Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book SynopsisThe Amadeus Quartet, which was active from 1948 until 1987 when its viola player Peter Schidlof died, is probably the most famous and distinguished string quartet of the 20th century. It played to a wide variety of audiences on innumerable occasions in all the major countries of the world, and produced a galaxy of recordings, many of which are still available. The intensity of its music-making was breathtaking. Muriel Nissel, the author of Married to the Amadeus, is the wife of Siegmund Nissel, the second violinist. Her book tells the extraordinary and moving story of the Quartet, with its many triumphs and its periodic setbacks and traumas, from the inside for the forty years from its inception during the time after the Second World War up to the 1980s. She reveals how it moulded the lives of the four players and their wives and families in unexpected ways, and how they all became inextricably involved in this unique joint enterprise. The fashion in which work and family life interacted was crucial to the Quartet's survival.She returned to her professional life as a statistician when the children went to school and describes how difficult it was in the 1960s for a married woman with children to achieve equal status with men at work; and she tells of the problems she also had to face at home finding satisfactory ways of caring for her family. Remarkably, the four members of the Quartet remained unchanged throughout. They each of them had exceptional qualities. Norbert Brainin, the first violin, Siegmund Nissel and Peter Schidlof, all refugees from Vienna, had first met in internment camps in Britain in 1940. Martin Lovett, the cellist, joined them not long after the war, at a moment when the musical climate was sympathetic to chamber music and the record industry was booming. They never looked back. Nobody who has read Muriel Nissel's absorbing book will ever be able to listen to a string quartet again without being aware of the immense commitment such a group demands of the players and of their families too, and of the longstanding emotional, aesthetic and organizational complexities it entails.Trade ReviewAndrew Green in Classical Music: '...a thoroughly absorbing, well-written account of the Amadeus Quartet story observed from the inside...[It] has the benefit of many penetrating insights - not simply into how wives and families are affected by the lifestyle adopted of necessity by the members of a top-notch ensemble, but into the true nature of that lifestyle itself...It is a book, in truth, about an octet, with all the characters utterly believable, aided by an excellent photographic record, plus an appendix containing not just a complete discography but a list of all the quartets who have benefited from the Amadeus' International Summer Course. Very revealing.' Patrick Carnegy in TLS: 'There are memorable sketches of musician colleagues - Cecil Aronowitz...Alfred Brendel...David Oistrakh... and of the Amadeus playing Britten's Third Quartet privately to the composer only months before his death. The legacy of the Amadeus lives on in their recordings and in the many fine ensembles they have coached. Looking back on the forty years of their pre-eminence in the classic string quartet repertory, it is amazing how much of their reputation was won by the sheer quality of their performances, unaided by the marketing and image-making that is par for the course today...the story of the invisible life of the Wolf Gang is never less than candidly and engagingly told.' Martin Boyd in the Strad: '...the eloquent and cerebral wife of second violinist Siegmund presents us with an engaging account of the Amadeus' rise to pre-eminence...she successfully conveys a sense of how important a stable family life was to her husband and the other members of the jet-setting Amadeus...This book is about the vicissitudes of personal and professional relationships. Muriel Nissel's close proximity to the Amadeus Quartet enables her to give a privileged insight into the workings and group dynamics of this remarkable and long-lasting ensemble.'Table of ContentsForty years playing quartets; early years; marrying the quartet; touring the world; our daughter is born; on tour with the quartet; what happens when you are ill? do you play on a strad? making records; we all go to the United Sates; festivals and summer schools; a change of life-style; I return to work; juggling jobs and family; getting away from it all; staying at the top; the last years of the quartet; teaching - an Amadeus legacy; a dedicated life. Appendices: engagements of the Amadeus Quartet in their Silver Jubilee Year, 197203; engagements of the Amadeus Quartet in their last season, 1986-7; earnings of the Amadeus Quartet in 1972-1986; discography of the Amadeus quartet; quartets attending the Amadeus International Summer Course.

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Book SynopsisThe first book ever on the classic British rock band UFO. Based around the author's many interviews with all the key players such as Phil Mogg, Pete Way & Michael Schenker. Noted author Martin Popoff takes you through the Schenker era in great detail; album-by-album, song by song along with touring anecdotes and of course, tales revolving around the wild and excessive behaviour that was very much a part of the band. Rounding if off is a full discography.

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Book SynopsisMoby Grape are a genuine cult phenomenon. Their story, a mixture of myth and truth, is a cautionary tale, a triumph, and a tragedy all at once. Though they are seen as a symbol of 1960s San Francisco, Moby Grape were never actually a part of the city s counterculture movement. Yet they were immersed in it, sharing stages with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, and many more. Moby Grape s five members came together from very different backgrounds, bursting onto the San Francisco scene in the fall of 1966. With their diverse pedigree, they were nothing less than musical alchemists, yet they were also rebels. Their blending of genres within a tight songwriting framework contrasted sharply with that of many of their SF peers. Following the release of the band s debut album in 1967, you could see everyone from Ringo Starr to Jimi Hendrix sporting a `Moby Grape Now! button. But in the months that followed, they were dogged by mismanagement, bad marketing, a scandalous drug bust, and general rock n roll mayhem. It seemed like it was all over in 1969, but in 1971 Moby Grape staged rock s first full-on reunion. Since then, they have fought to retain ownership of their own name, while two members of the band struggled with homelessness and mental illness. Despite all of this, they produced one of the best albums of the era, and today they are heralded by countless luminaries of rock music and rock criticism, from Robert Plant to Robert Christgau, Tom Waits to Greil Marcus. Drawing on extensive interviews with the surviving members of the band, What s Big and Purple and Lives in the Ocean? finally tells the full story of one of the great cult bands of the 60s.

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Book SynopsisBefore we recorded Infernal Love, I didn t know if I was coming or going. I developed quite a healthy drug habit and was drinking a bottle of Absolut vodka every day. I thought that if I gave up drinking, I d spend the next two weeks lying in bed and feeling sick. I decided to keep going and see if inspiration would hit - Andy Cairns, Therapy? So Much For The 30 Year Plan is the first ever book to detail the life of Therapy?, one of rock s boldest and most idiosyncratic acts. Written with the full co-operation of the band s current members frontman Andy Cairns, bassist Michael McKeegan, and drummer Neil Cooper this official biography explores the dizzying highs and crushing lows they have experienced while navigating a three-decade-long career. Featuring extensive interviews with the band and key figures from throughout their career, So Much For The 30 Year Plan offers insights into the band s origins in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, the backlash they received from the underground scene after signing to a major label, the birth of their million-selling 1994 album Troublegum, the full story behind their split with founding member Fyfe Ewing, and much more. Published to coincide with the band s 30th anniversary tour, this is essential reading for all Therapy? fans and for anyone with an interest in the alternative music of the era.

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Book SynopsisThe Beatles are arguably the most successful act in music history. They were very prolific musicians before, during, and after The Beatles, and they were never idle, always doing something in the music and film industry through-out the decades. As well as their own individual projects, they also helped out on other people's records and pro-jects. On one tune, you may catch George playing slide gui-tar, Ringo may be on drums, and John or Paul will sing backing vocals. Throughout the years, you may have been listening to something which has some sort of Beatle mag-ic, without you realising it! This book is a database of these many fascinating collaborations over the years, some which might even surprise you along the way!Table of ContentsIntroduction 5 CHAPTER ONE - JOHN 7 CHAPTER TWO - PAUL 21 CHAPTER THREE - GEORGE 84 CHAPTER FOUR - RINGO 123 CHAPTER FIVE - OTHER MEMBERS 154 CHAPTER SIX - JOHN AND PAUL 159 CHAPTER SEVEN - JOHN AND GEORGE 171 CHAPTER EIGHT - JOHN AND RINGO 174 CHAPTER NINE - JOHN, PAUL AND GEORGE 179 CHAPTER TEN - JOHN, GEORGE AND RINGO 180 CHAPTER ELEVEN - PAUL AND GEORGE 182 CHAPTER TWELVE - PAUL AND RINGO 183 CHAPTER THIRTEEN - GEORGE AND RINGO 193 CHAPTER FOURTEEN - PAUL, GEORGE AND RINGO 206 CHAPTER FIFTEEN - JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE AND PETE 209 CHAPTER SIXTEEN - JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE AND RINGO 214 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED 217 WITH THE BEATLES CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - WHERE ARE THEY NOW? 234 References 241 About The Author 242

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Book SynopsisRonnie James Dio - A Career Through The Lens 1975-2009 is a photographic journey of one of the most admired and respected rock vocalists of all time — Ronnie James Dio. This beautiful collection of photos were all taken by legendary music photographer Frank White from New Jersey. They capture Dio from his first ever US show with Rainbow in 1975 through to 2009 with Heaven & Hell, just a few months before he lost his fight with cancer in May 2010. This is the most comprehensive collection of photos ever compiled into one book that cover the most revered periods of Dio's illustrious career. Throughout the decades Frank White captured Ronnie's career with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, his own band Dio and Heaven & Hell, on stage in the USA, Canada and Europe. From East to West Coast, this collection includes photos of Ronnie in the States playing to huge audiences at venues such as New York's Madison Square Garden as well as tiny intimate club shows. There are also photos from Europe, taken at festivals in Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. Frank also took many shots of Ronnie relaxing off stage; at TV studios, special events and the like, as well as dedicated, back stage shoots with his band. A Career Through The Lens 1975-2009 also includes White’s recollections of Dio as he recalls the many times shared in his company from the other side of the lens.

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Book SynopsisDenim and Leather is 260 pages of biker metal hail after hail, with two four-page photo sections, loads of fresh interview content, all the facts and dates and even some of the hot disputes. As the back cover crows... Stand Up and Be Counted! Now that there's no more Motorhead, it's up to Iron Maiden and Saxon to uphold the fine tradition of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, something both bands have been doing for over 40 years now. Indeed, 2020 marked the 40th anniversary of Saxon's landmark Wheels of Steel album, a record we celebrate in this book with much reverence and many pints of ale clinked between headbangers clad in both denim and leather. Of course there's more than that but not everything! Indeed, Denim and Leather: Saxon's First Ten Years focuses on the band's golden era, Saxon's prodigious first decade of output. Saxon, Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law, Denim and Leather, Power & the Glory, Crusader, Innocence Is No Excuse, Rock the Nations and Destiny each are dedicated stand-alone chapters, inside of which Popoff deconstructs every song across both sides of the original vinyl, while not forgetting bonus tracks and B-sides, as well as the live material along the way, including the beloved The Eagle Has Landed album. It's a glory-bound Saxon-fest that is long overdue, and it is the hope of the author that at the end of this sometimes critical examination that the reader returns to these records with new reflections on the NWOBHM and some of the detrimental things that came after for many bands, the heroes of our story included.

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Book SynopsisA grinding celebration of the metal gods Judas Priest in all their sumptuous glory. A photo-stuffed coffee table book with the entire fifty plus year history in meticulous timeline order - a rock-hard reference book, with the facts presented mostly soberly and efficiently. This book contains all manner of facts that also takes a detailed look at offshoot bands and side-projects throughout the visually stunning pages.

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Book SynopsisSince joining Deep Purple in 1973, David Coverdale has enjoyed a hugely successful career. Having been plucked from semi-professional obscurity by Deep Purple, within months he was cavorting around the globe with one of the biggest rock bands in the world and fronting Purple on its 1974 US tour which included performing in front of one of the biggest audiences ever for a one day concert at the California Jam in front of hundreds of thousands. After three albums the band finally succumbed to the internal frictions and called it a day in 1976. After initially launching himself with two solo albums, Coverdale set about rebuilding his career with his own band Whitesnake. By the early eighties sell out UK tours and hit singles proved that Coverdale was capable of achieving success with his own band and later that decade Whitesnake hit the heights in America, that he had experienced with Deep Purple, with its multi-million selling, eponymous 1987 album. By the early nineties Coverdale put the band on hold whilst enjoying a brief dalliance with Jimmy Page, as well as later finding time for further albums under his own name, but Whitesnake has continued to be at the forefront of Coverdale's career from the mid nineties and onwards and remain relevant in the new millennium. 2019 saw the release of the band's first new album in four years and now with Coverdale in his seventies, retirement is supposdely imminent. As such there is no better time to appraise his career. Beautifully designed and packaged, A Life In Vision documents key moments of David Coverdale's long and illustrious career as one of rock's finest singers with photos from Deep Purple through to the present day Whitesnake, along with stories that chart his career.

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Book SynopsisCompiled by Blackmore biographer Jerry Bloom this is the perfect companion to his 2006 biography Black Knight, as it portrays Blackmore's career visually with photos and memorabilia from 1958 to the present day. Not only does it feature a large selection of photos, many of which have never been seen before but following years of research by Bloom, it also includes the most comprehensive gig list ever published, for Blackmore's pre-Deep Purple career between 1958-67 with over 400 gigs detailed from his days with The Outlaws - backing Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis; with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages; Neil Christian & The Crusaders; and even going back to his earliest bands such as The Vampires and The Condors. Augmented with memorabilia from the time, the book also plots Blackmore's career in photos, through Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmore's Night along with narrative by Bloom that puts the visual elements in context.

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Book SynopsisIn Dominance and Submission: The Blue Oyster Cult Canon, three-time BOC book author Martin Popoff turns the microphone away from himself to moderate a gathered and esteemed panel of Cult experts for deep-dive discussions on every Blue Oyster Cult studio album. No stone is left unturned, as we look at the personalities in the band, every song, every album cover, the band's highly regarded lyrics as poetry, their music as ground-breaking and genre-defying. Dominance and Submission is set-up in Q&A format, allowing for pure and piercing prose that is also conversational and easy-access. In the end, the author is confident that the wise words from this cabal of music authorities-with Popoff not pulling any punches either, joining in the fun when the door is opened-will have you playing the band's "canon" with a renewed appreciation as to the complexity laced throughout such albums as Tyranny and Mutation, Agents of Fortune-with its career defining hit "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"-Spectres, Fire of Unknown Origin and the daunting Imaginos. But have no fear, Martin and his team have taken us right up to the band's effusively received comeback album, The Symbol Remains, bringing band and fan full circle-umlauts included, of course. Finally, augmenting the learning (and listening) experience, Dominance and Submission provides a plethora of images that make these essays on the band's fifteen albums that much more visceral. Bottom line: if you thought Martin had covered everything you need to know in his definitive Agents of Fortune: The Blue Oyster Cult Story, think again-the analysis proffered by his panel even sent Popoff back to the sacred texts for a rock 'n' roll re-imagining. If he's been made smarter by what these guys have to say, you will be too.

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Book SynopsisNEC Arena Birmingham, November 9th 1993. Deep Purple were in crisis. No longer able to tolerate the presence of singer Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, the ace guitarist, made his displeasure known in a way that would have consequences none present could possibly have predicted. Blackmore's departure soon followed, and a merciful end seemed to have come for a band that had been riven with tensions for years. But then, after a brief dalliance with Joe Satriani, acknowledged six string maestro Steve Morse stepped in and a whole new age began. This book takes a critical look at the so-called 'Morse Era', charting the highs, the lows, the triumphs and the tragedies. It is a compelling story of albums, tours, musicians coming and musicians going, a story of a band that moved forward like few bands ever have, but who, nevertheless, could never completely escape from the shadow of that disastrous night at the NEC...

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Book SynopsisThe Stranglers exploded onto the music scene in 1977 with their iconic debut album Rattus Norvegicus. Lazily classed as a punk band because of their notorious behaviour and outrageous lyrics, the truth was somewhat different. Many books have been written about the behaviour of the band but this book focuses in-depth on the music and lyrics of every song during the years of the original line-up and destroys the myth of mindless musical provocateurs to reveal their brilliance and dark beauty by shining a forensic light on these musical visionaries. For fans of the band, whether musically experienced or not, it is a must-read. And for fans in general of rock music in the 70s and 80s, it will highlight what makes their music stand out as special and result in them dusting down their vinyl copies of the band's records to re-acquaint themselves with their music in a new light.

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Book SynopsisWhen singer, musician, and broadcast journalist Malka Marom was asked to interview Joni Mitchell in 1973, she eagerly accepted the opportunity to converse with the performer she'd first met late one night in 1966 at an open mic in Yorkville. More conversations followed over the next four decades of friendship, and it was only after Joni and Malka completed their last recorded interview, in 2012, that Malka discovered the heart of their discussions: the creative process. In Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now, Joni and Malka follow this thread through seven decades of life and art, discussing the influence of Joni's childhood, love and loss, playing dives and huge festivals, acclaim and criticism, poverty and affluence, glamorous triumphs and tragic mistakes... This riveting narrative, told in interviews, lyrics, paintings, and photographs, is shared in the hope of inspiring others.Trade Review'There's more than two sides to every story and this charming dialogue will show you that providing a special insight into not just Joni Mitchell but the nature of art itself'.' - Louder Than War; 'Malka Marom's conversations with Joni Mitchell provide an illuminating, candid and sometimes startling insight into the life and work of one of the most remarkable artists of the 20th Century'.' - Record Collector; '......enlightening and candid. A mutual respect floods the pages as Malka gets Joni to open up on a manner of all topics.'' - Gigslutz; 'The pleasures and the pleasures of being a fly on the wall.' - Arts Fuse; 'In the rare interviews she gives, Joni Mitchell doesn't hold back. Mitchell comes across as more candid and outspoken than usual, likely due to the fact that Marom is part of Mitchell's inner circle of friends.' - Quill & Quire

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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 SynopsisThe story of the legendary Swedish psych rock band Träd, Gräs och Stenar. The story of the legendary Swedish psych rock band Träd, Gräs och Stenar is also a defining story of alternative culture. Across multiple incarnations, the musicians of this iconic group (whose name translates to “Trees, Grass and Stones”) have drawn on their roots in jazz and the avant-garde, the iconoclastic art and theater of the 1960s, and the back-to-the-land “green wave” movement to blaze a pioneering trail across fifty years of endlessly improvisational, resolutely DIY rock and roll jams. In this book, the collective’s members tell their story for the first time, accompanied by a vast archive of photographs, newspaper clippings, posters, flyers, album covers, and paintings. With its in-depth oral history and astonishingly rich visuals, this book provides an insight into over five decades of internationally-renowned music innovation and countercultural history.Trade Review“Trees, grass and stones” is how the name translates. Operating under this and other monikers since 1967, the Swedish rock band that set the gold standard for counterculture in Scandinavia gets the kitchen-sink treatment in a sumptuously illustrated archival book. While “Trad Gras och Stenar” is best known for cult classic LPs that combine the groupthink of the Grateful Dead with the menace of La Monte Young, shown here for the first time are the paintings, posters, prints, zines, light projections, homemade instruments and ephemera that embodied their uncompromising art ethic. Anticommerce is the theme. The aesthetic is punk and pastoral at once, rigorous, not your typical groovy psychedelia. Interviews with members document the emotional labor that held it all together: all the homesteading, performance art, child-rearing, mediation, budgeting and activism. The total communalism that eluded so many of the Woodstock generation. The real deal. - The New York Times, 2023

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Book SynopsisFabulously dressed with a flair all his own, unapologetic yet vulnerable, talented yet supremely humble: Harry Styles is a cultural phenomenon and icon for our times. This photo-packed, gold-foiled luxe gift book celebrates the global superstar’s impact on music and fashion and how his choice of positive and authentic self-expression and tolerance has helped redefine modern masculinity and celebrity worldwide. Divided into three sections - each with a short introduction about the music, the fashion, and the joyful magic of his appeal - this amazing collection of Harry’s signature moments includes: The Met Gala and his Gucci sheer pussy-bow black blouse and heeled boots, The sparkling Coachella performance with Shania Twain, The incredible launch of the #1 hit and video, As It Was, His stunning appearances at red carpets, the Grammys, BRIT Awards, and more! If a person could be a smile, then that would be Harry - and that essence of Harry is what this exciting book captures. Stylers and Harries will adore and treasure this keepsake. Contributors include: Alex Bilmes, British journalist and editor-in-chief of Esquire UK, Aya Kanai, the noted fashion editor and Head of Creative and Editorial at Google Shopping, Jem Aswad, senior music editor at VarietyTrade Review"While you can’t actually bring the 'Cherry' singer home, this book is the next best thing...."–Billboard.com"...An exciting project about your fave whimsical suit-wearing musician that’s filled to the brim with amazing pics of Harry throughout his already long career (he’s only 29, but he’s lived, like, seven lives, mmkay?)."–Cosmopolitan.com"A stunning new photo-packed book" –E! News"This book would be a fantastic gift for your Styles-loving friend or family member...."–Eugene Weekly"If you were one of the millions to see Harry Styles shimmy in glitter and fur during his 'Love on Tour' jaunt earlier this year and are looking to recreate the magical moment, you’ll want to get your hands on [this book]."–Variety.com

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Book SynopsisIn time for Beethoven''s 250th birthday, Schott presents a new collection of his piano works. Among these easy to intermediate pieces are original compositions as well as arrangements suitable for lessons and for playing at home. Für Elise, Moonlight Sonata, Ode to Joy and many more in one volume! Complete with fingerings and tempo suggestions, this collection with its modern and easy-to-read layout is ideal for all piano players.Hans-Günter Heumann is a freelance composer and author with many years of pedagogical experience with children, young people and adults. Further works of him published by Schott Music include Mini Maestro (ED 23200) and Galaxy Piano (ED 23203).Instrumentation:piano

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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 SynopsisA collection of lyrics and autobiographical commentary by singer Mark Lanegan, with a preface by John Cale and a foreword by Moby With a voice that Pitchfork has called as scratchy as a three-day beard yet as supple and pliable as moccasin leather, former Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age vocalist Mark Lanegan draws frequent comparisons to masters like Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. Lanegan''s voice is one of the most distinct and recognizable in rock, but his talents aren''t limited to his vocal skills. Lanegan''s lyrics are on par with the best of them, exploring with Blake-like insight the stark and scorched emotional terrain that exists somewhere beyond sadness, addiction, trauma, and spiritual longing. With a body of work that now includes seven albums with the Screaming Trees, eleven acclaimed solo albums, three albums of duets with Belle and Sebastian''s Isobel Campbell (including the Mercury Prize-shortlisted Ballad of the Broken Seas), and collaborative albums and singles with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Moby, Soulsavers, Twilight Singers, and countless others, Mark Lanegan occupies a singular space in rock music. Now, for the first time ever, the reclusive singer presents a comprehensive look at his lyrics, the stories behind them, and the making of his albums. I Am the Wolf is a rare and candid glimpse into the inner workings and creative process of a legend.

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Book SynopsisIn the follow-up to his Judas Priest: Decade of Domination book, which looked at the band's career from inception through the Defenders of the Faith album of 1984, Martin Popoff now tackles the band's incendiary "hair metal" years through to the triumphant return to form of 2018's Firepower. In between, Popoff tackles the live albums, Glenn Tipton's solo excursion, Fight, Two and Halford... all that good stuff that resulted from the Metal God's split with the band before his celebrated return to the throne. Turbo, Ram It Down, Painkiller, Jugulator, Demolition, Angel of Retribution, Nostradamus, Redeemer of Souls, Firepower... this is the story of nine records all quite different from each other, and all the details and tales in between. What results is the story of more than thirty years of Priest history, including the making of 1990's Painkiller, a record considered by a younger generation of Priest fans to be the greatest slammin' collection of metal anthems the band ever concocted and rocked. Judas Priest: Turbo 'til Now includes extensive colour commentary from Popoff's many chats over the decades with those who were there, including Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, Ian Hill, Scott Travis, Ripper Owens and Richie Faulkner, along with producers Tom Allom, Chris Tsangarides and Roy Z. The result is the most in-depth examination of Judas Priest's late '80s to present-day output ever attempted.

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Book SynopsisBy nearly any metric, Genesis is one of the most successful, influential, and enduring rock bands of all time. Naturally, the band’s fifty plus year career has also given rise to all kinds of related literature: some critical, some biographical, and some purely informational. That’s all well and good, but what if these didn’t have to be separate ideas? What if one book could somehow do it all? Play Me My Song is a blurring of the traditional boundaries of musical literature, approaching the music and history of Genesis from a multitude of angles in order to become something that is at once both truly unique and deeply comprehensive. Whatever kind of book you want to read about Genesis, this one is it. Comprised of extensive essays in varying styles about every single song and album in the entire Genesis catalogue, Play Me My Song blends song histories, musical analysis, critical reviews, autobiographical tales, the fun of countdowns, and a dash of pure silliness to create something extraordinary. It is, in essence, a book that sounds like Genesis. And the biggest book ever published on Genesis. Featuring: • All the songs: Coverage of all 197 songs and 15 studio albums Genesis ever produced, plus more! • In the band’s own words: A treasure trove of exhaustively researched quotes from the band members, conveniently aggregated into one place! • Counted down: Presented in worst-to-first order, you never know which song will pop up next!

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Book SynopsisMost people know that Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) was a Hollywood icon, and at one time the most famous movie star on the planet. What, perhaps, they don't know is that she lived in 42 different homes; that she loved Abraham Lincoln with a passion; that she was the first choice for the role of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's; and that her absences while filming Let's Make Love added 28 days to the shooting time and $1 million to the budget. Biographic: Marilyn presents an instant impression of her life, work and legacy, with an array of irresistible facts and figures converted into infographics to reveal the actor behind the movies.

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Book SynopsisThe Beatles In Pictures celebrates one of history's most recognised iconic groups. The best-selling band in history, with sales of over a billion, The Beatles John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr have had more number-one albums and sold more singles in the UK than any other act, and achieved more sales in the USA than any other artist. Photography in the book includes: . Personal moments . Backstage on tour . Action shots on stage . Crowds, fans and frenzied streets They became one of the most critically acclaimed acts in popular music. Formed in Liverpool in 1960, The Beatles had their roots in skiffle and 1950s rock 'n' roll, but as their career progressed, they dabbled in many musical forms, including pop ballads and psychedelic rock. In the early days, they honed their skills playing clubs in their hometown and Hamburg, Germany, while manager Brian Epstein polished their act. He brokered a record deal with EMI producer George Martin, who helped the band maximise their musical potential. The Beatles' first single, Love Me Do, was released in 1962, becoming a modest hit. Towards the end of that year, they recorded Please Please Me, their first number one. The following year saw the advent of Beatlemania, and they became known as the 'Fab Four'; by early 1964, they had become international stars, leading the so-called 'British Invasion' by musical acts of the United States. Their stature grew throughout the remainder of the 1960s, even though their last commercial concert took place in 1966. During that time, they released many influential and innovative albums, including Revolver, Sgt: Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road. This book takes a nostalgic and affectionate look at Britain's most famous pop group, from their early days in the 1960s to the band's break-up, with the aid of almost 300 photographs from the extensive archives of Mirrorpix. 300 photographs

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Book Synopsis''An attempt to retell an oft-told tale, this time informed by a desire to suck the hot air out of the more inflated earlier versions . . . this late-arriving history is perhaps the most reliable, and certainly the most entertaining, of all'' GuardianFew bands are as shrouded in the murky haze of rock mythology as The Doors, and parsing fact from fiction has been a virtually impossible task. But now, after fifty years, The Doors'' notoriously quiet guitarist is finally breaking his silence to set the record straight. Through a series of vignettes, Robby takes readers back to where it all happened: the pawn shop where he bought his first guitar; the jail cell he was tossed into after a teenage drug bust; his parents'' living room where his first songwriting sessions with Jim Morrison took place; and the many concert venues that erupted into historic riots. Both a time capsule of the 1960s counterculture and a moving reflection on what it means to find onesel

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Book SynopsisThe 25th Anniversary Edition of Keith Green's inspiring biography, revised and updated by his wife, Melody. This expanded biography contains many added stories and insights, never before published photos, extra selections from Keith's private journals, and glimpses into Melody's season of grieving and raising their two surviving children on her own.He was only twenty-eight when he died in a plane crash with two of his small children, but singer/songwriter Keith Green had already created a legacy of music and inspiration that would outlive him. A spiritual revolutionary, he found freedom through Jesus, not religion, and spent his last years convincing others to refuse to accept the status quo and instead to bring compassion and honesty back to the church. He touched people through vibrant lyrics in songs like "Your Love Broke Through," "You Put This Love In My Heart," and "Asleep In The Light." Last Days Ministries, which he and his wife Melody founded, went on to challenge thousands of people to take to the mission fields of the world. Now, on the 25th anniversary of his death, Melody has updated her husband's biography with new photos, essays from current musicians who were influenced by Keith, selections from Keith's private journal, and stories about what it was like raising their two remaining children on her own.

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Book SynopsisPink Floyd: Behind the Wall is a comprehensive history of the legendary band featuring photos, album covers, and posters as well as insight into their iconic songs and albums.

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Book SynopsisBy June 1993, when Washington, D.C.'s Fugazi released their third full-length album In on the Kill Taker, the quartet was reaching a thunderous peak in popularity and influence. With two EPs (combined into the classic CD 13 songs) and two albums (1990's genre-defining Repeater and 1991's impressionistic follow-up Steady Diet of Nothing) inside of five years, Fugazi was on creative roll, astounding increasingly large audiences as they toured, blasting fist-pumping anthems and jammy noise-workouts that roared into every open underground heart. When the album debuted on the now-SoundScan-driven charts, Fugazi had never been more in the public eye. Few knew how difficult it had been to make this popular breakthrough. Disappointed with the sound of the self-produced Steady Diet, the band recorded with legendary engineer Steve Albini, only to scrap the sessions and record at home in D.C. with Ted Niceley, their brilliant, under-known producer. InadvertentlTrade ReviewWritten with a fan’s loving attitude and a journalist’s eye for puncturing false narratives, this entry in the 33 ? series is a great primer for those new to Fugazi as well as an illuminating read for those who wore out their Kill Taker cassettes long ago. * Pitchfork *Table of ContentsForeword Rob Sheffield Introduction A Brief History of Four Musicians Interlude: A Comment on Ritual, or How Fugazi Wrote Songs "Steady Diet of No Reverb" The Albino Demo "Facet Squared" “Public Witness Program" "Returning the Screw" Interlude: The Sleeve "Smallpox Champion" "Rend It" "23 Beats Off" "Sweet and Low" "Cassavetes" Interlude: Punk vs. the Pop Charts "Great Cop" "Walken's Syndrome" Two Finales Interlude: Live Afterword Acknowledgements Bibliography

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Book SynopsisExplores a key hip hop album marking the cross over point where the streets and the charts collided.Trade Review"It was only a matter of time before a clever publisher realized that there is an audience for whom Exile on Main Street or Electric Ladyland are as significant and worthy of study as The Catcher in the Rye or Middlemarch... freewheeling and eclectic, ranging from minute rock-geek analysis to idiosyncratic personal celebration-- The New York Times Book Review Ideal for the rock geek who thinks liner notes just aren't enough-- Rolling Stone One of the coolest publishing imprints on the planet--Bookslut These are for the insane collectors out there who appreciate fantastic design, well-executed thinking, and things that make your house look cool. Each volume in this series takes a seminal album and breaks it down in startling minutiae. We love these. We are huge nerds. - Vice A brilliant series...each one a word of real love - NME Religious tracts for the nock 'n' roll faithful - Uncut"

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Book SynopsisRihanna invites you into her world with this stunning visual autobiographyTrade Review'This book is incredible.' - DJ Khaled 'The book is a rollicking and sumptuous autobiography, told largely with intimate images. Ephemera are woven in throughout, from early passports and a Barbie workout cassette to a handwritten note from the designer Jeremy Scott that says, 'Congrats on making Paris your bitch!'. The book unfolds in chronological order, but the structure is freewheeling and chapter-less, lending it an impressionistic quality: how a person might recall her own lived memories.' - Vogue 'Well, this gives new meaning to 'drop': Rihanna's 500-page tome. If it fell on your foot, it would crush it. She has put her stamp on almost every pop culture form - music, film, fashion - and now, books... Rihanna is in a class of her own.' - The New York Times 'It's well worth the money.' - US Weekly 'In this beautiful new book...we see her like we have never seen her before.' - Good Morning America '...The book is surely a worthy work of art itself... The book... is more than just a large, incredibly heavy hardcover publication containing stunning professional photographs from her whirlwind life. Rihanna gives readers a rare and intimate look into her journey, chronicled in family pictures, captivating tour shots, and even rare handwritten letters...' - Billboard 'Even for those who aren't obsessed with the pop star's every move, it's a gorgeous collection of photographs.' - Rolling Stone 'From the childhood pictures to newspaper clippings of her first media coverage, tour-diary snippets and holiday snapshots, the previously unpublished photographs give a comprehensive look into Rihanna's stratospheric rise from Barbados to megastardom.' - Vogue UK 'Candid, unapologetic and, most importantly, authentic to her essence.' - iHeartRadio 'Another big first - Lavish!' - Essence 'Seriously, is there anything this woman can't do?' - Metro 'Set forth in this literature, Rihanna is arguably the most visually groundbreaking artist and celebrity of her generation - the ultimate blueprint of coolness and relatability. ...In all its 504-page glory - spanning her childhood in the Barbados, four distinctive album eras since 2010's 'Loud', her rise as a fashion mogul, and vacation candids - this piece elevates that conversation, reminding readers that Rihanna is the de facto queen of Instagram, 2010's fashion blogs, and celebrity media, as well as Tumblr favorites.' - MTV '...With over 1,000 behind-the-scenes photos of the artist and her entourage... as the photos revealed themselves, each new image eliciting hushed coos and nods of understanding.' - Time '1,050 color photos spanning the length of Rih's career and capturing her transition from pop star to businesswoman.' - Paper 'Luxurious.' - Bustle '...A visual masterpiece.' - Elite Daily 'Stunning.' - ET Online 'Rihanna's new coffee-table book will have more intimate moments than a Savage x Fenty show.' - HelloGiggles 'The mogul's life story in over a thousand rare photos demands prime coffee-table space...' - InStyle

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Book SynopsisSammy Hagar—legendary lead singer of Van Halen, founder of the Cabo Wabo Tequila brand, and one of rock music’s most notoriously successful performers—tells his unforgettable story in this one-of-a-kind autobiography of a life at the top of the charts. From his decade-long journey alongside Eddie Van Halen to his raucous solo career with Chickenfoot and everything in between—the drugs, groupies, and excesses of fame, the outrageous stadium tours, and the thrill of musical innovation—Hagar reveals all in this treasure trove of rock-and-roll war stories. Red is a life-changing look at one of music’s biggest talents—an essential read for music fans and anyone dreaming of becoming rock’s next number one star.Trade Review"Sammy's no bullsh*tter. If Sammy says it happened, it did. There's nobody else anywhere like him." -- Michael Anthony "Sammy has maintained his all-star success no matter where his Red Rocker career has taken him. He still can't drive fifty-five, but hey, he's the one driving the Mustang. So site back and ride." -- Toby Keith "Nobody had to explain the American dream to Sammy. He knew in his gut that there was a better life available to him if he refused to accept the status quo. It's all here in Sammy's new book." -- Ted Nugent "I'll admit it: I've been a Sammy Hagar wannabe since I heard his voice on a Montrose album...I'm proud to call him a rock star hero, a friend, and a brother in the sun. Rock on, Red Rocker!" -- Kenny Chesney "Sam's the man. Tequila, fast cars, rock 'n' roll-my kind of guy." -- Jimmie Johnson, five-time NASCAR champion "There are not a lot of people I would drop whatever I'm doing to go and see, but Sammy Hagar is one of thouse people...The man rocks his ass off, and vicariously through him so do I. My man-Sammy Hagar." -- Whoopi Goldberg "Over the many years I've known Sammy, his Red Rocker passion in music has always inspired me. But it's also his love of cooking great food and sharing a good bottle of wine that has been at the core of our friendship for so long. -- Emeril Lagasse "There are tell-all books. And then there are tell-all books written by Sammy Hagar. The 63-year-old ex-Van Halen frontman holds back nothing -- and I mean absolutely nothing -- in his autobiography...the Red Rocker's life look-back doesn't skimp on the details." -- Associated Press

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Book SynopsisLaura Nyro (1947-1997) was one of the most significant figures to emerge from the singer-songwriter boom of the 1960s. She first came to attention when her songs were hits for Barbra Streisand, The Fifth Dimension, Peter, Paul and Mary, and others. But it was on her own recordings that she imprinted her vibrant personality. With albums like Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry she mixed the sounds of soul, pop, jazz and Broadway to fashion autobiographical songs that earned her a fanatical following and influenced a generation of music-makers. In later life her preoccupations shifted from the self to embrace public causes such as feminism, animal rights and ecology – the music grew mellower, but her genius was undimmed. This book examines her entire studio career from 1967’s More than a New Discovery to the posthumous Angel in the Dark release of 2001. Also surveyed are the many live albums that preserve her charismatic stage presence. With analysis of her teasing, poetic lyrics and unique vocal and harmonic style, this is the first-ever study to concentrate on Laura Nyro’s music and how she created it. Elton John idolised her; Joni Mitchell declared her ‘a true original’. Here’s why.

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Book SynopsisA compelling biography of Frank Sinatra - warts and all, from 1915 to Sinatra's death in 1998. This fast-paced chronicle details the superstar's music, films, romances, personality traits and questionable exploits! A wonderful addition to the library of any Frank Sinatra fan or any fan of the big band era or popular music in general.Trade Review'I have known and admired Spencer Leigh's work as a music historian for many years. When he describes music and musicians of a bygone age, we become aware of so much more than the songs and performers - the era itself returns to life and we are reminded that all art, notably popular art, is inspired by, and inseparable from, its time and place, and if we don't understand that background, the story is far from complete... In Spencer Leigh's mammoth and wonderful tome on Frank Sinatra, he has superbly given us Americana through the long life and career of his subject which began way before his did. Sinatra's agents, lovers, dodgy associates, show biz friends and enemies, passions, hatreds, bravery and recklessness, finesse and crudity, worldly wisdom and naivete, are all part of the complex all and Leigh captures them all. Whether there has been a better telling of the Frank Sinatra story than Spencer Leigh's version only someone who has read all the myriad other attempts can say. I can say for sure that after reading FRANK SINATRA: AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE you may want to read more about him, but you won't need to.' SIR TIM RICE; 'There will be no better book on Sinatra's career than this. The detail is superb. It was wise to embrace it all - the music, the films, the politics, the hoodlum exploits, the cheating and chancing, and the seemingly endless sex and booze.' LIVERPOOL ECHOTable of ContentsForeword by Sir Tim Rice Introduction: Set 'em up, Joe Chapter 1: New York, New York. Chapter 2: You must be one of the newer fellas Chapter 3: Start spreadin' the news Chapter 4: Getting sentimental Chapter 5: The house I live in Chapter 6: Kissing bandits Chapter 7: I'm a fool to want you Chapter 8: From here to eternity Chapter 9: Call me irresponsible Chapter 10: Game changers Chapter 11: Election Chapter 12: War games Chapter 13: Making it with the moderns Chapter 14: The first goodbye Chapter 15: Intermission Chapter 17: They can't take that away from me Appendix 1: To Think I Did All That - A Frank Sinatra Discography Appendix 2: One of Those Bells that now and then Rings - Frank Sinatra on film Appendix 3: Makin' Whoopee Index

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Book SynopsisIn the first decade of the twenty-first century, Kanye West created the most compelling body of pop music by an American artist during the period. Having risen from obscurity as a precocious producer through the ranks of Jay Z's Roc-A-Fella records, by the time he released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF) in late 2010, West had evolved into a master collagist, an alchemist capable of transfiguring semi-obscure soul samples and indelible beats into a brash and vulnerable new art form. A look at the arc of his career, from the heady chipmunk soul exuberance of The College Dropout (2004) to the operatic narcissism of MBDTF, tells us about the march of pop music into the digital age and, by extension, the contradictions that define our cultural epoch. In a cloud-based and on-demand culture – a place of increasing virtualization, loneliness, and hyper-connectivity – West straddles this critical moment as what David Samuels of The Atlantic calls "the first true genius of the iPhone era, the Mozart of contemporary American music." In the land of taking a selfie, honing a personal brand, and publicly melting down online, Kanye West is the undisputed king. Swallowing the chaos wrought by his public persona and digesting it as a grandiose allegory of self-redemption, Kanye sublimates his narcissism to paint masterstroke after masterstroke on MBDTF, a 69-minute hymn to egotistical excess. Sampling and ventriloquizing the pop music past to tell the story of its future – very much a tale of our culture's wish for unfettered digital ubiquity – MBDTF is the album of its era, an aesthetic self-acquittal and spiritual autobiography of our era’s most dynamic artist.Trade ReviewIn Graves' book, he not only breaks down each track on the record, but he also effectively lays out the context of the album's release, explaining why Kanye is deserving of an investigative book like this one (and hopefully soon, others), and what about Mr. West makes him the biggest and most off-putting rock star on the planet. -- Dan Buyanovsky * Revolt TV *Kanye West is the millennial generation incarnate, or at least that's what Kirk Walker Graves would have us all think. Throughout the 150 or so pages of this book, Graves unpacks the enigma that is Kanye West's personality and art. This book isn't so much about the musical qualities of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as it is about how Kanye's ego and public persona can be used to explain modern 20-somethings. Graves finds meaning in West's music that I never would have picked out on my own. His fandom is clear, but he never steps into hyperbole in his praise of the music. Though, at times, it feels like his discussion of this album can get a bit too academic, I appreciate the thought that he has put into his analysis of Kanye's work. This book is some serious next-level music criticism-I never realized how much Kanye's Gucci line meant to my life before this guy told me about it. -- Alex Gilvarry * SLUG Magazine *West may be divisive enough to not win over his detractors, but Graves’ mix of fanboy marvel and critical detachment is persuasive enough to convince even detractors to give My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy a close listen. At the end of its 132 pages, Graves makes a convincing argument that this four-year-old deserves a spot in the 33 1/3 series. But perhaps more important, he does something that great criticism should do: he makes you want to listen to the album. -- Sean McCarthy * PopMatters *Kanye West’s fifth album is only a few years old, but that didn’t stop Kirk Walker Graves from writing a book proclaiming it an instant classic that perfectly captures the spirit of its era. Graves unpacks the cultural meaning and significance of West’s famous ego and chaotic public persona, and examines the music both in the context of the rapper’s brilliant body of work, and how it fits into the social media era. * Buzzfeed *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Seven Virtues of Yeezus, Pop Christ Portrait of the Monster as a Young Masterpiece The Narcissistic Personality of Our Time Five Uneasy Pieces Art as Atonement University as Universe: The College Dropout A (Very) Brief Aside Re: 808s & Heartbreaks MBDTF Dark Fantasy Gorgeous POWER (sic transit gloria Kanye) All of the Lights Monster So Appalled Devil in a New Dress Runaway Hell of a Life Blame Game Lost in the World The Yeezus Singularity: A Religion of the Self

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Book SynopsisThe Jesus and Mary Chain’s swooning debut Psychocandy seared through the underground and through the pop charts, shifting the role of noise within pop music forever. Post-punk and pro-confusion, Psychocandy became the sound of a generation poised on the brink of revolution, establishing Creation Records as a tastemaking entity in the process. The Scottish band’s notorious live performances were both punishingly loud and riot-spurring, inevitably acting as socio-political commentary on tensions emergent in mid-1980s Britain. Through caustic clangs and feedback channeling the rage of the working-class who’d had enough, Psychocandy gestures toward the perverse pleasure in having your eardrums exploded and loudness as a politics within itself. Yet Psychocandy’s blackened candy heart center – calling out to phantoms Candy and Honey with an unsettling charm – makes it a pop album to the core, and not unlike the sugarcoated sounds the Ronettes became famous for in the 1960s. The Jesus and Mary Chain expertly carved out a place where depravity and sweetness entwined, emerging from the isolating underground of suburban Scotland grasping the distinct sound of a generation, apathetic and uncertain. The irresistible Psychocandy emerged as a clairvoyant account of struggle and sweetness that still causes us to grapple with pop music’s relation to ourselves.Trade ReviewAn interesting and eminently readable study of one of the most significant albums of the 1980s ... The book is a welcome addition to a consistently excellent series. * The Kelvingrove Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Taste the Floor Chapter One: Never Understand Chapter Two: Just Like Honey Chapter Three: In a Hole Chapter Four: Sowing Seeds Chapter Five: Taste of Cindy Chapter Six: Some Candy Talking Chapter Seven: My Little Underground Chapter Eight: The Living End Chapter Nine: Cut Dead Chapter Ten: Inside Me Chapter Eleven: It's So Hard Chapter Twelve: Something's Wrong Chapter Thirteen: The Hardest Walk Chapter Fourteen: You Trip Me Up

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Book SynopsisTo absorb Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash is to be taken on a wild voyage with a cast of downtrodden revolutionaries. Despite this notion, the epic themes of the Pogues' second full length record have been overlooked by both critics and biographers. This book discusses the record's articulation of what it is to be magnificently downtrodden.Trade Review"It was only a matter of time before a clever publisher realized that there is an audience for whom Exile on Main Street or Electric Ladyland are as significant and worthy of study as The Catcher in the Rye or Middlemarch...The series, which now comprises 29 titles with more in the words, is freewheeling and eclectic, ranging from minute rock-geek analysis to idiosyncratic personal celebration--The New York Times Book Review Ideal for the rock geek who thinks liner notes just aren't enough - Rolling Stone One of the coolest publishing imprints on the planet--Bookslut A brilliant series...each one a word of real love - NME (UK) Religious tracts for the nock 'n' roll faithful - Uncut (UK)"

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Book Synopsis"Songs in the Key of Life" is different from the four albums that preceded it; it's a maddeningly ambitious encapsulation of all the progress Stevie Wonder had made in that short space of time. This work covers Stevie Wonder's excessive work habits and recording methodology, his reliance on synthesizers, and other aspects.

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Book SynopsisFrom the War on Hippies to the Great Rock ''n'' Roll Swindle, the story of Modern Lovers is a high octane tale of Brutalist architecture, rock ''n'' roll ambition and the struggle for identity in a changing world. One of punk rock's foundational documents, the archetype for indie obsession and all but disowned by its author, The Modern Lovers was an album doomed by its own coolness from day one. Powered by the two-chord wonder Roadrunner and its proclamation that I'm in love with rock ''n'' roll,The Modern Lovers is the essential document of American alienation, an escape route from the cultural wasteland of postwar suburbia. The Modern Lovers is the bridge connecting the Velvet Underground and the Sex Pistols; they were peers of the New York Dolls and friends with Gram Parsons and they would splinter into Talking Heads, The Cars, and The Real Kids. But The Modern Lovers was never meant to be an album. A collection of demos, recorded in fits anTrade Review[Maloney] gives us concise, incredibly perceptive examinations of each song in turn that fans will devour ... A sensitive portrayal of knowing outsiderdom that steers clear of cliché and enriches the album in question. * Record Collector *[33 1/3] has been flying the flag for quality, book-length music criticism and commentary for some time now ... This book is certainly one of the most memorable and rewarding additions to the 33 1/3 canon; it takes a much loved album that for many is a solitary love affair, so intimate are its songs, and does not dispel its magic but offers the reader a greater appreciation of its merits. * We Are Cult *Table of ContentsIX. Acknowledgments X. Introduction 1. Roadrunner (Once) 2. Astral Plane 3. Old World 4. Pablo Picasso 5. I'm Straight 6. She Cracked 7. Hospital 8. Someone I Care About 9. Girlfriend 10. Modern World 11. Dignified and Old 12. Government Center 13. Roadrunner (Twice) Bibliography Discography Filmography

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Book SynopsisThe world’s leading reggae scholar spent forty years interviewing Bob Marley and his closest confidants. This is the definitive telling of Bob Marley’s life.Trade Review"If Bob Marley is Jesus in these times, Roger Steffens is Peter." -- Carlos Santana"... absorbing oral history... So Much Things to Say is a major work that helps us better understand Marley's tragic yet inspirational tale." -- Mojo"... absorbing "oral history"... So Much Things to Say is a fitting tribute to the tumultuous life and complex character of the country’s favourite son." -- The Observer"So Much Things to Say, an 'oral' account of Marley's life and times, amounts to an absorbing alternative biography." -- The Spectator"Steffens identifies many more pieces of the man than have ever before been put together in one book." -- The Guardian

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Book SynopsisThe year 1972 brought together two legends of rock 'n' roll at the peaks of their careers: Jim Marshall and the Rolling Stones. Selected by LIFE magazine to photograph the Stones' EXILE ON MAIN ST. tour, Marshall had a week of unlimited access. The results are his now-iconic images of the band, onstage in their full glory and backstage in moments of unguarded camaraderie. Marshall's ability to capture the essential spirit of an artist and the transformative power of music is matched only by the Stones' larger-than-life energy. Fifty years after these photographs were taken, they retain the power to thrill and inspire. This definitive edition presents the images as they were meant to be seen: at a larger size and in the rich, high-contrast tones Marshall favored. The original content is enhanced with never-before-seen proof sheets and two new essays by photographer and film director Anton Corbijn and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue. This is the ultimate, immersive experience of one of the greatest moments in music history.

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Book SynopsisThis informative work tells the story of the famous Liverpool musicians, from the band's formative days in Hamburg and Liverpool to the split in 1970. General Editor Brian Southall has gathered a team of experts to write about each era of the band's existence, examining what they were doing for each of their original 12 UK-release albums, from the simple, bouncy Please Please Me to the heavyweight double Let It Be. Further chapters cover the US and foreign releases, which were significantly different in the early days.Table of Contents• Tony Bramwell: Childhood friend of the Beatles who became CEO of Apple Records. • Ray Connolly: A British writer who was very close to the Beatles. • Tristan Fry: A drummer and percussionist, who played on Abbey Road. • Per Gessle: Singer/songwriter, lead singer of Swedish band Gyllene Tider and half of Roxette. • Graham Gouldman: English singer, songwriter and musician. • Steve Harley: English singer/songwriter who was frontman of Cockney Rebel. • Gered Mankowitz: High profile photographer of many famous musicians. • Diederik Nomden and Bart Van Poppel: Founders and performers in the band The Analogues. • Sir Tim Rice: English author and lyricist. • Paul Sexton: Journalist and broadcaster. • Tom Robinson: English singer/songwriter and presenter. • Chris Thomas: Co-producer of The White Album and Abbey Road. • Ken Townsend MBE: Sound engineer who worked at Abbey Road Studios. • Johnnie Walker MBE: A hugely popular and influential radio DJ. • Kenneth Womack: Professor of English and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Monmouth University, N.J.

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Book SynopsisA celebration of Harry Styles we Adore You!Harry Styles is a global superstar and fashion icon who has broken records, won awards and was the first solo man to grace the cover of Vogue, but he is also grounded, humble and down to earth. He doesn't care what other people think, isn't afraid to be vulnerable and truly loves his fans. We could all do with being a bit more like Harry.With chapters on finding your style, building confidence and supporting charities, The Book of Harry explores Harry's incredible journey to stardom and the lessons we can take from his music, career and wider approach to life. Learning from his example, it will arm readers with tips, tricks and wisdom to empower them to be fearless, be themselves and above all, Treat People With Kindness.

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Book SynopsisThe publication of Martin Popoff’s Uriah Heep: A Visual Biography is something of a bitter-sweet pill given recent events. Following the sad loss of Lee Kerslake in September 2020, Popoff — having interviewed various band members over the past few years — was all set to conduct another interview with Ken Hensley in mid November when the tragic news of Ken’s sudden departure reached Heep fans around the world. Undeterred, the decision that had already been made to immortalise Uriah Heep with a comprehensive visual biography remained. Popoff’s celebrated and detailed timeline takes us through more than fifty years of massive rock history from this much-loved band. From the early days with legendary front man David Byron, through the John Lawton years; the John Sloman and Pete Goalby fronted periods and from 1986 with Bernie Shaw taking centre stage; all eras are comprehensively covered. This differs from previous Uriah Heep books through the inclusion of so many previously unpublished photos, along with rare memorabilia and artefacts that makes this an indispensable addition to the vast Uriah Heep catalogue.

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Book SynopsisDmitri Shostakovich was the most popular Soviet composer of his generation. Internationally esteemed, he is widely considered to have been the last great classical symphonist, and his reputation has continued to increase since his death in 1975. Shostakovich wrote his First Symphony aged only nineteen and soon embarked on a dual career as concert pianist and composer. His early avant-gardism was to result in the triumph of his 1934 opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. Though at first highly praised by Stalin, Shostakovich would later suffer from a complex and brutalising relationship with the Soviet dictator and the governments that followed him. In spite of this persecution, his Seventh Symphony was embraced as a potent symbol of Russian resistance to the invading Nazi army in both the USSR and the West. Though his later years were marked by ill health, his rate of composition remained prolific. His music became increasingly popular with audiences as he established himself as the most popular composer of serious art music in the middle years of the twentieth century.Trade Review'Brian Morton has composed a model biographical sketch buttressed by a sympathetic exegeses of the most important thing: the work.' - Guardian.

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