Entertainment Books

Book SynopsisAn instant New York Times bestseller! Charlamagne Tha God—the self-proclaimed “Prince of Pissing People Off,” cohost of Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, and “the most important voice in hip-hop”—shares his eight principles for unlocking your God-given privilege.In Black Privilege, Charlamagne presents his often controversial and always brutally honest insights on how living an authentic life is the quickest path to success. This journey to truth begins in the small town of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, and leads to New York and headline-grabbing interviews and insights from celebrities like Kanye West, Kevin Hart, Malcolm Gladwell, Lena Dunham, Jay Z, and Hillary Clinton. Black Privilege lays out all the great wisdom Charlamagne’s been given from many mentors, and tells the uncensored story of how he turned around his troubled early life by owning his (many) mistakes and refusing

Read more less

Book SynopsisI'm really looking forward to robbing this bank!Mischief's smash-and-grab hit The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is a fast, fabulous comedy caper and the funniest show in the West End! Summer 1958. Minneapolis City Bank has been entrusted with a priceless diamond. An escaped convict is dead set on pocketing the gem with the help of his screwball sidekick, trickster girlfriend and the maintenance man. With mistaken identities, love triangles and hidden agendas, even the most reputable can't be trusted. In a town where everyone's a crook, who will end up bagging the jewel?Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, the creators of the Olivier Award-winning Best New Comedy The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery opened at the Criterion Theatre in London's West End in April 2016.The best new comedy to open straight into the West End in decades'Time OutThrilling and daringly inveTrade Review‘This is the funniest show in town’ * The Telegraph *Fast and fabulous comedy caper is a joyful night out * The Times *The team behind ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ hit the funnybone again...The best new comedy to open straight into the West End in decades * Time Out *Thrilling and daringly inventive...This lung-bustingly funny play is just what the therapist ordered * The Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis officially-licensed kit includes a mini replica of the Ghost Trap from the 1984 classic film, Ghostbusters! SPECIFICATIONS: 4' mini ghost trap with doors that open and close with the press of a button LIGHT AND SOUND FEATURES: Light and sound is activated when doors are opened and deactivated when shut Outer housing emits 1 yellow LED + 1 flashing red LED in standby mode Inside emits 1 orange LED + 2 flashing blue LEDs, enhanced with light deflector to produce a unique effect BOOK INCLUDED: Mini book contains 12 full-color stickers, along with 3 smaller decal stickers for use with the Ghost Trap PERFECT GIFT: A unique gift for fans of the Ghostbusters films OFFICIALLY LICENSED: Authentic collectible ™ & © 2021 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisCelebrating more than 50 years of the ground-breaking Atom Heart MotherTrade Reviewa fantastic read . . . witty and incredibly detailed

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs seen on TikTok, from Samantha Towle, the New York Times bestselling author of Wardrobe Malfunction and Breaking Hollywood, comes the first dramatically powerful and passionate novel in the Gods series.Readers are raving about Ruin!''Samantha Towle at her best''''Wow! What a story, I can''t even begin to tell you just how much I loved . . . this mind blowing book''''I adored this story! . . . Samantha Towle really knows how to make her characters jump out of the page and into our hearts as their journey becomes our own''''I love a good second chance romance story and this one was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G''..............................................................................And the new heavyweight champion of the world is... Those are the words that Zeus Kincaid has been waiting to hear since

Read more less

Book SynopsisSlayer's Reign in Blood remains the gold standard for extreme heavy metal: a seamless procession of ten blindingly fast songs in just twenty-eight minutes, delivered in furious bursts of instrumental precision, with lyrics so striking that Tori Amos was moved to record a cover. This book explores the creation of this album.Trade ReviewI can tell you this- if you hold Slayer's Reign in Blood in your holy trinity of album releases that would go with you to your metal desert island, then this is definitely your new favorite book. * addictedtovinyl.com *Overall, 33 1/3: Reign in Blood will thrill those who've carved SLAYER into their skin (it's more common among fans than you'd think), as well as pique the interest of hard-rock aficionados curious about Slayer but who've not taken the sanguinity plunge yet. * OC Weekly *Reign in Blood' is notable for its brutality, but as the defining manifesto of thrash metal, it is transcendent for its purity. To love rock & roll is to love subcultures, and D.X. Ferris has explained, in stunning detail, how one subculture was defined and galvanized by that single album, and why that definition will never need to be written again. -- David GiffelsA short, intense, meticulous history of Reign In Blood and really, the whole band... The result is an authorized, damn perfect look at this one album. * Martin Popoff, editor in chief of Brave Words Bloody Knuckles *D.X. Ferris has written an academic and thought-provoking book while at the same time presenting it as a general reader. Ferris does not give in to the tendency of 'dumbing down' metal; instead, he puts forth a very well argued statement that Slayer's 'Reign In Blood' is a classic album and should be treated as such. -- Laura Kowalewski and Andrew Carpenter * Ballet Deviare *If you don't learn something from this book then you are a liar. * Sage Francis *Ferris interviewed everyone who's anyone so he could deliver the last word on Slayer's first metal masterpiece. Rock-solid rock joürnalism that deserves its umlauts. * Dan LeRoy, author of 33 1/3: Paul's Boutique and The Greatest Music Never Sold: Secrets of Legendary Lost Albums by David Bowie, Seal, Beastie Boys, Chicago, Mick Jagger *D.X. Ferris breaks it all down person-by-person and track-by-track to separate fact from fiction, retracing the origins, occasional pitfalls and eventual triumph that brought forth in his words, 'the greatest heavy metal album ever.'... The book untangles a number of assumptions related to the band that should surprise even longtime fans.... The book provides not only a good introduction to the band, but capably answers on all fronts regarding the album in question.... Ferris pens a clean and even story; flashes his bona fides outright and is passionate enough about the work to sustain that fervor through to the end. -- Todd DePalma, The Left Hand PathD.X. Ferris's recent 33 1/3 book devoted to Reign In Blood is excellent. -- Joel McIver, author of Slayer biography The Bloody Reign of SlayerDeclares Ferris, 'I wanted to present the story in a way that's compelling to both rabid Slayer fans and to NPR listeners who love pop music but have never lost a shoe in a mosh pit' -- and he largely succeeds. -- Dave Segal * OC Weekly *Writer D.X. Ferris pulls off an admirable tightrope walk. As both a fan and a critic, Ferris manages to convey a sense of excitement about the album even as he pulls the reader headfirst into the world of Slayer. By talking to band members, other musicians, friends and other people around the band at the time, hardcore fans..even respected studio engineer Andy Wallace...Ferris pulls together as complete a picture of the making of Reign in Blood as you'll likely ever read. * Trademark of Quality Blog *… in writing one of the few 33 1/3 books on a metal album, Ferris knows he must argue persuasively for their inclusion. Toward that end, he conducted a raft of original interviews for the book (everyone from Slayer frontman Tom Araya to Tori Amos) to tell their story as clearly and as vividly as possible. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Reign in Blood, featuring original commentary from... Introduction The Argument: F*****' Slayer Talkin' Thrash "Metalstorm: Face the Slayer" Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman Drummer Dave Lombardo Singer-Bassist Tom Araya Guitarist Kerry King DJ-RR: The Producer, Rick Rubin. And the Label, Def Jam. Engineer Andy Wallace Recruiting New Blood Writing Blood Recording Blood Illustrating Blood Bad Day at Black Rock Def Metal: Slayer in the House Reviewing Blood The Reign Reign in Blood: The Songs and Their Impact Reign in Blood, in Summary The Legacy Notes, Asides, and Works Cited

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter "Toy Story", "Ratatouille", "WALLE", and other blockbusters, where else could Pixar Animation Studios go but UP? Their latest film is a heartwarming and hilarious coming-of-age story about a 78-year-old widower.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA heartbreakingly honest memoir of a young woman battling with self-esteem and eating disorders in the public eyeTrade Review"Portia de Rossi's memoir reminds us that fame and celebrity is no substitute for feeling comfortable in one's own skin, and unconditional love. Her journey toward self-acceptance is an important lesson for those who struggle with eating disorders, sexual orientation, and confidence. Every girl who dreams of being a model should read this book, to learn that the best judge of beauty is not society -- but self." -- Jodi Picoult "Anyone who's ever wondered why a beautiful, talented young woman would starve herself -- as well as anyone looking for a powerfully-written memoir -- should read Unbearable Lightness. Portia De Rossi tells her story with genuine insight and unflinching honesty. Her plight is horrifying, but De Rossi herself is entirely sympathetic, and by the end, you will cheer her on." --Jeannette Walls "De Rossi is beautiful and famous and married to another celebrity and all of this makes it very easy to roll your eyes and dismiss Unbearable Lightness, her memoir of overcoming an eating disorder. Don't make that mistake: this is quite possibly the best book on the subject ever written. It is riveting and ruthlessly honest. De Rossi is the real deal; she's a fine writer with a sharp mind and tremendous substance who has turned in a rich, layered book of remarkable courage, power and significance. I have no doubt that her story will serve as life-changing inspiration for many young women currently struggling with their own food issues. But the book's general excellence makes it a fascinating and inspiring read for anyone." --Augusten Burroughs "There are passages in this book that I had to read through my fingers, and others that made me laugh aloud. UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS is breathtakingly honest, brutal and beautiful." --Jonathan Safran Foer 'a courageous, startlingly honest account...It really is an amazing read; beautifully writen, it vividly captures the alarming, self-destructive thought processes that drive anorexic behaviour' Diva Magazine, Jan 2011 'a surprisingly open memoir...Her book is a gripping story about dealing with the combined shame, as she saw it, of gayness and fatness' Times Magazine, Nov 2010 'This is the moving, often heartbreaking story of how the actress came to terms with her body and her sexuality, finding the strength to overcome her fears and create a life that nourished both her body and her soul' Scottish Daily Record

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Can''t Be Satisfied is that rare thing in musical biographies: a book that maps out not just a single, extraordinary life but the cultural forces that shaped it'' Sean O''Hagan, Observer Muddy Waters was the greatest blues musician ever, and the most influential. He invented electric blues, inspired the Rolling Stones and created the template for the rock ''n'' roll band and its wild lifestyle. Robert Gordon''s definitive biography vividly chronicles the extraordinary life and personality of the musical legend who changed the course of modern popular music.Trade ReviewA superb compendium of scholarship . . . this book is likely to remain the definitive Muddy study. -- Michel Faber * * Scotland on Sunday * *Can't Be Satisfied is that rare thing in musical biographies: a book that maps out not just a single, extraordinary life but the cultural forces that shaped it and the cultural changes which that same life then helped to bring about. -- Sean O'Hagan * * Observer * *Gordon gets the deep lowdown on the original Rolling Stone. A major feat of research and a fascinating read. -- Jay McInerneyThe strenghts of Can't Be Satisfied lie in Robert Gordon's broad knowledge of the blues scene. He deftly puts each song and incident into its context. His exceptional understanding of the genre is best shown in his treatment of its ultimate irony - the creation of wealth through the depiction of poverty. -- Charlie Campbell * * Literary Review * *Robert Gordon has produced an immensely readable biography, as rowdy and dangerous as its subject. . . There'll be no need for another Muddy Waters biography, this will do handsomely. -- Neil Slaven * * Blues & Rhythm * *A blues tome to be treasured ... an unrepeatable feat of scholarship -- Michael Heatley * * Record Collector * *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Backstreets is an astonishing novel by a preeminent contemporary Uyghur author who was disappeared by the Chinese state. Perhat Tursun follows an unnamed Uyghur man who comes to the capital of Xinjiang. Seeking to escape the pain and poverty of the countryside, he finds only cold stares and rejection.Trade ReviewNamed a Best Book of 2022 by The New Yorker * The New Yorker *Close to a perfect work of art. -- Ed Park * The Atlantic *The Backstreets is an agonizing testimony to the anti-Uyghur policies and prejudices that led to [Tursun and the co-translator's] disappearances. It is also good writing of the sort that makes me feel like somebody has wrenched my head 90 degrees to the left: It's both clear and disorienting, an utterly new way of describing the world. -- Lily Meyer * NPR Books *Visceral and often disorientating, The Backstreets illustrates the painful effects of racism and exclusion. It is a strange and devastating novel, a portrait of what it means to become a second-class citizen in your homeland. * The Economist *The Backstreets is undoubtedly an important political document, but it is, most of all, a significant addition to the canon of outsider literature. -- Sam Sacks * Wall Street Journal *Poignant and disturbing . . . Life as a persecuted minority colours the book, but Tursun breaks loose of narrow victimhood. The Backstreets is a compelling read in its own right. -- Cindy Yu * The Spectator *A startling literary document of urban alienation. * The New Yorker *The Backstreets is a politically charged, emotional novel about the impacts of prejudice, industrial city life, and desolation on China’s Uyghur people. It is a major literary event that is honest in its portrayal of oppression. -- Monica Carter * Foreword Reviews, starred review *[A] slight, sorrowful, tone-perfect novel . . . Tursun’s novel sings with a kind of lyrical despair and anomie, all rendered with sensual depth and persuasiveness. -- Tom Sandborn * Vancouver Sun *There are many political – and perhaps ethical – reasons why The Backstreets deserves a wide readership. But above these should be an appreciation of its literary merits, not least of which are its sustained tone and imagery (well conveyed by Darren Byler and his co-translator). -- Nick Holdstock * Times Literary Supplement *One of The Millions' Most Anticipated Books of 2022 * The Millions *The publication of Perhat Tursun's The Backstreets, together with Darren Byler's illuminating introduction, is a landmark event in English-language world literature. Tursun's narration of the life of an Uyghur office worker in Ürümchi is unforgettable and quietly mindblowing. The style, mood, and scope are evocative of Camus (or maybe of an alternative Camus who wrote from an Algerian perspective), while still feeling utterly distinctive and unprecedented. A triumph. -- Elif Batuman, author of The IdiotWryly intelligent, acutely receptive to the sounds and smells of the life around him, but also half crazy, convinced that the universe is bombarding him with messages in a code he cannot read, and—finally—subjected to the casual contempt of his Han Chinese masters, Perhat Tursun's young hero gives us a darkly poetic record of a struggle to make sense of a world of oppression. A brave and heartrending book. -- J. M. Coetzee, recipient of the Nobel PrizeTursun, as rendered into English by Byler and Anonymous, writes with the ease and confidence of some of the greatest philosophical and absurdist writers of the twentieth century. -- Lauren Bo * Asymptote *The tragedy of the Uyghurs deserves nothing less than this absolutely brilliant and penetrating book. It is a moral imperative for readers to understand what is happening to this besieged population, and Perhat Tursun's prose is worthy of Kafka's. -- Gary Shteyngart, author of Our Country Friends: A NovelIf there ever is a work of literature that captures the existential condition of presently intensifying settler colonization of an indigenous city, it is Perhat Tursun’s short, masterful novel The Backstreets. This beautifully translated novel should be on the reading list for every conscientious person and adopted for world literature classes on high school, college, and graduate levels. -- Shu-mei Shih, University of California, Los AngelesA fierce and brave cry of moral repugnance. -- Bill Marx * The Arts Fuse *A modernist masterpiece about life in China’s Muslim heartland. -- Bradley Jardine * Coda Story *Tursun constructs a psychoanalytical auto-fictional biography of a city at the borders of the Chinese state, showing us the ordinary alienation and the mundane repression Uyghur bodies are subjected to in their everyday life. . .The existence of this text in English is a truly luminous event for world literature. -- Serena De Marchi * Cha: An Asian Literary Journal *A remarkable work. -- John Alvey * The Modern Novel *[A]n excellent work and a pleasure to read. In a relatively short novel, the writer manages to express a people’s plight wrapped up in a story of a walk, and in the pollution that surrounds the walker. -- Tony Malone * Tony's Reading List *[A] disturbing, socially vital work of literature... -- Anita Felicelli * Words Without Borders *[D]isorienting, disturbing, evoking a swirl of feelings in the reader. -- Emily Walz * Washington Independent Review of Books *Given its author’s disappearance, The Backstreets will inevitably be received as a totem to the Uyghurs, first and foremost. It is that. But it is also more: a rare book that stands out because of the oppressive intensity of its narrative style, one reminiscent of the modernist writers (Dostoevsky, Camus, Freud) . . . At the same time, it carves out a distinctive voice that is uniquely bleak and beautiful. -- Luke Hallam * The Guardian *The Backstreets reads like a mash-up between Kafka and David Lynch. -- Tom Bowden * The Book Beat *A work of creative genius that takes as its theme the homelessness many Uyghurs feel as strangers in their own land. -- Yangyang Cheng * The Nation *This is a hugely important novel both as an excellent work of narrative art and as the encapsulation of the plight of an imperiled, suppressed ethnic group and its culture. Its translator, Darren Byler, should be loudly applauded for rendering this key text into lucid, well-judged English and bringing it to a global audience, as should his anonymous Uyghur co-translator. -- Oliver Dixon * World Literature Today *One of my favourite novels of recent times. -- Nilanjana Roy * Financial Times *Table of ContentsIntroductionThe Backstreets

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 2 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 4 Part 1: Getting Started with Classical Music 5 Chapter 1: Prying Open the Classical Music Oyster 7 Discovering What Classical Music Really Is 8 Figuring Out What You Like 8 The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Composers 9 Their music is from the heart 9 They use a structure that you can feel 9 They’re creative and original 10 They express a relevant human emotion 10 They keep your attention with variety and pacing 11 Their music is easy to remember 11 They move you with their creations 12 Chapter 2: The Entire History of Music in 80 Pages 13 Understanding How Classical Music Got Started 13 Chanting All Day: The Middle Ages 14 Gregorian chant 14 A monk named Guido 15 Mass dismissed! 15 The First Composer-Saint 16 Born Again: The Renaissance 16 The madrigal takes off 16 Opera hits prime time 17 Getting Emotional: The Baroque Era 18 Renegade notes on wheels 18 Kings, churches, and other high rollers 19 Antonio Vivaldi 19 George Frideric Handel 21 Johann Sebastian Bach 24 Tightening the Corset: The Classical Style 26 Joseph Haydn 27 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 29 Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges 34 Ludwig van Beethoven: The man who changed everything 34 Schubert and his Lieder 39 Felix Mendelssohn 42 Fanny Mendelssohn 44 Falling in Love: Hopeless Romantics 45 Carl Maria von Weber 45 Hector Berlioz 46 Frédéric Chopin 49 Robert Schumann 51 Johannes Brahms 54 The superstars: Paganini and Liszt 56 Liszt follows Paganini’s lead 57 Richard Wagner 58 Strauss and Mahler 59 Saluting the Flag(s): Nationalism in Classical Music 63 Bedřich Smetana 64 Antonín Dvořák 65 Edvard Grieg 67 Jean Sibelius 68 Carl Nielsen 70 Glinka and the Mighty Fistful 71 Peter Tchaikovsky 73 Sergei Rachmaninoff 75 Listening to Music of the 20th Century and Beyond 77 Debussy and Ravel 78 Igor Stravinsky 80 Sergei Prokofiev 83 Dmitri Shostakovich 84 The Second Viennese School 86 The Americans 87 Chapter 3: Spotting a Sonata 95 Symphonies 95 First movement: brisk and lively 96 Second movement: slow and lyrical 97 Third movement: dancy 98 Finale: rollicking 98 Sonatas and Sonatinas 99 Concertos 100 Concerto structure 101 The cadenza 101 Dances and Suites 103 Serenades and Divertimentos 104 Themes and Variations 105 Fantasias and Rhapsodies 106 Tone Poems (Or Symphonic Poems) 107 Lieder (and Follower) 107 Leader of the Lieder 108 Song forms 108 Oratorios and Other Choral Works 109 Operas, Operettas, and Arias 110 Overtures and Preludes 110 Ballets and Ballerinas 111 String Quartets and Other Motley Assortments 112 Why Do You Need a Form, Anyway? 113 Part 2: Listen Up! 115 Chapter 4: Dave ’n’ Scott’s E-Z Concert Survival Guide™ 117 Preparing — or Not 117 Knowing When to Arrive at the Concert 118 Can I Wear a Loincloth to The Rite of Spring? 119 The Gourmet Guide to Pre-Concert Dining 119 Figuring Out Where to Sit — and How to Get the Best Ticket Deals 120 To Clap or Not to Clap: That’s the Question 122 Why nobody claps 122 More on the insane “no-clap” policy 123 Who to Bring and Who to Leave at Home with the Dog 125 Recognizing Which Concerts to Attend — or Avoid — on a Date 125 Peeking at the Concert Program 126 The typical concert format 127 The music itself 129 A different kind of program 130 Introducing the Concertmaster 132 Finding the pitch 133 Twisting and turning, pulling and pushing 133 Enter the Conductor 135 Understanding interpretation 135 Slicing up time 137 Reading the job description 138 Chapter 5: For Your Listening Pleasure 141 1 Handel: Water Music Suite No 2: Alla Hornpipe 142 2 Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue in C Major 143 3 Mozart: Piano Concerto No 22 in E-Flat, Third Movement 145 4 Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, First Movement 149 Exposition 150 Development 151 Recapitulation 151 Coda 152 5 Brahms: Symphony No 4, Third Movement 153 6 Dvořák: Serenade for Strings, Fourth Movement 155 7 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 6, Fourth Movement 156 8 Debussy: La Mer: Dialogue du Vent et de la Mer 158 9 Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring: Opening to the End of Jeu de Rapt 161 Introduction 161 Danses des adolescentes (Dances of the Adolescent Girls) 162 Jeu de rapt (Ritual of Abduction) 163 INTERMISSION: Backstage Tour 165 Living in the Orchestral Fishpond 165 What I Did for Love 166 Going through an Audition 167 An almost-true story 167 Rigged auditions 169 The list 169 The prescription 170 Playing the odds 170 An unexpected meeting 171 The return 171 Onstage 172 Behind the screen 172 The wait 174 The aftermath 175 The Life of an Orchestra Musician, or What’s Going on in the Practice Room? 175 Selling the Product 176 Understanding Contract Riders 179 The Strange and Perilous Relationship between an Orchestra and Its Conductor 180 Why an Orchestra Career Is Worth the Grief 182 Part 3: A Field Guide to the Orchestra 183 Chapter 6: Keyboards & Co 185 The Piano 185 Looking inside the piano 186 Naming the notes 186 Finding an octave 186 Playing the black keys 187 Looking inside the piano 188 Pressing down the pedals 188 Hearing the piano 190 The Harpsichord 191 Winning the Baroque gold medal 191 Hearing the harpsichord 192 The Organ 193 Pulling out the stops 194 Hearing the organ 194 The Synthesizer 195 Chapter 7: Strings Attached 197 The Violin 198 Drawing the bow 199 Tuning up 199 Playing the violin 200 Vibrating the string 201 The unbearable lightness of bowing 201 Plucking the strings 202 Hearing the violin 203 The Other String Instruments 204 The viola 204 The cello 206 The double bass 208 The harp 209 The guitar 212 Chapter 8: Gone with the Woodwinds 215 The Flute 216 Making music out of thin air 216 Hearing the flute 217 The Piccolo 218 The Oboe 219 Playing the oboe 221 Hearing the oboe 222 The English Horn 223 The Clarinet 223 Transposing instruments 223 Hearing the clarinet 225 The Saxophone 226 The Bassoon 227 Chapter 9: The Top (and Bottom) Brass 231 Making a Sound on a Brass Instrument 232 The French Horn 233 Hunting for notes: The natural horn 234 Adding valves: The modern, treacherous horn 234 Hearing the French horn 235 The Trumpet 236 Tonguing 237 Using mutes 237 Hearing the trumpet 237 The Trombone 238 Sliding around 239 Hearing the trombone 240 The Tuba 241 A gaggle of tubas 241 Hearing the tuba 242 Pet Peeves of the Brassily Inclined 242 Chapter 10: Percussion’s Greatest Hits 243 The Timpani 244 Drum roll, please! 246 Hearing the timpani 246 The Bass Drum 246 The Cymbals 247 The Snare Drum 247 The Xylophone 248 Other Xylo-like Instruments 250 More Neat Instruments Worth Banging 250 The triangle 250 The tambourine 252 The tam-tam and gong 253 The castanets 254 The whip 254 The cowbell 255 The ratchet 255 Part 4: Peeking Into the Composer’s Brain 257 Chapter 11: The Dreaded Music Theory Chapter 259 I’ve Got Rhythm: The Engine of Music 260 Dividing up time 260 Feeling the beat 261 Sight-reading for the first time 262 Making notes longer 263 Making notes shorter 264 Adding a dot 265 Taking the final exam 266 Understanding Pitch: Beethoven at 5,000 rpm 267 Performing an experiment for the betterment of mankind 268 12 pitches! 269 Notating pitches 270 Dave ’n’ Scott’s 99.9999% Key-Determining Method 278 Why we have keys 279 Making the Leap into Intervals 280 The major second 281 The major third 282 The fourth 282 The fifth 283 The major sixth 284 The major seventh 285 The octave 285 Telling the difference: major and minor intervals 286 The minor second 286 The minor third 287 The minor fifth (not!) — aka the tritone 288 The minor sixth 288 The minor seventh 289 Getting on the Scale 290 Constructing a Melody 292 Getting Two-Dimensional: Piece and Harmony 292 Major, minor, and insignificant chords 293 Friends and relations: harmonic progressions 294 Friends, Romans, chord progressions 295 Listening to the oldies 296 Put in Blender, Mix Well 297 Getting Your Music Theory Degree 298 Chapter 12: Once More, with Feeling: Tempo, Dynamics, and Orchestration 299 Meet the Dynamics Duo: Soft and Loud 300 Honey, I shrunk the LoudSoft™ 301 Wearing Italian hairpins 302 Getting into matters of sonic taste 303 Throwing Tempo Tantrums 303 Telling ’Bones from Heckelphones: Orchestration Made Easy 304 Playing with sound colors 304 Notating orchestrations 304 Who’s the orchestrator? 305 Part 5: the Part of Tens 307 Chapter 13: The Ten Most Common Misconceptions about Classical Music 309 Classical Music Is Boring 309 Classical Music Is for Snobs 310 All Modern Concert Music Is Hard to Listen to 310 They Don’t Write Classical Music Anymore 311 You Have to Dress Up to Go to the Symphony 311 If You Haven’t Heard of the Guest Artist, She Can’t Be Any Good 311 Professional Musicians Have It Easy 312 The Best Seats Are Down Front 313 Clapping between Movements Is Illegal, Immoral, and Fattening 313 Classical Music Can’t Change Your Life 314 Chapter 14: The Ten Best Musical Terms for Cocktail Parties 315 Atonal 316 Cadenza 316 Concerto 317 Counterpoint 317 Crescendo 317 Exposition 318 Intonation 318 Orchestration 318 Repertoire 318 Rubato 318 Tempo 319 Using Your New-Found Mastery 319 Chapter 15: Ten Great Classical Music Jokes 321 Master of Them All 321 The Heavenly Philharmonic 322 Brass Dates 322 The Late Maestro 323 Basses Take a Breather 323 Houseless Violist 324 Ludwig’s Grave 324 The Weeping Violist 324 Musicians’ Revenge 325 One Last Viola Joke 325 Chapter 16: Ten Ways to Get More Music in Your Life 327 Get Involved with Your Orchestra 327 Join a Classical Music Tour 328 Meet the Artists — Be a Groupie 328 Make Music Friends on the Internet 329 Join an Unlimited Music Service 330 Listen to Your Local Classical Station 330 Load Up on Your Own Recordings 331 Watch Classical Music Movies 332 Study Up on the Classics 333 Make Your Own Music 334 Part 6: the Appendixes 337 Appendix A: Listen to This! Starting a Classical Music Collection 339 List 1: Old Favorites 340 List 2: MILD on the Taste Meter 341 List 3: MEDIUM on the Taste Meter 342 List 4: MEDIUM HOT on the Taste Meter 343 List 5: HOT on the Taste Meter 344 Appendix B: Classical Music Timeline 345 Appendix C: Glossary 353 Index 359

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the greatest artists our country has is Benny Golson. He is not only a great musician, but an original and fabulous composer. He is inventive and creative and his work is loved the world over. Benny is a rare, creative genius. All I would like to say is THREE CHEERS for Benny Golson!Tony BennettComposer supreme, tenor man supreme, jazz man supreme, good guy supreme: that's BENNY GOLSON!Sonny RollinsBorn during thede factoinaugural era of jazz, saxophonist Benny Golson learned his instrument and the vocabulary of jazz alongside John Coltrane while Golson was still in high school in Philadelphia. Quickly establishing himself as an iconic fixture on the jazz landscape, Golson performed with dozens of jazz greats, from Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, and Jimmy Heath to Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, and many others. An acclaimed composer, Golson also wrote music for Hollywood films and television and composed such memorable jazz standards as Stablemates, Killer Joe, and Whisper NTable of ContentsPreface, by Jim Merod IntroductionPart I John Coltrane Chapter 1 One of a Kind: John Coltrane Chapter 2 John and I Meet Diz and Bird Chapter 3 John Becomes a Dynamo Part II The ’Hood and Youthful Reckonings Chapter 4 Uncle Robert and the Man Chapter 5 Two Heroes and a Night at Minton’s Chapter 6 Early Tragedies and Victories Chapter 7 Welfare Days, Hard TimesPart III Great People Chapter 8 No One Else: Bobbie Hurd Chapter 9 Moose and Bostic Chapter 10 Art Blakey’s Neophytes and Tadd Dameron’s Luck Chapter 11 Further Adventures with Tadd and an Evening with Louis Armstrong Chapter 12 The Duel: Clifford Brown and Fats Navarro Chapter 13 Wonder and Beauty: Betty Carter and Art Farmer Chapter 14 Genius Squared: Jimmy and Percy Heath Chapter 15 Unrivaled Aces: Sarah Vaughan and Bill Evans Chapter 16 Four "Brothers": Mulgrew Miller, Woody Herman, Henry Brant, and George RussellPart IV Hollywood Chapter 17 Starting Over Chapter 18 Gettin’ My Mojo Workin’ Chapter 19 M*A*S*H Chapter 20 Movie Stars Like Jazz, TooPart V Amazing Friendships Chapter 21 Quincy Jones Chapter 22 Sweets and Diz Chapter 23 Philly Joe Jones Chapter 24 Monk, Max, and Dinah Chapter 25 Curtis Fuller and The JazztetPart VI Music and Writing Chapter 26 Writing Chapter 27 Lessons Chapter 28 "Stablemates": My First Recorded Song Chapter 29 "Along Came Betty" Chapter 30 "I Remember Clifford" Chapter 31 The Ballad and "Weight"Part VII Icons Chapter 32 Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks Chapter 33 Duke and Strayhorn Chapter 34 Coleman Hawkins Chapter 35 Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk Chapter 36 Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Chapter 37 Kenny Dorham and Lee Morgan Chapter 38 Sonny Rollins Chapter 39 Great Performances: Oscar Pettiford, Ron Carter, Billy Higgins, Billy Taylor, and Walter Davis, Jr. Chapter 40 Charles Mingus, Benny Goodman, Gigi Gryce, and Horace Silver Chapter 41 Peggy Lee and Diana Ross Chapter 42 Milt "Bags" Jackson, Larry Young, Joe Farrell, and Tony Williams Chapter 43 Wynton Kelly and Chick Corea Chapter 44 Miles Davis and Geoffrey Keezer Chapter 45 Mickey Rooney, Redd Foxx, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Muhammad AliPart VIII Verses and a Coda Chapter 46 Notes on Starting Over Chapter 47 The Blues Chapter 48 Brielle Coda: A New Way of Life Acknowledgments Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1997, as George Lucas worked to complete early drafts for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, he enlisted the talents of some of the greatest storyboard artists of the modern era to illustrate conceptual storyboards that would inform the development of the final shooting script, as well as the finished film. Working from Lucas's ideas for scenes and sequences, these artists produced beautiful drawings that helped lay the foundations for the worlds, characters, and shots of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. Together, these conceptual storyboards show early takes on favorite scenes; alternate, unused approaches to character designs and environments; and entirely different approaches to key moments. Like wordless comic books, they have an energy and rhythm all their own that is fascinating to explore.Now, for the first time, Lucasfilm has opened its archives to present the best of the conceptual storyboards for Episodes I, II, and III. Star Wars Story

Read more less

Book Synopsis Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak’s The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story reveals the design evolution of each fantastical set, otherworldly machine, and unforgettable character in the film.  Foreword by James Clyne and Neil Lamont   Packed with hundreds of spectacular images, including production paintings, concept art and sketches, storyboards, and matte paintings, The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story is the definitive guide to the art of the film—and a must-have keepsake for fans.  “[Szostak] explores the filmmakers’ visions and illuminates their creative process. . . . and provides a deep dive into the development of the worlds, characters, and creatures – both old and new – of Solo.” —IGN  “Seeing art imagined for a film, whether it ended up being used or not, is an educational gift, a look into the process and gTrade Review"The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story reveals, for the first time, hundreds of spectacular images, including production paintings, concept art and sketches, storyboards, and matte paintings. This must-have keepsake for fans joins The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Art of Star Wars: Rogue One, and The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi as the ultimate behind-the­scenes guide to LucasFilm." -- Sci Fi magazine“The genesis of the spinoff film is explored in the newly released The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story by Phil Szostak, which collects hundreds of pieces of concept art, sketches, and early computer renderings tracing the evolution of the film.” -- Yahoo!“full of beautifully rendered images that either served as concept art or storyboards for the Star Wars anthology movie. “With over 200 pages of beautiful images and insights from the creative crew behind Solo, you'd be hard-pressed to find something more valuable outside a train car full of coaxium.” -- Syfy Wire“Seeing art imagined for a film, whether it ended up being used or not, is an educational gift, a look into the process and genesis of locations and character development. It’s why “Art of” books are special" -- Nerdist“Szostak has worked with the Star Wars art departments for nearly a decade. He explores the filmmakers' visions and illuminates their creative process. The book features concept art, costume sketches, storyboards, and blueprints, and provides a deep dive into the development of the worlds, characters, and creatures – both old and new – of Solo.” -- IGN“The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story, published by Abrams Books, offers unprecedented insight into the Lucasfilm art department’s concept work over the course of Solo’s production.” -- Gizmodo“Author Phil Szostak worked directly with the team at Disney to uncover the most vital art and concept illustrations created in the lead-up to the film... The Art of Solo is just the latest in an entire series of lavish art books covering all of the modern Star Wars films. “ -- Polygon"With The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story, written by Phil Szostak and published by Abrams Books, fans can explore the evolution of characters, settings, creatures, and technology. The story covers the artistic journey that led to the production of Solo through a collection of production paintings, sketches, concepts and matte paintings." -- Starwars.com“…loaded with great concept art that tracks the creation of the film’s many worlds and characters.” -- /Film"The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story offers unprecedented insight into the Lucasfilm art department’s concept work over the course of Solo’s production" -- Express.co.uk"... presents a variety of concept art, sketches and matte paintings from the new Star Wars movie." -- SFX"The Art Of Solo: A Star Wars Story is the perfect compliment showing off the skill and imagination of those people who brought its concepts to the big screen. For people who are fascinated by the behind the scenes workings of a huge film like this, it offers a range of insights and commentary. In some ways, it is the best of Abrams’ Art Of books in recent years because it feels like you really get into the minds of the production team on Solo. . . well worth picking up for fans of Star Wars and even those with a passing interest” -- Tripwire"The new custodian of the behind the scenes publishing flame for the modern Star Wars saga, Phil Szostak, re-teams with the ever-pioneering Abrams Books to deliver another stylish and truly gorgeous portfolio book of incredible and evocative conceptual and production art, this time for the newly released Solo: A Star Wars Story, presenting visual beauty, action and drama from across this well-crafted film's near four-year production cycle, via many sumptuous and spectacular spreads created by a diverse set of dedicated artists" -- Star Wars Aficionado“The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story reveals, for the first time, the design evolution of each new fantastical set, otherworldly machine, and unforgettable character in the film. Packed with hundreds of spectacular images, including production paintings, concept art and sketches, storyboards, and matte paintings, The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story is the definitive guide to the art of the film―and a must-have keepsake for fans . . . wallow in the glorious artwork and concept drawings that abound in this amazing collection, again published by Abrams. No one can fill Harrison Ford's shoes when it comes to Han Solo, but the opportunity to find out how he turned out the way he did is not to be missed if this book is anything to go by . . . A sumptuous book.” -- BooksMonthly"The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story is the definitive guide to the art of the film—and a must-have keepsake for fans." -- Jedi News“This book is a must-have for any Star Wars-loving dad or father figure.” -- Space.com"Trust me, it’s a good book, a really good book, and it's jam-packed with so much content, like art, trivia, and that sort of thing, you will spend more time reading it than watching the actual movie it was created for." -- Comic Books and Movie Reviews“The series of “The Art Of” books published by Abrams thus far have offered jaw-droppingly beautiful, fascinating insight into the hard work that goes into making a Star Wars movie…” -- Collider"The Art of Solo is a treasure trove of fascinating information and images, all of which brings us closer to the much-loved Star Wars universe and allows us to discover and understand the many choices that artists, designers and directors had to make along the way." -- Flicks and The City"As with all the previous ‘Art of Star Wars’ books from Abrams, this is a big, weighty, beautifully put together book. The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story is packed full of hundreds of drawings, paintings, concept artworks and illustrations showing every detail of the design process. With production notes, storyboards and sketches detailing the various characters, aliens, planets and space ships from the movie." -- This is Cool"Szostak does a great job of organising the production detail for the design, just as he did for ‘The Art Of The Force Awakens’ and ‘The Art Of The Last Jedi’. Many of the images are cross page or full page and are presented in Abrams’ inimitable coffee book style on beautiful glossy pages. [...] the ‘Art Of-’ titles are the best thing we fans have to getting close to the movie’s production process." -- SFcrowsnest“there’s drawing-board insight, by the ton; it’s a rare painting/storyboard/thumbnail that isn’t thoughtfully and candidly annotated by the concept artist responsible.” -- Total Film"If you like the movie or you want to continue the series, then you should definitely get this book." -- Collector Base"The book isn't just a collection of images, though, as Phil Szostak's commentary, incorporating interviews with production designer Neil Lamont, design supervisor James Clyne, and screenwriter Jon Kasdan, digs into the process behind all the designs. There's a lot to learn about the creative process..." -- Starburst"It takes a vast team of skilled artists to visualize even the smallest part of the Star Wars universe. Tirelessly working behind the scenes, an army of creatives use their talents to deliver the films that have become such an important part of popular culture, yet much of their artistic output won’t necessarily see the light of day. That, quite literally, is what being a concept artist is all about—discarded ideas are an essential part of the design journey, and make for a fascinating insight into the creative process" -- Star Wars Insider

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn inspiring and interactive workbook to help you develop skills for longform improvisation, by one of the UK’s top improv performers and teachers. Structured as a twelve-week course, this book provides techniques, advice and exercises that can be done on your own or in groups – with activities to complete as you go – for learning faster and becoming (more) amazing at improvisation. It draws on the author’s own experience of performing and teaching improv around the world, with added gems of wisdom from key experts. Starting with the basics of improvisation, it moves on to explore areas of the craft such as rehearsals, character, editing, form and style; plus career advice including how to cope with bad gigs, jealousy, fear of missing out and your Inner Critic. The Improviser’s Way is ideal for improvisers at any level – from those new to improv entirely, through those familiar with shortform who are looking to extend their reach, to experienced longform performers and teachers looking to refresh their approach and embrace new ideas. It is also invaluable to anyone looking to discover more about this popular, thrillingly creative and empowering form of performance. By the end, you won’t just be a better improviser – you’ll be a better person!Trade Review'Concise and easy to follow… highly recommended for both budding artists and old-hats alike, as it really does have something for everyone' * Drama Magazine *'An interactive tool that will challenge the reader's perceptions... witty and concise' * Drama & Theatre magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe definitive look at how the 70s movie makers changed the face of cinema

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fascinating story of a hugely popular instrument, detailing its rich and varied history from the Middle Ages to the presentTrade Review“The Recorder belongs in every instrument library.”—Joachim Lüdtke, Forum Musikbibliothek“It is impossible to convey in a review, the all-encompassing breadth and scope of this book. . . . This is a book which will appeal to both recorder players and historians of any music, whether student, amateur, or professional and is highly recommended to anyone.”—Emily Baines, Recorder Magazine“An engaging book, brimming with observations that provide an unprecedentedly vivid account of the recorder’s roots and evolution.”—James Kopp, author of The Bassoon “This is the most in-depth book on the recorder ever written. Highly recommended.”—Thiemo Wind, author of Jacob van Eyck and the Others“An engaging book, brimming with observations that provide an unprecedentedly vivid account of the recorder’s roots and evolution.”—James Kopp, author of The Bassoon -- James Kopp“This is the most in-depth book on the recorder ever written. Highly recommended.”—Thiemo Wind, author of Jacob van Eyck and the Others -- Thiemo Wind

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe authoritative edition of Julius Caesar from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers.Shakespeare may have written Julius Caesar as the first of his plays to be performed at the Globe, in 1599. For it, he turned to a key event in Roman history: Caesar’s death at the hands of friends and fellow politicians. Renaissance writers disagreed over the assassination, seeing Brutus, a leading conspirator, as either hero or villain. Shakespeare’s play keeps this debate alive. This edition includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Newly revised explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a m

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFollowing the runaway success of the first volume is Cinema Sewer: Volume Two, an ode to the seamier side of film and the culture which surrounds it.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWildly charismatic, impossibly brilliant, totally rebellious - Will Hunting is a mathematical genius who lives on the fringes of society, refusing to accept the talent that he has for maths and taking, instead, a job as a cleaner in a university. A psychologist takes him under his wing and tries to help Hunting resolve the traumas that beset him.Matt Damon and Ben Affleck - lifelong friends and two of the best actors of their generation - have written a film that is funny, ironic and profoundly moving; one that is filled with empathy for society''s outsiders and their struggle to fight their way through life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Girl in a Band Kim Gordon, founding member of Sonic Youth and role model for a generation of women, tells her story. She writes frankly about her route from girl to woman and pioneering icon within the music and art scene of New York City in the 1980s and 90s as well as marriage, motherhood, and independence. Filled with the sights and sounds of a changing world and a remarkable life, Girl in a Band is a moving, evocative chronicle of an extraordinary artist.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLit Up Inside contains the lyrics of about one third of the songs that Van Morrison has written over his 50 year career. In this representative selection from the work of one of the most innovative and enduring songwriters of the last century, the reader will find examples of all the features of the world that Van has created through his work: the back streets and mystic avenues; memories of childhood wonder and of adult work; the chime of church bells and the playing of the radio; the generous naming of other artists and the joy of solitude; love and sharp dealing; consolation and grace.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBased on the hit AMC television series, this cookbook is packed with lifesaving tips and unique recipes inspired by The Walking Dead. The Walking Dead: The Official Cookbook details the skills and recipes you need to survive (while avoiding being eaten) during a walker apocalypse. Inspired by the hit AMC television series, the book features recipes for meals featured on the show, plus food and drinks inspired by key characters and locations, along with expert information on foraging, hunting wild game, and outdoor cooking. Including familiar treats like Carl's pudding, Carol Peletier's baked goods, and Hershel's spaghetti, this is the ultimate gift for fans and walker-wary survivalists alike.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe opportunities for presenters have never been greater. But, although it's seen as a glamorous job and a step to celebrity, being a TV presenter is also hard work, and demands a varied range of journalistic, technical, performance and personal skills. With a background in TV directing, working with professional presenters and training new ones for the TV industry, Kathryn Wolfe takes you through the techniques and skills required to become a successful presenter, including: How to read from a prompt and use in-ear monitoring How to talk to camera and talk to time How to cope with live, recorded, studio and location shoots How to present from home How to present for specialist channels (children's, shopping, weather) How to create a successful CV and convincing showreel Hands-on exercises and checklists will guide you through improving your posture, overcoming nerves, developing correct breathing and good diction, being natural, evaluating your performance, and much more. The book is also packed with accessible advice and top tips from dozens of experienced and new presenters currently working on TV. It tells you what happens in auditions, and, above all, how to go about getting a job as a presenter. 'Essential and entertaining, this is a superb one-stop shop for anyone aiming at an on-camera career. Invaluable insider insights from a top telly-box talent' Paul Ross (The Big Breakfast, Channel 4; Jeopardy!, Sky One; This Morning, ITV) 'Kathryn is the consummate teacher in TV presenting. Skilled at helping people find their own style, while combining with traditional tips and tricks used by more established presenters' Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije (Jeremy Vine, Channel 5; 5 News) 'This splendid book covers every aspect of the job. I look forward to seeing you on my telly!' Chris Tarrant (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, ITV) 'Accessible, engaging and easily read… a great companion guide on your journey' Natasha Huq (Grand Designs: The Streets, Channel 4)Trade Review'Practical and informative... Kathryn Wolfe knows her stuff' * The Stage *

Read more less

Book SynopsisEnjoy Playing Guitar: Going Solo is an outstanding repertoire book for all aspiring classical guitarists. A refreshed and enlarged edition of Enjoy Playing Guitar Solos, this collection provides an excellent range of practice and concert material. It is the ideal companion to Tutor Books 1 and 2 in the same series, or can equally be used as a stand-alone repertoire resource. The carefully selected pieces cover a wide variety of styles, and all fall within the technical levels of the early grades, avoiding large stretches for smaller hands. With short background notes and performance tips for each piece, this volume is an essential addition to any guitarist''s collection.Table of ContentsOle Jose ; Musette ; Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho ; Sussex Carol ; Landler ; Lullaby ; Pepe's Sombrero ; Ding dong! merrily on high ; The Celtic Cross ; Robin's Revel ; Coconut Corn ; A Strange Dream ; Carnival in the Rain ; The Foggy Dew ; The Willow Tree ; Downtown Doodle ; Apache Dance ; Skye Boat Song ; Athena's Dance ; On the High Plateau ; Vals Facil ; Daffodil Waltz ; Nashville Nick ; Moondust ; Those Homework Blues!

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisHoward Goodall is an Emmy, BRIT and BAFTA award-winning composer of choral music, stage musicals, film and TV scores - among them Red Dwarf, QI and Blackadder - as well as a distinguished broadcaster and the author of Big Bangs: The Story of Five Discoveries that Changed Musical History. In recent years he has been England's first ever National Ambassador for Singing, the Classical Brit Composer of the Year, and Classic FM's Composer-in-Residence. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to music education.Trade ReviewGoodall has a prodigious gift for gathering information. People who know nothing about music will learn a lot here * Sunday Tribune *Intelligent, infectious * Observer *Writing a breezy history of music is a tough nut to crack, but Goodall manages it * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFounding member of Megadeth and former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine tells a never-before-heard story of the lifetime he has spent in rock n' roll. But this extraordinary tale, riddled with his own personal ups and downs, is also the inside account of two of the most influential heavy metal bands in the world.Here, for the first time ever, Dave Mustaine tells the tale of two of the biggest metal bands in history; a story yet to be told from the inside. Metallica, the pioneers of the thrash metal genre, rocketed to international fame in the 1980s, selling over 90 million records worldwide, making it the most successful band of its kind ever. Megadeth, the second most successful thrash metal band ever, have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, including six consecutive platinum albums.Despite their enormous success together, Dave and Metallica have bad blood by the bucket-load. In April of 1983, due in part to alcoholism and in part to personality clashes with founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, Dave was unceremoniously fired from the band, dumped at a Greyhound bus station in Rochester, NY with a single ticket back to LA. How did such an abrupt end come about? How did he pick himself back up, recover his dignity, and go on to send another band into the dizzying heights of rock stardom? The time has come to set the record straight.From the early, crazy days of Metallica to his split with the band, and to his glorious reign with Megadeth, Dave has seen and experienced life's extremities. This startlingly candid, refreshingly in-your-face memoir tells it all.Trade Review'Tales of the heavy metal high life' Record Collector

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘I’m just a cosmic yob, I suppose.’‘I change every day. I’m not outrageous. I’m David Bowie.’‘I’m an instant star. Just add water and stir.’Genre-hopping, gender-bending: Bowie has never been afraid to pushthe boundaries. Whether masquerading as an alien, a spaceman or a goblin king, this rock ‘n’ roll hero was a true visionary. The death of the Man Who Fell to Earth shook fans around the world, but his influence lives on.Pocket Bowie Wisdom is full of insights into music, identity, fame, love and creativity from one of the most pioneering musicians of all time. This collection of quotes makes a perfect gift for the Bowie fan in your life.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisGinger tells his story for the first time. It's often harrowing but outrageously honest as he journey's from war-torn south London to his adopted home in South Africa's beautiful Western Cape - where he has his own polo club. Along the way he tells of his life-long love of jazz, how he discovered the drums, life on the road and reveals the heroin use that should have killed him. He talks candidly of his three marriages, his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Cream in 1993, their 2005 reunion and his own plans for the future.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"How to Play Piano" contains everything the new or intermediate piano player needs to know to really get to grips with making music on this most popular of instruments. Highly practical, it leads you from the basics to more complex techniques, covering playing with the left hand, right hand and both together, along with a basic introduction to reading music. The clear text is accompanied by illustrative photos and diagrams, and the guide is complemented by some classic practice pieces to try your hand(s) at, such as "Für Elise" and "Pachelbel's Canon", as well as a glossary and further reading.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover the real Michael McIntyre through his remarkable and hilarious journey to comedy stardom in his first official autobiography''This book showed me the REAL Michael McIntyre'' 5***** READER REVIEW''It made me laugh, cry, laugh, laugh and laugh some more'' 5***** READER REVIEW''Simply is a must read . . . His story is fascinating'' 5***** READER REVIEW''To anyone who loves Michael McIntyre - you will not be disappointed!'' 5***** READER REVIEWTHE NO. 1 BESTSELLER_______Michael McIntyre is Britain''s biggest comedy star. But how did he get there? Michael reveals all in his remarkably honest and hilarious autobiography, Life and Laughing.From his showbiz roots to his appalling attempts to attract the opposite sex, his fish-out-of-water move from public to state school, and his astonishing journey from selling just one ticket at the Edinburgh Festival to selling half a million tickets on tour.Filled with riveting anecdotes and poignant lessons, Life and Laughing is the unmissable story of Britain''s biggest comedian''s rise to stardom.Above all, it''s very, very funny.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBob Dylan's impact on popular music has been incalculable. Having transformed staid folk music into a vehicle for coruscating social commentary, he then swept away the romantic platitudes of rock 'n' roll with his searing intellect.From the zeitgeist-encapsulating protest of 'Blowin' in the Wind' to the streetwise venom of 'Like a Rolling Stone', and from the stunning mid-sixties trilogy of albums - Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde - to Time Out of Mind, his stunning if world-weary comeback at the age of 56, Dylan's genius has endured, underpinned by the dazzling turn of phrase that has made him the pre-eminent poet of popular music.Because Dylan's achievements have no equal, his career is the most chronicled in rock history. Here, Sean Egan presents a selection of the best writing on Dylan, both praise and criticism. Interviews, essays, features and reviews from Dylan intimates and scholars such as John Bauldie, Michael Gray, Nat Hentoff and Jules Siegel are interspersed with new narrative and reviews of every single album to create a comprehensive picture of the artist whose chimes of freedom still resound.Trade ReviewManages to catch some of Dylan's magic. * Catholic Herald *Fascinating and hilarious anecdotes. * Jewish Chronicle *A great book ... as discursive and illuminating as any recent book on Dylan I've read. * Craig McGregor, author of 'Bob Dylan: A Retrospective' *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA biography of Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), by one of the leading scholars of nineteenth- and twentieth-century French music, that is based on a wealth of written and oral evidence, some newly translated and some derived from interviews with the composer's friends and associates.Trade Review"'An insightful biography.' (Michael Downes, Times Literary Supplement) 'A quite superb book, simply entitled Ravel, written by the Englishman who knows his work better than any other, Roger Nichols.' (Simon Heffer, The Sunday Telegraph) 'reliable and agreeably readable.' (Norman Lebrecht, New Statesman) 'To anyone with a special interest in Ravel, this book will be essential reading... Surely the composer's most comprehensive and authoritative English-language biography.' (Daniel Snowman, Literary Review) 'A compelling new biography unravels the mysteries surrounding Ravel... Mysterious to the end, the fascination of its subject remains fresh throughout this thorough and sympathetic account.' (Robert Maycock, BBC Music Magazine)"

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFinally an authorized libretto to this modern day classic! ÊRentÊ won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as four Tony Awards including Best Musical Best Book and Best Score for Jonathan Larson. The story of Mark Roger Maureen Tom Collins Angel Mimi JoAnne and their friends on the Lower East Side of New York City will live on along with the affirmation that there is no day but today. Includes 16 color photographs of productions of ÊRentÊ from around the world plus an introduction ( Rent Is Real ) by Victoria Leacock Hoffman.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs countries went into lockdown in 2020, people turned to music for comfort and solidarity. Neighbours sang to each other from their balconies; people participated in online music sessions that created an experience of socially distanced togetherness. Nicholas Cook argues that the value of music goes far beyond simple enjoyment. Music can enhance well-being, interpersonal relationships, cultural tolerance, and civil cohesion. At the same time, music can be a tool of persuasion or ideology. Thinking about music helps bring into focus the values that are mobilised in today’s culture wars. Making music together builds relationships of interdependence and trust: rather than escapism, it offers a blueprint for a community of mutual obligation and interdependence. Music: Why It Matters is for anyone who loves playing, listening to, or thinking about music, as well as those pursuing it as a career.Trade Review‘A witty, concise, and far-reaching book about music in a global context.’Suddhaseel Sen, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay‘A ringing riposte to the assumption that music has little to say about the critical issues of our time. Cook shows us just a few of the countless ways in which music is an indelible aspect of what it means to be human – most crucially, because music teaches us nothing less than how to live.’George E. Lewis FBA, Columbia UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsor maybe it doesn’t? music for good or illideology in disguisemusic, race, colonialismafter BLMmusic and asocial individualismmusic, nostalgia, delusionmusic and administered societymusical togethernessmusic, covid, ethicspandemic intimacyNotesFurther Reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor Tim Lawrence examines the city's party, dance, music, and art culture between 1980 and 1983, tracing the rise, apex, and fall of this inventive, vibrant, and tumultuous scene.Trade Review"Lawrence goes into remarkable depth to portray this world which, during its few short years, gained expansive popularity and had a significant impact on art, film, literature, and culture. His meticulous research, with details on the leading figures, trends, events, places, and music that made it all happen, also provides critical/analytical commentary on the social backdrop of the times, the genesis of the emerging and eclectic music/dance styles, and the essence of this artistic renaissance. In addition to the well-selected photographs, notes, and bibliography, set lists, discographies, and a filmography add to the title's impressive breadth. Cultural historians and those familiar with the 1980s milieu will find this informative and insightful." -- Carol J. Binkowski * Library Journal *"Through a comprehensive and lushly detailed text stuffed with original photos from dance floors, DJ booths, and parties, Lawrence imparts the mood, the music, the faces and the places from that remarkable era, with a nostalgic nod to nights where 'a new kind of freedom was set to rule the night.' ... Dance music historians will want this book for reference, while others who recall these days with a sense of longing will close its covers and dream of the days when nightlife amounted to a line of cocaine, a Madonna remix, and a dark, packed dance floor in a basement club in the Village." -- Jim Piechota * Bay Area Reporter *"Life and Death provides the most intensive mapping of this brief era of New York subculture we've yet seen. The book's strength is its depth of research, drawing on the realtime journalism of the era as well as many new interviews. The detail is fascinating, as Lawrence salvages ephemeral events, forgotten people, and lost places from the fog of faded memory." -- Simon Reynolds * Bookforum *"Exceptionally accessible (the author’s passion for his subject shows through on every page; it’s easy to imagine how his knowledge and genuine interest opened many a door and got people talking, telling tales recorded here that might not otherwise have seen the light of day), the raw, new energy of the city is accurately captured and conveyed. No small feat.... Seriously, when’s the last time you read a book you could actually dance to?" -- Tom Cardamone * Lambda Literary Review *"The focus here is clearly music. Mr. Lawrence even includes some D.J. playlists for the listener to investigate. But Life and Death is more expansive than that — it takes you deep into a time and place, the good-old-bad-old-days of pre-Rudolph Giuliani New York, which many have valorized for some time now. If the 1970s have been thoroughly examined, the early ’80s have been left relatively unexplored, and while Mr. Lawrence provides a lot of minutiae, he also delivers a story with some sweep." -- Michaelangelo Matos * New York Times *"[I]f you have no abiding love for New York, disco, hip-hop, studio techniques, or fast and dirty real-estate shuffles—there must be such people, statistically—perhaps Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor will not hold you. But if you care for any of those things, and even if that concern borders on the obsessive, you will benefit from Lawrence’s investigations." -- Sasha Frere-Jones * The New Yorker *"The cast of characters in the book can be staggering, the exhaustive accounts overwhelming — Lawrence interviewed or corresponded with more than 130 people, and he makes room for their voices — but that's part of the point: He wants a crowded and motley party. This is a scrupulously researched, marvelously detailed history." -- Megan Pugh * Village Voice *"[A] compelling tale, beautifully told. As one who was fortunate enough to have landed in New York during this timeframe, Lawrence does a cracking job capturing a time when even listening to the city’s black radio stations at noon could change your life. It was a surreal, magical period of ground-breaking activity which now seems hard to believe could actually happen at the same time in the same city. Finally, here’s the proof." -- Kris Needs * Record Collector *"[O]ffers fresh detail and insight on the clubs, DJs, parties and recordings that emerged from the scene. He even offers DJ playlists from different clubs." -- Andy Beta * Wall Street Journal *"Tim Lawrence's Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor 1980-1983, the definitive history of that fabled time in the city, is already taking on the status of a sacred text." -- David Hershkovits * Paper Magazine *"Reading Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor as a clubber in the city is to reflect not only on what’s been lost over the past three decades, but on how the sounds, events and characters at the center of Lawrence’s story still influence NYC’s nightlife. . . . [W]hat Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor makes acutely obvious, as both volume and prism, is not just the cultural value of the city’s party scene, but how it also serves as a moral compass – and how it still can." -- Piotr Olov * The Guardian *"Life & Death defines New York's unnamed era of invention. When Boy George was nicking from the cloakroom at Blitz, and everyone else was at The Batcave, this is how it ran in NYC. With hundreds of interviews, deep research and enlightening playlists, it's almost as invigorating as being there." * DJ Magazine *"Lawrence has mustered convincing evidence for the case that Madonna was not the most important cultural creation of early 1980s New York. . . . Lawrence is most convincing when he documents the remarkable variety and genre-blurring fecundity of sounds available to tuned-in city dwellers, a diversity that was even more bracing when contrasted with the monotonous airwaves stifling the rest of North America." -- Robert Anasi * TLS *"Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor is a remarkably intense piece of 'community history writing.' It breathes life into an iconic historical epoch and sociocultural scene without ever retreating into nostalgia or naive celebration. In fact, there's something unexpectedly electrifying about reading Lawrence's exceptionally well-researched historical studies. It is the sensation of remotely yet meaningfully becoming part of something hitherto only secretly known. One becomes slowly yet unequivocally aware of how that specific era's cultural and sociopolitical conditions, so thoroughly reconstructed in these works, resonate with the current sense of cultural and political impasse." -- Niels Van Tomme * The Wire *Table of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xvii Introduction 1 Part I. 1980: The Recalibration of Disco 1. Stylistic Coherence Didn't Matter at All 11 2. The Basement Den at Club 57 30 3. Danceteria: Midtown Feels the Downtown Storm 48 4. Subterranean Dance 60 5. The Bronx-Brooklyn Approach 73 6. The Sound Became More Real 92 7. Major-Label Calculations 105 8. The Saint Peter of Discos 111 9. Lighting the Fuse 122 Part II. 1981: Accelerating Toward Pluralism 10. Explosion of Clubs 135 11. Artistic Maneuvers in the Dark 155 12. Downton Configures Hip Hop 170 13. The Sound of a Transcendent Future 184 14. The New Urban Street Sound 199 15. It Wasn't Rock and Roll and It Wasn't Disco 210 16. Frozen in Time or Freed into Infinity 221 17. It Felt Like the Whole City Was Listening 232 18. Shrouded Abatements and Mysterious Deaths 239 Part III. 1982: Dance Culture Seizes the City 19. All We Had Was the Club 245 20. Inverted Pyramid 257 21. Roxy Music 271 22. The Garage: Everybody Was Listening to Everything 279 23. The Planet Rock Groove 288 24. Techno Funksters 304 25. Taste Segues 314 26. Stormy Weather 320 27. Cusp of an Important Fusion 331 Part IV. 1983: The Genesis of Division 28. Cristal for Everyone 343 29. Dropping the Pretense and the Flashy Suits 369 30. Straighten It Out with Larry Levan 381 31. Stripped-Down and Scrambled Sounds 400 32. We Became Part of This Energy 419 33. Sex and Dying 430 34. We Got the Hits, We Got the Future 438 35. Behind the Groove 449 Epilogue. Life, Death, and the Hereafter 458 Notes 485 Selected Discography 515 Selected Filmography 529 Selected Bibliography 521 Index 537

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Snow White to Shrek, it is the design that communicates a character's personality, before a single word of dialogue is spoken. This book explains the design concepts, character hierarchy, and on how to work with script, how to maximize a pose, and how to finish a character that sparkles. It also includes advice from professionals.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Aja" was the album that made Steely Dan a commercial force on the order of contemporaries like Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles and Chicago. A double-platinum, Grammy-winning bestseller, it lingered on the Billboard charts for more than a year and spawned three hit singles. This book paints a detailed picture of the making of a masterpiece.Trade ReviewMusician and songwriter Breithaupt's book pores over every last note of Josie, Deacon Blues, Peg and the like with the enthusiasm of a teenybopper and the insight of an academic. -- Terry Staunton * Record Collector *Aja was the album that made Steely Dan a commercial force on the order of contemporaries like Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Chicago. A double-platinum, Grammy-winning bestseller, it lingered on the Billboard charts for more than a year after its 1977 release and spawned three hit singles. Odd, then, that its creators saw it as an `ambitious, extended` work, the apotheosis of their anti-rock, anti-band, anti-glamour aesthetic. Including an in-depth interview with Dan co-founder Donald Fagen, this book - part of Continuum`s ongoing 33 1/3 series - by Canadian musician and music journalist Don Breithaupt paints a detailed picture of the making of a masterpiece. * Upper North Side *Don Breithaupt has crafted an informative book about Steely Dan's platinum sixth album, Aja—part of Continuum Press' 33 1/3 series on acclaimed albums in rock history. The author analyzes Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's cryptic word play and arty rock and West Coast studio contributions to the 1977 release and tried to build a case in support of his fervid-fan claim that Aja is ‘the best record in the solar system. * Downbeat Magazine *Aja is the first one [in the series] I've read, but I'll be checking out the others. Highly recommended. * Stereophile *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less