Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisSeventy years since the radical music of the 1960s first hit the airwaves, the anthems of the era continue to resonate with our current times. Through studying these musicians and the political contexts in which their pioneering songs were birthed; amidst paranoia, psychedelic delusions, desire and civil unrest; Aaron Leonard’s Whole World in an Uproar is an important new critical history of countercultural music from the Summer of Love to the unwelcome arrival of Bob Dylan.Trade Review"What happened when HUAC, the FBI, Jim Crow, corporate media outlets, drug warriors, the religious right, and even the Old Left tried to stop a freight train? Drawing on a broad range of sources, including FBI files, Whole World in an Uproar recounts that momentous story.""Aaron Leonard integrates an amazing amount of research into a story that ranges from FBI surveillance of the Old Left to the rock scene to the social dissension around the anti-Vietnam War and Black liberation movements. A well-thought through, fascinating documentary about movements and people who were affected by oppressive societal actions.""A fascinating counter-history of the 1960s music revolution through the eyes of the persecutors, paranoiacs and culture warriors who tried to stop it."

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Book SynopsisThe Damned are forever in the history books as the first UK punk band to get an album out. Damned Damned Damned was a flamethrower of a record, led by the incendiary violence of “New Rose” (first UK punk single as well) and “Neat Neat Neat,” two shocking punk anthems that defined the golden era of the new wave more purely pogo-mad than anything outta The Clash or the Sex Pistols. And the mayhem never let up, with the band already breaking up and reforming (another first!) by 1979 for one of the greatest punk albums of all time, Machine Gun Etiquette (by the way, The Damned were also the first UK punk band to tour America). More punch-ups and gratuitous vandalism ensued as the band expanded its palette through the years. Popoff has wanted to write Lively Arts: The Damned Deconstructed for decades, and now that it’s finished, he’s been all over video and radio calling it his favourite and best book he’s ever done. For in it, Popoff got to analyse monastically — headphones and repeat button at the ready — every damned Damned song across all the albums and every EP and single. This herculean task represented a joy of an exercise from a penmanship point of view, but it was most satisfying in a proselytizing sense — Martin wants everybody joining him in poring over The Damned catalogue in minute detail. Let this long-suffering band of scrapping, scratching cats in a sack know how important and beloved they are before they’re all dead!

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Book SynopsisPete Brown is a lot of things. A major songwriting talent who was responsible for Cream's classic musical moments, important collaborations with Jack Bruce and such notable experiments in jazz and rock as The Battered Ornaments, Graham Bond and countless progressive music groups. A talented poet who helped pioneer the emerging UK Beat scene in the sixties, making history with his earliest performances and going poetic toe to toe with the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Gregory Corso. He was also a child of war and the memories of The Blitz are still with him to this day. He is an anarchist at heart who believes in the mantra of telling it like it is and has done as much through the decades of a songwriter, musician, producer and poet. Within certain circles Pete Brown is a legend, a creative force of nature who is constantly on the move to the next big thing. To much of the world, Pete Brown is an unknown quantity, known for his Cream fame and not much else. With this book, Pete Brown: The Poet Who Rocks, the creative whirlwind will be on full display. This is Pete Brown. Now his story can be told.

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Book SynopsisThis is Taylor as the ultimate icon of our times. This perfect fan book delves into her success story, her music and how empowering a role model she has become for millions of fans around the world.

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Book SynopsisSophisticated, agitated, and eschewing every rock cliche, Josef K were the most exciting band of the post-punk era. So why did they suddenly implode, and what makes their music more vital than ever today?

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Book SynopsisListen to My Heart is a completely candid and passionate, heartbreaking yet often witty life story of one of rock music’s most resilient lead singers, Marie Fredriksson from Roxette ("It Must Have Been Love," "Listen to Your Heart," "The Look," "Joyride").Given only a few months to live following a harrowing diagnosis in 2002, Marie boldly forged ahead into a life with newfound courage and inspiration. She continued as both a solo singer and with Roxette, where she performed over 550 concerts, sold 75 million records, and released over 50 singles including several global hits. In all, Roxette is Sweden’s biggest music group—second only to ABBA.Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Tina Turner and Elton John to The Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra, Listen to My Heart also explores her humble family beginnings, an early tragedy in the sudden loss of Marie’s sister, her transition into the music industry as a solo artist, and the formation and challenges of being in one of the world’s most successful pop groups. All while trying to maintain a stable marriage and being a mother to two young children in the face of a life-altering illness. Marie passed away in the aftermath of her diagnosis in December, 2019.Heart-wrenching yet winning, and told with exceptional energy and sincerity, Listen to My Heart sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our generation’s most talented and courageous artists.Contains a foreword by Marie’s longtime friend, director Jonas Akerlund (Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, U2) and over 100 personal photographs, live and backstage shots, and memorabilia images.Trade Review"Singer-songwriter Marie Fredriksson (1958–2019) offers a heartbreakingly candid recollection of her early life, pop career [including many years with Roxette], and struggle with illness in this posthumous memoir. Fredriksson more than delivers on her stated mission to ‘share her moments of transcendence and offer consolation to those full of doubt’ by cataloging her favorite performances and refusing to let her diagnosis overshadow her career. Anecdotes about celebrities from Elton John to Frank Sinatra are just the cherry on top. Pop music fans will treasure this." — Publishers Weekly"Fredriksson's frustration at being discounted in the men-dominated music industry and her attempts to find alternative lifesaving treatments makes for an engaging read. Most poignant is her vulnerability as she opens her closets and photo albums that showcase a life well lived." — Library Journal

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Book SynopsisImportant insight into the work of a truly great songwriter.Updated to include the albums Western Stars and Letter To You and packed full of insightful stories from Springsteen's long career, Bruce Springsteen: The Stories Behind the Songs takes a detailed look at each and every one of his tracks, providing a unique look at this rock legend's method, as well as some of the many anecdotes and tales that are prolific in his long music history.The legend of Bruce Springsteen may well outlast rock 'n' roll itself. And for all the muscle and magic of his life-shaking concerts with the E Street Band, it comes down to the songs – music that helped define the best version of the United States for itself and the rest of the world; that bridged the gap between Bob Dylan and James Brown, between Phil Spector and Hank Williams; and that somehow managed to make New Jersey seem like a promised land. Deeply researched, laced with insight from decades of fandom and original reporting, this book is an exhaustive and unique look at the writing, recording and significance of Springsteen's singular catalog of songs – the first book to cover every officially released track, from hits to obscurities, from 1974's Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. to 2014's High Hopes.Table of ContentsBruce Springsteen: The Stories Behind the Songs looks at every song that Springsteen performed on his albums, from 1973's Greetings From Asbury Park N.J., to 2020's Letter To You. Each album is discussed and then each song is examined in terms of lyrical meaning, placing in historical context where necessary or relevant.

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Book SynopsisThe Biographic series presents an entirely new way of looking at the lives of the world's greatest thinkers and creatives. It takes the 50 defining facts, dates, thoughts, habits and achievements of each subject, and uses infographics to convey all of them in vivid snapshots. Each Biographic title is designed to be as entertaining as it is informative. Timelines not only pinpoint significant dates, but set them in the context and culture of their times. Dynamic maps locate biographical events alongside other points of interest. Character traits are illuminated by visual comparisons. Many people know that Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) was a pioneering guitarist and songwriter whose electric playing and performances were at the heart of Sixties pop culture. What, perhaps, they don't know is that he trained as a paratrooper in the US Army; that his first guitar cost only $5, while the guitar he set light to at the Monterey Pop Festival later sold for $380,000; that the Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded only 3 studio albums; and that he is one of many rock stars to have died at the age of 27. Biographic: Hendrix presents an instant impression of his life, work and fame, with an array of irresistible facts and figures converted into infographics to reveal the artist behind the music.

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Book SynopsisTen years after her untimely death, this affectionate and evocative visual celebration tells the definitive story of the life and career of Amy Winehouse through photographs and memorabilia and the recollections of those whose lives she touched.Trade Review'Evocative' - The i newspaper'A work of art' - The Oldie'To be read whilst listening to Back to Black on repeat' - The Herald, Greatest Music Books of the Year'With tales of gigs, parties and paparazzi, could this be the best means of getting to know the queen of Camden yet?' - Metro'A deeply intimate, thoughtful tribute' - The i newspaperTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. 2002-2004 2. 2005-2008 3. 2009+

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Book SynopsisIn ten short years, Roxy Music made two of the most experimental albums in popular music history and one of the most smoothly romantic.The members of Roxy Music have had long and distinguished careers outside the band, but nothing can surpass the eight albums they made together.

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Book Synopsis‘Williams’s memoir is as flinty, earthy  and plain-spoken as her songs’  New York Times ‘The often hilarious, occasionally harrowing Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You is a bracingly candid chronicle of a sui generis character plotting a ramshackle but ultimately  triumphant trajectory’  Wall Street Journal ‘An engaging read and beautifully written’ MOJO The beloved and iconic singer-songwriter and three-time Grammy winner opens up about her traumatic childhood in the Deep South, her years of being overlooked in the music industry, and the stories that inspired her enduring songs.  Lucinda Williams’s rise to fame was anything but easy. Raised in a working-class family in the Deep South, she moved from town to town each time her father—a poet, a textbook salesman, a professor, a lover of parties—got a new job, totalling twelve different places by the time she was 18. Her mother suffered from severe mental illness and was in and out of hospitals. And when Williams was about a year old she had to have an emergency tracheotomy—an inauspicious start for a singing career.   But she was also born a fighter, and she would develop a voice that has captivated millions.   Lucinda Williams takes readers through the events that shaped her music—from performing for family friends in her living room to singing at local high schools and colleges, to recording her first album and headlining a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall. She reveals the inspirations for her unforgettable lyrics, including the doomed love affairs with ‘poets on motorcycles’, and the gothic Southern landscapes of the many different towns of her youth. Williams spent years working at health food stores and record stores during the day so she could play her music at night, and faced record companies who told her that her music was ‘too unfinished’, ‘too country for rock and too rock for country’, and criticism that she didn’t have the right voice for radio or TV. But her fighting spirit persevered, leading to a hard-won success that spans 17 Grammy nominations and a legacy as one of the greatest and most influential songwriters of our time.  Raw, intimate and honest, Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You is an evocative reflection on an extraordinary woman’s life journey.  Trade Review‘Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You sees the full flowering of the prose writer her lyrics always hinted at. There’s a remarkable honesty to it. At times it is painful…and occasionally hilarious... But always determined and defiant’ * Uncut Magazine *‘An engaging read, it’s as “unsugar-coated” as she said…And it’s beautifully written’ -- Sylvie Simmons * MOJO *'Deeply personal' * New York Times *'Raw and honest, this must-read account soars on the back of Williams’s hard-won wisdom about making art and overcoming struggle. Fans and non-fans will be rapt' * Publishers Weekly *'Honest and raw, this book serves a slice of an inspiring life that reminds readers to keep trying' * Library Journal *‘What elevates Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You above the typical musical biography is that she very much does tell us the secrets. It’s her back story, her life experiences, and the way these events interwind with her songwriting, that really brings this book to life' * Louder Than War *'Remarkable… Reading like it was written on a series of cocktail napkins in the absolutely best way, this ever-quotable memoir of a born songsmith has something to offer nearly any grownup who has listened to music for the last half-century' * Booklist *Revealing…a poignant, plainspoken life story from a dedicated musician' * Kirkus Reviews *‘This tough, tender autobiography details Williams' often heart-breaking inspiration for her greatest songs' * Uncut *

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Book SynopsisLIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITION that includes Marie’s 2004 English-language solo album The Change on CD—previously unreleased in any physical format in North America—as well as bonus track “Sea of Love” (2017), the last song that Marie recorded. This edition also contains foil gilded page edges and a satin ribbon marker.Listen to My Heart is a completely candid and passionate, heartbreaking yet often witty life story of one of rock music’s most resilient lead singers, Marie Fredriksson from Roxette ("It Must Have Been Love," "Listen to Your Heart," "The Look," "Joyride").Given only a few months to live following a harrowing diagnosis in 2002, Marie boldly forged ahead into a life with newfound courage and inspiration. She continued as both a solo singer and with Roxette, where she performed over 550 concerts, sold 75 million records, and released over 50 singles including several global hits. In all, Roxette is Sweden’s biggest music group—second only to ABBA.Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Tina Turner and Elton John to The Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra, Listen to My Heart also explores her humble family beginnings, an early tragedy in the sudden loss of Marie’s sister, her transition into the music industry as a solo artist, and the formation and challenges of being in one of the world’s most successful pop groups. All while trying to maintain a stable marriage and being a mother to two young children in the face of a life-altering illness. Marie passed away in the aftermath of her diagnosis in December, 2019.Heart-wrenching yet winning, and told with exceptional energy and sincerity, Listen to My Heart sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our generation’s most talented and courageous artists.Contains a foreword by Marie’s longtime friend, director Jonas Akerlund (Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, U2) and over 100 personal photographs, live and backstage shots, and memorabilia images.Trade Review"Singer-songwriter Marie Fredriksson (1958–2019) offers a heartbreakingly candid recollection of her early life, pop career [including many years with Roxette], and struggle with illness in this posthumous memoir. Fredriksson more than delivers on her stated mission to ‘share her moments of transcendence and offer consolation to those full of doubt’ by cataloging her favorite performances and refusing to let her diagnosis overshadow her career. Anecdotes about celebrities from Elton John to Frank Sinatra are just the cherry on top. Pop music fans will treasure this." — Publishers Weekly"Fredriksson's frustration at being discounted in the men-dominated music industry and her attempts to find alternative lifesaving treatments makes for an engaging read. Most poignant is her vulnerability as she opens her closets and photo albums that showcase a life well lived." — Library Journal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Book Synopsis

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

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

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

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beethoven, A Life continues the journey towards a more complex and nuanced picture of the great composer. . . . Caeyers seeks to unravel the networks that influenced Beethoven’s career, to paint portraits of those who supported him, and to outline the many interests that were at play in forming Beethoven both as a man and an artist. . . . The result is a very readable book that, as a byproduct, offers a generous supply of scene-setting detail. This ranges from life in Vienna in the early 19th century to the grinding economic impact of the French revolution and its aftermath, and even the bathing customs in Bohemian spa towns." FT Books of the Year 2020 * Financial Times *"Among the books about the legend . . . in this anniversary year, the most substantial is Jan Caeyers’s Beethoven: A Life, a magisterial account, rich in archival findings, translated with revisions from the German edition of 2009." Books of the Year 2020 * Times Literary Supplement *Notable Music Books of 2020 -- Alex Ross, * The Rest is Noise *"Detailed and engaging, this fitting tribute to the iconic composer will enrich anyone’s enjoyment and appreciation of his great music." * Library Journal *Table of ContentsForeword by Daniel Hope Prologue Part One: The Artist as a Young Man (1770–1792) 1 • Louis van Beethoven: A Grandfather Figure 2 • Jean van Beethoven: The Absent Father? 3 • The Early Years 4 • Christian Gottlob Neefe: The Mentor 5 • The Young Professional 6 • Bonn Turns to Vienna 7 • Beethoven’s First Crisis 8 • A Second Home, and New Horizons 9 • Renewed Vigor and the First Major Works 10 • Farewell to Bonn Part Two: A Time of Proving (1792–1802) 11 • Vienna in 1792 12 • Beethoven’s First Patron: Karl von Lichnowsky 13 • Haydn and Albrechtsberger 14 • Career Plans 15 • Family, Friends, and Loves in Vienna 16 • In Anticipation of Greater Things 17 • Lobkowitz’s “Center of Excellence” 18 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode One 19 • The Road to a Broader Public 20 • A Word from the Critics 21 • The Disciples: Carl Czerny and Ferdinand Ries 22 • The Heiligenstadt Testament Part Three: The Master (1802–1809) 23 • A “New Way” Forward 24 • The Laboratorium Artificiosum 25 • Publishing Pains and the “Warehouse of the Arts” 26 • Composer in Residence 27 • Salieri’s Opera Lessons 28 • The Mystery of the Eroica 29 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode Two 30 • In Search of the Perfect Piano 31 • Leonore: A Work in Progress 32 • The Golden Years Part Four: Crowds and Power (1809–1816) 33 • A New Social Status 34 • New Prospects 35 • An Imperial Pupil 36 • Beethoven and Goethe 37 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode Three 38 • Se non è vero . . . 39 • The End of the Classical Symphony 40 • Music for the Masses 41 • A Lucrative Sideline 42 • From Leonore to Fidelio 43 • From Coffee and Cake to Congress and Kitsch 44 • The Fight for a Child 45 • From the “Immortal Beloved” to a “Distant Beloved” Part Five: The Lonely Way (1816–1827) 46 • Longing for Greater Things 47 • Post-Congress Vienna 48 • London Plans 49 • A Faustian Sonata and a Diabolical Contraption 50 • The Missa solemnis: A Mass for Peace 51 • The Circle Is Complete: The Late Piano Works 52 • Estrangement 53 • Encounters with the Younger Generation 54 • An Ode to Joy 55 • Decline 56 • Karl’s Emancipation 57 • Money Matters 58 • The Discovery of Heaven: The Late String Quartets 59 • Comoedia finita est Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Illustration Credits Index of Works Index of People

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

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