Magnifico!

Arts & Photography

MARK BLAKE

Music

Nine Eight Books

'Most underrated group? World of Twist.' - LIAM GALLAGHER'They're a top band. No one could do what World of Twist do, except World of Twist.' - NOEL GALLAGHER'They were such a special band, such a moment in time, and Gordon has written such a special book.' - JON RONSONWorld of Twist: the greatest lost band of all time.While fame, glory and untold riches seemed like an inevitability for World of Twist at the turn of the '90s, the universe was simply not ready for a group of retro futurists, psychedelic adventurers and cosmic tunesmiths. Too late for Madchester, too early for Britpop and too much fun to pigeonhole, the band went on to face a demoralising string of near-misses and 'what could have been's, ultimately falling apart in a medley of incompatible drugs, musical contretemps, sartorial differences and all-round shoulder-shrugging apathy.But they burned bright and left an indelible mark on everyone who looked deep into their light...Now, in When Does the Mind-Bending Start?, co-founder, guitarist and principal songwriter Gordon King tells the incredible inside story of his time with World of Twist, revealing the jealousy, anguish and personal demons experienced by the clashing personalities of King and the band's late singer, Tony Ogden.This is a memoir of tragedy and triumph, comedy and drama, demise and recovery.

When Does the Mind-Bending Start?: The Life and Times of World of Twist

King, Gordon

Humor & Entertainment

The extraordinary and searingly honest personal story of musician Miki Berenyi, revealing the highs and lows of navigating the madness of the '90s music industry

Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success: Rough Trade Book of the Year

Biographies & Memoirs

Berenyi, Miki

Arts & Literature

Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids?: An Indie Odyssey

A unique journey into the legacy and afterlives of the artists who featured on the legendary NME C86 tape.\nIn 1986, the NME released a cassette that would shape music for years to come. A collection of 22 independently signed guitar-based bands, C86 was the sound and ethos that defined a generation. It was also arguably the point at which 'indie' was born.\nBut what happened next to all those musical dreamers?\nSome of the bands, like Primal Scream, went on to achieve global stardom; others, such as Half Man Half Biscuit and the Wedding Present, cultivated lifelong fanbases that still sustain their careers thirty-five years later. Then there were the rest, who ultimately imploded in a riot of paisley shirts, bad drugs and general indifference from the record-buying public.\nNow, for the first time, music journalist Nige Tassell tracks down the class of C86 and recounts their stories, both tragic and uplifting.

Tassell, Nige

Shortlisted for the Penderyn Music Book Prize 
A Rough Trade Book of the Year 
A Resident Book of the Year 
A Monorail Book of the Year 
A Virgin Radio Book of the Year\nA unique journey into the legacy and afterlives of the artists who featured on the legendary NME C86 tape.\nIn 1986, the NME released a cassette that would shape music for years to come. A collection of 22 independently signed guitar-based bands, C86 was the sound and ethos that defined a generation. It was also arguably the point at which 'indie' was born.\nBut what happened next to all those musical dreamers? Some of the bands, like Primal Scream, went on to achieve global stardom; others, such as Half Man Half Biscuit and the Wedding Present, cultivated lifelong fanbases that still sustain their careers thirty-five years later. Then there were the rest, who ultimately imploded in a riot of paisley shirts, bad drugs, and general indifference from the record-buying public.\nNow, thirty-five years on, journalist Nige Tassell tracks down the class of C86, unearthing members of all twenty-two bands and sharing the stories, both tragic and uplifting, of these long-lost musicians. Told with warmth, compassion and humor, this is a very human account of ambition, hope, varying degrees of talent and what happens after you give up on music - or, more accurately, after music gives up on you. It's a world populated by bike-shop owners, dance-music producers, record-store proprietors, ornithologists, driving instructors, solicitors, caricaturists and possibly even an Olympic sailor. And let's not forget the musician-turned-actor gainfully employed as Jeremy Irons' body double...\nMore than simply the tale of the tape, Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids? is an exploration of C86's wide-reaching and often surprising legacy.

A Telegraph Book of the YearA Guardian Book of the YearA Shindig Book of the YearA Virgin Radio Book of the Year'A colourful picture of the entire '70s in Great Britain.' - SUZI QUATROIn 1970, pop was in trouble. The Beatles were no more. Pink Floyd devoted themselves to progressive epics. Led Zeppelin dismissed anything beyond their 'musical statements' as childish frippery. Thankfully, help was on its way.This comprehensive chronicle by music historian Will Hodgkinson explores how an unlikely mix of backroom songwriters, revitalised rockers, actors, producers, teen stars and children turned pop into the dominant sound and vision of the 1970s.While bands such as the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac were ruling the albums chart, the singles chart was swinging along to the tune of million-selling blockbusters by the likes of Brotherhood of Man, the Sweet and the Wombles. These were the songs you heard on Radio 1, during Saturday-night TV, at youth clubs, down the pub and even emanating from your parents' record player...It was never cool, but it was the real soundtrack of the decade.Against a rainy, smog-filled backdrop of three-day weeks, national strikes, IRA bombings and the Winter of Discontent, this unrelenting stream of novelty songs, sentimental ballads, glam-rock stomps and blatant rip-offs offered escape, uplift, romance and the promise of eternal childhood - all released with one goal in a smash hit.In Perfect Harmony takes the reader on a journey through the most colour-saturated era in music, examining the core themes and camp spectacle of '70s singalong pop, as well as its reverberations through British culture since. This is the pioneering social history of a musical revolution.

IN PERFECT HARMONY

Will Hodgkinson

'Hugely entertaining history' - Mojo\nBetween the late '60s and early '80s, design house Hipgnosis created some of the most iconic and ubiquitous album artwork of all time. Their original lifespan coincided with the golden age of the 12-inch LP, beginning just as the Beatles' Sgt Pepper made the record sleeve the ultimate blank canvas and ending just as new technology looked set to usurp vinyl.\nHaving originally been approached to design an album cover for their friends Pink Floyd, students Aubrey 'Po' Powell and Storm Thorgerson would go on to define the visual identity of rock and roll for the next fifteen years, swiftly gaining international prominence for their famed The Dark Side of the Moon artwork. This paved the way for other major musicians to set foot in the surreal photo-design world of Storm and Po, resulting in seminal Hipgnosis creations for the likes of Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, Genesis, Black Sabbath, ELO and Yes.\nIn this authorised account, with access to previously unpublished material and exclusive contributions from David Gilmour, Jimmy Page, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, Robert Plant and even Aubrey Powell himself, Mark Blake goes behind the scenes of the Hipgnosis partnership to reveal the pioneering ambition and grand vision that led to their success, as well as the clashing egos and artistic differences that undermined it. The Hipgnosis story also offers hitherto-untold insight into some of music's most legendary bands, as viewed through the prism of the people who shaped their imagery and cultural legacy.\nWith the work of Hipgnosis continuing to be referenced, reproduced and revered worldwide , Us and Them serves as a celebration, a cautionary tale and a compelling human drama, exploring the vital intersection between art and music.

US AND THEM

'A Christmas cracker' - Record CollectorSo here it is...The perfect gift for music lovers of all ages, The Official Christmas No. 1 Singles Book is jam-packed with facts, figures and photos to get your toes tapping along to the sounds of seven decades of festive chart-toppers. Have you ever wondered how many Christmas number ones actually have the word 'Christmas' in their title? Or how many TV talent-show winners have claimed the festive top spot? Do you know which artist has racked up the most Christmas number ones? Or which single is the biggest-selling seasonal chart-topper of all time? Can you name the only song to have topped the Christmas chart twice by two different artists? Or the only artist to have been Christmas number one twice with the same song? The answers to all these questions - plus many more - can be found in this exclusive festive companion, published in conjunction with the Official Charts Company. With a fully illustrated double-page spread for every year since the UK singles chart began in 1952, Michael Mulligan's fun and authoritative journey through the Christmas archives will delight curious browsers and dedicated pop nerds alike. Featuring top-ten countdowns, fascinating trivia about the highest-charting Christmas singles and plenty of entertaining infographics, this is the ideal family stocking-filler, celebrating all that is wonderful, whimsical and unpredictable about the festive season's most hotly contested musical event.

The Official Christmas No. 1 Singles Book

Mulligan, Michael

P.P. Arnold's story is that of a rich and varied life. From her early musical origins in powerhouse church gospel, the talented singer's career began when she joined the Ike & Tina Turner Revue at the age of just seventeen. But little did the young Ikette know how much her world was about to be turned upside-down... Now, for the first time, she is telling her remarkable story.

Soul Survivor

Arnold, P.P

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Nine Eight Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Nine Eight Books

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Nine Eight Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Magnifico!

When Does the Mind-Bending Start?: The Life and Times of World of Twist

When Does the Mind-Bending Start?: The Life and Times of World of Twist

Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success: Rough Trade Book of the Year

Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids?: An Indie Odyssey

Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids?: An Indie Odyssey

IN PERFECT HARMONY

US AND THEM

The Official Christmas No. 1 Singles Book

Soul Survivor