Entertainment Books
Hal Leonard Corporation The Les Paul Guitar Book A Complete History of
Book SynopsisTHE LES PAUL BOOK - UPDATED EDITION
£21.25
Taylor & Francis Secrets of Hollywood Special Effects
Book SynopsisWhether you are a working professional, a performance student or just interested in the techniques behind the effects, Secrets of Hollywood Special Effects provides the insights you've been looking for. This text is the comprehensive guide to special effects. Many different kinds of effects are covered, including chemicals, pyrotechnics, weapons, levitation and weather. Written by a recognized expert in the field, this book contains over 200 illustrations and diagrams providing in depth coverage of every detail. Case studies and a behind the scenes look at the 'The Fisher King' are included.Table of ContentsRain and water; Snow; Steam; Smoke; Fire; Chemical effects; Wire flying and levitation; Weapons; Non-pyrotechnic projectiles; Pyrotechnics; Fireworks; Special effects and stunts; The Gleason Years; The Fisher King; Appendix; Glossary.
£114.00
Oldcastle Books ANIMATION Pocket Essentials
Book Synopsis
£4.49
Hawthorn Press The Storytellers Way: A Sourcebook for Inspired
Book SynopsisLearn how to tell stories for entertainment, teaching, coaching, healing or making meaning. It contains a wealth of stories, exercises, questions, tips and insights to guide your storytelling path, offering time-tested and trusted ways to improve your skills, overcome blocks and become a confident and inspirational storyteller.
£17.00
Silman-James Press,U.S. Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-Up Comedy
Book SynopsisIf you want to build a stand-up comedy career, this book is a must read. If you want to write comedy, this book is a must-read. If you simply enjoy comedy ... this book is a must read. Part One offers essential advice about understanding the fundamentals of stand-up, studying other comedians, finding your own style, writing your material, working the live performance, and appearing on television. Fascinating, candid, insightful interviews with today''s top comedians, who discuss at length why and how they do what they do, comprise Part Two, the bulk of the book. The third and last part of the book addresses your stand-up career through interviews with noted comedy club owners, an agent, a personal manager, and a television talent co-ordinator. Literally crammed with the wisdom of today''s finest stand-up comics, in terms of quality, quantity, and timeliness information, this book is without peer.
£17.99
Empire Publications Ltd Morrissey's Manchester: The Essential Smiths
Book Synopsis
£8.50
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Music Theory in Practice, Grade 3
Book SynopsisThe Music Theory in Practice series has helped more than one million musicians worldwide to learn about the notation and theory of music. Now fully revised, this workbook remains the best way to prepare for ABRSM's Grade 3 Theory of Music Exam. Features a clear explanation of music notation, many worked examples and practice exercises, definitions of important words and concepts, specimen exam questions and helpful tips for students. As well as supporting the ABRSM Theory syllabus, this workbook also provides an excellent resource for anyone wishing to develop general music literacy skills.
£10.10
Adams Media Corporation Music Theory 101: From keys and scales to rhythm
Book SynopsisLearn the basics of music theory in this comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide.From classical to hard rock, and jazz to hip hop, music is constantly evolving, but many of the basics have stayed the same. Understanding these basics is key to becoming a successful musician and well-rounded music lover. Music Theory 101 covers everything novice musicians and lifelong learners need to know, including: -How to read sheet music -Understanding the construction of chords and scales -The different rhythm and time signatures -How keys are identified and organized Full of music trivia, music history, comprehensive instruction, and visual aids of scales, music symbols, and chords throughout, Music Theory 101 is the essential guide you need for a crash course in music theory that even professional musicians would envy.Trade Review“Comprehensive and easy-to-follow.” —Cmuse
£11.69
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press Leaving Las Vegas
Book SynopsisA re-issue of John O'Brien's debut novel, a masterpiece of modern realism about the perils of addiction and love in a city of loneliness.Leaving Las Vegas, the first novel by John O'Brien, is the disturbing and emotionally wrenching story of a woman who embraces life and a man who rejects it. Sera is a prostitute, content with the independence and routine she has carved out for herself in a city defined by recklessness. But she is haunted by a spectre in a yellow Mercedes, a man from her past who is committed to taking control of her life again. Ben is an alcoholic intent on drinking his way towards an early death. Newly arrived from Los Angeles, he survived the four-hour intoxicated drive across the desert with his entire savings in his wallet and nothing else left to lose. Looking to satisfy hungers both material and existential, Ben and Sera stumble together on the strip and discover in each other a respite from their unforgiving lives. A testimony to the raw talent of its young author, Leaving Las Vegas is a compelling story of unconditional love between two disenfranchised and lost souls - an overlooked American classic.Trade ReviewA brutal and unflinching portrait of the low life in the city of high rollers, Leaving Las Vegas is both shocking and curiously exhilarating. John O'Brien was a stunningly talented writer who created poetry from the most squalid materials. This is a beautiful and horrifying novel. -- Jay McInerneyThere is not a false note in the novel . . . [O'Brien] achieves real power in his writing. You seldom encounter it anymore, but when you do you know you've been properly whacked by a real talent. * New York Daily News *[An] immense writing talent . . . John O'Brien's life ended with a gunshot. Leaving Las Vegas, for its intensity, its bravado, and its legacy - an American tragedy that would pave the way for many more - only begins to understand why. * Esquire *The book's unique power resides in this awareness; and it allows O'Brien to breathe new life into two of the most familiar and overused archetypes of popular fiction: the drunk and the whore . . . Ben's impulse to destroy himself is so psychologically unspecific as to be sublime. * Boston Review *This book is not only dark and dire, it is crushing. How can a novel so absolutely devoid of hope be so gripping? The portrait of Sera and Ben is a tour de force - masterful and relentless. Leaving Las Vegas is the strongest and most extreme look at alcohol I've ever read. This book moved and bothered me and weeks later it is still in my mind. I think O'Brien is simply terrific. -- Ron CarlsonHere is that rarest jewel, a really fine novel. It's a magical piece of work, one of the best I've seen in a long time. John O'Brien has a very great talent. * Larry Brown *
£9.49
Titan Books Ltd Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: The Official
Book SynopsisRogue One: A Star Wars Story - The Official Mission Debrief presents an all-encompassing guide to the hugely successful movie, with unprecedented access to the making of the film, its stars, its crew and its stunning landscapes. Relive the latest movie in the world's biggest franchise over and over again. A must for any fan of Star Wars.
£13.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Uncommon People: The Rise and Fall of the Rock
Book SynopsisAs heard on BBC 6 Music with Shaun Keveny, BBC Radio 5 Live and Talk Radio with Eamonn HolmesThe age of the rock star, like the age of the cowboy, has passed. Like the cowboy, the idea of the rock star lives on in our imaginations.What did we see in them? Swagger. Recklessness. Sexual charisma. Damn-the-torpedoes self-belief. A certain way of carrying themselves. Good hair. Interesting shoes. Talent we wished we had.What did we want of them? To be larger than life but also like us. To live out their songs. To stay young forever. No wonder many didn’t stay the course.In Uncommon People, David Hepworth zeroes in on defining moments and turning points in the lives of forty rock stars from 1955 to 1995, taking us on a journey to burst a hundred myths and create a hundred more. As this tribe of uniquely motivated nobodies went about turning themselves into the ultimate somebodies, they also shaped us, our real lives and our fantasies. Uncommon People isn’t just their story. It’s ours as well.Trade ReviewMarvellous . . . The age of the rock star is over, and Hepworth’s never-less-than fascinating book is a more than fitting farewell -- Dylan Jones * GQ *David Hepworth is such a clever writer . . . Uncommon People is a gorgeous read, celebratory and bittersweet, both pep rally and memorial, throbbing with insight and incident -- Julie Burchill * Spectator *This book is a kind of elegy for a glorious but passing phase in entertainment history . . . brim[s] with insight, humour and a certain genial astringency -- Stuart Maconie * Mail on Sunday *[A] wonderful portrait of rock stardom . . . Hepworth’s writing is sublime * Daily Mail *The effect is that of faded, evocative, partisan Polaroids scattered from the memory of one obsessive music fan . . . Uncommon People emerges as part of the drive to capture, analyse and archive key moments in musical history that might otherwise vanish from popular memory before we know it * Observer *
£10.44
Dover Publications Inc. Basic Principles of Classical Ballet
Book SynopsisDiscusses all basic principles of ballet, grouping movement by fundamental types. Diagrams show clearly the exact foot, leg, arm, and body positions for the proper execution of many steps and movements. Offers dancers, teachers, and ballet lovers information often difficult to locate in other books. 118 illustrations.
£10.44
Indiana University Press Music and Embodied Cognition Listening Moving
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis is an impressive and invaluable book, and one I am sure scholars from numerous fields will be citing for years to come. * Music Theory Spectrum *Highly recommended. * Choice *This book puts forth a beautiful account of what it's like to listen to music. -- Elizabeth MargulisOne of the best studies on the role of conceptual metaphor in music comprehension and theory I've ever read. -- Mark Johnson * author (with George Lakoff) of Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind and Its Challenge to Weste *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPart One: Theoretical BackgroundIntroduction1. Mimetic Comprehension2. Mimetic Comprehension of Music3. Metaphor and Related Means of ReasoningPart Two: Spatial Conceptions4. Pitch Height5. Temporal Motion and Musical Motion6. Perspectives on Musical MotionPart Three: Beyond Musical Space7. Music and the External Senses8. Musical Affect9. Applications10. Review and ImplicationsAppendix I. Mimetic Subvocalization and Absolute PitchAppendix II. Levels of Abstraction Among MetaphorsBibliographyIndex
£25.19
University of Regina Press Antigone Undone
Book Synopsis
£19.00
Omnibus Press That's Entertainment:: My Life in the Jam
Book SynopsisRick Bucklers autobiography is the first from a member of The Jam, who some considered were the ultimate Mod band. Rick tells The Jam story from growing up in Woking and meeting fellow members Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton at school, through their formation in 1972 and tells of the band's early years before signing to Polydor records. He provides a year by year account of The Jam's progress whilst describing what it was like being a part of the music industry during the 70's and 80's and some of the characters who he met along the way including the Ramones, John Enwistle, Sid Vicious, Blondie, Boy George and Paul McCartney. Rick shares his own experiences and thoughts about what it was like to be in one of the UK's most successful bands who spent a great deal of time recording, performing and touring. Following The Jam's split in 1982, Rick gives a candid account of how he coped and his subsequent relationship with Paul and Bruce. All three members of The Jam stayed within the music industry and Rick takes the reader through his years in Time UK and various other bands up until forming From the Jam. A must read for any Jam fan.
£9.49
Orphans Publishing Visualising the Beatles
Book Synopsis
£18.75
University of California Press The Films of Akira Kurosawa 3e Expanded Updated
Book SynopsisThis study examines the work of Akira Kurosawa, one of the century's greatest film directors. It discusses his choice of themes, story-telling technique, camera work and directorial style. New to this edition are a revised introduction and filmography, and some additional chapters.Trade Review"A gratifying study for both film buff and critic." * Kirkus Reviews *"The seminal work on one of the greatest of all film artists, [it] has universally been regarded as a masterpiece of film criticism." * Bloomsbury Review *"Definitive, readable, and a virtual model for future studies in the field." * Saturday Review *
£32.30
Hal Leonard Corporation thechordwheeltheultimatetoolforallmusicians
Book Synopsis
£16.14
Faber & Faber Fundamentals of Musical Composition
Book SynopsisFundamentals of Musical Composition represents the culmination of more than forty years in Schoenberg''s life devoted to the teaching of musical principles to students and composers in Europe and America. For his classes he developed a manner of presentation in which ''every technical matter is discussed in a very fundamental way, so that at the same time it is both simple and thorough''.This book can be used for analysis as well as for composition. On the one hand, it has the practical objective of introducing students to the process of composing in a systematic way, from the smallest to the largest forms; on the other hand, the author analyses in thorough detail and with numerous illustrations those particular sections in the works of the masters which relate to the compositional problem under discussion.
£15.29
Faber & Faber The Book of Illusions
Book SynopsisAuster''s tale of obsession from the author of contemporary classic The New York Trilogy: ''a literary voice for the ages'' (Guardian)The Book of Illusions, written with breath-taking urgency and precision, plunges the reader into a universe in which the comic and the tragic, the real and the imagined, and the violent and the tender dissolve into one another.One man''s obsession with the mysterious life of a silent film star takes him on a journey into a shadow-world of lies, illusions, and unexpected love. After losing his wife and young sons in a plane crash, Vermont professor David Zimmer spends his waking hours mired in grief. Then, watching television one night, he stumbles upon a lost film by silent comedian Hector Mann, and remembers how to laugh . . .Mann was a comic genius, in trademark white suit and fluttering black moustache. But one morning in 1929 he walked out of his house and was never heard from again. Zimmer''s ob
£9.49
Trinity College London Press Trinity College London Rock Pop 2018 Drums Grade
Book Synopsis
£23.23
Princeton University Press Men Women and Chain Saws
Book SynopsisFrom its first publication in 1992, Men, Women, and Chain Saws has offered a groundbreaking perspective on the creativity and influence of horror cinema since the mid-1970s. Investigating the popularity of the low-budget tradition, Carol Clover looks in particular at slasher, occult, and rape-revenge films. Although such movies have been traditionaTrade Review"[A] brilliant analysis of gender and its disturbances in modern horror films... Bubbling away beneath Clover's multi-faceted readings of slasher, occult, and rape-revenge films is the question of what the viewer gets out of them... [She] argues that most horror films are obsessed with feminism, playing out plots which climax with an image of (masculinized) female power and offering visual pleasures which are organized not around a mastering gaze, but around a more radical "victim-identified' look."--Linda Ruth Williams, Sight and Sound "Carol Clover's compelling [book] challenges simplistic assumptions about the relationship between gender and culture... She suggests that the "low tradition' in horror movies possesses positive subversive potential, a space to explore gender ambiguity and transgress traditional boundaries of masculinity and femininity."--Andrea Walsh, The Boston Globe "Clover makes a convincing case for studying the pulp-pop excesses of 'exploitation' horror as a reflection of our psychic times."--Misha Berson, San Francisco Chronicle "Clover actually bothers (as few have done before) to go into the theaters, to sit with the horror fans, and to watch how they respond to what appears on screen."--Wendy Lesser, Washington Post "In her reading of both particular horror films and of film and gender theory, Clover does what every cultural critic hopes to: she calls into question our habits of seeing."--Ramona Naddaff, Artforum "Clover, takes the most extreme genre, horror flicks, seriously. There is no condescension in this significant and probing discussion of psychology and sexuality and their role in lurid fantasy."--Desmond Ryan, Philadelphia Inquirer "Fascinating, Clover has shown how the allegedly naive makers of crude films have done something more schooled directors have difficulty doing - creating females with whom male veiwers are quite prepared to identify with on the most profound levels"--The Modern Review "It's easy to see why this book is considered such a landmark in film analysis."--Rod Lott, Flick AttackTable of ContentsPreface to the Princeton Classics Edition ix Acknowledgements xv Introduction: Carrie and the Boys 3 Chapter 1 Her Body, Himself 21 Chapter 2 Opening Up 65 Chapter 3 Getting Even 114 Chapter 4 The Eye of Horror 166 Afterword 231 Films Cited 237 Works Cited 243 Index 255
£15.29
Princeton University Press Breaking the Glass Armor
Book Synopsis'Defamiliarizes' the reader with eleven different films. This book argues that critics often use cut-and-dried methods and choose films that easily fit those methods. It also argues that neoformalism, on the other hand, encourages the critic to deal with each film differently and to modify his or her analytical assumptions continually.
£38.25
HarperCollins Publishers Inc My Life with Earth Wind Fire
Book SynopsisTrade Review“[A] powerful and substantial memoir… The book is more than a chronological tale of a career; it’s a quest for meaning… The memoir captures a life of determination, positivity, and success tempered by depth and humility.” — Publishers Weekly “My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire is the candid and intimate odyssey of a man whose music and ideology continues to have an immeasurable influence on artists and audiences worldwide.” — Philadelphia Inquirer “[The] musical elements [of Earth, Wind & Fire] would not have existed without the singular drive of Maurice White. And his words here provide one magical, mystery tour.” — Houston Press “White’s book is practically a how-to manual for leading a band… Aspiring musicians could certainly learn a lesson or two.” — New York Times Book Review
£10.44
Yale University Press Béla Bartók
Book SynopsisThe definitive account of the life and music of Hungary’s greatest twentieth-century composerTrade Review“David Cooper offers a rounded, all-encompassing portrait of the man and the musician in this authoritative biography”—Stringendo'Béla Bartók was without a doubt one of the most important composers of the twentieth century. Outside of his native country Hungary, there have been relatively few books devoted to his life and works. David Cooper's comprehensive study of Bartók?'s ?oeuvre is a most welcome addition to the canon. Cooper justly concentrates on the music, introducing and analysing each and every composition, starting with the very early works. He also provides the appropriate historical background that is absolutely necessary to comprehend the man and his music. Bartók's life is a rare example of artistic progress and of uncompromising integrity. He is one of the giants in the history of music, a fact that this book will duly confirm.' - Sir Andras Schiff
£18.99
Top Shelf Productions Belzebubs
Book SynopsisJuggling work and family can be... hell. Calvin & Hobbes meets Call of Cthulhu as the sensationally popular heavy metal webcomic Belzebubs comes to print in a grim, goofy, and gorgeous hardcover.Belzebubs is a "trve kvlt mockumentary" focusing on the everyday challenges of family life: raising kids, running a small business, and making time for worship. Except the kids are named Lilith and Leviathan, the business is a black-metal band, and the worship... isn''t exactly aimed upstairs.In a few short years, what started out as improvised social-media doodles has now become a wildly successful webcomic with hundreds of thousands of fans. The irresistible cartooning of JP Ahonen (Sing No Evil) combines relatable slice-of-life humor with over-the-top occult antics and references from metal music to Lovecraftian horror, making Belzebubs a devil of a good time.
£12.59
HarperCollins Publishers Unmasked
Book SynopsisYou have the luck of Croesus on stilts (as my Auntie Vi would have said) if you've had the sort of career, ups and downs, warts and all that I have in that wondrous little corner of show business called musical theatre.One of the most successful and distinguished artists of our time, Andrew Lloyd Webber has reigned over the musical theatre world for nearly five decades. The winner of numerous awards, including multiple Tonys and an Oscar, Lloyd Webber has enchanted millions worldwide with his music and numerous hit shows, including Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, The Phantom of the OperaBroadway's longest running showand most recently, School of Rock. In Unmasked, written in his own inimitable, quirky voice, the revered, award-winning composer takes stock of his achievements, the twists of fate and circumstance which brought him both success and disappointment, and the passions that inspire and sustain him.The son of a music professor and a piano teacher, Lloyd Webber reveals his Trade Review‘It seems there is nothing Andrew Lloyd Webber can’t do. Besides his feats as a composer and creator of musicals, this memoir proves that he can write stylish and witty prose too.’ – Sunday Times ‘There is much of this autobiography that is, quite simply, hilarious…His is an authentic voice, the real deal, and you emerge feeling as if you have been allowed inside the tornado that is ALW.’ – The Times ‘I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats!’ – Sloane Crosley, Vanity Fair ‘An autobiography that has… wit, suspense, contemporaneity, audacity, and an appealingly shrewd sense of the occasion.’ – Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker ‘Charmingly idiosyncratic, surprisingly endearing and ruthlessly entertaining.’ – Dominic Green, Wall Street Journal
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Behind the Lens
Book SynopsisDaily Mail Showbiz Memoir of the Year''A beautiful book'' Chris Evans''Terrifically entertaining'' Mail on Sunday''An arresting photographic voyage through the life and loves of this enigmatic English star'' S magazine''Though not a conventional autobiography, we learn what makes the national treasure tick'' Daily ExpressIn the early days of my career, I didn''t think I stood a hope in hell. Look at me: I''m short, stocky, slightly overweight, deep of voice, passionate, dark haired, olive skinned, hardly your typical Englishman. What chance did I have, going into the world of British theatre?David Suchet has been a stalwart of British stage and screen for fifty years. From Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, Freud to Poirot, Edward Teller to Doctor Who, Harold Pinter to Terence Rattigan, Questions of Faith to Decline and Fall, right up to 2Trade ReviewTerrifically entertaining . . . Behind the Lens sees the real David Suchet step forward at last -- Cole Moreton * Mail on Sunday *His career is fascinating, with tales of mortifying sex scenes and obsessive perfectionism. This unconventional book still shows us what makes this national treasure tick -- Sharon Wright * Daily Mirror *A clear impression of a man who knows exactly who he is . . . Suchet proves charming company . . . his reflections on life are gentle, good-natured and generous * TLS *Most fascinating is his relationship with the Poirot role. This is a series of intense scenes from an extraordinarycareer. Though not a conventional autobiography, we learn what makes the national treasure tick * Daily Express *A very unique autobiography . . . stunning . . . a beautiful book -- Chris Evans * Virgin Radio *An arresting photographic voyage through the life and loves of this enigmatic English star -- Sharon Wright * S magazine *Bursts with images . . . with which any working photographer would be delighted . . . the book offers more insight into the mind and philosophy of this remarkable man than a more conventional biographical approach could have achieved -- Jack Watkins * Country Life *Beautifully packaged memoir -- Hannah Stephenson * Press Association *A beautiful and engaging read * Woman's Way *Beautiful . . . revealing * Radio Times *A series of autobiographical sketches, written in an amiably informal style . . . generously illustrated * Spectator *David Suchet's book Behind the Lens reveals his considerable talent as a photographer and takes an interesting path, seeking to show us his life and experience through his eyes. The correspondence between his words and his pictures (the book is lavishly illustrated) is never less than interesting and often revealing. He has a seriously good eye for an image, which reflects back on his feeling for character and situation. He takes us through his career and life and world view * Graham Cowley *
£25.00
Hyperion The Illusion of Life
Book Synopsis
£51.29
Hal Leonard Corporation Piano Lessons Book 2
Book Synopsis
£7.99
Abrams Vogue x Music
Vogue has always been on the cutting edge of popular culture, and Vogue x Music shows us why. Whether they’re contemporary stars or classic idols, whether they made digital albums or vinyl records, the world’s most popular musicians have always graced the pages of Vogue. In this book you’ll find unforgettable portraits of Madonna beside David Bowie, Kendrick Lamar, and Patti Smith; St. Vincent alongside Debbie Harry, and much more. Spanning the magazine’s 126 years, this breathtaking book is filled with the work of acclaimed photographers like Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz as well as daring, music-inspired fashion portfolios from Irving Penn and Steven Klein. Excerpts from essential interviews with rock stars, blues singers, rappers, and others are included on nearly every page, capturing exactly what makes each musician so indelible. Vogue x Music is a testament to star power, and proves that some looks are as timeless as your favorite albums.
£41.25
Little, Brown Book Group My Life Its a Long Story
Book SynopsisFive decades in the music industry, 100 albums, 10 Grammys, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Add high-profile activism for the legalisation of marijuana, the foundation of a ground-breaking philanthropic organisation, and a much-publicised personal life - Willie Nelson''s is a story like no other. Born during the great depression in 1933 and raised by his grandparents, he began singing in dance halls and Honky Tonks at the age of 13, as an escape from working as a cotton picker in the fields of Arkansas. He went on to write some of the most popular country songs of all time, and to record some classic versions of others, including Crazy, Bring Me Sunshine, Always on my Mind and Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain. An American icon who still tours extensively and headlines music festivals, Willie Nelson and his music have found their way into the hearts and minds of fans all over the world.Now 81 years of age, Nelson
£11.69
Little, Brown Book Group Paul Trynka Iggy Pop Open Up and Bleed
Book Synopsis''For those who like their rock biogs thick with tales of heroic over-indulgence, OPEN UP AND BLEED is hard to beat'' - Irish Evening Herald Iggy Pop''s life has been one of extraordinary highs and terrifying lows. Infamous for his wild ways, he is also a towering figure of the rock scene - hugely influential, charismatic and provocative. Every ''mad, bad, dangerous to know'' rock star owes a debt to him, and the stories of his shocking behaviour are legendary. But Iggy Pop is also, to a large extent, a construct, the alter ego of the quietly spoken and intriguing Jim Osterberg: the kid voted ''Most Likely to Succeed'' by his classmates. So what turned this charming, well-mannered, straight-A student into a poster child for rock ''n'' roll debauchery?Iggy Pop: Open up and Bleed reveals the truth behind the myths. Former MOJO editor Paul Trynka tracked down the star''s friends, family, lovers and fellow musicians, conducting over two hundred and Trade ReviewWith its recurring themes of drug addiction, public masochism and self-sabotage, Iggy's story effectively tells itself, but Trynka captures the essential duality of a man as well-versed in Greek art as he is in panhandling for heroin on Sunset Boulevard ... [an] entertaining and insightful study of one of rock's most enduringly remarkable characters Q IGGY POP has all the rock 'n roll bases covered: drugs, long hair, funny body, formerly straight-A student. Lie back and think of California' TATLER 'Former MOJO editor Paul Trynka has put in impeccable research to tell the story of how the shy, studious Jim Osterberg transformed into the force of nature that is Iggy Pop' IRISH EVENING HERALD 'For those who like their rock biogs thick with tales of heroic over-indulgence, OPEN UP AND BLEED is hard to beat '
£12.34
Oxford University Press Inc Composing with Constraints 100 Practical
Book SynopsisComposing with Constraints: 100 Practical Exercises in Music Composition provides an innovative approach to the instruction of the craft of music composition based on tailored exercises to help students develop their creativity. When composition is condensed to a series of logical steps, it can then be taught and learned more efficiently. With this approach in mind, Jorge Variego offers a variety of practical exercises to help student composers and instructors to create tangible work plans with high expectations and successful outcomes.Each chapter starts with a brief note on terminology and general recommendations for the instructor. The first five chapters offer a variety of exercises that range from analysis and style imitation to the use of probabilities. The chapter about pre-compositional approaches offers original techniques that a student composer can implement in order to start a new work. Based on lateral thinking, the last section of the book fosters creative connections with other disciplines such as math, visual arts, and architectural acoustics.The one hundred exercises contain a unique set of guidelines and constraints that place students in a specific compositional framework. These compositional boundaries encourage students to produce creative work within a given structure. Using the methodologies in this book, students will be able to create their own outlines for their compositions, making intelligent and educated compositional choices that balance reasoning with intuition.Trade ReviewComposing with Constraints is a serious primer for composers- an invaluable tool that can help them navigate their journey of personal musical development. In establishing artistic constraints through intriguing and imaginative exercises, Jorge Variego nurtures the seeds of creativity, enabling composers to sharpen and refine the focus that they need to succeed as artists. * JoAnn Falletta, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic *Composing with Constraints is a great book for composers and theorists and I highly recommend it for both composition courses at undergraduate and graduate courses as well as individual studies. What a joy to read! * David Cope, University of California, Santa Cruz *Table of ContentsIntroduction How to use the book Recommendations for the instructor Chapter I - Melody (exercises 1 - 20) Preliminary notes Melody 1 - focal point Melody 2 - using your own scale Melody 3 - using your own scale and a subset Melody 4 - using your own scale with a substitute pitch Melody 5 - a scale in a given order Melody 6 - a scale in a given order with ordered rhythm Melody 7 - concatenating triads Melody 8 - concatenating triads of any type Melody 9 - segments of equal duration Melody 10 - segments of unequal duration Melody 11 - the melody of an image Melody 12 - integer notation Melody 13 - integer notation collections and subsets Melody 14 - integer notation collections and transition subsets Melody 15 - simple probabilities Melody 16 - a twelve-tone row Melody 17 - a twelve-tone row in palindrome Melody 18 - intervallic content Melody 19 - leitmotifs Melody 20 - eliminations Chapter II - Harmony (exercises 21 - 40) Preliminary notes Harmony 21 - composing transitions Harmony 22 - using segments, melody becomes harmony Harmony 23 - axis of symmetry Harmony 24 - using the harmonic series Harmony 25 - using the harmonic series with a pedal tone Harmony 26 - just triads Harmony 27 - using integer notation Harmony 28 - diatonic? Harmony 29 - a twelve-tone row Harmony 30 - alla circle progression Harmony 31 - triads that move in thirds Harmony 32 - triads that move in thirds and progressions within a progression Harmony 33 - polychords, triads over triads Harmony 34 - polytonality Harmony 35 - pedal tones Harmony 36 - ideas using parallel modes Harmony 37 - clusters Harmony 38 - sequences and patterns Harmony 39 - implied harmonies Harmony 40 - contrafacts Chapter III - Rhythm (exercises 41 - 60) Preliminary notes Rhythm 41 - transformations using simple math Rhythm 42 - using segments Rhythm 43 - using segments per measure Rhythm 44 - non-retrogradable rhythms Rhythm 45 - patterns within patterns Rhythm 46 - extracting the rhythm of a text Rhythm 47 - why meter? Rhythm 48 - short, long, long, short - using Morse code Rhythm 49 - ostinato Rhythm 50 - playing with hemiolas Rhythm 51 - hemiolas and melodic construction Rhythm 52 - polymeter Rhythm 53 - metric modulations Rhythm 54 - using rhythmic motifs Rhythm 55 - motivic displacement Rhythm 56 - isorhythmic motets, talea and color Rhythm 57 - repeat signs, loops and internal spiraling Rhythm 58 - composing with unequal rests and pauses Rhythm 59 - eliminations, everything coming from the same tune Rhythm 60 - perceivable and non-perceivable pulse Chapter IV - Texture (exercises 61 - 80) Preliminary notes Texture 61 - analyzing Chopin Texture 62 - homorrythmic Texture 63 - leitmotifs Texture 64 - all the same but different Texture 65 - phasing Texture 66 - analyzing Debussy, plaining Texture 67 - Liszt, simple harmonies, complex texture Texture 68 - ostinatos Texture 69 - letting the performer make decisions Texture 70 - aleatoric counterpoint Texture 71 - micropoliphony Texture 72 - counterpoint, appropriating from Fux's species Texture 73 - counterpoint " to your music Pre-composition 97 - quotations as triggers Pre-composition 98 - drawing sketches Pre-composition 99 - oblique strategies by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt Pre-composition 100 - the computer as assistant Appendix A) Grading rubric B) Sample curriculums for group composition classes or individual lessons C) Select anthology of scales and musical examples D) Table of instrument ranges and transpositions
£20.99
Yale University Press Ludwig van Beethoven
Book SynopsisA comprehensive and immersive survey of thirty-five Beethoven piano sonatas
£28.50
HarperCollins Publishers The Point of Distraction
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Titan Books Ltd Friends: The Official Central Perk Cookbook
Book SynopsisGather your friends on your favorite couch and prepare over 50 recipes inspired by the iconic Central Perk cafe from the beloved hit sitcom Friends. Friends: The Official Central Perk Cookbook offers a variety of recipes for chefs of all levels. From appetizers and small bites to drinks and desserts, each chapter includes iconic treats from the show and cafe. The latest in Insight Editions' best-selling line of Friends products has more than 50 recipes and beautiful full-color photography, as well as classic stills and iconic quotes from the show. This will be the year's best home cooking companion for fans of the show that has always been there for you.
£19.54
Simon & Schuster John Wayne The Life and Legend
Book SynopsisJohn Wayne died more than thirty years ago, but he remains one of today''s five favorite movie stars. The celebrated Hollywood icon comes fully to life in this complex portrait by noted film historian and master biographer Scott Eyman. Exploring Wayne''s early life with a difficult mother and a feckless father, Eyman gets at the details that the bean-counters and myth-spinners miss…Wayne''s intimates have told things here that they''ve never told anyone else (Los Angeles Times). Eyman makes startling connections to Wayne''s later days as an anti-Communist conservative, his stormy marriages to Latina women, and his notorious-and surprisingly long-lived-passionate affair with Marlene Dietrich. He also draws on the actor''s own business records and, of course, his storied film career. We all think we know John Wayne, in part because he seemed to be playing himself in movie after movie. Yet as Eyman carefully lays out, ''John Wayne'' was an invention, a persona createTrade Review“[An] authoritative and enormously engaging new biography. . . . [Eyman] takes you through Wayne’s life, his death and his legend in a detailed, remarkably knowledgeable yet extremely readable way.” -- Peter Bogdanovich * The New York Times Book Review *“A spirited portrait of John Wayne and the Hollywood he worked in. . . . Traces his transition from the eager, boyish roles he played in early movies to confident leading man.” -- Michiko Kakutani * The New York Times *“No Wayne biography until now has ridden the defile between the reverential and the tendentious with quite the graceful equilibrium of this one. . . . Eyman gets at the details that the bean-counters and myth-spinners miss. . . . Wayne's intimates have told Eyman things here that they've never told anyone else.” -- David Kipen * The Los Angeles Times *“Deeply researched and totally absorbing.” -- Clive Sinclair * The Wall Street Journal *“We all think we know John Wayne, in part because he seemed to be playing himself in movie after movie. Yet as Eyman carefully lays out, ‘John Wayne’ was an invention, a persona created layer by layer by an ambitious young actor.” -- Glenn Frankel * The Washington Post *“Scott Eyman has taken a legend and a statue and given us an odd, decent, muddled but deeply likeable man. That’s what makes this book so readable and so touching.” -- David Thomson, author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film and Moments That Made the Movies“[An] exemplary biography. . . . Eyman appears to have had broad access to Wayne’s business and family life, and the result is a book with a compelling claim to being definitive.” -- Robert Horton * Film Comment *“In comprehensive detail, this new biography chronicles a great star at work. . . . Like a cinematographer, Mr. Eyman offers readers Wayne from many angles, in his own words and the words of those who worked with him. . . . An engrossing record of how the Duke stayed top dog for so long.“ * The Economist *“One of the greatest movie star biographies ever written.” -- Allen Barra * Salon.com *“A comprehensive and compelling examination of The Duke. . . . Insightful, exhaustive and engrossing—a definitive portrait of the man and the legend.” * Kirkus Reviews *“Drawing deeply on interviews with family and friends, acclaimed biographer Eyman colorfully chronicles Wayne’s life and work. . . . Compulsively readable.” * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *“Eyman’s exhaustively informative biography is, in essence, a tribute. One ends it liking Duke a lot more.” -- John Sutherland * The Times (London) *"Full of historical detail and fan facts, John Wayne tracks shy Marion Robert Morrison's path to the screen hero who got scant credit for his own craft in creating the John Wayne that rallied audiences." -- David D'Arcy * The San Francisco Chronicle *“It would be hard to find a more complete picture of a public figure’s life and legend than Eyman gives us of the Duke.” -- Larry Thornberry * The American Spectator *
£14.99
Omnibus Press Mudhoney: The Sound and The Fury from Seattle
Book Synopsis'...probably the best book written about grunge' Paul Brannigan, Classic Rock 'Mudhoney are the jewel of Seattle.' Thurston Moore, Sonic Youth If rock fans associate Seattle primarily with Nirvana and Pearl Jam, time has shown that the city's most influential grunge band may well have been Mudhoney. They're still going strong and this is their story. Formed in early 1988 Mudhoney originally comprised Mark Arm, Matt Lukin, Dan Peters and Steve Turner and their debut single, 'Touch Me I'm Sick', was the catalytic force behind Nirvana and Pearl Jam who took grunge global. Mudhoney's would have been another story of half-forgotten pioneers paving the way for others who grabbed the prize... except they not only survived all the classic rock band excesses, but they also kept on producing great music. Bolstered by new member Guy Maddison, they celebrated their quarter-century with a superb 2013 album, Vanishing Point, and showed no signs of slowing down with the release of Digital Garbage in 2018 and Morning In America in 2019. Updated with a new chapter drawing on fresh interviews with the group, this book tells an unconventional tale of rock heroism about a band that missed out on superstardom but kept control of the music and triumphantly outlived their more famous disciples.Trade Review'A great book about a great, undervalued band. It's a romp. It's sad in places. It's quite brilliant. And as an encapsulation of Sub Pop, Seattle, grunge, euphoria, great music and devilish **** attitude that long ago defined Mudhoney as one of America's greatest rock bands, full stop, it's hard to beat' Everett True, Classic Rock 8/10 'An informative, detailed yet lively and easy to read book. Highly recommended.'HiFi World 'The definitive book on nineties Seattle music and scene pioneers Mudhoney. They lit the fuse that set off an explosion' Mark Lanegan
£15.29
The History Press Ltd The Art of Film
Book SynopsisIn The Art of Film, legendary Art Director Terry Ackland-Snow lifts the lid on his extraordinary career in cinema
£21.25
Hal Leonard Corporation The Fender Electric Guitar Book
Book SynopsisTHE FENDER ELECTRIC GUITAR BOOK
£17.09
Chronicle Books The Rolling Stones 1972 50th Anniversary Edition
Book SynopsisThe year 1972 brought together two legends of rock 'n' roll at the peaks of their careers: Jim Marshall and the Rolling Stones. Selected by LIFE magazine to photograph the Stones' EXILE ON MAIN ST. tour, Marshall had a week of unlimited access. The results are his now-iconic images of the band, onstage in their full glory and backstage in moments of unguarded camaraderie. Marshall's ability to capture the essential spirit of an artist and the transformative power of music is matched only by the Stones' larger-than-life energy. Fifty years after these photographs were taken, they retain the power to thrill and inspire. This definitive edition presents the images as they were meant to be seen: at a larger size and in the rich, high-contrast tones Marshall favored. The original content is enhanced with never-before-seen proof sheets and two new essays by photographer and film director Anton Corbijn and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue. This is the ultimate, immersive experience of one of the greatest moments in music history.
£24.00
Taylor & Francis Wig Making and Styling
Book SynopsisWig Making and Styling: A Complete Guide for Theatre and Film, Second Edition is the one-stop shop for the knowledge and skills you need to create and style wigs. Covering the basics, from styling tools to creating beards, it ramps up to advanced techniques for making, measuring, coloring, and cutting wigs from any time period. Whether youâre a student or a professional, youâll find yourself prepared for a career as a skilled wig designer with tips on altering existing wigs, multiple approaches to solving wig-making problems, and industry best practices. Table of ContentsChapter 1: Wig-Making Terms, Tools, and Techniques Glossary of Wig and Hair Terms Wig-Making Tool Kit Wig Styling Tool Kit Hairpins and Clips Rollers/Curlers A Well-Equipped Wig Area Handling a Wig Blocking a Wig Blocking Hard-Front Wigs Blocking Lace-Front Wigs Basic Hand Sewing Stitches Chapter 2: Wig Application and Removal Hair Prep Long Hair Nylon Wig Caps vs Fishnet Wig Caps Short Hair Prepping for Film How to Hold and Put on a Lace-Front Wig Applying Hard-Front Wigs and Falls Removing Wigs After a Performance A Word About Quick Changes and Tap Dancing Chapter 3: Care and Maintenance of Wigs Cleaning Wig Laces Cleaning Facial Hair Touching up a Wig Washing Wigs A Note About Hair Washing ProductsWashing the Wig off the Block Washing the Wig on the Block Storing Your Wigs Storage Systems Chapter 4: Wig-Making Basics: Learning to Ventilate Ventilating Needles and Holders Loading Your Needle Wig-Making Laces and Nets Fronting Laces Back/Foundation Laces Stretch Laces Other Wig-Making Materials The Direction and Stretch of the Lace Types of Hair Basic Wig-Knotting/Ventilating Technique Double Knotting Ventilating Positions Hair Density and Ventilating Patterns Ventilating Direction Untying Knots Color Blending Sewing with Invisible ThreadHair Punching Chapter 5: Taking Accurate Measurements Proper Head Measurements Transferring Head Measurements to a Block Plastic-Wrap Head Tracings Padding Out a Block with a Plastic Tracing Chapter 6: Facial Hair Creating the Pattern for the Facial Hair Piece Tracing method, free hand method, & stock paper patternsAdding Texture to the Hair Individual Hairpiece Characteristics Eyebrows Mustaches Sideburns Beards and Goatees Cutting and Styling the Facial Hair Applying the Facial Hair Removing the Facial Hair Direct Application Techniques Hair Laid On Facial Hair Floating Beards Historical Timeline of Facial Hair Styles Gallery of Natural Facial Hair Chapter 7: Working with and Adapting Commercial Wigs and WeftCleaning Old WigsBringing Back the Shine of an Old WigDulling the Shine of a New Synthetic WigRemoving WeftThinning a Wig with Thinning ShearsSewing Weft to the Underside of a WigAdding Weft to WigsSewing Weft to a Pre-Made FoundationPiecing Together WigsFull Bottom WigPiecing Together Wigs to Increase SizeStyling Tricks to Conceal the Front Edge of a WigUsing the Performer’s Own Hair to Conceal the Front Edge of the WigChapter 8: Fronting WigsFronting and Other Adaptations of Commercial Wigs Types of Fronts The Human Hairline Changing the Hairline Building the Fronts Variation 1 Variation 2 Variation 3 Truing the Hairline Lace Direction and Hair Growth Direction Quick Front: A Step-by-Step Example Standard Front Deep Fronts Deep Front Variation 1 Variation 2 Variation 3 Mini Fronts Silk Blenders Nape Lace Chapter 9: Building a Wig From ScratchTypes of Foundations Building a Circumference-Band Foundation Vegetable Net & Caul Net/Circumference Band/Right-Side-Out/Hand Sewn Variations on Circumference Band Foundations Variations on Nape-Piece Foundations Variations on One-Piece Foundations Notes About Adding Hair Parts, Crown Swirls, and Cowlicks Miscellaneous Foundations Balding Wigs Fringes Sewing Weft to a Pre-Made Foundation Summary Chapter 10: Partial Wigs, Toupees, and HairpiecesToupee Graying Temple Pieces Pull-Throughs Falls Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Switches Kabuki-Inspired Lion Wig Making Custom Weft Using Weft to Make Clip-In Extensions Chapter 11: Wig Styling TechniquesElements of a Hairstyle Straight Hair Wetting and Drying Flat-Ironing and Roller Setting Steaming the Hair Wavy Hair Finger Waves/Water Waves Marcel Waves Pin curls Waving and Crimping Irons Curly Hair Roller Setting Roller Setting: Ringlets/Sausage Curls Roller Setting: Spiral Rolling Techniques Spiral Curls/Medusa Set Braids The Standard Basic Braid French Braids Reverse French Braid Rope Braids Herringbone Braids Dreadlocks Chapter 12: Creating a Hairstyle Break the Hairstyle Down into Sections Understand the Hairstyle Interpreting Research Draw Your Setting Pattern Set Your Wig Comb Out the Set Teasing and Stuffing Wire Frames Styling Men’s Wigs Wig Setting and Styling Tips From Set to Style: Examples Example 1: Cosette in Les Miserables Example 2: 1930s Hollywood Movie-Star Look Gallery of Historical Hairstyles Chapter 13: Choosing, Cutting, Coloring, and Perming the Hair Dyeing Wigs and Wig Fibers Universal Hair Color Systems American Cosmetology Hair Level System Types of Hair Color Products Dyeing Protein Fibers Using Fabric Dyes Preparing Hair Bundles for Dye Dyeing Synthetic Fibers Perming Wigs and Wig Fibers Cutting Wigs Chapter 14: Hair that Isn’t Hair: Wigs Made from Other Materials Bases and Foundations Fosshape™ Bases Buckram and Felt Bases Other Types of Bases Covering the Cap Building a Structural Support Frame Combining Hair and Non-Hair Materials Working with Jumbo Braid Example of the Step-by-Step Process of Creating an Unusually Shaped Wig Gallery of Non-Hair/Fantasy Wigs Chapter 15: The Business Of Wigs and Hair Analyzing and Understanding the Play Forms of Drama Basic Plot Structure Scene Breakdowns Organizing Your Production Bible Character Design Group Relationships Designing an Overall Look for a Production Budgeting for a Production During the Production Wig Jobs and How to Get Them A Note About Unions, Licenses, and CertificationsCharging for Your Work Appendix 1: Wig Resource/Supply ListAppendix 2: Blank Forms for Shop UseIndex
£30.39
Northway Publications The Little Giant The Story of Johnny Griffin
Book Synopsis
£17.99
Plexus Publishing Ltd Abba
Book Synopsis
£17.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Beastie Boys Pauls Boutique
Book SynopsisDerided as one-hit wonders, estranged from their original producer and record label, and in self-imposed exile in Los Angeles, the Beastie Boys were written off by most observers before even beginning to record their second album. But, "Paul's Boutique" eventually transformed the Beasties from a fratboy novelty to hiphop giants.Trade Review"'A brilliant series of pocket-sized books focussing on a classic album. Each one a work of real love.' NME"
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Black Sabbaths Master of Reality
Book SynopsisDescribes Master of Reality in the voice of a fifteen-year-old boy being held in an adolescent psychiatric centre in southern California in 1985.Trade Review[T]he focus of Darnielle's fans has always been on his lyrics and the stories contained within them. Now he's stepped off the stage and sat down at is typewriter to deliver Master of Reality, his first novel and a stunning piece of rock criticism and appreciation. Readers are likely to come to Master of Reality from a variety of backgrounds. Some will come as Mountain Goats fans wanting to see Darnielle tackle a novel, others as Black Sabbath fans wanting to read about a favorite album. Some will simply be fans of the cult-popular 33 1/3 series, which has now grown to dozens of books, yet kept its level of quality very high. Hopefully, there will be others who will pick it up as novel first, because it truly is a first-rate story, full of moments that will pluck at your heartstrings as you're brought back to the moment you first fell in love with a piece of music, when an album provided not just the soundtrack to your life but also the meaning behind it. If, by some strange chance, none of this happens, well, you're probably going to at least dust off your old Sabbath vinyl, and there's nothing wrong with that either. * NewPages.com *[Darnielle] straightjackets the essence of Black Sabbath where 40 years of music musings and cultural damnation have failed. -- Raoul Hernandez * Austin Chronicle *Total affection for, and strong identification with, music is a cross-generational experience, and though the motivation behind the 33 1/3 series meshes nicely with a post-Generation X obsession with the minutiae of personal experience, it's also immediately accessible to anyone who's ever written favorite lyrics on her algebra notebook. While nostalgia runs thick in Darnielle's book (the nature of the series essentially demands this), there's a greater point about music and memory to be found in Roger's story. Indulgence in the memory of intense feelings can be strangely comforting, and perhaps even necessary. Or, as Roger puts it: 'It doesn't have to mean that to everybody, and it means more no matter what... -- Thea Brown * The L Magazine *Darnielle, singer and songwriter for the much-loved band The Mountain Goats, cuts right to the chase in his short novel, the blunt, direct tone of his adolescent protagonist Richard Painter perfectly encapsulating the enduring appeal of metal's great progenitors. It's all about the Mighty Riff when it comes to Sabbath; everything else is secondary, and while one could easily make a case for at least half a dozen albums that deserve the 33 1/3 treatment, the riffs that define this particular album are, to echo young Roger's sentiment, unfuckwithable. -- Adrien Begrand * Popmatters.com *Mountain Goat John Darnielle's off-stage literary proclivities are no secret, which makes us all the more excited for his first novel, a paean to Black Sabbath's Master of Reality. The book is the latest in Continuum's 33 1/3 series ultrasmart series of elegant, pocket-size appreciations of rock albums as diverse as the Beatles' Let it Be and My Bloody Valentine's Loveless. Darnielle unpacks the classic, riff-erific album as a scrabrous series of diary entries written by a teenager in a Southern California mental institution. Those curious to see the budding rock critic off-stage or who are simply bonkers for Sabbath are advised to check out this reading. -- Tayt Harlin * New York Magazine *Written keenly and with great generosity. * Idolator *Darnielle-- who worked as a nurse in a mental hospital and presumably met quite a few smart, lost kids like Roger-- speaks to the soul-damaging aspects of locking up problem teens and offers a piece of music criticism that illuminates the edifying qualities of heavy metal. * Pitchfork feature "Our 60 Favorite Music Books" *John Darnielle is the single constant behind the group the Mountain Goats and arguably the most rewarding lyricist working today. Taking into account his prolific wordsmithery ("Laugh lines on our faces / scale maps of the ocean floor") and affinity for horror both cinematic and literary ("Heretic Pride," the most recent Mountain Goats album, has song titles naming Fu Manchu creator Sax Rohmer and H.P. Lovecraft), it shouldn't come as a surprise that he'd contribute to Continuum's "33 1/3" series of short books pegged to iconic albums. But "Master of Reality" departs brilliantly from the typical "33 1/3" format, not just by choosing fiction over criticism or recording history, but in its structural gambits and unwavering sense of purpose. -- Ed Parks * Los Angeles Times *I'd like to give a special shout-out to John Darnielle's book about Black Sabbath's Master of Reality, published as part of Continuum's 33 1/3 series of album-themed books...If you like the band, you'll like this book. If you like intense young-adult takes like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, you'll like this book. No matter what, by the end, you'll be racing to purchase Master of Reality, which is a beautiful thing. * USA Today, PopCandy *Forget the other 33 1/3s, this belongs next to The Catcher in the Rye. * Decibel Magazine *Darnielle's novella is not only a touchstone in the series, it is a powerful and potent book in its own right. Utterly compelling. -- David Hemingway * Community Care, UK *This is a masterly look at the corrosive emotion of youth, and the invaluable solace that music gives. Read it, even if you'd rather stick knitting needles in your ears than listen to the album in question. Because its about you. -- James Mann * The Big Takeover magazine *This is not the first time Darnielle explores these dark waters. In fact the text is a retelling, if not an extension of " The Best Ever Death Metal Band Out of Denton," the first track on the Mountain Goats' 2002 album, All Hail West Texas. As both the text and the song are meditations on the redemptive aspects of heavy metal, the depravity of institutional authority and the refusal to forgive, the reader who is familiar with either Darnielle's musical work or Black Sabbath will find the text particularly rewarding. -- Christian * enoughcowbell.com *With his short stories masquerading as songs, John Darnielle-founding member of the Mountain Goats-has crafted a wide range of off-kilter characters. He continues this tradition with Roger, a fifteen-year-old patient in a psychiatric hospital and the protagonist of Darnielle's first book, a loving diary-style exploration of Black Sabbath's Master of Reality, part of Continuum's 33 1/3 series...Inspired by his real-life experiences as a psychiatric nurse (and love of all things metal), Darnielle's literary debut is a fast, addictive read that also tugs on the heartstrings of sensitive Ozzy fans. * Exclaim magazine *The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle Is Good At Writing! People love The Mountain Goats because all their songs contain SAT vocab words and are like little stories. So it's unsurprising that John Darnielle can also work up some music-free compositions, like his contribution to Continuum's 33 1/3 series of books inspired by classic albums, a novel about Black Sabbath's 'Master of Reality.' He also recently wrapped up a stint of guest blogging at Powell's excellent blog, which is worth revisiting if you're curious about his feelings about heavy metal (he likes it! and is very knowledgable about it!). And if you live in New York, you can come to a reading of the Black Sabbath book next Saturday at Housing Works and witness his non-singing talents in person. * MediaBistro's Galleycat *Just like Black Sabbath throws big rocks at subtlety and Roger's manifesto-journal channels anger towards the mental health establishment, Darnielle's book obliterates the sterility of music criticism. I imagine him reading reviews of his work and building up all of this disdain, deciding finally that he's going to do it better. Ultimately, Master of Reality critiques criticism itself, an institution that encourages us to thrash apart the art of others - without offering any blood of our own. * Tiny Mix Tapes *’Master of Reality’ is no straightforward critical assessment of Black Sabbath’s album, a sludgy doom-rock classic. It’s fiction that peels thrillingly off into music writing. The book is written from the point of view of a teenage boy in a mental hospital who explains why Black Sabbath and its lead singer, Ozzy Osbourne, meant so much to isolated kids like himself. It’s about how rock music can express not only liberating joy but, conversely and perhaps more importantly, also speak to bottomless misery and pain. The book is funny, too. Its narrator observes that you never feel that you might hang out with Robert Plant, the Led Zeppelin singer, at a video arcade. But Mr. Osbourne, “he sounds like the guy who changes your quarters". * The New York Times *Darnielle wrote his entry in the 33 1/3 series (slim, hip flask-sized volumes of criticism focused on individual albums) on Black Sabbath’s Masters of Reality as a novella, an impassioned riff on identifying with art from the perspective of an institutionalised teenager. -- Caitlin Welsh * Junkee *Darnielle spent his early teens feverishly typing 'awful' short stories and collecting rejection slips from sci-fi magazines before turning to poetry and then songwriting. His interest in prose only revived years later when he began writing music criticism and considered submitting a proposal for Continuum’s 33 1/3 series about classic albums. Master of Reality, his 2008 novella named after Black Sabbath’s 1971 album, takes the form of diary entries written by an institutionalised teenage heavy metal fan, who finds solace in extolling the virtues of Sabbath ... the novella form allowed Darnielle to play with timeframes and expand on what the songs only implied. -- Dorian Lynskey * The Guardian *There are several 33 1/3 titles that mix fiction and criticism, with varying degrees of success. Of them, John Darnielle’s novella about Master of Reality may be the best. Drawing on his experience as a psychiatric nurse before he found a steady day job with the Mountain Goats, Darnielle approaches the album through a fictional character—a patient who is keeping a journal of his therapy sessions. What could have been a gimmick instead proves both critically engaging and emotionally harrowing, as the lively, angry, intelligent narrator voices his rage and confusion through his love for Ozzy. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Sign o the Times
Book Synopsis33 1/3 is a new series of short books about critically acclaimed and much-loved albums of the last 40 years. Focusing on one album rather than an artist's entire output, the books cut to the heart of the music. Part '80s musical retrospective, part angry social document, Prince's 1987 classic stands as pop's last great double album.Trade Review[M]y favorite bit of new Prince product isn't the fine Musicology but Michaelangelo Matos' 121-page treatment of Sign as part of Continuum's new 33 1/3 series, in which various writers tackle individual albums in long form...Matos identifies the factors that make Sign of particular relevance... * The Memphis Flyer, 6/12/2004 *I consider it among the three of four best records I've every heard, which is why my favorite bit of new Prince product isn't the fine musicology but Michaelangelo Matos' 121-page treatment of Sign as part of Continuum's new 33 1/3 series, in which various writers tackle individual albums in long form. I know [Matos] well enough to know that he holds Sign O' the Times in the same esteem as I, but I don't know him well enough to have prepared me for the shock of recognition that came from the first of the four ‘sides' his Sign book is divided into. The rest of Matos fine little book steps back for a more critical take on both the album and Prince's career in toto. Matos identifies the factors that make Sign of particular relevance. * The Memphis Flyer, 6/12/04 *Both a student and a fan of Prince, Matos integrates the particulars of Prince's rise to fame--including the release of the double LP Sign 'O' the Times--with an endearing and at times hilarious telling of his own coming of age in the suburbs of Prince's Minneapolis. * Mark Baumgarten, Willamette Week, 1/5/05 *Refreshingly, Michaelangelo Matos's gift is to confound his readers, forcing them to rethink '80s pop politics without getting overly political... Matos critiques from two standpoints-the 13-year old kid and the 29-year old Rolling Stone contributor and Seattle Weekly editor-with a pure love for Sign and pop music in general. Rather than becoming an energy-draining exegesis, his exploration breathes unexpected life into the record. It's inspired me to drop into Amoeba Music and re-taste Sign, too. * San Francisco Bay Guardian, 5/19/04 *In a series heavy with autobiographical reminiscences and statements about the power of music on adolescents, few 33 1/3 books manage to wring so much meaning and critical weight from a life’s story. Michaelangelo Matos describes his upbringing in the Twin Cities during the 1980s and how his love of Prince’s double-album masterpiece was fueled by hometown pride … these early pages form the foundation on which his arguments rest, making this the rare book where you get to know both the author and the critic intimately. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *
£9.49
