-hop scene, the occult has long breathed life into rock and hip hop - and indeed, esoteric and supernatural traditions are the secret ingredient behind the emergence and development of rock and roll.With intellectual substance, vivid storytelling, and laser-sharp analysis, writer and critic, Peter Bebergal, illuminates this web of influences to produce SEASON OF THE WITCH, the definitive work on how the occult shaped and saved popular music. As Bebergal explains, occult and mystical ideals gave rock and roll its heart and purpose - making rock into more than just backbeat music, but into a cultural revolution of political, spiritual, sexual and social liberation.Bebergal explores how the biggest names in popular music have participated in this spiritual rebellion and in so doing crafted rock''s mythic soul. The Beatl

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Book SynopsisThe definitive exploration of John Lennonâs first major solo album after the break-up of the Beatles.Trade Review'A comprehensive, fascinating, well-produced, and finely printed publication that captures a moment of contemporary culture with breadth and depth. It brings then into now – and shows how similar and different life is today' - Will Gompertz'A handsome tome… never less than fascinating… The album was a high point in an astonishing career and the book does it justice' - The Sun'A fine tribute to this intensely creative time in the couple’s joined-at-the-hip lives… A sumptuous and lovingly created example of the bookmakers’ art, an encyclopaedic extravaganza of reminiscences and memorabilia' - The Budapest Times'A hardback compendium of first-hand accounts about the band drawn from interviews over the years… It contains photos, lyrics, drawings and letters, and will be as interesting to Lennon completists as The Beatles Anthology was to general fans 20 years ago' - Daily TelegraphTable of ContentsYOKO ONO / PREFACE WHO ARE THE PLASTIC ONO BAND? Singles Bed Peace / Montreal GIVE PEACE A CHANCE Derek Taylor / What Is The Plastic Ono Band? Live Peace In Toronto COLD TURKEY Peace And Love For Christmas INSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON) Arthur Janov / Primal Scream Therapy Back Stories MOTHER HOLD ON I FOUND OUT WORKING CLASS HERO ISOLATION REMEMBER LOVE WELL WELL WELL LOOK AT ME GOD MY MUMMY’S DEAD Recordings JOHN LENNON / PLASTIC ONO BAND Ringo Starr / Drums Klaus Voormann / Bass Billy Preston / Piano YOKO ONO / PLASTIC ONO BAND Album Artworks Promotions Jann S. Wenner / Founder and Editor, Rolling Stone Annie Leibovitz / Photographer

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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 SynopsisThe story of the Rolling Stones is one of the epic rock ''n'' roll yarns of our time. Their music defined today''s cultural landscape and their history is a source of endless fascination for music fans around the world. Yet one crucial part of that story has never been comprehensively analysed: the role of Brian Jones, the visionary who founded the band and controlled their early music down to the smallest detail.Drawing on over one hundred interviews with key principals including Keith Richards, Andrew Oldham and Marianne Faithfull, this is a story told from a totally new perspective and which lays bare the shocking ruthlessness, internal warfare and sexual competition within this most legendary of bands. As well as exploring Jones'' crucial role in the Stones'' music, it will also investigate the unravelling of his psyche, as observed by Brian''s family, friends, bandmates, lovers and enemies. Victors get to write the history - but it''s never wholly true. Brian''sTrade ReviewA great, cautionary tale -- George Byrne * Irish Independent *Thorough and well researched -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Fascinating... wonderful at evoking that very non-modern age of the 50s and 60s -- Mark Blake * Mojo *Magnificent and controversial ... a monumental book -- Paul Gleason * stereoembersmagazine.com *

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Book SynopsisBritten''s Children confronts the edgy subject of the composer''s obsessional yet strangely innocent relationships with adolescent boys. One of the hallmarks of Benjamin Britten''s music is his use of boys'' voices, and John Bridcut uses this to create a fresh prism through which to view the composer''s life. Interweaving discussion of the music he wrote for and about children with interviews with the boys whom Britten befriended, Bridcut explores the influence of these unique friendships - notably with the late David Hemmings - and how they helped Britten maintain links with his own happy childhood. In a remarkable part of the book Bridcut tells for the first time the full story of Britten''s love affair in the 1930s with the 18-year-old German Wulff Scherchen, son of the conductor Hermann Scherchen. As Paul Hoggart of The Times commented, ''this type of love belonged to an emotional landscape that has vanished for ever, and we are the poorer for it''. Since m

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Book SynopsisWhether recalling Philip Glass experiences working at Bethlehem Steel, traveling in India, driving a cab in 1970s New York, or his professional collaborations with the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Ravi Shankar, Robert Wilson, Doris Lessing, and Martin Scorsese, this book affirms the power of music to change the world.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY AWARD FOR STORYTELLINGClaude Debussy was that rare creature, a composer who reinvented the language of music without alienating the majority of music lovers. He is the modernist everyone loves. How did he manage this? Was it through the association of his music with visual images, or was it simply that, by throwing out the rule book of the Paris Conservatoire where he studied, his music put beauty of sound above the spiritual ambitions of the German tradition from which those rules derived. Stephen Walsh's thought-provoking biography, told partly through the events of Debussy's life, and partly through a critical discussion of his music, addresses these and other questions about one of the most influential composers of the early twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most important British bands, the Arctic Monkeys follow up their first two phenomenally successful albums with "Humbug". Influenced by Cream and Jimi Hendrix, "Humbug" features some of frontman Alex Turner's most innovative and profound lyrics yet, whilst also maintaining the Arctic's core sound.Table of ContentsMy Propeller; Crying Lightning; Dangerous Animals; Secret Door; Potion Approaching; Fire And The Thud; Cornerstone; Dance Little Liar; Pretty Visitors; The Jeweller's Hands; I Haven't Got My Strange; Red Right Hand

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 ABIA BIOGRAPHY BOOK OF THE YEARAt last, the unflinching and unforgettable memoir of music and life from the much-loved Australian legend.Growing up in London and Melbourne, music was always part of John Farnham''s world. But the young John never dreamed of what was to come. Pop stardom in the 1960s. The release of Whispering Jack, the critically acclaimed and highest-selling Australian album of all time. A decades-long touring career. Twenty-one ARIA awards. Australian of the Year. The list of accolades and achievements is long - so, at first glance, the John Farnham story is one filled with remarkable highs.It is, however, so much more than that. It is the story of the resilience John found as his stellar career stalled, record companies turned their backs, and he faced financial ruin. John has never shown how hard he fell and how difficult it was to stay true to himself in an industry that can be ruthless. It is the story of family, friendship and finding your voice.Throughout a lifetime filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, John has remained steadfast, never losing his unique musical talent, creative strength nor his powerful ability to make human connections through his music. After his devastating cancer diagnosis and far too many goodbyes, John is now telling his story, his way.The Voice Inside is like sitting down with an old friend sharing stories that are both deeply personal and wildly entertaining. Written alongside award-winning filmmaker Poppy Stockell, this is a captivating and powerfully honest insight into the man whose music is the soundtrack to so many of our lives.''Honesty, intimacy, vulnerability - these are the traits we tend to crave from this genre. And Farnham, ably assisted by Stockell as both interlocutor and co-writer, succeeds . . . A compelling and complete memoir'' THE AUSTRALIAN''At its heart, John Farnham''s story is one of resilience . . . Moving and at times shocking'' WOMAN''S DAY''Completely compelling. It''s the look inside his life we always dreamt of but never thought we''d get . . . It''s been worth the wait'' ABC NEWS''[A] fascinating and rather brave account that gives us the first real window into the singer''s mind'' THE GUARDIAN

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Book SynopsisExplodes the myths surrounding the death of Brian Jones, founder of the Rolling StonesTrade ReviewThis well-researched biography . . . thoroughly explores the murder and manslaughter angles * PAPERBACK OF THE WEEK, OBSERVER *if Mick Jagger is the beating heart of the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones was the brain . . . Jackson's examination of his life shows that, without him, Jagger and his snake hips may never have happened * SHORTLIST *Where Jackson excels is in bringing Jones's early years to life, tracking his path from scholarly pupil to rebellious teenager to gifted, influential musician, through letters and interviews with his teachers, friends, girlfriends, sons and fellow musicians * CLASSIC ROCK *

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Book SynopsisAn intimate collection of fond memories, personal letters, good songs, and bad jokes from a true American legend.This is your old friend, Willie, sending a note to see how you''re doing and to say I''m doing fine.In this series of short letters straight from the heart, Willie sends his thanks and his thoughts to everyone from his family, his fellow musicians, his heroes, and his guitar Trigger.These letters, written in the straight-shooting, heart-rending, and profound style of his songs are a lyrical homage to all Americans—past, present, and future. From his opening letter Dear America to his epilogue, Willie digs deep into his heart and soul—and his music—to lift us up in difficult times, and to remind us of the endless promise and continuous obligations to ourselves, to one another, and to our nation.These pages are also filled with the moving lyrics to some of his most famous and insightful songs, including Let Me BTrade Review'In Willie Nelson's recent memoir Willie Nelson's' Letters to America, the country music icon bares his most personal epistles to the country he loves, his heroes and influences, stories behind the songs and the creative (and life) lessons he's learned along the way.' * American Songwriter Magazine *'Partly autobiographical, often funny, and entirely insightful from a cannabis-loving man who's fully experienced every one of his 88 years, Willie Nelson's Letters to America is a beautiful read for all.' * New York Journal of Books *

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Book SynopsisA biography of the musician and composer Arthur Russell, one of the most important but least known contributors to the downtown New York music scene during the 1970s and 1980s. It traces Russell's odyssey from his hometown of Oskaloosa, Iowa, to countercultural San Francisco, and eventually to New York, where he lived from 1973 until his death.Trade Review“[A] sensitive and thorough biography. . . . In a sense, Arthur Russell was so much a part of his times that he tended to disappear into them, blending in with so many different scenes that the camouflage seemed at times to have taken over. Lawrence notes, for example, how many previous accounts of the New York downtown scene fail to notice him at all. With Hold On to Your Dreams, the outline of an outstanding and prescient artist can now be more clearly made out.” - Ken Hollings, The Wire“[W]hat makes this book valuable is that Russell’s shadowy ubiquity turns an ostensible biography into a first draft of that elusive comprehensive history of the downtown performing arts. Hold On to Your Dreams has to go everywhere, because that’s where Russell went. . . . [E]ven if you didn’t know about Russell and are not yet persuaded to pursue him further, this is still a book worth reading. . . . Psychologically, Russell emerges as indeed fascinating, more fascinating than his music, as a maverick without, Lawrence notes, the feisty self-righteousness such figures often embody. . . . Russell has inspired a book that helps us understand a thrilling twenty-five years of American cultural history.” - John Rockwell, Bookforum“[An exhaustive, often spellbinding account of the life of one of music’s true maverick enigmas. . . . While the book provides many fresh insights into the 80s downtown hotbed, Russell emerges as a strange, fragile figure, in a monumental work. Hold On To Your Dreams is a captivating record of a true original’s all-too-brief life.” - Kris Needs, Record Collector“The passionate, revelatory anecdotes collected here follow Russell through those liminal downtown nightclubs, loft spaces, and recording studios that made his life and music possible.” - Carol Cooper, Village Voice“[A]n exemplary demonstration of exactly what a biography should do. In his rigorously researched investigation of musician and composer Arthur Russell, cultural theory lecturer Tim Lawrence effortlessly explores his subject and in so doing shines fresh light on the darkened recesses of both New York's downtown music scene and the popular cultural landscape of Russell's times. And despite Russell's relative obscurity, the book leaves you in no doubt as to how influential this maverick music figure has been.” - Martin James, Times Higher Education Supplement“Hold On to Your Dreams tells the story of an artist whose life becomes more intriguing with every turn. Inspiring and written with love, this book takes us to the roots of Arthur Russell’s music, from the streets of New York to the cornfields of Iowa.”—Jens Lekman, musician“Tim Lawrence has written a fascinating and insightful biography of a sensitive and searching soul. Arthur Russell was a personal artist whose musical vision led him to coexist in seemingly incompatible worlds. Through the lens of Arthur Russell’s life (never clouded with material success or celebrity), Tim Lawrence gives us a sharp and singular portrait of late-twentieth-century American life. A fine read, with a depth and detail that resonate with Arthur Russell’s sparkle and wit.”—Peter Gordon, Love of Life Orchestra“With rich and animated detail, Tim Lawrence tracks Arthur Russell’s insatiable drive to integrate so-called serious music and pop. This definitive biography is both an engrossing record of Russell’s musical ambitions and a compelling account of the fertile downtown scene that supported his admirable dreams.”—Matt Wolf, director of Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell“[A] sensitive and thorough biography. . . . In a sense, Arthur Russell was so much a part of his times that he tended to disappear into them, blending in with so many different scenes that the camouflage seemed at times to have taken over. Lawrence notes, for example, how many previous accounts of the New York downtown scene fail to notice him at all. With Hold On to Your Dreams, the outline of an outstanding and prescient artist can now be more clearly made out.” -- Ken Hollings * The Wire *“[A]n exemplary demonstration of exactly what a biography should do. In his rigorously researched investigation of musician and composer Arthur Russell, cultural theory lecturer Tim Lawrence effortlessly explores his subject and in so doing shines fresh light on the darkened recesses of both New York's downtown music scene and the popular cultural landscape of Russell's times. And despite Russell's relative obscurity, the book leaves you in no doubt as to how influential this maverick music figure has been.” -- Martin James * Times Higher Education *“[An exhaustive, often spellbinding account of the life of one of music’s true maverick enigmas. . . . While the book provides many fresh insights into the 80s downtown hotbed, Russell emerges as a strange, fragile figure, in a monumental work. Hold On To Your Dreams is a captivating record of a true original’s all-too-brief life.” -- Kris Needs * Record Collector *“[W]hat makes this book valuable is that Russell’s shadowy ubiquity turns an ostensible biography into a first draft of that elusive comprehensive history of the downtown performing arts. Hold On to Your Dreams has to go everywhere, because that’s where Russell went. . . . [E]ven if you didn’t know about Russell and are not yet persuaded to pursue him further, this is still a book worth reading. . . . Psychologically, Russell emerges as indeed fascinating, more fascinating than his music, as a maverick without, Lawrence notes, the feisty self-righteousness such figures often embody. . . . Russell has inspired a book that helps us understand a thrilling twenty-five years of American cultural history.” -- John Rockwell * Bookforum *“The passionate, revelatory anecdotes collected here follow Russell through those liminal downtown nightclubs, loft spaces, and recording studios that made his life and music possible.” -- Carol Cooper * Village Voice *Table of ContentsIllustrations xi Preface xv Acknowledgments xxiii Introduction 1 1. Formations (1951–1973) 11 2. Explorations (1973–1975) 47 3. Alternatives (1975–1977) 83 4. Intensities (1977–1980) 125 5. Variations (1980–1984) 179 6. Reverberations (1984–1987) 247 7. Tangents (1987–1992) 293 Epilogue 341 Notes 359 Discography 377 Bibliography 387 Index 393

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