The Beautiful Ones - Prince by Prince

$49.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

From Prince himself comes the brilliant coming-of-age-and-into-superstardom story of one of the greatest artists of all time--featuring never-before-seen photos, original scrapbooks and lyric sheets, and the exquisite memoir he began writing before his tragic death. Prince was a musical genius, one of t he most talented, beloved, accomplished, popular, and acclaimed musicians in pop history. But he wasn't only a musician--he was also a startlingly original visionary with an imagination deep enough to whip up whole worlds, from the sexy, gritty funk paradise of his early records to the mythical landscape of Purple Rain to the psychedelia of Paisley Park. But his greatest creative act was turning Prince Rogers Nelson, born in Minnesota, into Prince, the greatest pop star of his era. The Beautiful Ones is the story of how Prince became Prince--a first-person account of a kid absorbing the world around him and then creating a persona, an artistic vision, and a life, before the hits and fame that would come to define him. The book is told in four parts. The first is composed of the memoir he was writing before his tragic death, pages that brings us into Prince's childhood world through his own lyrical prose. The second part takes us into Prince's early years as a musician, before his first album released, through a scrapbook of Prince's writing and photos. The third section shows us Prince's evolution through candid images that take us up to the cusp of his greatest achievement, which we see in the book's fourth section: his original handwritten treatment for Purple Rain--the final stage in Prince's self-creation, as he retells the autobiography we've seen in the first three parts as a heroic journey. The book is framed by editor Dan Piepenbring's riveting and moving introduction about his short but profound collaboration with Prince in his final days--a time when Prince was thinking deeply about how to reveal more of himself and his ideas to the world, while retaining the mystery and mystique he'd so carefully cultivated--and annotations that provide context to each of the book's images. This work is not just a tribute to Prince, but an original and energizing literary work, full of Prince's ideas and vision, his voice and image, his undying gift to the world. ...Show more

Prince A to Z The Life of an Icon from Alphabet Street to Jay Z by Steve Wide; Alice Oehr (Illustrator)

$29.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

This decidedly not-for-kids illustrated A-Z, celebrates the many faces and facets of the legend that was Prince. From "Alphabet Street" (the first single off his iconic Lovesexy album) to Jay Z (Tidal being the only place to stream his music on his passing), Prince A to Zis densely packed with everythin g you need to know about the pop and rock legend - from the greatest hits of trivia to the most obscure B-side facts. Prince's extraordinary cultural significance was highlighted by the worldwide outpouring of love following his tragic passing in April 2016. A huge influential source to many in the fields of music and art, Prince towers as a cultural figure of the twentieth (and into the twenty-first) century. Celebrate his enormous life in this fun, pop-cultural book. ...Show more

Why Bowie Matters by Will Brooker

$24.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

A unique, moving and dazzlingly researched exploration of the places, people, musicians, writers and filmmakers that inspired David Jones to become David Bowie, what we can learn from his life's work and journey, and why he will always matter. When David Bowie died on 10th January 2016, it seemed the w hole world was united in mourning. His greatest hits were sung tearfully in pubs up and down Britain, garlands of flowers were left at the Aladdin Sane mural in his old stomping ground of Brixton and tributes poured in from a galaxy of stars. To many of us, Bowie was so much more than a pop idol. But why? In Why Bowie Matters, Professor Will Brooker answers that question persuasively, as both a fan and an academic. A Bowie obsessive since childhood, he hit the headlines over the course of a year-long immersive research project that took him from London to Berlin and New York, following in Bowie's footsteps, only listening to music and reading books he loved, and even at times adopting his fashion. In this original and illuminating book, Professor Brooker approaches Bowie from various angles, re-tracing his childhood on the streets of Bromley, taking us through his record collection and bookshelves, and deciphering the symbols and codes of his final work, Blackstar to piece together how an ordinary suburban teenager turned himself into a legend, and how perhaps we too could be a little more Bowie. He shows us that while David Robert Jones died on that terrible day in January, David Bowie will live on forever. g to music and reading books he loved, and even at times adopting his fashion. In this original and illuminating book, Professor Brooker approaches Bowie from various angles, re-tracing his childhood on the streets of Bromley, taking us through his record collection and bookshelves, and deciphering the symbols and codes of his final work, Blackstar to piece together how an ordinary suburban teenager turned himself into a legend, and how perhaps we too could be a little more Bowie. He shows us that while David Robert Jones died on that terrible day in January, David Bowie will live on forever. ...Show more

Bowie's Books: The Hundred Literary Heroes Who Changed His Life by John O'Connell

$34.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music | Reading Level: 3 Biography

David Bowie once said that his idea of perfect happiness was reading. Three years before he died, he made a list of the one hundred books that had transformed his life - a list that formed something akin to an autobiography. From Lolita to Madame Bovary, the Beano to The Iliad, these were the books that had fuelled his creativity and shaped who he was. In Bowie's Books, John O'Connell explores this list in the form of one hundred short essays, each offering a perspective on the man, performer and creator that is Bowie, his work as an artist and the era that he lived in. Bowie's Books is much more than a list of books you should read in your lifetime: it is a unique insight into one of the greatest minds of our times, and an indispensable part of the legacy that Bowie left behind. ...Show more

Freddie Mercury a to Z - The Life of an Icon - from Austin to Zanzibar by Steve Wide; Paul Borchers (Illustrator)

$29.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music | Series: A\to Z Icons Ser.

Salute everyone's favorite Queen in this alphabetic journey through a larger-than-life career in artistry.   Celebrate Freddie Mercury in the next iteration of Steve Wide's Icons A to Z series. Follow Freddie, born Farrokh Bulsara, as he harnesses hyperdontia to develop an unparalleled vocal range. See Smile, Freddie's first complete band, graduate to become the global phenomenon Queen. Dissect lyrical oddities like "radio gaga" and "Scaramouch," and revel in the glorious chevron mustache Freddie grew in 1980...   Ripples of Freddie's legacy are still felt in music recorded today. He was a juggernaut of technical and conceptual innovation and left the world far before his time. This illustrated book pays homage to the impact Freddie left on pop culture and in all our hearts. ...Show more

Stoned: Photographs and Treasures from Life with the Rolling Stones by Jo Wood

$39.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

"These images are great and have been tucked away for years" - Ronnie Wood Take a look inside rock 'n' roll history with over 500 never-before-seen photographs, notes, artworks, diary entries and mementoes from life behind the scenes of the Rolling Stones. Married to legendary Stones guitarist Ronnie Wo od for 30 years, Jo Wood lived the rock star life. Her incredible collection of treasures from that time is a once-in-a-lifetime look inside the biggest band in the world. Accompanied by personal memories and behind the scenes anecdotes from Jo, Stoned is a love letter to the rock 'n' roll life and a truly unique window into the eye of the Rolling Stones hurricane. ...Show more

Bowie A to Z: The Life of an Icon: From Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust by Steve Wide; Libby VanderPloeg (Illustrator)

$29.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

A celebration of the unparalleled impact of cultural icon David Bowie. This decidedly not-for-kids illustrated A-Z, celebrates the many faces and facets of David Bowie. From Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust, Bowie A-Z is densely packed with everything you need to know about the rock legend - from the gre atest hits of trivia to the most obscure B-side facts. Bowie's extraordinary cultural significance was highlighted by the worldwide outpouring of love following his tragic passing in January 2016. A huge influential source to many in the fields of music, art and fashion, David Bowie towers as a cultural figure of the twentieth (and into the twenty-first) century. Celebrate his enormous life in this fun, pop-cultural book. ...Show more

Rockonomics How Music Explains Everything (about the Economy) by Alan Krueger

$32.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music | Reading Level: near fine

Alan Krueger, the former chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, uses the music industry, from rock artists to music executives, from managers to promoters, as a way in to explain the principles of economics, and the forces shaping our economic lives. As economists recognize, the music industry is often a leading indicator of today's economy; it is among the first to be disrupted by the latest wave of technology, and examining the ins and outs of how musicians create and sell new songs and plan concert tours offers valuable lessons for what is in store for businesses and employees in other industries that are struggling to adapt. Drawing on interviews with leading band members, music executives, managers, promoters, and using the latest data on revenues, royalties, tour dates, and merchandise, ROCKONOMICS takes readers backstage to show how the music industry really works--who makes money and how much, and how the economics of the music industry has undergone a radical transformation during the last twenty years. Before digitalization and the ability to stream music over the Internet, rock musicians made the bulk of their income from record sales. Today, income from selling songs has plummeted, even for superstars like Taylor Swift; the real money nowadays is derived from concert sales. In 2016, for example, Billy Joel earned $212.4 million from his live performances, and less than $1 million from record sales and streaming. Even Paul McCartney, who has written and recorded more number one songs than anyone in music history, today, earns 93 percent of his income from live concerts. Krueger tackles common questions: How does a song become popular? And how does a new artist break out in today's winner-take-all economy? ...Show more

DEBBIE HARRY AND BLONDIE PICTURE THIS by Miles Rock

$49.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

Glastonbury - Music and Mud at the Ultimate Festival by Malcolm Croft; Ray Davies (Foreword by); Tom Ravenscroft (Introduction by)

$49.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

50 Years of Glastonbury celebrates the mud and mayhem that makes the festival one of the most popular musical events in the world, for fans and for artists, alike. Packed with incredible photographs and stories of the acts and attendees who have made Glastonbury a phenomenon, this is a visual feast show ing line-ups from each festival and outstanding photographs of headliners and cult acts from the festival's extraordinary history. ...Show more

Queen a Kind of Magic by Michael A. O'Neill

$39.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

Queen are one of the biggest stadium rock bands in the world. "Another One Bites the Dust" (1980) became their best-selling single, while their 1981 compilation album Greatest Hits is the best-selling album in the UK and is certified eight times platinum in the US. Their re cord sales range from 150 million to 300 million records, making them one of the world's best-selling music artists. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2018 they were presented the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. ...Show more

Sing: Tune into the benefits of music and find your voice by Rosie Dow

$14.99 AUD

Category: Film & Music

 'He who sings frightens away his ills.'  Miguel De Cervantes It's official: singing is good for you. Singing delivers a host of physical and emotional benefits including lower heart pressure, increased aerobic exercise, improved breathing, posture, mindset, confidence and self-esteem. W hether you do it alone or in a choir, singing will help you find the rhythm in your life. Sing examines the culture and history of singing, why we sing, the mechanics of sound, what it is to sing, how to take control of your voice and get creative. The book also tackles how to exercise your inner instrument and overcome your fear of singing.   Drawing on singing teacher Rosie Dow's extensive work and experience in singing, this book offers expert guidance and practical exercises to cultivate emotional and physical wellbeing.   Crucially, anyone can do it - you just need to find your voice!  ...Show more