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Music

Music speaks directly to your feelings and comes in many forms. For that reason Tales have selected some of the finest music books just for you. You can for example find a biography of your favorite music idol, but you can also find music theory books that will help you become your own musician. Whether you like rock, pop, musicals or classical music we have the books for you. Find your inner melody with a music book from Tales.
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  • Save 21%
    by Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton
    £13.49 - 21.99

  • Save 30%
    by Paul McCartney
    £41.99

  • Save 29%
    by Marina Abramovi¿
    £28.49

    "This book should be seen as a diary filled with writings, poetry, cut-outs, collages, photographs, and drawings printed on the stationary papers which keep the memory of my journeys." Marina Abramovic Never before published, this self-curated, intensely personal collection of travel notes and sketches by the world's most revered performance artist offers readers a kind of iconography of Abramovic's daring and utterly original body of work. An artist's notebooks are arguably the most authentic means of understanding her process, techniques, and impulses. And, for a performance artist, a rare, permanent record of how she develops her craft. Compiled over the course of four decades on stationery from various hotels, and other temporary residences, this collection of Marina Abramovic's original drawings, collages, poetry, writings, cut-outs, photographs and doodles offers glimpses of a brilliant mind in constant motion. Beautifully produced and packaged, it takes readers on a journey through Abramovic's thoughts-and traces the evolution of the most fruitful phase of her career. "My home was everywhere I went because my home was my own body." With the archival material elegantly reproduced in their original size on high-quality paper, this collection offers Abramovic's enormous fanbase unprecedented access to her creative process.

  • Save 29%
    by Mark Stielper & Johnny Carter Cash
    £28.49

  • Save 29%
    by Dolly Parton
    £28.49

    A beautifully illustrated celebration of Dolly Parton's iconic sense of style through entertaining personal stories and 450 full-color photographs, including exclusive images from her private costume archive.In Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, global superstar Dolly Parton shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world.Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton's life and career, and the largest reveal of her private costume archive, this gorgeously photographed book spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now. The sky-high heels, famous wigs, bold makeup, eye-catching stage clothes - she shares them all. Along the way, Parton discusses memorable outfits from her past, from the clothes her mother would sew out of feed sacks (including her "Coat of Many Colors") and the bold dresses and hairdos that shook up Nashville, to the bunny suit on the cover of Playboy, evening wear at Studio 54, costumes from her most famous film and TV roles, and the daring styles that continue to entertain and inspire today.Filled with candor, humor, and lots and lots of rhinestones, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones is a shining tribute to one of the most beloved musicians in history, a treasured keepsake for anyone who loves Dolly Parton, and an indispensable guide to forging your own path to beauty and confidence.

  • Save 27%
    by Peter Hince
    £21.99

    For 13 years, Peter Hince lived the rock 'n' roll dream. As head roadie for Queen he had a front row seat and backstage pass to some of the greatest moments in music.Now, he is opening up his incredible archive and sharing hundreds of photographs and mementoes - many never seen before - as well as stories and memories from life inside rock 'n' roll history.Queen Uncovered is packed with images and ephemera from this truly unique collection, covering life on the road and in the studio, backstage and on-stage, relaxing at parties, filming iconic music videos and much more besides.

  • Save 23%
    by Max Pilley
    £15.49

    R.E.M. Album by Album tells that story, tracing the band from its formation in 1980 when four young men sought respite from the difficulties of real life by starting a covers band, right up until their eventual split in 2011.

  • by Bill Peel
    £9.99

    Tonight It's a World We Bury explores a range of tendencies centralto black metal and uncovers their potential as critiques of capitalism.

  • Save 14%
    by Stuart Braithwaite
    £9.49 - 18.99

  • Save 21%
    by Karah-Leigh Hancock
    £14.99

    Backstreet Boys: 30th Anniversary Celebration is an illustrated tribute to of one of the most prolific and iconic groups in pop music today.

  • Save 27%
    by Martin Popoff
    £25.49

    Authored by acclaimed rock writer Martin Popoff, AC/DC at 50 provides a visually stunning and authoritative celebration of the legendary Aussie rockers on their 50th anniversary.

  • Save 14%
    by Nick Cave
    £9.49

    Faith, Hope and Carnage is an enthralling work by the renowned author, Nick Cave. Published in 2023 by Canongate Books Ltd., this book is a remarkable addition to the literary world. The genre of the book is not explicitly mentioned, but knowing Cave's previous works, one can expect a blend of gripping narrative and profound thoughts. The title itself, Faith, Hope and Carnage, suggests a tumultuous journey, possibly a struggle between belief, optimism, and destruction. Cave, with his exceptional storytelling skills, is sure to take readers on an unforgettable ride. Canongate Books Ltd., known for its diverse and quality publications, has once again proved its discerning eye for excellent literature by bringing this book to the public. This book is a must-read for those who appreciate thought-provoking literature.

  • Save 10%
    by Jake Jackson
    £8.99

    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 various levels. It teaches yourself the essential piano chords, and more.

  • Save 13%
    by Lil' Rev
    £13.99

    Designed for anyone just learning to play the C diatonic harmonica.

  • by Will Hagle
    £10.49

    Madvillain's Madvillainy is a captivating book penned by the talented Will Hagle. Published in 2023 by Bloomsbury Academic, this book delves into a unique genre that keeps the readers hooked from the first page to the last. The book is a testament to Hagle's prowess as a wordsmith and his ability to weave narratives that are as compelling as they are intriguing. The book was published on March 9, 2023, marking a significant milestone in the literary world. Bloomsbury Academic, the publisher, has a reputation for bringing forth books that challenge the status quo and inspire readers, and Madvillain's Madvillainy is no exception. The book is available in English, making it accessible to a broad spectrum of readers across the globe.

  • by Tom Coles
    £14.99

    Featuring exclusive interviews with key figures, from Napalm Death vocalist Barney Greenway to guitarist Bill Steer of Gentlemans Pistols, Carcass, and Napalm Death, this is your guide through the history of death metal.Guitars playing abrasive, discordant riffs, the thunderous double-kick of the drums acting like an accelerated heartbeat, and porcine, guttural vocals pummeling twisted lyrics. Courting controversy from inception to its modern day iteration, death metal presents a number of contradictions: Driven and adventurous musicians compete to make uncomfortable noises; it is crude and far beyond parody and yet consistently popular; and the music is pig-headedly uncommercial despite making a few labels, albeit briefly, wealthy. This book explores the history and methodology of the genre, charting its aims and intentions, its crossovers to the mainstream, successes and failures, and tracks how it developed from the bedrooms of Birmingham and Florida to the near-mainstream, to the murky cult status it enjoys today.

  • by Margo Jefferson
    £16.49

  • by Roy D Hacksaw
    £15.49

  • Save 14%
  • Save 11%
    by Pepsi Demacque-Crockett & Shirlie Kemp
    £7.99 - 15.49

    A tale of the 80s and pop stardom, from the two singers who found fame as backing singers in Wham! then going on to form their own band.

  • Save 20%
    - Suede, Coming Up . . . And More Adventures Beyond The Wild Frontiers
    by Jane Savidge
    £11.99

    An in-depth, insider s look at how Suede came back from the brink to create their most successful album, Coming Up.

  • by Jeremy Siskind
    £14.99

  • Save 23%
    - A practical guide for Technicians
    by Daniel Bangham
    £38.49

    A detailed and comprehensive guide to the understanding and practice of woodwind instrument repair. Will be of great interest to woodwind technicians, repairers and musicians. Arranged in six parts, from initial diagnostic technique to specialist repair and every aspect of care. Includes clarinets, flutes, saxophones, oboes and bassoons. Beautifully illustrated with 768 colour illustrations. Daniel Bangham runs Cambridge Wood Makers and has been a leading woodwind technician, repairer, maker and teacher for over forty years.

  • Save 20%
    by Harry Harrison
    £11.99

    Emerging from Nottingham in the summer of 1989, the DiY Collective were one of the first house sound systems in the UK. Merging the anarchic lineage of the free festival scene, the cultural and political anger of bands like Crass with the new, irresistible electronic pulse of acid house, they bridged the idealistic void left by the moral implosion of the commercial rave scene. From Castlemorton to the Cafe del Mar, the DiY sound and DJs became internationally renowned and beneath their banners of liberty, collectivism and untrammelled hedonism achieved an underground cult status that endures to this day. Dreaming in Yellow is an attempt to distil the story of DiY s tumultuous existence and the remarkably eclectic, outrageous and occasionalsly deranged story of them doing it themselves.

  • Save 15%
    - In Sickness and in Health with Glen Campbell
    by Kim Campbell
    £10.99

    The page-turning, never-before-told story of Kim Campbell's rollercoaster thirty-four-year marriage to music legend Glen Campbell, including how Kim helped Glen finally conquer his addictions only to face their greatest challenge when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

  • Save 23%
    - The A to Z of Queen
    by Mark Blake
    £15.49

    A unique 'A to Z' biography from music journalist and Queen biographer Mark Blake that will shed new light on the story of the biggest rock band of all time.

  • Save 10%
    by Jude Rogers
    £8.99 - 11.99

  • - Native American Flute Songbook
    by Wojciech Usarzewicz
    £10.49

  • by Steve Tupai (Independent Scholar Francis
    £10.49

    Computer World was Kraftwerk's most concise and focused conceptual statement, their most influential record and crowning achievement. Computer World transformed the way pop music was composed, played, packaged and released and, in the process, helped create entire new genres of music including hip-hop, techno, trance, electro, industrial and synth-pop. They influenced the influencers. Upon its release on 10 May 1981, the record was a revelation. It was unlike anything created for mainstream consumers of music at that time, an electronic suite of assured and industrious propulsive forward movement. Kraftwerk set off a sonic detonation that is still being felt today.This book explores Kraftwerk's revolutionary sonic template, their conceptual and artistic preoccupations and lyrical obsessions to provide new insights into one of the greatest records ever made.

Music
Music has that special connection with our feelings. It can both make us happy and sad, help through a crisis and through all the difficult feelings we need to acknowledge. Life is not just about being happy, and music can take you on a journey through all those different feelings. In that way music can function as a form of therapy. Music can comfort you and the lyrics can make you feel embraced and recognized. Some of the songs we love most are those, which have that universal feeling and message in them. Those songs that cover all the different and conflicting feelings of life in a verse. You can learn the secrets behind some of the biggest hits or most beautiful ballads in our selection of music books. 
You could also get to know your biggest idol in our icon books. Some of the music icons have lived an inspiring and sometimes hard life, and you can learn a lot from there stories. We have biographic music books with musicians from different genres, all with their own fascinating story. We have multiple music books about the extremely talented singer Freddie Mercury - the frontman, pianist and songwriter in the legendary band Queen. Freddie Mercury had an amazing career and a magnificent voice, and he was at the same time a huge inspiration for homosexuals and generally everyone, who felt different. The singer must tragically lost his life to AIDS and the world lost one of its biggest stars to date, but you can revisit Freddie Mercury’s amazing talent and read his story in the music books Bohemian Rhapsody - The Definitive Biography of Freddie Mercury, Freddie Mercury - the Biography, Somebody to Love - The Life, Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury, and many more.

Music books for students
If you are studying the wonderful world of music or just wants to improve your performance you should look at our music theory books. They will help you with all the different techniques no matter the instrument. At Tales you find music books for piano, music books for keyboard and music books for guitar. They will all help you in your musicology study or on your journey to becoming an amazing musician yourself. 
We also have music history books that will take you on a journey with all the greatest from Beethoven and Mozart to Tjajkovskij and Stravinskij. When you travel through the history of music you will also visit different music periods and get a better understanding of why the music sounds so differently throughout history. The music is formed by its time and the historical events of that time. If you are interested in the history of music we will recommend the music history book by Cecil Gray called History of Music. The music book moves in the crossfield between the elementary, educational and tries to give answers to some of the things we do not yet understand. It starts with the Gregorian Chant and moves through investigations of both French, Italian, English, and Russian music. 

Musical
If you like to visit the theatre for a musical you can take some of that magic with you home by finding the books, scripts and lyrics of all the biggest hit shows on Broadway and West End. Experiencing a live performance is something unique, but it is over too fast. That is why we recommend you to dive deeper into your favorite musicals with the music books on Tales. You find the lyrics and story behind the world’s nr. 1 hit musical Hamilton that changed the world. The show won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016 and tells the story of one of America’s Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton. The musical contains an amazing Grammy award winning soundtrack with the most brilliant lyrics telling the story of the American civil war. The man behind it all is the extremely talented Lin Manuel Miranda, who tells the story of American then, but with the sounds and faces of modern times. You can dive into the fascinating story of Alexander Hamilton and the musical in the book Hamilton: The Revolution or you can learn how to perform the amazing songs yourself with the music books Hamilton - Vocal Selections & Piano or Hamilton - Easy Piano Selections

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