Styles

Desmond Child is the ultimate hitmaker, contributing to some of the biggest smash global hits that helped ignite the success of music icons KISS, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ricky Martin, Katy Perry, and countless others. In Livin’ On A Prayer, he reveals how he climbed his way to the top and beyond amid extraordinary circumstances and shares his very personal and unbelievable journey that shaped him into an artist of international renown.

For over half a century, Desmond Child has collaborated with the world’s most celebrated artists creating timeless hits, such as Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name” as well as Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “The Cup Of Life” amongst his vast catalog. But in Livin’ On A Prayer, Desmond himself takes center stage to share his transformational story from misfit outsider to cultural pacesetter.

In collaboration with legendary music biographer David Ritz, Child recounts his unconventional upbringing as his colorful family fled Cuba in the 1960s and fell into poverty. He details his shocking discovery at age 18 that the man he called “dad” was not his biological father after all, and he courageously bares his soul about navigating the trials of being a Latino gay man in the macho world of rock and roll. His is a story of willing himself to succeed and overcome impossible odds to establish himself as one of the most influential composers and lyricists of all time.

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The second in this new series, The Virgin Book of Hit Singles is the most-up-to-date and comprehensive record of the music charts available today and a perfect, collectable complement to The Virgin Book of Hit Albums and The Virgin Book of Top 75 Charts.
Now improved and fine-tuned, and drawn from the Official Charts Company Data since 1952, The Virgin Book of Hit Singles features the most comprehensive, easy to read and accessible music chart data and information. It’s all here — expanded artist biographies, side notes of interest, label and catalogue numbers, peak positions, number of weeks on chart and weeks at number one. Also includes EP charts.
The Virgin Book of Hit Singles is essential reading, and reference, for any music lover.

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The eagerly anticipated final volume in Jonathan Sumption’s prize-winning history of the Hundred Years War, ‘one of the great historical undertakings of our age’ (Dan Jones, Sunday Times).

Triumph and Illusion is the final volume of Jonathan Sumption’s epic history of the Hundred Years War. It tells the story of the collapse of the English dream of conquest, from the opening years of the reign of Henry VI, when the battles of Cravant and Verneuil consolidated their control of most of northern France, to the loss of all of England’s continental dominions except Calais thirty years later.

This sudden reversal of fortune was a seminal event in the history of the two principal nation-states of western Europe. It brought to an end four centuries of the English dynasty’s presence in France, separating two countries whose fates had once been closely intertwined. It created a new sense of national identity in both countries. The legacy of these events would influence their divergent prospects for centuries to come.

Behind the clash of arms stood some of the most remarkable personalities of the age: the Duke of Bedford, the English Regent who ruled much of France from Paris and Rouen; Charles VII of France, underrated in both countries, who patiently rebuilt his kingdom after the disasters of his early years; the captains who populate the pages of Shakespeare – Fastolf, Montagu, Talbot, Dunois and, above all, the extraordinary figure of Joan of Arc, who changed the course of the war in a few weeks at the age of seventeen.

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Authored by Hip-Hop legend LL COOL J with Vikki Tobak and Alec Banks, this momentous volume celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the influential culture, sound, and preeminent voices of American Hip-Hop music.

LL COOL J Presents The Streets Win commemorates the birth, rise, and progression of Hip-Hop’s culture and its indisputable impact on American music over the past fifty years. LL COOL J presents the journey of this music genre through rarely seen photographs of Hip-Hop from its inception, from block party performances to street shots, parties, sessions at recording studios, and more. The imagery is accompanied by first-person recollections from Hip-Hop’s MCs, B-Boys, graffiti artists, and DJs who share how they fell in love with Hip-Hop, broke into the business, their artistic and personal style inspiration, and their views on Hip-Hop’s culture and music. Stories are told by icons DJ Kool Herc, Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte, KRS-One, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Grandmaster Flash, Run-D.M.C., Beastie Boys, De La Soul, Slick Rick, Public Enemy, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, Big Daddy Kane, Fat Joe, DJ Khaled and more.
Each page features a treasure trove of images by celebrated Hip-Hop photographers including Joe Conzo Jr., Ernie “Brother Ernie” Paniccioli, Jonathan Mannion, Janette Beckman, Estevan Oriol, Jamel Shabazz, Mike Miller, Clay Patrick McBride, and others who documented the growth; ephemera such as album covers, notebook drawings, and lyrics; party announcements; street scenes; clothing; and graffiti art. This definitive volume of the most important origin stories from the last fifty years of Hip-Hop is the perfect gift for music and photography fans.

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David Bowie’s career as a pioneering artist spanned nearly 50 years and brought him international acclaim. He continues to be cited as a major influence on contemporary artists and designers working across the creative arts. Published to accompany the blockbuster international exhibition launched at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, this is the only book to be granted access to Bowie’s personal archive of performance costume, ephemera and original design artwork by the artist, and brings it together to present a completely new perspective on his creative work and collaborations. The book traces his career from its beginnings in London, through the breakthroughs of Space Oddity and Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and on to his impact on the larger international tradition of twentieth-century avant-garde art. Essays by V&A curators on Bowie’s London, image, and influence on the fashion world, are complemented by Howard Goodall on musicology; Camille Paglia on gender and decadence and Jon Savage on Bowie’s relationship with William Burroughs and his fans. Also included is a discussion between Christopher Frayling, Philip Hoare and Mark Kermode, held at the V&A, of Bowie’s cultural impact. Over 300 images include personal and performance photographs, costumes, lyric sheets giving an unique insight into Bowie’s world.

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A lovingly thorough dissection of every album and every track ever released by David Bowie over the span of his nearly 50 year career, David Bowie All the Songs follows the musician from his self-titled debut album released in 1967 all the way through Blackstar, his final album.

Delving deep into Bowie’s past and featuring new commentary and archival interviews with a wide range of models, actors, musicians, producers, and recording executives who all worked with and knew the so-called “Thin White Duke”, David Bowie All the Songs charts the musician’s course from a young upstart in 1960s London to a musical behemoth who collaborated with everyone from Queen Latifah and Bing Crosby, to Mick Jagger and Arcade Fire.

This one-of-a-kind book draws upon years of research in order to recount how each song was written, composed, and recorded, down to the instruments used and the people who played them. Featuring hundreds of vivid photographs that celebrate one of music’s most visually arresting performers, David Bowie All the Songs is a must-have book for any true fan of classic rock.

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The newest addition to the bestselling All the Songs series, Queen: All the Songs details the unique recording history of the mega-bestselling and hugely influential rock band. Filled with fascinating photographs (some rarely seen), and juicy behind-the-scenes details, Queen: All the Songs tells the story of the band, album-by-album and track-by-track.

A lovingly thorough dissection of every album and every song ever released by the beloved rock group, Queen: All the Songs follows Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John from their self-titled debut in 1973 through the untimely passing of Freddie, all the way up to their latest releases and the Oscar winning film, Bohemian Rhapsody. The writing and recording process of each and every track is dissected, discussed, and analyzed by author Benoît Clerc, and page after page features fascinating and sometimes rarely seen images of the band.

Queen: All the Songs delves deep into the history and origins of the band and their music. This one-of-a-kind book draws upon decades of research and recounts the circumstances that led to the composition of every song, as well as the recording process, and the instruments used. Featuring hundreds of photographs, including rare black-and-white publicity stills, images of instruments used by the band, and engaging shots of the musicians in-studio, Queen: All the Songs is the must-have book for any true fan of classic rock.

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Bob Dylan: All the Songs focuses on Dylan’s creative process and his organic, unencumbered style of recording. It is the only book to tell the stories, many unfamiliar even to his most fervent fans, behind the more than 500 songs he has released over the span of his career. Organized chronologically by album, and updated to include all of his most recent work including the 2020 release of his 39th album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, Margotin and Guesdon detail the origins of his melodies and lyrics, his process in the recording studio, the instruments he used, and the contribution of a myriad of musicians and producers to his canon.

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This is the most in-depth exploration of Metallica’s songs ever written.

From their widely circulated demo, No Life ’til Leather, all the way to their 10th studio album Hardwired… to Self-Destruct – Metallica have earned the title of the biggest heavy metal band on the planet. Their albums, including the hugely influential Master of Puppets, are now considered classics of rock and metal, while singles such as Enter Sandman, Fade to Black and For Whom the Bell Tolls have stood the test of time. Follow the epic journey of the godfathers of thrash metal, song-by-song, and see how they became one of the biggest selling bands in the world.

No stone is left unturned across more than 500 pages, illustrated with incredible photography throughout, from the inspiration behind the lyrics and melodies to the recording process and even the musicians and producers who worked on each track.

Uncover the stories behind the music in this truly definitive book – a must-have for every Metallica fan.

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The Gorillaz Art Book is here!

Featuring brand new artwork by Jamie Hewlett, who has invited more than 40 creators to offer new interpretations of 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs in one expansive volume of original artwork.

Contributing artists include Ruff Mercy, Kim Jung Gi, Robert Smith, Kerbscrawler Ghost, Robert Valley, Craig McCracken and Tim McCourt & Max Taylor.

Celebrating 20 years of Gorillaz, this latest Z2 partnership sees Hewlett expand the band’s collaborative vision to fellow visual artists in The Gorillaz Art Book, a stunning visual feast of 306 pages.

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James Hetfield shares his personal collection of treasured guitars and reveals the story and significance of each within his life and career as the front man, guitarist, and songwriter for Metallica.

From the Electra OGV that defined his style, sound and attitude to the mythical MX guitars, the first in a series of iconic collaborations with ESP, and from his signature Snakebytes through his ambitious projects with renowned luthier Ken Lawrence, James Hetfield shares the emotional and technical elements of the chosen tools that have shaped his singular musical journey, including exotic instruments, vintage Gibsons, and custom one-offs. He also reveals many studio secrets, including the key amplifiers and gear that sculpt his tone and create his sound.

Each featured guitar is accompanied by lush museum-quality portraits by acclaimed photographer Scott Williamson, exhibiting intimate details one can only see if holding it in their own hands, alongside Hetfield’s deeply personal reminiscence. Spanning more than forty guitars, ranging from the original battle-scarred road warriors to the trusted studio stalwarts and enduring tour favourites, Messengers: The Guitars of James Hetfield is a meticulously crafted coffee table book and a mesmerizing window into the mind and soul of one of rock’s greatest front men. These invaluable guitars have forged over four decades of music history.

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Game Audio Implementation offers a unique practical approach to learning all about game audio. If you’ve always wanted to hear your sound or music in a real game then this is the book for you. Each chapter is accompanied by its own game level where you can see the techniques and theories in action before working through over 70 exercises to develop your own demo level. Taking you all the way from first principles to complex interactive systems in the industry standard Unreal Engine© you’ll gain the skills to implement your sound and music along with a deep transferable knowledge of the principles you can apply across a range of other game development tools.

The accompanying website (www.gameaudioimplementation.com) includes:

• 12 downloadable demonstration games
• A unique exercise level for you to develop for your portfolio
• An up-to-date online bibliography with further reading for each chapter
• A free sound library with hundreds of game SFX

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This book is part jazz historiography, part autoethnography and part memoir. It sets forth a grounded theory of ‘authenticating’ as a basic socio-political process, with reference to Richard Ekins’ participation in the social worlds of New Orleans jazz, and his life as a social constructionist social scientist and cultural theorist.

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The Island Book of Records brings the early years of this iconic record label to life. A fifteen-year labour of love, the volumes will fully document the analogue era of Island. Offering a comprehensive archive of album cover design and photography, together with the voices of the musicians, designers, photographers, producers, studio engineers and record company personnel that worked on each project, the volumes show in unique depth the workings of the label, covering every LP. Featuring material from recent interviews and from media interviews of the time, and each including a comprehensive discography of 45s, the books are lavishly illustrated with gig adverts (very many at venues which no longer exist), concert tickets, flyers, international LP variants, labels, LP and 45 adverts and other ephemera. These LP-sized editions are a collector’s dream, offering a truly unparalleled resource for those interested in music history and a perfect gift for any music lover.

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