There are plenty of books about 1970s excess - of chauffeur-driven limos, soulless stadiums and endless supplies of cocaine. For Tyla, though, it was mainly unreliable tour vans, smoky pubs and amphetamine sulphate, plus occasional glimpses of the Promised Land to keep him going. This is a fascinating autobiography of the highs and lows of a musician's life in the 1970s. Starting with his entry into the music business in 1970 as a jobbing songwriter for Lionel Bart, the book covers ace pub rockers Ducks Deluxe, The Tyla Gang and a solo career which earned him a gold disc in Germany. Le Monde dubbed him 'Un nouveau Christ' - Tyla was huge in mainland Europe. There are marvellous anecdotes about childhood friend and Stiff Records stable mate Nick Lowe, Michael Nesmith, AC/DC and even Clint Eastwood. It also covers Tyla's uncanny ability to pass on the main chance - he turned down an offer to join Motorhead and declined to produce the Sex Pistols. Doh! Tyla has reformed Ducks Deluxe and the Tyla Gang, as well as starting a new band called The Trouble Boys with ex-Rockpile guitarist Billy Bremner and is touring and recording.

Jumpin' In The Fire: A Life In Rock'n'Roll

Tyla, Sean

Humor & Entertainment

Soundcheck Books LLP

This book is the definitive biography of country star Gram Parsons and was published to very positive reviews in 2002, written by a fan who is also a successful musician in his own right. Soundcheck Books has licensed the work from Helter Skelter on a worldwide basis and is re-publishing it in an accessible B-format edition for a new audience. Had Parsons lived he would have been 65 on November 5th, so Soundcheck Books will be publishing the new edition in time to mark that important anniversary, which will help generate publicity. Parsons was a contradiction in some respects. Most country stars are born into poverty, but Parsons was born to a wealthy family. He briefly studied Theology at Harvard, but embarked on a life of drink and drugs that was to destroy him. Although he died aged only 26 in 1973 his influence has been enormous, with U2, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones amongst his biggest fans. This book looks at the man and his music, including his relationship with Emmylou Harris and the bizarre events surrounding his death when his body was stolen and cremated at the Joshua Tree. Publishing the book in a B-format paperback will help to take the work to a new audience. This revised edition is updated by the author and contains * Uncut magazine's Book of the Month, 2002 * Parson's 65th birthday year

Gram Parsons: God's Own Singer

Walker, Jason

Take a trip to a lost world. A world permeated by the odour of stale tobacco and overflowing toilets; a world where your feet stick to the carpet and the walls are covered in peeling flock wallpaper. The beer is warm, but the band on stage is hot. Welcome to the world of 1970s pub rock. Author John Blaney traces the history of pub rock from its Mod roots through to its reinvention as new wave. He covers all the essential bands such as the American Eggs Over Easy (who started it all), Brinsley Schwarz, Kilburn &amp;The High Roads, Dr Feelgood, Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello and more, in a fascinating study that has been painstakingly researched and is well argued. Crucial to the movement were Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera, both of whom managed Pub Rock bands before setting up Stiff Records. With little money, or inclination, to sign big acts they turned to the Pub Rock caterpillars they knew and turned them in new wave butterflies. Ian Dury, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Elvis Costello were all on roads to nowhere, but made it big as a result of Stiff's involvement. The book ends with the Be Stiff tour of 1979, when a 'new' new wave was breaking with Wreckless Eric, Lene Lovich and Rachel Sweet. With eye-witness accounts from those involved, including a lengthy interview with Dave Robinson, John Blaney explains perfectly how pub rock started, flourished and reinvented itself as the new wave: 'A Howlin' Wind' that blew away the cobwebs from a moribund music scene. Of particular interest to US audiences will be the attempts to conquer American by some of the acts. Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and Ian Dury succeeded (as did Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds to a lesser extent), but Dr Feelgood failed due to an unwillingness to play the corporate game. This book is different from Will Birch's excellent No Sleep Till Canvey Island, and is complementary to it as Will looks at the When and Where, whereas John covers the Why and How. Will has been very supportive of our book. In addition to an 8 page plates section there are black and white images of people and memorabilia scattered throughout the book, making this a lovely memento of an era when the music mattered.

A Howlin' Wind: Pub Rock and the Birth of New Wave

Arts & Photography

Blaney, John

Music

Most books about Nirvana concentrate on Kurt Cobain's short tragic life and suicide, whereas this puts Nirvana's music center stage. Over 40 recording sessions, including private recordings, made between 1982 and 1994 are painstakingly analyzed, from Kurt Cobain's first bedroom four-track demos through to the "new tracks including the With The Lights Out box set, Live At Reading, the 20th Anniversary Edition of Nevermind and the expanded Bleach. The author draws on hours of interviews with those who worked on Nirvana's sessions, including engineers, producers, guest musicians and other collaborators. Whilst this book was published in hardback in 2004 by Helter Skelter (gaining a prestigious Certificate Of Merit from the American Association For Recorded Sound Collections in the category for Best Rock Research), it was never officially published here. This new fully-updated paperback, from Soundcheck Books, is therefore the first chance that fans in North America have to read it. Praise for the original hardback: "a brilliant overview of the band's musical output" - NME; "Exhaustive And Impeccably Researched - Metal Hammer; "… manna from heaven Kerrang!

Nirvana: The Recording Sessions

Jovanovic, Rob

Eliza Carthy is the daughter of Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson. The clan has often been rightly described as folk's royal family. Martin was in Steeleye Span, Albion Dance band and the Watersons as well as holding down a successful solo career. Norma was a member of the Watersons folk group. Perhaps it was inevitable that Eliza would follow the family trade and become a folk musician. She is no pale imitator though, and can play just about any stringed instrument like a virtuoso, though amazingly she underrates herself. This self- doubt seems at odds with the public persona of a brassy northern lass, who has sometimes been described as 'difficult' (though not in our experience). Her albums are exceptional slices of traditional and new folk, but the stage is her natural home, enthralling audiences with a blend of folk, jazz, rock and music hall. 2011 saw her win two out of the three categories she was nominated for in the Radio 2 British Folk Awards, to swell an already bulging trophy cabinet. At 35 years of age it seems apt to chronicle the first half of an eventful life. In addition to extensive interviews with Eliza herself, the book contains interviews with her parents and other family members and also many of the people Eliza has worked with: Billy Bragg, comedian Stewart Lee, Richard Thompson Vandyke Parkes and many more were fulsome in their praise of Eliza when interviewed. She has toured America with Joan Baez. Eliza has an extensive collection of photographs that people have taken of her and she has been exceptionally generous in letting us use them.

Wayward Daughter: The Official Biography of Eliza Carthy

Parkes, Sophie

Back in the year 2000 a teacher called Garry Freeman was running a Drum Circle for hearing impaired children in Bradford. His drumming idol was Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake &amp; Palmer fame. On the principle of nothing ventured, nothing gained, he asked him along to a lesson. Palmer, being a nice guy, said yes, and this was the start of a friendship. Freeman had always wanted to write a book about the band, but everyone said there was no way ELP would ever cooperate: they were supposed to be aloof superstars, after all. Don't ask, don't get: Garry asked and Garry got. Their New York management company was really helpful and got him access to the band who were, in his words, 'perfect gentlemen'. The result is a unique book, which analyses every gig they did in the 1970s, plus comeback concerts. Garry was at some of the UK ones, but he has spent countless hours listening to records (some bootlegs - after all, his other book is the Bootleg Guide)and watching DVDs. This is one for the fans only, but there are plenty of them, ELP are huge amongst prog rockers. The forums are already buzzing with anticipation about this book. In addition to Garry's words, the management company has been really accommodating, as has Tony Ortiz, official archivist of the band. They have provided rare photos and memorabilia including one of the band's gig riders and even instructions to the roadies on how to build the stage. This really is one for ELP fans to treasure.

Do You Wanna Play Some Magic?: Emerson, Lake and Palmer: In Concert 1970-1979

Freeman, Garry

This unique book focuses on two stars. One is Sir Elton John and his rise from jobbing songwriter to the breakthrough gigs at the LA Troubadour in 1970. The other is Tin Pan Alley itself. Denmark Street, in London's west end, was home to Britain's music publishing industry. A world filled with sharp, but often surprisingly generous, publishers and the songwriters who needed to sell them their songs to survive. Elton John and Bernie Taupin found themselves in exactly this position before success came knocking. Author and Elton John fan, Keith Hayward, seamlessly weaves these two worlds together by interviewing those that were there. Band mates in Bluesology and the Elton John Band, Tony Taupin (brother of Bernie), manager Ray Williams, lyricists Gary Osborne and Bill Martin, songwriter Tony Hatch, music publicist Tony King and many more share their thoughts and memories. With never-before-seen photos, Tin Pan Alley: The Rise of Elton John is the first book to focus solely on the artist's formative years. It is a must not only for Sir Elton's army of fans but for anyone with an interest in music history. Music business journalist, Nigel Hunter, who worked in the Alley, provides a funny and touching preface and epilogue. The jacket has been specially designed by David Larkham, who was responsible for producing many of Sir Elton's early album covers.

Tin Pan Alley: The Rise Of Elton John

Biographies & Memoirs

Hayward, Keith

Arts & Literature

To fully understand the Boss's music, you need to understand his formative years Includes an 8 page colour plates section There have been plenty of books written about Bruce Springsteen, but this is the first to concentrate solely on his early years. The author believes that to fully understand Springsteen's recorded work it is necessary to understand the formative years that shaped him. It covers: * The genealogy of the Springsteen family from earliest times. * Relationships with his managers - how whenever success beckoned he would move in a new direction. * The development of his drive to sound like Van Morrison and Joe Cocker (in the Bruce Springsteen Band). * The importance of his booking agent, Sam Keith. * The fight to get support from Columbia Records. * How a Brown University student saved his career. * How the musicians changed the rules to all-night Monopoly sessions. This book covers the year from Springsteen's birth to 1974 - the year before his breakthrough album Born To Run. It explores both the negative factors in his life such as school and Catholicism and the positive ones such as baseball, girls and the guitar, as well as the British Invasion, the civil rights movement and, crucially, his relationship with his father. Springsteen's early bands, the Rogues, the Castiles and Earth, are examined via interviews with ex-members. Also covered are the pre-Columbia years, the audition for Mike Appel, the first two albums and his involvement in what would become the E-Street Band. Interviewees include: Frank Marziotti, Cynthia Sherman, Gary Pulz, Alan Merrill, Edward Sanders, Marion Vinyard, Ken Field, Albee Tellone, Joe McHugh, Frank P. 'Flash' Craig, Sam McKeith, Mike Appel, Bob Spitz, Kip Cohen, Dick Wingate, Randy Whited, James Gabriel, Robbin Thompson, Jeffrey Mark Lane, Amy B. Lane, Betty Young, George Francis, Harvey Cherlin, Bob Feigenbaum, Nadine Epstein, Robin Nash, Layonne Holmes, Geoff Muldaur, Elliott Murphy, John B. Sebastian, Richard Davis, Jeannie Clark Fisher, Donnie Walton, Michael Parker, Chuck Wrenn, Richard Leschhorn, Walter Planer, Doug Alt and Allen Field

Springsteen: Saint In The City: 1949-1974

Statham, Craig

In the summer of 1972 Jethro Tull hit the dizzy heights of number one in the Billboard album charts, and thus could lay claim to being the world's biggest band at the time, with Thick As A Brick. They repeated the feat the next year with A Passion Play and have sold over 60 million albums to date. Considering just how big this group is (they are still going to this day, of course) there is surprisingly little written about them - only a couple of books, which is scandalous when you consider how many books have been written about their contemporaries . This book is a gem containing interviews with band members such as Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, John Evans, Martin Barre and… of course Ian Anderson. In fact, this book may well contain the longest interview Anderson has ever given. Biographer Brian Rabey and Anderson really hit it off, possibly because Brian helped the latter recover his beloved harmonica which was stolen backstage - something Anderson never forgot. Brian was given access all areas and used this wisely. Via new interviews he traces the history of a band which started life as the Blades, briefly included Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi (his plastic finger tips grafted on after an accident didn't lend themselves to playing Tull's subtle music!), and went on to become Prog Rock royalty (or Elizabethan Rock as they were sometimes dubbed!), but constantly re-invented itself with new personnel and styles. Due to Brian's contact book there are also quotes from contemporaries such as Greg Lake and John Wetton, which really helps to put things in context. Another really appealing aspect of the book is that it looks at the landscape of the times - for example, the flat Tull lived in during the 1960s would be regarded as unfit for human habitation today. A final nice touch is that several band members have sent photographs from their personal collections making this a unique book.

A Passion Play: The Story Of Ian Anderson And Jethro Tull

Rabey, Brian

Formed in East London by bassist Steve Harris in 1975, Iron Maiden are one of the most popular heavy metal bands ever. It didn't start that way though. Killers -The Origins of Iron Maiden traces their humble roots and the personnel changes that plagued them as the band strived to find the winning formula Covered here are the legendary Soundhouse Tapes, the two acclaimed Paul Di'Anno fronted albums - the self-titled 1980 debut and 1981's Killers - and the commercial breakthrough with 1982's The Number Of The Beast, which marked Bruce Dickinson's debut, and its highly acclaimed followed up Piece Of Mind, which cemented Iron Maiden's status as the world's biggest heavy metal band. This unique book is the first to focus on Iron Maiden's important formative years. It includes a foreword by Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal and an afterword from ex-Judas Priest frontman Tim 'Ripper' Owens. The publisher and author have also received extensive help in tracking down every concert played during the period covered (no easy feat), plus rare memorabilia. Influential fan Ryan LaMar, who runs a website on the band, has been amazingly helpful.

Killers: The Origins of Iron Maiden, 1975-1983

Daniels, Neil

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