Music

British musicals have been wowing audiences since the 1700s. They have the power to produce tears of sadness and joy, to enrapture audiences with spellbinding songs and treat them to the most spectacular and magical moments ever to be seen on stage.This lovingly crafted book explores the history, the drama and the story behind our most famous shows, ranging from the longest running, such as Phantom of the Opera, to one of the most financially successful, Les Miserables, and those that will always be remembered for their most unusual format, such as Cats.The evolution of British musicals is a fascinating journey, and on this trip down memory lane we can once again enjoy the unforgettable performances, songs, actors, producers and directors, that brought magic into our lives.Author Janey Fletcher has cherry picked 50 of the most popular musicals ever to grace the West End, those which have had the power to capture the imagination of the audiences of their day and become legendary events in the history of theatre.

Make your guitar sing with insight on music theory brings your instrument to lifeThere's a universe of incredible music living in your guitar. You just need to discover how to let it out. In Guitar Theory For Dummies, expert guitarist and instructor Desi Serna walks you through the music theory concepts you need to understand to expand your musical horizons. From deciphering the mysteries of the fretboard to adapting chord progressions to a song's key, you'll master techniques that will help you move past simple, three-chord songs to more complex and creative pieces.Build on your existing knowledge of open and barre chords and simple progressions with practical instruction that demystifies scales and chord voicings and shows you how to bring them together to create impressive music. You can also jump over to dummies.com to hear audio samples of the examples featured in the book.You'll also learn:* How chords, keys, and scales are built and how they interact with one another* Powerful concepts, like intervals, chord extensions, modes and modal scales, that grant access to a world of musical possibilities* How popular songs apply elements of guitar theory and how you can apply the same techniquesFree yourself from the confines of tab sheets and simple chords and start enjoying all the musical potential of your guitar. Guitar Theory For Dummies is for anyone who wants to unlock the next stage of their musical journey.

To many, it seemed as though Lizzo shot to fame overnight. But long-time fans, like author Billie Oliver, know this is hardly the case. Lizzös story is one of tireless persistence, in an industry and media landscape where she was often made to feel like she didn¿t belong. Well, you better believe that never stopped Lizzo.Lizzobangers, her debut album, dropped in 2014 and piqued the interest of the American music industry. There were murmurs, and some collaborations (*cough* Prince *cough*). But it was from 2016 onwards, as Lizzös hilarious online presence grew in step with her status as a body positivity and self-love advocate, that her ascent to global stardom began.All the while, Lizzo maintained her brand of I-don¿t-give-a-f**k sincerity that many of us now aspire to. Or at least enjoy watching. How many other artists can claim to have twerked on stages around the world while playing classical flute?This book offers 50 pieces of Lizzös story as a tribute to an icon who truly shines (and lets us all shine too).

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER! An album-by-album celebration of the life and music of Mac Miller through oral histories, intimate reflections, and critical examinations of his enduring work.

The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess invites you to the greatest listening party of all time. In 2020 when the world was forced to hit pause on live in-person gigs, Tim Burgess found an ingenious way to bring people together by inviting artists and bands, from Paul McCartney and New Order to Michael Kiwanuka and Kylie, to host real-time album playbacks via Twitter. Relive 100 of the most memorable listening parties here with stories from bands and fans, rarely seen backstage images, and unique insider info from those who created these iconic albums. "Hey Twitter, let''s all say a big thanks to Tim for these brilliant events this year! We really needed them. So much great music being talked about.''" - Sir Paul McCartney "Twitter being used for something really positive." - Mary Beard

This installment of the On track series examines the vast The Smiths back catalogue in detail, from their debut single 'Hand In Glove' (1983) to Morrissey's vinyl single release of a live version of 'Cosmic Dancer' in 2021, recorded with David Bowie back in 1991 - and all the songs from all the albums and singles in-between.

The making and meaning of Radiohead's groundbreaking, controversial, epoch-defining album, Kid A.

A playful literary biography of The Cure in the form of an A-Z of the band: for trainspotters and casual fans alike

On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of Bowie's death, photographer Masayoshi Sukita presents an extraordinary illustrated book on the celebrated musician, actor and producer. Text in English and German.

Iconic drummer Stephen Morris presses play once more to the tune of the long-awaited second volume of memoirs . . .

"The first overview of resonance/vibration - covering the field thematically, and written by one of the leading figures in sound studies and sound art"--

The first and long overdue biography of the highly talented drum legend Cozy Powell. Author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL has a Masters degree in music and provides an insightful angle on Cozy Powell's abilities along with detailed research that presents Powell's career in all its glory.

For a generation of professionals in the musical community, this book provides a comprehensive and practical, set of tools for understanding music.

Grammy Award winner Victor Wooten's inspiring parable of the importance of music and the threats that it faces in today's world. A VINTAGE ORIGINALWe may not realize it as we listen to the soundtrack of our lives through tiny earbuds, but music and all that it encompasses is disappearing all around us. In this fable-like story three musicians from around the world are mysteriously summoned to Nashville, the Music City, to join together with Victor to do battle against the "Phasers," whose blinking "music-cancelling" headphones silence and destroy all musical sound. Only by coming together, connecting, and making the joyful sounds of immediate, "live" music can the world be restored to the power and spirit of music.

A memoir by a member of the Incredible String Band that charts a journey from hippie utopia to post-Woodstock implosion.Between 1967 and 1971 Rose Simpson lived with the Incredible String Band (Mike Heron, Robin Williamson and Licorice McKechnie), morphing from English student to West Coast hippie and, finally, bassist in leathers. The band's image adorned psychedelic posters and its music was the theme song for an alternative lifestyle. Rose and partner Mike Heron believed in, and lived, a naive vision of utopia in Scotland. But they were also a band on tour, enjoying the thrills of that life. They were at the center of "Swinging London” and at the Chelsea Hotel with Andy Warhol's superstars. They shared stages with rock idols and played at Woodstock in 1969. Rose and fellow ISB member Licorice were hippie pin-ups, while Heron and Robin Williamson the seers and prophets of a new world.Through a haze of incense and marijuana, they played out their Arcadian dreams on stages brilliant with the colors of clothes, light-shows, rugs, cushions, and exotic instruments. Like most utopias, the ISB's imploded. Never seeing herself as a professional musician, Rose retained an outsider's detachment even while living the life of a hippie chick. Her memoir gives a voice to those flower-wreathed girls whose photographs have become symbols of the psychedelic sixties.

Robert Plant is one of the few genuine living rock legends.Frontman of Led Zeppelin, musical innovator and seller of millions of records, Plant has had a profound influence on music for over four decades. But the full account of his life has barely been told ... until now.Robert Plant: A Life is the first complete and comprehensive telling of Plant's story. From his earliest performances in folk clubs in the early 1960s, to the world's biggest stages as Led Zeppelin's self-styled 'Golden God', and on to his emergence as an emboldened solo star.The sheer scale of Zeppelin's success is extraordinary: in the US alone they sold 70 million records, a figure surpassed only by the Beatles. But their success was marred by tragedy.These pages contain first-hand accounts of Plant's greatest highs and deepest lows: the tragic deaths of his son Karac and his friend, Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.Told in vivid detail, this is the definitive story of a man of great talent, remarkable fortitude and extraordinary conviction.

Celebrate of the history and significance of both the Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster for the company's 75th anniversary in this combined edition of Dave Hunter's two best-selling books! The Fender Telecaster, created in Les Fender's Fullerton, California, workshop and introduced in 1950, is a working-class hero and the ultimate blue-collar guitar. It wasn't meant to be elegant, pretty, or sophisticated. Designed to be a utilitarian musical instrument, it has lived up to that destiny. In the hands of players from Muddy Waters to James Burton, Bruce Springsteen to Joe Strummer, the Telecaster has made the music of working people—country, blues, punk, rock 'n' roll, and even jazz. Fender's Stratocaster is arguably the number-one instrument icon of the guitar world. When introduced in 1954, its offset space-age lines, contoured body, and three-pickup configuration set the music world on its ear—it was truly unlike any guitar that had come before. In the hands of the world's most beloved players, such as Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton, Ike Turner, and, yes, Jimi Hendrix, the Stratocaster has since become a popular instrument of choice among rock, blues, jazz, and country players and, not coincidentally, is also one of the most copied electric guitars of all time.   In this authoritatively written, painstakingly curated, and gloriously presented combined edition to celebrate Fender's 75th anniversary, author Dave Hunter covers both of the guitar's histories from concept, design, and model launch through its numerous variations and right up to the present. The story is richly illustrated with archival images, musicians in action, studio shots, memorabilia, and profiles of over 50 Tele and Strat slingers through the ages. With its unprecedented level of detail and stunning visuals, Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster is the only book tribute worthy of the world's two greatest guitars.