Popular music Books

Book SynopsisBilly Bragg is one of Britain''s most distinctive and accomplished songwriters, whose work has articulated the passions, both personal and political, of Britain during the past five decades. A Lover Sings contains over seventy of his best-known lyrics, selected and annotated by the author.''Sexuality'', ''A New England'', ''Levi Stubbs'' Tears'' - these are unadorned, poetic songs that skilfully interweave everyday observation with much broader concerns: of fairness and outrage, of generosity and love. A Lover Sings reveals a unique sensibility: principled and proudly of the Left, funny, forthright and tender. It is a remarkable collection.

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Book SynopsisContains some of the greatest and influential hits from "The Shadows" in guitar tab along with commentary on the music and current affairs at the time of composition.Table of ContentsApache; Atlantis; F.B.I; Foot Tapper; Geronimo; Guitar Tango; Kon Tiki; Wonderful Land

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Book SynopsisA collection of original jazz pieces in a range of contemporary styles, tailor-made for the absolute beginner (grade 0-2).Table of Contents5th Avenue; Champagne Rag; Easy Does It; Forget-Me-Not; Funk It!; Harry's Theme; Motorway Blues; Songbird; Steady As A Rock; Strawberry Flip; Test Drive

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Book SynopsisThe Jazz Sax Collection (Alto/Baritone) is an unmissable selection of authentic jazz, written and arranged by professional jazz saxophonist Ned Bennett. Contains selected pieces for the forthcoming ABRSM Saxophone syllabus. Suitable for intermediate to advanced-level players(approximately Grade 4 to 7).Trade ReviewA review of An Urge to Splurge: The dictionary defines 'to slurge' as making 'an ostentatious display: to show off' and this funky Latin-American-style music gives every opportunity to do just that....Assurance, commitment and communication are essential and linked with these accuracy , detail and rhythmic awareness.....this is a very enjoyable and very 'saxy' piece to have under the fingers. Libretto Magazine (ABRSM), October 2013 Table of ContentsAn Urge to Splurge; But Not For Me; Bye Bye Blackbird; Clouds; Friday Feeling; Distant Memory; I Love You; In The Habit; Lamplight; Old Devil Moon; Oxford Street; See You In Five; The Shorter Path; Spot On; Summertime; I Know What You're Thinking; Utterley Adderley; Where Next?

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Book SynopsisWith hits including `Child in Time’, and the iconic `Smoke on the Water’, Deep Purple established themselves as one of Britain’s greatest rock bandsFrom the moment he saw Elvis Presley on screen, Ian Gillan, a working class teenager from Hounslow, was inspired to become a rock star. That wish was to come true when the opportunity arose to join Deep Purple, and global fame soon followed. The ensuing years were thrilling but punishing. The band recorded six albums in just four years and tensions within the band, as well as issues with alcohol, brought Ian to breaking point. Ian describes the rock `n’ roll lifestyle in disarming detail while never taking himself too seriously, making this an entertaining read for any rock fan.

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Book SynopsisA 'radiantly accomplished' (Wall Street Journal) music scholar presents an accessible introduction to the art of listening to jazz In How to Listen to Jazz, award-winning music scholar Ted Gioia presents a lively introduction to one of America's premier art forms. He tells us what to listen for in a performance and includes a guide to today's leading jazz musicians. From Louis Armstrong's innovative sounds to the jazz-rock fusion of Miles Davis, Gioia covers the music's history and reveals the building blocks of improvisation. A true love letter to jazz by a foremost expert, How to Listen to Jazz is a must-read for anyone who's ever wanted to understand and better appreciate America's greatest contribution to music.Trade ReviewMr Gioia could not have done a better job. Through him, jazz might even find new devotees. The Economist

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Book SynopsisA story of becoming an artist, by the godmother of rock''n''roll: the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids Patti Smith ''A poet of distinction'' New York Times''Glorious'' NPR''Rare and ferocious'' Salon''Shockingly beautiful'' New York MagazineEverything contained in this little book is true, and written just like it was. The writing of it drew me from my strange torpor and I hope that in some measure it will fill the reader with a vague and curious joy...In this small, luminous memoir, the National Book Award-winner Patti Smith revisits the most sacred experiences of her early years, with truths so vivid they border on the surreal. The author entwines her childhood self - and its ''clear, unspeakable joy'' - with memories both real and envisioned from her twenties on New York''s MacDougal Street, the street of cafés. Woolgathering was completed in Michigan, on Patti Smith''s 45th birthday and origTrade ReviewA poet of distinction * New York Times *Smith pares down her prose to a state of vivid impressionism, so enigmatic that even ordinary acts - preparing mint tea, nodding off while sewing - take on spiritual weight ... The passages evoking her childhood do reverberate with serene joy ... Writing was not Smith's first choice ... But any fans of her music will not be surprised by her mastery of it here * Observer *

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Book SynopsisHip-hop is now a global multi-billion pound industry. It has spawned superstars all across the world. There have been tie-in clothing lines, TV stations, film companies, cosmetics lines. It even has its own sports, its own art style, its own dialect. It is an all-encompassing lifestyle. But where did hip-hop culture begin? Who created it? How did hip-hop become such a phenomenon?Jeff Chang, an American journalist, has written the most comprehensive book on hip-hop to date. He introduces the major players who came up with the ideas that form the basic elements of the culture. He describes how it all began with social upheavals in Jamaica, the Bronx, the Black Belt of Long Island and South Central LA. He not only provides a history of the music, but a fascinating insight into the social background of young black America.Stretching from the early 70s through to the present day, this is the definitive history of hip-hop. It will be essential reading for all DJs,Trade ReviewJeff Chang has spent the last decade researching a vivid and fascinating book which should remain the definitive history for at least as long ... Finally, rap gets the definitive history it deserves * Q *Energetic and exhilarating ... There is a fearless sweep to this book. A distinct achievement * Daily Telegraph *Inflammatory, illuminating, and anything but myopic, the scope of Chang's work is awe-inspiring -- DJ ShadowCan't Stop Won't Stop knows hip hop to be the most significant musical-cultural revolution since rock and roll and tells its story from the bottom up * Word *Has to rate as one of the most comprehensive studies of hip-hop history yet published * Rock Sound *

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Book SynopsisIn 2002, the record producer Phil Spector gave his first interview to Mick Brown. The day after it was published, an actress named Lana Clarkson was shot dead in Spector's LA castle. This book covers the biography of Brown - exploring his life and career as well as the unfolding of the Clarkson case.Trade Review'A remarkable book about fame, obsession, genius, money and madness ... this is the definitive study of the man *****' Observer 'Spector's life and work make an endlessly fascinating subject, and Brown's massive study does a terrific job ... a classic, very American tale of glory, conceit and ruin *****' Q 'A rare and wonderful mix of dogged research and vivid story-telling. Virtually every page carries a tale of farce or horror, or more often than not, both' Craig Brown's Book of the Week, Mail on Sunday 'A classic ... It's a triumph - beautifully written, utterly involving, scrupulously even-handed - and positions Brown shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best showbiz biographers' GQ

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Book SynopsisBob Dylan: All the Songs focuses on Dylan''s creative process and his organic, unencumbered style of recording. It is the only book to tell the stories, many unfamiliar even to his most fervent fans, behind the more than 500 songs he has released over the span of his career. Organized chronologically by album, and updated to include all of his most recent work including the 2020 release of his 39th album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, Margotin and Guesdon detail the origins of his melodies and lyrics, his process in the recording studio, the instruments he used, and the contribution of a myriad of musicians and producers to his canon.

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Book Synopsis''Probably the most ambitious, generous and thorough volume about a musician to see publication'' Mouth MagazineThe authorised companion to the music of Nick Drake, compiled, composed and edited by Cally Callomon and Gabrielle Drake, with contributions from Nick''s friends, critics, adherents, family and from Nick Drake himself.Remembered For A While is not a biography. It is, rather, an attempt to cast a few shards of light on Nick Drake the poet, the musician, the singer, the friend, son and brother, who was also more than all of these. We hope it will accompany all those in search of an elusive artist, whose haunting presence defies analysis.The book contains:* In-depth interviews with many of Nick''s friends, most notably Paul Wheeler, Nick''s close friend from Cambridge days, a singer-songwriter who, of all Nick''s friends, perhaps best understood, from personal experience, Nick''s journey through musical creation to dTrade ReviewSometimes painfully honest, often emotional, occasionally funny, sometimes dry and scholarly - always deeply engaging - Remembered for a While is probably the most ambitious, generous and thorough volume about a musician to see publication. Put simply, this is the authoritative resource for fans and future historians who may find themselves considering Nick Drake. In its absolute integrity and its sheer dignity, it is second only to his music * Mouth Magazine *A beautiful book * Guardian Family *This authorised companion to the wistful genius with a troubled mind includes contributions from friends, collaborators, critics and family * Telegraph Books of the Year *From the beautifully tactile cover onwards this musical companion is a genuine delight, featuring never seen before photos, family scrapbook press cuttings, handwritten lyrics, letter extracts from Nick to his parents and also from his father Rodney's diary...Sad but ultimately celebratory, this beautiful publication is the closest any book has yet come to capturing the 'real' Nick Drake * Total Music Magazine *Gabrielle Drake's beautifully put-together tribute to her brother Nick Drake . . . I loved looking at the unseen photos and listening to the unreleased John Peel session that came with the book * Jack Steadman, Observer Books of the Year *Exactly 40 years after his death, acres have been written about Drake, but nothing authorised had come from the Drake estate. This gorgeous new book, co-compiled by his sister Gabrielle rectifies this. It is not a biography, but a deeply considered collection of essays, lyrics, photos and extracts, including from the diary of Drake's father as the folk singer sank into his fatal depression * Sunday Times *I'll be dipping in and out of the sumptuous Nick Drake: Remembered For A While for years to come * Daily Telegraph *Forty years on from his passing and the fragile music and sturdy myth of Nick Drake still haunt the culture . . . This legacy is only enhanced by Remembered for a While . . . a poetic, delightful and fascinating mix of never before seen photos, hand-written lyrics and scrapbooked press clippings as well as interviews with friends and family and excerpts from Drake's letters. A beautifully made and exquisite book built solely out of love for it's subject, Remembered for a While is a perfect companion to the songs that inspired it * Loud and Quiet Magazine *This beautifully packaged book has the imprimatur and approval of his actress sister Gabrielle, as well as contributions from the likes of Monty Don * Belfast Telegraph *A superb book that anyone touched by Nick's music will find fascinating * The Idler Book of the Week *Beautifully packaged and laid out . . . A fitting tribute to a unique musician * Sunday Herald *This book is magnificent . . . An informative and emotionally affecting framing of the life and work of a doomed young man, this book is a labour of love * Irish Times *A beautiful book * Observer *Praise for Nick Drake * . *One of the most beloved English singers of all time * Daily Telegraph *I am a huge admirer of his records * Brad Pitt *Every indie band in America lists Nick Drake as an influence * Green Gartside, lead singer of Scritti Politti *Rock has known a million morose young poets . . . by the law of averages, they were bound to spawn at least one genuine genius. They did. His name was Nick Drake * NME *

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Book SynopsisMost priests take confessions. This one is giving his.''Rob Halford has written one of the most candid and surprising memoirs of the year. . . Confess is a riproaring tale, a funny, often shocking and genuinely emotional story'' The Telegraph''The Metal God shares stories from a life like no other, spending over 50 years in the heavy metal bubble, facing adversity head-on but always with a wry smile and horns held firmly aloft'' Kerrang''Raw and searingly moving, Confess will delight metal heads and music fans alike'' GQ''A unique and deeply revealing insight into the extraordinary life he has led'' Metal TalkRob Halford, front man of global iconic metal band Judas Priest, is a true ''Metal God''. Raised in Britain''s hard-working heavy industrial heartland he and his music were forged in the Black Country. CONFESS,Trade ReviewRob Halford has written one of the most candid and surprising memoirs of the year. . . Confess is a riproaring tale, a funny, often shocking and genuinely emotional story * The Telegraph *The Metal God shares stories from a life like no other, spending over 50 years in the heavy metal bubble, facing adversity head-on but always with a wry smile and horns held firmly aloft * Kerrang *Raw and searingly moving, Confess will delight metal heads and music fans alike * GQ *A unique and deeply revealing insight into the extraordinary life he has led * Metal Talk *funny, forthright and unexpectedly poignant * NME *Captivating... Even for those who give metal a wide berth, his tale is fascinating * Irish Independent *A rock confessional with a difference... deeply, deeply moving... Confess does not always make for easy reading. There is a real sadness to parts of it but Rob Halford's warmth and humanity shine through. Absolutely one of the best rock biogs in ages. * Darren's Music Blog *It's a compelling story, well told, and should become a school set text to counter homophobia and promote inclusion * RECORD COLLECTOR *Halford's dry black country wit is the perfect complement to his eye-popping candour * Mojo Magazine *The most hotly anticipated hard-rock autobiography of the year. . . gossipy, good-natured and hilarious. . . it's also gloriously and relentlessly filthy * Attitude Magazine *Rock 'n' roll page-turner. . . riotous and revealing * Classic Rock Magazine *There are in this memoir the usual triumphs, tragedies and tales of misadventure. . . but the real appeal is in Halford's self-deprecating demeanour and dry, Black Country wit. * The Times - Best Music Books of 2020 *

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Book SynopsisJohn Lennon was a rock star, a school clown, a writer, a wit, an iconoclast, a sometime peace activist and finally an eccentric millionaire. He was also a Beatle - his plain-speaking and impudent rejection of authority catching, and eloquently articulating, the group''s moment in history.Chronicling a famously troubled life, Being John Lennon analyses the contradictions in the singer-songwriter''s creative and destructive personality. Drawing on many interviews and conversations with Lennon, his first wife Cynthia and second Yoko Ono, as well as his girlfriend May Pang and song-writing partner Paul McCartney, Ray Connolly unsparingly reassesses the chameleon nature of the perpetually dissatisfied star who just couldn''t stop reinventing himself.Trade ReviewConnolly, the author of Being Elvis, takes a sensible route down the path dividing the saint and the monster inthis careful, thoughtful biography. It's a well-told story, but Connolly has a substantial advantage: as a journalist for the Evening Standard and the Sunday Times, he came to know Lennon well enough to be invited repeatedly to his Berkshire house, Tittenhurst Park ... Yet Connolly wears his acquaintance lightly, never forcing himself into the narrative or sinking into the hideous mateyness that can blight rock biographies ... For Connolly, it is Lennon's insecurities that are ultimately most revealing, rooted in an unsettled childhood in Liverpool's postwar suburbs ... Connolly does all this with quiet expertise, an understated writer who collates all the details into a vivid whole ... [N]either hatchet job nor hagiography, Being John Lennon swerves dead-hero worship. What survives is the complicated, enduringly fascinating man -- Victoria Segal * Sunday Times *Connolly draws on his archive conversations with the Beatles to give a superb portrait of a dissatisfied star who couldn't stop reinventing himself * Daily Telegraph *Connolly tells the story with a fitting, powerful sense of drama. * DAILY MAIL *Connolly perfectly captures the shabby conformism and deference of post-war Britain that the Beatles would help to overturn. He handles their much-told tale with welcome concision ... He deals with the difficult subject of Yoko deftly ... there was never a Saint John - the man in Ray Connolly's account is much more human, and much more lovable * Observer *'[John Lennon] would probably enjoy this very fair biography... Connolly's book presents him as neither saint nor sinner but captures with honesty a complex and fascinating character. Lennon's is an oft-told story but Connolly still unearths nuggets about the insecurities that shaped his life, and the collaboration and rivalry with Macca that created magic * The Sun *An intimate biography that finds much to say that is new about the head Beatle * Choice Magazine *Excellent -- Helen Brown * Daily Telegraph Music Books of the Year *Ray Connolly's Being John Lennon is an excellent portrait of the man. * CHOICE MAGAZINE *

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Book SynopsisNatasha Lasky is a writer and filmmaker living in Chicago, USA.Trade ReviewFantastic. . . . An amazing book. * New Books Network *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. A Sicko Producer’s Dream 2. Bimbos of the Apocalypse 3. Just Real Bitches in a Fake-Ass World Coda

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Book SynopsisThe Jesus and Mary Chain’s swooning debut Psychocandy seared through the underground and through the pop charts, shifting the role of noise within pop music forever. Post-punk and pro-confusion, Psychocandy became the sound of a generation poised on the brink of revolution, establishing Creation Records as a tastemaking entity in the process. The Scottish band’s notorious live performances were both punishingly loud and riot-spurring, inevitably acting as socio-political commentary on tensions emergent in mid-1980s Britain. Through caustic clangs and feedback channeling the rage of the working-class who’d had enough, Psychocandy gestures toward the perverse pleasure in having your eardrums exploded and loudness as a politics within itself. Yet Psychocandy’s blackened candy heart center – calling out to phantoms Candy and Honey with an unsettling charm – makes it a pop album to the core, and not unlike the sugarcoated sounds the Ronettes became famous for in the 1960s. The Jesus and Mary Chain expertly carved out a place where depravity and sweetness entwined, emerging from the isolating underground of suburban Scotland grasping the distinct sound of a generation, apathetic and uncertain. The irresistible Psychocandy emerged as a clairvoyant account of struggle and sweetness that still causes us to grapple with pop music’s relation to ourselves.Trade ReviewAn interesting and eminently readable study of one of the most significant albums of the 1980s ... The book is a welcome addition to a consistently excellent series. * The Kelvingrove Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Taste the Floor Chapter One: Never Understand Chapter Two: Just Like Honey Chapter Three: In a Hole Chapter Four: Sowing Seeds Chapter Five: Taste of Cindy Chapter Six: Some Candy Talking Chapter Seven: My Little Underground Chapter Eight: The Living End Chapter Nine: Cut Dead Chapter Ten: Inside Me Chapter Eleven: It's So Hard Chapter Twelve: Something's Wrong Chapter Thirteen: The Hardest Walk Chapter Fourteen: You Trip Me Up

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Book SynopsisUntil his death aged thirty-three in 1982, Lester Bangs wrote wired, rock 'n' roll pieces on Iggy Pop, The Clash, John Lennon, Kraftwerk, Lou Reed. As a rock critic, he had an eagle-eye for distinguishing the pre-packaged imitation from the real thing; written in a conversational, wisecracking, erotically charged style, his hallucinatory hagiographies and excoriating take-downs reveal an iconoclast unafraid to tell it like it is. To his journalism he brought the talent of a great a renegade Beat poet, and his essays, reviews and scattered notes convey the electric thrill of a music junky indulging the habit of a lifetime. As Greil Marcus writes in his introduction, 'What this book demands from a reader is a willingness to accept that the best writer in America could write almost nothing but record reviews.'Trade ReviewBangs was one of the best writers ever to appear on newsprint ... when he died, American culture lost one its most astute, ornery, funniest and most soulful observers * New York Times *Still a byword for rock writing at its most unrestrained and passionate ... his two posthumous anthologies ... attest to his brilliance -- John Harris * Guardian *A superb collection ... wild and funny and unpredictable. Lester Bangs was a great American writer who happened to write about rock 'n' roll * Rolling Stone *A marvellous collection ... it will unquestionably teach you more about rock music and the appreciation thereof than a two-year subscription to all of the current British rock papers and mags * Time Out *A powerhouse in the American music journalism scene ... It's one of the oddest yet most original pieces on music you're ever likely to read ... This is rock criticism in its raw state - it is vulgar, conversational, and abusive towards its subjects ... That a collection of music criticism continues to be republished 28 years after its first appearance - and 44 years after the publication of the earliest essay it contains - is perhaps a better testament to the quality of Bangs' writing than anything else. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to listen to 'Astral Weeks' one more time. * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisAriana Grande captured the hearts of a nation with her One Love Manchester concert. Less than a fortnight after a terrorist killed twenty-two people at her Manchester show, the petite princess stood tall at her tribute concert that united and healed a shaken nation. She was the emotional core of a powerful evening that reminded us all of music’s redemptive power.But who is Ariana Grande? This candid book traces the US pop star’s story from her childhood in Florida, through her teenage years on Broadway and Nickelodeon, and on to her gleaming pop career which has seen her described as ‘the new Mariah Carey’. This unauthorized biography tells the songbird's eventful and inspirational story in full for the first time, and shows how she became an award-winning, chart-topping pop idol, as well as an empowering inspiration for a generation of girls. It reveals that there is more to Ariana than the celebrity we all think we know, explaining how her smooth transition from a squeaky-clean teenage pop product to a sophisticated, bold artist was powered by a restless and resilient personality. A must read for all her fans, this is a full, unflinching portrait of a pop sensation and inspiring, uncompromising woman – the small, sassy girl with the ponytail who conquered the world.

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Book Synopsis''This book is a must for everyone interested in illuminating the idea of unexplainable genius'' - QUESTLOVEEqual parts biography, musicology, and cultural history, Dilla Time chronicles the life and legacy of J Dilla, a musical genius who transformed the sound of popular music for the twenty-first century.He wasn't known to mainstream audiences, and when he died at age thirty-two, he had never had a pop hit. Yet since his death, J Dilla has become a demigod, revered as one of the most important musical figures of the past hundred years. At the core of this adulation is innovation: as the producer behind some of the most influential rap and R&B acts of his day, Dilla created a new kind of musical time-feel, an accomplishment on a par with the revolutions wrought by Louis Armstrong and James Brown. Dilla and his drum machine reinvented the way musicians play.In Dilla Time, Dan Charnas chronicles the life of James DeWitt Yancey, from his gifted Detroit childhood to his rise as a sought-after hip-hop producer to the rare blood disease that caused his premature death. He follows the people who kept Dilla and his ideas alive. And he rewinds the histories of American rhythms: from the birth of Motown soul to funk, techno, and disco. Here, music is a story of what happens when human and machine times are synthesized into something new.This is the story of a complicated man and his machines; his family, friends, partners, and celebrity collaborators; and his undeniable legacy. Based on nearly two hundred original interviews, and filled with graphics that teach us to feel and "see" the rhythm of Dilla''s beats, Dilla Time is a book as defining and unique as J Dilla''s music itself.Financial Times Music Book of the Year 2022

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of Shane MacGowan, fully updated. This is the complete and extraordinary journey of the Pogues' notorious frontman from outcast to national treasure.

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Book SynopsisTHE INSPIRATION FOR THE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE A COMPLETE UNKNOWN.One of the music world?s pre-eminent critics takes a fresh and much-needed look at the day Dylan ?went electric? at the Newport Folk Festival.On the evening of July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan took the stage at Newport Folk Festival, backed by an electric band, and roared into his new rock hit, Like a Rolling Stone. The audience of committed folk purists and political activists who had hailed him as their acoustic prophet reacted with a mix of shock, booing, and scattered cheers. It was the shot heard round the world?Dylan?s declaration of musical independence, the end of the folk revival, and the birth of rock as the voice of a generation?and one of the defining moments in twentieth-century music.In Dylan Goes Electric!, Elijah Wald explores the cultural, political and historical context of this seminal event that embodies the transformative decade that was the sixties. Wald delves deep into the folk revival, the rise of rock, and the tensions between traditional and groundbreaking music to provide new insights into Dylan?s artistic evolution, his special affinity to blues, his complex relationship to the folk establishment and his sometime mentor Pete Seeger, and the ways he reshaped popular music forever. Breaking new ground on a story we think we know, Dylan Goes Electric! is a thoughtful, sharp appraisal of the controversial event at Newport and a nuanced, provocative, analysis of why it matters.?In this tour de force, Elijah Wald complicates the stick-figure myth of generational succession at Newport by doing justice to what he rightly calls Bob Dylan?s ?declaration of independence? . . . This is one of the very best accounts I?ve read of musicians fighting for their honor.? ?Todd Gitlin, author ofThe SixtiesandOccupy NationTrade Review"Provides a deeply researched and entertaining chronicle of the culture clash that Dylan sparked from the Newport stage." -- David Remnick, The New Yorker "It is a great work of scholarship, brimming with insight - among the best music books I have ever read." -- The Guardian "Wald contextualizes the deeply divisive event in illuminating detail ... a major contribution to modern musical history." -- Booklist (starred review) "Wald is a superb analyst of the events he describes. And his analyses fly in the face of conventional wisdom. Even his introduction includes enough startling context to indicate 'Dylan Goes Electric!' will be seeing the old story with new eyes." -- Janet Maslin, New York Times "Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic ... An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism." -- Kirkus Reviews "Anyone interested in Dylan, folk music, or rock and roll will adore this volume. It might not resolve the questions of what really happened in Newport in 1965, but it comes very close." -- Library Journal "In this tour de force, Elijah Wald complicates the stick-figure myth of generational succession at Newport by doing justice to what he rightly calls Bob Dylan's 'declaration of independence' ... This is one of the very best accounts I've read of musicians fighting for their honor." -- Todd Gitlin, author of The Sixties and Occupy Nation "What Wald reveals about that most mystified of singer-songwriters and the folk and rock worlds that then surrounded and elevated him changed my own view of a moment I thought I had all figured out-and of the songwriterly 1960s as a whole." -- Ann Powers, author of Weird Like Us: My Bohemian America and, with the artist, Tori Amos: Piece by Piece "Devastatingly smart analysis ... Wald is a remarkably sharp and graceful writer, capable of drawing extraordinary connections between artists, genres, and cultural moments. There's simply no one better when it comes to unpacking not just the mechanics of American music, but the mythology of American music." -- Amanda Petrusich, author of Do Not Sell At Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78rpm Records "Elijah Wald's book reflects the many directions in which America's music scene evolved in those extraordinary years, 1963-1970-I can't recommend it enough." -- George Wein, Founder of the Newport Folk Festival "Concise and entertaining ... a great story, masterfully told, of how the times were, indeed, a-changin'-and why." -- Ed Ward, rock and roll historian for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross and author of Michael Bloomfield: The Rise and Fall of an American Guitar Hero "Easily the definitive account of Newport '65." -- CounterPunch Magazine "There is no shortage of books about Bob Dylan ... but Elijah Wald's heavily researched book manages to offer new information and unique insight into the social context of this controversial moment in music history." -- Buzzfeed

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Book SynopsisWaging Heavy Peace is the remarkable memoir of rock icon Neil YoungNeil Young is a singular figure in the history of rock and pop culture in the last four decades, inducted not once but twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.Reflective, insightful and disarmingly honest, Waging Heavy Peace is his long-awaited memoir. From his youth in Canada to his crazy journey out to California, through Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash, to his massively successful solo career and his re-emergence as the patron saint of grunge on to his role today as one of the last uncompromised and uncompromising survivors of rock ''n'' roll - this is Neil''s story told in his own words.Young presents a kaleidoscopic view of personal life and musical creativity; it''s a journey that spans the snows of Ontario to the LSD-laden boulevards of 1966 Los Angeles to the contemplative paradise of Hawaii today. Along the way he writes about the music, the victim

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Book SynopsisI was the Fool-king of Soho and the number-one slag in the Groucho Club, the second drunkest member of the world''s drunkest band. This was no disaster, though. It was a dream coming true.''For Alex James, music had always been a door to a more eventful life. But as bass player of Blur - one of the most successful British bands of all time - his journey was more exciting and extreme than he could ever have predicted. In Bit of a Blur he chronicles his journey from a slug-infested flat in Camberwell to a world of screaming fans and private jets - and his eventual search to find meaning and happiness (and, perhaps most importantly, the perfect cheese), in an increasingly surreal world.Trade ReviewAlex James is a witty, engaging guide to the mad goings-on behind the scenes of Britpop. Blur's bassist famously estimates that he blew around £1m on champagne and cocaine during the Nineties. Here's how. * INDEPENDENT *Bright, passionate . . . James writes with wit and flair * TIME OUT **'The definitive guide to Britpop . . . this effervescent memoir emerges as the most fascinating, as well as hilarious, document to date of those times * OBSERVER *Guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye - in a good way * ELLE *

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Book SynopsisManchester, its bands, its fashions, its attitude, has defined pop culture for the best part of four decades. Joy Division, The Fall, Buzzcocks, New Order, The Smiths, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, Oasis. These were the bands that shaped two generations of teenagers and changed the course of pop music.Manchester: Looking for the Light through the Pouring Rain is a portrait of these individuals, the city, and their times. Whether it be on a rain-soaked stage in Brazil, a rented room in Whalley Range, or on the dancefloor of the legendary Hacienda, Kevin Cummins'' exquisite photographs capture the anarchic energy of the Manchester pop moment. This stunning visual record of the city and its pop history is complemented by four textual contributions from Paul Morley, Stuart Maconie, Gavin Martin and John Harris. What is it about that city that makes it the Memphis of the UK? Cummins'' photographic record of the past 30 years captures the highs, the lows and the transcendent pop mom

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Book SynopsisDISCOVER THE REALITY OF LIFE AS A SUPERSTAR DJ IN THIS SENSATIONAL EXPOSÉ OF WHAT REALLY GOES ON BEHIND THE BPMs.The glamour, the parties, the excess, the highs and, of course, the lows. In The Secret DJ, a globally renowned DJ takes us on a breakneck journey, plunging us into a life lived in the hedonistic fast lane of club culture over the last thirty years, from the dawn of acid house to the dusk of EDM. Whether playing to ten thousand fans in Ibiza's superclubs or in a local pub function room, this DJ's experiences are a cautionary tale an addictive and shockingly honest account of the hidden world behind the DJ booth.

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Book Synopsis''The sharpest memoir written by one of the Beatles' inner circle.'' ObserverDerek Taylor''s iconic memoir is a rare opportunity to be immersed in one of the most whirlwind music sensations in history: Beatlemania. As Time Goes By tells the remarkable story of Taylor''s trajectory from humble provincial journalist to loved confidant right at the centre of the Beatles'' magic circle. In charming, conversational prose, Taylor shares anecdotes and reminiscences so vivid and immediate that you find yourself plunged into the beating heart of 1960s counterculture. Whether watching the debut performance of ''Hey Jude'' in a country pub or hearing first-hand gossip about a star-studded cast of characters, Taylor''s unique narrative voice forges an autobiography like no other. Reissued here in a brand new edition with a foreword by celebrated writer Jon Savage, this long-admired memoir is a cult classic of the genre awaiting a new readership.

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Book Synopsis The intimate biography of the iconic DJ who was lost too soon. Tim Bergling was a musical visionary who, through his sense for melodies, came to define the era when Swedish and European house music took over the world. But Tim Bergling was also an introverted and fragile young man who was forced to grow up at an inhumanly fast pace. After a series of emergencies resulting in hospital stays, he stopped touring in the summer of 2016. Barely two years later, he took his own life.Tim - The Biography of Avicii is written by the award-winning journalist Måns Mosesson, who through interviews with Tim's family, friends and colleagues in the music business, has intimately gotten to know the star producer. The book paints an honest picture of Tim and his search in life, not shying from the difficulties that he struggled with.

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Book SynopsisThe band that took US college rock across the world and turned it into stadium rock. This is their first album that kicked off their journey to stardom and remains a cult obsession to the legions of dedicated fans. Features their classic song Radio Free Europe.Trade Review"'A brilliant idea' The Times; 'Neat' Nick Hornby; 'Pocket-size books about favourite albums is a nice idea, akin to TV's Classic Albums and with an equal amount of care and attention.' The Guardian (Friday Review)"

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Book SynopsisTo absorb Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash is to be taken on a wild voyage with a cast of downtrodden revolutionaries. Despite this notion, the epic themes of the Pogues' second full length record have been overlooked by both critics and biographers. This book discusses the record's articulation of what it is to be magnificently downtrodden.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...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 A brilliant series...each one a word of real love - NME (UK) Religious tracts for the nock 'n' roll faithful - Uncut (UK)"

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Book SynopsisPhil Swern (Author) Best regarded for building one of the biggest private record collections in the world, Phil "The Collector" Swern has, in his own right, achieved over a dozen entries into The Guinness Book Of Hit Singles as a record producer with acts such as The Pearls, R & J Stone and The Seashells. In the mid-eighties, Phil collaborated as a writer and performer on Capital's You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet and later helped set up the Capital Gold Network. He produced Pick of the Pops for Radio 1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and has produced the show for Radio 2 since 1997. Phil also co-writes Ken Bruce's daily pop quiz PopMaster, for which he has compiled several successful bestselling books.Neil Myners (Author) Neil Myners, having studied music to degree and post-grad levels, has, since 1995, produced BBC Radio 2's coverage of Paul McCartney's return to the Cavern, The Brit Awards and the Ivor Novello Awards. He was both m

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Book SynopsisJerry Lee Lewis has lived an extraordinary life. He gave rock and roll its devil''s edge with hit records like ''Great Balls of Fire''. His incendiary shows caused riots and boycotts. He ran a decade-long marathon of drugs, drinking, and women, and married his thirteen-year-old second cousin, the third of seven wives. He also nearly met his maker, at least twice. He survived it all to be hailed as one of the greatest music icons. For the very first time, he reveals the truth behind the Last Man Standing of the rock-and-roll era.Trade ReviewThere's plenty of richness in Rick Bragg's retelling of the Killer's life . . . Hits all the legendary moments, both high and low . . . Worth reading -- STEPHEN KINGRick Bragg's biography of Jerry Lee Lewis really is the business. The words on the page perfectly match the music and the man -- RODDY DOYLE * * author of PADDY CLARKE HA HA HA * *I loved every amphetamine-laced, whiskey-soaked, gun-shot page of it . . .This thing moves. It rocks -- ANN PATCHETTNo one in rock and roll has ever made music and lived life with the ferocity of Jerry Lee Lewis, and no writer is better suited than Rick Bragg to tell Lewis's story. The result is a biography with the memorable language and narrative drive we expect only from the finest novels. Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story is the best book on rock and roll I have ever read -- RON RASHJerry Lee Lewis is a fascinating guy, a really opinion-splitting kinda legend, and this is his autobiography -- NOEL FIELDING, My Life in Suitcase - Five Touring Essentials * * NME * *The paradox of a man defining himself through his faith while leading a far from virtuous life, drives Rick Bragg's exhaustive biography . . . There's vernacular lyricism to the way Bragg paints the key moments in Lewis's life . . . Bragg's fascination for Jerry Lee Lewis wins through, and his shining a light on the eternal dichotomy between sin and salvation makes for a fascinating, distinctly American story . . . Rick Bragg's pacey, extensively researched biography draws a portrait of a bullish man doing all the things he believes God will forgive him for, repenting, and doing them all over again * * The Times * *As an intimate portrait of the original rock 'n' roll wild child, it's probably the closest look that we will ever have of one of pop music's greatest talents and most mysterious enigmas * * Record Collector * *Hell-raising takes centre stage * * GQ * *Beautifully written * * Mail on Sunday * *[Bragg] tells the full story of a long and extraordinary life with critical honesty, describing the triumphs, disasters and scandals, the women, the drink and drugs * * Daily Express * *Like Byron, he seems mad, bad and dangerous to know, but his art at least reflects him truthfully * * Independent * *Absorbing . . . a thumpingly good yarn . . . thrillingly readable * * Daily Mail * *Bragg's book really soars . . . a compelling read -- George Byrne * * Irish Independent * *Compelling . . . Bragg's book really soars . . . gives us a sense of the vastly differing sides of the man * * Belfast Telegraph * *Excellent . . . just the sort of weighty tome you'd hope Elvis would have got around to by now * * Sunday Express * *Great insight: Bragg understands the God-fearing Southern man's push-pull of good and evil, the mutually-exclusive-for-Lewis need for rock 'n' roll and redemption and the resulting emotional turmoil that ultimately defines him * * Mojo * *Attempting a biography of rock 'n' roll's most notorious figure is no mean task, but Pultizer Prize-winner Rick Bragg has done an admirable job, aided by Jerry Lee-Lewis himself . . . a fascinating account of a wild, wild talent * * Classic Rock * *This is epic Southern storytelling at its most gripping * * Chicago Tribune * *This is Lewis' version of his own story, filtered through Bragg's gift for language and his feel for the South . . . His Own Story casts one of rock n' roll's outlandish lives in a new light, giving Lewis the voice in words he always had in the notes that came from the ivory keys * * USA Today, 4 star review * *Irresistible * * Wall Street Journal * *Bragg's account does not pull punches, nor does it need to. Bragg successfully grasps the meaning of Jerry Lee Lewis and the music he begat * * All About Jazz * *There are reams of books out there about the Killer, but this is the one you want. In it, Rick Bragg tells the warts-and-all story of a troubled man, part saint, part sinner, who helped change the world * * Loud and Quiet Magazine * *

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Book SynopsisFENDER : THE INSIDE STORY

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Book SynopsisA deep dive into the music and songwriting of the world''s greatest heavy metal band: Metallica.A must-read for any metalhead, Metallica: The Stories Behind the Songs breaks down the writing and recording of every track from each of the band''s studio albums, including classic records such as Master of Puppets (1986) and Metallica (''The Black Album'') (1991), right through to 2023''s 72 Seasons.Written by former Metal Hammer publisher Chris Ingham and Illustrated with hundreds of stunning photos spanning more than 40 years, this updated entry in the bestselling Stories Behind the Songs series explores the influences behind more than 100 of the band''s most celebrated tracks, offering fans a unique perspective into the creation, evolution and performance of their favourite songs.Packed with insight and analysis, this is a revealing guide to Metallica''s discography from a true authority on the band, and an essential read for any fan.

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Book SynopsisMick Wall penetrates the closed world of Aussie rock legends AC/DC. 'We're a rock group - we're noisy, rowdy, sensational and weird' Angus Young

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Book SynopsisOver ten years after WHEN GIANTS WALKED THE EARTH, Mick Wall''s seminal biography of the band, comes this major and extensively researched revision, which provides an unflinching look at life inside one of the biggest-selling rock bands of all time, and presents the definitive, final word on Led Zeppelin.They were ''the last great band of the sixties; the first great band of the seventies''; they rose, somewhat unpromisingly, from the ashes of the Yardbirds to become one of the biggest-selling rock bands of all time. Mick Wall, respected rock writer and former confidant of both Page and Plant, unflinchingly tells the story of the band that wrote the rulebook for on-the-road excess - and eventually paid the price for it, with disaster, drug addiction and death. WHEN GIANTS WALKED THE EARTH reveals for the first time the true extent of band leader Jimmy Page''s longstanding interest in the occult, and goes behind the scenes to expose the truth

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Book Synopsis''This could be heaven or this could be hell...''So sings Don Henley on their biggest hit, ''Hotel California'', and it is true that the Eagles story was one that blurred the ultimate Hollywood highs and subterranean LA lows beyond recognition. The band that embodied the American dream with globe-straddling success, impossibly luxurious lives, almost supernatural talent also descended into nightmare with bloodletting betrayal, hate-filled hubris, the skeletons of perceived enemies, brutally discarded lovers and former band mates left unburied on the road behind them. The story of the Eagles is a truly gothic American fable: one of ultimate power and rivers of money; of sex and drugs at a time when both were the lingua-franca of sophisticated So-Cal living; of a band who sang of peaceful easy feelings in public while threatening to kill each other in private.Now, for the first time, esteemed music biographer Mick Wall will provide the definitivTrade ReviewMick Wall treats us to a savvy, authoritative chronicle of the flight of the Eagles, immersing us in the heady world of the Laurel Canyon scene and the other aspiring musicians who would rise to fame together. The Eagles persevered through obscurity and management and recording challenges to finally realize their dream, but the brilliance of their songwriting and musicianship was juxtaposed with the menacing tide of cocaine abuse, a broken brotherhood, and too much money. The Eagles: Dark Desert Highway is a comprehensive history of a band that burned so bright, yet finally succumbed to the heat. * Sandra B. Tooze, author of Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of the Band and Beyond *

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated highlight reel of more than 100 women in rap who have helped shape the genre and eschewed gender norms in the process, The Motherlode “shines a bright light on a history of overlooked female talent and breaks down the ingenuity of our current generation of stars” (Issa Rae, creator and star of HBO’s Insecure). Clover Hope’s comprehensive history showcases more than 100 women who have shaped the power, scope, and reach of rap music, including pioneers like Roxanne Shanté, game changers like Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliott, and current reigning queens like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Lizzo—as well as everyone who came before, after, and in between. Some of these women were respected but not widely celebrated. Some are impossible not to know. Some of these women have stood on their own; others were forced into templates, compelled to stand beside men in big rap crews. Some have been trapped in a sTrade Review"This is the quintessential, comprehensive book about women in the rap industry that I've been waiting for. It shines a bright light on a history of overlooked female talent and breaks down the ingenuity of our current generation of stars." -- Issa Rae

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Book SynopsisThe World According to QuestloveMo'' Meta Blues is a punch-drunk memoir in which Everyone''s Favorite Questlove tells his own story while tackling some of the lates, the greats, the fakes, the philosophers, the heavyweights, and the true originals of the music world. He digs deep into the album cuts of his life and unearths some pivotal moments in black art, hip hop, and pop culture.Ahmir ''Questlove'' Thompson is many things: virtuoso drummer, producer, arranger, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon bandleader, DJ, composer, and tireless Tweeter. He is one of our most ubiquitous cultural tastemakers, and in this, his first book, he reveals his own formative experiences--from growing up in 1970s West Philly as the son of a 1950s doo-wop singer, to finding his own way through the music world and ultimately co-founding and rising up with the Roots, a.k.a., the last hip hop band on Earth. Mo'' Meta Blues also has some (many) random (or not) mu

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Book Synopsis''The truest measure of the man we have thus far'' - Mojo''Affectionate, impeccably researched biography'' - Mail on Sunday''Head and shoulders above the usual rock hagiography'' - Sunday TelegraphThe first biography to be written with the cooperation of the Lynott Estate, Cowboy Song is the definitive authorised account of the extraordinary life and career of Thin Lizzy guiding spirit, Philip Lynott.Leading music writer Graeme Thomson explores the fascinating contradictions between Lynott''s unbridled rock star excesses and the shy, sensitive ''orphan'' raised in working class Dublin. The mixed-race child of a Catholic teenager and a Guyanese stowaway, Lynott rose above daunting obstacles and wounding abandonments to become Ireland''s first rock star. Cowboy Song examines his key musical alliances as well as the unique blend of cultural influences which informed Lynott''s writing, connecting IreTrade ReviewAn affectionate and unflinching book on Lynott ... It's the substantive flesh Thomson puts on the bones of Lynott's personal life, though, that makes Cowboy Song the truest measure of the man we have thus far - and a must-read for anybody ever smitten by Lizzy's fatally-flawed romantic * James McNair, Mojo *Well researched ... poignant ... revealing * RTE Guide *A genuinely sympathetic portrait * Uncut *An admirable book ... there are times when Graeme Thomson's prose reaches astute heights and stirs recognitions -- James O’Connor Irish TimesAffectionate, impeccably researched biography ... an impressively well-rounded story -- Geoff Barton Mail on SundayHead and shoulders above the usual rock hagiography -- Neil Armstrong, Sunday TelegraphOutstanding -- John Spain, Belfast TelegraphEven non-Thin Lizzy fans will find much to fascinate in Cowboy Song. Thomson's account ... is absorbing * Irish Examiner *Packs a real emotional punch * Spectator *An excellent, painstaking life ... Crowther's afterword about her errant bad-boy hubbie and their "beautiful, strong, funny, creative and loving girls ... of whom he would be so very, very proud" brought tears to my eyes -- Barney Hoskyns, GuardianCowboy Song goes further - uncovering how Lynott's race, country, and complex family life fed into his singular poetry and music -- Michael Curle, Irish PostEngrossing ... a candid depiction of a complicated soul -- David Burke, Rock’n’ReelFascinating -- Edel Coffey, Belfast Telegraph

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Book SynopsisGeorge Jones''s nearly 60-year recording and performing career has had a profound influence on modern country music and influenced a younger generation of singers including Garth Brooks Alan Jackson Randy Travis Tim McGraw and Trace Adkins. As Merle Haggard said of Jones in ÊRolling StoneÊ magazine His voice was like a Stradivarius violin: one of the greatest instruments ever made. ÞJones''s saga is a larger-than-life tale of rags to riches and back to rags again. He was born into near poverty in a backwater patch of East Texas. His formal education ended early; by his early teens he was singing on the streets of Beaumont Texas for tips. After beginning to record in the mid-1950s Jones became by sheer dint of his vocal prowess one of Nashville''s most celebrated honky-tonk singers. But from the start Jones''s life as often reflected in his music was shaped by misdirection chaos turmoil and emotional strife aggravated by a ferocious appetite for alcohol. Fame and adula

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