Search results for ""Author Laura Shenton""

Crammed full of live and off-stage shots of Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer from their days with The Nice, King Crimson, Arthur Brown's Crazy World and Atomic Rooster, through the ELP years, as well as documenting their solo work and other outside projects. Topped and tailed with 15,000 words by musicologist and author Laura Shenton.

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Released in 1978, This Year’s Model was Elvis Costello’s second album and his first with The Attractions. Abundant in clever songwriting that often-made bold observational statements (even about the music industry itself!), This Year’s Model grabbed the attention of both UK and US audiences. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on This Year’s Model from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Elvis Costello’s legacy today.

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By 1978, the landscape of pop music had changed considerably since Jethro Tull’s earlier hit albums Aqualung (1971) and Thick As A Brick (1972). Punk, disco and new wave were in and progressive rock’s heyday was over. Despite all of this, during the year of the band’s tenth anniversary, a cohesive line-up of Jethro Tull worked happily together to release the successful studio album, Heavy Horses. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Heavy Horses from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Jethro Tull’s legacy today.

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The album that made a huge star out of David Bowie in 1972 and introduced his Ziggy Stardust persona, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars is iconic for many reasons. Featuring the much-loved ‘Starman’, ‘Moonage Daydream’ and ‘Five Years’, the story of Bowie’s fifth studio album is one that needs to be told in detail. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Bowie’s legacy today.

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For Jethro Tull, 1975 would prove to be a fascinating year. With Aqualung and Thick As A Brick behind them, and with A Passion Play and War Child having been met with a mixed critical reception, their next album, Minstrel In The Gallery is the product of a band who kept on going and who weren't afraid to explore. Minstrel In The Gallery is abundant in innovative musical ideas and insightful lyrics. Recorded in sunny Monte Carlo and described by Sounds as "a pleasant surprise", the album is a fascinating combination of acoustic and heavy rock teamed with a strings section, and of course, flute. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Minstrel In The Gallery from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Jethro Tull's legacy today.

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Slaves And Masters is arguably one of the most divisive albums in Deep Purple's history. A product of Ian Gillan's sacking from the band and the recruitment of former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, in 1990, Slaves And Masters divided the fanbase enormously. But with four fifths of the classic MKII line-up at the helm and a desire to recapture the live feeling in the studio, that had been a hallmark of their seventies' albums, was it really the worst Deep Purple album as some fans claim? In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Deep Purple's thirteenth studio album from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Deep Purple's legacy today.

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By 1979, the Ronnie James Dio era of Rainbow was no more. The accessible sound of the band’s Down To Earth album signified Ritchie Blackmore’s explicit intention to go in a more commercial direction. By 1982, with a more secure and cohesive line-up, Rainbow were not only in a good position commercially, but at a strong peak musically. And that’s where Straight Between The Eyes comes in. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Rainbow’s sixth studio album from a range of angles including how it came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Rainbow’s legacy today.

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When Kate Bush shot to fame in 1978, her public image was that of a sweet young woman who sang about Cathy out on the windy moors, full of melancholy and yearning for Heathcliff. It was charming, inoffensive and, although eccentric, subtle enough to come across as endearing or at least, not challenging. When Kate’s fourth studio album, The Dreaming, was released in 1982, all of that changed. It is an album that some critics loved to hate — and that’s why it matters. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on The Dreaming from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time, and what it means in terms of Kate Bush’s legacy today.

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Ritchie Blackmore once said, “You can’t get any better than Cozy, you know. He’s always up there on stage going crazy, he always pushes me on when I look round. He always gives me that incentive to play because Cozy won’t let anybody take it easy.” He wasn't wrong. Cozy Powell was a talented, reliable and versatile drummer. A drummer of such calibre that he played with Jeff Beck, Rainbow, Michael Schenker, Whitesnake, Emerson and Lake, Black Sabbath and Brian May as well as being a hugely in-demand session player. But before all that he initially came to prominence with three Mickie Most produced top twenty singles under his own name. An extraordinary feat for an instrumentalist, and a drummer at that. Cozy Powell's career as a musician is a story that needs to be told. Author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL has a Masters degree in music and provides an insightful angle on Cozy Powell’s abilities along with detailed research that presents Powell's career in all its glory.

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On 26th March 1971 at Newcastle City Hall, Keith Emerson, Greg Lake & Carl Palmer performed their version of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An Exhibition. An iconic classical piece given an innovative spin by the talented trio, it was released as an album following the success of their second studio album, Tarkus. In many ways, Pictures At An Exhibition is the underdog of Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s longstanding discography — so much so that there was uncertainty surrounding whether or not it was going to be released at all! And yet, despite the band’s uncertainties surrounding the LP at the time, it is now vital — both in terms of ELP’s history and in the wider sense of how it bridged a gap between rock and classical music. It certainly wasn’t the first album to do this but it is nevertheless a relevant and important part of such discourse. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on ELP’s Pictures At An Exhibition from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time, how it compares to Mussorgsky’s original piece and what it means in terms of ELP’s legacy today.

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In 1983, Tears For Fears' debut album, The Hurting, was released after the success of their iconic single, 'Mad World'. Whilst embracing the popularity of synth pop, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith created an album that had a darker edge to it. Commercially it was a bold move but with memorable melodies and catchy rhythms, it paid off - all whilst making reference to the work of psychologist Arthur Janov. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on The Hurting from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Tears For Fears' legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

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In 1994, Korn’s self-titled debut album marked their arrival. It was dark and brash and it demanded attention, as did their second album in 1996, Life Is Peachy. Good going for a new band, but in 1998, Follow The Leader saw Korn’s success and notoriety accelerate exponentially. With constant demand for the singles, ‘Got The Life’ and ‘Freak On A Leash’ on MTV, Korn exceeded their own expectations. For both the band and their fans, this was the start of something exciting, albeit turbulent. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Follow The Leader from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Korn’s legacy today.

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For Kate Bush, and indeed many in her strong fanbase, The Kick Inside is the album that started it all. Her 1978 debut was certainly attention grabbing; it propelled her to fame and got the ball rolling for a phenomenal career as a much appreciated musician and admired female talent. With the iconic 'Wuthering Heights', the young Kate had captured people's imagination with her original songwriting style and of course, her unique voice. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on The Kick Inside from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Kate Bush's legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

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In 1974, Stormbringer was a pivotal album for Deep Purple. The second one made by the Mk3 lineup of Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale, it was ultimately the album that would see Blackmore call it a day with Deep Purple until the Mk2 line-up reformed in 1984. Blending a range of styles across heavy rock, funk and soul, Stormbringer is a very unique Deep Purple album and there is a lot to be said about the story behind it. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on Stormbringer from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Deep Purple's legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

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The year 1972 saw the release of Jethro Tull's iconic album, Thick As A Brick. A song spanning two whole sides of the LP with no gaps in between, Thick As A Brick was unusual even by so-called progressive rock standards at the time. Ironically, even though band leader Ian Anderson joked that the album was intended as "a bit of a spoof", it has gone on to be remembered as a masterpiece of the genre nearly fifty years later. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on Thick As A Brick from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Jethro Tull's legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

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In 1970, In Rock marked the studio arrival of Deep Purple MKII. When it came to making a follow-up, times were turbulent and divisive, so much so that there were doubts as to whether Deep Purple would even last! Sandwiched between In Rock and Machine Head, it is hardly surprising that Deep Purple's 1971 album, Fireball, is so often overlooked in comparison. It wasn't an easy time for the band; with demand for more concerts following the success of In Rock, the making of Fireball took over a year and yet, it is an essential album - both in terms of how it documents Deep Purple's progression as a band and in terms of what it offers overall musically. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Fireball from a range of angles including how it came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Deep Purple's legacy today.

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From humble beginnings in Teignmouth, Devon on England’s South West Coast, since the band’s inception around twenty-five years ago Muse has grown into one of the biggest bands in the world. Since the release of debut album Showbiz in 1999, Muse has gone on to mega status, selling out stadiums around the globe. From a band that was helped in the nineties with a £150 grant from the Prince’s Trust, they have escalated into leading torch bearers for twenty-first century rock music. Never shy to acknowledge influences from the past, Muse has also created its own unique style from blending numerous music genres into their own defining image. Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard have remained together through thick and thin; time and time again producing huge selling albums and sold out concert tours. This Visual Biography is a wonderful keep-sake souvenir portraying the band’s rise to superstardom, right up to 2019’s Simulation Theory tour. The largely, previously unpublished photos are complimented with a 15,000 word band history by music author Laura Shenton.

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If any band deserves to have homage paid to them with a lavish, limited edition photographic book, look no further than Emerson Lake and Palmer. With their origins going back to the late sixties, these three highly talented individuals portrayed the very essence of musical excesses. Drawing on countless images and items of memorabilia this large format 224-page book is a treasure trove for the ELP devotees. Crammed full of live and off stage shots ELP Together and Apart is exactly that — in words and visuals it portrays Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer from their days with The Nice, King Crimson, Arthur Brown’s Crazy World and Atomic Rooster, through the ELP years, as well as documenting their solo work and other outside projects. It also includes loads of super cool memorabilia including backstage passes, gig posters, media adverts and much more, all reproduced on high quality art paper. This is one future collector’s item that every self-respecting ELP fan will want to own. Rounding it off, ELP Together and Apart is topped and tailed with 15,000 words by musicologist and author Laura Shenton. ELP Together and Apart will prove to be the perfect companion and a valuable addition to any fan’s collection.

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With riots, prison sentences and equipment stolen, 1980 and the earlier part of 1981 was an incredibly turbulent time for The Stranglers. Their misfortune provided the press with excellent stories but rarely was their music written about. Understandably, with its paranoid exploration of extraterrestrial themes, The Gospel According To The Meninblack hadn’t really caught on. With everything to play for when it came to making the next album, La Folie – and indeed the hit single, ‘Golden Brown’ – it would see The Stranglers back at the top of their game. In this book, Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on La Folie from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of The Stranglers’ legacy today.

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The Electric Light Orchestra story spans over half a century. From humble beginnings, the band achieved global stardom. In celebration of ELO's illustrious career and complemented with a narrative this visual biography is brimming with photos and memorabilia.

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From the breakthrough with Crime Of The Century to the colossal success of Breakfast In America, it was never a smooth journey for Supertramp. With ups & downs financially, commercially & in working relationships, Supertramp lived the highs & lows of the music business. From local gigs to highly demanding tours, this book documents it all.

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After their last studio album in 1991 and the tour that followed it, fans have eagerly awaited a Dire Straits reunion ever since. Whilst the likelihood of that remains incredibly slim, this book is a celebration of the band and their amazing musical accomplishments — with 'Sultans Of Swing', 'Private Investigations' and 'Money For Nothing' being just the tip of the iceberg! From the early days of playing at London's Hope & Anchor in 1977, to the dizzying heights of the 1985-86 Brothers In Arms tour and beyond, this book documents it all. With vintage interviews and reviews aplenty, the story of Dire Straits is one that needs to be told and this mammoth book is the most comprehensive biography of the band yet published. Not only is the band’s story covered in detail through the narrative — this lavish coffee table book is also visually stunning — printed on high quality art paper and illustrated throughout with numerous photos and items of memorabilia making this a highly desirable Dire Straits collectible.

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From producing her own albums, to designing her own stage performances, Kate Bush has been an innovator throughout her career. With hits such as ‘Wuthering Heights’, ‘Babooshka’ and ‘Running Up That Hill’, her music has always been ethereal and her endearing image has often been regarded as one of mystique. The creativity and the conviction with which she has made her music continue to be an inspiration to not only her legions of fans, but many of her peers. In celebration of Kate’s entire career to date and complemented with a narrative by Laura Shenton MA LLCM Dip(RSL), this visual biography is packed with photos – many of which haven’t been published before (including several from her 1979 tour).

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Released in 1980, bold and original, Remain In Light features a fascinating blend of African-inspired music and innovative use of recording technology. Hosting the hit single ‘Once In A Lifetime’, it was an album that commanded attention. As Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison put it, “Remain In Light was the beginning of a new vision. It was a very creative period and really amazing.” In this book, Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Remain In Light from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Talking Heads’ legacy today.

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This mammoth tome chronicles Jethro Tull's career from the outset to the end of the seventies. From the late sixties - a vital period where the group dynamics were established, Chronicles delves extensively into the history. Vintage gig and album reviews, contemporary quotes from band members, rare advertisements documenting how they were billed alongside their peers, it's all in here. Aside from the 140,000-word narrative, this is also a stunningly visual book adorned with countless photos, many of them previously unpublished. Preserving the detailed history of a band as influential as Jethro Tull is a vital endeavour. Archiving matters and to many fans out there, so does the fascinating story of Jethro Tull. Shenton has pulled it all together to make this an indispensable addition to Jethro Tull's bibliography.

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Throughout the 1970s, Emerson Lake & Palmer were phenomenally prolific. Not only that, but each of their albums brought something new and innovative to the minds of their many fans. From the early days of the band and their iconic performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1970, to Love Beach and beyond, this book documents the amazing journey of a band whose legacy not only continues to attract a loyal following, but who are still held in high regard by their peers. Historic documentation of some of the band’s under-reported gigs, and context surrounding each of their albums throughout the seventies – it’s all in here as Laura Shenton MA LLCM Dip(RSL) offers a detailed and comprehensive exploration.

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By the end of 1973, Deep Purple Mk2 was no more. Ian Gillan had been replaced by David Coverdale on vocals whilst Roger Glover had been replaced by Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals. It left the nucleus of Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord and Ian Paice to take Deep Purple in a new direction, which eventually came to a halt with the Mk4 line-up in 1976. With Deep Purple In Rock (1970), Fireball (1971), Machine Head (1972) and Who Do We Think We Are (1973) to Mk2’s credit, many fans lived in hope that one day, the band would get back together — with the music press occasionally courting the odd rumour that it would happen! Finally, in April 1984, the reunion of Deep Purple Mk2 was announced. Fans had got their wish. Or had they? With the landscape of rock and pop music having changed since the band’s success in the seventies, and with each member of Deep Purple Mk2 having nurtured very different careers as individuals by that point, a reunion was never going to be plain sailing! In this this book, Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL examines the merits and challenges of what it was for Deep Purple Mk2 to get back together in the eighties. Included is a critical analysis of Mk2’s second round of albums: Perfect Strangers (1984), The House Of Blue Light (1987) and The Battle Rages On… (1993).

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There's no denying that throughout the 1970s, Jethro Tull were at the top of their game. With iconic albums such as Aqualung (1971), Thick As A Brick (1972), Songs From The Wood (1977) and Heavy Horses (1978) to their credit, the band had majestically earned their place as vital pioneers and contributors within the spectrum of progressive rock music. By the 1980s, the popularity of progressive rock had declined amongst the record-buying public. Any band wishing to continue the success they had enjoyed throughout the previous decade couldn't afford to rest on their laurels. And so arises an essential question: How did Jethro Tull fare in the 1980s? Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL provides a detailed exploration into each of Jethro Tull's albums from the eighties, offering a critical analysis of the band's achievements, challenges, and sound.

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With the addition of new photos, tour dates, an expansive discography, a deep dive into Cozy's cars and racing career, as well as lots of new information unearthed on his music career, this second edition of The Cozy Powell Story builds massively upon the original and is truly comprehensive and a worthy legacy to Cozy Powell.

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It started off so well. As Jon Lord enthused in the October 1975 issue of Melody Maker: 'Tommy can't be so bad for us with so many good ideas. All I can say is when you hear the album (Come Taste The Band) you'll change your mind. Whether you like the music or not, you'll have to realise that Deep Purple now have an excitement in their playing that they haven't had in a long time...' Despite calls of 'we want Blackmore' when Deep Purple Mark four played live, there was so much more to American guitarist Tommy Bolin than being Ritchie Blackmore's replacement. As a result, the purpose of this long-overdue biography is to readdress the existing narrative of Tommy Bolin's legacy. As well as discussing objectively Tommy's time with Deep Purple, Laura Shenton offers an insight into his musical achievements in his own right outside of the band, which include two cult rock albums in Teaser and Private Eyes. He also had a stint in The James Gang and made numerous guest appearances, where his versatile and virtuosic skills as a guitarist were utilised, before his untimely death in 1976 at the shockingly young age of 25

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All supremely talented musicians in their own right, together as The Police, Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland had a string of reggae-infused hits in the late seventies: 'Roxanne', 'Can't Stand Losing You', 'Message In A Bottle' and 'Walking On The Moon'. By the eighties, with the commercial and critical success of 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' and 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', The Police were considered to be one of the biggest bands in the world, pushing new musical boundaries where their punk and new wave contemporaries hadn't dared to go. With the hit single 'Every Breath You Take' elevating them to greater heights of stardom, there was everything to play for. In celebration of the band's full tenure and complemented with a narrative by Laura Shenton MA LLCM Dip(RSL), this visual biography is crammed full with photos and memorabilia, all reproduced on high quality art paper.

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Beat Instrumental summed it up in 1971: 'In a few short months Curved Air have emerged from the unknown depths to become one of the most talked-about bands around. By a combination of record company promotion (ranging from ads to that pretty patterned album) and a word-of-mouth reputation gained from their gigs, the group became a name before they had really done that much. Such a situation can be worrying for a band but Curved Air have the confidence to carry on unaffected.' Propelled into stardom at an exhilarating speed due to clever marketing and virtuosity in their musicianship, particularly violinist Darryl Way, the story of Curved Air in the 1970s is of a band that burned brightly before collapsing well ahead of their time. Fronted by the exotic Sonja Kristina, they supported Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter and B.B. King in huge stadiums, and several famous names passed through their ranks. These included Stewart Copeland who went on to form the Police with Sting. Every line up of Curved Air presented a stellar range of talent across a musically fascinating contribution throughout the decade. This book documents it all - from the groundbreaking albums like Air Conditioning and Phantasmagoria to the line up changes and traumas which caused the band to disband for the first time in 1976.

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Endearingly, the differences between Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson were key ingredients in what would become the musical and writing chemistry of Supertramp - a band that made a fascinating and diverse contribution to music. From their first commercial breakthrough in 1974 with Crime Of The Century, they exceeded their own expectations with the colossal success of Breakfast In America in 1979. But it was never a smooth journey. With ups and downs financially, commercially and in terms of their working relationship, Supertramp lived the highs and lows of the music business. From local gigs to many highly demanding tours, this book documents it all. As Roger Hodgson once said, "The music always came pretty easily. Both the music and the lyrics come from the same place. For me, composing is literally losing myself in the music. I let the inspiration just come naturally. It is a very magical process. When I start hearing melodies, then I just start singing and the words start coming. The words will have something to do with what I am going through in my life, or what's in my heart at the time. I will have an idea of what the song's about and then work with the melody."

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