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Interviews with 50 guitar players you've no doubt heard but may not know by name Guitar players from pop to jazz to heavy metal and folk, from the 1960s to the present day An insider's look behind the scenes of some of the greatest music ever recorded
Forming when punk was starting to become a force, The Police – led by drummer Stuart Copeland and singer/bassist Sting - used this emerging new form of music to create a sound that was both fresh, energetic and sophisticated. An early incarnation with guitarist Henry Padovani ended when Andy Summers joined the band, and under the innovative management of Miles Copeland, The Police took on the world. From 1978 to 1983, the band released five magnificent albums that took in rock, reggae, and world music. A succession of massive hit singles, including ‘Message In A Bottle’ and the classic and often misunderstood ‘Every Breath You Take’ also cemented their success. By 1983, they’d be...
As well as his time in Mott The Hoople, Ian Hunter has had a long and adventurous solo career. In this book, we unlock the secrets behind every lyric, riff, and melody. From the soul-stirring anthems that defined an era to the hidden gems that eluded the spotlight, we leave no chord unheard. It is an immersive voyage into the evolution of a songwriter extraordinaire, as we explore the stories, inspirations, and the mind of the creative maverick that brought these songs to life. With a mix of anecdotes, in-depth analyses, and a touch of rockstar charisma, this book isn't just a collection of pages, it's a front-row seat to Hunter's musical legacy. Whether you've been inspired by ‘All The Yo...
In April 1967, the Bee Gees launched themselves onto the international music scene with the release of ‘New York Mining Disaster 1941’. Whilst that haunting classic would be the first of many hits, the Bee Gees consisting of brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb had been releasing records since 1963. As extraordinary as it sounds, with more than ten years of performing and four years of recording behind them, the Gibb twins, Robin and Maurice, were just seventeen while elder brother Barry was only twenty. In an incredible career the Bee Gees would go on to sell over 200 million records, making them among the best\-selling music artists of all time, they would be inducted into the Rock a...
Bruce Springsteen called him ‘one of the great, great American songwriters’, Jackson Browne hailed him as ‘the first and foremost proponent of song noir’ and Stephen King once said that if he could write like Zevon, he ‘would be a happy guy’. The list of artists that lined up to appear on his records include Springsteen, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Dave Gilmour and Emmylou Harris. So how is it that most people, if they have heard of Warren Zevon at all, know him only as ‘that werewolves guy’? This book goes beyond that solitary hit single to examine all aspects of Zevon’s multifaceted, five-decade career, from his beginnings in the slightly psychedelic folk duo lyme and cybelle,...
AC/DC are a global rock institution and big brand name. The secret to their success has always been that they are a rock ‘n’ roll band, pure and simple, undiluted by trends with a solid authenticity and no frills or pretentiousness. Chris Sutton examines the recorded output of the band in detail, helped by new interview material with former members, collaborators and friends in manager Michael Browning, drummers Peter Clack, Noel Taylor and Tony Currenti, engineer/producer Mike Fraser, logo designer Gerard Huerta, bassist Ian Hampton and engineer Dave Thoener. They have one of the world’s biggest-selling albums in Back In Black, but is it their best album, and which are their best song...
Blue Öyster Cult On Track is a song-by-song analysis of the discography of Long Island’s greatest sons, the Blue Öyster Cult. Dubbed 'the thinking man’s heavy metal band' and celebrated by critics, fans and musicians since their debut album in 1972, the band carved a unique path in hard rock history by combining chops, humour, occultism, poetry, jazz chords and pop sensibilities. Best known for their FM radio hits '(Don’t Fear) The Reaper' and 'Burnin’ For You', Blue Öyster Cult’s discography is in fact a treasure trove of fascinating, ever-evolving music by a band that was never afraid to explore, and never had the slightest respect for genre boundaries. The band's influence st...
2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the first Electric Light Orchestra album. The ELO story is one of continued success for over 50 years. From inauspicious beginnings in 1971, where live audiences barely reached double figures, ELO would become one of the most popular bands in the world by the end of the decade, thanks largely to the songwriting and production talents of Jeff Lynne. There were hits such as ‘Evil Woman’, ‘Mr. Blue Sky and ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’; multi-platinum albums like Out Of The Blue and Discovery, and, of course, their spectacular stage shows. Although ELO finally called it a day in 1986, they re-emerged in 2014 as Jeff Lynne’s ELO, playing a ...
Generally regarded as one of the most tragic tales in the history of rock music, the story of Badfinger makes for an impressively sombre Hollywood-style film script. A Welsh and Liverpudlian hybrid, the band were signed to Apple Records, became protégés of The Beatles and produced four global hit singles. Two of its members also co-wrote the now perennial pop standard ‘Without You’, covered most notably by Harry Nilsson. Yet Badfinger found themselves plagued by ruinous misfortune and through a combination of unscrupulous business management, record label neglect and just plain bad luck, the dream soon lay in tatters with the band’s story ultimately culminating in the suicides of two...
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.