I'll Be Gone; Mike Rudd, Spectrum and how one song captured a generation by Craig Horne

$32.99 AUD

Category: Music

It reveals the musical and personal journey of Michael Rudd a national treasure, even though he's a New Zealander! The book traces Rudd's musical origins leading Chants R&B, a quirky counter-cultural phenomenon of a band from Christchurch and follows him as he moves to Melbourne in the mid-1960's to become an integral member of two Ross Wilson led avant-garde outfits, Party Machine and Sons of the Vegetal Mother. In 1969 Rudd then formed what would become Australia's premier progressive/expressionist band, Spectrum. The book describes the political, social and artistic context in which Rudd led Spectrum for the next four years. This was an era when Dylan wrote symbolist lyrics such as those of Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, The Beatles were using horns and harps, harmonica quartets, assorted animal noises and a 91-piece orchestra on their recordings and Pink Floyd's 1970 Atom Earth Mother LP presented side 1 as a suite, almost a symphony. Politically in Australia hundreds of thousands of young people all over the country were marching in the streets of our capital cities in protest of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War and capitalism was under the microscope, with many young people challenging it's social and sexual inequalities, rampant materialism and environmental destruction. It was in this tumultuous context that Mike Rudd wrote his seminal song I'll Be Gone, a song that rejects the overriding materialist paradigm and describes an alternate life that embraces simplicity and freedom. It's a beautiful song that encouraged a generation of young people to embrace a spirit of hope over violence, naturalism over avarice and freedom over servitude. ...Show more

Stranger Than Kindness by Nick Cave

$59.99 AUD

Category: Music

Stranger Than Kindness is a journey in images and words into the creative world of musician, storyteller and cultural icon Nick Cave. This highly collectible book contains images selected by Cave from 'Stranger Than Kindness: The Nick Cave Exhibition', presented by the Royal Danish Library in partnershi p with Arts Centre Melbourne. Featuring full-colour reproductions of original artwork, handwritten lyrics, photographs and collected personal artefacts, it presents Cave's life, work and inspiration and explores his many real and imagined universes. Images are paired with commentary and meditations from Cave and celebrated writer Darcey Steinke on themes that are central to Cave's work. Stranger Than Kindness asks what shapes our lives and makes us who we are, and celebrates the curiosity and power of the creative spirit. ...Show more

The Motherlode - 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop by Clover Hope; Rachelle Baker (Illustrator)

$35.00 AUD

Category: Music

An illustrated highlight reel of more than 100 women in rap who have helped shape the genre and eschewed gender norms in the process The Motherlode highlights more than 100 women who have shaped the power, scope, and reach of rap music, including pioneers like Roxanne Shant , game changers like Lauryn H ill and Missy Elliott, and current reigning queens like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Lizzo--as well as everyone who came before, after, and in between. Some of these women were respected but not widely celebrated. Some are impossible not to know. Some of these women have stood on their own; others were forced into templates, compelled to stand beside men in big rap crews. Some have been trapped in a strange critical space between respected MC and object. They are characters, caricatures, lyricists, at times both feminine and explicit. This book profiles each of these women, their musical and career breakthroughs, and the ways in which they each helped change the culture of rap. ...Show more

Grace Jones a to Z - The Life of an Icon - from Androgyny to Zula by Steve Wide; Babeth Lafon (Illustrator)

$29.99 AUD

Category: Music

An illustrated A-to-Z, celebrating the unparalleled artistic impact of the cultural icon Grace Jones.   Singer, songwriter, supermodel, record producer, actress, and iconoclast, Grace Jones is truly one of a kind, equal parts intriguing, intimidating, and indefatigable.   From her early days as a mo del working with Yves Saint Laurent and Kenzo, to her rise to disco stardom in New York City's Studio 54, followed by her storming the New Wave with her reggae-infused post-punk sound, through to her arresting, decade-defining work, Jean-Paul Goude, and featuring her eclectic and iconic film career and her continuing artistic output in the current day, Grace Jones A to Z charts her incredibly rich life. This book looks at her life, her art, creative collaborations, films, friendships, and fun--all in a brilliantly illustrated A-to-Z format. ...Show more

Punk, Post Punk, New Wave - Onstage, Backstage, in Your Face, 1977-1989 by Michael Grecco; Jim Sullivan (Introduction by); Fred Schneider (Foreword by)

$59.99 AUD

Category: Music

Iconic and never-before-seen images of punk and post-punk's quintessential bands   In the late 70s, punk rock music began to evolve into the post-punk and new wave movements that dominated until the early 90s. During this time, prolific photographer and filmmaker Michael Grecco was in the thick of thing s, documenting the club scene in places like Boston and New York, and getting shots on- and backstage with bands such as The Cramps, Dead Kennedys, Talking Heads, Human Sexual Response, Elvis Costello, Joan Jett, the Ramones, and many others. Grecco captured in black and white and color the raw energy, sweat, and antics that characterized the alternative music of the time. Punk, Post Punk, New Wave: Onstage, Backstage, In Your Face, 1978-1991 features stunning, never-before-seen photography from this iconic period in music. In addition to concert photography, he also shot album covers and promotional pieces that round out this impressively extensive photo collection. Featuring a foreword from Fred Schneider of the B-52's, Punk, Post Punk, New Wave is a quintessential piece of music history for anyone looking for backstage access into the careers of punk and post punk's most beloved bands.   ...Show more

Symphony of Seduction: The Great Love Stories of Classical Composers by Christopher Lawrence

$29.99 AUD

Category: Music

'Love cannot express the idea of music, while music may give an idea of love.' Romantic composer Hector Berlioz Berlioz should know. He didn't just hear the symphony when he fell in love with an Irish actress back in 1827, he wrote it. What was love like for the people who could really feel that song coming on?Symphony of Seduction tells of the romantic misadventures, tragedies and occasional triumphs of some of classical music's great composers, and traces the music that emerged as a result. For the eccentric Erik Satie, love came just once - and even then, not for long. Robert Schumann had to take his future father-in-law to court to win the right to marry. Hector Berlioz planned to murder a two-timing fiancée while dressed in drag, and Richard Wagner turned the temptation of adultery into a stage work that changed the course of music while rupturing his own marriage. Debussy's love triangle, Brahms' love for the wife of his insane mentor - all find expression in works we now consider to be some of the summits of creative achievement. Christopher Lawrence takes what we know about these love-crazed geniuses and adds a garnish of imagined pillow talk to recreate stories that are ultimately stranger than fiction - and come with a great soundtrack. ...Show more

All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald S. Passman

$49.99 AUD

Category: Music

No one understands the music business and the changes it has undergone in recent years better than LA lawyer Donald Passman. For 20 years his book has offered detailed advice to artists and executives, novices and experts alike on how to thrive in these volatile times. This completely revised 8th editi on sets out recent developments in record deals, copyright, new technologies and film music. It also offers unique advice on how to navigate your way through the ins and outs of songwriting, music publishing, merchandising and performing. Whether you're a newcomer or an established professional, All You Need to Know about the Music Business is an essential companion. ...Show more

Astonishing Rock Trivia by John Tait

$24.95 AUD

Category: Music

Did you know that in 2013 Chubby Checker sued Hewlett-Packard over a 99c app called the Chubby Checker which allowed user's to enter a man's shoe size to estimate the size of his penis. He claimed that the product would cause damage to his goodwill tarnishing his image. Trivia with a twist. Did you know that Charles Manson co-wrote a song for the Beach Boys Plus hundreds of questions to tease and expand the mind ...Show more

Cassette Culture - The Past and Present of a Musical Icon by John Z. Komurki (Text by)

$10.00 AUD

$39.99 (74% off)

Category: Music

From videos by Frank Ocean to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, tapes have become increasingly prominent in cinema, advertising, and, of course, the music industry. And as tape sales in the US grew by 74% last year, there is no doubt that it is time to address past, present and future of the "Compact C assette" as icon of popular culture. New generations of individuals, record labels and DIY communities are rediscovering its unique characteristics, adapting them to a contemporary context. In the age of soulless MP3s and similar digital formats there is a real appreciation for the physical qualities of an item that can be collected, exchanged and individually designed. This volume covers themes such as recording and design, distro as distribution source, interviews and provides a step-by-step manual to conducting own tape experiments. ...Show more

End-of-the-Century Party - Youth, Pop and the Rise of Madchester by Steve Redhead

$36.99 AUD

Category: Music

Madchester may have been born at the Ha ienda in the summer of 1988, but the city had been in creative ferment for almost a decade prior to the rise of acid house. The end-of-the-century party is the definitive account of a generational shift in popular music and youth culture, what it meant and what it led to. First published right after the Second Summer of Love, it tells the story of the transition from new pop to the political pop of the mid-1980s and its deviant offspring, post-political pop. Resisting contemporary proclamations about the end of youth culture and the rise of a new, right-leaning conformism, the book draws on interviews with DJs, record company bosses, musicians, producers and fans to outline a clear transition in pop thinking, a move from an obsession with style, packaging and synthetic sounds to content, socially conscious lyrics and a new authenticity. This edition is framed by a prologue by Tara Brabazon, asking how we can reclaim the spirit, energy and authenticity of Madchester for a post-youth, post-pop generation. It is illustrated with iconic photographs by Kevin Cummins. ...Show more

How to Write One Song by Jeff Tweedy

$27.99 AUD

Category: Music

One of the century's most feted singer-songwriters, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, digs deep into his own creative process to share his unique perspective about song-writing and offers a warm, accessible guide to writing your first song.

Loud - A life in rock'n'roll by the world's first female roadie by Tana Douglas

$34.99 AUD

Category: Music

 What goes on tour stays on tour - unless you're the the first woman roadie in the world At just fifteen, Tana Douglas ran away to the circus that was rock 'n' roll in the 1970s, taking a job with a young and upcoming band called AC/DC. While still a teenager she headed to the UK and later the US to wor k for a who's who of bands and artists. Life on the road was exhilarating, hard work, occasionally surreal but never dull, particularly when you're the only woman in the road crew and the #metoo movement is still 40 years away.   ...Show more