Music industry Books

Book SynopsisVinyl Ventures: My Fifty Years at Rounder Records is less a standard history and more an idiosyncratic memoir written by one of the three Rounder founders. Rounder Records was born in 1970, a “hobby that got out of control,” a fledgling record company more or less conceived when vinyl still reigned, while the Sixties were still in flower, and which began publishing on a shoestring budget of just over $1,000. Founded by three friends just out of college, the Boston-area company produced over 3,000 record albums, the most active company of the last half-century, specializing in roots music and its contemporary offshoots. Rounder won fifty-six Grammy Awards and documented a swath of music that in many cases might otherwise never have been presented to a broader public. It’s arguably a quintessentially American success story. This book focuses on the early years up to and just through when Rounder evolved to a second stage, with a generational change that has kept the label healthy and flourishing when so many other cultural enterprises from the era have folded or gone dark. It includes original photographs taken by the author or drawn from the Rounder Records archives. It’s the story of three people with no background in business who took an idea and, through hard work and passion, built something of lasting cultural significance.Table of ContentsForeword 1. THE BACKSTORY TO STARTING A RECORD COMPANY 2. ROUNDER’S FIRST TWO RECORDS – OCTOBER 1970 3. BUILDING THE BUSINESS – THE EARLY 1970s 4. ORGANIZING THE INDIE SIDE OF THE RECORD BUSINESS 5. THE CONCEPT OF A COLLECTIVE IS CALLED INTO QUESTION 6. THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEVENTIES – GEORGE THORGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS, AND WRESTLING WITH CHANGE 7. ENTERING THE 1980s: 50 DATES IN 50 STATES – NO NIGHTS OFF! 8. STARTING OUR SECOND DECADE, A MATURING COMPANY, AND SOME REAL GROWING PAINS 9. THE MIDDLE 1980s – FLYING BY THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS 10. ALISON KRAUSS – 1986 AND FOR DECADES TO COME 11. 1990 – ROUNDER TURNS 20 12. 1995 - A QUARTER OF A CENTURY IN, AND STILL FLYING BY THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS 13. JOHN VIRANT – “THE FOURTH ROUNDER” 14. 2000 – ROUNDER TURNS 30 AS WE ENTER A NEW CENTURY 15. SELLING THE COMPANY – THE NEXT ITERATION: THE CONCORD CONNNECTION (2010) 16. ROUNDER’S SENSE OF MISSION Appendix: The Rounder Founders

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Book SynopsisA number of recent studies have responded to neoliberal understandings of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation in the cultural and creative industries, and beyond. Although in recent years, the features of working life in this sector have been well-documented, little research seems to have looked at the psychosocial impact on the working lives of individuals. Fantasy, Neoliberalism and Precariousness draws on the results of an original empirical study of independent musicians based in Brooklyn, San Francisco, Portland, Stockholm and Paris, and considers how experiences of precariousness and insecurity under conditions of neoliberalism threatens the well-being and self-realisation of aspiring musicians. Vachet examines anxiety, narcissism, recognition and self-esteem from a sociological perspective, considering them through the lens of social class and gender. Contributing to debates within cultural studies, sociology and the political economy of communication about working lives in the cultural and creative industries, Vachet answers to-date unexplored questions around the psychosocial impact of precariousness and other problematic features of work in the cultural industries.Trade ReviewAt a time when connections between gig work and neoliberal discourses of entrepreneurialism, autonomy, flexibility, and freedom are increasingly invoked, Jeremy Vachet’s well researched and theoretically rich treatise illuminates the pernicious psychosocial effects of the precarious working conditions of independent cultural workers. Integrating Interviews with independent musicians across five global cities, participant observations, and his own experiences as a musician, this work deftly illuminates the ways structural, normative, gendered and class pressures become enmeshed within a complex set of coping strategies and defense mechanisms, mechanisms which ultimately prevent individuals from flourishing. Filled with irony, compassion, insight, and hope, this book builds upon previous sociological, communicative, and psychoanalytic work on cultural labor and has wide ranging significance for anyone interested in the personal and collective impact of new forms of labor. -- Cynthia Stohl, Distinguished Professor of Communication, University of California, Santa BarbaraEven the best research on the impact of “neoliberalism” on cultural workers has failed to investigate the experiences and emotions of those workers in any depth. This powerful study uses the helpful but neglected toolbox of psychosocial studies to prise open that black box. -- David Hesmondhalgh, Professor of Media, Music and Culture, University of LeedsTable of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Consequences of Individualisation: Pathologies of Freedom Chapter 3. Coping strategies and Defence mechanisms Chapter 4. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisAre you interested in learning how to cultivate sustainable success in the popular music industry whilst prioritising your health? If so, this book is for you. Inside you'll find research-informed advice and information that aims to help musicians, as well as those that work with them, navigate their way through what can be a challenging and demanding industry.This book covers the mental and physical health problems research suggests musicians might come up against and offers lots of tools and techniques to help aid prevention. You''ll also find information about the structure of the industry, money management, and how to improve your skills as a performer, creator, and CEO of your career.Expect original interviews with leading researchers, health experts, business execs and a host of famous musicians. Widely supported by some of the biggest companies in the music business, Sound Advice is the ultimate guide for both seasoned

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Book SynopsisIn 1980 a young musician and engineer, recently graduated from Cambridge with a degree in architecture, decided to start a music studio. That person was Philip Bagenal and the studio he started was Eastcote Studios. Situated north of Ladbroke Grove, Eastcote would go on to become one of the most important and influential of London music studios. It is where Massive Attack recorded their seminal first album, Blue Lines, where Neneh Cherry recorded as well as Tricky and Seal in the 1980s and early 90s, and where Mute Records recorded many of their artists, including Depeche Mode. Then in the late 90s it became a central part of the brit pop scene with Placebo, Elastica and Suede and more recently where a new generation of musicians, from Adele to the Arctic Monkeys, the Kaiser Chiefs to Mumford & Sons, created some of their greatest albums. But this book tells the story of so much more: of why it became so successful, about the bands you may never have heard of, the sessions that collapsed into chaos and the triumphs on the other side. And about the anti-authoritarian sound magician that was Philip Bagenal.Table of ContentsForeword, Charlie Seaward • Introduction • Beginnings • Walter’s Workshops • 1980 Where is It? Well It’s Not in Eastcote • 1981 The Dudes on Kensal Road • 1982 It Was the Last Film I Ever Saw • 1983 Over My Dead Body • 1984 Who Wants to Buy Half a House in Oxford • 1985 You Know What, This Guy is Going to Buy the Studio • 1986 There’s a New Sheriff in Town • 1987 We Did to Warhol What He Did to Bananas • 1988 Like Trying to Catch Lightning in a Bottle • 1989 The Sort of a Place You Call in on Your Way to Fame • 1990 Drummy? He Was Always There • 1991 Trip Hop and Synth Riffs • 1992 Don’t Go Shoplifting at Virgin Records • 1993 Mind the Buzzcocks and How to Find Big Good Angel • 1994 It’s a Giant Blender • 1995 The Future is Medium • 1996 Sitar and Magic Stones. To Make the Sound More Magic • 1997 Everybody Needs a Bosom for a Pillow • 1998 Learning from the Maestro • 1999 Blow Them Away. Fly Them to the Moon • 2000 A Big Crane and the River of Fire • 2001 Have You Invented a Genre Lately? • 2002 The Cook and the Raconteur • 2003 From Havana, Con Calor • 2004 What’s This? What Is Happening Here! • 2005 Things to Do When the Boss Is Asleep on the Sofa • 2006 He F***ing Built Himself a Studio He Doesn’t Fit in • 2007 Can You Send This Back to Them Please? • 2008 Did You See Flash? • 2009 People the Music Industry’s Romance is Built on • 2010 3 Million Synthesisers Deep • 2011 Facts, Fun and Fusion • 2012 A Decapitated Award. And Three Bananas • 2013 I Really Don’t Like That Guitar Solo • 2014 A Bit of Gravitas and No Bullshit • 2015 The Neighbourhood Isn’t Exactly the Champs-Élysées • 2016 If You Take Someone’s Heart Out. They Die • 2017 We’re About to Blow Up the Best Studio of All Time • 2018 A Very Specials Year • 2019 Experimentation and Mistakes • 2020 Weird and the Birth of Zooming • Neatly Folded and Ironed • Picture Credits • Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisRiverdance exploded across the stage at Dublin’s Point Theatre one spring evening in 1994 during a seven-minute interval of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted by Ireland. It was a watershed moment in the cultural history of a country embracing the future, a confident leap into world music grounded in the footfall of the choreographed kick-line. It was a moment forty-five years in the making for its composer. In this tenderly unfurled memoir Bill Whelan rehearses a lifetime of unconscious preparation as step by step he revisits his past, from with his Barrington Street home in 1950s Limerick, to the forcing ground of University College Dublin and the Law Library during the 1960s, to his attic studio in Ranelagh. Along the way the reader is introduced to people and places in the immersive world of fellow musicians, artists and producers, friends and collaborators, embracing the spectrum of Irish music as it broke boundaries, entering the global slipstream of the 1980s and 1990s. As art and commerce fused, dramas and contending personalities come to view behind the arras of stage, screen and recording desk. Whelan pays tribute to a parade of those who formed his world. He describes the warmth and sustenance of his Limerick childhood, his parents and Denise Quinn, won through assiduous courtship; the McCourts and Jesuit fathers of his early days, the breakthrough with a tempestuous Richard Harris who summoned him to London; Danny Doyle, Shay Healy, Dickie Rock, Planxty, The Dubliners and Stockton’s Wing, Noel Pearson, Seán Ó Riada; working with Jimmy Webb, Leon Uris, The Corrs, Paul McGuinness, Moya Doherty, John McColgan, Jean Butler and Michael Flatley. Written with wry, inimitable Irish humour and insight, Bill Whelan’s self deprecation allows us to to see the players in all their glory, vulnerability and idiosyncracy. This fascinating work reveals the nuts, bolts, sheer effort and serendipities that formed the road to Riverdance in his reinvention of the Irish tradition for a modern age. As the show went on to perform to millions worldwide, Whelan was honoured with a 1997 Grammy Award when Riverdance was named the ‘Best Musical Show Album.’ Richly detailed and illustrated, The Road to Riverdance forms an enduring repository of memory for all concerned with the performing arts.Trade ReviewHOT PRESS BOOK OF THE YEARIRISH TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2023‘Bill Whelan’s memoir is an entertaining account of the seismic changes in Irish society during the second half of the 20th century and a colourful testament to an extraordinary life that helped shape and soundtrack it.’ Éamon Sweeney, Irish Times‘Tells the story of a life in music and the path that led to one of Ireland’s most significant cultural exports.’ Irish Independent‘Makes for marvellous, revealing and very powerful reading. A brilliant edition to the canon, it offers a remarkable picture of a musical life lived to the full. Hats off to its maker’ Niall Stokes, Hot Press‘What an incredible talent he is’ Marty Whelan‘Filled with Limerick humour’ Limerick Leader‘Bill Whelan dances down memory lane with new memoir’ Galway Advertiser‘Paints an unforgettable picture of how one man navigated the rapids of music in Ireland – and came up trumps in the long run … an essential read for anyone who loves Irish music.’ Hot Press‘From [Whelan's] central position involved in taking traditional Irish dance into a modern orbit of choreographed bliss, the book charts the artistic and business marriage that built the Riverdance machine - the nuts, bolts and good fortune that together conspired to fashion an extravaganza that would go on play to millions around the globe … After twenty-seven years of live performances to over 22 million people, it remains an Irish export up there with the best.’ Irish ExaminerIRISH EXAMINER BEST BOOK‘[Whelan's] humour is dry, winking, and pivots between sharp and deadpan, developed in the early days of “pre-ghettoisation” Limerick, somewhere between Frank McCourt and the Rolling Stones … As one might expect, Whelan’s writing is rhythmic and punchy, never shying away from difficult topics … His anecdotes are rich and giving.’ Sunday Business Post

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Book SynopsisAlthough Elgar achieved fame, status and recognition in his lifetime, his earnings did not match the standard of living to which he aspired. The late nineteenth century was a propitious time for British composers. But while the demand from music publishers for their works grew substantially, the copyright and royalty terms were such that even successful composers couldnot achieve the levels of earnings enjoyed by other creative artists such as authors, painters and dramatists. However, in the early twentieth century, new sources of earnings emerged, notably performing fees, broadcasting fees and royalties from record sales. Unlike other leading contemporary British composers, who also held prestigious, salaried positions, Elgar was, by his own volition, a freelance composer who relied entirely on the precarious earnings from his works, supplemented by conducting fees and a brief tenure at Birmingham University. As a result, although Elgar achieved fame, status and recognition in his lifetime, both nationally and internationally, his earnings did not match the standard of living to which he aspired. This lack of money, exacerbated by too much expenditure, was a constant source of worry, complaint and frustration to Elgar, even though he had become a beneficiary fromthe new sources of income in the twentieth century. Elgar's Earnings investigates whether Elgar's complaints about a lack of money can be justified by the facts. Drawing on hitherto neglected primary sources, especially the Novello Business Archive, John Drysdale examines the relatively poor terms offered by music publishers to composers of serious music in general and Elgar in particular and explores the reasons why successful painters and authors, such as G. B. Shaw, could obtain much better terms. This comparative analysis enriches our understanding of the economic and social forces at work in nineteenth and early twentieth century Britain and shows how Elgar, despite his insecure financial position, helped to establish the profession of the English composer, to the lasting benefit of future generations. JOHN DRYSDALE is a musicologist and former investment banker.Trade ReviewA fascinating book ... I commend this book to anyone interested in how composers of the time earned an income. * SPIRITED MAGAZINE, ENGLISH MUSIC FESTIVAL *This study widens our understanding of the place of Elgar's music in terms of social, cultural and economic context ... Drysdale's excellent analysis of Elgar's earnings shows the benefits that economically-focused studies of composers bring to the more contextual understanding of the life decisions and artistic choices they made. * MUSICAL TIMES, December 2013 *Drysdale [...] should be congratulated on adding a new chapter in Elgar studies. * MUSICAL OPINION *This is a rare, maybe even unique, book. [...] An unexpected, revealing, and truly fascinating book and one which I recommend wholeheartedly. * ELGAR SOCIETY JOURNAL *Table of ContentsIntroduction Opportunities for British Composers Authors, Painters and Composers Novello and the Music Publishing Business Novello, Royalties and Copyrights to 1914 and the 1904 Royalty Agreement Novello, Royalties and Copyrights 1914 to 1934 and other Music Publishers Royalties and Copyrights on Elgar's Major Works Elgar's Performing Fees and George Bernard Shaw Elgar's Earnings from Broadcasting, Recording and Conducting A Matter of Wills Epilogue Appendix

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Book SynopsisWhen the music impresario Bryan Morrison died aged 66 in 2008, after two years in a coma following a polo accident, he left behind his unpublished memoir. As a music publisher, manager and agent, Morrison had represented the Pretty Things, Pink Floyd, T. Rex, The Jam, Wham! and many others. He was also the founder and owner of the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club.In this candid and outspoken book, Morrison reveals the true stories behind why Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd once bit his finger to the bone, the Pretty Things were banned for life from New Zealand, and he became involved with the Kray Twins. He also tells how The Jam kissed goodbye to success in the USA, he received death threats when Robin Gibb left the Bee Gees, and signing a publishing deal with George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley as Wham! Spanning the golden age of British rock ’n’ roll from the 60s to the 80s, this is the extraordinary story of a cigar-chomping, East End entrepreneur, with a passion for art and design, fashion, music and polo. Trade ReviewFor me, reading ‘Have a Cigar’ was like finding a box in the loft that you had completely forgotten about which, upon opening, reveals treasures that have been locked away in your memory and transport you back in time... Even if you would not describe yourself as being a huge music fan, I defy you to not be gripped and sucked in by this cigar-chomping music impresario. -- Amanda Best * Haynet *The book is written in an easy to read, down to earth style and tells of a lifestyle that could have stepped straight off the pages of a Jilly Cooper novel... Given the sheer force of personality that shines through on the pages of the book, it seems unsurprising that Morrison was attracted to the world of polo. As he says, ‘A game of such intensity, skill, bravery and presence of mind that everything else pales into significance.’ I read the book in one sitting; it is an incredible insight into Morrison’s life and truly a privilege to have even a glimpse of the sheer force of nature he was as a businessman. -- Louise Broderick * Haynet *The book reveals the often cut-throat nature of the music business and the chaotic and often destructive lifestyles of those involved... Have a Cigar is a riveting read, bouncing through his music business deals, a brush with The Krays, Bill Gibbs’ fashion business disaster and Morrison’s dogged determination to stick with recording artists he believed in. -- Nigel Carr * Louder Than War *Have a Cigar! is a thrilling affair that takes the reader from the handy fists and feet of London's East End gangsters to the inner turmoil and confusion of Syd Barrett's by then Pink Floyd-less world. Morrison's account affords tremendous insight into the twilight world of the groups, the song publishing highs and lows, the gigs and parties; also putting a degree of flesh onto one or two particular stories, the skeletal bones of which are already known, especially to those who have geeked-out and freaked out to the myriad sounds that made up British psychedelia... It's an easy-going, hugely enjoyable read, the pages seemingly just turning by themselves as you wonder, eagerly awaiting to learn of what's going to happen next. -- Lenny Helsing * Shindig Magazine *Have a Cigar! [offers] something for those interested in the backroom machinations of the rock business. And it highlights a long gone time when charismatic solo wheelers and dealers – maybe with a bit of shady partnerships – could make struggling performers into stars. -- Bob Ruggiero * Houston Press *Bryan Morrison passed away following two years in a coma, but the publisher, manager and agent left the world with one final, unexpected gift: a candid, forthright memoir of a remarkable life. In Have a Cigar! The Memoir of the Man Behind Pink Floyd, T.Rex, The Jam and George Michael (Quiller Publishing, March 2020), Morrison shares tales of a unique life in the worlds of rock ‘n’ roll, fashion, design and polo. * Vinyl District *Table of ContentsIntroduction Prologue 1. How it all Began 2. Where is Michaelangelo Buried? 3. Oh, you Pretty Things 4. Don't Bring Me Down 5. Double Trouble 6. Crazy Diamond 7. King of the Rumbling Spice 8. A Safe Haven 9. Saved by the Bell 10. Helping Police with Enquiries 11. The Madcap Laughs 12. Art for Art's Sake 13. Fashion Victim 14. Going Underground 15. Careless Whisper 16. Wham! Bam! 17. Another Rock and Roll Christmas 18. The Game of Kings 19. A Field of Dreams 20. Reach for the Sky Epilogue Acknowledgements Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisJim Simpson of Big Bear Records has been involved in the music business for nearly 60 years, as musician, bandleader, promoter, record producer, festival director, manager, journalist and photographer. In his candid, constantly surprising, frequently amusing and occasionally shocking account you will encounter the joys and difficulties of managing Black Sabbath or of running a jazz festival in sun-kissed, crime-ridden Marbella. At home in Birmingham meet some of the characters who have enlivened 35 years of the Jazz Festival and read Jim's take on the scandals that closed the city’s premier jazz club. Revisit the exciting Brum Beat scene, take to the road with some 40 of the best (in some cases, most eccentric) American bluesmen of the 1970s, encounter the Blues Brothers Band in surprising places and enjoy Jim's tributes to some of the great names in British jazz, such as Humphrey Lyttelton and Kenny Baker, with whom he worked closely.

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Book SynopsisWhen pop Svengali Max of Big In Japan Records discovers Cara in a shop in Temple Bar, he immediately signs her up to his stable of young wannabees. Her friends cannot believe her luck. However little does Cara realize what’s in store for her. Overnight, he transforms her into Colleen: the Celtic popstar with strawberry-blonde extensions and snow-white teeth. Soon she discovers that Max’s plans don’t really include her voice. Whatever! But there are compensations, such as falling for the lead singer of another band and living it up in London. Max decides his protégée is ready to be launched onto the Irish-American circuit. Catapulted onto a mad tour tinged with shamrocks, sex and drugs, Colleen soon ends up on a Senate election bandwagon, and just as she becomes a ‘hit’, she finds that being a pop idol isn’t all it’s cracked up to be …Trade Review"An uproariously funny account of what it’s like to become a star in the music world!” —Louis Walsh

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Book SynopsisBacktrack is the star-studded account of Tessa Nilesâ 30 years of working alongside the greatest names in rock and pop; the story of a young girlâs quest to discover her true voice as she charts her rise to become one of the most respected session singers in Britain. Follow Tessa as she records with superstars.

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Book SynopsisThe untold story behind one of the most controversial album releases in modern music history, for fans of the Wu-Tang Clan, hip-hop music, and all those interested in the music industry. Take a kid with a dream. A legendary hip hop group. 6 years of secret recordings. A casing worthy of a king. A single artifact. Hallowed establishment institutions. An iconoclastic auction house. The world's foremost museum of modern art. A bidding war. Endless crises of conscience. An angry mob. A furious beef. A sale. A villain of Lex Luthor-like proportions. Bill Murray. The FBI. The internet gone wild. In 2007, the innovative Wu-Tang producer, Cilvaringz, feeling that digitisation increasingly supported the perception of music as disposable, took an incendiary idea to his mentor, hip hop legend, RZA: create a unique physical copy of a secret Wu-Tang album, to be encased in silver and sold through auction as a work of contemporary art. The plan raised a number of complex questions: Would selling one album for millions be the ultimate betrayal of music? How would fans react to an album that's sold on condition it could not be commercialised? And could anyone justify the ultimate sale of the album to the infamous pharmaceutical mogul Martin Shkreli? "An epic battle between colorful, creative maniacal heroes and one of the blandest beta-villains of our time. Couldn't put it down."Patton Oswalt, comedian and bestselling author of Silver Screen FiendTrade Review“An epic battle between colorful, creative maniacal heroes and one of the blandest beta-villains of our time. Couldn’t put it down.”Patton Oswalt, comedian and bestselling author of Silver Screen Fiend"[An] utterly candid work...Bozorgmehr's stirring account gives readers the insider's view of musical outlaws who possessed the best intentions of elevating hip-hop from its street moorings to more stylish, chic surroundings, and whose efforts exploded in a crisis of bad media coverage and soulless pharmaceutical drug merchants."Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisMy real story starts with a disaster, an unmitigated, pull-the-rug-from-under-you, clean-out-the-bank-account disaster. But had it not happened, The Police would never have risen to become the biggest rock band in the world; Jools Holland would not have ended up on TV; The Bangles, The Go-Go s, R.E.M., and many other music stars might never have made it either. It s strange how a fluke, a disaster, an unlikely event can lead to incredible results. But that is in essence what happened to me . . . Two Steps Forward, One Step Back tells the extraordinary story of a maverick manager, promoter, label owner, and all-round legend of the music industry. It opens in the Middle East, where Miles grew up with his father, a CIA agent who was stationed in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon. It then shifts to London in the late 60s and the beginnings of a career managing bands like Wishbone Ash and Curved Air only for Miles s life and work to be turned upside down by a pioneering yet disastrous European tour. From the ashes of near bankruptcy, Miles enters the world of punk, sharing office space with Malcolm McLaren and Sniffin Glue, before shifting gears again as manager of The Police, featuring his brother, Stewart, on drums. Then, after founding IRS Records, he launches the careers of some of the most potent musical acts of the new wave scene and beyond, from Squeeze and The Go-Go s to The Bangles and R.E.M. Finally, the story comes full circle as Miles finds himself advising the Pentagon on how to win over hearts and minds in the Middle East and introducing Arabic music to the United States. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, his father would tell him. Sometimes, though, the truth is all you need.

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Book SynopsisTony Christie has topped the charts in countries all around the world with `Is This The Way To Amarillo', `I Did What I Did For Maria', `Avenues & Alleyways' and has achieved critical acclaim for his more recent works with Richard Hawley and Jarvis Cocker. Tony's albums have achieved several Gold and Platinum discs and he was the only singer in 2005 to have a single release and album simultaneously at Number 1. Now for the first time Tony tells of his illustrious, colourful career that started in the small South Yorkshire town of Conisbrough and today sees him as a singing legend with fans throughout the globe. It is a story packed with emotional and financial highs and lows, fantastic characters and Tony's deep-rooted love of family. If you thought you knew Tony Christie you will now as he opens up about his loves, his sorrows and his amazing life! TONY CHRISTIE The Song Interpreter is the official autobiography of an icon in popular music whose voice sounds as good today as when he first hit the charts in 1971.

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Book SynopsisAfrobeats is a fast-growing genre, one that has carved out a distinct and powerful Black identity rooted within the African continent.The first book of its kind, A Quick Ting On: Afrobeats chronicles the social and cultural development of the eponymous music genre, tracing its rich history from the African continent all the way to the musical centre of the Western world.This exciting new book takes a unique look at the music of the African diaspora and their children, delving into how Afrobeats and its sub-genres have provided new articulations of Black identity and pride. It remembers the Afrobeats pioneers and memorable cultural moments, as well as investigating the impact of African migration, travel and modernisation on the genre.A Quick Ting On: Afrobeats provides an insightful look at how Afrobeats became the explosive music genre it is today.Table of Contents 1: My Personal Relationships with Afrobeats 2: Fela and Afrobeat–The Man And The Music 3: Hiplife–Fusion and Cutlure 4: Wxmen in Afrobeats 5: The Skanking Era–UK Funky House 6: Is It Really Everyday Dance? 7: The Sonic Creators: Music Producers 8: Afrobeats (Yes, With An S) 9: Diasporic sounds, Afro-suffixes and everything in between 10: Homecoming And The Future

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Book SynopsisWhen a musician dies, it is rarely the end of their story. While death can propel megastars to even further success, artists overlooked in their lifetime might also find a new type of fame. But a badly timed move or the wrong deal can see the artist die all over again. Colonel Tom Parker, the former carnival huckster, understood this high-wire act implicitly and the posthumous career of Elvis Presley has provided a template for everyone else. Estates have two jobs: keeping the artist's name alive and ensuring they continue to make money. These can sometimes be compatible goals, but often they spark a tension that is unique in the music business. Drawing on interviews with those running music estates as well as music lawyers, record company executives and archivists, Leaving the Building reveals how the music industry is constantly striving to perfect the business of death.

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Book SynopsisAs the creative force behind Berry Gordy Jr.'s Motown Records in the mid-Sixties, a writing credit from Holland Dozier Holland was virtually a guarantee of chart success. From Stop! In The Name Of Love to How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You, they were the songwriting and production dream team responsible for some of the greatest songs of the twentieth century. In this compelling autobiography, brothers Eddie and Brian Holland share their story for the first time, starting with growing up in Detroit raised by a single mother and their grandmother, before shining a light on their early musical careers. A gifted lyricist, Eddie started out as a solo singer with Berry Gordy as his manager before partnering up with his brother Brian and Lamont Dozier, both talented arrangers and producers. When Holland Dozier Holland came together, they helped transform Motown Records from a local soul label into a worldwide hit factory, home to international superstars such as Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, The Four Tops and The Isley Brothers. After an awe-inspiring tenure they left Motown in 1968, continuing their successes at new labels and with new collaborators for years to come. Featuring honest and open first-hand accounts, Come and Get These Memories is more than just a behind-the-scenes look at Motown Records at its peak: Eddie and Brian set the record straight on both their personal and professional lives and offer a revealing slice of pop-music history.

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Book SynopsisTHE ILLUSTRATED STORY OF SUN RECORDS AND THE 70 RECORDINGS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Sun Records: the company that launched Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Carl Perkins. This is where Rock 'n Roll was born. Written by two of the most acclaimed music writers of our time, The Birth of Rock n' Roll: 70 Years of Sun Records looks at this history of this legendary label through the lens of 70 of its most iconic recordings. Accompanying the recordings is the label's origin story and a look at the mission of the label today, as well as fascinating dives into subjects such as the legendary Million Dollar Quartet, and how the song "Harper Valley, PTA" funded the purchase of the label. Featuring hundreds of rare images from the Sun archives as well as a foreword by music legend Jerry Lee Lewis, this is a one-of-a-kind book for anyone who wants to know where it all started.

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Book SynopsisChosen as one of the Best Architecture and Design books Summer 2022 by the Financial Times. Why British record store carrier bags are graphic design icons: While they’ve never carried the kudos of sleeve designs and music posters, record shop bags offer a fascinating insight into 20th century British music culture, high-streets and more. – Creative Review Jonny Trunk’s extensive collection of record shop bags weaves together a less conventional history of British music, celebrating the shops where musicians and fans bought and sold their first LPs. This book is a love letter to these forgotten spaces, accompanied by a juicy selection of anecdotes and little known facts about the record shops and their bags. Readers, gear up for a “brilliant ride down the old British high streets and low streets too.” – It's Nice That Jonny Trunk and FUEL present A-Z of Record Shop Bags – a publication celebrating the humble record store bag. This exhaustive collection of the record shop bag provides a unique perspective of record shopping in the UK over the last century, bringing together over 500 incredible bags (some possibly the only surviving examples) to document the fascinating story of British high street record shopping. Bags from famous chains such as NEMS, Our Price and Virgin (the amazingly rare Roger Dean bags), sit alongside designs from local shops run by eccentric enthusiasts. Packed with stories such as the first Jewish ska retailer, the record sellers who started the premier league, famous staff (David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, Morrissey, etc.) and equally infamous owners, these anecdotes of mythical vinyl entrepreneurs will entertain and delight. With vinyl record sales at their highest ever for decades (outselling CDs in the US), this publication acts as an amazing insight into the history, culture and visual language of record collecting. Following Own Label, Wrappers Delight and Auto Erotica – A-Z of Record Shop Bags: 1940s to 1990s is the next book in the series by Jonny Trunk and FUEL, examining overlooked aspects of our collective past.

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Book SynopsisThe book’s focus is on successful music entrepreneurship and career development in the global music and entertainment industry. The list of specialized occupations filled by musicians is lengthy, e.g. performer, producer, arranger, composer, songwriter, lyricist, music editor, publicist, recording engineer, conductor, sound technician, manager, entertainment lawyer, promoter, booking agent, tour manager, music educator, vocal coach, private instructor, music supervisor, music programmer, electronic DJ, etc. There are also careers ancillary to music, such as event organizer, music therapist, radio station director, or entertainment director. Music plays an important role in advertising, marketing, video games, film, and digital media as well, and there are tie-ins to tourism, restaurant, and the hospitality industry. Music as an industry is multifaceted, and is a subset of the broader entertainment industry which includes sports, cinema, broadcasting, and creative digital media. The entertainment industry in aggregate is viewed as a potential growth area by governments and by commercial concerns, and often targeted and supported as a tool for sustainable international economic, social, and cultural development. There is even such a thing as music diplomacy, as a component of cultural or “soft power” diplomacy. As with many professions, the set of skills, knowledge, and strategies required to become successfully employed in the music and entertainment-related fields are not the same set of skills needed to do the actual jobs. Young musicians and others with the ambition to work in the music industry are often baffled by the many options available, conflicting information, and the lack of a clear path to success. They are thirsty for balanced and reliable knowledge about and clear direction on how to prepare for a career in the industry. Universities, colleges, and specialty training schools offer programs designed to help individuals prepare for careers in music, leading to certificates, diplomas, or degrees, including at the graduate level. But the focus of the trainings and curricula are most often only on the skills needed to perform the work and not on how to access the work through careful career preparation and entrepreneurial thinking. There is a dearth of relevant information about how to access the opportunities, leverage the training and the networks gained in school, and how to succeed through meeting the true demands of the industry. This book aims to fill this need.

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Book SynopsisSo wird das Showbusiness Ihr Business Tauchen Sie ein in die Welt der Musik und entdecken Sie, wie Sie als leidenschaftlicher Musiker oder Produzent den Sprung auf die große Bühne schaffen! Christoph Klein führt Sie durch den Dschungel von GEMA, GVL und Künstlersozialkasse, wirft einen Blick auf die juristischen Feinheiten und entwirrt den Knoten von Plattenverträgen und Co. In diesem Buch erfahren Sie alles über die wichtigsten Player der Musikindustrie, wie Sie effektives Marketing betreiben und was bei professionellen Aufnahmen und Liveauftritten zu beachten ist. Zahlreiche Checklisten, Musterverträge und hilfreiche Adressen machen es zum unverzichtbaren Begleiter auf Ihren Weg zum Erfolg. Sie erfahren Wie Sie sich auf dem Musikmarkt erfolgreich positionieren Wer im Musikbusiness alles mitwirkt Was Sie bei GEMA und Co beachten sollten Wie Sie Social Media optimal für Ihre Musik einsetzen

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Book SynopsisContemporary music, like other arts, is dealing with the rise of "curators" laying claim to everything from festivals to playlists - but what are they and what do they do anyway? Drawing from backgrounds ranging from curatorial studies to festival studies and musicology, Brandon Farnsworth lays out a theory for understanding curatorial practices in contemporary music, and how they could be a solution to the field's diminishing social relevance. The volume focuses on two case studies, the Munich Biennale for New Music Theatre, and the Maerzmusik Festival at the Berliner Festspiele, putting them in a transdisciplinary history of curatorial practice, and showing what music curatorial practice can be.

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Book SynopsisMusic festivals have become important events for people to experience music collectively and take a break from their everyday lives. Companies and institutions like to use music festivals as opportunities for advertising their products and services through sponsorship. Dominik Nösner examines professional stakeholder's assessments of the market as well as patterns of existing procedural elements of sponsorship culture, factors determining existing communication and decision-making culture and interrelations between sponsors and audience with emphasis on university popular music festivals. Building on that, he further explores motivational constructs for popular music festival attendance via a survey study.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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