Search results for ""OMNIBUS PRESS""

Updated editions to the series. They have been completely redesigned in colour.

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Originally published in 1978 as The Beach Boys and the California Myth, this groundbreaking study was both the first full-length book on the band and the first to recognize Brian Wilson as one of the most significant and influential artists of the 20th century. Covering the turbulent family strife and internal conflicts as well as giving proper attention to the remarkable music, the book was an instant classic. An intimate look at Brian's rollercoaster of a life and career, it's told through the eyes of those who were there during Wilson's most legendary productions including Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations. Revised and updated, God Only Knows covers the decades since the 1985 edition, including Brian's first acclaimed solo album, his startling return to live performing, the landmark Pet Sounds tour, the "All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" (which Leaf wrote and produced) and the triumphant and miraculous Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE world premiere in London. Filled with surprising revelations, insight and behind-the-scenes detail, this indispensable book written by renowned Brian Wilson expert David Leaf also features forewords by Jimmy Webb, the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb and Melinda Wilson, Brian's wife.

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Skip Spence was a soldier, a rockstar, an innovator, an addict, a cult phenomenon and a ward of the state. Spence's story is the story of the 60s, and one that has never before been told in full.

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Ronnie Lane's story is that of a working-class kid who started his musical career busking a ukulele at the age of eight. As a young man he signed with legendary manager Don Arden, who paid him in paisley shirts. He then enjoyed a phenomenal 17 consecutive Top 40 singles, womanising and LSD, and fell under the spell of a mystic before joining forces with Rod Stewart. Ronnie was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, moved to America, went broke and died far too young. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with friends and family, Caroline and David Stafford unearth the truth and talent of the man behind the music.

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This is the b format version of the critically acclaimed book on the singer. In "Waiting for Kate Bush", the reader will not only laugh out loud at Herskovits' attempt to make sense of his life in an alien culture, but also learn in detail what Kate Bush - known alternately as 'the barmiest bird in pop', 'the pre Raphaelite mymph with Minnie Mouse's soprano' and the 'greatest artist of the last 30 years' has been up to in the silent decade - plus - since the release of her last album.

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With their era-defining music and instantly recognisable look, Chic’s reputation as pioneers of disco has endured long after the movement itself. After their initial success in the 1970s with classics such as `Good Times’, `Le Freak’ and `I Want Your Love’, Chic disbanded in 1983, with founding members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards becoming in-demand producers. After Edwards’ tragic early passing in 1996, Nile Rodgers’ involvement in Daft Punk’s 2013’s smash hit `Get Lucky’ catapulted Chic back to international acclaim. And now, from curating Meltdown in 2019 to headlining festivals all over the world, Nile Rodgers and Chic have arguably never been more popular. Covering the sweet successes and fallings out of favour, the creative process and encounters with Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Diana Ross, Madonna and others, the acclaimed Everybody Dance explores the highs and the lows of Chic’s journey in fascinating detail. With a new foreword by Duran Duran founding member John Taylor and a host of new interviews with Nile Rodgers, Johnny Mathis and many others, to add to those with Ahmet Ertegun, Bryan Ferry and David Bowie, this edition bring their enthralling journey up to date. A must-read for any disco fan, Everybody Dance: Chic and the Politics of Disco is the essential story of the legendary band who still get us lost in music, over four decades on.

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Diagnosed with a type of malignant melanoma in 1977, Marley died on11 May 1981 in Miami at the age of 36. He was a committed Rastafari who infused his music with a sense of spirituality. He is considered one of the most influential musicians of all time and credited with popularizing reggae music around the world, as well as serving as a symbol of Jamaican culture and identity.

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

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A celebration of the last great era of the cinematic sex siren - a time when the cultural revolution resulted in unprecedented liberation in the treatment of nudity on screen. The Sixties and Seventies was an era when actresses were not ashamed to be associated with the tag of 'Sex Goddess' or 'Sex Siren' and were not embarrassed to exploit their beauty and bodily charms to enhance their career. Cinema Sex Sirens centres around a select number of actresses who capitalised on their natural beauty during this era. They range from cinematic legends to some whose names are barely known by the general public. Each chapter focuses on one actress with a biography, commentary and complete filmography. Features full colour photos, rare international movie poster artwork and magazine covers. Actresses featured include Sophia Loren, Raquel Welch, Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, Ursula Andress and Gina Lollobrigida.

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Leonard Cohen: A Remarkable Life tells the story of the life, loves and work of Leonard Cohen, the poet, songwriter and singer 'born with the gift of a golden voice.' As the man himself once dryly put it.Anthony Reynolds' fascinating and detailed biography draws on scores of new interviews conducted with Cohen's band members past and present, his business associates, editors, friends, fans, producers, colleagues, enemies and peers. As well as their revealing accounts, the author has gained access to hours of previously unpublished interviews with Cohen as well as video archive recordings from several decades. The book also includes an authoritative summary of every Cohen album, with insights and recollections supplied from the musicians who appeared on the recordings. Gradually, despite Cohen's own good-natured evasiveness over the past 40 years, a surprisingly frank portrait begins to emerge of the legendary figure who commands unparalleled loyalty from his fans and followers, young and old. From the distant days of his penniless beginnings as a much-praised poet in Montreal, through the travels, affairs and religious crisis to his latest tours, Cohen's extraordinary life and body of work is examined as never before. The book includes many previously unpublished photographs.

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Peter Freestone was Freddie Mercury's personal assistant for the last 12 years of his life. He lived with Mercury in London, Munich, and New York, and was with him when he died. This is the most intimate account of Mercury's life ever written.

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This title, originally published in 1972, has been updated to include Spector's work over the following three decades and the bizarre circumstances surrounding the shooting of Lana Clarkson at Spector's Los Angeles mansion on 03 February 2003. In researching the book on Spector the author spent time with the man himself, having been introduced to him by mutual friend John Lennon. He also spoke to many of Spector's working colleagues.

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(The Little Black Songbook). A pocket-sized collection of Tom Waits songs, in chord songbook format, with complete lyrics and guitar chords diagrams. 84 songs include: Alice * Chocolate Jesus * Downtown Train * Hold On * I Wish I Was in New Orleans * Jersey Girl * Long Way Home * Martha * The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) * Soldier's Things * Warm Beer and Cold Women * and more.

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This book contains all the songs from Norah Jones' Grammy Award winning debut album arranged for solo piano. It is intended to be played as solo performances without voice or other lead instruments. These carefully crafted arrangements present sensitive new arrangements of the album's songs as standalone piano pieces. It is ideal for the intermediate pianist.

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One of England's greatest blues guitarists, Peter Green was the founder of Fleetwood Mac. Considered an enigma as well as a brilliant musician, he quit the band in 1970. Written by Green's close associate, this fourth edition of the biography first published in 1995 challenges the accepted narrative about why he left Fleetwood Mac and what happened next. Revised and updated, the book also includes unseen photographs.

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This edition in the famous The Joy Of... series features 32 popular pieces from the world's greatest classical composers, specially arranged for solo piano. Includes: The Blue Danube (J. Strauss) * Etude, Op. 10, No. 3 (Chopin) * Meditation from Thais (Massenet) * Minuet in G Major (Beethoven) * Morning from Peer Gynt (Grieg) * Overture from William Tell (Rossini) * and more.

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(The Little Black Songbook). This is the essential pocket-sized collection of Cat Stevens hits. Presented in chord songbook format, this book includes complete lyrics and guitar chords for over 140 memorable classics. Don't miss this portable, easy-to-carry format with all of your favorite Cat Stevens songs!

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(Music Sales America). Includes 17 of Paul Simon's greatest hits specially arranged for fingerstyle guitarists at all levels. Titles include: Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover * Mrs Robinson * Graceland * and many other masterpieces.

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Quotes from Scary, Sporty, Baby and Posh are gathered here in this post-Ginger Spice Girls book, as they give their opinions on life after Geri, their music, shopping, pregnancies, love, marriage and life in general. A pull out poster is also included.

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The definitive biography of Shane MacGowan, fully updated. This is the complete and extraordinary journey of the Pogues' notorious frontman from outcast to national treasure.

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The biography of George Clinton, one of music's most fascinating, colourful and innovative characters, featuring a new cover and foreword by critic Miles Marshall Lewis.

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When singer, musician, and broadcast journalist Malka Marom was asked to interview Joni Mitchell in 1973, she eagerly accepted the opportunity to converse with the performer she'd first met late one night in 1966 at an open mic in Yorkville. More conversations followed over the next four decades of friendship, and it was only after Joni and Malka completed their last recorded interview, in 2012, that Malka discovered the heart of their discussions: the creative process. In Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now, Joni and Malka follow this thread through seven decades of life and art, discussing the influence of Joni's childhood, love and loss, playing dives and huge festivals, acclaim and criticism, poverty and affluence, glamorous triumphs and tragic mistakes... This riveting narrative, told in interviews, lyrics, paintings, and photographs, is shared in the hope of inspiring others.

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The definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll. Best known as the groundbreaking artist behind classics like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "You Never Can Tell" and "Roll Over Beethoven," Chuck Berry was a man of wild contradictions, whose motives and motivations were often shrouded in mystery. After all, how did a teenage delinquent come to write so many songs that transformed American culture? And, once he achieved fame and recognition, why did he put his career in danger with a lifetime's worth of reckless personal behaviour? Throughout his life, Berry refused to shed light on either the mastery or the missteps, leaving the complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music largely unexplored--until now. In Chuck Berry, biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail. Based on interviews, archival research, legal documents, and a deep understanding of Berry's St. Louis (his birthplace, and the place where he died in March 2017), Smith sheds new light on a man few have ever really understood. By placing his life within the context of the American culture he made and eventually withdrew from, we understand how Berry became such a groundbreaking figure in music, erasing racial boundaries, crafting subtle political commentary, and paying a great price for his success. While celebrating his accomplishments, the book also does not shy away from troubling aspects of his public and private life, asking profound questions about how and why we separate the art from the artist. Berry declined to call himself an artist, shrugging that he was good at what he did. But the man's achievement was the rarest kind, the kind that had social and political resonance, the kind that made America want to get up and dance. At long last, Chuck Berry brings the man and the music together.

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The image of Jordan with her white shards of beehive and Mondrian make-up is one of the most iconic in pop culture. From the counter of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s taboo-busting shop on 240 King’s Road, she helped shape a revolution. But who was the woman behind it all? How did a ballet-mad girl from Sussex make her way, via the clandestine gay clubs of Brighton and London, to the eye of punk’s storm? What happened after she shared so many hair-raising adventures with the Sex Pistols, Adam and his Ants, Derek Jarman and Andy Warhol – and then just disappeared? With commentary from key players and close friends including Vivienne Westwood, Paul Cook, Marco Pirroni, Holly Johnson, and her partner behind the SEX counter, Michael Collins – plus a wealth of never-before-seen images – Jordan reveals her outrageous life story. Buckle up for a masterclass in true punk spirit.

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The Jam - Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler - were the ultimate 'angry young men' of pop. Leading the Mod Revival of the 1970s in thrilling new directions, their tight live shows, razor-sharp style and perfectly crafted songs earned them a devoted following and a string of number one hits. By 1982 The Jam were bigger than ever, but the pressure of success was taking its toll. At the peak of their powers, Paul Weller made the shock decision that was far from welcomed by the rest of the group, let alone the fans: The Jam were to split up and go their separate ways. This richly illustrated and revealing oral history of their final year, led principally by the voice of drummer Rick Buckler, contains a number of previously unseen images and untold stories, taking us from the recording and release of their final studio album, The Gift, to The Jam's last appearances together. In addition to Buckler's memories of the time, The Jam 1982 also brings together testimonies from Gary Crowley, producer Peter Wilson, A&R manager Dennis Munday, photographer Neil ‘Twink’ Tinning, Eddie Piller, Paolo Hewitt, Mat Osman, Belle Stars singer Jennie Matthias (‘The Bitterest Pill’), touring musicians Jamie Telford and Steve Nichol and others, to tell the tale of a single, fateful year: the year The Jam, for better or worse, went out at the very top of their game.

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Paperback version of Small Hours with updates.

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Spanning over decades, this is the remarkable, heartfelt memoir from Abdul 'Duke' Fakir, the last surviving member of The Four Tops. Amidst a backdrop of Detroit, I'll Be There features revealing anecdotes from the group's formation, their early days as backup singers for the likes of Jackie Wilson, and their years working with Berry Gordy at the legendary Motown Records. With era-defining number ones like 'I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)' and 'Reach Out I'll Be There' came stardom and also a more enduring reward: the love of four men who become tighter than brothers. Together they comprise one of the most celebrated R&B groups of all time. But remarkable musical success didn't spare Fakir the pain of marital distress, soured investment deals, struggles with sobriety and the sudden loss of his brothers, all of which he covers in this confessional, unmissable book.

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An expansive and illuminating account of the development of electronic music in the UK, told with passionate enthusiasm by Matthew Collin, the critically-acclaimed author of Altered State and Rave On.

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A new year for David Bowie means new clothes, new boots, new hair and a new name: Ziggy Stardust. To the gloomy blacked-out Britain of powercuts and three-day weeks he may as well be from outer space - if that's what it takes to make him famous, far be it from him to tell anyone he isn't. Bowie's success as the bisexual Starman soon rubs off on his new friends Mott The Hoople and his hero Lou Reed as 1972 becomes Annus Glamrockus. Music, fashion and the old codes of gender will never be the same again. But as his runaway fame quickly blurs all lines between fantasy and reality, neither will David. The third volume of the Bowie Odyssey series offers a wild and revelatory snapshot of the year of Ziggy as Simon Goddard continues his vivid real-time journey through the decade Bowie changed pop forever.

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The Beatles. The Beach Boys. Blur, Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Kate Bush and Coldplay. EMI was one of the big four record companies, with some of the biggest names in the history of recorded music on its roster. Dominating the music industry for over 100 years, by 2010 EMI Group had reported massive pre-tax losses. The group was divided up and sold in 2011. How could one of the greatest recording companies of the 20th century have ended like this? With interviews from insiders and music industry experts, Eamonn Forde pieces together the tragic end to a financial juggernaut and a cultural institution in forensic detail. The Final Days of EMI: Selling the Pig is the story of the British recording industry, laid bare in all its hubris and glory.

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Drawing on interviews with stars and musicians, producers and photographers, stylists, writers and celebrity fans, this book chronicles the glam era from its origins in 1970, through its 1972/73 heyday to its mid-seventies collapse and the death of Marc Bolan in September 1977. Fully illustrated throughout, the book includes a wealth of visual material, be it band shots, record sleeves and pin-up posters, or the era's best clobber, magazines and assorted memorabilia.

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Author of the Penderyn Prize-winning The Velvet Mafia Fifty years on from Britain's first Pride march, the long road to LGBT equality continues. Through protest songs and gay club nights, street theatre activism and fundraising concerts, the performing arts have played an influential role in each great stride made. With new interviews with musicians and DJs, performers and activists, including Andy Bell, Jayne County, John Grant, Horse McDonald and Peter Tachell, Pride, Pop and Politics hears from those whose art has been influenced by the campaign for LGBT rights - and helped push it forward. This informative, eye-opening book is the first to focus on the relationship between gay nightlife and political activism in Britain.

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This slipcase edition - limited to just 500 copies - contains an exclusive Slade Christmas card, handsigned by Don, and is the only way to buy this updated edition in hardback.

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This superb new collection of photographs shows a fascinating variety of blues, folk and rock performers as they appeared at events across North America during the second half of the 20th century. The pictures were all taken by Herb Wise, a man who learned his craft from his friend David Gahr, the revered photographer of American folk music performers. Gradually Herb Wise too became a fixture at many of the leading music festivals and, over the years, his easy, unobtrusive style resulted in a wealth of revealing and affectionate photographs. Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Joan Baez, Taj Mahal, John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Steve Winwood, Blondie and many more are all featured, performing or relaxing, onstage and off.

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From his legendary 50s Sun recordings to his classic 'American' albums of the late 90s, Johnny Cash has always been the country voice of rock. This is his amazing story - Stephen Miller's vivid account of the life and times of a man who started out with stablemates Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins but who would later become a loyal musical friend of Bob Dylan, Nick Lower, Willie Nelson and Elvis Costello. Once on the point of death from drug addition, Cash turned his life around and for 50 years went on to participate in the rock music that grew out of these original sun recording studio sessions. Here are all the anecdotes behind the rowdy days, the prison albums, the relationships and the music. Rockabilly king, movie actor and activist, Cash enjoyed a rollercoaster career that lurched between million selling albums and periods of dark obscurity. Through it all the Man in Black remained a hero to discenring country and rock fans all over the world. This is his unique story.

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