Author Nick Johnstone unravels the life and career of one of Britain's most brilliant and troubled stars. He details her meteoric rise to stardom, two albums catapulting her to the top even as her open use of alcohol and drugs was setting the scene...

Ritchie Blackmore's early days saw him mixing with colorful characters like Screaming Lord Sutch, Joe Meek, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Then he became a defining member of Seventies legends Deep Purple, creating the rock anthems “Black Knight”...

By the time ABBA split up, no one was in any doubt that behind the gliiter there was a dark side, and behind the smiling group were four troubled individuals. But even as a whole new generation of fans discover ABBA's great music, Anni-Frid,...

No matter how much you think you know about classical music, you'll find plenty of baffling questions and surprising answers inside this treasure trove of knowledge. Challenge your friends, try to answer questions round by round, or read it just for...

It's an oft-told story: a young Tom Petty lucks his way onto the movie set for Elvis's Follow That Dream. The lightning bolt that is rock 'n' roll struck him and, at that moment, his future was defined. But, it was actually the arrival of The...

Originally Pink Floyd's founder, singer, guitarist, and principal composer, Syd Barrett left the group in 1968 amid wild tales of acid induced madness. He made two solo albums which became cult classics and then disappeared, only to become the...

Spurred on by an almost uncontrollable ambition, Freddie Mercury drove Queen to the heights of rock stardom and along the way became one of the most quotable rock stars of all time. Featuring a forward by his mother, Jer Bulsara, this compilation of...

For the first time, a book dares to tell the unvarnished truth about Metallica's early life on the San Francisco club circuit, their heyday as the world's most uncompromising metal band, and the notorious controversies which plagued their later...

Between 1968 and 1980 Led Zeppelin performed over 500 concerts in every corner of the world, establishing themselves as the most popular live rock attraction of the era. Led Zeppelin – The Concert File explores in greater detail than ever...

Author Robert Sherlaw Johnson discusses all Messiaen's main works, exploring his musical language, the development of his technique, his individual approach to harmony and rhythm, the theological and symbolic aspects of his music, and his use of...

This new, updated edition features pages, photos, and information on what's been happening to the legacy of the Ramones. This is a must-have book for all Ramones fans, based around the story of Monte A. Melnick, who was the Ramones tour manager (and...

From the early days of music, record producers have served an important role in the studio, providing musical ideas, sonic beds and inspiration. Styles range from Svengali-like dictators to the nearly absent, yet producers are a constant in some of...

No matter how much you think you know about music, you'll find plenty of baffling questions and surprising answers inside this book of brain-teasers. Challenge your friends, try to answer questions round by round, or read it just for fun! You'll...

The gloriously chaotic career of Black Sabbath stands as testament to the indestructibility of British rock at its most extreme. In the world of heavy metal, no other band has lived life to the fullest, stared death in the face so many times,...

This handy guide has been expanded and adapted to cover all facets of music to meet the changing needs of today's musician. All of the latest musical terms, musical instruments, and performers have been added to this edition. DetailsPublisher:...