Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book Synopsis***With consultant editor Tony Visconti. 'An unearthed trove of Bowie treasure' - David MitchellDavid Bowie's story has never been told quite like this.Tracing the star's encounters with fellow icons throughout his life, We Could Be offers a new history of Bowie, collecting 300 short stories that together paint a portrait of humour, humility, compassion, tragedy and more besides.He teaches Michael Jackson the moonwalk. He embarrasses himself in front of Lennon and Warhol. He saves the life of Nina Simone. He also taught John McEnroe to play 'Rebel Rebel'; had run-ins with Lou Reed, Axel Rose and Liam Gallagher, and had his feet measured by Freddie Mercury at their first meeting. Individually astonishing, together these stories - including details never before revealed - build a new picture of Bowie, one which shows his vulnerability, his sense of humour, his inner diva.Exhaustively researched from thousands of sources by BBC reporter and Bowie obsessive Tom Hagler - with the guidance and memories of Bowie's long-time producer Tony Visconti - We Could Be is fascinating, comic, compelling, and a history of Bowie unlike any that has come before.Trade ReviewA fresh, illuminating portrait of a life unlike any that has come before. * David Bowie News *A fresh take on writing about David Bowie and the encounters people had with him throughout his life. * Louder Than War *Even the most well informed Bowie reader will find something new here. As we approach what would have been his 75th birthday, many a Bowie fan will enjoy this absorbing portrait. * The Edinburgh Reporter *

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Book Synopsis5/5 - CLASSIC POP 4/5 - THE TELEGRAPH Everyone has their favourite era of the Bee Gees' career, but so much is still unclear about this celebrated but often misunderstood band. This book will provide the perfect route in, pulling together every fascinating strand to tell the story of these pioneering, melancholic masters of pop. Uniquely, the Bee Gees' tale spans the entire modern pop era - they are the only group to have scored British top-ten singles in the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s - and includes world-conquering disco successes like 'Stayin' Alive' and 'More Than a Woman', both from the soundtrack of hit film Saturday Night Fever. But the Bee Gees' extraordinary career was one of highs and lows. From a vicious but temporary split in 1969 to several unreleased albums, disastrous TV and film appearances, and a demoralising cabaret season, the group weren't always revelling in the glow of million-selling albums, private jets and UNICEF concerts. Yet, even in the Gibbs' darkest times, their music was rarely out of the charts, as sung by the likes of Al Green, Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton and Diana Ross. Award winning author Bob Stanley captures the human story at the heart of the Bee Gees in this lyrical and stylish read.Trade Review'Told with the delicious lyricism and candour we've come to expect from Stanley, the band's extraordinary story is recounted In meticulous detail 5/5.' -- Classic Pop'Stanley is a wonderful guide...showing us gems of their vast catalogue with enthusiasm, insight and wit. 4/5' -- The Telegraph'A loving vindication of the band... alert to the comedy of pop star existence but also tells a deeply melancholy tale.' -- Sunday Times'Finally, the definitive biography of the Bee Gees. Bob Stanley tells one of the most extraordinary stories in the history of pop, epic and mythical, with tales of heart-stopping joy and sadness. Children Of The World does full justice to the Gibb brothers' extraordinary musical legacy. I pretty much inhaled it in one sitting.' -- Pete Paphides'The Bee Gees are my all-time favourite band. Perhaps I love them that fraction more than any other artist because I don't think their genius - or their flat-out weirdness - has ever been fully appreciated. But they are here: meticulously researched, endlessly entertaining, written with both love and a cool critical eye. Bee Gees: Children of the World wins again and again.' -- Alexis Petridis'A brilliant book.' -- Mark Ellen

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Book SynopsisTHE POWERFUL AND UPLIFTING NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERIn March 2022, much-loved pop star, father and son Tom Parker died from incurable brain cancer. This story is his legacy, in his own words.A proud working-class lad from Bolton, he rose to chart-topping fame with The Wanted and even took America by storm. A loving father to Aurelia and Bodhi and a devoted husband to Kelsey, his life after pop superstardom was all about family, friends and finding new purpose.After his diagnosis in 2020, he become a prominent campaigner for brain cancer research, appearing in the House of Commons as well as holding a massively successful concert in aid of Stand Up to Cancer in the Royal Albert Hall.Throughout it all, Tom had hope. This inspirational memoir shows how far hope and daring to dream can carry you, no matter what cards you're dealt.

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Book SynopsisComprising a vivid and varied series of miniature biographies, revealing profiles, thought-provoking essays and a multitude of previously unknown anecdotes and quotes, Hercules!: The A to Z of Elton John is the perfect compendium for the casual fan or devoted connoisseur, providing a funny, comprehensive and fully alphabetised overview of the star's life and music.Charting all the highs and lows, the major record releases and the significant tours, the strokes of genius and the bottoms of barrels, this insightful portrait will cover serious subjects such as Elton's battle with the media, his highly publicised addictions, his route to sobriety, his tangled love life and his struggles to come to terms with his sexuality, hair loss and temper. But, as Elton himself always does so well in the hundreds of interviews he has given over the past half-century, his stories will also be told frankly and humorously, his demons now conquered and his success unrelenting.And at the heart of this book is a joyride through one of the all-time greatest musical catalogues from a brilliant, versatile, glamorous and universally loved pop superstar.Trade Review'Hercules! The A to Z of Elton John comes down to us in three primary mediums: the typography, the text, and the music. Not exactly a memoir, but a memento of events that can be pieced together into one fascinating work.' -- Culture Sonar

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Book SynopsisIn 1976 the British band Throbbing Gristle emerged from the radical arts collective COUM Transmissions through core members Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, joined by Hipgnosis photographer Peter Christopherson and electronics specialist Chris Carter. Though having performed previously in more low-key arts environments, their major launch coincided with the COUM retrospective exhibition Prostitution at London’s ICA gallery, showcasing and contextualising an array of challenging objects from COUM’s various actions in performance art and pornography. In a deliberately curated strategy inviting press, civic and arts dignitaries, extravagant followers of the nascent punk scene and music journalists, the band created an instant controversy and media panic that tapped into the restrictive climate and encroaching conservatism of late 1970s Britain. Any opportunities that were being explored by a formative punk ethos and movement around sex, censorship and transgression were amplified and exposed by Throbbing Gristle and Prostitution. An outraged Member of Parliament Nicholas Fairbairn took the bait and called the ensemble the ‘wreckers of civilisation’, providing the suitable newspaper headline that would be followed a month later by ‘the filth and the fury’ as the Sex Pistols uttered strong profanities on live television. The switch from COUM to Throbbing Gristle encompassed a primary mode of expression in making music as opposed to art, to further coincide with the energy of the nascent punk scene. The band quickly developed a radically deviant and challenging reputation through pushing the punk format past its strictures in terms of lyrical themes, amateurism, and considerations of what constitutes music. Through a handful or record releases on their own label Industrial Records, and a sporadic string of live performances, the band nurtured a strong and devoted following including key journalists and fanzine editors of the punk and post-punk scenes such as Jon Savage and Sandy Robertson. The band’s style of exploring harsh pre-recorded sounds, samples of disconcerting narrative and conversation, and feeding all sounds through messy electronic processing devices gave rise to the title industrial music. This was further buttressed by performing a strictly timed set of one hour, and adopting a non-rockstar mode by appearing disinterested and preoccupied with electronic devices. Having given a name and impetus to the industrial music scene, many of their followers and fans formed bands in later years. Drawing on works such as Andy Bennett’s When the Lights Went Out, this book looks at late 1970s Britain, before, during and immediately after the Winter of Discontent, to situate the activism of Throbbing Gristle in this time. It explores how the band worked in and against the time, and how they worked in and against punk as punk worked in and against the time and place. Punk acts as a mediating factor and nuisance value, as Throbbing Gristle emerged with punk in late 1976, seemingly grappled with it through 1977, and then went on to create and eventually criticise a number of post-punk scenes that had flourished around 1979. Trowell narrates the story through a series of live performances, as this is a point where Throbbing Gristle interact with the various city-scenes around England during their original period of operation (1975-1981). The band reflected (and incorporated into their live music) key tropes form the time, both ‘mainstream’ and fringe (subcultural, avant-garde art, counter-culture, taboo subjects, extremes) such that Throbbing Gristle events had an impact and affect, and Trowell traces these as a series of impressions and reverberations amongst fans who went on to do their own music and projects. Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1. DISPLACEMENTS 2. ORIGINAL SINNERS – TOWARDS PROSTITUTION 3. IN AND AGAINST PUNK – 1977 THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS 4. ANTI-GIG – ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION, 3 MARCH 1978 5. IN THE MACHINE – WAKEFIELD COLLEGE, 1 JULY 1978 6. ANACHRONY IN THE UK – DERBY AJANTA THEATRE, 12 APRIL 1979 7. RESTLESSNESS – SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY, 10 JUNE 1980 8. ENDGAMES/AFTERLIVES REFERENCES INDEX

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

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Book SynopsisStatus Quo? All their songs sound the same and they only know three chords' Really? This retrospective of one of Britain's most successful bands takes this lazy criticism and puts it to the sword. Spanning the period 1970 to 1984, the creative peaks and troughs of all the songs recorded by 'The Frantic Four' are examined in detail by a fan who can play guitar a bit, and also knows his Bach from his byte. Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster, and John Coghlan withstood the slings and arrows of unending criticism to become a national institution, even playing to Royalty along the way. After their early, psychedelic-influenced and fleeting pop success, Quo underwent a dramatic and natural re-invention, unleashing a series of innovative albums and hit singles, such as 'Down Down' and 'Rockin' All Over The World' that established their unique sound and style. Relentless touring, changes in musical direction, unwise choices of producer, substantial substance abuse, and personality clashes, all played their part in the collapse of the classic line-up before a brand re-launch in 1986 that enjoys continued success to the present day. Status Quo - The Frantic Four Years on track examines the band's groundbreaking first era with critical detail and honest opinions.

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Book SynopsisFormed as shambolic art-punk four-piece Seymour whilst attending London's Goldsmiths University, the rechristened Blur released their debut album Leisure in 1991, marking them as promising indie upstarts in thrall to the voguish sub-genres of baggy and shoegaze. Following a radical stylistic shift on sophomore LP Modern Life Is Rubbish, Blur became a UK household name in 1994 upon the advent of their era-defining Britpop masterpiece Parklife. A year later, the infamous chart battle with arch-rivals Oasis marred number one single 'Country House', but they changed direction again on fifth album Blur - a grungier affair that yielded the transatlantic smash hit 'Song 2'. Though guitarist Graham Coxon departed during sessions for seventh album Think Tank, the original foursome reunited in 2009 for a series of triumphant comeback shows, culminating in the unexpected release of 2015's Hong Kong recorded The Magic Whip. A restlessly inventive group to file alongside other eclectic British artists such as The Beatles, David Bowie and Queen, this book explores every Blur album in detail, including all singles, B-sides and selected rarities - a comprehensive guide to one of the 1990's most successful and iconic rock bands

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Book SynopsisBeck Hansen has enjoyed three decades of success, creating an unprecedented variety of music across a labyrinth of releases that challenge conventions and push pop music boundaries. He's been individually pigeonholed as folk, anti-folk, lo-fi, alternative, hip-hop, rock, R&B, rap, country, noise, dance-pop, and electronica - by critics of only one album. Mainly, he's just Beck. Beck's free-range approach to music and art was fostered at an early age. His father is a classically trained musician, his mother lived life as art, and his grandfather was a central figure in the experimental Fluxus scene. Beck absorbed these influences, then dropped out of school at age 14 to forge his own path. Just nine years later, he became an 'overnight success' with the so-called slacker anthem 'Loser'. This book provides meticulous, chronological organization to Beck's seemingly overwhelming official recorded output, from the indie experimentation of Stereopathetic Soulmanure and One Foot in the Grave, through the commercial and critical heights of Odelay and Morning Phase, and into the mainstream successes of Guero, The Information, and Colors. Along the way, details of more than 300 songs include the expected ('Where It's At'), the underappreciated ('Rental Car'), and the obscure ('Brandon Nevins').

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Book SynopsisDiscovering The Beatles at the age of fourteen, David Paton had no idea that one day he’d work with Paul McCartney in Studio Two at Abbey Road or that he’d write a number one worldwide hit, or that he’d spend three years touring the world and recording as bass player with Elton John, including playing in his band at Live Aid. These achievements were well beyond his imagination – yet he did them. For David, making music was a joy and a privilege, but his career as a musician made it possible for him to meet and work with some of the world-famous artists that he idolised. David Paton is the singer, songwriter and bass player with the group Pilot, writing the worldwide hits ‘Magic’, ‘January’ and ‘Just a Smile’. He was a member of The Alan Parsons Project for ten years and did session work with The Pretenders, Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Chris De Burgh, Chris Rea and Jimmy Page, to name but a few. This book gives an insight into the life of a successful songwriter and session musician. He has a lot to say, but as well as telling his story, the book also offers valuable insight into what to do – and what not to do – for creative people interested in pursuing a career in music.

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Book SynopsisMost lauded for the gorgeously baroque Odessey and Oracle, and the ageless singles, 'She's Not There' and 'Time of the Season', The Zombies' were at the forefront of The British Invasion, recording music described by Tom Petty as 'so original it hurt'. The Zombies On Track voyages through every release, beginning with their first incarnation in the 1960s and uncovering how a US number one and a film appearance with Laurence Olivier were no guarantees of continued chart success. Poor publicity, unwise management and bad timing almost killed off the band; yet sublime songwriting and a lucky break with Al Kooper reanimated them... The book recounts their many afterlives, including the posthumous RIP; the story behind the 'counterfeit' Zombies; their first reunion album New World; and considers how their later version has sustained success more than the original line-up. Drawing on both archive interviews and new conversations with Argent and Blunstone to mark the release of The Zombies' latest album - the critically acclaimed Different Game - this book proves why The Zombies not only have an immortal back catalogue but are also still making vital music today.

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Book Synopsis*A Times Best Music Book of 2023 - 'For Bowie nuts this is research-heavy heaven'*'[Soligny] has talked to just about anyone who had anything to do with Bowie's music... Reading [their memories and comments] you can almost believe you're in the studio with Bowie as he tries out new ideas, fades out one sound to boost another or comes up with another of those astonishing chord changes...There are now almost as many Bowie books as there are Bob Dylan books but Rainbowman outclasses them all. Beautifully translated, [it] brings you closer to the great man than any conventional biography... Quite simply the best book there is on David Bowie.'-MAIL ON SUNDAY'This is a book unlike any other, the definitive analysis of David's music, told in a quiet natural way, but with absolute authenticity, by the people around him.' - HERMIONE FARTHINGALE'Jérôme Soligny is one of the best authorities in the world on David Bowie's career and life in general... His new biography Rainbowman is a thorough and honest account of the great man.' - TONY VISCONTI'Jérôme is a guy who is still aware that popular music is an art form and not a money suppository. He writes from the heart and is one of the last exemplars of a dying breed. The critic, armed with intelligence and brute compulsive honesty, as dangerous as a river.' - IGGY POP'Not long ago, Jérôme told me something that I find very true: "David played saxophone, guitar, a bit of keyboards, but above all, he played musicians!" I think he really hit the nail on the head.' - MIKE GARSON'If you love David Bowie - and most right thinking people do - you will really love Rainbowman. It's an absolutely biblical text. Part oral history, part essay... Jérôme seems to have spoken to just about everybody.' - STUART MACONIE, BBC Radio 6 Music'Jérôme Soligny gets new insights through the voices of those who were there, , including Bowie's 1960s girlfriend Hermione Farthingale, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Tony Visconti and many more' - Sunday TimesIn David Bowie Rainbowman, Jérôme Soligny tells the story of David Bowie the musician with the help of those intimately involved with the creation of his music.This uniquely exhaustive work on Bowie's 1967-1980 albums draws on over 150 interviews with the musicians, producers and friends who knew Bowie best, including Robert Fripp, Hermione Farthingale, Lou Reed, George Underwood, Mick Ronson, Carlos Alomar, Trevor Bolder, Mike Garson, Woody Woodmansey and many, many others. With an essay by Soligny on each album followed by oral histories from the most trusted and influential figures in Bowie's musical life, David Bowie Rainbowman is the definitive guide to a singular and mercurial genius - the Rainbowman himself.· With a foreword by Tony Visconti, an introduction by Mike Garson and cover photo by Mick Rock· A beautiful and stylish gift for Bowie fans, over 700 pages long, filled with iconic photographs and with striking cover design by BarnbrookTrade ReviewJerome is an insightful and dedicated music writer. His sense of history, detail and humanity sets him apart from the pack and his passion for the music is infectious. if you are a fan of music, David Bowie or both, Rainbowman is a must read. * Reeves Gabrels (Tin Machine and The Cure) *For almost 30 years, Jérôme has been one of the great French authorities on contemporary music. * Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music) *Jérôme has always been one of the coolest writers. He looks like a star himself and attacks his work with the same kind of verve and elan that he negotiates his life. His looks and style might fool you but beneath the haircut is an intelligence, depth and above all a cast iron belief in the life-affirming power of music. This book is a testament to that belief, a document of his passion for his art and for the art of others. * Brett Anderson (Suede) *Jérôme is one of a rare (and disappearing) breed of rock journalists whose own formidable musicality and brain blistering knowledge of the rock and pop triumph of the past fifty years stands solidly behind every word he writes. A true believer! * Elliott Murphy *So many people have written about David, yet so few have the right to do so, unlike Jerome Soligny. Jerome and David developed a rapport based on their musicianship and common outlook, that allowed conversation to flow freely and without the fear of being misunderstood. His interviews were the most revealing and also the most comfortable for David, who knew he was in good hands with Jerome. Jerome has encyclopaedic knowledge of David's music and a forensic eye for detail that underpins his next stroke of genius in this book, which is to get David's fellow musicians or friends to talk about each collaboration. In this way, the narrative and developments in David's career are built up through many authentic voices. We have a real glimpse of the flavour of each year, the hype and hyperbole stripped away, and simply the people involved speaking about their time and work with David. * Hermione Farthingale *'[Soligny] has talked to just about anyone who had anything to do with Bowie's music... Reading [their memories and comments] you can almost believe you're in the studio with Bowie as he tries out new ideas, fades out one sound to boost another or comes up with another of those astonishing chord changes...There are now almost as many Bowie books as there are Bob Dylan books but Rainbowman outclasses them all. Beautifully translated, [it] brings you closer to the great man than any conventional biography... Quite simply the best book there is on David Bowie.' * The Mail on Sunday *This is a book unlike any other, the definitive analysis of David's music, told in a quiet natural way, but with absolute authenticity, by the people around him. -- HERMIONE FARTHINGALEJérôme Soligny is one of the best authorities in the world on David Bowie's career and life in general... His new biography Rainbowman is a thorough and honest account of the great man. -- TONY VISCONTIJérôme is a guy who is still aware that popular music is an art form and not a money suppository. He writes from the heart and is one of the last exemplars of a dying breed. The critic, armed with intelligence and brute compulsive honesty, as dangerous as a river. -- IGGY POPNot long ago, Jérôme told me something that I find very true: "David played saxophone, guitar, a bit of keyboards, but above all, he played musicians!" I think he really hit the nail on the head. -- MIKE GARSONIf you love David Bowie - and most right thinking people do - you will really love Rainbowman. It's an absolutely biblical text. Part oral history, part essay... Jérôme seems to have spoken to just about everybody. -- STUART MACONIE, BBC Radio 6 MusicA completist's dream * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisLondon. Wham! Pop, glitz and glamour. And two girls with stars in their eyes.Our friendship began one windy day in 1982, outside Finsbury Park tube. It was an instant like at first sight. We were on our way to a Wham! rehearsal. Pepsi was the new girl in the band and over a car stereo, a cassette tape and that journey to Bushey we bonded. We had no idea that we were on the first of many journeys together and that soon we'd be travelling all over Europe, Australia, America, China and Japan. Or that no matter where we went, together, we'd find a way to make every exotic destination feel like home.We'd both been teenagers during the seventies – a dreary and difficult decade, especially if you were young in London and you didn't have much money.So, in 1982, anything was possible for us – a pair of twentysomethings who hadn't been to university, who didn't have any money, who dreamt of singing and dancing, but ultimately lived for fun. Everything felt new and life was a question mark. We had no idea what was lying ahead, but we wanted to say yes.What we didn't know was that we were saying yes to a lifetime of connection that has endured whatever we've done, wherever we've been. From the side of the stage to its centre – we have many stories to tell.And it's all here, it's all in black and white.Trade Review'A wonderfully nostalgic read, full of heart' * The Sun *

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Book SynopsisNew Zealand-born conductor, Warwick Braithwaite, was a seminal figure in the musical life of Britain for more than fifty years. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and went on to tour with Joseph O’Mara’s Grand Opera Company. At the time, he was believed to be the country’s youngest professional conductor. Braithwaite worked with all the major British orchestras and many of the greatest artists of his day. He was associated with important musical institutions at key moments in their development, becoming the first Musical Director of the Welsh National Orchestra, and guiding the Scottish Orchestra through the difficult years of WWII. Much of Braithwaite’s career was spent conducting opera for Sadler’s Wells, Welsh National Opera, Carl Rosa, and Covent Garden. He also worked with the Royal Ballet in London, and toured with them to Germany, France and Italy. Extensive post-war engagements took him to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Iceland and the Republic of Ireland. Editor Roger Flury, former Curator of Music at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, had unique access to Braithwaite’s archive – including the conductor’s substantial autobiography, published here for the first time. Flury contributes additional chapters covering Braithwaite’s musical legacy in Wales and his later years with Sadler’s Wells Opera. The volume is enriched with several important appendices charting Braithwaite’s family, his significant recording career, his writings and – most important of all – his many compositions. Braithwaite emerges as an unsung hero in the history of music-making in the first half of the 20th century.

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Book Synopsis‘I laughed and cried my way through this book in all its unputdownable glory. Nancy’s writing is utterly sublime.’ Julie CaplinWhen did having it all become doing it all?Penny Baker is coping. Just about.Three kids, one dog, one lovely but sometimes oblivious husband. Tick, tick tick.She is even managing to hold her own among the competitive school mums - if you don’t look too closely. But when she finds herself also caring for her elderly mother, diagnosed with dementia, the household is thrown into disarray and Penny finds herself stretched to breaking point trying to meet everyone’s needs.Can she make the new family situation work? And is there any chance of finding some space in it all for herself?Fans of Milly Johnson, Gill Sims and Alexandra Potter will adore this funny, relatable and uplifting read.Praise for The Mother of All Problems:‘Genuinely laugh-out-loud, but also deeply moving... a warm, witty, page-turner of a book.’ Kathleen Whyman‘I absolutely loved this book... funny, heartwarming and just brilliant. If you like Motherland, this is a book for you!’ Olivia Beirne‘One of the best books I have read this year. Funny and heartbreaking by turns. One to devour, rejoice in and reflect upon. An absolute triumph.’ Jenni Keer'Hilarious, heartbreaking and so relatable - a brilliant yet poignant take on the struggles of real life.' Nina Kaye‘Frank, fun and touching... crafted beautifully to tell a story many ‘sandwiched’ readers will identify with...a very special read.’ Faye Brann‘What a glorious book - warm, hilarious and utterly relatable. Nancy Peach’s writing is delicious.’ Donna Ashcroft‘Poignant yet hilarious...Prepare to laugh out loud and be moved to tears as you read this book.’ Helga Jensen‘Brilliantly written and utterly refreshing. Nancy’s writing is inspiring, quick-witted and heartbreaking in equal measure.’ Zoe Allison‘Laugh-out-loud funny but also very moving. If you’ve ever struggled to keep all the plates spinning then this is the book for you.’ Nicola Gill‘Properly hilarious and equally heartbreaking, Nancy Peach writes her acute observations of family life in the shadow of dementia both frankly and with endearing wit... a timely and relevant portrayal of today’s Sandwich Generation, brilliantly cloaked in sparkling humour and hope.’ Pernille Hughes‘Absolutely hilarious and heartwarming all at the same time.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Captivating, witty, hilarious, emotional, raw and real! One of the best books I’ve read in the last few months!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘What an absolutely beautiful story this was. I laughed out loud, I cried and I had many moments of self-reflection’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Great, totally relatable read, particularly for women of a certain age…Would highly recommend this’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘What a delightful, heartwarming book…The story was compelling and entertaining’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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