Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books
Cambridge University Press Mozart on the Stage Composers on the Stage
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£38.00
Cambridge University Press Wagner and the Romantic Hero
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£85.72
Cambridge University Press Three Modes of Perception in Mozart The Philosophical Pastoral and Comic in Cos fan tutte Cambridge Studies in Opera
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£92.14
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles Cambridge Companions to Music
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£75.04
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington Cambridge Companions to Music
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£61.75
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Companion to Gilbert and Sullivan Cambridge Companions to Music
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£71.65
Cambridge University Press Harrison Birtwistles Operas and Music Theatre Music since 1900
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£108.09
Cambridge University Press Alan Bush Modern Music and the Cold War
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£22.99
Cambridge University Press Verdi and the Germans From Unification To The Third Reich 26 New Perspectives in Music History and Criticism Series Number 26
Book SynopsisThis seminal study of Giuseppe Verdi's German-language reception provides important new perspectives on German musical culture and nationalism from the mid-nineteenth century onwards. Kreuzer argues that the concept of Germany's musical supremacy, so dear to its nationalist cause, was continually challenged by the popularity of Italian opera, a genre increasingly epitomised by Verdi. The book traces the many facets of this Italian-German opposition in the context of intense historical developments from German unification in 1871 to the end of World War II and beyond. Drawing on an exceptionally broad range of sources, Kreuzer explores the construction of visual and biographical images of Verdi; the marketing, interpretation and adaptation of individual works; regional, social and religious undercurrents in German musical life; and overt political appropriations. Suppressed, manipulated and, not least, guiltily enjoyed, Verdi emerges as a powerful influence on German intellectuals' ideaTrade Review'Verdi and the Germans boldly explores new directions in the study of nationalism and music. Instead of focusing on the 'German-ness' of German composers, as has been done thus far, it looks at how Germans reacted to the most prominent non-German composer of the nineteenth century, Giuseppe Verdi. This long and fascinating story, told by Gundula Kreuzer with immense erudition and sharp insight, is well worth reading not only for musicologists, but also for cultural and social historians, as well as anybody interested in the tentacular hold of nationalism over minds, hearts and ears.' Emanuele Senici, University of Rome'Gundula Kreuzer has addressed a theme of capital importance in this book: the role of foreign cultures in creating a nation's self image. She could hardly have chosen a more appropriate reception study to interrogate this theme. In the course of her absorbing, and engagingly written, book she sheds light on Verdi and on German culture alike, and with an historical sweep which takes us to the Third Reich and beyond. Based on a careful trawl of journals and newspapers (the weight of research collapsed into her footnotes is truly impressive), Verdi and the Germans is scholarship of the very highest quality.' Jim Samson, Royal Holloway, University of London'Draws upon a wide and impressive range of documentary sources.' Opera'Kreuzer shows a courageous willingness to confront some uncomfortable truths. Her engrossing book is a vivid illustration of how music can be used in the service of politics and a warning that we ignore the significance of the arts at our peril.' Music and LettersTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction: Italian opera and German historiography; 2. Verdi's Requiem and the anxious young Kaiserreich; 3. Maestro to Meister: Verdi purified; 4. The 'Verdi renaissance'; 5. Verdi in the Third Reich; 6. Epilogue: post-war Verdi; Appendix 1. Verdi's Requiem in German-language countries, 1875–1901; Appendix 2. Successful Verdi revivals in German-language theatres, 1901–51; Select bibliography.
£36.87
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Companion to the SingerSongwriter Cambridge Companions to Music
Book SynopsisMost often associated with modern artists such as Bob Dylan, Elton John, Don McLean, Neil Diamond, and Carole King, the singer-songwriter tradition in fact has a long and complex history dating back to the medieval troubadour and earlier. This Companion explains the historical contexts, musical analyses, and theoretical frameworks of the singer-songwriter tradition. Divided into five parts, the book explores the tradition in the context of issues including authenticity, gender, queer studies, musical analysis, and performance. The contributors reveal how the tradition has been expressed around the world and throughout its history to the present day. Essential reading for enthusiasts, practitioners, students, and scholars, this book features case studies of a wide range of both well and lesser-known singer-songwriters, from Thomas d'Urfey through to Carole King and Kanye West.Trade Review'… lead[s] the reader to analyse big themes in music: genre, race, gender, societal trends and industry machinations.' Jeanette Leach, Shindig!'There is emphasis on singer-songwriters from the LGBTQ community. Including detailed notes, this fascinating survey will have something for anyone interested in the topic.' R. D. Cohen, Choice'The editors are clear in their introduction that this companion is aimed both at readers who like and perform and engage with popular music and also at students and teachers and researchers involved with formal (and informal) study of popular music. By this token, implied themes such as gender and sexuality, race and politics emerge regularly throughout the work, and these are used to explain and illuminate the singing-songwriting creative act itself.' Stuart Hannabuss, Reference ReviewsTable of ContentsIntroduction Katherine Williams and Justin A. Williams; Part I. Establishing a Tradition: 1. The emergence of the singer-songwriter David R. Shumway; 2. Singer-songwriters of the German Lied Natasha Loges and Katy Hamilton; 3. Bill Monroe, bluegrass music, and the politics of authorship Mark Finch; 4. Singer-songwriters and the English folk tradition Allan F. Moore; 5. The Brill Building and the creative labour of the professional songwriter Simon Barber; 6. Forging the singer-songwriter at the Los Angeles Troubadour Christa Bentley; 7. The 'professional' singer-songwriter in the 1970s Michael Borshuk; Part II. Individuals: 8. Thomas D'Urfey Tōru Mitsui; 9. Leadbelly Josep Pedro; 10. Region and identity in Dolly Parton's songwriting Jada Watson; 11. Authorship and performance in the music of Elton John Phil Allcock; 12. Depicting the working class in the music of Billy Joel Joshua S. Duchan; 13. Musical gesture in the songs of Nick Drake Timothy Koozin; 14. Sampling and storytelling: Kanye West's vocal and sonic narratives Lori Burns, Alyssa Woods and Marc Lafrance; 15. James Blake, digital lion Madison Moore; 16. Outside voices and the construction of Adele's singer-songwriter persona Sarah Suhdolnik; 17. Joanna Newsom's 'Only Skin': authenticity, influence, and the relationship between 'new' and 'old weird America' Jo Collinson-Scott; Part III. Men and Women: 18. Gender, race, and the ma(s)king of 'Joni Mitchell' Kevin Fellezs; 19. Gender, genre, and diversity at Lilith Fair Jennifer Taylor; 20. Changing openness and tolerance towards LGBTQ singer-songwriters Katherine Williams; 21. Tori Amos as shaman Chris McDonald; 22. Gender identity, the queer gaze and female singer-songwriters Megan Berry; 23. The female singer-songwriter in the 1990s Sarah Boak; Part IV. Frameworks and Methods: 24. Reconciling theory and practice in the teaching of songwriting Mark Marrington; 25. Singer-songwriters and open mics Marcus Aldredge; 26. Singer-songwriter authenticity, the unconscious and emotions (feat. Adele's 'Someone Like You') Rupert Till; Part V. Global Perspectives: 27. Don McGlashan and local authenticity Nick Braae; 28. Italian Canzone d'autore and Greek Entecho tragoudi: a comparative overview Franco Fabbri and Ioannis Tsioulakis; 29. Singer-songwriters in the digital age Lucy Bennett.
£28.12
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Companion to the Eroica Symphony
Book SynopsisThis Companion provides orientation for those embarking on the study of Beethoven''s much-discussed Eroica Symphony, as well as providing fresh insights that will appeal to scholars, performers and listeners more generally. The book addresses the symphony in three thematic sections, on genesis, analysis and reception history, and covers key topics including political context, dedication, sources of the Symphony''s inspiration, ''heroism'' and the idea of a ''watershed'' work. Critical studies of writings and analyses from Beethoven''s day to ours are included, as well as a range of other relevant responses to the work, including compositions, recordings, images and film. The Companion draws on previous literature but also illuminates the work from new angles, based on new evidence and a range of approaches by twelve leading scholars in Beethoven research.Table of ContentsIntroduction Nancy November; Part I. Context and Genesis: 1. Beethoven and heroism in the age of revolutions Scott Burnham; 2. Beethoven's 'watershed'? Eroica's contexts and periodization Mark Ferraguto; 3. The symphony in Vienna and abroad around 1800 Erica Burrman; 4. Genesis and publication of the Eroica Federica Rovelli; Part II. Analytical Approaches: 5. Twentieth-century analytical approaches to the first movement William Drabkin; 6. Beethoven in the garden: the hero who practices resignation; or, the Eroica as 'late' work Vasili Byros; 7. Registering the Eroica Nicholas Marston; 8. After invention: traces and materials in the Eroica finale Elaine Sisman; Part III. Reception: 9. Who is the hero? The early reception of the Eroica Beate Angelika Kraus; 10. The Eroica in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries Leon Botstein; 11. Performing, arranging and rearranging the Eroica: then and now Nancy November; 12. The Eroica endures: Beethoven's Third Symphony in the twenty-first century Melanie Lowe.
£22.99
Cambridge University Press Duke Ellington Studies
Book SynopsisDuke Ellington (18991974) is widely considered the jazz tradition''s most celebrated composer. This engaging yet scholarly volume explores his long career and his rich cultural legacy from a broad range of in-depth perspectives, from the musical and historical to the political and international. World-renowned scholars and musicians examine Ellington''s influence on jazz music, its criticism, and its historiography. The chronological structure of the volume allows a clear understanding of the development of key themes, with chapters surveying his work and his reception in America and abroad. By both expanding and reconsidering the contexts in which Ellington, his orchestra, and his music are discussed, Duke Ellington Studies reflects a wealth of new directions that have emerged in jazz studies, including focuses on music in media, class hierarchy discourse, globalization, cross-cultural reception, and the role of marketing, as well as manuscript score studies and performance studies.Trade Review'Few publications among the literature on Duke Ellington to have appeared in recent years … can claim to have shed as much light on their subject as the impressive collection of essays assembled by John Howland for his new symposium, Duke Ellington Studies.' Mervyn Cooke, Music and LettersTable of Contents1. Ellington the entertainer: pageantry and prophecy in Duke Ellington's films Phil Ford; 2. Marketing to the middlebrow: reconsidering Ellingtonia, the legacy of early Ellington criticism, and the idea of a 'serious' jazz composer John Howland; 3. 'Art or debauchery?': the reception of Ellington in the UK Catherine Tackley; 4. 'Nobody was looking': the unparalleled jazz piano legacy of Duke Ellington Bill Dobbins; 5. 'People wrap their lunches in them': Duke Ellington and his written music manuscripts Walter van de Leur; 6. The moor's revenge: the politics of Such Sweet Thunder David Schiff; 7. Duke Ellington in the LP era Gabriel Solis; 8. Authentic synthetic hybrid: Ellington's concepts of Africa and its music Carl Woideck; 9. 'The mother of all albums': revisiting Ellington's A Drum is a Woman John Wriggle.
£31.90
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Bob Dylan Behind the Shades Revisited
Book SynopsisIn 1991 Clinton Heylin published what was considered the most definitive biography of Bob Dylan available. In 2001 he completely revised and reworked this hugely acclaimed book, adding new sections, substantially reworking text, and bringing the story up-to-date with Dylan''s explosive career in 2000. Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited follows the story of Dylan from his humble beginnings in Minnesota to his arrival in New York in 1961, his subsequent rise in the folk pantheon of Greenwich Village in the early ''60s, and his cataclysmic folk-rock metamorphosis at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. In the succeeding eighteen months, Dylan released Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde, and embarked on the legendary 1966 World Tour that culminated with an unforgettable concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Heylin details it all, along with the true story of Dylan''s motorcycle accident, his remarkable reemergence in the mid-''70s, the only exacting account of his controversial conversion to born-again Christianity, the Neverending Tour, and yet another incredible Dylan resurgence with his 1997 Grammy Album of the Year Award-winning Time Out of Mind.Deemed by The New Yorker as the most readable and reliable of all Dylan biographies, this book will give fans what they have always wanted -- a chance to get to know the man behind the shades.
£19.79
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Mozarts Women His Family His Friends His Music
Book Synopsis
£15.19
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Mozart
Book Synopsis
£20.69
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Madonna
Book SynopsisMaterial Girl . . . Immaculate sexpot . . . Superstar . . . Mother . . . Kabbalah enthusiast . . . For three decades she has defied categorization. . . . She remains one of our greatest living pop icons.Here is the groundbreaking biography that finally solves the mystery at the heart of Madonna''s chameleonlike existence. Drawing upon scores of candid interviews with producers, musicians, collaborators, lovers, and friends, Lucy O''Brien''s Madonna: Like an Icon explores the complex personality and legendary drive that have made Madonna the most famous female pop artist of our time. From her mother''s premature death to Madonna''s dynamic arrival on the New York club scene, from Like a Virgin to Evita and beyond, every stage of this dazzling star''s life and career is brilliantly illuminated—the stereotypes deconstructed, the lies exposed, the artist examined, the legend celebrated.
£14.20
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Sinatras Century One Hundred Notes on the Man and
Book SynopsisTrade Review"He will hold your interest with his smart and passionate views. The book is the literary equivalent of a late-night session among Sinatra devotees sharing their favorite recordings over drinks, calling attention to the finer nuances of beloved tracks. Even an old Sinatra fan like me learned new things from Lehman." -- Ted Gioia, BookForum "Selective, idiosyncratic and short. Some of the observations are familiar, but the best make fresh comparisons and connections. And Lehman is strong on the way Sinatra's music continues to wend its way through the culture." -- Ben Yagoda, New York Times Book Review "David Lehman gives us a more nuanced study -Sinatra's Century. The book hits all the highlights -and dim days- of Sinatra's career, starting with his days as a big-band singer who blossomed into an idol for teenage girls. Let this book cast its spell." -- Harry Levins, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Lehman, an established poet, widens the frame of reference, thereby expanding the emotional resonance of the songs...Lehman tells us what those facts mean." -- Sibbie O'Sullivan, Washington Post "Like Wallace Stevens's "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird," Sinatra's Century offers multiple views of a subject that fascinates its author. His accomplishment is in not just telling Sinatra's story, but in describing the man's effect on all of us, then and now." -- Tom Toce, Los Angeles Review of Books "I would particularly recommend Sinatra's Century, a wonderful new book by the poet, editor, and essayist David Lehman. The book is at once short, fun to dip in and out of, full of quirky yet thoughtful lists of best albums and songs, with a poet's appreciation of Sinatra's craft." -- Ken Tucker, Yahoo TV "Mr. Lehman holds the reader by ferreting out of the voluminous files lots of choice quotes and anecdotes that reanimate Sinatra's gamy lost world." -- Wall Street Journal "Threaded through David Lehman's 100 notes are captivating observations, histories, insights and reflections likely to serve as interesting dinner party conversations." -- Beverly Hills Courrier "A poet and critic by trade, Lehman has composed a paean that devotes as much space to Sinatra's personality as to his singing...Well-written and unfailingly pleasing to read." -- Commentary
£19.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Sinatras Century One Hundred Notes on the Man and
Book SynopsisTrade Review"He will hold your interest with his smart and passionate views. The book is the literary equivalent of a late-night session among Sinatra devotees sharing their favorite recordings over drinks, calling attention to the finer nuances of beloved tracks. Even an old Sinatra fan like me learned new things from Lehman." -- Ted Gioia, BookForum "Selective, idiosyncratic and short. Some of the observations are familiar, but the best make fresh comparisons and connections. And Lehman is strong on the way Sinatra's music continues to wend its way through the culture." -- Ben Yagoda, New York Times Book Review "David Lehman gives us a more nuanced study -Sinatra's Century. The book hits all the highlights -and dim days- of Sinatra's career, starting with his days as a big-band singer who blossomed into an idol for teenage girls. Let this book cast its spell." -- Harry Levins, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Lehman, an established poet, widens the frame of reference, thereby expanding the emotional resonance of the songs...Lehman tells us what those facts mean." -- Sibbie O'Sullivan, Washington Post "Like Wallace Stevens's "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird," Sinatra's Century offers multiple views of a subject that fascinates its author. His accomplishment is in not just telling Sinatra's story, but in describing the man's effect on all of us, then and now." -- Tom Toce, Los Angeles Review of Books "I would particularly recommend Sinatra's Century, a wonderful new book by the poet, editor, and essayist David Lehman. The book is at once short, fun to dip in and out of, full of quirky yet thoughtful lists of best albums and songs, with a poet's appreciation of Sinatra's craft." -- Ken Tucker, Yahoo TV "Mr. Lehman holds the reader by ferreting out of the voluminous files lots of choice quotes and anecdotes that reanimate Sinatra's gamy lost world." -- Wall Street Journal "Threaded through David Lehman's 100 notes are captivating observations, histories, insights and reflections likely to serve as interesting dinner party conversations." -- Beverly Hills Courrier "A poet and critic by trade, Lehman has composed a paean that devotes as much space to Sinatra's personality as to his singing...Well-written and unfailingly pleasing to read." -- Commentary
£12.39
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Dirty Version On Stage in the Studio and in
Book SynopsisTrade Review"An unprecedented portrait of Jones' inner life." -- Salon "Monk captures [ODB's] charisma and charm, but also the joy and pain that fame brought [him], as well as the drugs, the women and the demise. It's a great work in honor of an individual who tried to walk the best line he could." -- Ebony "Cuts through the urban legends to present more complex sides to the infamous icon." -- i.-D. Magazine "An eye-witness account about the life and times of the larger-than-life character." -- Philadelphia City Paper "Monk is a genial narrator and provides an authentic look at the N.Y.C. hip-hop scene [and] a unique perspective on the troubled life of an intriguing artist." -- Publishers Weekly "Everywhere Ol' Dirty Bastard went, Buddha Monk was there. Buddha was Dirty's hype man on stage, and he helped protect him on tour when Dirty didn't have any security. Buddha was everything to Dirty." -- Icelene Jones, Dirty's widow "Dirty and Buddha were the twin towers. There ain't no Brooklyn Zu without them. It was rare to see Dirty do a show without Buddha Monk." -- Hell Razah of Sunz of Man "Provides a unique perspective [and an] entertaining, insightful portrait ... For even a casual hip-hop fan, The Dirty Version is an easy and enlightening read. And for true hip-hop heads, this is some essential stuff. Word is bond." -- Winnipeg Free Press Hlarious, profound, entertaining, and inspiring ... One of the most interesting and unpredictable biographies I've ever read. The Dirty Version travels light-years beyond ODB's shocking headlines to illustrate the relentless humanity of a free loving American icon. -- MK Asante, author of BUCK: A MEMOIR "Buddha Monk and Dirty were like Batman and Robin. Buddha wore many hats - he was an engineer, hype man, bouncer, and bodyguard. As long as I've been working with my cousins in Wu-Tang, Buddha Monk was there. I can't remember a time when he wasn't." -- John "Mook" Gibbons, founder and CEO of Wu-Tang Management and cousin to RZA, GZA, and Ol' Dirty Bastard
£20.79
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Going into the City Portrait of a Critic as a
Book SynopsisTrade Review"An intellectual autobiography that beautifully captures what it feels like when a cultural experience trapdoors you into a new life." -- Grantland "To read Going Into the City is to spend hours in the company of a completely sui generis critical mind, one that's not only encyclopedically knowledgeable about mid-to-late 20th-century pop culture but capable of lapidary prose, astute insight, and savage wit." -- Slate "A New York love story like no other-the greatest of rock & roll writers spends a lifetime devoted to a city ... as caustic and confrontational as a Clash single, yet as sustaining as an Al Green LP-a story as instantly memorable as Robert Christgau's voice." -- Rob Sheffield, author of Turn Around Bright Eyes and Love is a Mix Tape "I've waited years for this book. An intellectual bildungsroman in which one of our keenest cultural critics unpacks his own New York story alongside ... the evolution of pop music criticism-an artform that owes him more than anyone." -- Will Hermes, author of Love Goes To Buildings On Fire: Five Years In New York That Changed Music Forever "Going Into the City is at once a vivid reminder of one of New York's golden ages and a blessed glimpse into the forming mind of one of our great critics. Both hilarious and full of juicy detail ... in that utterly inimitable voice." -- Ann Powers, Author of Weird Like Us: My Bohemian America and, with the artist, Tori Amos: Piece By Piece "Soul satisfying ...Vintage Christgau here-wise, sharp, funny, rigorous, and genuinely searching, a mighty work of reflection by a major critic who has never turned his back on the pop lives of everyday people." -- Eric Lott, author of Love and Theft "Brimming with insight." -- Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: A Life "Christgau is the last true-blue record critic on earth. [He's] pretty much who I make my records for. He's ... the last of that whole Lester Bangs generation of record reviewers, and I still heed his words." -- ?uestlove "Often maddening, always thought-provoking ... With Pauline Kael, Christgau is arguably one of the two most important American mass-culture critics of the second half of the 20th century." -- -Jody Rosen "An excellent memoir ... full of rock-critic lore, with vivid cameo appearances by titans like Greil Marcus, Lester Bangs, and Ellen Willis ... Christgau writes with contagious insight about the records, novels, movies and paintings that have shaped his thinking." -- Rolling Stone "Christgau is among America's first and best rock critics." -- New York Times "With the possible exception of his friend Greil Marcus, no American music writer has exerted more influence over the tastes of rock music "consumers" (as he'd insist on calling them) and on the craft of other rock critics." -- Los Angeles Times "A personal bildungsroman . . [he] brought to a relatively disrespected popular genre in the 1960s and '70s a new degree of critical intensity and erudition, delivered with an American vernacular energy and wit and let-it-fly opinionatedness." -- Los Angeles Review of Books "From growing up ... to formulating his critical process in the Lower East Side of the 1960s, Christgau takes as rigorous an analytical approach as he does with his reviewing. It's as much a memoir of the development of his editorial sensibility as it is of his life." -- Brooklyn Magazine "Remarkable in its unflagging conviction that the disciplined attention a critic applies to art ought to apply to the self as well ... Also, it's funny and has a lot of sex and music in it." -- Christian Science Monitor "Saying something new and distinctive, even about art that's derivative and undistinguished, is a critic's perennial challenge. Christgau embraces it with undimming energy, his diction swerving between the academy and the street, his sentences unspooling and spilling references without waiting for you to catch them." -- The Guardian "Song titles, political movements, and aesthetic notions, in particular Christgau's restless, kaleidoscopic portrait of the late '60s ... What makes good criticism work, Christgau argues, is 'a brew of genre knowledge, general knowledge, aesthetic insight, moral passion, palpable delight, prose style, more prose style, and what-have-you.'" -- Boston Globe "Honest, detailed, stirring and sweet. And isn't that how all the best love songs should be?" -- Time "Here ... Christgau proves his essentiality with sharp insights and a profound take on popular culture." -- Booklist "Like his reviews, this is compelling, thoughtful and, of course, opinionated." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune "A deeply smart, charmingly gregarious read." -- New York magazine
£22.39
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Going into the City
Book SynopsisTrade Review"An intellectual autobiography that beautifully captures what it feels like when a cultural experience trapdoors you into a new life." -- Grantland "To read Going Into the City is to spend hours in the company of a completely sui generis critical mind, one that's not only encyclopedically knowledgeable about mid-to-late 20th-century pop culture but capable of lapidary prose, astute insight, and savage wit." -- Slate "A New York love story like no other-the greatest of rock & roll writers spends a lifetime devoted to a city ... as caustic and confrontational as a Clash single, yet as sustaining as an Al Green LP-a story as instantly memorable as Robert Christgau's voice." -- Rob Sheffield, author of Turn Around Bright Eyes and Love is a Mix Tape "I've waited years for this book. An intellectual bildungsroman in which one of our keenest cultural critics unpacks his own New York story alongside ... the evolution of pop music criticism-an artform that owes him more than anyone." -- Will Hermes, author of Love Goes To Buildings On Fire: Five Years In New York That Changed Music Forever "Going Into the City is at once a vivid reminder of one of New York's golden ages and a blessed glimpse into the forming mind of one of our great critics. Both hilarious and full of juicy detail ... in that utterly inimitable voice." -- Ann Powers, Author of Weird Like Us: My Bohemian America and, with the artist, Tori Amos: Piece By Piece "Soul satisfying ...Vintage Christgau here-wise, sharp, funny, rigorous, and genuinely searching, a mighty work of reflection by a major critic who has never turned his back on the pop lives of everyday people." -- Eric Lott, author of Love and Theft "Brimming with insight." -- Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: A Life "Christgau is the last true-blue record critic on earth. [He's] pretty much who I make my records for. He's ... the last of that whole Lester Bangs generation of record reviewers, and I still heed his words." -- ?uestlove "Often maddening, always thought-provoking ... With Pauline Kael, Christgau is arguably one of the two most important American mass-culture critics of the second half of the 20th century." -- -Jody Rosen "An excellent memoir ... full of rock-critic lore, with vivid cameo appearances by titans like Greil Marcus, Lester Bangs, and Ellen Willis ... Christgau writes with contagious insight about the records, novels, movies and paintings that have shaped his thinking." -- Rolling Stone "Christgau is among America's first and best rock critics." -- New York Times "With the possible exception of his friend Greil Marcus, no American music writer has exerted more influence over the tastes of rock music "consumers" (as he'd insist on calling them) and on the craft of other rock critics." -- Los Angeles Times "A personal bildungsroman . . [he] brought to a relatively disrespected popular genre in the 1960s and '70s a new degree of critical intensity and erudition, delivered with an American vernacular energy and wit and let-it-fly opinionatedness." -- Los Angeles Review of Books "From growing up ... to formulating his critical process in the Lower East Side of the 1960s, Christgau takes as rigorous an analytical approach as he does with his reviewing. It's as much a memoir of the development of his editorial sensibility as it is of his life." -- Brooklyn Magazine "Remarkable in its unflagging conviction that the disciplined attention a critic applies to art ought to apply to the self as well ... Also, it's funny and has a lot of sex and music in it." -- Christian Science Monitor "Saying something new and distinctive, even about art that's derivative and undistinguished, is a critic's perennial challenge. Christgau embraces it with undimming energy, his diction swerving between the academy and the street, his sentences unspooling and spilling references without waiting for you to catch them." -- The Guardian "Song titles, political movements, and aesthetic notions, in particular Christgau's restless, kaleidoscopic portrait of the late '60s ... What makes good criticism work, Christgau argues, is 'a brew of genre knowledge, general knowledge, aesthetic insight, moral passion, palpable delight, prose style, more prose style, and what-have-you.'" -- Boston Globe "Honest, detailed, stirring and sweet. And isn't that how all the best love songs should be?" -- Time "Here ... Christgau proves his essentiality with sharp insights and a profound take on popular culture." -- Booklist "Like his reviews, this is compelling, thoughtful and, of course, opinionated." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune "A deeply smart, charmingly gregarious read." -- New York magazine
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Queen of Bebop
Book SynopsisQueen of Bebop brilliantly chronicles the life of jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the twentieth century and a pioneer of women’s and civil rightsSarah Vaughan, a pivotal figure in the formation of bebop, influenced a broad array of singers who followed in her wake, yet the breadth and depth of her impact—not just as an artist, but also as an African-American woman—remain overlooked. Drawing from a wealth of sources as well as on exclusive interviews with Vaughan’s friends and former colleagues, Queen of Bebop unravels the many myths and misunderstandings that have surrounded Vaughan while offering insights into this notoriously private woman, her creative process, and, ultimately, her genius. Hayes deftly traces the influence that Vaughan’s singing had on the perception and appreciation of vocalists—not to mention women—in jazz. She reveals how, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Vaughan helped desegregate American airwaves, opening doors for future African-American artists seeking mainstream success, while also setting the stage for the civil rights activism of the 1960s and 1970s. She follows Vaughan from her hometown of Newark, New Jersey, and her first performances at the Apollo, to the Waldorf Astoria and on to the world stage, breathing life into a thrilling time in American music nearly lost to us today.Equal parts biography, criticism, and good old-fashioned American success story, Queen of Bebop is the definitive biography of a hugely influential artist. This absorbing and sensitive treatment of a singular personality updates and corrects the historical record on Vaughan and elevates her status as a jazz great.
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Rolling Stones on Air in the Sixties
Book Synopsis
£32.91
HarperCollins Publishers Inc On Bowie
Book Synopsis
£16.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Just Jessie My Guide to Love Life Family and Food
Book Synopsis
£18.80
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Open Book
Book SynopsisOpen Book is Jessica Simpson using her voice, heart, soul, and humor to share things she’s never shared before.First celebrated for her voice, she became one of the most talked-about women in the world, whether for music and fashion, her relationship struggles, or as a walking blonde joke.Trade Review"Achingly honest. . . [Open Book] is a thoughtful and intimate portrait of what it means to be a celebrity, and Simpson is unafraid to share the sometimes harrowing truths that often go undiscussed." — Time magazine "Mesmerizing. . . In 2017, something awoke in Simpson. She can speak honestly now. Is there anything else she wants to say?" — The New Yorker Open Book explains what happened. . . It just feels nice that one of the pop stars from our teendom has delivered on the twenty-year-old promise they're just like us." — New York Times In her honest new memoir, Jessica Simpson strips away the glamour associated with the blond hair, the clothing empire, and the early 2000s radio hits. . . You'll see Jessica Simpson at her most authentic, relatable, and, yes, intelligent. — Glamour Powerful. — People memoir that spares no one, not even herself. . . Simpson breaks open the dam that is her personal history and the gossip surrounding her life, from the sexual abuse she experienced as a child to her alcohol addiction. — Los Angeles Times You may think you know Jessica Simpson. . . but it turns out there was a whole lot more going on than any of us knew. [Open Book] is a raw look into the lesser-known troubled side of her life, and how she still manages to see the positive side of everything. — Cosmopolitan I kind of feel like we all owe her an apology. — Ronan Farrow Captivating. . . In Open Book, Simpson's interior life is accessible and far more complex than her public performance as a relatable pp star. — Jezebel Her excellent memoir is everything you could want. . . By the end, you marvel at her hard-won wisdom. — Rolling Stone Written with considerable hindsight. . . so revealing. — Buzzfeed Jessica Simpson gets very real. — Refinery 29 A no-holds-barred memoir. . . A journey through the thirty-nine-year-old's most challenging moments. — O, the Oprah Magazine The singer, actress, and entrepreneur reveals struggles her fans never knew about. Simpson shares her truth like never before. — TODAY [Simpson] makes a point of reflecting on her mistakes but is cognizant of the pressures and expectations that other put on her. — Washington Post She's honest, genuine, unabashedly vulnerable, and she exhibits the same qualities in her writing. — Hoda Kotb, excerpt from NYT bestseller This Just Speaks to Me Simpson's memoir contains plenty of personal and professional moments for fans to savor. An eye-opening glimpse into the attempted self-unmaking of one of Hollywood's most recognizable talents. — Kirkus Reviews
£13.67
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Chita
Book SynopsisThe long-awaited and wildly entertaining memoir of the star of stage and screen, the legendary Chita Rivera—three-time Tony Award–winner, Kennedy Centers honoree, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.She was born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero—until the entertainment world renamed her.Trade Review“Chita Rivera blazed a trail where none existed so the rest of us could see a path forward. She has been part of some of the greatest musicals in the history of the form, from Anita in the trailblazing West Side Story through Claire Zachanassian in the underrated masterpiece The Visit, over 60 years later. She is a Puerto Rican Broadway icon and the original ‘triple threat.’ We’re so lucky to be alive in the same timeline as Chita Rivera." — Lin-Manuel Miranda "A frank and fascinating memoir from one of the truly great artists of the American Theater. Lots of stories … Lots of insight … and quite a few caustic statements from Chita’s alter ego, Dolores. An illuminating history and a guaranteed pleasure!" — John Kander "Playful and history-rich ... Broadway-loving readers will appreciate the play-by-play (pun intended) of this fizzy book." — New York Times "This deserves a standing ovation." — Publishers Weekly "Chita’s magnificent memoir literally danced off the page and into my heart with her signature style, wit, humor, warmth, and humility. It was as if she was giving me a personal glimpse into the golden years of show biz and beyond. It’s filled with Chita’s loves, laughs, losses, and all that jazz. If it’s possible—it made me love her even more than I already do!" — Rob Marshall "Fans of musical theater and dance are in for a real treat." — Kirkus Reviews "An enjoyable and inspiring inside look at a life in the theater." — Library Journal "A captivating, stirring memoir [filled with] loads of dramatic incidents…Every fast-reading page is animated with her upbeat, outspoken spin on a spunky, fearless life where she blazed her own trail. Chita, take your well-deserved bow!" — Brian Bromberger, Bay Area Reporter "Delicious!…One of the main and most delightful concepts of the book: 'Chita is sweet and kind,' she insists before admitting, 'Dolores [alter ego] is a bat out of hell.' Rivera’s advice to us all comes from an Ebb lyric in the team’s 70, GIRLS, 70: 'Say yes!' Indeed, say yes to this marvelous memoir so that you can not only savor all there is to Chita but also understand where Dolores is coming from, too." — Peter Filicia, Masterworks Broadway "This colorful and entertaining memoir-as vital and captivating as Chita herself-is the unforgettable and engrossing personal story of a performer who blazed her own trail and inspired countless performers to forge their own unique path to success." — Richie Ridge, Broadway World "Chita Rivera knows how to tell a story…The book is a fast, fun read full of fabulous tales, smart and insightful. It may well make you laugh and cry. And I bet you'll be sad when it ends. I was." — Wendy Caster, TalkinBroadway "Wow! A wide-ranging, entertaining memoir about her life on stage and screen. And yes, Chita is as wonderful as she is!" — Town&Country "Gripping, moving, insightful…wonderfully inspirational! Reading Chita, A memoir, is like going to the still center of Broadway creativity and the remarkable people who gave their all to make it happen. The details of her life are simply astounding!" — Cahir O'Doherty, The NY Irish Voice
£22.50
Penguin Putnam Inc Neil Young Waging Heavy Peace A Hippie Dream
Book SynopsisThe perfect gift for music lovers and Neil Young fans, telling the story behind Neil Young's legendary career and his iconic, beloved songs. “I think I will have to use my time wisely and keep my thoughts straight if I am to succeed and deliver the cargo I so carefully have carried thus far to the outer reaches.”—Neil Young, from Waging Heavy Peace Legendary singer and songwriter Neil Young’s storied career has spanned over forty years and yielded some of the modern era’s most enduring music. Now for the first time ever, Young reflects upon his life—from his Canadian childhood, to his part in the sixties rock explosion with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, through his later career with Crazy Horse and numerous private challenges. An instant classic, Waging Heavy Peace is as uncompromising and unforgettable as the man himself.
£15.15
Penguin Putnam Inc In the Pleasure Groove
Book SynopsisWith a new introduction by Nick RhodesThe talent. The charisma. The videos. From their 1981 hit Planet Earth to their latest number-one album, All You Need Is Now, John Taylor and Duran Duran have enchanted audiences around the world. It's been a wild ride, and—for John in particular—dangerous. John recounts the story of the band's formation, their massive success, and his journey to the brink of self-destruction. Told with humor, honesty—and packed with exclusive pictures—In the Pleasure Groove is an irresistible rock-and-roll portrait of a band whose popularity has never been stronger.
£14.72
Penguin Publishing Group Tammy Wynette
£16.20
Oxford University Press Inc Industry Bang on a Can and New Music in the
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAiding Robin in his efforts to weave the history of Bang on a Can through these broader vistas are his tremendous skills as a writer, honed through his experience as a professional music critic. The result is a book that is not only illuminating but also a genuine pleasure to read. * Eric Drott, Journal of the Royal Musical Association *This book is a tribute to the survival of emerging musical forms. * S. Lenig, CHOICE *Ready-made for introducing scholars, students, and the general public to the culture of new music in the late twentieth-century. Accessible and informative, Robin—in the spirit of his subject—has written scholarship that nonetheless just might reach new people. * Journal of Musicological Research *This book is a tribute to the survival of emerging musical forms. Summing Up: Highly recommended. * CHOICE *This is an excellent book. It tells a series of interwoven stories – a tale of three composers and their music, a tale of a festival and its house band, a tale of new music in New York and how that music configured itself in relation to state and corporate funding. Industry is a reminder that a book with real scholarly significance can also be a good read. * Christopher Fox *Industry: Bang on a Can and New Music in the Marketplace, by William Robin, an assistant professor of musicology at the University of Maryland, is a colorful, insightful, and admirably evenhanded study of Bang on a Can in its early years and, by extension, of the creative upheavals in the music world at the end of the twentieth century. * Tim Page, New York Review of Books *Sparks vital conversation about what music based on solidarity might one day look like. * The Wire *In the past decade, William Robin has established himself not only as one of America's most formidable younger musicologists but also as an incisive, eloquent writer in the public sphere. His study of Bang on a Can gives lavish evidence of his multisided brilliance: it is at once an absorbing historical narrative and an exacting work of critical analysis. No scholar or fan of contemporary American music can do without it. * Alex Ross *One thing that becomes clear over the course of Industry is the degree to which the group's embrace of the market in practical terms amounted to an embrace of marketing. * Eric Drott, Journal of the Royal Musical Association *Table of ContentsList of illustrations Introduction 1. Academics 2. Horizons 3. Festivals 4. Funding 5. All-Stars 6. Lincoln Center 7. Record labels Epilogue Chronology Acknowledgements Notes Index
£48.66
The University of Chicago Press American Orchestras in the Nineteenth Century
Book SynopsisStudies of concert life in nineteenth-century America have generally been limited to large orchestras and the programs we are familiar with. This book reveals that audiences of that era enjoyed far more diverse musical experiences than such focus would suggest.
£70.44
MO - University of Illinois Press Carla Bley
Book SynopsisThe first in-depth look at a highly innovative jazz iconTrade Review“Beal’s prose is often lyrical and always dynamic, she instantly finds the appropriate pacing for the narrative and, just as quickly, demonstrates deep knowledge of and affection for her subject.”--Popmatters "Amy C. Beal responds with alacrity and intellectual force to the challenge of contextualizing the work of this uniquely important, yet academically underexplored twentieth-century American composer-performer. An important and salutary work that greatly enriches the field of jazz studies."--George E. Lewis, author of A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music"Accurate and kind, Carla Bley reveals with remarkable effectiveness the anatomy of the successive moments of Bley's musical life."--Clarin"Excellent."--New Yorker"Beal ... expertly contextualizes Bley's career within the landscapes of emergent avant-garde, free jazz, and experimental music while also exploring her creative relationships with the legendary Steve Swallow, Charlie Haden, and others. . . . Readers and researchers interested in women composers, American music history, music theory, or jazz from 1950 to the present will find this book invaluable."--Library Journal“Beal could have easily written a biography three or four times longer than the present volume. But it would be a mistake to consider Carla Bley something of a half-loaf, as it is more than enough to set the record straight.”--The Wire“Carla Bley is a marvel of concision, packing biography, musicology and cogent, descriptive analysis of her major work in barely 100 pages.”--Shepherd Express "An intelligent and sensitive compositional history of Carla Bley's music. Amy C. Beal honors Bley's famous humor and autodidactism without compromising a serious analysis of Bley's compositions over a very long and distinguished career."--Sherrie Tucker, coeditor of Big Ears: Listening for Gender in Jazz StudiesTable of ContentsList of Figures; Acknowledgements Introduction: "Like a Mockingbird"; 1. Walking Woman: Oakland, New York, Los Angeles, New York; 2. Sing Me Softly of the Blues: Early Short Pieces and Songs Without Words; 3. Social Studies: The Jazz Composers Guild and The Jazz Composers Orchestra; 4. "Mad at Jazz": A Genuine Tong Funeral; 5. Escalator Over the Hill: Jazz Opera as Fusion; 6. Copyright Royalties: New Music Distribution Service; 7: Big Band Theory: The Carla Bley Band and Other Projects; 8: The Lone Arranger: History and Hilarity; 9: End of Vienna: Fancy Chamber Music; 10. Dreams So Real: "Jazz is Where My Heart Now Lies" Notes; Suggested Listening; Sources; Index
£91.00
MO - University of Illinois Press Five Lives in Music
Book SynopsisRichly historical portraits of five exceptional women musiciansTrade Review"A welcome contribution to the literature on women in music. Richly contextualized and engagingly written, Porter's book offers portraits of five women who lived lives full of music and whose music should enliven our concert halls more."--Anne MacNeil, author of Music and Women of the Commedia dell'Arte in the Late Sixteenth Century"An engaging book that draws readers into deep consideration of the complexities facing women—then and now—who forge careers in music. Highly recommended."--Choice
£91.00
MO - University of Illinois Press Oh Didnt He Ramble The Life Story of Lee Collins as Told to Mary Collins
Trade Review"A fascinating document of New Orleans jazz history."--Ralph J. Gleason, San Francisco Chronicle"A fine account of the development of jazz in New Orleans and Chicago from 1900 to 1960. . . . It should be in every jazz collection."--Choice
£23.36
MO - University of Illinois Press Yellow Power Yellow Soul The Radical Art of Fred
Book SynopsisExplores the life, work, and persona of saxophonist Fred Ho, an unabashedly revolutionary artist whose illuminating and daring work redefines the relationship between art and politics.Trade Review "This powerful volume is an antiphonal response to Fred Ho's revolutionary music and politics. Ho's aesthetics are assertive, demanding, unequivocal, absolute, polemical, unrelenting, and beautiful, and his friends and colleagues have responded in kind. This collection carries forward Ho's message."--Deborah Wong, author of Speak It Louder: Asian Americans Making Music "[Yellow Power, Yellow Soul] provides great insight into Ho's formative years, his writing process with a variety of collaborators, and the evolution of his aesthetics and philosophies."--Journal of the Society for American Music "Those genuinely interested in the transgressive and transcendent potential of performance and cultural production as well as the political power of transcultural solidarity would do well to engage Yellow Power Yellow Soul."--Journal of Asian American StudiesTable of ContentsContributors: Roger N. Buckley, Peggy Myo-Young Choy, Jayne Cortez, Kevin Fellezs, Diane C. Fujino, Magdalena Gomez, Richard Hamasaki, Esther Iverem, Robert Kocik, Genny Lim, Ruth Margraff, Bill V. Mullen, Tamara Roberts, Arthur J. Sabatini, Kalamu ya Salaam, Miyoshi Smith, Arthur Song, and Salim Washington.
£31.15
MO - University of Illinois Press Alec Wilder
Book SynopsisA biography and critical investigation of Alec Wilder's music.Trade ReviewCertificate of Merit for Best Historical Research in Classical Music, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2014. "Saturated with rich, detailed research, this book stands as a clear and concise introduction to Alec Wilder's life and work that is carefully geared to appeal to both musicians and nonmusicians."--Jeffrey Magee, author of Irving Berlin's American Musical Theater"This thoughtful and innovative study is a welcome addition to the body of material on this composer. Recommended."--Choice
£24.28
University of Washington Press Classical Seattle Maestros Impresarios Virtuosi
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Melinda Bargreen’s Classical Seattle is a who’s who of the city’s classical-music scene over the past half-century, an entertaining recapitulation of interviews she did while serving as the music critic for The Seattle Times and writing for other publications." -- Ellen Emry Heltzel * Seattle Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction THE MAESTROS Milton Katims: The Toscanini Protégé Rainer Miedel and Cordelia Wikarski Miedel: The Maestro and the Maestra Gerard Schwarz: The Consummate Music Director Ludovic Morlot: The Symphonic Innovator Peter Erős: The Old-School Maestro Vilem Sokol: The Patron Saint Of The Podium Stephen Stubbs: The Early-Music Innovator George Shangrow: The People’s Maestro Resident Conductors: The Vital Links in the Music Community THE IMPRESARIOS Glynn Ross: The Bantam of the Opera Speight Jenkins: The Ring Master Toby Saks: The Impresaria Louis Richmond: The Chamber Orchestra Pathfinder THE VIRTUOSI Béla Siki: The Elegant Stylist John Cerminaro: The Man With The Golden Horn Randolph Hokanson: The Old Master Silvia Kind: The Free Spirit Of The Harpsichord Eva Heinitz: The Greatest Gambist Robin McCabe: The Keyboard Diplomat Ronald Phillips: The Consummate Clarinetist Craig Sheppard: The Classicist Of The Ivories THE COMPOSERS Alan Hovhaness: The Composer of the Mountains William Bolcom: The Compositional Innovator Samuel Jones: The Harmony Seeker THE POWER BROKERS AND PATRONS William and Ruth Gerberding: The Couple Who Made Things Happen William Bain, Jr.: The Architect Of The Boardroom Hans Lehmann: The Renaissance Man Samuel N. Stroum: The Mover And Shaker Deborah (Card) Rutter: The Power Behind The Podium Sam and Gladys Rubinstein: The Key Advisors Buster and Nancy Alvord: The Practical Donors Jerry and Lenore Hanauer: The Imaginative Operaphiles John and Laurel Nesholm: The Activists For The Arts Charles Simonyi: The Genius Philanthropist Jack and Becky Benaroya: The Ultimate Benefactors Conclusion Acknowledgments Sources Index
£39.00
Random House USA Inc On Michael Jackson
Book SynopsisThe renowned Pulitzer Prize–winning cultural critic brilliantly unravels the complexities of one of the most enigmatic figures of our time in this passionate, incisive, and bracing work of cultural analysis.Who is Michael Jackson and what does it mean to call him a “What Is It”? What do P. T. Barnum, Peter Pan, and Edgar Allan Poe have to do with our fascination with Jackson? How did his curious Victorian upbringing and his tenure as a child prodigy on the “chitlin’ circuit” inform his character and multiplicity of selves? How is Michael Jackson’s celebrity related to the outrageous popularity of nineteenth-century minstrelsy? What is the perverse appeal of child stars for grown-ups and what is the price of such stardom for these children and for us? What uncanniness provoked Michael Jackson to become “Alone of All His Race, Alone of All Her Sex,” while establishing himself as an undeniably great perf
£999.99
Random House USA Inc All of Me
Book SynopsisIn this revealing autobiography, Canada’s first lady of song, for the first time, tells the whole story of her astonishing 40-year career in show biz. It is a candid retrospective of the extraordinary success achieved, and the prices that had to be paid.“After ‘Snowbird’ hit, I was swept up like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and catapulted into a strange new universe … If I thought for a moment that I was really in control of events, I was deluded.” Anne MurrayAn unflinching self-portrait of Canada’s first great female recording artist, All of Me documents the life of Anne Murray, from her humble origins in the tragedy-plagued coal-mining town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, to her arrival on the world stage. Anne recounts her story: the battles with her record companies over singles and albums; the struggle with drug- and alcohol-ridden band members; the terrible guilt and loneliness of being away from her two young ch
£999.99
Random House USA Inc Elvis My Best Man
Book SynopsisThe touching story of thirty years of friendship between George Klein and the King that “offers an insider’s view of Presley the man as opposed to Presley the singer, actor, and icon” (Associated Press). “You capture the essence of Elvis not only in dialogue, but also in giving the reader a sense of his personality, humor, and his spirit of play.”—Priscilla Presley When George Klein was an eighth grader at Humes High, he couldn’t have known how important the new kid with the guitar—the boy named Elvis—would later become in his life. But from the first time GK (as he was nicknamed by Elvis) heard this kid sing, he knew that Elvis Presley was someone extraordinary. During Elvis’s rise to fame and throughout the wild swirl of his remarkable life, Klein was a steady presence and one of Elvis’s closest and most loyal friends until his untimely death in 1977. In Elvis: My Best Man, a heartfelt, entertaining, and long-awaited contribution to our understanding of Elvis Presley and the early days of rock ’n’ roll, George Klein writes with great affection for the friend he knew about who the King of Rock ’n’ Roll really was and how he acted when the stage lights were off. This fascinating chronicle of boundary-breaking and music-making through one of the most intriguing and dynamic stretches of American history overflows with insights and anecdotes from someone who was in the middle of it all. From the good times at Graceland to hanging out with Hollywood stars to butting heads with Elvis’s iron-handed manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to making sure that Elvis’s legacy is fittingly honored, GK was a true friend of the King and a trailblazer in the music industry in his own right.
£999.99
Random House USA Inc Patti LuPone
Book SynopsisThe legendary Patti LuPone is one of the theatre’s most beloved leading ladies. Now she lays it all bare, sharing the intimate story of her life both onstage and off--through the dizzying highs and darkest lows--with the humor and outspokenness that have become her trademarks.With nearly 100 photographs, including an 8-page four-color insert, and illuminating details about the life of a working actor, from inspired costars and demanding directors to her distinct perspective on how she developed and honed her Tony Award–winning performances, Patti LuPone: A Memoir is as inspirational as it is entertaining. And though the title might say “a memoir,” this is ultimately a love letter to the theatre by a unique American artist.Raised on Long Island’s North Shore, Patti discovered her calling at the age of four and knew that she was destined for the stage. A prodigiously gifted child, she was one of only 36 young actors chosen for the inaugural class of The Juilliard School’s Drama Division, where she fought near-constant criticism from her instructors, and here describes those early years with disarming frankness. From the heady days of her early twenties—crisscrossing the country as a founding member of the classical repertory theatre ensemble, The Acting Company--to her early success on Broadway, her four-year stint as Libby Thacher on the television series Life Goes On, her loving marriage to Matt Johnston, and much, much more, Patti chronicles her professional and personal life with inimitable candor and wit. With its insightful retrospective of her career-defining turns, both on Broadway and abroad, in Evita, Les Misérables, Anything Goes, Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd, and Gypsy, Patti LuPone: A Memoir reveals the artist’s deeply felt passion for music and the theatre and is, in the end, the compelling and quintessential tale of an exceptional life well lived.“I have been incredibly fortunate over the course of my career to have been associated with some extraordinary dramatic and musical productions, and also some rather spectacular disasters. Looking back, I can find gifts and life lessons in every one.”
£13.29
Little, Brown & Company Johnny Cash
Book Synopsis
£20.69
Back Bay Books Its a Long Story My Life
Book Synopsis
£18.39
Random House Publishing Group Twenty Thousand Roads
Book Synopsis
£19.00
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Lou Reed
Book SynopsisThe only Lou Reed bio you need to read. The Washington PostA Rolling Stone best music book of 2023 One of Pitchfork's ten best music books of 2023 A Variety best music book of the year A Kirkus Reviews best nonfiction book of 2023There have been many biographies of Lou Reed, but Will Hermes has written the definitive life . . . He has brought to the assignment a sharp eye, a clear head, a lucid prose style, and a determination to let Lou be Lou, without judgment. Lucy Sante, author of Low LifeThe most complete and penetrating biography of the rock master, whose stature grows every year.Since his death in 2013, Lou Reed's living presence has only grown. The great rock poet presided over the marriage of Brill Building pop and the European avant-garde, and left American culture transfigured. In Lou Reed: The King of New York, Will Hermes offers the definitive narrative of Ree
£28.00
Random House USA Inc Journey of a Thousand Miles
Book Synopsis“Number One” was a phrase my father—and, for that matter, my mother—repeated time and time again. It was a phrase spoken by my parents’ friends and by their friends’ children. Whenever adults discussed the great Chinese painters and sculptors from the ancient dynasties, there was always a single artist named as Number One. There was the Number One leader of a manufacturing plant, the Number One worker, the Number One scientist, the Number One car mechanic. In the culture of my childhood, being best was everything. It was the goal that drove us, the motivation that gave life meaning. And if, by chance or fate or the blessings of the generous universe, you were a child in whom talent was evident, Number One became your mantra. It became mine. I never begged my parents to take off the pressure. I accepted it; I even enjoyed it. It was a game, this contest among aspiring pianists, and although I may have been shy, I was bold, even at age five, when faced
£14.24
WW Norton & Co Seven Mozart Librettos
Book SynopsisMcClatchy's heroic labor is a remarkable achievement. . . . Mozart and Da Ponte will be smiling down on this volume.Richard WilburTrade Review"Starred Review. Readers familiar with the operas will enjoy seeing their favorite passages retranslated by the sure hand of a great poet who is steeped in love for language, music, and drama. Highly recommended for all collections; an essential purchase for music libraries." -- Library Journal"To translate any one of these librettos into a readable prose text would be an accomplishment. To translate all seven into rhyming verse and prose recitative, fearlessly tackling two languages, is a major literary and musical event." -- David Lehman - The Best American Poetry blog
£37.99
