Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book SynopsisIt may have taken them a few years to achieve a stable line-up, but Faith No More did just that with the arrival of enigmatic frontman, Mike Patton in 1988. By 1990, the San Francisco quintet were flying high on the back of their third album, The Real Thing, and the influential anthem for a generation, 'Epic'. Becoming a household name and mainstream chart botherers with colourful and diverse songs ranging in style from heavy metal to jazz, and rap rock to lounge music, Faith No More refused to follow trends and instead pushed forward with a gung-ho attitude and a talent for songwriting built around sonic experimentation. The band released the critically acclaimed Angel Dust, as well as King for a Day...Fool for a Lifetime and the ironically titled Album of the Year records, before stunning fans by parting ways in 1998. Faith No More in the 1990s is the story of a largely rewarding but tension-filled decade for rock music's greatest underdogs. Providing a detailed timeline of events, frenetic touring schedules, and most importantly- the songs, this book documents the rise and progression of one of the most distinctive bands of all time

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Book SynopsisThe Times Book of the Year 'There’s no tougher a mind, no more tender a voice than Paul Simon, and there’s no better man than Robert Hilburn to decipher the hardwiring of this hyperintellect...great songs can never be fully explained, but the great man on his way to find those songs surely can.' — Bono Through such hits as “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “Graceland,” Paul Simon has spoken to us in songs for a half-century about alienation, doubt, survival, and faith in ways that have established him as one of the most honoured and beloved songwriters in American pop music history. Yet Simon has refused to talk to potential biographers and urged those close to him to also remain silent. But Simon not only agreed to talk to biographer Robert Hilburn for what has amounted to more than sixtyTrade Review'There are two great storytellers colliding here. There’s no tougher a mind, no more tender a voice than Paul Simon, and there’s no better man than Robert Hilburn to decipher the hardwiring of this hyperintellect. From the prologue I was sucked in, suckered into a sense that I too might discover the genetic code of some of the greatest songs of any century. By the epilogue, you realize the great songs can never be fully explained, but the great man on his way to find those songs surely can.' -- Bono'When it comes to writing songs, no one does it better than Paul Simon. Robert Hilburn’s is a wise and winning account of our most nimble, nuanced, and numinous poet-musician.' -- Paul Muldoon'A tantalizing look into the mind and writing process of the man who is arguably the finest craftsman of the American popular song since the Gershwin brothers, this book will delight any Paul Simon fan or student of popular culture.' -- Linda Ronstadt‘this stately biography does capture the tension between the focused, ambitious songwriter and his dreamy, unreliable former partner’ * The Times *'This definitive biography tells the stories behind the hits - and of his fiery relationship with Art Garfunkel.' * Mail on Sunday *'The first officially-sanctioned biography of the great singer-songwriter. It is everything fans could have hoped for, including valuable insights into Simon's life and art, and the cause of what appears to be his final personal rupture with Art Garfunkel.' * Choice magazine *'Hilburn...ably demonstrates the respect in which Simon his held by fellow songwriters' * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisCollects lyrics from the popular rap artist's two albums and includes his commentary on the origin of each song.

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Book Synopsis''I WAS THERE WITH THESE TWO GIRLS ONCE; THEY WERE STRIPPERS. THEY SAID ''DAVE, WE''D LIKE YOU TO GO UPSTAIRS, THE TWO OF US, WITH YOU. '' SO I SAID, ''OKAY''. IT WAS ANGUS, AND IT WAS HOT AND SWEATY AND HUMID, AND WE COMMENCED TO DELIVER THE GROCERIES AT 138 BEATS PER MINUTE OR MORE. ONE OF THE GIRLS HAD $1500 IN SINGLES AND FIVES AND TENS, HER END-OF-THE-WEEK TIPS AND PAY AND EVERYTHING IN HER G-STRING. NOBODY NOTICED, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE G-STRING CAME UNDONE -- WELL, I NOTICED -- NOBODY NOTICED THE MONEY, LIKE, FLOATING AROUND. I WOKE UP AT SOME POINT AROUND DAWN, THE TWO OF THEM WERE ASLEEP, AND ALL THREE OF US WERE COVERED WITH MONEY, EVERY SQUARE INCH OF SKIN HAD A DOLLAR BILL PASTED TO IT -- THERE WAS NOTHING BUT. THE WHOLE BED WAS COVERED WITH BILLS. OUR BODIES WERE COVERED WITH BILLS. THERE WAS BILLS IN MY UNDERWEAR. TAKE A LITTLE PICTURE OF THAT. '' So begins perhaps the ultimate rock autobiography. Throughout the late-seventies and eighties Van Halen were the archetypal Ameri

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

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Book Synopsis''There has been a lot of fun and adventure in my five decades on earth. There are also things from my past that I''ve needed to deal with. This is my story, my truth, with no holds barred - and I deserve to be able to tell it the way that I choose.''It''s time to face the music - the experiences that defined me, the mistakes that shaped me and the loves that changed my life.From S Club 7 pop star to Hollywood starlet, Hannah Spearritt has been on the stage, screen and airwaves since her teens. As one seventh of an iconic pop band, providing the soundtrack to so many childhoods, she has spent most of her life in the limelight. Now, for the first time ever, she''s ready to open up in this deeply candid memoir.This is Hannah''s true story. The lessons she has learned, the loves of her life, the dangerous health struggles, the friendships and the fallouts, the joy of being a mother and the heartbreak she has overcome - Hannah holds absolutely nothing back.Facing the Music is Hannah on her own terms - brave, unfiltered and hugely inspirational. Hannah can''t wait for the world to get to know the real her.

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Book SynopsisA biography of the British singer songwriter who died aged twenty six, having made three albums, all now recognised as classicsTrade ReviewHumphries has a lively feel for Drake’s social context … This book works as a sad fable of an unusual casualty of the 1960s counter culture * SUNDAY TIMES *A riveting account of the golden-boy genius * EVENING STANDARD *An exquisite portrait … It’s less about the human condition than about the sensitive adolescent’s coming-of-age. But it’s none the less moving for that. A short, sweet and sad story * MOJO *Patrick Humphries has written a rich, moving account of a troubled spirit, a mature biography of a briefly flickering talent unable to come to terms with the adult world … The writing is zestful and intelligent and the text illuminating … A literary memorial fit to stand alongside the songs * UNCUT *

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Book SynopsisAn insightful biography of one of the world’s greatest musicians, Bob Dylan, by bestselling author Paul Morley. As one of the world’s greatest musicians, Bob Dylan has enriched the American song tradition for over 50 years. With a talent that has been proven in the worlds of music, radio, art and poetry, Dylan is a man of many personas. From defying pop music conventions with protest songs such as “The Times They Are a-Changin’” to releasing three of the most influential rock albums of the 60s, he has not only extended the parameters of music genres but has also showed us the fluidity his craft. To mark Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday and 60 illustrious years in the arts, this insightful biography by bestselling author Paul Morley will explore the many voices of the folk icon.

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Book SynopsisEric Clapton is acknowledged to be rock''s greatest virtuoso, the unrivalled master of its most essential tool, the solid-body electric guitar.Clapton transfigured three of the 1960s'' most iconic bands - the Yardbirds, Cream and Blind Faith - walking away from each when it failed to measure up to his exacting standards. He was the only outsider be an honorary member of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and the studio musician of choice for solo superstars from Bob Dylan to Aretha Franklin. No life has been more rock ''n'' roll than Clapton''s in his epic consumption of drugs and alcohol, his insatiable appetite for expensive cars, clothes and women - most famously revealed when he fell in love with Pattie Boyd, the wife of his best friend, George Harrison, and the inspiration for ''Layla''.With the benefit of unrestricted access to family members, close friends and fellow musicians, and his encyclopedic knowledge of Sixties music and culture, Philip Norman has creTrade ReviewSlowhand reads like a textbook account of all the pathologies of the rock-star life: promiscuity, infidelity, heroin addiction, alcoholism -- Victoria Segal * SUNDAY TIMES *It has taken a biographer as perceptive and clear-sighted as Philip Norman to do Clapton justice ... Despite everything, you end up liking Clapton, and feeling as if you know and understand him. It is proof that Norman's biography has done its work -- Will Hodgkinson * THE TIMES *As usual, the masterful biographer Philip Norman has unearthed countless fascinating details -- Mark Mason * DAILY MAIL *On a mission to expose the music of the US south to a new audience in as pure a form as possible, [Clapton] captured the raw emotion of the sound he loved enough to transfix his young listeners. A generation was discovering an alien language with which they instinctively felt at home. That cultural leap - which began with conversations in record shops, coffee bars and art schools, and eventually swept the world - is one of the key stories of the last century and is always worth re-examining, as Philip Norman does in this biography of one of the movement's pioneers * THE GUARDIAN *Solid and sad -- Helen Brown * DAILY TELEGRAPH Music Books of the Year *Lucid -- Peter Aspden * FINANCIAL TIMES *Many unexpected details have been unearthed by an author painting a vivid picture of a man whose extraordinary career has been carved out of his ability "to conjure magic from a slab of electrified wood" -- Russell Newmark * THE BEAT *Extraordinary stories ... the entire tale, including how, miraculously, late in life Clapton learned to function as a normal, civilised person, enjoying a long and apparently faithful second marriage, is told with wonderful vividness -- Trevor Hodgett * ROCK N REEL *

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Book SynopsisEveryone wanted Madonna's 1992 album Erotica to be a scandal. In the midst of a culture war, conservatives wanted it to be proof of the decline of family values. The target of conservative loathing, gay men reeling from the AIDS epidemic wanted it to be a celebration of a sexual culture that had rapidly slipped away. And Madonna herself wanted to sell scandal, which is why she released Erotica in the same season as her erotic thriller Body of Evidence and her pornographic coffee-table book simply titled Sex. But Erotica is more sentimental than pornographic. This ambivalence over sex is what makes the album crucial both for understanding its time and for navigating culture a generation later. As queer politics were transitioning from sexual liberation to civil rights like same-sex marriage, Madonna tried to do both. Her songs proved formative for works of queer theory, which emerged in the academy at the same time as the album. And Erotica wasaTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Sex/Erotica 2. Subculture/Pop Culture 3. Madonna/Whore

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Book Synopsis__________________________________'A remarkable novel, elegant, wise, and beautifully constructed.' Roddy DoyleTommy Mays, Titan Records' biggest act, is verging on a mid-life crisis; learning the hard way that a life of fame and fortune comes at a price. But things are looking up for his support band, The Burn, which could be a career-changer for Theo, Titan's young A&R executive. Meanwhile, secretary Cynthia has her eyes on Titan's latest rising star, singer-songwriter Lenore Lamont. But with a billboard in Times Square, is Lenore starting to feel the pressure?Set in the sleek offices, high-tech recording studios and hip downtown clubs of New York, The Words of Every Song depicts the realities of making it in an industry where glamour and fame can often conceal the harsh realities for those hoping to hit the big-time.Trade ReviewThis is a remarkable novel, elegant, wise, and beautifully constructed. I loved the book, and admired the work and spark that went into it.Impressive ... Moore crafts a clever cycle of interconnected short stories about players in New York City's music industry. * People *The kind of book you want to read twice. The first time you read it for the well-told story, the second time for another look at the inventive way [Moore] tells it. * Boston Now *Imagine having happened upon Dylan singing in Harvard Square, or having caught one of Joni Mitchell's early shows at an empty club. This is how I felt reading Liz Moore's lyrical and powerful debut novel, like I was witnessing a timeless artist on the verge of transcendence. The Words of Every Song is a virtuoso performance. These beautifully rendered characters are melodies that echo in your head, chords that reverberate in your heart, and, long after you've turned the last page, you can still hear the audience calling for an encore.Sweet, wistful, artfully arranged: like the best mix tape anyone ever made for you. * Kirkus starred review *

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Book SynopsisFrom Sunday Times bestselling author Lesley-Ann JonesOn 12 July 1962, the Rollin' Stones performed their first-ever gig at London's Marquee jazz club. Down the line, a 'g' was added, a spark was lit and their destiny was sealed. No going back.These five white British kids set out to play the music of black America. They honed a style that bled bluesy undertones into dark insinuations of women, sex and drugs. Denounced as 'corruptors of youth' and 'messengers of the devil', they created some of the most thrilling music ever recorded. Now, their sound and attitude seem louder and more influential than ever. Elvis is dead and the Beatles are over, but Jagger and Richards bestride the world. The Stones may be gathering moss, but on they roll. Yet how did the ultimate anti-establishment misfits become the global brand we know today? Who were the casualties, and what are the forgotten legacies? Can the artist ever be truly divisible from the art? Lesley-Ann Jones's new history tracks this contradictory, disturbing, granitic and unstoppable band through hope, glory and exile, into the juggernaut years and beyond into rock's ongoing reckoning . . . where the Stones seem more at odds than ever with the values and heritage against which they have always rebelled. Good, bad and often ugly, here are the Rolling Stones as never before.

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Half a century after three teenage brothers decided to give a career in music a go, the Bee Gees are among the most successful and enduring names in popular music history.Trailblazing their way across pop music since the 1960s, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb have made their songs Stayin' Alive, How Deep is Your Love, To Love Somebody, and I Started a Joke, timeless.Filled with staggering highs – especially as they became the definitive band of the disco era – The Little Guide to the Bee Gees is packed with quotes perfect for the music-lover in your life and just might help you stay alive.'Contrary to popular belief, we have no leader. We call it a democratic dictatorship.' - Maurice Gibb'We are brothers first, a pop group second.' - Barry Gibb'Show business is something you have to have in you when you're born.' - Robin Gibb

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Book SynopsisIn 1991, five wannabe Mancunian musicians came together and cracked a spark that was to ignite the explosion which became Oasis. The band went from obscurity to become a global phenomenon in the space of a year, achieving world-wide recognition and selling over 70 million records. Pre Oasis, drummer Tony McCarroll joined a band called The Rain, linking up with guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, bassist Paul McGuigan and singer Chris Hutton. Hutton was later replaced by Liam Gallagher who in turn brought brother Noel along. What started out as five young lads with a common dream of becoming rock stars eventually disintegrated into in-fighting, clashes of egos and finanical disputes. In 1995, following the release of Definitely Maybe - the fastest-selling debut of all time - things came to a head and Tony left the band. In this candid and hilarious book, Tony tells one of the most in-depth rock 'n' roll stories of modern times. He reveals the truth about the early years before the band was even formed; he tells of the drinking and drug consumption. Plus, he talks of his much-publicised rift with Noel Gallagher. Tony's recollections include stories involving David Beckham, Prince, Eric Cantona and John McEnroe.

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Book SynopsisDaphne Oram (1925–2003) was one of the central figures in the development of British experimental electronic music. Having declined a place at the Royal College of Music to become a music balancer at the BBC, she went on to become the co-founder and first director of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Oram left the BBC in 1959 to pursue commercial work in television, advertising, film and theatre, to make her own music for recording and performance, and to continue her personal research into sound technology – a passion she had had since her childhood in rural Wiltshire. Her home, a former oasthouse in Kent, became an unorthodox studio and workshop in which, mostly on a shoestring budget, she developed her pioneering equipment, sounds and ideas. A significant part of her personal research was the invention of a machine that offered a new form of sound synthesis – the Oramics machine.Oram’s contribution to electronic music is receiving considerable attention from new generations of composers, sound engineers, musicians, musicologists and music lovers around the world. Following her death, the Daphne Oram Trust was established to preserve and promote her work, life and legacy, and an archive created in the Special Collections Library at Goldsmiths, University of London. One of the Trust’s ambitions has been to publish a new edition of Oram’s one and only book, An Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics, which was originally published in 1972. With support from the Daphne Oram Archive, the Trust has now been able to realize this ambition.An Individual Note is both curious and remarkable. When commissioned to write a book, she was keen to avoid it becoming a manual or how-to guide, preferring instead to use the opportunity to muse on the subjects of music, sound and electronics, and the relationships between them. At a time when the world was just starting to engage with electronic music and the technology was still primarily in the hands of music studios, universities, and corporations, her approach was both innovative and inspiring, encouraging anyone with an interest in music to think about the nature, capabilities and possibilities that the new sounds could bring. And her thinking was not limited to just the future of the orchestra, synthesizer, computer and home studio, but ventured, with great spirit and wit, into other realms of science, technology, culture and thought. An Individual Note is a playful yet compelling manifesto for the dawn of electronic music and for our individual capacity to use, experience and enjoy it.This new edition of An Individual Note features a specially commissioned introduction from the British composer, performer, roboticist and sound historian Sarah Angliss.

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Book SynopsisAlbum art is indelibly linked to our collective musical memories; when you think of your favorite albums, you picture the covers. Many photographers, illustrators, and art directors have become celebrities from their album artworks—the best examples of which will go down in history as permanent fixtures in popular culture. Paying tribute to this art form, Rock Covers brings you a compilation of more than 750 remarkable album covers, from legendary to rare record releases. Artists as varied as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Iron Maiden, and Sonic Youth are gathered together in celebration of the cover art that defined their albums and their cult status. Each cover is accompanied by a fact sheet listing the art director, photographer or illustrator, year, label, and more, while nearly 250 records that marked particular turning points for a band, an artist, or the music genre, are highlighted with short descriptions. This far-reaching catalog of visualized rock is contextualized with insider interviews with five professionals who shaped the history of rock, and by top-10 record lists from ten leading rock collectors.Trade Review“The material is wonderful. The subject merits so thorough and authoritative an account and caption details are good.” * The Spectator *“A lovingly and illuminatingly annotated journey.” * Metal Hammer *“The ultimate rock’n’roll art book.” * instyle.co.uk *“…as is the case with any TASCHEN book, you can rest assured it will look as good on display as it will when you’re flipping through the pages and listening to some Pink Floyd.” * coolmaterial.com *“A full anthology of familiar – and wonderfully obscure – rock albums.” * Nylon Magazine *“For hardcore record collectors or appreciators of physical media, it’s a great tribute to an art form that we hope remains relevant for a long time.” * uncrate.com *

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Book SynopsisRobert Plant is one of the few genuine living rock legends.Frontman of Led Zeppelin, musical innovator and seller of millions of records, Plant has had a profound influence on music for over four decades. But the full account of his life has barely been told until now.Robert Plant: A Life is the first complete and comprehensive telling of Plant's story. From his earliest performances in folk clubs in the early 1960s, to the world's biggest stages as Led Zeppelin's self-styled Golden God', and on to his emergence as an emboldened solo star.The sheer scale of Zeppelin's success is extraordinary: in the US alone they sold 70 million records, a figure surpassed only by the Beatles. But their success was marred by tragedy.These pages contain first-hand accounts of Plant's greatest highs and deepest lows: the tragic deaths of his son Karac and his friend, Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.Told in vivid detail, this is the definitive story of a man of great talent, remarkable fortitude and extraoTrade Review‘Anyone seeking insight into Plant as a man and a musician will find it here.’ Q ‘There have been countless books on Led Zeppelin but little of substance on lead singer Plant. Methodically researched, the music legend’s extraordinary career, influences and legacy are superbly articulated in this tremendous biography of an enigmatic rock star.” The Bookseller ‘Whole lotta truth about Zeppelin’s Viking rock god’ Mail on Sunday ‘Particularly enlightening on Plant's formative pre-Zep years in the Midlands, A Life puts the singer's eclectic career into clear context.’ Dave Lewis, Tight But Loose magazine

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Book SynopsisPhil Collins was everywhere in the 1980s. He had more top forty singles in the US than any other artist during the 1980s: fourteen as a solo artist and eleven with Genesis, along with two number one albums. Add to this, twenty-five solo / group hit singles and eight number one albums in the UK. He also recorded with artists as diverse as Peter Gabriel, John Martyn, Frida, Robert Plant, Mike Oldfield, Marti Webb, Al Di Meola, Adam Ant, Eric Clapton, Phil Bailey, Band Aid, Marilyn Martin, Paul McCartney, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan and Tears For Fears - another thirty-five albums or standalone singles, some of which were massive global hits. He also found time, somehow, to tour with Plant and Clapton in addition to his extensive in-concert duties with Genesis and as a solo artist. And perform at Live Aid. At both concerts. That’s around six hundred live concerts in total between 1980 and 1989. There’s no doubt that the guy was busy in that period! Amidst the overwhelming commercial success and ahead of any other career plan Phil Collins was and is a musician. His ubiquity between 1980 and 1989 hides ten years of magnificent music and this book examines Phil Collins’ musical output through these ten tumultuous years.

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Book Synopsis'With disarming candour and courage, Martha tells us of finding her own voice and peace as a working artist and mother. Her story is made more unique because of the remarkably gifted musical family she was born into' EMMYLOU HARRIS Born into music royalty, daughter of Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III and sister to singer Rufus Wainwright, Martha grew up in a world filled with incomparable folk legends. With the same emotional honesty that has come to define her music Martha describes her tumultuous public-facing journey from awkward, earnest and ultimately rebellious daughter, through her intense competition and ultimate alliance with her brother, Rufus, to the heartbreaking loss of their mother and finally discovering her voice as an artist.   With candour and grace she writes of becoming a mother herself and making peace with her past struggles with Kate and her younger self. Ultimately, this book offers a thoughtful and

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Book SynopsisAn insightful biography of one of the world’s greatest musicians, Bob Dylan, by bestselling author Paul Morley. As one of the world’s greatest musicians, Bob Dylan has enriched the American song tradition for over 50 years. With a talent that has been proven in the worlds of music, radio, art and poetry, Dylan is a man of many personas. From defying pop music conventions with protest songs such as “The Times They Are a-Changin’” to releasing three of the most influential rock albums of the 60s, he has not only extended the parameters of music genres but has also showed us the fluidity his craft. To mark Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday and 60 illustrious years in the arts, this insightful biography by bestselling author Paul Morley will explore the many voices of the folk icon.

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

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Book SynopsisThe Pet Shop Boys are one of the most successful and unusual bands of the last five decades. They are the pop duo that proves pop music can be modern, ecstatic and playful as well as serious and intelligent, winning them legions of devoted fans throughout the world.In 1989, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe invited journalist Chris Heath and photographer Lawrence Watson to shadow them around Hong Kong, Japan and the UK as they embarked on their first-ever tour. This book is the result: an immersive portrait giving access into the duo’s inner sanctum, showing them in brilliantly observed detail as they work, relax, gossip, argue and occasionally try to make sense of what they do.‘As clear a picture as could be wished for of the seething mass of elegant contradictions that is the Pet Shop Boys’ on-the-road experience.’ Independent on Sunday‘This superbly reported book transcends tired rock journalism cliché. It’s about what it means to be a pop star, what it means to be a Pet Shop Boy… how to love pop, hold it to a higher standard and subvert its expectations.’ Laura SnapesTrade ReviewOne of the best biographies in pop history. A phenomenal piece of observational journalism. Heath's books offers unprecedented access. -- Mark Savage * BBC News *Candid, hilarious and revealing...gloriously gossipy. [They set] a benchmark for music biographies. Engrossing stuff. * Classic Pop Magazine *Candid, insightful and frequently hilarious dispatches from the front line of pop stardom. An astonishingly intimate and honest portrait of the maverick duo. Page turners of the highest order, saying more about their subjects than any “straight” biographies could ever hope to achieve. * Record Collector Magazine *

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Book SynopsisRecognizing one of the most-honored performers of all time, A Celebration of Dolly Parton: The Activity Book is 2021's follow-up to A Celebration of David Attenborough: The Activity Book and The Unofficial Michelle Obama Activity Book.Spanning Dolly's long and illustrious career, TheActivity Book includes:Illustrations and graphics to color-in dedicated to Dolly's Greatest HitsAnagrams of our favorite Dolly songsA solution for when the daily 9 to 5 grind is transported to the working-from-home environmentA tour of Dollywood: try to spot Dolly among the throngs of visitors and maze your way around to reunite her with her missing guitarInspirational word clouds, quizzes, puzzles, games, drawings, facts, emotional rollercoaster graphs and much, much moreNot just a musician, Dolly has used her vast fame and fortune for good: setting up The Dollywood Foundation, the My People Fund and, perhaps most famously, The Imagination Library which provides free books to children throughout their chil

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

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Book SynopsisA biography of Elton John, fully updated up to the end of 2017 to include his time as an LGBT and equal rights champion.Table of ContentsMAKING OF A SUPERSTAR 1947-1974: Inanimate Objects as My Friends; Hardly a Hero; One Room; It's a Little Bit Funny; A New Messiah in Town; A Cat Named Hercules; E-L-T-O-N. THE BREAKING OF A SUPERSTAR 1974-1987: Elton is Two Percent of the World; The First Final Curtain; A Single Man; New York Sunset; I Wanna Kiss the Bride. FINDING ELTON JOHN 1987-2018: My Farewell Letter to Cocaine; King of the Jungle; Celebricide; Musical Rehab.

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Book SynopsisA ROLLING STONE, MOJO, and PITCHFORK BOOK OF THE YEARA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The story, in his own words, of one of the century''s most feted singer songwriters: Jeff Tweedy, the man behind music by Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, and Tweedy. Through his pioneering work in the legendary country-punk band Uncle Tupelo, to his enduring legacy as the creative force behind the unclassifiable sound of Wilco, Jeff Tweedy has weaved his way between the underground and the mainstream. While his songs have been endlessly discussed and analysed, rarely has Tweedy talked directly about himself in any detail until now. Funny, disarming and deeply honest, his memoir casts light on his unique creative process and the moments that have shaped his life and career.There's a big-heartedness to the way he writes: humorous, fearless, unflinching.' GUARDIANFrank, engaging, and often very funny

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Book Synopsis* The sensational autobiography of Sharon Osbourne - the First Lady of Rock - an icon for our times with an amazing story to tell - from an often shocking childhood, through a rollercoaster marriage, and still hitting the headlines today.Trade ReviewI have been kept awake for the past two nights, utterly gripped by Sharon's story . . . She makes Keith Richards, Kurt Cobain et all look like kiddies at a tea party, overdosing on fizzy drinks . . . she is radiant, confident, assertive and glamorous. And enormously successful, having turned Ozzy's career into a multimillion-dollar global industry, having recovered from colon cancer herself, and having finally seen her husband do a year without a drink. She is totally phenomenal * SUNDAY INDEPENDENT (IRELAND) *An emotional roller-coaster read. If you thought you'd already had a warts-and-all look at the Osbournes, think again. Sharon's frank memoirs lift the lid on what really goes on in their crazy house. Her wickedly infectious sense of humour sparkles on ev * B MAGAZINE *Sharon has beaten cancer, starred in the X Factor, and been the steely heart of The Osbournes, that jaw-dropping real-life soap opera of a genuinely loving family . . . vividly captured here in this pungent and distinctive autobiography * SUNDAY TIMES *She is currently scaling the heights of a career that has now surpassed her famous husband, and this is Sharon's story. Explicit in detail with her characteristically fruitful turn of phrase, this book will have you laughing out loud * WOMAN’S WAY *

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Book Synopsis''Smart, analytical and enormously good fun'' Stuart Maconie, Mail on Sunday''Ingenious . . . conjures a whole cultural history of the past six decades'' The Spectator''Strikingly insightful . . . page after page of glorious anecdotes'' The i Newspaper''A book to leave you shaken and stirred'' Independent''Poignant and entertaining'' Observer''If you take popular culture seriously, this is the book for you'' Jeremy DellerDr No, the first Bond film, and ''Love Me Do'', the first Beatles record, were released on the same day. Most countries can only dream of creating a phenomenon on this scale; Britain produced two on one windy October afternoon. Told over sixty dramatic years, Love and Let Die is the story of two culture touchstones that continue to define our aspirations and fantasies; of opposing values, visions of Britain and ideas about male identity; and of how a clash between working class liberTrade ReviewA daring, dazzlingly entertaining pop cultural critique . . . smart analytical and enormously good fun. There'ssomething provocative or revelatory on every page -- Stuart Maconie * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Strikingly insightful . . . [Higgs] gives us page after page of glorious anecdotes about Bond and The Beatles, revelations about one sparking insights into the other * i NEWSPAPER *Ingenious . . . Love and Let Die starts with a perfect coincidence [and] conjures a whole cultural history of the past six decades * THE SPECTATOR *A highly evocative picture of the 1960s . . . Love and Let Die is a book to leave you shaken and stirred * INDEPENDENT *This is more than just a book about those two cultural colossi, the Beatles and Bond. It is that, and magnificently so, but it is also about class, art, masculinity, entitlement, politics, love and death. Humane, droll and wise, there is some brilliant apercu, revelation or connection on every page. A dazzling, daring, recondite and immensely readable pop culture critique -- STUART MACONIEIf you take popular culture seriously, this is the book for you -- JEREMY DELLERPoignant and entertaining . . . sharp and pacy. . . Higgs is a lively writer and has assembled many intriguing nuggets from six decades of British popular culture * OBSERVER *In pairing these pop-cultural phenomena, Mr Higgs is onto something. A brilliant meander through the British male psyche . . . excellent and illuminating * WALL STREET JOURNAL *A triumphant work of truth, heart and soul. Love and Let Die is revolutionary, spirited, shaken and stirred -- SALENA GODDEN, author of MRS DEATH MISSES DEATHBrilliant -- Frank Cotterell-Boyce * OBSERVER *Entertaining . . . an eccentric jaunt through the interwoven histories [of the Beatles and Bond] * SUNDAY TIMES *Here is an author who constantly reaches out to the reader, grabs their attention and doesn't let go, finding connection in the most unexplored places . . . I was gripped throughout . . . Higgs finds beautiful threads everywhere . . . packed with small details and big ideas * THE PSYCHOLOGIST *Persuasive . . . The story of the power struggle between the working class and the establishment, as seen through the lens of the Beatles' records and the Bond films, is a fascinating one . . . entertaining * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Lives up to the hype . . . both captivating and thought-provoking. A riveting read * SHINDIG! *

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Book SynopsisHe is known as the Mark Twain of American songwriting, a man who transformed the everyday happenings of regular people into plainly profound statements on war, industrialization, religion, and the human condition. Marking the 50th anniversary of the album's release, John Prine chronicles the legendary singer-songwriter's Middle American provenance, and his remarkable ascent from singing mailman to celebrated son of Chicago.Illegal Smile, Hello in There, Sam Stone, Paradise, Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore, Far from Me, Donald and Lydia, and Angel from Montgomery are considered standards in the American Songbook, covered by legions of Prine's peers and admirers. Through original interviews, exhaustive research, and incisive commentary, author Erin Osmon paints an in-depth portrait of the people, places, and experiences that inspired Prine's landmark debut.After exploring his roots in rural Western Kentucky and suburban Maywood, Illinois, the book takes readers oTrade ReviewErin Osmon’s new book on John Prine, his eponymous 1971 debut, is a gift for fans of the plainspoken singer and this career-making album. * Chicago Reader *Osmon writes about the history of Prine's musical beginnings right up to when his debut was released and how the importance of that record has grown, establishing Prine as one of America's great songwriters. * BETA - Wisconsin Public Radio *Extensively researched while economically written, you couldn’t ask for a better literary guide to an Americana classic. * Spectrum Culture *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1. Ten Miles West 2. Down by the Green River 3. We Come for to Sing 4. A Winning Hunch 5. The Singing Mailman 6. And Then He Has You 7. The Earl 8. The Best Damned Songwriter 9. The Bitter End 10. Thinking and Feeling 11. Midwestern Mindtrips Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisKoji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. (1985) score redefined video game music. With under three minutes of music, Kondo put to rest an era of bleeps and bloops—the sterile products of a lab environment—replacing it with one in which game sounds constituted a legitimate form of artistic expression. Andrew Schartmann takes us through the various external factors (e.g., the video game crash of 1983, Nintendo’s marketing tactics) that coalesced into a ripe environment in which Kondo’s musical experiments could thrive. He then delves into the music itself, searching for reasons why our hearts still dance to the “primitive” 8-bit tunes of a bygone era. What musical features are responsible for Kondo’s distinct “Mario sound”? How do the different themes underscore the vastness of Princess Peach’s Mushroom Kingdom? And in what ways do the game’s sound effects resonate with our physical experience of the world? These and other questions are explored within, through the lens of Kondo’s compositional philosophy—one that would influence an entire generation of video game composers. As Kondo himself stated, “we [at Nintendo] were trying to do something that had never been done before.” In this book, Schartmann shows his readers how Kondo and his team not just succeeded, but heralded in a new era of video games.Trade ReviewSchartmann is convincing on Kondo's genius ... It's hard not to appreciate his high aim. If anyone still doubts a video game can be art, perhaps their definition of art is at fault. * The Wire *The most compelling aspects of Schartmann’s book involve the widening circumference of Kondo’s imagination, the possibilities he saw in this new world of electronic composition. The move to home consoles had freed video gaming from the initial, “hailing” approach to sound…It’s Schartmann’s sense of conviction, the hyperbole that occasionally frames his dive into composition and structure, that gives the book its charm. -- Hua Shu * The New Yorker *Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack gave me a greater appreciation of something that appears to be so simple on the surface. * Pure Geekery *Koji Kondo's Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack comes in at 120 pages, not counting the notes and preface, which appears well on par with other books in the 33 1/3 series. It's a book that takes itself seriously, as it should, and soundly proves the case that video game composition is worthy of discussion among keepers of music as a craft. If you have an appreciation for game music, this is worth buying. Even if you don't get a few parts, they're only likely to make you admire the work and design that go into composing all the more. -- Tim Latshaw * NintendoLife *Andrew Schartmann does both the spirit of the series and video game history proud with his investigation into the iconic music from Koji Kondo. Matching a fanboy’s sensibilities with serious scholarship, Schartmann provides the reader with an engaging discussion of Kondo’s themes and ideas, both in terms of stylistic flair and compositional acumen … Of equal importance are his excellent research skills, as he collects worthwhile source material and pairs them [with] compelling quotes from Kondo and other luminaries at Nintendo to make his case for this soundtrack’s inclusion in the 33-1/3 series. The result is a superb blend of professional musicology and video game nerdery. * Dryvetyme.tumblr.com *Andrew Schartmann’s extensive, thoughtful treatise on Japanese composer Koji Kondo and his work on the soundtrack to the original Super Mario Bros game is probably the most unusual entry in the 33 1/3 music chapbook series … As Schartmann demonstrates, Kondo’s work on this seminal game – and the legacy of industry influence that followed – is much more than the primitive bleeps and bloops we all remember … -- Justin Cummings * Critics at Large *There’s something ballsy about including a videogame soundtrack in the 33 1/3 series since it’s not a traditional album per se, though Andrew Schartmann makes a compelling case for Koji Kondo’s score for Super Mario Bros. -- Hubert Vigilla * Ruby Hornet *Excerpted * VICE *Featured in "The Genius of the Super Mario Bros. 'Game Over' Theme" * Slate *Schartmann argues Super Mario Bros. composer Kondo transcended the medium of composition to break free from its restrictions, creating something new to be examined and improved upon … Super Mario Bros. has an enduring sonic legacy. Music is, after all, one of the great social connectors, and the infectiousness of Super Mario Bros.’ iconic main theme is ignorant of geography’s constraints. -- Josh O’Kane * The Globe and Mail *Table of ContentsForward Preface Acknowledgements INTRODUCTION CONTEXTS 1-1 An Unlikely Hero is Born 1-2 Mario Grows Up 1-3 Kondo’s Compositional Philosophy 1-4 Kondo’s Instruments MUSIC 2-1 Overworlds and Underworlds 2-2 The “Underwater” Waltz 2-3 Bowser’s “Castle” Theme & Other Endings 2-4 Sound Effects CONCLUSION Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDuring the five years it has taken to collate this work, authors Weird and Gilly have spoken to over fifty family members, close friends and colleagues including exclusive interviews with Suzi Ronson, David and Maggi Ronson (brother and sister), Minnie Ronson (mother), Steve Popovich (manager), Lou Reed, Mick Jones, Ian Hunter, Chrissie Hynde, Glen Matlock, Cherry Vanilla, Steve Harley, Bob Harris, Joe Elliott and a host of others. As a result, this book provides a deeply intimate and compelling insight into the life and times of an extraordinarily talented guitarist. A man who was tender and caring off the stage, yet fierce and electrifying on it. Jeff Beck, David Bowie, Ian Hunter and Annette Peacock are just a few of the names that were to become associated with the Mick Ronson legend. He toured with Bob Dylan, played with Mott The Hoople, worked with Lou Reed and produced an impressive number of albums with arresting originality. From his days as a mobile grocer to his performances at Wembley Stadium, this minutely detailed biography also includes scores of unpublished photographs and unseen rarities including: a hand-written six-page autobiography by the man himself, love letters to his first girlfriend, family album photographs and an exhaustive discography. After losing his battle with cancer, Mick passed away in the spring of 1993 at the young age of 46. This book is a salute to his remarkable music and legacy. Fully revised and updated with scores of new unpublished photographs and even more rare memorabilia.

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Book SynopsisThe hidden history of the women who dared to write music in a man’s world. ‘Lucid, engaging and exuberant... [Sounds and Sweet Airs] is terrifically enjoyable and accessible, and leaves one hankering for a second volume.’ The Sunday Times Francesca Caccini. Barbara Strozzi. Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre. Marianna Martines. Fanny Hensel. Clara Schumann. Lili Boulanger. Elizabeth Maconchy. Since the birth of classical music, women who dared compose have faced a bitter struggle to be heard. In spite of this, female composers continued to create, inspire and challenge. Yet even today so much of their work languishes unheard. Anna Beer reveals the highs and lows experienced by eight composers across the centuries, from Renaissance Florence to twentieth-century London, restoring to their rightful place exceptional women whom history has forgotten.Trade Review‘Beer’s writing is lucid, engaging and exuberant, strongly evoking the cultures and atmospheres that surrounded her subjects…the book in general is terrifically enjoyable and accessible, and leaves one hankering for a second volume.’ * Sunday Times *‘A meticulously researched, engrossing read, vividly bringing its eight subjects to life. It should appeal not only to music connoisseurs but to anyone interested in social and cultural history – and women’s place in it.’ * Financial Times *‘Such traits, as Beer laments, are still with us…All the more important, then, for excellent books like this one to remind us of what we are all missing’. * Catholic Herald *'Offers vivid, colourful context on a situation that is echoed back through the centuries…Readable and wide-ranging, Beer's deft sketches are an elegant introduction to their subjects'. * Spectator *'Never less than highly readable'. * Classical Music *‘Rewarding…insightful…Beer conveys the sexism and lifelong frustrations some immensely gifted creative artists encountered.’ * New York Times *'Beer's meticulously researched book is a vital step in the battle to overturn that ultimate injustice'. * Observer *'Beer has an eye for detail, and gives us a vivid sense of the stratagems these gifted, determined women had to employ'. * Sunday Telegraph *'In this riveting book Anna Beer wades through centuries of prejudice from the fear of women composing at all…to the persistent unwillingness to perform, discuss or distribute their music'. * BBC Music Magazine *''[A] stimulating and engaging book, written with passionate enthusiasm and a light touch'. * Literary Review *‘I am constantly in search of books that explore the lives of women who have been dismissed or overlooked by history, and this is what makes Anna Beer's latest book a total godsend. Sounds and Sweet Airs is an intoxicating historical examination of the way gender has shaped what we consider to be canonical... Beer’s impassioned overview delves into the hopes, motivations, and struggles each woman faced as she attempted to pursue her vocation while coping with the “boys club” mentality of their respective music communities.’ Lenny Letter’s Lit Thursday * Lenny Letter’s Lit Thursday *‘Books could be written about composers denied a place in the classical canon because of ethnicity or class or religion, but that doesn’t negate the truth and importance of Sounds and Sweet Airs’. * Gramophone *‘Beer’s snapshot lives of women composers are savvy, sympathetic... [an] essential and insightful study of a woman’s unsung place in the closed world of classical music.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘An engaging read and…contains a powerful and timely message’. * History Today *‘This is a truly inspiring and fascinating book... Female composers today no longer need to feel there is anything to stop them creating music and forging a career as a composer – if there is still any doubt, then just read Sounds and Sweet Airs.’ -- Debbie Wiseman MBE – Classic FM’s Composer in Residence‘A rich, revealing study of the lives of eight outstanding female composers...Long overdue, this book includes a list of recommended listening for each composer, a glossary of musical terms, and suggestions for further reading.This important work furthers cultural understanding of the history of female composers.’ * CHOICE magazine *‘A fascinating and refreshing rescue of a few well-chosen exemplars from the worthy but dull hands of musicologists... Thrilling.’ -- Natalie Wheen, former presenter on BBC Radio and Classic FM‘Both feminist analyst and fluent biographer, Beer makes engrossing and cogent cases for her subjects. She concludes that the proof of their art lies in the hearing and recommends recent recordings.’ * Booklist *‘This book is a delight. Eight striking composers are reinstated in musical history, thanks to Anna Beer’s energetic research and lively writing.’ -- Nicola LeFanu, composer and Professor Emeritus, University of York‘A fascinating glimpse into the world of the women whose music we should know and be hearing in the canon.’ -- Charlotte Bray, winner of the Lili Boulanger Memorial Prize 2014 and composer of At the Speed of Stillness‘Elegantly written, Sounds and Sweet Airs offers compelling evidence of the prejudices against women composers’ aspirations across the centuries.’ -- Rhian Samuel, Composer and Professor Emeritus, City University London‘An important book... groundbreaking and entertaining... This book should be required reading not just for those interested in cultural history, but for anyone wishing to understand the perception of women in the modern era.’ -- Professor Steven Parissien – Director, Compton Verney‘Anna Beer’s eloquent and passionately argued narrative builds on the most up-to-date scholarship and makes an irresistible case for listening again to the work of women who were among the most admired musicians of their age. Much more than simply an attempt to balance the historical record, Sounds and Sweet Airs is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand music’s power and the politics of gender and sexuality that promoted, shaped and silenced women’s compositional careers from the Renaissance to the twentieth century.’ -- Professor Daniel Grimley, Merton College, Oxford‘Absorbing ... [Beer] writes with rich detail and sympathetic insight about [these women's] ambitious, adventurous battles to overcome barriers to creativity.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Serious students of music and women's history will want to add this title to their required reading lists.’ * Library Journal *

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Book Synopsis______________________________________'Engaging, entertaining, brilliantly recounted' Mirror 'Captivating . . . an incredible story' i paper__________________________________MUSIC, FAME AND A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPSara Dallin and Keren Woodward met in the school playground when they were four. They went on to become international stars and inspired a generation with their music, DIY-style and trailblazing attitudes.Told with humour and authenticity, and filled with never-before-seen photos, Really Saying Something takes us behind the scenes of their early days, the world tours, party games with George Michael, a close friendship with Prodigy's Keith Flint, and hanging out with Andy Warhol in New York.This is a celebration of a life-affirming friendship, with an unbeatable soundtrack.__________________________________'Like something from a movie' Dermot O'Leary'A brilliant autobiography' Martin Kemp'A blast' Metro'What a nostalgia-fest' Kate ThorntonTrade Review[A] touching testament to their lifetime's work, a delightful bedtime story for the Smash Hits generation. -- Best Music Books of 2020 * Sunday Times *Really Saying Something is not the most explicit rock memoir ever, but it may be the happiest. Written in alternate passages over the lockdown, it reassures fans that their idols were having as much fun as they looked like they were in their big hair, floppy dungarees and not quite matching stripy T-shirts on Top of the Pops. * The Times *It's that friendship between Dallin and Woodward that lies at the heart of this engaging, entertaining memoir that recounts career highs and lows, motherhood, break-ups and the menopause....It's all brilliantly recounted. * Mirror *[P]romises to be one of the most entertaining celebrity memoirs of the year * i paper *A blast. * Metro *

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

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Book SynopsisComics biggest talents come together to form an exciting all woman team of creators and bring you stories to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Joan Jett's seminal albums!"BAD REPUTATION and I LOVE ROCK ‘n' ROLL hit audiences like an atom bomb, defining a sound that became a soundtrack that would span generations. Now, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of these seminal albums, an unparalleled team of women creators bring these songs to life as 20 stories."

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

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Book Synopsis''So honest and pure as to count as a true rapture'' JOAN DIDION''A poetic masterpiece'' JOHNNY DEPP''Our St John of the Cross, a mystic full of compassion'' EDMUND WHITE''A roadmap to my life'', from the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids: an unforgettable odyssey of a legendary artist, told through the prism of cafés and haunts she has worked in around the worldREVISED EDITION WITH FIVE THOUSAND WORDS OF BONUS MATERIAL AND NEW PHOTOGRAPHS M Train begins in the tiny Greenwich Village café where Smith goes every morning for black coffee, ruminates on the world as it is and the world as it was, and writes in her notebook. Through prose that shifts fluidly between dreams and reality, past and present, and across a landscape of creative aspirations and inspirations, we travel to Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul in Mexico; to a meeting of an Arctic explorer's society in Berlin; to a ramshackle seaside bungalow in New York's Far Rockaway Trade ReviewThis book is so honest and pure as to count as a true rapture * Joan Didion *Patti Smith has graced us with a poetic masterpiece, a rare and privileged invitation to unlatch a treasure chest never before breached * Johnny Depp *A tender, harrowing, often hilarious portrait of young lovers forging their paths in an eccentric milieu of Beat poets, Warhol socialites, and transvestites, rock stars and artists * Vogue *The most beautiful, incredible autobiography – it will make you ache for a time and a place that you probably never knew, New York in the 1970s * Nick Hornby *She was once our savage Rimbaud, but suffering has turned her into our St John of the Cross, a mystic full of compassion * Edmund White *

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Book SynopsisThis is the definitive autobiography of John Lydon, one of the most recognizable icons in the annals of music history. As Johnny Rotten, he was the lead singer of the Sex Pistols - the world''s most notorious band, who shot to fame in the mid-1970s with singles such as ''Anarchy in the UK'' and ''God Save the Queen''. Via his music and invective he spearheaded a generation of young people across the world who were clamouring for change - and found it in the style and attitude of this most unlikely figurehead.With his next band, Public Image Ltd (PiL) Lydon expressed an equally urgent impulse in his make-up - the constant need to reinvent himself. From their beginnings in 1978 he set the template for a band that continues to challenge and thrive in the 2010s. He also found time for making innovative new dance records with the likes of Afrika Baambaata and Leftfield. Following the release of a solo record in 1997, John took a sabbatical from his music career into other me

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Book SynopsisAerosmith''s lead guitarist Joe Perry opens up for the first time to tell the riveting inside story of his lifeinside the band, featuring everyone from Jimmy Page to Alice Cooper, Bette Midler to Chuck Berry, John Belushi to Al Hirschfeld. Before the platinum records or the Super Bowl half-time show or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Joe Perry was a boy growing up in small town Massachusetts. But the guitar became his passion, an object of lust, an outlet for his restlessness and his rebellious soul. That passion quickly blossomed into an obsession, and he got a band together. One night after a performance he met a brash young musician named Steven Tyler; before long, Aerosmith was born. What happened over the next forty-five years has become the stuff of legend: the knock-down, drag-out, band splintering fights; the drugs, the booze, the rehab; the packed arenas and timeless hits; the reconciliations and the comebacks. Full of humour, insight and brutal honesty

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Book SynopsisA chronicle of the career of Meotley Creue, one of rock music's most provocative and notorious bands, provides an insider's view of rock stardom.

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Book Synopsis'An absolutely masterly work' Stephen FryAlex Ross, renowned author of the international bestseller The Rest Is Noise, reveals how Richard Wagner became the proving ground for modern art and politicsan aesthetic war zone where the Western world wrestled with its capacity for beauty and violence.For better or worse, Wagner is the most widely influential figure in the history of music. Around 1900, the phenomenon known as Wagnerism saturated European and American culture. Such colossal creations as The Ring of the Nibelung, Tristan und Isolde, and Parsifal were models of formal daring, mythmaking, erotic freedom, and mystical speculation. A mighty procession of writers, artists, and thinkers, including Charles Baudelaire, Virginia Woolf, Isadora Duncan, Vasily Kandinsky, and Luis Buñuel, felt his impact. Anarchists, occultists, feminists, and gay-rights pioneers saw him as a kindred spirit. Then Adolf Hitler incorporated Wagner into the soundtrack of Nazi Germany, and the composer came to be defined by his ferocious anti-Semitism. His name is now almost synonymous with artistic evil.Wagnerism restores the magnificent confusion of what it means to be a Wagnerian. A pandemonium of geniuses, madmen, charlatans, and prophets do battle over Wagner's many-sided legacy. The narrative ranges across artistic disciplines, from architecture to the novels of Philip K. Dick, from the Zionist writings of Theodor Herzl to the civil-rights essays of W. E. B. Du Bois, from O Pioneers! to Apocalypse Now. In many ways,Wagnerism tells a tragic tale. An artist who might have rivalled Shakespeare in universal reach is implicated in an ideology of hate. Still, his shadow lingers over twenty-first century culture, his mythic motifs coursing through superhero films and fantasy fiction. Neither apologia nor condemnation, Wagnerism is a work of intellectual passion, urging us toward a more honest idea of how art acts in the world.Trade Review‘Ross does a good and very full job in tracing the obsession of different times and places, and the intellectual flavour each wave took … excellent, and extraordinarily thorough’ Philip Hensher, Spectator ‘An absolutely masterly work … A miraculous synthesis. Ross’s writing is an art that conceals art, propelling the reader on and on’ Stephen Fry “Wagnerism is as magnificently realized as it is monumentally ambitious, a cultural history of the modern world that Richard ‘Wagner and his protean art helped mightily to create … Ross is the ideal guide: lucid, astoundingly erudite, scrupulous, generous, profound, objective and engaged, and enormously entertaining’ Tony Kushner, playwright of Angels in America ‘With rhetorical flourishes and an eye for detail Ross extols the art made by Wagnerians who were able to meet “the Meister” on their own terms’ The Times ‘Wagnerism is a hugely exhilarating read, and a virtuoso feat of scholarship and supple writing: Ross is such a companionable guide, connecting ideas so casually and unspooling stories so fluidly that you can almost lose sight of the ferocious erudition that undergirds every page. I can’t think of a better or more profound work about the long, complicated shadow of cultural influence’ Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Say Nothing ‘Goes far beyond the man himself, using its subject to springboard into a breathlessly entertaining and dizzyingly diverse survey of art, politics and culture over the past century and a half. Ultimately, it’s a book about how humans are inspired by art, and like all of Alex Ross’s writing, it bottles that strange lightning and inspires us in turn’ Rian Johnson, director of The Last Jedi and Knives Out ‘Love him or hate him, Wagner has been unavoidable … By presenting an honest assessment of the problem, Wagnerism supplies, if not answers, then at least the right questions.’ Economist

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Book SynopsisCorey Taylor is an American musician best known as the lead singer of hard rock bands Slipknot and Stone Sour, which together have sold over 10 million records. Taylor has been nominated for 10 Grammies and has won one. He has also written his own monthly column for UK magazine, Rock Sound, since 2001.Trade ReviewWild * NME *One hell of a read * Classic Rock *

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Book SynopsisThe Doors were arguably the most important rock-and-roll band of the 1960s, unquestionably a catalyst for American music as we know it. Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison were both UCLA Film School graduates, best friends and rarely apart until Morrison moved to Paris shortly before his death in 1971.Trade Review[The] jewel-like passage (a description of Manzarek and two young buddies who manage to gain entrance to a black juke joint to hear blues singer Muddy Waters) is one of the most moving and exhilarating portraits of white boys succumbing to the power of black music this reviewer has read, worthy of Kerouac's stunning prose on jazz clubs... [An] engaging read. * The Washington Post Book World *The best book yet about The Doors * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisTelling Stories by Tim Burgess of The Charlatans is one of the decade''s most revealing rock books ''Clear, honest. An unusually frank and well-written rock memoir'' The TimesThe Charlatans. Madchester. Britpop. Taking on the world. Here are the highs, the lows, the joys, the agonies, and the stories of what it''s like to be in a rock band, as told by front man and survivor, Tim Burgess. ''Like the best bits of every cautionary rock star tale . . . there is armed robbery and smuggling. There''s serious fraud. There are near and actual death experiences, divorce, industrial cocaine consumption and magnificent cameos from Madonna, Alan McGee, Ronnie Wood, Joe Strummer, LA drug dealer Harry The Dog, and Joaquin Phoenix. A minor classic'' QFor readers who enjoyed Life by Keith Richards and Bit of a Blur by Alex James, Telling Stories is one of the finest music books of recent times. It''s a story of achievement and survival, from London to LA. ''A vivid read'' Independent on Sunday''The Charlatans'' frontman recalls the heyday of Britpop and Madchester with endearing exuberance. He''s unflinchingly honest about the bad times but also peppers his story with anecdotal nuggets about the pitfalls of rock ''n'' roll excess'' Metro''Burgess keeps a level head, a sharp eye and a nice turn of phrase'' Independent''Written with the stylish flow of a novel - light and dark, hilarious and melancholic'' Emma Forrest''For a man whose behaviour borders on the suicidal, Timothy Burgess, the people''s friend, is what you call a life enthusiast. He is also mad. It''s a much-abused word, mad . . . but he really is proper coo-ee clouds pan-dimensional mad mad'' Syliva Patteerson, SkyTim Burgess was born in Salford but grew up in a village near Northwich, Cheshire. Leaving school at 16 to work at ICI, his real love was music and soon afterwards he was invited to join new band The Charlatans. For twelve years Burgess lived in Los Angeles but he has recently returned to the UK.

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

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Book SynopsisDiscover the remarkably honest and captivating story of one of the world''s greatest ever singing talents, Sir Tom Jones ''Brilliantly told'' SUNDAY TIMES ''A terrific, star-studded journey'' DAILY EXPRESS ______ ''For a lot of years, I''ve answered a lot of questions, but have never told my story before . . .'' In a business where dreams are often short-lived, Sir Tom Jones has maintained his sensational career across six decades. But how did a boy from a Welsh coal-mining family attain success across the globe over the course of decades? In this, his first ever autobiography, Tom revisits his past and tells the tale of his journey from wartime Pontypridd to LA and beyond. He reveals the stories behind the ups and downs of his fascinating and remarkable life, from the early heydays to the subsequent fallow years to his later period of artistic renaissance. It''s the storTrade ReviewA story brilliantly told ... Hold up your banners: "Sir Tom F****** Jones". Yeah! -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Packed with the kind of showbiz tales you don't get any more ... Jones is a charming, matey voice and the book is a terrific, star-studded journey through the world of entertainment. Even after meeting some of the greats, such as Elvis and Sinatra, Jones still retains an innocence and freshness that is rare * Daily Express *Over the Top and Back is a great read and funny. It charts his youth in the coal mining town of Pontypridd. It captures his Welshness * Sunday Telegraph *a book that gets to Jones's core * Daily Mirror *The book lays bare a career that has spanned 60 years, Tom revisits his past and tells tales from his journey from wartime Pontypridd to LA and beyond. He reveals the ups and downs of his remarkable life, from his early heyday to his subsequent fallow years to his later period of artistic renaissance * Wales on Sunday *You tell the story of an Electrolux vacuum cleaner with the same gusto as you talk about Elvis Presley, and that's why it's brilliant Tom * Chris Evans *Tom Jones really has had the most astonishing life, one which he recounts here with verve, energy and a vivid eye for detail - this is a hugely enjoyable read * The Daily Mail *This lively, thoughtful and entertaining account does justice to a remarkable life and career * Sunday Express *A story, brilliantly told... hold up your banners: "Sir Tom F****** Jones". Yeah! * Brian Appleyard, Sunday Times *A brilliant read full of charm and anecdote that captures the spirit of each decade as well as giving a great behind-the-scenes snapshot of the music world. -- Fanny Blake * Woman & Home *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERTouching, personal, indomitable, but always laugh-out-loud funny, The Lives of Brian is the legendary story of one of the rock world''s best-loved performers - and the many lives he''s led''Both a rollicking tale of rock''s bygone glory days and a deeply human account of a working-class boy who never gave up'' MAIL ON SUNDAY___________For over a decade rock legend Brian Johnson tried to make his mark with a succession of bands, yet big time success remained out of reach. But was he going to give up on his dream?Not a chance . . .So when, after the tragic death of Bon Scott, AC/DC hired Brian as their new singer, he gave it his all. And his debut, Back in Black, went on to become the biggest-selling rock album of all time.Big hearted, touching, indomitable and always laugh-out-loud funny, The Lives of Brian is the story of one of the world''s best-Trade ReviewThink Monty Python meets This Is Spinal Tap . . . Both a rollicking tale of rock's bygone glory days and a deeply human account of a working-class boy who never gave up. Told in Johnson's light, engaging prose, it's everything you want, and didn't know you wanted, from a rock-star memoir * Mail on Sunday *A story full of splits, triumphant returns and no shortage of outrageous incidents * Mail+ *A tale of fate, serendipity and dogged determination * Mojo *Johnson is a natural storyteller * Mail Online *Warm, starkly comic and uplifting ... The Lives of Brian is a literary twin of an AC/DC album - wild material woven together seamlessly, and always leaving you wanting more. * Hot Press *

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