Composers and songwriters Books

Book Synopsis‘When I first heard about this Faith No More biography, I didn’t know what to think. But I have to give credit where it is due, it’s a quality piece. The man has done his research and it shows. It provided me with more than a few revelations … and I’m in the band.’ – Bill Gould, Faith No MoreSmall Victories: The True Story of Faith No More is the definitive biography of one of the most intriguing bands of the late twentieth century. Written with the participation of the group’s key members, it tells how such a heterogeneous group formed, flourished, and fractured, and how Faith No More helped redefine rock, metal and alternative music. The book chronicles the creative and personal tensions that defined and fuelled the band, forensically examines the band’s beginnings in San Francisco’s post-punk wasteland, and charts the factors behind the group’s ascent to MTV-era stardom.Small Victories strips away the mythology and misinformation behind their misanthropic masterpiece Angel Dust, explores the rationale behind the frequent hiring and firing of band members, and traces the unraveling of the band in the mid-1990s. It also examines the band’s breakup and hiatus, explores their unwelcome legacy as nu-metal godfathers, and gives a behind-the-scenes view of their rebirth.Based on meticulous research and hundreds of interviews with current and former band members and other key figures, Small Victories combines a fan’s passion with a reporter’s perspicacity.

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Book SynopsisFrom acclaimed composer and biographer Jan Swafford comes the definitive biography of one of the most lauded musical geniuses in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.From his earliest years it was apparent that the singular imagination of Wolfgang Mozart was tirelessly at work. He hated to be bored and hated to be idle, and he responded to these threats with a repertoire of antidotes mental and physical, going at every part of his life with tremendous gusto. His circle of friends and patrons was wide, encompassing anyone who appealed to his boundless appetites for music and all things pleasurable and fun.As a man, Mozart was an inexplicable force of nature who could rise from a luminous improvisation at the keyboard to meow like a cat and leap over the furniture. He was forever drumming on things, tapping his feet, seeming both present and apart. But he also might grasp your hand and gaze at you with a profound, searching and melancholy look in his blue eyes. It w

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Book SynopsisWith shimmering outfits, poetic texts and energetic performances David Bowie delighted millions of fans. As Ziggy Stardust, Major Tom or the Thin White Duke he proved his innovative power and eagerness to experiment. Bowie showed the world that, to stay true to yourself, you have to keep on reinventing yourself. On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of Bowie’s death, photographer Masayoshi Sukita presents an extraordinary illustrated book on the celebrated musician, actor and producer. During their 40-year cooperation Sukita captured the essence of Bowie – in iconic black-and-white photos and extravagant portrait photos. The best of them were chosen for this book and topped off with informative texts. The musician and his photographer – a different Bowie biography "Bowie was not like other rock’n’rollers, he had that certain something, and I knew, I wanted to turn that into pictures." – This is how Sukita remembers meeting the exceptional musician for the first time in 1972. Sukita's work mirrors the artist’s eventful life as well as eventful times. Through his camera he looks at manipulative strategies of self-presentation, of creating fictional characters, that commenced in the '70's art and music and were brought to perfection by David Bowie. A kaleidoscope of timeless portraits, far from the usual rock star snapshots! Text in English and German.

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Book SynopsisNo artist offered a more incisive and accurate portrait of the troubled landscape of the 1970s than David Bowie. Cultural historian Peter Doggett explores the rich heritage of Bowie''s most productive and inspired decade, and traces the way in which his music reflected and influenced the world around him. From ''Space Oddity'', his dark vision of mankind''s voyage into the unknown terrain of space, to the Scary Monsters album, Doggett examines in detail Bowie''s audacious creation of an ''alien'' rock star, Ziggy Stardust, and his increasingly perilous explorations of the nature of identity and the meaning of fame.Mixing brilliant musical critique with biographical insight and acute cultural analysis, The Man Who Sold The World is a unique study of a major artist and his times.Trade ReviewThrilling...takes its place next to Revolution in the Head on the short shelf of necessary reading about pop. Praise doesn't come any higher * Observer *A meticulous and engaging insight into the golden years of one of pop's true innovators. For those who love Bowie - a must -- Mark RadcliffeAn astonishing and absorbing work that expertly unpicks this explosively creative time in Bowie's life... Ultimately, Doggett's insight and enthusiasm should send you back to the music. If you do so the book will ensure you experience something entirely new * Sunday Times *Compels you to listen to Bowie's best-known songs afresh and his less obvious songs anew * Time Out *This is a book, which can be dipped into as a fine song-by-song guide, but even more so, as an excellent cultural history * Mojo *

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Book SynopsisJames Gavin is the author of Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret and a frequent contributor to the New York Times and other publications. He lives in New York.Trade ReviewMuch of Baker's work was unique and remains haunting. All the more haunting after reading this book * Sunday Independent *Detailed and perceptive * Economist *It reads like true life... Gavin is very good * Time Out *Detailed... Critically assured and never allows the cool of the icon to occlude the venality of the individual * Scotland on Sunday *Baker's impact lives on even now - sexy, angelic, needy, icy and enigmatic... Gavin's book captures Baker's journey from the golden promise of his youth to his seedy end in Amsterdam in mesmerising detail * Irish Independent *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensively illustrated reference to musical instruments and the history of the orchestra, and a guide to 100 classical composers from Bach to Xenakis, in a newly updated large-format edition.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first English monograph of legendary French musique-concrete pioneer Luc Ferrari (1929-2005). Founding member of Groupe de Recherches (GRM) with Pierre Schaeffer-the group and studio were dedicated to the electronic medium that changed composition forever. This sumptuous volume includes facsimiles of Ferrari's original compositions, notebooks, and the first English translations of his writings, including poetry and fictional works and correspondence, as well as a special full-colour section that includes the composer's own collage artwork.

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Book SynopsisTomasz Stańko is arguably the greatest jazz musician Poland has ever produced. His career spanned almost 60 years until his death in 2018. A visionary trumpeter and composer, a protégé of Krzysztof Komeda and a colleague of musicians from Poland, Sweden, Norway, Britain, Cuba and the USA, his impact on jazz internationally was profound, proving that jazz was not exclusively an American art form but truly world-wide. In 2014 he was awarded the Polytika Passport in Poland, the Prix du Musicien Européan in Paris and the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. The book is a no-holds-barred extended interview with broadcaster Rafał Księżyk originally published in Polish by Wydawnictwo Literackie.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Born Twice Chapter 2: First Cigarette, First Bottle Chapter 3: Komeda Chapter 4: Poetry and Jazz Chapter 5: Stańkomania Chapter 6: A Proust-reading Boxer Chapter 7: ‘I was Marlene Dietrich’ Chapter 8: Jazz in the Ruhr Area Chapter 9: ‘The Full Catastrophe!’ Chapter 10: Green Face Chapter 11: Bending the Note Chapter 12: Whistling in the Temple Chapter 13: A White Black Man in Communist Poland Chapter 14: At Remont Chapter 15: Purple Liquor Chapter 16: ‘Hamulczyki, namulczyki, amulczyki’ Chapter 17: Short-cut Chapter 18: Empathy for the Devil Chapter 19: A Peruvian and a Minor Sixth Chapter 20: View from the high-wire Chapter 21: The Feminist Chapter 22: A Prim, Bluish Man Chapter 23: Maldoror’s War Song Chapter 24: Thoughts on Simplicity Chapter 25: Theme for Trumpet Chapter 26: Children and the Vampire Chapter 27: From Afar Chapter 28: A Certain Kind of Vitality A Chronology/Time Line of Tomasz Stańko’s Life and Works Discography

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Book SynopsisIntimate, vulnerable, and profound,Formationis a rare look inside the mind of an artist at the top of his field, in his own words.

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Book SynopsisWhat do Postman Pat, Tommy Cooper, Norman Wisdom and George Best have in common with being abandoned in a Costa Rican jungle after a severe bout of flatulence? Indeed, how are they also connected to trying to buy an Australian brewery just to get a beer, owning twenty-two cars, an American soccer team and a Swiss mail-order pornography company?The common feature is of course a certain Richard Wakeman.The Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rock Star takes you, the privileged reader, on a trip of absurd excess, a cultural car crash of side-splitting hilarity and an unforgettable glimpse (again) into the life of one of Britain's most legendary showmen, rock stars and all-time great raconteurs.Trade ReviewThis highly entertaining read gives an unforgettable glimpse into the life of one of the UK's most legendary showmen, rock stars and raconteurs ... A light-hearted romp through the pomposity of the music business and the joy of being alive * RAF News *

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll. Best known as the groundbreaking artist behind classics like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "You Never Can Tell" and "Roll Over Beethoven," Chuck Berry was a man of wild contradictions, whose motives and motivations were often shrouded in mystery. After all, how did a teenage delinquent come to write so many songs that transformed American culture? And, once he achieved fame and recognition, why did he put his career in danger with a lifetime's worth of reckless personal behaviour? Throughout his life, Berry refused to shed light on either the mastery or the missteps, leaving the complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music largely unexplored--until now. In Chuck Berry, biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail. Based on interviews, archival research, legal documents, and a deep understanding of Berry's St. Louis (his birthplace, and the place where he died in March 2017), Smith sheds new light on a man few have ever really understood. By placing his life within the context of the American culture he made and eventually withdrew from, we understand how Berry became such a groundbreaking figure in music, erasing racial boundaries, crafting subtle political commentary, and paying a great price for his success. While celebrating his accomplishments, the book also does not shy away from troubling aspects of his public and private life, asking profound questions about how and why we separate the art from the artist. Berry declined to call himself an artist, shrugging that he was good at what he did. But the man's achievement was the rarest kind, the kind that had social and political resonance, the kind that made America want to get up and dance. At long last, Chuck Berry brings the man and the music together.Trade Review'RJ Smith’s powerful and passionate portrait of Chuck Berry reveals the troubled man behind the iconic swagger and blazing guitar. To know Chuck Berry is to know racial conflicts in America. Smith makes sure you know both.' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA Legend & New York Times bestselling author Chuck Berry was one of the first people I knew that was true to life. Just like this book showing the truth to his life. I knew him from the 1950s onward and I can honestly say that RJ truly captured the essence of Chuck Berry as I knew him. You couldn’t have a better book on the life and career of my ol’ friend.' Bobby Rush, GRAMMY Award Winning blues artist, Blues Hall of Famer, and author of I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya 'A hungry ear drives Smith's wondrous, brilliant book. Not only does he capture the excitement of Berry's music, he hears the awe of those in its thrall, from his rock & roll heirs to rivals, fans, and mystified bystanders throughout the twentieth century. Smith writes history as though it's a series of tall tales—how else to conjure Berry's brilliance as well as complexities, the unheralded highs and lows, the myth and the man, the man and the strange nation that produced him.' Hua Hsu, staff writer at the New Yorker and author of Stay True

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Book SynopsisIf given another chance to write for the series, which albums would 33 1/3 authors focus on the second time around? This anthology features compact essays from past 33 1/3 authors on albums that consume them, but about which they did not write. It explores often overlooked and underrated albums that may not have inspired their 33 1/3 books, but have played a large part in their own musical cultivation. Questions central to the essays include: How has this album influenced your worldview? How does this album intersect with your other creative and critical pursuits? How does this album index a particular moment in cultural history? In your own personal history? Why is the album perhaps under-the-radar, or a buried treasure? Why can't you stop listening to it? Bringing together 33 1/3's rich array of writers, critics, and scholars, this collection probes our taste in albums, our longing for certain tunes, and our desire to hit repeat--all while creating an expansive must-listen list fTrade ReviewThere's plenty inside The 33 1/3 B-Sides to keep readers glued to the meanings behind popular music and if you enjoy the 33 1/3 series, this book is the perfect complement to read from time-to-time between music texts. Your new favorite record might be waiting in the margins of any of these essays. * PopMatters *There’s lots of love on display in this collection of writings, along with many other emotions. This is a book to keep beside a favourite chair and to dip in and out of when the mood takes you. * Americana UK *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: Superfluous, Redundant, Enduring - Prince’s Emancipation (1996) Will Stockton Reintroduction: Trivial, Derivative, Tenacious - Christina Aguilera’s Mi Reflejo (2000) D. Gilson Part One Juvenilia 1 Leonard Cohen’s Songs of Love and Hate (1971) Drew Daniel 2 The New York Dolls’ Too Much, Too Soon (1974) David Smay 3 The Rolling Stones' It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974) David Masciotra 4 The Durutti Column’s The Return of the Durutti Column (1980) Philip Shaw 5 R.E.M.’s Chronic Town (1982) Gina Arnold 6 Rites of Spring’s Rites of Spring (1985) Will Fulton 7 Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking (1988) Rolf Potts 8 Del Amitri’s Waking Hours (1989) Alex Green 9 Sinéad O’Connor’s I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990) Tara Murtha 10 De La Soul’s De La Soul Is Dead (1991) Shawn Taylor 11 Digable Planets’ Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993) Walter Biggins 12 Billy Idol’s Cyberpunk (1993) Sean Maloney 13 Guided by Voices’ Mag Earwhig! (1997) Matt LeMay 14 The Smashing Pumpkins’ Adore (1998) Jovana Babovic 15 The Weakerthans’ Left and Leaving (2000) Daniel Couch Part Two Marginalia 16 Robert Johnson’s King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961) Jeffrey T. Roesgen 17 The Doors’ Strange Days (1967) Clare Nina Norelli 18 The Dells’ There Is (1968) Joe Bucciero 19 Shirley and Dolly Collins’ Anthems in Eden (1969) Sam Inglis 20 Hank Thompson's Smoky the Bar (1969) Joe Bonomo 21 Von Freeman’s Doin’ It Right Now (1972) Aaron Cohen 22 John Cale’s Paris 1919 (1973) Mark Polizzotti 23 Bert Jansch’s L.A. Turnaround (1974) John Perry 24 The Cars’ Candy-O (1979) Susan Fast 25 Ian Dury and The Blockheads’ Laughter (1980) Terry Edwards 26 Frankie Armstrong, Brian Pearson, Blowzabella, and Jon Gillaspie’s Tam Lin (1984) Allan Moore 27 Scritti Politti's Cupid & Psyche 85 (1985) Dan LeRoy 28 Negativland’s Escape From Noise (1987) Kembrew McLeod 29 Frank Black’s Frank Black (1993) Zeth Lundy 30 Rodan’s Rusty (1994) Michael T. Fournier 31 Kenickie’s At the Club (1997) Emily Mackay 32 Guy’s Guy (1988) Patrick Rivers 33 Sleep’s Dopesmoker (2003) Erik Davis 34 The Blood Brothers’ Crimes (2004) Ethan Hayden 35 Boris’s Pink (2006) Paula Mejia 36 Stars of Lid’s And Their Refinement of the Decline (2007) Walter Holland 37 The Range Rats’ The Range Rats (2010) Michael Blair 38 Daniel Lopatin’s Chuck Person’s Eccojams Vol. 1 (2010) Marvin Lin Part Three Memorabilia 39 The Band’s Rock of Ages (1972) Steve Matteo 40 Bruce Springsteen’s Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Live at the Geneva Theater (1974) Bruce Eaton 41 Talisker’s Dreaming of Glenisla (1975) John Cavanagh 42 The Village People’s Can’t Stop the Music: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1980) Rebecca Wallwork 43 Haruomi Hosono’s Philharmony (1982) Bryan Waterman 44 Hirokazu Tanaka’s Metroid (1986) Andrew Schartmann 45 Various Artists’ Music from the Motion Picture Pulp Fiction (1994) Evie Nagy 46 Various Artists’ Casino Soundtrack (1995) Kevin Courrier 47 Wesley Willis’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Will Never Die (1996) Phillip Crandall 48 Nine Inch Nails’ The Fragile (1999) Luis Sanchez 49 Bob Dylan’s Love and Theft (2001) Pete Astor 50 Silver Jews’ Bright Flight (2001) Hayden Childs 51 The Original Broadway Cast Recording Featuring Green Day’s American Idiot (2010) Cyrus R.K. Patell 52 Perfume's LEVEL3 (2013) Jordan Ferguson 53 Dawn of Midi’s Dysnomia (2015) Charles Fairchild Permissions Notes

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Book SynopsisSure to strike a chord with guitarists and blues fans, this authoritative and photo-filled volume includes over 150 of the genre’s greatest players and performers from the prewar era to present.From blues pioneers like Robert Johnson, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Memphis Minnie to today’s hottest guitar slingers such as Derek Trucks, Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., and Samantha Fish, The Ultimate Book of Blues Guitar Legends is your guide to the instruments and musicians that made blues a cornerstone of American culture and the very foundation of rock and roll. Author and guitar journalist Pete Prown presents his subjects by blues-defining eras and subgenres, including: early acoustic and country blues, Chicago blues, the British Invasion, blues rock, and more.Prown’s knowledgeable discussions examine specific noteworthy guitars each player made famous, as well as effects pedals, amplifiers, and c

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Book SynopsisWhen the world's greatest pop band played their final public concert, in January 1969, there were no tickets or posters printed. When John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr emerged at lunchtime from the headquarters of their own company, Apple, five storeys above London's Savile Row, only a select group of people knew what the hell was happening.The rooftop concert was one of the Beatles' most spontaneous acts. Beatles on the Roof studies the rooftop concert in penetrating detail, uncovering new truths and debunking old myths about the event. Nobody knew it yet - not even the band - but this was the last time they would play live to the public.

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Book SynopsisAndras Schiff is one of the most important pianists of our time. This stimulating account of his life and work, told in two parts, takes readers on an intimate journey from Schiff''s childhood in Hungary through to the present day.In conversationw with Martin Meyer, Schiff discusses a diverse range of topics from his experiences with anti-Semitism and communist rule to his musical training with maestros such as Pál Kadosa and Ferenc Rados, as well as his thoughts on playing techniques and musical interpretation.In a collection of Schiff''s writings we are enthralled by a guided tour of Bach''s ''Goldberg'' Variations, sobered by Schiff''s public defiance against nationalistic and racist attitudes - to the extent that he refused to perform in Haider''s Austria or Orban''s Hungary - and delighted by the playful ''Ten Commandments'' for concertgoers.More than a memoir, this is a seminal compilation of the thoughts and experiences of one of the greatest musiciansTrade ReviewAndras Schiff proves just as articulate, as cultured and as provocative a musical thinker as he is at the piano throughout this highly recommendable book -- Jed Distler * GRAMOPHONE *Schiff proves just as thoughtful and appealing a character on the page as he does on the concert platform . . . Schiff writes with warmth and eloquence . . . a compelling read, offering rich insight into the life and ideas of one of the great musicians of our time * BBC Music Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe long-awaited, never-before-told, no-holds-barred memoir from the legendary Aerosmith frontman. Finally, all the lurid tales of debauchery, sex, drugs and rock n'' roll are told straight from the horse''s lips as The Demon of Screamin'' describes his unimaginable highs and unbelievable lows as lead singer of the biggest rock band in the world.Prolific frontman, rock icon and sex symbol, Steven Tyler is a living legend. With his raw, sharp-edged vocals, musical versatility and unprecedented song writing skills, Tyler has, as lead singer of Aerosmith, sold millions of records and played sell-out concerts to as many as 450,000 people. Now, at last, he tells his own story, taking us on a wild rollercoaster ride through the bust-ups, binges, orgies and good old American excess in the jaw-droppingly honest, in-your-face way that only Tyler can.Following a fateful meeting with his ''mutant twin'' Joe Perry in the summer of 1970, Aerosmith was formedand the rest, as they say, is rock historTrade Review‘Steven Tyler is one of the greats of American music’ Sir Paul McCartney ‘The book is sticky with sex…and drugs…plus he squeezes maximum mileage from obsessive punning and compulsive wordplay.’ Classic Rock

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Book SynopsisCompelling new biography' Daily ExpressFascinating stories'Daily MirrorA well-researched, entertaining look at Ed Sheeran Sheeran fans will relish this well-told biography.' Publishers WeeklyEd Sheeran is a true inspiration. His moving and uplifting songs forge a lasting connection with the millions of people around the world who love him and his music.He was the thirteen-year-old guitarist in a school rock band when he decided to become a singer-songwriter, even though he could barely hold a tune and had never written a song. Within a year, he had recorded an album in his bedroom.Bestselling biographer Sean Smith traces the astonishing journey of the shy little boy with a stammer who, avoiding flashy showmanship, grew up to be a global phenomenon.Through compelling new research and interviews, he tells the story of Ed's remarkable mum and dad who gave their son the courage to pursue his dream, the friends and mentors who encouraged him and the lovers who inspired his most famous songTrade ReviewPraise for George: ‘A celebration of his life, as well as his music. Brill.’ Closer ‘Incredibly moving insight into a man who is without doubt part of the soundtrack to my childhood’ – Shelley Fallows at Lovereading Praise for Adele: ‘Fans will be engrossed’ OK Magazine Praise for Kim: “A kind but astute biography. Four stars.” Mail on Sunday “An honest account offering a unique insight on the Krazy world of the Kardashians." The Sun Praise for Tom Jones: “Jaunty and well-researched … the most complete and entertaining portrait of the Welsh superstar to date” – The Mail on Sunday (Event Magazine) “A lavishly appointed, no-holds-barred biography.” – MailOnline

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Book SynopsisJames Rhodes' passion for music has been his absolute lifeline. It has been the thread that has held him together through a life that has encompassed pain, conflict and turmoil. Listening to Rachmaninov on a loop as a traumatised teenager or discovering an Adagio by Bach while in a hospital ward - such exquisite miracles of musical genius have helped him survive his demons, and, along with a chance encounter with a stranger, inspired him to become the renowned concert pianist he is today.This is a memoir like no other: unapologetically candid, boldly outspoken and surprisingly funny - James' prose is shot through with an unexpectedly mordant wit, even at the darkest of moments. An impassioned tribute to the therapeutic powers of music, Instrumental also weaves in fascinating facts about how classical music actually works and about the extraordinary lives of some of the great composers. It explains why and how music has the potential to transform all of our lives.Trade ReviewThe Supreme Court overthrew an injunction unanimously in May 2015, saying: 'A person who has suffered in the way that [James Rhodes] has suffered, and has struggled to cope with the consequences of his suffering in the way that he has struggled, has the right to tell the world about it. And there is a corresponding public interest in others being able to listen to his life story in all its searing detail -- THE SUPREME COURTThrilling and harrowing . . . Unsurpassed and unsurpassable * * SUNDAY TIMES * *The publishing sensation of the year * * MAIL ON SUNDAY * *You might expect James Rhodes to have been crushed by his experiences. On the contrary I don't think I've ever read an autobiography which is this exuberant, this full of life, this addictively readable -- MARK HADDONA poet once said great books help you to live your life. They also help you survive your ruin, and James Rhodes's Instrumental is a masterpiece of creative endurance. His passion is his programme, his heart is his true instrument, and you might not read a more moral or more loving book this decade -- ANDREW O'HAGANA searingly honest, moving and compelling account of a life damaged by abuse but saved by music. James Rhodes is a rare and gifted spirit with something vital to tell us all. This is a tough but beautiful book -- VICTORIA HISLOPA mesmeric combination of vivid, keen, obsessive precision and raw, urgent energy -- ZOE WILLIAMS * * GUARDIAN * *There is an insight, often startling but always valuable, on almost every page . . . a tough, riveting read * * THE TIMES * *Instrumental is no 'misery memoir' . . . I have rarely read so cogent account of the nature of victimhood . . . Visceral and palpable . . . Among the most powerful pages I've read all year * * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY * *Bravo to a survivor who refused to be silenced . . . What really marks this book out is his confrontation with the unsaid (or rarely said) aspects of child sexual abuse and mental illness . . . Some of these thoughts verge on the taboo and it takes clarity, courage and intelligence to say them as plainly and honestly as Rhodes does * * INDEPENDENT * *We're locked inside his head for long periods and it's a manic place to be. But he is brilliant . . . and insightful . . . James Rhodes writes at full volume -- BLAKE MORRISON * * GUARDIAN * *An important memoir . . . enlightening * * Psychologist * *An all-access pass to the sublime * * Los Angeles Review of Books * *Rhodes proves that art and beauty do help; that life can be conquered day by day * * El Pais * *A hand-grenade of a book * * Stern Magazine * *

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Book SynopsisBen Folds is an internationally celebrated musician, singer-songwriter and former front man of the alternative rock band, Ben Folds Five, beloved for songs such as ‘Brick’, ‘You Don’t Know Me’, ‘Rockin’ the Suburbs’ and ‘The Luckiest’.      In A Dream About Lightning Bugs Folds looks back at his life so far in a charming, funny and wise chronicle of his artistic coming of age, infused with the wry observations of a natural storyteller. He opens up about finding his voice as a musician, becoming a rock anti-hero, and hauling a baby grand piano on and off stage for every performance.      From growing up in working class North Carolina childhood amid the race and class tensions that shaped his early songwriting to painful life lessons he learned the hard way, he also ruminates on music in the digital age, the absurdity of life on the road, and the challenges of sustaining aTrade Review'I read this in one glorious, giant gulp. As a fan of [Ben’s] work and a musician, this is truly a gift.’ -- Jamie Cullum"A Dream About Lightning Bugs reads like its author: intelligent, curious, unapologetically punk, and funny as hell. This intimate look at his life from his own unique perspective is a rare and unforgettable gift that does what Ben Folds always has done for me as an artist and a friend: encourages me to be more myself, with a lot of swear words." -- Sara Bareilles"Delightful...Singer-songwriter Folds explores the ways in which music shaped his life and offers glimpses into the process of making music....Folds's fans will take great pleasure in this charming and insightful memoir." * Publishers Weekly *‘I’m gonna learn to read for this’ -- Josh Groban"Besides being super talented, and an incredibly poignant and multifaceted musician, Ben Folds is a fantastic author. I couldn't put this book down - and not just because I taped it to my hand. Ben takes us into his mind and into his process from the very beginnings of his childhood to where he is today - one of the greatest musicians and writers that has ever graced the art." -- Bob Saget"A masterfully written memoir, and so much more. Folds imbues this literary work with keen insight and humor to create an elegant and moving tribute to art and life itself." -- Daniel Levitin, author of #1 New York Times bestseller This Is Your Brain on Music and The Organized Mind

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Book SynopsisOn May 27th, 1784, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart met a flirtatious little starling who sang (an improved version of!) the theme from his Piano Concerto Number 17 in G to him. Knowing a kindred spirit when he met one, Mozart wrote That was wonderful in his journal and took the bird home to be his pet. For three years Mozart and his family enjoyed the uniquely delightful company of the starling until one April morning when the bird passed away.In 2013, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author of Crow Planet, rescued her own starling, Carmen, who has become a part of her family. In Mozart''s Starling, Haupt explores the unlikely bond between one of history''s most controversial characters and one of history''s most notoriously disliked birds. Part natural history, part story, Mozart''s Starling will delight readers as they learn about language, music, and the secret world of starlings.

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Book Synopsis'How refreshing, to read a book about music written for a music lover and not a musicologist. In clear, lucid, entertaining prose, Jane Glover makes those of us who lack musical literacy better understand and appreciate Handel’s divinity.' - Donna Leon, author of Handel's Bestiary and the Inspector Brunetti mysteries.Handel in London tells the story of a young German composer who in 1712, followed his princely master to London and would remain there for the rest of his life. That master would become King George II and the composer was George Frideric Handel.Handel, then still only twenty-seven and largely self-taught, would be at the heart of musical activity in London for the next four decades, composing masterpiece after masterpiece, whether the glorious coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest, operas such as Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo and Alcina or the great oratorios, culminating, of course, in Messiah. Here, Jane Glover, who has conducted Handel’s work in opera houses and concert halls throughout the world, draws on her profound understanding of music and musicians to tell Handel’s story. It is a story of music-making and musicianship, of practices and practicalities, but also of courts and cabals, of theatrical rivalries and of eighteenth-century society. It is also, of course, the story of some of the most remarkable music ever written, music that has been played and sung, and loved, in this country – and throughout the world – for three hundred years.Trade ReviewHow refreshing, to read a book about music written for a music lover and not a musicologist. In clear, lucid, entertaining prose, Jane Glover makes those of us who lack musical literacy better understand and appreciate Handel’s divinity. -- Donna LeonHandel’s workload leaves one breathless. Reading, in Jane Glover’s beautiful prose, about the astonishing succession of masterpieces he composed is almost overwhelming. As is the schedule for the singers and musicians who learned one lengthy opera whilst performing another. I now have a much clearer picture of the man himself as he adapted his operas to suit the singers at his disposal, rewriting arias and nurturing young artists, and of his generosity in all he did for the Foundling Hospital. I’m full of admiration for the subject of the book, as I am for its author. -- Dame Felicity LottBehind Jane Glover's baton lurks a brilliant explainer in words, as well as music, able to unravel the threads of musical technique, performance history, and social and political events, exploring each before braiding them tightly together to weave a brightly coloured tapestry of Handel, of his music, and of the world about him. Handel in London is an education, and a delight. -- Judith FlandersDelightfully readable, informed and enlivened like no other Handel biography by Jane Glover’s understanding of a professional music director’s life. -- Dr Ruth Smith, author of Handel's Oratorios and Eighteenth-Century ThoughtJane Glover gives us a welcome portrait of Handel as a hard-working composer and conductor. She makes us feel the bruising schedule he set for himself, and for all who worked with him, from the point of view of a conductor who knows full well what it takes to mount Handel’s great opera or oratorios. She details Handel’s uncanny ability to choose his singers when given the opportunity, and she illustrates his amazing skill for writing to the strengths of all his singers, while also bringing to life the characters they portrayed. -- Professor Ellen T. HarrisTable of ContentsSection - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: Foreword Section - iii: Author’s Note Section - iv: Preface Chapter - 1: EARLY YEARS ‘An infant rais’d by thy command’ [Saul] Chapter - 2: LONDON, 1710 ‘Populous cities please me then’ [L’Allegro] Chapter - 3: THE FINAL STUART YEARS ‘Cease, ruler of the day, to rise’ [Hercules] Chapter - 4: HANOVER IN LONDON ‘From mighty kings he took the spoil’ [Judas Maccabaeus] Chapter - 5: THE LAUNCH OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY ‘Music, spread thy voice around’ [Solomon] Chapter - 6: THE FORTUNES OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY ‘Ah! think what ills the jealous prove’ [Hercules] Chapter - 7: NEW BEGINNINGS ‘Now a different measure try’ [Solomon] Chapter - 8: NEW ENDINGS ‘Toss’d from thought to thought I rove’ [Alexander Balus] Chapter - 9: DEFIANCE ‘All danger disdaining’ [Deborah] Chapter - 10: RECOVERY AND REINVENTION ‘Strange reverse of human fate’ [Alexander Balus] Chapter - 11: ‘Hallelujah’ Chapter - 12: WINDING DOWN ‘Great in wisdom, great in glory’ [Judas Maccabaeus] Chapter - 13: THE FINAL ACT ‘With honour let desert be crown’d’ [Judas Maccabaeus] Section - v: Afterword Acknowledgements - vi: Acknowledgements Section - vii: Bibliography Section - viii: Notes Index - ix: Index

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Book SynopsisJohnny Rogan is the author of over twenty books, including highly acclaimed biographies/musical studies of the Byrds, the Smiths, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, John Lennon and Morrissey. His groundbreaking Starmakers & Svengalis: The History Of British Pop Management was adapted for a six-week BBC series. Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance was one of the best-selling and most controversial rock biographies of its time, receiving various music biography of the year awards, and has been in print continuously for over twenty years. More recently, Van Morrison: No Surrender was chosen by the Sunday Timesas one of its Top 10 Music Books of the Year. He is currently completing an epic two-volume study, Byrds: Requiem For the Timeless.Trade ReviewAs definitive a view of the man as anyone could hope for * The Times *In the tradition of the most interesting biographies, a troubled subject makes for a gripping read * Evening Standard *Rogan is exceptionally good at painting a picture of the moment he is exploring ... engrossing ... you're left with a sympathetic understanding of [Davies'] ways and motives * New Statesman *It’s [Ray Davies’s] quirks that make him a worthy study, and Johnny Rogan is the man for the job, a writer renowned for going to extraordinary lengths to research his subjects … a social history as well as character study. Rogan illuminates the labyrinth of Swinging Sixties record labels, managers, bookers and pluggers, and spares no blushes in his depiction of the young Kinks * Irish Times *Masterfully teases out the warring impulses wrestling in [Davies’s] psyche … [Rogan is] adept at relating the social history of the 1950s and 1960s to Davies’s brooding character and lyric obsessions ... He uncovers psychological traumas everywhere and is fascinating on the bitchy rivalries between 1960s pop titans … Such tales make this ... oceanically researched biography go with a swing * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA traveling salesman with little formal education, Max Hunter gravitated to song catching and ballad hunting while on business trips in the Ozarks. Hunter recorded nearly 1600 traditional songs by more than 200 singers from the mid-1950s through the mid-1970s, all the while focused on preserving the music in its unaltered form. Sarah Jane Nelson chronicles Hunter’s song collecting adventures alongside portraits of the singers and mentors he met along the way. The guitar-strumming Hunter picked up the recording habit to expand his repertoire but almost immediately embraced the role of song preservationist. Being a local allowed Hunter to merge his native Ozark earthiness with sharp observational skills to connect--often more than once--with his singers. Hunter’s own ability to be present added to that sense of connection. Despite his painstaking approach, ballad collecting was also a source of pleasure for Hunter. Ultimately, his dedication to capturing Ozarks song culturTrade Review"Hunter recorded nearly 1600 songs from more than 200 singers over a period of several decades. Because he was not directly connected to academia or to the publishing world, his work might not be as familiar as are the works of other Ozark folklorists, but we learn through the determined research of Sarah Jane Nelson that his life as a collector was rich with stories of fascinating musicians, folkloristic debates, shifting attitudes, and relationships with folklorists and folklore-related institutions throughout the country." --OzarksWatch"Vividly illuminates the efforts of a remarkable ballad-hunter, festival impresario, and personality, while offering attention to nationwide folksong currents intersecting with the Ozarks. There is an audience of scholars, folksong performers and enthusiasts, and Ozarks residents and aficionados awaiting this book."--James P. Leary, author of Folklores of Another America: Field Recordings from the Upper Midwest, 1937–1946"I appreciate that Ms. Nelson took the time and energy to write about Max Hunter's life, his quest for ballads, and the family and singers who helped him along the way. Her writing style is clean and unpretentious." --Missouri Historical ReviewTable of ContentsForeword: The Singer in Me Robert CochranPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Max Hunter and the Ballad Field Singing on the Way to Church A Traveling Salesman in Eureka<> Rules of Collecting and How Hunter Got His Songs The Child Ballads and Other Bounty Singing Grandmas and the Musical Tribes of Stone County Circle of Friends The Importance of Columbia More Than a Hobby Max Hunter’s Map of the Ozarks Max Hunter and the Festival Circuit One Eye on the Past and One on the Future Notes Selected BibliographyIndex

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Book Synopsis**Winner of the American Book Award (2023)** ​**Longlisted for the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award (2023)** The long-awaited first full biography of legendary jazz saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins  Sonny Rollins has long been considered an enigma. Known as the “Saxophone Colossus,” he is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest jazz improvisers of all time, winning Grammys, the Austrian Cross of Honor, Sweden’s Polar Music Prize and a National Medal of Arts. A bridge from bebop to the avant-garde, he is a lasting link to the golden age of jazz, pictured in the iconic “Great Day in Harlem” portrait. His seven-decade career has been well documented, but the backstage life of the man once called “the only jazz recluse” has gone largely untold—until now.  Based on more than 200 interviews with Rollins himself, family members, friends, and coll

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Book SynopsisFranz Schubert''s Winterreise is at the same time one of the most powerful and one of the most enigmatic masterpieces in Western culture. In his new book, Schubert''s Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession, Ian Bostridge - one of the work''s finest interpreters - focusses on the context, resonance and personal significance of a work which is possibly the greatest landmark in the history of Lieder. Drawing equally on his vast experience of performing this work (he has performed it more than a hundred times), on his musical knowledge and on his training as a scholar, Bostridge unpicks the enigmas and subtle meaning of each of the twenty-four songs to explore for us the world Schubert inhabited, bringing the work and its world alive for connoisseurs and new listeners alike. Originally intended to be sung to an intimate gathering, performances ofWinterreise now pack the greatest concert halls around the world. Though not strictly a biography of Schubert,

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Book SynopsisI am a composer. A composer of classical music. Quite honestly I am not quite sure how that happened to a girl born in Belize and brought up in Tottenham . . . It is clear that composing found me. It crept up on me and wouldn't let me out of its grasp.Now a leading international composer and a singer-songwriter, Errollyn Wallen is as much at home in jazz and pop as in the classical world. Part memoir, Becoming a Composer offers an intriguing glimpse into the mind and motivation of a composer and covers aspects of Wallen's sometimes troubled childhood, and her experiences of growing up as a black composer in the UK. It includes a collection of observations, diaries following the progress of new works and essays and seeks to shed light on the way a composer sees and hears the world.

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Book SynopsisBob Dylan has helped transform music, literature, pop culture, and even politics. The World of Bob Dylan chronicles a lifetime of creative invention that has made a global impact. Leading rock and pop critics and music scholars address themes and topics central to Dylan''s life and work: the Blues, his religious faith, Civil Rights, Gender, Race, and American and World literature. Incorporating a rich array of new archival material from never before accessed archives, The World of Bob Dylan offers a comprehensive, uniquely informed and wholly fresh account of the songwriter, artist, filmmaker, and Nobel Laureate whose unique voice has permanently reshaped our cultural landscape.Trade Review'(The World of Bob Dylan) offers a comprehensive overview of Bobdom - musical influences from sea shanties and highland ballads to blues and gospel, his interest in Brecht and the Beat poets, the politics of the civil rights movement and the counterculture, and more.' Neil Spencer, The Observer'An illuminating read for both the fanatic and the more casual fan.' Ben Phillipson, Shindig!'Latham's symposium covers huge ground … (and) many of the contributions sing.' Danny Eccleston, Mojo'Crammed with insights into Dylan's world … fans will already have it on order.' Tony Burke, Record Collector'A book filled with scholarly scruple and imaginative audacity. A true Dylanfest.' Declan Kiberd, Irish Times'The World Of Bob Dylan kicks off an archival deep dive into the legacy and cultural importance of Dylan in thoroughly academic manner that remains enjoyable. This book pairs well with Dylan's expansive discography and will more than likely lead to a greater appreciation for the singer-songwriter.' Gerrod Harris, Spill Magazine'This is an excellent volume, and the different contributions are of a uniformly high standard. The range of aspects of Dylan studies covered is impressive.' Christopher Rollason, Dylan ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction Sean Latham; I. Creative Life: 1. A Chronology of Bob Dylan's Life Kevin Dettmar and Sean Latham; 2. The Biographies Andrew Muir; 3. Songwriting Sean Latham 4. The Singles: A Playlist for Framing Dylan's Recording Art Keith Negus; II. Musical Contexts: 5. Folk Music Ronald D. Cohen; 6. The Blues: 'Kill Everybody Ever Done Me Wrong' Greil Marcus; 7. Gospel Music Gayle Wald; 8. Country Music: Dylan, Cash, and the Projection of Authenticity Leigh H. Edwards; 9. Rock Music Ira Wells; 10. Roots Music: Born in a Basement Kim Ruehl; 11. The Great American Songbook: 'Better Duck Down the [Tin Pan] Alley Way, Lookin' for a New Friend' Larry Starr; III. Cultural Contexts: 12. American Literature Florence Dore; 13. World Literature Anne-Marie Mai; 14. The Beats Steven Belletto; 15. Theatre Damian A. Carpenter; 16. Visual Arts: Goya's Kiss Raphael Falco; 17. Borrowing Kevin Dettmar; 18. Judaism: Saturnine Melancholy and Dylan's Jewish Gnosis Elliot R. Wolfson; 19. Christianity: An Exegesis of Modern Times Andrew McCarron; IV. Political Contexts: 20. The Civil Rights Movement Will Kaufman; 21. The Counterculture Michael J. Kramer; 22. Gender and Sexuality: Bob Dylan's Body Ann Powers; 23. Justice Lisa O'Neill-Sanders; V. Reception and Legacy: 24. The Bob Dylan Brand Devon Powers; 25. The Nobel Prize: The Dramaturgy of Consecration James F. English; 26. Stardom and Fandom David R. Shumway; 27. The Bob Dylan Archive® Mark Davidson.

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Book SynopsisVoodoo, D''Angelo''s much-anticipated 2000 release, set the standard for the musical cycle ordained as neo-soul, a label the singer and songwriter would reject more than a decade later. The album is a product of heightened emotions and fused sensibilities; an amalgam of soul, rock, jazz, gospel, hip-hop, and Afrobeats. D''Angelo put to music his own pleasures and insecurities as a man-child in the promised land. It was both a tribute to his musical heroes: Prince, Sly Stone, Marvin Gaye, J Dilla...and a deconstruction of rhythm and blues itself. Despite nearly universal acclaim, the sonic expansiveness of Voodoo proved too nebulous for airplay on many radio stations, seeping outside the accepted lines of commercial R&B music. Voodoo was Black, it was definitely magic, and it was nearly overshadowed by a four-minute music video featuring D''Angelo''s sweat-glistened six-pack abs. The Video created an accentuated moment when the shaman lost control of the spell he Trade ReviewA part of the influential ‘33 1/3 Series’ ... Filmmaker and writer Faith Pennick’s new book is a pop culture passion project that digs deep into music, race, masculinity, and the enduring power of one particular music video. * LSA Magazine *Table of ContentsTrack Listing Acknowledgments Note on Text What Is Past Is Prologue 1. The Spell Is Cast 2. Home Cooking 3. Finding the Groove 4. The Means of Survival 5. The Feminine Mystique 6. Video (Almost) Killed the R&B Star 7. Radio Silence Epilogue Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisMute is a story about the lies we tell to keep going until westop. Daniel plays keys in a famous rock band. When not on the road,he goes home to his mum. Scarred by a childhood accident, in a world ofmake-believe, it's his haven. But it's 1999 and change is coming

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Book SynopsisFrom school punk to modern day film producer, Richard Jobson has lived a full and colourful life. A harrowing incident as a child left him suffering with epilepsy but he was a mere fifteen-year-old when he launched the punk rock band The Skids in 1977 with his songwriting partner Stuart Adamson. With hit singles including the immortal 'Into The Valley', after four albums The Skids folded and Jobson formed The Armoury Show whilst Adamson had moved on to form the successful eighties band Big Country. In this cathartic story, Jobson talks candidly about the many trials and tribulations that have shaped his life. He talks openly of his breakdown during the making of The Skids' third album The Absolute Game, detailing the suicidal thoughts going through his mind at the time. More pertinent than he could have imagined given that writing partner Stuart Adamson was to take his own life two decades later. They had remained friends following The Skids break-up and their relationship is explored in detail throughout. In the 1980s Jobson became a familiar face on television as a presenter and film reviewer for Sky Television. In June 2013, he was awarded an honorary degree (Doctor of Arts) from Edinburgh Napier University. Today he is a successful filmmaker but his life has also gone full circle. In 2017 he reactivated The Skids. A successful UK tour prompted demand for more shows in 2018 as well as the band's first new album for over three decades, making this the perfect time to write his memoirs of his time in the band. Into The Valley is a riveting read and a perfect illustration of how one man overcame his disability to become successful in the world of music and film. A first hand account of the late 1970s and early 80s that will appeal not only to punk rock fans but to anyone identifying with Jobson's triumph over adversity.

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Book SynopsisThis is Taylor Swift's life story, in a beautifully illustrated Poster Book with 16 pull out on the page posters. She is the most streamed female artist onSpotify. Her 2024 AlbumThe Tortured Poets Departmentadded more than 300 million streams in 24 hours and becameSpotify'smost streamed album in a single day.

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Book SynopsisThe second volume of the extraordinary life of the great music and literary icon Leonard Cohen, in the words of those who knew him best.Poet, novelist, singer-songwriter, artist, prophet, icon—there has never been a figure like Leonard Cohen. He was a true giant in contemporary western culture, entertaining and inspiring the world with his work. From his groundbreaking and bestselling novels, The Favourite Game and Beautiful Losers, to timeless songs such as “Suzanne,” “Dance Me to the End of Love,” and “Hallelujah,” Cohen is one of the world’s most cherished artists. His death in 2016 was felt around the world by the many fans and followers who would miss his warmth, humour, intellect, and piercing insights. Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories chronicles the full breadth of his extraordinary life. This second of three volumes—From This Broken Hill—follows him from the conclusion of his first international music tour in 1971 as he continued to compose poetry, record music, and search for meaning into the late 1980s. The book explores his decade-long relationships with Suzanne Elrod, with whom he had two children, and various other numerous romantic partners, including the beginning of his long relationship with French photographer Dominique Issermann and, simultaneously, a five-year relationship with a woman never previously identified. It is a challenging time for Cohen. His personal life is in chaos and his career stumbles, so much so that his 1984 album, Various Positions, is rejected by Columbia Records, while other artistic endeavours fail to find an audience. However, this period also marks the start of his forty-year immersion in Zen Buddhism, which would connect him to the legendary Zen master Joshu Sasaki Roshi and inspire some of his most profound and enduring art. In From This Broken Hill, bestselling author and biographer Michael Posner draws on hundreds of interviews to reach beyond the Cohen of myth and reveal the unique, complex, and compelling figure of the real man. Honest and entertaining, this is a must-have book for any Cohen fan.Trade ReviewPraise for Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories: From This Broken Hill, Vol. 2“In the words of some of the people who knew Leonard Cohen best—and with important testimonies never heard before—Posner allows us a fascinating plunge into the tumult and passion of Leonard Cohen’s 1970s and 1980s. We see his life and endless quest for love unfold at fast pace and get an incredible glimpse into the furnace of the two decades that gave Cohen some of his best songs. This is essential reading for anyone with an interest in Cohen the artist, the seeker, and the man.” — CHRISTOPHE LEBOLD, author of Leonard Cohen: L'homme qui voyait tomber les anges“A multi-layered, mosaic portrait of one of the most legendary—and most complex—writers and musicians that Canada has ever produced. . . . Thanks to Michael Posner and the more than 550 people he interviewed for this project, we get a much better, humanistic understanding at what drove the talented enigma that was Leonard Cohen.” — The Montreal Times“The chorus speaks but not in unison, and yet their many voices do work to conjure a thing almost magical: the feeling that you have all but met Leonard Cohen and know what he’s like. . . . The great pleasure of Posner’s volumes is they make room for all of these notions and set them in opposition." — The Washington Free Beacon“This is a great read of unparalleled intimacy as Cohen’s fellow travelers recall encounters, conversations, projects, concerts, trips, and affairs—the quotes interspersed with Posner’s contextual bridges, which strengthen the book’s narrative. . . . The second volume has an even more intimate feel with its rich detail.” — The Senior TimesPraise for Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories: The Early Years, Vol. 1 A Globe and Mail Top 100 Book of 2020“Posner undertook dozens and dozens of interviews . . . creating a unique oral history, as if they’re in a room together, sharing memories and stories. . . . They’re linked together with a light narrative voice that gives this biography a very intimate and personal feel.” — Toronto Star“The life of Leonard Cohen—poet, novelist, artist, Zen monk, and oh, yes, singer-songwriter—is too vast to be contained within one book. Thankfully, Posner is giving us three. . . . Posner draws on hundreds of interviews to explore Cohen’s private and public lives, his complexities and contradictions, and, of course, his inarguable charisma. Serve yourself some tea and oranges and settle in.” — Zoomer“Posner masterfully weaves an abundance of interviews with Cohen’s family, friends, and myriad lovers to create an intricate tapestry and, ultimately, produces the most revealing portrait of the legendary songwriter and wordsmith to date.” — NICHOLAS JENNINGS, journalist and bestselling author of Lightfoot“Sex, drugs, and poetry permeate this oral history of Leonard Cohen. . . . This book offers a seductive blend of sometimes contradictory insights.” — Library Journal

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Book SynopsisMusician, nightlife impresario, record label executive, photographer, and author, Michael Alago takes readers through this amazing journey that is his life. Alago grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in a large, spirited, and devoted Puerto Rican family. Through his early passion for music, art, theater, and photography, he soon found himself rubbing elbows with many downtown NYC scene makers, from Stiv Bators to Jean Michel Basquiat, Cherry Vanilla and Wayne County to Deborah Harry and Robert Mapplethorpe. As an underage teenager going to Max's Kansas City, CBGB, and various art galleries, Alago also began running The Dead Boys fan club. A few years later, he became the assistant music director for legendary nightclubs the Ritz and the Red Parrot. At age twenty-four, he began a storied career as an A&R executive at Elektra Records that started with signing Metallica in the summer of 1984, changing the entire landscape of rock 'n' roll and heavy metal. Alago continued to work in A&R for both Palm Pictures and Geffen Records. He was thrilled to executive-produce albums by Cyndi Lauper, Public Image Ltd, White Zombie, and Nina Simone. In the late 1980s, he was diagnosed with HIV, which manifested into full-blown AIDS ten years later. He survived to continue his music career, but in 2005, he left music to pursue his other love: photography. Alago went on to publish three bestselling books: Rough Gods, Brutal Truth, and Beautiful Imperfections with German-based publisher Bruno Gmünder. He has since overcome his longtime addiction to drugs and alcohol. In his clean and sober life, he has reconnected with his family, continues to be a working photographer as well as record producer, and only through the grace of his 12-Step program is he able to live this big, beautiful life. In 2017, a documentary directed by Drew Stone and produced by Michael Alex on Alago's wildly successful career in music was released in theaters and on Netflix, entitled Who the Fuck Is That Guy? The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago.

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Book SynopsisIn his graphic biography Nick Cave: Mercy on Me, Reinhard Kleist paints an expressive and enthralling portrait of the musician, novelist, poet, and actor. It is, according to Nick Cave himself, “a complex, chilling and completely bizarre journey into Cave World.” Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: An Art Book collects Kleist’s moody and expressive portraits of the musician and his band, spanning 30 years of writing, recording, and live performance. Kleist also returns readers to Cave’s imaginative world with comic book reimaginings of “Deanna,” “The Good Son,” and “Stagger Lee.” Filled with visual delights, this record-size art book is a kaleidoscopic portrait of Nick Cave’s wide-ranging career as a storyteller, musician, and cultural icon.

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Book Synopsis''A terrifying and unhappy book...'' The GuardianThis astounding self-portrait covering the whole of Shostakovich''s life (1906-1975) was prepared in collaboration with the distinguished Soviet musicologist Solomon Volkov. With the composer''s consent, the manuscript was smuggled out of Soviet Russia - but Shostakovich, fearing reprisals, stipulated that the book should not appear until after his death. Ever since its publication in 1979 it has been the subject of controversy, some suggesting that Volkov invented parts of it, but most affirming that it revealed a profoundly ambivalent Shostakovich which the world had never seen before - his life at once triumphant and tragic.Either way, it remains indispensible to an understanding of Shostakovich''s life and work. Testimony is intense and fiercely ironic, both plain-spoken and outspoken.Trade Review"'I do not know of a musician who will not read it with compassion and admiration' Andre Previn"

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Book SynopsisIt contains love songs, work songs, songs about the pains and anxieties of existence, songs of consolation, songs about various kinds of spiritual quest and the realms of the mystical, and songs which deal with healing and reconciliation, both with the self and with others.

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Book SynopsisIn Eminent Hipsters, musician and songwriter Donald Fagen, best known as the co-founder of the rock band Steely Dan, presents an autobiographical portrait that touches on everything from the cultural figures that mattered the most to him as a teenager, to his years in the late 1960s at Bard College, to a hilarious account of a recent tour he made with Boz Scaggs and Michael McDonald.Fagen begins by introducing the ''eminent hipsters'' that spoke to him as he was growing up (and desperately yearning to be hip) in suburban New Jersey in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The figures who influenced him most were not the typical ones Miles Davis, say, or Jack Kerouac but rather people like Jean Shepherd, whose manic, acidic nightly radio broadcasts out of WOR-Radio had a tough realism about life and enthralled a generation of alienated young people'; Henry Mancini, whose chilled-out, nourish soundtracks, especially to films by Blake Edwards utilised the unconventional, spaTrade ReviewNerdishly clever, entertainingly original and even a moving reconfiguration of the memoir format. -- Bernadette McNulty * Sunday Telegraph *Fagen, as you might expect, is an elegant and erudite writer. -- John Mulvey * Uncut *If you're a Dan fan you should read this book. If you're not a Dan fan you should read it anyway. * The Afterword *Part memoir, part personal dissertation, and it makes for an enjoyable, if brief, read. -- Dylan Jones * GQ *A curious little autobiographical volume by another hero of long ago, Donald Fagen, once and again of Steely Dan. * Spectator *Eminent Hipsters is regularly funny and insightful. * Sunderland Echo / Dorset Echo *I would like to be given Eminent Hipsters. -- Sebastian Faulks * Observer *An excellent, albeit slim, collection of essays about the Steely Dan singer’s formative teenage influences as "a subterranean in gestation with a real nasty cast of otherness". -- Andy Gill * Independent *A memoir of inspired essayism and darkly comic recollection which barely touches on Steely Dan yet utterly satisfies. -- Mat Snow * Mojo *This is moaning of the highest order — jazz moaning, you might call it — and Fagen keeps it up for 70 brilliant, hilarious pages. For the intelligent, grumpy old music fan, only one of these books needs to be bought as a present this Christmas, and it’s not Morrissey’s. -- Markus Berkmann * Spectator *Eminent Hipsters is regularly funny and insightful…whether you know who Fagen is or not, it’s still worth anyone’s time. * Yorkshire Evening Post *The writing is sharp, wry and elegant, without a single wasted word. -- Aidan Smith * Scotland on Sunday *This book is a piece of pure bliss. -- Anthony Quinn * Guardian *An unalloyed joy. -- Les Gofton * Times Higher Education *Constantly surprising, and recalled with great elegance. * Financial Times *A terrific and easy read. -- Jonathan O'Brien * Sunday Business Post *Wry, funny and forensically observant. * Saga *A terrific music memoir. -- Tony Clayton-Lea * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“More than an insider’s story about VH; Monk also shares fascinating firsthand information about how the music industry operated at that time…An absolute must-read for VH fans and fans of rock music memoirs.” — Library Journal “Too bad the title The Dirt was already taken. Noel Monk – who went from being Van Halen’s road manager to their business manager during their Diamond Dave prime – holds nothing back…Monk paints a convincing picture of a brilliant, substance-addled young band that wasn’t built to last.” — Rolling Stone “The Van Halen book you’ve been waiting for…brutally honest and at times shocking…Van Halen fans will be discussing and debating it with the same attention to detail as Eddie’s finger-tapping work on ‘Eruption.’” — Houston Press “There’s plenty of sex and drugs here, along with the absurdities of the hard-rock life.” — New York Times Book Review

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Book SynopsisSelf-described as a 'spotty, chubby, ginger teenager' with a love for Damien Rice and Nizlopi, Ed Sheeran was never an obvious bet to become a global superstar. And yet that's exactly what he's achieved, winning plenty of awards (and hearts) along the way. But how did a young musician go from selling CDs from his rucksack to becoming the millennial record-breaking international stadium act? Tracing his story from his bohemian childhood in Yorkshire and Suffolk to the release of his third album Divide, music journalist David Nolan chronicles Sheeran's musical life and times. Featuring exclusive interviews with friends, relatives, musical collaborators and key figures in his rise to stardom, Divide and Conquer tells the story of how Ed Sheeran went from school drop-out to one of the world's most successful musicians.

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Book Synopsis''Brilliant and epoch-making.'' Times Literary SupplementThe Classical Style is an established classic which has remained in print since its first publication in 1971. With his experience as a world-class pianist as well as as teacher at Harvard and Oxford, Charles Rosen produced the definitive survey of the language of the music of the classical period. In the book, Rosen concentrates on the three major figures of the time - Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven - because ''it is in terms of their achievements that the musical vernacular can best be defined''.In this expanded edition, Rosen follows the development of each composer''s best known genres: for Haydn, the symphony and string quartet; for Mozart, the concerto, string quintet and comic opera; for Beethoven, the piano sonata. In addition, the author ranges widely through the material of classical music which falls outside these categories. ''The word masterpiece should be used rTrade Review"'Brilliant and epoch-making.' Times Literary Supplement 'The word "masterpiece" should be used rarely if at all. But it applies to Charles Rosen's The Classical Style... This book sets new standards for the application of language to music' George Steiner"

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Book SynopsisTerri Thal was very much a part of the folk music world in 1960s Greenwich Village, New York. As well as being 21-year-old Bob Dylan's first manager prior to his contract with Albert Grossman and Columbia Records, she also managed musician Dave Van Ronk (who later became her husband), and others to include Paul Geremia and The Holy Modal Rounders.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review" One strongly recommends this detailed and finely sympathetic biography, very well-written and produced, of arguably Britain's greatest composer of the twentieth-century. " * Musical Opinion Quarterly *

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Book SynopsisThe Jam - Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler - were the ultimate 'angry young men' of pop. Leading the Mod Revival of the 1970s in thrilling new directions, their tight live shows, razor-sharp style and perfectly crafted songs earned them a devoted following and a string of number one hits. By 1982 The Jam were bigger than ever, but the pressure of success was taking its toll. At the peak of their powers, Paul Weller made the shock decision that was far from welcomed by the rest of the group, let alone the fans: The Jam were to split up and go their separate ways. This richly illustrated and revealing oral history of their final year, led principally by the voice of drummer Rick Buckler, contains a number of previously unseen images and untold stories, taking us from the recording and release of their final studio album, The Gift, to The Jam's last appearances together. In addition to Buckler's memories of the time, The Jam 1982 also brings together testimonies from Gary Crowley, producer Peter Wilson, A&R manager Dennis Munday, photographer Neil ‘Twink’ Tinning, Eddie Piller, Paolo Hewitt, Mat Osman, Belle Stars singer Jennie Matthias (‘The Bitterest Pill’), touring musicians Jamie Telford and Steve Nichol and others, to tell the tale of a single, fateful year: the year The Jam, for better or worse, went out at the very top of their game.

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Book SynopsisBeethoven's life and legacy in 100 recordingsTrade Review'Norman Lebrecht has turned his attention to Beethoven, and in a way that no one has done before. Lebrecht has had the idea of taking 100 pieces, briefly describing their origins and character, and then critically examining, and recommending, recordings of them. You want to build a Beethoven library? There can be no better starting point. You want to expand your existing collection? This book is for you. Not just the familiar works — symphonies and piano concertos — but lesser known chamber pieces, and even songs and musical quips. Not many Beethoven books tell you about the 30-second musical joke ‘Schuppanzigh ist ein Lump’. Lebrecht does. Few chapters are more than a couple of pages long. Bite-sized Beethoven. Brilliant idea.' -- John Suchet, Classic FM presenter‘The inimitable Norman Lebrecht here turns his glaring spotlight not so much onto the composer as onto responses to him over the intervening centuries. This is a Beethoven book for our pixelated, attention-deficient era… one heck of an enjoyable read.’ -- BBC Music Magazine'From one of our most prolific and wide-ranging writers on music, here is a connoisseur’s guide to Beethoven recordings fleshed out with vivid bits of biography and memoir. Most books recommend either recordings or works. This singular book does both.' -- Jan Swafford, author of Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph'With these 100 reverently irreverent venerations, Lebrecht not only burnishes further the immortal legend of Beethoven but demonstrates that language need not end where music begins. An illuminating and uplifting mosaic.' -- Gabriela Montero, pianist and composer'Norman Lebrecht, in his remarkable book, shows that Beethoven has, in his philosophical approach, as much relevance as he always had – maybe even more in these crazy times.' -- Franz Welser-Möst, Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra‘An incredibly fascinating personal search for the “core” of Beethoven's personality, his legacies and relevance of his figure nowadays. Lots of details and facts were new to me, many of the chapters provoked me to think even further, beyond the music and philosophy of this titan.’ -- Vasily Petrenko, Music Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra‘The greatest artists repay a lifetime of study. Now Norman Lebrecht has given us a lambent summing up of his adventures with Beethoven, deeply personal yet grounded in music that we know and love, inspiring readers to offer their own answers to the question “Why Beethoven?”’ -- Tim Page, winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for his music criticism in the Washington Post‘Any oldies who are a little hard of hearing will be moved by Norman Lebrecht’s new book.’ -- Oldie'Entertaining and informative... an ideal guide to the master’s wondrous achievements.' -- Kirkus, starred review‘This glorious study of Beethoven… a deep dive into the politics and cafe society of Beethoven’s day, and his effect on contemporary composers.’ -- Jewish Chronicle'Why Beethoven is a provocatively illuminating, occasionally scandalous survey of the recordings that shaped Beethoven's life. It makes for an exhilarating narrative that in its wake also raises several divisive cultural issues.' -- Strings Magazine‘This wonderful book inspires, challenges, cajoles and entertains. It is so grand in its sweep and erudition that like its subject it set the bar at a height that might, in fact properly will, dissuade others who might wish to publish a new view of one of Western civilisation’s pillar figures… refreshingly direct… It would be an overstatement but not by much to describe Why Beethoven as a Rosetta Stone to guide the interested but unsure to the pot of gold at the end of the Beethoven rainbow. And like all wonderful books, you can dip in and out as your appetite decrees. It is a wonderful primer but much more as well.’ -- Irish Examiner

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