Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book Synopsis"It's Time To Party," the first track off of I Get Wet, opens with a rapid-fire guitar line — nothing fancy, just a couple crunchy power chords to acclimate the ears — repeated twice before a booming bass drum joins in to provide a quarter-note countdown. A faint, swirling effect intensifies with each bass kick and, by the eighth one, the ears have prepped themselves for the metal mayhem they are about to receive. When it all drops, and the joyous onslaught of a hundred guitars is finally realized, you'll have to forgive your ears for being duped into a false sense of security, because it's that second intensified drop a few seconds later — the one where yet more guitars manifest and Andrew W.K. slam-plants his vocal flag by screaming the song's titular line — that really floods the brain with endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and whatever else formulates invincibility. Polished to a bright overdubbed-to-oblivion sheen, the party-preaching I Get Wet didn't capture the zeitgeist of rock at the turn of the century; it captured the timelessness of youth, as energized, awesome, and unapologetically stupid as ever. With insights from friends and unprecedented help from the mythological maniac himself — whose sermon and pop sensibilities continue to polarize — this book chronicles the sound's evolution, uncovers the relevance of Steev Mike, and examines how Andrew W.K.'s inviting, inclusive lyrics create the ultimate shared experience between artist and audience.Trade ReviewPhillip Crandall's book about Andrew WK's I Get Wet has been one of my favourites from this wonderful series of books. Fans will love it, sure. But if you're like me, if you didn't quite get the fuss first time around, you'll not only find a funny, sad, fascinating story, you'll find great heart-on-(record)-sleeve writing. -- Simon Sweetman * Blog On The Tracks *Crandall gets at the heart of Andrew W.K. better than any other previous writer. You’ll know this much after reading the first few pages of his book. What you’ll have to ponder after you’ve finished reading is the way in which Andrew connects the dots among I Get Wet, Daydream Nation, Appetite for Destruction, Dr. Feelgood, OK Computer, Slippery When Wet, Loveless… -- Paul Gleason * Caught in the Carousel *Phillip Crandall, an acclaimed music writer and Inverness native, has revisited the release of W.K.’s breakout album in his latest paperback on I Get Wet, part of the books-about-albums series 33 1/3. This insightful look into the album features interviews with some of WK’s closest friends and family, as well as vehement endorsement from the party prince himself. -- Andrew Silverstein * Creative Loafing *Table of ContentsIntroduction: INK 1. JUICE 2. SWEAT 3. BLOOD 4. CHAMPAGNE Afterword

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Book SynopsisGrammy Award winning Wilco rose from the ashes of one of the most respected alt-country groups of the 1990s, Uncle Tupelo, to emerge as a celebrated (and far more popular) act in their own right. Led by frontman Jeff Tweedy, Wilco have evolved from a country-rock band into an eclectic indie-rock collective that touches on many eras and genres in their music: '70s rock, country, Beach Boys-style pop, noise-rock and folk. As a result, no two Wilco albums sound the same. This biography looks at Jeff Tweedy's early life in Illinois before starting Uncle Tupelo with Jay Farrar and an examination of their four albums. The media attention about Wilco's fourth album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and the controversy surrounding it. After the recording sessions were complete, their record label rejected the album and dismissed Wilco from the label. Yet it became their most successful album to date. An analysis of all their studio albums including their latest - The Whole Love, which was released in September 2011. How Wilco's music has been inspired by a wide variety of artists and styles, including Bill Fay and Television, and has in turn influenced music by a number of modern alternative rock acts.

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Book SynopsisBuddy Holly occupies an enigmatic position in pop and rock music history, partly because of his premature death at the age of 22 in a plane crash in February 1959. Designated in Don MacLean's hit "American Pie" as 'the day the music died', this enabled him to be included in the trope 'the death of rock 'n roll', alongside the less drastic musical demises of Elvis Presley (joined army), Chuck Berry (imprisoned), Jerry Lee Lewis (disgraced) and Little Richard (joined priesthood). The view that Holly belongs only to the 1950s has often obscured the originality of his music. In an era when the music world was divided into hard rockers, soft pop balladeers and hardcore Nashville country & western singers, his songs transcended the boundaries. Equally innovatory was his use of the recording studio as a laboratory, a place to experiment with sounds. In addition, the two guitars, bass and drums line-up of his group the Crickets was the major contributor to the small group template for generations of rock musicians down to the present day. As well as becoming an influence on other musicians in a conventional sense, Buddy Holly has had his own lengthy musical and cultural afterlife.From the vantage point of 2009, a half century after 'the day the music died', Holly has been the longest-serving member of the rock immortals club, those singers and musicians for whom death seemed to inaugurate a new phase of their career. He has been re-embodied in a biopic, a stage show, in iconic images and numerous reissues of his recordings. While he cannot rival Elvis Presley in terms of sightings (nobody, I think, believes Buddy is still alive) or in terms of 'virtual' performance with his old band, he has been re-embodied in a biopic, a stage show, in iconic images and numerous reissues of his recordings. This book is partly based on the author's 1970 study in the "Rockbooks" series. But it aims to provide a new perspective on Buddy Holly by discussing his career and art in the context of his unique contribution to the swiftly-evolving music scene of the late 1950s and his posthumous 50 year multi-media career through films, stage-shows and copious reissues of his oeuvre.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 The West Texas Musicscape and Buddy Holly's Musical Ideolect 1950-1955 Chapter 2 A Studio Career: Nashville -Clovis -New York 1956-1959 Chapter 3 On Stage 1956-1959 Chapter 4 The Recordings 1955-1959 Chapter 5 After The Day The Music Died - Memorialising Chapter 6 After the Day the Music Died - Presence and Representations Timeline

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Book SynopsisAlthough he died in a tragic car accident at twenty-five, Clifford Brown is widely considered one of the most important figures in the history of jazz, a trumpet player who ranks with Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis, and a leading influence on contemporary jazz musicians. Now, in Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter, Nick Catalano gives us the first major biography of this musical giant. Based on extensive interviews with Clifford Brown''s family, friends, and fellow jazz musicians, here is a fascinating portrait of a remarkable musician. Catalano depicts Brown''s early life, showing how he developed a facility and dazzling technique that few jazz players have ever equaled. We read of his meteoric rise in Philadelphia, where he played with many of the leading jazz players of the 1950s, including Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker; his tour of Europe with Lionel Hampton, which made him famous; and his formation of the Brown-Roach Quintet witTrade ReviewNick Catalano has done a superb job. This is a first-rate biography that is wonderfully readable. * Yorkshire Post *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Introduction ; 1. The Brown Family of Wilmington ; 2. Boysie Lowery and Howard High ; 3. On to Philadelphia ; 4. The Brink of Disaster ; 5. Rhythm 'n' Blues ; 6. The Month of June ; 7. European High Jinks ; 8. New York and Home ; 9. California Surprise ; 10. Brown and Roach, Inc. ; 11. Back to the East ; 12. Into 1956 ; Epilogue ; Notes ; Selected and Annotated Discography ; Index

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Book SynopsisRussian composer, Sofia Gubaidulina has achieved international acclaim for her musical oeuvre which draws on Eastern and Western musical traditions. This biography places her life and the evolution of her work within the cultural and political context of post-Stalin Soviet Union.Trade Review. . . Taking a thoroughly biographical tack, Kurtz explains the origins of many of Gubaidulina's compositions . . . He . . . offer[s] accounts of Gubaidulina by colleagues and performers, and these are a rich source of new material on the composer. Including a handful of photographs, notes, a chronological summary, and a list of Gubaidulina's compositions, this book will be useful to those interested in musical culture and religious life in the Soviet Union. . . . Recommended.July 2008 * Choice *. . . a solid piece of work whose straightforward design and clarity of prose (even in translation) will benefit scholar and general reader alike.Vol. 68.2 April 2009 -- David Haas * University of Georgia *. . . valuable as the first English-language guide to Gubaidulina. . . . Kurtz has expertly presented us with valuable material . . .Vol. 90.2 May 2009 -- IVANA MEDIC * University of Manchester *With this thorough and well-researched biography of the eminent Russian composer Sophia Gubaidulina, author and scholar Michael Kurtz has made a landmark contribution to the growing body of literature on that emergent group of post-WWII composers. Vol. 54.2, Summer 2010 * Slavic and East European Journal *This is an extremely helpful publication for future researchers of Gubaidulina's music. It comes with a detailed chronology, and with a full list of the composer's works. Vol. 89.1, January 2011 * Slavonic and East European Review *Kurtz's biography gives a good, thorough account of Gubaidulina's life that is more immediately accessible and less vexing for general readers than for specialists. Yet specialists will find it necessary reading due to the many significant details uncovered thanks to Kurtz's interviews with Gubaidulina and her associates65.1 Sept. 2008 * Notes *Table of ContentsPreface by Mstislav Rostropovich Preface to the American Edition Introduction and Acknowledgments 1. Ancestors 2. Childhood and Youth, 1932-1949 3. At the Kazan Conservatory, 1949-1954 4. At the Moscow Conservatory, 1954-1959 5. Searching for Her Own Way, 1959-1965 6. A Late Artistic Birth, 1965-1970 7. Finding the Legato in the Staccato of Life, 1970-1975 8. Composing and Improvising, 1975-1979 9. "Offertorium"-a Musical Offering, 1979-1981 10. The Rhythm of Musical Form, 1981-1985 11. Travels, Travels, and More Travels, 1985-1991 12. Worldwide Fame-Worldwide Demand, 1991-1996 13. The Center of Life: St. John Passion and St. John Easter, 1996-2004 Chronology of Gubaidulina's Life List of WorksNotesBibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSergei Rachmaninoff - the last great Russian romantic and arguably the finest pianist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries - wrote 83 songs, which are performed and beloved throughout the world. This title provides English translations of the songs, along with accurate transliterations of the original texts and detailed commentary.Trade ReviewA treasure for the serious music reference library, Sylvester's work compiles art song data needed by students, teachers, researchers, and performers. . . . This is a scholarly effort welcome in university, conservatory, and large public library collections as well as the home shelves of music lovers. * American Reference Books Annual *Richard D. Sylvester's companion to Rachmaninoff's songs is a perfect guide for performers and Rachmaninoff enthusiasts. * Russian Review *The author . . . makes Russian songs accessible to those without previous language training. Multiple indexes make this a fine reference source for texts. * Choice *Sylvester . . . paints a rich, detailed, and variegated picture of Rachmaninoff's output as a song composer, the range and variety of his literary reading, and his many creative interactions with singers. * Music and Letters *In his Companion, Richard D. Sylvester not only puts under careful factual scrutiny the entirety of Rachmaninoff's solo vocal output; he also invites his readers to consider the aesthetic and historical significance of Rachmaninoff's 26-year-long engagement with lyric poetry. This multi-functional volume offers much more than its meek title may suggest. * Canadian Slavonic Papers *[T]he writer exposes the real-life practitioner of music, whether student, teacher, or seasoned performer, to an accessible source of rich, meticulously researched data so central for au fait artistic interpretation of classics, and often so hard to glean from routinely dry and difficult musicology texts. The robustness of research behind the book is in no way compromised by its accessibility, and is evident from an astounding bibliography section that spans ten pages and contains 289 references. * Journal of Singing *All lovers of Russian music owe a great debt of gratitude to Professor Sylvester, whose latest book may be recommended without qualification. * Slavonic and East European Review *Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsPrefaceA Note on Dates and Spelling1. Early Years (1873-1892) Nine Unpublished Songs (1890-1899)2. First Published Songs, Opus 4 (1893) Songs 10-153. Six Romances, Opus 8 (1896) Songs 16-214. Twelve Romances, Opus 14 (1896) Songs 22-33 5. Twelve Romances, Opus 21 (1902) Songs 34-45 Song 46, Without Opus (1900)6. Fifteen Romances, Opus 26 (1906) Songs 47-61 Song 62, Without Opus (1900)7. Fourteen Romances, Opus 34 (1912-1915) Songs 63-76 Song 77, Without Opus (1914)8. Six Poems, Opus 38 (1916) Songs 78-839. After Russia (1917-1943) Two Unpublished Songs (1916)BibliographyIndex of SingersIndex of Song Titles in RussianIndex of Song Titles in EnglishIndex of Names

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Book SynopsisThe theory and practice of Italian musical compositionTrade ReviewDense and challenging in its detail and analysis, this work is an important addition to the growing corpus of Puccini studies. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *Baragwanath's is a very full treatment of Italian teaching methods and curricula, now based not ony on traditional harmony but on other relevant strategies for learning to create what every Italian composer wanted to create: opera. The pedagogical traditions and the Puccini family's part in them are tracedbroadly The positivistic research is thorough and results in a reference-source useful to all further historians of 19th-century Italian opera. The topic is a big one, with many ramifications, and the book does provide a definitive service in explaining the prevailing Italian view that 'music should be pleasing, fulfilling or entertaining in a variety of contexts.' * Musical Times *[B]y offering another component to the analyst's tool kit, Baragwanath has comprehensively achievedwhat he set out to do: create a framework for further study. * Music and Letters *Nicholas Baragwanath has made a major contribution – one of the most major to date, in any language – not only to Puccini studies but also to the study of nineteenth-century Italian opera in general. * Nineteenth-Century Music Review *[Offers] us no less than a thorough reappraisal of how composition was learned by those who would actually become composers. * Journal of Music Theory *Table of ContentsPreface and AcknowledgementsA Note on Translation and Terminology1: Musical Traditions in Nineteenth-Century ItalyI. The Italian SchoolsII. An Introduction to the Primary SourcesIII. Puccini and the End of the Great Tradition2. Studies in Lucca and MilanI. Composition as CraftII. The Istituto musicale in LuccaIII. Scarpia and the Partimento CadenceIV. The Conservatorio di Milano3. Lessons in Dramatic Composition I: RhythmI. Rhythm without Measure, Accent without BeatII. Rules of Versification, Lippmann's Rhythmic-Musical Types, and Two Case-StudiesIII. Historical Survey of Writings on RitmoIV. Short Case-Studies from Bellini and Puccini4. Lessons in Dramatic Composition II: Harmony and CounterpointI. The Partimento TraditionII. Michele Puccini's Corso pratico di contrappunto (1846)III. The Bolognese Attachment, or "Little Keys for Winding Clocks"IV. Regular Motions and Melodic Composition5. Lessons in Dramatic Composition III: Affect, Imitation, and ConductI. Dominant Affects and their MovementsII. Physical and Sentimental ImitationIII. Form and ConductIV. Case-Studies from Verdi, Boito, and Puccini6. Vocalizzi, Solfeggi, and Real (or Ideal) CompositionI. Lessons in Singing and CounterpointII. Lessons in Singing and SolfeggioIII. From Solfeggio to Ideal Composition in Puccini (and Bellini)NotesBibliographyIndex of ConceptsIndex of Names and Works

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Book Synopsis'Before there was Star Wars before there was Close Encounters there was The Man Who Fell To Earth. advertising tag line for 1981 reissue of the film. Earthbound is the first book-length exploration of a true classic of twentieth-century science-fiction cinema, shot under the heavy, ethereal skies of New Mexico by the legendary British director Nicolas Roeg and starring David Bowie in a role he seemed born for as an extra-terrestrial named Thomas Newton who comes to Earth in search of water. Based on a novel by the highly regarded American writer Walter Tevis, this dreamy, distressing, and visionary film resonates even more strongly in the twenty-first century than it did on its original release during the year of the US Bicentennial. Drawing on extensive research and exclusive first-hand interviews with members of the cast and crew, Earthbound begins with a look at Tevis s 1963 novel before moving into a detailed analysis of a film described by its director as 'a sci-fi film without a lot of sci-fi tools and starring a group of actors Bowie, Buck Henry, Candy Clark, Rip Torn later described by one of them (Henry) as 'not a cast but a dinner party. It also seeks to uncover the mysteries surrounding Bowie s rejected soundtrack to the film (elements of which later ended up his ground-breaking 1977 album Low) and closes with a look at his return to the themes and characters of The Man Who Fell To Earth in one of his final works, the acclaimed musical production Lazarus.

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Book SynopsisThe creator of the dancing bear logo and designer of the Wall of Sound for the Grateful Dead, Augustus Owsley Stanley III, better known by his nickname, Bear, was one of the most iconic figures in the cultural revolution that changed both America and the world during the 1960s.Owsley''s high octane rocket fuel enabled Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters to put on the Acid Tests. It also powered much of what happened on stage at Monterey Pop. Owsley turned on Pete Townshend of The Who and Jimi Hendrix. The shipment of LSD that Owsley sent John Lennon resulted in The Beatles'' Magical Mystery Tour album and film. Convinced that the Grateful Dead were destined to become the world''s greatest rock ''n'' roll band, Owsley provided the money that kept them going during their early days. As their longtime soundman, he then faithfully recorded many of the Dead''s greatest live performances and designed the massive space age system that came to be known as the Wall of Sound.

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Book SynopsisHector Berlioz'' (1803-69) autobiography is both an account of his important place in the rise of the Romantic movement and a personal testament. He tells the story of his liaison with Harriet Smithson, and his even more passionate affairs of the mind with Shakespeare, Scott, and Byron. Familiar with all the great figures of the age, Berlioz paints brilliant portraits of Liszt, Wagner, Balzac, Weber, and Rossini, among others. And through Berlioz''s intimate and detailed self-revelation, there emerges a profoundly sympathetic and attractive man, driven, finally, by his overwhelming creative urges to a position of lonely eminence.For this new Everyman''s edition of The Memoirs, the translator--the composer''s most admired biographer--has completely revised the text and the extensive notes to take into account the latest research.(Book Jacket Status: Not Jacketed)

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Book SynopsisMike Love is a founding member of the Beach Boys and the lead singer and lyricist of their biggest hits. With their lush vocals and endlessly inventive arrangements, the band forged art from songs about cars, surfing and first love. But beneath the Beach Boys' wholesome appearance lurked darker truths: drugs and dissent, deceit and betrayal, illness and infidelity, line-up changes and litigation. In Good Vibrations, Mike Love tells the unvarnished story of his five-decade tenure as frontman of the quintessential American band, whose music continues to reverberate today.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Kraus has collected a multitude of telling personal accounts. Charming and illuminating anecdotes that depict interactions among the players and between individual players and the maestro abound, along with sometimes humorous and sometimes harsh instances of Szell's behavior." --Mary Sue Welsh, author of One Woman in a Hundred: Edna Phillips and the Philadelphia Orchestra"The author gives us an entertaining and revealing picture of Szell working with his musicians over the years. After you read this you will know him better than if it had been a mere biography. When you finish a chapter you are eager to go on to the next, because it's a fascinating tale--and sometimes it's even rather amazing."--American Record Guide

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Book SynopsisRichard Wagner (1813-1883) was better known in the nineteenth century for his provocative musical eroticism. This title studies the composer and his works, showing how Wagner's obsession with sexuality prefigured the composition of operas such as "Tannhauser", "Die Walkure", "Tristan und Isolde", and "Parsifal".Trade ReviewBy shifting our attention from Wagner's politics to his erotics, Dreyfus enriches our understanding of all the major Wagner operas, as well as of the composer himself. This book will transform Wagner studies and the study of music and sexuality. -- Karol Berger, Stanford UniversityDreyfus's searching study of Wagner's sexuality – one with distinctively feminized and fetishistic qualities – penetrates to the core of both the man and the artist. His achievement is that he not only tells us more about the nature of Wagner's eroticism per se, but also makes clear how this substantively affected the music he wrote. An important contribution that brilliantly illuminates some crepuscular zones of the Wagner phenomenon. -- Barry Millington, Editor of the Wagner JournalLaurence Dreyfus has written an immensely important book about the importance of the erotic in Wagner's life and work. The exploration of the fascinating and contradictory subject is both profound and witty. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Wagner's music. -- Vladimir Jurowski, Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic OrchestraA fascinating study of a distinct dimension of Wagner's life and art. -- Larry Lipkis * Library Journal *The Nazis have cast a long, retrospective shadow over Wagner, but as Laurence Dreyfus argues in Wagner and the Erotic Impulse, what scandalized (and delighted) 19th-century listeners to Wagner's music was not its politics but its unbridled sensuality. Dreyfus explores the aesthetic and biographical issues (including the composer's fondness for wearing women's silk lingerie) with admirable clarity, laying bare an aspect of the composer that is both central and often strangely ignored. -- Adam Lively * Sunday Times *Even in this supposedly liberal era Wagner's detractors still wag fingers at his love-life...As this ground-breaking new study suggests, it's the erotic yearnings so central to his great works that remain arresting. -- Michael Scott Rohan * BBC Music *Revelatory. -- Alex Ross * New Yorker *[Dreyfus] has produced a scholarly yet eminently readable volume that will bewitch any opera-lover. Like a benign magician--like Wagner himself, perhaps--Dreyfus conjures up a vivid array of characters and allows them to reveal their innermost thoughts through their own words and deeds. Nietzche and Schopenhauer are there, as are Baudelaire, Bulow, Heine, D'Annunzio, Thomas Mann, Krafft-Ebing and Henry James. -- Daniel Snowman * Opera *At this point, the only good reason to add to the mountains of Wagner scholarship is to add another peak, which is precisely what Laurence Dreyfus has done in Wagner and the Erotic Impulse...The payoff for following him through his 250-page argument is that Wagner's music sounds deeper, richer and better than ever...Dreyfus' greatest achievement, a great deal of it pioneering, is in his investigation of Wagner's eroticism in the music itself. It's the hardest kind of work a writer about music can do, and Dreyfus does it with rare insight and imagination, and in language as accessible to the interested lay reader as it would be to fellow scholars...Wagner and the Erotic Impulse tears the roof off Wagner scholarship. The artistic cosmos it finds inside is a vastly more vital and compelling place. -- Tim Pfaff * Bay Area Reporter *[Dreyfus's] persuasive contention is that this music is not only erotic to our ears and understanding, but that it was interpreted as such from the very start. Furthermore, he shows that the explicit connections of eroticism with music long predate the nineteenth century, going back at least as far as the terpsichorean tradition of the sixteenth century. Dreyfus impressively manages to argue that music can be interpreted as expressly erotic without getting himself entangled in the complexities of whether music can in general be assigned particular interpretation. -- Bernard O'Donoghue * Times Literary Supplement *Dreyfus' book is an excellent account of what is by any measure a crucial aspect of Wagner's extraordinary art. -- Bradley Winterton * Taipei Times *This is an altogether unusual portrait of the composer, one resting on a platform of brazen sexuality. Dreyfus posits Eros both as a prism through which to access Wagner's biography and oeuvre anew, and as the impulse driving the latter into existence...The hazards attendant on a study of Eros are offset by the strength of Dreyfus's argument. He elevates the erotic to a central paradigm for Wagner: its force is thematised in Tannhäuser, Tristan and Parsifal, documented throughout Wagner's writings, and substantiated by contemporary discourse, both passionate espousal and disgust. But as the author later explains, erotic impulse is also fundamental to the experience of music...Telling details are often the gems in any history, and this book is richly studded...Dreyfus's command of sources is impressive; all are newly translated, their contextual breadth forming a latter-day answer to Greenblatt's so-called new historicism...A rich study, saturated with insight, fresh perspective and delivered with panache. The virtuosity of Dreyfus's readings is often dazzling, if challenging to a more mainstream approach to Wagner...Yet Dreyfus's strategy of bringing historical voices to the fore allows him to open up broader hermeneutic horizons with ease...So thought-provoking is this study in its claims that it will surely give impetus to further scholarly work on erotics, as an historical nodal point both for Wagner reception, and perhaps for music more broadly. -- David Trippett * Cambridge Opera Journal *Nietzsche's posthumous fragment [on the ardours of music for Tristan und Isolde] is one of many examples which Laurence Dreyfus cites in his book to prove that it wasn't Richard Wagner's broadsides against "Judaism" but rather his connection to eroticism and sexuality which enraged contemporaries. Dreyfus notes rightly that the relationships between what Nietzsche termed Wagner's "morbid sexuality," the treatment of Eros in his music dramas, and its reception at the time has thus far been treated only hesitantly in Wagner scholarship. Wagner and the Erotic Impulse tries to fill this gap, and Dreyfus, to come directly to the point, doesn't shy away from naming "the actual word for the ardours of the music in Tristan." That this musicologist (and virtuoso on the viola da gamba) who teaches at Magdalen College Oxford also exhibits a downright off-the-cuff and refreshingly irreverent handling of Wagner and the subject of eroticism is certainly surprising...That music should be able to simulate (or even stimulate) desire because it lacks an erotic object, and that by "purely musical" means should be able to represent tension, impulses, arousal and deliverance ought to enlighten every Wagner-listener. And how the tender love motive in the first scene of Die Walküre has risen to a wild mania at the end of the first act is conveyed to the listener, if not consciously, then certainly unconsciously. One can confidently subscribe to Dreyfus's conclusion that Wagner's erotics had decidedly more significant artistic consequences than did his anti-Semitism...[Dreyfus] must be credited with having treated a noteworthy theme without striking wrong notes. -- Wolfgang Fuhrmann * Wagner Spectrum *

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Book SynopsisA tell-all biography of the epic in-fighting of the Grateful Dead in the years following band leader Jerry Garcia''s death in 1995The Grateful Dead rose to greatness under the inspired leadership of guitarist Jerry Garcia, but the band very nearly died along with him. When Garcia passed away suddenly in August of 1995, the remaining band members experienced full crises of confidence and identity. So long defined by Garcia''s vision for the group, the surviving Core Four, as they came to be called, were reduced to conflicting agendas, strained relationships, and catastrophic business decisions that would leave the iconic band in shambles. Wrestling with how best to define their living legacy, the band made many attempts at restructuring, but it would take twenty years before relationships were mended enough for the Grateful Dead as fans remembered them to once again take the stage.Acclaimed music journalist and New York Timesbestselling author Joel Selvi

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Book SynopsisActor performer musician entrepreneur winemaker athlete writer curious adventurer ä Maynard James Keenan is the embodiment of the archetypal artist. Best known as the vocalist in award-winning groups Tool A Perfect Circle and Puscifer he has trusted the path he's followed and heeded his inner voice ever open to synchronicities and unexpected turnings along the way.ÞUntil now fans of Maynard James Keenan ä or MJK as he is often called ä have had access to only an abridged version of his story. In ÊA Perfect Union of Contrary ThingsÊ Keenan partners with his friend of 30 years Sarah Jensen to present a full account of his life and career. From his Midwest childhood to his years in the army to his time in art school ä and from his stint at a Boston pet shop to his place in the international spotlight and his influence on contemporary music and regional winemaking ä the book chronicles the events that led MJK to take one step after the next to change direction to explore sometimes surprising opportunities.ÞIncluded are sidebars in his own words often humorous anecdotes that illuminate the narrative as well as commentary by his family members friends instructors and industry colleagues. It also features a foreword by Alex Grey an American visionary artist and longtime friend of Keenan along with a bounty photos of Keenan from childhood to the present.ÞA comprehensive portrayal of a versatile and dedicated artist ÊA Perfect Union of Contrary ThingsÊ pays homage to the people and places that shaped the man and his art. A ÊNew York TimesÊ Bestseller in hardcover it is presented here for the first time in paperback.

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Book SynopsisWhen Dylan came off the 1966 tour he was completely exhausted. The world thought he had the answers but Dylan was lost, crushed by the weight of expectations. The next 13 years saw Dylan trying to find his direction home. He found it when someone threw a Bible on stage and he found Christianity.

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Book SynopsisA 'cult' band with a mass following, the band's last five albums have made the top 30 in the UK. Still active, recording and touring. Completely unique - no other band mixes progressive rock, metal and jazz in the same way. There has never been - and never will be - another band like Opeth. Formed in Stockholm, Sweden circa 1989, their roughly thirty-year career showcases a melding of diverse influences; a prevailing commitment to songwriting and instrumental excellence; and unwaveringly chameleonic vision - no matter the cost - that's unmatched by any of their stylistic peers. Be it their most unashamedly brutal early LPs, their multifaceted and near-faultless mid-period opuses, or their somewhat polarizing recent glimpses into macabre 1970s-esque prog/jazz rock eccentricity, mastermind Mikael Akerfeldt and company continuously create records that push themselves, their audience, and progressive music as a whole, forward. The result is easily among the most extraordinary, dependable, and laudable legacies in modern metal. Using a meticulously crafted mixture of original analysis and behind-the-scenes research, this book digs into all facets of Opeth's output to discover how they innovated and evolved with practically every release. After all, each 'observation' - from their 1990s black metal classics (Morningrise and My Arms, Your Hearse) and 2000s progressive death metal masterpieces (Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries) to their stunning progressive rock/jazz fusion excursions of the 2010s (Pale Communion and In Cauda Venenum) - found Opeth ceaselessly harvesting a one-of-a-kind catalogue that's still remarkably influential and impressive

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Book Synopsis In 1989 the Geto Boys released a blistering track, “Size Ain’t Shit,” that paid tribute to the group’s member Bushwick Bill. Born with dwarfism, Bill was one of the few visibly disabled musicians to achieve widespread fame and one of the even fewer to address disability in a direct, sustained manner. Initially hired as a dancer, Bill became central to the Geto Boys as the Houston crew became one of hip-hop’s most important groups. Why Bushwick Bill Matters chronicles this crucial artist and explores what he reveals about the relationships among race, sex, and disability in pop music. Charles L. Hughes examines Bill''s recordings and videos (both with the Geto Boys and solo), from the horror-comic persona of “Chuckie” to vulnerable verses in songs such as “Mind Playing Tricks On Me,” to discuss his portrayals of dwarfism, addiction, and mental illness. Hughes also explores Bill’s importance to his era and to the longer history of disability in music. A complex figure, Bill exposed the truths of a racist and ableist society even as his violent and provocative lyrics put him in the middle of debates over censorship and misogyny. Confrontational and controversial, Bushwick Bill left a massive legacy as he rhymed and swaggered through an often-inaccessible world. Trade ReviewThe Bushwick Bill story is complex, more complex than a batch of controversial lyrics and a record cover would suggest...Why Bushwick Bill Matters does that complexity justice, and gives a Houston hip-hop legend his due. * Houstonia *[Hughes is] expert at interweaving music criticism, cultural history, disability studies, and a touch of personal reflection [in Why Bushwick Bill Matters]. Hughes is well-studied and acutely informed on race and music. * Rain Taxi *Why Bushwick Bill Matters is invaluable for its examination of how race, gender, and disability shaped Bushwick Bill’s contributions to hip-hop culture and to the music industry...Hughes proves that Scarface was not the only member of the Geto Boys to have a lasting impact on hip-hop music. Bushwick Bill deserves that distinction, too. * Journal of Popular Music Studies *This small, well-considered, deeply felt, and often very funny volume is invaluable in the continued discourse of difficult people making difficult work, which seems necessary for the continued, spiky, and difficult possibility of disabled selfhood and expression. * Canadian Journal of Disability Studies *Table of ContentsA Note on Terminology Introduction How Little Billy Became Bushwick Bill Bum-Rush the Freak Show “Size Ain’t Shit” Can’t Be Stopped “He Ain’t What You Expect” Child’s Play “Brand New Preacher, Rap Game Teacher” Greatest Showmen Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn All You Need is Ears, legendary Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated record producer George Martin shares tales from his life and musical career with the Fab Four. George, he said, I don''t know if you''d be interested, but there''s a chap who''s come in with a tape of a group he runs. They haven''t got a recording contract, and I wonder if you''d like to see him and listen to what he''s got? Certainly, I said, I''m willing to listen to anything. Ask him to come and see me. OK, I will. His name''s Brian Epstein . . . George Martin spotted the Beatles'' talent, and recorded and produced The Fab Four from the start right through to The Beatles Anthology. Often called the fifth Beatle, Martin not only produced but also arranged some of the band's most iconic and distinctive songs, including Yesterday. In this witty and charming autobiography, Martin describes exactly what it was like to work in the studio with

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Book SynopsisThere have been many books written about Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, but only by people who weren't there. Walter Lure wasfrom the band''s chaotic beginnings on New York''s Lower East Side, through a now-legendary UK tour with the Sex Pistols and the Clash, and on to a yearlong stay in Londoneyewitness and midwife to the birth of UK punk.Now, he tells his story in To Hell and Back, a thrilling ride through the clubs and dives of two continents, in the company of one of the most notorious junkies in rock ''n'' roll history. Drawing from his own contemporary journals, Lure paints a vivid portrait of life in both cities, during perhaps the most crucial musical uprising of the past forty yearsthe music, the characters, the clothes, the fights, the drugs, the orgies, the lot.Lure lays bare his own battle with drugs, and reflects upon his life after the band''s splitrising to become a Wall Street fixture yet still finding time to mak

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Book SynopsisThe perfect introduction to the Master.Trade Review‘Would Callow be able to tell me, in layman’s language, what it is about Tristan that makes it so powerful? The answer, I am happy to say, is yes. The perfect introduction for those, like me, who may not be obsessives but who sense that something profound is going on, and would like to know more. A delightful little book’ Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday ‘A sparkly written, witty, learned and absorbing account, Callow brings The Master vividly to life’ The Times ‘Intelligent, fluent and buoyant’ The Daily Telegraph Praise for Simon Callow’s ‘Charles Dickens’: ‘Simon Callow is not simply a terrific actor who happens to write – you could as well call him a terrific writer who happens to act’ The Times ‘This is the book we have long been waiting for and only Simon Callow could have written it… A marvellous book.’ Michael Slater ‘A comprehensive biography as enthralling as one of his own performances … A great achievement.’Catherine Peters, Literary Review ‘Vivid and exuberant… This book, with its fresh angles and out-of-the-way sources, is the harvest of [Callow’s] dedication [to impersonating Dickens on stage]… His book is a celebration, jubilant, vigorous, imaginative, and, as Dickens might have said, an all-round sizzler.’ John Carey, Sunday Times ‘Callow … writes with great authority and elegant insouciance, which makes this "biography with a twist" very entertaining’ Independent on Sunday ‘By his enthusiasm for his subject, Callow has ensured that his book is a worthy addition to the Dickens studies’ Sunday Express ‘An excellent book’ Andrew Marr, Start the Week ‘Intelligent, fluent and buoyant’ Daily Telegraph ‘4/5… a crisply succinct account’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Colourful, almost salacious anecdotes abound’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisWith stunning new photographs and a new final chapter detailing Ravi Shankar’s hope for the preservation of Indian classical music, this updated edition of My Music, My Life profiles an extraordinary man. In his own words, Shankar describes his transformation from a young traveling dancer to a Grammy Award-winning, internationally known musician. An autobiography, a history of Indian classical music, and a manual on how to play the sitar, this book is about music as a both a lifestyle and an art. It embodies Ravi Shankar’s unique approach to his craft.

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Book SynopsisMel Lewis (1929–1990) was born Melvin Sokoloff to Jewish Russian immigrants in Buffalo, New York. He first picked up his father’s drumsticks at the age of two and at seventeen he was a full-time professional musician. The View from the Back of the Band is the first biography of this legendary jazz drummer. For over fifty years, Lewis provided the blueprint for how a drummer could subtly support any musical situation. While he made his name with Stan Kenton and Thad Jones, and with his band at the Village Vanguard, it was the hundreds of recordings that he made as a sideman and his ability to mentor young musicians that truly defined his career.Away from the drums, Lewis's passionate and outspoken personality made him one of jazz music's greatest characters. It is often through Lewis's own anecdotes, as well as many from the musicians who knew him best, that this book traces the career of one of the world’s greatest drummers. Previously unpublished interviews, personal memoirs, photos, musical transcriptions, and a selected discography add to this comprehensive biography.Trade ReviewThis is the best and most complete tracking of Lewis' career.”- John Riley, author of The Art of Bop Drumming and holder of Lewis' chair at the Village Vanguard;This wonderful research work illuminates not only the life and work of Mel Lewis, but in doing so uncovers for the reader a treasure trove of great music.”- John Mosca, Trombonist and Director of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra;“Mel’s sound and concept were all about the feeling of the music. That was his personal approach, and it was amazing!”- Joe Lovano, Grammy award winning saxophonist and Blue Note recording artist;“Through exhaustive research and numerous interviews with personal associates of Mel Lewis, Smith has produced the first significant retrospective regarding the life of one the most influential jazz drummers of all time.”- Jim White, Drummer and Professor of Jazz Studies University of Northern Colorado;“Mel played with perfect articulation and perfect dynamic support. It’s no wonder he was Buddy Rich’s favorite big band drummer.”- Ed Soph, Drummer and Professor of Jazz Studies University of North Texas;""Smith did a fine job. The research is meticulous and his insights into the music of Mel Lewis are good ones.""- Bruce Klauber, author of World of Gene Krupa: That Legendary Drummin' Man;""I don’t think Mel ever thought of himself as a drummer, I think he probably thought of himself as just a band member. But as it ended up, he was the band!”- Marvin Stamm, World-renowned trumpeter and educator;""[A] superbly engaging portrait of a vibrant musicians's life, passions, and achievements.""- Midwest Book Review;""Chris Smith's The View From The Back Of The Band: The Life And Music Of Mel Lewis is a lot like Lewis' celebrated big band drumming—smart, energetic, empathetic, and inclusive. . . . Smith's impressive skills as a writer, story teller, and jazz scholar make it easy for the casual listener, jazz aficionado, and musician—three of the potential readers to which the author painstakingly builds bridges—to appreciate his account of Lewis' life, music and career. . . . Interspersed amongst the wealth of biographical detail are explanations of Lewis' unique style—these are of importance to musicians, and not beyond the reach of most laypersons—with an emphasis on his philosophy of drumming and jazz in general. Of interest to all parties is a section of tributes from family and fellow musicians, which makes it clear that Lewis was loved and respected in his lifetime, and that his influence as a musician and a mentor continues to the present day.""- All About Jazz

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Book SynopsisDuring his career, Dick Waterman befriended and worked with numerous musicians, including such luminaries as B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, and Eric Clapton. This authorised biography is the crescendo of years of original research as well as extensive interviews conducted with Waterman and those who knew and worked with him.

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Book SynopsisAt the outset of summer in 1990, a Houston gangsta rap group called the Geto Boys was poised to debut its self-titled third album under the guidance of hip-hop guru Rick Rubin. What might have been a low-profile remix release from a little-known corner of the rap universe began to make headlines when the album's distributor refused to work with the group, citing its violent and depraved lyrics. When The Geto Boys was finally released, chain stores refused to stock it, concert promoters canceled the group's performances, and veteran rock critic Robert Christgau declared the group "sick motherfuckers." One quarter of a century later the album is considered a hardcore classic, having left an immutable influence on gangsta rap, horrorcore, and the rise of Southern hip-hop. Charting the rise of the Geto Boys from the earliest days of Houston's rap scene, Rolf Potts documents a moment in music history when hip-hop was beginning to replace rock as the transgressive sound of American youth. In creating an album that was both sonically innovative and unprecedentedly vulgar, the Geto Boys were accomplishing something that went beyond music. To paraphrase a sentiment from Don DeLillo, this group of young men from Houston's Fifth Ward ghetto had figured out the "language of being noticed" — which is, in the end, the only language America understands.Trade ReviewThe Geto Boys is a welcome addition to the 33 1/3 canon, as it brings some much-needed diversity on several levels…Potts delivers a strong history lesson that is well-researched and gives the Geto Boys their due as hip-hop pioneers. * Houston Press *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Fuck 'Em 2. Size Ain't Shit 3. Do It Like a G.O. 4. Scarface 5. Let a Ho Be a Ho 6. Life in the Fast Lane 7. Mind of a Lunatic 8. Gangster of Love 9. Trigga Happy Nigga 10. City Under Siege 11. Assassins 12. Talkin' Loud Ain't Saying Nothin' 13. Read These Nikes

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Book SynopsisA book of more than 700 great music locations throughout the UK and Ireland and the stories behind them. Featuring landmark album cover locations, gravestones, plaques, recording locations, statues, and sites of famous and infamous gigs. Rock Atlas features hundreds of stories, which deliver a fresh, new insight into the lives and times of our most famous rock and pop stars. Where were they born? Why does a particular movement inspire them? Rock Atlas has all the answers. This fact-filled look at rock and pop, from an entirely different perspective, throws up many new revelations about our favourite musicians. When you ve finished reading the stories, you can visit the places.

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Book SynopsisIt started off so well. As Jon Lord enthused in the October 1975 issue of Melody Maker: 'Tommy can't be so bad for us with so many good ideas. All I can say is when you hear the album (Come Taste The Band) you'll change your mind. Whether you like the music or not, you'll have to realise that Deep Purple now have an excitement in their playing that they haven't had in a long time...' Despite calls of 'we want Blackmore' when Deep Purple Mark four played live, there was so much more to American guitarist Tommy Bolin than being Ritchie Blackmore's replacement. As a result, the purpose of this long-overdue biography is to readdress the existing narrative of Tommy Bolin's legacy. As well as discussing objectively Tommy's time with Deep Purple, Laura Shenton offers an insight into his musical achievements in his own right outside of the band, which include two cult rock albums in Teaser and Private Eyes. He also had a stint in The James Gang and made numerous guest appearances, where his versatile and virtuosic skills as a guitarist were utilised, before his untimely death in 1976 at the shockingly young age of 25

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Book SynopsisTulisa Contostavlos has one of the most fascinating and shocking life-stories in showbusiness. Her childhood included harrowing episodes of self-harm, bullying, witchcraft, drug abuse and suicide attempts. Then there has been the ever-present challenge of her mother's mental disorder which Tulisa - as the only child in a single-parent family - had to face alone. How did she rise from such a troubled and dangerous childhood to become first an edgy urban artist and then the much-loved people's princess of Saturday night television? This book, written by leading celebrity biographer Chas Newkey-Burden, tells her eventful and inspirational story for the first time. It uncovers the rich showbusiness heritage of her ancestors and then follows her through her childhood, unflinchingly examining the horrors she faced. It then traces how music became her salvation, thanks to the loving mentorship of Uncle B - the man who formed N-Dubz. The book then follows this never satisfied, always ambitious young woman as she moved into the mainstream and became the nation's sweetheart on The X Factor. The reader is taken behind the scenes to discover the reality of her successful first series on the show, as she guided Little Mix to victory.

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Book SynopsisI Am Still The Greatest Says Johnny Angelo - Despite persistent rumours of his death fifteen years ago, Johnny Angelo's legend continues. Johnny Angelo is a rock singer, and this is his story from the beginning. As a child he is a dreamer and a solitary, a thief, a killer of birds and cats. As a man he is a god to his fans, an emperor to his cronies, a hoodlum to his enemies. Girls lie at his feet. He becomes rich. He commits murder. At the end, police shoot him down in the street. In a cool and highly original style Nik Cohn has written a bizarre fable for our time, capturing its sickness and horror yet staying true to its grandeur and allure. King Death - Eddie is a strange man with an extraordinary talent that makes him the 'performer' he is. Eddie administers Death. His subjects, he explains, are not afraid, but are thrilled and transported. To Eddie, Death is completion, and he finds fulfilment, satisfaction, and pride in each job he carries out. When Seaton Carew, America's most successful TV entrepreneur, chances to witness Eddie in action, Eddie's career is altered. Overcoming many obstacles, he and Seaton literally ride to glory on the Deliverance Special, a train carrying King Death and his huge entourage all over America. But then a disturbing change comes over Eddie and threatens to topple him from his grisly throne... King Death is part nightmare, part modern fairytale and wholly original.Trade ReviewCohn goes beyond the usual fake apocalyptic ending (in which a star's big concert closes with an orgy of murder and mayhem) by making the underside of the story the story itself -- GreilMarcus * GreilMarcus *

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Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive account of the life and influences of Cyril Scott, not merely a composer but an artist in the broadest possible sense of the term. Prolific and personable, innovative and contentious, Cyril Scott (1879 - 1970) was considered to be one of the most promising young talents in modern British music at the turn of the twentieth century. He was a member of the 'Frankfurt Group' (together with Percy Grainger, Norman O'Neill, Roger Quilter and Balfour Gardiner), his music was performed by some of the leading conductors of the time in Britain and on the Continent, and his friends included highly influential figures in European literature, art and politics. Apart from his music, Scott was the author of many books on alternative medicine, psychology, Occultism, Theosophy and comparative religion. He also wrote fiction, autobiography, and poetry. Scott embodied a unique time in a particularly unique way. His aesthetic ideas informed both his professional creative practice and his manner of living. He was not merely a composer, but an artist in thebroadest possible sense of the term. This book provides the first comprehensive account of Scott's life and influences as well as an outline and contextualization of his aesthetic thinking. It traces his changing conceptionof the function of art and the role of the artist from his formative exposure to Symbolism through his friendship with the German poet Stefan George, to his exploration of Western and Eastern esoteric traditions, showing how the prevailing cross-pollination of ideas allowed him to develop a fully integrated rationale for his art and life. The story of Scott's development guides the reader through some of the most fascinating intellectual discourses of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century Europe. Sarah Collins' current research focuses on British music aesthetics and criticism in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. She has a particular interest in the interaction between turn-of-the-century conceptions of the function of criticism, theories of critical intuition and questions of moral philosophy. She lectured at the University of Queensland from 2006 and joined the faculty ofMonash University in 2012.Trade ReviewCollins's book raises valuable questions and is thought provoking throughout. Her work with primary sources is commendable. * NOTES *Thoroughly absorbing ... Collins's study is beautifully written, and is worthwhile reading in what it reveals both about Cyril Scott and about his time and milieu. * CHOMBEC News *This welcome, much-needed study is superbly argued and written. It is attractively produced and presented. * TEMPO *This is an absorbing and eye-opening study based on wide research, illustrated by a variety of fascinating photographs. * ELGAR SOCIETY JOURNAL *Table of ContentsIntroduction Matters of Biography and Autobiography "Music, Melancholy, Apprehension, Sex, and the Church" "An Artist-Autocrat of the Most Pronounced Type" "The Most Absorbing and Romantic Interest of My Present Incarnation" Music: Its Secret Influence Throughout the Ages The Immortal Artist Theory and Practice Epilogue Select Bibliography

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Book SynopsisLester Young (1909-1959) was one of the great jazz masters, whose tenor saxophone playing brought new levels of expressiveness and subtlety to the jazz language. Many of his recordings - with Billie Holiday, as a member of Count Basie's band, and under his own name - are numbered among the finest examples of the art. The book follows Lester Young through his life in a rapidly changing world, showing how the music of this exceptionally sensitive man was affected by his experiences. The author, a musician himself, examines many of Lester's classic recordings in illuminating but non-technical detail.Trade Review'What a glorious book! I expected from Dave Gelly informed and perceptive commentary on Lester Young's music. What came as a rich bonus was the warm light Dave has shone through the veil of obscurantism behind which the jazz genius chose to live his life.' Humphrey Lyttelton'This exemplary and concise study is illuminated by the author's straight-ahead prose. While fully aware of the musical and biographical details, Gelly wears his knowledge lightly in a way that will appeal to general readers as well as specialists.' Brian Priestley, author of Chasin' The Bird and co-author of The Rough Guide to Jazz'An outstanding book, covering the life and music of a truly unique musician, by one of the most perceptive and literate jazz writers. Eminently readable from the first page to the last, Being Prez is an essential addition to the jazz library.' Alun Morgan, Jazz Journal International'an exemplary new study' Martin Gayford, The Daily Telegraph'Tells the story of the saxophonist who spanned minstrelsy and Miles Davis. Enlivened by Young's camp humour, this labour of love will appeal to a wider readership.' The Observer Music Monthly best books for 2007Table of Contents1. 'I Just Loved that Music'2. The Territory3. 'Well, Okay. So Now we'll Find out what Happens'4. 'The Hippest Thing I ever Heard'5. Jumpin' at the Woodside6. Just Jivin' Around7. Jammin' the Blues8. DB Blues9. Jumpin' at Mesner's10. 'Von Hangman in Here'11. Prez Returns12. 'Let's Review the Books'13. 'Ivey-Divey!'

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Book SynopsisTales of The Smiths is a comic book retelling of the band members' teenage years, before the group was famous, and includes fascinating digressions about their influences (the New York Dolls, Nico, Sex Pistols, NY punk, Patti Smith, etc) and the times in which they were growing up. The story reaches its climax with the meeting of Morrissey and Marr, the formation of the band in 1982 and their first gig as The Smiths. With an introduction by Simon Wolstencroft, The Smiths' first drummer and the former drummer with The Fall, Patrol and Freak Party, which featured Andy Rourke and Johnny Marr.

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Book SynopsisCanadian-American singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright (b. 1973) is famous around the world for his multi-faceted musical style, shown through both his recorded output and his engaging live performances. In this book, Katherine Williams combines aspects of his life story with scholarly readings drawn from several methodologies. Popular music studies, opera, queer studies, music and geography, the sound-box: all combine to give a rich biographical and interpretative overview of Wainwright's life and music. Williams brings together close musical analysis with such varied disciplinary perspectives with a tone that is both in-depth and scholarly, and accessible. The book is a must-read for fans, students and scholars alike.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Family 2. Western Art Music and Pop: Conflict and Coherence 3. Opera, Gender and Sexuality 4. Place and Space 5. The VoiceConclusion

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Book SynopsisCome to My Garden (1970) introduced the world to Minnie Riperton, the solo artist. Minnie captivated listeners with her earth-shattering voice's uncanny ability to evoke melancholy and exultance. Born out of Charles Stepney's masterful composition and Richard Rudolph's attentive songwriting, the album fused a plethora of music genres. A blip in the universe of fusion music that would come to dominate the 1970s, Come to My Garden also featured the work of young bandleaders like Ramsey Lewis and Maurice White, thus bridging the divide between jazz and R&B. Despite fairly positive reviews of the album, even in its many re-releases, it never garnered critical attention. Minnie Riperton's Come to My Garden by Brittnay L. Proctor uses rare archival ephemera, the multiple re-issues of the album, interviews, cultural history, and personal narrative to outline how the revolutionary album came to be and its lasting impact on popular music of the post-soul era (the late 20thTable of ContentsTrack Listing Album Personnel and Credits Acknowledgments Author’s Note Introduction 1. Andrea Davis Meets Minnie Riperton 2. Charles Stepney’s Popular Symphonies 3. Fusion Music, Black Musical Idiom, and the Law of Genre 4. On Black Women’s Gardens 5. Contemporary Resonances 6. Conversation with Richard Rudolph Epilogue

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Book SynopsisESG were one of the first bands to sign to British indie label Factory Records, working with famed producer Martin Hannett on their early EPs. The band''s signature guitar sound from iconic single UFO' has been sampled in hundreds of hip hop records, and everyone from Karen O to Kathleen Hanna lists the South Bronx group as a direct influence. So why do the Scroggins sisters appear as nothing more than a footnote in the 1980s music scene? Through interviews with founding member Renee Scroggins, alongside cult-figures from 1980s New York and North England, this book follows the story of a group of sisters who made it out of the New York projects and into the heart of the dancefloor. Come Away With ESG repositions ESG in their rightful place as punk pioneers and explains howtheir primal beats have paved the way for modern dance music today.Trade ReviewThe book gives ESG their rightful place as "funk punk pioneers" and describes how their original beats paved the way for the modern dance music of today. * Ox-Fanzine: Magazine for Rock'n'Roll (translated) *A superb addition to the series. . . . Percy skilfully guides the reader through the ESG story which is, unsurprisingly, often exasperating. . . . This is also a story of survival, a belief in a sound and ultimately a celebration of an album that ‘will sound out for years to come–omnipresent, unstoppable, and finally making sense to those that hear it.’ . . . A cautionary, compulsive tale, brilliantly told. * The Crack *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The South Bronx Story 2. From Downtown Manhattan to Up North Manchester: Come Away with ESG 3. Sample Credits Don’t Pay Our Bills 4. Keep On Moving 5. 40 Years of Dancing: ESG’s Decade-Spanning Legacy Notes

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Book SynopsisBefore she knew she was Ukranian, Soviet, or Jewish, Inna Faliks knew she was a musician. Growing up in the city of Odessa, the piano became her best friend, and she explored the brilliant, intricate puzzles of Bach's Goldberg Variations and learned to compose under her mother's watchful eye. At ten, Faliks and her parents moved to Chicago as part of the tide of Jewish refugees who fled the USSR for the West in the 1980s. During the months-long immigration process, she would silently practice on kitchen tables while imagining a full set of piano keys beneath her fingertips. In Weight in the Fingertips, Faliks gives a globe-trotting account of her upbringing as a child prodigy in a Soviet state, the perils of immigration, the struggle of assimilating as an American, years of training with teachers, and her slow and steady rise in the world of classical music. With a warm and playful style, she helps non-musicians understand the experience of becoming a world-renowned concert p

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Book SynopsisArguably the most important British post-minimalist composer, Gavin Bryars has worked in classical music, jazz, free improvisation, minimalism, historicism, avant-garde, and experimental music. This new book brings together musicians and academics who have worked with Bryars, each discussing one particular aspect of his work.Trade Review'Listening to The Sinking of the Titanic, Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, Double Bass Concerto (Farewell to St. Petersburg), Cello Concerto (Farewell to Philosophy) and One Last Bar then Joe Can Sing gave me the distinct impression of a thoughtful, committed composer with a very strong personal voice - always the main issue for me.' - Steve Reich; 'The music of Gavin Bryars falls under no category. It is mongrel, full of sensuality and wit and is deeply moving. He is one of the few composers who can put slapstick and primal emotion alongside each other. He allows you to witness new wonders in the sounds around you by approaching them from a completely new angle. With a third ear maybe?' - Michael OndaatjeTable of ContentsForeword by Steve Reich Preface by David Wordsworth Prologue - an interview with Gavin Bryars 1. Vocal Music - John Potter 2. Choral Music - David Wordsworth 3. Opera - David Wordsworth 4. Jazz and Improvisation - Brian Morton 5. Experimental Music - Virginia Anderson 6. Dance - Roger Heaton 7. Titanic and Jesus' Blood - Brian Morton 8. Orchestral Music - Martin Cotton 9. Notes from a Collaborator - Blake Morrison 10. The Adnan Songbook - Anna Maria Friman 11. The Flower of Friendship - The Gavin Bryars Ensemble - Audrey Riley 12. Bryars and Art School - Simon Strange 13. After Handel's 'Vesper' and the Harpsichord's Dual Life - Mahan Esfahani 14. Tributes - Howard Skempton and Bryn Harrison Epilogue: Career and Evolution - Gavin Bryars Appendices Bryars' Desert Island Discs Catalogue of Works Arrangements by others Discography Contributors Index of Names Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe writing is relaxed; the cast of characters is awesome. Starker makes a fascinating centerpiece. * The Herald Times *[Starker] looks back on his remarkable life in this detailed and eminently readable memoir. . . highly recommended. * Library Journal *Table of ContentsEpigraph DedicationPrelude Scotch and SodaAnacrusis Autobiography of a StomachC HungaryC# [short story to be selected]D Romania, Austria and SwitzerlandD# Mozart MeterE FranceF America, DallasF# Soft Pitch For the PitG ChicagoG# AfricaA Bloomington ThenA# L'art pour l'art: Waldo Caper, 1926-1960B Bloomington NowC Twilight at Tiffany'sCadence EpiloguePostlude That Room at the TopAppendix 1: "An Organized Method of String Playing"Appendix 2: Lists of publications, recordings

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Book SynopsisThis first critical appreciation of T Bone Burnett reveals how the proponent of Americana music and producer of artists ranging from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss to B. B. King and Elvis Costello has profoundly influenced American music and culture.Trade ReviewSachs’ fine book is a welcome addition to the living history of American music and a delightful read. * Booklist *A Life in Pursuit is the first bio of the now 68-year-old American and, smartly, author Sachs understands going in that Burnett's story is that of the music he's touched. . . . Rarely has a music biography been this jam-packed with names of artists and the records they've made—Burnett's footprint is enormous and the minutiae of that maze-like career is recounted expansively here. . . . Sachs has created what will likely remain a definitive account. * MOJO *Sachs artfully weaves together news clips and original interviews to create a valuable context for the musician-producer’s work. * Texas Monthly *In telling this story, Sachs has done roots music a great turn, in fine style. * Songlines Magazine *Table of Contents Opening Chorus: On Top of the World (or Close) 1. Sound Citizen 2. The Outsider 3. Player in the Band 4. Alpha Male 5. Spiritual Gumshoe 6. Master Builder 7. Co-Conspirator 8. Seeker 9. Svengali 10. Imagist 11. Native Son 12. Mentor 13. Hit Man 14. Reluctant Artist 15. Starmaker 16. Company Man 17. Coen Brother 18. Soundtrack Auteur 19. Minimalist 20. Lead Actor 21. Alchemist 22. Jazz Man 23. Blues Man 24. Senior Adviser 25. Audio Activist 26. Dylanologist 27. Televisionary 28. Back to the Futurist The Kill Squad: A Short List of Longtime Musical Associates Acknowledgments Selected Discography Selected Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis‘In the beginning,’ Billy Joel entertained Long Island locals, with The Hassles and Attila, prior to forging a solo career in 1971. One year later, the singer-songwriter-pianist captivated college students when ‘Captain Jack’ dominated the Philadelphia airwaves. ‘And so, it goes…’ Cold Spring Harbor was rife with barrelhouse piano and tear-stained balladry but with Turnstiles Joel realised his dream of forming a stellar band. The success of The Stranger led to sold-out arenas and 52nd Street honoured the heyday of American jazz, while The Nylon Curtain highlighted socio-economic inequities and wartime brotherhood. 1993’s River of Dreams fused reggae and world music. Then, in the early 2000’s, his celebration of classical works ushered in a sea change. Unquestionably, Billy’s catalogue has thrived, despite constantly changing trends in the music industry. Over a fifty-plus year span, many of his relatable songs have become standards, covered by countless artists. The third best-selling solo artist in the U.S. has continued to attract multi-generational audiences across the planet, so if you’re ‘all in the mood for a melody,’ read on. Billy Joel On Track contains behind-the-scenes stories and an analysis of Joel’s extensive studio recordings, many of which became top 40 hits in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. ...

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