Showing results for "classics" in Composers & Musicians

The original edition of this revered and authorized Queen biography explored every aspect of the legendary group’s career from inception to 1992. Newly revised and updated with cooperation and insight from Brian May and Roger Taylor—and drawing on exclusive interviews with the bandmembers—this book completes the story of the Mercury era and the immediate years after his death.  

The first full-length biography of Alice Coltrane, the jazz musician and spiritual leader whose forward-thinking music was overshadowed by her more famous husband, even as she brilliantly laid the groundwork for the new age, ambient, and electronic music that would follow. Alice Coltrane...

From the bestselling author of Shout!, comes the definitive biography of Eric Clapton, a Rock legend whose life story is as remarkable as his music, which transformed the sound of a generation. For half a century Eric Clapton has been acknowledged to be one of music's greatest virtuosos, the...

Jimi Hendrix's road manager and confidant Eric Barrett breaks fifty-five years of silence As Jimi Hendrix's road manager, Eric Barrett was there when the amps blew in Milan, when Hendrix set Woodstock ablaze, when paranoia crackled through the Toronto airport, when his music electrified a sea of...

The brand new memoir from James Acaster: cult comedian, bestselling author of Classic Scrapes, undercover cop, receiver of cabbages. PERFECT SOUND WHATEVER is a love letter to the healing power of music, and how one man's obsessive quest saw him defeat the bullshit of one year with the beauty of...

The biography of Sylvia Moy, Motown’s first certified female in-house producer and songwriter, and one of the authors behind classic hits like “My Cherie Amour,” “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” and a slew of other time-honored tunes. Imagine a world without the music of Stevie...

'This could be heaven or this could be hell...' So sings Don Henley on their biggest hit, 'Hotel California', and it is true that the Eagles story was one that blurred the ultimate Hollywood highs and subterranean LA lows beyond recognition. The band that embodied the American dream with...

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'THE ROCK 'N' ROLL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Essential for fans and great reading for anyone else' Classic Rock Break-ups, make-ups, groupies, band politics, court battles, the tragic death of Rick Parfitt . . . This is Francis Rossi as you have never...

Since exploding on the scene in the late 1970s, Journey has inspired generations of fans with hit after hit. But hidden under this rock 'n' roll glory is a complex story of ambition, larger-than-life personalities, and clashes. David Hamilton Golland unearths the band's true and complete biography, based on over a decade of interviews and thousands of sources.

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE A revelatory biography of the world-famous playwright and actor Sam Shepard, whose work was matched by his equally dramatic life, including collaborations with the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan as well as tumultuous relationships with Patti Smith, Joni...

Bloomsbury presents Too Late To Stop Now by Allan Jones, read by Matt Bates. More than 40 stories from the glory days of rock’n’roll, featuring Lou Reed, Elton John, Sting and The Clash. Allan Jones brings stories – many previously unpublished – from the golden days of music reporting...

Tony Blackburn is one of Britain's most iconic disc jockeys, a true pioneer of pop radio who has kept the nation entertained for decades. From his rebellious early days as a pirate radio DJ to becoming the golden voice of BBC Radio 1, Tony has seen it all - chart-topping hits, industry rivalries...

Brought to you by Penguin. Featuring integrated music and full orchestra recordings. Ludwig van Beethoven: to some, simply the greatest ever composer of Western classical music. Yet his life remains shrouded in myths, and the image persists of him as an eccentric genius shaking his fist at...

“An oral history is only as good as its sources, and ‘Texas Flood’ is thorough and far-reaching, with Vaughan's bandmates, crew and family taking center stage.” — New York Times Book Review This program is read by a full cast and features exclusive bonus material, including a...

Frank Vincent Zappa (1940-1993) was an American composer, songwriter, guitarist, conductor, actor, satirist, filmmaker, and activist. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral and musique concrète works; he additionally produced nearly all the 60-plus albums he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. His discography is characterized by nonconformity, improvisation, sonic experimentation, musical virtuosity and satire of American culture. The following recording is from a 1990 interview.

Frank Vincent Zappa (1940-1993) was an American composer, songwriter, guitarist, conductor, actor, satirist, filmmaker, and activist. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral and musique concrète works; he additionally produced nearly all the 60-plus albums he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. His discography is characterized by nonconformity, improvisation, sonic experimentation, musical virtuosity and satire of American culture. The following recording is from a 1990 interview.

In honor of Sinatra's 100th birthday, Pete Hamill's classic tribute returns with a new introduction by the author. In this unique homage to an American icon, journalist and award-winning author Pete Hamill evokes the essence of Sinatra--examining his art and his legend from the inside, as only a...

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935-August 16, 1977), born in Tupelo, Mississippi, was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll," he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Presley's sexually provocative performance style, combined with a mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, brought both great success and initial controversy. The following audio clips are from an interview in 1960, and press conferences in 1970 and 1972.

Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (April 2, 1939-April 1, 1984) was an American R&B and soul singer, musician, and songwriter. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist, which earned him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and "Prince of Soul." With hits like, "How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "What's Going On," "Let's Get It On" and "Sexual Healing," Gaye is often considered one of the greatest singers of all time. The following recording is from a 1983 TV interview.

Carson Wayne Newton, born April 3, 1943, in Norfolk, Virginia, also known as "Mr. Las Vegas," "The Midnight Idol," and "Mr. Entertainment," is an American singer and actor. One of the most popular singers in the United States from the mid-to-late 20th century, Newton remains one of the best-known entertainers in Las Vegas and has headlined there since 1963. Newton has also appeared in many dozens of films and television shows. The following includes two television interviews, each from the 1960s and 70s.