Popular music Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRock and Romanticism: Blake, Wordsworth, and Rock from Dylan to U2 is an edited anthology that seeks to explain just how rock and roll is a Romantic phenomenon that sheds light, retrospectively, on what literary Romanticism was at its different points of origin and on what it has become in the present. This anthology allows Byron and Wollstonecraft to speak back to contemporary theories of Romanticism through Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. Relying on Löwy and Sayre's Romanticism Against the Tide of Modernity, it explores how hostility, loss, and longing for unity are particularly appropriate terms for classic rock as well as the origins of these emotions. In essays ranging from Bob Dylan to Blackberry Smoke, this work examines how rock and roll expands, interprets, restates, interrogates, and conflicts with literary Romanticism, all the while understanding that as a term rock and roll in reference to popular music from the late 1940s through the early 2000s is every bit as contradicTrade ReviewIt might seem odd to bring the Romanticism of the 19th century together with the rock music of the 20th and 21st centuries. However, with this book Rovira (Mississippi College) shows that there is a valid connection. In dealing with rock, the contributors (most of whom are, like the editor, English scholars) focus primarily on lyrics rather than the music itself. The contributors do not superimpose their concepts of Romanticism onto song lyrics; rather, they show that song lyricists from Bob Dylan and the Beatles to U2 have had demonstrable connections to Romantic poets such as Blake and Wordsworth and to the thinking of the Romantic era. In exploring such connections, the essayists delve into the sociocultural background of the earlier time and the present. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE *This collection by James Rovira shows just how influential the Romantics have been on modern popular music, not only furnishing contemporary singers with the themes and lyrics of their songs but, in many cases, also providing the attitude that defines post-war rock music. I was delighted to see some of my favorite Blake-inspired adaptations included here, as well as the fact that the contributors do not simply deal with the obvious examples of the influence of Romanticism but display a much wider range of appreciation and erudition. -- Jason Whittaker, University of LincolnA deft examination of the varieties of Romanticism and their incarnations in rock music, as wide-ranging and stimulating as the music and the literature it probes. -- Robert Pattison, Long Island University, author of The Triumph of VulgarityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Rock and Romanticism by James Rovira Part I: Blake, Shelley, and Rock “Tangled Up in Blake: the Triangular Relationship among Dylan, Blake, and the Beats” by Luke Walker “Romanticism in the Park: Mick Jagger Reading Shelley” by Jaaneke van der Leest “William Blake: The Romantic Alternative” by Douglas T. Root “Digging at the Roots: Martha Redbone’s The Garden of Love: Songs of William Blake” by Nicole Lobdell “‘Tangle of Matter and Ghost’: U2, Leonard Cohen, and Blakean Romanticism” by Lisa Crafton Part II: Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Rock “The Inner Revolution(s) of Wordsworth and the Beatles” by David Boocker “‘When the Light that’s Lost within Us Reaches the Sky’: Jackson Browne’s Romantic Vision” by Gary L. Tandy “‘Swimming Against the Stream’: Rush’s Romantic Critique of their Modern Age” by David S. Hogsette “Wordsworth’s ‘Michael,’ the Georgic, and Blackberry Smoke” by Ronald D. Morrison “Wordsworth on the Radio” by Rachel Feder Part III: European Romanticisms and Popular Music “Themes of ‘Scapigliatura’ and cursed poets in the songs of Piero Ciampi (1934–1980)” by Lorenzo Sorbo For more information, visit https://jamesrovira.com/rock-and-romanticism-blake-wordsworth-and-rock-from-dylan-to-u2/

Read more less

Book SynopsisPopular music scholars have long been interested in the connection between place and music. This collection brings together a number of key scholars in order to introduce readers to concepts and theories used to explore the relationships between place and music. An interdisciplinary volume, drawing from sociology, geography, ethnomusicology, media, cultural, and communication studies, this book covers a wide-range of topics germane to the production and consumption of place in popular music. Through considerations of changes in technology and the mediascape that have shaped the experience of popular music (vinyl, iPods, social media), the role of social difference and how it shapes sociomusical encounters (queer spaces, gendered and racialised spaces), as well as the construction and representations of place (musical tourism, city branding, urban mythologies), this is an up-to-the-moment overview of central discussions about place and music. The contributors explore a range of contextsTrade ReviewThe latest addition to Bloomsbury’s Popular Music Handbook series is a well-conceived and intelligently organized introduction to one of the most interesting areas of contemporary popular music scholarship: the study of musical spaces and places. The editors do an excellent job of arranging a variety of voices and bring together contrasting approaches in a way that makes coherent a topic that is, it seems, limitless! There are essays here on the bedroom, the studio and the record shop; on the toilet circuit of small gigs and the portaloo logistics of large festivals; on French banlieus, South African townships, Brazilian favelas and English suburbia; on musical cities as conceived by policy makers, tourists and musicians; on travelling at home with a Frank Sinatra album and feeling at home in the circuits of the digital universe; on the historical space of heritage and musical nationalism; on experiencing the noise of cities and the sounds of the countryside. This is a rich field of scholarship indeed! -- Simon Frith, Professor of Music, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, author of Performing Rites: On the Value of Popular Music (1998)The experience and the forms of music might seem to become ever less tethered to locality, but this collection of essays from many disciplines and countries shows how space cannot but structure sound, from global commodity flows to the banlieu and the bedroom. With succinct chapters providing evocative case studies and quick access to the relevant theoretical literatures, the Handbook will be much appreciated as the primary gateway into researching the variegated geographies of today’s popular music. -- Arun Saldanha, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Society at the University of Minnesota, USA, author of Space After Deleuze (Bloomsbury, 2017)This is not another book about the relationship between music and the city. It is not another book about musical cities. Nor is it a book about musical scenes. Following the primordial path of Simmel or Lefebvre, this edited book expands, systematizes and updates the fruitful (and foundational) relations between music, space and place from a theoretical and empirical point of view. It is a crucial work of transdisciplinary profile that equates space, place (and even the non-place) in a dialogical relationship through the presentation of the different dynamics and means of appropriation and consumption of music spaces and places - home, radio, record store, nightclub, live concert, mobile devices. It unveils the relationships between space, place, music production and performance in the city, in the bedroom, in the (virtual-) studio, in the record or in the live gig. Music does not exist without space and the place. Considering the contemporary metamorphosis of this equation, this edited book shows us the impressive number of 29 chapters dedicated to the different issues, disciplines, theories, methods and geographical latitudes that are at stake. It ranges from suburban breakout, to South African township life, Rio de Janeiro's Favelas funk, postcolonial noise and even trans-national music. The plethora of meanings of the relationship between music, space and place is further explored in terms of its historicity, heritage, memory, tourism, events/festivals or cinema. In short, this edited book has come to occupy a place - which was empty because fragmentary - for all the academics, researchers, students, music lovers, managers and politicians who have music and its 'territories' as their field of action. Moreover, I can tell you how much I missed it. -- Paula Guerra, Professor of Sociology, University of Porto, Portugal, co-editor of Punk, Fanzines and DIY Cultures in a Global World: Fast, Furious and Xerox (2020) and Underground Music Scenes and DIY Cultures (2019)Table of ContentsList of contributors Introduction (Geoff Stahl, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and J. Mark Percival, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh) Section I: Theory & method 1. Music, space, place and non-place (Geoff Stahl, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand) 2. Rhythmanalysis and circulation (Will Straw, McGill University, Canada) 3. Global, local, regional and translocal: Towards a relational approach to scale in popular music (Hyunjoon Shin, Sungkonghoe University, South Korea and Keewong Lee, Sungkonghoe University, South Korea) 4. Sociological perspectives on music and place (Andy Bennett, Griffith University, Australia) 5. Ethnomusicology and place (Kimberly Cannady, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand) 6. Political economies of urban music (Shane Homan, Monash University, Australia) 7. Sensobiographic walking and ethnographic approach of the Finnish school of soundscape studies (Helmi Järviluoama, University of Eastern Finland, Finland) Section II: Space, place and consumption 8. At Home with Sinatra (Keir Keightley, University of Western Ontario, Canada) 9. Music radio (J. Mark Percival, Queen Margaret University, UK) 10. The record shop (Nabeel Zuberi, University of Auckland, New Zealand) 11. The nightclub (Hillegonda C Rietveld, London South Bank University, UK) 12. The live venue (Robert Kronenburg, University of Liverpool, UK) 13. Mobile listening cultures (Raphaël Nowak, Griffith University, Australia) Section III: Space, place, production and performance 14. In the City - Glasgow (Martin Cloonan, University of Turku, Finland) 15. Bedroom production (Emília Barna, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary) 16. The Studio (Ruth Dockwray, University of Chester, UK) 17. The virtual studio (Martin K. Koszolko, RMIT, Australia) 18. The space of the record: Something happening somewhere (Simon Zagorski-Thomas, University of West London, UK) 19. The live gig (Sam Whiting, RMIT, Australia) Section IV: Cities, suburbs, nations and beyond 20. Suburban breakout: Nomadic reverie in British pop (Andrew Branch, University of East London, UK) 21. Sounding South African township life (Kathryn Olsen, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) 22. Funk - A musical symbol of Rio de Janeiro's favelas (Vincenzo Cambria, UNIRIO/Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 23. Banlieue: Postcolonial noise: How did French rap (re)invent 'the banlieue'? (Christina Horvath, University of Bath, UK) 24. Music and the nation (Melanie Schiller, University of Groningen, The Netherlands) 25. Transnational music (Simone Krüger Bridge, Liverpool John Moores University, UK) Section V: Selling, celebrating, representing space and place 26. Music and Heritage (Catherine Strong, RMIT, Australia) 27. Music and Tourism (Leonieke Bolderman, Erasmus University, The Netherlands) 28. Festivals (Chris Anderton, Solent University, UK) 29. Cinematic places: Popular music soundtracks and the charge of the real (Kate Bolgar Smith, SOAS University of London, UK) Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn Anthology of Australian Albums offers an overview of Australian popular music through the lens of significant, yet sometimes overlooked, Australian albums. Chapters explore the unique qualities of each album within a broader history of Australian popular music. Artists covered range from the older and non-mainstream yet influential, such as the Missing Links, Wendy Saddington and the Coloured Balls, to those who have achieved very recent success (Courtney Barnett, Dami Im and Flume) and whose work contributes to international pop music (Sia), to the more exploratory or experimental (Curse ov Dialect and A.B. Original). Collectively the albums and artists covered contribute to a view of Australian popular music through the non-canonical, emphasizing albums by women, non-white artists and Indigenous artists, and expanding the focus to include genres outside of rock including hip hop, black metal and country.Trade Review[It] provides a timely collection of rural, urban and even national shifts that perversely reveals parallel changes in what constitutes ‘the mainstream’. * Popular Music History *An Anthology of Australian Albums: Critical Engagements is a welcome addition to the growing body of work that examines Australian popular music from a critical and scholarly perspective ... a valuable contribution to the literature on Australian popular music. It illustrates a remarkable variety of Australian popular music across its history, particularly in the past decade, and is useful for providing general scholarly insight to a multidisciplinary audience of popular music scholars. Given that it does not feature detailed music analysis and is written in a straightforward academic tone, it would also be useful in promoting discussion of any of the albums featured, as well as the general development and current landscape of Australian popular music, in both scholarly and classroom contexts. * Context *Girl meets boy; girl meets girl, girls beat boys; hippies to hip-hop, brothers to others... The close readings of Australian albums since 1965 here show how work in these force fields plays out. Enjoy these symptoms, this creativity and attitude! * Peter Beilharz, Professor of Critical Theory, Sichuan University, China, and Professor of Culture and Society, Curtin University, Australia *One of those publications that, when it appears, causes the reaction, 'Fantastic! - about time there was a book on this!' And what a welcome publication it is: stellar authors celebrating, with scholarly rigour, the diversity and dynamism of Australia's landmark rock/post-punk/metal rock/electronica/Indigenous hip-hop (and beyond) albums over the last half-century, with particular focus on developments in the new millennium. * Linda Kouvaras, Associate Professor of Music, University of Melbourne, Australia *Here is a collection of essays that opens readers' ears to the history of popular music in Australia. It's not the reinforcement of a canon (there's no AC/DC here), but rather an eclectic playlist aimed at broadening our understanding of the Australian music industry, its musicians and its audiences, from 1965 to the present day. * Sarah Hill, Senior Lecturer in Music, Cardiff University, UK *Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors Preamble Introduction Jon Stratton with Jon Dale (University of South Australia, Australia) 1. The Missing Links, The Missing Links Jon Stratton (University of South Australia, Australia) 2. Wendy Saddington and The Copperwine, Wendy Saddington and The Copperwine Live Julie Rickwood (Australian National University, Australia) 3. Coloured Balls, Ball Power Paul 'Nazz' Oldham (University of South Australia, Australia) 4. The Scientists, Blood Red River Jon Stratton (University of South Australia, Australia) 5. The Plums, Gun; Deadstar, Deadstar; Milk; Over The Radio Caroline Kennedy (Monash University, Australia) 6. Shakaya, Shakaya Panizza Allmark (Edith Cowan University, Australia) 7. Striborg, Spiritual Catharsis Catherine Hoad (Massey University, Aotearoa/New Zealand) 8. Curse ov Dialect, Wooden Tongues Sarah Attfield (University of Technology, Sydney, Australia) 9. The Drones, I See Seaweed Adam Trainer (Edith Cowan University, Australia) 10. Roger Knox & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Stranger In My Land; Roger Knox, Give It a Go Liz Dean (University of Melbourne, Australia) with Roger Knox 11. Dami Im, Dami Im Sarah Keith (Macquarie University, Australia) 12. Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit John Encarnacao (University of Western Sydney, Australia) 13. Sia, This Is Acting Laura Glitsos (Curtin University, Australia) 14. Flume, Skin Ed Montano and Gene Shill (RMIT University, Australia) 15. A.B.Original, Reclaim Australia Suzi Hutchings (RMIT University, Australia) and Dianne Rodger (University of Adelaide, Australia)

Read more less

Book SynopsisSin Documentos is a landmark album in Spanish popular culture and continues to maintain considerable popularity more than two decades after its release. The characteristic guitar riff of the title song, a kind of rumba-rock, still occupies a place at every party in Spain. Los Rodríguez's success came after a decadecharacterized by the rise and fall of local-language punk and new wave bands. By the time Sin Documentos appeared, however, rock journalism was fascinated by the thriving indie scene, where the bands were singing in English and had turned to grunge and noise rock.This book evaluates the influence of Latin American pop-rock in the modernization of Spanish popular music from the 1950s, despite the Anglophilia of Spanish rock scenes, especially in the 1990s. Through interviews with members of the band and members of the record label DRO, analysis of the media coverage of the album anda cultural analysis of its meanings, it delves into the cultural trends of Spain tTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Sin Documentos 2. Mi Rock Perdido 3. Pequño Salto Mortal Conclusions References Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDavid Looseley is Emeritus Professor of Contemporary French Culture at the University of Leeds, UK. He writes on the popular music, culture and cultural policy of France, including Édith Piaf: A Cultural History (2015), joint winner of the Franco-British Society Literary Prize, and Popular Music in Contemporary France: Authenticity, Politics, Debate (2003). He was contributing editor (with Diana Holmes) of Imagining the Popular in Contemporary French Culture (2013). He is Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1 .Imagining Piaf 2. The Recital 3. The Record (1) 4. The Record (2) 5. Authenticity, Art, Memory, Stardom Conclusions: Piaf Today References Notes Index

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores an album of popular music with a remarkable significance to a violent wave of postcolonial tensions in the Netherlands in the 1970s. Several actions were claimed by a small number of first-generation descendants of ca. 12,500 reluctant migrants from the young independent state of Indonesia (former Dutch East Indies). Transferred in 1951, this culturally coherent group consisted of ex-Royal Dutch Colonial Army personnel and their families. Their ancient roots in the Moluccan archipelago and their protestant-christian faith defined their minority image. Their sojourn should have been temporary, but frustratingly turned out to be permanent. At the height of strained relations, Massada rose to the occasion. Astaganaga (1978) is a telling example of the will to negotiate a different diasporic Moluccan identity through uplifting contemporary sounds.Table of ContentsContents Introduction Part I Backdrops Colonial times and impact Popular music in exile Latin in the Lowlands Part II Massada before Astaganaga In the air What’s in a name Decisive break The action years Part III Massada’s Astaganaga The making of Track by track Sleeve art and credits Reception and rewards Part IV Massada after Astaganaga Bang the drum Mission accomplished Full circle Hindsight Part V Afterwork Discography About research Literature Thanks About author Endnotes

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisRegurgitator's second full-length album, Unit (1997), was produced in a DIY warehouse studio at a time when this was unusual for a major label band. The album went three times Platinum in Australia and won five esteemed ARIA Awards in 1998, including Album of the Year. The album's success is indicative of a particular point in time in popular music trends, when the world was recovering from the impact of grunge and post-grunge bands. Regurgitator's subversive attitude toward pop music, punk aesthetic, unique lyrical narratives and an ironic view on their own creative product made their music potent in an alternative market defying the prevailing music trends. Unit and Regurgitator were the focus of divisive critical reviews, yet they continue to rank highly as a quintessentially Australian band. This volume situates the development of Unit amongst the DIY culture of a politically charged Brisbane scene, and breaks down the album through the lens of recording and soTable of ContentsList of Permissions Acknowledgments About the Authors Unit Track Listing Preface Introduction 1. Alternative Nation 2. The Dirty Room 3.Phase One 4. Phase Two 5. Phase Three Conclusion Glossary References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe album examined in this book transformed the singer John Farnham from a faded teen pop star into the most popular solo rock performer in Australia, in a career that has lasted for more than 30 years. Whispering Jack remains the top-selling album by an Australian artist in Australia, and constitutes the turning point in Farnham's bid to achieve credibility as an adult contemporary musician. The first single from the album, You're the Voice,' has achieved such iconic status that it is routinely referred to as Australia's unofficial national anthem. The book examines the album, its context and that history in order to recover a crucial conjuncture in the development of Australian rock and popular music, one that has previously been ignored in Australian popular music studies.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Backstory: From Johnny to John The Australian music industry in the 80s The changes in radio The task ahead 2. Whispering Jack, the Album Good songs, good beats, and the energy of rock The ‘whiz-bang album’ The Voice So, let’s play the album Timeless 3. ‘You’re The Voice’ The unofficial national anthem Australian popular music and cultural nationalism 4. And then…. The ‘ordinary’ rock star The Farnham audience Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisHenry Johnson is Professor of music at the University of Otago, New Zealand. His books include Many Voices: Music and National Identity in Aotearoa/New Zealand (2010); Global Glam (2016); Migration, Education and Translation (2020); and Nenes' Koza Dabasa (Bloomsbury, 2021). He is Associate Director of the Centre for Global Migrations.Trade ReviewA "must have" book for your library. * DustyShelves Book Reviews and BookBits *Table of ContentsList of Figures 1. Introduction 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Bic Runga: A Short Biography 1.3. Focus 1.4. Structure 1.5. Summary 2. Break 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Rockquest 2.3. Drive EP 2.4. Music Awards 2.5. Case Study: “Drive” 2.6. Summary 3. Drive and Beyond 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Musical Output 3.3. Style and Production 3.4. Case Study: “Bursting Through” 3.5. Summary 4. Identity 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Ethnicity 4.3. Gender 4.4. Case Study: “Sway” 4.5. Summary 5. Performance 5.1. Introduction 5.2. National Scene 5.3. International Scene 5.4. Case Studies: “Suddenly Strange” and “Roll Into One” 5.5. Summary 6. Conclusion References Acknowledgments Appendix 1: Drive: Track Listing and Personnel Appendix 2: Bic Runga: Discography (New Zealand Album Releases) Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Go-Go's debut album Beauty and the Beat was released on July 8, 1981. The album spent six weeks in the number one spot on the Billboard charts, produced two hit singles and sold more than two million copies making it one of the most successful debut albums of all time. Beauty and the Beat made the Go-Go's the first, and to date only, female band to have a number one album who not only wrote their own songs, but also played their own instruments.Beauty and the Beat is a ground-breaking album, but the Go-Go's are often overlooked when we talk about influential female musicians. The Go-Go's were a feminist band and Beauty and the Beat a call to arms that inspired generations of women. The band embraced the DIY spirit of Riot Grrrl before there was a Bikini Kill or a Bratmobile. Girls making music on their own terms didn't start with Courtney Love or Beyoncé or Billie Eilish, it started with the Go-Go's. It started with Beauty and the Beat.While they Trade ReviewCompact, devoted to the whole history and significance of the band, and doesn't just hang on the legendary debut ... An exciting contextualisation that is definitely worth reading, which deals with women in rock music in a very fundamental way. * Ox-Fanzine: Magazine for Rock'n'Roll (translated) *Table of ContentsTrack Listing Introduction: Good Girls and Go-Go’s 1. Like the Buzzcocks, but Women 2. Good Luck Enterprising Girl Groups 3. From Punk to Pop 4. America’s Sweethearts from Hell 5. Step Aside REO Speedwagon 6. The F-Word 7. We Haven’t Come a Long Way, Baby Conclusion: They Still Got the Beat Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe untold story of how breaking one of the most widely practiced dance forms in the world today began as a distinctly African American expression in the Bronx, New York, during the 1970s. Breaking is the first and most widely practiced hip-hop dance in the world, with around one million participants in this dynamic, multifaceted artform and, as of 2024, Olympic sport. Yet, despite its global reach and nearly 50-year history, stories of breaking's origins have largely neglected the African Americans who founded it. Dancer and scholar Serouj Midus Aprahamian offers, for the first time, a detailed look into the African American beginnings of breaking in the Bronx, New York. The Birth of Breaking challenges numerous myths and misconceptions that have permeated studies of hip-hop's evolution, considering the influence breaking has had on hip-hop culture. Including previously unseen archival material, interviews, and detailed depictions of the dance at its outset, this boTrade ReviewThe Birth of Breaking is the most complete and in-depth study of the origins of hip-hop to date. Midus's research is unmatched and he sets the bar high for all future scholarship. Praise True. * Pete Nice, Co-Curator, Universal Hip Hop Museum *The Birth of Breaking offers an insightful and vitally important account of hip-hop history, presenting it in a way that properly acknowledges the crucial contributions of African-Americans and their cultural traditions, highlights the central role of women, and underlines the importance of breaking in hip-hop's development. This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in or involved in hip-hop culture. * Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, 2020 and 2021 Top Ranked b-girl by the Australian Breaking Association, and Lecturer in Media and Creative Industries, Macquarie University, Australia *A tour de force study of the African American wellsprings of breaking, written with academic rigor and empathetic care. With outstanding complexity, Serouj Midus Aprahamian explains how race and class have shaped hip-hop dance histories. Exploring unpublished archives and conducting new interviews with hip-hop legends from the 1970s, The Birth of Breaking demonstrates how dance has been central to understanding hip-hop’s powerful global influence. * Thomas F, DeFrantz, Professor of Performance Studies, Northwestern University, USA *As a b-boy and scholar, Dr. Aprahamian could not be better positioned to author this groundbreaking historical study that sets the record straight on the genesis of breaking culture. A combination of archival research, practitioner interviews, and embodied knowledge, The Birth of Breaking details how innovations in this Black vernacular dance influenced the advent of hip-hop music, dispels myths that link the dance to Black criminality, and recognizes the contribution of women to this vibrant dance culture. * Sherril Dodds, Professor of Dance, Temple University, USA *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments 1. Detecting Breaking’s Beginnings 2. Going Off in the Bronx 3. Keeping the Movement Moving 4. Make Way for the B-Boys 5. Mothers of the Movement 6. Breaking’s Latino Adoption Epilogue: Back to the Beginning Notes Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom his early work with The Birthday Party to the future sounds of Ghosteen, Nick Cave has rewritten the language of rock ‘n’ roll.Darker with the Dawn uncovers the history and deeper meanings behind Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ most well-known songs from “Tupelo”, “The Mercy Seat”, “Red Right Hand”, “Stagger Lee”, “Into My Arms”, to “Higgs Boson Blues” and beyond. The book explores Nick Cave’s life in music drawing upon his inspirations of the Bible, Greek myth, and literature, as well as his enduring passion for gospel, blues, and progressive rock. Steiner reflects upon Cave's journey from his childhood in Australia, struggles with drug addiction, his young fascination with the nightmare landscapes of America's wild west and the southern gothic towards a reckoning with his own sense of Christian spirituality. In a career spanning four decades Cave's songwriting has moved from the saints and sinners of the traditional murder ballad to piano-based heartbreak songs, deconstructed garage rock and ambient fever dreams delivered through minimalist electronica. Adam Steiner dives into the world of a complex songwriter who, in his universal expressions of love and death, continues to speak to us of the light and shade of humanity.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe remarkable, powerful story of the son of blues legend John Lee HookerBorn in Detroit and exposed to the music world from an early age, John Lee Hooker Jr. began singing as a featured attraction in his father's shows as a teenager. His father was a sharecropper's son who became known for hit songs like Boogie Chillin, I'm in the Mood, and Boom Boom, and in 1972, he and his father performed live and recorded an album in Soledad Prison. Junior seemed to have a golden ticket to a successful music career as a child, but trouble brewed as his father's marriage was in trouble and ripped apart the family.Drug addiction and a series of related crimes, including as a con player, landed Junior in and out of jails & prisons for several decades. An early brush with the law led to a sentence at Synanon, the infamous drug rehabilitation program turned religious cult. Later arrests resulted in time served in prisons including at Soledad, San Quentin, and Avenal. Shot, stabbed, and convicted multiple times, Junior was at his lowest point doing time at a Santa Rita jail, but it was at that moment that he found the Lord. He emerged clean and sober and began a successful career as a blues singer, earning two Grammy nominations as well as the Bobby Blue Bland Lifetime Achievement Award. He eventually devoted himself fully to his faith. Now an ordained minister, Reverend John Lee Hooker Jr. testifies, preaches, and performs gospel music in prisons.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCourtney Love has never been less than notorious. Her intelligence, ambition and appetite for confrontation have made her a target in a music industry still dominated by men. As Kurt Cobain's wife she was derided as an opportunistic groupie; as his widow she is pitied, and scorned, as the madwoman in rock's attic. Yet Hole's second album, Live Through This, awoke a feminist consciousness in a generation of young listeners. Live Through This arrived in 1994, at a tumultuous point in the history of American music. Three years earlier Nirvana's Nevermind had broken open the punk underground, and the first issue of a zine called Riot Grrrl had been published. Hole were of this context and yet outside of it: too famous for the strict punk ethics of riotgrrrl, too explicitly feminist to be the world's biggest rock band. Live Through This is an album about girlhood and motherhood; desire and disgust; self-destruction and survival. There have been few rock albums before or since so intimately concerned with female experience. It is an album that changed lives – so why is Courtney Love’s achievement as a songwriter and musician still not taken seriously, two decades on?Trade ReviewWhile many may not admit to it immediately, it's probably a safe bet that your average rock fan from the ’90s keeps Hole's Live Through This in their collection. And why not? … The immensely successful 33 1/3 series from Bloomsbury examines the album track-by-track through the eyes of writer Anwen Crawford (The Monthly), giving both a historical frame of mind to the album, as well as deconstructing the themes behind seven tracks … If you haven't had a chance to experience this album, give it a listen, then give this book a read, and then give the album a second shot … it will definitely give you an appreciation for what Hole was trying to make and the impact they had on grunge. -- Gavin Sheehan * SLUG Magazine *Crawford's book in the 33 1/3 series about Hole's Live Through This is passionate, thoughtful, empathetic and well-argued, an explanation of what the album meant to smart suburban teenagers trying to figure out where they fit into the world. -- Tim Byron * The Vine *This book made me care about an artist I had long ago written off. Yes, Courtney Love has pretty much retired from making meaningful music, but for Anwen Crawford, an Australian journalist and critic, that only makes Hole’s 1994 album Live Through This all the more compelling. As she chronicles the decisions that produced the band’s grunge-era breakthrough—which was released just days after Kurt Cobain’s suicide—Crawford writes movingly about the effect these songs had on herself and on other women around the world … In that regard, the album’s anger and ferocious self-determination haven’t diminished in two decades. -- Stephen M. Deusner * Pitchfork *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1. Violet 2. Miss World 3. Asking for It 4. Credit in the Straight World 5. Softer, Softest 6. I Think That I Would Die 7. Rock Star Notes Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisMilwaukee Rock and Roll, 1950-2000: A Reflective History surveys and celebrates a rich musical heritage. It does not claim to be a definitive account of Milwaukee rock, but it offers an important narrative—a foundation for further study and appreciation. This book is an anthology of written, vocal, and visual reflections, which will inform readers and evoke memories for those who experienced this music and era. It includes, among so many other performers, Milwaukee rock pioneers Sam McCue, Artie Herrera, and Larry Lynne; truck driver folk great Larry Penn; impresario Nick Topping; rhythm and blues standout Junior Brantley and soul man Harvey Scales; 60s bands like the Ricochettes, Shag, and the Corporation; bluesmen Jim Liban and Jon Paris; “girl rockers” epitomized by the G.T.O.’s and Ruby Starr; punks like the Haskels, the Oil Tasters, and Die Kreuzen; the internationally renowned punk/indie Violent Femmes; and prog rocker (among his other impressive musical talents) Sigmund Snopek III. Others are also referenced including Buddy Holly; Pete Seeger; Jean Ritchie, Bob Dylan; the Dave Clark Five; the Beatles; Cream; Led Zeppelin; the Grateful Dead; Chuck Berry; Muddy Waters; Lou Reed; Bruce Springsteen; and Patti Smith. The editors present a multifaceted cultural history of Milwaukee and rock music highlighted by a multiplicity of voices—musicians, promoters, DJs, photographers, artists, and audience members—collectively committed to the sounds of a great city.Table of Contents Chapter 1 Rock’s Beginnings in Milwaukee Chapter 2 Milwaukee and the Folk Revival Chapter 3 The British Invade Milwaukee Chapter 4 Milwaukee’s Rockin’ Radio Chapter 5 Milwaukee’s Rhythm and Blues (R&B), Soul, and Hip-hop Heritage Chapter 6 Rockin’ in the 1960s and into the 1970s Chapter 7 The Blues in Milwaukee Chapter 8 Milwaukee Women Rock Musicians Chapter 9 Punk and Post-Punk Chapter 10 Milwaukee Sonic Explorers

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis“All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind.” Karl Marx might have been thinking of punk rock when he wrote these words in 1847, but he overlooked the possibility that new forms of solidity and holiness could spring into existence overnight.Punk rock was a celebration of nastiness, chaos, and defiance of convention, which quickly transcended itself and developed its own orthodoxies, shibboleths, heresies, and sectarian wars. Is punk still alive today? What has it left us with? Does punk make any artistic sense? Is punk inherently anarchist, sexist, neo-Nazi, Christian, or—perish the thought—Marxist? When all’s said and done, does punk simply suck? These obvious questions only scratch the surface of punk’s philosophical ramifications, explored in depth in this unprecedented and thoroughly nauseating volume. Thirty-two professional thinkers-for-a-living and students of rock turn their x-ray eyes on this exciting and frequently disgusting topic, and penetrate to punk’s essence, or perhaps they end up demonstrating that it has no essence. You decide. Among the nail-biting questions addressed in this book:● Can punks both reject conformity to ideals and complain that poseurs fail to confirm to the ideals of punk?● How and why can social protest take the form of arousing revulsion by displaying bodily functions and bodily abuse?● Can punk ethics be reconciled with those philosophical traditions which claim that we should strive to become the best version of ourselves?● How close is the message of Jesus of Nazareth to the message of punk?● Is punk essentially the cry of cis, white, misogynist youth culture, or is there a more wholesome appeal to irrepressibly healthy tendencies like necrophilia, coprophilia, and sadomasochism?● In its rejection of the traditional aesthetic of order and complexity, did punk point the way to “aesthetic anarchy,” based on simplicity and chaos?● By becoming commercially successful, did punk fail by its very success?● Is punk what Freddie Nietzsche was getting at in The Birth of Tragedy, when he called for Dionysian art, which venerates the raw, instinctual, and libidinous aspects of life?Trade Review"Punk Rock and Philosophy: Research and Destroy adds to the publisher's series Pop Culture and Philosophy with a 7th volume designed to especially appeal to pop music fans of punk rock. This audience will find the book offers thought-provoking discussions suitable for contemplation and group debate as they consider the essence of punk rock and its relationship to controversial thinking. From early punk's history and its relationship to political situations to the philosophical and ethical foundations of many of its major groups and songs, readers receive diverse essays that are compelling, passionate, contemporary links between philosophical thinking and modern musical culture."James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book ReviewTable of ContentsTable of ContentsPart I The Nature of Punk Rock1. Can Punk Be Mature? Rebellion, Nihilism, and LiberationThomas MeagherThis chapter addresses whether it is possible for punk to be mature (given its nature). Essential to its doing so is a particular notion of nihilism.2. The Essence of PunkTimothy M. KwiatekConsiders whether anything can satisfactorily answer the question: what is the essence of punk? Ultimately it rejects the question, and considers some worries about the very attempt (such as gatekeeping).3. The Unlikely Traditionalism of Punk Rock (or Why Sting Is More Punk than You)Brian HardingLooks at (1) punk’s initial rejection of canonized artists (The Beatles, Elvis Presley) and (2) the fact that certain bands (The Ramones, The Clash, The Sex Pistols) have subsequently been canonized. the result is a somewhat scathing attack on the notion of punk cred and its related concepts (not-selling out, not being a poser, and all that crap).4. The Spectacle of Society, The Society of Failure and the Authentication of Punk; Or, Elvis is DeadMichael StockThis chapter begins by considering the question of whether punk ultimately fails. It subsequently explores the intimate relationship between punk and failure.5. Punk as PraxisNicholas H. SmithArgues that punk is best characterized as a form of praxis. Different conceptions of praxis are considered and applied to punk.Part II Punk Values6. Post-Punk and the Struggle for AuthenticityMarkus KohlExamines the forms of authenticity that were available in post-punk (after the late 1970s and early 1980s) culture. Inward vs. outward models of authenticity are considered. The former wins out.7. The Paradox of the PoseurPeter Brian BarryThis chapter considers what the author calls “the paradox of the poseur.” The paradox of the poseur can be motivated by asking some pretty simple questions. If punk is about individual expression and the rejection of conformity, how can the poseur be a fake? Can punks both reject conformity while complaining that poseurs fail to conform?8. Doing Better—Hardcore Punk, Straight Edge and How to Live the Good LifeMolly TieExamines what punks have to say about living the good life. Takes a particularly close look at the admonitions of the Straight-Edge movement.9. To Resist Despair: The Metaphysics of PunkBailie PetersonThis paper examines the metaphysics of punk, by attempting to identify the minimal set of necessary characteristics for something being punk. This is accomplished by focusing on punk virtues.10. I Am a Poser and I Don’t CareJesse PrinzTakes a look at a different paradox of the poser: everyone how comes to punk is in some sense unoriginal (with the exception of the very first punks), so everyone pretty much is a poser. This paradox is helpful for learning about that nature of punk, and has implications for philosophical issues pertaining to personal identity.Part III The History of Philosophy and Punk11. A Punk by any Other Name would Smell as RottenGwenda-lin GrewalExamines punk as a movement. It draws parallels between punk and a number of historical philosophers—most notably Diogenes and Socrates.12. Revolting PunksChristopher M. InnesThis chapter examines punk-motivated revolt. It draws heavily on the works of Diogenes.13. The Will to Raw Power: Nietzsche, Early Punk Rock, and the Lion-ChildCasey RentmeesterThis chapter examines early punk rock (and immediate predecessors such as Iggy Pop) from a Nietzschean perspective. It turns out that there is something of a Dionysian spirit to punk.14. Title TBDRandall E. AuxierConsiders the question of whether punk rock sucks. The answer is to be found in the writings of Arthur Schopenhauer.Part IV Punk Politics15. Punk Political PhilosophyMarty SulakLooks at punk as expressing a coherent political philosophy (the realization that every regime, every ideology, every power structure is entropic by nature, and eventually becomes antithetical to life). The author uses this to elaborate on the role of punk.16. Wartime Propaganda as Punk Critique in Julian Temple’s Punk Can Take ItKaren FounierLooks at the punk film Punk Can Take It as it draws from an earlier file London Can Take It!, which was a piece of wartime propaganda. Parallels are drawn between punk music and punk film as both “call out” the promises of post-war Britain.17. Punk PoliticsJesse PrinzThis chapter raises and addresses the question “Does punk rock have an inherent political ideology? If so, what is it (Is it anarchism, nihilism, nationalism, or something else entirely)? 18. Nazi Punks F*ck Off!: The Battle for the Soul of Punk RockRyan FalcioniPunk rockers are often accused of “gatekeeping”: telling others what does and does not count as punk. One subculture of punk that throws the whole issue into a bit of chaos involves neo-Nazis. This chapter raises the (perhaps uncomfortable) question of the place of so called “Nazi Punks” in punk as a whole. 19. “Which Side Are You On?”: The Class Consciousness of PunkTiffany MontoyaRaises the question of what punk has to say about class warfare. Drawing parallels between punk’s DIY ethic and movements like Marxism, this paper explains what punk can teach us about class consciousness as a whole. Part V Punk and the Culture at Large20. Remenbering the Punk Movement: Why Erasure of Women Does a Disservice to the Movement as a WholeGeorgina H. MillsThis chapter argues that if we remember the punk movement only by the men who were a part of it, we not only do a disservice to the female artists who were part of the scene, but we undermine the features of the punk movement that are essential to it.21. Punk Rock Saves LivesR.W. Main“Punk is a celebration of the weird, rejected, othered and outcast, and often endorses the most rejected and reviled ideas and practices.” This chapter outlines how this importantly includes the LGBTQ+ community and how both cultures have been important to one another. 22. Are Punk and Christianity Compatible?Josh CangelosiThere are many bands that claim to be Christian punk bands. This—at first glance—may seem curious to some. This chapter raises the question whether Christianity and punk rock (and all that it entails) are actually compatible.23. The Deviance It Deserves: On Punk Rock, Public Harassment, and Pissing People OffJuneko J. Robinson, AKA Gitte SyndromeThere is much about punk rock that some find offensive, and to be fair, some punk lyrics are arguably offensive. However, there are also those that seem to be offended by punk rock dress or the music itself (sans lyrics). This chapter addresses the question of why that is.24. Close Your Eyes, Breathe, and Stick It to the ManSeth M. WalkerDraws a number of parallels between punk rock and Buddhism and shows that Buddhism and punk rock are not only compatible, but complimentary.25. Punk and DisgustSara M. BergstresserMany punk rock shows include shocking and controversial displays involving bodily transgression. Examines how these acts can be seen as a mechanism of protest and refusal of social norms.Part VI Aesthetics 26. Anarchy in AestheticsS. Evan KreiderRaises a fairly simple question: does punk rock (successfully) challenge the idea that art is aimed inherently at beauty?27. Rebel Girl: Riot Grrrl Punk as Feminist Aesthetic CreationPatrick D. AndersonOutlines how the Riot Grrrl movement was heavily influenced by feminist aesthetic traditions.28. The Filth and the Fury: Why Do We Listen to Such Dark Punk Songs?Greg LittmannRaises a question that borders on the line between philosophy and psychology. Many punk songs can be described as dark (or nihilistic, depressing). So, why does anyone listen to them?29. “Be Like Johnny”: The Ramones, the Philosophy of Work, and DIYGeorge A. DunnExamines the issue of how the DIY ethic of punks can teach us about the nature and value of work.Part VII Punk Ethics30. Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White: DIY Virtue, Principled Hostility, and Genuine Moral GrowthLindsey J. SchwartzLooks at punk rock through the lens of virtue ethics. Argues that at the core of punk rock are some identifiable and important Aristotelian virtues.31. “Out of Step with the World”: On the Ethical Value of Cultural NonconformityGetty L. Lustila and Johan OlsthoornPunk Rock—by its very nature—has quite a bit to do and say about nonconformity. This chapter raises and addresses the question: what (if any) is the ethical value in pursuing cultural nonconformity (or cultural rebellion)?

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor the first time, you can read the Ramones' comments about their own history in this intimate series of interviews with the legendary band.The Ramones were arguably the single most influential rock 'n' roll act to emerge from that curious muddle of magic and mediocrity called the 1970s. Two of the group's founding members—singer Joey Ramone and bassist Dee Dee Ramone—didn't live to see the Ramones become icons of popular culture, hear their music in TV commercials, or experience the unlikely adoption of "Blitzkrieg Bop" as a sports anthem. Guitarist Johnny Ramone barely lived long enough to see it begin, and drummer Tommy Ramone's death in 2014 wrote finis to the mortal part of the Ramones' story. The legend endured. In 1994, as the Ramones celebrated their 20th anniversary, then-current members Joey, Johnny, drummer Marky, and bassist C. J. knew the group's Road To Ruin would soon approach its end. Given an opportunity to assess where they'd been and what was left to do, they agreed to a series of interviews discussing the entirety of the Ramones' story. This is that story: a career-spanning discussion of the Ramones' career, an intimate glimpse at how the Ramones viewed their work, their experiences, their impact, their legacy, their fans, and each other. It's a unique and fascinating peek into what it was like to be one of the few, the proud, the Ramones.For the first time, you can read the Ramones' published comments about their own history, and much, much more than ever could have fit into a single magazine issue.Trade Review“Reading Carl Cafarelli’s Gabba Gabba Hey, I’m reminded of the excitement and uniqueness of this band that saved rock ’n’ roll. There was never anyone else like them, and all of the joy and bedlam and fire and dedication that fueled the Ramones can be found in these pages. All that’s missing is a Dee Dee-shouted “1-2-3-4” intro.”
—Jeff Tamarkin, Editor, BestClassicBands.com "Ramones books? I've just about read them all. If there's one I've been waiting for, it's Carl Cafarelli's ode to the band he calls 'the American Beatles'." These four 1994 interviews with Joey, Johnny, Marky and C.J. were conducted separately, but Cafarelli pieces them together as only a lifelong fan could to create an intimate oral history of the legendary Queens quartet up to that point. Gabba Gabba Hey! is as short and sharp as any of the band's best songs. A must read for Ramones fans." —S.W. Lauden, Forbidden Beat: Perspectives on Punk Drumming"A veritable treasure trove of valuable information and first-person reminiscences from America's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band, Carl Cafarelli's Gabba Gabba Hey is an engaging, fascinating and often humorous look at what made the Ramones tick, as recalled by the ones who made the magic happen." —John M. Borack, Contributing Editor, Goldmine Magazine“Gabba Gabba Hey and tell Tchaikovsky the news, Carl Cafarelli’s new book on The Ramones is an insightful, intelligent and most of all rip roaring fun read as it beautifully chronicles the exploits of one of music’s most groundbreaking bands through an exhaustive series of candid conversations. Don’t be a cretin, give it a read. You’d have to have had a lobotomy not to love it!”—Ken Sharp"A comprehensive and insightful look at one of the most important bands ever - from the Ramones themselves. Gabba Gabba Hey feels like sitting down with old friends. Comfortable, engaging, and hard to forget."—Alex Segura, bestselling author of Archie Meets Ramones

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlice Randall, award-winning professor, songwriter, and author presents “a celebration of all things country music” (Ken Burns) as she reflects on her search for the first family of Black country music.Country music had brought Alice Randall and her activist mother together and even gave Randall a singular distinction in American music history: she is the first Black woman to cowrite a number one country hit, Trisha Yearwood’s “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)”. Randall found inspiration and comfort in the sounds and history of the first family of Black country music: DeFord Bailey, Lil Hardin, Ray Charles, Charley Pride, and Herb Jeffries who, together, made up a community of Black Americans rising through hard times to create simple beauty, true joy, and sometimes profound eccentricity. What emerges in My Black Country is “a delightful, inspirational story of persistence, resistance, and sheer love” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) of this most American of music genres and the radical joy in realizing the power of Black influence on American culture. As country music goes through a fresh renaissance today, with a new wave of Black artists enjoying success, My Black Country is the perfect gift for longtime country fans and a vibrant introduction to a new generation of listeners who previously were not invited to give the genre a chance.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisHere is an in-depth look at the life of one of pop music's hottest international stars. This book reveals the details of Rihanna's unhappy childhood, her wild child past that earned her the nickname of Rebel Flower, and how she found it therapeutic after her parents' troubled marriage to join the army. A fascinating story of her transformation from schoolgirl Robyn Fenty to one of the most successful R&B artists in the world. Explores her turbulent relationship with singer Chris Brown which resulted in a photograph of her battered face making headlines around the globe. Features exclusive interviews with Rihanna's old schoolfriends, producers, songwriters, video directors, journalists and many more who witnessed her transformation over the years. A must-read for fans new and old. "

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA Times, Sunday Times and Telegraph Book of the Year______________________________________________'A triumph ... a masterclass in the bottling of its subject’s seductive essence. His presence in this book is so strong that it’s hard to believe he has really left the building'MOJO'Handsomely presented, visually sumptuous'THE TIMES______________________________________________From Prince himself comes the brilliant coming-of-age-and-into-superstardom story of one of the greatest artists of all time—featuring never-before-seen photos, original scrapbooks and lyric sheets, and the exquisite memoir he began writing before his tragic death. Prince was a musical genius, one of the most talented, beloved, accomplished, popular, and acclaimed musicians in pop history. But he wasn't only a musician—he was also a startlingly original visionary with an imagination deep enough to whip up whole worlds, from the sexy, gritty funk paradise of his early records to the mythical landscape of Purple Rain to the psychedelia of Paisley Park. But his greatest creative act was turning Prince Rogers Nelson, born in Minnesota, into Prince, the greatest pop star of his era. The Beautiful Ones is the story of how Prince became Prince—a first-person account of a kid absorbing the world around him and then creating a persona, an artistic vision, and a life, before the hits and fame that would come to define him. The book is told in four parts. The first is composed of the memoir he was writing before his tragic death, pages that brings us into Prince's childhood world through his own lyrical prose. The second part takes us into Prince's early years as a musician, before his first album released, through a scrapbook of Prince's writing and photos. The third section shows us Prince's evolution through candid images that take us up to the cusp of his greatest achievement, which we see in the book's fourth section: his original handwritten treatment for Purple Rain—the final stage in Prince's self-creation, as he retells the autobiography we've seen in the first three parts as a heroic journey. The book is framed by editor Dan Piepenbring’s riveting and moving introduction about his short but profound collaboration with Prince in his final days—a time when Prince was thinking deeply about how to reveal more of himself and his ideas to the world, while retaining the mystery and mystique he’d so carefully cultivated—and annotations that provide context to each of the book’s images. This work is not just a tribute to Prince, but an original and energizing literary work, full of Prince’s ideas and vision, his voice and image, his undying gift to the world.______________________________________________‘Prince’s voice comes through loud and clear; his personality, joie de vivre and single-mindedness jumping off the page throughout.’CLASSIC POP MAGAZINE'The Beautiful Ones is for everyone. It's not a read, but an experience, an immersion inside the mind of a musical genius. You are steeped in Prince's images, his words, his essence… The book can be a starting point for a Prince fascination, or a continuation of long-standing admiration. Either way, it will deepen the connection of any reader with the musical icon.”USA TODAY ‘The Beautiful Ones remains a jewel-like fragment, Piepenbring’s sensitive introduction providing a snapshot of the Purple One’s last months at Paisley Park and during the Piano and Microphone tour’ Q MAGAZINE 'An affirmation of Prince’s Blackness and humanity… Prince writes about his childhood with clarity and poetic flair, effortlessly combining humorous anecdotes with deep self-reflection and musical analysis… Prince is one of us — he just worked to manifest dreams that took him from the North Side of Minneapolis to the Super Bowl.'HUFFPOST‘A compelling curiosity that finds its author orbiting around a few touchingly intimate encounters with his sphinx-like subject … with passages, lyric sheets and photographs from the Purple One himself’TELEGRAPH, Books of the Year 'A memoir that is written by Prince, literally. Handwritten pages he had shared with Piepenbring make up Part 1, taking us from his first memory — his mother's eyes — through the early days of his career... The Beautiful Ones doesn't paint a perfect picture. It's not definitive. It can't be, it shouldn't be and, thankfully, it doesn't try to be. We'll never know what it might have been if Prince had lived. But it's a good start. Now, it's up to us to take what's there and make something out of it for ourselves, creating, just as Prince wanted.'NPR 'Both a pleasure and a surprise ... Prince took the project very seriously, and it shows in the work he delivered. ... It shines an intimate and revealing light on the least-known period of his life'VARIETY‘The Beautiful Ones is a book in pieces, fragments of the ground-breaking autobiography Prince had planned. Pieced together after his death in 2016, it collects his handwritten childhood memoires, superb personal photographs and his chosen co-writer Dan Piepenbring’s vivid account of their brief collaboration. Yet remarkably despite the central absence, it still catches something of Prince between the gaps - a trace of perfume, a glance to camera, a first kiss’ SUNDAY TIMES, Book of the Year‘This is a beautiful book and a must-have for Prince completists’DAILY EXPRESS ‘A ghostly memoir of a pop legend’THE iTrade ReviewA triumph…The Beautiful Ones rivals the Beastie Boys Book – or even your favourite Prince song – as a masterclass in the bottling of its subject’s seductive essence… his presence in this book is so strong that it’s hard to believe he has really left the building. ***** * Mojo *Handsomely presented, visually sumptuous... These tantalising pages will only enhance the enigmatic pop star’s mystique. Fluidly written, intimate and warm… it offers glimpses, partial and alluring. * The Times *Prince remains as enigmatic as ever. And yet, it is in the very fragmentary structure of the book that the essence of the man comes alive…In a world of identikit pop stars terrified of upsetting the apple cart, this is a book that reminds us that Prince truly was one of a kind. * Irish Independent *The Beautiful Ones is a splendidly produced book… and if we are only to have fragments, then these are the very best ones to have: childhood, his complex relationship with his handsome father… and his beautiful complicated mother Mattie… this book is a fun glance, a tiny bolt from what now feels like a very distant past, and will leave you feeling nothing but huge affection for little, brilliant Skipper. * The Spectator *A compelling curiosity that finds its author orbiting around a few touchingly intimate encounters with his sphinx-like subject… with passages, lyric sheets and photographs from the Purple One himself. * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book traces the trajectories of modern globalization since the late nineteenth century, and considers hegemonic cultural beliefs and practices during the various phases of the history of capitalism. It offers a way to study world popular music from the perspective of critical social theory. Moving chronologically, the book adopts the three phases in the history of capitalist hegemony since the nineteenth century-liberal, organized, and neoliberal capitalism-to consider world popular music in each of these cultural contexts. While capitalism is now everywhere, its history has been one borne out of racism and masculine hegemony. Early Europeanization and globalization have had a major impact upon western race/gender/sexuality/capitalist hegemony, while nascent technologies of capital have led to a renewed reification and exploitation of racialized, sexualized, and classed populations. This book offers a critique of the relationship between emergent capitalist formations and culture over the past hundred years. It explores the way that world popular music mediates economic, cultural, and ideological conditions, through which capitalism has been created in multiple and heterogeneous ways, understanding world popular music as the production of meaning through language and representation. The various dimensions considered in the book are the work of critical social science-a critique of capitalism's impact upon popular music in historical and world perspective. This book provides a powerful contemporary framework for contemporary popular music studies with a distinctive global and interdisciplinary awareness, covering empirical research from across the world in addition to well-established and newer theory from the music disciplines, social sciences, and humanities. It offers fresh conceptualizations about world popular music seen within the context of globalization, capitalism, and identity.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Popular Music before Neoliberalism 2. Neoliberalism and the Global Music Industry 3. Globalization and World Music 4. The Cool Culture of Neoliberal Capitalism 5. Popular Music in Postdemocracy After Globalization

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive history of rock and pop on British television, from the early days of Oh Boy and Ready Steady Go!, through the institution that was Top Of The Pops, global events like Live Aid right up to date with Jools Holland's Later.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1963, it was unusual for a pop group to have a monthly magazine devoted exclusively to their career. Only Elvis Presley had been considered important enough to warrant such an honour. But then the Beatles were unusual. Within the space of that pivotal year, the Fab Four became the biggest thing in British popular culture and their worldwide fame was soon inescapable. One of the first to astutely recognise their greatness was Sean O'Mahony and the monthly magazine he launched with the full blessing of The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein - The Beatles Book.Looking Through You presents a selection of over 300 images from the precious Beatles Book photo archive, many unpublished or unseen in their original form from the original negatives, as well as the story behind the success of the regular Beatle bulletin.With each new issue, Beatle fans worldwide would voraciously devour the contents from cover-to-cover, discovering the Fab Four's latest news and activities and most of all, savouring the exclusive B&W photographs, captured by in-house photographer, Leslie Bryce. During the magazine's six-year run only a small fraction of these photographs were printed - and then often altered in some way. The Beatles Book Monthly captured the Beatles' development from British provincial theatres - through foreign tours including their ground-breaking first American visit - and onwards to the band's withdrawal into the recording studio. It was unique in its access - as well as concert tours and television shows, the band were photographed off duty, at their homes and in the studio - locales that were generally out-of-bounds to most Beatle observers. This unique and original photographic record preserves many important moments within the Beatles' career, providing a historically important glimpse into the world's greatest ever entertainment phenomenon.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGoing Deaf for a Living is Steve Lamacq’s candid reflection of several decades spent on the frontline of the alternative music scene. As a writer at the NME and co-host of The Evening Session, Steve naturally attended hundreds of gigs and collected a lifetime’s supply of musical encounters. From witnessing Richey Edwards of the Manic Street Preachers cutting `4Real’ into his arm to the infamous Oasis interview that sparked national outrage, Going Deaf for a Living provides the first-hand account of some of British music’s most memorable moments. But this isn’t just a book about working in the music industry: at its heart, this is a tale about being a music fan – what drives us, infuriates us and fascinates us about the artists we put so much faith in. Covering the periods of grunge, Britpop and the arrival of indie, this acclaimed memoir – updated for the first time – is a thrilling journey through the last great hurrah of the analogue music industry.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA tribute to Big Tom McBride, the Johnny Cash of Irish country music'. From labourer to music star, the journey of the singer who brought so much joy to fans at home and to emigrants abroad over five decades.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Telegraph Book of the YearA Guardian Book of the YearA Shindig Book of the Year A Virgin Radio Book of the YearAwarded the certificate of merit in the 2023 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for ExcellenceIn 1970, pop was in trouble. The Beatles were no more. Pink Floyd devoted themselves to progressive epics. Led Zeppelin dismissed anything beyond their 'musical statements' as childish frippery. Thankfully, help was on its way.This comprehensive chronicle by music historian Will Hodgkinson explores how an unlikely mix of backroom songwriters, revitalised rockers, actors, producers, teen stars and children turned pop into the dominant sound and vision of the 1970s.While bands such as the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac were ruling the albums chart, the singles chart was swinging along to the tune of million-selling blockbusters by the likes of Brotherhood of Man, the Sweet and the Wombles. These were the songs you heard on Radio 1, during Saturday-night TV, at youth clubs, down the pub and even emanating from your parents' record player...It was never cool, but it was the real soundtrack of the decade.Against a rainy, smog-filled backdrop of three-day weeks, national strikes, IRA bombings and the Winter of Discontent, this unrelenting stream of novelty songs, sentimental ballads, glam-rock stomps and blatant rip-offs offered escape, uplift, romance and the promise of eternal childhood - all released with one goal in mind: a smash hit.In Perfect Harmony takes the reader on a journey through the most colour-saturated era in music, examining the core themes and camp spectacle of '70s singalong pop, as well as its reverberations through British culture since. This is the pioneering social history of a musical revolution.Trade Review'Will has painted a colourful picture of my life in this business, and in fact paints a colourful picture of the entire '70s in Great Britain.' -- Suzi Quatro'Instead of walking the byways and backwaters of '70s pop, Will Hodgkinson heads straight down the high street. So many of these names that soundtracked everyday life turn out to have been overlooked and their stories undocumented - the results of Hodgkinson's research are hugely entertaining and informative. A terrific read and a valuable book, too.' -- Bob Stanley'Full of bold characters and strange stories, In Perfect Harmony might start out Middle of the Road but it takes audacious left turns all the way. 4/5' -- Mojo'A delightful, perceptive celebration of that decade's chartbusters, which the canon tends to ignore. A splendid, overdue rehabilitation for the era's junkshop geniuses. 4/5' -- Record Collector'Highly entertaining, a treasure trove of primary colours ... awash with startling trivia.' -- Daily Mail'Epic.' -- The Scotsman'What a wonderful book, polished and classy, with a genuine insight into the world of '70s singalong pop and the awesome magic of an unforgettable "tune" .' -- Thereza Bazar'Such a fluid, well-written read ... every page a new surprising story of hits we took for granted.' -- Miki Berenyi'A thorough, accurate and insightful recreation of the times and the tunes ... A wonderful work.' -- Paul Williams'A glorious cavalcade of the sort of acts who are used in BBC Four documentaries about punk and the Winter of Discontent to illustrate the inevitability of Thatcherism - but actually serve to remind us of the ingenuity and sheer wackiness of that much-maligned decade, the 1970s.' -- Travis Elborough'Will Hodgkinson has written a very thorough, thoughtful and hugely entertaining book detailing the cultural and musical heritage of the UK in the 1970s.' -- Barry Blue'An authoritative read.' -- Shindig'An illuminating and marvellously entertaining delight.' -- Hot Press'Definitive.' -- The Times'What better way to treat the music lover in your life than to stuff a copy of this book into their (extra-large) stocking?' -- Louder Than War'The stories shared in Hodgkinson's astounding portrait will make you reassess the entire era.' -- Virgin Radio'The sort of book you never want to end.' -- Pete Paphides'Terrific.' -- Jonathan Coe

Read more less

Book SynopsisOf all the great British bands to emerge from the 1960s, none had a stronger sense of place than the Kinks. Often described as the archetypal English band, they were above all a quintessentially working-class band with a deep attachment to London. Mark Doyle examines the relationship between the Kinks and their city, from their early songs of teenage rebellion to their album-length works of social criticism. He finds fascinating and sometimes surprising connections with figures as diverse as Edmund Burke, John Clare and Charles Dickens. More than just a book about the Kinks, this is a book about a social class undergoing a series of profound changes, and about a group of young men who found a way to describe, lament and occasionally even celebrate those changes through song.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Ours is music with built-in hatred.' Pete Townshend A Band with Built-In Hate pictures The Who through the prism of pop art and the levelling of high and low culture it brought about. Peter Stanfield guides us through the British pop revolution as it was embodied by the band: first, under the mentorship of arch-mod Peter Meaden; and then with Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, two aspiring filmmakers, at the very centre of things in Soho. Guided by contemporary commentators - most conspicuously, Nik Cohn - Stanfield tells of a band driven by fury, and of what happened when they moved from explosive 45s to expansive concept albums. Above all, he describes how The Who confronted their lost youth as it was echoed in punk."Trade Review"Eloquently framing their success as the only successful 1960s UK pop/rock group that didn't want to be either the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, Stanfield locates the Who (and crucially their peak years, during which they were, he writes 'not copyists but innovators') at a boundary-breaking intersection of pop and art-rock." -- Tony Clayton-Lea * Irish Times *“There’s some very perceptive writing on the influence the Who had on the wider scene. . . . Essential reading for anyone who’s ever loved the Who, or wants an insight into the Sixties’ music scene that goes beyond greatest hits compilations and easy generalizations.” * Louder Than War *"If Roger Daltry's 2018 autobiography was a prosaic foot soldier's telling of the Who story, here is a view from the high plains. . . . The best parts of the book mirror the best of the Who, fizzing with ideas and connections. . . . This book vividly reanimates the nasty, transgressive, scene-shaping thrill of their beginnings." * Daily Mail *"[An] ear for apt detail enriches Stanfield's stolid account. He plumbs archives for ephemeral magazines and forgotten interviews to reveal more than the standard recitals of the works." * PopMatters *“Stanfield uncovers the underpinnings of the Who. . . . He has masterfully identified the mod, pop art, and art rock stages of the Who’s career for rock fans and general readers alike.” * Library Journal *"[The book] brings together some significant criticism of the Who, connecting them with all manner of cultural references, and is a valuable addition to my ever-expanding Who library. That the Who continue to be so well-served by knowledgeable authors is a tribute to their importance." -- Chris Charlesworth * Just Backdated *"A Band With Built-in Hate reaffirms the Who's importance to the rock and pop revolutions of the sixties and seventies." * Choice Magazine (UK) *"Stanfield examines how the Who took in disparate influences from outside the rock world—influences flying in from the fine and pop arts, youth culture, and so-on—and shipped them back out to be co-opted by everyone from the Creation to the Sex Pistols. It is the first deep, book-length look at an important aspect of the Who’s persona and art that is an integral portion of every book on the band." * Psychobabble *"The best book on the Who. Stanfield understands that they were built entirely around opposition—they didn’t want to be the Beatles or the Stones; they didn’t even want to be the Who most of the time. He smartly states the case for peak Who as transgressive, how their clashing obsessions with primitive rock’n’roll and sociological statements made them so exciting. He also wisely concentrates on their peak years, before pop solidified as rock, when the Who were the closest thing to pop art British music has ever produced." -- Bob Stanley, founding member of St Etienne and author of "Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop""With impressive eloquence, A Band with Built-in Hate situates '60s Britain's most volatile and incendiary group at the heart of pop's wild vortex, its sonic assaults on the class system and the cultural status quo. Stanfield digs brilliantly into the Who's transgressions, their upending of entertainment, their transmuting of pop music into art-rock and proto-punk. He can see for miles." -- Barney Hoskyns, author of "Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits" and "Major Dudes: A Steely Dan Companion""That the Who’s image was constantly shifting according to whatever they thought would best promote their music in the moment is the focus of Stanfield’s new book A Band with Built-In Hate. Stanfield examines how the Who took in disparate influences from outside the rock world—influences flying in from the fine and pop arts, youth culture, and so-on—and shipped them back out to be co-opted by everyone from the Creation to the Sex Pistols. It is the first deep, book-length look at an important aspect of the Who’s persona and art that is an integral portion of every book on the band. . . . Fills in the gaps of an important area of Who history." -- Mike Segretto, author of "The Who FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Fifty Years of Maximum R&B"

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDerided as seventies throwbacks upon their arrival and misremembered by the wider population as one-hit wonders, Marillion rode the 1980s as one of the most successful bands in Britain. Delivering the musical and conceptual density of early progressive rock with the caustic energy of punk, the Aylesbury heroes both spearheaded the neo-prog revival and produced its crown jewel in their number one album Misplaced Childhood and its Top 5 singles 'Kayleigh' and 'Lavender.' Musically, their influence reaches from prog legends Dream Theater and Steven Wilson to household names like Radiohead and Muse. The 1980s encapsulated Marillion's birth, commercial apex, and near-implosion. This book combines meticulous history with careful musical analysis to chronicle their most turbulent decade from their first gig, through the dizzying success and destructive decadence of their time with frontman Fish, to his bitter departure and replacement by Steve Hogarth. It turns an experienced critical eye not only on their five albums of the decade - from the seminal Script For A Jester's Tear to Season's End - Hogarth's debut - and a line-up that remains as active as ever. The book also discusses demos, singles, and Fish's solo debut to dissect a band which critics still love to hate, even as today's music industry stands upon their shoulders as pioneers of self-promotion and internet-based crowd funding

Read more less

Book SynopsisGuitarist Steve Hackett first came to many fan's attention when he joined Genesis in 1971. Following seven excellent albums with the band, he went his own way in 1977. He had already kick started his solo career with the critically acclaimed Voyage of the Acolyte in 1975 but 24 studio albums followed, making him the most prolific member of the classic Genesis line-up. In the 1980s, he also formed GTR with Yes guitarist Steve Howe and they enjoyed commercial success with a hit album and single. Steve's solo work has embraced rock, prog, classical, blues, pop, jazz and world music, all performed with style and panache and his most recent album At the Edge of Light released in 2019 is perhaps his best since the classic Spectral Mornings in 1979. On stage, he has kept the Genesis flame burning brightly, performing the band's classic material from the 1970s alongside his own work. He remains one of the most innovative and influential musicians in rock. This book examines, in detail, each one of Steve's studio albums and traces his long and varied history. Collaborations, live albums and compilations are also discussed, making this the most comprehensive guide to the music of Steve Hackett yet published. Whether the reader is a diehard fan or someone wishing to catch-up on his post Genesis work, Steve Hackett on track is essential reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Incredible String Band evoke love and devotion to all those who fall under their spell. Their world is not ours, but a land of mythical creatures and fey beings. This book looks at all their recorded output from the first album which saw the turning point from the mix of old time American music and Scottish dance tunes to the first steps in song writing, through albums which still maintain a legendary reputation, 5000 Spirits and Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. It looks at their increasingly eclectic instrumentation and fantastical song writing. There is a fresh look at the slightly lesser known albums that followed and the later version of the band that moved steadily towards the rock mainstream before imploding in 1974. There is also a look at the albums that appeared when the band briefly reformed in the 21st century and a run through the best of the posthumous live albums and compilations of unreleased material. The band went from major success to cult status, and then via mockery in the punk period to finally becoming a highly respected band, whose albums still sell steadily to this day. This book will follow that journey and examine every stop on the way.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJefferson Airplane were not the sole exemplars of 1960s Californian acid rock; the Grateful Dead could equally claim the mantle of house band to the Summer of Love. Airplane's instrumentation was conventional, comprising mainly vocal harmonies, guitars, bass and drums. The band drew upon the folk traditions of The Weavers, the legendary bluesmen Gary Davis and B.B. King, improvisational masters from Miles Davis to Cream, even literary visionaries such as James Joyce and Isaac Asimov. Yet fusing together these influences in the creative furnace of San Francisco between 1966 and 1970, Jefferson Airplane's classic lineup – one ex-model, two ex-folkies, one ex-jazzer and two ex-D.C. guitarslingers – crafted music that was at once powerful, innovative and beautiful. Birthed in the dizzy hippie heartland of Haight-Ashbury, no other group were so wedded to their environment, winning international acclaim with two anthemic hit singles even as they impishly prodded the morés of middle Amerika. A musical and social force of nature, Airplane mirrored the psychedelic dream, burning higher, fiercer and brighter than any of their contemporaries. Combining a concise history of this magnificent band and their milieu with comprehensive and entertaining reviews of all their recordings, this is the most accessible book on the band yet written

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Hereford group Silence teamed up with songwriter Ian Hunter in 1969 to form a group that aimed to be a cross between Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and Procol Harum, they rapidly became one of Britain's most popular live acts, but a major hit single and album initially proved elusive. In 1972, disillusioned and exhausted, they split before being encouraged to reform by David Bowie and finding immediate chart success with a song he gave them, 'All the Young Dudes'. After two years of hits and internal conflicts Ian left and enjoyed a chequered solo career that has lasted to this day, initially in partnership with guitarist Mick Ronson until his death in 1993. The rest of the group subsequently shortened their name to Mott and then British Lions, the latter a collaboration with former Medicine Head front man John Fiddler, although they failed to re-establish themselves despite several solid months of touring on both sides of the Atlantic. As Ian wrote, 'Rock'n'roll's a loser's game'. They won, they lost, but during the 1970s released some inspired, highly individual music, that went on to inspire and be championed by several other acts, notably Queen, the Clash and Def Leppard.

Read more less