Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book SynopsisLegendary maestro Leonard Slatkin provides personal insights and offers his ideas to solve the current dilemmas of classical music.As the new millennium poses some of the greatest challenges to the relevance of the art form, Slatkin reflects on the modern evolution of classical music and presents ways for both music lovers and musicians alike to navigate these uncertain times. Classical Crossroads: The Path Forward for Music in the 21st-Century addresses a wide range of relevant and provocative topics such as performance in the era of COVID-19, shrinking audiences, the lack of classical music in public education, broken audition systems, technology replacing live concerts, and the lack of diversity in the classical music world. While the new millennium has provided great obstacles, Slatkin emphasizes that there are also new opportunitiesif there was ever a time for change in classical music, that time is now.

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Book SynopsisRoy Orbison emerged as an artist alongside his Sun Records contemporaries in the early days of rock 'n' roll. He did not possess the good looks of Elvis Presley or the everyman toughness of Johnny Cash nor did he conduct wild-child stage antics like Jerry Lee Lewis. But he did possess a magnetic mystique that would captivate fans around the world and inspire countless musicians.ÞA quiet man who k.d. lang would refer to as Buddha Orbison was more interested in building model airplanes watching films and reading books in his den than talking about himself or partying hard. Yet he was nothing shy of a superstar ä determined to succeed driven by a relentless love for music that started in childhood and blessed with some of the best pipes in the business. Standing still onstage hidden behind his perpetual Ray-Bans Orbison delivered his melodious songs with haunting emotional depth. His artful recordings mysterious image and angelic voice have left an indelible mark on popular music.ÞIn ÊRhapsody in BlackÊ John Kruth tells the story of Roy Orbison in prose as musical as the artist's melodies and does not shy away from or trivialize the personal pain alienation and tragic events that shaped Orbison's singular personality and music. Featuring interviews with people who worked closely with Orbison career-spanning photos a select discography and a new afterward for the paperback edition ÊRhapsody in BlackÊ is both celebratory and touching. It delves into the behind-the-music details of Orbison's collaborations recording sessions tours and business affairs as well as his personal life ä his roots his marriages and his children ä to present a telescopic view of his legacy.

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Book SynopsisA collection of rare and insightful images of the now-legendary rock band Metallica, taken between 1982 and 1984.

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Book SynopsisAn illuminating study of the relationship between African songs and the literature of Eastern Africa.

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Book SynopsisFrom journalist and Grammy®-nominated music producer Leo Sacks, and New York Times chief popular music critic Jon Pareles, Keeping Time places Hunstein’s photos in the context of musical and social change, adding an untold chapter to the cultural historyDon Hunstein’s images of music’s most influential artists are unforgettable. As Columbia Records’ staff photographer for more than four decades, Hunstein earned the trust and confidence of the most celebrated singers, songwriters, composers, and musicians of our time, including Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, Simon & Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Bernstein, Dave Brubeck, Tony Bennett, and Thelonious Monk, to name a few. Hunstein photographed these greats with noticeable informality, demonstrating a perpetual ease with his subjects. With his relaxed approach, he was able to glean private moments from public lives filled with fascinating, telling, and intimate details. Logging his daily assignments, Hunstein created an archive of profound images that parallel the soundtracks to our lives. To this day, his work exists as a unique record chronicling the creative efforts and energies of the world’s greatest musicians. Edited by journalist and Grammy®-nominated music producer Leo Sacks and with text by New York Times chief popular music critic Jon Pareles, Keeping Time places Hunstein’s photos in the context of musical and social change, adding an untold chapter to the cultural history of the second half of the twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisOffering a fresh perspective on one of the most prolific and well-loved catalogs of songs in the rock 'n' roll canon ÊFleetwood Mac FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Iconic Rock SurvivorsÊ digs deeper than your average music compendium and sidesteps the tediousness of most generalized band histories.ÞProfessional yet playful the book's most unique feature is its structure: a hybrid of historical breakdowns Q&As music criticism and best of lists chronicling the band's influence and legacy. No Fleetwood Mac book would be complete without addressing the sensationalism of ÊRumoursÊ or the mythic psychological breakdown of Peter Green. But ÊFleetwood Mac FAQÊ casts a wide net ä avoiding monotony for longtime fans by presenting new criticism and reporting and engaging with newcomers by addressing the most essential chapters in the band's story.ÞIncluded are interviews with former Fleetwood Mac members (guitarists Rick Vito and Billy Burnette) producers (Ken Caillat Richard Dashut John Shanks and Mike Vernon) studio crew members (Rich Feldman Ray Lindsey and Ken Perry) rock critics who've covered the group (Anthony DeCurtis) and others who've been privileged to join the band's inner circle. Sure the book touches on the band's notorious drug use romantic affairs and brutal in-fighting ä more importantly it also sheds fascinating new light on the band's innovative ever-evolving music.

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Book SynopsisNineteen seventy-seven. New York City. Dark. Dangerous. Thrilling. Punk Rock. Blondie. David Bowie. Drinking. Drugs. Happening at the speed of light.ÞSeventeen-year old Laura quaking within her skin while the bursting punk rock revolution explodes around her starts a band with her teenage friends called the Student Teachers. She's the drummer. They play legendary clubs ä CBGB Max's Kansas City Hurrah ä they rehearse madly write songs and tour the East Coast.ÞAll between final exams at school.ÞIn comes Jimmy Destri from Blondie. He thinks the Student Teachers are terrific! And then ä he falls in love with Laura. He pulls her into the glamorous life of Blondie and introduces her to David Bowie. Bowie takes an interest in Laura's band attends their rehearsals and sets them up to open for Iggy Pop at the Palladium on Halloween 1979. It's exhilarating! It's the beginning of amazing success in rock 'n' roll!ÞUntil it all comes to a stunning stop.ÞAfter playing a show at Town Hall in 1980 Laura is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Does it all fall apart?ÞLater at a dinner with Bowie he whispers something to Laura. And it helps her save her life.ÞIn prose that flows like music Laura Davis-Chanin presents a rich work of narrative nonfiction that is not only deeply personal but also revealing of the punk rock heyday in New York City. Infused with rare photographs this book is a journey through a unique ephemeral life experience.

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Book SynopsisA lively and engaging chronicle of the triumphant rise of Sharon Jones ä one of the most authentic purveyors of American soul music since James Brown ä ÊLong Slow Train: The Soul Music of Sharon Jones and the Dap-KingsÊ traces her roots from gospel to soul to funk and beyond.ÞAfter many years of struggling on the periphery of the music industry and being told by label executives and producers that she was too short too old too fat and too black to make it as a headlining performer Jones was finally discovered in 1996 by the Brooklyn-based revivalist label ÊDaptone RecordsÊ. The rest is ÊherstoryÊ. As the dynamic frontline singer for the stellar soul band the Dap-Kings Jones's career ascended rapidly establishing both the band and the label with a cult-like following for her special brand of gospel funk.ÞFrom 2002 until 2016 when Jones succumbed to pancreatic cancer she and her band toured globally and released a flock of singles and eight full-length albums. (During that time they were also tapped by Amy Winehouse's producer Mark Ronson to be the studio outfit for their Grammy Award-winning album ÊBack to BlackÊ.) In 2015 Jones was profiled in the popular documentary Miss Sharon Jones! directed by Barbara Kopple as the unstoppable soul queen continued to deliver explosive live concert performances even while undergoing medical treatment.ÞThis book offers a heartfelt appreciation for a bighearted star who beat the odds and did it all ÊherÊ way.

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Book SynopsisPianist Mike Garson was David Bowie's most frequent musician on record and onstage throughout Bowie's life. They played over a thousand shows together between 1972 and 2004 and Garson is featured on over 20 of Bowie's albums. ÊBowie's Piano ManÊ is the first-ever biography of Mike Garson written by Clifford Slapper a fellow pianist who also played for Bowie working closely with him on his last-ever television appearance. The book explores the special relationship between Garson and Bowie beginning with the extraordinary story of how Garson went overnight from playing in tiny jazz clubs to touring the world on arena rock tours with Bowie after one short phone call and audition.ÞA noted master of jazz classical and other genres Garson has composed thousands of original works and has taught countless students acting as mentor to many. ÊBowie's Piano ManÊ explores his roots and childhood in Brooklyn his ongoing strong presence in the jazz world and his collaborations with a huge range of other artists in addition to Bowie. Touring and recording with the Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails are given in-depth attention as is his approach to teaching and creating music. Explored in detail in particular is his commitment to improvisation as a form of composition a manifestation of his more general dedication to living in the moment and always moving forward ä a trait he shared with Bowie.

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Book SynopsisOther people locked themselves away and hid from their demons. Townes flung open his door and said, 'Come on in. So writes Harold Eggers, Townes Van Zandt's longtime road manager and producer, in My Years with Townes Van Zandt: Music, Genius, and Rage a gripping memoir revealing the inner core of an enigmatic troubadour, whose deeply poetic music was a source of inspiration and healing for millions but was for himself a torment struggling for dominance among myriad personal demons. Townes Van Zandt often stated that his main musical mission was to write the perfect song that would save someone's life. However, his life was a work in progress he was constantly struggling to shape and comprehend. Eggers says of his close friend and business partner that like the master song craftsman he was, he was never truly satisfied with the final product but always kept giving it one more shot, one extra tweak, one last effort. A vivid, first-hand account exploring the source of the singer's prodigious talent, widespread influence, and relentless path toward self-destruction, My Years with Townes Van Zandt presents the truth of that all-consuming artistic journey told by a close friend watching it unfold.

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Book SynopsisA compelling narrative woven out of interviews with who knew him, The Prodigal Rogerson, explains what happened to Rogerson against the backdrop of Los Angeles punk scene in its prime.

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Book SynopsisTo wander the streets of a bankrupt, often lawless, New York City in the early 1970s wearing a T-shirt with PLEASE KILL ME written on it was an act of determined nihilism, and one often recounted in the first reports of Richard Hell filtering into the pre-punk UK. Pete Astor, an archly nihilistic teenager himself at the time, was most impressed. The fact that it emerged (after many years) that Hell himself had not worn the T-shirt but had convinced junior band member Richard Lloyd to do so, actually fitted very well with Astor’s older, wiser self looking back at Blank Generation. Richard Hell was an artist who could not only embody but also frame the punk urge; having seeded and developed the essential look and character of punk since his arrival in New York in the late 1960s, he had just what was needed to make one of the defining records of the era. This study combines objective, academic perspectives along with culturally centred subjectivities to understand the meanings and resonances of Richard Hell and the Voidoids’ Blank Generation.Trade ReviewThe 33 1/3 book series started in 2003, analyzing 'seminal' rock albums in the manner of great literature novels-but also adding the personal insights that only the true rock n' roll fan can deliver. #92 looks at Richard Hell and the Voidoids' Blank Generation (1977). On the heels of #91, on Gang of Four's Entertainment (1979) the releases really are two of a pair-the arch “art punk” statements of the '70s-though Gang of Four is more political and Richard Hell thoroughly nihilistic. The analytical approach can have its pitfalls: Astor is so intent on the importance of listening on vinyl that he traces the history of recording technology back to Edison, to make the point that the album has to be heard on that medium. But Astor brilliantly places Blank Generation in the 70's lower East Side New York art world, with all the squalor evoked by Richard Hell's songs, as well as depicting Hell as a poet with a comprehensive artistic vision. In his own way, Hell was the voice of a generation. * SLUG Magazine *Table of ContentsPreface Vision Culture Artefact Worlds Persona Texts Words Postscript

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Book SynopsisThis book marks the tenth anniversary of The Grey Album. The online release and circulation of what Danger Mouse called his ‘art project' was an unexpected watershed in the turn-of-the-century brawls over digital creative practice. The album's suppression inspired widespread digital civil disobedience and brought a series of contests and conflicts over creative autonomy in the online world to mainstream awareness. The Grey Album highlighted, by its very form, the profound changes wrought by the new technology and represented the struggle over the tectonic shifts in the production, distribution and consumption of music. But this is not why it matters. The Grey Album matters because it is more than just a clever, if legally ambiguous, amalgam. It is an important and compelling case study about the status of the album as a cultural form in an era when the album appears to be losing its coherence and power. Perhaps most importantly, The Grey Album matters because it changes how we think about the traditions of musical practice of which it is a part. Danger Mouse created a broad, inventive commentary on forms of musical creativity that have defined all kinds of music for centuries: borrowing, appropriation, homage, derivation, allusion and quotation. The struggle over this album wasn't just about who gets to use new technology and how. The battle over The Grey Album struck at the heart of the very legitimacy of a long recognised and valued form of musical expression: the interpretation of the work of one artist by another.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Grey Album in a Post-Album World. Chapter 1: Music, Incorporated. New World, Old Industry. Selling the Album, Destroying the Single. Crowds, Clouds and Idols. Chapter 2: Danger Mouse v. Capitol, Capitol v. Music. The Aesthetic Practices of the Powerful. From Fair Use to Safe Harbors. Ownership Rights, Authorship Rights and Natural Rights to Music. Chapter 3: The Aesthetics of The Grey Album. The Aesthetic Legitimacy of The Grey Album. The Musical Traditions That Shaped The Grey Album. Musical Fidelity and Sample-Based Music. Chapter 4:The Music of The Grey Album. The Legacies of The Beatles and The Black Album. The Making of The Grey Album. The Flow of The Grey Album. Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisFrom his early Liverpool days, through the historic decade of The Beatles, to Wings and his long solo career, The Lyrics pairs the definitive texts of 154 songs by Paul McCartney with first-person commentaries on his life and music. Spanning two alphabetically arranged volumes, these commentaries reveal how the songs came to be and the people who inspired them: his devoted parents, Mary and Jim; his songwriting partner, John Lennon; his “Golden Earth Girl”, Linda Eastman; his wife, Nancy McCartney; and even Queen Elizabeth II, amongst many others. Here are the origins of “Let It Be”, “Lovely Rita”, “Yesterday”, and “Mull of Kintyre”, as well as McCartney’s literary influences, including Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll and Alan Durband, his secondary school English teacher. With images from McCartney’s personal archives—handwritten texts, paintings and photographs, hundreds previously unseen—The Lyrics, spanning sixty-four years, is the definitive literary and visual record of one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Young wasn't so much on the charts for the best part of three decades: he and his musical partner Harry Vanda were the charts. George's journey began with the trailblazing Easybeats and continued, alongside Harry, as producer/songwriter for hire with John Paul Young, The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Cheetah, Ted Mulry, Stevie Wright and, most crucially, AC/DC. George and Harry also struck gold with Flash and the Pan, almost by accident.George Young helped create such classics as 'Friday on My Mind', 'Sorry', 'Love is in the Air', 'Evie', 'Yesterday's Hero', 'Down Among the Dead Men', 'Hey, St. Peter', 'Bad Boy for Love', 'Jailbreak' and 'It's a Long Way to the Top'. In 2001, APRA voted 'Friday on My Mind' the best and most significant Australian song of the past 75 years.In this long-overdue book, the first to focus exclusively on the life and work of George Young, writer Jeff Apter explores George's long and fruitful association with Harry; his rare ability to maintain a stable married life with his wife Sandra; and his handshake deal with Ted Albert that helped create a music empire. The book also reveals such little-known events as the accident that almost killed off 'Hey, St. Peter' before its release, and the tragedy that bonded George and Harry for life.

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Book SynopsisOften compared to David Bowie and Mick Jagger, Doc Neeson was hailed as a 'messianic rock god'.He was thumping, pumping, sweaty hard rock. He commanded the stage. He was unstoppable. He was terrifying. He was wild. He was a legend. And as their front man, Doc propelled the Angels to become the highest paid band in Australia in the 1980s and 1990s. With massive album sales in Australia and a US record deal, global superstardom seemed assured . . . but then everything started to fall apart.This is Doc's story with the highs, the lows, the girls, the booze, the drugs, the tours, the good deeds, the crazy antics, the dark days and the great split that shattered the Angels. When he died in 2014 from a brain tumour, a black veil came down over a generation of Australian rock fans.

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Book SynopsisFour Grammys. 20 US Number Ones. A Hollywood marriage. Who wouldn't want to be Keith Urban?Keith Urban came from humble origins. His father worked at the local tip and Keith was a high school dropout. But Keith had a plan: conquering Nashville. 'It's my destiny,' he said. And Keith was hell-bent on scaling that musical Everest. Whatever it took.It didn't come easy. Keith served his apprenticeship in the beer barns of Australia and his early trips to America were disastrous. But he never gave up, settling in Nashville in the 1990s and forming The Ranch. When the band fell apart, so did Keith, ending up in rehab (not for the last time). But Keith did eventually reach the top, through a combination of talent, charisma, sex appeal, dogged perseverance-and skin thick enough for a rhino. And along the way he married Nicole Kidman.As Keith has said, 'All those detours, especially the really dark ones, got me to where I am now. I would not want to change one leaf on any tree in the whole journey.'Keith Urban is the definitive biography of an Australian superstar.

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Book SynopsisA white rock 'n' roll guitarist on stage with the Godfather of Soul.

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Book Synopsis35 concerts. 17,000 motorcycle miles. Three months. One lifetime. Now in paperback.

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Book SynopsisPart two of the definitive biography of the rock 'n' roll kings of the North

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Book SynopsisFrom humble beginnings Adele has come to be a globally recognised icon. Her first album shot her to fame and the second consolidated her position as a singing/songwriting superstar with lasting, global appeal. She has already won more than 40 industry awards, including 11 Billboard Music Awards, a BRIT award, and eight Grammy awards. She has broken record after record: first artist to sell more than 3m albums in a year in the UK, first living artist to have two top five hits in both the UK singles and albums charts simultaneously since the Beatles, the first artist in history to lead the Billboard chart concurrently with three number ones, 21 is the longest running number one album by a female solo artist on the UK chart and in the US it held the top position for longer than any other album since 1993.

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Book SynopsisIn Waiting For The Man, Jeremy Reed focuses on Lou Reed as rock's principal literary avatar, paying special attention to his controversial lyrics and prototypical garage sound. Lou Reed influenced generations of copyists that took note of his outlaw status, ambiguous sexual orientation characterised by his seventies relationship with the transvestite Rachel, his implacable mystique, cool and defiant attitude as the narrator of subcultures. Finally the book examines the transcendent, if reluctant calm, that Reed arrived at in later life. Taking in the sweep of Reed's career from Velvet Underground to the variants of forty years of resistant solo pioneering, Waiting For The Man accesses the man and his music, with the extraordinary perception and attention to detail.Trade Review"All the books about me are bullshit except Jeremy's" - Lou Reed

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Book SynopsisIn a world of boy bands and manufactured pop, Jake Bugg's simply-strummed tales of life on the council estate where he grew up have connected with music fans around the world. Bugg has turned the music industry inside out with the unexpected success of his country folk songs with a rockabilly twist. He's taken the sounds of the 1950s and 60s into the 21st century. But how did a teenager from Nottingham - a city whose music scene was previously notable for one hit wonders and novelty records - go from the bottom of the bill to the top in such a short space of time? Journalist David Nolan has immersed himself in the Nottingham music scene and tracked down the key players who helped Jake along the way. Here, for the first time, is Bugg's story, in this unofficial biography. Jake Bugg: is he The Council Estate Bob Dylan, The Cockiest Lonnie Donegan Wannabe in Nottingham or The King of the Clifton Delta? Maybe he's all three.

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Book SynopsisDuncan Ferguson. David Moyes. Paul McCartney. A father and a son. A passion for Everton, and a passion for The Beatles. Blues & Beatles is a story of football and music across the generations, showing in touching and hilarious detail how a young boy inherited his father's obsessions - and would one day pass them on to his own sons. A journalist like his father, Neil Roberts has special access to his beloved football club, so his heartfelt memoir includes glimpses within the inner sanctum of Goodison Park as well as every unforgettable Everton moment since the 1980s, all soundtracked by the Fab Four. Along the way, Neil meets his heroes - including musical as well as Everton icons - and reveals intriguing connections to Dixie Dean and a famous Victorian footballer. But above all, Blues & Beatles is a story of football and music shared by father and son. Described by Everton fans' website Blue Kipper as "a fantastic read [which] covers every Everton 'moment' from the 70's to date carefully captured in detail."

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Book Synopsis"Don't live life worrying about it, just T. Rex the shit out of it." - Sylvain Sylvain The New York Dolls were called many things; glam, proto-punk, hard rock, but are probably best understood as a "dirty rock & roll" band. Combining an aggressively androgynous style with street smart New York attitude and campy humour, the New York Dolls ushered in the era of CBGBs, heroin chic, loud guitars and referential lyrics which gave rise to Patti Smith, The Ramones, Television and many more. Fans of the band range from Guns N' Roses to Morrissey, who organised the reformation of the band when he curated Meltdown festival in 2004. Sylvain Sylvain was there from the start, and this is his story. Taking in his early life in New York, the rise, fall and rise again of the New York Dolls, and all his misadventures between, There's No Bones in Ice Cream is the true story of one of rock's greatest, told in his own authentic voice. "In any great band it's often The Quiet One who has the best stories. There's No Bones in Ice Cream would be a superb book even if Sylvain worked in a bank. As it is it's one of the best rock biographies ever. Ten out of ten" - Classic Rock

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Book SynopsisMetallica's ascension from thrash metal obscurity to becoming arguably one of the greatest rock bands the world has ever known, can be directly attributed to its lead singer and guitarist, James Hetfield. Having sold 110 million records worldwide and with an impressive eight Grammy Awards to their name, Metallica is undoubtedly a commercial triumph, but what of the man behind the music? Of Metal and Man is the newly revised biography of this rock legend, offering an exclusive insight into the life and career of one of Metallica's founding members. Author Mark Eglinton charts the hidden complexities of the relationships within the band, exploring the effects that global fame has had on Hetfield and his cohorts. Eglinton sheds light on both the highs of worldwide success and the lows of addiction and alcohol abuse, giving details of exclusive first-hand interviews with key figures from the band's inner circle. Dramatic and compelling, and now with newly updated material, this is the definitive biography of James Hetfield - singer-songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of a band which has changed the face of rock, the world over.

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Book SynopsisA relentless innovator, scoring chart hits while simultaneously incorporating radical and ground-breaking elements into his work.As with all great pop stars, Bowie's image changed with almost every new album release. This appetite for reinvention, both musically and visually, saw him dubbed the 'chameleon of pop'. But Bowie's influence extended well beyond his discography and make-up drawer. His androgynous qualities and public statements on his sexuality proved liberating for those who were uncertain about their own. Lives of the Musicians: David Bowie covers the years he spent struggling to find the right artistic outlet to the dramatic breakthrough in 1972 with Ziggy Stardust - and afterwards, the excessive lifestyle that nearly cost him his sanity. It continues with his artistic rebirth in Berlin during the late Seventies, the mainstream success he achieved with Let's Dance in 1983 and the artistic price that he paid for it.

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Book SynopsisCan Lark take the path of the woman who went before her and learn to follow her heart?Lark is a much-loved forces sweetheart spreading comfort as she sings in the music halls while Scotland’s sons fight in the Great War. But despite her fortune, Lark yearns for a life away from the crowds. She sets out to make a fresh start in the Border country seeking the contentment that has eluded her.Decades earlier, Lark’s great-grandmother, Jane, found herself in the same hills, in unhappy circumstances. Yet the beauty of the land brought peace to her when all hope seemed lost.A poignant and atmospheric multigenerational saga for fans of Val Wood and Tessa Barlcay.Trade ReviewThere are currently no reviews for this title/product

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Book SynopsisSo, this is me. Lily Allen.I am a woman.I am a mother.I was a wife.I drink.I have taken drugs.I have loved and been let down.I am a success and a failure.I am a songwriter.I am a singer.I am all these things and more.When women share their stories, loudly and clearly and honestly, things begin to change - for the better.This is my story.Narrated by Lily Allen. This audio edition is an MP3 CD.Trade ReviewAn unflinching, unputdownable book * Guardian *A fascinating and very honest read * Stylist *Blunt, brave and honest * The Pool *She doesn't hold back * Irish Times *Shockingly frank * Metro *Candid and amusing * Observer *Her book might be the most explosive celebrity memoir ever * Heat *A fresh, direct voice, used bravely, with nuance and style... Uniquely candid * New Statesman *[Lily] writes with a rawness that leaves you breathless. An emotionally hefty read, it's hard not to be hooked * The Herald *Allen has a flair for storytelling... [My Thoughts Exactly] should be required reading for anyone who dreams of fame * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis"This historically important tome is a stunner from the off, the resplendent glittery hardback exterior merely teasing at the delights within... 'The End Is Near' is an indispensable collection of images from a unique rock 'n' roll moment, beautifully presented." - Phil Singleton. God Save the Sex Pistols. Christmas Day 1977, a day to be spent with family and loved ones, unless of course you'd decided to spend it with The Sex Pistols. The punk band, at the centre of a tabloid frenzy and banned from just about every venue in the country, had booked themselves into a small club in Huddersfield to perform a benefit in support of striking West Yorkshire fire fighters. That evening, the band took to the stage to perform what would become their final UK gig. There to capture the chaos was photographer Kevin Cummins. No stranger to The Sex Pistols, he'd been there at that gig at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall just 18 months previously. Kevin incurred the fury of his own family to forgo Christmas in order to travel across The Pennines to document the event. Every frame Kevin shot is here, for the first time, in this book of more than 150 colour and black and white photographs, each beautifully capturing Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook as they play together for the last time in their home country. Just weeks later The Pistols would break up and a year later, Sid would be dead. "You've had the Queen's speech. Now you're going to get the Sex Pistols at Christmas. Enjoy." - Johnny RottenTrade Review"A book filled with 150 colour and black and white photographs, in which Cummins expertly captures the passion and power of Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, Paul Cook, and Steve Jones." -- Far Out Magazine"It was a gig that now sounds unlikely. Britain’s most notorious punk band, the Sex Pistols, performing at Ivanhoe’s nightclub in Huddersfield on Christmas Day, 1977…There to photograph the Pistols that evening for weekly music magazine the NME was Kevin Cummins." -- Yorkshire Post

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Book SynopsisA down-and-dirty chronicle of the birth and evolution of the Seattle grunge scene—from amateur skate parks and underground hardcore clubs to worldwide phenomenon—as told by one of its founding fathers and lead guitarist of legendary alternative rock band, Mudhoney. In the late 80s and early 90s, Steve Turned and his friends—Seattle skate punks, hardcore kids, and assorted misfits—started forming bands in each other’s basements and accidentally created a unique sound that spread far beyond their once-sleepy city. Mud Ride offers an inside look at the tight-knit grunge scene, the musical influences and experiments that shaped the grunge sound, and the story of Turner's bands, Green River and Mudhoney, which went from underground flophouse shows to selling out stadiums with Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Including stories about the key moments, musicians, and albums from grunge's beginnings to its come-down from the highs of global success and stardom, this is the first account of the musical phenomenon that took over the world from someone who was there for it all. Written by Steve Turner, lead guitarist of Mudhoney, a foundational grunge band that inspired musical icons from Kurt Cobain to Sonic Youth, Mud Ride features a foreword by Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and never-before-seen photographs and grunge memorabilia throughout. Take a seat and ride through the messy and muddy grunge scene that grew from the basements of the Northwest and went on to circle the globe.

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Book SynopsisAlthough his activity as a recording artist spanned a period of just three years, from 1967, the year of his arrival in England from America to 1970, the year of his death, Jimi Hendrix created a body of work that has exerted a significant influence on a number of artists in the 20th century and beyond. A headline-grabbing, explosive performer, he is widely recognized as an innovative guitarist who broadened the vocabulary of his instrument through both his technique and daring use of technology. For several generations of critics and audiences, he remains the archetypal rock star who framed his immeasurable talent with lifestyle excesses inherent to his profession. Hear My Train A Comin' seeks to appraise Hendrix's legacy in different terms. His ability as a soloist is undeniable, but it is not necessarily the defining aspect of his genius. This book focuses on Hendrix the songwriter, a superlative storyteller who was able to combine melody, lyric and arrangement in order to create pieces that take pride of place in the pantheon of post-war popular music. Why do anthems such as Crosstown Traffic, The Wind Cries Mary, Little Wing, Voodoo Child [Slight Return] Purple Haze or Foxy Lady still affect us today? They alchemize word and sound. These are just a few examples of Hendrix crafting a composition in the most complete sense of the term, making judicious decisions with regard to mood, texture, contrast and overall orchestral richness, looking at his basic resource, the guitar-bass-drums set up as a unit to be enhanced by a range of other instruments and studio production. This book investigates the artist's immense creativity, and the intriguing relationship he had with the art of song, a platform for a multitude of ideas and improvisation.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part 1: The Song And Jimi Hendrix Part 2: The Songs Of Jimi Hendrix Part 3: The Songs From JImi Hendrix

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Book SynopsisTakes key elements and subjects surrounding 'DC and presents them in alphabetical order, with each entry illustrated accordingly.

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Book SynopsisRemembered in his native Ireland primarily as a harpsichordist and interpreter of Bach’s music, and in the UK as a conductor of the ground-shaking early music group Musica Reservata, John Beckett also composed avant-garde incidental music, performed on several instruments and was an authoritative, if controversial, conductor. Music was not his only passion: he was interested in films, the theatre, art and pottery, and loved to travel. His varied career included devising music programmes for Radio Éireann, writing for The Bell magazine, working in Dublin’s Pike Theatre, presenting and performing for the BBC Third Programme, composing music for his famous cousin Samuel Beckett, founding Musica Reservata, conducting Bach cantata concerts in Dublin over a ten-year period, and working as a producer and presenter for BBC Radio 3. Despite his reputation as a gruff, confrontational individual with a fondness for Guinness, whiskey and garlic, he made many friends and was familiar with Dublin’s intellectual, musical and bohemian milieu, such as the writers Aidan Higgins, Anthony Cronin, Patrick Kavanagh, Brendan Behan and James Plunkett, composers E.J. Moeran and Frederick May, counter-tenor Alfred Deller, musician John O’Sullivan, Desmond MacNamara, Ralph Cusack, singer and sculptor Werner Schürmann, publisher John Calder and musician David Cairns. Complex, self-deprecating and private, John’s character and achievements are examined with detail garnered from information both published and in archival collections in Ireland and the UK. Recollections from those who knew him at different stages of his life enliven this fascinating biography. The book also examines the development of Musica Reservata, and contains excerpts from unpublished letters written by Samuel Beckett. Extracts from correspondence between John and James Plunkett, Aidan Higgins, Arland Ussher and music critic Charles Acton are also included.

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Book SynopsisNo Better Boy tells the story of a master of traditional Irish music: the legendary East Clare fiddler Paddy Canny, whose haunting music was remarkable for its virtuosity and sophistication. In the 1950's, when he was in his thirties, and at the pinnacle of his career, Paddy Canny became an international radio star, played solo in Carneige Hall, toured England with the renowned Tulla Ceili Band, and made a much-loved recording. All were extraordinary achievements for a man raised on a marginal farm, where the gramophone records that inspired him were accessible only through the good grace of neighbours. In richly evocative prose, Helen O'Shea distils stories of success and adversity that Paddy Canny told to family and friends, to radio interviews and historians. These stories illuminate the rural life in mid-twentieth-century Ireland, major social and economic changes, and the decline and revival of traditional music and dancing. A compelling story told with passion and insight, this is a book for readers with an interest in Ireland's social history and for music lovers everywhere. No Better Boy includes annotated transcriptions of music played by Paddy Canny and his contemporaries, sourced from archives and personal collections as well as commercial recordings.Trade Review‘A “must-read” for anyone who loves traditional music. Paddy Canny was a master fiddle player who was reluctant to seek attention for his craft. Helen O'Shea's portrait offers insights into his rural background, his musical influences, the peers he engaged with, and how his musical values shaped his style. The book is beautifully illustrated and the musical transcriptions will be welcomed by practitioners who appreciate the nuances in the art form. No Better Boy is a remarkable achievement.’ Liam O'Connor, Director, Irish Traditional Music Archive‘This book is a delight. Helen O'Shea captures intimately the musical, physical and personal landscapes of East Clare as if they were her own. I found myself, my locale, and the people and the music I know and love, illuminated in new and wonderful ways.’ Paula Carroll, Broadcaster and Oral Historian‘The playing on the recording I am hearing is nearly as ebullient and restless as [Michael] Coleman’s, but Canny could squeeze a note to make it cry at nearly the same speed, with an exquisitely tasteful glissando, and he let the subtlest decrescendo fall with a nearly imperceptible slackening of the pace to end a phrase. O’Shea has said just about all that can be said about these matters, and said it well.’ The Journal of Music‘[This] beautifully illustrated tome goes to the heart of the man and his music.’ Fiona McGarry, Clare Champion‘No Better Boy provides a profound and compelling picture of Canny’s life and music, accessible to non-musicians and musicians alike. O’Shea’s prose style bears a certain kinship to Canny’s music, at once lyrical and economical … this is a meticulously researched piece of writing … her diligence as an oral historian must be applauded [and her] command of narrative and imagery leaves such a profound emotional impact. One of the most interesting aspects of the book is its depiction of the series of technological and cultural revolutions that reshaped Irish traditional music in the 20th century.’ Matthew Horsley, Tinteán‘Helen O'Shea has written a splendid and multi-layered book, blending text, image and music. The Lilliput Press have produced a very handsome book; it is most attractive to the eye and to the holding hand. Paddy Canny is most fortunate in having Helen O'Shea as his recording angel.’ Peter Beirne'This is a tastefully-written and presented, musically-competent, expert and tender chronicle of an exceptional, pre-Revival-days player who loved his music, and was aware of the limitations living in Ireland implied. It is tremendous that Helen O’Shea now brings it into the light of day. [Her] twenty or so detailed tune transcriptions and much music analysis make tremendous sense of Paddy Canny as a stylist, his technique, and composition and arrangement ingenuity. This makes the work much more than a personal tale set in an evocative historical landscape. It is the story of a musician among his peers, in his community—with his unique music.' Fintan Valley, Companion to Irish Traditional Music'A richly enlightening journey through the life and times of one of Ireland’s most important fiddle players.' Martin Dowling, The Journal of Music'The book is a tremendous accomplishment, and we in the world of Irish trad are all indebted to you.' Steve Jones, musician, Montreal'A wonderful contribution to the social history of traditional music.' Geoff Wooff, musician and uilleann pipes maker'The texture and tone of the prose is like softly woven tweed. Tactile. It’s so gentle and filled with utter respect for the lives lived in that musical locale.' Máire Winters, Galway

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Book SynopsisBrian Wilson is a musical genius. Ever since British press agent Derek Taylor launched a publicity campaign with that theme to promote the landmark LP Pet Sounds in 1966, some variation of that claim has been obligatory when discussing the significance of the Beach Boys' founder and chief composer. Originally designed to liberate Wilson from his outmoded image as a purveyor of sun-and-surf teen pop so the symphonic sophistication of his music might be properly appreciated, the assertion has been repeated so often in the forty-plus years since as to render it virtually meaningless. Indeed, if anything, the label today seems an albatross around the man's neck, inasmuch as Wilson's slow-but-steady reemergence as a working musician since 1998 after three decades of mental illness and drug abuse, has been freighted with expectations that he again produce something as epochal as Good VibrationsA" to justify the adoration he inspires in impassioned defenders. Brian Wilson interrogates this and other paradigms that stymie critical appreciation of Wilson's work both with the Beach Boys and as a solo artist.This is the first study of Wilson to eschew chronology in favor of a topical organization that allows discussion of lyrical themes and musical motifs outside of any prejudicial presumptions about their place in the trajectory of his career. The meanings of Brian Wilson's work have tended to be determined by the well-known storyline of his rise, fall, and redemption.A" From abused child to seemingly unstoppable hit-maker to eccentric with a living-room sandbox to the 300-pound Orson Wells of rockA" to the heavily medicated Icarus figure with the full-time Svengali psychiatrist to his current incarnation as a fragile, elder-statesman survivor, Brian Wilson has, quite simply, lived the most celebrated bizarre life in pop music. Its sheer Shakespearean proportions have overshadowed a beauty and gentleness of spirit that is as vibrant in Farmer's DaughterA" (1963) as it is in recent efforts such as Live Let LiveA" (2008).While no one would disagree that Wilson peakedA" in 1966 with Pet Sounds his current CD, That Old Lucky Sun (2008), finds him creating beautiful music steeped in Americana that deserves discussion on its own terms rather than as a coda to the accomplishments of his gold-record youth.Table of ContentsPreface Abbreviations Introduction: Beyond Biography, Beyond Superlatives Chapter One: 'I Hear the Sound of a Gentle Word': Lyrical Themes and Gestures Chapter Two: 'A Companion for Your Lonely Soul: Musical and Sonic Motifs Chapter Three: 'I'm the Pied Piper: The Peculiar Appeal of Brian Wilson Notes Discography Works Cited

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Book SynopsisThis book explores how funk emerged in the mid-1960s at the very apex of the civil rights movement and shows how this music mirrored the broader changes taking place within the African-American community at a crucial political time and continues to this day to underpin remix culture. It traces the extent of the Brown legacy, musically, culturally and otherwise articulating decisive links between Brown's work and the DJ culture that embraced it so emphatically that Brown is now considered to be the most widely sampled African-American recording artist in history; indeed, we seem to have reached a point where many of Brown's refrains - the screams, the horn stabs, the "funky drummer" breakbeats - have been sampled so often as to have seemingly become part of the public domain. Traversing the past forty years of popular music, the book explores how the ubiquitous presence of Brown's groove, the affective and transformative capacities of a grunt or a well-timed "Good God" or punctuating scream take over where language fails and compel even the most sedate listener to take to the floor.Table of Contents1. A Musical Future 2. The Early Years 3. The Soul Era 4. The Foundations of Funk 5. The Godfather of Post-Soul

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Book SynopsisThis superb new collection of photographs shows a fascinating variety of blues, folk and rock performers as they appeared at events across North America during the second half of the 20th century. The pictures were all taken by Herb Wise, a man who learned his craft from his friend David Gahr, the revered photographer of American folk music performers. Gradually Herb Wise too became a fixture at many of the leading music festivals and, over the years, his easy, unobtrusive style resulted in a wealth of revealing and affectionate photographs. Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Joan Baez, Taj Mahal, John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Steve Winwood, Blondie and many more are all featured, performing or relaxing, onstage and off.Trade Review"In vivid portraits and powerful performance shots, Wise seized moments with some of the best-known artists in the folk, pop, rock, jazz and blues worlds." - Professional Photographer

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Book SynopsisAll the sonatas, fantasies, rondi, as well as the most important variation sets and assorted pieces are included. Michael Davidson guides us through each composition addressing specific aspects and problems, offering practical advice and interesting alternatives as well as historical background and formal analysis when relevant to interpretation.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The need for this Guide; 1. Using This Guide; 2. Traditions, Myths, Fashions, Some Conclusions; 3. Mozart's First Compositions for Piano; 4. Sonatas in C (K279), in F (K280) and B-flat (K281); 5.Sonatas in E-flat (K282) and G (K283); 6. Sonata in D (K284); 7. Sonatas in C (K309) and D (K311); 8. Sonata in A minor(K310); 9. Mozart in Vienna - Variation sets written before 1785; 10. Sonata in C major (K330); 11. Sonata in A major(K331); 12. Sonata in F major (K332); 13. Sonata in B-flat major (K.333); 14. The Fantasies (K394, K397 and K475); 15. Sonata in C minor (K457); 16. The Rondi (K485, K494 and K511); 17. Sonatas (K533 and K545); 18. 1789: Sonatas in B-flat (K570) and D (K576); 19. Four Assorted Pieces for Piano; Epilogue; Notes; Bibliography; Index

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