Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book SynopsisYes: A Visual Biography II: 1982 – 2022 documents the progressive rock pioneer’s career from the eighties to the present day. Popoff takes you on a journey built around his interviews with Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Squire, Wakeman, Downes, White and many others, the tale unfolds via an exhaustive chronology designed to satisfy the most knowledgeable of Yes fans. Not content with charting the band’s history, Popoff covers the major projects outside of the Yes umbrella, such as Asia, GTR and Rick Wakeman’s extravaganzas, to paint the whole picture. If you’ve been moved by albums such as Fly from Here and Heaven and Earth, you’ll love this book, which perfectly captures the spirit of progressive rock’s first and biggest and best act of crack musicians bent on bending your perceptions of what rock can be. Throughout the book Popoff draws on his own interviews conducted with various band members throughout the last two decades, leaving much of the story to be told in their own words, along with a smattering of album reviews by the author and others. This large format coffee table book is fully illustrated throughout, documenting the story visually from 1982. As well as an abundance of concert images the stunning photographic content is topped off with many off stage shots.Yes A Visual Biography II: 1982 – 2022 will augment any Yes fan’s collection.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRichard and Fred Fairbrass, better known as Right Said Fred, scored a global Number 1 hit in 1991 with their debut single 'I'm Too Sexy', selling 30 million albums, being showered with industry awards, and earning plaudits from admirers such as Madonna and Prince. Before that breakthrough, though, the brothers spent over a decade in London and New York, trying to make it in the music industry. Fred played guitar with Bob Dylan and Richard played bass in several David Bowie videos, with the brothers appearing on stage with Joy Division and Suicide, and on film with Mick Jagger. Once fame hit, the good times rolled, the substances mounted up and the groupies formed an orderly queue, but it wasn't long before the brothers realised that fame and fortune is not for everyone. Still Too Sexy is their story, with a foreword by the legendary stunt motorcyclist Eddie Kidd, OBE.Trade Review'Salacious, candid, funny and shocking. The book captures the anarchy of sudden celebrity' The Independent

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Simon Reynolds, Neon Screams explores the plethora of new street genres that have emerged at the turn of the 2020s. Neon Screams is a manifesto, a rallying cry for the new musical futurism. Taking street music’s embrace of Auto-Tune in the late 2000s as his starting point, Kit Mackintosh launches you through a whirlwind tour of the last decade of cutting-edge music, championing the modern genres still uncovering the sonic impossible, from mumble rap to drill to Afrobeats, bashment and beyond. Beginning where most future music chronicles end, Mackintosh establishes a new pantheon of pioneers and innovators. Offering dizzying insights into the likes of Future, Young Thug, Migos and Vybz Kartel, Neon Screams is conceptual weaponry to use against all those who say music isn’t what it used to be. Part polemic, part synesthetic possession, Neon Screams is essential reading for everyone eager to uncover the new frontiers of future music.Trade Review"The best music book I've read in years.”

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Kate Bush to Nicki Minaj, from Janet Jackson to TLC and Taylor Swift, pop's greatest female pioneers are simply strange: smashing notions of taste and decorum, and replacing them with new ideals of pleasure. Instead of rehashing biographies, Lesley Chow dives deep into the music of these groundbreaking performers, identifying the ecstatic moments in their songs and finding out what makes them unique. You’re History is a love letter to pop’s most singular achievements, celebrating the innovations of women who are still critically underrated. It's a ride that includes tributes to Chaka Khan, Rihanna, Neneh Cherry, Sade, Shakespears Sister, Azealia Banks, and many more...Trade Review"Lesley Chow is the best and rarest kind of critic—one who loves to be surprised, and can always surprise you in turn… The emphasis is firmly on aesthetic pleasure, and the book itself is a unique pleasure to read: joyful, witty, knowledgeable, intensely observant, and indifferent to received ideas.""By embracing pop's sonic artifice, its vocal textures and its wordless moments of rapture – toooften ignored by other critics – Lesley Chow constructs a new version of pop history. Her assemblageof pop's 'hybrid girls' and wayward women is a sly, original analysis."“Lesley Chow's sparklingly written book is full of whip-smart wit and electric prose. You're History isn't just a work of great criticism: it will make you rethink your understanding of pop music and the strange, sublime sounds of its creators.”“Lesley Chow explores the alchemy of pop that comes from breath, sound and lyrics. Her deep dive into these extraordinary women made me feel their music all over again.”“A constantly surprising and thought-provoking book tracing... non-verbal bliss, irruptive sensuality, and mouth-music magic — a counter-canon of oozy oohs and sweet nothings that takes in Chaka Khan, Janet Jackson, TLC.”“The slim, sharp book considers a range of female artists from Janet Jackson and Taylor Swift to TLC and Nicki Minaj, a group that the Australian cultural critic Chow views as ‘outliers, marking moments where the culture might have swerved to incorporate their influence, but somehow contrived not to.’”“You’re History is the ideal book for anyone who thinks a great song is like a puzzle, with every individual component its own unique mystery worth investigating.”

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Beatles are not only a rock n' roll group, but a social and cultural phenomenon that have captivated music fans for decades. For many, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr changed everything. This guide distils their amazing story into 101 informative and entertaining chapters, taking you from their rough and ready early Liverpool days through their world-shattering success in sound, stage and screen, to an afterlife that could never have been predicted when they first started out. Here, you'll find facts and figures about their chartbusting songs, albums and films, meet the people that helped them along the way, and visit milestones and controversies such as their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, meeting Elvis Presley, John Lennon’s ‘Bigger than Jesus’ comments, experimenting with drugs and the avant-garde, and starting up Apple. The Beatles 101 is a perfect introduction for new fans, a refresher for superfans, and ideal reading for quizmasters everywhere.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHis name was Prince, and he was funky. He was also inspiring, infuriating, visionary and otherworldly. Channelling contradictions in search of his own unique truth, he eventually changed his name to an unpronounceable glyph that merged the male and female symbols in an outward expression of his inner dualities. Gifted with the ability to play almost every instrument on his records, and shifting between musical styles as much as he switched-up his looks, he refused to acknowledge boundaries. Instead, he brought opposing forces together in a life-long quest to reconcile a dirty mind with a love for God. In doing so, the mini Minneapolis genius became a world-conquering icon whose towering legacy continues to shape pop culture.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTonight It's a World We Bury is a radical re-writing of the history and politics of black metal music. Challenging the commonly-held perception that black metal is a genre of the right - full of wannabe Vikings, Nazis, skinheads and other unsavoury characters - Tonight It's a World We Bury looks at an array of black metal artists to re-affirm the genre as radically anticapitalist, revolutionary and left-wing. Utilizing an eclectic range of black metal bands, including Darkthrone, Burzum, Liturgy and Deathspell Omega, and taking in the works of Marx, Nietzsche, Deleuze and more, Tonight It's a World We Bury is a book on black metal like no other.Trade Review"Peel incisively juxtaposes disturbing examples of metal culture and capitalist excess with one hand, and offers black metal assemblage with the other. This work is an exciting addition to metal studies for its focus on the culture's non-musical potential." "As bone-shakingly impactful and brutally straight to the point as one's first exposure to Mayhem's Chainsaw Gutsfuck (although slightly more theory heavy)... Bill Peel asks us to reconsider our entire world view when it comes to black metal." "This book is not just for the true believers, but for the sincere heretics: those who recognise that there is something both destructive and beautiful beneath the noise. An astounding read!" "With Tonight It's a World We Bury, Bill Peel has produced a lucid, briskly written and eminently readable manifesto for the present and future of metal's darkest extremes." "Black metal today is a hotly contested cultural battleground, and a musical genre that must be reclaimed from the far right. As this brilliant book ingeniously argues, black metal is also a tool that can be used against the greatest enemy of our time: capitalism."

Read more less

Book SynopsisHomemade records, tape-hiss worship and a taste for a very peculiar kind of psychedelia have carved themselves a weird niche in the contemporary musical landscape under the name of lo-fi. This genreless genre, characterized by poor recordings and rough sounds, spanning from the most extreme heavy metal to the sweetest ear-candies pop can offer, has become a solid presence in our collective sensibility. And yet, it has largely been neglected: this staunch refusal of anything hi-fi and hi-tech has fallen under the radar of the categories we use to analyse ourselves and our times. The Great Psychic Outdoors, dedicated to the most interesting and controversial artists in this movement, will rectify this injustice and vindicate the revolutionary potential of lo-fi music, engaging with this weird genre on its own terms and facing head on the contradictions and possibilities of this multi-faceted phenomenon. Confronting the aesthetic and conceptual stakes of this sonic craft, The Great Psychic Outdoors shows what lo-fi says about us, our lives under capitalism and the strange ways we cope with pain, madness and beauty.Trade Review"Enrico's doting warmth for all things Lo-fi will surely enchant you. Expect to find yourself perusing the dusty shelves of your local charity shop for a half working cassette deck the moment you close this book. Do you want to know why 'bad' is really good? Start reading!""Many will buy this book for the sonic adventures it promises, only to find themselves down unexpected rabbit holes of radical politics and philosophical inquiry. It is an experience to be cherished. We don't tend to write books about music like this anymore. But we should."Through the pioneers of recording sabotage, this book punches aseries of holes on Pop music’s silhouette to drag you through the joys and curses of sonic interzones, obsolete technologic patchworks and outcast techniques. For those who dwell in the uncertain fields of broken frequencies and hijacked transducers, this is it."The Great Psychic Outdoors is today’s bible of outsider glam... Read about lo-fi as a sovereign act of slackerdom. Ride waves of foggy meanings, where music drifts off into noise, cut-ups, soundscapes, echoes, feedback and other imperfections—and listen how poetry derails.""A well written and informed intro into the world of lo-fi interweaving politics, philosophy... From Monacelli’s bedroom, listening to Smog, to the cult of R. Stevie Moore, the mystical Daniel Johnston and many more. A great overview for those new to the genre and a must read for anyone wanting to know more.""When the world is too much, when everything is just too slick, too smooth, too processed - that is when lo-fi music, thanks to its very subtractions, can take us someplace else, someplace new. In this book, Enrico Monacelli guides us through the surprising varieties of lo-fi experience."“I’m so glad someone has finally written a book like this. It helped me realize all the reasons why I love lo-fi music — why it’s been so important to me in my life, and why it deserves greater attention and recognition.”"The Great Psychic Outdoors is not only a history and theory of Low Fidelity. It is the most urgent aesthetic treatise of our century.”

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith riots, prison sentences and equipment stolen, 1980 and the earlier part of 1981 was an incredibly turbulent time for The Stranglers. Their misfortune provided the press with excellent stories but rarely was their music written about. Understandably, with its paranoid exploration of extraterrestrial themes, The Gospel According To The Meninblack hadn’t really caught on. With everything to play for when it came to making the next album, La Folie – and indeed the hit single, ‘Golden Brown’ – it would see The Stranglers back at the top of their game. In this book, Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on La Folie from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of The Stranglers’ legacy today.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDeep Purple In Rock is, as its iconic cover suggests, a landmark in rock music. From its opening moments of mayhem to its final crash into incoherent noise, it is a fuzzbox fuelled masterpiece with not a single wasted moment. Its release was also a watershed moment for the band, a defiant and irrevocable statement that they were going in a different direction from that followed on their first three albums. It would be wrong, however, to suggest that the album came from nowhere. Not only was it one side in a musical debate that had been raging within the band, but its antecedents can be traced through both Deep Purple's earlier releases and those of some of the source bands from which the principal players were drawn. Sculpting In Rock takes up that challenge, exploring the roots of the album, placing it into its proper context to consider how it was produced as well as why it was produced. Part history, part essay, part memoir, the book is essential reading for any fan of Deep Purple, In Rock or the exciting, uncompromising, genre of which it is arguably the masterpiece.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJon Lord will forever be immortalised as a musical pioneer. His attitude towards his art form - "It's all music" ensured that he embraced his joint passions for rock 'n' roll and orchestral music, along with other genres, throughout his career. Having initially found his feet in sixties r'n'b group The Artwoods, the formation of Deep Purple with co-conspirator Ritchie Blackmore escalated Jon to huge success with one of the biggest bands of the seventies, and again in the mid-eighties when the band reformed. In between, several years spent in Whitesnake added to his portfolio. Outside of his commitment in both these rock bands, Lord produced many albums under his own name, fusing his various musical interests, producing some sublime work in the process. Eventually deciding that his desire as a composer required more time and commitment than his day job with Deep Purple would afford, he eventually left the band he had helped to create, in 2002. For the next decade, Jon engrossed himself in his composing - producing monumental works such as Durham Concerto that became a firm favourite on Classic FM radio - and Boom Of The Tingling Strings, a four movement piano concerto. All aspects of Jon's long and illustrious career are plotted throughout this book, accompanied by numerous photos, many previously unpublished that help to emphasise the incredibly colourful career of this extraordinarily talented musician.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPink Floyd author Glenn Povey delves deep into Floyd’s history within the biggest music market in the world. This book not only charts the concerts they played and records that Floyd released in the USA and Canada from 1967 through to 1983 but it also looks in great detail at the band’s relationship with their American record company; the promotional aspects (or lack off!) that propelled Floyd to stadium status, and extensive details of TV and radio appearances, along with band interviews and much more. With loads of new information unearthed, Pink Floyd In North America shines new light on these crazy diamonds from their days playing small clubs right through to superstar status as one of the world’s biggest bands.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThroughout the 1970s, Emerson Lake & Palmer were phenomenally prolific. Not only that, but each of their albums brought something new and innovative to the minds of their many fans. From the early days of the band and their iconic performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1970, to Love Beach and beyond, this book documents the amazing journey of a band whose legacy not only continues to attract a loyal following, but who are still held in high regard by their peers. Historic documentation of some of the band’s under-reported gigs, and context surrounding each of their albums throughout the seventies – it’s all in here as Laura Shenton MA LLCM Dip(RSL) offers a detailed and comprehensive exploration.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis illustrated biography celebrates Taylor Swift''s many hits and achievements Taylor Swift''s discography spans multiple genres, and her narrative songwriting, which is often inspired by her personal life, has received widespread media coverage and critical praise. She has scored eight Billboard Hot 100 number-one songs, and won 11 Grammy Awards (including three Album of the Year wins), an Emmy Award, 34 American Music Awards. She featured on Rolling Stone?s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time (2015) and Billboard?s Greatest of All Time Artists list (2019). Having sold over 200 million records around the world she is one of the best selling music artists of all time. Named the Woman of the 2010s Decade by Billboard and the Artist of the 2010s Decade by the American Music Awards, Swift has been recognized for her influential career as well as advocacy of artists? rights and women?s empowerment in the music industry. This is her story.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter the breakup of the Beatles in 1971, Paul McCartney formed Wings with his wife Linda on keyboards, ex-Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine, and American session drummer Denny Seiwell. For ten dramatic and turbulent years, the band weathered the critics, endured drug busts, survived a harrowing recording session in Nigeria, changed drummers constantly, and produced a great deal of remarkable music. One of the most successful bands of the seventies?this post-Beatles years book tells the stories behind the #1 hits "Listen To What the Man Said," "My Love," "Band on the Run," "Jet," "With a Little Luck," and "Coming Up." Pete Chrisp reveals the band''s inner dynamics and Paul''s determination to pursue a new sound, the criticisms Linda initially got from fans and bandmates, and the character conflicts that kept the lineup changing. With a feature on Wings guitarist Henry McCullough, the book features a complete discography, a list of singles and albums also includes a treasure chest of Wings promotional material?album covers, posters, ads, and photos of the band on tour.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhoto journal from a crucial stage in Nirvana's development. Photos taken by Bruce Pavitt, founder of SubPop records, the most influential company in the grunge scene.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs featured in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The A.V. Club, Consequence, Mashable, Mental Floss, Book Riot and more!“Weird Al” Yankovic continues as one of our most beloved comedians, actors, and musicians. A skilled accordion player and lyricist, the California native not only crafts meticulous parodies, but also creates hilarious originals and pop culture-themed polkas. Now in his fifth decade of recording and performing, Al has maintained a career that has outlasted many of the artists that he has lampooned.Since 1980, Al’s drummer Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz has been by his side, photographing and documenting his career. Jon has taken more than 20,000 images of Al in his element: on tour, in the studio, on video sets, and backstage.Lights, Camera, Accordion! presents over 300 images of Al, culled from Jon’s personal collection of color photography, all restored from the original negatives. This exhaustive volume represents the 25 years that Jon shot Al on 35mm color film, from 1981 to 2006, before switching to digital photography. Jon additionally provides previously unheard stories and anecdotes throughout.From “Eat It” and “Like a Surgeon” to later classics such as “Smells Like Nirvana,” “Amish Paradise,” and the Star Wars parody “The Saga Begins,” Lights, Camera, Accordion! showcases a body of work that spans ten albums, five Grammys, and nearly 2,000 concerts to millions of fans – and is packed with the weirdness and fun that always surrounds the undisputed king of comedic music.Trade Review"One of the 10 books to read this month [November, 2022]. Longtime drummer and band archivist Jon 'Bermuda' Schwartz is back with a color counterpart to Black & White & Weird All Over, having whittled down the thousands of 35mm images he took over 25 years. Chapters, organized chronologically by album and tour, open with short contextualizing intros peppered with behind-the-scenes memories (the one touring rule: 'no number two' allowed on the bus!), followed by images of Al on tour, on set, on stage, backstage, and just generally hamming it up. As the pages turn, you see Al and the band grow into a national sensation." – The A.V. Club"Holiday Gift Guide selection / 2022. More than 300 color photos represent 25 years of touring, filming, and recording with Alfred Matthew Yankovic, aka Weird Al, taken by [Jon "Bermuda"] Schwartz, his longtime drummer. This is a treat for fans." – Publishers Weekly"An entertaining pictorial tribute to a one-of-a-kind musician by someone who knows him better than most [Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz]. It’s also proof that the weirdness doesn’t stop as soon as Weird Al leaves the stage.” – Mental Floss"Lights, Camera, Accordion is a visual Weird Al time machine." – Bleeding Cool“There are shots of Al in the studio. Eating pizza. Having fun with his friends. Recording the ‘Amish Paradise’ video. Performing ‘Like a Surgeon.’ When I first saw it, I thought ‘Wow. He looks like he’s having fun with his life.’ And because I know him just well enough to write the foreword to this book for free, I can tell you that he’s always like that. He IS the greatest.” – comedian Drew Carey“Jon ‘Bermuda’ Schwartz has been at Weird Al's side from the beginning and when not holding drumsticks has been holding a camera. Jon’s hobby and Al’s exercise in tolerance are now our joy.” – comedian, UHF co-star (and current tour opener) Emo PhilipsTable of ContentsChapter 1: DebutChapter 2: In 3-DChapter 3: That Stupid YearChapter 4: Polka Party/Even Worse/UHFChapter 5: Off The Deep EndChapter 6: AlapaloozaChapter 7: Bad Hair DayChapter 8: Running With ScissorsChapter 9: Poodle HatChapter 10: Straight Outta Lynwood

Read more less

Book Synopsis“An expedition into the troubled soul of one of the world’s greatest songwriters.”—Haaretz “A fascinating and intense account of Leonard Cohen’s time in Israel during the 19-day Yom Kippur War of 1973. A must for any Leonard Cohen completist.”—Suzanne VegaA Vanity Fair Best Book of 2022 * Mosaic Magazine Best Book of 2022The untold story of Leonard Cohen’s concert tour to the front lines of the Yom Kippur War, including never-before-seen selections from an unfinished manuscript by Cohen and rare photographsIn October 1973, the poet and singer Leonard Cohen—thirty-nine years old, famous, unhappy, and at a creative dead end—traveled to the chaos and bloodshed of the Sinai desert when Egypt attacked Israel on the Jewish high holiday of Yom Kippur. Moving around the front with a group of local musicians, Cohen sang for hundreds of young soldiers, men and women at the worst moment of their lives. Those who survived never forgot the experience. And the war transformed Cohen, reigniting his creativity and inspiring him to compose some of his most memorable songs. Who by Fire provides a riveting account of those weeks in the Sinai, drawing on Cohen’s previously unpublished writing and original reporting to create a kaleidoscopic depiction of a harrowing, existential moment for both a young country at war and a singer at a crossroads.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPairing history’s 100 greatest rock stars with recipes for their iconic drink of choice, How to Drink Like a Rock Star is the perfect guide to summoning the muse for music fans, rock and roll bartenders, and cocktail enthusiasts.Have you longed for a taste of the rock and roll lifestyle without the trashed hotel rooms, constrictive leather pants, and weeks lost on a cramped tour bus? Whether you want to know what fueled Ozzy Osbourne’s bat-biting Prince of Darkness persona, quaff a Jack and Coke like Motörhead’s Lemmy, or learn Madonna’s recipe for a perfect dirty martini, How to Drink Like a Rock Star will delight fans of all genres of rock and roll and anyone searching for the perfect cocktail.From AC/DC to ZZ Top, this lavish illustrated follow-up to How to Drink Like a Writer offers 100 spirited drink recipes, fascinating rock star profiles, a special sections dedicated to epic rock clubs to drink, dance, and perform in, and even unusual hangover cures and favorite food pairings, all accompanied by original illustrations of ingredients and finished cocktails, and a wealth of photographs. This remarkable book, the result of a deep dive into interviews, backstage tour riders, and much more, is sure to inspire, impress, and inebriate. Sure, becoming a rock legend takes dedication, connections, and talent, but it also takes vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey.Trade Review“A perfect holiday present.” —Liquor.com Praise for How to Drink Like a Writer: “There’s something for everyone in this book, no matter what you like to drink or how much time you’re willing to devote to crafting the perfect cocktail.” —Mental Floss “A witty literary dive into the favored libations of scribblers.” —Wine and Whiskey Globe “There’s guaranteed to be a soon-to-be favorite drink for you within these pages.” —Woman's Day “In this book, you will learn everything you need to know about the personal relationship between all-time reputed authors and their liquid courage. . . . Prepare to visit some of the most famous writerly haunts . . . and to become part of this eclectic, phenomenal bunch of misfits every time you fix a cocktail.” —New York for Beginners “Everyone knows Ernest Hemingway leaves a namesake daiquiri as a legacy but do you know how to make Edgar Allan Poe’s family recipe for eggnog? Or how Jack Kerouac took his margarita? You will after you read this book.” —Forbes “If you’re ready to break new ground with some of the greatest of all time, and enjoy some delicious cocktails in the process, it’s time to crack open this recipe book and start mixing up the secret ingredient to your next masterpiece.” —SPY.com “A fun read for those who like books and an occasional sip.” —Cleveland.comTable of ContentsIntroduction Bar Tools Stocking the Cabinet Buddy Holly’s American Pie Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze Janis Joplin’s Southern Nectar Jim Morrison’s Boilermaker Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s Brown Derby Elvis Presley’s Banana Peanut Butter Shot John Lennon’s Brandy Alexander Bob Marley’s Jamaican Irish Moss Freddie Mercury’s Bohemian Vodka Tonic Frank Zappa’s Coffee and Fried Spaghetti Jerry Garcia’s Rum Screwdriver The Ramones’s Tanqueray and Tonic Joe Strummer’s Hard Cider Johnny Cash’s Dark ’n’ Stormy Michael Jackson’s Jesus Juice Simon & Garfunkel’s Vodka Gimlet Amy Winehouse’s Rickstacy Whitney Houston’s Champagne Lemmy Kilmister’s Jack and Coke David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust Bombay Sapphire Martini Prince’s Purple Rain Sangria Chuck Berry’s Orange Blossom Fats Domino’s Heineken and Red Beans Aretha Franklin’s Whiskey Ginger Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti David Lee Roth’s Schlitz Malt Liquor Jerry Lee Lewis’s Whiskey Talkin’ Grace Slick’s Mulled Wine Tina Turner’s Red Wine and Fine Chocolate Neil Diamond’s Love On the Rocks Bob Dylan’s Bourbon Served Neat Carole King’s Champagne Cocktail Paul McCartney’s Clementine Maccarita Mick Jagger’s Tequila Sunrise Roger Waters’s Dark Side of the Moon Beer Cocktail Joni Mitchell’s Lemon Sake Keith Richards’s Nuclear Waste Jimmy Page’s Swig of Jack Diana Ross’s Coffee with Cognac Rod Stewart’s Rum and Coke Eric Clapton’s Vodka Lager Ritchie Blackmore’s Purple Whiskey Pete Townshend’s Rémy Old Fashioned John Fogerty’s Lagerita Carly Simon’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape Debbie Harry’s White Wine Spritzer Cher’s Strawberry Daiquiri Jimmy Buffett’s Margarita Patti Smith’s Americano Elton John’s Johnnie and Lemon Don Henley’s Scotini Ian Anderson’s Screwdriver Donald Fagen’s Piña Colada Alice Cooper’s Velvet Hammer and Tuna Fish Malted for Hangovers Steven Tyler’s Rusty Nail Stevie Nicks’s Rémy Sidecar Ozzy Osbourne’s Breakfast Brandy Hangover Helper Billy Joel’s Soda Highball Gene Simmons’s Milk and Cereal on the Rocks Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons’s Kahuna Punch Billy Gibbons’s The Gibbons Peter Gabriel’s Red Rain Spritzer Suzi Quatro’s Château Margaux Ann Wilson’s White Lightning Sangria Chrissie Hynde’s Talk of the Town Tequila Sting’s Fine Red Wine John Mellencamp’s Big Red Pat Benatar’s Strawberry Italian Soda Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want to Have Organic Wine David Lee Roth’s Schlitz Malt Liquor John Lydon’s Red Stripe Madonna’s Dirty Martini Belinda Carlisle’s Greyhound Joan Jett’s Cherry Ale Susanna Hoffs’s Coffee with Clouds Morrissey’s Peroni Negroni Bono’s Jack on the Rocks The Beach Boys’s Frozen Bahama Mama Kim Deal’s Gin Fizz Jon Bon Jovi’s Hampton Water Rosé Lenny Kravitz’s Dom Pérignon Courtney Love’s Pétrus Eddie Vedder’s Pinot Noir Björk’s All Is Full of Love Spritz Janet Jackson’s Grapefruit Cosmo Three Dog Night’s Mighty Fine Wine and Cheese Chicago’s Saturday Cabernet Epic Rock Clubs to Drink, Dance, and Perform In: CBGB, Whisky A Go Go, and the 100 Club Dave Grohl’s Deer and Beer Gwen Stefani’s Hugo Journey’s Orange Creamsicle AC/DC’s Chocolate Milk Martini Squeeze’s Brandy Sour Fergie’s Fergalicious Shakira’s Green Berry Smoothie Karen O’s Patrón and Tonic Pink’s Jameson McCree Beyoncé’s Armand de Brignac Metallica’s Crown Royal and Ginger Guns n’ Roses’s Vodka Cranberry Lady Gaga’s Jameson Mule Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisCheck out Little Voice on Apple TV+! Little Voice is inspired by a lost song from Sara Bareilles’s first studio album. This updated New York Times bestselling collection of essays by seven-time Grammy nominated singer songwriter Sara Bareilles “resonates with authentic and hard-won truths” (Publishers Weekly)—and features new material on the hit Broadway musical, Waitress.Sara Bareilles “pours her heart and soul into these essays” (Associated Press), sharing the joys and the struggles that come with creating great work, all while staying true to yourself. Imbued with humor and marked by Sara’s confessional writing style, this essay collection tells the inside story behind some of her most popular songs. Well known for her chart-topper “Brave,” Sara first broke through in 2007 with her multi-platinum single “Love Song.” She has since released seven albums that have sold millions of copies and spawned several hits. “A breezy, upbeat, and honest reflection of this multitalented artist” (Kirkus Reviews), Sounds Like Me reveals Sara Bareilles, the artist—and the woman—on songwriting, soul searching, and what’s discovered along the way.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPerson und Musik Mozarts faszinieren bildende Künstler bis heute. Zum 100-jährigen Jubiläum des Mozartfests Würzburg gehen eine Ausstellung im Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg und der begleitende Katalog dieser langen Wirkungsgeschichte nach. Neben originalen Zeugnissen Mozarts spannen rund 60 Kunstwerke – unter anderem von Chagall, Klee und Slevogt – einen Bogen von Porträts und Denkmälern, die das Bild des Komponisten nachhaltig bestimmen, über Bühnenbilder zur Zauberflöte bis hin zur abstrakten Malerei. Die Ausstellung legt einen besonderen Akzent auf die schöpferischen Energien, die Mozarts Schaffen freisetzte und den Wandel von der Darstellung beliebter Opernszenen und -figuren seit dem frühen 19. Jahrhundert hin zur Reflexion von Kompositionsprinzipien im 20. Jahrhundert und der Gegenwart. Blick ins Buch https://issuu.com/deutscher_kunstverlag/docs/9783422986411_imagine_mozrat_blick-ins-buch

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe ukulele is becoming more and more popular, and more and more guitarists are getting involved with the 4-stringed little sister of the guitar.Especially for this group, the alternative tuning of the ukulele with a low G-string (low G) is interesting, because not only the range is enriched, but also the feeling of playing with a low string is very reminiscent of a guitar.The melody-chord playing in this songbook uses techniques of classical guitar as well as folk guitar and combines chords with the song melody to create rousing arrangements, all of which have proven themselves in lessons and have been written by the experienced author and pedagogue Patrick Steinbach to be easy to moderately difficult.Instrumentation:ukulele (Low G tuning)

Read more less

Book SynopsisLet these 20 easy and modern piano pieces from the genres of pop and neoclassicism take you into a romantic dream world. Imaginative titles such as Amélie in Dreamland, In Seventh Heaven, Rainbow Way, Every Cloud a Dream stimulate the imagination and invite to dream and relax.Dreamworld is ideal, varied and fascinating supplementary material for every advanced beginner. The pieces can be mastered quickly and are well suited for lessons, playing in one's free time and first auditions.Instrumentation:Piano

Read more less

Book SynopsisMusical scores like literature, poetry, and technical manuals are documents. The central tenet of this book is that musical composition in the digital age is a form of document engineering. In essence, music shares with other forms of creative content generation from poetry to prose, and from science to science fiction the need for structure, flow, and sources for creativity.Musical composition is considered in this book as the creative process of engineering musical documents with regards to its arrangement, form, texture, and instrumentation, etc. This document then instructs a performance or the creation of an alternative document, such as a recording. In this book, the arrangement of phrases, patterns, and structures seen in music will be illustrated to give new composers a starting point to begin planning and making decisions about their own compositions.The book will also guide those who need assistance in completing a piece. While this is a book about musical composition, it is not meant to be a manual on music theory. Instead, the book keeps its focus on the structural elements of a composition. Its aim is to give the audience a structural road map for composing; whether they are starting a piece from the first note, having a melody in mind already, or need help overcoming a creative hurdle. The book examines compositions that clearly define a form or technique. Among the key compositional elements are: Form, Phrase, Period, and Expression in Composition Rhythm/Motive Melody and Harmony Tonal Center Mode Mixture and Modulation Accompaniment/Instrumentation/Orchestration Composition Techniques and Notation Targeted examples cover all stages of writing a piece, helping to build the reader's composition from the first note into a complete work without promoting a style or harmonic practice. Each chapter contains a sidebar addressing helping the composer to add creative sources for the music making process. Finally, the book concludes with a chapter on creativity in terms of how composed music can affect our lives and even our fairy tales.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Nobody knows Dolly like Dolly,” declares Dolly Parton. Dolly’s is a rags-to-riches tale like no other. A dirt-poor Smoky Mountain childhood paved the way for the buxom blonde butterfly’s metamorphosis from singer-songwriter to international music superstar. The undisputed “Queen of Country Music,” Dolly has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has conquered just about every facet of the entertainment industry: music, film, television, publishing, theatre, and even theme parks. It’s been more than 50 years since Dolly Parton arrived in Nashville with just her guitar and a dream. Her story has been told many times and in many ways, but never like this. Dolly on Dolly is a collection of interviews spanning five decades of her career and featuring material gathered from celebrated publications including Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, Playboy, and Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. Also included are interviews which have not been previously available in print. Dolly’s feisty and irresistible brand of humor, combined with her playful, pull-up-a-chair-and-stay-awhile delivery, makes for a fascinating and inviting experience in downhome philosophy and storytelling. Much like her patchwork “Coat of Many Colors,” this book harkens back to the legendary entertainer’s roots and traces her evolution, stitching it all together one piece at a time.Trade Review" Dolly on Dolly magnificently encapsulates Dolly Parton's career through her own words. It's a must read for fans of all ages." Gary and Larry Lane, actors and filmmakers ( Hollywood to Dollywood )

Read more less

Book SynopsisCrosby, Holiday, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Garland, and Streisand were the major interpreters of the American songbook, and this is the interlocking story of their lives and careers.Here is the epic tale of how these artists dominated American popular music over a fifty-year period, colourfully described like a roller coaster ride that gains momentum through the 1930s and ’40s, reaches a crest of magical creativity in the 1950s and early 1960s, and then crashes down by the early 1970s, a half century when the great American songbook dominated the airwaves and the fight for racial equality came to the forefront.Frank is still the king of the songbook, but Bing’s legacy is just as vital once you start listening to his unprecedented 1930s output. The legend of Billie grows by the year, and the basis of this should be appreciation and wonder for her own great artistry in the 1930s. Barbra is a living legend and still a commercial force to be reckoned with, the last exemplar of the songbook and its glories. All six of these singers reach out to us and show us new ways of expression and new ways to dream. Their song is largely ended but the melody lingers on.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Democracy of American Music Bing: Out of Nowhere Bing: Just One More Chance Billie’s Blues Frank in Hoboken Ella: You’re Going to Hear From Me Baby Gumm Diana’s Dream Bing at the Top Billie and Ella The Hoboken Four Judy Swings Sweet Leilani and Mexicali Rose Billie Swings Her Way and Ella Finds a Hit Band Canary Frank Judy and Mickey and the Rainbow Bing: Minstrelsy and Father O’Malley Billie and Ella Travel Light Frank: The Voice Judy: The Girl Next Door Barbara and the Mirror Bing: Homecoming and Feet of Clay Billie: Lover Man Ella Bebop Judy and Frank at MGM Bing and Dixie Billie’s Clef Blues Frank’s Fall and Rise Judy on the Comeback Trail Frank and Ella Make Album History Lady in Satin and Billie at the Met Judy and Barbra Ella and Frank Judy: After You’ve Gone Barbra at the Top Frank and Ella at the Crossroads Bing in Winter Movie Star Barbra and Frank and Ella on the Road Coda: Barbra in the 21st Century Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA LOUDER THAN WAR BOOK OF THE YEAR'A unique insight... An excellent companion for both the casual and obsessive Bowie fan'Louder Then WarThe life of an icon, in his own words.David Bowie had a unique relationship with the BBC, making more appearances on 'the beeb' than any other broadcaster throughout his career. An anonymous pre-fame teenager, a blossoming starlet, a white-hot rock star and a veritable elder statesman of pop: the BBC had the inside scoop on it all.In this fascinating collection of BBC television and radio transcripts, Bowie's life story is told in his own words, across more than 35 appearances spanning over forty years. Each provides an illuminating snapshot of moments in a remarkable career. But read together, they offer a completely new take on Bowie himself, a first-person look at the rise and rise of a star.Compiled and guided by David Bowie expert and BBC journalist Tom Hagler, Bowie at the BBC is the complete story of an incredible life lived on the airwaves.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBeyoncé is not simply a pop sensation. She is a cultural phenomenon empowering the oppressed and dispossessed, challenging white privilege and misogyny and exploding gender politics. But who is Beyoncé Knowles-Carter? And how did a small girl from Houston become the strong confident woman whose albums sell in their millions and whose songs have become anthems against racial and sexual discrimination and oppression? This biography sets out to reveal exactly that.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''In what is the most comprehensive biography of the group to date, Browne compiles a fun and fast-paced music history.... an authoritative chronicle.'' --Publishers WeeklyThe first and most complete narrative biography of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, by acclaimed music journalist and Rolling Stone senior writer David Browne Even in the larger-than-life world of rock and roll, it was hard to imagine four more different men. David Crosby, the opinionated hippie guru. Stephen Stills, the perpetually driven musician. Graham Nash, the tactful pop craftsman. Neil Young, the creatively restless loner. But together, few groups were as in sync with their times as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Starting with the original trio''s landmark 1969 debut album, the group embodied much about its era: communal musicmaking, protest songs that took on the establishment and Richard Nixon, and liberal attitudes toward partners and lifestyles. Their group or individual songs--''Wooden

Read more less

Book SynopsisFew heavy metal acts survived the turmoil of the early 1990s music scene. Pantera, featuring the peerless guitar playing of the late Dimebag Darrell Abbott, was different. Instead of humouring the market, the band demanded that the audience come to them by releasing a series of fiercely uncompromising platinum albums, including Vulgar Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven - albums that sold millions of copies despite minimal airplay.This is the previously untold story behind one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history, written by the man best qualified to tell the truth about those incredible and often difficult years of fame, excess, and tragedy.Trade ReviewAOL Music's Noisecreep.com, 3/6/13 "A warts and all look at Brown's journey from small town Texas music geek to platinum-selling, arena-filling rock star. Besides the insightful, and always colorful, Pantera stories included throughout Official Truth, Brown also comes clean about his own personal battles with drugs and alcohol." SkullsNBones.com, 3/6/13 "Rex is completely honest and forthcoming in this book, and it's a major insight to one of the most influential bands of all time...A must read!" The Aquarian, 3/13 "Offers the shocking insight into one of the most influential and extremely popular metal bands to ever reach the annals of heavy metal history!... Fans of Pantera and Rex Brown will love this book!" BackstageAxxess.com, 3/10: "Rex's story is both honest and brutally real...Rockstars are often put on a pedestal and made to seem larger than life. Rex Brown gives us the other side of the story. His heartfelt account tells us the good, the bad, and the ugly, making Official Truth, 101 Proof much more than just a book about a rock band. It is a tale of friendships made and friendships lost and the triumphs and tragedies along the way. Dust off your bookshelf and clear some space. You're going to want to add this one to your collection." RidgewoodPatch.com3/11 "Offers a very inside look at the band that we were never afforded the opportunity to voyeur into back in the day...Straight up, if you're a Pantera fan then read the book, you'll enjoy it...A satisfying read. As a fan of Pantera I couldn't put the flippin' thing down." Bass Guitar magazine, May 2013 "Rock star autobiographies are everywhere these days, some of them great, some less so. Official Truth, 101 Proof...falls easily into the former category. Brown...waited years to tell his tale, but the wait has been worth it...Official Truth recounts the formation and rise to prominence of Pantera, as well as the stories of Brown's later bands Down and Kill Devil Hill, with unflinching courage, offering a new perspective on the chaos within those bands." SLUG (Salt Lake Under Ground) magazine, May 2013 "Rex Brown has long since taken the 'voice of reason' mantle in the ever-fracturing post-Pantera camp. Though he's the group's least public member, he's the most fit to write a memoir on the experience. Brown pulls no punches in his yarn, nonchalantly discussing the spandex-clad inception, multiplatinum explosion and untimely demise of the '90s' most definitive metal band. Most compelling are his unflinching looks into the band members' individual demons, which never come off as antagonistic or gossipy, but genuine attempts at 'telling it like it is'...As the murder of one Dimebag Darrell becomes more and more distant, no other publication has come this close to truly exploring the impact and meaning of what this band meant to the heavy metal landscape, and for that, Brown's work shouldn't go unnoticed, and is highly recommended." PowerlineMag.com, 4/27/13 "Pantera's fans will enjoy this up close and personal look at the band, especially those interested in hearing how the band's classic records came together." Examiner.com, 4/30/13 "If you are looking for dirt or something shocking, its all there as Rex didn't pull any punches and told it how it was including the bad times as well. If you are a fan of Pantera or if you just like a good biography I recommend this book because it will not disappoint." "A compelling read." SonicExcess.com, 3/12: "Offers a perspective from the eyes of the silent member of Pantera. Often humorous, tragic, brutally honest, and always entertaining...A must read for any fan of Rock, Metal, and Pantera...Official Truth is similar to the music of Pantera, no compromise with no room for bullshit." SkullsNBones.com, 3/12 "Rex holds nothing back and really invites you into his Pantera world like never before...Now with this new book, we understand a little more about one of the most historic bands to ever walk this planet...A very blunt and honest read that will definitely get people talking in the metal scene...A must read for all metal fans." Examiner.com, 3/12 "Will appeal not just to fans of Pantera and heavy metal, but anyone interested in a look at that time in music." Horns Up Rocks, 3/12: "[A] very honest piece of literature...Not only is it a great read, but it will open your eyes about how the music industry works." TheGauntlet.com, 3/13 "The journey of the rise and fall of one of the biggest bands in heavy metal history...An honest account of what transpired during [Brown's] years in Pantera." Rich Stambolian, 3/15 Record Collector (UK), Issue 414 "Brown recounts his life in parallel to Pantera's story, exploring his addiction to alcohol in courageous detail and pulling no punches when it comes to explaining the band's split and its tragic aftermath. He ascribes the various fallings-out to each of the personalities involved, without leaving anyone (including himself) blameless. Kudos to the guy for digging deep into a set of obviously painful memories to get this book done, and to his co-writer Mark Eglinton for focusing Brown's recollections into an eminently readable memoir." Decibel, June 2013 "Revealing...Brown deftly explains why Pantera's music works...This book won't interest the casual Pantera fan. But are there any casual Pantera fans?" Metal Forces, March 2013 "Official Truth, 101 Proof sugarcoats nothing." John Shelton Ivany Top 21 "Definitive...This is a lucid account of the previously untold story behind one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history, written by the man best qualified to tell the truth about those incredible and often difficult years of fame and excess." WomanAroundTown.com, 5/28/13 "A book detailing the highs and lows of super-stardom." Curled Up With A Good Book Loudwire.com, 3/21/13 "An unflinchingly honest look at the group, from their earliest beginnings to the ending moments and the things which have happened since then...The first official statement on Pantera and the legacy of the group from a band member." NoTreble.com, 3/21/13 "Describing the book as 'starkly honest' almost seems like an understatement as Brown details his ride with anecdotes on events and the characters involved in the band's story." MediaMikes.com, 3/18/13 "A gritty in your face tale from the man who lived it...Here is your chance to get whole truth and nothing but...Candid, brutally honest, and at times shocking Rex Brown touches on everything and pulls no punches while doing so...From start to finish a great read." North Coast Voice, 3/20/13-4/3/13 issue and The Cleveland Sound, 3/21/13 "A candid, unpretentious autobiography from one of rock's modern day survivors--a southern-fried, fist-pumpingly fun read." Alternative Control blog, 3/22/13 "A great read about one of the best metal bands of all time." Houston Press, 3/29/13 "A tell-all history of the band...The most comprehensive insider account of Pantera's rise and fall." BackstageAxxess.com, 3/24/13 "Brown gives us the inside story in his new book...It's a great read." FullMetalRock.com, 3/24/13 "This is the real deal inside story, from the man himself, who was there and lived it...A no holds barred account of the rise and fall of Pantera...It is all covered here straight up...A must read for any fan of Pantera or Rock and Metal." Every Day is a New Day blog, 3/28/13 "The story of one of the craziest party bands of all time...This book was an eye opener...If you've ever been into Metal music, I'd say this is required reading." The Metal Den, 4/8/13 "Hands down the most brutally frank rock memoir you will ever read in your life...This is a cautionary tale (beware of the 'hangers on') that will make you laugh out loud and wipe away a few tears at the same time." About.com Heavy Metal "Brown pulls no punches in the book...The behind the scenes story of Pantera is fascinating...There have been a lot of books written about Pantera, but Brown provides insight an outside author simply can't...It's a very well-written and compelling book." Music As Therapy blog, 4/14/13 "Gives you insight to the real world of Pantera and makes no qualms about it...An extremely honest look at the behind the scenes of one of the biggest bands of all time. [Brown] pokes a few holes into the fabric of our perception of band life and what being a rock star is all about...If you are a fan of Pantera and road stories then you should definitely pick this book up. It will make you laugh, choke you up, and blow your mind with the reality of what some of your favorite personalities are really like." MTVHive.com, 3/18/13 "Wildly entertaining." Boston Phoenix, 3/20/13 "'No holds barred' and 'warts and all' are typical qualifiers when it comes to rock-and-roll memoirs, but rarely do they fulfill the promise. Which makes it all the more refreshing when something like Official Truth, 101 Proof comes along. Pleasantries are dispensed sparingly in this unflinching, and often biting, but also affectionate portrait." Dallas Observer, 3/18/13 "Rex takes readers into the familiar world of the Rock Star, where rivers of whiskey flow like cash pouring into the band members' bank accounts...Rex's memoir delivers to fans what the bassist intended: a behind the scenes look at the events that led to the downfall of one of America's greatest rock bands. It's full of conflict, raw emotion and backstage antics." "No one was closer to the heart of the band than Brown. He was there from the beginning and relates the ups and downs with an unabashed honesty...A book about one of the most original metal bands ever." Illinois Entertainer, 7/1/13 "[A] tell-all." Soho Tribune, 6/22/13 "A poignant and heartfelt account of life in a monstrous heavy metal band...Read the book. It's like finally getting the quiet kid in class to open up." GhostCultMag.com, 7/12/13 "The book has an easy-going style, and doesn't seem to be ghost-written like so many other tomes of this sort...If you are a fan of Pantera or '90s metal in general, this book is essential reading." Metal Hammer "A no-holds-barred insight into the mind of someone who became known as 'the drunk guy in Pantera,' which is some feat." Hard Rockin' Homemaker, 7/29/2013 "A notable and refreshing change from the vast majority of other memoirs I've read." MetalKaoz.com, 9/7/13 "I enjoyed every page of Official Truth, 101 Proof and learned a ton of stuff about this band." HeavyMetalICU.com, 9/9/13

Read more less

Book SynopsisMusicQuake presents a history of popular music focusing on the most rebellious and game-changing recordings and performances from the early twentieth century to today.Table of ContentsIntroduction THIS IS THE MODERN WORLD: 1913–1953 THE RISE OF ROCK’N’ROLL: 1954–1966 REVOLUTION FROM STUDIO TO STREET: 1967–1976 BEATS AND THE BEATEN GENERATION: 1977–1999 INVENTION AND DISSENSION: 2000–PRESENT Glossary Further Reading Picture Credits Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA TAROT DECK FOR MUSIC LOVERS with the biggest stars representing the cards'' meaningsAN ACCESSIBLE ENTRY TO TAROT or an exciting new addition to a card collectionCULT FAVOURITES AND BIG STARS: there''s something for fans of every genreSTUNNING ILLUSTRATIONS with more to find on every readingINCLUDES A BOOKLET that unpacks the meanings of the cards and explains how to conduct your own readingsTune into your inner wisdom with this unique tarot deck inspired by cult music icons. Inside you''ll find musicians who perfectly encapsulate the tarot card meanings: Lorde is the Fool, Prince is the Emperor and David Byrne is the Hermit. The 78 cards work as a fully functional tarot deck, and the kit also includes a booklet with more information about the musicians, as well as information on how to interpret the cards and conduct your own readings.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBlackstar Theory takes a close look at David Bowie's ambitious last works: his surprise comeback' project The Next Day (2013), the off-Broadway musical Lazarus (2015) and the album that preceded the artist's death in 2016 by two days, Blackstar. The book explores the swirl of themes that orbit and entangle these projects from a starting point in musical analysis and features new interviews with key collaborators from the period: producer Tony Visconti, graphic designer Jonathan Barnbrook, musical director Henry Hey, saxophonist Donny McCaslin and assistant sound engineer Erin Tonkon.These works tackle the biggest of ideas: identity, creativity, chaos, transience and immortality. They enact a process of individuation for the Bowie meta-persona and invite us to consider what happens when a star dies. In our universe, dying stars do not disappear - they transform into new stellar objects, remnants and gravitational forces. The radical potential of the BlackstarTrade ReviewThe lively complexity of Blackstar Theory is a fine match for Bowie – a sparkling, timely invitation to reimmerse oneself in the density of his final works, even if the shock of grief remains palpable. * The Wire *This is the Bowie book that many of us DB fans have been waiting for Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie is a bravura performance by Leah Kardos, a sonata of glorious prose, amazing research, and academic erudition. ... I recommend it to any serious fan of David’s, well actually, I recommend it to any serious fan of music, full stop. Go out and buy it now! * Bowie Fascination *Kardos elegantly sidesteps speculation about Bowie’s personal life in his final years, focusing instead on the work, taking in nods to Morrissey, Elvis Presley, Peaky Blinders and “the lust for life against the finality of everything”. * Uncut *Someone recently said there will never be a definitive book on Bowie and I would probably have agreed. But now that I’ve read this book I’m not so sure. This is as good as it gets. * The New Music Café *Leah Kardos deftly uncovers the patterns in David Bowie’s “late style,” seeing the mortality, morality, and self-consciousness hiding in plain sight. While musicological analysis is at the heart of her endeavor, she is nevertheless attuned to the places in his epic career where there are fissures and unexpected correspondences with other forms of art. Blackstar Theory is a feast for any Bowie fan—rabid or casual—and performs the closure that many of us were seeking. A welcome addition to the growing canon of Bowie studies. * Shelton Waldrep, Distinguished Professor of English, University of Southern Maine, USA *This is one of the most intelligent studies of David Bowie’s music that will ever be published. It illuminates the interconnected web of meanings that are discoverable in his work in ways I have never encountered before. Leah Kardos shows with genuine illumination that the music of the late Bowie tackles big ideas such as the nature of identity, creativity, chaos, transience and im/mortality and provides us with signposts that take us back to the very start of his extraordinary life and musical career. The book is a major achievement. * Keith Ansell-Pearson, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Warwick, UK *A star-gazing telescope of sorts, Blackstar Theory provides an illuminating view of the last great works of a dying star. Intimately connected to the music and art of David Bowie, Leah Kardos elegantly crafts a respectful conduit for readers to share in her examination of the meanings generated by Bowie’s work. As an in-depth scholarly guide and probing navigational tool, Blackstar Theory is a must-read for anyone wishing to engage with the constellation of meanings generated by Bowie’s late music and art. * Lisa Perrott, Senior Lecturer, Waikato University, New Zealand, and series editor of New Approaches to Sound, Music and Media (Bloomsbury) *Leah Kardos’s book is a lovely theoretical company. She notes how music is only a small part of a huge cycle that leads us on to other music, to art and literature via fashion, film, philosophy and form and back to the work in question. * Svenska Dagbladet *Table of ContentsList of musical figures List of track analyses Preface Part 1: Last Act 1. Lateness 2. Remystification 3.The Next Day 4. Assemblage Part 2: Per Ardua ad Astra 5. Icarus Takes His Pratfall 6. Lazarus 7. The Next Bardo Part 3: Black Star 8. Black Holes, Black Music, Black Arts, Black Hearts and Button Eyes 9. Chaos and Chemistry 10. Prodigal Sons 11. Blackstar Theory Epilogue: Legacies and Voids Reference list and bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery album and every song ever released by the Beatles - from "Please Please Me" (U.S. 1963) to "The Long and Winding Road" (U.S. 1970) - is dissected, discussed, and analyzed by two music historians in this lively, fully illustrated work.All the Songs delves deep into the history and origins of the Beatles and their music. This first-of-its-kind book draws upon decades of research, as music historians Margotin and Guesdon recount the circumstances that led to the composition of every song, the recording process, and the instruments used.Here, we learn that one of John Lennon's favorite guitars was a 1958 Rickenbacker 325 Capri, which he bought for £100 in 1960 in Hamburg, Germany. We also learn that "Love Me Do," recorded in Abbey Road Studios in September 1962, took 18 takes to get right, even though it was one of the first songs John and Paul ever wrote together. And the authors reveal that when the Beatles performed "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, John's microphone wasn't turned on, so viewers heard only Paul singing.The hundreds of photographs throughout the book include rare black-and-white publicity stills, images of Beatles instruments, and engaging shots of the musicians in-studio.All the Songs is the must-have book for the any true Beatles fan.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt's 1982 and the Ramones are in a gutter-bound spiral. Following a run of inconsistent albums and deep in the throes of internal tensions the legendary quartet is about to crash and burn.ÞEnter Richie Ramone.ÞThen a 26-year-old from New Jersey named Richard Reinhardt he's snapped up by the group to be their new drummer and instantly goes from the obscurity of the underground club scene to membership in the most famous punk-rock band of all time revitalizing the pioneering outfit with his powerful precise and blindingly fast beats ä composing classic cuts like the menacing anthem Somebody Put Something in My Drink and becoming the only Ramones percussionist to sing lead vocals for the group. With the Ramones he performs over five hundred shows at venues all around the world and records three storming studio albums ä before abruptly quitting the band and going deep underground. To most fans this crucial figure in the band's history has remained a mystery his tale untold.ÞUntil now.ÞÊI Know Better Now: My Life Before During and After the RamonesÊ is the firsthand four-on-the-floor account of a life in rock 'n' roll and in one of its most influential acts ä straight from the sticks of the man who kept the beat.

Read more less

Book Synopsis1979. The dawn of Thatcher’ s Britain. It’ s a country crippled by strikes, joblessness and economic gloom, divided by race and class - and skanking to a new beat: 2-Tone. The unruly offspring of white boy punk and rude boy ska, the new music’ s undeniable leaders were The Specials. Bursting out of Coventry’ s concrete jungle, their lyrics spoke of failed marriages, petty violence, crowded dance floors, gangsters and race hate - but with a wit that outshone their angry punk forebears. On stage they were electric, and at the heart of this energy was the vocal chemistry of the ethereal Terry Hall and Jamaican rude boy Neville Staple. In 1961, aged only five, Neville was sent to England to live with his father – a man for whom discipline bordered on child abuse. Growing up black in the Midlands of the Sixties and Seventies wasn’ t easy, but then Nev was hardly an angel. His youth was marked by scuffles with skins, compulsive womanising, and a life of crime that led from shoplifting to burglary and eventually borstal and Wormwood Scrubs. But throughout there was music, and now Nev tells how a very bad boy became part of the most important band of the Eighties. He remembers sound system battles; the legendary 2-Tone tour with The Selecter, Madness and Dexy’ s – and their clashes with NF thugs. He recalls the band’ s increasing tensions and eventual split; his subsequent foray into bubblegum pop with Fun Boy Three; and a new found fame in America, as godfather to bands like Gwen Stefani’ s No Doubt. Finally he reflects on The Specials’ reunion and how even now, thirty years on, they can’ t help tearing themselves apart.Raucous and charming Original Rude Boy is the story of a man who done too much, much too young. Neville Staple was a frontman with The Specials, a member of the hugely successful pop trio Fun Boy Three and now tours the world with own his own ska act The Neville Staple Band. Visit him at: www.nevillestaple.co.uk Tony McMahon is a journalist and TV producer living in south London.Trade Review‘A fascinating but harrowing tale of an uneasy life’‘There’s a charm –and often downright cheek- in everything this “Rude Boy –made-good” has done… There’s more than enough colourful behaviour to keep you smiling’‘The book offers an insightful account of 1970s Britain; a time crippled by joblessness and economic gloom, but also uplifted by the new sound of the time: 2 Tone.’‘ A fascinating but harrowing tale of an uneasy life’ ‘ There’ s a charm – and often downright cheek- in everything this “ Rude Boy – made-good” has done… There’ s more than enough colourful behaviour to keep you smiling’ ‘ The book offers an insightful account of 1970s Britain; a time crippled by joblessness and economic gloom, but also uplifted by the new sound of the time: 2 Tone.’

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt's Chris Jagger's turn to lift the lid on one of the most colourful and exotic periods in British cultural history as he unrolls an insider's tale of growing up among the bombsites and ration books of post-war Dartford, weaving through the glittery underground of late 1960s countercultural London, spending months in India before most trod that path, the highs and lows of acting and film work, and pursuing his own unique musical adventures that have resulted in a number of albums and gigs across the world. Ultimately though it's the beguiling story of a close-knit family and deep brotherly ties, which endure from both sides of the spectrum.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Absorbing . . . Nichols gives an assured overview of Poulenc’s life and work, applying a light touch that is appropriate to the subject’s man-about-town façade.”—Alex Ross, New Yorker“Roger Nichols examines Poulenc’s life and charming music . . . An accessible biography for the common reader.”—John Check, Wall Street Journal“I don't think anyone writes better about classical music than Nichols, his wry humour and gift for surprising connections never losing touch with scholarly erudition.”—Duncan Fallowell, Spectator“Nichols interweaves life and works in a narrative richly informed by his long immersion in modern French music.”—Rupert Christiansen, Literary Review“True to form, Nichols presents the life of Poulenc in a scholarly, clear and authoritative style…This beautifully produced, meticulously researched book will certainly grace the shelves of music lovers, especially those with a keen interest in French music.”—Stephen Greenbank, MusicWeb International“Refreshingly open about the limits of the evidence, especially for the composer’s various flings, Nichols provides rich context making this essential reading for anyone interested in the French musical culture of Poulenc’s time. This is the biography the composer deserves.”—Christopher Dingle, BBC Music Magazine 'Best Books of 2020'“This expertly researched, well-written volume contains a surprising recent discovery about its subject's private life.”—George Hall, Opera“Expertly details how music drama was an essential part of [Poulenc’s] life and achievement, almost from birth...Nichols presents the full background information needed to understand just how Poulenc became passionate about opera.”—Benjamin Ivry, Opera NowCHOICE 2021 Outstanding Academic Title“Nichols is the perfect biographer for Poulenc. He has the same light touch, the same urbane charm and wit, and he knows everything there is to know about French music, its sources, its context and its psychology.”—Stephen Walsh, author of Debussy“Packed with entertaining detail and engagingly written, Nichols’ biography is essential reading for anyone interested in French music of the 20th century.”—Caroline Potter, author of Erik Satie“A fluent biography, written with sensitivity and compelling enthusiasm for the composer's music. Readers are guided to the poetry behind the music and the theology behind his Carmelites, all in the context of the highs and lows of the life of this fascinating man.”—Professor Richard Langham Smith, Royal College of Music“It is with great expectation that we should welcome the release of this book about the quintessential French musician Francis Poulenc; all the more so for being written by Nichols who is such an authority on the subject.”—Yan Pascal Tortelier, conductor and violinist

Read more less