John was the thoughtful, intelligent one, celebrated for his sharp wit and swift put-downs. Privately, he was a complex man: a superstar who hated the restrictions of being famous; a singer who disliked the sound of his own voice; a devoted husband who was publicly unfaithful. His song-writing partnership with Paul McCartney changed the parameters of popular music, and his early prose writing added to the richness and diversity of the English language.After The Beatles broke up, John's relationship with Yoko Ono became one of the great love stories of our times, and with her he developed into both an interesting conceptual artist and an influential campaigner for peace. After an intense period of experimentation, his music also developed and matured. Despite his talent and commitment to the world of the arts, when his son Sean was born he took five years out of the public eye dedicating himself to raising his child.John Lennon: Unseen Archives comprehensively chronicles the life of the world's most famous pop-star peace campaigner. The majority of the photographs are from the archive of the Daily Mail and they are accompanied by a detailed commentary which provides an insight into how John Lennon became more than a musician and went on to influence an entire generation. This wonderful book captures the impact he made upon the world; the memories of which still linger with us today.Marie Clayton grew up during the Beatles years and was at art college when the Four were still Fab. She has since spent a great deal of time studying the history of pop culture and its most celebrated icons. She has written several books in this area, including The Beatles: Unseen Archives and Elvis Presley: Unseen Archives. She is also the author of St. Petersburg: Hidden Interiors, Thonet and The Grand Design.Gareth Thomas studied at Cardiff University. He now lives in Brighton and works in research and design.

    Reprint.

    First appearing on YouTube, the video of Wendy Francisco's charming animated illustrations and moving song tells of the unconditional love of both God and Dog. With over 2 million YouTube viewings to date, Francisco's story appeals to all ages, to animal enthusiasts, to people of religious persuasions, and especially to anyone who has been loved by a dog.Now in book format, Wendy's touching narrative will be expanded on through additional lyrics, illustrations, photographs and some of the powerful mail that is continually being sent to Francisco.

    The inaugural winner of the annual American Poetry Review/Honickman First Book Award.

    Including interviews from Freddie Mercury's closest friends in the last years of his life, along with personal photographs, Somebody to Love is an authoritative biography of the great man.Here are previously unknown and startling facts about the singer and his life, moving detail on his lifelong search for love and personal fulfilment, and of course his tragic contraction of a then killer disease in the mid-1980s. Woven throughout Freddie's life is the shocking story of how the HIV virus came to hold the world in its grip, was cruelly labelled 'The Gay Plague' and the unwitting few who indirectly infected thousands of men, women and children - Freddie Mercury himself being one of the most famous. The death of this vibrant and spectacularly talented rock star, shook the world of medicine as well as the world of music. Somebody to Love finally puts the record straight and pays detailed tribute to the man himself.

    Even though Big Star was together for less than four years and had limited commercial success, the legacy of their three groundbreaking albums has influenced artists as diverse as R.E.M., the Bangles, Wilco, Jeff Buckley, and Garbage culminating in their song, "In the Street," as rerecorded by Cheap Trick, becoming the theme song for That '70s Show. The band's music and romance made Big Star a holy grail for the post-punk generation. This book recounts how band leader Alex Chilton put his heart and soul into the music and believed that he would become a big star—and how when he didn't, he engaged in a fascinating sort of musical self-sabotage. Also described is the tragic story of his coleader on their first record, Chris Bell, who after leaving the band recorded "I Am the Cosmos," a devastating adolescent love song, and then died in a car crash just months later. Featuring new interviews with the band, family members, friends, and the major players at Ardent Studios in Memphis, this book offers the complete story of this incredibly influential band.

    and the Clash. The East Coast editor of Launch magazine, Randall is undoubtedly one of the many journalists eager to exclaim "genius!" again, but his biography of the Grammy winners is economical, restrained and unauthorized (band members "respectfully declined" Randall's requests to cooperate). After briefly reenacting the now mythic June 1997 concert at New York City's Irving Plaza, attended by rock's superstar aristocracy (Bono, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, etc.), Randall smartly spends most of his narrative on the band's fascinating, decade-long conception in and around culturally barren Oxford, whose Radiohead landmarks he visited and lays out. Non- and neo-Anglophiles will especially appreciate Randall's definitions of British terms and background on the British music industry, music press and education system (all five musicians met at the all-male Abingdon School). As for the inevitable "record critique" chapters, Randall rarely throws in his two cents, preferring to sprinkle passages with the band's own pithy observations and recording-session anecdotes culled from magazine interviews. Exit music? Not quite, as Radiohead are pushing the boundaries of pop music (the new record is rumored to include Miles Davis and backwards singing). Because the book will be published right before the new album debuts, it will be nearly out of date by the time it hits bookstores. However, Randall's work will still serve as a reliable introduction to an ever-evolving band.

    One of twelve children raised in a shack in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Dolly Parton grew to become an international superstar famous for classic songs such as "Jolene," "9 to 5," "The Coat of Many Colors," and "I Will Always Love You." She is a reflection of the American dream, a role model for the ages, and a mentor to a whole new generation of entertainers. There is much to be learned from her unique brand, her big heart and spirituality, her grit and work ethic. This lively, illustrated book--part biography, part inspiration, part words of wisdom and life lessons--highlights the very best of the "Dolly Mama," from her quotable Dollyisms, unrelenting positivity, and powerful spirituality, to her belief in the human ability to overcome adversity. Drawing on Dolly's two autobiographies, cookbooks and songs; as well as artifacts; books by her family members; biographies; and decades worth of television, print interviews and performances, What Would Dolly Do? shows you how to tap into your Inner Dolly with confidence, faith, and humor.

    The result was usually an interview free of phoney claims or self promotion, even if it might occasionally be tricky to follow - depending on what condition Keith was in when he gave it.Now, Sean Egan has done a sterling job of organising a huge number of Richards’ published utterances drawn from GQ, Melody Maker and Rolling Stone, plus many more never before seen in print.Taken together they form a riveting commentary on Keith Richards’ half-century progression from gauche young pretender to craggy elder statesman of rock music.They also reveal an unexpectedly warm, unpretentious, articulate and honest man who occupies a unique and rarefied role in the history of rock ’n’ roll.

    Carrie Mullins a Kentucky bluegrass fiddler, falls for a heartbreaking man, loses her daughter in a senseless accident, and learns the healing power of music and daily routine from two caring, older women living on a drought-struck farm.

    His closest friend and mentor, Vincent Raphael, was not so fortunate, and was killed in an explosion in Jordan.Six years later, Raphael is allegedly sighted in Istanbul. Reluctantly, Stroud is drawn back into a life that nearly destroyed him, and so begins a journey that takes him from the Balkans to the Netherlands, from Berlin to Paris, as he hunts down the truth of Raphael's death, or if - in fact - Raphael never existed at all . . .With his every move closely observed by Turkish Intelligence, Mossad, MI6 and Deuxième Bureau, Stroud is on the trail of a revelation that will question everything he has ever believed . . .

       A great cover only makes a song stronger. Jimi Hendrix’s version of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” The Beatles rocking out with “Twist and Shout.” Aretha Franklin demanding “Respect.” Without covers, the world would have lost many unforgettable performances. This is the first book to explore the most iconic covers ever, from Elvis’s “Hound Dog” and the Rolling Stones’ “Not Fade Away” to Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused,” the Talking Heads’ “Take Me to the River,” and Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love.” Written by the founder of the website covermesongs.com, each of the 20 chapters investigates the origins of a classic cover—and uses it as a framework to tell the larger story of how cover songs have evolved over the decades. Cover Me is packed with insight, photography, and music history.