Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisA Matter Of Fact is the perfect companion to Deep Purple's music. Full of bizarre, obscure and amazing facts that have surrounded the band throughout its career of over forty years. If you have ever had disagreements with fellow fans about various facts or want to test the biggest fan on just how good their Deep Purple knowledge is, then this is the book for you. * How did Ian Paice and Rod Evans end up supporting Deep Purple? * Why did Ritchie Blackmore's country and western guitar playing save him from a beating? * Why did Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler review a Purple gig? * Who first recorded versions of several Deep Purple songs, complete with an orchestra? * Did Deep Purple's explosive performance at Plumpton really prevent Yes from performing? * Who did Deep Purple sue for selling bootlegs? * Which big rock star did the band get in a spat with at Knebworth? * Why did the Bee Gees receive Purple's lifetime achievement award? * What was Deep Purple's involvement with a film about a sixteenth century naval explorer that never got produced? * Why were some of Deep Purple's recent gigs illegal? The answers to all these questions, and many more amazing facts are revealed in this captivating book. Based on interviews with band and road crew members, contemporary press articles, and drawing on management files, A Matter Of Fact helps to clarify the truth behind several stories. It also dispels some untruths once and for all, as well a few previously un-revealed new stories that will appeal to even the most diehard fans.Trade ReviewJerry Bloom does an amazing job of collecting a collage of information and stories of the band members when they were in and out of their various bands before, during and after Purple. The stories will keep any Deep Purple fan enthralled. As anyone in showbiz will tell you there's always a whole lot more going on than it appears. This book is not just about the rock 'n' roll lifestyle but an insight in to the tough day to day grind of a group of amazingly talented artists all with differing personalities. Pat Cash (Foreword writer)

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Book SynopsisGoin' Home With the Rolling Stones '66 is a beguiling collection of images, shot with incredible skill, that offers that rare gem in Stones photography.

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Book SynopsisIn 1778, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart leaves Salzburg for Paris. The French capital promises to liberate the 22-year-old from the suffocating grip of his father, and from a city that is unable to accommodate his genius. But there is no grand entrance for the former child prodigy. When Mozart arrives in Paris, he is cash-strapped, unknown and his French is poor. His mentor, the critic Baron von Grimm, introduces him to a number of Parisian nobles. But recognition is hard-won, and at times the French court appears indifferent to Mozart's talents and disapproving of his spontaneity. Tracing the composer’s six-month stay in the city of lights, Mozart in Paris dramatizes the confrontation between a sparkle-eyed genius and mundane reality. Frantz Duchazeau spotlights a frustrating yet formative period of the composer’s life — and in doing so creates a living, breathing portrait of a man whose music, as Einstein famously said, “was so pure that it seemed to have been ever-present in the universe, waiting to be discovered by the master.”

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Book SynopsisIn this intimate and revealing memoir, Lou Reed s first wife finally tells the full story of her five-year relationship with the legendary New York singer and songwriter. Bettye met Lou in 1968 as a nineteen-year-old Columbia University student; they were married, briefly, in 1973. Their relationship spanned some of the most pivotal years of his life and career, from the demise of The Velvet Underground to the writing and recording of his seminal solo masterpieces Transformer, for which Lou wrote 'Perfect Day about an afternoon they spent together in the park, and Berlin, which draws on tales from Bettye s childhood. Here, Bettye looks back on their initially idyllic life together on the Upper East Side; Lou s struggle to launch a solo career after leaving perhaps the most influential rock band of all time; his work and friendships with fellow stars David Bowie and Iggy Pop; and his descent into drink and drug abuse following the success of Transformer, which sent him spinning out from gentle soul to rock n roll animal and brought a swift and calamitous end to their relationship. A powerful and poignant meditation on love, loss, and music, Perfect Day offers a fascinating new perspective on the life and legend of one of rock n roll s finest sons.

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Book Synopsis'Dan is a national treasure and one of America s great songwriters. Elvis Costello. 'Dan s songs were funny, serious, and entertaining, and the combo of old-timey folk, country, and jazz knocked me out. Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons. 'Dan Hicks is like lightning in a bottle. Bette Midler. Dan Hicks didn t have his heart set on a career in music. It all just sort of happened to him. It didn t hurt, of course, that he was in the right place at the right time San Francisco, 1966 and had a front-row seat for the birth and death of the counterculture. Among other things, this is a classic story of the 60s. More importantly, it s a story of musical genius. By the time the Summer of Love limped to a close in the fall of 67, Hicks had quit the Charlatans the pioneering psych-rock band with whom he played the drums and turned to jazz, the music he d secretly loved all along, as he began building his own band, the Hot Licks. 'I just started taking ingredients I liked and putting them together to see what came out, Hicks writes. What came out was an amazing blend of complex time signatures, unusual instrumentation, and intricate vocal harmonies that took him to the top of the 70s rock world but also into a downward spiral of drink and drug abuse. Emerging from a long wilderness, which he writes about here with wit and candour, the man described by Tom Waits as 'fly, sly, wily, and dry eventually returned to recording and performing, making a number of acclaimed albums, including Beatin The Heat, a set of duets with Waits, Costello, Rickie Lee Jones, and more. Along the way, his music continued to subtly permeate the culture, turning up everywhere from The Sopranos to commercials for Levi s and Bic. Hicks passed away in early 2016, but his music, and the stories he tells here, remain as fresh and irresistible as ever. I Scare Myself takes readers on a journey behind the music, and into the life and mind of the fantastic artist who created it.

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Book SynopsisWhy has Serge Gainsbourg crossed over to the English-speaking world when so many of his contemporaries have remained largely confined to the Francosphere? What is it about this unshaven provocateur that so appeals to us? And who was the real Serge Gainsbourg anyway? Was he the sensitive seducer and songwriting colossus of the 60s and 70s? Was he Lucien Ginsburg, the son of Russian Jewish refugees who had to wear a yellow star during the Nazi Occupation of Paris? Or was he Gainsbarre, the deplorable, attention-seeking drunk who shamelessly propositioned Whitney Houston on live TV? Gainsbourg s cult has only grown since his death in 1991, and Histoire de Melody Nelson is now regarded as a classic in France and internationally. The 1971 album had only sold eighty thousand copies by 1986 when it finally went gold fifteen years after its release; its canonical elevation is a remarkable story, and there are many more remarkable stories attached to all of Gainsbourg s genre-defying, transgressive long-players. In Relax Baby Be Cool, writer Jeremy Allen takes each studio album in turn while exploring themes pertinent to Gainsbourg s life and music: jazz, performance, provocation, appropriation, postmodernism, aesthetics, metamorphosis, muses, Nazis, film and TV, Surrealism, fame, and decline. French pop music is more popular than it s been since the mid-90s, when the French touch was breaking. Gainsbourg s influence has also been huge on alternative music: from Pulp to Massive Attack, De La Soul to Danger Mouse, Black Grape to Iggy Pop, Luke Vibert to Die Antwoord, Air to Kylie Minogue. This book is full of new interviews from people who knew him, as well as younger artists who ve discovered him long after his death. Contributors include Jane Birkin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jacqueline Ginsburg (Gainsbourg s sister), Anna Karina, Mike Patton, Etienne Daho, Sly Dunbar, Alan Hawkshaw, Alan Parker, Jean-Claude Vannier, Tony Frank, Tony Allen, Mick Harvey, Bertrand Burgalat, Acid Arab, Jehnny Beth, Alain Chamfort, Metronomy, David Holmes, Blonde Redhead, Air, Sparks, Will Oldham, and many more.Trade ReviewSerge is a deep inspiration to me and my music: the combination of compositional eclecticism, his constant state of evolution, his wonderful sense of provocation, and of course his otherworldly, penetrating, and intimate voice. A giant figure in my life, and a magical guiding light from an era I was born in now, and forever. Mike Patton

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Book SynopsisMy real story starts with a disaster, an unmitigated, pull-the-rug-from-under-you, clean-out-the-bank-account disaster. But had it not happened, The Police would never have risen to become the biggest rock band in the world; Jools Holland would not have ended up on TV; The Bangles, The Go-Go s, R.E.M., and many other music stars might never have made it either. It s strange how a fluke, a disaster, an unlikely event can lead to incredible results. But that is in essence what happened to me . . . Two Steps Forward, One Step Back tells the extraordinary story of a maverick manager, promoter, label owner, and all-round legend of the music industry. It opens in the Middle East, where Miles grew up with his father, a CIA agent who was stationed in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon. It then shifts to London in the late 60s and the beginnings of a career managing bands like Wishbone Ash and Curved Air only for Miles s life and work to be turned upside down by a pioneering yet disastrous European tour. From the ashes of near bankruptcy, Miles enters the world of punk, sharing office space with Malcolm McLaren and Sniffin Glue, before shifting gears again as manager of The Police, featuring his brother, Stewart, on drums. Then, after founding IRS Records, he launches the careers of some of the most potent musical acts of the new wave scene and beyond, from Squeeze and The Go-Go s to The Bangles and R.E.M. Finally, the story comes full circle as Miles finds himself advising the Pentagon on how to win over hearts and minds in the Middle East and introducing Arabic music to the United States. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, his father would tell him. Sometimes, though, the truth is all you need.

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Book SynopsisPart memoir, part social history, Revolutionary Spirit is the poignant, often hilarious story of a cult Liverpool musician s scenic route to fame and artistic validation. If Morrissey was the Oscar Wilde of the 1980s indie scene, Simpson was its William Blake, a self-destructive genius so lost in mystical visions of a new arcadia that he couldn t meet the rent. Simpson s career begins alongside fellow Liverpool luminaries Julian Cope, Ian McCulloch, Bill Drummond, Ian Broudie, Will Sergeant, Pete Wylie, Pete Burns, and Pete de Freitas at the infamous Eric s club, where, in 1976, he finds himself at the birth of the city s second great musical explosion. Along the way, he co-founds and christens the neo-psychedelic pop group The Teardrop Explodes, shares a flat with a teenage Courtney Love, and forms The Wild Swans, the indie band of choice for literary-minded teens in the early 1980s, who burn bright and brief, in the process recording one of the all-time great cult hit singles, Revolutionary Spirit . Marriage, fatherhood, and tropical illness follow, interspersed with artistic collaborations with Bill Drummond and members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, among others. Following an onstage reunion with Cope at the Royal Festival Hall, Simpson discovers that seven thousand miles away, in the Philippines, he is considered a musical god. Presidential suites, armed guards, police escorts . . . you couldn t make it up, and, incredibly, he doesn t need to. Revolutionary Spirit marks the arrival of an original literary voice. It is the story of a musician driven by an unerring belief that artistic integrity will bring its own rewards, and an elliptical elegy to the ways it does.Trade ReviewReads like a book that is already a Penguin Modern Classic. And not in a Morrissey way but a proper way.' - Bill Drummond, The KLF

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Book SynopsisTony Christie hat mit "Is This The Way To Amarillo", "I Did What I Did For Maria", "Avenues & Alleyways" die Charts in Landern auf der ganzen Welt angefuhrt und fur seine jungeren Arbeiten mit Richard Hawley und Jarvis Cocker auch von anerkannten Kritikern hoechste Anerkennung erhalten. Tonys Alben haben mehrere Gold- und Platin-Auszeichnungen erreicht, und er war der einzige Sanger im Jahr 2005, der in England gleichzeitig eine Single und ein Album auf Platz 1 der Charts hatte. Tony ist einer der beliebtesten Sanger Deutschlands und Mitteleuropas. Sein Album "Welcome To My Music", das erste einer ganzen Reihe von Alben mit dem legendaren deutschen Produzenten Jack White, verkaufte sich uber 450.000 Mal fur den Mann, der als "Gentleman of Pop Music" bezeichnet wird. Er ist immer noch regelmassig in Carmen Nebels TV-Shows zu sehen, und spielt auf seinen Tourneen vor ausverkauften Hausern. Songs wie "Sweet September", "I Did What I Did For Maria" und naturlich "Amarillo" sind bei seinen deutschen und mitteleuropaischen Zuschauern, fur die er zu einem der Lieblingskunstler des Schlagers aller Zeiten wurde, so beliebt wie eh und je. Jetzt erzahlt Tony zum ersten Mal von seiner illustren, farbenfrohen Karriere, die in der kleinen Stadt Conisbrough in South Yorkshire begann, und ihn zu einem heute noch als Sangerlegende mit Fans auf der ganzen Welt gefeierten Kunstler werden liess. Es ist eine Geschichte voller emotionaler und finanzieller Hoehen und Tiefen, fantastischer Charaktere und Tonys tief verwurzelter Liebe zur Familie. Wenn Sie dachten, dass Sie Tony Christie kennen, werden Sie es jetzt tun, wenn er uber seine Lieben, seine Sorgen und sein erstaunliches Leben spricht! TONY CHRISTIE: Der Sanger ist die offizielle Autobiografie einer Ikone in der Popmusik, deren Stimme heute so gut klingt, wie als er 1971 zum ersten Mal in die Charts kam.

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Book SynopsisLenny Kravitz has been at the top of the music world for over 30 years, showing no signs of slowing down. A multi instrumentalist, songwriter, actor, and record producer his signature retro sound has incorporated all of the unique style's of the very best in music history, rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop, folk, and ballads. Lenny Kravitz more than any other musician has seamlessly blended these styles into his own, creating a musical fusion, a melting pot of past influences that he continues to efficiently MASTER and PRODUCE with every album. A multiple Grammy award winner Lenny won the Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance four years in a row from 1999 to 2002, breaking the record for most wins in that category. He also set the record for the most consecutive wins by a male. He has been nominated for and won numerous other awards ranging from American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, Radio Music Awards, Brit Awards, and Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. He has achieved sales in excess of 40 million records and counting and continues to create UNIQUE albums in his own sound, a sound created and nurtured over 3 decades developing 11 studio albums producing hits all over the world. He has written and produced alongside Mick Jagger, Madonna,Michael Jackson, Prince and many others. Lenny Kravitz stands as one of only a handful of individual Rock Stars that CONTINUOUSLY tourS with sell out concerts in Arenas all over the world. A truly global rock star with a talent for writing, producing and performing that is extremely rare in modern day music. THIS book examines his rise to fame and his constant successes', his albums, his tour's and his incredible musical ability. James Court brings the second book in the series following on from Prince The Life The Genius The Legend in 2018. Lenny Kravitz, The Life, The Genius, The Legend leaves no stone unturned and follows the life of this extraordinary Rock Star who first came to our attention in 1989 and has remained on the Music scene, producing quality songs and albums ever since. Through his own individual talent Lenny Kravitz has risen to become one of the most esteemed, admired, illustrious and respected Musicians in Rock music over the past 30 years. The Book highlights and reveals every part of this unique musical Genius, his rise to the top of Rock and Roll prominence, his life within music, his countless achievements on and off the stage, and ultimately, his legend.

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Book SynopsisThroughout a long and sometimes turbulent career let us not forget that from the release of the debut album in early 1970 through to Never Say Die! in 1978, the classic line-up of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward virtually created the blueprint for heavy rock. With eight albums plus hundreds of concerts across the globe, this was the defining decade for Sabbath that saw them rightly earn their place as one of the most iconic bands off all time. With photos spanning the decade, this beautifully presented book is a celebration of Black Sabbath in all its glory. Containing many previously unpublished shots of the band in the USA and Europe.

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Book SynopsisWith Genesis having formed over fifty years ago this photographic book celebrates the family of bands from the seventies to the present day. As well as being crammed full of images of Genesis from the days with Peter Gabriel through to the 2007 reunion, this book includes photos from the solo careers of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Mike & The Mechanics, Ray Wilson and Anthony Phillips. Beautifully designed it includes previously unpublished concert photos stretching back in time from the Lyceum, London in 1971; Plymouth, 1972; Brighton, 1973 and unique photos taken at Headley Grange, Hampshire in 1974 during the recording of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - the last album with Peter Gabriel. The journey continues with never before seen photos from the first tour after Gabriel's departure as well as from Gabriel's first solo tour. Following Steve Hackett's departure in 1977 the band is captured at the massive Knebworth concert of `78. There are also photos of Hackett, Gabriel from their appearances at the Reading Festival where the later was reunited with Phil Collins. Moving into the next decade and beyond there are plenty of shots of the band during the hugely successful period with Phil Collins at the helm and even the brief period with his successor Ray Wilson is covered as well as the one off reunion with Gabriel and Hackett at the Six Of The Best concert at Milton Keynes in 1982. Additional imagery from the solo tours of Collins and Mike Rutherford's band Mike & The Mechanics help to round off the book along with plenty of photos that continue to document the solo careers of Hackett and Gabriel in recent times, as well as paying homage to the band's original guitarist Anthony Phillips that ensures all facets of the band are covered.

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Book SynopsisRock City, Narita, Fire Down Under, Restless Breed, Born in America... These are the pioneering, superlative heavy metal records that represent the classic first decade of Brooklyn’s Riot’s, before the band would break up, eventually storming back with Thundersteel and The Privilege of Power, existing to this day as Riot V after the shocking death from Crohn’s disease of guitarist and leader Mark Reale. Riot’s is a tale of opportunities missed, of a band ahead of the curve, and of a band from which both its classic era lead singers — Guy Speranza and Rhett Forrester — are now dead, as is, of course, Mark Reale, a quiet man who, fatefully, wanted to leave the business to others and just play his heavy metal. But this book is not just about the ’75 to ’85 period of the band that spawned one of the finest metal records of all time, 1981’s Fire Down Under. Even if the classics framed by those ten years get the full, dedicated chapter, track-by-track Popoff treatment, the subsequent rich and substantial catalogue of the band is discussed as well, right up to the present day where Riot shines on. But still, the focus is on songs like `Warrior’, `49er’, `Road Racin’’, `Outlaw’, `Don’t Hold Back’, `Altar of the King’, `Violent Crimes’, `Vigilante Killer’ and of course the insanely anthemic `Swords and Tequila’, as we celebrate a New York institution that is perhaps the shining example of the term, “honorary New Wave of British Heavy Metal” band.

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Book SynopsisIn 1983, Tears For Fears' debut album, The Hurting, was released after the success of their iconic single, 'Mad World'. Whilst embracing the popularity of synth pop, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith created an album that had a darker edge to it. Commercially it was a bold move but with memorable melodies and catchy rhythms, it paid off - all whilst making reference to the work of psychologist Arthur Janov. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on The Hurting 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 Tears For Fears' legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

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Book SynopsisWhen Kate Bush shot to fame in 1978, her public image was that of a sweet young woman who sang about Cathy out on the windy moors, full of melancholy and yearning for Heathcliff. It was charming, inoffensive and, although eccentric, subtle enough to come across as endearing or at least, not challenging. When Kate’s fourth studio album, The Dreaming, was released in 1982, all of that changed. It is an album that some critics loved to hate — and that’s why it matters. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on The Dreaming from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time, and what it means in terms of Kate Bush’s legacy today.

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Book SynopsisWhen Peter Gabriel left rock royalty Genesis in 1975 for personal reasons, his musical future was full of uncertainty. But within 18 months he returned in style with his debut solo album and a hit single ‘Solsbury Hill’. It set him on a path that has allowed his talent to blossom through the decades. Never one to stand still, Gabriel has constantly reinvented himself, never afraid to experiment and explore new musical avenues. His willingness to collaborate with all manner of people has also resulted in film scores and joint projects with a diverse range of artists from Kate Bush to Martin Scorcese, as well as Sinead O’Connor, King Crimson’s Robert Fripp and Coldplay’s Chris Martin. His passion for World Music has seen his long-standing commitment to the WOMAD Festival and outside of music political activism and humanitarian issues have played a big part in his life. With Gabriel now in his seventh decade A Life In Vision is a chronological, visual biography of his extraordinary and colourful career. From the early days of Genesis through to the present day it is crammed full of glorious photography, much of which is previously unpublished, along with a timeline narrative by Genesis aficionado Alan Hewitt.

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Book SynopsisFor Jethro Tull, 1975 would prove to be a fascinating year. With Aqualung and Thick As A Brick behind them, and with A Passion Play and War Child having been met with a mixed critical reception, their next album, Minstrel In The Gallery is the product of a band who kept on going and who weren't afraid to explore. Minstrel In The Gallery is abundant in innovative musical ideas and insightful lyrics. Recorded in sunny Monte Carlo and described by Sounds as "a pleasant surprise", the album is a fascinating combination of acoustic and heavy rock teamed with a strings section, and of course, flute. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Minstrel In The Gallery 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 SynopsisTime marches on: by 2022 it will have been fifty years since the release of the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St. and the epic, infamous American tour the band undertook to promote that album. 2022 also marks the 60th anniversary year of the formation of the band. The Rolling Stones In America is published in time to mark both of these anniversaries. Why were the Stones so successful in the States when so many other English bands failed to make their mark? Why was the band so drawn towards American blues music? What was their relationship with the burgeoning American counter-culture? What really happened at Altamont, and why? It could be argued that a marker for the end of the Sixties era might be the Stones' infamous 1972 American tour. So much had changed in the three years since their last American tour that the 1972 tour might deserve deeper attention than it had previously been given; perhaps it might even be as significant as other events that cultural historians traditionally identify to mark the end of the long 1960s - such as Richard Nixon's re-election for a second Presidential term in November 1971, the Watergate scandal and impeachment of 1973 that ended Nixon's presidency, or the American military withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973, with the war ending in defeat in 1975. This hugely detailed tome addresses those questions, making this a unique addition to the Rolling Stones' bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThe album that made a huge star out of David Bowie in 1972 and introduced his Ziggy Stardust persona, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars is iconic for many reasons. Featuring the much-loved ‘Starman’, ‘Moonage Daydream’ and ‘Five Years’, the story of Bowie’s fifth studio album is one that needs to be told in detail. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars 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 Bowie’s legacy today.

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Book SynopsisYes: A Visual Biography II: 1982 – 2022 documents the progressive rock pioneer’s career from the eighties to the present day. Popoff takes you on a journey built around his interviews with Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Squire, Wakeman, Downes, White and many others, the tale unfolds via an exhaustive chronology designed to satisfy the most knowledgeable of Yes fans. Not content with charting the band’s history, Popoff covers the major projects outside of the Yes umbrella, such as Asia, GTR and Rick Wakeman’s extravaganzas, to paint the whole picture. If you’ve been moved by albums such as Fly from Here and Heaven and Earth, you’ll love this book, which perfectly captures the spirit of progressive rock’s first and biggest and best act of crack musicians bent on bending your perceptions of what rock can be. Throughout the book Popoff draws on his own interviews conducted with various band members throughout the last two decades, leaving much of the story to be told in their own words, along with a smattering of album reviews by the author and others. This large format coffee table book is fully illustrated throughout, documenting the story visually from 1982. As well as an abundance of concert images the stunning photographic content is topped off with many off stage shots.Yes A Visual Biography II: 1982 – 2022 will augment any Yes fan’s collection.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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