13th Floor Elevators
Born out of a union of club bands on the burgeoning Austin bohemian scene and a pronounced taste for hallucinogens, the 13th Floor Elevators were formed in late 1965 when lyricist Tommy Hall asked a local singer named Roky Erickson to join up with his new rock outfit. Four years, three official albums, and countless acid trips later, it was over: the Elevators' pioneering first run ended in a dizzying jumble of professional mismanagement, internal arguments, drug busts, and forced psychiatric imprisonments. In their short existence, however, the group succeeded in blowing the lid off the budding musical underground, logging early salvos in the countercultural struggle against state authorities, and turning their deeply hallucinatory take on jug-band garage rock into a new American institution called psychedelic music. Writer Paul Drummond has gathered an unprecedented catalog of primary materials--including scores of previously-unseen band photographs, rare and iconic artwork of the era, items from family scrapbooks and personal diaries, new and archival interviews, dozens of contemporaneous press accounts, and no shortage of Austin Police Department records--to tell the complete and unvarnished story of a band which, until now, has been tragically underdocumented. Before the hippies, before the punks, there were the 13th Floor Elevators: an unlikely crew of outcast weirdo geniuses who changed culture.
Jimi Hendrix Black Legacy
Jimi Hendrix - Black Legacy (A Dream Deferred) is a deep exploration of Jimi Hendrix's subtle, yet ubiquitous footprint on Black culture. Often, Jimi Hendrix was seen by many to have transcended race, which is a slap in the face to his deep cultural roots, concerning not only his Black musical traditions, but simply growing up as a Black person in the 40's-60's. JHBL seeks to add to Jimi's overall legacy, by embracing Jimi's Black culture, including the well known people in Jimi's life, as well as the voices that many do not get to hear from in your traditional Jimi Hendrix biographies. It was always a strong desire of Jimi Hendrix to garner a more diverse fan base. Although he never got to fully see the fruits of his labor, Jimi Hendrix - Black Legacy, will reveal that his wish, ultimately came true.
The Moody Blues
Formed in 1964 and still going strong in 2019, the Moody Blues are one of the most enduring bands in the history of rock. R&B, pop, psychedelic, symphonic, prog rock, folk rock, synth-pop, mainstream rock, they've experienced it all. 'Go Now', A number one single in 1965 was very nearly a postscript for the band had it not been for the pioneering 1967 album Days Of Future Passed. This set in motion a run of seven classic and hugely popular albums that put them at the forefront of symphonic rock in the early 1970s. A hiatus saw a flurry of solo projects before the band reconvened in 1977. Subsequent recordings were eagerly greeted by a loyal fan base and sell out concerts continue to this day. In 2018 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. This book examines each one of the band's studio albums and related recordings as well as tracing the band's long and diverse history. Solo projects and live recordings are also discussed making this the most comprehensive guide to the music of the Moody Blues yet published. Whether you are a loyal fan or someone who is curious to see what lies beyond 'Nights in White Satin', this is essential reading.
The Indispensable Composers
An exploration of the question of greatness from the chief classical music critic of The New York Times Anthony Tommasini has devoted particular attention to living composers and overlooked repertory. But, as with all classical music lovers, the canon has remained central for him. Tommasini resists the neat laws of canon formation--and yet, he can't help but admit that these exalted composers have guided him through his life, resonating with his deepest emotions and profoundly shaping how he sees the world. Now, in The Indispensable Composers, Tommasini offers his own personal guide to what the mercurial concept of greatness really means in classical music. As he argues for his particular pantheon of indispensable composers, Tommasini provides a masterclass in what to listen for and how to understand what music does to us.
Nirvana
With fascinating details and an interview with the legendary Kurt Cobain himself, this volume goes behind the songs to tell the story of the revolutionary grunge band from Seattle. Unflaggingly faithful to its punk rock roots, Nirvana was the catalyst behind a sea change the likes of which the music world had not seen since The Beatles spearheaded the British Invasion. This book delves into the band's entire output, answering such questions as: Why did Cobain feel moved to write "Polly?" What is Teen Spirit? Who is Floyd the Barber? Album by album, and track by track, it follows Nirvana from its earliest days to rock superstardom, pinpointing the genesis of each of the band's original songs. Fans will find unparalleled insight into one of the most important bands and times in the history of rock 'n' roll.
The Cambridge Companion to the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are one of the most influential, prolific, and enduring Rock and Roll bands in the history of music. This groundbreaking, specifically commissioned collection of essays provides the first dedicated academic overview of the music, career, influences, history, and cultural impact of the Rolling Stones. Shining a light on the many communities and sources of knowledge about the group, this Companion brings together essays by musicologists, ethnomusicologists, players, film scholars, and filmmakers into a single volume intended to stimulate fresh thinking about the group as they vault well over the mid-century of their career. Threaded throughout these essays are album- and song-oriented discussions of the landmark recordings of the group and their influence. Exploring new issues about sound, culture, media representation, the influence of world music, fan communities, group personnel, and the importance of their revival post-1989, this collection greatly expands our understanding of their music.
I Would Die 4 U
An expansive and insightful exploration of one of the most iconic and electrifying artists ever, this book reveals the stunning, multi-generational influence and appeal of Prince and his revered music--from celebrated journalist, author, and host of the popular podcast The Tour矇 Show. Infused with Tour矇's unique pop-culture fluency, I Would Die 4 U is as passionate and radical as its subject matter. Building on his lifelong admiration for Prince's oeuvre and interviews with those closest to the late artist, including band members, his tour manager, and music and Bible scholars, Tour矇 deconstructs the life and work of the enigmatic icon who has been both a reflective mirror of and inspirational force for America. By defying traditional categories of race, gender, and sexuality, but also presenting a very conventional conception of religion and God, Prince was a man of profound contradictions. He spoke in the language of 60s pop and soul to a generation fearing Cold War apocalypse and the crack and AIDS epidemic, while simultaneously being both an MTV megastar and a religious evangelist. He creatively blended his songs with images of sex and profanity to invite us into a musical conversation about the healing power of God and religion. By demystifying Prince as a man, an artist, and a cultural force, I Would Die 4 U shows us how he impacted and defined a generation.
Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison
On January 13, 1968, Johnny Cash (1932-2003) took the stage at Folsom Prison in California. The concert and the live album, At Folsom Prison, propelled him to worldwide superstardom. He reached new audiences, ignited tremendous growth in the country music industry, and connected with fans in a way no other artist has before or since. Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of a Masterpiece, Revised and Updated is a riveting account of that day, what led to it, and what followed. Michael Streissguth skillfully places the album and the concert in the larger context of Cash's artistic development, the era's popular music, and California's prison system, uncovering new angles and exploding a few myths along the way. Scrupulously researched, rich with the author's unprecedented archival access to Folsom Prison's and Columbia Records' archives, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison shows how Cash forever became a champion of the downtrodden, as well as one of the more enduring forces in American music. This revised edition includes new images and updates throughout the volume, including previously unpublished material.
Blues from Laurel Canyon
With an incredible blues career spanning over sixty years, which rightly earned him the title "The Godfather of British Blues," John shares his experiences and encounters in what will be a must read autobiography for any true blues fans.John Mayall played with them all; Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jack Bruce, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Andy Fraser... the list goes on. John continued to tour all over the world and perform to sell-out crowds well into his 80s.John Mayall's story is like no other in the annals of rock and blues. Born in the UK in 1933, he laid the foundations of British blues, nurtured a generation of future superstars and then took the music back to the land of its birth.This extraordinary autobiography offers a vivid glimpse of Britain well before the rock revolution of the sixties, at a time when young men like John found themselves conscripted for national service that, in his case, included eighteen months in Korea. What followed when he returned was an odyssey of musical trail-blazing. From Manchester, England, to Laurel Canyon in California, and many points in between, John's account of his long life is both affectionate and compelling - a guided tour through more than sixty years of the music business and its stars, brought to vivid life by one of its undisputed pioneers.
The White Album
From a writer and music industry insider who worked with The Beatles comes a comprehensive look at the band's only double album--and the world in which they recorded it. The Summer of Love--and many of the free, progressive ideas associated with it--was truly over by 1968, which saw disruption in the factories and revolution on the streets. This turmoil was reflected by The Beatles in the studio where, without the distraction of live performance, they adapted to life after Brian Epstein and with the addition of Yoko Ono. The result, officially called The Beatles but universally known as "The White Album," featured an eccentric, eclectic mixture of styles, techniques, and unconventional songs. This in-depth exploration of The Beatles' classic work has two parts: the A side is the definitive guide to the album, the recording, and the events surrounding it, along with interviews with the people involved. The B-side focuses on the world between 1967 and 1969, and how politics, technology, sports, and entertainment affected people's lives . . . and caused music to change its tune with the times.
Mad Scenes and Exit Arias
From the Wall Street Journal's opera critic, a wide-ranging narrative history of how and why the New York City Opera went bankrupt--and what it means for the future of the arts In October 2013, the arts world was rocked by the news that the New York City Opera--"the people's opera"--had finally succumbed to financial hardship after 70 years in operation. The company had been a fixture on the national opera scene--as the populist antithesis of the grand Metropolitan Opera, a nurturing home for young American talent, and a place where new, lively ideas shook up a venerable art form. But NYCO's demise represented more than the loss of a cherished organization: it was a harbinger of massive upheaval in the performing arts--and a warning about how cultural institutions would need to change in order to survive. Drawing on extensive research and reporting, Heidi Waleson, one of the foremost American opera critics, recounts the history of this scrappy company and reveals how, from the beginning, it precariously balanced an ambitious artistic program on fragile financial supports. Waleson also looks forward and considers some better-managed, more visionary opera companies that have taken City Opera's lessons to heart. Above all, Mad Scenes and Exit Arias is a story of money, ego, changes in institutional identity, competing forces of populism and elitism, and the ongoing debate about the role of the arts in society. It serves as a detailed case study not only for an American arts organization, but also for the sustainability and management of nonprofit organizations across the country.
Henry Cow
In its open improvisations, lapidary lyrics, errant melodies, and relentless pursuit of spontaneity, the British experimental band Henry Cow pushed rock music to its limits. Its rotating personnel, sprung from rock, free jazz, and orchestral worlds, synthesized a distinct sound that troubled genre lines, and with this musical diversity came a mixed politics, including Maoism, communism, feminism, and Italian Marxism. In Henry Cow: The World Is a Problem Benjamin Piekut tells the band's story-from its founding in Cambridge in 1968 and later affiliation with Virgin Records to its demise ten years later-and analyzes its varied efforts to link aesthetics with politics. Drawing on ninety interviews with Henry Cow musicians and crew, letters, notebooks, scores, journals, and meeting notes, Piekut traces the group's pursuit of a political and musical collectivism, offering up its history as but one example of the vernacular avant-garde that emerged in the decades after World War II. Henry Cow's story resonates far beyond its inimitable music; it speaks to the avant-garde's unpredictable potential to transform the world.
Wish You Were Here
As our world was racked by military conflicts, governmental scandals, political assassination attempts, and a near-total erosion of the public trust, Pink Floyd emerged victorious, responding to this external dissonance with their ultimate band statement.
Sun Records
The tiny Sun studio at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, may not have looked like much from the outside, but inside musical miracles were being performed daily by its enigmatic owner, Sam Phillips. Phillips began more or less as a talent scout for other record labels, such as the legendary Chess Records in Chicago. However, after discovering a wealth of talent in his own backyard in the Mid-South area, Phillips began his own record label-Sun Records-with an emblematic rising sun and rooster logo. A white man who loved and understood African-American music, Phillips recorded soon-to-be blues icons such as Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas and B.B. King. A seismic shift occurred during one session in 1951 when Phillips recorded "Rocket 88" with Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner. That shift was to become known as rock and roll. A shy white boy named Elvis Presley came into the studio to record a song for his mother's birthday. Phillips recognized something in the young man, and a moment of silliness in the studio ruptured into the first record of the future King of Rock & Roll, "That's All Right." Elvis shot to stardom; Sun Records didn't stop there. Hot on his heels came Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. However, there wasn't a day that the studio wasn't searching for other artists, other hits. Sun Records: An Oral History (2nd edition) brings to readers the voices of the pillars of Sun Records, the artists, producers and engineers who made the place tick. Thomas (the first hit-maker for Sun), Scotty Moore, Rosco Gordon, Little Milton Campbell, Billy Lee Riley, producer and musician Roland Janes, producer Cowboy Jack Clement and others all tell their inimitable stories about the making of a music empire, the label that put rock and roll on the world map. Music journalist and critic John Floyd has woven together dozens of priceless stories and anecdotes with his own insightful and artful narrative to make this book definitive for anyone interested in Sun Records or the birth and rise of rock and roll. For example, there are firsthand accounts of the early Elvis sessions by Moore, Riley's own account of his legendary drunken rampage in the Sun studio, and a transcript of the back-and-forth hell and damnation conversation between a reluctant Lewis and Phillips just prior to the recording of "Great Balls of Fire." This second edition updates the masterful original book which was critically acclaimed and considered one of the canon of must-have music books.
The Decade That Rocked
Featuring the iconic and never-before-published photography of Mark Weiss, The Decade That Rocked covers the biggest names from the '80s hard rock scene--including Jon Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne, M繹tley Cr羹e, and more. "I have read pretty much every rock 'n' roll biography there is worth reading, and you never know what to expect when you pick up a new book. Well, let me tell you Mark Weiss has raised the bar for rock 'n' roll books with The Decade That Rocked. Mark has always been at the top of his field, and the level of detail and quality put into this book is the ultimate testament to his rock n' roll photographic legacy." - Sebastian Bach "Mark is the real deal. He may not play the guitar, but that camera is his guitar. He's a rockstar." - Gene Simmons "Mark's energy, his creativity, his drive, his positive attitude and his enthusiasm that make him one of the legends of rock photography. It's why his work--both old and new--is still so in demand today. Mark Weiss inspires greatness in all he turns his camera lens on. But don't take my word for it. Just look at the pictures in this book." - Dee Snider "His pictures say as much as the music" - Rob Halford "He was one of the guys. He wasn't one of the 18 photographers you'd work with that day." - Alice Cooper "He had that instinct, to recognize our energy and use his technical talent to capture it." - Joe Perry "The Decade That Rocked breaches a level of intimacy that so many music photographers are lacking today. Each and every photo exemplifies the trust and the synergy between photographer and subject. You can feel the essence of the music in the live shots, just as vibrantly as you can feel the spirit and the essence of the musicians behind the scenes." - Screamer Magazine Mark "Weissguy" Weiss set an unmatched standard for rock photography. Starting out as a teenager by sneaking into concerts with a neighbor's 35mm camera, he embarked on a legendary career that took him around the globe and onto some of the most memorable album and magazine covers in rock history- featuring the likes of Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, and M繹tley Cr羹e to Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, and KISS, and so many more. With 700+ photos, brand new interviews, and stories from Mark himself, Decade that Rocked is a monument to the photography, friendships, and legacy of an artist that helped define one of rock's most iconic eras. This career-spanning collection features: A unique lens on the golden age of rock: Never-before or rarely seen photos of legends like Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, and M繹tley Cr羹e to Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, and KISS, as well as countless others whose sound and image defined the era. Exclusive interviews: Ozzy Osbourne, Dee Snider, Nikki Sixx, Joe Perry, Rob Halford, and many more recall their memories of this era-defining decade. Untold Stories: Relive Mark's unbelievable journey through rock history, from getting arrested for selling photos outside of Kiss concert to touring with legends like Van Halen, to photographing Bon Jovi's infamous "Slippery When Wet" shoot, shooting backstage at Live Aid with Black Sabbath, and so many more. Definitive Lens: Creem magazine readers ranked Mark Weiss as rock's top photographer of the 80s. His work has appeared on some of the most iconic album and magazine covers of all time. Captured from the unique vantage point of a photographer who lived and breathed the '80s in all its grit and glory, The Decade That Rocked brings to life the no-holds-barred sounds and sights that changed the world of hard rock and metal forever.
Sea Chanteys
"Sea Chanteys" is a vintage collection of traditional sailor songs. Also known as shanties or chanteys, these songs were tropically sang by sailors aboard ships in order to boost morale and to be sung during some of the more tedious duties of required by the seafaring life. Each song comes complete with the original lyrics and clear sheet music, and are perfect for those with an interest in learning or performing traditional sea songs. Contents include: "Eight Bells", "Away to Rio!", "As Off to the South'ard We Go", "A-Roving", "Old Man Noah", "High Barbary", "Mobile Bay", and "The Mermaid". Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on folk music.
I Am Damo Suzuki
When the anarchic vocalist of Can left the celebrated German band in late 1973, the ensuing decade-long absence was taken by many to be the end of his personal story. But it was just the beginning.In I Am Damo Suzuki, Kenji Damo Suzuki and co-author Paul Woods illuminate a life in music driven by the principle of randomness. The book spans the influence of western music on Suzuki growing up in post-WWII Japan, his rejection of national traditions and a lifelong journey of exploration.After his hippie-influenced beginnings as a provocative street musician, Suzuki s story took an unlikely turn after a chance recruitment into Can, one of the most innovative bands of the seventies.A stint of family life and the role of Japanese salaryman preceded his return to the music world with The Damo Suzuki Band and later with Damo Suzuki's Network, an international vehicle for musical communication using sound instead of words. With contributions from family members, lifelong friends, musical collaborators and Damo's long-term partner, I Am Damo Suzuki is an absorbing portrait of a musical catalyst and enigmatic icon.
The Beatles By Ear
By turns impassioned and irreverent, The Beatles by Ear is a collection of essays on each Beatles album, song, chord, key change, and songwriting technique. Song fragments like those of the Abbey Road medley and Sgt. Pepper are examined first as individual songs and then as larger suites. The essays focus on fresh musical insights and avoid the backstories and anecdotes about each song (the "standard talking points") that are common knowledge among even the most casual Beatles fans.The Beatles by Ear is written for musically inclined readers who-like the Beatles-have never learned to read or write music, but can play a few chords and are drawn to understand the creative processes behind the popular song.A central premise of the book is that the Beatles' lack of formal training helped rather than hindered the expression of their natural talent. Whenever possible, theoretical terms and concepts are limited to those used by the Beatles themselves in the interview quotations sprinkled liberally throughout the book.The reader is expected to know two things: the names of the 12 notes (shown in the book with letter names)how to play simple chords in the key of C on keyboard or guitarFor those who don't know the names of notes and chords, a series of detailed tutorials is included in one of the appendices.Hundreds of page number references enable the book to be read from cover to cover, or used as a reference book for isolated studies of individual songs or composing techniques.In addition to the main chronological survey of albums and singles, there are separate sections for: each chord the Beatles usedeach key changevocal harmoniesmelodic basslinesriffsthe five rhythm tricks the Beatles used to manipulate the forms of their songsBeatles resources (a survey of the best books, films, podcasts, websites, and YouTube channels used by the author in the process of researching the book)The Beatles canon is contextualized against a backdrop of: predecessors: classical music, jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll and R&Bcontemporaries: Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Burt Bacharach, Carole King, and the Motown and Stax house bands.
Little Book of The Rolling Stones
A bite-sized collection of more than 170 quotes by and about the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band. "There's the sun, there's the moon, there's the air we breathe, and then there's the Rolling Stones." --Keith Richards. Fans who endorse the legendary guitarist's sentiments will pore through every engaging quote in this collection, which shows exactly why the Stones remain in the spotlight after 50 years of performing. In addition to the band members, quotes come from such figures as producer Andrew Oldham and Paul McCartney ("I see a good little rock 'n' roll band--not as good as the Beatles, but good.")
Little Book of Elvis Presley
A bite-sized collection of quotes by and about the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis was one of the most significant cultural icons of the twentieth century, and his music and movement changed the course of rock. This collection of more than 170 fascinating quotes captures what made the star so special. They come from Elton John, Mick Jagger ("He was a unique artist--an original in an area of imitators"), Cher, and of course Presley himself.
Puccini's Operas
Opera was and still is one of the oldest forms of entertainment. It's been around longer than any other art form known to mankind, longer than radio, the internet, video games, television and even movies. It's an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining a script called a libretto and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates music, singing, scenery, costumes and sometimes dancing. Some operas have spoken dialogue called a Singspiel in which the singers talk between songs aka arias. Other operas have a singing style called a Recitative in which the singers imitate spoken dialogue by singing their lines instead of talking.
Ever After
Written by Barry Singer--one of contemporary musical theater's most authoritative chroniclers--Ever After was originally published in 2003 as a history of the previous twenty-five years in musical theater, on and off Broadway. This new edition extends the narrative, taking readers from 2004 to the present. The book revisits every new musical that has opened since the last edition, with Barry Singer once again as guide. Before Ever After appeared in 2003, no book had addressed the recent past in musical theater history--an era Singer describes as "ever after musical theater's many golden ages." Derived significantly from Singer's writings about musical theater for the New York Times, New York Magazine, and The New Yorker, Ever After captured that era in its entirety, from the opening of The Act on Broadway in October 1977 to the opening of Avenue Q Off-Broadway in March 2003. This new edition brings Ever After up to date, from Wicked, through The Book of Mormon, to Hamilton and beyond. Once again, this the first book to cover this new, pre-pandemic age of the Broadway musical. And, once again, utilizing his recent writing about musical theater for HuffPost and Playbill, Barry Singer's viewpoint is comprehensive and absolutely unique.
Inside Jazz
By 1940 the big band sound had grown stale, and jazz musicians began to search out new sounds and styles. At the Harlem nightclub Minton's Playhouse, a small group of musicians -- John Birks, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Beau Hawkins, and Thelonious Monk, among sounding blend of flatted fifths, unfamiliar chord lines, and accelerated offbeat rhythms. They were joined on 52nd Street by alto saxist Charles Bird Parker, and bop -- or bebop, as it was first called, from the triplet figure buh-BE-bop -- was born.Bop was aggressive, provocative, and belligerent, Its proponents wore gears and berets and refereed to the Dixieland and New Orleans diehards as moldy figs who in tureen labelled the new jazz the modern complex chord, and a new reperatory into jazz, and by the end of the forties the moldy figs were forced to concede that bop was indeed the harbinger of a new direction in American jazz.Critic Leonard Feather was one of the earliest and most persistent champions of bop. It was he who persuaded RCA Victor that the new music was worth recording. His Inside Jazz is a full-length account of bop: its origins and development and the personalities of the musicians who created it. Numerous photographs and anecdotes bring this innovative era in jazz history to life once more.
George Frideric Handel - Rinaldo - HWV7b - A Full Score
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
The Pipers' Guild Handbook - The Origin and History of the Pipe Movement with Instructions on How to make Pipes with Diagrams
This book contains a vintage guide to designing and constructing wooden pipe instruments. Profusely illustrated and written in simple, plain language, this guide is perfect for those with little previous experience and is highly recommended for modern readers with an interest in hand making instruments. Contents include: "The Story of Pipe-making", "How to Make a Treble Pipe", "Materials and Tools", "Tools", "Corks", "The Window and the Window-sill", "The Passage Roof", "The Cork", "Making the Holes", "The Treble Pipe", "A Pipe when it is Made", "Difficulties in Obtaining a Good Note", et cetera. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with its original artwork and text.
The Besom Maker and Other Country Folk Songs
"The Besom Maker and Other Country Folk Songs" is a collection of traditional English countryside songs first published in 1888. The songs of this collection are such as would have been sung in the fields and meadows for generations, and perhaps are still known to some. With beautiful illustrations and complete lyrics and sheet music, this volume is not to be me missed by those with an interest in learning and playing traditional English songs. The songs include: "The Besom Maker", "God Speed the Plough", "The Wassail Song", "My Johnnie was a Shoemaker", "The Reaphook & the Sickle", "Mobblety Bobblety", "The Two Young Men of Kenilworth", "Forty Dukes a Riding", "The Jolly Ploughboy", and more. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on folk music.
Beethoven's Conversation Books
A complete new edition of Beethoven's conversation books, now translated into English in their entirety for the first time, covering a period associated with the revolutionary style of what we call "late Beethoven". Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) is recognized the world over as a composer of musical masterpieces exhibiting heroic strength, particularly in the face of his increasing deafness from ca. 1798. By 1818, the Viennese composer hadbegun carrying blank booklets with him, for his acquaintances to jot their sides of conversations, while he answered aloud. Often, he himself used the pocket-sized booklets to make shopping lists and other reminders, including occasional early sketches for his compositions. Today, 139 of these booklets survive, covering the years 1818 up to the composer's death in 1827 and including such topics as music, history, politics, art, literature, theatre, religion, and education as perceived on a day-to-day basis in post-Napoleonic Europe. An East German edition, begun in the 1960s and essentially complete by 2001, represents a diplomatic transcription of these documents. It is a masterpiece of pure scholarship but is difficult to use for anyone who is not a specialist. Moreover, Beethoven scholarship has moved on significantly since the long-ranging genesis of the German edition. These important booklets arehere translated into English in their entirety for the first time. The volumes in this series include an updated editorial apparatus, with revised and expanded notes and many new footnotes exclusive to this edition, and brand newintroductions, which together place many of the quickly changing conversational topics into context. Due to the editor's many years of research in Vienna, his acquaintance with its history and topography, as well as his familiarity with obscure documentary resources, this edition represents an entirely new venture in source studies - vitally informative for scholars not only in music but also in a wide variety of disciplines. At the same time, these oftenlively and compelling conversations are now finally accessible for the English-speaking music lover or history buff who might want to dip into them and hear what Beethoven and his friends were discussing at the next table. THEODORE ALBRECHT is Professor of Musicology at Kent State University, Ohio.
The Road Goes on Forever
THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER utilizes history, personal interviews, and many collected documents to aid in the telling of the story of the humble beginnings and career of the original Southern rock band on this, the 50th anniversary of their formation. Author Michael Buffalo Smith personally spoke with former Allman Brothers members including Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks, Warren Haynes, and Allen Woody, as well as producers, engineers, roadies, and fans to create a tribute to Macon, Georgia's greatest rock and roll export. Smith takes us inside the Big House on Vineville Avenue in Macon where the band lived during their peak years and into Capricorn Studios where they recorded all of their original albums. The albums are each given the spotlight as well, including Gregg and Dickey's solo projects, and the book explores the exhaustive list of recording credits accumulated by Duane Allman during his far too short career. There is a complete review of the unprecedented 40th anniversary Beacon Theatre residency in 2009 that found the band joined onstage by a veritable Who's Who of contemporary music greats. More than just a history of the greatest Southern band of all time, THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER is a reference manual for fans of the band--a book filled with ramblin' men, blue skies, Georgia peaches, and great music. Chuck Leavell, former band member and current Rolling Stones band leader, provides the foreword.
The 100 Greatest Composers and Their Musical Works
His fascinating exploration takes you inside the rich music and colorful lives of the world's greatest classical composers. From Bach to Stravinsky and beyond, you will learn how the unique life stories of these gifted composers are reflected in the musical masterpieces that we enjoy to this day.Designed as an introductory book on classical music, this comprehensive collection presents biographical snapshots of the major composers in the context of distinct historical and stylistic periods and in relation to their notable contemporaries. Special attention is given to recognizing their prominent musical works. The book delineates the many forms of instrumental and vocal music; and it explores the "basics" of tonality, musical structure, performance criteria, the orchestra and its instruments, orchestration, chamber music, and the cataloguing of musical works. As well, the newcomer to classical music will find advice on building a musical library.This book is an excellent source of information about classical music in a unique and entertaining format. It will help lay the foundation for a lifelong love of classical music, through the great musical heritage of these fine composers.
Grime Kids
NOW A MAJOR BBC DRAMA, AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON BBC THREE NOW 'An essential read for anyone with the slightest interest in the birth of Grime' The Wire 'Sharp and nostalgic' The Observer A group of kids in the 90s had a dream to make their voice heard - and this book documents their seminal impact on today's pop culture. DJ Target grew up in Bow under the shadow of Canary Wharf, with money looming close on the skyline. The 'Godfather of Grime' Wiley and Dizzee Rascal first met each other in his bedroom. They were all just grime kids on the block back then, and didn't realise they were to become pioneers of an international music revolution. A movement that permeates deep into British culture and beyond. Household names were borne out of those housing estates, and the music industry now jumps to the beat of their gritty reality rather than the tune of glossy aspiration. Grime has shaken the world and Target is revealing its explosive and expansive journey in full, using his own unique insight and drawing on the input of grime's greatest names. What readers are saying about Grime Kids: 'Fantastic depiction of the inception of a genre that has spanned the millennium' 'Brilliant insight in to grim music from one of the pioneers of the scene' 'This book really sums up the feeling of being a DJ perfectly'
St. Louis Jazz
In the early twentieth century, St. Louis was a hotbed for ragtime and blues, both roots of jazz music. In 1914, Jelly Roll Morton brought his music to the area. In 1919, Louis Armstrong came to town to play on the "floating conservatories" that plied the
Once upon a Time in Shaolin
The untold story of the world's most controversial album---a surreal tale of secret recordings, the Wu-Tang Clan, baffled customs agents, the world's most hallowed art institutions, and a villain of comic book proportions: Martin Shkreli. In 2007, the innovative young Wu-Tang producer, Cilvaringz, took an incendiary idea to his mentor the RZA. They felt that the impact of digitization threatened the sustainability of the record industry and independent artists, while shifting the perception of music from treasured works of art to disposable consumer products. Together they conceived a statement so radical that it would unleash a torrent of global debate---a sole copy of an album in physical form, encased in gleaming silver and sold through an auction house for millions as a work of contemporary art. The execution of this plan raised a number of complex questions: Would selling an album for millions be the ultimate betrayal of music? How would fans react to an album that's sold on the condition that it could not be commercialized? And could anyone ever justify the selling of the album to the infamous Martin Shkreli? As headlines flashed across the globe, the mystery only deepened. Opinions were sharply divided over whether this was high art or hucksterism---quixotic idealism or a cynical cash grab. Was it a noble act of protest, an act of cultural vandalism, an obscene symbol of greed, a subversive masterpiece, a profound mirror for our time, or a joker on capitalism's card table? As senior adviser to the project, Cyrus Bozorgmehr is uniquely placed to unlock the secrets behind the album and tell the full, unadulterated story. With explosive revelations about backroom plans made public for the first time, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin charts the album's journey from inception to disruption in vivid style. An extraordinary adventure that veers between outlandish caper and urgent cultural analysis. Once Upon a Time in Shaolin twists and turns through the mayhem and the mischief, while asking profound questions about our relationship with art, music, technology, and ultimately ourselves.
The Jazz Life
The last few years have witnessed an enormous resurgence in the popularity of jazz, after some lean times in the sixties when many potential jazz fans turned to rock. Now the pendulum is on the backswing, and vintage and modern jazz as well as "jazz rock" are attracting huge new audiences. One factor involved in the comeback of jazz among blacks and whites alike is the rise of black consciousness, with its search for roots in the American experience. Nat Hentoff's The Jazz Life explores the social, economic, and psychological elements that make up the context of modern jazz. Among the jazz greats whose lives and work are discussed are Count Basie, Charles Mingus, John Lewis, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, and Ornette Coleman. Written with intelligence, passion, and wit, this jazz classic is of immense importance to anyone wanting a better understanding of the jazz--or indeed our American life.
Da Capo Best Music Writing 2001
A new collection of essays and articles about music and its culture covers diverse modern styles--rock, pop, rap, jazz, blues, country, and more--and features works by Rick Moody, Camden Joy, Courtney Love, Richard Meltzer, Whitney Balliett, and other notables.
Anti-Rock
Rock is a music of rebellion against authority, and has consequently frightened and outraged people throughout its forty-year history. Anti-Rock is the first book to detail the objections of rock's detractors. Critics from parents to religious groups, industry executives to scientists, government spokesmen to eccentric crusaders, have all attacked rock vehemently with comments such as "It's the jungle strain gets 'em all worked up"; it's "one step from fascism"; and "These deafening, dope-ridden, degenerate mob scenes have no more place in our America than would a publicly promoted gang rape." Here is: Albert Goldman, writing in the New York Times in 1968, comparing Mick Jagger to Adolf Hitler. A 1981 university study concluding that prolonged exposure to disco music "causes homosexuality in mice and deafness in pigs." Dr. John, a New York physician, writing in 1977 that rock music causes "a breakdown in the synchronization of the two sides of the brain." Tipper Gore, the former Vice-President's wife, co-chair of the Parents Music Resource Center and author of Raising PG Kids in an X-Rated Society, commenting on heavy metal lyrics: "I'm a fairly with-it person, but this stuff is curling my hair."
Ascension
"Ascension is as spellbinding as Coltrane's music."--The New Review of Records "This remarkable book traces the development of Coltrane's music as it moved from hard bop to the freest jazz. . . . Informed and convincing, Ascension belongs on the short list of essential music books . . ."--Lang Thompson, Option "Nisenson . . . presents us with a sensitive and vivid portrait of Coltrane as he progressed from a 'journeyman bopper' addicted to alcohol and heroin to a profoundly spiritual 'warrior' seeking knowledge of God through the making of music."--Booklist "Equal parts biography, jazz history, social history, and listener's guide, Ascension manages to be both entertaining and enlightening. Though Eric Nisenson is an avowed fan of Coltrane, he maintains clearheadedness where others often succumb to gibberish. As a listener's guide to Coltrane recordings, the book is perceptive and thorough."--New York Times Book Review
Blue Rhythms
"Somebody has to pay the dues," says LaVern Baker. Here are the remarkable stories of six dazzlingly talented performers who blazed the R & B trail--the story of the performers' music and also of their struggle against racism and financial exploitation: Ruth Brown and LaVern Baker, two of the most popular female black singers of the 1950s; Little Jimmy Scott, whom Madonna calls the only singer who ever really made her cry; Charles Brown, master of the "club blues" style; Floyd Dixon, a more rambunctious fellow-traveler; and the earthy, urbane Jimmy Witherspoon, who recorded some of the biggest R & B hits ever.
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton's position as the world's greatest rock guitarist is unlikely to change in our lifetime. His career over the past four decades has been closely followed by millions of fans, as a member of the influential Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominoes, and for many years as a highly successful solo artist. He has a vast catalogue behind him. His rise to guitar hero in the 60s led to a much documented involvement with drugs. The historic Rainbow concert marked the beginning of his return. His turbulent marriage to Patti Boyd was another media favorite. Ultimately it is Clapton's music and complete mastery of the electric guitar which is his most important attribute. Unavailable for several years, Shapiro's earlier study, Slowhand, established itself as one of the classics of rock biography. Here the life is fully reappraised and brought up-to-date to cover the tragic death of Clapton's son, Conor, in 1991 and includes a complete discography and many previously unpublished photographs.
Faces in the Crowd
In Faces in the Crowd Gary Giddins explores the achievements of thirty-seven artists, ranging from Irving Berlin to Spike Lee, Billie Holiday to Kay Starr, Louis Armstrong to Miles Davis, Elias Canetti to Philip Roth. He shows how Jack Benny revolutionized comedy; assesses the hardboiled fiction of James M.Cain, Raymond Chandler, and Elmore Leonard; recounts how he uncovered the true birthdate of Louis Armstrong; chats with Clint Eastwood about Charlie Parker. And, of course, he writes with authority on the great jazz musicians. This provocative and entertaining collection reveals why Gary Giddins has become one of the most influential critics of his generation.
Father of the Blues
W. C. Handy's blues-"Memphis Blues," "Beale Street Blues," "St. Louis Blues"-changed America's music forever. In Father of the Blues, Handy presents his own story: a vivid picture of American life now vanished. W. C. Handy (1873-1958) was a sensitive child who loved nature and music; but not until he had won a reputation did his father, a preacher of stern Calvinist faith, forgive him for following the "devilish" calling of black music and theater. Here Handy tells of this and other struggles: the lot of a black musician with entertainment groups in the turn-of-the-century South; his days in minstrel shows, and then in his own band; how he made his first 100 from "Memphis Blues"; how his orchestra came to grief with the First World War; his successful career in New York as publisher and song writer; his association with the literati of the Harlem Renaissance.Handy's remarkable tale-pervaded with his unique personality and humor-reveals not only the career of the man who brought the blues to the world's attention, but the whole scope of American music, from the days of the old popular songs of the South, through ragtime to the great era of jazz.
Jazz Masters of the 30s
This is the only jazz history written by a musician that is not strictly autobiographical. Rex Stewart, who played trumpet and cornet with Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington, knew personally all the giants of jazz in the 1930s and thus his judgments on their achievements come with unique authority and understanding. As a good friend, he never minimizes their foibles; yet he writes of them with affection and generosity. Chapters on Fletcher Henderson, Coleman Hawkins, Red Norvo, Art Tatum, Big Sid Catlett, Benny Carter, and Louis Armstrong mix personal anecdotes with critical comments that only a fellow jazz musician could relate. A section on Ellington and the Ellington orchestra profiles Ben Webster, Harry Carney, Tricky Sam Nanton, Barney Bigard, and Duke himself, with whom Rex Stewart was a barber, chef, poker opponent, and third trumpet. Finally, he recounts the stories of legendary jam sessions between Jelly Roll Morton, Willie the Lion Smith, and James P. Johnson, all vying for the unofficial title of king of Harlem stride piano. It was the decade of swing and no one saw it, heard it, or wrote about it better than Rex Stewart.
Free Jazz PB
"Neither in Europe, nor in the States, has anyone published a volume dealing with contemporary jazz problems in such a concise and detailed manner."--Jazz Forum When originally published in 1974, Ekkehard Jost's Free Jazz was the first examination of the new music of such innovators as Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Jost studied the music (not the lives) of a selection of musicians-black jazz artists who pioneered a new form of African American music-to arrive at the most in-depth look so far at the phenomenon of free jazz. Free jazz is not absolutely free, as Jost is at pains to point out. As each convention of the old music was abrogated, new conventions arose, whether they were rhythmic, melodic, tonal, or compositional, Coltrane's move into modal music was governed by different principles than Coleman's melodic excursions; Sun Ra's attention to texture and rhythm created an entirely different big bang sound then had Mingus's attention to form.In Free Jazz, Jost paints a group of ten "style portraits"-musical images of the styles and techniques of John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, the Chicago-based AACM (which included Richard Abrams, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Anthony Braxton, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago), and Sun Ra and his Arkestra. As a composite picture of some of the most compelling music of the 1960s and '70s, Free Jazz is unequalled for the depth and clarity of its analysis and its even handed approach.
Bird
More than to any other musician, the credit for the birth of modern jazz belongs to Charles "Yardbird" Parker--known to his friends and fans simply as "Bird."Parker's virtuoso technique, melodic genius, and inspired improvisations helped launch a whole new era in jazz, an era that began with bop and culminated in the "cool" or modern jazz of the fifties. His brilliant handling of the alto saxophone inspired a generation of jazz musicians; without him, there would have been no John Coltrane, no Ornette Coleman, no jazz as we know it today.Parker died in 1955 at the age of thirty-five. He left behind a rich legacy of musical innovation and a legend of self-destructive dissipation that made him a votive hero of the hipsters and the beat generation. For this first full-length reminiscence, Reisner interviewed eighty-one of Parker's friends, relatives, and fellow performers. From Charlie Mingus, one of the few real innovators since Bird, and Dizzy Gillespie, whom Parker once called "the other half of my heart," to jazz historian Rudi Blesh and Parker's mother, each remembers Bird in his or her own special way.Thus from the shards and splinters of firsthand reminiscence emerges a telling mosaic of Parker's brief but intense career: the indulgences in drugs and alcohol; the legendary bouts of lovemaking; the temperamental behavior on and off the bandstand; the jam sessions at the Harlem jazz club Minton's Playhouse with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk; and the historic firing from Birdland, the club which took its name from this larger-than-life musician and man.
Beat Punks PB
Here, accompanied by dozens of unique photographs, are the very best of Victor Bockris's infamous interviews, essays, and observations on the stars of downtown Manhattan in the 1970s and 1980s. The internationally acclaimed biographer Bockris was there as a witness, friend, collaborator, and co-conspirator. Some of the stars were founding members of Beat or Punk, others were just passing through. But all of them-rockers, rebels, artists, and intellectuals-revealed more to Bockris than they did to any other writer: Allen Ginsberg, Richard Hell, Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe, Debbie Harry, William Burroughs, Patti Smith, Marianne Faithfull, Keith Richards, Terry Southern, Martin Amis, and Susan Sontag. Bockris's conclusion-that Punk owed the Beats a big debt and that the Beats were in turn re-animated by the Punks-is argued from the perspective of someone who was in the thick of it, and who loved every minute of it.
The Great Jazz Pianists
This comprehensive survey of jazz piano, beginning with a brief history of the instrument within the jazz tradition and concluding with interviews that present twenty-seven pianists in their own words, is both wonderfully anecdotal and a serious piece of jazz history. Lyons has assembled a giant concert of piano voices--Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Teddy Wilson, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Randy Weston, Cecil Taylor, Horace Silver, Dave Brubeck, Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Chick Corea, and many others. The pianists are candid, intense, and always opinionated. Yet their responses are infused with a keen appreciation for fellow musicians, their contemporaries, and those who came before--Walter, Tatum, Ellington. For pianists everywhere, whatever their individual style, this book will speak to and for you as it expresses the thoughts of its many great artists.
Jazz PB
Jazz: America's Classical Music is a delightful introduction and guide to this complex and compelling music and to its rich history. In an engaging and conversational style, renowned jazz teacher Grover Sales tells of the lives and music of the greats--Ellington, Tatum, Hawkins, Coltrane, Parker, Hines, Goodman, Armstrong, and many others--with a mix of important facts, fascinating anecdotes, and brilliant interpretations. Illustrated with astonishing photographs of the artists in performance, Jazz: America's Classical Music is a classic text, an ideal book for beginners and an inspiring one for serious students of the art of jazz.
Riding on a Blue Note
Gary Giddins, winner of the 1998 National Book Critics Circle Award, has a following that includes not only jazz enthusiasts but also pop music fans of every stripe. Writing here in a lyrical and celebratory style all his own, Giddins dazzlingly shows us among many other things how performers originally perceived as radical (Bing Crosby, Count Basie, Elvis Presley) became conservative institutions . . . how Charlie Parker created a masterpiece from the strain of an inane ditty . . . how the Dominoes helped combine church ritual with pop music . . . and how Irving Berlin translated a chiaroscuro of Lower East Side minorities into imperishable songs.
