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The Chronicle of Opera
celebrates the great eras
of music and performance,
mixing fact and
anecdote, personalities
and stylistic development
with hundreds of
fascinating
illustrations, while key
historical dates set the
operas in context. With a
comprehensive reference
section including
biographies, a timeline,
list of opera house
openings and premi?res,
a discography and
recommendations for
further reading, this is
the essential reference
book for all lovers of
the operatic arts.
Availability: In Stock
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Following hot on the
heels of the best-selling
Don'ts for Husbands,
Don'ts for Wives and
Don'ts for Golfers this
facsimile copy of the
original edition contains
everything you ever
needed to know, from
what to wear at a fancy
dress party to how to
hold your partner during
a slow dance. Advice we
should all follow: "Don't
be a martyr to your feet"
"Don't dance with bent
knees. Bent knees suggest
an ancient cab-horse on
its last pathetic stagger
or a performing
chimpanzee gyrating
around its keeper" "Don't
disguise yourself as a
"Lohengrin" if you happen
to be short and stout.
This sort of thing is
excusable only in an
operatic tenor" "Don't
straddle" "Don't, Miss
Shingled, Bingled or
Bobbed, please don't
comb your hair in public!
It is a habit that is
fast gaining ground but
it is a deplorable habit.
A few minutes reflection
will, I am sure,
convert you to the
masculine point of view -
it is a disgusting habit"
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You can tell a lot about
someone in a minute. If
you choose the right
minute. Join Neil Strauss
as he: - Makes Lady Gaga
cry - Tries to keep
Motley Crue out of jail -
Gets kidnapped by
Courtney Love - Goes to
church with Tom Cruise -
Buys nappies with Snoop
Dogg - And tucks
Christina Aguilera into
bed
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Bowie the performer.
Bowie the songwriter.
Bowie the fashion icon.
Chameleon-like, David
Bowie has consistently
reinvented his stage
persona, while blurring
the boundaries of art,
performance, fashion and
music. From art school to
Major Tom, the Rise and
Fall of Ziggy Stardust
and the iconic lightning
bolt of Aladdin Sane to
Bowie's film career and
current renaissance,
this book is a
comprehensive collection
of pictures. Showcasing
hundreds of moments from
Bowie's professional
life, together with
stunning famous and
little known images from
some of the world's best
photographers - such as
Terry O'Neill, Gijsbert
Hanekroot and Mick Rock -
the visuals are
accompanied by commentary
from award winning
journalist and author
Chris Welch.
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Expanding on the hugely
popular graduation speech
that Dolly Parton gave at
the University of
Tennessee, Dream More
explores the personal
philosophy this
much-loved artist has
forged over the course of
her astonishing career as
a singer, songwriter,
performer and
philanthropist. In this
thought-provoking book,
Dolly Parton draws on her
childhood experiences
growing up in the hills
of eastern Tennessee and
her life as the iconic
performer she is today,
as she encourages us all
to. Dream more, Learn
more, Care more. and,
Be more Honest and
uplifting, Dream More is
an inspiring anthem for
anyone who wants to take
charge of their life and
forge a brighter future
on their own terms.
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For nearly 60 years,
since the arrival of the
long-playing record in
1948, the album has
provided the soundtrack
to our lives. Our record
collections, even if
they're on CD, or these
days, an iPod, are
personal treasure,
revealing our loves,
errors of jugdement and
lapses in taste.
Self-confessed music
obsessive, Travis
Elborough, explores the
way in which particular
albums are deeply
embedded in cultural
history, revered as
works of art or so
ubiqitous as to be almost
invisible. But in the age
of the iPod, when we can
download an infinite
number of single tracks
and need never listen to
a whole album ever again,
does the concept of an
album still mean
anything? THE LONG-PLAYER
GOODBYE is a brilliant
piece of popular history
and a celebration of the
joy of records. If you've
ever had a favourite
album, you'll love
Travis Elborough's warm
and witty take on how
vinyl changed our world.
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Details: The Chronicle of
Classical Music is a
diary-style chronology
tracing the development
of Western classical
music, revealing the
inside story of the
composers daily lives:
their travels,
encounters, great works,
performances, patrons,
friends, lovers,
families, finances,
struggles and ambitions a
kaleidoscope of facts.
Here is history of
classical music presented
in a way that is
accessible, vivid and
multi-dimensional. Ideal
for: An essential book
for those interested in,
or who are looking for a
way into, serious music.
This paperback book has
288 pages and measures:
27.9 x 22 x 2.3cm.
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Featuring over 150
iconic, rare and
previously unpublished
images of Pink Floyd,
this book captures the
legendary rock group at
every stage of their epic
career. From some of
their first photo
sessions in 1967 to their
triumphant reunion at
Live 8, this book is a
unique chronicle of five
enigmatic musicians, and
their journey from
experimental psychedelia
to stadium pageantry.
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After more than a decade
in the game, Eminem
endures as one of the
most popular celebrities.
The world's most
successful rapper
continues to break
records in the modern
era, recently
reinventing himself after
a drug overdose to hold
his own against viral
sensations like Lady Gaga
and Justin Bieber.
Controversy is one
quality that Marshall
Mathers III has never
failed to deliver in
spades. From his
fledgling rhymes with New
Jacks and D-12 through to
Billboard chart-busting
epics like 'My Name Is',
'The Way I Am' and
'Stan', his body of
recorded work has been an
exercise in lyrical
genius, satirical wit
and enjoyably gratuitous
offensiveness. This book
examines, for the first
time, the entire oeuvre
of the immensely gifted
poet and street culture
purveyor that is Eminem.
This is the definitive
critical study of the man
dubbed by Newsweek as
"the most compelling
figure in all of pop
music:" it's a quest for
the visceral, troubled
raison d'etre of Eminem.
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An educational and
entertaining look at
professional studio work
from the vantage point of
a veteran session
vocalist. Confessions
tackles topics that will
help readers define,
improve and maintain a
professional studio
career. This book takes
the reader from the first
steps of researching,
networking and preparing
for a career as a session
singer to building their
career strategically.
Tips for communicating
effectively with the
audio engineer, the
client and the producer
are covered, including
definitions of commonly
used studio terms.
Specific techniques and
gear that enhance a
vocalist's performance
are explained to the
reader in detail.
Interspersed between the
tips and trade secrets
are entertaining
anecdotes to give the
reader real world
examples and insight as
they relate to the
pertinent chapter topics.
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Even after five decades
in the spotlight, Bob
Dylan remains as relevant
as ever. He continues to
sell out shows on a never
ending tour and his 2009
album, Together Through
Life, was both
critically praised and
debuted at number one on
the Billboard 200. His
two previous albums,
Modern Times and Love and
Theft, reached platinum
and gold, respectively.
This book is published to
co-incide with the 50th
anniversary of Dylan s
first album Bob Dylan.
Few American artists are
as important, beloved
and endlessly examined as
Bob Dylan, yet he
remains something of an
enigma. Now - veteran
journalist David Dalton -
paints a revealing
portrait of the rock icon
that will be a must-have
for his legions of fans.
In this new biography,
he interviews a whole new
group of family,
friends, and
collaborators to shed
light on this fascinating
star. Includes exclusive
interviews with Joan
Baez, Keith Richards,
Bobby Neuwirth, Kris
Kristofferson, Suze
Rotolo, Clive Davis,
Tom Petty, and others
this book will provide a
new perspective on the
man, the myth, and the
musical era that forged
them both.
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Joe Strummer was the
archetypal citizen
artist. As a member of
The Clash, Strummer
composed some the most
important rebel music of
the twentieth century.
Fusing raw creativity
with a humanist global
sensibility, he helped
convert punk rock from
its early associations
with reactionary and
nihilistic politics into
a movement of creative
response and world
citizenship. Let Fury
Have the Hour--the
inspiration for
D'Ambrosio's
extraordinary documentary
of the same name--is a
unique collection of
original writing,
interviews, essays, and
visual art. Included are
essays and photographs by
D'Ambrosio and pieces by
Chuck D, Billy Bragg,
Tom Morello, DJ Spooky,
Shepard Fairey, and
more, together
illustrating how
Strummer's work inspired
a movement.
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Details:Experience the
biggest rock band of the
90s with this amazing box
set, which includes a
fully illustrated colour
book and rare
memorabilia. They defined
a generation and changed
the world...The
explosive, impulsive but
retiring genius of Kurt
Cobain, mixed with the
creative efficiency of
Dave Grohl and Krist
Novoselic, made for an
electric mixture of
pop-punk, with haunting
lyrics, dynamite riffs
and stunning energy. From
1989 to 1994 the band
played around the world
to a host of adoring
fans, and this book
takes you along on that
wild ride. The story is
told in words,
photographs and items of
rare facsimile
memorabilia, including
set-lists, tickets,
backstage passes and much
more. Ideal for:A
fantastic gift set for
Nirvana fans! This
hardback book has 62
pages and measures: 25.5
x 29.3 x 2.8cm.
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Get the fast-track to
guitar stardom with this
inspirational,
step-by-step visual
guide. From developing
your skills as a
performer to learning
chord sequences and
choosing the right kit,
How To Play Guitar Step
By Step is the ultimate
self-improvement guide
for all aspiring guitar
heroes. Ever dreamt of
soloing like one of the
guitar greats? Or forming
your own band but no idea
where to start? Guitar
greatness is within your
grasp with this ultimate
visual guide featuring
ten professional
easy-to-follow lessons as
well as an accompanying
DVD that will keep you
motivated and inspired as
you progress. Advice on
technique and guitar
maintenance will keep you
looking and sounding your
best and the handy
directory of chords and
scales will have you
reaching for the book
time and time again.
Whether youre starting
from scratch or building
on existing skills, How
To Play Guitar Step By
Step hits all the right
chords progressing you
from beginner to guitar
hero in easy-to-follow
stages.
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The Sex Pistols, The
Clash, The Ramones, The
Heartbreakers, Siouxsie
and the Banshees all have
had a chance to speak in
this book which gives
voice to the punk
generation. 25 years on,
it remembers the mad,
frenzied and often
incoherent world of
1975-79. Variously
described as middle
class, working class,
political, social,
sexual, artistic,
superficial, perverted,
puerile and heroic, punk
has always inspired
controversy. Contains
adult content.
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Details: Best known as
the composer (with
lyricist Hal David) of
such 1960s hits as Dionne
Warwick's "Walk On By,
Dusty Springfield's The
Look of Love, and the
Carpenters' Close to You,
Burt Bacharach wrote the
music for over 700
published songs, which
have been recorded by
some 2, 000 artists - from
Frank Sinatra and Elvis
Presley to the Beatles
and the Supremes. Song By
Song is a witty, cheeky
song-by-song journey
through Bacharach's vast
recorded oeuvre, from Nat
King" Cole's little-known
1952 version of "Once in
a Blue Moon" to Burt's
recent collaborations
with Elvis Costello,
Lyle Lovett and Chicago.
Ideal for: Fans of Burt
Bacharach and his long
list of songs This
paperback has 349 pages
and measures 28cm x
21.5cm x 2.2cm
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So, this is for the back
of my book, is it? Well,
I'm glad my fans finally
formed a Facebook group
and demanded an
autobiography, as I for
one am sick and tired of
my ghostwriters,
stylists and the hacks
getting it wrong. OK,
let's get this over with
as quickly as possible.
I've got a pedicure
booked." Learn all about
Monkey, from his early
years to his current
superstardom, in this
new, 100% official
autobiography -
ghostwritten by himself!
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Details: Play Piano and
Keyboard Made Easy
contains everything a
player needs to know to
really get to grips with
making music on this most
popular of instruments.
Highly practical, it
leads you from the basics
to more complex
techniques, covering
playing with the left
hand, right hand and
both together, along
with a basic introduction
to reading music. The
clear text is accompanied
by illustrative photos
and diagrams, and the
guide is complemented by
some classic practice
pieces to try your
hand(s) at, such as "Fur
Elise" and "Pachelbel's
Canon", as well as a
glossary and further
reading. Supported online
by our "See it * Hear it"
chord site. Now you can
see the chord, then
reach for your phone and
hear the chord. Using any
free QR code reader app
(Android, iPhone,
Blackberry, Windows) a
web site opens
automatically and you can
listen to the chord as a
strum, an arpeggio (each
note played separately)
and hear it as a piano
chord and arpeggio. Ideal
for: New and intermediate
level piano and keyboard
players. This paperback
book has 256 pages and
measures: 21 x 17.3 x
1.7cm.
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Drawing from exclusive
and unpublished
interviews with a variety
of names and faces from
throughout Alice's
career, the book follows
Cooper's tale from his
life growing up as a
preacher's son in
Arizona, through the
early years of struggle
in Phoenix and then Los
Angeles, and then onto
the rollercoaster ride
that has been the years
since then. Includes
interviews with original
bandmates Michael Bruce
and the late Glenn
Buxton, drummer Neal
Smith, the late Frank
Zappa, manager Shep
Gordon and producer Bob
Ezrin. Includes tributes
and recollections from
many of the artists who
call Alice an influence -
from the Damned and the
Cramps, to White Zombie
and Gwar. Session players
and songwriters who have
made their own
contributions to the
Alice story recall their
days spent with this
Prince of Hell-raisers.
The result is a story
that alternately thrills,
shocks, surprises and
delights. Includes full
discography and
bibliography.
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The definitive guide to
the past century's most
talked about and
mythologised live musical
performances. This book
recreates the sights,
smells and sounds of the
20th century's most
talked about and never
beaten moments in the
history of live music.
The first
fully-integrated,
illustrative companion to
these legendary events,
I Was There reflects the
scale and scope of the
stadiums (immense to
intimate), the vibe
(chaotic to psychadelic)
and the people (blissed
out hippies, to punks
and star-struck teens).
First-hand accounts
embellish the beautiful
pictures of the gigs, in
the form of articles and
interviews with key
witnesses, including The
Pink Floyd as well as
Petula Clark and Woody
Woodmansey, the drummer
for David Bowie, who
describes the night when
the "death" of Ziggy
Stardust shook the rock
world. Warhol's
entourage, Gong and Rick
Wakeman all contribute as
well as Siouxsie Soux and
countless photographers
and fans. Ever wanted to
know what it was really
like to see the Beatles
in one of their lunchtime
spots in 1963 at the
Cavern? Fancy stepping
back to one of the first
light shows by Pink Floyd
in the mid-sixties? Want
to relive the mud, sweat
and beers of the
Glastonbury festival? I
Was There brings you
these real live moments
when important musical
gatherings in 20th
Century defined
generations.
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American singer and TV
personality Kelly Rowland
rose to fame as one of
the founding members of
the American girl group
Destiny's Child. She sold
forty million albums and
twenty million singles
with the group, and more
than four million solo
albums and eighteen
million solo singles.
This biography details
her childhood strife with
an alcoholic and then
absent father, life on
the edge as a teenage R&B
star in Destiny s Child,
an ill-fated early solo
career and finally
finding success on her
own, as well as taking
centre stage as a judge
on X-Factor.
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Nobody who saw Depeche
Mode in 1980 could have
predicted that those four
fresh-faced, synth-pop
innocents would transform
themselves into
stadium-filling rock gods
within a few years. Yet
Depeche Mode went on to
become one of the Top 10
best-selling British acts
of all-time, ranked
alongside such exalted
company as the Beatles,
the Stones, Led Zeppelin
and David Bowie. And,
after three decades
together, the group
continues to thrive,
both critically and
commercially. In "Just
Can't Get Enough",
author Simon Spence
charts that
transformation, from a
tiny nightclub residency
in their native Essex to
facing tens of thousands
in huge stadiums in
Europe and America by the
mid-80s; a musical
journey that took them
from early 'ultra-pop'
hit singles to the stark
Black Celebration album.
Hailing from Basildon,
an experimental post-war
New Town, the
all-electronic Depeche
Mode were, in the words
of singer Dave Gahan, a
new sort of band from a
new sort of town. And
Basildon itself, Spence
argues, defined them -
its brutal Modernist
architecture imposed on a
rural landscape dotted
with primitive shacks a
mirror for the angular
sound and dark loneliness
of the band's music. Part
musical odyssey, part
cultural history, Spence
draws on dozens of first
hand interviews to give
us an inside view of one
of the most unlikely
stories in pop and rock.
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The ultimate rock riffs
are the ones that you
recognize from the first
chord or bar - they have
immediate impact and
always bring a smile to
the face, they are the
identity and the backbone
of a rock song. Everyone
has their opinions on the
best-ever riffs, and
there will never be a
consensus - but we can
have a go! This great
little giftbook is the
ideal stimulus to lively
and impassioned debate
about whether Deep
Purple's instantly
familiar 'Smoke On The
Water' should take the
crown or perhaps it seems
obvious to you that it
should be Cream's
'Sunshine Of Your Love';
you may value something a
little more eclectic in
Rush's 'Spirit Of Radio'
or feel the need to
champion more
contemporary whiz kids
Muse with their
'Hysteria' - with entries
on over a hundred of the
best-loved riffs, as
well as our suggestions
for a Top 100 list and a
Top Riffing Guitarists
list, from Hendrix to
Page, and absorbing text
alongside iconic images
for each entry, you may
not reach a conclusion
but you'll enjoy the
musing.
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Details: The Red Hot
Chili Peppers is the
iconic band's audacious
look back at their
thirty-year odyssey-in
their own words and
accompanied by more than
300 spectacular photos
and ephemera. Intimate,
breathtaking, and
outrageous, this is the
essence of the Red Hot
Chili Peppers. Ideal for:
Fans of the famous rock
band, The Red Hot Chili
Peppers who want to see a
in-depth look into their
illustrious history. This
hardback has 245 pages
and measures 31cm x 26cm
x 2cm.
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Details: Rolling Stone's
Jon Landau described Otis
Redding's music as the
highest level of
expression rock 'n' roll
has yet attained. And now
from the critically
acclaimed author
ofMidnight Riders: The
Story of the Allman
Brothers Bandcomes an
intimate look at soul
brother number one and
the undisputed king of
soul, Otis Redding.
Music was his sole
occupation. Inspired by
the works of Little
Richard, a singer raised
in a small town just
miles from his own, Otis
Redding knew he wanted to
become a singer. This
dream, his father said,
would lead him nowhere,
but when Otis Redding
first burst onto the
scene in 1962 with his
R&B hit These Arms of
Mine music enthusiasts
knew they were listening
to the voice of a star.
With over fourteen songs
gracing the top 20 chart,
Otis Redding soon became
a music phenomenon.
Crooning tunes such as
Respect, I Can't Stop
Loving You, and Try a
Little Tenderness, Otis
Redding defined a new
generation of R&B music.
He solidified his
position as a superstar
by stealing the spotlight
at concerts like the
Monterey Pop Festival in
1967. But at the height
of his career, three
days after completing his
most popular song
(Sittin' On) The Dock of
the Bay, Otis Redding
died in a tragic plane
crash over Madison,
Wisconsin. Now, Otis!:
The Otis Redding
Storytells the true life
story of the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame legend
who changed the face of
R&B music. This revealing
portrait is hailed as the
most definitive text on
the man who embodied the
very essence of soul
Ideal For: This book is
the perfect gift for all
fans of Otis Redding.
Availability: In Stock
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Details:If you have
thought that learning to
play the guitar may be to
difficult for you then
think again. Packed with
clear and simple
instructions and hundreds
of helpful photographs.
With this guide by your
side youll quickly learn
the fundamentals of
playing guitar. Ideal
for:The perfect guide for
those looking to learn
more about playing the
guitar.This paperback
book has 248 pages and
measures: 23.1 x 19.3 x
1.5cm.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
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Two books in one: Back to
Back Albums and Back to
Back Singles. Simply flip
the book over for either
Singles or Albums.
Classic Tracks Back to
Back is a richly
illustrated and
informative chronological
history of popular music
from the 1950s to the
present day. Albums tells
the stories behind more
than fifty years of great
recordings, from In the
Wee Small Hours by Frank
Sinatra to OK Computer by
Radiohead. Albums details
the making of 400 of the
most important albums of
the past fifty years -
the best-selling and most
critically acclaimed
records from a wide range
of musical genres.
Singles charts six
decades of hot hits and
cool cuts by everyone
from Bill Haley to U2.
This book covers more
than 750 records by over
500 artists.
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Andy Williams is one of
the greatest singers of
all time. During a
remarkable career
spanning eight decades,
he has sold over 100
million albums, hosted a
hugely successful TV show
and worked with a
roll-call of show
business legends that
included Bob Hope, Bing
Crosby, Judy Garland,
Frank Sinatra, Lauren
Bacall, Elvis Presley
and John Lennon. Now for
the first time Andy tells
the whole remarkable
story. An Iowa farm boy
who grew up during the
Great Depression, Andy
began performing at the
age of seven as one
quarter of the Williams
Brothers. After going
solo, he endured his
wilderness years, barely
scraping a living in
'rust-belt' supper clubs
- to re-emerge as one of
the greatest television
and recording stars of
his era. The Andy
Williams Show topped TV
ratings around the world,
and a string of smash
hits, including his
signature tune Moon
River, went on to earn
him eighteen gold and
three platinum discs.
Still singing, still
holding audiences in the
palm of his hand, Andy
Williams looks back on an
extraordinary show
business life.
Revelatory, honest,
funny and touching, Moon
River is the inspiring
autobiography of an icon.
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The ultimate overview of
Metallica recordings!
From their debut album
Kill 'Em All in 1983 to
their most recent record,
Death Magnetic, this is
an album-by-album,
track-by-track catalogue
of every song released by
Metallica. Features
include: A chronology of
key events in the life of
the world's greatest
metal band, Details of
DVDs and spin-off
projects like Guitar
Hero: Metallica, and
eight pages of colour
pictures. This is the
book that every Metallica
fan will want - packed
with details, facts and
pictures it's the
definitive concise guide
to the music of the
inimitable Metallica!
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£1.99
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Showing you what others
only tell you. Ideal for
any enthusiast this
unique visual guide
covers every aspect of
the world's most popular
instrument. From scales
to advanced technique
learn how to strum your
stuff with confidence.
Also features profiles of
legendary artists
including Chet Atkins,
Jimi Hendrix and Eric
Clapton plus a
comprehensive guitar
directory.
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The editors of Guitar
World, the world's
best-selling guitar
magazine, will help you
make your dreams come
true, even if you've
never played the guitar
before. In Guitar World
Presents the Best
Instruction Book Ever
you'll find everything
you need to play like a
pro, including:
Essential guitar
instruction - from chords
and scales to advanced
tricks and techniques for
rhythm and solo playing.
The chords, scales and
electrifying riffs used
in your favourite blues,
classic rock and heavy
metal songs. An easy TAB
system that shows you
which strings to fret and
pick. Hundreds of full
colour photographs and
diagrams. A DVD with
video examples for every
lesson. Plus tips and
encouragement from guitar
legends like Pink Floyd's
David Gilmour, Queen's
Brian May and B.B King!
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George Michael is the
single most played artist
on UK radio for the last
two decades. He has sold
100 million albums
world-wide and had seven
UK number one singles and
albums. This revealing
new biography, tells his
story from the formation
of Wham! in the early
1980s with friend Andrew
Ridgley:- Their success
with hits including Young
Guns (Go For It), and
Club Tropicana and their
split in 1986- His
success as a solo artist
with albums including
Faith and Listen Without
Prejudice- His legal
battle with Sony which
cost him millions of his
own money- His personal
life including his secret
boyfriend Anselmo Feleppo
who died in 1993, his
former muse Kathy Jeung
and art dealer Kenny
Goss- The drug and sex
scandals that eventually
led him to be sent to
prison in 2010 following
a car crash
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Details: Eel Pie Island
is the only inhabited
island on the semi-tidal
Thames. Its most famous
contemporary resident,
Trevor Baylis, OBE,
inventor of the clockwork
radio, has been heard to
describe it (with some
exaggeration) as "120
drunks clinging to a
mudbank". It is a tiny
place, just 600 yards
long and barely 150 at
its widest, but it has
nearly fifty houses,
some twenty houseboats,
two boatyards and a score
of small businesses and
craft studios, two
boating clubs and a
nature reserve at each
end, and it is connected
to the rest of the world
by an elegant footbridge.
Named for the favoured
snack of Henry VIII, who
was said to stop here on
his way to and from
Windsor, the island has
enjoyed two periods of
special fame: -In the
nineteenth century it was
a resort for Londoners,
who came by the
newfangled steamboats to
spend the day in the
grounds of the hotel that
dominated the island
until 1969. -In the
middle of the twentieth
it was a venue for jazz
and later English R&B
groups, where the likes
of Chris Barber or George
Melly, and then the
Rolling Stones or Rod
Stewart, performed in
the dancehall of the
hotel. Ideal for: A
fascinating book,
perfect for a nostalgic
read. This hardback book
has 112 pages and
measures: 27.4 x 25.8 x
1.4cm.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
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With Duran Duran, John
Taylor has created some
of the greatest songs of
our time. From the disco
dazzle of debut single
Planet Earth's right up
to their latest number
one album All You Need is
Now, Duran Duran has
always had the power to
sweep the world onto its
feet. It's been a ride -
and for John in
particular, the ride has
been wild, thrilling...
and dangerous. Now, for
the first time, he tells
his incredible story - a
tale of dreams fulfilled,
lessons learned and
demons conquered. A shy
only child, Nigel John
Taylor wasn't an obvious
candidate for pop stardom
and frenzied girl panic.
But when he ditched his
first name and picked up
a bass guitar,
everything changed. John
formed Duran Duran with
his friend Nick Rhodes in
the spring of 1978, and
they were soon joined by
Roger Taylor, then Andy
Taylor and finally Simon
Le Bon. Together they
were an immediate,
massive global success
story, their pictures on
millions of walls, every
single a worldwide hit.
In his frank, compelling
autobiography, John
recounts the highs -
hanging out with icons
like Bowie, Warhol and
even James Bond; dating
Vogue models and driving
fast cars - all the while
playing hard with the
band he loved. But he
faced tough battles ahead
- troubles that brought
him to the brink of
self-destruction - before
turning his life around.
Told with humour,
honesty and hard-won
wisdom, and packed with
exclusive pictures, In
the Pleasure Groove is a
fascinating,
irresistible portrait of
a man who danced into the
fire... and came through
the other side.
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After four decades in the
music industry, Michael
Bolton has cemented
himself as one of the
most successful musicians
of our time. THE SOUL OF
IT ALL is his backstage
pass into his life lived
thus far - into the
venues, buses, limos
and hotel rooms of
stardom, and finally
into his home and heart.
His story will go long
and dive deep, not only
into his self-proclaimed
'vagabond vampire' life,
but also into the belly
of the beast that is the
music industry, with its
joys, follies and
torments. From a
14-year-old kid
performing in dive bars
to struggling to provide
for his wife and kids,
to finally breaking
through with the Soul
Provider album, Bolton
has fought for and earned
a life most just dream
of. THE SOUL OF IT ALL is
his life, chockful of
all the incredible
stories, and the
star-studded cast you'd
expect, including:
Pavarotti, Bob Dylan,
Barbra Streisand, Celine
Dion, Ray Charles and
Lady Gaga.
Availability: In Stock
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-
From the moment Julie
Andrews appears on the
hills outside Salzburg to
the final daring escape
from the Nazis,
"The Sound of
Music" is embedded
in the DNA of a
generation. But what was
it like to be part of all
this? For seven children
and young adults, the
summer of 1964 was a
magical one, spent in
Salzburg, Austria with
their parents or
guardians, the films
stars and director, and
last - but not least -
each other. "The
Sound of Music Family
Scrapbook" tells
their story, both during
the filming and once the
movie was released.
Availability: In Stock
£7.99
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Metallica. Formed in
1982, California. Took
over the world, refining
the meaning of heavy
metal along the way. This
book contains all you
need to know about the
hard-working, creative
and genre-defining band
that is Metallica:
history, tours, music,
members, and more. Also
included are rare items
of facsimile memorabilia
from the band's extensive
history, including
flyers, tickets, passes
and posters.
Availability: In Stock
£12.99
Available
-
Good Times, Bad Times:
Led Zeppelin captures the
public and private lives
of rock gods Led Zeppelin
(1968-1980) through rare
and iconic photographs.
Forty years after the
release of their first
album in 1969, Led
Zeppelin (Jimmy Page,
Robert Plant, John Paul
Jones and John Bonham)
continues to fascinate
and inspire legions of
fans, young and old
alike. There is a general
overview of the band's
history that introduces
the book: a gallery of
more than 200
photographs, laid out in
chronological order,
more than half of which
have never been
published. Whether
onstage, backstage,
recording in the studio,
on tour, or at home -
fans will see the band as
never before.
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Details: The perfect
companion to the other
titles in the Music Made
Easy series, Play the
Guitar, Play the Piano,
Guitar Chords, Piano and
Keyboard Chords, this is
the ideal guide for
those, of any age, who
may enjoy playing
instruments, but have
not yet mastered how to
read music from the page.
This guide provides the
essentials you need to
know, explaining pitch,
the treble clef, the
bass clef, rhythm,
accidentals, key
signatures and time
signatures. You can then
practise what you have
learnt with the Play
Along sections containing
simple, well-known
examples of music. It
comes with helpful
diagrams, clear
accessible text. Ideal
for: Musicians looking to
learn how to read music.
This paperback has 256
pages and measures 21cm x
17cm x 1.2cm
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
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-
Details: This is an
evocative photo book of
Oasis during their first,
traumatic and wildly
exciting year together.
Between March 1994 and
April 1995 the Gallagher
Brothers Noel and Liam,
together with Paul
'Bonehead' Arthurs, Paul
'Guigsy' McGuigan and
drummer Tony McCarroll
spearheaded the movement
known as Britpop.
Photographer Paul
Slattery captured them on
film every inch of the
way, in the UK and on
their first tours of the
US and Japan, on video
shoots and on radio and
TV appearances. Now this
fascinating photo-journal
is available in a new
smaller format. Ideal
for: an amazing book for
Oasis fans. This
paperback book has 192
pages and measures: 26.7
x 20.5 x 1.4cm
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: Even More Rock
Family Trees is the
eagerly awaited new
collection by rock's
premier draughtsman and
archivist Pete Frame. A
legend in his own
lunchtime, Frame is
justly celebrated for his
unique contributions to
the literature of the
music he loves.This
latest set includes newly
drawn family trees of
Elton John, the Allman
Brothers Band 1, ELP,
Fleetwood Mac, Steve
Winwood, The Drifters,
Roxy Music, Roger
McGuinn, Beach Boys,
Martin Carthy, Shirley
Collins, Yes, Asia,
Eric Clapton, the
Yardbirds, Miles Davis,
the Creation label and
many more. Ideal for:
Music fans and the work
of Pete Frame. This
paperback has 32 pages
and measures 32.6cm x
22.4cm x 1.2cm
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
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You don't need to
imagine. Now re-live the
whole story. Complete
with stunning imagery and
in-depth insight into one
of the most influential
music bands of all time.
From their early gigs in
the Cavern Club to
sell-out-tours of the
USA, discover
Beatlemania at its best
in this fascinating
account of the fab four
and how they took the
world by storm. Also
included are 5 pieces of
cherished memorabilia,
with famous photographs,
collectable postcards and
iconic poster.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
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-
Frank Sinatra was the
king of showbiz and the
voice of his century. The
new Rough Guide covers
his life, his music,
his influences and those
influenced by him.
Features include:
Anecdotes behind 50
essential Sinatra
performances; The movies:
the hits and the misses;
Frank facts: the trivia
and the jokes;
Album-by-album coverage
and the stories behind
his greatest songs. The
guide is an essential
fan's companion of the
singing waiter from New
Jersey who became the
most famous entertainer
of all time.
Availability: In Stock
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Lou Reed wrote songs
about drugs, squalor,
transgressive sexuality,
honourable prostitutes,
visionary gutter queens
and dollar-hustlers. He
also wrote some of the
most moving love songs of
the era, from Pale Blue
Eyes to Perfect Day.
Always a generation
ahead, he would never
receive his due until
later, when it was
almost too late. The
Velvet Underground, the
group he led under the
tutelage of Andy Warhol,
were despised in their
lifetime. Yet all his
greatest solo albums -
from Transformer to
Berlin to his last, the
Metallica-collaboration,
Lulu - were considered
meagre reflections of his
best work with the
Velvets. The story of Lou
Reed is full of such
contradictions. From the
ECT treatment that
scarred him at 17, to
the thoughtful,
meditative figure Bono
now recalls. From his
three marriages, to his
polysexual relationship
with various New York
characters, most
especially Rachel: a
transsexual to whom he
dedicated Coney Island
Baby. He was a master,
said David Bowie, in the
wake of Reeds death, on
27 October, 2013. In his
lifetime he was called,
variously, the Godfather
of Punk, the High Priest
of Glam, and all sorts
of similarly
tremble-tremble
sobriquets. The truth is,
Lou Reed began where
rock left off. Before
him, it was about
entertainment. After him,
rock was literary,
dark, and above all,
disquietingly honest. His
work belongs not in the
same safe place as The
Beatles and the Stones,
but next to William S.
Burroughs, Hubert Selby
Jr, Andy Warhol, and
Reeds personal mentor,
Delmore Schwartz. Now
acclaimed biographer Mick
Wall, a lifelong Lou
Reed and Velvet
Underground fan, brings
you the story of the most
misunderstood genius in
rock.
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Discover all you need to
know about one of the
most iconic music legends
of our time. Known as the
King of Rock and Roll,
this book will give you
an insight into the life
and times of a worldwide
superstar, from his
gospel roots to his
untimely death. Also
included are 5 pieces of
collectable memorabilia
including iconic
photographs, Elvis'
birth certificate,
letter to the President
of the USA and film
poster.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: 'Van Morrison, '
says Greil Marcus,
'remains a singer who can
be compared to no other
in the history of modern
popular music.' When
Astral Weeks was released
in 1968, it was largely
ignored. When it was
re-released as a live
album in 2009 it reached
the top of the Billboard
charts, a first for any
Van Morrison recording.
The wild swings in the
music, mirroring the
swings in Morrison's
success and in people's
appreciation (or lack of
it) of his music, make
Van Morrison one of the
most perplexing and
mysterious figures in
popular modern music,
and a perfect subject for
the wise and insightful
scrutiny of Greil Marcus,
one of America's most
dedicated cultural
critics. This book is
Marcus's quest to
understand Van Morrison's
particular genius through
the extraordinary and
unclassifiable moments in
his long career,
beginning in 1965 and
continuing in full force
to this day. In these
dislocations Marcus finds
the singer on his own
artistic quest precisely
to reach some extreme
musical threshold, the
moments that are not
enclosed by the will or
the intention of the
performer but which
somehow emerge at the
limits of the musician
and his song. Ideal for:
Fans of Van Morrison.
This paperback book has
208 pages and measures:
21.4 x 13.4 x 2.2cm.
Availability: In Stock
£6.99
Available
-
Drums and Drumming have
changed enormously
between rock'n'roll's
emergence in the 1950s
and the musically diverse
scene of the 1990s. This
informative,
entertaining book tells
for the first time the
parallel stories of the
growth of rock music and
the development of the
modern drum kit. Stunning
colour photos reveal a
unique collection of
historic and contemporary
drums from key makers
like Ludwig in the US,
Premier in England, Tama
in Japan, and Sonor in
Germany, including
famous kits owned by
Charlie Watts of The
Rolling Stones, Nick
Mason of Pink Floyd, and
many others. This book
reveals how drummers used
the established drum kit
when rock'n'roll first
arrived, and how in the
decades that followed
players from D. J.
Fontana with Elvis
Presley to Police
sticksman Stewart
Copeland combined
existing playing
techniques to expand rock
drumming. The Drum Book
is the perfect guide to
the evolution of the rock
drum kit and the
development of the rock
drummer, engagingly told
in sharp text and
illustrated with superb,
detailed photographs.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: Updated edition
to include the release of
their fifth studio album
"The Resistance" and
their 2009/2010 world
tour. The author
interviewed the band
about their childhood for
this book. It features
thousands of words of
exclusive, previously
unprinted interview
transcripts taken between
1998 and 2007. From a
Battle of the Bands
contest in Teignmouth to
the first band ever to
sell out the new Wembley
Stadium, the story of
Muse's stratospheric rise
is one of UK rock's most
fascinating and
incendiary tales. It
includes detailed
accounts of all five of
their studio albums from
"Showbiz" to "The
Resistance". This
biography follows their
every step from 16 year
old punk kids to Wembley
Stadium, all their
albums and their wild
nights, theories and
falsettos they
experienced along the
way. Ideal for: Fans of
'Muse' and fans of rock
music. This paperback
book has 332 pages and
measures: 19.7 x 12.8 x
2.6cm
Availability: In Stock
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-
Between 1963 and 1965 The
Beatles undertook six
amazing UK tours and
along the way met many
fans whose memories of
these encounters tell the
real story of what
actually happened when
the Fab Four hit the
road. It was loud,
chaotic and as exciting
as anything Britain had
ever seen. It was
Beatlemania Author Martin
Creasey has traced the
trajectory of The Beatles
UK tours and interviewed
scores of people who in
some way connected with
John, Paul, George and
Ringo en route. Their
testimonies uncover a
fascinating and
previously undocumented
side of the Fab Four.
Availability: In Stock
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This is the ultimate
compendium for the
dancing queens and the
hustle-happy who put on
their boogie shoes,
shook their groove thing
and felt the night fever!
From its beginnings in
Paris, disco quickly
spread around the world,
taking hold of a small
club on L.A.'s Sunset
Strip and ultimately
becoming a lifestyle that
influenced everything
from music and dancing to
movies to fashion. Disco
captures this incredible
phenomenon with great
storytelling and lavish
photos and memorabilia
from the 1960s, '70s and
'80s.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Ray Harryhausen is one of
the most innovative and
influential film
animators in the history
of the medium,
responsible for such
classic films as Jason
and the Argonauts, The
7th Voyage of Sinbad,
Clash of the Titans and
One Million Years BC. A
pioneer of stop-motion
animation he has won
countless awards,
including a star on the
Hollwood Walk of Fame,
and inspired numerous
film-makers, such as
Stephen Spielberg,
George Lucas and Peter
Jackson. Rays story
has been told in books
such as An Animated Life
and many of his concept
drawings and models have
appeared in The Art of
Ray Harryhausen (both of
which books were also
published by Aurum). This
new book reveals a wealth
of fascinating artefacts
relating to his films
that has never been seen
before, many of them
recently discovered in a
garage in Los Angeles.
Designed in the form of a
scrapbook, it provides a
visual feast for
Harryhausen fans. There
are models from
unrealized projects,
such as dinosaurs from
the unfinished film
Evolution; prints of
outtakes from various
films including The Beast
from 20, 000 Fathoms;
early concept drawings
and storyboards; colour
transparencies of Ray at
work; written artefacts
such as letters and
production budgets and a
diary that details
Rays first meeting
with his mentor Willis
O?Brien; early film
treatments and script
extracts; publicity
posters and brochures;
and much, much more.
Some of the items show
Rays earliest
artistic endeavours such
as watercolours painted
when he was 15 years old
and marionettes of
creatures from King Kong
that he made when he saw
the film in 1933.
Organized into themed
chapters covering the
different genres that Ray
worked in, each film is
given a brief
introduction and every
image has a detailed
caption. In many cases
images are juxtaposed to
show how a creature or
effect evolved or to
compare a concept drawing
with a still from the
finished film. The result
is a treasure trove of
rare artefacts and
material which not only
offer new insights into
how Ray created
particular effects, but
bring the worlds of his
films to life in a new
way and paint a
fascinating visual
portrait of the man
himself and his creative
imagination. This is a
must for every Ray
Harryhausen fan.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: Aerosmith is one
of the greatest rock ?n?
roll bands of all-time.
After their 1970s success
was derailed by band
strife and Dionysian
excess, Bostons
Bad Boys received a
career jump-start in 1986
via their collaboration
with hip-hop legends
Run-DMC and producer Rick
Rubin. This first
complete illustrated
history of one of the
worlds most
successful and popular
bands features a band
history by music
journalist Richard
Bienstock and sidebar
album reviews from a host
of well-known music
journalists, including
Greg Kot, Jaan Uhelszki,
Chuck Eddy, Bill
Holdship, Martin Popoff,
Daniel Buszpan, and
more. Illustrated
throughout with hundreds
of stunning performance
and backstage
photographs, as well as
rare memorabilia,
including gig posters,
backstage passes, 7-inch
picture sleeves, ticket
stubs, and more. Ideal
For: This book would be
great for all Aerosmith
fans.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
Available
-
Lionel Bart was a writer
and composer of British
pop music and musicals,
best known for creating
the book, music and
lyrics for Oliver! He
also wrote the famous
songs Living Doll (Cliff
Richard) and From Russia
With Love (Matt
Munroe).He was a
millionaire aged thirty
in the Sixties, bankrupt
in the Seventies and died
in 1999.In this first
revealing biography, the
authors gained exclusive
access to Bart's personal
archives - his unfinished
autobiography, his
letters and scrapbooks.
They detail how he signed
away the rights to
Oliver! to finance his
new musical Twang - based
on Robin Hood - which
flopped badly in the
theater. Reveal how his
heavy drinking led to
diabetes and how he died
in 1999 aged 69 from
liver cancer.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: They were,
their fans believe, the
best band in the world.
Critics and sales figures
told a similar story: six
albums between 1984 and
1988 made number one or
number two in the UK
charts. Twenty-five years
after their break-up,
the band remain as adored
and discussed as ever. To
this day, there is a
collective understanding
that The Smiths were one
of the greatest of all
British rock groups.
Ideal For: Ideal for all
fans of The Smiths.
Availability: In Stock
£5.99
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-
101 Irish Records is a
must-have for all music
fans, and with 101
eclectic and wide-ranging
records from Sean O Riada
s Mise Eire (1959) to
Cashier No. 9s To The
Death of Fun (2011) -
there is something for
everyone! 101 Irish
Records is an absorbing
and insightful
introduction into the
world of Irish music.
Ireland has a rich
history of music, and
never before have the
most noteworthy and
intriguing 101 records
been highlighted in this
way. This wonderful
browse-easy book contains
the work of Irelands most
gifted singers and
songwriters; it features
not only many of Irelands
best-known and loved
records but also quite a
few under-the-radar music
acts. Each entry includes
astute notes on the
historical/cultural
significance of the
chosen album or song;
authoritative critical
analysis; sharp-witted
reasons as to why it has
been included; and
mini-interviews with the
bands and singers. 101
Irish Records includes
music from a wide range
of genres: rock, pop,
punk, R&B, cult,
metal, traditional
Irish, folk,
singer-songwriter,
electronica, and
whatever youre having
yourself. Artists
featured include U2,
Taste, Villagers,
Therapy?, Lisa Hannigan,
Planxty, Damien Rice,
Rudi, Fight Like Apes,
Sinead OConnor, Divine
Comedy, Golden Horde,
Rory Gallagher, Yeh
Deadlies, The Blades,
David Holmes, Horslips,
The Pogues, Cathy Davey,
A House and Van
Morrison, to name but
many! Show More Show Less
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John Osborne has long
been a fan of radio -
from late night sessions
of John Peel to Test
Match Special at dawn,
he has always enjoyed
tuning in to the riches
of our best broadcasts.
When his dull temporary
job became drearier than
ever, John decided to
remain attached to his
headphones all day to
listen to some of
Britain's more unknown
stations as well as
revisiting the mainstream
to fully experience the
breadth of our radio
output. The result is a
funny, disarming ride
through aspects of
Britain that are
uplifting, informative
and sometimes plain
bizarre. Throughout his
month of intensive radio
listening, John flits
through talk radio,
sports shows, dips into
the mainstream and the
minority, exalts in
specialist music shows,
comedy and local radio
before expanding his mind
with an experimental arts
channel. It seems there
is something for everyone
at the turn of a dial,
whether that is the
ranting of the
permanently enraged, the
gentle tinkle of a string
quartet, West Indian
stomp or the sound of
frozen peas being thrown
around Elephant and
Castle underground
station. John also gets
under the skin of the
radio business by
interviewing presenters
such as Mark Radcliffe
and Nicholas Parsons as
well as industry
insiders. John's daily
life is directly affected
by his radio habit as he
finds himself organising
a poker night during
exposure to The Jazz,
and Zane Lowe's energy on
Radio One goads him into
cooking his stir fry at
the same speed as
Morecambe and Wise
prepared their breakfast.
Finally, John decides to
turn his life around and
radio becomes his
saviour.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: Alongside
chords, scales and modes
are the building blocks
of music and are very
important to know,
particularly for
composition and
improvisation. Featuring
20 of the most commonly
used scales and modes in
each of the 12 keys,
this book is great for
those who wish to improve
their playing technique
and for those looking to
write and arrange their
own melodies. Created by
musicians for musicians,
with clear notation and
accessible text this is
an ideal resource for
musicians of all
abilities. Supported
online by our 'See it *
Hear it' chord site. Now
you can see the chord,
then reach for your phone
and hear the chord. Using
any free QR code reader
app (Android, iPhone,
Blackberry, Windows) a
web site opens
automatically and you can
listen to the chord as a
strum, an arpeggio (each
note played separately)
and hear it as a piano
chord and arpeggio. Ideal
for: Scales & Modes is a
excellent guide for
musicians of all genres
and players of all
instruments. This
paperback book has 256
pages and measures: 21 x
17.3 x 1.6cm.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
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A comprehensive
encyclopedia of musical
instruments, covering
all sections of the
orchestra: strings,
woodwind and brass,
percussion, keyboards
and the voice, as well
as historical, rare and
non-Western instruments.
An illustrated guide to
instruments and their
historical relatives,
with specially
commissioned photographs
of all the modern
instruments. Also
includes famous players,
orchestras and concert
halls, the role of the
composer and the
conductor, the evolution
of the orchestra and the
other forms such as folk
music, brass and
military bands, country
music, jazz bands, big
bands and pop groups.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
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Lawrence Lessig, the
reigning authority on
intellectual property in
the Internet age,
spotlights the newest and
possibly the most harmful
culture war-a war waged
against our children and
others who create and
consume art. Copyright
laws have ceased to
perform their original,
beneficial role:
protecting artists'
creations while allowing
them to build on previous
creative works. In fact,
our system now
criminalises those very
actions. By embracing
"read-write culture,
which allows its users to
create art as readily as
they consume it, we can
ensure that creators get
the support-artistic,
commercial, and
ethical-that they deserve
and need. Indeed, we can
already see glimmers of a
new hybrid economy that
combines the profit
motives of traditional
business with the sharing
economy" evident in such
websites as Wikipedia and
YouTube. The hybrid
economy will become ever
more prominent in every
creative realm-from news
to music-and Lessig shows
how we can and should use
it to benefit those who
make and consume culture.
Remix is an urgent,
eloquent plea to end a
war that harms our
children and other
intrepid creative users
of new technologies. It
also offers an inspiring
vision of the post-war
world where enormous
opportunities await those
who view art as a
resource to be shared
openly rather than a
commodity to be hoarded.
Availability: In Stock
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The Story of Eric Clapton
celebrates the legendary
musician through rarely
published photographs and
20 items of removable
facsimile memorabilia,
including posters,
tickets, flyers and
signed photographs.
Written by a leading
music journalist, this
unique interactive book
gives the reader a
front-row seat (and
backstage access) to the
musician's 50-year career
and is the ultimate
celebration of the
world's greatest living
guitarist.
Availability: In Stock
£12.99
Available
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With more highly skilled
luthiers at work than
ever before, ours is a
golden age of the
electric guitar.
Presenting superbly
crafted electric guitars
as fine art, this
beautifully photographed
book gives 125 master
luthiers from 15
countries the spotlight,
including artisans who
have custom-built
instruments for the likes
of Keith Richards, Eric
Clapton, Steve Miller,
George Benson and Stevie
Ray Vaughan. From the
invention of the electric
guitar in the 1930s to
its development in the
1960s to present-day
innovations, Electrified
is a lovingly detailed
look at these beautifully
produced instruments and
the talented people who
make them.
Availability: In Stock
£6.99
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Details: Teach yourself
the essential piano
chords plus many more!
Organized as a chord per
spread, for the left and
right hands, this is a
handy, comprehensive
reference for jazz, pop,
rock and soul musicians
playing the piano or
keyboard at any level.
Ideal for: This is a
no-nonsense, easy to
carry book, that will
fit on a stand, into a
music bag or handbag with
the minimum of fuss.
Perfect for on the go use
for budding piano
players. This spiral
bound book has 384 pages
and measures: 18.5 x 13 x
2.4cm.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
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Details: On board their
customized Boeing 757
plane named Ed Force One,
and piloted by lead
singer and airline
captain Bruce Dickinson,
Iron Maiden, their crew,
and 12 tons of equipment
traversed the planet and
broke the mold of
traditional touring
forever by playing
concerts in every
continent except
Antarctica over the
course of the Somewhere
Back In Time Tour of
2008?2009 and The Final
Frontier Tour of
2010?2011. The band's
official photographer,
John McMurtrie,
accompanied them
throughout this mammoth
and groundbreaking
undertaking, and the
exciting results of his
fly-on-the-wall coverage
are represented in this
unique pictorial odyssey.
John's unrestricted
access has allowed him to
capture exclusive images
and moments both onstage
and off, in nearly 600
spectacular photographs
annotated with individual
insights and anecdotes.
Providing their legions
of loyal fans with an
up-close look at the band
as they circumnavigate
the globe, this book
provides an unprecedented
insight into one of the
most adventurous rock
tours ever undertaken;
and into what makes this
band so special. Ideal
For: This book is perfect
for any Iron Maiden fans.
Availability: In Stock
£6.99
Available
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On the eve of his
fortieth birthday, Gary
Marcus decided to fulfill
a lifelong dream and
learn to play the guitar.
He had tried many times
before failing,
miserably. This time, he
decided to use the tools
of his trade as a
cognitive scientist to
see if he might succeed.
In a quest that takes him
from Suzuki lessons to
the feet of the guitar
gods, Marcus discovers
how to practise
efficiently; how to find
the right teacher, no
matter what you re
learning; what
middle-aged brains do
better than teen-aged
ones (witnessed through
the performance of his
first band, Rush Hour);
how to manage stage
fright; how music changes
the brain; and much more.
He also brings insight
into the question, is
the pursuit of a passion
reward enough? A
groundbreaking
exploration of the allure
of music, his journey is
also an empowering tale
of your mind s ability to
grow throughout life.
Availability: In Stock
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This is the ultimate
overview of the Beatles
recordings. From their
1962 debut single 'Love
Me Do' to the most recent
remastered albums, this
is an album-by-album,
track-by-track catalogue
of every song ever
released by the Beatles.
Features include: A
chronology of key events
in the life of the
greatest ever rock band,
Separate sections on
compilations albums, the
Anthology series and
non-EMI recordings and
eight pages of colour
pictures. This is the
book that every Beatles
fan will want - packed
with details, facts and
pictures it's the
definitive concise guide
to the music of the
Beatles!
Availability: In Stock
£1.99
Available
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An invaluable, pictorial
guide to the life and
times of the 'Fab Four',
this gift book is a 'must
have' for Beatles fans
young and old. With
fascinating pictures and
detailed back stories,
this book gives a
interesting account of
the Beatle s rise to
fame.
Availability: In Stock
£15.49
Available
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Details: Sharon
Osbourne's life has
always been an extreme
rollercoaster ride. And
despite her best efforts,
the last few years have
been the most dramatic
and turbulent of all. In
her gripping new
autobiography Sharon
reveals the truth behind
the headlines. There have
been times of huge joy
and pleasure - becoming a
grandmother for the first
time and seeing both Jack
and Kelly come through
testing times to find
happiness and contentment
at last. But there has
also been a lot of
heartache. Sharon
describes the shocking
and unexpected battle to
save her thirty-year
marriage to Ozzy - and
the devastating betrayal
that lay behind their
separation. She also
lived through every
mother's worst nightmare
when Jack was diagnosed
with multiple sclerosis -
and writes movingly of
her hopes and fears for
her beloved son. A tough
but fair judge on the X
Factor, Sharon is just
as hard on herself. She
is honest about the
mistakes she has made -
from misguided plastic
surgery to her battles
with her weight and body
image. Filled with
laughter, tears and
hard-won wisdom,
Unbreakable is as funny,
frank and fearless as
Sharon herself. Ideal
for: Fans of Sharon
Osbourne. This hardback
book has 312 pages and
measures: 24.2 x 15.8 x
3.7cm
Availability: In Stock
£5.99
Available
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Best known for being a
member of the
Camden-based hip hop
group N-Dubz, Tulisa is
currently winning hearts
and fans as a
down-to-earth judge on
the X Factor. But away
from the present glamour,
the path to fame for her
has been far from easy.
For the first time,
using extensive research
and interviews with those
closest to the superstar,
the UK's leading
celebrity biographer Sean
Smith tells the story of
the real Tulisa. Tulisa's
story was tough from the
start: when she was just
five, her mother was
sectioned under the
Mental Health Act and her
father left home when she
was nine years old.
Tulisa was brought up on
a council estate and
endured tough and gritty
teenage years: violence,
depression, drug abuse,
alcohol abuse, anorexia
nervosa, mental health
issues, financial
difficulties and
bullying. At thirteen she
was suicidal and has
revealed that she twice
tried to kill herself as
well as regularly
self-harming. She left
school without sitting
any GCSE's.
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
Available
-
Freddie and Me is a
wonderfully funny and
moving graphic memoir of
Mike Dawsons
lifelong obsession with
Freddie Mercury and
Queen. Told alternately
from Mikes
childhood, teenage and
adult perspectives,
Freddie and Me explores
the way in which music
changes and shapes our
lives, and the way in
which random memories can
both prop up and
undermine the stories we
tell ourselves. The
counterpoint to
Mikes obsession is
his younger sisters
love of George Michael
and Wham ?including
several deliciously funny
imagined scenes featuring
a post-break-up Andrew
Ridgeley ? which, like
the book as a whole, is
written and drawn with a
brilliant combination of
exuberance and subtlety.
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
Available
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Yes You Can Play Great
Rock Guitar is the
ultimate book for any
aspiring electric
guitarist. Working
through classic and heavy
rock styles, alongside
the blues and alternative
rock, here is your guide
to getting the perfect
rock sound TODAY! Each
chapter contains
step-by-step professional
instructions, whilst
Tablature (TAB) clearly
illustrates 'where to put
your fingers'. The CD of
audio recordings links
directly to exercises in
the book, allowing the
player to hear how each
example should sound.
Special feature boxes
tell you how your guitar
heroes achieve their
trademark sound. Play
like a rock god, with
scales, chords, riffs
and licks to master the
style of Chuck Berry,
Black Sabbath, AC/DC,
Iron Maiden, Metallica,
The Who, Jimi Hendrix,
the Rolling Stones,
Eddie Van Halen, Joe
Satriani, the Red Hot
Chilli Peppers, Kurt
Cobain, Rage Against The
Machine and many more!
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
Available
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Bob Dylan's impact on
popular music has been
incalculable. Having
transformed staid folk
music into a vehicle for
coruscating social
commentary, he then
swept away the romantic
platitudes of rock 'n'
roll with his searing
intellect. From the
zeitgeist-encapsulating
protest of "Blowin' in
the Wind" to the
streetwise venom of "Like
a Rolling Stone", and
from the stunning
mid-sixties trilogy of
albums - "Bringing It All
Back Home", Highway 61
Revisited and "Blonde on
Blonde" - "to Time Out of
Mind", his stunning if
world-weary comeback at
the age of 56, Dylan's
genius has endured,
underpinned by the
dazzling turn of phrase
that has made him the
pre-eminent poet of
popular music. Because
Dylan's achievements have
no equal, his career is
the most chronicled in
rock history. Here, Sean
Egan presents a selection
of the best writing on
Dylan, both praise and
criticism. Interviews,
essays, features and
reviews from Dylan
intimates and scholars
such as John Bauldie,
Michael Gray, Nat
Hentoff and Jules Siegel
are interspersed with new
narrative and reviews of
every single album to
create a comprehensive
picture of the artist
whose chimes of freedom
still resound.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
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Queen didn t just give
audiences music. They
gave them a show. Bands
in 1971 dressed the same
as their audience: long
hair, jeans, scruffy
shirts. They d shuffle
onto the stage, start
playing and that was it.
Most of them barely
looked up. Right from the
start Queen did things
their own way. They gave
audiences however small
in the early days
something to remember.
When Queen took to the
stage it was to a fanfare
of sound, a barrage of
smoke and a lightshow
years ahead of Close
Encounters. Always ahead
of the game with stage
effects, some of their
lighting rigs were
significant enough to
earn their own nicknames
among fans The Crown was
a staple for two tours.
Forty years after Queen
was formed and 20 years
after the death of
legendary Freddie
Mercury, Queen is back
in this remarkable book
celebrating the
exuberance of the
greatest live act of all
time.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
Available
-
Teach yourself the
essential piano chords
plus many more!Organized
as a chord per spread,
for the left and right
hands, this is a handy,
comprehensive reference
for jazz, pop, rock and
soul musicians playing
the piano or keyboard at
any level. This
no-nonsense, easy to
carry, wiro book will
fit on a stand and into a
music bag or hand bag
with the minimum of
fuss.Please note, to
hear the sound of each
chord, you will require
a smartphone (or similar
device) based QR Code
Reader.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
Available
-
The ultimate book on
records by The Clash. An
album by album, track by
track, examination of
every song released by
The Clash, from their
first single White Riot
to Combat Rock and
beyond. Includes sections
on compilations, live
recordings, films, and
post-Clash work by Joe
Strummer and Mick Jones.
Features include a
chronology of key events
in the story of the
Clash. An album by album,
track by track analysis.
Details of reissues and
the state of the current
Clash catalogue. 16 pages
of pictures
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
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Bringing the stories
behind the nation's
favourite hymns to life,
this book is beautifull
illustrated with
full-colour photography
and is sure to inform and
entertain. It also shows
how, in our cynical age,
these songs of praise
continue to touch and
transform lives.
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
Available
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Anyone and everyone can
strum like a pro with the
uke'n play ukulele kit!
Discover how to play the
ukulele easily and simply
with professional
musician, teacher and
entertainer Mike
Jackson's instant play
method. This complete kit
contains everything you
need to become a 'uke'
aficionado instantly!
With only three simple
chords to learn - C, F
and G7 - you'll be able
to play immediately. The
instructional Uke'n Play
book contains over 50
well-known songs that
range in difficulty from
simple to intermediate.
Increase your
ukulele-playing
confidence with the
comprehensive audio CD
containing all the songs
in the book, as well as
tuning, strumming and
chord pattern tracks to
help refine your
technique. By playing
along with the ukulele,
vocals and a full band,
you'll hear the chord
changes and learn how to
keep the beat, so your
songs are perfect every
time! Kit includes: Uke'n
Play ukulele, Uke'n Play
book and Uke'n Play CD.
Availability: In Stock
£19.99
Available
-
In California in the
early 1950s, the Fender
company introduced the
world's first electric
bass guitar. They
couldn't have known it
then, but their
Precision Bass started a
revolution in the sound
of popular music. This
book explains exactly
how. The
two-guitars-bass-and-drums
lineup that would define
pop music found its heart
in the late 1950s with
the introduction of
Fender's bass. In the
coming decades, the bass
guitar provided the solid
foundation upon which
most modern music was
built. The bass guitar is
one of the most
significant new musical
instruments to have
appeared in the 20th
century, and "The Bass
Book" is the first to
study its complete and
fascinating story, with
the full story of the
most important bass
players and bass makers.
This revamped and revised
second edition of "The
Bass Book" brings the
story right up to date.
Many original interviews
with makers of bass
guitars from the past and
present illuminate the
book, with the popular
establishment of the bass
during the 1960s and
1970s examined in detail
along with more recent
variations of this
diverse instrument. There
are also original
interviews with players,
including Paul McCartney.
Dozens of unusual,
desirable, and
rarely-seen basses are
presented in specially
commissioned
studio-quality
photographs, while a
reference directory
provides a wealth of
information on 16 key
makers. There has never
been anything quite like
"The Bass Book". It has
virtually everything you
want to know about the
story of the bass guitar
in one stylish, readable
volume.
Availability: In Stock
£5.99
Available
-
Ukulele Crazy is a
celebration of one of
music's most beloved
instruments. With a rich
history spanning back to
Portugal (and not Hawaii,
as everyone thinks) the
ukulele is currently
going through an
incredibly popular 21st
century revival. As a
member of the guitar
family, the ukulele has
charmed a wide range of
popular musicians, as
well as amateur players,
from all over the world,
with its distinct melodic
and upbeat sound.
Contained within the book
are all the basics you
need to know to get you
started on your way. From
a fascinating overview of
the instrument's history,
its key makers,
manufacturers and world
famous players, through
to the more practical,
and vital, elements such
as what ukulele to buy,
what chords to learn,
how to strum along to
songs and what festivals
to attend if you fancy
jamming along with
others.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
-
This excellent book
allows you to start
playing straight away
with no musical knowledge
required! It teaches you
the basics of both the
acousting and electric
guitar. Including
valuable advise when
buying an instrument and
amplifier. The quality
and clear diagrams and
photographs make it easy
for you to find the notes
and chords while
explaining the workings
of song structures and
shows you how to play
simple solos and
accompaniments.
Availability: In Stock
£0.99
Available
-
Details: Play Guitar Made
Easy contains everything
the new or intermediate
guitar player needs to
know to really get to
grips with making music
on this most popular of
instruments. Highly
practical, it leads you
from the basics of how to
strum, pick and play
simple chords, through
the various elements of
playing rhythm and
melodies, to more
complicated chords and
tunings. It includes
further techniques from
slurs to harmonics, and
a section on performing.
The clear text is
accompanied by
illustrative photos and
diagrams, and the guide
is complemented by a
useful chord finder,
examples of scales and
modes, a glossary and
further reading.
Supported online by our
"See it * Hear it" chord
site. Now you can see the
chord, then reach for
your phone and hear the
chord. Using any free QR
code reader app (Android,
iPhone, Blackberry,
Windows) a web site opens
automatically and you can
listen to the chord as a
strum, an arpeggio (each
note played separately)
and hear it as a piano
chord and arpeggio. Ideal
for: Anyone wanting to
learn how to play the
guitar. This paperback
has 21cm x 17.2cm x 1.7cm
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
-
Straight Outta Scotland
is the remarkable real
life story of how two
rappers from Dundee
pretended to be two
rappers from California
and duped the record
industry out of hundreds
of thousands of pounds.
Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd
- or Silibil N' Brains,
as they became known -
were two ordinary
Scottish boys who shared
an extraordinary dream:
to become rap superstars.
Creating new identities
for themselves, they
persuaded the music
industry that they were
the latest hot young
talent from California.
Silibil N' Brains then
lived out that lie for
more than two years,
securing an enormous
record deal with Sony and
being catapulted into the
industry high-life,
rubbing shoulders with
the likes of Madonna,
Eminem and D12. But,
ironically, they could
never actually deliver
and promote the album
that they were paid so
much money to put
together. As soon as they
became famous they would
be recognised by anyone
who had known them in
their former lives in
Scotland and the dream
would evaporate. As the
pressure mounted, there
would be disastrous
consequences.. .Straight
Outta Scotland is a story
of incredible highs and
terrible lows, of doing
whatever it takes to
follow your dream.
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
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Once, t-shirts were just
unadorned garments. But
with the evolution of
screen-printing and the
birth of band
merchandising, t-shirts
became much cooler. Now
every band with an ounce
of savvy knows the
importance of a shirt not
only as a lucrative
sideline but also as a
means of self-promotion
and a way for fans to
show their allegiance.
THE ART OF THE BAND
T-SHIRT is an informative
and stylish showcase of
the most noteworthy
shirts of the past five
decades. It includes
t-shirts from artists as
diverse as Led Zeppelin,
the Ramones, Madonna,
Morrissey, Public Enemy
and the Flaming Lips,
each with an explanation
of historical background,
little-known facts, or
artist's comments about
the design. A
fascinating, beautifully
illustrated archive for
hipsters, serious
collectors and all music
fans, THE ART OF THE
BAND T-SHIRT is an
indispensable as the
perfect tee.
Availability: In Stock
£1.99
Available
-
(Book). Hip-hop is the
biggest youth movement in
the world today, and
leading the way is the
new sound of the South,
exemplified by platinum
and multi-platinum
artists like OutKast,
Lil Jon & The East Side
Boyz, Ludacris, Ying
Yang Twins and 8Ball and
MJG. This fascinating
book reveals where Dirty
South hip-hop came from
and where it's heading.
It explores the hopes,
struggles, and
frustrations of
performers and producers,
and guides you to the
best in Southern hip-hop
on CD and DVD, in
magazines, and on the
web. If you want to know
where the South is taking
music, you need this
book. Includes foreword
by Mississippi rapper
David Banner.
Availability: In Stock
£5.99
Available
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Here is Aled Jones
selection of his
favourite hymns, ranked
from number one through
to forty. From Guide Me,
O Thou Great Redeemer to
Dear Lord and Father of
Mankind and Shine Jesus
Shine, each is
accompanied by the
history of its words and
music. Aled brings the
hymns vividly to life
with his own
reminiscences of
performing them and
thoughts on why each is
such a winner, and he
garners the experiences
of todays great singers
and composers. Written
with grace, humour and
real personal insight,
this is a collection that
will be enjoyed across
the land.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
Available
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Irish music transcends
all national boundaries,
and yet expresses
intensely the spirit of
the place - that longing
of all exiles for their
home country. For the
story of Irish music is
also the story of
centuries-long emigration
to, especially, America
and England.
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
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