Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisSunday Times Classical Music Book of the YearA landmark biography of the Polish composer by one of the world's leading authorities on Chopin and his timeBased on ten years of research and a vast cache of primary sources located in archives in Warsaw, Paris, London, New York, Washington, D.C., Alan Walker's monumental Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times is the most comprehensive biography of the great Polish composer to appear in English. Walker sets out to dispel the many myths and legends that continue to surround Chopin. Fryderyk Chopin is an intimate look into a dramatic life; of particular focus are Chopin's childhood and youth in Poland, which are brought into line with Walker's latest scholarly findings, and Chopin's romantic life with George Sand, with whom he lived for nine years.Comprehensive and engaging, and written in highly readable prose, the biography wears its scholarship lightly: this is a book suited as much for the professional pianist as it is for the casual music lover. Just as he did in his definitive biography of Liszt, Walker illuminates Chopin and his music with unprecedented clarity in this magisterial biography, bringing to life one of the nineteenth century's most confounding, beloved, and legendary artists.

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Book SynopsisRush: Album by Album, from rock journalist and Rush authority Martin Popoff, pays tribute to the band's discography by moderating frank, entertaining conversations about all 20 of Rush's studio albums.Trade ReviewAnother strength is that these conversations really make the reader want to go back and revisit the lesser-loved albums, with a closer eye to detail than maybe was afforded before. Wrap it all up in a nice hardcover package with lots of fun eye candy, and this is an extremely enjoyable package, one of Popoff’s best books as of late (and he's been on a roll) * Bravewords.com *No stone is left unturned with what we learn here, from instrumentation the band used, to what was happening ‘behind-the-scenes’ with Rush and its record companies, to what songs were played on subsequent tours and how the fans felt about those set lists. * ShortAndSweetNYC.com *It is not just the words that make this such a winner. The book layout is killer with loads of rare pics of the band, as well as photographs of cool ass memorabilia and album art. Rating: A * Classic Rock Revisited *

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Book SynopsisA century after his death, Gustav Mahler is the most important composer of modern times. Displacing Beethoven as a box-office draw, heard in Hollywood films and on state occasions, his music inspires particular devotion. Some believe it helps heal emotional wounds, others find intellectual fascination in its contradictory meanings, and many feel that the music captures the yearnings and anxieties of our post-industrial society. In this highly original account of the composer''s life and work, Norman Lebrecht explores the Mahler Effect, asking why Mahler''s music has become the soundtrack to our twenty-first-century lives.

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Book SynopsisWith 90 million of the band''s records sold worldwide since 1987, Guns N'' Roses prolonged rock music past its sell-by date with controversial albums and immense, often riotous, world tours. But the band''s complete story has never been fully told - until now.In his sixth major rock biography, Stephen Davis - author of the legendary Hammer of the Gods - details the riveting story of a band that originated in the gutters of Sunset Strip and went on to become the biggest, baddest band on the planet.Davis brilliantly captures the birth of Guns'' raw power, which - despite rape charges, drug-induced rampages and a general appetite for destruction - launched the band into the pantheon of rock gods such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. With a wealth of detail, Davis looks at Axl''s unrelenting quest to release the long-awaited, mystery-shrouded Chinese Democracy album, as well as the further adventures of some of the Gunners under the banner of the har

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsThe Greys; Music Now; Yawns; Be Less Rude; Go-Go Girls; Behave!; Square 9; Snake; It’s Christmas So We’ll Stop; The Modern Leper; I Feel Better; Good Arms vs Bad Arms; Fast Blood; Old, Old Fashioned; The Twist; Head Rolls Off; My Backwards Walk; Keep Yourself Warm; Poke; Floating In the Forth; Who’d You Kill Now?; Don’t; Soon Go; Things; Swim Until You Can’t See Land; The Loneliness and The Scream; The Wrestle; Skip The Youth; Nothing Like You; Footshooter; Not Miserable; Living In Colour; Yes, I Would; Fun Stuff; Learned Your Name; Scottish Winds; Fuck This Place; The Work; State Hospital; Boxing Night; Home From War; Off; Wedding Gloves; Acts of Man; Backyard Skulls; Holy; The Woodpile; Late March, Death March; December’s Traditions; Housing (In); Dead Now; Nitrous Gas; Housing (Out); The Oil Slick; If You Were Me; Snow Still Melting; Escape Route; Today’s Cross; Architect; Default Blues; Radio Silence; Candlelit; Death Dream; Get Out; I Wish I Was Sober; Woke Up Hurting; Little Drum; Still Want to Be Here; An Otherwise Disappointing Life; Break; Blood Under the Bridge; 400 Bones; Lump Street; Die Like a Rich Boy; The Wreck; Wait ‘Til the Morning; A Lick of Paint; Roadless; How It Gets In; Rained On

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Book SynopsisAn insightful biography of one of the world’s greatest musicians, Bob Dylan, by bestselling author Paul Morley. As one of the world’s greatest musicians, Bob Dylan has enriched the American song tradition for over 50 years. With a talent that has been proven in the worlds of music, radio, art and poetry, Dylan is a man of many personas. From defying pop music conventions with protest songs such as “The Times They Are a-Changin’” to releasing three of the most influential rock albums of the 60s, he has not only extended the parameters of music genres but has also showed us the fluidity his craft. To mark Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday and 60 illustrious years in the arts, this insightful biography by bestselling author Paul Morley will explore the many voices of the folk icon.

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Book SynopsisFor more than three decades, Madonna has been generating headlines and topping charts. Now J. Randy Taraborrelli has written the definitive biography of one of the richest and most successful pop stars in the world, whose music has constantly evolved and who has remained relevant even as she hits her sixtieth year.From the driven, ambitious young woman struggling to get a break in New York to the outrageous pop diva and more spiritual mother, the changing faces of Madonna are revealed. We see her relationships with men like Basquiat, Tupac, Prince and Warren Beatty, and what happened in her marriages to Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie. We see her embracing motherhood. And we see her today with five children, still recording and touring, finding happiness with much younger boyfriends, defiantly living life on her own terms. Madonna is based on decades of research and exclusive interviews with people speaking of her publicly for the first time – including friends, business associates and even family members. J. Randy Taraborrelli has also interviewed the star herself on numerous occasions and he draws on first-hand experiences to bring Madonna to life as not merely a sensational tabloid delight, but as a flesh-and-blood woman with human foibles and weaknesses, as well as great strengths and ambitions.Trade ReviewA thoroughly professional job . . . makes her more, not less, fascinating. -- Lynn Barber * Daily Telegraph *A fascinating document of – ka-boom! – blonde ambition. * Heat *A great read that's as spirited as Madge herself . . . This is the Madonna biography. * Mirror *A book you will find yourself "just dipping into" for hours at a stretch. * Evening Standard *When there's so much misinformation about celebrities, which they often plant themselves, the restless perfectionism of Taraborrelli is the only reassurance we can have that we have any chance of understanding these people. -- Tom Payne * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERIn Face the Music, Paul Stanley—the co-founder and famous “Starchild” frontman of KISS—reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize.Stanley mixes compelling personal revelations and gripping, gritty war stories that will surprise even the most steadfast member of the KISS Army. He takes us back to his childhood in the 1950s and ’60s, a traumatic time made more painful thanks to a physical deformity. Born with a condition called microtia, he grew up partially deaf, with only one ear. But this instilled in him an inner drive to succeed in the most unlikely of pursuits: music.With never-before-seen photos and images throughout, Stanley’s memoir is a fully realized and unflinching portrait of a rock star, a chronicle of the stories behind the famous anthems, the many brawls and betrayals, and all the drama and pyrotechnics on and off the stage. Raw and confessional, Stanley offers candid insights into his personal relationships, and the turbulent dynamics with his bandmates over the past four decades. And no one comes out unscathed—including Stanley himself.“People say I was brave to write such a revealing book, but I wrote it because I needed to personally reflect on my own life. I know everyone will see themselves somewhere in this book, and where my story might take them is why I’m sharing it.” —Paul StanleyTrade Review"Paul Stanley proves himself as an artist in music and on canvas and now with a great book." -- Jimmy Page "Both honest and inspirational. Amazing tales from one of rock's great frontmen." -- Sir Elton John "Paul is a great man who has achieved great things. From the Popcorn Club all the way to the Hall of Fame, his story is inspiring and motivating for anyone who dreams big." -- Dave Grohl "An entertaining yet piercingly honest journey from self-conscious child to the world's most visually famous rock band, to, finally-with the makeup wiped away-a place of peace as a father and a man. Paul Stanley's story is both ordinary and extraordinary, which makes it inspiring." -- Mitch Albom, author of The First Phone Call From Heaven and Tuesdays With Morrie "For years the members hid their true identities behind cartoon personas and hard rock anthems... After years of carefully maintaining his Starchild superhero identity, Stanley lets down his guard and unleashes a torrent of pent-up feelings that erupt and flow over 400 pages like molten lava." -- Guitar World Magazine "KISS' flamboyant "Starchild" unplugs his high-wattage amps and introduces fans to an even more intriguing character: Stanley Harvey Eisen... [Face the Music is] an indispensable part of KISStory." -- Kirkus Reviews "Elegantly and thoughtfully, Stanley takes us behind the mask of Starchild, his KISS persona, and shares intimately his own insecurities about his physical appearance and his emotional life." -- Publishers Weekly "Most people will probably not associate sensitivity with the flamboyant heavy-metal rock band KISS, and yet in his memoir, front man, rhythm guitarist, and cofounder Paul Stanley succeeds in making a connection with the reader, KISS fan or not." -- Booklist

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Book Synopsis ‘This book will delight both New Order-ites and general rock readers’ MojoA ROLLICKING, NO-HOLDS-BARRED ACCOUNT OF NEW ORDER'S ENTIRE HISTORY. Two acclaimed albums and an upcoming US tour – Joy Division had the world at their feet. Then, on the eve of that tour, the band’s troubled lead singer, Ian Curtis, killed himself. The next time they got together, they were a new band. That band was New Order – their label was Factory Records, their club The Haçienda. Their distinctive sound paved the way for the dance music explosion that followed, earning them the reputation as one of the most influential bands of their generation, and changing the course of popular music. Following on from his bestselling titles The Haçienda and Unknown Pleasures, Peter Hook has written a rollicking, no-holds-barred account of the band's entireTrade Review‘Rock writing rarely tells us properly what a band treading water or in slow decline feels like from the inside. Hook does so memorably.’ * Guardian *‘The 768 pages will delight both New Order-ites and general rock readers, revealing the astonishing human bathos behind this group's godly future-rock […] The way Joy Division and New Order combined high art with base behaviour is well established but this book rides that tandem to new dimensions […] there's much more than carnage’ * Mojo *‘Set against a lurid backdrop of orgiastic tours, awash with drink, drugs, and a debauched retinue of dealers, hookers and mad roadies, Hook drawing from a seemingly bottomless well of outrageous anecdotes, many of them hilarious and told with the same droll voice that delighted readers of The Haçienda: How Not to Run a Club’ * Uncut *‘Epic rock tale of sex, drugs and jealousy … A must for fans, it's wildly funny and revelatory' * The Sun *‘A rollicking read’ * Record Collector *‘You don’t have to be an ardent fan of Manchester music to enjoy this doorstopper … engrossing’ * Cheshire Life *‘Substance chronicling the original four-piece’s history is as mammoth and downright idiotic as the band deserves … something hilariously daft happens on nearly all of Substance’s 750 pages’ * Classic Pop *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe Collected Works of Jim Morrison is a revelation for fans, particularly those eager to look beyond the Lizard King Lothario persona. — People As thought-provoking as it is provocative and, beyond the priapic bluster, Morrison is ­elegiac, too. — inews.co.uk Morrison wrote that 'we had a great visitation of energy,' proclaimed that 'the ancient ones' time has come again,' urged readers to 'enter again the sweet forest/enter the hot dream.' While he deliberately drove down toad-squirmy backroads of primal terror, ecstasy was often naked in the shotgun seat, spinning jeweled pinwheels, peeling a peach. — Tom Robbins, from the foreword, “Fireflies of the Apocalypse"

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Book SynopsisThe long overdue autobiography from guitar great and former member of Genesis, Steve Hackett. As with his music, Steve has written a highly detailed, entertaining and embracing tome that charts his life in full, but with a firm emphasis on his years with Genesis that saw the band's meteoric rise to become one of the most successful British bands of all time. Steve talks candidly about his early life, his time with Genesis, and in particular his personal relationships with the other four band members, with great insight into the daily goings on of this major rock band. Naturally A Genesis In My Bed also regales stories of Steve's career since leaving Genesis and the many different journeys that it has taken him on. With his flair for the creative, and a great deal of levity, A Genesis In My Bed is a riveting read. Indispensable for Genesis fans but also essential for general music lovers and avid readers of autobiographies full of heartfelt and emotive tales.

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Book SynopsisThe more I thought about it, the more I realised my career has been unusual. How did I manage to do everything wrong but still end up on the front cover of magazines, headlining world tours and achieving Top 5 albums? How did I attract such obsessive and fanatical fans, many of whom take everything I do or say very personally, which is simultaneously flattering but can also be tremendously frustrating? Even this I somehow cultivated without somehow meaning to. My accidental career.Limited Edition of One is unlike any other music book you will ever have read. Part the long-awaited memoir of Steven Wilson: whose celebrated band Porcupine Tree began as teenage fiction before unintentionally evolving into a reality that encompassed Grammy-nominated records and sold-out shows around the world, before he set out for an even more successful solo career. Part the story of a twenty-first century artist who achieved chart-topping mainstream success withouTrade ReviewNot only is Limited Edition of One a consistently fascinating overview of [Steven's] life and career to date, but it's also tackled in the same way as he approaches his music: keen to avoid the predictable or generic without ego-tripping; always thoughtful without ever being dull; and ultimately keeping hold of the fact that he does what he does for the enjoyment and self-expression as much as proving his genius to the world . . . as unique as its title suggests . . . * Prog *

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Book SynopsisA lush visual celebration of Pulpâs sixth album, This Is Hardcore, featuring unseen photography, behind-the-scenes interviews and revealing visuals. From the mid- to late 1990s, Paul Burgess was invited by Jarvis Cocker to document the British band Pulp, taking photographs during video shoots, live gigs and other events for what has become one of the landmark albums of the period, This Is Hardcore. Written and designed by Burgess and Louise Colbourne, Hardcore contains a candid selection of previously unseen images of the band, behind the scenes and on set, of the four main video shoots made to promote the album. Twenty-five years have passed since Pulp released this extraordinary album, and this book holds up a mirror to the ingenious creative processes and characters behind the seminal record. With carefully curated images from Burgessâs archive, Hardcore also includes quotations and interviews from then and now by the video directors, band members and other artists involved

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Book SynopsisGustav Mahler: Letters to his Wife is undoubtedly the best way to understand Mahler as a man and as a composer: in his own words, intimately detailing his inner world to his wife, Alma. ''Are Collected Letters a superior form of biography? When as numerous and meticulously edited as these of Gustav Mahler, when they provide a time capsule ride back to the last days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the answer must be yes . . . This remarkable book is unputdownable, even for a non-Mahlerite.'' Literary Review ''The letters are linked by a commentary that makes the volume both an easy and gripping read . . . There is passion in this book to scald the hand.'' Sunday Times''A vivid and telling portrayal of Mahler''s personality in his voice.'' Times Literary SupplementTrade Review'Are Collected Letters a superior form of biography? When as numerous and meticulously edited as these of Gustav Mahler, when they provide a time capsule ride back to the last days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the answer must be yes... This remarkable book is unputdownable, even for a non-Mahlerite'. Literary Review 'A vivid and telling portrayal of Mahler's personality in his voice.' Times Literary Supplement 'The letters are linked by a commentary that makes the volume both an easy and gripping read... There is passion in this book to scald the hand.' Sunday Times

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Book Synopsis''Almost as miraculous as the songs it exists to celebrate.'' PETE PAPHIDES''The only ABBA book that the world will ever need.'' TONY PARSONS''Writing perfection on musical perfection: book heaven.'' CAITLIN MORANThrough exclusive interviews and over a decade of deep research, renowned music journalist Jan Gradvall explores the secrets to ABBA''s success.More than half a century after their songs were recorded, ABBA still make people the world over dance and sing their hearts out. After interviewing the four members for an article in 2013 at which time the band had not been interviewed for over thirty years Jan Gradvall was granted unique access to them for the next decade. In The Book of ABBA, the band share their thoughts and opinions more openly than ever before, while Jan reveals the context in which their sound developed and shows how the story of ABBA is also the story of Sweden and the globalisation of pop culture.From their chart-topping ABBA Voyage their first album in forty years to the two-million-ticket-selling concert-experience of the same name, it is undeniable that, in the history of pop culture and music, there has never been a group like ABBA. With remarkable intimacy, Gradvall''s book brings readers closer than ever to one of the world''s most notoriously private music icons.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisBOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 - MOJO MAGAZINE & UNCUT MAGAZINE "In early '77 I asked Grant if he'd form a band with me. `No,' was his blunt reply." Grant McLennan didn't want to be in a band. He couldn't play an instrument; Charlie Chaplin was his hero du jour. And yet, when Robert Forster wrote Hemingway, Genet, Chandler and Joyce into his lyrics, McLennan couldn't resist a second invitation to become 80s indie sensation The Go Betweens. The friends would collaborate for three decades, until Grant's premature death in 2006. Beautifully written - like lyrics, like prose - Grant & I is a rock memoir akin to no other. Part `making of', part music industry expose, part buddy-book, this is a delicate and perceptive celebration of creative endeavour. With wit and candour, Robert Forster pays tribute to a band who found huge success in the margins, having friendship at its heart.

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Book SynopsisBob Dylan has always regarded himself as a songwriter: 'I am my words,' he wrote in 1964.Distilling a lifetime's passion and study, leading Dylan author, Clinton Heylin charts the development and first moments of genius of this unique artist whose songs changed the world.From his first attempts at writing, Song to Bridget, in 1957, (apparently for Brigitte Bardot) Bob Dylan always aspired to poetry, yet his role as a writer rather than a performer of his own songs is often overlooked. In over fifty years of creativity he had penned some of the most iconic, and perfect, songs in popular history. Arriving in New York in 1961, the city had an enormous impact on the young artist and, as he established himself amongst the folk clubs and artists, he would produce songs that spoke for a whole generation: Blowing in the Wind, A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, The Times They Are a Changin', Like a Rolling Stone, and Forever Young.In Revolution in the Air Clinton Heylin recounts the story of each song as it is written, giving a full appreciation of the songs themselves as well as Dylan the emerging artist. Unlike any other book on Dylan, it charts his rise as a writer, where he gained his inspiration, the burst of energy which produced some of his most famous songs as well as the lesser known stories behind the more iconic verses.This is an essential book for anyone interested in Dylan and his place in literature. Informative, opinionated, packed with new insights and revelations, this is an instant classic.Trade ReviewBeg, steal, borrow ... a compelling history of Dylan's mercurial song writing. * Mojo *Better than any biography could ever be, and a crucial Dylan book. -- Jonathan LethemA gripping new book by Dylan scholar Clinton Heylin so is so far in the deep end that its borderline insane . . [yet] has been devoured with a ravenous, insatiable appetite, and I have even made notes in the margin. -- Mark Ellen * Word *Valuable resource. * Observer *A magnum opus that anyone curious about, fascinated by, and devoted to His Master's Voice will want to read and ponder. -- Jonathan Cott - author, 'Dylan', and editor, 'Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews'True to form, Heylin digs deep-way deep-into the songs, mixing cold hard facts with illuminating anecdotes. -- Mark Smith, managing editor * Acoustic Guitar *Terrifically interesting for Dylan nuts. * Sunday Herald *Manna for completists. * Metro *

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Book SynopsisShostakovich: A Life Remembered is a unique study of the great composer Dmitri Shostakovich, based on reminiscences from his contemporaries: family members, friends, fellow musicians and other prominent figures of the time. Elizabeth Wilson covers the composer''s life from his early successes to his struggles under the Stalinist regime, and his international recognition as one of the leading composers of the 20th century. She builds up a detailed picture of Shostakovich''s creative processes, how he was perceived by contemporaries and of the increased contrast between his private life and public image as his fame increased.This revised edition, produced to coincide with the centenary of Shostakovich''s birth, draws on many new writings on the composer. This provides both a more detailed and focused image of Shostakovich''s life, and a wider view of his cultural background. A particular aspect of Shostakovich which is revealed in this new edition is his sardonic and witty sense of humour, displayed in many of his letters to close friends. Shostakovich: A Life Remembered provides fascinating insight into the complex personality and the musical life of this great composer, and examines his position as one of the major figures of cultural life in 20th century Russia.Trade Review"'The one essential source to which all future biographers will have to turn.' Calum MacDonald, Tempo"

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Book Synopsis''If I lose the light of the sun, I will write by candlelight, moonlight, no light, If I lose paper and ink, I will write in blood on forgotten walls. I will write always. I will capture nights all over the world and bring them to you.''Henry Rollins, renowned spoken-word performer, musician, actor and author of several books, has a unique, hard-edged view of the world. This collection of writings from 1989 - 1991 is the classic Rollins book.From dramatic fiction shorts detailing stark, disturbing realities to gut-wrenching tour journals destroying all misconceptions of the glamour of fame and the music industry; from the challenging poetry to revealing dream sequences, Rollins'' writing is unflinching in its honesty, uncompromising in its truth and irresistibly addictive.Trade ReviewAn intelligent and perceptive man. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe Beatles have been at the top for fifty years, their music remains exciting, their influence is still huge, their acclaim and achievements cannot be surpassed. But who really were the Beatles, and how did they and everything else in the 1960s fuse so explosively?Mark Lewisohn''s three-part biography is the first true and accurate account of the Beatles, a contextual history built upon impeccable research and written with energy, style, objectivity and insight. This first volume covers the crucial and less-known early period - the Liverpool and Hamburg years of a hungry rock and roll band, when all the sharp characters and situations take shape.This is the Beatles like you''ve never read them before. It isn''t just ''another book'', it''s the book, from the world-acknowledged authority. Forget what you know and discover The Complete Story.Trade ReviewThis is the story told in Proustian detail ... The first edited-down volume, is largely a delight, and the story is told so definitively that, after this, that really should be it. Secondary sources are comprehensively mined; letters, public records and business documents have been found in places no one else ever thought to look ... Lewisohn is a Beatles oracle -- John Harris Guardian Never previously have the Beatles' formative years been recounted in such detail. It is unlikely to be surpassed -- Michael Watts Daily Telegraph Lewisohn has done an astonishing job. I can't wait for volume two Independent A major event in music publishing this month as Tune In by Mark Lewisohn lands..the definitive account of The Beatles GQ

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Book SynopsisA biography of Elton John, fully updated up to the end of 2017 to include his time as an LGBT and equal rights champion.Table of ContentsMAKING OF A SUPERSTAR 1947-1974: Inanimate Objects as My Friends; Hardly a Hero; One Room; It's a Little Bit Funny; A New Messiah in Town; A Cat Named Hercules; E-L-T-O-N. THE BREAKING OF A SUPERSTAR 1974-1987: Elton is Two Percent of the World; The First Final Curtain; A Single Man; New York Sunset; I Wanna Kiss the Bride. FINDING ELTON JOHN 1987-2018: My Farewell Letter to Cocaine; King of the Jungle; Celebricide; Musical Rehab.

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Book SynopsisFrom the legendary singer-songwriter of Bad Religion comes a historical memoir and cultural criticism of punk rock’s evolution. Greg Graffin is the lead vocalist and songwriter of Bad Religion, recently described as “America's most significant punk band.” Since its inception in Los Angeles in 1980, Bad Religion has produced 18 studio albums, become a long-running global touring powerhouse, and has established a durable legacy as one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time.  Punk Paradox is Graffin's life narrative before and during L.A. punk's early years, detailing his observations on the genre's explosive growth and his band's steady rise in importance. The book begins by exploring Graffin’s Midwestern roots and his life-changing move to Southern California in the mid-’70s. Swept up into the burgeoning punk scene in the exhilarating and often-violent streets of Los Angeles, Graffin and his friends formed Bad Religion, built a fanbase, and became a touring institution. All these activities took place in parallel with Graffin's never ceasing quest for intellectual enlightenment. Despite the demands of global tours, recording sessions, and dedication to songwriting, the author also balanced a budding academic career. In so doing, he managed to reconcile an improbable double-life as an iconic punk rock front man and University Lecturer in evolution.   Graffin’s unique experiences mirror the paradoxical elements that define the punk genre—the pop influence, the quest for society’s betterment, music’s unifying power—all of which are prime ingredients in its surprising endurance. Fittingly, this book argues against the traditional narrative of the popular perception of punk. As Bad Religion changed from year to year, the spirit of punk—and its sonic significance—lived on while Graffin was ever willing to challenge convention, debunk mythology, and liberate listeners from the chains of indoctrination.     As insightful as it is exciting, this thought-provoking memoir provides both a fly on the wall history of the punk scene and astute commentary on its endurance and evolution.

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Book SynopsisIn Why Beethoven Threw the Stew, renowned cellist Steven Isserlis sets out to pass on to children a wonderful gift given to him by his own cello teacher - the chance to people his own world with the great composers by getting to know them as friends. Witty and informative at the same time, Isserlis introduces us to six of his favourite composers: the sublime genius Bach, the quicksilver Mozart, Beethoven with his gruff humour, the shy Schumann, the prickly Brahms and that extraordinary split personality, Stravinsky. Isserlis brings the composers alive in an irresistible manner that can''t fail to catch the attention of any child whose ear has been caught by any of the music described, or anyone entering the world of classical music for the first time. The lively black and white line illustrations provide a perfect accompaniment to the text, and make this book attractive and accessible for children to enjoy on their own or share with an adult.

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Book Synopsis''Sometimes fate deals up a wild card. There''s a lot to be said for one of these wild cards and from what I''ve learned over the fifty or so years of our friendship, Chris is a card from the unexpected deck'' - from the foreword by Debbie HarryMusician, photographer, storyteller, and longtime partner to Debbie Harry, Chris Stein defined the sound of an era, catapulting the icon band Blondie to #1 and selling over 20 million copies of Parallel Lines.In this no-holds-barred autobiography, Stein reveals himself-this time not in songwriting or photography, which he''s previously been known for, but in words. From a Brooklyn boyhood, a move across the river to the gritty and fecund East Village in the late 1970s allowed Stein to tap the explosive creativity that defined the era in the city. It was a time when David Bowie and the Ramones were also making music, when Andy Warhol was still alive and promoting Jean-Michel Basquiat''s work, when cool was defined

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Book SynopsisThe full range of traditional fiddle repertoire is now at your fingertips! Using these generous collections, you can create your own ceilidh, barn dance, jazz club or Sarajevo street-café. Some of this music is familiar, some more exotic, but all of it is absolutely authentic, faithfully arranged and, above all, hugely enjoyable.Each title in the series is available in two formats: the Violin Edition (with an optional easy violin part and guitar chords); or the Complete Edition, which also includes both keyboard and violin accompaniments. Either format is hugely flexible, which means the music can be played as solos, duets or trios as well as with larger ensembles.Edward Huws Jones has travelled extensively researching fiddle-playing traditions. In each book he explains the background of the particular musical style, giving his own suggestions for a lively performance.Instrumentation:violin (2 violins) and piano, guitar ad libitum

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERDaily Mail - ''BOOK OF THE WEEK''The Observer - ''BOOK OF THE WEEK''''I can think of no one better placed to tell the story behind The Beatles than Peter Brown.'' -Pattie Boyd Harrison''Interviews so controversial they were locked in a vault for 40 years'' -The Times''A fascinating snapshot of the tensions still festering between The Fab Four in 1980'' - Telegraph''It truly is a jaw-dropping read'' - Daily ExpressAll You Need is Love is a ground-breaking oral history of the Beatles and how it all came to an end. Based on never-before-published or heard interviews with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and their families, friends, and business associates, this is a landmark book, containing stunning new revelations, about the biggest band the world has ever seen.In 1980-1981 former COO of Apple Corp, Peter Brown and author Steven Gaines interviewed everyone in the Beatles'' inner circle and included a small portion of the transcripts in their international bestselling book The Love You Make, which spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list. But left in their archives was a treasure trove of unique and candid interviews that they chose not to publish, until now. A powerful work assembled through honest, intimate, sometimes contradictory and always fascinating testimony, All You Need is Love is a one-of-a-kind insight into the final days, weeks, months and years of the Beatles phenomenon.

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Book Synopsis‘The closest we’ll ever get to a straight up Bowie autobiography — but who’d ever want anything straight-up from Bowie?’ – Rolling Stone In 2002, David Bowie and Mick Rock created Moonage Daydream, the defining document of the life and times of Ziggy Stardust. Twenty years later, it remains the closest readers will get to understanding Bowie through his own words. Alongside over 600 photographs taken by Mick Rock, Bowie’s personal and often humorous commentary gives unprecedented insight into his work and the creation of his most memorable persona. Readers can see how Bowie singlehandedly challenged and elevated 1970s culture through his style, his inspirations ranging from Kubrick to Kabuki, and his creative spirit, which endures through the decades. Moonage Daydream is the essential David Bowie book. First published as a signed limited edition, Moonage Daydream sold out in a matter of months and became lore among David Bowie fans. Now, on the 50th anniversary of Bowie’s acclaimed album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the book is available again. Published in a new larger format, this uncut edition keeps to Bowie and Rock’s original vision, allowing us to explore Moonage Daydream the way the authors intended. ‘This is a book of extraordinary photographs. Ziggy Stardust blazed briefly but intensely, and I am delighted to see his life and times as a rock’n’roll star immortalised in this book.’ – David BowieTrade Review'It’s a massive coffee-table art book, with lavish images of Bowie in the Seventies from photographer Mick Rock. But the main attraction of Moonage Daydream is the text by the man himself. He’s in top form, whether he’s shopping for shoes with Cyrinda Foxe (who teaches him to wear “palm-tree’d fuck-me pumps”) or sipping tea with Elton John (“We didn’t exactly become pals, not really having that much in common, especially musically”), or partying it up with Mick Jagger (“I have absolutely no recollections of this party at all”). The closest this world will ever get to a straight-up Bowie autobiography — but who’d ever want anything straight-up from Bowie?' – Rob Sheffield, 'Rolling Stone’s Greatest Rock Memoirs of All Time', Rolling Stone ‘There is more than enough for both the casual Bowie fan and the obsessive. These photographs trace the birth of one of the biggest, most influential pop ideas ever: the notion that a pop performer could, on record as well as on stage, reinvent himself creatively by inhabiting various personas.’ – Sean O'Hagan, 'Pop's first Space Invader', The Guardian

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Book SynopsisImagine being alongside one of the greatest bands in the history of rock, touring the world and being there as they perform at some of the best and biggest music venues in the world. Peter Hince didn't have to imagine: for more than a decade, he lived a life that other people can only dream of as he worked with Queen as head of their road crew. In 1973, Queen was the support act for Mott the Hoople, for whom Peter was a roadie. Back then, Queen had to content themselves with being second on the bill and the world had not yet woken up to the flamboyant talent of Freddie Mercury. Peter started working full time for Queen just as they were making A Night at the Opera, the album which catapulted them to international stardom. In this intimate and affectionate book, Peter recalls the highlights of his years with the band. He was with Freddie when he composed 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'; he was responsible for making sure that Freddie's stage performances went without a hitch - and was often there to witness his famed tantrums! He was also party to the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll which are invariably part of life on the road with a rock band.Trade Review'Will satisfy the curiosity of anyone wanting to know what it was really like to work with a famous rock band' - MOJO

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Book Synopsis‘I’m no stranger to failure, and I’m aware it can arrive at any minute—as it often has. You have to keep things close to your chest and be aware of what’s really important: the work, not everything around it. If you have faith in the work, then the people will come … it’s an artistic imperative, it has nothing to do with public perception or career or any of that crap. The name, Swans, it’s synonymous with who I am, but it’s how it’s achieved and it’s achieved by people—those people need to have total commitment to making this sound and to making it utterly incisive and uncompromising. The work is everything and it has to—at least at the time—appear, to me, to be stellar. That’s the prerequisite. It’s an intangible thing where it really speaks and has some truth within it.’ – Michael GiraOver a span of some three and a half decades, Michael Gira’s Swans have risen from chaotic origins in the aftermath of New York’s No Wave scene to become one of the most acclaimed rock-orientated acts of recent years. The 1980s’ infamous ‘loudest band on the planet’ morphed repeatedly until collapsing exhausted, broken, and dispirited in the late 1990s.Swans returned triumphantly in 2010 to top end-of-year polls and achieve feted status among fans and critics alike as the great survivors and latter-day statesmen of the underground scene. Throughout, Gira’s desire has remained to create music of such intensity that the listener might forget flesh, get rid of the body, exist as pure energy—transcendent—inside of the sound.Through these pages, the musicians responsible tell the tale of one of the most significant bands of the US post-punk era. Drawing on more than 125 original interviews, Swans: Sacrifice And Transcendence is the ultimate companion to Swans and their work from the 1980s to the present day.

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Book SynopsisA refreshingly modest memoir.' THE TIMESVerse, Chorus, Monster! is the memoir of iconic British musician and Blur co-founder Graham Coxon, charting a life of music, fame, addiction and art. Before the noise and clamour of the Britpop era, Coxon was a shy Army kid tempering his anxiety through painting and a growing love of music. As he honed his artistic skill at school, his band with school friend Damon Albarn, fellow student Alex James, and a drummer called Dave Rowntree began to get noticed. But there are things they don't tell you before you get famous. There are monsters out there. And some may even be lurking inside yourself.Charting the hedonism of his Nineties heyday and the ensuing fallout, Blur''s reluctant guitar hero is finally making himself heard.' EVENING STANDARDBreaks off with Coxon, a classically tortured artist, on a blessedly even keel.' OBSERVER

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Book Synopsis‘A lovely book – as bright, shiny and uplifting as an Abba hit’ Daily Mail‘[A] witty and affectionate account . . . It’s not a stretch to say that, at its core, My My! is a book about time, death and the possibility of immortality’ Sunday Times'At last, a book that's worthy of ABBA' SpectatorMy My! The story of ABBA told through a selection of their greatest hits. This year is the fiftieth anniversary of Waterloo (the song, not the battle) – a seminal moment in pop history which saw Swedish sensation ABBA burst on to the international music scene. How is it that half a century later this seventies Eurovision act is bigger than ever – reaching listeners of all ages and spinning off into musicals, museums and holograms? Giles Smith, writer and music fan, sets out to find out why.

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Book SynopsisTelling the compelling story of the seventeenth century Naples orphans who emerged from the city's conservatori as masters of the European musical world, Child Composers in the Old Conservatory explores their training in the partimento tradition, and advocates for its revival in modern music education.Table of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction Part I - Children in Need 2. Little Boys on Their Own 3. Masters Take Up the Challenge 4. Child Labor 5. Institutionalized Apprenticeship 6. Social Class Part II - Technologies of Traning 7. Schemas and Exemplars 8. Solfeggi and the Acquisition of Style 9. Partimenti and the Power of Improvisation 10. Counterpoint and Collocation 11. Intavolature and the Techniques of Instruments. 12. Dispositions and the Mastery of Complexity Part III - Trial by Contest 13. Little Masters, Real Masters, and Masterpieces 14. The Contest Piece as a Probe of Memory 15. Affordance and the Musical Habitus 16. Predicting Creativity Within a Tradition 17. A Sickly Young Woman Speaks Elegant Harmony Part IV - Transforming Commonplaces 18. The Oval and Cross 19. A Framework for Elaboration 20. The Beaux-Arts Framework 21. A Beaux-Arts Framework for Music 22. Learning Old Music in an Age of Digital Reproduction Appendix A: For Further Study Appendix B: Movimenti, Schemas, and Exemplars Index of Names

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Book SynopsisA striking and thought-provoking collaboration between IDLES frontman Joe Talbot and artist Magda Archer, containing all the lyrics from IDLES' first album Brutalism alongside provocative artwork by Archer. Toxic masculinity. Class divisions. Mental health. Bristol-formed band IDLES started recording their first album, Brutalism, in 2015. In the two years that followed, frontman Joe Talbot's mother passed away, resulting in a turbulent state of grief that would come to shape the verbally blazon and emotionally raw album that then appeared in 2017. In the seven years since the release of Brutalism, Talbot's words, in the context of the band's music, have grown to represent a liberated show of vulnerability and an aggressive response to the societal masculine' ideal of silencing and withholding emotion. IDLES' first ever book marks a new and exciting form of creative collaboration for the band. Breathing a different kind of life into Talbot's fiery lyricism with expressive typog

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Book SynopsisDrawing upon extensive new first hand interview material from Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and many other significant players in the band's long history, a huge archive of personal materials and unpublished interviews, Blondie: Parallel Lives is the definitive eye-witness account of the group's long and often tumultuous existence. Beginning with their childhoods, backgrounds and influences, the book is also an evocative homage to the unique New York scene of the 1970s. It charts the development of Blondie to their massive popular success and eventual break up. How Debbie Harry set her career aside to nurse Chris through a debilitating and life-threatening genetic disease. It recounts the group's 1997 reformation, subsequent renaissance with their No Exit album, the controversies surrounding the 2006 induction to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, ending in the present with the release of Panic of Girls. Co-author Kris Needs established a friendship with Harry, Stein and the rest of the band that endures to this day. As a trusted confidante, he now recounts the full story.

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the million-copy selling Shout!: The Beatles in Their Generation and the bestselling John Lennon: The Life comes a revealing portrait of George Harrison, the most undervalued and mysterious Beatle. Despite being hailed as one of the best guitarists of his era, George Harrison, particularly in his early decades, battled feelings of inferiority. He was often the butt of jokes from his bandmates owing to his lower-class background and, typically, was allowed to contribute only one or two songs per Beatles album out of the dozens he wrote. Now, acclaimed Beatles biographer Philip Norman examines Harrison through the lens of his numerous self-contradictions.  Compared to songwriting luminaries John Lennon and Paul McCartney he was considered a minor talent, yet he composed such masterpieces as ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and ‘Here Comes the Sun’, and his solo debut album ‘All Things MuTrade Review‘Norman has fashioned an authoritative portrait of Harrison that leaves you liking and feeling sympathy for his subject while being fully aware of the tetchiness…that was never far away' -- Will Hodgkinson * The Times *'You've got him' -- Pattie Boyd'Norman captures the creativity, the humanity, and the great humor of the man in this keen and lovely tribute' * Booklist, Starred Review *‘(a) fleet and confident new biography…Norman is hardly the first writer to unspool Harrison’s life…but his status as a respected chronicler of The Beatles, and 1960s culture more broadly, makes this biography a significant addition to an otherwise over-saturated field’ * The Telegraph *‘A deep dive by the acclaimed Beatles biographer paints a revealing portrait of perhaps the most undervalued band member…A fascinating story about a man of contrasts, and a must-read for fans of the Fab Four' * Woman & Home *‘Beatles chronicler Philip Norman turns his attention to the shadowy George Harrison…Norman sheds light on his poor but happy childhood in Wavertree, Liverpool, and traces the path to The Beatles with assurance' * Daily Express *‘You have taken your readers right down the steps and into the Cavern as it really was’ -- Bill Harry, editor of Mersey Beat'a fully realised portrait of a complex man: spiritual but peevish, brilliantly talented, but for ever shadowed by the Lennon/McCartney axis' * The Times, Books of the Year *‘[A] partial re-evaluation of the most underated Beatle [which] contains valuable input from Harrison's second wife Olivia and their son Dhani' * Uncut *

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Book SynopsisThe eternal singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is seen anew, portrayed through a witty and comprehensive exploration of anecdotes, quotes, and lyrics by Henry Alford, “the most graceful of humorists” (Vanity Fair) and a writer for The New Yorker.Joni Mitchell’s life, psyche, and evolving legacy are explored here in vivid technicolor—from her childhood in Saskatoon, Canada, to her arrival in Laurel Canyon that turned her into, as Alford puts it, “the bard of heartbreak and longing.” Each period of Mitchell’s life is observed via the artists, friends, family, and lovers she encountered along the way, including James Taylor, Leonard Cohen, Georgia O’Keefe, Prince, and, most significantly, Kilauren, the daughter Mitchell gave up for adoption at birth but then reconnected with decades later. Presented in the impressionistic vein of Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, I Dream of Joni explores in fifty-three essays, with the author’s trademark wit and verve, the life of the legendary singer-songwriter.

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Book SynopsisMichael Jackson: provocateur, icon, enigma. Who was he, really? And how does his spectacular rise, his catastrophic fall, reflect upon those who made him, those who broke him, and those who loved him? Almost ten years on from Jackson's untimely death, here is Margo Jefferson's definitive and dazzling dissection of the King of Pop: a man admired for his music, his flair, his performances; and censured for his skin, his erratic behaviour, and, in his final years, for his relationships with children.Trade ReviewA startlingly forthright consideration of what drove Jackson then and what drives our thinking of him now * Esquire *Dazzling * Tatler *Margo Jefferson's excellent, empathic take on the singer, encapsulating the pressures of being a child star, the most famous person on the planet and having a complicated legacy that can sometimes make people forget about the music -- ‘Best Summer Books’ selected by Nikesh Shukla * Observer *Margo Jefferson's take on his life covers all its complexities -- ‘Best Summer Books’ selected by Richard Fitzpatrick * Irish Examiner *A sizzling summer read * Daily Mail *Succinct, analytical, non-linear, echoing a style of Susan Sontag perhaps or early Joan Didion * Quarterly Review *

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