Popular music Books

Book SynopsisWhen an Irish busker and a young Czech mother meet through a shared love of music, their songwriting sparks a deep connection and a tender, longing romance that neither of them could have expected. Based on the much-loved Oscar-winning film, Once is an extraordinary, original and irresistibly joyous celebration of love, friendship and music. With music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, it has a book written by Enda Walsh. Once won eight Tony Awards when it opened on Broadway in 2012, including Best Book and Best Musical. It opened in Dublin in February 2013 before transferring to the West End.Trade Review'Miraculously retains the intimate feeling and freshness of fringe... it's funny, it's truthful, it sings. If London audiences don't love it to bits I disown them' * The Times *'Wins you over with its simplicity, charm and air of melancholy' * Guardian *'There is genuine warmth and inclusiveness to this show... best of all is Enda Walsh's script, which has great, puckish fun applying a bit of Brechtian silliness to the romcom formula' * Time Out *'Quiet, wistful, tender... it has a delicate soulfulness and a truthful charm' * Evening Standard *'Charmingly funny and affecting... demonstrates the power of music both to express deep psychic hurt and to perform a cure of sorts' * Independent *'Walsh captures the fragile charm of the original movie in a book bursting with unexpected humour... offers a glimmer of sophistication to audiences tired of back-catalogue musicals and asinine plots' * The Stage *'The musical has a masterful, even revelatory, book by the Irish playwright Enda Walsh... it is no traditional screen-to-stage adaptation. Rather, it's a textbook example of how to do it right.' * Chicago Tribune *'Original and emotionally exhilarating.' * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisPresents favourite jazz songs, especially arranged by the author for elementary level pianists. This title also includes original pieces written by the author, and a CD of performances.Table of ContentsThe Bare Necessities; The Entertainer; Nice Work If You Can Get It; Jemima Jane; Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love); The Ballad Of Sluefoot Sue; Fascinating Rhythm; Alexander’s Ragtime Band; Spanish Eyes; Maple Leaf Rag; Anything Goes; Love Jumped Out; Talking Fingers; Summertime; I Wanna Be Like You

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable autobiography of the last great wartime icon.Born Vera Welch on 20 March, 1917 in the East End of London, Dame Vera Lynn's career was set from an early age - along with her father, who also did a turn', she sang in Working Men's Clubs from just seven years old. She had a successful radio career with Joe Loss and Charlie Kunz in the 1920s and 30s, but it was with World War II that she became the iconic figure that captured the imagination of the national public.Her spirit and verve, along with her ability to connect with the men fighting for their country and those left behind praying for their loved ones, made her the Forces' sweetheart'. Performing the songs that she will always be associated with, such as We'll Meet Again' and Yours', Vera toured Egypt, India and Burma to entertain the troops and bring them a sense of back home'.Her career after the war flourished, with hits in the US and the UK, but Vera was never able to leave behind her wartime role and was deeply a

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Book Synopsis''The definitive story of the Rolling Stones'' HEATIn this remarkable book, the Stones themselves reveal the story behind the legend, getting right to the heart of what makes the group tick. It''s the band''s-eye view of their history, punctuated by pithy comments on album and single releases, on memorable performances and on the ups and downs of their private world, and also includes stunning illustrations, many from their own personal archives. The book begins with their roots and what brought them together. It then charts their rise from playing in tiny clubs to their success as ''the greatest rock ''n'' roll band in the world''. They describe how their music has evolved and how it has changed their lives.''It wasn''t so much a question of being a wizard on the guitar. You also had to be quite a magician to live with the Stones'' Ronnie WoodTrade Review'Their often blunt recollections make fo ra hugely entertaining slice of rock 'n' roll history. As producer Don Was puts it:"whatever else is happening in the world, you can always count on the Rolling Stones to show up and play the shit out of 'Satisfaction'". Amen to that'. -- Simon Beckett Observer

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

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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 SynopsisA caustic wit and the knack for great pop, this is Costello's classic mixture of soul and new wave. Features Accidents Will Happen, Oliver's Army and What's So Funny 'bout Peace Love and Understanding.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 SynopsisRay Padgett is the founder of Cover Me, the largest blog devoted to cover songs on the web, and author of Cover Me: The Stories Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time (2017). His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, SPIN, The AV Club, Vice, and MOJO, and he's been interviewed as an expert on cover songs by NPR, The Wall Street Journal, SiriusXM, and dozens more. He lives in Burlington, Vermont and also works as a publicist for Shore Fire Media.Trade ReviewRay Padgett’s deeply-researched, passionately written book did what the very best tribute albums do: Recontextualized and deepened the source material. In the same way that John Cale made listeners hear “Hallelujah” anew, this book made me hear tribute albums like I’d never heard them before. * David Marchese, Columnist, New York Times Magazine *If you read Ray Padgett’s book, and you really should, I guarantee that, if you have the album he’s writing about, you’ll be digging it out to listen with fresh ears. If you don’t have it, you’ll be hitting the internet to check out the album and the covers therein. * Americana UK *Using the famed Leonard Cohen covers collection as its jumping-off point, Ray Padgett’s I’m Your Fan digs into the weird, ever-expanding world of the tribute album. We get a detailed account of how I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen came together via revealing interviews with its curators and performers. We learn how the album kickstarted Cohen’s then somewhat-flailing career and—for better or worse—helped turn the then obscure 'Hallelujah' into the ubiquitous standard it is today. We discover that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ version of 'Tower of Song' originally clocked in at over a half-hour. It’s all great stuff. But even more interesting are the various side-trips Padgett takes the reader on: like a chat with the late/great tribute album pioneer Hal Willner ('It’s all my fault isn’t it?' he asks wearily); or a lengthy digression with Juliana Hatfield, a tribute album mainstay who doesn’t really like tribute albums. Like most of the 33 1/3 books, I’m Your Fan is a quick read, but you’ll want to savor this one. * Aquarium Drunkard *I’m Your Fan changed Cohen’s career from a mid-tier, well-regarded songwriter to someone rightfully considered among our finest musical poets. Not many, if any, tribute discs can make a similar claim on their impact. Padgett’s deep dive into the how’s and why’s of that claim make for a quick yet engrossing read. * Rock & Roll Globe *A smart and lively look at a project that was oddly significant in Leonard Cohen’s career – but, beyond that, a long-overdue examination that (partly) redeems the much reviled format of the tribute album. * Alan Light, author of The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah” *I’m Your Fan uses a specific tribute album to explore multiple aspects of music fandom and record culture—how artists channel their influences, how a song’s meaning can change over time, the way formats shape our understanding of music history. A marvelous entry in the 33 1/3 series, even for those who’ve never heard the album in question. * Mark Richardson, former Editor-in-Chief, Pitchfork *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Origins of the Tribute Album Interlude: Hal Willner 2. The Idea Behind I'm Your Fan Interlude: Ralph Sall 3. Recording I'm Your Fan 4. Cave and Cale Interlude: Juliana Hatfield 5. The Release of I'm Your Fan Interlude: Jarkko Arjatsolo 6. The 1990s Tribute Album Explosion Interlude: Jim Sampas & Joe Spadaro 7. The Tribute Album Today Notes

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Book SynopsisThe intimate and long-awaited memoir of guitar legend Carlos Santana.In 1967 at San Francisco''s Fillmore Auditorium, a young guitarist played a blistering solo that announced a prodigious talent. Two years later he played a historic set at Woodstock, and the world came to know Carlos Santana by name.THE UNIVERSAL TONE is a tale of musical self-determination and self-discovery. It traces his journey from his teen days playing in Tijuana, and the establishment of his signature guitar sound; his roles as husband, father and rock star; and his recording of some of the most influential rock albums of all time, up to and beyond the sensational SUPERNATURAL, which garnered nine Grammy awards. The book abounds with a fearlessness that finds humour in the world of high-flying fame, speaks plainly of personal revelations, and celebrates the divine and infinite possibility Santana sees in each person he meets.Trade ReviewSantana's journey from obscurity and abject poverty to affluence and superstardom is expressed eloquently via an informal conversational style that captures the cadences of his speaking voice ... there's plenty of humour - and tales of rock 'n' roll excess - to offset any overriding sense of sobriety -- Charles Waring * MOJO *[A] testament to [Carlos Santana's] geniality. * NEW STATESMAN *Once you start to explore his life, you will not be able to put the book down * THE BEAT MAGAZINE *In this frank and impassioned memoir, iconic, influential musician Santana ... known for fusing rock and Latin rhythms, weaves together the rhythmic, domestic and spiritual dimensions of his career. Generously reflective and well-balanced ... Charismatic and soulful ... An appreciative and unpretentious chronicle, this is required reading for Santana fans and devotees of classic rock legends * KIRKUS REVIEWS *

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Book SynopsisFrom Prince's superstardom to studio seclusion, this second book in the award-winning Prince Studio Sessions series spotlights how Prince, the biggest rock star on the planet at the time, risked everything to create some of the most introspective music of his four-decade career. Duane Tudahl takes us on an emotional and intimate journey of love, loss, rivalry, and renewal revealed through unprecedented access to dozens of musicians, singers, studio engineers, and others who worked with him and knew him best—with never-before-published memories from the Revolution, the Time, the Family, and Apollonia 6. Also included is a heartfelt foreword by musical legend Elton John about his time and friendship with Prince.Trade ReviewIn this second Prince Studio Sessions series, Tudahl continues to explore the annals of Prince’s voracious creative drive, even while touring the Purple Rain album at a pinnacle of his stardom. Working day-by-day and session-by-session, Tudahl meticulously recreates Prince’s daily timeline in 1985 and 1986 while layering in a heap of technical information about the production process, equipment, and mixes that were created (many vaulted, still unheard). Brief snippets of information provide context for Prince’s surroundings, the people he worked with, and concurrent events, but the focus remains on the music and how it poured out of Prince wherever he was, whether on the road or back at the studio. While these years weren't all glory—Prince sustained blows like the failure of his directorial debut Under the Cherry Moon, his decision not to participate in the “We Are the World” recording, and wavering public opinion after strutting around with his bodyguards at awards shows—it seems to have had little effect on his creativity and productivity. Compulsively readable and hugely useful to researchers, this dense chronology will command the rapt attention of casual fans and scholars alike. -- Booklist (starred review)In this second Prince Studio Sessions series, Tudahl continues to explore the annals of Prince’s voracious creative drive, even while touring the Purple Rain album at a pinnacle of his stardom. Working day-by-day and session-by-session, Tudahl meticulously recreates Prince’s daily timeline in 1985 and 1986 while layering in a heap of technical information about the production process, equipment, and mixes that were created (many vaulted, still unheard). Brief snippets of information provide context for Prince’s surroundings, the people he worked with, and concurrent events, but the focus remains on the music and how it poured out of Prince wherever he was, whether on the road or back at the studio. While these years weren't all glory—Prince sustained blows like the failure of his directorial debut Under the Cherry Moon, his decision not to participate in the “We Are the World” recording, and wavering public opinion after strutting around with his bodyguards at awards shows—it seems to have had little effect on his creativity and productivity. Compulsively readable and hugely useful to researchers, this dense chronology will command the rapt attention of casual fans and scholars alike. * Booklist, Starred Review *Tudahl continues his Prince saga in this laudatory book, which is a meticulously researched day-by-day account of Prince’s songwriting, recording, and live performances during 1985 and 1986. It chronicles the making of the film Under the Cherry Moon and the albums Around the World in a Day, Parade, and Sign o’ the Times. Using interviews with Prince’s fellow musicians and studio engineers, Tudahl painstakingly describes the importance of each stage rehearsal, concert, and song mix, and creates an intimate portrait of the singer, songwriter, and actor. Prince emerges as a controlling, sometimes generous, many times denigrating, wildly creative workaholic who became increasingly imperious after his Purple Rain stardom. The second installment in Tudahl’s Prince chronology is a treasure trove for fans. * Library Journal *The 600-plus-page tome captures Prince’s arguably most creative era in fascinating detail. More than anything else in Prince’s life, the recording sessions and tour dates — i.e. the music — provided the framework for everything else in that life, and Tudahl expertly weaves the details into the music that was made at the time. This book is something fans can savor for months on end. * Variety *Duane Tudahl's work has now become must-reads for Prince aficionados. Prince may be the most important musical artist of the latter half of the twentieth century and this book underlines this with zero fanfare. Just read the magic, as it rolls from day to day. Amazing stuff. * The Aquarian Weekly *A new book by Duane Tudahl, Prince and the Parade & Sign O’ The Times Era Studio Sessions: 1985 and 1986, provides a definitive account of two heady years that followed Prince’s Purple Rain breakthrough, climaxing with his completion of a mammoth three-record set that would be pared down into Sign o’ the Times. * Washington Independent Review of Books *[A] thick daily chronicle of Prince's recording sessions in those two years, which means it's essentially a daily chronicle of Prince's life. As Tudahl documents here (and in his equally essential predecessor volume focusing on the Purple Rain era), days when Prince was in no way involved in a recording project were rare for his entire adult life.... Tudahl's book is a sizable tome, but it's readable throughout: you're left thinking that there are few better ways to understand Prince than to see his life through the lens of the recording studio, which was always his temple. * The Current *For a second time, author and Prince historian Duane Tudahl set out to do something that could never be questioned or contradicted when it came to telling Prince‘s real story. Painstakingly digging through hundreds, if not thousands, of studio work orders, interviews with band members who were there (print and audio), and cross-referencing notes and statements. Then he put it all in chronological order and arduously documented the sources to alleviate any questions any naysayers may have.... The details of Prince‘s work ethic and recording habits are mind boggling and staggering. Even people who claim to know even the smallest details of Prince‘s life have to hand the crown to Duane Tudahl. His exhaustive and comprehensive research was poured over in order to verify and check every detail for authenticity and become the undisputed document of record of Prince‘s life both in and out of the studio.... It is by far the most entertaining and thorough history of Prince that has or will ever exist. Duane Tudahl has accomplished the impossible by capturing lightning in a bottle twice. Through hard work and commitment to honor the legacy of Prince, his in-depth knowledge and storytelling mastery shines on every page. These two books are now the standard by which all books about Prince will be judged. Every Prince fan should add this book to their collection now. * Funkatopia *Presented in diary form across the two years in question, we're granted access to concerts, video shoots, studio sessions and soundchecks, which allows us to track Prince's creative progress. We see in detail how songs grow from a germ of on idea recorded on tape during a soundcheck to becoming some of the most recognizable tracks of oil time. Every recording session is documented, songs taking on various forms, held in the vaults until they find a home on a project. Compiled from hundreds of interviews with a dream wishlist of Prince's closest collaborators, including Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Colemon, Brownmark and Bobby Z, arranger Clare Fischer, sound engineer Susan Rogers, Sheila E and Eric Leeds, Tudahl's book is on access-all­-areas pass to the star's creative hub and the closest thing to being in the studio with him. Contributions from Susannah Melvoin (Prince's girlfriend at the time) offer a rare, more personal side to the star and illustrate how he was impacted by his relentless work ethic and rarely switched off. Meticulously researched, superbly presented - the day-by-day format really is akin to having a peek at Prince's diary. With a handful of previously unpublished photographs, this is on indispensable addition to the collection of any fan of the Purple One. A fascinating insight into the elusive world of Prince during one of his most creative periods, this meticulously researched and respectful account includes insights from hundreds of his collaborators and closest confidantes, resulting in an immersive experience that’s as close to being in the studio with the Purple One as it’s possible to have * Classic Pop Magazine *Duane Tudahl's in-depth research combined with the vast number of people interviewed for this stunning series makes this new book, about perhaps Prince's artistically most interesting time of his career, another must-read. -- jooZt Mattheij, editor of PrinceVault.comThe only thing better than reading about Prince’s music is listening to it. Duane Tudahl inspires us to do both. -- Alan Leeds, tour manager, production manager for PrinceDuane is the quintessential Prince historian. This book will definitely give you accurate insight into his creative process. -- Matt "Dr. Fink" Fink, member of The Revolution, Prince’s keyboard playerDuane Tudahl set the bar high with his previous book. I’m glad to say that the sequel, Prince and the Parade and Sign “O” the Times Era Studio Sessions: 1985 and 1986, is even better. The book contains many interesting musical and lyrical observations by Duane, providing undisputed proof that he is the leading scholar of Prince’s work. -- Per Nilsen, author of The Vault and Dance, Music, Sex, RomanceAn excellent and thorough account of the creative process. A must read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities and vicissitudes of Prince’s musical journey. -- Albert Magnoli, writer and director of Purple RainHistorians and scholars will have Duane Tudahl to thank for the meticulous effort he has brought to understanding Prince Rogers Nelson through the lens of how he spent his days. -- Susan Rogers, Prince's recording engineer (1983-1988)I have often wondered if the legacy of Prince would remain in good hands. After reading Duane Tudahl’s works, I am sure it is. -- Levi Seacer Jr., member of the New Power Generation, Prince’s bass player and guitaristThe work coming from Duane Tudahl is top notch. It’s a singular and superlative work. -- Wendy Melvoin, member of The Revolution, Prince’s guitaristPrince and the Parade and Sign “O” the Times Era Studio Sessions is such an invaluable resource that you'll wonder how you ever tried navigating this transformative period of Prince's work without it. -- Andrea Swensson, host, Minnesota Public Radio's The CurrentThank you Duane for keeping Prince and all of our hard work and legacy’s alive. -- Bobby Z, member of The Revolution, Prince's drummerDuane is the one person who has managed to pull all of the different threads together and represent Prince's work in the best possible way. -- Craig Mortimer-Zhika, Prince MuseumTable of ContentsPrefaceJanuary 1985February 1985March 1985April 1985May 1985June 1985July 1985August 1985September 1985October 1985November 1985December 1985January 1986February 1986March 1986April 1986May 1986June 1986July 1986August 1986September 1986October 1986November 1986December 1986Epilogue

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Book SynopsisAccording to Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and the late Stevie Ray Vaughn, Buddy Guy is the greatest blues guitarist of all time. An enormous influence on these musicians as well as Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck, he is the living embodiment of Chicago blues. Guy's epic story stands at the absolute nexus of modern blues. He came to Chicago from rural Louisiana in the fifties—the very moment when urban blues were electrifying our culture. He was a regular session player at Chess Records. Willie Dixon was his mentor. He was a sideman in the bands of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. He and Junior Wells formed a band of their own. In the sixties, he became a recording star in his own right. When I Left Home tells Guy's picaresque story in his own unique voice, that of a storyteller who remembers everything, including blues masters in their prime and the exploding, evolving culture of music that happened all around him. Trade ReviewKirkus, 2/15/12 "Tasty as a Buddy Guy guitar lick." Library Journal, 3/1/12 "Guy is a vibrant and hilarious storyteller. With a natural ease and honesty, he captures the spirit of the age, the culture of violence in the clubs, and the personalities of his colleagues...Highly recommended for any fan of Guy and those interested in the history of blues music." Publishers Weekly, 4/16/12 "As mesmerizing a storyteller as a guitarist, Guy, writing with Ritz, regales readers with tales of growing up picking cotton in rural Alabama, of seeing his first guitar and standing transfixed in front of Lightning Slim for several hours just memorizing the movements of Slim?s hands, of his father?s friend buying his first guitar for him, and of his endless efforts to play the blues as he had heard and seen Slim and others play...Guy?s memoir is a joyous celebration of the blues, one of our greatest musical treasures." Chicago Magazine, May 2012 "[A] must-read autobiography...What makes the breezy and revealing book special is its ability to bring history--Guy?s own, as well as that of Chicago blues--to life." Internet Review of Books, 4/6/12 "Buddy makes his life come alive...Told in his own style and language, the book reads more like a blues song than an actual book, each verse telling a different story. And what stories they are...Buddy's book is as colourful as the blues...If you're looking for a reasonably unvarnished account of the blues life, Buddy has it here...The book is funny, sad, tragic, lusty, honest, loving and insightful. Just like the blues. Just like Buddy Guy. If you love the blues and all that it means, you should love this book." Houston Press, 5/8/12 "In this memoir, the story of [Guy?s] life is also the tale of the music itself of the past 50-plus years...There?s a treasure trove of stories here." BluesPowR blog, 5/10/12 "When I Left Home covers an amazing amount of ground in its close to 300 pages...Relayed in a simple, conversational manner, the book does a terrific job of documenting the life of one of blues music's biggest living stars, making it a must-read for any fan of the blues...When I Left Home isn't, as the title indicates, just Buddy's story; in many respects, this is a story of the blues."

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Book SynopsisJazz on a Winter''s Night is a Christmas piano album of stylish, swinging arrangements. Favourite Christmas carols and songs receive the complete jazz treatment, with rhythm, harmony, grooves, and solos all carefully notated. The expertise of the arranger, a celebrated jazz pianist and composer, guarantees an authentic jazz sound, and a range of styles from Nat King Cole to John Coltrane. While paying homage to American Christmas jazz, the collection also reflects a European tradition, in such time-honoured classics as ''In the bleak mid-winter''.Trade ReviewJazz music and Christmas have a beautifully nostalgic association for many, and it's no surprise that jazz pianist Nikki Iles' Jazz on a Winter's Night has been such a huge success since its 2009 publication, spawning outstanding sequels in Jazz in Springtime, Jazz on a Summer's Day and Jazz in Autumn, - each including a selection of seasonally themed jazz standards and originals from Nikki herself . . . Jazz on a Winter's Night has established itself as my all-time favourite Christmas music book. * www.pianodao.com *An authentic jazz sound can be easily created using Nikki's notated rhythms, grooves, harmonies and solos, and the expertise of the arranger guides players through the diversity of jazz characters. These stylish arrangements and compositions are the perfect introduction to jazz. * Piano Professional, September 2018 *Table of ContentsHave yourself a merry little Christmas ; Winter Wonderland ; I saw three ships ; In the bleak mid-winter ; Noel nouvelet ; Santa Claus is comin' to town ; The Christmas Song ('Merry Christmas to You') ; O little town of Bethlehem ; Balulalow ; Sans Day carol ; Silent night

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Book Synopsis''It is the most singular of sounds, yet among the most ubiquitous. It is the sound of isolation that has sold itself to millions.''Miles Davis''s Kind of Blue is the best selling piece of music in the history of jazz, and for many listeners among the most haunting in all of twentieth-century music. It is also, notoriously, the only jazz album many people own. Recorded in 1959 (in nine miraculous hours), there has been nothing like it since. Its atmosphere - slow, dark, meditative, luminous - became all-pervasive for a generation, and has remained the epitome of melancholy coolness ever since.Richard Williams has written a history of the album which for once does not rip it out of its wider cultural context. He evokes the essence of the music - identifying the qualities that make it so uniquely appealing - while making effortless connections to painting, literature, philosophy and poetry. This makes for an elegant, graceful and beautifully-written narrative.

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Book SynopsisBun B.'s Rap Coloring and Activity Book is a 48-page fully interactive book of colouring pages, unbelievably clever activities and smart plays on rap culture bring Hip-Hop right into your living room.

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Book SynopsisPresents an examination of the classic "Pavement" album, including interviews with band members and record label staff. This book pays attention to Malkmus' growth as a musician and songwriter, both of which are evident everywhere on Wowee Zowee.Trade ReviewCharles puts himself in the center of the book—we read about his aimless college years in Michigan and his discovery of Pavement, whose songs initially seem half hearted, even bratty, but actually contain an undertow of emotion that's hard to articulate. Charles' writing is the same way. He succinctly captures the flavor of being in one's late teens and early 20s without going into unnecessary detail. Finishing school, he undergoes that arduous, interminable crisis of figuring out what to do with life, discovering that one of the only things that still makes sense is Pavement. Charles returns to the band time and again, the music weaving a thread through his life. The book includes unvarnished interviews with members of the band, providing an honest, first-person account of the making of the record. But the heart of the book isn't Pavement; it's Charles, and novelist or no, he has turned in one of the best pieces of rock journalism in recent memory—a no-bullshit, heartfelt manifesto of fandom. * The Portland Mercury *At the core of every 33 1/3 book is the question of roping in readers who may be unfamiliar with the band or album, but Charles is able to resituate Pavement as the everyman band they were during the 90s payday. From tales of major label flirtations (which the band is quick to dismiss as nothing more than random dalliances with the powers-that-be) to the band's reputation as slackers (which finds Stephen Malkmus tossing aside by pointing out the band's relentless touring schedule), Charles covers much more than the time period of Wowee Zowee without abandoning the album's specific importance in their catalog. Part history lesson, part fanzine love letter, Bryan Charles has written a book that is as ambitious and yet as untethered as his subject matter. * Tiny Mix Tapes *[Charles has written] an oral history about the genesis and recording of Pavement's Wowee Zowee album that is infused with his own personal fandom of the band. Charles paints a vivid picture of the band as it wrote and recorded the album through interviews with band members and the creatives who surrounded the production of the album, all the while sharing his own experiences with the album and as a Pavement fan.Mixing the album's history with Charles' own works exceedingly well, and captures not only the essence of Pavement when they recorded Wowee Zowee, but also the indie rock culture of the time. * Largehearted Boy *Pavement’s third album isn’t the most obvious choice for a 33 1/3 book … But the series is more concerned with telling new stories than in re-telling old ones, and Bryan Charles relishes the opportunity to argue for a personal favorite. Wowee Zowee may have been a flop (he even admits a ‘lack of excitement’ when he first heard it), but he shows how the album has gradually revealed a new cohesiveness governing its scattershot aesthetic over the last two decades and how it is now revered by the same listeners who initially shrugged their shoulders. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *

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Book SynopsisOne of the finest hip-hop albums ever made, A Tribe Called Quest's debut record took the idea of the boasting hip-hop male and turned it on its head. This book explores the album's creation as well as the impact it had on the author at that time - a 17-year-old high-school geek who was into hip-hop, punk, skateboarding, and Dungeons & Dragons.

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Book SynopsisWhat does jazz “mean” 20 years into the 21st century? Has streaming culture rendered music literally meaningless, thanks to the removal of all context beyond the playlist? Are there any traditions left to explore? Has the destruction of the apprenticeship model (young musicians learning from their elders) changed the music irrevocably? Are any sounds off limits? How far out can you go and still call it “jazz”? Or should the term be retired? These questions, and many more, are answered in Ugly Beauty, as Phil Freeman digs through his own experiences and conversations with present-day players. Jazz has never seemed as vital as it does right now, and has a genuine role to play in 21st-century culture, particularly in the US and the UK.

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Book SynopsisTo millions of fans AC/DC will always be the greatest hard rock band of them all. From their formation in Sydney, Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, AC/DC have made the most visceral and single-minded rock, and inspired generations of rock icons from Def Leppard to Guns N’ Roses and Metallica. The basic blueprint laid down in their early albums with Bon Scott – hard, no-nonsense, riff-driven rock’n’roll – has served them well with more than 200 million records sold, including the best-selling rock album of all time – Back in Black. Paul Elliott documents AC/DC’s career from backstory to their latest album, 2014’s Rock Or Bust, offering real insight into the band’s enduring success and rise to rock royalty.Trade ReviewThis lavishly illustrated book - which features a treasure trove of rare shots throughout - [is] a weighty, worthy addition to the AC/DC canon. -- Simon Young * Planet Rock *

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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 SynopsisPositive Vibrations tells of how reggae was shaped by, and in turn helped to shape, the politics of Jamaica and beyond, from the rudies of Kingston to the sexual politics and narcotic allegiances of the dancehall. Insightful and full of incident, it explores how the music of a tiny Caribbean island has worked its way into the heart of global pop. From Marcus Garvey's dreams of Zion, through ska and rocksteady, roots, riddims and dub, the story closes with the Reggae Revival, a new generation of Rastas as comfortable riding rhythms in a dancehall style as they are singing sweet melodies from times gone by. Impeccably informed, vibrant and heartfelt, Positive Vibrations is a passionate and exhaustive account of the politics in reggae, and the reggae in politics.

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Book SynopsisAn introduction for new fans, a useful handbook for jazz enthusiasts and performers, and an important reference for students and educators, this second edition of Ted Gioia's The Jazz Standards--now updated by popular demand-- belongs on the shelf of every serious jazz lover or musician.Trade ReviewGioia brings his deep knowledge of jazz to bear when comparing how a wide variety of artists approached a given tune and does not shy away from voicing his opinions about the good, the bad, and the ugly. * J Farrington, CHOICE *If you look up just one title in The Jazz Standards, before you realize it you will have spent an intriguing hour or two learning fascinating and new things about old songs that you have known most of your life. * Dave Brubeck *Which is best: interpretation or song? In any case, jazz and standards are forever locked in loving embrace. A finely researched work. * Sonny Rollins *Mr. Gioia's is the first general-interest, wide-ranging and authoritative guide to the basic contemporary jazz canon. * Will Friedwald, Wall Street Journal *In virtually every instance, Gioia delivers. * The Atlantic Monthly *One man's repertoire may be another man's B-list, but when the man is Ted Gioia, one tends to listen - in both senses. Gioia, among the most lauded of jazz writers, has chosen more than 250 songs. He tells the story behind each....Compulsively readable, and belongs on the shelves of every jazz lover, or jazz-lover wannabe. * Toronto Globe and Mail *This book should be in the library of every gigging jazz musician and every serious jazz fan. * Library Journal *What a useful and informative book The Jazz Standards is! Explaining the jazz repertory in a way that is accessible for the jazz beginner yet stimulating for the aficionado, Ted Gioia shows once again why he is one the best jazz writers around today. * Gerald Early, Editor of Miles Davis and American Culture *Warning: This book is addictive....Putting together a compendium like this must involve prodigious research and an encyclopaedic memory. Fortunately Gioia...wears his learning lightly and conveys it with wit and insight, and a minimum of musicological jargon. * Dallas Morning News *The book is wise, often funny—and it always accomplishes the highest mission of writing about music, which is to send you back to the music with wide-open ears. * Kansas City Star *Ted Gioia's The Jazz Standards is an interactive joy. It's a book you can have fun with while learning from it and it can also serve a companion anthology and reference guide. * Steven Cerra, Jazz Profiles *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction After You've Gone Ain't Misbehavin' Airegin Alfie All Blues All of Me All of You All the Things You Are Almost Like Being in Love Alone Together Along Came Betty Angel Eyes April in Paris Autumn in New York Autumn Leaves Bags' Groove Basin Street Blues Beale Street Blues Bemsha Swing Billie's Bounce Birdland Blue Bossa Blue in Green Blue Monk Blue Moon Blue Skies Blues in the Night Bluesette Body and Soul But Beautiful But Not for Me Bye Bye Blackbird C Jam Blues Cantaloupe Island Caravan Chelsea Bridge Cherokee A Child is Born Come Rain or Come Shine Come Sunday Con Alma Confirmation Corcovado Cotton Tail Darn That Dream Days of Wine and Roses Desafinado Dinah Django Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans Dolphin Dance Donna Lee Don't Blame Me Don't Get Around Much Anymore East of the Sun (and West of the Moon) Easy Living Easy to Love Embraceable You Emily Epistrophy Everything Happens to Me Evidence Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye Exactly Like You Falling in Love with Love Fascinating Rhythm Fly Me to the Moon A Foggy Day Footprints Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You? Georgia on My Mind Ghost of a Chance Giant Steps The Girl from Ipanema God Bless the Child Gone with the Wind Good Morning Heartache Goodbye Pork Pie Hat Groovin' High Have You Met Miss Jones? Here's That Rainy Day Honeysuckle Rose Hot House How Deep Is the Ocean? How High the Moon How Insensitive How Long Has This Been Going On? I Can't Get Started I Can't Give You Anything but Love I Cover the Waterfront I Didn't Know What Time It Was I Fall in Love Too Easily I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good) I Got Rhythm I Hear a Rhapsody I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart I Love You I Mean You I Only Have Eyes for You I Remember Clifford I Should Care I Surrender, Dear I Thought about You I Want to Be Happy If I Should Lose You If You Could See Me Now I'll Remember April I'm in the Mood for Love Impressions In a Mellow Tone In a Sentimental Mood In Your Own Sweet Way Indiana Invitation It Could Happen to You It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) It Had to Be You It Might As Well Be Spring It Never Entered My Mind I've Found a New Baby The Jitterbug Waltz Joy Spring Just Friends Just One of Those Things Just You, Just Me King Porter Stomp Lady Bird The Lady is a Tramp Lament Laura Lester Leaps In Like Someone in Love Limehouse Blues Liza Lonely Woman Lotus Blossom Love for Sale Love is Here to Stay Lover Lover, Come Back to Me Lover Man Lullaby of Birdland Lush Life Mack the Knife Maiden Voyage The Man I Love Manhã de Carnaval Mean to Me Meditation Memories of You Milestones Misterioso Misty Moanin' Moment's Notice Mood Indigo Moonlight in Vermont Moose the Mooche More Than You Know Muskrat Ramble My Favorite Things My Foolish Heart My Funny Valentine My Heart Stood Still My Old Flame My One and Only Love My Romance Naima Nardis Nature Boy The Nearness of You Nice Work If You Can Get It Night and Day Night in Tunisia Night Train Now's the Time Nuages Oh, Lady Be Good! Old Folks Oleo On a Clear Day On Green Dolphin Street On the Sunny Side of the Street Once I Loved One Note Samba One o'Clock Jump Ornithology Out of Nowhere Over the Rainbow Peace The Peacocks Pennies from Heaven Perdido Poinciana Polka Dots and Moonbeams Prelude to a Kiss Rhythm-a-ning 'Round Midnight Royal Garden Blues Ruby, My Dear St. James Infirmary Blues St. Louis Blues St. Thomas Satin Doll Scrapple from the Apple Secret Love The Shadow of Your Smile Skylark Smile Smoke Gets in Your Eyes So What Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise Solar Solitude Some of These Days Someday My Prince Will Come Someone to Watch Over Me Song for My Father The Song Is You Sophisticated Lady Soul Eyes Speak Low Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most Spring Is Here Star Dust Star Eyes Stella by Starlight Stolen Moments Stompin' at the Savoy Stormy Weather Straight, No Chaser Struttin' with Some Barbecue Summertime Sweet Georgia Brown 'S Wonderful Take Five Take the A Train Tea for Two Tenderly There Is No Greater Love There Will Never Be Another You These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You) They Can't Take That Away from Me Things Ain't What They Used to Be Tiger Rag Time after Time Tin Roof Blues The Very Thought of You Waltz for Debby Watermelon Man Wave The Way You Look Tonight Well, You Needn't What Is This Thing Called Love? What's New? When the Saints Go Marching In Whisper Not Who Can I Turn To? Willow Weep for Me Yardbird Suite Yesterdays You Don't Know What Love Is You Go to My Head You Stepped Out of a Dream You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To

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Book SynopsisThe perfect gift for any music lover . . . 'Hepworth has more insider knowledge and knows more rock anecdotes than any man alive' The Herald'Unmissable for music enthusiasts' Woman & HomeThe Rock and Roll A Level is here to rescue the pop quiz from the grip of bores who know the chart position of everything and the value of nothing.It's for the people who like pop music because it tells them so much about real life, the people who learned about America from the songs of Chuck Berry, about Europe from the albums of David Bowie and about all manner of things from the songs of Steely Dan.It's the first quiz book where the answers are as interesting as the questions.It's the first quiz book where general knowledge matters as much as an adolescence spent reading the NME or Smash Hits.It's a proper education.

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Book SynopsisFrom the ashes of Nirvana, Dave Grohl rose as a one-man band with a self-titled album: The Foo Fighters. Now, 25 years on, and with a rock solid outfit that includes Nate Mendel (bass), Taylor Hawkins (drums), Chris Shiflett (guitar), Pat Smear (rhythm guitar) and latest addition, Rami Jaffee (keyboards) - The Foo Fighters are revelling in the success of their ninth studio album, Concrete and Gold. Paying homage to the band's enduring longevity, The Foo Fighters: The Band that Dave Made is a comprehensive look at a career that boasts six, million-selling albums, eleven Grammies and hit stadium rock anthems such as "Learn to Fly", "Best of You" and "Everlong". Fully Illustrated, this handsome biography from acclaimed rock writer, Stevie Chick, is a fitting tribute to a band born out of the "nicest guy in rock's" single-minded vision and now one of the planet's biggest rock groups.Trade Review'There are many Foo Fighters biographies on the market. But this exhaustive coffee-table book by music journalist Stevie Chick is arguably the most beautiful. As good looking as it is engaging.' -- Classic Rock magazine

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Book Synopsis2019 marks the golden anniversary of the mass musical gatherings that saw the hippie generation at their 1969 zenith. Two events stand out, staged within days of each other that magical August: in the United States, there was Woodstock, and in the UK the Isle of Wight Festival of Music. Woodstock drew 400,000 fans and a quality bill that was a Who's Who of contemporary talent - all bar the main man the organisers hoped to lure on the doorstep of his home, Bob Dylan. Instead, Dylan opted to headline at the Isle of Wight, in front of close to 200,000 adoring fans. Here Bill Bradshaw celebrates the events of that summer 50 years on... and how the Isle of Wight, off England's southern coast, staged what was then the nation's biggest festival - and how it pulled off such a huge coup. Eye-witness accounts from fans, artists and the promoters bring alive that gilded summer and how it influenced both Dylan and the rock festival movement for generations to come.

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Book SynopsisFrom 1987 to 1995, Bristol, England’s Sarah Records was a modest underground success and, for the most part, a critical laughingstock in its native country—sneeringly dismissed as the sad, final repository for a fringe style of music (variously referred to as “indie-pop,” “C86,” “cutie” and “twee”) whose moment had passed. Yet now, more than 20 years after its founders symbolically “destroyed” it, Sarah is among the most passionately fetishized record labels of all time. Its rare releases command hundreds of dollars, devotees around the world hungrily seek out any information they can find about its poorly documented history, and young musicians—some of them not yet born when Sarah shut down—claim its bands (such as Blueboy, the Field Mice, Heavenly, and the Wake) as major influences. Featuring dozens of exclusive interviews with the music-makers, producers, writers and assorted eyewitnesses who played a part in Sarah’s eight-year odyssey, Popkiss: The Life and Afterlife of Sarah Records is the first authorised biography of an unlikely cult legend.Trade ReviewFascinating ... [A] detailed history of the cult Bristol-based indie ... [White] puts forward a strong case for its worth. * MOJO *White's book offers a series of discrete essays, each one covering a different theme or particular band … [Its] intriguing chapters explore the non-musical idiosyncrasies that made Sarah unique. * The Wire *Michael White expertly puts Sarah into context with a whirlwind tour of early indie-pop … This interesting read [is] very welcome. * Record Collector *A beautiful document in itself [and a 'Top Read of 2015']. * 3AM Magazine *Combining a zine-like zeal for its subjects with a thorough examination of the cultural context that made them special, the interconnected narratives of Popkiss form an IRL internet for people who believe a record is something to hold, cherish and scratch rather than click into the cloud. This is an essential archive of a pivotal moment in UK pop history that was in danger of fading from our collective pre-web memory. * Stuart Berman, Pitchfork Contributor and author of This Book Is Broken: A Broken Social Scene Story and Too Much Trouble: A Very Oral History of Danko Jones *More than the labels that inspired its existence, Sarah Records came to define the indie-pop aesthetic. A great record label needs a great biography, and it's hard to think of anyone who could tell the Sarah story as empathetically as Michael White. Popkiss is a triumph. * Pete Paphides *It’s hard to think of another record company that provoked such strong emotions as Sarah: the label, and the music it released, inspired either undying devotion or implacable loathing. Michael White’s book shines a brilliant light on a strange and unique moment in indie history, illuminating a fascinating, lost world of pop, politics, passion and postal orders. * Alexis Petridis, Head Rock and Pop Critic, The Guardian, UK *White's history is a much-needed document, fleshing out details and explanation for a label and ‘scene’ that has meant so much to so many yet not received the literary attention it deserves … Popkiss is immensely readable and incredibly successful in uncovering the secrets of a record label that was timeless in its output, limited in its lifespan, and for the most part known to only a select few record-philes during its duration. If you were in the know, Popkiss will help you discover Sarah anew. If you weren't, you will find endless rabbit holes down which to venture. Either way, you'll come away pleased. -- Frank Valish * Under the Radar *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Chapter One: Songs of Innocence and Inexperience: The Roots of Sarah Chapter Two: “Let’s Just Communicate!”: The 1980s Fanzine Underground Chapter Three: “How Much Do One Thousand Flexidiscs Weigh?”: When Matt Met Clare Chapter Four: “Come to My World”: The Sea Urchins and the Beginning of Sarah Chapter Five: “A Constant Source of Bemusement and Wonder”: The Orchids Chapter Six: “Another Fucking Harvey Band”: The Ubiquitous Harvey Williams Chapter Seven: “Sarah Records Unequivocally Supports a Fully Integrated Light-Rail Rapid-Transit System for the Greater Bristol Area”: Expressions of Civic Pride Chapter Eight: “A Diary of Sorts”: The Field Mice, Northern Picture Library, and the Quicksilver Bobby Wratten Chapter Nine: “I Sometimes Feel So Lost”: Brighter Chapter Ten: Safe Harbour: The Wake and The Hit Parade Chapter Eleven: “I Am Telling You Because You Are Far Away”: Internationalism and Sarah’s Written Communiqués Chapter Twelve: “Atta Girl”: Heavenly, Riot Grrrl and Feminism Chapter Thirteen: Sadness is Unisex”: Blueboy and “the Best Album” Sarah Released Chapter Fourteen: An Economy of Ambition: Sarah’s Short-Term Visitors Chapter Fifteen: “We Had an Outsider’s Perspective”: Sarah’s Foreign Visitors Chapter Sixteen: “A Day for Destroying Things…”: The End of Sarah Chapter Seventeen: The Afterlife of Sarah The Sarah Discography Index

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Book SynopsisA compelling portrait of composer-performer Julius Eastman's enigmatic and intriguing life and music. Composer-performer Julius Eastman (1940-90) was an enigma, both comfortable and uncomfortable in the many worlds he inhabited: black, white, gay, straight, classical music, disco, academia, and downtown New York. His music, insistent and straightforward, resists labels and seethes with a tension that resonates with musicians, scholars, and audiences today. Eastman's provocative titles, including Gay Guerrilla, Evil Nigger, Crazy Nigger, and others, assault us with his obsessions. Eastman tested limits with his political aggressiveness, as reflected in legendary scandals like his June 1975 performance of John Cage's Song Books, which featured homoerotic interjections, and the uproar over his titles at Northwestern University. These episodes are examples of Eastman's persistence in pushing the limits of the acceptable in the highly charged arenas of sexual and civil rights. In addition to analyses of Eastman's music, the essays in Gay Guerrilla provide background on his remarkable life history and the era's social landscape. The book presents an authentic portrait of a notable American artist thatis compelling reading for the general reader as well as scholars interested in twentieth-century American music, American studies, gay rights, and civil rights. This Life of Sounds: Evenings for New Music inBuffalo received an ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for excellence. Mary Jane Leach is a composer and freelance writer, currently writing music and theatre criticism for the Albany Times-Union.Trade ReviewJulius Eastman enjoyed the admiration of peers such as Morton Feldman, Meredith Monk and Pierre Boulez. Here, highly engaging essays by those who knew Eastman well recall him as a person and assess his brilliance. While there are amusing anecdotes about his more madcap moments...the overall message is that he was an artist deserving of significant respect. * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *[Eastman's work] effectively rewrote the history of post-war American New Music, restoring to its narrative a gay black voice creating a liberating, high-energy form of organic minimalism. * THE GUARDIAN *It is eminently readable throughout. * JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC STUDIES *[The book will be] a starting point for others who want to engage with Julius Eastman as a performer, scholar, or composer. * ARSC JOURNAL *A picture of [Eastman]--charismatic performer, magnetic personality and emotional escape artist--that puts his work in a context larger and more representative. * BAY AREA REPORTER *A composer of visionary power, a singer with a cavernous bass voice, a collaborator with the diverse likes of Meredith Monk and Pierre Boulez, Eastman had long been a fixture of the New York Music scene....Part of the pleasure of Eastman's rediscovery has been the belated, deserving reinsertion of a black, gay figure into music history. * THE NEW YORK TIMES *Outspoken about his own identity as a black queer man...Eastman was ahead of his time. His music is politics by other means, in search of a form, alighting toward a future that could grant him dignity, when he could be something other than an abstraction. * THE NEW YORKER *A fascinating new collection of essays exploring the life and work of the enigmatic composer Julius Eastman...who worked fluently in jazz, improvisation and acoustical experiments. An indication of his impact is the very fact that so many people have come together [in this book] to remember him and are actively championing his music. * ALBANY TIMES-UNION *The publication of this rigorously researched, lovingly produced, multidimensional study of a singular artist will surely be met with joy by those of us who remember Julius Eastman--the inspired creator, the sly provocateur and martyred saint of the avant-garde. For those who are interested in iconoclasts of whatever stripe, this volume will be a revelation and an invitation to rethink what composition, performance, and life at the precipice of madness can be.-- -- Bill T. Jones, choreographer and dancerThis book has arrived just in time for Black Lives Matter and gets my deepest praise. This important volume of essays brought forth by two brilliant women who have long championed Eastman's music, belongs in every music conservatory library and beyond.-- -- Pauline Oliveros, composerTable of ContentsForeword by George E. Lewis Acknowledgments Introduction: Julius Eastman and His Music - Renee Levine Packer Julius Eastman, A Biography - Renee Levine Packer Unjust Malaise - David Borden The Julius Eastman Parables - R. Nemo Hill Julius Eastman and the Conception of "Organic Music" - Kyle Gann Julius Eastman Singing - John Patrick Thomas An Accidental Musicologist Passes the Torch - Mary Jane Leach A Flexible Musical Identity: Julius Eastman in New York City, 1976-90 - Ryan Dohoney Evil Nigger: A Piece for Multiple Instruments of the Same Type by Julius Eastman (1979), with Performance Instructions by Joseph Kubera - David Borden A Postminimalist Analysis of Julius Eastman's Crazy Nigger - Andrew Hanson-Dvoracek "The Piece Does Not Exist without Julius": Still Staying on Stay On It - Matthew Mendez Connecting the Dots - Mary Jane Leach Gay Guerrilla: A Minimalist Choralphantasie - Luciano Chessa Appendix: Julius Eastman Compositions - Mary Jane Leach Chronology Selected Bibliography List of Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisFinally, after all that waiting, The Future arrived in 1980. Ohio art-rockers Devo had plainly prepared with their 1979 second LP Duty Now for the Future, and now it was go time. Propelled by the new decade's high-tech, free-market, pre-AIDS promise, 1980's Freedom of Choice would rocket what Devo co-founder Gerald Casale calls his "alternate universe, hermetically sealed, alien band" both into the arms of the Earthlings and back to their home planet in one scenic trip. Before an artistic and commercial decline that resulted in a 20-year gap between Devo's last two studio records, Freedom of Choice made them curious, insurgent superstars, vindicated but ultimately betrayed by the birth of MTV. Their only platinum album represented the best of their unreplicable code: dead-serious tricksters, embracing conformity in order to destroy it with bullet-proof pop sensibility. Through first-hand accounts from the band and musical analysis set against an examination of new wave's emergence, the first-ever authorized book about Devo (with a foreword by Portlandia's Fred Armisen) explores the group's peak of success, when their hermetic seal cracked open to let in mainstream attention, a legion of new Devotees, and plenty of misunderstandings. "Freedom of Choice was the end of Devo innocence–it turned out to be the high point before the s***storm of a total cultural move to the right, the advent of AIDS, and the press starting to figure Devo out and think they had our number," says Casale. "It's where everything changes."Trade ReviewEvie Nagy's 33 1/3 book on Devo's Freedom of Choice is fantastic, nerdy, swift and meticulous, and the book you have been waiting for if you even like Devo a little bit. * Jessica Hopper, Senior Editor, Pitchfork *...a solid look back at the point where everything changed for Devo ... Nagy gets Devo’s mix of nerdishness, humour, and serious political intent … bringing together new quotes from Devo members, others involved with the album, people from Devo’s circle over the years, as well as bits from contemporary articles to tell a story that’s well worth reading for anyone interested alternative music or 1980s pop culture. * TheFifteenth *Interview -- PopMattersExcerpted -- Rolling StoneInterview * Bedford and Bowery *Excerpted * Fast Company *Nagy’s look at Devo offers some great anecdotes for the spuds out there. There are coked-out stories about the band in the studio and on the road, as well as a look at how the oddball aesthetic of Devo left its fingerprints on nerd culture over the last few decades, maybe even initiating the whole geek chic thing. -- Hubert Vigilla * Ruby Hornet *Nagy has conducted interviews with the remaining Devo members, has quoted extensively from interviews and has told in detail the history of the album including the elaborate studio sessions with producer Robert Margouleff ... This is compulsory reading for fans. * HHV-mag (Bloomsbury translation) *Get straight! Go forward! There's no Hazmat jacket required to whip through Freedom of Choice, which motors through Devo's rich history with all the relentless precision and curveball flourishes of their greatest works, and—best of all—vividly renders the very human souls behind the automaton anthems that devolutionized an era." * Sean Howe, author of Marvel Comics: The Untold Story *“Spuds will love the nostalgia and the insiders' information in Devo's Freedom of Choice … Non-spuds who think of Devo as a one-hit wonder will be surprised to read of Devo's impact and musical influence. Spuds and non-spuds alike will want to dust off their old LPs or cassettes, or pull up some songs on YouTube, and relive the early days of Devo, a great band ahead of its time.” * Reading Glutton *Table of ContentsForeword by Fred Armisen Introduction 1. Girl U Want Look at you with your mouth waterin', look at you with your mind spinnin'. Why don't we just admit it's all over? 2. It's Not Right I sit around in a trance all day and think about you all the time. 3. Whip It Go forward, move ahead, try to detect it, it's not too late. 4. Snowball Like a snowball grows, until it gets too big. Until she lost control. And it rolled back down. 5. Ton O' Love Take your turn, now make your move. Crush that doubt with a ton o' love. 6. Freedom of Choice Freedom of choice is what you got, freedom from choice is what you want. 7. Gates of Steel Half a goon and half a God, a man's not made of steel. 8. Cold War I owe you absolutely nothing. 9. Don't You Know I got a rocket in my pocket, but I don't know what to do. 10. That's Pep! Vigor, vim, vitality and punch. 11. Mr. B's Ballroom Yellin', laughin' tryin' hard to act smart, we put 'em under pressure and you watch them fall apart. 12. Planet Earth Planet Earth, it's a place to live your life. Acknowledgments Notes

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Book SynopsisThe perfect companion to Baz Luhrmann''s forthcoming biopic Elvis, a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks and Austin Butler.What was it like to be Elvis Presley? What did it feel like when impossible fame made him its prisoner? As the world''s first rock star there was no one to tell him what to expect, no one with whom he could share the burden of being himself - of being Elvis.On the outside he was all charm, sex appeal, outrageously confident on stage and stunningly gifted in the recording studio. To his fans he seemed to have it all. He was Elvis. With his voice and style influencing succeeding generations of musicians, he should have been free to sing any song he liked, to star in any film he was offered, and to tour in any country he chose. But he wasn''t free. The circumstances of his poor beginnings in the American South, which, as he blended gospel music with black rhythm and blues and white country songs, helped him create rock and Trade ReviewElvis was a spark of light that lit up the dark room of our adolescence -- Paul McCartney, about BEING ELVISElvis changed the world triumphantly and his own world tragically, living and dying the American Dream, never knowing how it had happened. Ray Connolly does -- Tim RiceEsteemed writer, Ray Connolly, offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of an icon in BEING ELVIS: A LONELY LIFE. * Choice *A brisk and informative introduction to Presley's life * The Times *

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Book SynopsisAn insider's guide to achieving that dream career – by one of the brightest stars in musical theatre. Being in a West End or Broadway musical is the dream of thousands of talented performers. But competition is intense and reaching the spotlight can often require a leap into the dark. So You Want To Be In Musicals? by Ruthie Henshall is your comprehensive guide to building – and sustaining – a successful career in musical theatre, and introduces you to everything you need to know about: Training – how to select a drama school, what to do to get in, and what to do once you’re there Auditioning – how to choose and prepare your pieces, and foster a positive attitude towards auditions Rehearsing – how to construct your character, work with the director, and develop your own creative process Performing – how to deal with nerves, what to do as an understudy, and how to sustain that eight-show-a-week routine Working – how to get an agent, how to market yourself effectively, and how to maintain a healthy body and mind Along with a wealth of honest, straightforward advice, the book is packed with instructive anecdotes from Ruthie's own glittering career.Trade Review'A god-send... I wish this book had been around when I was at drama school - it actually gives you great advice on what to do and the attitude to take if you want to make it in this glamorous business known as show... an excellent read from cover to cover' * Musical Theatre Review *'A comprehensive and cogent insight into the world [Ruthie Henshall] knows inside out... The book intersperses cautionary tales from her illustrious career with invaluable advice on training, auditioning and how to conduct yourself in rehearsals once you've landed the job. After more than 25 years' experience on both sides of the Atlantic, Henshall very evidently knows what she is talking about' * The Stage *'A must for fans and aspiring performers alike' * broadwayworld.com *'Helpful and informative' * British Theatre Guide *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating oral history of one of American indie rock's most enduring and influential acts Slow, deliberate and deceptively simple, the music of Boston-based band Galaxie 500 was wonderfully at odds with the prevailing underground sounds of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Formed in 1987, the band split up in 1991 after releasing three acclaimed albums—Today, On Fire and This Is Our Music—as well as a Peel Sessions recording. The primary contributors to this long-unavailable history of the band are the three band members—bassist/vocalist Naomi Yang, drummer Damon Krukowski and guitarist/vocalist Dean Wareham—but dozens of people were interviewed in all, including fellow musicians, record business folks, music critics and scenesters. Galaxie 500: Temperature's Rising provides a complex, sometimes contentious account of the band's rise to indie stardom and their acrimonious breakup. It also includes dozens of rare and never-before-seen photographs, as well as posters and other ephemera from the personal collection of Naomi Yang, who provides a running commentary to the images. This is the definitive book about Galaxie 500 and a crucial chapter in the story of indie rock.

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Book SynopsisNot a history or encyclopaedia of the Britpop era but a celebration of one of the most exciting times in British pop music history.

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Book SynopsisBetween 1977 and 2012, INXS went from touring the Australian pub scene to conquering the world with their unique hybrid of rock, pop and funk. Despite soaking up a vast number of influences along the way, INXS transcended all music scenes, retaining their individuality which helped them sell 95 million albums across the world.

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Book SynopsisGet a completely new look at guitar legend Eddie Van Halen with this groundbreaking oral history, composed of more than fifty hours of interviews with Eddie himself as well as his family, friends, and colleagues.When rock legend Eddie Van Halen died of cancer on October 6, 2020, the entire world seemed to stop and grieve. Since his band Van Halen burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album in 1978, Eddie had been hailed as an icon not only to fans of rock music and heavy metal, but to performers across all genres and around the world. Van Halen's debut sounded unlike anything that listeners had heard before and remains a quintessential rock album of the era. Over the course of more than four decades, Eddie gained renown for his innovative guitar playing, and particularly for popularizing the tapping guitar solo technique. Unfortunately for Eddie and his legions of fans, he died before he was ever able to put his life down to paper in his own words, and much of his compelling backstory has remained elusiveuntil now. In Eruption, music journalists Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill share with fans, new and old alike, a candid, compulsively readable, and definitive oral history of the most influential rock guitarist since Jimi Hendrix. It is based on more than 50+ hours of unreleased interviews they recorded with Eddie Van Halen over the years, most of them conducted at the legendary 5150 studios at Ed's home in Los Angeles. The heart of Eruption is drawn from these intimate and wide-ranging talks, as well as conversations with family, friends, and colleagues. In addition to discussing his greatest triumphs as a groundbreaking musician, including an unprecedented dive into Van Halen's masterpiece 1984, the book also takes an unflinching look at Edward's early struggles as young Dutch immigrant unable to speak the English language, which resulted in lifelong issues with social anxiety and substance abuse. Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen also examines his brilliance as an inventor who changed the face of guitar manufacturing.As entertaining as it is revealing, Eruption is the closest readers will ever get to hearing Eddie's side of the story when it comes to his extraordinary life.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIt Was All A Dream is a must-read for any hip-hop fan who seeks to understand the journey of one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. There are a number of important, never-been-told-before stories that Justin Tinsley deftly weaves throughout this biography to create a thorough, brilliant account of the legacy of the Notorious B.I.G. -- Brian Nolan * Executive Vice-President, Motown Records *“Sometimes a legend is larger than life. But the legend without the life is like a hype man with no one to hype. Similar to 'the Black Frank White,' Justin Tinsley has 'got a story to tell.' It is a biographical story that navigates both legend and life with clarity, vision, and supreme focus, acknowledging the monumental legend of Biggie Smalls while guiding us on a VIP tour of Christopher Wallace’s life. It Was All a Dream adds cultural breadth and historical depth to the rich legacy of a 1990s icon who now transcends time.” * Dr. Todd Boyd, aka Notorious PhD, Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race and Popular Culture in the USC School of Cinematic Arts *“I know a lot about Christopher Wallace. More than most. I was blessed to meet him and talk to him on numerous occasions. And yet this book constantly found ways to surprise me. Justin Tinsley has written a classic, one that unlike the whodunit books that have congregated around the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac, actually focuses on the man behind the mic, his talent and compelling life, and not just on his tragic, infamous death.” * Cheo Hodari Coker, creator of Marvel's Luke Cage and author of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G. *“This book accomplishes the impossible because it satisfies both hard-core Biggie fans and casual observers. The writing is beautiful, and personal. Justin takes us on a vulnerable journey and dares us to consider Biggie in a way that is broader, nuanced and more complete.” * Jemele Hill, contributing writer at the Atlantic *“In this soulful, meticulously reported biography, Justin Tinsley captures the tumultuous life of a young Black male, until now, misunderstood. Finally, the world can connect with Christopher Wallace—before he was Biggie. ‘And if you don’t know, now you know.’” * Elliott Wilson, Chief Content Officer, TIDAL; cohost of Rap Radar podcast; and coauthor of Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists *Revelatory * Rolling Stone *Tinsley’s sleek, effective biography introduces major figures in Wallace’s life, complete with interesting backstories, before we meet the influential rapper, giving readers a solid grounding in the pertinent context . . . . A touching tribute to the Notorious B.I.G. balancing larger-than-life stories with poignant personal moments. * Kirkus *“Meticulously researched . . . . Hip-hop and Biggie fans will appreciate the book’s context of his rise to fame and the reminiscences of those closest to him.” * Library Journal *“A deeply reported saga of the ephemeral, yet colorful life of The Notorious B.I.G.” * USA Today *“There’s no telling where he would have gone, but this book does a fine job of tracing how far he managed to go.” * Los Angeles Times *“This is more than a biography, it’s a snapshot of both the record industry and America itself at crucial junctures for both.” * Vulture, "The 18 Best Books of the Year (So Far) *“If you care about Black people, cities, music, culture, and/or the late great Christopher Wallace, this is mandatory reading for you.” * Christina Greer, New York Amsterdam News *“It Was All a Dream is a full measure of the man himself, going beyond coverage of his shocking, mysterious murder . . . it’s an important book, offering a full–fledged portrait of the late Christopher Wallace.” * Nitish Pahwa, Slate *A brilliant biography. * The Root *Think you know Biggie Smalls? Until you read this book, you have no idea. * Salon *"A humanizing biography. * The Stacks *Well-researched biography ... goes an extra mile. * Esquire *Speaks to a societal perspective. * Teen Vogue *

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Book SynopsisFrom 1975, through the eighties, re-activated in the nineties and a slight return in 2016-18, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow took its fans on numerous journeys from the grandiose beginnings with Ronnie James Dio to the chart busting times with Graham Bonnet and Joe Lynn Turner. And again in the nineties with Doogie White as lead vocalist, and finally stepping out for the last time in the twenty-first century for a handful of shows allowing a new generation of fans to have the opportunity of hearing Rainbow live on stage. In this hefty tome Jerry Bloom charts Rainbow’s full career with great detail and information, along with a huge raft of superb imagery that covers the entire career. Aside from band photos, the visual element is enhanced with rare memorabilia and artifacts.

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Book SynopsisHailed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest rock memoirs of all time, Be My Baby is the true story of how Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ronnie Spector carved out a space for herself against tremendous odds amid the chaos of the 1960s music scene and beyond.With an introduction by Keith Richards and a new epilogue from Ronnie.Ronnie Spector’s first collaboration with producer Phil Spector, ‘Be My Baby’, stunned the world and shot girl group The Ronettes to stardom. No one could sing as clearly, as emotively as Ronnie. But her voice was soon drowned out in Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, and lost in Ronnie and Phil’s ensuing romance and marriage.Ronnie had to fight tooth and nail to wrest back control of her life, her music and her legacy. And while she regained her footing, Ronnie found herself collaborating with the Beatles, partying with David Bowie and touring with Bruce Springsteen.Smart, humorous and self-possessed, Be My Baby is a whirlwind account of the twists and turns in the life of an artist. More than anything, Be My Baby is a testament to the fact that it is possible to stand up to a powerful abuser and start on a second – or third, or fifth – act.Trade ReviewAn entertaining, gossipy, whirlwind ride through the 1960s . . . -- Wendy Leigh, Sunday TimesA lively, illuminating read . . . Spector’s portrait of the energy of the early Sixties music scene is fascinating * Kirkus Reviews *Entertaining, often disturbing . . . well told and . . . quite moving. Be My Baby . . . marks the passage of Ronnie Spector from victim to survivor -- Alan Light, Rolling StoneFunny and observant, consistently engaging . . . sprinkled with deadpan humour -- Mike Boehm, Los Angeles TimesDespite all the hard times, Ronnie comes across here as a survivor, and the book maintains a surprisingly jaunty tone -- Ilene Cooper, BooklistAn enthralling and moving Dante-esque descent through the rock ’n’ roll inferno. One of the three greatest rock ’n’ roll memoirs -- Jon Wilde, Blitz (London)

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Book SynopsisThe definitive chronicle on the graphic art of punk style!

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