"The story goes like this: on a freezing winter night in 1941, a new piece of chamber music was performed to a crowd of prisoners of war on a three-stringed cello, clarinet, violin and pub piano with sticky keys. It was the premiere of Olivier Messiaen's...
"Queen Lili'uokalani, the last and only queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was an incredibly gifted musician and composer. A student from a young age, Lili'uokalani's legacy as a songwriter is felt even today with her most well-known composition, "Aloha Oe"...
"Billie Eilish Is Life is a beautifully illustrated guide that explores and celebrates the performer, her music, and her wide-ranging career"--Publisher's description.
"Conceived in 2017 from a conversation with Roger Daltrey, Words of Love music, and lasting legacy, revealing the man behind the timeless music. Words of Love features over 400 rare and archival items, including photographs, personal letters, handwritten...
"The guitar is a fascinating instrument that has been around in various forms for thousands of years, and it continues to be the instrument of choice for many musicians today. This book will guide you through all you need to know to play an acoustic guitar,...
"From kitsch to cool girl, street style to the stage, Ariana Grande's rise to fame has been accompanied by her fashion evolution. Whether in custom Vera Wang at the Met Gala, or Internet-breaking Giambattista Valli tulle layers at the Grammys, or off-duty in...
"Adele Is Life is a beautifully illustrated, all-encompassing guide on all things Adele. Including a full discography, her most unfiltered moments, the background of her career as a singer, her favorite playlists, her songwriting inspirations, and more, this...
"Together Alone holds a special place in the hearts of Crowded House fans and remains one of Neil Finn's boldest musical statements - and his favourite Crowded House album. Recorded amid the isolated Karekare wilderness, the album is drenched in mystery and...
"Book by book, year by year, the ultimate literary trip through Bowie's greatest decade. With his first starring role in a feature film and his first number 1s on both sides of the Atlantic, 1975 ought to be David Bowie's golden year. But away from the...
"This is Beyonce, the unrivalled queen of excellence and empowerment. Singer-songwriter and businesswoman supreme, "Queen Bey" is a global phenomenon, and this perfect fan book delves deep into Beyonces remarkable career, showcasing how she has redefined...
Songs from the Shaky Isles provides a vivid account of how popular music arose in our far-flung island nation. From early songs that could only be heard in person through to modern hits which spread digitally to all ends of the earth. It's a fast-paced, big...
"By 1983, many of Scotlands post-punk bands had broken up or moved south to chase the major labels in London. That vacuum was filled by an influx of young musicians who were determined to remake the scene in their own image. In this compelling and dynamic oral...
"Known worldwide as Lead Belly, Huddie Ledbetter (1889–1949) is an American icon whose influence on modern music was tremendous – as was, according to legend, the temper that landed him in two of the South's most brutal prisons, while his immense talent twice...
"From Jeff Beck to Ray Davies, Jon Bon Jovi to Kevin Ayers, Kate Mossman has long fostered an interest in male musicians of a certain age. Why is it that when I meet them, I feel something ignite inside me? What is this strange connection - to feel so excited,...
""Psycho Killer." "Take Me to the River." "Road to Nowhere." Few artists have had the lasting impact and relevance of Talking Heads. One of the foundational bands of downtown New York's 1970s music scene, Talking Heads have endured as a musical and cultural...
"When Wilco's 2007 album Sky Blue Sky was infamously criticized as "dad rock," Niko Stratis was a twenty-five-year-old closeted trans woman working in her dad's glass shop in the Yukon Territory. As she sought escape from her hypermasculine environment,...
"Joni Mitchell's life, psyche, and evolving legacy are explored here in "the greatest Joni book ever" (Francine Prose, New York Times bestselling author of Lovers at the Chameleon Club). From her childhood in Saskatoon, Canada, to her transformative years in...
"To create an environment that nourishes the young children in our care . . . an environment filled with beauty, warmth, and joy. . . an environment that supports the child's growth in body, soul, and spirit: This is our goal as adults inspired by Waldorf...
"Featuring exclusive interviews, this book uncovers the studio stories, ideas, and hidden meanings behind Scary Monsters as Bowie stood at the crossroads of the next decade"--Publisher's description.
"On June 13, 1995, 21-year-old Alanis Morissette released Jagged Little Pill, an existential awakening of sexuality, a rail against sexism, and a confessional catch-all of topics related to anxiety, depression, angst, eating disorders, religious dogma, and...
"When her father dies, music historian and trombonist Dr Emily MacGregor finds that music has become too much. Listening, let alone playing, music is suddenly too difficult. This is problematic given that she's a broadcaster, writer and academic working with...
"A smart, page-turning exploration of the business and creative decisions that transformed Taylor Swift into an unprecedented modern cultural phenomenon. Singer-songwriter. Trailblazer. Mastermind. The Beatles of her generation. From her genre-busting rise in...
"Music was an integral part of statecraft and identity formation in the Third Reich. Structured thematically and semiotically around the Wagnerian tetralogy of the Ring cycle, Hitler's Twilight of the Gods provides a sonic read of the Second World War and the...
"The must-read memoir from Darcus Beese - the first black president of Island Records and one of the greatest A&Rs of his generation. From growing up as a teenager on the streets of West London to running one of the biggest record labels in the world in New...
"From her Destiny's Child days through to solo stardom, Beyoncé was always destined to become a fashion legend. With over 100 gorgeous photographs and in-depth analysis of every style era, Icons of Style captures Beyoncé's defining looks, including those at...
"Tina Knowles, the mother of iconic singer-songwriters Beyonce Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, is known the world over as a Matriarch with a capital M: a determined, self-possessed, self-aware and wise woman who raised and...
Improvisation, swing, blue notes, glissando, scat these and other ingredients have made jazz a unique musical genre, unmistakable and loved in every corner of the globe. Born in the United States at the end of the 19th century, jazz has its roots in...
"It's 2013. You're a teenager squinting at your laptop in the dead of night, flicking between iTunes and YouTube and PirateBay. Endless reams of artists unspool at the click of a button. New forms of musical discovery open up before your very eyes. This...
"Sinead O'Connor achieved worldwide success as an angel-voiced, shaven-headed Irish singer of heartfelt songs, but she was far more than just a pop star she was also an activist and a survivor. Reeling from a troubled childhood at the hands of her violent...
"Arts Colony is a body of evidence - both found and fabricated - compiled in defence of writing songs. Featuring lyrics, experiments and ambience from Grecco Romank and the wider Piss Baby Global Alliance community, with contributions from 48 artists from...
"To compose was as natural to me as to breathe; and this gift of nature, never having been suffered to fall into disuse, remains a source of the greatest consolation to this day.[...] Hours of which it is not yet in place to speak, which I might have found...
"Viva Opera! brings together Patricia Hurleys life-long love of Italian opera, language, literature, places and people together with the desire to take readers and travellers on an enriching journey, to enhance their experience of this great art form along...
"In the sixty years since her first #1 hit, she's starred in three variety shows ; conquered Broadway ; won an Oscar, Grammy, and countless other awards ; fine-tuned her over-the-top tours in Vegas ; and even launched her own gelato company. In between, she's...
"A major new biography of Joe Meek, the legendary maverick engineer, songwriter, artist manager and record producer. Meek pioneered independent production, established one of the earliest independent labels - the first to aim its output entirely at teenagers -...
"Emerging from the gritty streets of Manchester, Oasis ignited the Britpop movement and defined a generation with their raw energy and insightful lyrics. From their explosive debut album Definitely Maybe to the iconic (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, the...
"A fast-paced, tender-hearted rock 'n' roll memoir for the ages, Mike Campbell's Heartbreaker is part rags-to-riches story and part raucous, seat-of-the-pants adventure, recounting Campbell's life and times as lead guitarist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers....
"The finest book on Britain's most celebrated rock 'n' roll band - and why they were destined to reform. 'It felt like the London music business had set the stage for Blur to be the centre of Britpop, and then we turned up and they never forgave us.' Think...
"Back by popular demand in a new paperback edition, Punk is Dead exposes the lasting impact of punk on visual culture worldwide. Hundreds of flyers, photos, set lists, vintage fashions and other ephemera from all of your favorite bands are jammed into this...
"New Zealand's German-Bohemian settlers have played, sung and danced to the music, songs and rhymes documented in this treasury of folk music for over 150 years. Sung in their unique dialect and played with traditional instruments, this music is a link between...
"This is Taylor Swift, as a bona-fide fashion goddess. Dive into 'Taylor Made: The Iconic Looks of Taylor Swift' and discover, through an array of stunning images, the depths of her style evolution and fashion journey. From the country-girl gingham and cowboy...
"The Bastard Instrument chronicles the history of the electric bass and the musicians who played it, from the instrument's invention through its widespread acceptance at the end of the 1960s. Although their contributions have often gone unsung, electric...
"Celebrate "Nate, Mike, Shawn, and Wan" with photos, interviews, and more in Boyz II Men 40th Anniversary Celebration. Elegantly designed to match the band's smooth harmonies and fresh style, this tribute includes an overview of the band's history, fan...
"Pioneers of what was once dubbed 'progressive rock' with their extended songs, technical experimentation, challenging lyrics, and spectacular stage presentations, Pink Floyd have been hailed as one of the most influential bands in the last half century of...
"Phill Brown is a sound engineer and producer who - over an illustrious 50-year career - has worked with many of the biggest names in rock and roll. In this reissued and updated version of his 2011 memoir, Phill describes the ups and downs of a professional...
"This book explores how women who have experienced gender-based violence within the music industry represent and construct this violence through their creative and public-facing outputs. Analysis of three key case studies - Kesha, Lingua Ignota, and Alice...
"Over thirty years after Ten, their genre defining debut record, Pearl Jam remains one of the most resonant, successful, and enduring bands in the history of rock music. Pearl Jam: Song by Song celebrates Pearl Jam's remarkable legacy through a deep dive into...
"Gallagher chronicles the fall and rise again of one of the world's biggest bands: Oasis. With a focus on Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher's individual journeys, this absorbing biography starts from the shattered remnants of Oasis in 2009, taking fans through...
"How does a band come into being? What are the myriad forces that shape their sound, look and identity? In 1993, Oasis signed to Creation Records and were shortly to begin recording their first album. The following year began with a masterplan - the creation...
"The Taylor Book is the ultimate guide to a generation-defining pop sensation, packed with stunning images and all the context you need to fully immerse yourself in the Swiftiverse. From her humble beginnings as a teen country artist to her record-obliterating...
"Hozac Books is proud to present another foundational brick in the pantheon of New Zealand underground music with Peter Jefferies - The Other Side of Reason, a career-spanning biography by music historian Andrew Schmidt of Audioculture.nz. Covering Jefferies'...
"Michael Brown undertakes a thorough study of Eyeliner's BUY NOW, a vaporwave homage to the kitsch electronic sounds of the 1980s and 1990s. Eyeliner's BUY NOW (2015) belongs to a new genre for our times: vaporwave. Emerging in the early 2010s on the...
"A memoir by the guitarist for The Police describes his early life and musical career, his sojourn in California as an out-of-work musician, and the serendipitous circumstances that led to his joining the legendary rock group"--Publisher's description.
"Tina Knowles, the mother of iconic singer-songwriters Beyoncâe Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles, and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, is known the world over as a Matriarch with a capital M: a determined, self-possessed, self-aware, and wise woman who raised and...
"The official book celebrating 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry--an intimate, gorgeously illustrated behind-the-scenes look at the American institution and world-renowned stage for country music. Packed with spectacular photos and tributes from country music's...
"Lady Gaga Is Life is a beautifully illustrated guide that explores and celebrates the performer, her music, and her wide-ranging career"--Publisher's description.
"In recent decades, the music of Amy Beach has made an impressive return to concerts, recordings, and the academy. This book introduces Beach's compelling music and life story to those as yet unfamiliar with her work. Drawing on recently uncovered archival...
"From Pitchfork and Guardian contributor Dean Van Nguyen comes a revelatory history of Tupac beyond his musical legend, as a radical son of the Black Panther Party whose political legacy still resonates today. Before his murder at age twenty-five, Tupac Shakur...
"After Nirvana, everything changed. Kurt Cobain and his band ushered in a new era in music, bringing the authenticity of US underground punk to mainstream rock audiences. Award-winning biographer and music critic Marc Burrows dives into the world of Nirvana,...
"Designed for students and others seeking an up-to-date introduction, this Companion explores electric guitar technology, culture, and music. It approaches the instrument from multiple angles ranging from manufacture to virtuoso performance, from worldwide...
"Steve Reich is a living legend in the world of contemporary classical music. As a leader of the minimalist movement in the 1960s, his works have become central to the musical landscape worldwide, influencing generations of younger musicians, choreographers...
"The original edition of this revered and authorised Queen biography explored every aspect of the legendary group's career from inception to 1992. Newly revised and updated with cooperation and insight from Brian May and Roger Taylor - and drawing on exclusive...
"John Lennon and Paul McCartney knew each other for twenty-three years, from 1957 to 1980. This book is the myth-shattering biography of a relationship that changed the cultural history of the world. The Beatles shook the world to its core in the 1960's and,...
"Nigel Kennedy changed the course of classical music in the late 1980s with his interpretation of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". He was revolutionary: in his performance and presentation; in his technique and his open-minded attitude. A natural boundary-pusher and...
"Paul McCartney's 1990s was an era like no other, perhaps even the most significant decade of his entire career after the 1960s. Following a shakier 1980s, the decade would see McCartney reemerge with greater energy, momentum, and self-belief. JR Moores's...
"As the lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts in the late 1950s, Dion DiMucci captured the heart of America with chart-toppers like "Runaround Sue", "The Wanderer", and "A Teenager in Love." His later solo success with "Abraham, Martin, and John" in 1968...
"With a Foreword by Kim Thayil of Soundgarden! The definitive, no-holds-barred oral history of 1990s alt-rock festival Lollapalooza---told by the musicians, roadies, and industry insiders who lived it. From the New York Times bestselling authors of Nothin' But...
"Jazz Revolutionary is the first full biography of Eric Dolphy, passionately tracing his creative life from Los Angeles clubs of the late 1940s and 50s, to New York in the early 1960s, and on to Paris, where sixty years ago he died from the complications of...
"The first lyricist to win the Pulitzer Prize, Ira Gershwin (1896-1983) has been hailed as one of the masters of the Great American Songbook, a period which covers songs written largely for Broadway and Hollywood from the 1920s to the 1950s. Now, in the first...
"Maria Callas (1923-77) was the greatest opera diva of all time. Despite a career that remains unmatched by any prima donna, much of her life was overshadowed by her fiery relationship with Aristotle Onassis, who broke her heart when he left her for Jacqueline...
"This book delves into Taylor's success story, her music and how empowering a role model she has become for millions of fans around the world. Elected '2023 Person of the Year' by TIME magazine, Taylor has surpassed fame and stardom to being a global...
"This is the incredible story of the forty years of the The Smiths in a lavishly illustrated hardback edition. Manchester has given birth to many famous bands and musicians, but none have caught the attention or imagination of the public quite as much as The...
"Recording Broadway: A Life in Cast Albums is veteran record producer Thomas Z. Shepard's first-person account of the making of fifty-plus years' worth of show albums, featuring up-close-and-personal stories of his work with pretty much everyone who was...
"Christine McVie born Christine Perfect, was the quintessentially English rock star, as both the backbone and the beating heart of Fleetwood Mac. Straddling the band's incarnations to achieve global fame alongside Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey...
"Stepping bravely into the cyclone of 21st-century fashions, Harry Styles is more than weathering the storm. Whether he's breaking the internet with his $7.99 frog-eyed yellow bucket hat or a pair of black fishnets, or fronting cult magazine The Beauty Papers,...
"David Keenan has been around underground and experimental music for decades. This book collects the best of his reviews, interviews and think pieces, with exclusive in-depth conversations between Keenan and Nick Cave, members of legendary industrial bands...
"From John Lee Hooker to Van Morrison to Bob Dylan, Peter Wolf was surrounded by geniuses. But how much do we really know about what these legends were like - how they spoke, their small kindnesses, what they did when they thought no one was watching? In...
"This is a story of what happens when an angst-ridden kid who grew up in the desert experiences his parents' bitter divorce, moves around the country, switches identities from dork to goth to skate punk, and eventually meets his best friend who just so happens...
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