Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Book SynopsisPacked with rare photographs and stunning on-the-page facsimile memorabilia, this book provides an insight into the unique journey of one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century - Elvis Presley. Follow the incredible story of the man they call the ?King of Rock and Roll." Elvis Presley?s life and career are shown, from his carefree beginnings at Sun Records in the 1950s to global superstardom. In addition, the book features rare interviews with the legendary Elvis guitarist Scotty Moore, Drummer DJ Fontana, and Elvis?s loyal backing singers the Jordanaires. To bring you even closer to the King the book features a wide variety of superb on-the-page rare memorabilia and documents from the archives, including tour posters, personal letters, publicity material, and fascinating items and tickets from his greatest gigs and best albums.

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Book Synopsis This is the first full-length biography of Keith Relf, frontman for the Yardbirds and one of the great tragic characters in rock history. Keith''s moody vocals and harmonica helped to define the Yardbirds'' sound on a string of innovative hit records in the 1960s that influenced garage rock, psychedelia, blues rock, hard rock and heavy metal. Numerous books have been written about the Yardbirds'' famous guitarists--Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page--yet Keith has remained a mysterious and elusive figure since his death by electrocution at age 33. A deeply private person, prone to depression and poor health, Keith was ill-suited to the life of a rock star. In the years following the Yardbirds'' breakup, as the band''s guitarists became household names playing blues-based rock, Keith insisted on pursuing new musical paths, always searching for something new and trying to extend the Yardbirds'' spirit of curiosity and innovation. By the time of his death in 1976, KeithTable of Contents Table of Contents Acknowledgments—ix Foreword by Alice Cooper—1 Preface—3 Introduction—5  1. Richmond Upon Thames—9  2. Ready, Steady, Go!—20  3. Emotional Experiences in Sound—39  4. Invaders—50  5. Pop Art—62  6. Blow Up—81  7. Dazed and Confused—99  8. A Fresh Start—119  9. The Good Life—134 10. The Human Element—142 11. A Place in the Sun—147 12. The Battle of Light and Dark—155 13. Farewell—167 Epilogue—175 Selected Discography—177 Chapter Notes—185 Bibliography—193 Index—195

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Book SynopsisA book showcasing the legendary Fleetwood Mac blues session at Chicago's Chess Studios in January 1969!

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Book Synopsis"...unparalleled behind-the-scenes glimpse into life on the road with Duran Duran." — Classic Pop “Denis got to see a different side of the machine – he saw the cogs going around, and there were times when that wasn’t popular with everybody … Once we saw the photographs, however, we were able to appreciate the potency of it.” Simon Le Bon With chart hits charts like ‘Girls on Film’, ‘Hungry like a Wolf’, ‘Rio’ and ‘The Reflex’ and pioneering music videos, Duran Duran cemented their place as indisputable icons of the ’80s New Romantic music scene. Having sold over 100 million records, they continue to be one of the UK’s most popular bands. Eternally evolving, always innovating, their fanbase spans the globe. Containing hundreds of exquisitely restored photographs taken mostly during the North American and Japanese legs of the band's record-breaking 1984 Sing Blue Silver tour, Careless Memories provides an unparalleled visual history of Duran Duran's ascent to the top, with commentary from the band members themselves. Denis O’Regan joined the band in France, where they were filming their New Moon On Monday video, and stayed with them until the end of the tour. His unprecedented access to the band gives the Careless Memories book an insight into the lives of Simon, Nick, John, Roger and Andy as they won hearts around the world. It documents the excitement of the shows and the hysteria and mayhem that surrounded them. For Duran Duran fans, Careless Memories is a 224 page backstage pass that captures the band at the peak of their powers and their fame.Trade ReviewPosted on Instagram stories by photographer Denis O'Regan. - Instagram"Duran Duran are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and an art book, featuring pictures from the stage and behind the scenes of their 1984 tour — their zenith!— has been released." - The Daily Mail"In Duran Duran: Careless Memories, published by ACC Art Books, Denis captures the band's rise to fame and American breakthrough through a series of photographs on the Sing Blue Silver Tour - with commentary from the band themselves." - Daily Star"In Careless Memories, O'Regan's photos of the band onstage document the energy and excitement of a Duran Duran show from that tour, which is symbolized by a photo of John Taylor staring at the camera with a broad smile on his face." - NewsweekDenis O'Regan was interviewed on Today Extra about his book Duran Duran: Careless Memories - Today Extra Australia"Duran Duran honour their fans and the bands that inspired them in ‘rock & roll hall of fame’ speech." - Rolling Stone"...unparalleled behind-the-scenes glimpse into life on the road with Duran Duran." - Classic Pop"Containing hundreds of restored Denis O’Regan photographs, taken mostly during the North American and Japanese legs of the band’s 1984 Sing Blue Silver tour, Careless Memories provides a visual history of Duran Duran’s ascent to the top, with commentary from the band members themselves." - Yahoo"His unprecedented access to the band gives the book an insight into the lives of Simon, Nick, John, Roger, and Andy, documenting the excitement of shows and mayhem that surrounded them." - Independent

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of country legend Merle Haggard by the New York Times bestselling biographer of Clint Eastwood, Cary Grant, The Eagles, and more.Merle Haggard was one of the most important country music musicians who ever lived. His astonishing musical career stretched across the second half of the 20th Century and into the first two decades of the next, during which he released an extraordinary 63 albums, 38 that made it on to Billboard's Country Top Ten, 13 that went to #1, and 37 #1 hit singles. With his ample songbook, unique singing voice and brilliant phrasing that illuminated his uncompromising commitment to individual freedom, cut with the monkey of personal despair on his back and a chip the size of Monument Valley on his shoulder, Merle's music and his extraordinary charisma helped change the look, the sound, and the fury of American music.The Hag tells, without compromise, the extraordinary life of Merle Haggard, augmented by deep secondary research, sharp detail and ample anecdotal material that biographer Marc Eliot is known for, and enriched and deepened by over 100 new and far-ranging interviews. It explores the uniquely American life of an angry rebellious boy from the wrong side of the tracks bound for a life of crime and a permanent home in a penitentiary, who found redemption through the music of 'the common man.'Merle Haggard's story is a great American saga of a man who lifted himself out of poverty, oppression, loss and wanderlust, to catapult himself into the pantheon of American artists admired around the world. Eliot has interviewed more than 100 people who knew Haggard, worked with him, were influenced by him, loved him or hated him. The book celebrates the accomplishments and explore the singer's infamous dark side: the self-created turmoil that expressed itself through drugs, women, booze, and betrayal. The Hag offers a richly anecdotal narrative that will elevate the life and work of Merle Haggard to where both properly belong, in the pantheon of American music and letters.The Hag is the definitive account of this unique American original, and will speak to readers of country music and rock biographies alike.

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Book SynopsisBruce Springsteen arrived on the world's stage in 1973 with two incredible albums in one year, a prolificacy that would define his career for the next half-century. In his tenure at the top of the rock and roll charts, Springsteen received worldwide adoration for crafting lyrics and music that symbolised all facets of his, and his home nation's, history; songs that enthralled with passion and purpose, stinging political vitriol and the sweetest of melody. No other American artist captured America's heart, and soul, than Springsteen.Containing Springsteen's most prominent non-lyrical poetry and life philosophies, from his earliest interviews to his most recent statements of truth, fact, and soul-baring, each one spanning the entirety of his musical output with the E-Street Band, his solo soundtracks, iconic live performances and a wealth of TV, magazine, and newspaper conversations.In the early days when Springsteen and the E-Street Band played gigs in small venues, it was Bruce's job (as frontman) to collect the money and pay the rest of the band. This led them to start calling him 'The Boss', a nickname which has stuck. Springsteen – the patron saint of the working man, who greatly dislikes bosses – naturally loathes this nickname!Table of ContentsBorn in the USA - Humble New Jersey beginnings and the origin of his songs • Born to Run - The first sparks of fame and success • The Rising - Global stardom, seminal moments, and iconic performances with his E-Street Band • Human Touch - Springsteen discusses his song writing genius • Glory Days - Favourite moments and a few secrets • Tougher Than The Rest - Springsteen's allegiance to America's past, present and future.

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Book SynopsisOn Ice-T's 1991 classic O.G. Original Gangster, he introduced his all-Black hardcore band Body Count with lead guitarist Ernie C, bringing them on the first-ever Lollapalooza tour that summer. The next year, Body Count's self-titled debut album, rounded out by rhythm guitarist D-Roc the Executioner, bassist Mooseman, and drummer Beatmaster V, made them the most incendiary band in the world, confronting white supremacy and police brutality with pulverizing songs that shattered musical boundaries. Body Count's rage and shock humor sparked nationwide protests and boycotts, including death threats, censure from the federal government, a spot on the FBI National Threat list, and a denunciation by the President of the United States. The album was removed from stores and remains banned to this day, but decades later Body Count are performing to theirbiggest audiences and greatest acclaim, pulling off one of the most remarkable comebacks in punk or metal history.Drawn from years Trade ReviewThe greatest story ever told. * Gerard Cosloy *One of the most thought provoking and thoroughly researched entries in the Bloomsbury 33 1/3 series. * Jesse Rifkin, author of This Must be the Place *A thoroughly researched and engaging exploration of both the origin and social relevance of Ice-T's hardcore band Body Count and their self-titled album. * David Gutowski, Largehearted Boy *A read appealing both to longtime metalheads and those who only know the barest of details. * The Pitch *A concise and informative read. * Under the Radar *Table of Contents1. “Did you make ‘em pay?” 2. “You don’t wanna die there.” 3. “Who let ‘em in the club?” 4. “On with the Body Count.” 5. “There goes the neighborhood.” 6. “We’re here.” 7. “Body Count’s in the house.” 8. “Stop the car right here.” 9. “The tension mounts.” 10. “Just watch what you say.” 11. “You’ll be six feet underground.” 12. “But tonight we get even.” 13. “Body Count, motherfucker.” Body Count Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisBobby Womack was born on 4 March 1944, and died on 27 June 2014, aged 70. In a career that spanned two centuries and seven decades, the soul singer, songwriter and guitarist carved a niche for himself that has rarely been equalled, and never surpassed. He is, quite simply, irreplaceable. A phenomenally gifted musician, his incredible talent helped him to escape the ghetto and become a star, with 30 million record sales to his name. Yet behind his beautiful music lay a life scorched by tragedy. Having trod the harsh edge of the music business for decades, he finally told his explosive story in Midnight Mover. From finding success with his family gospel group The Valentinos and being whipped into shape by James Brown and Jimi Hendrix on the chitlin circuit , to recording with Wilson Pickett, Eric Clapton and Elvis Presley, Womack s stellar career wove a colourful path through the history of soul, rock and R&B music. His collaborations with other musicians read like a roll of honour, from Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles to The Rolling Stones and Damon Albarn. Success came at a price, however. Womack lost his friend and mentor Sam Cooke when the soul star was gunned down in a motel. A doomed marriage to Cooke s widow followed, which severely damaged his reputation in the music business. Tragically, he lost two sons, one to suicide, as well as his brother Harry to a brutal murder. His escape was to turn to drugs. Years of riotous abuse took their toll on Womack and those closest to him including Janis Joplin, who spent her last night drinking with the singer. But Womack s talent, searing guitar and soulful voice always survived. Cited as an influence by myriad musicians, even in death he remains the epitome of cool. Honest, insightful and unflinching, this is the authentic voice of the Midnight Mover, a supremely talented legend of music whose every day was lived to the full.

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Book SynopsisOasis’s incendiary 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe managed to summarize almost the entire history of post-fifties guitar music from Chuck Berry to My Bloody Valentine in a way that seemed effortless. But this remarkable album was also a social document that came closer to narrating the collective hopes and dreams of a people than any other record of the last quarter century. In a Britain that had just undergone the most damaging period of social upheaval in a century under the Thatcher government, Noel Gallagher ventriloquized slogans of burning communitarian optimism through the mouth of his brother Liam and the playing of the other Oasis ‘everymen’: Paul McGuigan, Paul Arthurs and Tony McCarroll. On Definitely Maybe, Oasis communicated a timeworn message of idealism and hope against the odds, but one that had special resonance in a society where the widening gap between high and low demanded a newly superhuman kind of leaping. Alex Niven charts the astonishing rise of Oasis in the mid 1990s and celebrates the life-affirming, communal force of songs such as “Live Forever,” “Supersonic,” and “Cigarettes & Alcohol.” In doing so, he seeks to reposition Oasis in relation to their Britpop peers and explore one of the most controversial pop-cultural narratives of the last thirty years.Trade ReviewAs well as an accomplished assessment of an underrated album from an overrated band, the book is a salutary example of how to interpret politics through culture, and culture through politics. -- Rhian E Jones * Los Angeles Review of Books *It is a credible thesis, borne out by the history of the band and its music ... As Niven argues in his introduction, literature on Oasis has thus far tended to treat its subject either fawningly or dismissively, not critically. Niven’s book plugs that gap. -- Joseph Charlton * Times Literary Supplement *The 33 1/3 series is a unique opportunity for writers to take a single album, examine it in greater depth ... It’s set a very high standard which Niven more than meets here, offering a smorgasbord for thought for Oasis scholars and watchers. He leaves no song unturned, subjecting each to the sort of breakdown and appreciative analysis they've rarely enjoyed, his scrutiny yielding fresh insights .. I’d recommend this book to anyone but the person I’d recommend it to above all is Noel Gallagher. -- David Stubbs * Review31 *Niven is right to identify Oasis as the most culturally central, and in that sense the most important, voice of the period. -- Harry Stopes * The Oxonian Review *Niven does a remarkable job summing up what made Oasis so special in that moment — while also hinting at the demise that would follow. It’s a fantastic book, and if you care about Oasis, you should read it. * Stereogum *I still respect the amount of research beyond the band itself that had to go into writing this book. Knowing the climate in which Oasis was created is as necessary as the songs when one wants to talk about the importance of the band. On that, I am with [Niven] ... [This book] gave me a lot to think about, and the discussion and study of Oasis is one of my favorite subjects. -- Sara Habein * Perspehone Magazine *[Niven's] documenting an era that was considerably well-documented — this was the last great gasp of the music newsweeklies, after all — but he’s uncovering necessary truths that were hidden in plain sight and need to be remembered. Reading this 33 1/3, all the nostalgia surrounding the 20th anniversary of Britpop fades and all the exciting turmoil of that fleeting time comes into sharp relief. -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine * Stephen Thomas Erlewine's blog *I’ve often said that the goal of a 33-1/3 book is to get the reader to enjoy and appreciate the album more after reading the book. Niven agrees, as from the first paragraph he makes clear that this is what he set out to do. By this measure, Oasis’ Definitely Maybe (the book) is a wild success ... [It] is a great addition to the 33-1/3 canon. * 2bit Monkey blog *Sometimes it can be invigorating and even instructive to disagree with an author. Reading Alex Niven's spirited defense of Oasis' 1994 debut, Definitely Maybe, there were moments when I shook my head and devised mental rebuttals against, for instance, his comparison of the band's pop-history scavenging with hip-hop sampling. And yet, he makes his arguments with such insight that for a while I did come to think of Oasis as a bunch of leftist revolutionaries reconceiving pop music as a vehicle for working-class liberation. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *Table of ContentsForeword Intro: A speck of dust in a football stadium 1. Earth 2. Water 3. Fire 4. Air Postscript: Quintessence Reading and Watching Notes

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Book SynopsisThis intriguing book examines the greatest Beatles mystery, which has caused endless speculation over the years - why was Pete Best sacked just as the Beatles stood on the threshold of stardom?Trade Review'Remarkable. It has been a great pleasure reading your book.' David Charters, Liverpool Echo. 'A wonderful book!' --Harold Kramer, The Beatles Museum, Siegen, Germany. 'An accomplished writer of musical biographies, this is a typically authoritative book.' Choice magazine, Book of the Month

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Book SynopsisBon Scott was once asked if he was AC or DC. 'Neither,' he grinned, 'I'm the lightning flash in the middle.' And that's how he lived his life.No one had the same skill with lyrics as Bon, who called his words 'toilet poetry', his 'dirty ditties'. He could also vividly depict life on the road, best heard in the AC/DC classics 'Long Way to the Top' and 'Highway to Hell'.When Bon appeared on Countdown in March 1975, the impression he left was indelible. The ugliest schoolgirl to ever grace the small screen, Bon was a mess of tattoos and pigtails, wearing an awkwardly short skirt, all the while puffing on a ciggie. His bandmates, not just the audience, were in hysterics. The video quickly became part of Oz rock folklore.Bon was always the joker in the AC/DC pack. He'd happily pose for a photograph with a joint dangling from his lips or be interviewed in cut-off shorts with a banana provocatively stuffed into his waistband. Anything to elicit a laugh. The off-stage stories surrounding Bon are legendary. After spending a lively couple of days with Bon, Ol' 55 singer Jim Manzie said, 'My rock-and-roll education was pretty much complete.'Bad Boy Boogie is the first biography to focus on Bon's remarkable gifts as a lyricist, frontman and rascal. In short, the real Bon Scott.

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Book SynopsisThis is the powerful, detailed and enlightening biography of the iconic composer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist - the inimitable Prince.Prince was an icon. A man who defined an era of music and changed the shape of popular culture forever. There is no doubt that he was one of the most talented and influential artists of all time, and also one of the most mysterious. On 21st April 2016 the world lost its Prince; it was the day the music died.This book will open a door to Prince''s world like never before - from his traumatic childhood and demonic pursuit of music as a means of escape, to his rise to superstardom, professional rivalries and marriages shrouded in tragedy, internationally bestselling music writer Mick Wall explores the historical, cultural and personal backdrop that gave rise to an artist the likes of which the world has never seen - and never will again.Mick, a lifelong Prince fan, was one of the first UK journalists

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Book SynopsisBorn Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, George Michael was raised in a family of Greek Cypriot immigrants in North London, and dreamed of stardom when he was a little boy. At just twelve years old he met Andrew Ridgeley and the two of them went on to achieve stunning success in the early 1980s with Wham!, creating music that remains popular to this day. Yet despite the enormous success of Wham!, George wanted more, and so set about recreating himself as a serious solo artist, reaching heights of even greater success. Ironically, however, even from the early days he was plagued with insecurity about his sexuality, which, combined with the calamity of losing his first lover to AIDS and his mother to cancer, plunged him into a lifelong struggle with drug addiction. He died, at the tragically early age of just fifty-three, on Christmas Day 2016. George Michael's life and career brought him international fame, and his sudden and unexpected death shocked the world. His unrivalled popularity as an artist, however, and the music he made, have turned him into one of the immortal greats of pop music. As Emily Herbert shows in this new biography, his legacy is not just his music, but his many extraordinary, and often anonymous, acts of charity.

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Book SynopsisA miracle of still-plentiful hair, raw sex-appeal, and strutting talent . The frontman of one of the most influential and controversial groups of all time. A musical genius with a career spanning over four decades. He is a testament to British glamour, the ultimate architect and demi-god of rock.Bestselling biographer Philip Norman offers an unparalleled account of the life of a living legend, Mick Jagger. From Home Counties schoolboy, to rebel without a cause to Sixties rock sensation and global idol, Norman unravels with astonishing intimacy the myth of the inimitable frontman of The Rolling Stones. MICK JAGGER charts his extraordinary journey through scandal-ridden conspiracy, infamous prison spell, hordes of female admirers and a knighthood while stripping away the colossal fame, wealth and idolatry to reveal a story of talent and promise unfulfilled.Understated yet ostentatious; the ultimate incarnation of modern man''s favourite fantasy: ''sex, drugs and rock ''n'' roll'', yet blTrade Review‘Commendable thoroughness, engaging wit and boundless energy, much as Jagger has shown over the decades’ Mail on Sunday ‘Hugely readable’ The Guardian ‘One of Norman’s triumphs in Mick Jagger is to chart the decade’s evolution as well as his progress within it’ Sunday Express ‘The most ambitious and comprehensive Jagger biography to date’ Rolling Stone 'Extremely well researched' Rolling Stone ‘Barnstorming…Norman has ploughed this terrain for much of his career, and brings to his subject both a deep fascination with the ecology of rock'n'roll plus a sharp eye for its absurdities’ The Observer ‘Norman’s book reads like a thrill ride. He captures as well as anybody that magical combination of youth, talent and low rent that would eventually become the Rolling Stones’ The New York Times

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Book SynopsisSmile is not merely a great unfinished album, but a living work of art that is all at once expansive, indeterminate, and resolutely pop. In the early 1960s, The Beach Boys rose from the suburbs of Hawthorne, California to become emissaries of a post-war American dream that fused middle-class aspiration and mobility with images of youth. Led by dream master Brian Wilson, their music gave voice to a Southern California mythos and compelled an audience across the nation and beyond to live out their own versions of the fantasy. By 1966, the encroaching counterculture added new dimensions of creative possibility to popular music. Looking to revise and expand, Brian Wilson sought collaboration with a brilliant musician named Van Dyke Parks. Together they began work on Smile, an ambitious album of music that refracted The Beach Boys’ naïveté into a visionary exploration of American consciousness. Smile edged so close to greatness it seemed destined to become one of the most significant musical advances of its time. But the story didn't end quite like this. In this book of evocative essays, Sanchez traces the musical journey that transformed The Beach Boys from West Coast surf heroes into America’s pop luminaries, and ultimately why Smile represents a tumultuous turning point in the history of popular music.Trade ReviewReviewed -- Bob Baker Fish * CyclicDefrost.com *As the latest edition to the (unfortunately) obscure 33 1/3 series, Smile provides the cultural and historical background to one of rock's most mythical records that almost never happened. Author Luis Sanchez begins with the unique nature of The Beach Boys: a teenage vocal group that streamlined their version of Southern California teen living directly into America's consciousness. Sanchez details the popularity of surfing and surf rock as counterculture, how the Beach Boys were anything but counterculture and how they were able to convey such sincerity through their pop music in a way that anyone who listened could capture the carefree, suburban teen's American dream. As their fame grew to an even level with counterculture rock stars like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys risked exploring new territory in the realm of pop music, which eventually led to the creation of Smile. The main character behind all of this is the unassuming musical savant Brian Wilson. Sanchez explores the inspirations behind Wilson's genius- from maniacally studying the work of Phil Spector to embracing, rather than rebelling against, the suburban lifestyle. Smile is a deep glance into the formation of pop music and one of its greatest minds. -- Justin Gallegos * SLUG Magazine *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Part One: California Dreams Part Two: The Pop Miseducation of Brian Wilson Part Three: To Catch a Wave Part Four: Smile, Brian Loves You

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Book SynopsisAt the height of Tim Maia's soaring fame, he joined a radical, extraterrestrial-obsessed cult and created two plus albums of some of Brazil'sand the globe'sbest funk and soul music. This book explores the career of the man often hailed as the James Brown or Barry White of Brazil, and the time of his radical transformation from a musician notorious for hedonistic living to a devoted follower of Manoel Jacinto Coelho's Rational Culture.After suddenly joining Coelho's cult in 1974 (which started first as an offshoot of the mystical Afro-Brazilian religion Umbanda), Maia gave up drugs and alcohol, threw away his material possessions, and released Racional Vols. 1 & 2 in the attempt to convert the entirety of Brazil and the world to the revelation of Rational Culture. Thayer explores this strange, brief, yet incredibly prolific period of Maia's life wherein the reigning soul and funk artist of Brazil produced two albums, an EP, and a recently unearthed tape containing almost another Trade ReviewLeave it to [33 1/3 Brazil], just launched last year, to weave what may be one of the most page-turning titles in their roster. Pull up a chair; with Tim Maia’s Tim Maia Racional Vols. 1 & 2 , Allen Thayer has a helluva story to tell. * Spectrum Culture *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Tim Maia Irrational, 1942-1973 2. The Band, the Shed and Fatherhood, 1974 Interlude: Seu Manoel & Rational Culture 3. 50 Mescaline, Aliens and Seu Manoel, 1974 4. Tim Maia Racional Vol. 1 (Late 1974) 5. Rational Friends & Family (Early 1975) 6. Tim Maia Racional Vol. 2 (Early-Mid 1975) 7. Tim Maia Racional Vol. 3 and The End of Rationality 8. The Disenchantment 9. Irrational and Loving It 10. Rational Legacy 11. The Rescue and Reconstruction of Tim Maia Racional Vol. 3 Interlude: Carmelo, Tell Me What to Do Conclusion: Tim Maia, a Man in Search of Answers List of Interviews Works Cited Notes Index

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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 SynopsisBryan Waterman teaches American literature and culture at New York University. His previous books include, with Cyrus R. K. Patell, The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of New York City.Trade ReviewPenned by Bryan Waterman, the book focuses much of its attention on the four years leading up to the recording of the record in 1977...it offers amazing insight into one of rock's most unsung masterpieces. * Montreal Mirror *Waterman [has done] extensive research, culling from NYU's archive of Richard Hell's papers, rock journalist reviews from the era (Christgau, Bangs, Kent, et al.), and extensive interviews, making sure to maintain the composure of an academic thesis, and not a fan boy rag... what happens when you pull back all the layers of flashbacks and reminiscence is an extensive true story that is still interesting, and echoes long down the volleys of rock history. * Crawdaddy! *[Waterman's book] will delight both Television fans and nostalgists of seventies punk-era New York. * The East Village Local *The New York punk scene of the 1970s doesn’t lack for documentation … That Bryan Waterman still finds something new to say is impressive enough, but he expertly expands the context for Television’s debut album and for the Bowery punk movement within New York’s larger arts scene. At more than 200 pages, it’s one of the longest titles in the series, but each page seems to contain some new idea or discovery. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *Table of Contents1. Biography; 2. The "downtown scene" pre-CBGB; 3. The emergence of the CBGB scene; 4. The Album.

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Book SynopsisJohn Lennon was a rock star, a school clown, a writer, a wit, an iconoclast, a sometime peace activist and finally an eccentric millionaire. He was also a Beatle - his plain-speaking and impudent rejection of authority catching, and eloquently articulating, the group''s moment in history.Chronicling a famously troubled life, Being John Lennon analyses the contradictions in the singer-songwriter''s creative and destructive personality. Drawing on many interviews and conversations with Lennon, his first wife Cynthia and second Yoko Ono, as well as his girlfriend May Pang and song-writing partner Paul McCartney, Ray Connolly unsparingly reassesses the chameleon nature of the perpetually dissatisfied star who just couldn''t stop reinventing himself.Trade ReviewConnolly, the author of Being Elvis, takes a sensible route down the path dividing the saint and the monster inthis careful, thoughtful biography. It's a well-told story, but Connolly has a substantial advantage: as a journalist for the Evening Standard and the Sunday Times, he came to know Lennon well enough to be invited repeatedly to his Berkshire house, Tittenhurst Park ... Yet Connolly wears his acquaintance lightly, never forcing himself into the narrative or sinking into the hideous mateyness that can blight rock biographies ... For Connolly, it is Lennon's insecurities that are ultimately most revealing, rooted in an unsettled childhood in Liverpool's postwar suburbs ... Connolly does all this with quiet expertise, an understated writer who collates all the details into a vivid whole ... [N]either hatchet job nor hagiography, Being John Lennon swerves dead-hero worship. What survives is the complicated, enduringly fascinating man -- Victoria Segal * Sunday Times *Connolly draws on his archive conversations with the Beatles to give a superb portrait of a dissatisfied star who couldn't stop reinventing himself * Daily Telegraph *Connolly tells the story with a fitting, powerful sense of drama. * DAILY MAIL *Connolly perfectly captures the shabby conformism and deference of post-war Britain that the Beatles would help to overturn. He handles their much-told tale with welcome concision ... He deals with the difficult subject of Yoko deftly ... there was never a Saint John - the man in Ray Connolly's account is much more human, and much more lovable * Observer *'[John Lennon] would probably enjoy this very fair biography... Connolly's book presents him as neither saint nor sinner but captures with honesty a complex and fascinating character. Lennon's is an oft-told story but Connolly still unearths nuggets about the insecurities that shaped his life, and the collaboration and rivalry with Macca that created magic * The Sun *An intimate biography that finds much to say that is new about the head Beatle * Choice Magazine *Excellent -- Helen Brown * Daily Telegraph Music Books of the Year *Ray Connolly's Being John Lennon is an excellent portrait of the man. * CHOICE MAGAZINE *

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of Radiohead's game-changing album. Rather than simply reinforcing Kid A's canonical status, it situates the album in the temporal, examining it from various philosophical and cultural interpretations of time in order to arrive at its political and social stakes.Trade Review"A growing Alexandria of rock criticism - Los Angeles Times, 2008 Ideal for the rock geek who thinks liner notes just aren't enough - Rolling Stone One of the coolest publishing imprints on the planet - Bookslut"Table of ContentsKid Aesthetics; Kid Advertising; Kid Apolitical; Kid Association; Kid Ascension.

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Book Synopsis''The ideal interpreter of the Ring ... a fascinating and valuable study ... absorbing and convincing'' Sunday TimesThe Ring of the Nibelung is one of the greatest works of art created in modern times. Roger Scruton''s brilliant and passionate exploration of the drama, music, symbolism and philosophy of Wagner''s masterpiece - with its themes of love, death, sacrifice and freedom - shows how, ultimately, it expresses the truth about the human condition. ''Highly original and penetrating ... tremendous'' Tim Blanning, Literary Review''A rich, historical account ... After reading this book, only the most unadventurous reader would turn down the chance to see Wagner''s masterpiece'' Economist''A brilliant gallop through the master''s religious, musical and philosophical contexts'' Sue Prideaux, Spectator''Scruton is one of the finest philosopher-musicians since Schopenhauer'' Jonathan Gaisman, StandpointTrade Reviewa masterpiece, all told the best book on Wagner I have ever read -- Michael Tanner * Literary Review *After reading this book, only the most unadventurous reader would turn down the chance to see Wagner's masterpiece. * Economist *Roger Scruton is in many ways the ideal interpreter of the Ring -- Adam Lively * The Sunday Times *Highly original and penetrating ... he writes about the music authoritatively but comprehensibly... lucidly, cogently and even entertainingly -- Tim Blanning * Literary Review *Admirably lucid ... a perceptive and detailed account ... constantly enlightening commentary -- Lucy Beckett * Tablet *

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisINCLUDES COMPLETE JOHN LENNON LYRICS FOR THE FIRST TIMELennon's life after the Beatles was eventful and fascinating. He moved from stardom in the world's biggest pop group to global peace campaigner and figurehead for radical causes. He left England for a new life in the USA with Yoko Ono. He later abandoned public life and retired to his New York apartment to raise their son and live the life of a recluse. In 1980 he re-emerged with a new album, but the plan to resume his career was cruelly curtailed on a fateful night outside the Dakota Building when he was murdered.Upon first publication, this book was the first to examine and assess all of John Lennon's solo work. This updated edition includes lyrics and is released on the 40th anniversary of his death and the 80th anniversary of his birth.Table of ContentsIntroduction • Shining On • John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band • Imagine • Some Time in New York City • Mind Games • Walls and Bridges • Double Fantasy • Milk and Honey • Long Lost John • Discography • Index.

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Book SynopsisRay Padgett is the founder of Cover Me, the largest blog devoted to cover songs on the web, and author of Cover Me: The Stories Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time (2017). His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, SPIN, The AV Club, Vice, and MOJO, and he's been interviewed as an expert on cover songs by NPR, The Wall Street Journal, SiriusXM, and dozens more. He lives in Burlington, Vermont and also works as a publicist for Shore Fire Media.Trade ReviewRay Padgett’s deeply-researched, passionately written book did what the very best tribute albums do: Recontextualized and deepened the source material. In the same way that John Cale made listeners hear “Hallelujah” anew, this book made me hear tribute albums like I’d never heard them before. * David Marchese, Columnist, New York Times Magazine *If you read Ray Padgett’s book, and you really should, I guarantee that, if you have the album he’s writing about, you’ll be digging it out to listen with fresh ears. If you don’t have it, you’ll be hitting the internet to check out the album and the covers therein. * Americana UK *Using the famed Leonard Cohen covers collection as its jumping-off point, Ray Padgett’s I’m Your Fan digs into the weird, ever-expanding world of the tribute album. We get a detailed account of how I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen came together via revealing interviews with its curators and performers. We learn how the album kickstarted Cohen’s then somewhat-flailing career and—for better or worse—helped turn the then obscure 'Hallelujah' into the ubiquitous standard it is today. We discover that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ version of 'Tower of Song' originally clocked in at over a half-hour. It’s all great stuff. But even more interesting are the various side-trips Padgett takes the reader on: like a chat with the late/great tribute album pioneer Hal Willner ('It’s all my fault isn’t it?' he asks wearily); or a lengthy digression with Juliana Hatfield, a tribute album mainstay who doesn’t really like tribute albums. Like most of the 33 1/3 books, I’m Your Fan is a quick read, but you’ll want to savor this one. * Aquarium Drunkard *I’m Your Fan changed Cohen’s career from a mid-tier, well-regarded songwriter to someone rightfully considered among our finest musical poets. Not many, if any, tribute discs can make a similar claim on their impact. Padgett’s deep dive into the how’s and why’s of that claim make for a quick yet engrossing read. * Rock & Roll Globe *A smart and lively look at a project that was oddly significant in Leonard Cohen’s career – but, beyond that, a long-overdue examination that (partly) redeems the much reviled format of the tribute album. * Alan Light, author of The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah” *I’m Your Fan uses a specific tribute album to explore multiple aspects of music fandom and record culture—how artists channel their influences, how a song’s meaning can change over time, the way formats shape our understanding of music history. A marvelous entry in the 33 1/3 series, even for those who’ve never heard the album in question. * Mark Richardson, former Editor-in-Chief, Pitchfork *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Origins of the Tribute Album Interlude: Hal Willner 2. The Idea Behind I'm Your Fan Interlude: Ralph Sall 3. Recording I'm Your Fan 4. Cave and Cale Interlude: Juliana Hatfield 5. The Release of I'm Your Fan Interlude: Jarkko Arjatsolo 6. The 1990s Tribute Album Explosion Interlude: Jim Sampas & Joe Spadaro 7. The Tribute Album Today Notes

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Book SynopsisHank Shteamer is a writer and musician living in Brooklyn. He covers music for Time Out New York, The Wire and various other outlets, including his personal blog, Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches. He also plays in the band STATS.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: "These guys got no future"—Ween beat the odds Before Chocolate and Cheese, part I: "We both loved to hear ourselves on tape": Ween's humble originsBefore Chocolate and Cheese, part II: Subsidized scribbles: Pure Guava and the underdog mystiqueAfter Chocolate and Cheese: "We can pull off our fantasies"—Ween comes into their own Chocolate and Cheese, part I: The making of... Chocolate and Cheese, part II: The songsChocolate and Cheese, part III: The artworkOutro: "The hardest thing to get"—Ween's autonomy

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