Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book SynopsisWith 90 million of the band''s records sold worldwide since 1987, Guns N'' Roses prolonged rock music past its sell-by date with controversial albums and immense, often riotous, world tours. But the band''s complete story has never been fully told - until now.In his sixth major rock biography, Stephen Davis - author of the legendary Hammer of the Gods - details the riveting story of a band that originated in the gutters of Sunset Strip and went on to become the biggest, baddest band on the planet.Davis brilliantly captures the birth of Guns'' raw power, which - despite rape charges, drug-induced rampages and a general appetite for destruction - launched the band into the pantheon of rock gods such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. With a wealth of detail, Davis looks at Axl''s unrelenting quest to release the long-awaited, mystery-shrouded Chinese Democracy album, as well as the further adventures of some of the Gunners under the banner of the har

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Book Synopsis**FEATURING A NEW INTRODUCTION BY KATE BUSH**Selected and arranged by the author, How To Be Invisible presents the lyrics of Kate Bush in a beautiful new paperback edition featuring a new cover by illustrator Jim Kay. The greatest singer-songwriter of the past 40 years, whose work is complex, ethereal and filled with so many secrets that one can listen to the albums for decades and still discover new delights every time [. . .] There's not a spare word anywhere in Bush's work. Everything means something.' Irish Times

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

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Book SynopsisFor more than three decades, Madonna has been generating headlines and topping charts. Now J. Randy Taraborrelli has written the definitive biography of one of the richest and most successful pop stars in the world, whose music has constantly evolved and who has remained relevant even as she hits her sixtieth year.From the driven, ambitious young woman struggling to get a break in New York to the outrageous pop diva and more spiritual mother, the changing faces of Madonna are revealed. We see her relationships with men like Basquiat, Tupac, Prince and Warren Beatty, and what happened in her marriages to Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie. We see her embracing motherhood. And we see her today with five children, still recording and touring, finding happiness with much younger boyfriends, defiantly living life on her own terms. Madonna is based on decades of research and exclusive interviews with people speaking of her publicly for the first time – including friends, business associates and even family members. J. Randy Taraborrelli has also interviewed the star herself on numerous occasions and he draws on first-hand experiences to bring Madonna to life as not merely a sensational tabloid delight, but as a flesh-and-blood woman with human foibles and weaknesses, as well as great strengths and ambitions.Trade ReviewA thoroughly professional job . . . makes her more, not less, fascinating. -- Lynn Barber * Daily Telegraph *A fascinating document of – ka-boom! – blonde ambition. * Heat *A great read that's as spirited as Madge herself . . . This is the Madonna biography. * Mirror *A book you will find yourself "just dipping into" for hours at a stretch. * Evening Standard *When there's so much misinformation about celebrities, which they often plant themselves, the restless perfectionism of Taraborrelli is the only reassurance we can have that we have any chance of understanding these people. -- Tom Payne * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisBeloved by millions of fans the world, David Bowie was the ultimate icon, the perfect pop package that united sound with vison. In his fifty-year career, and across more than 26 studio albums, Bowie sold more than 140 million records, malking him one of the most successful artists of all time. Since his passing, he has been greatly missed, and remembered, by those who loved him the most.Filled with quotations by, and about, one of the most innovative artists in history. A perfect companion for Bowie fans everywhere, this collection of bite-sized quips helps capture exactly what made Ziggy Stardust so special. From insightful quotes by fellow artists, collaborators, and friends, to words of wit and wisdom from David Robert Jones himself, you'll find more than 170 amusing and inspiring soundbites inside."I don't know where I'm going from here but I promise it won't be boring." David Bowie, 1997David Bowie shared the same birthday as his childhood hero, Elvis Presley – the 8th January. The two met in 1972.Table of ContentsPop Oddity - Bowie's contribution to popular culture • Rebel Rebel - Crafted songs that transcended culture • The Prettiest Star - Bowie's obsession with fashion • Forever Changing - From Ziggy to Aladdin and beyond • Hello, Spaceboy - Glitter-glam to new-wave electronics • Sound and Vision - The ultimate icon, greatly missed and remembered.

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Book SynopsisPreviously unpublished photos of The Stranglers from 1977 to the present day with Baz Warne and Jim Macaulay. This full colour 128-page A4 book includes photos from several locations including the Locarno Ballroom, Coventry; the notorious Battersea Park concert; Wembley Stadium as support to The Who; Reading Festival; Leamington and Birmingham.

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Book Synopsis''An entertaining first-hand account of pure rock ''n'' roll madness.'' The Daily Telegraph''Hundreds of exclusive photos and brilliant one-liners make for a sensational read.'' the Sun''We are the biggest band in Britain of all time, ever. The funny thing is, all that fucking mouthing off three years ago about how we were going to be the biggest band in the world - we actually went and did it.'' Noel GallagherOasis are one of the biggest bands the world has ever seen. Here, in Supersonic, they tell the story of their beginnings from dive-bar hopefuls to global superstars. They themselves talk us through the pivotal moments in their phenomenal trajectory, from the day Noel Gallagher joined his brother Liam''s band, through their first crucial five years culminating at their landmark gigs at Knebworth Park in 1996 - the pinnacle of their success.With over thirty hours of interviews with Liam, Noel and those closest to them, this book documents in unprecedented depth and with their trademark candour and humour, the story behind one of the world''s greatest bands, all told in their own words and fully illustrated with exclusive photographs and ephemera throughout.Trade ReviewSupersonic is not quite an autobiography...Rather, it is a thorough and thoroughly entertaining oral history. * i news *This incredible book offers additional insights into their turbulent upbringing, the making of the band...the hundreds of exclusive photos and brilliant one-liners make for a sensational read. * the Sun *Thirty hours of band member interviews have been cooked into an entertaining first-hand account of pure rock 'n' roll madness. * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis"Yungblud is like nothing you’ve seen before. That is, unless you’ve seen a smiley punk/alt rocker from Doncaster, UK who wears pink socks, black-lipstick, and a skirt, plays a mean guitar, has an endless amount of energy, and an interesting aura of sex appeal. Then, and only then, can you say you’ve seen someone like Yungblud." - musicinminnesota.com YUNGBLUD. A striking new musical voice has emerged for Gen-Z. Political, provocative and impassioned, Yungblud has in the space of three years become one of the UK’s most recognisable artists through his unique blend of pop, punk and emo music - gaining one of the most die-hard fanbases on the planet in the process. From 21st Century Liability, where nothing was sacred – gun violence, psychosis, sex, drugs and suicide – to his sophomore album Weird!, an exploration of oddity and self-acceptance, YUNGBLUD challenges our zeitgeist as much as he channels it. This is the first fully authorised book, featuring photographs by his friend and closest collaborator Tom Pallant. Featuring an amazing selection of rare and unseen photographs, All My Friends Have Deserted charts Yungblud’s journey from late 2019 as he toured his debut album across the world, right through releasing his second album during a global pandemic, scoring his first UK #1, returning triumphantly to Reading and Leeds festival mainstage and culminating in his biggest ever headline show, a sold-out Alexandra Palace in London. All My Friends Have Deserted shows YUNGBLUD as a man of multitudes: dominating the stage, screaming into the mic, laughing behind-the-scenes, enjoying quiet creative moments and pulling faces at the camera. The vicious energy of his performances carries onto the page. The result is a rollercoaster of a photo-essay that carries readers on a journey through the highs and lows of Gen-Z’s most essential new rock star. “My generation is over being divided. Being divided is an old concept that is rapidly becoming obsolete. We are opinionated. We are full of contradictions. That’s the beauty of it. Our intention is to make this world equal. No matter what size you are, what shape you are, what colour you are, what sexuality you are...” Underpinning it all is the message of empathy. Those who his lyrics resonate with are not alone. Authentic and electric, rebellious and irreverent, yet still utterly human, YUNGBLUD is the new face of punk. Here he presents himself through a series of exclusive and unseen photographs, taken by his friend and closest collaborator, photographer Tom Pallant.Trade Review"A 24-year old with a genuine mission to reach out to the disaffected souls in the place and make them feel less alone." - Louder Than War"Anarchic, compassionate and with something to say, Yungblud is not a Reading Festival headliner in the making…. he’s already there." - NME"Fresh from his recent tour of Australia and NZ, British rocker YUNGBLUD gives us a rare pictorial insight into his journey as one of the biggest pop-punk stars of the Gen-Z era." - Maxim Australia

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERIn Face the Music, Paul Stanley—the co-founder and famous “Starchild” frontman of KISS—reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize.Stanley mixes compelling personal revelations and gripping, gritty war stories that will surprise even the most steadfast member of the KISS Army. He takes us back to his childhood in the 1950s and ’60s, a traumatic time made more painful thanks to a physical deformity. Born with a condition called microtia, he grew up partially deaf, with only one ear. But this instilled in him an inner drive to succeed in the most unlikely of pursuits: music.With never-before-seen photos and images throughout, Stanley’s memoir is a fully realized and unflinching portrait of a rock star, a chronicle of the stories behind the famous anthems, the many brawls and betrayals, and all the drama and pyrotechnics on and off the stage. Raw and confessional, Stanley offers candid insights into his personal relationships, and the turbulent dynamics with his bandmates over the past four decades. And no one comes out unscathed—including Stanley himself.“People say I was brave to write such a revealing book, but I wrote it because I needed to personally reflect on my own life. I know everyone will see themselves somewhere in this book, and where my story might take them is why I’m sharing it.” —Paul StanleyTrade Review"Paul Stanley proves himself as an artist in music and on canvas and now with a great book." -- Jimmy Page "Both honest and inspirational. Amazing tales from one of rock's great frontmen." -- Sir Elton John "Paul is a great man who has achieved great things. From the Popcorn Club all the way to the Hall of Fame, his story is inspiring and motivating for anyone who dreams big." -- Dave Grohl "An entertaining yet piercingly honest journey from self-conscious child to the world's most visually famous rock band, to, finally-with the makeup wiped away-a place of peace as a father and a man. Paul Stanley's story is both ordinary and extraordinary, which makes it inspiring." -- Mitch Albom, author of The First Phone Call From Heaven and Tuesdays With Morrie "For years the members hid their true identities behind cartoon personas and hard rock anthems... After years of carefully maintaining his Starchild superhero identity, Stanley lets down his guard and unleashes a torrent of pent-up feelings that erupt and flow over 400 pages like molten lava." -- Guitar World Magazine "KISS' flamboyant "Starchild" unplugs his high-wattage amps and introduces fans to an even more intriguing character: Stanley Harvey Eisen... [Face the Music is] an indispensable part of KISStory." -- Kirkus Reviews "Elegantly and thoughtfully, Stanley takes us behind the mask of Starchild, his KISS persona, and shares intimately his own insecurities about his physical appearance and his emotional life." -- Publishers Weekly "Most people will probably not associate sensitivity with the flamboyant heavy-metal rock band KISS, and yet in his memoir, front man, rhythm guitarist, and cofounder Paul Stanley succeeds in making a connection with the reader, KISS fan or not." -- Booklist

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Book Synopsis ‘This book will delight both New Order-ites and general rock readers’ MojoA ROLLICKING, NO-HOLDS-BARRED ACCOUNT OF NEW ORDER'S ENTIRE HISTORY. Two acclaimed albums and an upcoming US tour – Joy Division had the world at their feet. Then, on the eve of that tour, the band’s troubled lead singer, Ian Curtis, killed himself. The next time they got together, they were a new band. That band was New Order – their label was Factory Records, their club The Haçienda. Their distinctive sound paved the way for the dance music explosion that followed, earning them the reputation as one of the most influential bands of their generation, and changing the course of popular music. Following on from his bestselling titles The Haçienda and Unknown Pleasures, Peter Hook has written a rollicking, no-holds-barred account of the band's entireTrade Review‘Rock writing rarely tells us properly what a band treading water or in slow decline feels like from the inside. Hook does so memorably.’ * Guardian *‘The 768 pages will delight both New Order-ites and general rock readers, revealing the astonishing human bathos behind this group's godly future-rock […] The way Joy Division and New Order combined high art with base behaviour is well established but this book rides that tandem to new dimensions […] there's much more than carnage’ * Mojo *‘Set against a lurid backdrop of orgiastic tours, awash with drink, drugs, and a debauched retinue of dealers, hookers and mad roadies, Hook drawing from a seemingly bottomless well of outrageous anecdotes, many of them hilarious and told with the same droll voice that delighted readers of The Haçienda: How Not to Run a Club’ * Uncut *‘Epic rock tale of sex, drugs and jealousy … A must for fans, it's wildly funny and revelatory' * The Sun *‘A rollicking read’ * Record Collector *‘You don’t have to be an ardent fan of Manchester music to enjoy this doorstopper … engrossing’ * Cheshire Life *‘Substance chronicling the original four-piece’s history is as mammoth and downright idiotic as the band deserves … something hilariously daft happens on nearly all of Substance’s 750 pages’ * Classic Pop *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe Collected Works of Jim Morrison is a revelation for fans, particularly those eager to look beyond the Lizard King Lothario persona. — People As thought-provoking as it is provocative and, beyond the priapic bluster, Morrison is ­elegiac, too. — inews.co.uk Morrison wrote that 'we had a great visitation of energy,' proclaimed that 'the ancient ones' time has come again,' urged readers to 'enter again the sweet forest/enter the hot dream.' While he deliberately drove down toad-squirmy backroads of primal terror, ecstasy was often naked in the shotgun seat, spinning jeweled pinwheels, peeling a peach. — Tom Robbins, from the foreword, “Fireflies of the Apocalypse"

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Book SynopsisThe long overdue autobiography from guitar great and former member of Genesis, Steve Hackett. As with his music, Steve has written a highly detailed, entertaining and embracing tome that charts his life in full, but with a firm emphasis on his years with Genesis that saw the band's meteoric rise to become one of the most successful British bands of all time. Steve talks candidly about his early life, his time with Genesis, and in particular his personal relationships with the other four band members, with great insight into the daily goings on of this major rock band. Naturally A Genesis In My Bed also regales stories of Steve's career since leaving Genesis and the many different journeys that it has taken him on. With his flair for the creative, and a great deal of levity, A Genesis In My Bed is a riveting read. Indispensable for Genesis fans but also essential for general music lovers and avid readers of autobiographies full of heartfelt and emotive tales.

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Book SynopsisA deeply researched and beautifully illustrated study of saxophone legend John Coltrane's signature album. Written with the full co-operation of the Coltrane family and featuring the voices of musicians, producers and writers of the 1960s, Kahn has also unearthed rare, unpublished interviews with Coltrane and bassist Jimmy Garrison. The book also features commentary from contemporary music stars including Carlos Santana, Bono, Phil Lesh, Patti Smith, Ravi Shankar and Steve Reich.Trade ReviewWe get the man, the mission, the methodology ... a well-researched, transparently written, passionately felt book * Independent *One of the most accessible slices of jazz history you'll find...mixes biography, a forensic study of the recording process and an examination of the album's racial, political and spiritual legacy...a fine journalistic narrative -- John Lewis * Time Out *Kahn provides a historical and critical overview of Coltrane's life and work and has also carried out an impressive quantity of research. [It] is an enjoyable read, with great photographs. Coltrane's followers will have to get it * Guardian *Thoroughly absorbing * The Times *Ashley Kahn deftly unpicks the background, describing the context and making of what was to become the signature modern jazz album * Financial Times *Kahn's book puts you there in the studio, next to Elvin's kit -- Geoff Brown * Mojo *

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Book Synopsis'You never knew what you were going to be confronted with when you went on Later' Nick CaveLater is a voyage of discovery for us as well as the viewers' Dave GrohlDave Grohl and Alicia Keys loved it, Björk treasured it, Ed Sheeran's life was changed by it, Kano felt at home while Nick Cave was horrified but inspired, and they all kept coming back.This first-hand account of the BBC's Later with Jools Holland takes you behind the scenes of one of the world's great musical meeting places. Legends including Sir Paul McCartney, Mary J. Blige and David Bowie found a regular welcome, alongside the next generation of superstars including Adele, Ed Sheeran and Amy Winehouse. Part of what has made the show so special is the format all those bands, singers, stars and newbies brought together to listen as well as to perform in Jools' circle of dreams. But there's always been plenty of mayhem alongside the magic of convening a room full of musicians hosted by one of their own.Written by the show's co-creator and 26-year showrunner, music journalist Mark Cooper, this is the story of how Later grew into a musical and TV institution. It was Mark who had to explain to Jay-Z why he couldn't just do his numbers and split, who told Seasick Steve why he had to play Dog House Boogie' on the Hootenanny and persuaded Johnny Cash that he simply had to come in, even when The Man in Black wasn't feeling well.From Stormzy to Björk, from Smokey Robinson to Norah Jones, from Britpop to trip hop, here is the word on how Later began, evolved and has endured, accompanied by exclusive interviews with some of the show's regular stars as well as the unique pictorial record of Andre Csillag who photographed the show for over 20 years. A must-read for music fans everywhere, Later with Jools Hollandpulls back the curtain on classic performances to reveal that the show is just as magical, if even more chaotic, than you imagined.Trade Review‘Excellent’ Jools Holland

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Book SynopsisThe only way to appreciate the legendary Mark E Smith is to encounter the man in his own words.''Ranting, raging, burning...relentlessly splenetic, a long and sustained rant... may also be the funniest music book ever written'' - Observer''Unutterably funny... a riot of aimings and blamings and score-settlings. Smith manages to have a right laff, and reveal himself as a figure of dazzling sociological import'' - Independent on SundayThe Fall are one of the most distinctive British bands ever, their music - odd, spare, cranky and repetitious - an acknowledged influence on The Smiths, The Happy Mondays, Nirvana and Franz Ferdinand. And Mark E. Smith IS The Fall - 66 members came and went over the years yet he remained its charismatic leader until his death in 2018.''If it''s me and yer granny on bongos, it''s The Fall.'' - Mark E. SmithMark was a professional outsider and all-round enemy ofTrade ReviewRanting, raging, burning...relentlessly splenetic, a long and sustained rant...may also be the funniest music book ever written * Observer *Unutterably funny...a riot of aimings and blamings and score-settlings. Smith manages to have a right laff, and reveal himself as a figure of dazzling sociological import * Independent on Sunday *Remarkable, brilliant. A provocative joy. Smith's rant gushes like a furious fountain of razor-sharp invective over his childhood and the early days of The Fall, relationships/ marriage, the record industry/ musicians and his views on everything from football to mobile phones, from drinking and drugs to driving, from books to bankruptcy, from Paul Morley to pubs. Unbeatable' Time OutEngrossing, exhausting, dense with fascinating detail. As both memoir and cultural history, Renegade is a remarkable achievement * Daily Telegraph *A hoot * Hot Press *Stuffed with crazy wisdom * London Lite *Hilarious * Scotland on Sunday *A wide-ranging, eccentric set of fugitive opinions, a smart marshalling of numerous rambling pub conversations * The Times Literary Supplement *Vicious, funny, always contrarian * Daily Telegraph *Smith's about as reliable a narrator as the members of Motley Crue were in their depraved memoir The Dirt. And just as entertaining. Delving into Renegade is like listening to Smith hold court down the pub...it contains far too many astute, poetic observations to be dismissed as colourful ramblings from a committed curmudgeon * Scotsman *Unutterably funny...a riot of aimings and blamings and score-settlings. Smith manages to have a right laff, and reveal himself as a figure of dazzling sociological import * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisA BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEKBessie Smith: singer, icon, pioneer. Scotland''s National Poet Jackie Kay brings to life the tempestuous story of the greatest blues singer who ever lived. ''A gem of a book . . . beautiful.'' BERNARDINE EVARISTO''A wonderful writer on a magnificent singer.'' ROBERT WYATT''Kay's book is the amplifier that Smith's voice deserves.'' SUNDAY TIMES''The most vivid evocation of Bessie Smith I have ever read.'' IAN CARR, BBC MUSICBESSIE SMITH was born in Tennessee in 1894. Orphaned by the age of nine, she sang on street corners before becoming a big name in travelling shows. In 1923 she made her first recording for a new start-up called Columbia Records. It sold 780,000 copies and made her a star. Smith's life was notoriously difficult: she drank pints of bathtub gin', got into violent fist fights, spent huge sums of money and hadTable of Contents'A passionate, personal, imaginative insight in to Bessie's art' - Daily Mail 'Kay has paid her [Bessie Smith] true and heartfelt homage' - Daily Telegraph

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Book Synopsis______________________THE #MERKY STORY SO FAR Edited and co-written by Jude YawsonContributions by Team #MerkyImages by Kaylum Dennis‘It’s been a long time coming, I swear...’ In four years Stormzy has risen from one of the most promising musicians of his generation to a spokesperson for a generation. Rise Up is the story of how he got there. It’s a story about faith and the ideas worth fighting for. It’s about knowing where you’re from, and where you’re going. It’s about following your dreams without compromising who you are.Featuring never-before-seen photographs, annotated lyrics and contributions from those closest to him, Rise Up is the #Merky story, and the record of a journey unlike any other.______________________'A very important book. The voices we hear from - young, gifted and largely black - are all too rarely heard. These are people who typically have to listen to a daily diet of media negativity about their communities without the opportunities to respond. ... It is truly inspiring to read about the accomplishments of Team Stormzy, realised largely without money or expertise, but with bucketloads of intelligence and hard work.' BBC (WILL GOMPERTZ)Trade ReviewPart inspirational self-help manual, part business guide, part exploration of how its author - aided by the team around him, given equal voice in the oral history format - transformed himself into the scene's biggest star. -- Alexis Petridis * Guardian, 'Books of the Year' *Charts the ascent of the grime MC... through a panoply of voices. Stormzy is adored. -- Kitty Empire * Observer, 'Books of the Year' *In first-person interviews, the MC's friends and colleagues give their insight on an extraordinary journey so far... In doing so, it shines a light on voices that are often overlooked, in keeping with Stormzy's ethos for his #Merky publishing imprint. -- Rhian Daly * NME, 'Books of the Year' *A very important book... It is truly inspiring to read about the accomplishments of Team Stormzy, realised largely without money or expertise, but with bucketloads of intelligence and hard work. -- Will Gompertz * BBC *An inspirational must-read... Throughout he demonstrates an ambition beyond telling his life story. The book is part of a wider plan to elevate black British culture to where he believes it should be. It's a manual demonstrating how big plans can become realities... Like Stormzy himself, it's a different kind of success. -- David Smyth * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisBOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 - MOJO MAGAZINE & UNCUT MAGAZINE "In early '77 I asked Grant if he'd form a band with me. `No,' was his blunt reply." Grant McLennan didn't want to be in a band. He couldn't play an instrument; Charlie Chaplin was his hero du jour. And yet, when Robert Forster wrote Hemingway, Genet, Chandler and Joyce into his lyrics, McLennan couldn't resist a second invitation to become 80s indie sensation The Go Betweens. The friends would collaborate for three decades, until Grant's premature death in 2006. Beautifully written - like lyrics, like prose - Grant & I is a rock memoir akin to no other. Part `making of', part music industry expose, part buddy-book, this is a delicate and perceptive celebration of creative endeavour. With wit and candour, Robert Forster pays tribute to a band who found huge success in the margins, having friendship at its heart.

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Book SynopsisBob Dylan has always regarded himself as a songwriter: 'I am my words,' he wrote in 1964.Distilling a lifetime's passion and study, leading Dylan author, Clinton Heylin charts the development and first moments of genius of this unique artist whose songs changed the world.From his first attempts at writing, Song to Bridget, in 1957, (apparently for Brigitte Bardot) Bob Dylan always aspired to poetry, yet his role as a writer rather than a performer of his own songs is often overlooked. In over fifty years of creativity he had penned some of the most iconic, and perfect, songs in popular history. Arriving in New York in 1961, the city had an enormous impact on the young artist and, as he established himself amongst the folk clubs and artists, he would produce songs that spoke for a whole generation: Blowing in the Wind, A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, The Times They Are a Changin', Like a Rolling Stone, and Forever Young.In Revolution in the Air Clinton Heylin recounts the story of each song as it is written, giving a full appreciation of the songs themselves as well as Dylan the emerging artist. Unlike any other book on Dylan, it charts his rise as a writer, where he gained his inspiration, the burst of energy which produced some of his most famous songs as well as the lesser known stories behind the more iconic verses.This is an essential book for anyone interested in Dylan and his place in literature. Informative, opinionated, packed with new insights and revelations, this is an instant classic.Trade ReviewBeg, steal, borrow ... a compelling history of Dylan's mercurial song writing. * Mojo *Better than any biography could ever be, and a crucial Dylan book. -- Jonathan LethemA gripping new book by Dylan scholar Clinton Heylin so is so far in the deep end that its borderline insane . . [yet] has been devoured with a ravenous, insatiable appetite, and I have even made notes in the margin. -- Mark Ellen * Word *Valuable resource. * Observer *A magnum opus that anyone curious about, fascinated by, and devoted to His Master's Voice will want to read and ponder. -- Jonathan Cott - author, 'Dylan', and editor, 'Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews'True to form, Heylin digs deep-way deep-into the songs, mixing cold hard facts with illuminating anecdotes. -- Mark Smith, managing editor * Acoustic Guitar *Terrifically interesting for Dylan nuts. * Sunday Herald *Manna for completists. * Metro *

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Book SynopsisThe once-in-a-generation memoir of a rock legend - the No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller.''Electrifying'' New York Times''A masterpiece'' The Word''Funny, poignant, brutally honest'' Sunday Telegraph''Densely packed with incident... immensely readable'' Sunday Times''Once you begin this, wild, wild horses couldn''t drag you away''Independent''Life is pretty faultless as the quintessential depiction of the man in full and his extraordinary life and times to date'' The Times''I was hooked from the start''Harper''s BazaarAs a member of the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics and the songs that roused the world, and over four decades he lived the original rock and roll life: taking the chances he wanted, speakiTrade ReviewA masterpiece, the most sustained, colourful and rambunctious rampage through his [Keith's] 67 years imaginable * THE WORD MAGAZINE *Funny, poignant, brutally honest, engagingly colloquial, Life is pure Keith Richards, as good a rock memoir as you are likely to read. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Densely packed with incident ... immensely readable * SUNDAY TIMES *This is a good, gossipy read. But the best stuff is Keith on music. Check out his wonderful passage on Charlie Watt's drumming * EVENING STANDARD *Dark, honest and gleefully indiscreet from the first page to the last, it puts some of today's painfully dull musicians to shame * SHORTLIST *Once you begin this, wild, wild horses couldn't drag you away * INDEPENDENT *A hilarious, ribald and often shocking tale told elegantly and with much candidness * CATHOLIC HERALD *I was hooked from the start * HARPER'S BAZAAR *LIFE may be the best rock star autobiography ever * CLASSIC ROCK *A memoir so full of incident it feels like the author's lived three lives, not one * SUNDAY TIMES *The fact that Keith is still alive to tell the story is incredible * SUNDAY EXPRESS S MAGAZINE *LIFE is pretty faultless as the quintessential depiction of the man in full and his extraordinary life and times to date * THE TIMES *Electrifying... the intimate and moving story of one man's long strange trip over the decades, told in dead-on, visceral prose without any of the pretence, caution or self-consciousness that usually attend great artists sitting for their self-portraits * NEW YORK TIMES *Keith comes across as a thoroughly decent man, with just a hint of the devil. His relationship with Jagger is complex and fascinating * EVENING STANDARD *a masterpiece, the most sustained, colourful and rambunctious rampage through his [Keith's] 67 years imaginable -- Mark Ellen * THE WORD *densely packed with incident ... immensely readable -- Lynn Barber * SUNDAY TIMES *Funny, poignant, brutally honest, engagingly colloquial, Life is pure Keith Richards, as good a rock memoir as you are likely to read. -- Sally Cousins * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *This is a good, gossipy read. But the best stuff is Keith on music. Check out his wonderful passage on Charlie Watt's drumming. -- William Leith * LONDON EVENING STANDARD *Dark, honest and gleefully indiscreet from the first page to the last, it puts some of today's painfully dull musicians to shame. * SHORTLIST *Once you begin this, wild, wild horses couldn't drag you away. -- Boyd Tonkin * INDEPENDENT *A hilarious, ribald and often shocking tale told elegantly and with much candidness. * CATHOLIC HERALD *I was hooked from the start -- Giles Deacon * HARPER'S BAZAAR *Life may be the best rock star autobiography ever. * CLASSIC ROCK *A memoir so full of incident it feels like the author's lived three lives, not one. * SUNDAY TIMES *The fact that Keith is still alive to tell the story is incredible. -- Chris Tarrant * THE SUNDAY EXPRESS S MAGAZINE *

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Book Synopsis''If I lose the light of the sun, I will write by candlelight, moonlight, no light, If I lose paper and ink, I will write in blood on forgotten walls. I will write always. I will capture nights all over the world and bring them to you.''Henry Rollins, renowned spoken-word performer, musician, actor and author of several books, has a unique, hard-edged view of the world. This collection of writings from 1989 - 1991 is the classic Rollins book.From dramatic fiction shorts detailing stark, disturbing realities to gut-wrenching tour journals destroying all misconceptions of the glamour of fame and the music industry; from the challenging poetry to revealing dream sequences, Rollins'' writing is unflinching in its honesty, uncompromising in its truth and irresistibly addictive.Trade ReviewAn intelligent and perceptive man. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisChannel your creativity and love for The Beatles through this nostalgic colouring experience.

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES AND TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE PENDERYN MUSIC BOOK PRIZETHE BOOKSELLER''S Most Picked Book in General Non-Fiction Round Ups of 2017Peggy Seeger is one of folk music's most influential artists and songwriters. Born in New York City in 1935, she enjoyed a childhood steeped in music and left-wing politics they remain her lifeblood. After college, she travelled to Russia and China against US advice before arriving in London, where she met the man with whom she would raise three children and share the next thirty-three years: Ewan MacColl. Together, they helped lay the foundations of the British folk revival, through the influential Critics Group and the landmark BBC Radio Ballads series. And as Ewan's muse, she inspired one of the twentieth century's most popular love songs, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face'. With a clear eye and generous spirit, Peggy writes of a rollercoast

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Book SynopsisThe Beatles have been at the top for fifty years, their music remains exciting, their influence is still huge, their acclaim and achievements cannot be surpassed. But who really were the Beatles, and how did they and everything else in the 1960s fuse so explosively?Mark Lewisohn''s three-part biography is the first true and accurate account of the Beatles, a contextual history built upon impeccable research and written with energy, style, objectivity and insight. This first volume covers the crucial and less-known early period - the Liverpool and Hamburg years of a hungry rock and roll band, when all the sharp characters and situations take shape.This is the Beatles like you''ve never read them before. It isn''t just ''another book'', it''s the book, from the world-acknowledged authority. Forget what you know and discover The Complete Story.Trade ReviewThis is the story told in Proustian detail ... The first edited-down volume, is largely a delight, and the story is told so definitively that, after this, that really should be it. Secondary sources are comprehensively mined; letters, public records and business documents have been found in places no one else ever thought to look ... Lewisohn is a Beatles oracle -- John Harris Guardian Never previously have the Beatles' formative years been recounted in such detail. It is unlikely to be surpassed -- Michael Watts Daily Telegraph Lewisohn has done an astonishing job. I can't wait for volume two Independent A major event in music publishing this month as Tune In by Mark Lewisohn lands..the definitive account of The Beatles GQ

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

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Book SynopsisIn the space of just five years, Twice have taken the K-Pop world by storm.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the phenomenon that is Kraftwerk, and how one band revolutionized the cultural landscape of our time.'We are not artists nor musicians. We are workers.' Ignoring nearly all rock traditions, experimenting in near-total secrecy in their Düsseldorf studio, Kraftwerk fused sound and technology, graphic design and performance, modernist Bauhaus aesthetics and Rhineland industrialisation--even human and machine--to change the course of modern music. What they created changed the course of pop music forever, influencing artists as diverse as Björk, Joy Division, David Bowie, and Kanye West. This is the story of Kraftwerk the cultural phenomenon, who turned electronic music into avant-garde concept art and created the soundtrack to our digital age.Trade ReviewA highly stimulating critical biography. Written from a European perspective, Kraftwerk is a pleasure to read. -- Jon Savage * New Statesman *An engaging critical introduction to the band ... you can see them everywhere: most fascinatingly in hip-hop, most obviously in techno music, but also in the chrome-helmeted anonymity of Daft Punk, in the industrial philosophy of Factory Records and the Haçienda nightclub, and, ultimately, in the general trajectory of pop music ever since Kraftwerk's run of great albums between 1974 and 1981. -- Karl Whitney * The Guardian *As the music of the 20th century fades from our ears, Kraftwerk's sound is still moving. -- Jay Elwes * The Spectator *I read Uwe Schütte's fascinating new book, and became convinced again of Kraftwerk's peculiar genius ... They remain revolutionary because they have given modern music its primitive pulse. -- Jude Rogers * Prospect *Schütte proposes that Kraftwerk was, in effect, a redemptive project, a reclamation of pre-war modernism and its aims ... This book is the German take on the German pop phenomenon. -- John Quin * The Quietus *Read Schütte's entertaining and meticulously-researched history of the band and it's hard not to conclude that Kraftwerk demand equivalence at least with the Fab Four. * The Herald *Fascinating ... Highlights just how innovative and influential they are. Kraftwerk didn't just beam themselves into the future, they invented it. -- Chris Harvey * The Scotsman *Born in Germany but based in the UK, Schutte is able to assess Kraftwerk from both the German and non-German perspective. This is a lucid, accessible, authoritative and indispensable account of the Düsseldorf group once mocked for their Teutonic 'otherness', who went on to lay the foundations for modern electronic music. -- David Stubbs, author of Future Days: Krautrock and the Building of Modern GermanySchutte positions Kraftwerk not merely as a popular music phenomenon but as the embodiment of our transition from the uncertainty and hope of post-war Europe through to 21st century techno-hyperreality. A forensic analysis of Kraftwerk's socio-political roots and their ongoing cultural effect. Schutte sees beyond the regular band trivia to show a deeper understanding of the impact of Kraftwerk on all aspects of popular culture which enclose us. -- Dr Stephen Mallinder, founding member of Cabaret Voltaire and WranglerSchütte follows the foundational electropop group that inspired David Bowie's alienist late 1970s adventures and a multitude of electrovariations. He charts how they were a surprising European component in the emergence of hip-hop, as much through their sung-spoken words as their machine-made rhythms ... The book functions nicely as an introduction for newcomers to Kraftwerk's history. -- Paul Morley * Financial Times *

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

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

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Book Synopsis''This could be heaven or this could be hell...''So sings Don Henley on their biggest hit, ''Hotel California'', and it is true that the Eagles story was one that blurred the ultimate Hollywood highs and subterranean LA lows beyond recognition. The band that embodied the American dream with globe-straddling success, impossibly luxurious lives, almost supernatural talent also descended into nightmare with bloodletting betrayal, hate-filled hubris, the skeletons of perceived enemies, brutally discarded lovers and former band mates left unburied on the road behind them. The story of the Eagles is a truly gothic American fable: one of ultimate power and rivers of money; of sex and drugs at a time when both were the lingua-franca of sophisticated So-Cal living; of a band who sang of peaceful easy feelings in public while threatening to kill each other in private.Now, for the first time, esteemed music biographer Mick Wall will provide the definitivTrade ReviewMick Wall treats us to a savvy, authoritative chronicle of the flight of the Eagles, immersing us in the heady world of the Laurel Canyon scene and the other aspiring musicians who would rise to fame together. The Eagles persevered through obscurity and management and recording challenges to finally realize their dream, but the brilliance of their songwriting and musicianship was juxtaposed with the menacing tide of cocaine abuse, a broken brotherhood, and too much money. The Eagles: Dark Desert Highway is a comprehensive history of a band that burned so bright, yet finally succumbed to the heat. * Sandra B. Tooze, author of Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of the Band and Beyond *

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Book SynopsisThe full range of traditional fiddle repertoire is now at your fingertips! Using these generous collections, you can create your own ceilidh, barn dance, jazz club or Sarajevo street-café. Some of this music is familiar, some more exotic, but all of it is absolutely authentic, faithfully arranged and, above all, hugely enjoyable.Each title in the series is available in two formats: the Violin Edition (with an optional easy violin part and guitar chords); or the Complete Edition, which also includes both keyboard and violin accompaniments. Either format is hugely flexible, which means the music can be played as solos, duets or trios as well as with larger ensembles.Edward Huws Jones has travelled extensively researching fiddle-playing traditions. In each book he explains the background of the particular musical style, giving his own suggestions for a lively performance.Instrumentation:violin (2 violins) and piano, guitar ad libitum

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

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Book Synopsis‘The closest we’ll ever get to a straight up Bowie autobiography — but who’d ever want anything straight-up from Bowie?’ – Rolling Stone In 2002, David Bowie and Mick Rock created Moonage Daydream, the defining document of the life and times of Ziggy Stardust. Twenty years later, it remains the closest readers will get to understanding Bowie through his own words. Alongside over 600 photographs taken by Mick Rock, Bowie’s personal and often humorous commentary gives unprecedented insight into his work and the creation of his most memorable persona. Readers can see how Bowie singlehandedly challenged and elevated 1970s culture through his style, his inspirations ranging from Kubrick to Kabuki, and his creative spirit, which endures through the decades. Moonage Daydream is the essential David Bowie book. First published as a signed limited edition, Moonage Daydream sold out in a matter of months and became lore among David Bowie fans. Now, on the 50th anniversary of Bowie’s acclaimed album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the book is available again. Published in a new larger format, this uncut edition keeps to Bowie and Rock’s original vision, allowing us to explore Moonage Daydream the way the authors intended. ‘This is a book of extraordinary photographs. Ziggy Stardust blazed briefly but intensely, and I am delighted to see his life and times as a rock’n’roll star immortalised in this book.’ – David BowieTrade Review'It’s a massive coffee-table art book, with lavish images of Bowie in the Seventies from photographer Mick Rock. But the main attraction of Moonage Daydream is the text by the man himself. He’s in top form, whether he’s shopping for shoes with Cyrinda Foxe (who teaches him to wear “palm-tree’d fuck-me pumps”) or sipping tea with Elton John (“We didn’t exactly become pals, not really having that much in common, especially musically”), or partying it up with Mick Jagger (“I have absolutely no recollections of this party at all”). The closest this world will ever get to a straight-up Bowie autobiography — but who’d ever want anything straight-up from Bowie?' – Rob Sheffield, 'Rolling Stone’s Greatest Rock Memoirs of All Time', Rolling Stone ‘There is more than enough for both the casual Bowie fan and the obsessive. These photographs trace the birth of one of the biggest, most influential pop ideas ever: the notion that a pop performer could, on record as well as on stage, reinvent himself creatively by inhabiting various personas.’ – Sean O'Hagan, 'Pop's first Space Invader', The Guardian

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1978 as The Beach Boys and the California Myth, this groundbreaking study was both the first full-length book on the band and the first to recognize Brian Wilson as one of the most significant and influential artists of the 20th century. Covering the turbulent family strife and internal conflicts as well as giving proper attention to the remarkable music, the book was an instant classic. An intimate look at Brian's rollercoaster of a life and career, it's told through the eyes of those who were there during Wilson's most legendary productions including Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations. Revised and updated, God Only Knows covers the decades since the 1985 edition, including Brian's first acclaimed solo album, his startling return to live performing, the landmark Pet Sounds tour, the "All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" (which Leaf wrote and produced) and the triumphant and miraculous Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE world premiere in London. Filled with surprising revelations, insight and behind-the-scenes detail, this indispensable book written by renowned Brian Wilson expert David Leaf also features forewords by Jimmy Webb, the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb and Melinda Wilson, Brian's wife.Trade Review'David Leaf's matchless The Beach Boys and the California Myth overshadows any book that documents the group's most successful years.' The Guardian “When I championed the first edition of this book in 1978 in Melody Maker, I wrote ‘The definitive story. Probably the best book ever of any aspect of music history. A one of a kind effort, a new genre of journalism by going behind the scenes without sensationalizing.’ In our world, the sequel is almost never better than the original. But in the rock biography universe, David Leaf’s God Only Knows: The Story of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys and the California Myth is akin to The Godfather Part II. In this massive update, Leaf reveals deeper truths about Mr. Wilson that make his adventures with Brian feel like a page-turning novel.” Author and music historian, Harvey Kubernik 'Essential reading for anybody who cares about Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys and the evolution of rock & roll.' Jason Fine, former Editor-in-Chief, Rolling Stone

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Book SynopsisAlbum art is indelibly linked to our collective musical memories; when you think of your favorite albums, you picture the covers. Many photographers, illustrators, and art directors have become celebrities from their album artworks—the best examples of which will go down in history as permanent fixtures in popular culture. Paying tribute to this art form, Rock Covers brings you a compilation of more than 750 remarkable album covers, from legendary to rare record releases. Artists as varied as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Iron Maiden, and Sonic Youth are presented in celebration of the cover art that defined their albums and their cult status. Each cover is accompanied by a fact sheet listing the art director, photographer or illustrator, year, label, and more, while nearly 250 records that marked particular turning points for a band, an artist, or the music genre, are highlighted with short descriptions. This far-reaching catalog of visualized rock is contextualized with insider interviews with professionals who shaped the history of rock, and by top-10 record lists from ten leading rock collectors.Trade Review“The material is wonderful. The subject merits so thorough and authoritative an account and caption details are good.” * The Spectator *“A lovingly and illuminatingly annotated journey.” * Metal Hammer *“A full anthology of familiar – and wonderfully obscure – rock albums.” * Nylon Magazine *

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Book SynopsisImagine being alongside one of the greatest bands in the history of rock, touring the world and being there as they perform at some of the best and biggest music venues in the world. Peter Hince didn't have to imagine: for more than a decade, he lived a life that other people can only dream of as he worked with Queen as head of their road crew. In 1973, Queen was the support act for Mott the Hoople, for whom Peter was a roadie. Back then, Queen had to content themselves with being second on the bill and the world had not yet woken up to the flamboyant talent of Freddie Mercury. Peter started working full time for Queen just as they were making A Night at the Opera, the album which catapulted them to international stardom. In this intimate and affectionate book, Peter recalls the highlights of his years with the band. He was with Freddie when he composed 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'; he was responsible for making sure that Freddie's stage performances went without a hitch - and was often there to witness his famed tantrums! He was also party to the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll which are invariably part of life on the road with a rock band.Trade Review'Will satisfy the curiosity of anyone wanting to know what it was really like to work with a famous rock band' - MOJO

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Book Synopsis‘I’m no stranger to failure, and I’m aware it can arrive at any minute—as it often has. You have to keep things close to your chest and be aware of what’s really important: the work, not everything around it. If you have faith in the work, then the people will come … it’s an artistic imperative, it has nothing to do with public perception or career or any of that crap. The name, Swans, it’s synonymous with who I am, but it’s how it’s achieved and it’s achieved by people—those people need to have total commitment to making this sound and to making it utterly incisive and uncompromising. The work is everything and it has to—at least at the time—appear, to me, to be stellar. That’s the prerequisite. It’s an intangible thing where it really speaks and has some truth within it.’ – Michael GiraOver a span of some three and a half decades, Michael Gira’s Swans have risen from chaotic origins in the aftermath of New York’s No Wave scene to become one of the most acclaimed rock-orientated acts of recent years. The 1980s’ infamous ‘loudest band on the planet’ morphed repeatedly until collapsing exhausted, broken, and dispirited in the late 1990s.Swans returned triumphantly in 2010 to top end-of-year polls and achieve feted status among fans and critics alike as the great survivors and latter-day statesmen of the underground scene. Throughout, Gira’s desire has remained to create music of such intensity that the listener might forget flesh, get rid of the body, exist as pure energy—transcendent—inside of the sound.Through these pages, the musicians responsible tell the tale of one of the most significant bands of the US post-punk era. Drawing on more than 125 original interviews, Swans: Sacrifice And Transcendence is the ultimate companion to Swans and their work from the 1980s to the present day.

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Book Synopsis'EYEWITNESS GOLD' SUNDAY TIMESWHO - OR WHAT - WAS THE REAL LOVE OF FREDDIE MERCURY'S LIFE? THE SENSATIONAL NEW BIOGRPHAY OF QUEEN'S FRONTMAN Millions of Queen and screen fans who watched the Oscar-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody believe that Mary Austin, the woman he could never quite let go of, was the love of Freddie Mercury's life. But the truth is infinitely more complicated.Best-selling biographer and music writer Lesley-Ann Jones explores the charismatic frontman's romantic encounters, from his boarding school years in Panchgani, India to his tragic, final, bed-ridden days in his magnificent London mansion. She reveals why none of his love interests ever perfected the art of being Freddie's life partner.In Love of My Life, the author follows him through his obsessions with former shop girl Mary, German actress Barbara Valentin and Irish-born barber boyfriend Jim Hutton. She explores his adoration of globally fêted Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé. She delves into his intimate friendship with Elton John, and probes his imperishable bonds with his fellow band members. She deconstructs his complicated relationship with the 'food of love' - his music - and examines closely his voracious appetite for - what some would call his fatal addiction to - sex. Which of these was the real love of Freddie Mercury's life? Was any of them? Drawing on personal interviews and first-hand encounters, this moving book brings to the fore a host of Freddie's lesser-known loves, weaving them in and out of the passions that consumed him. The result, a mesmerising portrait of a legendary rock star, is unputdownable. Love of My Life, published during the year of the 30th anniversary of his death and that would have seen his 75th birthday, is Lesley-Ann's personal and compassionate tribute to an artist she has revered for as long as she has written about music and musicians.

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Book SynopsisA refreshingly modest memoir.' THE TIMESVerse, Chorus, Monster! is the memoir of iconic British musician and Blur co-founder Graham Coxon, charting a life of music, fame, addiction and art. Before the noise and clamour of the Britpop era, Coxon was a shy Army kid tempering his anxiety through painting and a growing love of music. As he honed his artistic skill at school, his band with school friend Damon Albarn, fellow student Alex James, and a drummer called Dave Rowntree began to get noticed. But there are things they don't tell you before you get famous. There are monsters out there. And some may even be lurking inside yourself.Charting the hedonism of his Nineties heyday and the ensuing fallout, Blur''s reluctant guitar hero is finally making himself heard.' EVENING STANDARDBreaks off with Coxon, a classically tortured artist, on a blessedly even keel.' OBSERVER

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Book SynopsisOver 100 handwritten manuscripts of the Beatles'' original lyrics, tracked down from friends of the band, museums, universities and collectors.Hunter Davies, author of the only authorised biography of the Beatles, worked with the band in their heyday. Here he reveals each song''s context with vivid behind-the-scenes stories and gives a unique insight into the creative process of the world''s greatest songwriters. From ''Yesterday'' and ''Eleanor Rigby'' to ''Yellow Submarine'', The Beatles Lyrics is the definitive story of the band, uniquely told through their music.Trade Review[Davies] has managed to track down handwritten versions for 100 of the band's 182 lyrics, and it's undeniably fascinating to observe these scribbled seeds, particularly when they contain alterations, crossings-out and abandoned verses... The other main attraction of the book is Davies' unrivalled access to the group. As the only authorised Beatles biographer during the band's existence, he spent time observing Lennon and McCartney as they wrote songs, and his vivid account of the pair holding court amongst friends in the latter's music room... is just one of several fascinating behind-the-scenes moments -- Andy Gill * THE INDEPENDENT *Painstakingly researched and skilfully laid out over 350 engrossing pages, Davies gives us an incredible insight into the remarkable creative process of the band, and tells the story of the Beatles' lives through their work -- Colm O'Regan * HOT PRESS *Davies has tracked down and reproduced more than 100 of the Beatles' original handwritten manuscripts for their songs, nearly all of which are reproduced for the first time in this handsome coffee-table tome. Each song is given its context: what the band were doing at the time, how and when they came to write and record it, how the original version differs from the final one. A pretty essential addition to the library/bathroom of any serious Beatles fan * IRISH NEWS *This is not just one for the Beatlemaniacs and it is liberally illustrated with lyrics as they were originally written on table napkins, notepads, or on the back of a birthday card * RTE GUIDE *What's amazing is that these songs were so often scribbled down on whatever bits of paper were at hand - pages from notebooks, hotel stationery, backs of envelopes - and it's fascinating to see them with their hasty revisions, crossings out, lines being rewritten, ideas rethought even before they are fully complete, almost as if The Beatles can't keep up with their own creative momentum, colourful doodles and stoned illustrations accompanying some of them -- Allan Jones * UNCUT *They were just scraps of paper set for a cleaner's furnace - but now The Beatles' lyric sheets are precious jewels that reveal the secret history of the world's greatest band... beneath the scrawls and corssings-out lies a shadow history of The Beatles * LIVERPOOL ECHO *A forensic song-by-song exploration of the band's writing process... If you're a songwriter, the song manuscripts along are fascinating, and if you're a Beatles fan, the info here can't help but give you a fresh insight into their music * GUITARIST *No Lennon/McCartney obsessive should be without Hunter Davies' The Beatles Lyrics -- Olivia Cole * GQ Magazine *Fascinating facsimiles of scribbled lyric notes jotted onto scraps of paper... afford insights into the development from the germ of an idea to a finished song * THE INDEPENDENT 'Books of the Year' *He wrote the first comprehensive biography of The Beatles and now, in The Beatles Lyrics, Hunter Davies returns to examine each of the band's songs in forensic details, offering insights into the creative process and putting the songs in their social and personal context * CHOICE *A fascinating look at how these classics came into being as the manuscripts show how lines were altered and whole verses dumped * THE SUN *This delightful book will appeal to the millions of Beatles fans around the world who will surely enjoy reliving these iconic songs and learning something of their history * SIXTYPLUSSURFERS *Even fans who think they know it all already will treasure this forensic exploration of the Beatles' songs...a handsome coffee-table book by Hunter Davies that manages to shed new light on the creative process behind such songs as Eleanor Rigby, Across the Universe and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds...a treasure of a book, a forensic, song-by-song exploration of the band's creative process -- Paul Howard * THE IRISH TIMES *You may never read a more comprehensive, unpretentious account of the creative processes behind a band's body of lyrics. It seems fitting that band should be The Beatles... The book runs chronologically from A to Z through every self-penned song the Beatles recorded in their eight action-packed years together. With all those original handwritten manuscripts, it's a must buy for die-hard Beatles fans and, no doubt, many calligraphers too -- Joe Dermody * IRISH EXAMINER *

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Book SynopsisWith his unique and powerful voice, Tony Hadley has been a successful music artist for more than forty years, from fronting one of the biggest bands of the 80s, Spandau Ballet, to now enjoying a thriving solo career around the world. Featuring stunning imagery and behind-the-scenes photos from his musical adventures, this beautifully illustrated book also captures other professional highlights, like starring on stage in Chicago and appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, as well as his charity work, celebrity friends, childhood in north London and special family moments. With snaps from his personal photo albums, this amazing visual journey is accompanied by Tony's heartfelt and insightful anecdotes.

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Book SynopsisA Book of the Year in Rolling Stone, Uncut, Mojo, The Telegraph and the Glasgow HeraldThis troubadour life is only for the fiercest hearts, only for those vessels that can be broken to smithereens and still keep beating out the rhythm for a new song.Last Chance Texaco is the first-ever no-holds-barred account of the life of two-time Grammy Award-winner Rickie Lee Jones, in her own words. It is a tale of desperate chances and impossible triumphs, an adventure story of a girl who beat the odds and grew up to become one of the most legendary artists of her time, turning adversity and hopelessness into timeless music.With candour and lyricism, the 'Duchess of Coolsville' (Time) takes us on a singular journey through her nomadic childhood, to her years as a teenage runaway, through her legendary love affair with Tom Waits, and ultimately her longevity as the hardest working woman in rock and roll. Rickie Lee's stories are rich with the infamous characters of her early songs - 'Chuck E's in Love,' 'Weasel and the White Boys Cool,' 'Danny's All-Star Joint' and 'Easy Money' - but long before her notoriety in show business, there was a vaudevillian cast of hitchhikers, bank robbers, jail breaks, drug mules, a pimp with a heart of gold, and tales of her fabled ancestors.In this electrifying and intimate memoir by one of the most remarkable, trailblazing and tenacious women in music are never-before-told stories of the girl in the raspberry beret, a singer-songwriter whose music defied categorization and inspired pop culture for decades.Trade Review[A] gripping, lovely memoir...thrilling, funny, scary, sad, packed full of life and extraordinary characters....As a portrait of the artist as a young woman, this book could not be any more enthralling or fun to read. -- Nick Hornby * The Believer *a vivid memoir that traces the arc of her often turbulent life from unsettled childhood to uneasy fame...If Last Chance Texaco is haunted by the long shadows of the past, it is also a story of forgiveness and acceptance...Reading her wild and wonderful book, one senses that, in a very real way, music was a calling that saved her life. -- Sean O'Hagan * Observer *Throughout her pre-fame life she experienced moments of great adventure and shocking personal peril, all of which she has poured into her magnificent memoir...Very little seems off the table in this free-spirited book...It is at turns hair-raising, funny, melancholic and joyous. -- Ted Kessler * The New Cue *In this raw and roving life story, Jones depicts a child who recognized her humanity and worth even when others wouldn't, and a woman whose confidence helped her rise above heroin addiction, music-industry sexism and the traumas of her youth. * Washington Post *Candid, cosmic, so cool... An impassioned and cinematic trip through Jones's eventful life. I shouldn't be surprised that Jones manages to carry her originality, intimacy, and volcanic expressiveness into book form. * Boston Globe *Terrific... The prose is rich and rhythmic, filled with lines that are pithy ('Rickie Lee is a Frank Capra movie that had been overtaken by Stanley Kubrick') and poetic ('childhood traumas leave their dirty footprints on the fresh white snow of our happy-ever-afters')... Jones is as fearless in prose as she is on stage. * Minneapolis Star-Tribune *one of the most remarkable [memoirs] I've read from a musician, a first-person commentary on the life and early career of this extraordinary artist, full of romance and adventure, misadventure and indiscipline, anecdote and reflection - just the stuff we want from those free spirits who live the life so that we don't have to, inviting us to stand and watch in fascination, half admiring and half appalled. -- Richard Williams * The Blue Moment *One of the most compelling memoirs I've ever read... What really sucks you in, and lifts you up, is the dazzling magic of her prose. * Please Kill Me *This tender, fierce, intimate memoir is testament that Jones has lived a life as brave, idiosyncratic, and rich as her music - with love, heartbreak, addiction, and magic, sprinkled throughout. * O, the Oprah magazine *What makes this an inspiring memoir is her absorbing storytelling, facility with language and fealty to integrity - commerce be damned. * Mojo *In gorgeous prose ("I did drugs like I did everything else. On fire, with no back door") interspersed with her lyrics, this is as distinctive as she is, a rich, bracing, and candid memoir dancing with the love of language. * Booklist (starred review) *Table of Contents1: What Were the Skies like When You Were Little? 2: Juke Box Fury 3: On Saturday Afternoons in 1963 4: A Summer Song 5: The Winston Lips of September 6: The Moon Is Made of Gold 7: Gravity 8: You Never Know When You're Making a Memory 9: The Summer of 1969 10: Walk on Guilded Splinters 11: Olympia 12: Surfer Girl on the Waterbed 13: Turn Her Over and Go . . . 14: Doyt-Doyt-Venice Beach 15: Easy Money 16: Young Blood 17: The Man with the Star 18: Rickie Lee Jones 19: Saturday Night Live 20: The Bus Stop Blues 21: Jazz Side of Life 22: It Must Be Love

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Book SynopsisTelling the compelling story of the seventeenth century Naples orphans who emerged from the city's conservatori as masters of the European musical world, Child Composers in the Old Conservatory explores their training in the partimento tradition, and advocates for its revival in modern music education.Table of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction Part I - Children in Need 2. Little Boys on Their Own 3. Masters Take Up the Challenge 4. Child Labor 5. Institutionalized Apprenticeship 6. Social Class Part II - Technologies of Traning 7. Schemas and Exemplars 8. Solfeggi and the Acquisition of Style 9. Partimenti and the Power of Improvisation 10. Counterpoint and Collocation 11. Intavolature and the Techniques of Instruments. 12. Dispositions and the Mastery of Complexity Part III - Trial by Contest 13. Little Masters, Real Masters, and Masterpieces 14. The Contest Piece as a Probe of Memory 15. Affordance and the Musical Habitus 16. Predicting Creativity Within a Tradition 17. A Sickly Young Woman Speaks Elegant Harmony Part IV - Transforming Commonplaces 18. The Oval and Cross 19. A Framework for Elaboration 20. The Beaux-Arts Framework 21. A Beaux-Arts Framework for Music 22. Learning Old Music in an Age of Digital Reproduction Appendix A: For Further Study Appendix B: Movimenti, Schemas, and Exemplars Index of Names

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

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & A ROUGH TRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022SHORTLISTED FOR THE PENDERYN MUSIC BOOK PRIZE''The story of a band that''s always on the brink: of stardom, of madness, of brilliance, of disgrace'' Miranda Sawyer, Observer''You begin to wonder why more biographies aren''t tackled with such invention'' Record Collector''This book is a rarity'' Mark Lanegan''One of the finest music books in aeons'' Kevin Barry''A bruising, exhilarating read, which captures the nihilistic energy of this strange and brilliant band'' Independent''Destined to become a classic of the genre'' Louder Than War''A fastidious portrait of chaos, displacement and bad acid'' Mojo''Music book of the year? Already? Don''t bet against it'' Crack Magazine''Read it and writhe'' Spider StaceyFrom the mountains of Algeria to the sTrade ReviewThe story of a band that's always on the brink: of stardom, of madness, of brilliance, of disgrace . . . The excess disguises the true heart of Ten Thousand Apologies which is a sort of yearning, a search for enlightenment, a way to live but especially for a home -- Miranda Sawyer * Observer *A jaw-dropping rollercoaster of tragi-comic mishaps and gargantuan drug consumption * Rolling Stone UK *A bruising, exhilarating read, which captures the nihilistic energy of this strange and brilliant band * Independent *A fastidious portrait of chaos, displacement and bad acid * Mojo **** *The tale is told by award-winning writer Adelle Stripe in a striking third-person prose that gives Ten Thousand Apologies a novelistic tone, interspersed with frontman Lias Saoudi's raw, dark, mocking recollections that are also very, very funny at times . . . you begin to wonder why more biographies aren't tackled with such invention . . . There's no great redemption but it offers a quietly triumphant denouement that's more palatable than boring atonement * Record Collector **** *From Algeria to London and everywhere in between, Ten Thousand Apologies makes most books about the artist as a young man, the music biz and being in a band just a little bit pallid. Music book of the year? Already? Don't bet against it * Crack Magazine *Destined to become a classic of the genre * Louder than War *This book is a rarity, the kind I hold near and dear to my heart. The story of The Fat White Family is equal parts high comedy and deep tragedy, just like life itself -- Mark LaneganA unique concoction, full of beautiful lies and ecstatic truths - one of the finest music books in aeons -- Kevin BarryRead it and writhe -- Spider StaceyDestined to become a classic of the genre * Louder than War *

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