Popular music Books
Bonnier Books Ltd In One Ear
Book Synopsis'A wonderful book' ELTON JOHN'Beautiful, insightful and honest' CILLIAN MURPHY'A fascinating read' DON LETTSAs one-third of seminal band Cocteau Twins, Simon Raymonde helped to create some of the most beautiful and memorable albums of the '80s and '90s - music that continues to cast a spell over millions. This is the story of the band, in his words.Beginning with Simon's remarkable childhood and exploring his relationship with his father, Ivor Raymonde (the legendary producer, musician and arranger for acts such as the Walker Brothers and songwriter for artists including Dusty Springfield), the book will journey through the musician's rise to prominence and his time with Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil.It will also chart the successful career he has forged running his own label, Bella Union, for the past twenty-seven years, discovering, developing and working with globally renowne
£17.60
St. Martin's Publishing Group Me
Book SynopsisINSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NOW UPDATED WITH A NEW CHAPTER In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in the film Rocketman, to becoming a living legend.Christened Reginald Dwight, he was a shy boy with Buddy Holly glasses who grew up in the London suburb of Pinner and dreamed of becoming a pop star. By the age of twenty-three he was performing his first gig in America, facing an astonished audience in his bright yellow dungarees, a star-spangled T-shirt, and boots with wings. Elton John had arrived and the music world would never be the same again.His life has been full of drama, from the early rejection of his work with song-writing partner Bernie Taupin to spinning out of control as a chart-topping superstar; from half-heartedly trying to drown himself in his LA swimming pool to disco-dancing wit
£16.99
AK Press Making Spaces Safer
Book Synopsis
£8.50
Orion Publishing Co When Giants Walked the Earth
Book SynopsisOver ten years after WHEN GIANTS WALKED THE EARTH, Mick Wall''s seminal biography of the band, comes this major and extensively researched revision, which provides an unflinching look at life inside one of the biggest-selling rock bands of all time, and presents the definitive, final word on Led Zeppelin.They were ''the last great band of the sixties; the first great band of the seventies''; they rose, somewhat unpromisingly, from the ashes of the Yardbirds to become one of the biggest-selling rock bands of all time. Mick Wall, respected rock writer and former confidant of both Page and Plant, unflinchingly tells the story of the band that wrote the rulebook for on-the-road excess - and eventually paid the price for it, with disaster, drug addiction and death. WHEN GIANTS WALKED THE EARTH reveals for the first time the true extent of band leader Jimmy Page''s longstanding interest in the occult, and goes behind the scenes to expose the truth
£14.24
Hachette Books Over the Influence
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£25.20
The Perseus Books Group Benson The Autobiography
Book Synopsis
£19.80
Sonicbond Publishing Dream Theater: Every Album, Every Song (On Track)
Book SynopsisNo other band has affected modern progressive metal as deeply or widely as American quintet Dream Theater. Formed at Berklee College of Music) as Majesty in 1985 by guitarist John Petrucci, drummer Mike Portnoy, and bassist John Myung, the group has spent thirty years repeatedly pushing new boundaries and reinventing their identity. Although other acts - such as Queensryche and Fates Warning - paved the way for the prog-metal subgenre, Dream Theater were without doubt the first to meld influences from both metal and progressive rock into a groundbreaking blend of quirky instrumentation, extensively complex arrangements, and exceptional songwriting. Whether subtly or overtly, they've since left their mark on just about every progressive metal band that's followed. In this book, Jordan Blum examines virtually all Dream Theater collections, and their behind-the-scenes circumstances, to explore how the group distinctively impacted the genre with each release. Whether classics of the 1990s like Images and Words and Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, benchmarks of the 2000s like Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Octavarium, or even thrilling modern efforts like A Dramatic Turn of Events and Distance Over Time, every sequence of albums contributes something crucial to making Dream Theater's legacy nothing short of astonishing.
£14.24
Hal Leonard Corporation Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments from
Book SynopsisThis ultimate guide to all the gear used by the Beatles details exactly which guitars drums amplifiers and keyboards the Fab Four embraced throughout their brief but revolutionary career from their earliest days as the Quarry Men to the dissolution of the Beatles in 1970. It provides fascinatingly fresh insights into Beatle history exploding myths and uncovering dozens of new stories along the way. John Paul George and Ringo's moves from cheap early instruments to the pick of 1960s technology are carefully and entertainingly documented in an easy-to-read narrative fully illustrated with many previously unseen photographs a cache of rare memorabilia and a unique collection of specially photographed instruments used by the Beatles.ÞAs we continue to find new ways to explore their sound from vivid remasters of their original recordings to cutting-edge video games the Beatles remain at the forefront of popular music. This landmark book is perfect for the fan absorbed by music rather than hairstyles for the tribute-band member with an eye for detail and for any reader with an abiding interest in the 1960s. With a foreword by acclaimed Beatle author Mark Lewisohn ÊBeatles GearÊ tells it like it was.
£39.10
Cherry Red Books Tom Waits In The Studio
Book Synopsis
£13.49
Equinox Publishing Ltd The Last Miles: The Music of Miles Davis,
Book SynopsisMiles Davis was one of the musical giants of the twentieth century. In a career that spanned more than five decades, Miles transformed the face of jazz four or five times, and his music resonates far beyond the bounds of his genre. Miles made the most famous album in the history of jazz, "Kind of Blue", formed one of the greatest jazz quintets in the 1960s and fused jazz with rock. Including unique interviews with dozens of Miles' closest colleagues, many of whom have never before been interviewed about their time with him, "The Last Miles" concentrates on the final period of Miles' life, after he had emerged from a five-year lay-off from the world of music. Right up until the end of his life, he was still searching, still exploring and still refusing to play it safe. The focus is on the music Miles recorded and played, and how it evolved in the eyes of the musicians he played with. Those interviewed include, George Duke, Teo Macero, Tommy LiPuma, Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones and Easy Mo Bee. There are also interviews with musicians who played with Miles before the 1980s, including Dave Liebman, Pete Cosey, Michael Henderson and Mike Zwerin, who give their own assessment of the music Miles played during the final period of his life. Cheryl Davies, Miles' only daughter, is also interviewed. "The Last Miles" is full of fascinating new facts and stories about Miles. For the first time, every member of the group of young musicians from Chicago who helped bring Miles back into the music scene gives their story. Music journalist George Cole also reveals for the first time the full story behind a lost Miles Davis album recorded in 1985, tells you about a song Miles co-wrote for "Mick Jagger", how he worked with Prince, and discovers new and unreleased music that Miles recorded. If you've ever wanted to know how Miles recruited his band members, what it was like working with Miles in the studio or to play with him on-stage, "The Last Miles" has the answers. There is at least one chapter devoted to each album that Miles recorded during this period. Full track-by-track descriptions contain many new and interesting tales behind the songs including how Sting came to record on one of Miles' tracks, why Prince dropped a song slated to appear on the "Tutu" album, how Gil Evans helped Miles compose many of the tunes on the album "Star People", what Splatch means and who Ursula was.Trade Review"'The best Miles Davis book ever.' Randy Hall, singer, guitarist and producer, who worked with Miles in the 1980's 'Engagingly written from start to finish, The Last Miles is an essential portrait of Miles' last decade and a strong argument that his music was both valid and perfectly in keeping with a musical philosophy that would ultimately stretch over six decades.' John Kelman, All About Jazz 'Cole does for Miles' late work what Ian Macdonald's Revolution In The Head does for The Beatles, examining each album in meticulous detail.' John Lewis, Time Out 'Cole's certainly produced a fascinating book.' Chris Ingham, Mojo '[Miles] comes out of Cole's account larger, warmer and if anything even more important than ever.' Brian Morton (co-writer of The Penguin Guide to Jazz), The Wire 'A fantastic book, an amazing insight into Miles.' Guy Barker, jazz trumpeter 'For Miles fans, this book is a must.' Jez Nelson, presenter BBC Radio Jazz on Three 'I really do recommend The Last Miles... It is a fine work.' John Cavanagh, presenter Radio Scotland's Be-Bop to Hip-Hop 'A great book that plays a great tribute to the last years of Miles' life.' Erik Telford, presenter of Miles Radio 'Cole is a persuasive writer: he prompted me to go and dig out albums that I'd dismissed as inconsequential and listen again with fresh ears... A rewarding read.' Charles Waring, Blues & Soul 'The Last Miles needs to be covered by working musicians, producers and Miles' fans alike.' Livingstone Marquis, Straight, No Chaser"Table of ContentsPrelude; Introduction; Miles, the man; Miles - His life and music before 1975; Into the Shadows; The man with the horn; We Want Miles; Star People; Decoy; You're Under Arrest; Aura; The road to Tutu; The road to Tutu: The Rubberband album; The road to Tutu: Miles and Prince; Tutu; Siesta; Amandla; Doo-Bop; Live Around the World; Miles Alive; Miles' other recordings; Miles' guest recordings; The verdict on the music of the 1980s; Notes; References; Compilation albums; Tribute albums; The eighties music - cover versions; Unreleased material; Miles' tunes; Miles' bands; Discography; Books and websites.
£25.00
Hal Leonard Corporation U2s The Joshua Tree
Book SynopsisU2 planted the seeds for The Joshua Tree during an existential journey through America. As Irishmen in the 1970s, the band grew up with the belief that America was a place of freedom and prosperity, a symbol of hope and a refuge for all people. However, global politics of the 1980s undermined that impression and fostered hypocritical policies that manipulated Americans and devastated people around the world. Originally conceived as The Two Americas, The Joshua Tree was U2''s critique of America. Rather than living up to the ideal that the country was an idea that belongs to people who need it most, the band found that America sacrificed equality and justice for populism and fascism. This book explores the political, social, and cultural themes rooted in The Joshua Tree when it was originally released in 1987 and how those themes resonated as a response to the election of Donald Trump when U2 toured for the album''s 30th anniversary. The author juxtaposes the band''s ex
£22.50
Canongate Books Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven
Book SynopsisFrom his own adolescence, when his allegiance was to punk rock, to his work as one of the essential voices of our time on music and culture at the New York Times and the New Yorker, Kelefa Sanneh has made a deep study of how our popular music unites and divides us. Distilling a career's worth of knowledge, Sanneh explores the tribes music forms, and how its genres, shape-shifting across the years, give us a way to track larger forces and concerns.He debunks cherished myths, reappraises beloved heroes and upends familiar ideas of musical greatness, arguing that sometimes the best popular music isn't transcendent: it expresses our grudges as well as our hopes, and is motivated by greed as well as inspiration. Throughout, race is a powerful touchstone: just as there's always been a 'Black' audience and a 'white' audience (with some overlap) there is Black music and white music and a whole lot of expropriation.This is a book to shock and awe the deepest music nerd, and at the same time to work as a heady gateway drug for the uninitiated.Trade ReviewThe most elegant history of popular music ever written . . . Sanneh not only delivers a coolly dazzling overview of the battlefields of genre but also revels open-heartedly in the music itself, his taste unbound by dogma or prejudice. The operative word is keen: zealous in spirit, exact in execution, ferociously acute from the first sentence to the last -- ALEX ROSS * * author of The Rest is Noise * *Kelefa Sanneh has achieved the impossible. Major Labels somehow manages to unspool everything you need to know about 50 years of music, but more impressively, he makes you care about all of it. Even the stuff you don't care about. It's funny, it's personal, and as a piece of writing the book borders on poetry -- DAVID LETTERMANAn intellectually rigorous retelling of rock and pop history * * The Times, Best Books of the Year * *The most wide-ranging music book of the year . . . elegantly written * * Herald, Music Books of the Year * *Intriguing, controversial, personal . . . a unique and absorbing read * * Guardian * *The book is immensely readable, and full of rich detail * * Independent * *This is a long-haul read, yet charmingly conducted in that languid, laconic New Yorker style that makes such a mammoth undertaking even possible. Its kick is to sew into the stories some near hidden gems - and socking ones too -- ANNIE NIGHTINGALESanneh's hospitable prose makes understanding this labyrinthine history feel like an adventure * * Guardian * *Entertaining, diligent . . . His observations are always fresh and thought-provoking, and presented with clarity and wit * * MOJO * *Inside this big, ambitious hybrid book was a smaller, more personal and altogether more compelling exploration of belonging and identity through music * * Observer * *
£20.00
University Press of Florida Rooted Jazz Dance Africanist Aesthetics and
Book SynopsisDecolonizing contemporary jazz dance practice, this book examines the state of jazz dance theory, pedagogy, and choreography in the twenty-first century, recovering and affirming the lifeblood of jazz in Africanist aesthetics and Black American culture.
£28.76
Chronicle Books Negatives: A Photographic Archive of Emo
Book SynopsisA gorgeous hardcover time capsule of the emo music scene as it was from 1996 to 2006, featuring never-before-seen photographs and never-before-told stories from key emo musicians, photographers, and icons. While the term emo has become a familiar label, there was a time when that wasn't the case. Many bands of the mid-to-late '90s would never have classified themselves as such - back then, the term was not only inaccurate but often used derogatorily. With the advent of the 2000s, the previously underground emo scene was put on the map, and the term and sound of the genre morphed into something new. A musical renaissance was happening, but bands didn't give much thought to the label in the long term. Nothing mattered, as long as the kids came out to shows. Today, the musical and cultural impact of this movement is alive and well, responsible for some of the biggest and most influential acts of the 21st century, from Jimmy Eat World to My Chemical Romance, and the emo label has been reclaimed by those who can't imagine life without Through rare and never-before-seen photographs Amy Fleisher Madden, founder of Fiddler Records (Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory, Recover, and more), thoughtfully and lovingly puts together this moving archive of the second and third waves of emo. With a foreword by Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional) and revealing essays from Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), Geoff Rickly (Thursday), Norman Brannon (Texas Is the Reason), and Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids), as well as insights and bite-sized narratives from photographers and other musicians of the era, this heartwarming time capsule expounds an extraordinary moment in music history - a scene that gave life to not only numerous big names but also to a powerful sound and even more powerful friendships. Featuring over 80 bands, including: Jimmy Eat World Dashboard Confessional My Chemical Romance Texas Is the Reason Taking Back Sunday The Get Up Kids Thursday The Promise Ring American Football Saosin From basements and VFW halls to dive bars and hole-in-the-walls, during long overnight drives through the middle of nowhere and stolen moments of sleep in carbon-copy motels, Negatives captures the heart of what made up this tight-knit community, an official archive of life as it was, taking you on stage, behind the curtain, and on the road.
£33.25
Balmansa Books Get on the Rollercoaster: Oasis in New Zealand, March 1998
£15.29
Globe Pequot Press I Want You Around
Book SynopsisTHE RAMONES AND THE MAKING OF ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL
£16.19
Omnibus Press Keith Richards: A Life in Pictures
Book SynopsisFrom the early days of The Rolling Stones, with a relatively baby-faced 'Keef' sporting a hounds-tooth jacket, to his heroic piratical look of the present day, rock's indestructible hero has been photographed by many people over half a century. Featuring more than 300 photographs in colour and black-and-white.Among those who took the pictures in this book are legendary photographers Jim Marshall, Terry O'Neill, Deborah Feingold, Neil Preston and Mark Seliger.If many of Keith Richards' adventures have passed into folklore, never before has there been quite such a comprehensive collection of portraits and candid shots collected to match the passing moments: police busts, global superstardom, a legendary Glastonbury set, a satisfying appearance in the Pirates Of The Caribbean movie franchise and an unlikely 2008 advertising stint as a lifestyle icon for Louis Vuitton, as photographed by Annie Leibowitz.Beautifully produced and elegantly designed, Keith Richards: A Life In Pictures is simply the must-have book of the year.
£21.21
Chrome Dreams Kreature Komforts: The Korn Story in Words and
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Sonicbond Publishing Jimi Hendrix On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Book SynopsisThe legendary Jimi Hendrix has had all kinds of superlatives bestowed on him since his incendiary debut in 1966, but Lou Reed's pithy summation beats the lot: '...he was such a bitching guitar player'. Jimi Hendrix On Track explores each thrilling song and album, drawing out exactly what made Hendrix not only a great guitarist but also a vocalist, arranger, interpreter, producer and songwriter of genius. Hendrix's revolutionary albums with The Experience and Band of Gypsys are discussed in detail, as are his posthumous releases from First Rays of the Rising Sun to Both Sides of the Sky. His early work as a session player for acts like The Isley Brothers, Little Richard and even Jayne Mansfield is considered, along with his later work as a guest star on albums by Stephen Stills, Robert Wyatt, and McGear and McGough; and not forgetting his blistering work as a producer for Eire Apparent. From psychedelic odysseys to progressive blues to proto-metal to funk-rock, Hendrix mastered them all. Jimi Hendrix On Track is an informative guide to some of the 20th century's most extraordinary recordings.
£15.19
Kahn & Averill Diary of My Songs
Book SynopsisA unique record of Poulenc (1899-1963) who is considered the greatest composer of mélodies of his period, a period that opened with the aftermath of the First World War and closed as recently as 1960. He set to music poetry by all the greatest French twentieth century poets as well as others from earlier times. He wrote this diary of songs as an answer to what he felt were the frequent misinterpretations of his work. It describes the origins of each song, comments on performances he heard and offers guidelines for interpretation. The diary is filled out with explanatory notes, a collection of unfamiliar photographs and the English translation to the text written opposite the French original. It will appeal to singers who include French song in his or her repertoire and also to those who have an interest in music of this period. The translator, Winifred Radford is also the singer who gave the first performance in England of Poulenc's song cycle Fiancailles pour rire in 1945. She was coached by Poulenc and Pierre Bernac with whom she later translated The Interpretation of French Song and Francis Poulenc - The Man and his Songs.Trade Review'Read within the context of his own distinctive tone of voice, Poulenc's comments take on a totally fresh hue in a book that is much more than simply a catechism for singers, but rather a revevealingly idiomatic self-portrait, redolent of the Parisian boulevards and artistic salons, childhood memories, melancholy rainy afternoons, or the invigorating bitterness of a flower once plucked and munched in the surroundings of the Grande Chartreuse.' - Robert Henderson, The Daily TelegraphTable of ContentsForeword by Graham Johnson; Preface to the French edition by Henri Sauguet; The Diary in English and French Notes; List of Songs by Francis Poulenc; Bibliography; Illustrations; Discography by Patrick Saul
£14.95
Cherry Red Books Rockdetector: Ozzy Osbourne
Book Synopsis
£13.49
Akashic Books,U.S. We Owe You Nothing: Expanded Edition: Punk
Book SynopsisNew edition updated with six more interviews and a new introduction, bringing the definitive book of conversations with the underground's greatest minds up to 2007.
£17.05
Wymer Publishing Sabotage! Black Sabbath in the Seventies
Book SynopsisQuite simply, Martin Popoff’s Sabotage! Black Sabbath in the Seventies marks the most intensive analysis of Black Sabbath’s first eight albums ever attempted. This is a big book—129,000 words long, every song analysed in detail, loads of first-hand interview footage from close to 50 interrogations. In the baking, Popoff interviewed all of the principles—Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward—repeatedly, along with myriad other folks who are part of this remarkable tale. Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage, Never Say Die and Technical Ecstasy… these are the building blocks of heavy metal, and within these awesome audio chapters, Popoff breaks down each and every song on each of these reverberating and cannonating records, while Geezer offers explanation of the lyrics, Bill poetically explains why these songs resonate and Tony and Oz look on with their characteristic sense of bemusement. Also touched upon are the band’s torrid troubles with money and management and drugs and booze, as well as tour tales, album cover stories and production tips ‘n’ tricks. Also included are two four-page sections of colour plates. All told, it’s everything needed to send the reader back to the catalogue, headphones on, for a second listen of this landmark run of records spanning 1970’s self-titled debut to 1978’s Never Say Die, the shambling, controversial last gasp before Ozzy’s shocking ouster from the ranks.
£21.02
Redcliffe Press Ltd Hit and Miss: The Story of the John Barry Seven
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£22.50
Hal Leonard Corporation Ringo: With a Little Help
Book SynopsisÊRingo: With a Little HelpÊ is the first in-depth biography of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr who kept the beat for an entire generation and who remains a rock icon over fifty years since the Beatles took the world by storm. ÊWith a Little HelpÊ traces the entire arc of Ringo's remarkable life and career from his sickly childhood to his life as The World's Most Famous drummer to his triumphs addictions and emotional battles following the breakup of the Beatles as he comes to terms with his legacy.ÞBorn in 1940 as Richard Starkey in the Dingle one of Liverpool's most gritty rough-and-tumble neighborhoods he rose from a hardscrabble childhood ä marked by serious illnesses long hospital stays and little schooling ä to emerge against all odds as a locally renowned drummer. Taking the stage name Ringo Starr his big break with the Beatles rocketed him to the pinnacle of worldwide acclaim in a remarkably short time. He was the last member of the Beatles to join the group but also the most vulnerable and his post-Beatles career was marked by chart-topping successes a jet-setting life of excess and alcohol abuse and ultimately his rebirth as one of rock's revered elder statesman.
£14.24
Bonnier Books Ltd Roger Daltrey: Thanks a lot Mr Kibblewhite, The
Book SynopsisRoger Daltrey is the voice of a generation.That generation was the first to rebel, to step out of the shadows of the Second World War... to invent the concept of the teenager.This is the story from his birth at the height of the Blitz, through tempestuous school days to his expulsion, age 15, for various crimes and misdemeanours within a strict school system. Thanks to Mr Kibblewhite, his authoritarian headmaster, it could all have ended there. The life of a factory worker beckoned.But then came rock and roll. He made his first guitar from factory off-cuts. He formed a band. The band became The Who - Maximum R&B - and, by luck and by sheer bloody-mindedness, Roger Daltrey became the frontman of one of the biggest rock bands on the planet.This is the story of My Generation, Tommy and Quadrophenia, of smashed guitars, exploding drums, cars in swimming pools, fights, arrests and redecorated hotel rooms.But it is also the story of how that post-war generation redefined the rules of youth. Out of that, the modern music industry was born - and it wasn't an easy birth. Money, drugs and youthful exuberance were a dangerous mix. This is as much a story of survival as it is of success.Four years in the making, this is the first time Roger Daltrey has told his story. It is not just his own hilarious and frank account of more than 50 wild years on the road. It is the definitive story of The Who and of the sweeping revolution that was British rock 'n' roll.
£13.24
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Arcade Fires The Suburbs
Book SynopsisThe Suburbs is an incredibly sentimental and nostalgic album, which generally moved critics but was jarring to others. But it also made a heavy impact on fans and to the surprise of many won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards. This immensely visceral album triggers a sincere celebration of not formative years spent in a cookie-cutter development, but of feeling self-important, immortal, and desperate to escape. It examines youth and amplifies an innate sense of longing and remembrance.Eric Eidelstein's The Suburbs explores this weird, utopic recollection of youth by comparing the album to suburban scenes in film and television, such as Blue Velvet, Mad Men, The Americans, and Spike Jonze's Scenes from the Suburbs. Through the close examination of film and televised depictions of the suburbs, both past and present, Eidelstein delves into the societal factors and artistic depictions that make the suburbs such a fascinating cultural conTrade ReviewMusicians, music lovers and music educators in the post-secondary field are likely to find The Suburbs of interest. It leaves the reader wondering how comparative studies of other creative works in connection to a diversity of sociological factors might be beneficial. * Canadian Association of Music Libraries *Table of ContentsTrack Listing Introduction 1 — Who is Arcade Fire? 2 — What are the suburbs? 3 — Where do you kids live? 4 — What’s up dog? 5 — Why do I have these headaches? 6 — Why are there people like Frank? 7 — Why are you so profoundly sad? 8 — Surely expulsion is not the answer? 9 — Should I move past the feeling?
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Gospel According to Luke
Book SynopsisNo one explodes one of the longest-held misconceptions of music history better than Steve Lukather and his band Toto. The dominant pop-culture sound of the late-1970s and ''80s was not in fact the smash and sneer of punk, but a slick, polished amalgam of rock and R&B that was first staked out on Boz Scaggs'' Silk Degrees. That album was shaped in large part by the founding members of Toto, who were emerging as the most in-demand elite session muso-crew in LA, and further developed on the band''s self-titled three-million-selling debut smash of 1978. A string of hits followed for the band going into the ''80s and beyond. Running parallel to this, as stellar session players, Lukather and band-mates David Paich, Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro were also the creative linchpins on some of the most successful, influential and enduring records of the era. In The Gospel According to Luke, Lukather tells the Toto story: how a group of high school friends formed the band in 1977Trade ReviewA lively . . . read . . . great anecdotes . . . Clean and sober at 60, Lukather is in a good place right now and this contented memoir mirrors that status * Classic Rock *
£14.24
Little, Brown & Company Dear Evan Hansen: Through the Window
Book SynopsisThe New York Times called it "a superb new musical with great art and humor." New York magazines lauded it as a "musical gem with the kind of surprising songs only found in the best musical theater." The Washington Post called it "musical storytelling of the highest caliber, a work whose captivatingly generous spirit is matched by its exemplary intelligence and fearless embrace of deep feeling." But Dear Evan Hansen isn't just a darling of the critics. The emotional masterpiece is resonating across generations, where at the heart of the show is a universal message about our desire to connect more deeply in a world dominated by impersonal digital interactions. The Dear Evan Hansen musical follows the story of Evan Hansen, an anxiety-ridden teenager who gets caught up in a line that he never meant to tell and, as a result, finally begins to feel like he fits in. The show deals with universal themes of family, alienation, bullying, mental health, addiction and belonging, while also starting a much-needed conversation about what it means to be growing up in America in the digital age. The book-produced by Melcher Media, the team behind Hamilton, Wicked, Rent, and many more-will tell you the story of the musical from its conception nearly a decade ago to the Broadway stage. From developing the idea to writing the show, composing, casting, and rehearsals, DEAR EVAN HANSEN will appeal to fans far and wide will offer them the opportunity to continuously revisit the show, and for those who haven't seen the musical, reading the book will make them feel like they have. Filled with interviews with the cast and crew, original behind-the-scenes photography, a deeper look into Evan's fictional world and the visual world of the show, unreleased lyrics, and of course the libretto, as well as reflections on the creators own formative memories from their adolescence as it relates to the show's themes, and important examinations of how we present ourselves online and mental health, DEAR EVAN HANSEN will be a beautifully produced, thoughtful, and uplifting book.
£31.50
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Liz Phairs Exile in Guyville
Book SynopsisAlthough Exile in Guyville was celebrated as one of the year''s top records by Spin and the New York Times, it was also, to some, an abomination: a mockery of the Rolling Stones'' most revered record and a rare glimpse into the psyche of a shrewd, independent, strong young woman. For these crimes, Liz Phair was run out of her hometown of Chicago, enduring a flame war perpetrated by writers who accused her of being boring, inauthentic, and even a poor musician. With Exile in Guyville, Phair spoke for all the girls who loved the world of indie rock but felt deeply unwelcome there. Like all great works of art, Exile was a harbinger of the shape of things to come: Phair may have undermined the male ego, but she also unleashed a new female one. For the sake of all the female artists who have benefited from her workfrom Sleater-Kinney to Lana Del Rey and back againit''s high time we go back to Guyville.Trade ReviewI found this book to be, like Ms. Phair’s album, charming and brave and unexpectedly moving. The author is excellent on so many things, including how the power of Ms. Phair’s songs grows from their grainy details, quotidian observations that other rockers so rarely give us, about things like housework and roommates and 'what is was like to feel voiceless and powerless in a nightclub, on a road trip, or during sexual intercourse. -- Dwight Garner * The New York Times *Arnold is a wonderful writer: fearless, precise, full of doubt, never taking anything for granted. She’s one of the few people left on the planet who uses presently correctly, which can create its own thrill. Going back to Liz Phair’s once notorious, now often forgotten, absurdly in-your-face ambitious first album—'a story about a girl and a time and a place,' the indie-rock world of Wicker Park, in Chicago, in the early 1990s, but in Phair’s hands a story told with such heart that you need no such details to catch every shade of meaning and emotion—Arnold has written a book about the past ('when dinosaurs, as personified by Dinosaur Jr., ruled the earth'), its follies and crimes ('Every past is worth condemning,' Arnold quotes Nietzsche, and then puts the words to work), and the idea of an imagined community that the past leaves behind ('Often I think I am a better informed citizen of Middlemarch, Bartsetshire,' Arnold says, 'than I am of San Francisco'). And it’s about what it means for a young woman to simultaneously take on both everyone in her town and take down the album that sums up everything that everyone in her town would like to sound like, look like, act like, be—to take down a whole way of being in the world. -- Greil Marcus * The Believer *Writing at length about two themes – ‘third-wave feminism’ and the changing nature of indie music over the past twenty years - requires laborious research, cogent arguments, and logical grounding from start to finish. Doing so in the context of one record makes the task even more difficult. I can say, having reviewed many scholarly articles in my time, that Arnold passes the test with flying colors. The book is well cited, filled (but not overwrought) with pertinent facts, and her points are structured in a way that just make sense. In a word, the book is smart. * 2bit Monkey *Mentioned in Harper's Bazaar -- Hannah Morrill * Harper's Bazaar *Provocative in all the right places, persuasively argued and certainly among the most professional of the series. It reminds me how much my thinking about gender and sexuality has benefitted from reading women’s testimonials to the emotional power of Guyville. It also reminds me how, to this day, I would drink Liz Phair’s bathwater. -- Kirk Curnutt * Paste Magazine *Arnold’s book puts Phair in her proper place as the patron saint of f**k you. Because, in the end, Phair had the last laugh. Guyville is no more. It has been laid waste, in part, by the corporate interests that poached and commodified indie rock’s talent (Phair included), and finally blasted into oblivion by technology. The critic, like those denizens of Guyville, no longer needs to impress us with her encyclopedic knowledge of a musical act, or lay forth great truths and judgments for us to accept without question. Rather, she can engage in a more lyrical form of storytelling, picking apart at the edges of a work of art, and letting biography and theory bubble forth as need be, in order to reveal a particular, individual relationship. In this way, Arnold’s book not only documents a lost world. By presenting an engaging and enlightening example of criticism in the post-critical age, it also points a way forward. -- Brian Gresko * The Rumpus *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Written in my Seoul Chapter 1: Guvyille as Ghostworld Chapter 2: Sonic Pleasure and Narrative rock criticism Chapter 3: My Mixed Feelings Chapter 4: Exile State of Mind Works Cited
£9.49
Chicago Review Press Miles on Miles
Book SynopsisGathering the 30 most vital Miles Davis interviews—on his music, his life, and his philosophy—this collection reveals the jazz icon as a complex and contradictory man, secretive at times but extraordinarily revealing at others. Miles was not only a musical genius, but an enigma, and nowhere else was he so compelling, exasperating, and entertaining as he was in his interviews, which vary from polite to outrageous, from straight-ahead to contrarian. Many were conducted by leading journalists like Leonard Feather, Stephen Davis, Ben Sidran, Mike Zwerin, and Nat Hentoff; while others have never before been printed, and are newly transcribed from radio and television shows—making this the definitive source for anyone wanting to really encounter the legend in print.Trade ReviewIt's pleasurable to have [these interviews] in this one handy and thoughtfully edited volume." —Library Journal"Here is Miles Davis's less familiar voice, his speaking voice. . . . Maher and Dorr gather together Davis's greatest hits in Q & A, and they make compelling reading." —Jack Chambers, author, Milestones: The Music and Times of Miles Davis"Most worthy . . . illustrative." —Jazztimes"Effectively portrays what the editors call the 'myriad mirrors to his life.'" —Sacramento News & Review"Miles [presented] in all his glory . . . fascinating." —popmatters.com"Provides startling insight." —Star Tribune"[A] telling book…gripping from beginning to end. You will not be able to put it down." —examiner.com"Everybody should read at least one book about Davis' life and music, and Miles on Miles is the perfect place to start." —Winston-Salem Journal
£16.10
Helter Skelter Publishing Natural Born Man: The Life of Jack Johnson
Book SynopsisCompelling biography of the breakthrough singer/songwriter, hailed as the 'Dylan for the 21st century'.
£13.49
Hal Leonard Corporation The Grunge Diaries
Book SynopsisThroughout the 1990s, Dave Thompson was the Seattle-based contributing editor to Alternative Press magazineAmerica''s biggest-selling and most influential alternative rock monthlyand a regular contributor to other publications both nationally and internationally.Throughout this decade, grunge music ruled the world and Seattle was its birthplace and focal point. Thompson was an eyewitness to it all. His writings and interviews chronicled the entire history of grungefrom its roots in the earliest explosion of punk in the mid-1970s to its rise and ultimate fall from grace in the late 1990s.Drawing from Thompson''s extensive experience and researchfrom personal files and journals and hours of interviews with both musicians and fans, other music industry figures, and a wealth of characters from the Seattle sceneThe Grunge Diaries is an exhaustive account of this unique era.Featured are all of the major actsNirvana, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Soundgardenand many lesser know
£18.99
McFarland & Co Inc The Beyonce Effect
Book Synopsis Since her late-1990s debut as a member of the R&B trio Destiny''s Child, Beyonce Knowles has garnered both praise and criticism. While some consider her an icon of female empowerment, others see her as detrimental to feminism and representing a negative image of women of color. Her music has a decidedly pop aesthetic, yet her power-house vocals and lyrics focused on issues like feminine independence, healthy sexuality and post-partum depression give her songs dimension and substance beyond typical pop fare. This collection of new essays presents a detailed study of the music and persona of Beyonce--arguably the world''s biggest pop star. Topics include the body politics of respectability; feminism, empowerment and gender in Beyonce''s lyrics; black female pleasure; and the changing face of celebrity motherhood. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an
£14.99
Hal Leonard Europe Limited TheJoy of Boogie and Blues by Agay Denes Author
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£13.29
Ebury Publishing Billy Bragg
Book Synopsis''Love me or hate me. It''s a great read' - Billy Bragg He was a punk. He was a soldier. He was a flag-waver for the Labour Party and the miners. He is Billy Bragg, passionate protest folk singer and tireless promoter of political and humanitarian causes around the world. His life encapsulates so much about his generation: born in the late '50s, passions forged by punk, politics shaped by Thatcherism, career inspired by engagement, hope provided by the end of the Cold War and ideology galvanised by what he sees as a post-ideological' twenty-first century. He adapts to survive: serious about compassion and accountability, he likes a laugh too, and has never forgotten where he comes from.Still Suitable for Miners is the official Billy Bragg story, tracing his life, family and career at close range from Barking to the present day. This 20th anniversary edition has been updated to include the rise of Corbyn, the unfolding of Brexit, BTrade ReviewLove me or hate me. It's a great read. * Billy Bragg *
£16.14
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Escaping the Delta
Book SynopsisThis close-up look at the life and music of Robert Johnson and his contributions to the evolution of blues music describes his obscurity during his own life, his innovative influence on American popular music, and how the history of blues music was shaped and transformed by white fans with different tastes and standards.Trade Review"If you read only one book about blues...read this one." -- Starred Booklist on Escaping the Delta
£11.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc 18 and Life on Skid Row
Book SynopsisNPR Best Books of 2017NOW IN GLORIOUS PAPERBACH AND FEATURING NEW PHOTOS18 And Life on Skid Row tells the story of a boy who spent his childhood moving from Freeport, Bahamas to California and finally to Canada and who at the age of eight discovered the gift that would change his life.Trade Review"In the hedonistic new memoir 18 and Life on Skid Row, Sebastian Bach is brutally frank in his description of life on the road and exploits...Written in a funny, everyman style, 18 and Life finds Bach as one of rock's most affable frontmen." -- Rolling Stone "The soulfulness of Sebastian Bach's new memoir caught me off-guard...The book's personal stories are compelling...they're what make 18 and Life on Skid Row a captivating read." -- LA Weekly "[a] ribald and freewheeling memoir...often a delightfully trashy and salacious read. The overall impression one gets of Bach is of an outgoing and genial person...it works because of Bach's puppyish enthusiasm-for music, yes, but also for booze, for drugs, and for sex in unusual places. Rock it up!" -- AV Club "a wild ride of a memoir" -- The Houston Press "the rock book that's going to be hard to beat" -- Las Vegas Weekly "give the gift of Baz this holiday season and get the Skid Row scoop via one of rock's greatest frontmen." -- Vanyaland
£10.99
Puncture Publications Mekons Hello Cruel World: Selected Lyrics
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£17.09
V & A Publishing Glam Rock: Dandies in the Underworld
Book SynopsisDrawing on the collections of the V&A, Glam Rock narrates the story of glam and explores its impact on fashion, theatre and film. In the early 1970s, glam rock changed the face of popular culture in Britain and, against a backdrop of a nation racked by economical and social crises, its flamboyancy and theatricality provided an excuse for a party and an escapist dream for musicians and fans alike. British acts like David Bowie, Roxy Music, T. Rex and Mott the Hoople - together with American fellow-travellers including Lou Reed, Alice Cooper and Sparks - drew on the original blueprint of rock and roll, as well as a host of other traditions, from Hollywood to the music hall, Berlin cabaret and Broadway musicals to science fiction and pop art. The resulting music was a wild blend of camp artifice and avant-garde decadence. By 1975 the era had come to an end, but glam never truly went away. Indeed, its attitudes and aesthetics have shaped much that has followed since, from disco to punk, the new romantics to Britpop, Prince to Lady Gaga.Table of ContentsFar Beyond the Pale Horizon -- When you Rock and Roll with Me - A Tall Hat and a Tattooed Gown -- Hollywood Highs -- Get Down and Get With It -- The Ballrooms of Mars -- I Could make a Wild Mutation -- Book After Book, I Get Hooked -- Some Kinda Temporary -- Biba-Nova -- Heartbeat, Increasing Heartbeat -- Science Fiction / Double Feature -- Tumbling Down -- After All
£22.50
Omnibus Press In Search of Pharrell Williams
Book SynopsisFirst substantial overview of the life and career of Pharrell Williams, the foremost producer of the modern era, and performer in his own right. It follows him from his days growing up in Virginia, his meeting with musical partner Chad Hugo and formation of The Neptunes, through his collaborations with the great and the good of pop, rap and R&B, including Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Nelly and Kelis. It assesses his ground-breaking work with the radical rap-rock-pop band N*E*R*D, and his emergence as a solo superstar via Daft Punk's Get Lucky, Robin Thicke's controversial Blurred Lines and global mega-hit Happy. It delves behind the immaculate facade to find out what makes Williams one of the most driven and inventive musicians of the last 20 years
£12.34
Nick Hern Books How Musicals Work: And How to Write Your Own
Book SynopsisMusicals are the most popular form of stage entertainment today, with the West End and Broadway dominated by numerous long-running hits. But for every Wicked or Phantom of the Opera, there are dozens of casualties that didn't fare quite so well. In this book, Julian Woolford explores the musical-theatre canon to explain why and how some musicals work, why some don't, and what you should (and shouldn’t) do if you're thinking of writing your own. Drawing on his experience as a successful writer and director of musicals, and as a lecturer in writing musicals at the University of London, Woolford outlines every step of the creative process, from hatching the initial idea and developing a structure for the work, through creating the book, the music and the lyrics, and on to the crucial process of rewriting. He then guides the reader through getting a musical produced, with invaluable advice about generating future productions and sustaining a career. The book includes dozens of exercises to assist the novice writer in developing their craft, and detailed case studies of well-known musicals such as Les Misérables, The Sound of Music, Miss Saigon, Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell and Evita. An essential guide for any writers (or would-be writers) of musicals, How Musicals Work is a fascinating insight for anyone interested in the art form or who has ever wondered what it takes to get from first idea to first night. ‘A comprehensive and thoughtful guide to everything one must consider in order to write a successful musical. It would take at least a decade to learn all of this on one’s own. Invaluable.’ David Zippel (lyricist of City of Angels and The Woman in White) ‘If anyone knows how musicals work (I’m not sure I do), this highly entertaining dissection of every aspect of that bewildering art form reveals that Julian Woolford does.’ Tim RiceTrade Review'Excellent... a useful source of information' * The Stage *'Extraordinarily informative... always practical and always readable... a seminal examination' * ReviewsGate.com *'There is plenty here of interest to anyone wishing to analyse or create musicals or even with a general interest in the subject' * British Theatre Guide *
£15.29
Headline Publishing Group Motherless Child
Book SynopsisFrom the Yardbirds to Cream, Blind Faith to Derek and the Dominos, and a hugely-successful solo career, Eric Clapton''s fifty years in the music business can look like an uninterrupted rise to become one of the greatest guitar players who ever lived. But his story is as complicated as it is fascinating.Clapton''s god-like skill with a guitar was matched by an almost equal talent for self-destruction. He has never shied away from telling the truth about his battles with drink and drugs - or the sometimes catastrophic impact they had on the other people in his life, including his first wife Pattie Boyd. And without those deep personal lows we may never have had the musical highs that won him millions of fans. His story is also one of a long but successful road to sobriety, redemption and happiness.Motherless Child chronicles Clapton''s remarkable journey: the music, the women, the drugs, the cars, the guitars, the heartbreak and the tTrade ReviewScott has constructed a well written and engaging tale. * 100percentrock.com *compelling new biography... [in which] provocative insights into the life of the phenomenally successful Clapton are revealed * Daily Mail Online *
£12.34
Globe Pequot Press DLR Book
Book SynopsisWhat does a rock star do after leaving the band? If you're David Lee Roth, you have a Las Vegas residency, write a memoir, become a radio host, start a YouTube series, star in a Japanese-language short film, launch a tattoo skincare line, and release a digital comic. And then you rejoin the band.The first book focused on Roth in twenty-five years, DLR Book is an intimate look at an epic career. From his start with Van Halen to his highly publicized departure from the band and his triumphant return, entertainment industry expert Darren Paltrowitz covers the highs and lows of Roth's journey. The fruit of nearly one hundred exclusive interviews, the book also delves into Diamond Dave's many extracurricular activities, including his unclassifiable video series The Roth Show, the rise and fall of his syndicated radio program, and his training as an EMT. Included here are conversations with some of Roth's most popular collaborators (among them Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan, Travis Tritt) and contributions from members of rock's all-time biggest bands, such as Korn's Ray Luzier, Bon Jovi's Phil X, and Heart's Ann Wilson. Filled with countless photographs never published in book form, DLR Book is a front-row seat to one of the wildest and most unpredictable shows in rock history.
£17.09
Plexus Publishing Ltd Rock n Roll Babylon
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£13.49
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Black Sabbath FAQ All Thats Left to Know on the
Book SynopsisBLACK SABBATH FAQ: ALL THAT'S LEFT TO KNOW ON THE FIRST NAME IN METAL
£18.57
Faber & Faber Prince
Book SynopsisLegendarily reticent, perverse and misleading, Prince is one of the few remaining 80s superstars who still, perhaps, remains unexplained. Now a firm fixture in the pop canon, where such classics as ''Purple Rain'', ''Sign o'' the Times'' and ''Parade'' regularly feature in Best Ever Album polls, Prince is still, as he ever was, an enigma. His live performances are legendary (21 Nights at the O2 in 2007) and while recent releases have been modestly successful at best, his influence on urban music, and R''n''B in particular, has never been more evident. The Minneapolis Sound can now be heard everywhere. Matt Thorne''s Prince, through years of research and interviews with ex-Revolution members such as Wendy and Lisa, is an account of a pop maverick whose experiments with rock, funk, techno and jazz revolutionised pop. With reference to every song, released and unreleased, over 35 years of recording, Prince will stand for years to come as the go-to book on th
£14.24
Wallflower Press Superstar – The Karen Carpenter Story
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£12.34
