Archive for the ‘The Indie Outlook’ Category
A love song to an American icon: the first full-length biography of Carly Simon, from an acclaimed music journalist who has known her for decades
Carly Simon has won two Grammys and an Academy Award, and her albums have sold more than forty million copies. Her music has touched countless lives since her debut in the 1970s, yet her own life story has remained unpublished-until now. Tapping private archives, family interviews, and a forty-year friendship with the legend herself, Stephen Davis at last captures Carly Simon’s extraordinary journey from shy teenager to superstar. More Room in a Broken Heart candidly covers everything her fans want to know, including:
- Growing up with her father, publishing mogul Richard Simon
- The Bob Dylan turning point that launched her career
- The real story behind “You’re So Vain”
- Carly’s severe stage fright (she’s the only musical guest to pretape an SNL segment)
- Romantic involvements with Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, and Cat Stevens
- How Carly and James Taylor went from being pop music’s reigning couple to independent souls living at opposite ends of Massachusetts
- Surviving breast cancer
- Her recent financial and spiritual crises
Along the way, Davis vividly takes readers back to some of the most powerful eras in American music history and delivers a tribute worthy of the artist and her loyal fans, who know that nobody does it better than Carly Simon.
An intimate portait, in pictures and his own words, of the enormously successful Canadian singer Michael Bublé became an international phenomenon with the release of his first, self-titled album of 2003, which reached the top ten in Canada and in the UK. Since then he has sold more than 25 million albums, and filled concert halls and stadiums worldwide.
OnStage OffStage is an intimate portrait of this extraordinary singer, told in his own words and through the photographs of Dean Freeman. Bublé talks about his BC upbringing, his early nightclub days, the excitements and temptations of fame, and the sometimes gruelling demands of the road. Buble is a man who takes his music seriously, and himself less so, telling his story with refreshing candour and frequent flashes of self-deprecating humour. You might be tempted to use the expression “warts and all” — except that the stunning photos in this book clearly show he doesn’t have any. But they do capture Bublé in his every mood and in every setting, at home and at leisure, in rehearsal, in the heat of peformance. OnStage OffStage adds up to the second closest encounter any fan could wish for.
David Bidini, rhythm guitarist with the Rheostatics, knows all too well what the life of a rock band in Canada involves: storied arenas one tour and bars wallpapered with photos of forgotten bands the next. Zit-speckled fans begging for a guitar pick and angry drunks chucking twenty-sixers and pint glasses. Opulent tour buses riding through apocalyptic snowstorms and cramped vans that reek of dope and beer. Brilliant performances and heart-sinking break-ups.
Bidini has played all across the country many times, in venues as far flung and unalike as Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto and the Royal Albert Hotel in Winnipeg. In 1996, when the Rheostatics opened for the Tragically Hip on their Trouble at the Henhouse tour, Bidini kept a diary. In On a Cold Road he weaves his colourful tales about that tour with revealing and hilarious anecdotes from the pioneers of Canadian rock – including BTO, Goddo, the Stampeders, Max Webster, Crowbar, the Guess Who, Triumph, Trooper, Bruce Cockburn, Gale Garnett, and Tommy Chong – whom Bidini later interviewed in an effort to compare their experiences with his. The result is an original, vivid, and unforgettable picture of what it has meant, for the last forty years, to be a rock musician in Canada.
In the 1980s, music defined the moment: “Video Killed the Radio Star” ushered in MTV, “Don’t You (Forget about Me)” ruled The Breakfast Club, and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” became the anthem of a generation. The 1980s were also the most visually provocative era of the last millennium. Every new vinyl single hit the stands wrapped in eye-catching sleeves that reflected the latest trends.
Put the Needle on the Record is pop culture historian Matthew Chojnacki’s definitive guide to 7- and 12-inch vinyl single artwork from the ’80s. He presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers, representing nearly every prominent musician of the decade. Read the previously untold stories behind the 1980s’ most iconic images from the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince, Adam Ant, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Kate Bush, and more.
Coupled with exclusive commentary from more than 100 of the ’80s biggest musicians, including Annie Lennox, Duran Duran, Run-DMC, Gary Numan, The B-52′s, Erasure, OMD, Scorpions, The Knack, and Yoko Ono, this is an authoritative journey back to the songs and images that continue to influence our culture.
Contains a foreword by Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters and an afterword by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran.
From acclaimed musician and author Dave Bidini comes a brilliantly original look at a folk-rock legend and the momentous week in 1972 that culminated in the Mariposa Folk Festival.
July, 1972. As musicians across Canada prepare for the nation’s biggest folk festival, held on Toronto Island, a series of events unfold that will transform the country politically, psychologically–and musically. As Bidini explores the remarkable week leading up to Mariposa, he also explores the life and times of one of the most enigmatic figures in Canadian music: Gordon Lightfoot, the reigning king of folk at the height of his career. Through a series of letters, Bidini addresses Lightfoot directly, questioning him, imagining his life, and weaving together a fascinating, highly original look at a musician at the top of his game. By the end of the week, the country is on the verge of massive change and the ’72 Mariposa folk fest–complete with surprise appearances by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and yes, Lightfoot–is on its way to becoming legendary.
Jann Arden is funny. And sincere. She has legions of devoted fans. And a radio show. She is a darling of the music scene – always candid, always unplugged. You thought you knew Jann Arden, but there is more – to her readers’ delight, in Falling Backwards Jann reveals her childhood, her bond with family, her struggle in the formative years and what keeps her so grounded in the whirlwind entertainment industry. Jann has always been true to herself, except for a minor lapse when she was young. Oh wait, wasn’t that all of us?
From the tender and honest to the laugh-out-loud funny, Jann’s stories from home and from the road during her pre-celebrity years will take you to unexpected places, including high school parties in farmer’s fields, sleepovers under the stars, hard-to-believe summer jobs and the time she was stuck upside down in a brick barbecue. She reminds us of the inestimable value to a child of having teachers who believe in you and wide open spaces to play. But with the good times come the bad (and not just the bad perm). Jann opens up about the darker side of her so-called prairie perfect nuclear family and the first signs that her eldest brother was a uniquely troubled young man. In the days when Jann was experiencing a lot of firsts – first school play, first home perm, first kiss – how lucky for all of us that she stole away to her basement and taught herself her first song on her mother’s guitar.
In addition to being an incredible musician and multi-award-winning lyricist, Jann is a natural writer and simply an inspiration. Jann will capture your heart – and keep you in stitches – with her powerful stories about coming of age as an artist and as a human being. Jann brings her wit and that infectious sparkle to everything she does. This book is no exception.
Published in celebration of Pearl Jam’s twentieth anniversary and in conjunction with Cameron Crowe’s definitive documentary film and soundtrack of the same name, PEARL JAM TWENTY is an aesthetically stunning and definitive chronicle of their two decades as a band—by the band itself.
In 1991, Pearl Jam’s debut album, Ten catapulted the little-known Seattle-based band into superstardom. Then, at the height of their popularity, the band shunned the spotlight, refusing to shoot videos or do interviews. Even as Pearl Jam’s studio albums continued to be critically acclaimed and commercially successful, selling over 60 million albums worldwide, the inner workings of the band—their day-to-day routines, influences, and motivations—remained unknown even to their diehard fans.
Twenty years later, this is their story. PEARL JAM TWENTY is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes anecdotes, rare archival memorabilia, and the band’s personal photos, tour notes, and drawings. Told with wit and insight in the band members’ own words, and assembled by veteran music writer Jonathan Cohen with Mark Wilkerson—and including a foreword by Cameron Crowe along with original interviews with legends and contemporaries like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Dave Grohl—this intimate work provides an in-depth look at a group of musicians who through defying convention established themselves as “the greatest American rock band ever” (USA Today Readers’ Poll 2005).
In the 1980s, music defined the moment: “Video Killed The Radio Star” ushered in MTV, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” ruled The Breakfast Club, and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” became the anthem of a generation. The 1980s were also the most visually provocative era of the last millennium. Every new vinyl single hit the stands wrapped in eye-catching sleeves that reflected the latest trends. Put The Needle On The Record is pop culture historian Matthew Chojnacki’s definitive guide to 7- and 12-inch vinyl single artwork from the ’80s. He presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers representing nearly every prominent musician of the decade. Read previously untold stories behind the ’80s’ most iconic images from the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince, Pink Floyd, Queen, Adam Ant, Iron Maiden, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Van Halen, and more. Coupled with exclusive commentary from more than 100 of the ’80s biggest musicians, including Annie Lennox, Duran Duran, Run-DMC, Devo, The B-52’s, Erasure, The Human League, Scorpions, The Knack, and Yoko Ono, this is an authoritative journey back to the songs and images that continue to influence our culture.
Drawing on George Harrison’s personal archive of photographs, letters, diaries, and memorabilia, Olivia Harrison reveals the arc of his life, from his guitar-obsessed boyhood in Liverpool, to the astonishment of the Beatles years, to his days as an independent musician and bohemian squire. Here too is the record of Harrison’s lifelong commitment to Indian music, and his adventures as a movie producer, Traveling Wilbury, and Formula One racing fan. The book is filled with stories and reminiscences from Harrison’s friends, including Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and many, many others. Among its previously unpublished riches are photographs taken by Harrison himself beginning in the mid-1960s. It is a rich tribute to a man who died far too young, but who touched the lives of millions.
Randy Bachman has been rolling out chart-topping songs his whole life—“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” “These Eyes,”“American Woman,” “Taking Care of Business”—and, since 2005, treating fans to a lifetime of stories on his hit CBC Radio show Randy’s Vinyl Tap.
His approach is always fresh—even the most hardcore music fans will be surprised by what they can learn from Randy. Writing music and lyrics, performing live and recording #1 songs, producing new music, organizing reunion tours—Randy has done it all. Music is his life, and his anecdotes put you at the centre of it all.
These are his best stories. Even with all his success Randy is “still that kid from Winnipeg,” and his enthusiasm for great music is as strong as ever. Hear how after years of dreaming Randy finally got to see his musical heroes, The Shadows, play live, and then got to record a Shadows tribute song with longtime friend Neil Young. Encounters with celebrities and rock legends abound, but it is the music that is the driving force behind his extraordinary career, and what brings us back for more stories from Randy’s Vinyl Tap.
-From the Publisher