Popular music Books

Book SynopsisÊ 1-2-3-4! ÊÞWith that quick count-off four hoppin' cretins from Queens who called themselves the Ramones launched the 1970s musical revolution known as punk rock. And ever since popular music hasn't been the same. Perhaps the most imitated band of all time the Ramones stripped rock 'n' roll down to its bare bones and beating heart and handed it back to the people making it fun again and reminding everyone that hey they could do this too.ÞBut da brudders didn't just influence their key comrades in the original punk explosion. Their raw tough sound and divine gift of enduring melodic songcraft has power-drilled its way into musical styles as divergent as college rock power pop hardcore punk thrash metal grunge and the avant-garde and continues to be felt in newer waves of young acts. And what about the music that influenced the Ramones themselves ä early rock 'n' roll surf rock British Invasion sounds garage rock girl groups hard rock bubblegum proto-punk and glam rock? Or the nonmusical stuff that also warped the skulls beneath those trademark bowl haircuts ä weird movies cartoons trashy TV shows comic books and other cultural jetsam? It's all here just waiting for you to discover and dig. Hey Ho Let's Go!

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs one of the people who defined punk’s protest art in the 1970s and 1980s, Gee Vaucher (b. 1945) deserves to be much better-known. She produced confrontational album covers for the legendary anarchist band Crass and later went on to do the same for Northern indie legends the Charlatans, among others. More recently, her work was recognised the day after Donald Trump's 2016 election victory, when the front page of the Daily Mirror ran her 1989 painting Oh America, which shows the Statue of Liberty, head in hands. This is the first book to critically assess an extensive range of Vaucher’s work. It examines her unique position connecting avant-garde art movements, counterculture, punk and even contemporary street art. While Vaucher rejects all ‘isms’, her work offers a unique take on the history of feminist art.Trade Review'Binns’s book is meticulously researched and well written, covering an area of punk history that deserves a full spotlight all of its own. Equal parts informing, accessible and compelling, this is the story of a woman whose talent and beliefs have made a huge contribution to conveying punk’s revolutionary message.'Molly Tie, Punktuation!‘A compelling documentation of an important figure in the postwar British counterculture: the stubbornly unpositionable Gee Vaucher. Binns traces the life and work of this uncompromising artist not only in the short high years of Crass and the anarcho-punk movement – dominated by Vaucher’s aesthetic – but also the decades before and after when she defined, refined and extended her powerful practice. Read this book for a brilliant and engaged creative life.’George McKay, Professor in Media Studies, University of East Anglia‘This is a long overdue contribution to an important history. Binns shines new light on Gee Vaucher's significance, showing how her method of photorealism-presented-as-montage can help us make sense of the “skewed reality” around us.’Lucy Robinson, Professor in Collaborative History, University of Sussex‘Gee Vaucher’s artwork was crucial to Crass: thought-provoking and confrontational always.’Adrian Sherwood, music producer'Gee’s indescribable artwork has been an inspiration for multiple generations of artists and art appreciators. Gee is proof that Art changes people's lives — and for the better!'Winston Smith, artist and illustrator (www.winstonsmith.com)‘Binns’s book is an expert feminist reading of the life and work of political graphic artist Gee Vaucher that adeptly writes this unsung heroine into a history of punk design. A must-read for these fractured times.’Teal Triggs, Professor of Graphic Design, Royal College of Art'An essential book, giving due attention to one of the most influential artists of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Gee Vaucher's artwork has been much copied but never bettered. Her influence is here captured expertly by Rebecca Binns's well-researched critical analysis.'Matt Worley, Professor of Modern History, University of Reading‘Finally! What those in the know have been waiting for: a comprehensive, revealing and long overdue analysis of the creative importance of Gee Vaucher. Set against the backdrop of recent socio-economic, political and cultural events, via (but not limited to) punk, this book confirms Vaucher as the trailblazing innovator that she is, and charts her artistic influence to-date. Rebecca Binns thoughtfully surveys over fifty years of Vaucher’s collage, photo-montage, painting, drawing, sculpture, film and installation, rightfully positioning her as a key player within art history, while refusing to restrict this uncategorisable artist to any particular movement. If you are familiar with Vaucher’s work, you have been vindicated. And if you are not, prepare to be amazed.’Marie-France Kittler, co-curator Gee Vaucher: Introspective (Firstsite, 2016) -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The changing face of British arts, politics and culture during Vaucher’s art school years2 Radical art collectives and the free festivals movement 3 New York, political photomontage and the underground press 4 Towards the definition of a punk aesthetic 5 Crass art and the birth of anarcho-punk 6 Post-punk, hardcore, and the dissolution of the dream 7 Post Crass introspection: postmodernism and the anti-rationalist avant-garde 8 Beyond the art world: political agitation and public intervention in the new millennium Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt may have taken them a few years to achieve a stable line-up, but Faith No More did just that with the arrival of enigmatic frontman, Mike Patton in 1988. By 1990, the San Francisco quintet were flying high on the back of their third album, The Real Thing, and the influential anthem for a generation, 'Epic'. Becoming a household name and mainstream chart botherers with colourful and diverse songs ranging in style from heavy metal to jazz, and rap rock to lounge music, Faith No More refused to follow trends and instead pushed forward with a gung-ho attitude and a talent for songwriting built around sonic experimentation. The band released the critically acclaimed Angel Dust, as well as King for a Day...Fool for a Lifetime and the ironically titled Album of the Year records, before stunning fans by parting ways in 1998. Faith No More in the 1990s is the story of a largely rewarding but tension-filled decade for rock music's greatest underdogs. Providing a detailed timeline of events, frenetic touring schedules, and most importantly- the songs, this book documents the rise and progression of one of the most distinctive bands of all time

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Times Book of the Year 'There’s no tougher a mind, no more tender a voice than Paul Simon, and there’s no better man than Robert Hilburn to decipher the hardwiring of this hyperintellect...great songs can never be fully explained, but the great man on his way to find those songs surely can.' — Bono Through such hits as “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “Graceland,” Paul Simon has spoken to us in songs for a half-century about alienation, doubt, survival, and faith in ways that have established him as one of the most honoured and beloved songwriters in American pop music history. Yet Simon has refused to talk to potential biographers and urged those close to him to also remain silent. But Simon not only agreed to talk to biographer Robert Hilburn for what has amounted to more than sixtyTrade Review'There are two great storytellers colliding here. There’s no tougher a mind, no more tender a voice than Paul Simon, and there’s no better man than Robert Hilburn to decipher the hardwiring of this hyperintellect. From the prologue I was sucked in, suckered into a sense that I too might discover the genetic code of some of the greatest songs of any century. By the epilogue, you realize the great songs can never be fully explained, but the great man on his way to find those songs surely can.' -- Bono'When it comes to writing songs, no one does it better than Paul Simon. Robert Hilburn’s is a wise and winning account of our most nimble, nuanced, and numinous poet-musician.' -- Paul Muldoon'A tantalizing look into the mind and writing process of the man who is arguably the finest craftsman of the American popular song since the Gershwin brothers, this book will delight any Paul Simon fan or student of popular culture.' -- Linda Ronstadt‘this stately biography does capture the tension between the focused, ambitious songwriter and his dreamy, unreliable former partner’ * The Times *'This definitive biography tells the stories behind the hits - and of his fiery relationship with Art Garfunkel.' * Mail on Sunday *'The first officially-sanctioned biography of the great singer-songwriter. It is everything fans could have hoped for, including valuable insights into Simon's life and art, and the cause of what appears to be his final personal rupture with Art Garfunkel.' * Choice magazine *'Hilburn...ably demonstrates the respect in which Simon his held by fellow songwriters' * Spectator *

Read more less

Book SynopsisRonnie Wood has been a member of the Rolling Stones for over thirty years. His other bands include The Birds, The Creation, The Jeff Beck Group, The Small Faces and The Faces. He's married to Jo Wood and lives in Surrey and Ireland.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA fascinating deep dive into the dark Romanticism of Goth music by one of its central figures.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA unique, moving and dazzlingly researched exploration of the places, people, musicians, writers and filmmakers that inspired David Jones to become David Bowie, what we can learn from his life's work and journey, and why he will always matter.When David Bowie died on 10th January 2016, it seemed the whole world was united in mourning. His greatest hits were sung tearfully in pubs up and down Britain, garlands of flowers were left at the Aladdin Sane mural in his old stomping ground of Brixton and tributes poured in from a galaxy of stars. To many of us, Bowie was so much more than a pop idol. But why?In Why Bowie Matters, Professor Will Brooker answers that question persuasively, as both a fan and an academic. A Bowie obsessive since childhood, he hit the headlines over the course of a year-long immersive research project that took him from London to Berlin and New York, following in Bowie's footsteps, only listening to music and reading books he loved, and even at times adopting his fashion.In this original and illuminating book, Professor Brooker approaches Bowie from various angles, re-tracing his childhood on the streets of Bromley, taking us through his record collection and bookshelves, and deciphering the symbols and codes of his final work, Blackstar to piece together how an ordinary suburban teenager turned himself into a legend, and how perhaps we too could be a little more Bowie.He shows us that while David Robert Jones died on that terrible day in January, David Bowie will live on forever.Trade ReviewPraise for Why Bowie Matters ‘Brooker at his best, a playful, attentive scholar-fan’ Guardian ‘Wide-ranging and and closely argued, this book is one of the best Bowie has yet had’ Spectator ‘An intelligent assessment of the star’s career and enduring legacy’ Choice Magazine ‘A moving, unique and distinctly researched exploration of pop icon David Bowie by professor and die-hard fan Will Brooker … Original and illuminating’ David Bowie News Praise for Will Brooker: ‘An intelligent and nuanced look at an artist whose total achievement is only now beginning to be discovered' Chris O'Leary, author of Rebel Rebel 'This book truly has it all about David Bowie. Intriguing and exciting research’ Sophia Anne Caruso, lead actor in Lazarus

Read more less

Book SynopsisGlobal iconSix-time Grammy winnerHeadline-makerThe most talented recording artist of her generationMuch has been said about Amy Winehouse since her tragic death aged just 27. But who was the real Amy?Amy Winehouse: In Her Words shines a spotlight on her incredible writing talent, her wit, her charm and lust for life. Bringing together Amy's own never-before-seen journals, handwritten lyrics and family photographs together for the first time, this intimate tribute traces her creative evolution from growing up in North London to global superstardom, and provides a rare insight into the girl who became a legend.*The Estate of Amy Winehouse will donate 100% of the advance and royalties it receives (net of agency fees charged) from the production and sale of this book to The Amy Winehouse Foundation (registered charity number 1143740). The minimum donation will be 70,000. These funds will assist the charity in continuing their vital work helping thousands of young people to feel supported in managing their emotional wellbeing and making informed life choices. Initiatives include Amy's Place, which provides addiction recovery housing for young women; resilience-building programmes in schools and music therapy programmes supporting children with special educational needs and life-limiting conditions. More information can be found at https://amywinehousefoundation.org.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCollects lyrics from the popular rap artist's two albums and includes his commentary on the origin of each song.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''I WAS THERE WITH THESE TWO GIRLS ONCE; THEY WERE STRIPPERS. THEY SAID ''DAVE, WE''D LIKE YOU TO GO UPSTAIRS, THE TWO OF US, WITH YOU. '' SO I SAID, ''OKAY''. IT WAS ANGUS, AND IT WAS HOT AND SWEATY AND HUMID, AND WE COMMENCED TO DELIVER THE GROCERIES AT 138 BEATS PER MINUTE OR MORE. ONE OF THE GIRLS HAD $1500 IN SINGLES AND FIVES AND TENS, HER END-OF-THE-WEEK TIPS AND PAY AND EVERYTHING IN HER G-STRING. NOBODY NOTICED, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE G-STRING CAME UNDONE -- WELL, I NOTICED -- NOBODY NOTICED THE MONEY, LIKE, FLOATING AROUND. I WOKE UP AT SOME POINT AROUND DAWN, THE TWO OF THEM WERE ASLEEP, AND ALL THREE OF US WERE COVERED WITH MONEY, EVERY SQUARE INCH OF SKIN HAD A DOLLAR BILL PASTED TO IT -- THERE WAS NOTHING BUT. THE WHOLE BED WAS COVERED WITH BILLS. OUR BODIES WERE COVERED WITH BILLS. THERE WAS BILLS IN MY UNDERWEAR. TAKE A LITTLE PICTURE OF THAT. '' So begins perhaps the ultimate rock autobiography. Throughout the late-seventies and eighties Van Halen were the archetypal Ameri

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis definitive biography of rap supergroup, Wu-Tang Clan, features decades of unpublished interviews and unparalleled access to members of the group and their associates.This is the definitive biography of rap supergroup and cultural icons, Wu-Tang Clan (WTC). Heralded as one of the most influential groups in modern music—hip hop or otherwise—WTC created a rap dynasty on the strength of seven gold and platinum albums that launched the careers of such famous rappers as RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and more. During the ‘90s, they ushered in a hip-hop renaissance, rescuing rap from the corporate suites and bringing it back to the gritty streets where it started. In the process they changed the way business was conducted in an industry known for exploiting artists. Creatively, Wu-Tang pushed the boundaries of the artform dedicating themselves to lyrical mastery and sonic innovation, and one would be hard

Read more less

Book SynopsisA widely acclaimed biography of one of rock''s most compelling, uncompromising and influential singer-songwriters, Ian Johnston''s BAD SEED offers a superb overview of Nick Cave''s career to date. Through Cave''s fronting of the incendiary bands The Birthday Party and The Bad Seeds, producing music of unfettered expression and explosive intensity, to his creative collaborations outside of the rock industry in film and literature, BAD SEED illustrates a life lived in barely controlled chaos: and unravels the motivation and unique appeal of a reluctant icon whose songs, according to the Rolling Stones, possess the authority of the most primal kind of myth.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''There has been a lot of fun and adventure in my five decades on earth. There are also things from my past that I''ve needed to deal with. This is my story, my truth, with no holds barred - and I deserve to be able to tell it the way that I choose.''It''s time to face the music - the experiences that defined me, the mistakes that shaped me and the loves that changed my life.From S Club 7 pop star to Hollywood starlet, Hannah Spearritt has been on the stage, screen and airwaves since her teens. As one seventh of an iconic pop band, providing the soundtrack to so many childhoods, she has spent most of her life in the limelight. Now, for the first time ever, she''s ready to open up in this deeply candid memoir.This is Hannah''s true story. The lessons she has learned, the loves of her life, the dangerous health struggles, the friendships and the fallouts, the joy of being a mother and the heartbreak she has overcome - Hannah holds absolutely nothing back.Facing the Music is Hannah on her own terms - brave, unfiltered and hugely inspirational. Hannah can''t wait for the world to get to know the real her.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShaun Ryder has lived a life of glorious highs and desolate lows. As lead singer of the Happy Mondays, he turned Manchester into Madchester, combining all the excesses of a true rock''n''roll star with music and lyrics that led impresario Tony Wilson to describe him as ''the greatest poet since Yeats''. The young scally who left school at fifteen without ever learning his alphabet had come a very long way indeed. Huge chart success and a Glastonbury headline slot followed, plus numerous arrests and world tours - then Shaun''s drug addiction reached its height, Factory Records was brought to its knees and the Mondays split.But was this the end for Shaun Ryder? Not by a long shot. Two years later he was back with new band Black Grape, and their groundbreaking debut album topped the charts in possibly the greatest comeback of all time. Even his continuing struggle with drugs did not stem the tide of critically acclaimed tracks and collaborations as he went on to prove his musical genius time and again. And then there was the jungle...Rock''n''roll legend, reality TV star, drug-dealer, poet, film star, heroin addict, son, brother, father, husband, foul-mouthed anthropologist and straight-talking survivor, Shaun Ryder has been a cultural icon and a 24-hour party person for a quarter of a century. Told in his own words, this is his story.Trade ReviewIntoxicating: swaggering, cringing, furious, vulnerable, chaotic, bilious, funny, mad. A seamless, authentic, exhilarating read, without a single slack paragraph. * The Sunday Times *Highly entertaining * Independent on Sunday *At once poignant and hilarious -- Dorian Lynskey * Word Magazine *A welcome contrast to the current trend of macho post-rehab confessions by tedious hard-rock narcissists * Guardian *A seamless, authentic, exhilarating read, without a single slack paragraph. I inhaled it like WD40 round the back of Lidl -- Camilla Long * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Dark Stuff Nick Kent profiles twenty-two of the most gifted and self-destructive talents in rock history. From Brian Wilson to Syd Barrett, the Rolling Stones to Neil Young, Iggy Pop to Lou Reed, he offers intimate portraits that are unimaginable in the world of today''s market driven music business.Trade Review"'The Dark Stuff is a mighty tome, containing some of the best music journalism ever written." Spectator

Read more less

Book SynopsisSo this is permanence, edited by Jon Savage with a foreword by Deborah Curtis, presents the intensely personal writings of one of the most enigmatic and influential songwriters and performers of the late twentieth century, Joy Division''s Ian Curtis. The songs of Joy Division, infused with the energy of punk but steeped in a resigned longing, were born of Manchester in the late seventies - a once flourishing industrial city in decline. They were the songs too of Ian Curtis''s inner tragedies, as he battled depression, epilepsy and debilitating stage fright. Ian Curtis committed suicide in 1980, on the eve of the band''s first American tour. Interspersed with the lyrics are previously unpublished facsimile pages of Ian''s notebooks, which throw his highly emotive lyrics into fascinating relief and cast light on the creative process of this singularly poetic songwriter.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsCodex; Everything In Its Right Place; Exit Music (For A Film); Daydreaming; Karma Police; No Surprises; Paranoid Android; Pyramid Song; True Love Waits; Sail To The Moon; Videotape

Read more less

Book SynopsisA biography of the British singer songwriter who died aged twenty six, having made three albums, all now recognised as classicsTrade ReviewHumphries has a lively feel for Drake’s social context … This book works as a sad fable of an unusual casualty of the 1960s counter culture * SUNDAY TIMES *A riveting account of the golden-boy genius * EVENING STANDARD *An exquisite portrait … It’s less about the human condition than about the sensitive adolescent’s coming-of-age. But it’s none the less moving for that. A short, sweet and sad story * MOJO *Patrick Humphries has written a rich, moving account of a troubled spirit, a mature biography of a briefly flickering talent unable to come to terms with the adult world … The writing is zestful and intelligent and the text illuminating … A literary memorial fit to stand alongside the songs * UNCUT *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTom Waits in his own words: a collection of three decades' worth of interviews with Tom Waits

Read more less

Book SynopsisGet your mojo working as you take a musical trip from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago's gritty South Side and points beyond with Blues For Dummies, an insightful, toe-tappin', music lovers' guide to the blues.Table of ContentsIntroduction. PART I: What Are the Blues and How Do I Know I Have Them? Chapter 1: Recognizing the Blues Sound and Style. Chapter 2: The Many Shades of Blues. Chapter 3: The Blues Connection to Other Music. PART II: Who's Who in the Blues Chapter 4: Early Blues Legends (1900 to 1945)Chapter 5: Artists from the Original Blues Heyday (1946 to 1969). Chapter 6: Artists of the Contemporary Blues Scene (1970 to Present). PART III: Listening to the Blues. Chapter 7: The Best Blues Recordings and Record Labels. Chapter 8: Where to Head to Hear the Blues. PART IV: Playing the Blues. Chapter 9: Putting Together a Blues Band. Chapter 10: Axes, Harps, and Other Essential Instruments. Chapter 11: Making a Blues Record. PART V: The Blues Community. Chapter 12: Blues Organizations Worth Checking Out. Chapter 13: A Blues Event: Throwing a Theme Party. Chapter 14: The Blues Online. PART VI: The Parts of Tens. Chapter 15: Then Reasons Why the Blues Just Keep on Growing. Chapter 16: Ten Collectible Blues Records You Wish You Could Afford. Appendix. Afterword. Index. Book Registration Information.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''An indispensable compendium for Steely Dan fans'' The WireAt its core a creative marriage between Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, Steely Dan are one of the defining and bestselling American rock acts of the last half-century, recording several of the cleverest and best-produced albums of the ''70s - from the breathlessly catchy Can''t Buy a Thrill to the sleekly sinister Gaucho.In the ''90s they returned to remind us of how sorely we had missed their elegance and erudition, subsequently recording Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go during the following decade. They have sold close to forty-five million albums.''A lot of people think of them as the epitome of boring ''70s stuff,'' novelist William Gibson said in 1993, when Becker and Fagen toured for the first time in nineteen years. ''They don''t realize this is probably the most subversive material pop has ever thrown up.''Now fully embraced by the ''Trade ReviewAn indispensable compendium for Steely Dan fans -- Greeta Dayal * The Wire *

Read more less

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

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEveryone wanted Madonna's 1992 album Erotica to be a scandal. In the midst of a culture war, conservatives wanted it to be proof of the decline of family values. The target of conservative loathing, gay men reeling from the AIDS epidemic wanted it to be a celebration of a sexual culture that had rapidly slipped away. And Madonna herself wanted to sell scandal, which is why she released Erotica in the same season as her erotic thriller Body of Evidence and her pornographic coffee-table book simply titled Sex. But Erotica is more sentimental than pornographic. This ambivalence over sex is what makes the album crucial both for understanding its time and for navigating culture a generation later. As queer politics were transitioning from sexual liberation to civil rights like same-sex marriage, Madonna tried to do both. Her songs proved formative for works of queer theory, which emerged in the academy at the same time as the album. And Erotica wasaTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Sex/Erotica 2. Subculture/Pop Culture 3. Madonna/Whore

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the big memoirs of the summer i newsA potent tale of triumph over adversity. Angry but never bitter, Wheatle''s compassion shines through the pain ObserverAlex is a truly gifted storyteller, and the way he details his own story here is no exception JEFFREY BOAKYEIn this breathtaking memoir, acclaimed writer Alex Wheatle shows how music became his salvation through a childhood marred by abuse.Abandoned as a baby to the British care system, Alex grows up with no knowledge of his Jamaican parentage or family history. Later, he is inexorably drawn to reggae, his lifeline through disrupted teenage years, the challenges of living as a young Black man in 1980s Britain and his imprisonment for protesting against systemic racism and police brutality.Alex''s youth was portrayed in Oscar Award-winning director Steve McQueen''s Small Axe series. In Sufferah, he tells his own story, urgently, vividly

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Johnny Cash ... Every man could relate to him, no man could be him, and only one man could get inside his head - Robert Hilburn' BONOPeople don't just listen to Johnny Cash: they believe in him. But no one has told the Man in Black's full story, until now.In Johnny Cash: The Life, Robert Hilburn conveys the unvarnished truth about a musical icon, whose colourful career stretched from his days at Sun Records with Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis to his remarkable, brave and deeply moving 'Hurt' video, aged sixty-nine. As music critic for the Los Angeles Times, Hilburn knew Cash well throughout his life: he was the only music journalist at the legendary Folsom Prison concert in 1968, and he interviewed Cash and his wife June Carter for the final time just months before their deaths in 2003. Hilburn's rich reporting shows the remarkable highs and deep lows that followed and haunted Cash in equal measure. A man of great faith and humbling addiction, Cash aimed for more than another hit for the jukebox; he wanted his music to lift people's spirits.Drawing upon his personal experience with Cash and a trove of never-before-seen material from the singer's inner circle, Hilburn creates an utterly compelling, deeply human portrait of one of the most iconic figures in modern popular culture - not only a towering figure in country music, but also a seminal influence in rock, whose personal life was far more troubled, and whose musical and lyrical artistry much more profound, than even his most devoted fans ever realised.Trade ReviewJohnny Cash was a man both extraordinary and ordinary. Every man could relate to him, no man could be him, and only one man could get inside his head: Robert Hilburn -- BonoRobert Hilburn displays a deeply felt affinity with his subject, illuminating Johnny Cash as the moral compass of country music -- Patti SmithA great story requires great storytelling, and that's exactly what it receives here. Ultimately, Robert Hilburn's biography uncannily resembles its subject: massive and stolid, but with a dangerous glint in its eye -- Charles Shaar Murray * Literary Review *Johnny Cash and Robert Hilburn are two of the true blessings of my life. Both the best at what they do and each a gifted artist. It's a killer combination -- Kris Kristofferson[T]he most authoritative and revealing portrait to date of the most chronicled figure in country-music history ... [a] finely wrought biography -- Eddie Dean * Wall Street Journal Europe *Hilburn's biography has the sort of immense scope and tremendous insight that comes from years of interviewing such a truthful, troubling subject -- Rob Fitzpatrick * Sunday Times *A warts-and-all biography follows Johnny Cash, a rebel and outsider, from one drama to the next. It's a must-read -- Will Hodgkinson * The Times *Rock biographies can feel like they are ten-a-penny so it is a refreshing change to read a meaty no-holds barred, non-sycophantic record of legendary Man in Black Johnny Cash ... The wealth of detail on every page, in ever incident of Cash's life (1932-2002) is both impressive and a joy to read. Unlike so many biographies that are reported incidents jigsawed together, this is almost an eyewitness account with not always favourable opinions, perfecting its colour and gravitas -- Nicole Carmichael * Sunday Express *How do you write an interesting biography of such a beloved figure? First, hire Robert Hilburn. He is a prodigious researcher, but keeps a steady hand on the tiller, and never allows his research to swamp his narrative. He knows his music and music history, but unlike far too many music critics, he avoids the temptation to show off * The Economist *Hilburn has pulled off the rare feat of making the dispassionate truth more extraordinary than the myth -- Andy Fyfe * Mojo *With straightforward prose, and through years of meticulous research, Robert Hilburn unravels the sometimes dark and magical life of one of music's greatest legends. Oftentimes this is a chronicle of pain, whether Hilburn is detailing Cash's early loss of his beloved brother, or the anguish he talked to Rick Rubin about feeling upon the death of wife June, but Hilburn gives much insight into what drove Cash's work. This is a harrowing story of addiction, musical genius, and enduring faith that goes far deeper than any film biopic ever will. In the end, Hilburn has achieved what is most certainly the definitive Johnny Cash biography -- Charles R. Cross, author of Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt CobainRobert Hilburn has written a magnificent biography * BBC Radio 4 Front Row *Hilburn displays a quite remarkable empathy with his subject and his writing style is highly readable and totally gripping. The book has just been published in the UK and is surely a must for any serious country music buff -- David Alan * Country Music People *A moving, respectful and sympathetic biography -- Alan Taylor * Sunday Herald *There is madness aplenty in this excellent life of the turbulent Johnny Cash -- Rod Liddle * Sunday Times *Superb -- Will Hodgkinson * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Muddy Waters came to London at the start of the '60s, a kid from Boston called Joe Boyd was his tour manager; when Dylan went electric at the Newport Festival, Joe Boyd was plugging in his guitar; when the summer of love got going, Joe Boyd was running the coolest club in London, the UFO; when a bunch of club regulars called Pink Floyd recorded their first single, Joe Boyd was the producer; when a young songwriter named Nick Drake wanted to give his demo tape to someone, he chose Joe Boyd. More than any previous '60s music autobiography, Joe Boyd's White Bicycles offers the real story of what it was like to be there at the time. His greatest coup is bringing to life the famously elusive figure of Nick Drake - the first time he's been written about by anyone who knew him well. As well as the '60s heavy-hitters, this book also offers wonderfully vivid portraits of a whole host of other musicians: everyone from the great jazzman Coleman Hawkins to the folk diva Sandy Denny, Lonnie Johnson to Eric Clapton, The Incredible String Band to Fairport Convention.Trade ReviewGloriously entertaining ... even those unfamiliar with back catalogues and B-sides will be intrigued by Boyd's ability to dish the dirt * Observer *The simple brilliance of White Bicycles is that its author never overstates his own importance or exaggerates his failings, and still ends up telling an irresistible tale. * The New York Times *From Dylan to Pink Floyd, Boyd was there and luckily for us, he can remember it all * Daily Express *An excellent memoir * Sunday Express *[Boyd] was at the heart of the action ... But there's much to interest non-music fans as well * Mail on Sunday *Drake's suicide provides the memoir with its most poignant episode, but there are plenty of colourful anecdotes * Sunday Telegraph *A brisk, wised-up and highly entertaining consideration of a crucial musical epoch's many facets. * Kirkus *One of the most entertaining and insightful rock 'n' roll books I've read -- Noel Mengel * Courier Mail, Brisbane Australia *Whenever anything musically noteworthy occurred in the 60s, Joe Boyd was probably nearby ... White Bicycles bursts with rollicking anecdotes, eyewitness accounts and canny observations about politics and youth ... Boyd guides us through the decade with keen ears and restless intellectual curiosity * Pitchfork *Brilliant and inspiring ... one of the finest music books ever -- Mike Scott, The Waterboys

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2025 PENDERYN MUSIC BOOK PRIZERough Trade Book of the YearUncut Book of the Year Mojo Book of the YearA Guardian Book of the YearA Daily Mail Book of the YearA Financial Times Book of the YearA Resident Book of the YearA Telegraph Book of the YearA Daily Express Book of the Year'Will has finally written his masterpiece. I'm glad I could be of assistance' LAWRENCELawrence is the greatest pop star who never made it, his dreams of glory thwarted over the past five decades by bad luck and self-sabotage. At sixty-one, he set off on a new mission: to escape poverty, obscurity and the humiliation of kids at the bus stop laughing at him by writing a smash hit. But what is the cost of a dream?In 1980, Lawrence formed Felt, releasing ten albums and ten singles in ten years. In 1991, he reinvented himself with novelty-pop outfit Denim. Signed to EMI, riding the wave of Britpop, in 1997, Denim's song 'Summer Smash' became Radio 1's Single of the Week and looked like a sure-fire hit. Then Princess Diana was killed in a car crash. All copies were melted down. Crushing depression, addiction and homelessness followed... but in the face of it all, Lawrence never gave up.In Street-Level Superstar, bestselling author and journalist Will Hodgkinson follows Lawrence as he rebuilds his life. He gets mistaken for an old lady by an amorous pensioner, is reduced to dragging sacks of 2p coins to his local bank and wanders through London's distant suburbs in search of lyrical inspiration. As they walk together down rain-soaked streets, Will tells the story of Britain's most eccentric cult star. Will he write the greatest song the world has ever known before the year is out? And was it worth sacrificing everything - family, relationships, health, sanity - for art?

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE OFFICIAL STORY OF A MUSICAL ICON - TOLD IN FULL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS OWN WORDS'Funny, smart and heartbreaking. Incredible... go listen to it or read it.' Robbie Williams'The most entertaining music memoir since Elton John's Me... This is George O'Dowd in all his exhausting glory.' Observer'Joyously indiscreet' Daily Mail'I went to a lot of trouble to create Boy George and then I went through a whole battle for years about not wanting to be him. But now I enjoy and embrace it in a way that I wasn't able to as a young person.... I'm finally learning to be George Alan O'Dowd from Eltham.'Karma is the definitive autobiography from the incomparable Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award-winning lead singer of Culture Club and LGBTQ+ vanguard: Boy George. Told in his inimitable style, Karma tells the story of the charismatic fron

Read more less

Book Synopsis__________________________________'A remarkable novel, elegant, wise, and beautifully constructed.' Roddy DoyleTommy Mays, Titan Records' biggest act, is verging on a mid-life crisis; learning the hard way that a life of fame and fortune comes at a price. But things are looking up for his support band, The Burn, which could be a career-changer for Theo, Titan's young A&R executive. Meanwhile, secretary Cynthia has her eyes on Titan's latest rising star, singer-songwriter Lenore Lamont. But with a billboard in Times Square, is Lenore starting to feel the pressure?Set in the sleek offices, high-tech recording studios and hip downtown clubs of New York, The Words of Every Song depicts the realities of making it in an industry where glamour and fame can often conceal the harsh realities for those hoping to hit the big-time.Trade ReviewThis is a remarkable novel, elegant, wise, and beautifully constructed. I loved the book, and admired the work and spark that went into it.Impressive ... Moore crafts a clever cycle of interconnected short stories about players in New York City's music industry. * People *The kind of book you want to read twice. The first time you read it for the well-told story, the second time for another look at the inventive way [Moore] tells it. * Boston Now *Imagine having happened upon Dylan singing in Harvard Square, or having caught one of Joni Mitchell's early shows at an empty club. This is how I felt reading Liz Moore's lyrical and powerful debut novel, like I was witnessing a timeless artist on the verge of transcendence. The Words of Every Song is a virtuoso performance. These beautifully rendered characters are melodies that echo in your head, chords that reverberate in your heart, and, long after you've turned the last page, you can still hear the audience calling for an encore.Sweet, wistful, artfully arranged: like the best mix tape anyone ever made for you. * Kirkus starred review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJazz Heroes is an essential volume of rare and previously unseen photos by Steve Schapiro, featuring the biggest 1960s jazz legends.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisHalf a century after three teenage brothers decided to give a career in music a go, the Bee Gees are among the most successful and enduring names in popular music history.Trailblazing their way across pop music since the 1960s, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb have made their songs Stayin' Alive, How Deep is Your Love, To Love Somebody, and I Started a Joke, timeless.Filled with staggering highs – especially as they became the definitive band of the disco era – The Little Guide to the Bee Gees is packed with quotes perfect for the music-lover in your life and just might help you stay alive.'Contrary to popular belief, we have no leader. We call it a democratic dictatorship.' - Maurice Gibb'We are brothers first, a pop group second.' - Barry Gibb'Show business is something you have to have in you when you're born.' - Robin GibbTable of ContentsAlive and kicking: For five decades, the Brothers Gibb have given the world more earworms, across more genres of music, than any other in history • Brothers in harmony: Famed for their tight three-part harmonies and magical song-writing connection, Robin, Maurice and Barry composed hundreds of songs together • Disco Beatles: The band have been called many things, but this is possibly the best way to sum up their influence, invention and inspiration • Jive Talkin': The Bee Gees may have been revered for their ‘Jive Talkin'’, but it was their wit that got them into trouble more • Tragedies: When the band wrote their famous hit, ‘Tragedy’, it came from real-life, with the group experiencing more than their fair share of death, self-destruction and ill-health • Comeback Kings: You can't keep a good Bee Gee down. The band proved that the key to longevity in the music business is stayin' alive without stayin' the same.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1991, five wannabe Mancunian musicians came together and cracked a spark that was to ignite the explosion which became Oasis. The band went from obscurity to become a global phenomenon in the space of a year, achieving world-wide recognition and selling over 70 million records. Pre Oasis, drummer Tony McCarroll joined a band called The Rain, linking up with guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, bassist Paul McGuigan and singer Chris Hutton. Hutton was later replaced by Liam Gallagher who in turn brought brother Noel along. What started out as five young lads with a common dream of becoming rock stars eventually disintegrated into in-fighting, clashes of egos and finanical disputes. In 1995, following the release of Definitely Maybe - the fastest-selling debut of all time - things came to a head and Tony left the band. In this candid and hilarious book, Tony tells one of the most in-depth rock 'n' roll stories of modern times. He reveals the truth about the early years before the band was even formed; he tells of the drinking and drug consumption. Plus, he talks of his much-publicised rift with Noel Gallagher. Tony's recollections include stories involving David Beckham, Prince, Eric Cantona and John McEnroe.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplosive autobiography of Guns N'' Roses and Velvet Revolver bass guitarist Duff McKaganDuff McKagan was a co-founder of Guns N'' Roses, with a 13-year tenure on bass in what was at the time the biggest band on earth. As well as pulling together the classic line-up (Slash on guitar, Steven Adler on drums, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin and vocalist Axl Rose), Duff was the unofficial musical director of the band and the most experienced musician, and played bass, drums and guitar, as well as co-writing many of the songs. Over the years, Guns N'' Roses have broken many records in rock history - APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION is the most successful debut album in the history of recorded music; the band''s 1991 records, USE YOUR ILLUSION parts 1 and 2, debuted at one and two on the album charts, a feat never achieve before or since; and their 28-month ILLUSION world tour is still the longest running concert tour in history.Duff charts the rise of the group, and his oTrade ReviewToday McKagan is very much a family man and this book, written without the aid of a journalist, doesn't shirk from examining his misbehaviours. * BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH *

Read more less

Book SynopsisRobert Plant is one of the few genuine living rock legends.Frontman of Led Zeppelin, musical innovator and seller of millions of records, Plant has had a profound influence on music for over four decades. But the full account of his life has barely been told until now.Robert Plant: A Life is the first complete and comprehensive telling of Plant's story. From his earliest performances in folk clubs in the early 1960s, to the world's biggest stages as Led Zeppelin's self-styled Golden God', and on to his emergence as an emboldened solo star.The sheer scale of Zeppelin's success is extraordinary: in the US alone they sold 70 million records, a figure surpassed only by the Beatles. But their success was marred by tragedy.These pages contain first-hand accounts of Plant's greatest highs and deepest lows: the tragic deaths of his son Karac and his friend, Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.Told in vivid detail, this is the definitive story of a man of great talent, remarkable fortitude and extraoTrade Review‘Anyone seeking insight into Plant as a man and a musician will find it here.’ Q ‘There have been countless books on Led Zeppelin but little of substance on lead singer Plant. Methodically researched, the music legend’s extraordinary career, influences and legacy are superbly articulated in this tremendous biography of an enigmatic rock star.” The Bookseller ‘Whole lotta truth about Zeppelin’s Viking rock god’ Mail on Sunday ‘Particularly enlightening on Plant's formative pre-Zep years in the Midlands, A Life puts the singer's eclectic career into clear context.’ Dave Lewis, Tight But Loose magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisSUNDAY TIMES MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEARROUGH TRADE BOOK OF THE YEARMOJO BOOK OF THE YEARIn 1975, Viv Albertine was obsessed with music but it never occurred to her she could be in a band as she couldn''t play an instrument and she''d never seen a girl play electric guitar.A year later, she was the guitarist in the hugely influential all-girl band the Slits, who fearlessly took on the male-dominated music scene and became part of a movement that changed music.A raw, thrilling story of life on the frontiers and a candid account of Viv''s life post-punk - taking in a career in film, the pain of IVF, illness and divorce and the triumph of making music again - Clothes Music Boys is a remarkable memoir.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A true testimonial and epic love letter to the soul saving power of rock & roll . . . Read it and be inspired, as I was'' Bobby Gillespie''Lenny Kaye has illuminated ten facets of the jewel called rock and roll from a uniquely personal and knowledgeable perspective. He draws from a lifetime of inspiration and experience. A youth plugging in his first electric guitar, a fan taking the dance floor, a propelling player, a humble guardian of history, and the writer I have always known him to be'' Patti SmithMemphis, 1954. New Orleans 1957. Philadelphia 1959. Liverpool, 1962. San Francisco 1967. Detroit 1969. New York, 1975. London 1977. Los Angeles 1984 / Norway 1993. Seattle 1991.Rock and roll was birthed in basements and garages, radio stations and dance halls, in cities where unexpected gatherings of artists and audience changed and charged the way music is heard and celebrated, capturing lightning in a bottle. Musician and writer LennyTrade ReviewI first knew him as a writer. Then guitarist, lifelong friend and collaborator. We have performed side by side on the global stage through half a century and shared his love of the evolution of our mutual vocation. In Lightning Striking, Lenny Kaye has illuminated ten facets of the jewel called rock and roll from a uniquely personal and knowledgeable perspective.He draws from a lifetime of inspiration and experience. A youth plugging in his first electric guitar, a fan taking the dance floor, a propelling player, a humble guardian of history, and the writer I have always known him to be -- Patti Smith * Patti Smith *Lightning Striking is a true testimonial and epic love letter to the soul saving power of rock & roll. Lenny Kaye writes with a guitar player's rhythm and the image strewn fevered prose of a beat poet, sharing arcane knowledge of the joy of a true believer. Read it and be inspired, as I was -- Bobby GillespieLenny Kaye - music scribe, record hound, Patti Smith guitarist, all around good guy - has always been the role model for all us young punk rock pups to get on the good foot and to fight the good fight. Lenny knows that "Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll" would of been writ by Shakespeare if the bard had hung out at CBGB in '76. And Lenny is the one rock writer who actually knows how to ROCK! No jestering - God bless Lenny Kaye -- Thurston MooreWritten with a historian's precision and a musician's sense of improvisation, this is a joyful celebration of rock music written by someone who witnessed much of it first hand, as both fan and participant. Tracing roots mined and routes traveled, spotlighting dozens of long forgotten classics along the way, via interstates and back roads, from seedy stages, basements and backroom bars to major venues across the world, the energy and excitement of the music jumps off every page. This is a vivid and wonderful book -- Lee RanaldoWhether or not he was physically present, Lenny Kaye was there for every major shedding of rock and roll's skin, and in Lightning Striking he takes you there with him. The book chronicles episode after episode of mounting excitement, unexpected breakthrough, wild-hair epiphany, triumphant unveiling--followed by the comedowns and consequences. He has a great eye for settings and a great ear for jokes and scuttlebutt in addition to the sounds themselves, which he makes three-dimensional. His knowledge is unparalleled, his writing is evocative and often inspired, his sympathies are broad and his understanding is deep. You could not hope for a better tour guide -- Luc SanteLenny Kaye's passion and experience precedes him. Lightning Striking is both personal discovery and potted history of the scenes, and the winners and losers around which rock music's most important developments formed . . . an illuminating account of rock history from birth to resurrections * Record Collector *

Read more less