Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

Book SynopsisRichard Strauss in Context offers a distinctive approach to the study of a composer in that it places the emphasis on contextualizing topics rather than on biography and artistic output. One might say that it inverts the relationship between composer and context. Rather than studies of Strauss''s librettists that discuss the texts themselves and his musical settings, for instance, this book offers essays on the writers themselves: their biographical circumstances, styles, landmark works, and broader positions in literary history. Likewise, Strauss''s contributions to the concert hall are positioned within the broader development of the orchestra and trends in programmatic music. In short, readers will benefit from an elaboration of material that is either absent from or treated only briefly in existing publications. Through this supplemental and broader contextual approach, this book serves as a valuable and unique resource for students, scholars, and a general readership.Trade Review'The essays are excellent and sure to be of interest to readers at all levels … Highly recommended.' S. Edwards, ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface Morten Kristiansen and Joseph E. Jones; Part I. Family, Friends and Collaborators: 1. Family and upbringing Chris Walton; 2. Formative influences David Larkin; 3. Pauline de Ahna Katharina Hottmann; 4. Close friends Walter Werbeck; 5. Hofmannsthal Ingeborg Haase and Dirk Hoffmann; 6. The other librettists Kenneth Birkin; 7. Stage collaborators Ryan Prendergast; 8. Champions Bryan Gilliam; Part II. Career Stations: 9. Munich and Garmisch Sebastian Bolz; 10. Meiningen and Weimar Michael Saffle; 11. Bayreuth Ulrich Konrad; 12. Berlin Dietmar Schenk; 13. Vienna Joseph E. Jones; Part III. Cultural Engagement and Musical Life: 14. Strauss as reader Matthew Werley; 15. Antiquity Jason Geary; 16. Philosophy and religion Charles Youmans; 17. Allgemeiner deutscher musikverein James Deaville; 18. Genossenschaft deutscher tonsetzer Manuela Schmidt; Part IV. Professional and Musical Contexts: 19. The composer Jeremy Zima; 20. The conductor Raymond Holden; 21. The orchestra Scott Warfield; 22. Program music Jonathan Kregor; 23. Post-wagnerian opera Morten Kristiansen; 24. The lied Jürgen May; Part V. In History: 25. Modernism Peter Franklin; 26. Traditionalism Leon Botstein; 27. World War I Philip Graydon; 28. Nazi Germany Erik Levi; 29. Lateness Giangiorgio Satragni; 30. Reception Franzpeter Messmer; Part VI. Artifacts and Legacy: 31. Publishers and editions Andreas Pernpeintner and Stefan Schenk; 32. Letters Claudia Heine and Adrian Kech; 33. In performance Raymond Holden; 34. Influence Ben Winters; 35. 2001: A space odyssey and beyond Charles Youmans; 36. Scholarly directions Matthew Werley; Index.

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Book SynopsisStravinsky in Context offers an alternative to chronological biography. Thirty-five short, specially commissioned essays explore the eventful life-tapestry from which Stravinsky''s compositions emerged. The opening chapters draw on new research into the composer''s childhood in St. Petersburg. Stravinsky''s early, often traumatic upbringing is examined in depth, particularly in the context of his brother Roman''s death, and religious sensibilities within the family. Further essays consider Stravinsky''s years in exile at the centre of dynamic and ever-evolving cultural environments, the composer constantly refining his idiom and re-defining his aesthetics against a backdrop of world events and personal tragedy. The closing chapters review new material regarding Stravinsky''s complicated relationship with the Soviet Union, whilst also anticipating his legacy from the varied perspectives of publishing, research and even - in the iconic example of The Rite of Spring - space exploration. TTrade Review'a fascinating read for more-seasoned musicians … Recommended.' M. Neil, Choice Connect'The clarity and authority with which its contributions have been written and edited means that Stravinsky in Context will be accessible to a wide range of readers, not least on undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as appealing to intelligent non-specialist audiences.' Philip Ross Bullock, Slavonic and East European ReviewTable of ContentsPreface; List of Contributors; List of Abbreviations; Part I. Russia and Identity: 1. Memory and truth: Stravinsky's childhood (1882-1901) Catriona Kelly; 2. Religion, life and death in St Petersburg Natalia Braginskaya; 3. Kashperova and Stravinsky: the making of a concert-pianist Graham Griffiths; 4. Reminiscences of Rimsky-Korsakov, his family and artistic circle Lidia Ader; 5. Orthodoxies and unorthodoxies: Stravinsky's spiritual journey Ivan Moody; 6. The Russian soul Rowan Williams; Part II. Stravinsky and Europe: 7. Sergei Diaghilev and Stravinsky: from world of art to ballets russes John E. Bowlt; 8. Paris and the Belle Époque Davinia Caddy; 9. Paris, Art Deco, and the spirit of Apollo Jonathan Cross; 10. Stravinsky's Spain: fan or mirror? Graham Griffiths; 11. 'It is Venice that he loves…' Mauricio Dottori; Part III. Partnerships and Authorship: 12. Stravinsky's sphere of influence: Paris and beyond Inessa Bazayev; 13. Stravinsky and his literary collaborators Maureen Carr; 14. Assuming co-authorship: Stravinsky and his 'ghost-writers' Valérie Dufour; 15. Nadia Boulanger and Stravinsky: the transition to America Kimberly Francis; 16. Conversations with Craft Anna Schmidtmann; Part IV. Performance and Performers: 17. Challenges to realism and tradition: Stravinsky's modernist theatre Massimiliano Locanto; 18. Igor Stravinsky and ballet as modernism Stephanie Jordan; 19. Stravinsky's ear for instruments Chris Dromey; 20. Towards a conductor-proof ideal Hannah Baxter; 21. The pianist in the recording studio: re-imagining interpretation Daniel Barolsky; 22. The legacy of Stravinsky as recorded history Per Dahl; Part V. Aesthetics and Politics: 23. Stravinsky versus literature Emily Frey; 24. Stravinsky and Greek antiquity Katerina Levidou; 25. Stravinsky's response to 'Japonisme' Mai Ikehara; 26. Stravinsky, modernism and mass culture Ross Cole; 27. Perspectives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky: Adorno and others Alan Street; 28. Stravinsky's 'problematical' political orientation during the 1920s and 1930s Erik Levi; Part VI. Reception and Legacy: 29. The Apollonian clockwork re-wound Elmer Schönberger; 30. Stravinsky reception in the USSR Philip Ewell; 31. The Stravinsky/Craft conversations in Russian and their reception Olga Manulkina; 32. Publishing Stravinsky Nigel Simeone; 33.Copyright, the Stravinsky estate, and the Paul Sacher foundation Heidy Zimmermann; 34. Evoking the past, inspiring the future Lynne Rogers; 35. 'Music is, by its very essence, powerless to express anything at all' Daniel K L Chua; Index.

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Book SynopsisAt the height of his initial, turn-of-the-1990''s infamy as the maraca-wielding dancer with ''Madchester'' giants Happy Mondays, the pop-eyed Mark Berry, forever known to the world as Bez, was visibly a danger to society. He became the so-called Chemical Generation''s bug-eyed pied piper, every weekend leading millions out to oblivion and beyond, as they adopted his E-gobbling party lifestyle.Neither an accomplished musician nor even a very good dancer, Bez was a prime candidate for fleeting celebrity, soon to sink into ''Where Are They Now?'' obscurity. That, however, never happened, nor does it show any sign of happening. Through Black Grape, the second band he co-fronted with the Mondays'' Shaun Ryder, and his ever-presence in the mass media, Bez''s popularity has grown exponentially, his star rocketing ever upwards.When he bowled into Celebrity Big Brother in 2005, he ended up winning the series, as viewers came to understand his fundamental decency and sunny outTrade ReviewIf there were a Prince of Manchester it would surely be Bez. -- Rev Richard Coles * BBC RADIO 4 SATURDAY LIVE *A cavalcade of eye-popping adventures. -- Ian Winwood * THE TIMES *The most jaw-dropping addition to the entire history of the genre. -- Nick Duerden * THE I PAPER *As an account of the deeds of the most wayward member of one of our most wayward bands, it does not disappoint. * THE TIMES SATURDAY REVIEW *The most jaw-dropping addition to the entire history of the genre -- Nick Duerden * iPaper *If there were a Prince of Manchester it would surely be Bez -- Rev Richard Coles * BBC Radio 4 *As an account of the deeds of the most wayward member of one of our most wayward bands, it does not disappoint * Times Saturday Review *

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Book Synopsis A stunning photography book that explores the power, rebellion, and resilience held within the voices of trailblazing Black female musicians.   From entertainment journalist and fashion stylist Marcellas Reynolds, the author of Supreme Models and Supreme Actresses, comes the third installment of the celebrated series, Supreme Sirens: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Music, the first-ever art book to honor the Black female singers and musicians who dominate the music industry.  Supreme Sirens chronicles the most influential and successful Black performers—from legendary jazz chanteuse Billie Holiday to the queen of soul Aretha Franklin and from glamorous girl groups such as the Supremes to modern, iconic superstars including Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Janet Jackson. Through exquisite photographs, personal interviews, short biographies, and career milestones, Reynolds details how these women’s music and

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Book SynopsisAn intimate, vulnerable, and insightful portrait of the bond that grew between two iconic and starkly different American women, Carly Simon's Touched by the Sun is a chronicle, in loving detail, of the late friendship she and Jackie shared.Trade ReviewSimon's book is full of . . . glimpses of the late Mrs Onassis you wouldn't get anywhere else * The Times *Searingly frank * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisPhil Ochs is known primarily as a songwriter; however, his oeuvre extends far beyond thatto short stories, poetry, criticism, journalism, and satire, all of which are included in I'm Gonna Say It Now: The Writings of Phil Ochs, which represents the majority of what Ochs wrote outside of his large circle of songs. This comprehensive tome presents another side of the famous topical songwriter, showcasing his prose and poetry from across the full span of his life. From prizewinning stories and clear-eyed reporting while a journalism major in college to music criticism, satires, and political pieces written while part of the burgeoning folk scene of New York City in the early 1960s and during the tumultuous Vietnam War era; from sharp and lyrical poems (many previously unpublished) to reviews, features, and satires written while living in Los Angeles and the final, elegiac coda writings from near the end of his lifeI'm Gonna Say It Now presents the complete picture.The book includes many r

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Book SynopsisA playful picture-book biography of the father of space-age bachelor-pad lounge music.Gorgeously illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, this lively biography follows Juan Garcia Esquivel from Mexico to New York City. Juan grew up to the sounds of mariachi bands; he loved music and became a musical explorer. Defying convention, he created music that made people laugh and planted images in their minds. His musical dreams brought him from Mexico to America and gained him worldwide renown. Juan’s space-age lounge music—popular in the fifties and sixties—has found a new generation of listeners. This account honors Esquivel as one of the great composers of the 20th century.

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Book Synopsis'Without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced' Eric Clapton'No one did more to spread the gospel of the blues' President Barack Obama'One part of me says, "Yes, of course I can play." But the other part of me says, "Well, I wish I could just do it like B.B. King."' John LennonRiley 'Blues Boy' King (1925-2015) was born into deep poverty in Mississippi. Wrenched away from his sharecropper father, B.B. lost his mother at age ten, leaving him more or less alone. Music became his emancipation from exhausting toil in the fields. Inspired by a local minister's guitar and by the records of Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker, B.B. taught his guitar to sing in the unique solo style that, along with his relentless work ethic and humanity, became his trademark. In turn, generations of artists claimed him as inspiration, from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton to Carlos Santana and the Edge.King of the Blues presents the vibrant life and times of a trailblazing giant. Witness to dark prejudice and lynching in his youth, B.B. performed incessantly (more than fifteen thousand concerts in ninety countries over nearly sixty years) - in some real way his means of escaping his past. His career roller-coasted between adulation and relegation, but he always rose back up. At the same time, his story reveals the many ways record companies took advantage of artists, especially those of colour.Daniel de Visé has interviewed almost every surviving member of B.B. King's inner circle - family, band members, retainers, managers and more - and their voices and memories enrich and enliven the life of this Mississippi blues titan, whom his contemporary Bobby 'Blue' Bland simply called 'the man.'Trade ReviewAs someone who has written about Black music history and repeatedly bumped into B.B., I understand the challenge of an accurate chronology of King's life and development as a unique guitar stylist and singular vocalist, and appreciate seeing the work done so well...There's tons of great stuff here that TMZ won't pick up but that readers who crave a great story of American culture will devour. -- Preston Lauterbach * Wall Street Journal *King of the Blues . . . tracks B.B. King's multifarious career with such efficiency and clarity that surely little of biographical significance remains to be said. . . . [T]he evaluations of King's recordings are comprehensive and almost always judicious. * Mojo *[De Visé] has an eye for a good story, tells a tale well, and likes a lively quote. . . . It's clear that he has done his investigative legwork, both in revisiting the vast range of printed and archival sources and carrying out his own interviews, in person and by correspondence. King's early days require a bit of care and caution for any writer, and it's encouraging that this one carefully unpicks seemingly contradictory accounts [and] pulls together as much documented evidence as we're likely to find at this stage. * Blues & Rhythm *Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist De Vise...amply demonstrates his masterful storytelling and research skills in this definitive look at legendary blues musician B.B. King (1925-2015). Informed by his conversations with "dozens of surviving friends and relatives, bandmates and producers," De Vise provides an intimate portrait of a cultural luminary "whose achievements transcended his genre." ...Even readers who aren't fans of the blues will be engrossed by this nuanced look at an American icon. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *As blues royalty and one of the 20th century's most influential musicians, B.B. King (1925-2015) has long deserved a well-considered biography that places his achievements in a cultural and historical context. This is it. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist de Visé deftly interweaves tales of American history, pop culture, racial relations, music theory, and much more to fully demonstrate King's significance...The thrill is here, as B.B. King finally gets his due in this first meticulous account of his historic life. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *The definitive biography of blues master Riley 'B.B.' King . . . Engaging. The book expertly interweaves King's music career into the U.S. social fabric, especially the civil rights movement. With this fast-moving, informative, evenhanded and exhaustive biography, de Vise´ vividly captures King's life. * Library Journal (starred review) *De Visé tells King's story in the context of his swirling times, intertwined with profiles of historic people and events musical and otherwise. A fine portrait of an iconic musician. * Booklist (starred review) *There's a lot to admire about this book . . . and if King of the Blues is your first B.B. book purchase, you'll be getting a fully rounded look at the life of a true American legend. * Now Dig This *B.B. King, one of the great bluesmen of all time. Can any other person hold one note on the guitar and make it say so much? Daniel de Visé's book on B.B. King is a great read. -- Joan ArmatradingB.B. King is one of, if not the best of, America's treasured heroes! Mr. de Vis­é meticulously dives deep into why, what and how young Riley, who graced this planet from a world of extreme complications, was able through his talent, relentless drive and humility, to rise to the deserved title 'King of the Blues.' Get your records out and enjoy the read. I did!!! -- Robert CrayThe name B.B. King now resonates with longevity amongst blues lovers and music enthusiasts alike. With more than six decades of noteworthy expressions of a great American art form, B.B. King's guitar playing and singing hold a strong place with an unmistakable sound of his professional and effervescent personality. Get a head start within these fine pages for an intimate trip with B.B. King's lifetime attachment to creativity. B.B. is truly King of the Blues, oh yeah! -- Billy Gibbons, guitarist and singer, ZZ TopDe Visé writes beautifully. His command of narrative is compelling. The level of detail he amassed is awesome. -- Charles Sawyer, author of THE ARRIVAL OF B.B. KINGLike hopping onboard B.B.'s tour bus for a ride straight to the heart of the blues. Told me about the B.B. I knew and a few other B.B.'s as well. I loved them all. -- Shemekia Copeland, three-time Grammy-nominated recording artistB.B. King was a marvelous man and an international ambassador for the blues. King of the Blues tells the extraordinary story of his life in great detail, and a wonderful story it is. A fitting tribute to a great artist. -- John Landis, director of THE BLUES BROTHERSB.B. King was the stone truth, the man who took down home uptown and, yes, the undisputed king of the blues. This, his first full and authoritative biography, is both right on time and long overdue. Dan de Visé has done a solid for music lovers everywhere. -- Leonard Pitts, Jr., Pulitzer Prize-winning national columnist and authorExtremely thoughtful, thorough and insightful. -- David Ritz, biographical collaborator with B.B. King, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and biographer of Marvin GayeTable of ContentsIntroduction: Introduction 1: Sharecropper 2: On the Run 3: Indianola Mississippi Seeds 4: The Blues 5: Memphis 6: The Blues Boy 7: Lucille 8: On the Road 9: Big Red 10: Fallow 11: Regal 12: Revival 13: Fillmore 14: Mythology 15: Live and Well 16: Back in the Alley 17: Moscow on the Mississippi 18: Homecoming 19: Lovetown 20: Riding with the King 21: A Golden Chain Epilogue: Epilogue Lyrics Referenced: Lyrics Referenced Discography: Discography The King's Court: The King's Court Acknowledgments: Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisA Monumental Gift for Music Lovers: A Deluxe Boxed Set of Philip Glass's Most Beloved and Personal Body of Work, Along with a Book of Appreciations from Notable Fellow Artists Philip Glass is one of the most influential artists of our time. In his long and staggeringly creative career as a composer, he's reached millions of people and transformed how we listen to music. He's written 26 operas, 12 symphonies, 13 concertos, and 35 film scores. But his most beloved, personal, and listened-to work is a series of 20 piano etudes. Originally created to "address the deficiencies in my own playing," in Glass's words, they've taken on a life of their own as a modern masterpiece-majestic and intimate at the same time, these compositions for solo piano have been performed and recorded by dozens of artists and streamed over 100 million times. Philip Glass Piano Etudes is in every way a one-of-a-kind tribute to this singular work. A deluxe boxed gift set, it includes the complete etudes, 1 through 20, plus a hardcover book: Studies in Time: Essays on the Music of Philip Glass. Each etude has been newly engraved (the technical term used for drawing music notation at the highest quality), and each is printed on oversize heavy stock and sewn-bound into individual folios. In Studies in Time, artists and writers including Laurie Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Maira Kalman, Pico Iyer, Alice Waters, Tim Page, Ari Shapiro, and others reflect on the music, the art of composition, the meaning of practice, and so much more. In its heirloom box, this deluxe edition of the etudes is to be cherished by music lovers, piano students and players, and anyone attuned to contemporary culture, savoured for its beauty and insights, and, of course, explored at the keyboard.Trade Review“Gorgeously printed and prepared, they’re a perfect gift for beginners and experienced players alike.”—The Washington PostTable of ContentsList of Contributors Alice Waters Angelique Kidjo Ari Shapiro Dennis Russell Davies Ira Glass Jenny Saville JLin Justin Peck Laurie Anderson Lucinda Childs Maira Kalman Maki Namekawa Martin Scorcese Michal Rovner Nathan Chen Nico Muhly Phelim McDermott Pico Iyer Tania Leon Tim Page Timo Andres

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Book SynopsisTom Wilson Tehoháhake is a modern Mohawk artist, Juno Award winner, best-selling author, and newly appointed member of the Order of Canada. In his 2017 memoir, Beautiful Scars, Wilson revealed the astonishing story of how he discovered he is Mohawk. In Mohawk Warriors, Hunters & Chiefs, Wilson further explores his identity through a stunning collection of paintings that explore what it means to be removed and reconnected with your cultural heritage. Featuring over 35 full-colour images of Wilson’s work, from guitars decorated with iconography drawn from beadwork to multimedia reflections on his upbringing in Hamilton, Mohawk Warriors, Hunters & Chiefs explores how Wilson began painting when all he knew of his identity were hints and dreams, and how his art has developed and grown over the past few years. An interview on his artistic process with Ryan McMahon and essays by Wilson and curator David Liss round out Wilson’s stunning visual exploration of his Mohawk identity.

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Book SynopsisErrol Ranville is one of twelve siblings who grew up in poverty in rural Manitoba. He rose to fame with a National #1 hit song in 1980 and went on to record a total of twenty albums over a span of forty years in the entertainment business. Errol is recording a new album of original songs and working on a screenplay for a made-for-TV movie of his life. He never sleeps, it seems. Errol Ranville has been running all his life: from chronic poverty and racism in rural Manitoba; a discriminatory music business; alcohol and drug addiction; and the responsibilities that come with being regarded as a role model. Though Errol has faced seemingly insurmountable barriers as an Indigenous performer in a predominately white music business, his band C-Weed & the Weeds released several #1 songs and went on to score JUNO nominations in 1985 and 1986. Errol was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2011. Errols autobiography is filled with love and passion as he embraces the role of trailblazer for the countless musicians that follow his path.Trade ReviewThis is the story of how C-Weed became a legendary name in Indigenous music. Run As One traces the perseverance, heartbreak and inspiration that led Errol Ranville from extreme hardship to singing the soundtrack of so many of our lives. - Wab Kinew, author of The Reason You Walk

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Book SynopsisTaken from the acclaimed BBC Radio 6 Music show, The First Time invites you inside the lives of some of the music world's most notable legends. From Alice Cooper to Yoko Ono, Courtney Love to Elton John, follow their lives and careers starting with their first musical memories, first records and first gigs, finding out the songs that have shaped them along the way. With 40 compelling interviews, specially commissioned collage illustrations and a bespoke playlist for each musician, The First Time is a must-have for any music lover.Trade Review"Author and presenter Matt Everitt invites 40 musicians from various genres to recall the ‘flashpoints that inspired them’: earliest musical memories, formative influences, first albums, favourite gigs." -- Mail on Sunday

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Book SynopsisHow many bands have rocked the world solidly for 50 years? Played in front of 1,500,000 people at one concert? Had hit records in every decade since the 1960s? That's right, just one: the Rolling Stones. This book documents the career of the band decade by decade, album by album and member by member, accompanied by 130 images and memorabilia.

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Book SynopsisRoger Daltrey is the voice of a generation.That generation was the first to rebel, to step out of the shadows of the Second World War... to invent the concept of the teenager.This is the story from his birth at the height of the Blitz, through tempestuous school days to his expulsion, age 15, for various crimes and misdemeanours within a strict school system. Thanks to Mr Kibblewhite, his authoritarian headmaster, it could all have ended there. The life of a factory worker beckoned.But then came rock and roll. He made his first guitar from factory off-cuts. He formed a band. The band became The Who - Maximum R&B - and, by luck and by sheer bloody-mindedness, Roger Daltrey became the frontman of one of the biggest rock bands on the planet.This is the story of My Generation, Tommy and Quadrophenia, of smashed guitars, exploding drums, cars in swimming pools, fights, arrests and redecorated hotel rooms.But it is also the story of how that post-war generation redefined the rules of youth. Out of that, the modern music industry was born - and it wasn't an easy birth. Money, drugs and youthful exuberance were a dangerous mix. This is as much a story of survival as it is of success.Four years in the making, this is the first time Roger Daltrey has told his story. It is not just his own hilarious and frank account of more than 50 wild years on the road. It is the definitive story of The Who and of the sweeping revolution that was British rock 'n' roll.

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Book SynopsisIt is 1965, and Swinging London is coming into its prime years. The streets are alive with mods and rockers, playboys and good-time girls, all revelling in the blossoming artistic, creative and cultural energies of the decade. Amid the colour and chaos is a boy sporting drainpipe jeans, an immaculately tailored sports coat and a half-inch wide tie. A devoted fan of The Who, he looks the part in his pristine mod gear. As the lead singer of the Lower Third, his talent is shaping itself into something truly special. His name is Davie Jones. In ten years, he will be unrecognisable as fresh-faced boy of 1965, and in just over fifty years, his death will be mourned by millions, his legacy the story of the greatest rock star of all time. And through Bowie's transition from pop group member to solo performer, Phil Lancaster was by his side. As the drummer in Bowie's band, the Lower Third, Phil was there as the singer's musical stripes began to show, and was witness to his early recording techniques, his first experimental forays into drug-taking, and the band's discovery of his bisexuality in shocking circumstances.In this riveting - and often very funny - memoir, Phil tells the story of life alongside the insecure yet blazingly talented boy who became Bowie, at a critical crossroad of time and place in music history. What follows is an intimate, personal and important perspective on the genesis of one of the most iconic musicians of the twentieth century - one that gets under the skin of the man himself, before the personas and alter-egos masked the fascinating figure beneath them. At the Birth of Bowie is essential reading for anyone who knows what happened on Bowie's journey, but wants to understand how, and why, it ever began.

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Book SynopsisBeat Instrumental summed it up in 1971: 'In a few short months Curved Air have emerged from the unknown depths to become one of the most talked-about bands around. By a combination of record company promotion (ranging from ads to that pretty patterned album) and a word-of-mouth reputation gained from their gigs, the group became a name before they had really done that much. Such a situation can be worrying for a band but Curved Air have the confidence to carry on unaffected.' Propelled into stardom at an exhilarating speed due to clever marketing and virtuosity in their musicianship, particularly violinist Darryl Way, the story of Curved Air in the 1970s is of a band that burned brightly before collapsing well ahead of their time. Fronted by the exotic Sonja Kristina, they supported Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter and B.B. King in huge stadiums, and several famous names passed through their ranks. These included Stewart Copeland who went on to form the Police with Sting. Every line up of Curved Air presented a stellar range of talent across a musically fascinating contribution throughout the decade. This book documents it all - from the groundbreaking albums like Air Conditioning and Phantasmagoria to the line up changes and traumas which caused the band to disband for the first time in 1976.

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Book SynopsisIn her long career, Canadian songstress Joni Mitchell has been hailed as everything from 1960s folk icon to 20th century cultural figure, artistic iconoclast to musical heroine, extreme romantic confessor to outspoken commentator and lyrical painter. While some criticised what they viewed as her seeming dismissal of commercial considerations, she simply viewed her trajectory as that of any artist serious about the integrity of their work. But whatever musical position she took, she was always one step ahead of the game, making eclectic and innovative music Albums like The Ladies Of The Canyon, Blue , Hejira and Mingus helped define each era of the 1970s, as she moved from exquisitely pitched singer songwriter material towards jazz. Her past influence was obvious in the 1980s when hoards of assuming successors (some highly respectable) gathered her exotic breadcrumbs with a view to distilling their illusive compounds, while Joni simultaneously forged ahead. This book revisits her studio albums in detail from 1968’s Song to a Seagull to 2007’s Shine, providing anecdote and insight into the recording sessions, an in depth analysis along with a complimentary level of lyrical and instrumental examination.

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Book SynopsisWhen Yes ran into problems recording their tenth album in Paris at the end of 1979, it was almost the end. Yet in the 80s, the band rallied, firstly as part of an unlikely collaboration with new wave duo The Buggles, then with 90125, the most successful album of their career, which spawned a number one hit in the USA with 'Owner Of A Lonely Heart'. The band failed to capitalise on this success, however, lingering too long over its successor Big Generator and by the end of the decade, Yes had effectively split into two versions of the same group. With most authors concentrating on the group's 1970s career, Yes in the 1980s looks in forensic detail at this relatively underexamined era of the band's history, featuring rarely seen photos researched by author David Watkinson. The book follows the careers of all nine significant members of the group during a turbulent decade which saw huge highs but also many lows. Not only does it consider the three albums the band itself made across the decade, but also the solo careers and other groups - including Asia, XYZ, The Buggles, Jon and Vangelis and GTR - formed by those musicians as the decade wound towards a reunion of sorts in the early 1990s

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Book SynopsisDepending on who you asked, George Harrison was many different things to different people. There was his songcraft, which won over the affections of producer savant Phil Spector; there was his musicianship, that captured the hearts of blues savants Eric Clapton and Delaney Bramlett; and then there was his penchant for comedy, which made him an obvious shoo-in for Rutland Weekend Television and Saturday Night Live. But behind these traits stood a fragile man, aching for enlightenment and peace in an industry that strove to rid him of any of it. Keenly aware of this conflict, Harrison was brave enough to commit it to tape on the wistful Dark Horse, a confessional album written against the backdrop of a regrettable American Tour. But Harrison was always ready to brave the conflict, and it served him better to ride it out than to return to The Beatles for an easy paycheque. He was known as ‘The Quiet Beatle’, although this title did him a disservice, considering his intellectual focus and thoughtful nature. Instead, he was arguably ‘The Chameleonic Beatle’, a moniker that only serves to understand the deeply complex guitar player better. And in a deeply complicated decade, Harrison's artistry flourished

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Book SynopsisAfter the singularity of Astral Weeks in 1968, the 1970s were the formative years for the solo career of one of the acknowledged giants of modern music. Van Morrison was one of the music legends who defined the decade, with every album bringing out different aspects to Morrison's vast musical spectrum. His story in the 1970s is a chronicle of a Belfast artist coming to terms with the voice, the call, the dream of America. The decade saw Morrison work through the promise of the land of the blues and jazz, westerns and railroads, big cities and backwoods. It also saw his own spiritual quest and the reimagining of a nordic North European heritage and Caledonian Irish roots alongside the realisation of emigration and exile. Morrison forged a rich and complex artistic catalogue that continues down the years to the present day. Beginning with smash hit Moondance in 1970, his output in the decade continued through Tupelo Honey via Hard Nose the Highway to 1979's Into the Music. By the end of the 1970s, he was again using Europe to recast his music and imagination for another half century in the business, but throughout most of the decade his songs centred on America as he created the foundation of an unparalleled legacy

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Book SynopsisTHE TOP TEN BESTSELLER'Candid, brilliant and bizarre' Guardian'Stories about the frontman and his bandmates are legion ... [like] Peter Kay with menaces' The Sunday TimesAs lead singer of Happy Mondays and Black Grape, Shaun Ryder was the Keith Richards and Mick Jagger of his generation. A true rebel, who formed and led not one but two seminal bands, he's had number-one albums, headlined Glastonbury, toured the world numerous times, taken every drug under the sun, been through rehab - and come out the other side as a national treasure.Now, for the first time, Shaun lifts the lid on the real inside story of how to be a rock star. With insights from three decades touring the world, which took him from Salford to San Francisco, from playing working men's clubs to headlining Glastonbury and playing in front of the biggest festival crowd the world has ever seen, in Brazil, in the middle of thunderstorm. From recording your first demo tape to having a number-one album, Shaun gives a fly-on-the-wall look at the rock 'n' roll lifestyle - warts and all: how to be a rock star - and also how not to be a rock star. From numerous Top of the Pops appearances to being banned from live TV, from being a figurehead of the acid-house scene to hanging out backstage with the Rolling Stones, Shaun has seen it all. In this book he pulls the curtain back on the debauchery of the tour bus, ridiculous riders, run-ins with record companies, drug dealers and the mafia, and how he forged the most remarkable comeback of all time.'There are enough stories about Happy Mondays to keep people talking about them forever. Bands live on through the myth really, myth and legend' (Steve Lamacq)Trade ReviewCandid and brilliant -- Emma Garland * Guardian *Table of Contentsi: Intro 1: Myths 2: Starting a band 3: Band names 4: Rehearsals 5: Clothes and haircuts 6: Songwriting 7: Lyrics 8: Record labels 9: Live gigs 10: Riders 11: Top of the Pops 12: Drugs 13: Rehab 14: Fame 15: Rivalries 16: Interviews 17: Video shoots 18: Hotels 19: Homes 20: The recording studio 21: Producers 22: Singles 23: Artwork 24: Managers 25: Awards 26: Fans 27: Festivals 28: Touring the world 29: The tour bus 30: Musical differences 31: Teeth 32: Reality TV 33: Social media 34: Reunions 35: Encore

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Book SynopsisThe Beatles were – are – probably the most famous and successful band in the world, and despite breaking up over 40 years ago, their popularity remains rock solid, with fans ever-thirsty for new celebrations of their work. Organized by year, this brilliant book covers all the major events in their relatively short career.

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Book SynopsisFrom Mummers to Madness considers developments in the production and consumption of popular music in England over a period of some two hundred years, which saw dramatic changes in the socio-economic, demographic and cultural life of the country. Popular music, it is argued, was not simply a response to the wider developments that were taking place but contributed to the ongoing process of adaptation and change.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction: How can I keep from singing … and dancing? Part 1: popular music in england in the acoustic age, c.1770s to c.1900s Section 1: Nymphs and Shepherds?
Popular music c.1770s – c.1840s Chapter 2 ‘Aive down your prong and stamp along’: Festivals, feasts, and fairs Chapter 3 ‘Between the jigs and the reels’: Popular dance and dancing Chapter 4 ‘I’ll sing you a song and a very pretty one’: Broadsides, ballads and more Chapter 5 ‘Come all you bold heroes, give ear to my Song’: Sport, drink and sex Chapter 6 ‘In Maidstone gaol, I am lamenting’: Crime, punishment and socio-political comment Section 2: Music-hall and its rivals, c.1840s – c.1900s Chapter 7 ‘Sing, sing! Why shouldn’t we sing?’ Popular music in the age of the music hall Chapter 8 ‘Dancing to the organ (in the Mile End Road)’: Dance and Dancing Saloons Chapter 9 ‘Champagne Charlie is my name’: 
 The swell, the Irish and the cockney Chapter 10 ‘A little of what you fancy’: Love, marriage
 and other social problems Chapter 11 ‘The Boers have got my daddy’: Politics domestic and foreign Chapter 12 ‘The Minstrels Parade’: Blackface minstrelsy and the music hall Part 2: english popular music in the age of technology, c.1900s to c.1970s Section 3: Variety and its rivals, c.1890s – c.1950s Chapter 13 ‘Fings ain’t what they used to be’: The strange and lingering death of variety theatre Chapter 14 ‘I wish I could shimmy like my sister Kate’: Dance halls and dancing between the wars Chapter 15 ‘Let’s have a song upon the gramophone’: Manufactured music - records, radio and the cinema Chapter 16 ‘I like bananas’: Popular songs of the 1920s
 and 1930s Chapter 17 ‘Music while you work’ ... and play:Popular music c.1940-1955 Section 4: The empires strike back, c.1950s – c.1970s Chapter 18 ‘Don’t You Rock Me, Daddy-O’: Skiffle and rock ‘n’ roll Chapter 19 ‘Twist and shout’: Illusion and disillusion in the 1960s and 1970s Chapter 20 ‘Woke Up This Morning:’ How we got the(rhythm and) blues – and found some soul Chapter 21 ‘Islands in the Sun’: Calypso to reggae Chapter 22 Conclusion: Mummers to Madness-
the broader picture Appendix
 Late-eighteenth/early-nineteenthcentury tunes General Index Song and Tune Index

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Book SynopsisDesigned to speak clearly and intelligently to non-musicians and musicians alike, "Inside Film Music" is a must for every film music fan. Through its forty-plus lively, insightful interviews, it delves deeply into the creative process, the basics of musical thought, filmmaking''s collaborative nature, and the individual psyches of its participating composers. It covers every current style of film music, the essence of what it means to write a score for motion pictures ... and much more. Composers featured included Academy Award Winners John Barry (Dances with Wolves, Out of Africa, Goldfinger); Rachel Portman (Mona Lisa Smile, The Cider House Rules, Chocolat); Stephen Warbeck (Shakespeare in Love); and Gabriel Yared (Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr. Ripley, City of Angels, The English Patient). Also interviewed are Academy Award Nominees John Debney (Sin City, The Passion of the Christ, Bruce Almighty, Spy Kids); Philip Glass (The Hours, Kundun); Mark Isham (Freedom Writers, The Black Dahlia, Home for the Holidays, Quiz Show); Marc Shaiman (How Harry Met Sally, Ghosts of Mississippi, A Few Good Men, City Slickers, Misery); and Alan Silvestri (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, The Polar Express). Additionally there is commentary from Marco Beltrami (Hellboy,The Terminator 3); Mychael Danna (Little Miss Sunshine, Capote); Cliff Martinez (Wonderland, Traffic, Sex, Lies and Videotape); and Jeff Rona (TV series: Homicide, Chicago Hope, Profiler).

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Book Synopsis700 great music locations and the fascinating stories behind them.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisWhere would classical music be without the orchestra? Whether they are of the symphony or chamber variety, every orchestra is made up of a group of musicians playing together as one body to bring the music of the great composers to life. This handy reference guide from Classic FM takes you on a whistle-stop tour of the greatest orchestras at home and abroad, stopping off to explore the world of orchestral instruments, as well as making plenty of musical recommendations along the way. The orchestra is one of the cornerstones of classical music, beloved of music lovers around the world. Packed full of essential information, this pocket-sized handbook explores the make-up and functions of the different sections, from strings to percussion, as well as some of the greatest orchestras around the world and the incredible music that they perform. Classic FM's Handy Guides are a fun and informative set of introductions to standout subjects within classical music, each of which can be read and digested in one sitting: a perfect collectible series whether you're new to the world of classical music or an aficionado.Table of ContentsContents Introduction vii Preface ix 1 Back at the Beginning 1 2 The Conductor 5 3 The String Section 13 4 The Brass Section 19 5 The Woodwind Section 23 6 The Percussion Section 29 7 Great British Orchestras 39 8 Great Orchestras of the World 65 9 The Music Orchestras Play 75 About Classic FM 89 About the Author 93 Index 95

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Book SynopsisThis is about The Small Faces as a live act. The band’s trajectory; the good gigs and the not-so-good; the perception of the band through the critical eyes of fellow musicians, managers and fans. The story from their first to last live gigs.Table of Contents1. The Starlight Club 2. The First gigs ‘Up North’ 3. Mod v Scream 4. Jimmy Winston’s Last Gigs 5. Ian McLagan and the Real ‘Lisztomania’ 6. The Pressure Grows 7. Small Faces meet The Beatles 8. Flying Ashtrays in Boston 9. Big Things in Small Packages 10. An Inspiration 11. Who Pulled the Plug? 12. Thank you and Goodnight 13. Festival of The Flower Children 14. Australia 15. Soaking Up the Sound 16. Slaves Take a Rest 17. Pent-up Energy and Aggression 18. In the Lock-up 19. Marshalls Left Behind 20. A New Type of Venue 21. Derek Wadsworth and friends 22. Tumbling Walls 23. Happy Birthday, Kenney! 24. The Magic Bus Tour 25. First Rehearsals 26. The Roundhouse 27. “They’re Just Not Listening!” 28. A Leap into the Dark 29. Small Faces on Ice 30. Drum Duets 31. Frightening the Teenyboppers 32. A Free Gig? 33. A George Michael Connection 34. The Bubbles Club and Peter Frampton 35. When the Bell Tolls - Alexandra Palace 36. Far from the Madding Crowd 37. In the Abyss Part Two Biographies and recollections of musicians from The Small Faces brass section 38. Lyn Dobson 39. Derek Wadsworth 40. Eddie Thornton 41. Harry Beckett 42. Brian Smith 43. Johnny Marshall 44. Don Fay 45. Peter Coe

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Book SynopsisBrand new and revised edition of the best selling guide to Bob Dylan. Includes bigraphy, full discography (inc Rough & Rowdy Ways)

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Book SynopsisThe True Performing Of It places the two writers side by side and examines the resultant analogies in their work that spring from this positioning. After a teasing prologue, the book begins by reflecting on the significance of Dylan's remarks on Shakespeare when accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature, before examining their shared Bardic qualities, and their position of being feted for their undoubted literary qualities despite both being primarily artists of live performances of drama and music. The movement from 'low' to 'high' art is traced and its implications explored in depth and detail, as is the fierce opposition that the parallel theatrical and musical transitions from communal folk art to professional entertainment engendered. The parallels in their approaches to performing art, use of language and source material form core chapters of the book. The last section of the book is an in-depth focus on The Tempest and Tempest as specific examples of the theories and generalitie

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Book SynopsisCanadian siblings Margo, Michael and Peter Timmins and Michael's childhood friend, Alan Anton, first started making music together over thirty years ago. Sixteen studio albums and five live albums later, Cowboy Junkies are still touring the world. Based on interviews with the group themselves, Music is the Drug is the official biography of one of the best-loved folk-rock bands around.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisIn 2012 the Rolling Stones celebrate their 50th anniversary. Their story – the band's meteoric rise to fame, the Marianne Faithfull, Brian Jones and Altamont scandals, the groundbreaking hits – is the stuff of twentieth century legend, and core to popular culture.Trade Review'The Stones are lucky to have found a biographer of Philip Norman's class'Pete Townshend 'An elegiac book, a record of evanescence as much as of durability, and it reminds us of an epoch that threw up lions with no more energy than it threw out losers'The Times ‘Wonderfully unravels the social history of that extraordinary time, and does not pull any punches’Daily Telegraph ‘Details their amazing career and lifestyle…After reading this account one cannot help but marvel that they have survived’Daily Express ‘Read it as a cautionary tale of success becoming excess…read it through a haze of nostalgia that will send you back to the early indifferently produced LPs – and the singles whose power derives from the simplest riffs and the most indelible memories of the Sixties. But read it’John Walsh in Books and Bookmen

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