Prince and Petty, Costello and Callas, The Beatles, Oasis and more — next week’s crop of new music books will be dropping some big names. Read all about ’em:
Nothing Compares 2 U: An Oral History of Prince
By Touré
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nothing Compares 2 U is an oral history built from years of interviews with dozens of people who were in Prince’s inner circle — from childhood friends to band members to girlfriends to managers to engineers to photographers, and more — all providing unique insights into the man and the musician. This revelatory book is a deeply personal and candid discussion of who Prince really was emotionally, professionally, and romantically. It tackles subjects never-before-discussed, including Prince’s multiple personalities, his romantic relationships, his traumatic childhood and how it propelled him into his music career, and how he found the inspiration for some of his most important songs, including Purple Rain, Starfish and Coffee and the unheard Wally. Nothing Compares 2 U paints the most complete picture yet written of the most important and most mysterious artist of his time.”
The Definitive Diva: The Life and Career of Maria Callas
By John Louis Digaetani
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Maria Callas was perhaps the greatest opera singer of the 20th century. Hers was a life lived on the world stage, and her fame extended to the public consciousness of many parts of the world. Even after her mysterious death in 1977, her singing and acting continue to thrill new generations of opera fans thanks to her many recordings and her fascinating life. This new biography of Callas tells her story from difficult beginnings as the daughter of Greek immigrants to New York City in 1923 to her wonderful performances at La Scala, Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera. Callas was quite a diva and a master at creating a captivating public image. She also became notorious because of her very public affair with Aristotle Onassis, the wealthy ship owner who left Callas to marry Jacqueline Kennedy.”
Oasis: Knebworth – Two Nights That Will Live Forever
By Jill Furmanovsky & Daniel Rachel
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On 10th and 11th August 1996, Oasis played the concerts that would define them, a band at the height of their powers playing to over 250,000 people. Some 25 years on, this is the inside story of those nights, told through the breathtaking photographs of Jill Furmanovsky, granted unprecedented access to Oasis throughout that summer. The book also includes newly obtained first-hand accounts from the people who were there — including Noel Gallagher and Alan McGee — in text by award-winning author Daniel Rachel. From relaxed rehearsals and warm-up concerts to Knebworth itself — backstage, onstage, flying high above the site — many of the stunning photographs in this book have never been seen anywhere before. This the definitive account of two nights that a generation will never forget.”
Elvis Costello and The Attractions: Every Album, Every Song
By Georg Purvis
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Whether you know him as Howard Coward, Napoleon Dynamite or The Emotional Toothpaste, or know his work with The Attractions, Confederates, or Imposters, Elvis Costello’s career has always been about reinvention — and his vast catalogue of over 30 studio albums since 1977 is a testament to his prolificacy. However, this book focuses on his most acclaimed and accessible work, recorded mostly with The Attractions (Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas and Bruce Thomas) between 1977 and 1986, though some other high-profile friends — Nick Lowe, Billy Sherrill and T-Bone Burnett, among others — show up along the way. From his modest solo beginnings as a pub rocker with attitude on My Aim Is True to his cacophonous epitaph to The Attractions on Blood and Chocolate, this book follows a hectic and, at times, baffling career trajectory that often steamrolled commercial fame and fortune in favour of artistic freedom and expression. Elvis Costello and The Attractions explores every album, every song, and every non-album B-side or contemporary cast-off from their all-too-brief whirlwind decade of existence.”
Tom Petty: Every Album, Every Song
By Richard James
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “At the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Sept. 25, 2017, the final song of the final concert of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ 40th anniversary tour was, almost inevitably, American Girl, the classic from the band’s 1976 debut album. Seven days later Thomas Earl Petty was dead. When Petty died, we lost one of the great singer-songwriters of our era. His songs touch people of all ages and possess a timeless quality which will ensure they will live on for years to come. Petty’s music speaks of freedom and rebellion, of doing what you want to do, of not compromising your integrity, and, fundamentally, of speaking the truth. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers evolved from a fledgling rock ’n’ roll band from Gainesville, Florida into becoming an American music institution, being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in March 2002. Most people have heard the big hits like Freefallin, Refugee, et al. But there is so much more to enjoy in Petty’s extensive back catalogue. This retrospective delves into every aspect of Petty’s 40-year recording career album by album and song by song to uncover the extraordinary consistency and quality of this much missed musician.”
Caravan: Every Album, Every Song
By Andy Boot
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Caravan have a history that stretches back over half a century, with a catalogue of music that ranges from progressive rock classics to pop gems that should have been hits. Lumped into that strange category known as ‘the Canterbury Sound’, they are both the paradigm and the transcendent band within that nebulous category. This book traces their history, track-by-track, over eighteen 18 albums, stopping off to examine the plethora of live and BBC session releases that have swollen their back catalogue like a girl who grows plump in the night. Beginning with their pop-psych debut, continuing through the run of classic and revered albums that forged their reputation, and then on to the albums that saw them move towards pop and be swept up by the tides of fashion, it ends with the decades of reunions that saw fewer albums, but a refinement of the sensibilities that define their unique sound. With everpresent Pye Hastings on guitar/vocals/songwriting, and Richard Coughlan at his back on drums, the band have also been defined by the skills of viola player Geoff Richardson and the Sinclair cousins — David on keys and Richard on bass. But this is not to belittle the contribution of every musician and songwriter whose talents have combined to make this most English of bands just that little bit special…”
Like Some Forgotten Dream: What if The Beatles Hadn’t Split Up?
By Daniel Rachel
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This is the story of the great lost Beatles album. The end of the band wasn’t inevitable. It came from miscommunication, misunderstandings and missed opportunities to reconcile. But what if it didn’t end? What if just one of those chances was taken, and The Beatles carried on? What if they made one last great album? In Like Some Forgotten Dream, Daniel Rachel — winner of the prestigious Penderyn Music Book Prize — looks at what could have been. Drawing on impeccable research, Rachel examines the the Fab Four’s untimely demise, and from the ashes compiles a track list for an imagined final album, pulling together unfinished demos, forgotten B-sides, hit solo songs, and arguing that together they form the basis of a lost Beatles masterpiece. Compelling and convincing, Like Some Forgotten Dream is a daring re-write of Beatles history, and a tantalising glimpse of what might have been.”
Icons of Rock 5: Jerry Garcia, Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi and Kurt Cobain
By Michael Frizell & Jayfri Hashim
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A brand-new biographical graphic novel featuring the best of music. A brilliant artist taken from us too soon, counterculture and non-conformist icon Jerome John “Jerry” Garcia was a musician best known for his distinctive guitar playing and 33-year history with The Grateful Dead. The voice of a generation, the “most dangerous band in the world, “Guns N’ Roses rode the wave of fame and fortune during the heyday of MTV. Camera-ready, their creativity fueled by drugs, booze, and eager groupies, members like Axl Rose and Slash crafted music that permeated the airwaves. New Jersey’s favorite son Jon Bon Jovi and his band survived three decades of trial and turbulence. Their classic rags-to-riches story inspired generations. Kurt Cobain’s music lives on to this day. The Nirvana frontman was tortured by success and struggled with an addiction to drugs before his death at the age of 27. His voice, however, remains. Read about the meteoric rise and fall of the icons of rock in the pages of this new graphic novel collection.”
