Popular music Books

Book SynopsisA charismatic performer and frontman to Queen, Freddie Mercury is regarded as one of the greatest rock singers in music history.Bursting with all the famed wit, wisdom and wisecracks that made the late, great showman's larger-than-life career so compelling, this tiny tome is home to all of Freddie's most famous, infamous, and funniest flights of spoken fancy. From controversial interview quotes to candid life philosophies, through his legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985 to his final days as a solo artist, everything he ever said (almost) is here."A lot of people slammed 'Bohemian Rhapsody', but who can you compare that to? Name one group that's done an operatic single." Freddie, on 'Bohemian Rhapsody', interview with Circus magazine, March 1977."I think Queen songs are pure escapism, like going to see a good film – after that, people can go away, and go back to their problems." Freddie, on the magic of his band's songs, interview with Melody Maker, May 1981.Table of ContentsHe Will Rock You - Freddie's love of music, song writing and playing live • Want it All - Queen's rise to global super mega stardom • A Kind of Magic - Iconic music, albums and live performances • Under Pressure - Fame and rock and roll stardom • Killer Queen - Freddie's love of performance, and the controversies that followed him • Breaking Free - His solo career and life after Queen.

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Book SynopsisOne of the seminal groups of the Eighties, The Smiths'' career was as brilliant as it was brief. Now, drawing on interviews with band members, producers, and colleagues, music journalist Simon Goddard presents a meticulous chronological survey of the group''s musical evolution, from their first demos in 1982 to their final fractured studio session five years later. Investigating the stories behind the songs, and detailing every British TV and radio session, he also offers a unique analysis of each track''s concert life. Granted unprecedented access to The Smiths'' studio archives and to the private collection of outtakes and rehearsals retained by drummer Mike Joyce, the author lifts the lid on unreleased material as well as the lost songs and alternate versions that have remained closely guarded secrets until now.

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Book SynopsisWhat was it about Bob Marley that made him so popular in a world dominated by rock'n'roll?How is that he has not only remained the single most successful reggae artist ever, but has also become a shining beacon of radicalism and peace to generation after generation of fans across the globe?On May 11, 1981, a little after 11.30 in the morning, Bob Marley died. The man who introduced reggae to a worldwide audience, in his own lifetime he had already become a hero figure in the classic mythological sense. From immensely humble beginnings and with talent and religious belief his only weapons, the Jamaican recording artist applied himself with unstinting perseverance to spreading his prophetic musical message.And he had achieved it: only a year earlier, Bob Marley and The Wailers'' tour of Europe had seen them perform to the largest audiences a musical act had up to that point experienced. Record sales of Marley''s albums before his death were spectacular; in the years since his death they have become phenomenal, as each new generation discovers afresh the remarkable power of his music.Chris Salewicz, who had a sequence of adventures with Bob Marley in Jamaica in 1979, offers us a comprehensive and detailed account of Bob Marley''s life and the world in which he grew up and came to dominate. Never-before-heard interviews with dozens of people who knew Marley are woven through a narrative that brings to life not only the Rastafari religion and the musical scene in Jamaica, but also the spirit of the man himself.Trade Review'Salewicz invades and illuminates Marley's privacy more effectively than previous biographers' - The Sunday Times 'Essential biography that also traces the evolution of rebel music. It's the author's owm conjuring of events - that make this book so valuable' - Mojo 'Where the veteran music journalist Chris Salewicz provides new insights is in his portrait of the musician's complex and troubled personality. Drawing on extensive interviews with those closest to Marley, he reveals a character afflicted by insecurity and instability' - Times Literary Supplement 'The definitive account of the man and the myth' - The Independent

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Book SynopsisIt seems excessive...but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Saul "Slash" Hudson was born in Hampstead to a Jewish father, an album cover artist, and a black American mother of Nigerian descent, who created David Bowie's look in The Man Who Fell to Earth. He was raised in Stoke until he was 11, when he and his mother moved to LA. Frequent visitors to the house were David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Ron Wood and Iggy Pop, . At this time Slash got into BMX bikes, and would eventually turn professional, winning won major awards and money, but at 15 his grandmother gave him his first guitar. Even though it had just one string he began teaching himself to play, and soon school was forgotten as he devoted up to 12 hours a day to honing his skills. Sessions with numerous local LA rock bands followed until a fateful meeting with singer W Axl Rose! and the rest was rock history.Trade Review‘Brilliant stuff’ **** News of the World ‘The most insane rock n’ roll autobiography you’ll ever read.’ Observer ‘A raucous rock yarn’, (Top 10 Rock Books) The Independent **** Q Magazine ‘A fitting monument… Slash’s memoirs are an unexpectedly intoxicating cocktail of irresponsibility and dedication.’ Independent on Sunday ‘Slash’s story is harrowingly compulsive reading, presenting the most graphically spot-on account of hardcore drug addiction since William Burroughs’ The Record Collector

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of Alex James's transition from a leading light of the Britpop movement in the 1990s, to gentleman farmer, artisan cheese-maker and father of five.I was hanging around the pigsty in the way I'd previously hung around at The Groucho Club. I felt wonderfully connected, grounded in the real world, standing in pig muck'Following fifteen years in Blur, Alex James did two wild, unexpected things. He fell in love and he bought a farm.Moving into a rambling, chaotic farmstead in the beautiful Cotswold countryside, he decides the best way to learn about farming is the same way he learned most about music: by jumping in and doing it. As his family settles in, he discovers the unexpected joys that country life abounds in: finding the first egg from your very own chicken, coming across a bramble bush laden with blackberries, roasting home-grown pears on an open fire, before stumbling on a new venture making cheese.Wonderfully warm, witty and perfectly observed, this is the storyTrade Review‘James’s prose is clean and poetic. His childlike wonder at the simple things – from herons to heaps of rubble – can be infectious’ DAILY TELEGRAPH ‘A joy to read. Prose flows and weaves and curls itself into pleasing rhythms…(Alex James) can write like a god’ SPECTATOR ‘The upbeat tone matches that of his Blur-era autobiography A BIT OF A BLUR, treating his downsize from rock heart-throb to cockerel-throttling country gent as if cheese contests were Britpop orgies. Riding bikes, the smell of berry bushes, piles of cow dung: all brilliant’ NME

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Book SynopsisThe definitive account of Whitney Houston's astonishing life, ground-breaking career and tragic death complete with never-before-seen photographs from the only one who truly knows the story behind the headlines: her mother, Cissy Houston.Cissy has said little publicly about Whitney's heart-breaking death. Now, for the first time, she opens up and shares the unbelievable story of her daughter's life, as well as her own, and addresses Whitney's brightest and darkest moments.A legendary Grammy Award-winning gospel singer in her own right, Cissy Houston shows how the lessons from her own musical journey helped to shape Whitney's career from teaching Whitney to use her voice, to keeping her level-headed throughout her meteoric rise to fame.With candour and respect, she sets the record straight about Whitney, exploring both her turbulent marriage and her misunderstood struggles with drug abuse. Cissy goes behind the tabloid headlines to show fans around the world the true, human side of a strong, successful yet flawed musical icon who died much too young.Includes a Foreword by Dionne Warwick.Trade Review‘Essential reading for anyone who wants the inside angle on one of the greatest musical careers of the 20th Century.’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisI was spotty, wore an anorak, had biro-engraved flared blue jeans with purple and Sabbath written on the thighs, and rode an ear-splittingly uncool moped. Oh yes, and I wanted to be a drummer'Bruce Dickinson Iron Maiden's legendary front man is one of the world's most iconic singers and songwriters. But there are many strings to Bruce's bow, of which larger-than-life lead vocalist is just one. He is also an airline captain, aviation entrepreneur, motivational speaker, beer brewer, novelist, radio presenter, film scriptwriter and an international fencer: truly one of the most unique and interesting men in the world.In What Does this Button Do? Bruce contemplates the rollercoaster of life. He recounts in his uniquely anarchic voice the explosive exploits of his eccentric British childhood, the meteoric rise of Maiden, summoning the powers of darkness, the philosophy of fencing, brutishly beautiful Boeings and firmly dismissing cancer like an uninvited guest.Bold, honest, intelligent Trade Review‘A chatty and anecdote-filled autobiography… There is much fun to be had, such as trying to put a certain part of his anatomy in the ear of the singer in rival band Quiet Riot (clue:not his finger) Sunday Times Books of the Year ‘The entertaining chronicle of a spotty anorak who escaped his grey existence into the absurd drama of life as Iron Maiden’s frontman’ Daily Telegraph Books of the Year ‘What Does This Button Do? is a genuinely fascinating and funny look back at Dickinson’s life. From his early days growing up in the Nottinghamshire mining town of Worksop (where he was raised by his grandparents until the age of six) to his roller-coaster 40-year music career, it paints a candid picture of a life well lived.’ Classic Rock Magazine ‘If you only read one book this year, it absolutely must be Bruce Dickinson’s new autobiography, What Does This Button Do? … The book is every bit as entertaining and bursting with energy as you might expect.’ Metal Hammer ‘Whether you are a Maiden fanatic, an aviation enthusiast, a fencing aficionado or none or even all of the above, you will most definitely get something from this extremely well written and entertaining book, such is the calibre of the man, his philosophies and the level of his accomplishments.’ Metaltalk

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Book Synopsis''A roadmap for a new generation'' VOGUE''Radical, funny and fearless' VANITY FAIRGripping' NYLONRaw'GUARDIANAn electric, searing memoir by the original Riot Grrrl and legendary frontwoman of Bikini Kill and Le TigreHey girlfriend I got a proposition, goes something like this: Dare ya to do what you want.Kathleen Hanna's rallying cry to feminists echoed far and wide through the punk scene of the 1980s, '90s, and beyond. Her band, Bikini Kill, embodies this iconic time, and today their gutsy, radical lyrics of anthems like Rebel Girl' and Double Dare Ya' are more powerful than ever. But where did this transformative voice come from?In Rebel Girl, Hanna's raw and insightful new memoir, she takes us from her tumultuous childhood home, to her formative college years in Olympia, Washington, and on to her first years on tour, fighting hard for gigs and for her band. As Hanna makes blindingly clear, being in a girl band', especially a punk girl band, in those years was not a simple or a safe

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Book Synopsis**THE PERFECT GIFT FOR BILLIE EILISH FANS**A celebration of Billie Eilish''s refreshing outlook, creativity and independence. We all want a bit more Billie in our lives!Billie Eilish isn''t up for conforming to others'' expectations of what a young woman should look and sound like. This multi-award-winning artist lays down her own beat and refuses to be labelled, restricted or dismissed. She uses her platform to advocate openness around mental health and to work towards positive change in the world around her.With chapters on learning to be yourself, standing up for what you believe and dealing with haters, Be Bad, Be Bold, Be Billieexplores Billie''s incredible journey to stardom, providing hints and tips on how to adopt her poise and no-nonsense attitude to get to where you want to be.

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

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Whether you're the sort of man who knows everything from who first threw the Devil Horns to the correct pronunciation of Yngwie Malmsteen, there is something fascinating to learn from Louder Than Hell ... Shed[s] new light on the making of Satan's Music." -- Esquire "Presents the collective memory of heavy metal through the ages and eras in the voices of the men who lived it ... It's an aficionado's delight." -- New York Daily News "Louder than Hell is a love letter to the misunderstood genre of heavy metal music, written by trusted companions who had a front row seat on the devil's rollercoaster. The definitive chronological testimony by the people who were there, including some who are no longer with us." -- Mark McGrath, Sugar Ray and co-host Extra "A great read and an instant classic." -- The Onion's A.V. Club "This is the best oral history I've read since Please Kill Me. Louder than Hell is the first book that really delivers the brutal truth from the mouths of the artists and key players themselves! I couldn't put it down." -- Matt Pinfield "Two devil horns up!" -- USA Today A compelling, first-person account of a seemingly unstoppable force ...the book reads like an extended, uncensored, shockingly satisfying episode of VH1's Behind the Music. -- Washington Post "An amazingly comprehensive book on all eras and genres of hard rock and heavy metal. The stories and attention to detail make it an instant must for anyone who ever was or is a fan." -- Eddie Trunk, DJ and host of That Metal Show on VH1 Classic Often hilarious, occasionally, 'God, I wish I hadn't read that!', sometimes profound, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes infuriating ... no one holds back on any subject... you come away from this book with a crystal-clear vision of this world -- The Huffington Post "The authors inclusiveness give this examination a weight that is just as heavy as the music." -- Publishers Weekly "A who's who of heavy music ... What makes Louder Than Hell un-put-down-able are the stories ... Essential." -- Revolver (4 stars) "No one's gone quite as deep into the genre's recesses as this 746-page oral history, which covers everything from the birth of Black Sabbath to Dave Mustaine's departure from Metallica to the disaster that was Woodstock '99." -- Rolling Stone, four stars "Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman know metal. Louder Than Hell is an amazing gathering of different breeds of heavy metal rockers telling the tales metal fans want to hear." -- Tom Morello, Rage Against the Machine "If you love metal, great stories, and music history told by the people who made it, then Louder than Hell is a must-read. This is the book every metal fan should own. -- Alice Cooper "Louder Than Hell comes straight from the twisted minds of rock icons and flows seamlessly through various eras of heavy metal...I really dig this book." -- Riki Rachtman "I've said thousands of times that reading 'totally sucks.' But this book does indeed not suck. Books on the history of even something as cool as metal can be a bit antiseptic and boring-not this one." -- Brendon Small, Dethklok "Who likes rock n roll here?? Well if you do, this is the book for you! ... This is the definitive chronicle of all that is heavy metal and I've read them all!" -- Chris Jericho, Fozzy "As definitive as it gets, bonding historical anecdotes to pieces of debauched mythology from the scene's platinum superstars and fringe icons ... as indispensable as a skull-adorned leather jacket." -- Entertainment Weekly, A-

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

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERIn Face the Music, Paul Stanley—the co-founder and famous “Starchild” frontman of KISS—reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize.Stanley mixes compelling personal revelations and gripping, gritty war stories that will surprise even the most steadfast member of the KISS Army. He takes us back to his childhood in the 1950s and ’60s, a traumatic time made more painful thanks to a physical deformity. Born with a condition called microtia, he grew up partially deaf, with only one ear. But this instilled in him an inner drive to succeed in the most unlikely of pursuits: music.With never-before-seen photos and images throughout, Stanley’s memoir is a fully realized and unflinching portrait of a rock star, a chronicle of the stories behind the famous anthems, the many brawls and betrayals, and all the drama and pyrotechnics on and off the stage. Raw and confessional, Stanley offers candid insights into his personal relationships, and the turbulent dynamics with his bandmates over the past four decades. And no one comes out unscathed—including Stanley himself.“People say I was brave to write such a revealing book, but I wrote it because I needed to personally reflect on my own life. I know everyone will see themselves somewhere in this book, and where my story might take them is why I’m sharing it.” —Paul StanleyTrade Review"Paul Stanley proves himself as an artist in music and on canvas and now with a great book." -- Jimmy Page "Both honest and inspirational. Amazing tales from one of rock's great frontmen." -- Sir Elton John "Paul is a great man who has achieved great things. From the Popcorn Club all the way to the Hall of Fame, his story is inspiring and motivating for anyone who dreams big." -- Dave Grohl "An entertaining yet piercingly honest journey from self-conscious child to the world's most visually famous rock band, to, finally-with the makeup wiped away-a place of peace as a father and a man. Paul Stanley's story is both ordinary and extraordinary, which makes it inspiring." -- Mitch Albom, author of The First Phone Call From Heaven and Tuesdays With Morrie "For years the members hid their true identities behind cartoon personas and hard rock anthems... After years of carefully maintaining his Starchild superhero identity, Stanley lets down his guard and unleashes a torrent of pent-up feelings that erupt and flow over 400 pages like molten lava." -- Guitar World Magazine "KISS' flamboyant "Starchild" unplugs his high-wattage amps and introduces fans to an even more intriguing character: Stanley Harvey Eisen... [Face the Music is] an indispensable part of KISStory." -- Kirkus Reviews "Elegantly and thoughtfully, Stanley takes us behind the mask of Starchild, his KISS persona, and shares intimately his own insecurities about his physical appearance and his emotional life." -- Publishers Weekly "Most people will probably not associate sensitivity with the flamboyant heavy-metal rock band KISS, and yet in his memoir, front man, rhythm guitarist, and cofounder Paul Stanley succeeds in making a connection with the reader, KISS fan or not." -- Booklist

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Book SynopsisTravis Barker’s soul-baring memoir chronicles the highlights and lowlights of the renowned drummer’s art and his life, including the harrowing plane crash that nearly killed him and his traumatic road to recovery—a fascinating never-before-told-in-full story of personal reinvention grounded in musical salvation and fatherhood.After breaking out as the acclaimed drummer of the multiplatinum punk band Blink-182, everything changed for Travis Barker. But the dark side of rock stardom took its toll: his marriage, chronicled for an MTV reality show, fell apart. Constant touring concealed a serious drug addiction. A reckoning did not truly come until he was forced to face mortality: His life nearly ended in a horrifying plane crash, and then his close friend, collaborator, and fellow crash survivor DJ AM died of an overdose.In this blunt, driving memoir, Barker ruminates on rock stardom, fatherhood, death, loss, and redemption, sharing stories shaped by decTrade Review"(A) riveting, brutally honest memoir." -- Billboard "Written with ROLLING STONE contributor Gavin Edwards, Can I Say is a fascinating look into the life of a talented, hard-partying musician who has beaten the odds several times." -- Rolling Stone

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“More than an insider’s story about VH; Monk also shares fascinating firsthand information about how the music industry operated at that time…An absolute must-read for VH fans and fans of rock music memoirs.” — Library Journal “Too bad the title The Dirt was already taken. Noel Monk – who went from being Van Halen’s road manager to their business manager during their Diamond Dave prime – holds nothing back…Monk paints a convincing picture of a brilliant, substance-addled young band that wasn’t built to last.” — Rolling Stone “The Van Halen book you’ve been waiting for…brutally honest and at times shocking…Van Halen fans will be discussing and debating it with the same attention to detail as Eddie’s finger-tapping work on ‘Eruption.’” — Houston Press “There’s plenty of sex and drugs here, along with the absurdities of the hard-rock life.” — New York Times Book Review

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Book SynopsisIn this first of a groundbreaking multivolume set, THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL 1: 1969-73 captures the life of Paul McCartney in the years immediately following the dissolution of the Beatles, a period in which McCartney recreated himself as both a man and a musician.Trade Review"Volume 1 of The McCartney Legacy by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair, arrives like a well-planned encore a year after the publication of The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present by Paul McCartney. Influenced by the methods of Mark Lewisohn, the exacting Beatles historian currently at work on the second volume of a trilogy about the group (the first was 900 pages, and that was an abridgment)... in a way The McCartney Legacy out-Lewisohns Lewisohn, taking almost 700 pages to cover only five years." — The New York Times Book Review “This is the comprehensive, painstaking, dazzling and definitive chronicle of rock’s strangest story: how Paul McCartney refused to go quietly after the Beatles, and how he kept his genius moving forward into another day. An amazing, inspiring trip.” — Rob Sheffield, author of Dreaming the Beatles “No maybe – I’m plain amazed at this real reveal of Paul McCartney with his decades of artful creativity. Through these pages is the accurate biography of a universal explorer.” — Mark Lewisohn, world renowned Beatles expert "Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair's The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1, 1969-73 is a triumph... their masterful study of the artist's spectacular rise from the ashes of the Beatles, Kozinn and Sinclair bring McCartney's comeback story vividly to life." — Salon "Anybody in the future who wants to know anything about the subject will find the information here. Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair, a former New York Times music critic and a documentary maker respectively, have entirely succeeded in the task they set themselves — to find out and inform the reader of everything there is to know about the life of Paul McCartney between 1969 and 1973." — The Times (UK) "If the devil is in the detail the The McCartney Legacy is positively satanic." — The Mail on Sunday Book Review "Setting the story between The Beatles’ demise and 1973 offers Kozinn and Sinclair a compelling redemptive narrative arc... Choosing to tell their story without foreknowledge, the authors allow it to unfold as if it’s happening in real time and without looking ahead to the outcome of any particular actions. It’s an often breathless and riveting read." — Reader's Digest "One thing that really sets this book apart is Kozinn and Sinclair’s unprecedented amount of detail on every single Paul McCartney solo recording session: dates, places, songs worked on, remembrances from those in the room, and lots of equipment detail." — Houston Press Book Review "A gold mine for avid fans." — Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Music journalist Azerrad provides an electric revision to his 1993 account of the defining band of the grunge movement. (...) The band’s myriad fans will be rapt." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) Thirty years after its original publication, rock writer Azerrad (Our Band Could Be Your Life) updates and nearly doubles the number of pages of his groundbreaking Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana. The author intersperses hundreds of new, detailed paragraphs throughout the original text to amplify and clarify the earlier material. Most satisfying, he adds a lengthy epilogue which deals with events that happened after the 1991 release of the album Nevermind, including Kurt Cobain’s last months and tragic death in 1994. New material includes the Nirvana tours and practice sessions that Azerrad attended; Cobain’s meeting with one of his heroes, William Burroughs; the telltale signs that pointed to Cobain’s self-destructive impulses and his eventual death; and the utter remorse that Azerrad and other insiders felt after Cobain’s suicide at age 27. VERDICT (...) Nirvana fans will want to read it. — Library Journal (starred review) "Michael Azerrad has always demonstrated a passionate feeling for the ideas, the ambitions, that drive the notable moments of recent musical history. But this annotated edition of his earlier book, which was already a very successful biography, breaks out even further into high art. He's the perfect narrator, now, for a very important question, perhaps increasingly forgotten: why was punk important and how do we talk about it now? The urgencies of this question are everywhere in this powerful, uncertain, and profoundly human work. Azzerad's restless plunging onward, represents the further entanglement in deep, fraught, endangered wisdom." — Rick Moody, bestselling author of The Ice Storm and Hotels of North America “Enriched with new anecdotes, insights and info-morsels, this super-expanded Michael Azerrad classic is a great story made even more gripping. Nirvana’s underground-overground arc becomes a prism for understanding an entire era of rock music and pop culture.” — Simon Reynolds, author of Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-84 "Essential for Nirvana fans." — Kirkus Reviews "A fascinating examination of a band's rise and demise; life and death, personality flaws and mistakes and the ways in which someone in the public eye deals with them" — Culture Catch “Veteran music scribe Michael Azerrad’s absorbing, admirable and deeply personal sequel to his acclaimed 1993 bio Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana. (...) [This] might be the most fully rounded portrait of the artist to date” — Tinnitist

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Book SynopsisNOW A LIMITED SERIES DIRECTED BY DANNY BOYLE_____________________Foreword by Chrissie HyndeWithout the Sex Pistols there would be no punk rock, and without Steve Jones there would be no Sex Pistols.It was Steve who formed Kutie Jones and his Sex Pistols, the band that eventually went on to become the Sex Pistols, with his schoolmate Paul Cook and who was its original leader. As the world celebrates the 40th anniversary of Punk - the influence and cultural significance of which is felt in music, fashion and the visual arts to this day - Steve tells his story for the very first time.Rising from the streets of Hammersmith, Steve Jones was once a lonely, neglected boy living off his wits and petty thievery. Given purpose by the glam art rock of David Bowie and Roxy Music, he became one of the first generation of punks taken under the wings of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. For the very first time Steve describes theTrade ReviewLonely Boy is often eye-wateringly funny … Jones is good at puncturing myth … His book’s a delight. * Observer, 'Music Book of the Day' *The Sex Pistols guitarist details his life – an impoverished Sixties childhood, sexual abuse and dalliances with crime – in a way that is both moving and candid. * Telegraph, 'Top 50 Books of the Year' *The Pistols’ story, retold refreshingly and with added rumpage … What’s special about this book is its story arc, which will make the most hardened punk well up … A poignant, honest, drily humorous rump-fest from a lost soul found. * Mojo *[An] absolute riot of revelation…[Jones] owns up to his failings with a colourful candour that is moving. -- Neil McCormick * Telegraph *It can be harrowing, hilarious, and often touching, but above all, Lonely Boy is life-affirming. Thank you, Steve Jones. * Sex-pistols.net *

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Book SynopsisRod Stewart was born the working-class son of a Scottish plumber in North London. Despite some early close shaves with a number of diverse career paths, ranging from gravedigging to professional football, it was music that truly captured his heart - and he never looked back. This title tells his story.Trade ReviewHe is enjoyably gossipyabout friends such as Elton John and about his many exes — including Britt Ekland, who loved making eggy bread for his bandmates, and his former wife Rachel Hunter, the only one to have broken his heart. Written in a cheery, faintly ironic style (there’s even a chapter devoted to his haircut), this is a very enjoyable romp. * DAILY MAIL *…amiably and self-knowingly told... the tone pitched right and the jokes good…He writes articulately about music: where a drummer sits on the beat, or what makes a song bombproof. It's the work of someone who really knows his craft, and loves it. * Guardian *Behind the rock'n'roll persona, vividly portrayed in his new memoir, is a self deprecating man of manners...highly entertaining. * The Sunday Times *Quite the life you've led... the stories in here, I mean, I blushed a little * Graham Norton *It really is a rollercoaster ride...It’s a proper book. It’s not frothy. It’s not candy flossy...It is no holds barred. You wrote it yourself, it’s so obvious. It’s your voice all the way through * Chris Evans *

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Book SynopsisCelebrate 40 years of WHAM! with the Sunday Times bestseller from one half of the world''s most famous bands ''I couldn''t put it down. Such a fantastic book'' Chris Evans, Virgin Radio ________ School mates. Band mates. Soul mates . . . When Andrew Ridgley took George Michael, the new boy at school, under his wing, he discovered a soul mate. In Wham! George and Me, Andrew tells the story of how they rode a rollercoaster of success around the world while making iconic records and surviving superstardom with their friendship intact. It is a memoir of love, music, the flamboyant 1980s and living in a pop hurricane. No one else can ever tell their story - because no one else was there . . .Forty years on from their explosion into pop music, Andrew Ridgeley tells the inside story of Wham!, his life-long friendship with George Michael and the formation of a band that changed music. ________ ''A joyous celebration of the Wham! years. For anyone who was a teenager in the early 1980s, it will take you on a nostalgia trip. It''s an honest but affectionate account of a remarkable duo who remained true to their origins and their friendship throughout it all'' Daily Express ''As infectious as their music'' Daily Mirror ''A remarkably generous memoir. In more than one sense, the biography of a friend'' Spectator ''A great story'' Saturday Live, Radio 4 ''A lovely book. A love letter to George'' Graham Norton, BBC One ''Charming, heartfelt . . . there''s a real poignancy to Ridgeley''s description of Wham!''s glory days'' Sunday TimesTrade ReviewEven before the first page of this charming, heartfelt memoir, Ridgeley's eloquent dedication to his "dearest friend" George Michael will have you in tears. This is more than a gleeful shuttlecocks-in-shorts account of young guns having some fun: there's a real poignancy to Ridgeley's description of Wham!'s glory days, the knowledge of what will be lost - a band, a best friend - chilling in the Club Tropicana sunshine. * The Sunday Times *A touching account of male friendship * The Times *Celebrity Memoirs of the Year * Guardian *A remarkably generous memoir....in more than one sense, the biography of a friend * Spectator *It's a joyous celebration of the Wham! years. For anyone who was a teenager in the early 1980s, it will take you on a nostalgia trip, with dozens of comically captioned photos of the band during the white espadrille years. It's an honest but affectionate account of a remarkable duo who remained true to their origins and their friendship throughout it all * Daily Express *Packed full of nostalgia, heart and insight, Wham! George & Me is a lovingly written ode to friendship and a celebration of one of the greatest pop acts of all time. A superb tribute * Classic Pop Magazine *In this moving memoir, which is also a vivid nostalgia trip for anyone who was a teenager in the 70s and 80s, he tells the story of his friendship and musical collaboration with George Michael. Engaging * Sunday Express *The Wham! star charts his treasured friendship with George Michael, from their meeting at school in 1975 to George's untimely death in 2016. The duo left a legacy of pop classics from the exuberant Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go to the evergreen Last Christmas, and Ridgeley's enthusiasm for life in a chart-topping band is as infectious as their music * Daily Mirror *This book is all you could want and more! * Magic Book Club *I couldn't put it down. Such a fantastic book * Chris Evans, Virgin Radio *A great story * Saturday Live, Radio 4 *A lovely book. A love letter to George * Graham Norton, BBC1 *A touching and vivid nostalgia trip - with great photos * Best *Top 50 gift picks for the book lovers in your life * The Herald *A fond look back at the Wham! star's life in the group that helped define Eighties pop * Choice Magazine *Will no doubt appeal to the fanbase . . . Humorous and touching * Times Literary Supplement *Joyful nostalgia * Daily Express *As a hard-nosed ex-detective, it was a source of much hilarity that I am such a Wham! fan but my copy of this is a prized possession * Peter Bleksley *

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Book SynopsisIn all my whole career the Brick House was one of the toughest joints I ever played in. It was the honky-tonk where levee workers would congregate every Saturday night and trade with the gals who''d stroll up and down the floor and the bar. Those guys would drink and fight one another like circle saws. Bottles would come flying over the bandstand like crazy, and there was lots of just plain common shooting and cutting. But somehow all that jive didn''t faze me at all, I was so happy to have some place to blow my horn. So says Louis Armstrong, a tough kid who just happened to be a musical genius, about one of the places where he performed and grew up. This raucous, rich tale of his early days in New Orleans concludes with his departure to Chicago at twenty-one to play with his boyhood idol King Oliver, and tells the story of a life that began, mythically, on July 4, 1900, in the city that sowed the seeds of jazz.Trade ReviewNew Orleans Times-Picayune, 8/3/14 "Among the most distinguished writers on jazz and American music, Giddens has a knack for weaving musical analysis and biographical detail." Paste Magazine, "The 20 Best Memoirs Written by Musicians," 1/2/15 "An exuberant first-hand account of New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century, before [Louis Armstrong] and others like him brought jazz a worldwide audience."

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Her love for him...jumps out from between the lines.”—Marilyn Beck, New York Daily News“A sad, sweet book...the story it tells is fascinating.”—Washington Post“This honest, full-lenth portrait paints him as he really was both in and out of the spotlight...his wife, who knew him better than anyone else, sees him clearly, steadily, and sees him whole.”—John Barkham Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe official photobook commemorating the 50th anniversary of The Dark Side Of The Moon. March 2023 marks fifty years since the release of Pink Floyd's classic album The Dark Side Of The Moon. Designed by Pentagram to high specifications, this celebratory publication brims with rare and unseen photographs and reveals the visual conception of the original iconic album artwork. It will be a covetable package for the legions of Floyd fans out there new and old. Presents rare and unseen backstage and onstage photography of the band during the album tours of 1972 to 1975. 129 candid photographs by Storm Thorgerson, Jill Furmanovsky, Aubrey Powell and Peter Christopherson document the soundchecks, the shows and the after shows. A review of the October 1972 Wembley gig, originally published in Melody Maker, provides insight into one of the Floyd's most celebrated performances. Reveals the visual conception of the iconic album artwork. Includes a complete listing of the touTrade Review'Lavish... Amazing photos...in crystal-clear, black-and-white...show the band rehearsing, performing around the globe, playing squash, and enjoying life on the road... Pink Floyd fans will enjoy this handsome collection' - Library Journal'Combines striking layouts with rare and unseen images' - Creative Boom'Beautifully presented … the images are deeply revealing' - Buzz'In typical Floyd style, they let the images do the talking … a stately addition to the Pink Floyd bookshelf, that allows its audience free rein to interpret its content, just like the album itself did 50 years ago' - Prog Magazine'A beguiling glimpse of the group and supporting cast on tour' - Record Collector'Every image has obviously been carefully selected and each one is immaculately presented on the highest quality art paper to make this coffee table book a real thing of beauty' - The Afterword'This really is a treasure trove of Pink Floyd images, most of which won’t be found elsewhere. It proves a very diverting trip down memory lane, to simpler times, and a real insight into a world that very few people would have had access to. Couple that with the exemplary presentation, and you have a wonderful publication fitting for the occasion' - Brain Damage

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Book SynopsisThe definitive volume on the essence, experience and energy that is hip-hop and its massive and enduring impact over the last 40 years, now in paperback.Trade Review'DJ Semtex has nailed this' - Goldie'This book is worth bread' - Raekwon'This is an Illmatic book … a hip-hop bible' - Ghostface Killah'Amazing – buying immediately' - Chase & Status'This is a time capsule' - DJ Green Lantern'The pictures tell a thousand words' - Salaam Remi'Big up DJ Semtex' - Rag ’N’ Bone ManTable of ContentsForeword: Chuck D • Preface: Hip-hop Raised Me: Semtex’s story • 1. The Foundation Stones of Hip Hop • 2. The Mis-Education • 3. The Evolution of the Mixtape • 4. The Purple Period • 5. Fuck the Police? • 6. Divided Loyalties • 7. The DJ is Dead, Long Live the DJ • 8. Family First • 9. Before the Deal • 10. Obama Nation • 11. Tragedy to Triumph • 12. Wild Style • 13. The Home Invasion

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Book SynopsisTrade Review'Richard Havers’s book about Blue Note records, with its details of the inspirations and excesses of the label’s major talents, amounts to a history of jazz itself' - Guardian'Sumptuous, opulent, definitive ... a dream come true for Blue Note fans and will appeal to anyone who has more than the most fleeting interest in jazz' - London Jazz News'For fellow worshippers at the shrine of Blue Note, Havers’s book is the closest thing they’ll find to holy scripture aside from the records themselves' - Prospect Magazine'Blue Note finally gets the book it deserves' - Jazzwise

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Book SynopsisGrunge, also known as the Seattle Sound', emerged from the Pacific north-west in the early part of the 1980s. With the unexpected success of Nirvana's single Smells Like Teen Spirit' in 1991, grunge became a household word overnight and launched an American music movement on a par with punk and hip-hop. In Everybody Loves Our Town , Mark Yarm draws from exclusive interviews to tell the whole story: the founding of originators like Soundgarden and the Melvins, the early successes of the Sub Pop record label, the rise of powerhouses Nirvana and Pearl Jam, the media hype, the suicide of Kurt Cobain, and finally, the genre's mid-to-late-nineties decline.

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Book SynopsisTHE #1 NEW YORK TIMES, GRAMMY-NOMINATED BESTSELLERA SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, ROLLING STONE, AND ROUGH TRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR A panoramic experience that tells the story of Beastie Boys, a book as unique as the band itselfby band members AD-ROCK and Mike D, with contributions from Amy Poehler, Colson Whitehead, Spike Jonze, Wes Anderson, Luc Sante, and more.THE INSPIRATION FOR THE 5-TIME EMMY NOMINATED, SPIKE JONZE-DIRECTED BEASTIE BOYS STORYOne of the greatest music books ever published.'MAX PORTERFormed as a New York City hardcore band in 1981, Beastie Boys struck an unlikely path to global hip hop superstardom. Here is their story, told for the first time in the words of the band. Adam AD-ROCK Horovitz and Michael Mike D Diamond offer revealing and very funny accounts of their transition from teenage punks t

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Book SynopsisThe definitive book on the influence of LGBT performers on modern music: a Duckworth contemporary classic, beautifully repackaged for our 125th anniversaryTrade Review‘Lovingly detailed and exhaustively researched – easily the most readable and comprehensive guide I've seen to this fascinating hidden history’ Tom Robinson, musician, broadcaster and long-time LGBT rights activist‘An excellent book’ GayStarNews'Darryl W. Bullock leaves no stone unturned in his analysis of this crucial part of LGBT culture' Men 24 Magazine'A thorough and enjoyable tour through LGBT history that underlines how important music is to us, and how important we are to music' Rod Thomas, Bright Light Bright Light'An important volume. One that deserves to be read. One that deserves to be taught’ New York Journal of Books

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Book SynopsisIn 1994 punk rock trio Green Day were on top of the world with DOOKIE, their massive hit album. They were loud, fast, bratty, pissed off, hopeless, truthful, drunk, maybe high, and somehow, absolutely massive. It was glorious. But by 2004, the hoopla seemed to be over. The band were still respected by up-and-coming bands, but their album sales were down. And then, in October 04, came a new album, AMERICAN IDIOT. A furious and impassioned reaction against American politics - and in particular George W. Bush - AMERICAN IDIOT spoke directly to millions of people around the globe. Once again Green Day were reaching legions of disaffected teenagers as well as millions of older fans. Few bands achieve Green Day''s early success, and even fewer come back for an even more explosive second act. Highly respected rock journalist Marc Spitz has interviewed the band many times, and has won their respect. His book will be the definitive history of the band, charting their transformation from snotty-nosed mall rats into the ultimate punk rock protest band - The Clash for the 21st century.Trade ReviewMarc Spitz has done a fine job . . . it feels definitive. He has interviewed the band several times, but also bands such the Dead Kennedys, who also originated in San Francisco and serve to contextualise the unlikely rise of a most likeable group * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Full of entertaining trivia . . A decent, well-constructed take on the Green Day story thus far * Q MAGAZINE *The definitive account of who Green Day is, what Green Day means, and why all of this could only have happened in northern California * Chuck Klosterman, author of FARGO ROCK CITY *Marc Spitz has written the ultimate book for fans of Green Day and a book that mirrors the wild, crazy ride that punk has made into the mainstream * Charles R. Cross, author of HEAVIER THAN HEAVEN and A ROOM FULL OF MIRRORS *

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Book Synopsis''I see my story as a suite of songs that have a magical connection. I never understood that connection until I sat down to write. It was then that the magic started to flow.''Let Love Rule is a work of deep reflection. Lenny Kravitz looks back at his life with candor, self-scrutiny, and humour. ''My life is all about opposites,'' he writes. ''Black and white. Jewish and Christian. The Jackson 5 and Led Zeppelin. I accepted my Gemini soul. I owned it. I adored it. Yins and yangs mingled in various parts of my heart and mind, giving me balance and fueling my curiosity and comfort.''Let Love Rule covers a vast canvas stretching from Manhattan''s Upper East Side, Brooklyn''s Bedford-Stuyvesant, Los Angeles''s Baldwin Hills, Beverly Hills, and finally to France, England and Germany. It''s the story of a wildly creative kid who, despite tough struggles at school and extreme tension at home, finds salvation in music. We see him grow as a musici

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Book Synopsis''I see my story as a suite of songs that have a magical connection. I never understood that connection until I sat down to write. It was then that the magic started to flow.''Let Love Rule is a work of deep reflection. Lenny Kravitz looks back at his life with candor, self-scrutiny, and humour. ''My life is all about opposites,'' he writes. ''Black and white. Jewish and Christian. The Jackson 5 and Led Zeppelin. I accepted my Gemini soul. I owned it. I adored it. Yins and yangs mingled in various parts of my heart and mind, giving me balance and fueling my curiosity and comfort.''Let Love Rule covers a vast canvas stretching from Manhattan''s Upper East Side, Brooklyn''s Bedford-Stuyvesant, Los Angeles''s Baldwin Hills, Beverly Hills, and finally to France, England and Germany. It''s the story of a wildly creative kid who, despite tough struggles at school and extreme tension at home, finds salvation in music. We see him grow as a musici

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

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Book SynopsisGorgeously illustrated and authoritatively written, Fender 75 Years is the officially licensed celebration of the legendary brand's landmark anniversary, covering all of Fender's iconic guitars, amps, and basses.Trade Review"...a concise yet thorough and visually stunning celebration of Fender...a fantastic read for guitarists of all likes from beginners to collectors." * Spill Magazine *"What stands out about this book, besides the tweed dust cover, is the great job Hunter did on keeping the book entertaining throughout and the impressive behind-the-scenes photos of Fender staffers back in the beginning." * American Songwriter *

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Book SynopsisOzzy at 75 celebrates the anniversary of the gonzo rock icon’s birth with a beautifully produced retrospective of 75 key achievements and life events.Trade Review"OZZY@75 is well done at every level I couldn’t help but love this book, despite an overarching of familiarity with the source material...there are several Ozzy books on the market and this is one of the best!" * Metal-Rules.com *"...so fun...Daniel has a really fun, dry sense of humor and that permeates throughout this book...when talking about someone like Ozzy, a good sense of humor is neccessary to put him accross." * The Hustle Podcast *Table of ContentsContents Part 1 Ozzy Zig Seeks Gig, 1948–1969 Part 2 Behind the Wall of Sleep, 1970–1979 Part 3 Flying High Again, 1979–1989 Part 4 Retirement Sucks, 1990–1998 Part 5 “Shaaaaaaron!!!!”, 2001–2007 Bibliography Image Credits Index Aknowledgments About the Author

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Book SynopsisContains three companion sets of trading cards - Heroes of the Blues, Early Jazz Greats, and Pioneers of Country Music - in book form. This work provides the biography of each musician, along with a full colour original illustration.

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Book Synopsis33 1/3 is a new series of short books about critically acclaimed and much-loved albums of the last 40 years. Focusing on one album rather than an artist's entire output, the books cut to the heart of the music on each album. Joy Division only released two albums but they led the way out of punk rock and towards Madchester.Trade ReviewChris Ott writes about the record with a chilly elegance that evokes the austerity of the music itself. The Boston Phoenix, 7/8/04 -- Mike Miliard * The Boston Phoenix, 7/8/04 *Once Ott forgoes the facts and gives in to his passion, he brings the reader closer to the band's 'unparalleled gravity and grandeur. * San Francisco Bay Guardian, 5/19/04 *New fans will find it to be a useful introduction to the band as it details their story from the very beginning to the tragic end. Even the more dedicated fan might be interested in reading another person's opinions about the different songs, the importance of JD's music, and why the band still plays an important role in the history of alternative music." * Joy Division website, 5/24/04 *Compelling and so despairing that at one point I had to stop reading it for a bit. * Alternative Weekly, 6/10/04 *Joy Division's gestation period is competently recounted in the narrative and each important individual is dealt with fairly. Including Hannett and Wilson. Ott's approach and reaction to his subject is commendably unflinching. Well written. -- Jason Dropor * Record Collector, October 2004 *Though the recording of the album is naturally the centerpiece of the book, (Ott) delves enough into the evolution of the band and background events leading up to the recording of said album (as well as certain post-album events leading up to Ian's suicide) to properly provide context for said rekkid....you don't have to be a regular gear-rag reader to understand what he's talking about....overall recommended. -- David Hill * Shredded Paper Magazine *Throwing format to the wind, "Pleasures" goes to town on the ban's entire oeuvre. Ott is admiring, but his love for the group doesn't keep him from letting them look the fool when appropriate--and it's his way into the head of bandleader Ian Curtis, who might have survived his all-great-artists-die-young illusions if some concrete afflictions (epilepsy and the drugs required to tame it, for instance) didn't piggyback onto the ones he invented for himself. A- * Austin American-Statesman, 10/17/04 *

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Book SynopsisDavid Bowie is holed up in his Bel-Air mansion, drifting into paranoia and confusion. Bowie has long been haunted by the emotional work of the Die Brucke movement and the Expressionists. Berlin is their spiritual home, and Bowie adopts this city as his new sanctuary. Immediately he sets to work on "Low", his own expressionist mood-piece.Trade Review"'A brilliant series of pocket-sized books focussing on a classic album. Each one a work of real love.' NME"

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Book SynopsisKim Cooper is the editrix of Scram, an occasional journal of unpopular culture dedicated to celebrating unjustly neglected artists in the worlds of music, literature, film/TV, comics and bohemia. With fellow 33 1/3 scribe David Smay, she is co-editor of the anthologies Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth and Lost in the Grooves: Scram's Capricious Guide to the Music You Missed. A third generation Angeleno, Kim offers offbeat bus tours of the city's crimes, literature and architectural gems through Esotouric, and blogs at the crime-a-day 1947project.Trade Review"'A brilliant series of pocket-sized books focussing on a classic album. Each one a work of real love.' NME"

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Book SynopsisTalks about Josh Davis's (DJ Shadow) early years in California, the friends and mentors who helped him along the way, his relationship with Mo'Wax and James Lavelle, and the genesis and creation of his masterpiece, "Endtroducing" (released in 1996). This book includes several long conversations with him.Trade Review"'A brilliant series of pocket-sized books focussing on a classic album. Each one a work of real love.' NME"

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Book Synopsis"Daydream Nation" is the kind of gorgeous monstrosity that can crush the will of the most resilient, well-intentioned listener if the necessary preparations haven't been made. This book explores the album from a range of angles, with input from the band members themselves.Trade Review"'A brilliant series of pocket-sized books focussing on a classic album. Each one a work of real love.' NME"

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Book SynopsisThe Pixies have had a career unlike any other in alternative rock. "Doolittle" is their knotty masterpiece, the embodiment of the Pixies' abrasive, exuberant, enigmatic pop. Informed by interviews with the band, this book looks at the making of the album and its place in rock history, and studies its influence in light of the Pixies reunion.Trade Review"'A brilliant series of pocket-sized books focussing on a classic album. Each one a work of real love.' NME"

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

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Book SynopsisSlayer's Reign in Blood remains the gold standard for extreme heavy metal: a seamless procession of ten blindingly fast songs in just twenty-eight minutes, delivered in furious bursts of instrumental precision, with lyrics so striking that Tori Amos was moved to record a cover. This book explores the creation of this album.Trade ReviewI can tell you this- if you hold Slayer's Reign in Blood in your holy trinity of album releases that would go with you to your metal desert island, then this is definitely your new favorite book. * addictedtovinyl.com *Overall, 33 1/3: Reign in Blood will thrill those who've carved SLAYER into their skin (it's more common among fans than you'd think), as well as pique the interest of hard-rock aficionados curious about Slayer but who've not taken the sanguinity plunge yet. * OC Weekly *Reign in Blood' is notable for its brutality, but as the defining manifesto of thrash metal, it is transcendent for its purity. To love rock & roll is to love subcultures, and D.X. Ferris has explained, in stunning detail, how one subculture was defined and galvanized by that single album, and why that definition will never need to be written again. -- David GiffelsA short, intense, meticulous history of Reign In Blood and really, the whole band... The result is an authorized, damn perfect look at this one album. * Martin Popoff, editor in chief of Brave Words Bloody Knuckles *D.X. Ferris has written an academic and thought-provoking book while at the same time presenting it as a general reader. Ferris does not give in to the tendency of 'dumbing down' metal; instead, he puts forth a very well argued statement that Slayer's 'Reign In Blood' is a classic album and should be treated as such. -- Laura Kowalewski and Andrew Carpenter * Ballet Deviare *If you don't learn something from this book then you are a liar. * Sage Francis *Ferris interviewed everyone who's anyone so he could deliver the last word on Slayer's first metal masterpiece. Rock-solid rock joürnalism that deserves its umlauts. * Dan LeRoy, author of 33 1/3: Paul's Boutique and The Greatest Music Never Sold: Secrets of Legendary Lost Albums by David Bowie, Seal, Beastie Boys, Chicago, Mick Jagger *D.X. Ferris breaks it all down person-by-person and track-by-track to separate fact from fiction, retracing the origins, occasional pitfalls and eventual triumph that brought forth in his words, 'the greatest heavy metal album ever.'... The book untangles a number of assumptions related to the band that should surprise even longtime fans.... The book provides not only a good introduction to the band, but capably answers on all fronts regarding the album in question.... Ferris pens a clean and even story; flashes his bona fides outright and is passionate enough about the work to sustain that fervor through to the end. -- Todd DePalma, The Left Hand PathD.X. Ferris's recent 33 1/3 book devoted to Reign In Blood is excellent. -- Joel McIver, author of Slayer biography The Bloody Reign of SlayerDeclares Ferris, 'I wanted to present the story in a way that's compelling to both rabid Slayer fans and to NPR listeners who love pop music but have never lost a shoe in a mosh pit' -- and he largely succeeds. -- Dave Segal * OC Weekly *Writer D.X. Ferris pulls off an admirable tightrope walk. As both a fan and a critic, Ferris manages to convey a sense of excitement about the album even as he pulls the reader headfirst into the world of Slayer. By talking to band members, other musicians, friends and other people around the band at the time, hardcore fans..even respected studio engineer Andy Wallace...Ferris pulls together as complete a picture of the making of Reign in Blood as you'll likely ever read. * Trademark of Quality Blog *… in writing one of the few 33 1/3 books on a metal album, Ferris knows he must argue persuasively for their inclusion. Toward that end, he conducted a raft of original interviews for the book (everyone from Slayer frontman Tom Araya to Tori Amos) to tell their story as clearly and as vividly as possible. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Reign in Blood, featuring original commentary from... Introduction The Argument: F*****' Slayer Talkin' Thrash "Metalstorm: Face the Slayer" Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman Drummer Dave Lombardo Singer-Bassist Tom Araya Guitarist Kerry King DJ-RR: The Producer, Rick Rubin. And the Label, Def Jam. Engineer Andy Wallace Recruiting New Blood Writing Blood Recording Blood Illustrating Blood Bad Day at Black Rock Def Metal: Slayer in the House Reviewing Blood The Reign Reign in Blood: The Songs and Their Impact Reign in Blood, in Summary The Legacy Notes, Asides, and Works Cited

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Book SynopsisBob Gendron is a longtime contributor to the Chicago Tribune and a veteran Music Editor. He co-authored Nirvana: The Complete Illustrated History and has written for DownBeat, Rolling Stone, TONEAudio, and other outlets. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting craft breweries, playing hockey, and exploring neighborhoods. An avid fan of the White Sox and the Blackhawks, he lives in his hometown of Chicago with his wife and two dogs.Trade Review"In the absence of love, there is loneliness, sorrow and desperation. And that's where I come in."--Greg Dulli, introducing "When We Two Parted" onstage in San Francisco It was only a matter of time before a clever publisher realized that there is an audience for whom Exile on Main Street or Electric Ladyland are as significant and worthy of study as The Catcher in the Rye or Middlemarch...The series, which now comprises 29 titles with more in the words, is freewheeling and eclectic, ranging from minute rock-geek analysis to idiosyncratic personal celebration--The New York Times Book Review Ideal for the rock geek who thinks liner notes just aren't enough--Rolling Stone One of the coolest publishing imprints on the planet - Bookslut These are for the insane collectors out there who appreciate fantastic design, well-executed thinking, and things that make your house look cool. Each volume in this series takes a seminal album and breaks it down in startling minutiae. We love these. We are huge nerds. - Vice A brilliant series...each one a word of real love - NME (UK) Passionate, obsessive, and smart - Nylon Religious tracts for the nock 'n' roll faithful - Uncut (UK) We...aren't naive enough to think that we're your only source for reading about music (but if we had our way...watch out). For those of you who really like to know everything there is to know about an album, you'd do well to check out Continuum's "33 1/3" series of books." - Pitchfork"

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