Popular music Books

Book SynopsisWhen the world's greatest pop band played their final public concert, in January 1969, there were no tickets or posters printed. When John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr emerged at lunchtime from the headquarters of their own company, Apple, five storeys above London's Savile Row, only a select group of people knew what the hell was happening.The rooftop concert was one of the Beatles' most spontaneous acts. Beatles on the Roof studies the rooftop concert in penetrating detail, uncovering new truths and debunking old myths about the event. Nobody knew it yet - not even the band - but this was the last time they would play live to the public.

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Book SynopsisHere is the story of how the Sex Pistols shocked and shamed EMI - the UK's most revered and profitable record company - and ended up GBP40,000 the richer thanks to manager Malcolm McLaren's cunning business strategy.

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Book SynopsisK-Pop: The Ultimate Fan Book is your essential guide to all the bands, songs and styles behind the most diverse and exciting genre in pop music today. 2018 was a breakout year for K-Pop (Korean Pop) on the global stage, with boy-band BTS reaching number 1 in the UK album chart and selling out live shows around the world including Wembley in June 2019. But there's so much more to this cultural movement. Featuring all the hottest K-Pop bands, from BTS and Red Velvet to TWICE and EXO, K-Pop: The Ultimate Fan Book is packed with dozens of vibrant photos and a colourful, eye-catching design. Table of ContentsMeet the Bands. Profiles of all the hottest K-Pop acts, including: BTS • Red Velvet • BLACKPINK • Wanna One • TWICE • EXO • iKon • Seventeen • Monsta X • Astro • GOT7 • Mamamoo • EXID • TVXQ • GFriend • Cherry Bullett • G-IDLE • TXT • ITZY. World of K-Pop. The Big Bang! • Classic K-Pop • Masters of K-Pop • K-Pop Dance Class • K-Pop Style Guide • The Next Generation.

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Book SynopsisShapeshifting, collaborative, endlessly inventive and robustly empowering - Black music has in the last three decades reshaped Britain and made a lasting impact on our culture and society. Each generation of Black Britons has remade the music scene, and, against a backdrop of misrepresentation and marginalisation, found freedom and joy in community. In this landmark book, the journalist, DJ and filmmaker Jesse Bernard dives deep into the genesis and history of homegrown Black music, from the height of jungle and UK hip-hop in 1990, through the 2011 London riots, the birth of UK trap and the rise of grime superstars like Stormzy. Despite existing on the margins, Black British music has thrived through the creativity and resourcefulness of creators and communities; in Escaping Babylon Jesse Bernard examines how Black barbershops became conduits for new music, how the Internet changed the spread of Black culture and how music in Britain is moulded by the Black diaspora from Lagos to Los Angeles, Sao Paolo to South London. Escaping Babylon is the definitive account of Black British music - its vibrant history and towering legacy.

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Book Synopsis'You want it all? There's not much missing here. 9/10.' - Classic Rock'An engaging mix of humour and detailed critical analysis ... great fun. 4/5.' - MojoFrom award-winning author Mark Blake comes Magnifico! The A to Z of Queen.Addressing the phenomenal cinematic success of Bohemian Rhapsody, acclaimed music journalist Mark Blake builds on the legend of Queen and their enduring audience appeal.Providing a fresh, unparalleled take on Queen's music, story and legacy, Blake's complete portrait covers not only the major hits and bestselling albums, but also the inside stories behind the music.Via a series of essays, interviews and biographies, the author shares a wealth of lesser-known details - gained from over thirty years of original material - and explores what the songs of Queen say about their creators.Trade Review'A royal banquet of Mercury and co. morsels ... Blake has enough knowledge and research in his locker to take us on a deep dive into lesser-known corners of the band's history ... there's something here for casuals and obsessives alike ... You want it all? There's not much missing here. 9/10.' -- Classic Rock'An engaging mix of humour and detailed critical analysis, delving fathoms deep into the before and after of the band's classic line-up and generally leaving no scara unmooshed ... great fun. 4/5.' -- Mojo

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Book SynopsisA Times Book of the YearA Mojo Book of the YearA Louder Than War Book of the YearA Waterstones Book of the YearA Resident Book of the Year'A beautifully written, meticulously researched account. 4/5.' - CLASSIC POP1979. Months of industrial action throughout the winter have left the dead unburied and mountains of rubbish piling up in the streets.Punk has reached its bleak climax with the fatal heroin overdose of Sid Vicious while awaiting trial for the murder of his girlfriend.Unlikely alliances of outsiders prepare to seize power, set the political agenda and write the soundtrack for the years to come. Their figureheads are two very different kinds of dominatrices...As Margaret Thatcher enters 10 Downing Street, a handful of bands born of punk - Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division and the Cure - find a way to distil the diss

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Book SynopsisIdiosyncratic.Iconoclastic.Acerbic.Hilarious.The influence of Tom Hibbert's music writing across print, radio, TV and podcasts is incomparable. From his genre-defining work at Smash Hits to his 'Who the Hell ... ?' profiles for Q magazine and beyond, this book brings together many of Hibbert's funniest writings.Compiled by Barney Hoskyns and Jasper Murison-Bowie at Rock's Backpages, the archive of music journalism, Phew, Eh Readers? showcases some of Hibbert's greatest pieces. Presented thematically and chronologically, they highlight his marvellously eccentric perspective on life and popular culture.Many leading writers and journalists attest to Hibbert's genius. This compendium supplements his writing with new reflections on Tom from some of his peers, colleagues and admirers, including Mark Ellen, Bob Stanley, Tom Doyle, Chris Heath, Sylvia Patterson, along with his widow Allyce.Phew, Eh Readers? is a must-read homage to one of the most influential writers of our time, a man who left an indelible mark on our cultural landscape.Trade Review'The funniest and most revealing of all music journalists.' -- Neil Tennant

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

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Book SynopsisThe complete story of the Gibson Les Paul.Produced in collaboration with Gibson, this is the ultimate history of rock's greatest guitar – with unprecedented access to behind-the-scenes stories and unseen photography.- The greatest Les Paul models - Stunning photography, including never-before-seen images - Detailed technical information - Iconic Les Paul players, songs, albums and concerts - Other treasures from the Gibson vaultsCelebrating 70 years of a music icon, this is an ode to a magical guitar and the music made with it.

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Book SynopsisA history of the last seventy years of popular music, particularly Rock and Roll, combined with a personal story of artistic aspiration overtaken by conventional career.

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Book SynopsisTony Sanchez worked for Keith Richards for eight years buying drugs, running errands and orchestrating cheap thrills. He records unforgettable accounts of the Stones' perilous misadventures racing cars along the Cote d'Azur; murder at Altamont; nights with the Beatles at the Stones-owned nightclub Vesuvio; frantic flights to Switzerland for blood changes and the steady stream of women, including Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull and Bianca Jagger. Here are the Stones at their debauched peak cavorting around the world, smashing Bentleys, working black magic, getting raided, snorting coke and mainlining heroin. Sanchez tells the whole truth, sparing not even himself in the process with hard-hitting prose and candid photographs.

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Book SynopsisPunk. London.1977. Most people blinked and missed it. Many spent a decade trying to catch up. Derek Ridgers stumbled across it by accident, where it was, in the beating filthy heart of the Roxy in middle of a derelict slum called Covent Garden. Stumbling through the moshpits trying to keep hold of a borrowed camera. 1977. Punk London brings you 152 pages of photography featuring the birth of the the most exciting cultural phenomenon in UK history. Currents and vibes, flows and backwash, trends and anti-trends splashing around in the cauldron of youth culture in the city of London, and the lost rebels haunting their suburban bedrooms - jumping the train uptown to get into the legendary Roxy. All converged, for one priceless moment, an outpouring of a truly original, DIY, anarchic, underground scene. Ridgers captured the first wave. Kids in the crowd, never before seen. The punks who made their own clothes because you couldn t buy punk clothes. The punks who got beaten up time and again for making themselves into targets. Rebellion before it got easy. You won t see these kids anywhere in the magazines. They weren t trying to get famous. 1977 will happen again.1 977 is happening somewhere, for someone, right now."

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Book SynopsisReversing into the Future: New Wave Graphics 1977–1990 is a unique and fascinating book of graphic design history curated from Andrew Krivine’s personal and vast collection of original posters, flyers, artworks and memorabilia from the golden age of New Wave. Packed with exclusive artworks and expert texts, this is the comprehensive guide to the unforgettable period of New Wave. Having witnessed an emerging generation of music buyers who’d been energised by punk, major record labels and independents alike went in search of sounds and visions that captured something of the energy and cheeky attitude of punk, while ignoring its political edge. New Wave was embraced by the mainstream music and entertainment industries and used to promote artists who rejected the anti-consumerist, anti-materialistic, black-and-white nihilism of the original punk movement in favour of a more optimistic, humorous and colourful present refracted through the past. In doing so, and as this book illustrates, the New Wave followed Marshall McLuhan’s dictum that ‘we drive boldly into the future with our eyes fixed firmly on the rear-view mirror’. New Wave artists rejected punk’s satirical, parodic and irreverent treatment of rock ’n’ roll’s original, iconic imagery preferring to display it reverently or referenced with love and affection. Reversing Into The Future: New Wave Graphics 1977–1990 includes graphic designs for, among others, The B52s, Boomtown Rats, Devo, Duran Duran, The Cars, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, XTC, Cyndi Lauper, The Police, Simple Minds, Gary Numan, Japan, Blondie, Talking Heads, The Go-Gos, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, Simple Minds, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and many more. Graphic artists featured include Martyn Atkins, Barney Bubbles, Chris Morton, Malcolm Garrett, Alex McDowell, Tony Wright, Martin Kaye for the Paradiso, X3 Posters, DEVO Inc., Neville Brody, The Designers Republic, Russell Mills and more. A collectable item itself, the book is beautifully produced with front and back cover artwork by world-renowned designers Malcolm Garrett and Chip Kidd. Alongside a vast array of original artworks and graphics from the New Wave period, the book includes text contributions from recognised and respected commentators, critics and designers from the UK, US and Australia. Documenting the incredible impact of New Wave, this is the ideal book for die-hard music fans and graphic design aficionados alike.Trade Review‘A visual feast’ -- Simon Reynolds

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Book SynopsisThe colorful "Punk Professor", new-wave musician, and critic/filmmaker spins a dazzling survey of women in punk, from the genre's inception in 1970s London to the current voices making waves around the globe. As an industry insider and pioneering post-punk musician, Vivien Goldman's perspective on music journalism is unusually well-rounded. In Revenge of the She-Punks, she probes four themes-identity, money, love, and protest-to explore what makes punk such a liberating art form for women. With her visceral style, Goldman blends interviews, history, and her personal experience as one of Britain's first female music writers in a book that reads like a vivid documentary of a genre defined by dismantling boundaries. A discussion of the Patti Smith song "Free Money," for example, opens with Goldman on a shopping spree with Smith. Tamar-Kali, whose name pays homage to a Hindu goddess, describes the influence of her Gullah ancestors on her music, while the late Poly Styrene's daughter reflects on why her Somali-Scots-Irish mother wrote the 1978 punk anthem "Identity," with the refrain "Identity is the crisis you can't see." Other strands feature artists from farther afield (including in Colombia and Indonesia) and genre-busting revolutionaries such as Grace Jones, who wasn't exclusively punk but clearly influenced the movement while absorbing its liberating audacity. From punk's Euro origins to its international reach, this is an exhilarating world tour.

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Book SynopsisWith his unique and powerful voice, Tony Hadley has been a successful music artist for more than forty years, from fronting one of the biggest bands of the 80s, Spandau Ballet, to now enjoying a thriving solo career around the world. Featuring stunning imagery and behind-the-scenes photos from his musical adventures, this beautifully illustrated book also captures other professional highlights, like starring on stage in Chicago and appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, as well as his charity work, celebrity friends, childhood in north London and special family moments. With snaps from his personal photo albums, this amazing visual journey is accompanied by Tony's heartfelt and insightful anecdotes.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive history of Pink Floyd, one of the world''s great bands, by founder member Nick Mason.One of the most fascinating rock bands ever, Pink Floyd was formed in 1965. After a year in the London ''underground'' experimenting with revolutionary techniques such as lights that matched their music, they released their first single in 1966. Their breakthrough album, The Dark Side of the Moon, was released in 1973 and stayed in the charts until 1982, the longest a record has ever been continuously in the charts, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time.In 1975 they released Wish You Were Here, which reached iconic status, then in 1979 The Wall went to number 1 in almost every country in the world. The movie version of The Wall starring Bob Geldof was released in 1982, becoming a cult favorite. In the 1980s a rift developed between the band members which culminated in law suits. Only recently have there been reconciliati

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Book SynopsisA Rough Trade and Clash Book of the Year''Excellent, detailed [. . .] Hip-hop writer SH Fernando Jr benefits from an insider's understanding of the milieu and provides generous context.'' Kitty Empire, ObserverOn December 31, 2020, the world was shocked to learn about the death of hip-hop legend MF DOOM. Born in London and raised in the suburban enclave of Long Beach, New York, Daniel Dumile Jr.''s love of cartoons and comic books would soon turn him into one of hip-hop''s most enigmatic, prolific, and influential figures.The Chronicles of DOOM: Unraveling Rap's Masked Iconoclast recounts the rise, fall, redemption, and untimely demise of MF DOOM. Broken down into five sections: The Man, The Myth, The Mask, The Music, and The Legend, journalist S. H. Fernando chronicles the life of Daniel Dumile Jr., beginning in the house he grew up in in Long Beach, NY, through to the mysterious, masked icon that he was to become. Centring the music, Fernando deftly lays out the history of east-coast rap against DOOM''s life story and dissects the personas, projects, tracks, and lyrics that led to his immortality.Including exclusive interviews with those who worked closely with him, the book provides an unknown, intimate, behind the scenes look into the life of MF DOOM, a supervillain on stage and hero to those who paid attention.

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Book Synopsis''Mightily entertaining'' - Heat People ask me how come I''m still alive, and I don''t know what to say. When I was growing up, if you''d have put me up against a wall with the other kids from my street and asked me which one of us was gonna make it to the age of sixty, with five kids and four grandkids and houses in Buckinghamshire and California, I wouldn''t have put money on me, no f**king way. But here I am: ready to tell my story, in my own words, for the first time. A lot of it ain''t gonna be pretty. I''ve done some bad things in my time. But I ain''t the devil. I''m just John Osbourne: a working class kid from Aston, who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time.Trade ReviewPacked with outrageous, hilarious, disgusting and wholly improbable incedents * Guardian *A must-read for fans of vicarious rock'n'roll insanity * Scotland on Sunday *Every page of this hugely entertaining, sometimes painfully frank autobiography seems to have at least one punch-line to a good joke * Uncut *Mightily entertaining * Heat *A frank and honest account that will make you laugh out loud . . . A brilliant read * Sun *Gripping, funny and sad * Q *

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Book Synopsis''ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANTLY INVENTIVE WRITERS OF THIS, OR ANY, COUNTRY'' INDEPENDENTThe Number One Sunday Times Bestseller''Wildly entertaining''SPECTATOR''A stand-out triumph''SUNDAY TIMES''Superb''LITERARY REVIEW''Impressive''NEW YORKER''Highly entertaining''TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENTA story of music and dreams, drugs and madness, love and grief, from the acclaimed author of Cloud AtlasThe year is 1967 and word is spreading about a new band on London''s psychedelic scene - an unlikely combination of a female folksinger, a blues bassist, a jazz drummer and an electric guitarist. Strangers to each other and from widely different backgrounds, together they create magic. Meet Utopia Avenue.This is the story of a unique band''s brief, blazing journey from Soho dives toTrade ReviewWhat makes it a stand-out triumph is the vibrant flair with which it recreates an era, the acuteness with which it explores composition and performance, and its often witty verbal finesse * Sunday Times *A lively, colourful, emotional roller-coaster of a read that lingers long after you turn the final page * Sunday Express *A 1960s music epic -- Books of the Year * Guardian *It's Daisy Jones & the Six on acid * Entertainment Weekly *Charting the rise to stardom of a "psychedelic-folk-rock band" in the late 1960s, this gaudy, swirling concept album of a novel resurrects a flamboyant era with vibrant flair and high-fidelity detail. Amid a whirligig of funny, elating and affecting scenes, the origins, challenges and rewards of creativity are keenly surveyed. David Mitchell's stylish prose makes every page gleam. -- Books of the Year * Sunday Times *Superb . . . enormous fun . . . a celebratory page-turner * Literary Review *A great book! I was completely engrossed for two days. -- Brian EnoAn ambitious, rambunctious, hugely enjoyable tale . . . [it] is filled with sparkling dialogue and has stimulating things to say about creativity, mental health, the effects of domestic violence, the Vietnam War, grief, parental responsibility and what it was perhaps like to be an independent-minded female musician back in the day * Independent *Mitchell is expert at excavating the seams of loss, ambition and mere chance that lie under the edifice of fame . . . The reader is impelled from the first by a kind of rushing, gleeful energy . . . he superbly conveys the energy and spirit of the age . . . a supremely readable novel, if the quality of readability is taken to be one which is difficult to achieve and a relief to encounter -- Sarah Perry * Guardian *Fast-moving and compelling * Tablet *One of his most satisfying works. The dialogue really sings * Mail on Sunday *Highly entertaining * Times Literary Supplement *One of the many delights of Utopia Avenue is seeing the cosmic dust of genius swirling in chaos before the stars are formed . . . If you can't hear the music reverberating off these pages, you're not listening * Washington Post *Mitchell rescues this brief slice of the past, made so poignant because its brilliance was so ephemeral, and brings it into the shimmering present. The result is that Utopia Avenue does what music does: it joins up time * Daily Telegraph *Mitchell is pitch-perfect on the past . . . He manages to write about goodness without any mawkishness. This is not an easy task, and to link it to redemption is even more challenging, but it works * Scotland on Sunday *A book bristling with pleasures . . . An overwhelmingly vivid - and equally exhilarating - portrait of an era when the future seemed likely to be shaped by a combination of young people and music. At the same time, there's a melancholy sense of the transience of this idealism . . . Utopia Avenue confirms that his real talent - perhaps even genius - lies in finding wildly entertaining new ways to tell old truths. * Spectator *With his huge electric brain, Mitchell has written his own solo scenius, one that draws connections between Edo-era Japan and a distant, post-human-collapse future. It's a grand project, brilliantly executed and deeply humanist. Utopia Avenue is the most fun stop along the way and aptly named * Los Angeles Times *A consistently absorbing book, which skilfully conveys the excitement and mayhem of the era, and the hopes and dreams of those swept up in it * Economist *Mitchell, whose novels range through different modes and genres with extraordinary facility, has a lucid, kinetic style at all times, but he is never more impressive than when writing in close third person about characters in altered mental states - captivity, physical pain, madness . . . A conventional story of a band's rise turns into a book on another plane entirely * New Yorker *The great rock and roll novel - an epic love letter to the greatest music ever made and the book the music has always deserved * Tony Parsons *His narrative has the addictive quality of the best music journalism, mixed with superb period detail and fine storytelling. An escape in time and space. A trip. A blast * Songlines *The band members leap off the page, the musical references will appeal to anyone who grew up in that decade (or those who just love its music) and the writing is, as ever, stunning * Good Housekeeping *

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Book SynopsisNow that the nation''s favourite music magazine is no more, The 10 Commandments draws on the finest selections of Q Magazine''s archives, as well as never-before-seen material, to create the ultimate, outrageous guide to life from the world''s most famous rock stars. This newly expanded edition of The 10 Commandments presents sixty musicians giving their rules to live by - from Noel Gallagher to 50 Cent. ''Thou shalt not play golf'' BONO ''Painting is good for the soul'' IGGY POP ''I''m trying to go back to old-school England with fisticuffs at your local football pitch'' BIG NARSTIE''What makes a perfect gentleman? Leave big tips, baby!'' WYCLEF JEAN ''Make like a boy scout'' STEVIE NICKS ''Do as Madonna says'' NILE RODGERS''A woman should always carry at least $75 on her. You need emergency exit money'' AZEALIA BANKS ''Always be honest to your wife'' JOHN LYDON''Even if you''re set

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Book SynopsisLester Young fading away in a hotel room; Charles Mingus storming down the streets of New York on a too-small bicycle; Thelonius Monk creating his own private language on the piano... In eight poetically charged vignettes, Geoff Dyer skilfully evokes the embattled lives of the players who shaped modern jazz. He draws on photos and anecdotes, but music is the driving force of But Beautiful and Dyer brings it to life in luminescent and wildly metaphoric prose that mirrors the quirks, eccentricity, and brilliance of each musician''s style.Trade ReviewRemarkable...there can be few books on jazz written with such tenderness and care. -- Adam Lively * * Times Literary Supplement * *But Beautiful is just that. A moving and highly original tribute to Black American Music. -- Bryan FerryAs intricate a mixture of biographical essay and make-believe as is likely to be written. * * New York Times * *The only book about jazz that i have recommended to my friends. It is a little gem. -- Keith Jarrett

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Book SynopsisIn The Most Beautiful, a title inspired by the hit song Prince wrote about their legendary love story, Mayte Garcia for the first time shares the deeply personal story of their relationship and offers a singular perspective on the music icon and their world together: from their unconventional meeting backstage at a concert (and the long-distance romance that followed), to their fairy-tale wedding (and their groundbreaking artistic partnership), to the devastating losses that ultimately dissolved their romantic relationship for good. Throughout it all, they shared a bond more intimate than any other in Prince''s life. No one else can tell this story or can provide a deeper, more nuanced portrait of Prince--both the famously private man and the pioneering, beloved artist--than Mayte, his partner during some of the most pivotal personal and professional years of his career. The Most Beautiful is a book that will be returned to for decades, as Prince''s music lives on with gTrade ReviewIn this vivid memoir, she tracks back through her time with the late musician, capturing a more human side to the man who gave the world so much pleasure through his music, A clear-eyed, compassionate look at a remarkable man. * SUNDAY BUSINESS POST *

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Book SynopsisBecoming Elektra tells the incredible true story of the pioneering Elektra Records label and its far-sighted founder, Jac Holzman, who built a small folk imprint into a home for some of the most groundbreaking, important, and enduring music of the rock era. Placing the Elektra label in a broader context, the book presents a gripping narrative of musical and cultural history that reads like an inventory of all that is exciting and innovative about the 60s and 70s: The Doors, Love s Forever Changes, Tim Buckley s Goodbye and Hello, The Stooges, The MC5 s Kick Out The Jams, Queen and Queen II, The Incredible String Band, Carly Simon s No Secrets, and many, many more. First published in 2010, Becoming Elektra was praised as 'eye-opening (Q) and a 'dazzling narrative (The Sun), and for 'perfectly encapsulating the enigmatic, unpredictable spirit of the label (Record Collector). This fully revised and expanded edition includes a brand new foreword by John Densmore of The Doors and draws on extensive new interviews with a wide range of Elektra alumni, including Tom Paley, Judy Henske, Johnny Echols, Jean Ritchie, and Bernie Krause, as well as further conversations with Holzman himself. It also adds two new chapters: a look at Elektra in Britain in the 60s and a reappraisal of the label s 70s output.

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Book SynopsisTHE IRISH TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 'He holds nothing back and gives everything' Bono Christy Dignam, lead singer of Aslan and one of Ireland’s greatest rock stars, reveals all in this extraordinary tale of excess and devotion to his music.   Growing up in Finglas, Dublin, there was only one thing Christy Dignam ever wanted to do – and that was sing. By the early 1980s, he had formed the band Aslan, part of a new wave of acts coming out of Ireland. Repeatedly chewed up and spat out in the feeding frenzy to sign 'the next U2', they stuck to their principles. developed a loyal following, and their first album Feel No Shame went to No 1 in their home country, showcased by the song ‘This Is’, which Christy proudly acknowledges has become 'part of Ireland's DNA'.   But just as America seemed ready to fall for Aslan, D

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Book SynopsisTheir music changed pop history, but we’ve never known much about the people who made it…until now. “...a first-hand account of both the kaleidoscopic talent that drove Stone to the top and attracted so many people to him, and the madness that he soon descended into and never truly returned from, a victim of ego, drug abuse sycophants and the era.... It amounts to a definitive history of one of the rock generation’s greatest and most tragic artists.” —Jem Aswad, Variety, “The Best Music Books of 2022” “…the musical trajectory of Sly & The Family Stone, and especially its namesake and leader, Sly Stone (born Sylvester Stewart), makes even the most shocking episode of Behind the Music look like Nickelodeon programming. Esteemed music journo Joel Selvin chronicles the good, the bad, the ugly (and the really ugly), in a new reissue of his 1998 book, Sly & The Family Stone: An Oral History.” —Bob Ruggiero, Houston PressSly Stone shook the foundations of soul and turned it into a brand new sound that influenced and liberated musicians as varied as Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, and Herbie Hancock. His group—consisting of Blacks and whites, men and women—symbolized the Woodstock generation and crossed over to dominate pop charts with anthems like “Everyday People,” “Dance to the Music,” and “I Want to Take You Higher.” Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Joel Selvin weaves an epic American tale from the voices of the people around this funk phenomenon: Sly’s parents, his family members and band members (sometimes one and the same), and rock figures including Grace Slick, Sal Valentino, Bobby Womack, Mickey Hart, Clive Davis, Bobby Freeman, and many more. In their own words, they candidly share the triumphs and tragedies of one of the most influential musical groups ever formed—“different strokes” from the immensely talented folks who were there when it all happened. “Joel Selvin, the veteran music critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, published a thoroughgoing, book-length oral history of the group in 1998 that is as disturbing and chilling a version as you'll ever find of the ‘dashed ’60s dream’ narrative: idealism giving way to disillusionment, soft drugs giving way to hard, ferment to rot.” —David Kamp, “Sly Stone’s Higher Power” Vanity Fair, August 2007 Available for the first time in years, Sly & the Family Stone: An Oral History, is an unflinching look at the rise and fall one of music’s most enigmatic figures.

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Book SynopsisFrom Django Reinhardt and Édith Piaf to Françoise Hardy and Serge Gainsbourg, French pop has long fascinated the outside world. This book, the first in-depth history published outside France, travels from music halls, jazz cellars and cafés to discothèques and teenage parties to tell the tale of how the French transitioned from accordions to electric guitars, from Maurice Chevalier to Johnny Hallyday, from the existential angst of Left Bank chanson to the effervescent joy of yé-yé. Across dozens of performers from Sacha Distel to Sylvie Vartan, and hundreds of recordings, this is the story of how the French fused their native traditions with the best the world had to offer tango, jazz, swing, exotica, rock''n''roll and folk and emerged in the sixties with their own unique and much- loved spin on the pop music conquering the world.

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Book SynopsisArriving in California as a young boy in the early 1960s, Edward Van Halen and his brother Alex were ripe for the coming musical revolution. The sons of a Dutch, saxophone-playing father, the brothers discovered the Beatles, Cream and others. From the moment their hugely influential 1978 debut landed, Van Halen set a high bar for the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, creating an entirely new style of post-'60s hard rock and becoming the quintessential Californian band of the 1980s. But there was also an undercurrent of tragedy to their story, as Eddie's struggles played out in public, from his difficult relationship with the band's original singer, Dave Lee Roth, to substance abuse, divorce and his long-running battle with cancer. With unique insights, Paul Brannigan's Eruption reaches beyond the headlines to explore the cultural and social contexts that shaped this iconic guitarist, while also turning up the dial on a life lived at volume eleven.Trade Review'The game changing guitar legend gets the biography he deserves ... Diligently researched, perceptive and well-written.' - 8/10, Classic Rock'Brannigan goes deep here ... An affectionate and unflinching portrait of metal guitar's Mount Everest.' - Mojo

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Book SynopsisJust For One Day takes you on Louise Wener''s musical odyssey from awkward 80s suburban pop geek to 90s jet-set Britpop goddess. Of course, once she''s living the dream at the height of Britpop''s glory, things aren''t quite how they appeared from the other side.With her band Sleeper, Louise goes from doing gigs in toilets to gigs in stadiums, and on to the big interviews, constant touring and endless excess via Top of the Pops.These are the hilarious adventures of a girl''s journey through Britpop, from the embarrassments of growing up to trying to remember what on earth it was you really wanted while eating Twiglets backstage and enviously eyeing up Damon Albarn''s plate of foreign cheeses.PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS DIFFERENT FOR GIRLSTrade ReviewThis book is absolutely wonderful - I just read four passages out loud to the Word staff - to actual applause! -- Mark Ellen * The Word *Wise, funny and loving - a brilliant memoir about Britpop and possibly the best rock biography since Nik Cohn's AwopBopAlooBop-AlopBamBoom * Tony Parsons *Funny, readable and filled with proper gossip. Most importantly, it's a perceptive and tenacious look at what it was really like to be a girl among the blokes in that era -- Alexandra Heminsley * The New Review, Independent on Sunday *Wener charts the story of her rise from suburban schoolgirl to 1990s pin-up with Indie group Sleeper. Her tone is warm, funny and self-deprecating - and she's not afraid to prick a few egos along the way * Daily Mirror *An amusing insight into the banality of band life, and a cautionary tale about the cost of getting what you always wanted * The Quietus *

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Book SynopsisAn updated new edition of Ted Gioia''s universally acclaimed history of jazz, with a wealth of new insight on this music''s past, present, and future.Ted Gioia''s The History of Jazz has been universally hailed as the most comprehensive and accessible history of the genre of all time. Acclaimed by jazz critics and fans alike, this magnificent work is now available in an up-to-date third edition that covers the latest developments in the jazz world and revisits virtually every aspect of the music. Gioia''s story of jazz brilliantly portrays the most legendary jazz players, the breakthrough styles, and the scenes in which they evolved. From Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club, Miles Davis''s legendary 1955 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, and Ornette Coleman''s experiments with atonality to current innovators such as Kamasi Washington and Esperanza Spalding, Gioia takes readers on a sweeping journey through the history of jazz. As he traces the music through the swamp lands of the Mississippi Delta, the red light district of New Orleans, the rent parties of Harlem, the speakeasies of Chicago, and other key locales of jazz history, Gioia also makes the social contexts in which the music was born come alive. This new edition finally brings the often overlooked women who shaped the genre into the spotlight and traces the recent developments that have led to an upswing of jazz in contemporary mainstream culture. As it chronicles jazz from its beginnings and most iconic figures to its latest dialogues with popular music, the developments of the digital age, and new commercial successes, Gioia''s History of Jazz reasserts its status as the most authoritative survey of this fascinating music.Trade ReviewGioia's History of Jazz became an instant classic when it was first published in 1997. This third edition is approximately 20 percent longer than the first. It has been updated and revised, and includes new text. * N.J. Quinlan, CHOICE Connect, Vol. 59 No. 8 *Possibly the best survey to date. * Ann Douglas, New York Times *If you are looking for an introduction to jazz, this is it. If you know and love jazz well, this is your vade mecum. Me, I expect to be reading around in it for the rest of my life...[It is] the definitive work: encyclopedic, discriminating, provocative, perceptive and eminently readable. With its publication, it can no longer be said that the literature of jazz falls far short of the music itself. * Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post *Magnificent book * Steve Voce, Jazz Journal *Gioia's history stands a good chance of becoming the standard guide for general readers and academics. * Greg Tate, The Village Voice *Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Prehistory of Jazz Chapter 2: New Orleans Jazz Chapter 3: The Jazz Age Chapter 4: Harlem Chapter 5: The Swing Era Chapter 6: Modern Jazz Chapter 7: The Fragmentation of Jazz Styles Chapter 8: Freedom and Fusion Chapter 9: Traditionalists and Post-Modernists Chapter 10: Jazz without Boundaries Chapter 11: Jazz Resurgent Notes Further Reading Recommended Listening Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisRodgers and Hart contributed dozens of hits to the Great American Songbook. We'll Have Manhattan focuses on the first twelve years of their collaboration (1919-1931), documenting their little-known early work and providing a critical and analytical commentary on their developing practice and its influence on the American musical.Trade ReviewThe author succeeds in all respects...a fulsome balance of history, biography, musicology, and analysis that will help readers understand the two men's contribution to the establishment of an integrated musical form. Essential * Choice *...[A] meticulous exploration of a songwriting duo..." - New York TimesMr. Symonds' enthusiasm for early Rodgers and Hart is, if anything, equal to their own gusto." - Washington TimesIn We'll Have Manhattan: The Early Work of Rodgers and Hart, Dominic Symonds deftly explores the period from 1919 to 1931 when the celebrated team did their chronological and artistic growing up. Impeccably researched and sensitively written, this essential book offers detailed but accessibly presented musical and lyrical analyses as well as insights into two young geniuses as they were becoming, but had not yet become, the icons of the American songbook we now know them to be. Highly recommended."-Jim Lovensheimer, author of South Pacific: Paradise RewrittenSymonds writes engagingly and colorfully, yet with exhaustive research and expertise, about these lesser-known shows and the personalities that created them; scholars and fans alike will benefit from this much-needed study of Rodgers and Hart's early years. He upends the narrative of how the Broadway musical became 'integrated,' arguing that having songs fit plots and serve characters was as much a response to external pressures - from critics, producers, and a sense of America's struggle for identity - as an artistic pursuit. Full of context and history, this study also pauses to dig into the material; this book is worth reading just to watch Symonds examine 'Thou Swell' from every conceivable musical and cultural angle."-Jessica Sternfeld, author of The MegamusicalSymonds's contributions to the literature are manifold...there is much to admire about We'll Have Manhattan. * Notes *Table of ContentsIntroduction: "We'll Have Manhattan" Chapter One: The Summer Camps and Varsity Shows Chapter Two: The Breakthrough in Revue: the Garrick Gaieties (1925, 1926) and Fifth Avenue Follies (1926) Chapter Three: The Rodgers and Hart revolution: Dearest Enemy (1925) Chapter four: Pleasing the Producers: Herbert Fields, Lew Fields and The Girl Friend (1926) Chapter Five: A London odyssey: Lido Lady (1926), One Dam Thing After Another (1927), Ever Green (1930) Chapter Six: Big Fish: Peggy-Ann (1926), Ziegfeld and a flop called Betsy (1926) Chapter Seven: A commercial success: A Connecticut Yankee (1927) Chapter Eight: Castration and integration: Chee-Chee (1928) Chapter Nine: Coping with the Crash Epilogue: The end of an era Bibliography

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Book Synopsis''Fantastic'' Nick Hornby''Beautifully written'' Sunday Times''Truly remarkable'' Rolling StoneUnfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink is the long-awaited memoir from Elvis Costello, one of rock and roll''s most iconic stars.Born Declan Patrick MacManus, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, grandson of a trumpet player on the White Star Line and son of a jazz musician who became a successful radio dance band vocalist. Costello went into the family business and had taken the popular music world by storm before he was twenty-four.Costello continues to add to one of the most intriguing and extensive songbooks of the day. His performances have taken him from a cardboard guitar in his front room to fronting a rock and roll band on your television screen and performing in the world''s greatest concert halls in a wild variety of company. Unfaithful Music describes how Costello''s career has somehow endured for almost four decades through a combination of dumb luck and animal cunning, even managing the occasional absurd episode of pop stardom.This memoir, written with the same inimitable touch as his lyrics, and including dozens of images from his personal archive, offers his unique view of his unlikely and sometimes comical rise to international success, with diversions through the previously undocumented emotional foundations of some of his best known songs and the hits of tomorrow. The book contains many stories and observations about his renowned co-writers and co-conspirators, though Costello also pauses along the way for considerations on the less appealing side of infamy.Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink is destined to be a classic, idiosyncratic memoir of a singular man.Trade ReviewThe book is fantastic - maybe the best about music by a musician that I've read....The stuff about the collaborations alone - McCartney, Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint, the Roots, the Brodsky Quartet - is riveting * Nick Hornby *Better written than your average rock memoir ... Costello is one the greatest writers of the 20th Century. It's funny, observant and clear of purpose * Times *By turns lachrymose, self-flagellating and impassioned. Unsurprisingly, it is beautifully written. It is also often extraordinarily moving. -- Dan Cairns * Sunday Times *Streaked with some of the best writing - funny, strange, spiteful, anguished - we've ever had from an important musician ... dark gems twinkle here in abundance. * New York Times *[Unfaithful Music] is truly remarkable in the way it presents a riveting, honest portrait of the author and the many A-listers he's tread the boards with, while ricocheting through the years at an almost breathless pace ... even the most ardent Costello fan will come away having learned more about the man than any of us ever dared hope to discover -- Jeff Slate * Rolling Stone *Long one of music's wittiest, smartest, and most perceptive lyricists, Costello has done his legacy proud with his new book, which, thankfully, goes far beyond his angry-young-man days, most movingly in its frequent reminiscences about the relationship between the singer and his musician father * New York Magazine *In a world littered with uneven (and largely ghosted) celebrity memoirs, "Disappearing Ink" is a beautifully written revelation ... The book is not just for fans. "Unfaithful Music" is a lyrical tale that stretches across generations, geography and a century of popular song." * Washington Post *Costello ultimately emerges as a clever, compassionate, self-aware man, brave enough to acknowledge his faults and fortunate enough to have overcome the worst of them * Sunday Telegraph *Written elliptically, episodically beautiful ... this man's knowledge is breath-taking * Observer *Every page exudes his deep love and knowledge of modern music * Guardian *Remarkable for its breadth and candour about everything: childhood, family, marriages, musical collaborations, love life, heroes, villains, screw-ups (even the most painful) and his songs...there are treasurable moments in profusion for admirers panning for gold...or diving for pearls * MOJO *His witty, word-playing voice transmits loud and clear....there are smart snapshots of vanished worlds...all his sins and virtues are displayed in this stylish, astute book -- Victoria Segal * Sunday Times *A truly weighty rock memoir ... There's plenty of insight into his art here, a smattering of gossip, a wealth of pop-cultural knowledge, and just enough self-flagellation to keep things interesting * NME *A series of wryly comic tales that surely deserve the full Penguin Classic treatment randomly afford Morrisey * GQ *Without doubt, one of the greatest self-penned appraisals of a popular entertainer's life and work...What makes this book a classic (yes, you heard me) is the beauty of the writing, the seemingly effortless imagery of situations, saints and sinners (EC puts himself in the latter category, often), and the persuasive nature of the text that should make even the most casual reader clamour for more after 670 pages * The Quietus *One of the finest musical biographies I have ever read ... an engrossing and rewarding read -- Keith Bruce * The Herald *The greatest songwriter of our generation ... a tremendous read -- Jonathan RossIt really is stunning. Hugely illuminating, fiercely passionate, funny, moving and beautifully written. -- Mark BillinghamTypically sharp and funny on songwriting * Telegraph Books of the Year *The writing is as good as you would expect from such an accomplished lyricist. The tone is wise, warm and often rueful, befitting a 61-year-old elder statesman, and the story a compelling one * Mail on Sunday *For serious music fans? It has to be Elvis Costello's Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink (Viking). Utterly definitive and clearly, painstakingly penned by Costello himself, who doesn't want to miss a detail -- Kitty Empire * Guardian *Writers like Costello because he's always taken writing seriously. That's obvious to anyone who pays attention to his lyrics, and it's even more apparent to anyone who reads Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, his charming new autobiography. The book is refreshingly free of salacious gossip and needless name-dropping; it's an intelligent self-assessment from a musician who went from angry young man to elder statesman of pop ... a defiantly fun autobiography. -- Michael Schaub * NPR Books *This is a big book, literally, by one of the best rockers in the business. Given the singular, and eclectic, nature of his career, it is no surprise that Elvis Costello's anecdotal autobiography is an idiosyncratic journey through his music and the people and places that have inspired him ... A must for Costello fans everywhere. * Booklist (starred review) *Costello's prose cuts with the same spiky wit and observational power as his well-known lyrics ... packed with great lines, vivid anecdotes ... a treat for his many fans. * Kirkus Reviews *Plenty of tales to keep the pages turning. Readers will be fascinated by Costello's stories...his book feels like a discussion between friends over a pint. * Publishers Weekly *Often brilliant and wholly idiosyncratic -- David Ulin * Los Angeles Times *Revelatory, evocatively crafted, [and] highly entertaining -- David Fricke * Rolling Stone *A winningly droll and good-natured guide to his life and many works throughout -- Clark Collis * Entertainment Weekly *Punctuated with sardonic and self-aware truths * Pitchfork *Vivid ... It's not surprising that one of rock's most literate songwriters would pen such a deep, free-form memoir * Houston Chronicle *Elvis Costello delivers an impeccably detailed autobiography. He's often as brilliant at turning a phrase in prose as he is in his lyrics * Paste Magazine *Enthralling ... This is family history as musical encyclopedia, and to listen to Costello recount his life is to be buttonholed by an enthusiastic fan. Fandom for Costello is inseparable from the compulsion to write songs and, it seems, to understand his own life ... Fortunately for the fan of Costello's music the topic of discussion is often his own songs, and he is, unsurprisingly, a witty and eloquent guide -- Paul Grimstad * New Republic *[Costello] pens books with the same clever writing that he uses in song -- Kathy Flanigan * Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel *Costello['s] book is capacious, clever, and full of heart and soul -- Dan DeLuca * Philadelphia Inquirer *The story unfolds like a movie that jumps across time, more thematic than chronological, as boyhood anecdotes and obsessions intersect with mature songs and adult reckoning.... The book doubles as a selective mini-history of 20th century music, as told by a discerning guide. He addresses artists both towering (Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash) and relatively unheralded (David Ackles, Robert Wyatt) with a fan's affection and music scholar's insight -- Greg Kot * Chicago Tribune *With an encyclopedic knowledge and appreciation for, and deep love of, music, and with an expressive power and heart, Costello's memoir will take its place in the highest echelons of the genre * Library Journal (starred review) *His book is almost essential as an idiosyncratic history of 20th-century pop music * Express *Studded with entertaining anecdotes -- Evening Standard Best Music Books of 2015

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Book Synopsis''In what is the most comprehensive biography of the group to date, Browne compiles a fun and fast-paced music history.... an authoritative chronicle.'' --Publishers WeeklyThe first and most complete narrative biography of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, by acclaimed music journalist and Rolling Stone senior writer David Browne Even in the larger-than-life world of rock and roll, it was hard to imagine four more different men. David Crosby, the opinionated hippie guru. Stephen Stills, the perpetually driven musician. Graham Nash, the tactful pop craftsman. Neil Young, the creatively restless loner. But together, few groups were as in sync with their times as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Starting with the original trio''s landmark 1969 debut album, the group embodied much about its era: communal musicmaking, protest songs that took on the establishment and Richard Nixon, and liberal attitudes toward partners and lifestyles. Their group or individual songs--''Wooden

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Book SynopsisThe definitive New York Times bestselling biography of legendary musician, composer, and performer Leon Russell, who profoudly influenced George Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, and the world of music as a whole.  Leon Russell is an icon, but somehow is still an underappreciated artist. He is spoken of in tones reserved not just for the most talented musicians, but also for the most complex and fascinating. His career is like a roadmap of music history, often intersecting with rock royalty like Bob Dylan, the Stones, and the Beatles. He started in the Fifties as a teenager touring with Jerry Lee Lewis, going on to play piano on records by such giants as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, and Phil Spector, and on hundreds of classic songs with major recording artists. Leon was Elton John’s idol, and Elton inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Leon also gets credit for altering Willie Nelson’s career, giving us the long-haired, pot-friendly Willie we all know and love today. In his prime, Leon filled stadiums on solo tours, and was an organizer/performer on both Joe Cocker’s revolutionary Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh. Leon also founded Shelter Records in 1969 with producer Denny Cordell, discovering and releasing the debut albums of Tom Petty, the Gap Band, Phoebe Snow, and J.J. Cale. Leon always assembled wildly diverse bands and performances, fostering creative and free atmospheres for musicians to live and work together. He brazenly challenged musical and social barriers. However, Russell also struggled with his demons, including substance abuse, severe depression, and a crippling stage fright that wreaked havoc on his psyche over the long haul and at times seemed to will himself into obscurity. Now, acclaimed author and founding member of Buffalo Tom, Bill Janovitz shines the spotlight on one of the most important music makers of the twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisThis 'comprehensive and illuminating' biography of the Queen of Soul (USA Today) was hailed by Rolling Stone as 'a remarkably complex portrait of Aretha Franklin's music and her tumultuous life.'  Aretha Franklin began life as the golden daughter of a progressive and promiscuous Baptist preacher. Raised without her mother, she was a gospel prodigy who gave birth to two sons in her teens and left them and her native Detroit for New York, where she struggled to find her true voice. It was not until 1967, when a white Jewish producer insisted she return to her gospel-soul roots, that fame and fortune finally came via 'Respect' and a rapidfire string of hits. She continued to evolve for decades, amidst personal tragedy, surprise Grammy performances, and career reinventions. Again and again, Aretha stubbornly found a way to triumph over troubles, even as they continued to build. Her hold on the crown was tenacious, and in Respect, David Ritz gives us the definitive life of one of the greatest talents in all American culture.  Trade ReviewA remarkably complex portrait of Aretha Franklin's music and her tumultuous life. * Rolling Stone *An honest and genuinely respectful portrait of a true diva by a writer who feels the power of her art. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *Only someone who had the complete confidence and trust of Aretha's family and the elite of the Gospel and Rhythm and Blues communities could have gotten this story. An intimate and thorough account of this phenomenal woman's talent and life as only David Ritz could capture. * Tommy LiPuma, Grammy-winning producer *

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Book SynopsisMind GamesMind GamesMind GamesMind Games

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Book SynopsisTom Fletcher (Author) Tom Fletcher is a number-one bestseller and one of the UK's most popular children's authors. The Christmasaurus was the biggest debut middle-grade novel of 2016 and was shortlisted for a British Book Award. Since then, Tom has published several more chart-topping children's novels including The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch, The Christmasaurus and the Naughty List, The Creakers and the instant number-one bestseller The Danger Gang. Tom also writes the incredibly successful Who's in Your Book? picture-book series and is one half of the author duo behind the Dinosaur that Pooped picture-book series too, which has sold over 1.5 million copies. For older readers, Tom co-authors the Eve of Man series with his wife Giovanna Fletcher. Tom's books have been translated into 40 languages and to date he has sold over 5 million copies of his books in the UK alone. As well as

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