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Music Biographies
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Alesha Dixon has one of
the most incredible
stories of any star, yet
she remains an enigma.
Behind the fabulous smile
and signature laugh is a
private woman whose
childhood was blighted by
domestic violence,
poverty and a lack of
confidence. As a
beautiful young woman,
she has struggled to
overcome professional
failure and the
devastating effect of her
husband's infidelity. The
UK's leading celebrity
biographer Sean Smith has
travelled to her home
town to uncover the truth
about her upbringing,
her unconditional love
for her mother, her
loyalty to her extended
family, her feud with
her elder brother and her
unsettled relationship
with her Jamaican father,
who left home for good
when she was four. He
discovers a sensitive and
secretive woman, who
managed to keep her
long-term relationship
with a member of one of
the country's best-known
boy bands hidden from
public scrutiny. For the
first time that love
affair can now be
revealed. He examines the
circumstances that led to
the break-up of her
marriage to rapper MC
Harvey and the effect
that unhappy time has had
on her life. Alesha
describes a
roller-coaster career
that began when she was
'discovered' at a dance
class in Central London.
She achieved huge early
success with Mis-Teeq,
who had seven consecutive
top ten hits before their
record label went bust.
Her subsequent solo
career stalled when she
was dropped by Polydor
before her debut album
was even released, but
she turned things around
with a spectacular
victory on Strictly Come
Dancing. Sean Smith lays
bare her subsequent TV
career, including the
row over her appointment
as a judge on the
programme, as well as
her triumphant switch to
Britain's Got Talent in
2012. Alesha is the
dramatic and uplifting
account of her journey
from a humble start in
life and how she overcame
all obstacles in her way
to become an inspiration
to women everywhere.
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In 1931, City Lights
introduced Charlie
Chaplin's new female star
to the world. The film -
defiantly silent in the
age of talkies - was an
immediate and
international hit. The
actress who played the
romantic lead had never
been on screen or stage
before. Chaplin's film
turned her into the most
famous girl in the world.
Virginia Cherrill was the
beautiful daughter of an
Illinois rancher, who
ran away to live through
some of Hollywood's
wildest years. She was
the adoring first wife
who broke Cary Grant's
heart when she left him;
who turned down the
gloriously eligible
Maharajah of Jaipur to
befriend his wife and
rescue her from purdah.
Virginia Cherrill
presided, during the
thirties, over one of
England's loveliest
houses, as the Countess
of Jersey. Everybody
sought her friendship.
All that eluded her was
love. And when she found
it, she gave up all she
had to marry a handsome
and penniless Polish
flying ace, whose dream
it was to become a
cowboy. In this glorious,
and undiscovered story
of Hollywood,
international high
society, wartime drama
and romance, Miranda
Seymour works from
unpublished sources to
recapture the personality
of a woman so vividly
enchanting that none
could resist her. This is
the story of Cinderalla
in reverse: of the poor
girl who won everything -
and gave up all for love.
Breathtakingly romantic,
exquisitely written,
this is the stuff that
dreams are made of.. .
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Motley Crue were formed
in Los Angeles in 1981
and have since gone on to
become one of America's
biggest-selling and
notorious heavy metal
acts, with nine studio
albums and over 80
million album sales.
Acquiring huge success by
the end of the 80s with
their mixture of heavy
metal and glam rock,
singer Vince Neil's
'glam' look even
supposedly inspired the
hit Aerosmith song 'Dude
(Looks Like A Lady)'. In
1992 Neil left the band
to pursue a solo career
before returning in 1997.
The band went into hiatus
in 2000 before reuniting
in 2004. In TATTOOS &
TEQUILA, Vince Neil
chronicles his personal
experiences as singer and
frontman for Motley Crue,
and his time as a
participant on reality
shows. Motley Crue were a
band who always lived up
to the typical image of
the 'rock and roll'
lifestyle and this is
captured firsthand by
Neil, who writes
candidly about the band's
struggles with drugs,
alcohol and the law.
These include incidents
such as bass guitarist
Nikki Sixx's near fatal
heroin overdose in 1987.
He also details his
marriages to date, as
well as movingly writing
about the death of his
daughter Skylar from
cancer in 1995. The
result is a compelling
look at a band and a man
who have seen many highs
and lows in their career.
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Suggs is one of pop
music's most enduring and
likeable figures. Written
with the assured style
and wit of a natural
raconteur, this hugely
entertaining and
insightful autobiography
takes you from his
colourful early life on a
North London council
estate, through the
heady early days of Punk
and 2-Tone, to the
eighties, where Madness
became the biggest
selling singles band of
the decade. Along the way
he tells you what it's
like to grow up in
sixties Soho, go
globetrotting with your
best mates, to make a
dead pigeon fly and cause
an earthquake in Finsbury
Park.
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Jerry Leiber and Mike
Stoller shaped the rock
and roll era this is
their story in their own
words. In 1950 a couple
of rhythm and
blues-loving teenagers
named Jerry Leiber and
Mike Stoller met for the
first time. Leiber was
looking for someone to
help compose music for
lyrics he'd written, and
a friend recommended a
piano player named Mike
Stoller. They discovered
their mutual affection
for R&B, and, as Jerry
and Mike put it in this
fascinating
autobiography, it was
the beginning of an
argument that has been
going on for more than
fifty years with no
resolution in sight. With
the assistance of David
Ritz, they describe what
it was like when Elvis
was a fresh new face and
when two young guys with
tons of talent and an
insatiable love of good
old American R&B could
create the soundtrack for
a generation and have a
great time doing it.
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Details: The
indispensible consumers
guide to the music of
Michael Jackson and the
members of the Jackson
family. An album by
album, track by track,
examination of every song
released by The Jackson
5, both as a group and
as individuals, together
with a special section on
Michael's phenomenally
successful solo ventures
and the success of his
sister Janet. Features
include: A detailed album
by album, track by track
analysis, a separate
index on compilation
albums, a song index for
easy reference and an
eight page colour
timeline. Ideal for: The
perfect book for Michael
Jackson fans everywhere.
This paperback book has
120 pages and measures:
24.7 x 17 x 1cm.
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Details: From their
inception in 1971 through
their smashingly
successful 2007 album
"Long Road Out of Eden"
and the accompanying
2008-2010 international
tour, The Eagles have
seen it all and lived to
tell about it. In
"Eagles, one of
America's top rock
journalists delivers a
comprehensive insider
look at arguably the
greatest American
rock-and-roll band on the
occasion of their 40th
anniversary. From their
origin and rise to fame,
to the music, the
recording sessions, the
fights, the tours, the
parties afterward and the
hangovers that followed,
Ben Fong-Torres covers it
all backed by deft
research, first-hand
interviews, and a
collection of fantastic
photographs from some of
the best rock
photographers in the
business. In the course
of 40 years, the Eagles
changed line-ups five
times, split up twice,
recorded seven highly
successful albums, toured
the world multiple times,
released the top-selling
rock album in American
history, and sued each
other. Their story is a
uniquely American
journey, and their legacy
is assured for decades to
come. Ideal for: The
perfect book for all
Eagles fans. This
hardback book has 192
pages and measures: 28.7
x 22.5 x 1.6cm.
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In 2008 Only Men Aloud
won the BBC's Last Choir
Standing competition and
exploded the traditional
image of male voice
choirs forever, becoming
overnight choral
sensations. Handsome
young men with angelic
voices and moves that
would do credit to
Strictly... This book is
a snapshot of the busy
working life of this
choral success story and
a glimpse at its
extraordinary journey
from very humble
beginnings in the south
Wales Valleys community
through to royal command
performances,
award-winning recordings
and unforgettable
concerts. With
behind-the-scenes images
never seen before, this
is your chance to share
in a host of colourful
experiences and take a
look behind the showbiz
curtain. Enjoy the
company of the most
handsome and dynamic
choir that Wales - and
possibly the world - has
ever seen.
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As Assistant Editor on
Melody Maker, Everett
True was the first
journalist to cover the
Seattle music scene in
early 1989 and interview
Nirvana. He is
responsible for bringing
Hole, Nirvana,
Pavement, Soundgarden
and a host of other bands
to public attention. He
introduced Kurt to
Courtney, performed on
stage with Nirvana on
numerous occasions and
famously pushed Kurt onto
the stage of the Reading
Festival 1992 in a
wheelchair. * SELLING
POINTS: An honest,
moving, incisive,
heartfelt re-evaluation
of a band that have been
misrepresented time and
time again since their
untimely demise in April
1994. The true story
written by the only
journalist allowed into
Cobain's house
immediately after Kurt
Cobain's death. Everett
True captures what the
band were really like -
their feminine side,
what happened to Cobain
in Seattle and Olympia
and when he first met
Courtney. He also
discusses the music scene
of the time - the fellow
bands, the scenes, the
seminars, the countless
live dates, the friends
and allies and drug
dealers.
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The ultimate reference to
the expansive career of
Queen, both as a band
and as individuals, now
fully updated and
expanded. Essential
reading for first-time
listeners and enthusiasts
alike. The Albums - The
meticulous production of
every spectacular album
is documented, from
songwriting to release,
with analysis and
discussion. The Songs -
Queen's discography is an
impressive cross-section
of musical diversity.
From the biggest hits to
the deepest album cuts,
live jams to one-off
covers, the stories
behind every song are
detailed. The Tours - The
live experience was
always a major force of
Queen's career. Tracking
their transformation from
dark, mysterious
theatrical act to
stadium-packing rock
band, each tour is
detailed with set
lists/itineraries. The
Visuals - Every
pioneering music video,
promotion and live
cinematic release is
discussed, from Queen's
first filmed gig in 1974
to the free concert for
AIDS awareness in
Kharviv. Plus BBC radio
sessions, TV appearances
and much more.
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Details: With a recording
career spanning five
decades and a rep as one
of the greatest
guitarists to ever tread
the planet, Eric Clapton
looms large among music
fans and musicians. Here
at last is the first
complete illustrated
history of Claptons
career, from the
Yardbirds in the early
1960s, up to the
present. A chronological
text covers all of
Claptons associated
acts as well as his
collaborations with
artists like George
Harrison, John Lennon,
Frank Zappa, B.B. King,
Jeff Beck, and more.
Details of his personal
life that have informed
his musicsuch as
his romance with
Harrisons then-wife
Pattie Boyd, his
well-publicized battles
with addiction, and his
subsequent founding of
the Crossroads Centre?are
also examined. A wealth
of sidebars cover the
gear Clapton has used
through the years while
extensive appendices
detail his discography.
The story is illustrated
throughout with candid
and performance
photography, as well as
memorabilia spanning
Claptons entire
career. Ideal For: This
beautiful book would make
the perfect gift for
Clapton fans everywhere.
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'Someone called and said
Kurt died. I just f*****g
lost it.' He has sold
over 40 million albums.
He's been in bands that
have changed popular
music forever. He saw his
best friend commit
suicide. He starts
supergroups. He's the
nicest guy in rock. From
Nirvana to Foo Fighters,
from brotherhood to
bitter rivalry, from
breathless highs to
lifeless lows, Paul
Brannigan gives an
unparalleled, intimate
and extraordinary account
of the life and times of
Dave Grohl. In 1990,
little-known punk-metal
upstarts Nirvana added a
new drummer to the band.
They were soon to become
a global phenomenon --
but as we all know,
things went wrong. Dave's
friend Kurt, frontman of
Nirvana, took his own
life, plunging the band
and their future into
chaos. His friends' grief
was mirrored by worldwide
sorrow to an
unprecedented degree.
Defying expectations, a
knack that was soon to
become his trademark,
Grohl refused to see it
as the end. In 1995 his
new band, the Foo
Fighters, rose to join
the pantheon of rock
deities. The 'wonder
years' were by no means
calm. The spotlit
existence imposed by his
celebrity status, the
bellowed vilification by
his critics and his
high-speed lifestyle
proved a dangerous
cocktail. With an account
of Grohl's life that is
more personal than
anything written before,
more startling, more
thrilling, more
heart-rending and more
inspiring, Paul
Brannigan reveals Dave
fully for the first time.
This is the story of the
man who changed music
forever.
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Meet Union J - the X
Factor's newest boy band
sensation. This is the
full account of George,
JJ, Josh and Jaymi's
story so far. From
childhood stories and
dreams of stardom to the
week by week
rollercoaster journey to
the X Factor semi-finals
and their first tastes of
fame, a full account of
what it was like getting
signed to recording their
first single and going on
tour for the first time,
this book will tell you
everything you need to
know about the four boys
set to take the pop world
by storm. Packed full of
fascinating new details,
and the truth about all
the gossip, this is the
definitive book on Union
J; the perfect Christmas
gift and a must-have for
all Union J fans.
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A car mechanic turned
internationally acclaimed
opera star, Alfie Boe
has taken Broadway by
storm, conquered the
West End and has won the
hearts of the nation. The
first official bad boy of
opera, this is the story
of his life - the ups and
the downs, from finding
fame to losing his father
- and of his love affair
with music. A story not
typical of most musical
stars, Alfie's dreams of
singing only became a
reality when fate
intervened in the form of
a stranger: he was
training as a car
mechanic when a customer
overheard him singing and
told him about a London
audition. Alfie tried
out, got the part and
has never looked back.
Celebrated worldwide and
lauded by Baz Luhrman and
Cameron Mackintosh as the
best tenor we've produced
in a generation, for the
first time, he will
grant his millions of
fans an intimate glimpse
into the life of the man
they adore.
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A behind-the-scenes,
in-depth look at the
making of one of the
greatest sonic
masterpieces and most
commercially successful
albums of all time. Over
three decades after its
release, Pink
Floyds ?The Dark
Side of the Moon? remains
one of the most acclaimed
albums of all time. Its
sales total around 30
million copies worldwide.
In its first run, it
took up residence in the
US charts for a
mind-boggling 724 weeks.
According to recent
estimates, one in five
British households owns a
copy. This, however, is
only a fraction of the
story. ?Dark Side? is
rocks most fully
realised and elegant
concept album, based on
themes of madness,
anxiety and alienation
that were rooted in the
bands history ? and
particularly in the
tragic tale of their one
? time leader Syd
Barrett. Drawing on
original interviews with
bass guitarist and chief
songwriter Roger Waters,
guitarist David Gilmour,
and the albums
supporting cast, ?The
Dark Side of the Moon? is
a must-have for the
millions of devoted fans
who desire to know more
about one of the most
timeless, compelling,
commercially successful,
and mysterious albums
ever made.
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The most famous living
rock musician on the
planet, Paul McCartney
is now regarded as a
slightly cosy figure, an
(inter)national treasure.
Back in the 1970s,
however, McCartney cut a
very different figure. He
was, literally, a man
on the run. Desperately
trying to escape the
shadow of the Beatles,
he became an outlaw hippy
millionaire, hiding out
on his Scottish farmhouse
in Kintyre before
travelling the world with
makeshift bands and
barefoot children. It was
a time of numerous drug
busts and brilliant,
banned and occasionally
baffling records. For
McCartney, it was an
edgy, liberating and
sometimes frightening
period of his life that
has largely been
forgotten. Man on the Run
paints an illuminating
picture: from McCartney's
nervous breakdown
following the Beatles'
split through his
apparent victimisation by
the authorities to the
rude awakening of his
imprisonment for
marijuana possession in
Japan in 1980 and the
shocking wake-up call of
John Lennon's murder.
Ultimately, it poses the
question: if you were one
quarter of the Beatles,
could you really outrun
your past?
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Details: This is an
authorized visual history
of one of the biggest
bands in hard rock by
photographer Ross Halfin,
who has documented them
from 1978 through to
today. Ideal for: Fans of
Def Leppard who want to
look back at their
illustrious career
expertly shot by Ross
Halfin. This hardback has
224 pages and is 28.5cm x
23.5cm x 2.3cm
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Details: The Severed
Alliance is one of the
most controversial rock
biographies ever written.
Universally acclaimed by
critics, its contents
outraged Morrissey, who
denounced the book and
called for the death of
author Johnny Rogan,
saying Personally, I
hope Johnny Rogan ends
his days very soon in an
M3 pile-up. This
paperback edition
features a provocative
preface as well as many
important amendments to
the original text,
previously unpublished
photos and an updated
comprehensive
discography. Ideal for:
Fans of Morrissey and
Marr. A very good,
in-depth account of what
went on behind the
scenes. This paperback
book has 358 pages and
measures: 24 x 16 x 3cm
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All bands make records
differently.? So says
David Gedge in his
introduction to this
book. Well this is how
The Wedding Present do
it. A behind-the-scenes
account of the making of
Valentina, their eighth
studio album, complete
with rare photographs and
a track-by-track
commentary from each
member of the band. This
book also unlocks lots of
additional digital
content including the
Valentina album, extra
tracks and a 30-minute
documentary.
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A singer once said his
pitch was right on the
nose: his word
enunciation letter
perfect: his
understanding of a song
thorough. He will be
missed very much, not
only by myself, but by
his fans all over the
world. The singer was the
legendary Frank Sinatra,
The man he spoke about:
the irreplaceable Matt
Monro. The Singer's
Singer: The Life and
Music of Matt Monro, is
the highly-anticipated
story of one of Britain's
most iconic singers,
tracing Matt Monro's life
from his poverty stricken
upbringing in post-war
Britain to his day job as
London bus driver to the
steady rise to fame that
saw the singer battling
the highs and lows of the
entertainment industry to
become one of Britain's
best-loved entertainers.
This is the man behind
the image, the man who
rubbed shoulders with
some of the most famous
names in the business,
who recorded the very
first James Bond theme
song (From Russia with
Love ), represented his
country in the Eurovision
Song Contest and recorded
the international hits
Softly as I Leave You,
Born Free, Walk Away and
Portrait of My Love. In
an intimate portrait
written by the singer's
daughter, Michele Monro,
and drawing on more than
two hundred interviews
from the most important
characters in Matt's
life, The Singer's
Singer exposes the man
behind the voice,
telling the story of how
Terry Parsons overcame
poverty to arrive at the
very heart of the
post-war British
entertainment industry as
the unforgettable Matt
Monro. Including
never-before-seen
photography, exclusive
correspondence between
Matt and some of the
biggest names in the
music business and a rich
array of personal
anecdotes, this is the
first comprehensive look
at the life of the man
his peers dubbed the
Singer's Singer, the
irreplaceable Matt Monro.
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Dannii Minogue first
appeared on television
aged seven. She signed
her first record deal at
the age of seventeen and
ever since she has been
wowing audiences around
the world with her charm
and her charisma. The
daughter of a dancer
mother, Dannii found the
spotlight early and
discovered a passion for
entertaining that has
never faded. After early
soap opera appearances,
including Home and Away,
a string of chart hits in
the early 90s (Love And
Kisses, Success, Jump
To The Beat, Baby Love,
This Is It.. .) launched
Dannii as an established
pop singer before she
then re-invented herself
as one of the world's
most popular female dance
acts. Most recently, she
has found a new army of
loving fans as a judge on
The X Factor, where she
has charmed audiences
with her sincerity,
compassion and warmth.
Her recent emotional
Pier's Morgan interview
was watched by a
record-breaking six
million viewers. In this
very personal and
uplifting autobiography,
Dannii talks openly for
the first time about the
highs and lows of her 30
year career; her marriage
and subsequent divorce to
Julian McMahon; the
trials and tribulations
of her role as an X
Factor judge; her
relationship with sister
Kylie and, of course,
becoming a mother.
Explosively revealing,
Dannii Minogue: My Story
is set to be the
autobiography of the
year.
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What other rock star has
the numbers for both
Nelson Mandela and George
W. Bush on his
speed-dial? Who else
could have convinced the
US to return USD435
million in cancelled
Third World debt last
year? One of the most
unique and inspiring
figures in popular music
today, not only is Bono
the singer of the
internationally
successful U2, he is
also the most overtly
politicised rock
superstar since John
Lennon and a far more
effective lobbyist,
fundraiser and political
buccaneer than even Bob
Geldof. Bono is one of
the very few major rock
artists to open up about
his deepest spiritual
beliefs and not be
despised for it. With a
long history of
campaigning behind him -
from the movingly rousing
'Sunday Bloody Sunday' to
the moment he phoned then
US President Bill Clinton
live on stage as images
of war-ravaged Sarajevo
flashed across giant
screens behind him -
politics and rock n' roll
have always been
inextricably linked in
Bono's mind. Yet the
question remains: why?
Why does he do all these
things when he could be
lying by a pool enjoying
the sun? This definitive,
in-depth biography of
Bono explores this and
countless other
questions. From his
boyhood in Dublin raised
by a Protestant mother
and Catholic father, to
his mother's sudden death
whilst he was still a
teenager, through to the
formation of U2, Bono's
is one of the great rock
stories.
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Alongside contemporaries
Slayer, Megadeath and
Anthrax, Metallica came
to prominence in the
eighties as one of the
big four, of thrash
metal. Metallica were to
thrash, though, what
the Sex Pistols were to
punk.Nearly thirty years
on, their tale is one of
alcohol, rule breaking
and tragically early
death. But allied to that
are colossal sales
figures for their records
-- they are the
fifth-highest selling
recording artists of all
time -- and members with
backgrounds that touch on
jazz and classical music.
Metallica, in fact,
have garnered more
critical acclaim than any
heavy rock band since Led
Zeppelin. Fresh from the
critical and commercial
success of When Giants
Walked the Earth, Mick
Wall takes a similar
informed look at the
band, a group he has
known on and off since
their formation in 1981.
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Drawing on George
Harrison's personal
archive of photographs,
letters, diaries, and
memorabilia, Olivia
Harrison reveals the arc
of his life, from his
guitar-obsessed boyhood
in Liverpool, to the
astonishment of the
Beatles years, to his
days as an independent
musician and bohemian
squire. Here too is the
record of Harrison's
lifelong commitment to
Indian music, and his
adventures as a movie
producer, Travelling
Wilbury, and Formula One
racing fan. This book is
filled with stories and
reminiscences from
Harrison's friends,
including Eric Clapton,
Terry Gilliam, Eric
Idol, Paul McCartney,
Ringo Starr, and many,
many others. Among its
previously unpublished
riches are photographs by
Harrison himself
beginning in the
mid-1960s. It is a rich
tribute to a man who died
far too young, but who
touched the lives of
millions.
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Described recently by
"Empire" magazine as
Britains best ever blues
singer, John Martyn was
one of rock musics last
real mavericks. Despite
long-term addiction to
alcohol and drugs, which
contributed to his death
in January 2009, he
produced a string of
matchless albums. Loved
by fans and critics,
loathed by ex-managers,
he survived the music
business he despised for
forty years. With
contributions by Martyn,
many of his lovers and
over twenty musicians who
knew him well, this book
documents his upbringing
in Glasgow and rise
through the Scottish and
London folk scene of the
1960s, his many highs
and lows, and his
friendships with the
great lost souls of
British rock music - Nick
Drake and Paul Kossoff.
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Six decades of
photographs of one of
rock music's most
influential artists. Neil
Young's appeal crosses
generations, from his
time in Buffalo
Springfield, pioneering
country rock to his
proto-grunge and other
harder sounds. The man is
an iconoclast,
innovator, inspiration
and influence to multiple
generations of musicians.
Despite his reluctance to
enter the mainstream,
Young has long been
popular and has been
photographed by some of
the biggest names in rock
photography. This superb
collections gives an
insight into the life of
a legend!
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In the last two decades,
Manic Street Preachers
have established
themselves as one of the
UK&'s more enduring,
intelligent and credible
rock groups, with nine
Top Ten albums, 16 Top
Ten singles, three
Number Ones and a brace
of Brit Awards. But that
quest for greatness has
seen the band follow a
difficult, sometimes
torturous path, with one
of their number - the
gifted yet deeply
troubled Richey Edwards -
abandon that quest
altogether for
destinations still
unknown. Nailed To
History traces the slow
yet inexorable climb of
the South Wales band from
their late 80s origins as
glam punk inspired,
though critically derided
Generation Terrorists to
their current position as
respected art rock
intellectuals - a fact
underlined by 2009's
award winning disc, A
Journal For Plague
Lovers. It also examines
the life and complex
personality of Richey
Edwards, whose highly
politicised, morally
disquieting wordplay
defined much of the
Manics early appeal - his
personal demons writ
large across 1994's "dark
masterwork", The Holy
Bible. Edward's evermore
extreme behaviour
culminated in his sad,
strange disappearance on
February 1, 1995 and
forced the colleagues he
left behind to re-examine
their very purpose before
making a triumphal return
with 1997's million
selling Everything Must
Go. A story of "blood,
honour and enduring
friendship" marked with
"tales of boredom,
alienation and occasional
despair, Everlasting
contains interviews with
those close to the band,
full album reviews, an up
to date discography and
rare and unseen photos of
the band.
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No pop group since The
Beatles has commanded the
media attention that the
Spice Girls did in the
1990s. They were heaped
with unprecedented
extremes of adulation and
scorn. And yet the true
story of how the group
came together and what
exactly they had to do in
order to achieve fame and
fortune on such an
extraordinary scale has
never been told until
now. For years the key
players involved in the
managing and moulding of
the Spice Girls have
surrounded themselves
with a wall of silence.
In a series of exclusive
and remarkably candid
interviews they reveal
for the first time their
version of events that
created and sustained the
Spice phenomenon. Their
first manager Chris
Herbert, who invented
the group and was then
abandoned by them. Simon
Fuller, the manager who
steered them to success
and was then himself
fired in a blaze of
publicity. The song
writing and production
teams, the PRs,
marketing managers, A&R
men, lawyers and record
company executives all
contribute for the first
time to a fascinating
behind-the-scenes account
of the rise and fall of
the biggest pop
phenomenon of recent
times.
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Details: There may have
been musical rebels like
Elvis Presley before him,
but once Mick Jagger
first burst on the scene
in 1962 as lead singer
for Englands
convention-defying
Rolling Stones, the
mould was broken once and
for all. Even fifty years
later, his singing and
performing style, heard
on records and seen in
concert halls and arenas
and in movie theaters the
world over, is still the
benchmark against which
all rock?n?roll frontmen
are measured. And with
good reason:
Jaggers
distinctive, malleable
voice and preening,
prancing antics onstage
have yet to be
duplicated, let alone
equaled or surpassed.
Together with his
childhood and lifelong
?Glimmer Twin? pal,
guitarist Keith Richards,
chief Stones lyricist
Jagger has co-written
countless indelible rock
and roll classics,
including Satisfaction,
Paint It Black, Sympathy
for the Devil, Miss You,
and Start Me Up.
Meanwhile, his
reputation as a
globe-hopping Don
Juan-esque lover have
made him a simultaneously
cursed, envied and
admired international sex
symbol. Remarkably, now
seventy years old,
Jagger is still going
strong on all fronts ?
and with all his unique
cheekiness and
take-no-prisoners
attitude gloriously
intact. The ultimate
?Midnight Rambler?
rock?n?roll rebel. Ideal
for: Fans of the famous
musician, who want a
in-depth look with lots
of rare photographs. This
hardback has 207 pages
and measures 29.5cm x
26cm x 2.5
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
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A few months ago they
were just four determined
girls. Then there was The
X Factor, the screaming
fans and the record deal
? life for Little Mix
would never be the same
again. Now join the
UKs hottest new
girl group as they sing
their way to
superstardom. Last year,
Perrie, Jesy, Jade and
Leigh-Anne were four
nervous X Factor
hopefuls, waiting in the
wings for their turn in
the spotlight. Now
they?re not only the best
of friends, they?re the
first ever group to win
the show, they have a
record deal, and are on
the cover of every
magazine ? they?re the
girls every girl wants to
be. But it hasn?t all
been sparkles and
glitter. From facing
rejection in the early
stages of The X Factor to
battling bullying and
personal criticism, the
girls have worked
ferociously for their
success. Here, in their
official book, they each
tell the story of their
amazing journey in full,
from their first
auditions to living out
their dreams.
Stunningly-designed and
packed full of unseen
photos shot exclusively
for the book by
world-renowned celebrity
photographer Dean
Freeman, Little Mix: Our
Story So Far provides an
exclusive peek inside the
world of the band as they
embark on global
domination. So look out
world: this is just the
beginning. 2012 is the
year of Little Mix ? and
they?re fierce.
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Cliff Richard has been
Britain's longest
surviving and most
consistent hit music
maker. Starting his
career as a rock 'n' roll
threat to decent,
upstanding citizens, he
is now a friend to
Royalty and prime
ministers, a Knight and
a holder of the OBE. This
book tells his story
chronologically, through
the voices of his
friends, family and
colleagues - like
listening in on a dinner
party attended by most of
the key people in his
career. The stories told
reveal Cliff as seen by
those closest to him and,
in contrast to the many
official publications,
this book does not just
include the flattering
stories. The author's
probing questions have
elicited extraordinary
memories and
observations, previously
unheard by the public.
Heavily illustrated with
rare and interesting
photographs of Cliff at
work and play, this book
will stand as a lasting
testament to one of the
most glorious careers in
British show business.
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Known collectively as The
Priests, Fr Martin, Fr
Eugene and Fr David,
have taken the music
world by storm. Since
they signed their
much-reported Sony
contract in front of
Westminster Cathedral in
April 2008, their album
has sold almost 2, 000,
000 copies worldwide and
broke the Guinness record
for the fastest-selling
debut classical album in
the UK. It has also
chalked up an impressive
fifteen weeks at No. 1 on
the Classic FM chart and
was nominated for a
Classical Brit Award. In
June 2009, The Priests
topped off their
incredibly successful
year with a
highly-acclaimed
mini-tour of the UK and
Ireland.
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Robbie Williams and Gary
Barlow - together and
apart, these two men
have dominated the charts
for the best part of
twenty years. And it is
their fractured
'bromance' that has
shaped the history of one
of the world's most
successful bands. Based
on years of in-depth
research, this
authoritative biography
uncovers the truth about
their tortured
relationship. It reveals
why sixteen-year-old
Robbie idolised the older
and more talented Gary
when, as unknowns, they
were put together in the
newly formed Take That.
We see how the stresses
brought on by fame and
money destroyed their
fragile friendship and
resulted in Robbie trying
to take Gary's position
as front man. We also
discover how far they'd
go to hurt each other
during a feud that lasted
fifteen years and
continued to shape their
solo careers. Explaining
why the two men finally
reconciled in 2010, and
analysing how their
reunion is coping with
the stresses of touring
once more, Robbie and
Gary offers a unique
insight into the lives of
these much loved stars.
Availability: In Stock
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When Keith Richards threw
a drug fuelled party at
his West Sussex house in
early 1967 it was never
going to be an uneventful
affair. Mick Jagger and
Marianne Faithfull were
the star guests but the
Police came uninvited,
so launching a legendary
confrontation. The Drugs
bust spawned a media
frenzy of salacious
speculation and led to a
famous summer trial that
pitted the hedonistic
poster boys of the
counter culture against
the British
Establishment. It was
intended as a high
profile show of strength
from on high. As it
happened things turned
out rather differently.
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'The greatest white
female singer ever' is
how Boy George described
pop icon Cass Elliot,
the sixties diva who was
at the epicentre of US
popular culture and music
during the Californian
hippy movement. Hailed as
America's answer to the
Beatles, the Mamas and
the Papas' hits such as
"California Dreamin" and
"Monday Monday" became
the soundtrack of a
generation. Cass's
uniquely emotive voice,
charismatic wit and
outsized multicoloured
kaftans singled her out
as a popstar who refused
to conform to traditional
female stereotypes. When
she left the Mamas and
the Papas, she
immediately had a top ten
hit with her debut
single, Dream a Little
Dream of Me and became
the queen on Los Angeles
society. Her Beverly
Hills villa was the scene
of legendary parties,
becoming the second home
of stars such as Jack
Nicholson and Grace
Slick, but there was a
darker side to her fame -
after years of continuous
dieting and drug
addiction, she died
mysteriously in London at
the age of 33. Including
interviews with Cass's
friends and family,
co-band members Michelle
Phillips and Denny
Doherty, and many of the
famous names who knew
her, this is both an
insightful biography of
an extraordinary singer,
and a fascinating glimpse
into free-living,
free-loving ideals of the
sixties as the optimism
of the flower-child
generation was crushed by
the Vietnam War. 'The
product of over 100
interviews and four years
of research across three
continents, it's a
fantastic read that goes
way beyond thorough.
..Fiegel's fine,
all-encompassing tome
restores much of the
great woman's dignity' -
Mojo.
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
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This fascinating
autobiography of the
country music legend
recounts the highs and
lows, the struggles and
hard-won triumphs of his
remarkable life. The
story takes us from
Johnny Cashs
childhood on an Arkansas
cotton farm to his early
years at Sun Records. We
read of his life on the
road and meetings with,
and performances for,
world leaders. There is
also the darker side of
his life: the years of
addiction to amphetamines
and pain killers, a
suicide attempt and the
spiritual awakening that
pulled him through. He
looks unsparingly at his
turbulent past, but
remains a man of honesty,
humility and humour. His
memoir reveals his
friendships with Roy
Orbison, Willie Nelson,
Bob Dylan and Billy
Graham.
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Details: On Friday April
8th 1994 the body of
Nirvana frontman Kurt
Cobain was discovered in
a room above his garage
in Seattle. The police
declared it an
open-and-shut case of
suicide, but this book,
drawing on new forensic
evidence and police
reports, explodes the
myth that Cobain took his
own life and reveals the
official scenario was
scientifically
impossible. "Love and
Death" paints a critical
portrait of Courtney Love
- suspected of knowing
the whereabouts of Cobain
for the few days previous
to his death, and that
Cobain was planning to
divorce her. The case
tapes of Love's own PI
Tom Grant are revealed,
introducing a number of
characters that were
connected to Cobain and
his death. Award winning
investigative journalists
Max Wallace and Ian
Halperin present a
chilling and convincing
case that Cobain was
murdered, and call for
the case to be reopened
and properly
investigated. Ideal for:
Those with an interest in
the Kurt Cobain death
investigation. This
paperback book has 349
pages and measures: 19.7
x 13 x 2.3cm
Availability: In Stock
£1.99
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Details: Michael Jackson
The Visual Documentary is
the most comprehensive
book ever published on
the world's greatest pop
superstar. From the
fifties to his death in
2009, it is a complete
record of Michael's
moves, grooves and
music. Illustrated with
hundreds of colour and
black and white
photographs, it includes
all Michael's records,
concerts, videos and
awards, memorabilia and
records you never knew
existed. From Steeltown
to Motown, from the
Jackson 5 to his own man,
from The Wiz to
Thriller, Michael
Jackson was Bad, Smooth,
Dangerous and
Invincible. He made the
most exciting videos,
with the deffest moves,
played the most
spectacular concerts,
and filled the world's
largest arenas. He began
performing at the age of
five, broke records
since he was 11 and was a
star without equal from
the age of 21. The Visual
Documentary presents all
the facts about Michael's
life and death as never
before. Here is
everything you need to
know about the tragic
superstar. Ideal for: A
must have for any Michael
Jackson fan! This
paperback book has 280
pages and measures: 28.9
x 22.9 x 1.5cm.
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£6.99
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Details: Herv? Bourhis,
creator of The Little
Book of Rock, turns his
unique graphic talents to
the legend of The
Beatles, told from the
very beginning. Bourhis
visual imagination
illuminates the
individual lives of each
band member from their
pre-Beatles youth to what
would become a rock band
of phenomenal worldwide
fame. All of the epic
details of their story
are vividly evoked: the
triumphs, the quarrels,
the supreme musical
creativity and of course
the inevitable break-up.
The story then goes on to
follow the personal
destinies of John, Paul,
George and Ringo, four
Liverpool lads who were
by turns ambitious,
clever, facetious,
arrogant, down-to-earth
and supremely talented.
Theirs was the ultimate
rock band story and Herv?
Bourhis has done it and
them full justice in this
superb and exuberant
graphic biography. Ideal
for: A nice twist on a
familiar story, perfect
for Beatles fans! This
paperback book has 168
pages and measures: 22 x
22 x 2cm.
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Details: From precocious
childhood to unstable
middle age, Michael
Jackson was a universally
recognised icon, a true
legend and the focus of a
quite unique musical
career. Neverland - The
Life and Death of Michael
Jackson tells the story
of that career and the
person trapped inside it.
As the natural process of
growing up turned into
the unnatural process of
surgical and chemical
intervention, Jackson
was never anything less
than a sensational
performer. Here is the
bizarre life story, told
in the only medium that
could do it full justice.
Ideal for: An awesome
book for Michael Jackson
fans everywhere. This
paperback book has 96
pages and measures: 29 x
23 x 0.6cm.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
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Between the awards
ceremonies, world tours,
writing and making hit
records, Mick Hucknall
has found the time to
lead a colorful private
life. He has attracted
more than his fair share
of attention from the
world's tabloid press.
But he is a famously
private man, and up to
now has revealed little
about the history of the
band and the part he has
played in it. Here, in
the only official "Simply
Red" biography, he talks
about his inspirations,
the stories behind his
biggest songs, his
fellow band-members and
the music business
itself, while also
talking in depth about
his greatest influences
and heroes. Embellished
with photographs, many
never before seen from
Hucknall's personal
collection, Simply Red:
The Official Story offers
a fascinating insight
into one of the biggest
bands to emerge in the
past three decades, and
also a revealing portrait
of the man who founded
it.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: Still in his mid
thirties, Michael Buble
has a fan base as varied
as the music he sings - a
hip mix of standards,
cleverly chosen covers
and revealing self-penned
songs. His looks make him
a magnet to the opposite
sex, but his
self-deprecating style,
fanaticism for ice hockey
and uniquely involving
on-stage humour also make
him a man's man. He's
come a long way since
singing at the wedding of
the Canadian PM's
daughter shot him to
overnight stardom in
2000, and he has
maintained his position
as the world's
sharpest-suited swinger -
with multi-million record
sales to match. Ideal
for: Fans of Michael
Buble. This hardback book
has 180 pages and
measures: 24.2 x 16.3 x
2.4cm
Availability: In Stock
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Freddie Mercury His Life
in his Own Words is the
closet thing there is to
an autobiography by
Queens flamboyant and
much loved lead singer.
Spurred on by almost
uncontrollable ambition
Freddie drove Queen to
the heights of rock
stardom and along the way
became one of the
most"able rock stars
of all time.
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In 1969 a determined
14-year-old Beatles
fanatic named Jerry
Levitan, armed with a
reel-to-reel tape deck,
snuck into John Lennon's
hotel room in Toronto
during his famous Vietnam
protest bed-in with Yoko
One, and convinced John
to do an interview about
peace. Four minutes of
this exclusive 40-minute
interview, in which John
speaks candidly on war,
politics, what it means
to be a peacenik, the
scandalous Two Virgins
album, and the supposed
subliminal messages in
his music, is the basis
for the recent 2008
Academy Award nominated
short film, I Met The
Walrus. Here for the
first time in book form
is Jerry's full
contextualized and
illustrated account of
his experience with John,
with all new
illustrations from the
film's acclaimed
illustrator James
Braithwaite,
never-before-seen candid
photographs of John and
Yoko, and a DVD keepsake
featuring exclusive video
footage and the complete
40-minute soundtrack of
the interview with John.
A complete annotated
typescript of the
interview is also
included plus Jerry's
memorabilia from that day
- notes from John and
Yoko, drawings and
doodles from John and
more. The result is a
spell-binding package,
an immortalized up-close
one-on-one moment with
John, a tribute to his
extraordinary voice,
boundless wit and
timeless message.
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James Herriot has
captivated millions of
readers and television
viewers with tales of the
triumphs, disasters,
pride and sometimes
heartache that filled his
life as a vet in the
Yorkshire Dales. "Every
Living Thing" shines with
the captivating
storytelling that has
made James Herriot a
favourite the world over.
Here is a book for all
those who find laughter
and joy in animals, and
who know and understand
the magic of wild places
and beautiful
countryside. 'He can tell
a good story against
himself, and his
pleasure in the beauty of
the countryside in which
he works is infectious' -
"Daily Telegraph". 'Full
of warmth, wisdom and
wit' - "The Field". 'It
is a pleasure to be in
James Herriot's company'
- "Observer".
Availability: In Stock
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This book is a definitive
biography of James Brown,
an extraordinary and
controversial superstar,
that encompasses his
entire life until his
death on Christmas Day
2006. For decades, James
Brown dominated the
changing face of post-war
popular black music.
Others have been as
inspirational in the
short term and several of
his successors have been
bigger pop stars, but
none has matched Brown's
independent authority,
sustained influence or
commercial longevity. But
while generations danced
to the pulse of James
Brown, at the end of the
1980s the man himself was
back in a Southern US
jail, a mile from there
he was incarcerated in
his teens. Between two
internments, is the
compelling story of a man
who, by reaching from
his roots and striving
determinedly for himself,
came to represent in
music and personal power,
the post-war
emancipation of black
America. It is
illustrated with rare
photographs and includes
a comprehensive
discography.
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It seems excessive...but
that doesn't mean it
didn't happen. The mass
of black curls. The top
hat. The cigarette
dangling from pouty lips.
These are the trademarks
of one of the world's
greatest and most revered
guitarists, a celebrity
musician known by one
name: Slash. Saul "Slash"
Hudson was born in
Hampstead to a Jewish
father and a black
American mother who
created David Bowie's
look in The Man Who Fell
to Earth. He was raised
in Stoke until he was 11,
when he and his mother
moved to LA. Frequent
visitors to the house
were David Bowie, Joni
Mitchell, Ronnie Wood
and Iggy Pop. At this
time Slash got into BMX
bikes and would
eventually turn
professional, winning
major awards and money,
but at 15 his grandmother
gave him his first
guitar. Sessions with
numerous local LA rock
bands followed until a
fateful meeting with
singer W Axl Rose...and
the rest was rock
history. Guns N' Roses
spent two years builiding
their reputation before
Appetite for Destruction
was unleashed on an
unsuspecting world. Chart
success and global
domination followed but
with it came the
inevitable fall -
addicted to heroin,
booze and cigarettes the
band imploded in a rift
between Axl and Slash
that is as deep today as
ever. But with a new
wife, kids and new band
Velvet Revolver, Slash
is back on track. As
raucous and edgy as his
music, Slash sets the
record straight and tells
the real story as only
Slash can.
Availability: In Stock
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Tom Jones's rags to
riches story - his
journey from a Welsh
mining village to
superstardom. The author
explores his musical
career, his special
relationship with his
wife and Wales, as well
as an insight into his
phenomenal womanizing.
This is a balanced and
sympathetic account of
Jones's personal and
professional life.
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The autobiography of one
of the most significant
and beloved of
songwriters, writer of
fifty-two UK Top 40 hits
from Walk On By to
Raindrops Keep Falling on
My Head. Burt Bacharach
is one of the most
celebrated and legendary
song-writers of the
twentieth century.
Throughout his sixty year
career he has worked with
artists from Dionne
Warwick to Dr Dre,
Marlene Dietrich to Elvis
Costello. Anyone Who Had
a Heart is the story of
one of the greatest song
writers of all time. It
traces for the first time
in his own words, the
life and times of the man
who created the music
that has become the sound
track for the lives of
his millions of devoted
fans all over the world.
Bacharachs songs include:
Magic Moments - Perry
Como, Baby Its You - The
Shirelles / The Beatles,
Please Stay - The
Drifters / Marc Almond,
Wishin and Hopin - Dionne
Warwick / Dusty
Springfield / Ani
DiFranco, Walk On By -
Dionne Warwick / The
Stranglers, I Just Dont
Know What to Do with
Myself - Dusty
Springfield / The White
Stripes, (Theres) Always
Something There to Remind
Me - Sandie Shaw, A
Message to Martha - Adam
Faith, Whats New
Pussycat? - Tom Jones,
Trains and Boats and
Planes - Billy J. Kramer
& the Dakotas, Alfie -
Cilla Black / Cher /
Rumer, I Say a Little
Prayer - Dionne Warwick /
Aretha Franklin, Do You
Know the Way to San Jose?
- Dionne Warwick,
Raindrops Keep Fallin on
My Head - B.J. Thomas /
Sacha Distel / Johnny
Mathis, Ill Never Fall
in Love Again - Bobby
Gentry, Arthurs Theme
(Best That You Can Do) -
Burt Bacharach / Barry
Manilow / Shirley Bassey
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
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Arguably the most
influential force in
Jamaican music, Lee
Perry brought Bob Marley
to international stardom
and has since
collaborated with artists
such as Sir Paul
McCartney, The Clash and
The Beastie Boys. The
book delves behind the
myth of Perry to give a
fuller examination of his
life and work through
extensive interviews with
family members, fellow
artists, friends,
lovers, enemies, as
well as the man himself
to present a complex
portrait of a unique soul
driven by unseen
spiritual forces. This
revised edition contains
new information on
Perry's recent years,
including his Grammy
Award and cessation of
herb smoking. The text
has been thoroughly
revised, making the new
edition a more factually
accurate and greatly
improved read.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
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When Mark Radcliffe was
born in the late 1950s,
Britain was trying to
find its own version of
the dangerously sexy
Elvis.. .we gave the
world Cliff Richard but
by the time Mark was old
enough to recognise pop
songs on the radio, the
UK was exploding into the
world's most exciting
place to be for a young
music fan. In this, his
eagerly awaited new book,
Mark Radcliffe takes a
record from each year of
his life, using the song
as a starting point from
which to reach out and
pull together a
wonderfully entertaining
catalogue of memories and
asides about British
culture. And, as one
would expect from this
unique and popular
broadcaster, the tunes
he lists are not the
usual suspects. From The
Kinks' 'See My Friends',
through Slade's 'Coz I
Luv You' to Kraftwerk's
'Europe Endless' and Joy
Division's 'Atmosphere',
Mark's selections bring
forth a diverse collision
of styles from eras
uniquely defined by their
musical genres and
fashions. Bringing his
choices right up to the
present day, we see the
inclusion of artists such
as Richard Hawley, Elbow
and Fleet Foxes. Mark's
hugely entertaining and
affectionate trawl
through his favourite
music of the past 50
years is guaranteed to
surprise and delight his
many fans.
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
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