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A stirring defense of Sinéad O'Connor's music and activism, and an indictment of the culture that cancelled her.
In 1990, Sinéad O'Connor's video for Nothing Compares 2 U turned her into a superstar. Two years later, an appearance on Saturday Night Live turned her into a scandal. For many people--including, for years, the author--what they knew of O'Connor stopped there. Allyson McCabe believes it's time to reassess our old judgments about Sinéad O'Connor and to expose the machinery that built her up and knocked her down.Addressing triumph and struggle, sound and story, Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters argues that its subject has been repeatedly manipulated and misunderstood by a culture that is often hostile to women who speak their minds (in O'Connor's case, by shaving her head, championing rappers, and tearing up a picture of the pope on live television). McCabe details O'Connor's childhood abuse, her initial success, and the backlash against her radical politics without shying away from the difficult issues her career raises. She compares O'Connor to Madonna, another superstar who challenged the Catholic Church, and Prince, who wrote her biggest hit and allegedly assaulted her. A journalist herself, McCabe exposes how the media distorts not only how we see O'Connor but how we see ourselves, and she weighs the risks of telling a story that hits close to home.
In an era when popular understanding of mental health has improved and the public eagerly celebrates feminist struggles of the past, it can be easy to forget how O'Connor suffered for being herself. This is the book her admirers and defenders have been waiting for.
A look inside the genius of a once-in-a-generation icon.
From bedroom singer through environmental activist and Met Gala fashion icon to global phenomenon, this is your guide to the most influential musical artist of a generation.
The Pocket Billie Eilish is an unofficial and unauthorized celebration of a totally original talent. It's packed with facts, trivia, quotes and anecdotes and gives readers an inside look at Billie's creative process with her brother Finneas, the stories behind her songs, her life at home and in the spotlight, and her unique style, musically and sartorially.
Discover Billie's thoughts on self-esteem, mental health, bullying, gender rights, body positivity and creativity. The perfect gift or self-purchase pick-up for the Billie Eilish superfan.
Gemini Pockets
From little guides to soothe your soul to all-access passes to the lives of pop icons, and from quizzes and puzzles for literature lovers to books on food, nature, fashion and more, Gemini Pockets are the perfect fit for your life and interests.
This sumptuous and luxuriously produced volume gathers portraits, album covers, photographs of performances and rehearsals, rarely seen private moments, and candid snapshots of Prince, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of his generation. This collection from ACC Art Books & Iconic Images - publishers of the bestselling book Bowie: Icon - was curated in consultation with Steve Parke, and its impact is both powerful, and inspiring. With images by renowned and little-known photographers from around the world, close friends, and colleagues, the result is the most opulent visual anthology of Prince that has ever been published. Accompanying personal essays and reflections offer unprecedented insight into what he was like: from memories of the earliest days in Minneapolis to touring the world, each contributor shares their memories and experiences of working with - and knowing - this legendary artist.
This book charts the emergence of Kate Bush in the early-to-mid-1980s as a courageous experimentalist, a singularly expressive recording artist and a visionary music producer.
Track-by-track commentaries focus on the experience of the album from the listener's point of view, drawing attention to the art and craft of Bush's songwriting, production and sound design. It considers the vast impact and influence that Hounds Of Love has had on music cultures and creative practices through the years, underlining the artist's importance as a barrier-smashing, template-defying, business-smart, record-breaking, never-compromising role model for artists everywhere. Hounds Of Love invites you to not only listen, but to cross the boundaries of sensory experience into realms of imagination and possibility. Poised and accessible, yet still experimental and complex, with Hounds Of Love Bush mastered the art of her studio-based songcraft, finally achieving full control of her creative process.
The Great Albums series presents authoritative explorations of rock's most revered records, beautifully packaged for fans to treasure. Delve into even more groundbreaking releases with: Pink Floyd and The Dark Side of the Moon, The Who & Quadrophenia, Bruce Springsteen and Born to Run, and Queen & A Night at the Opera, with more to come.
Breaking the global record for streams in a single day, nearly 10 million people around the world tuned in to hear Kendrick Lamar's sophomore album in the hours after its release. To Pimp a Butterfly was widely hailed as an instant classic, garnering laudatory album reviews, many awards, and even a canonized place in Harvard's W. E. B. Du Bois archive. Why did this strangely compelling record stimulate the emotions and imaginations of listeners?
This book takes a deep dive into the sounds, images, and lyrics of To Pimp a Butterfly to suggest that Kendrick appeals to the psyche of a nation in crisis and embraces the development of a radical political conscience. Kendrick breathes fresh life into the Black musical protest tradition and cultivates a platform for loving resistance. Combining funk, jazz, and spoken word, To Pimp a Butterfly's expansive sonic and lyrical geography brings a high level of innovation to rap music. More importantly, Kendrick's introspective and philosophical songs compel us to believe in a future where, perhaps, we gon' be alright.
This book celebrates Madvillainy as a representation of two genius musical minds melding to form one revered supervillain. A product of circumstance, the album came together soon after MF DOOM's resurgence and Madlib's reluctant return from avant-garde jazz to hip-hop.
Written from the alternating perspectives of three fake music journalist superheroes-featuring interviews with Wildchild, M.E.D., Walasia, Daedelus, Stones Throw execs, and many other real individuals involved with the album's creation-this book blends fiction and non-fiction to celebrate Madvillainy not just as an album, but as a folkloric artifact. It is one specific retelling of a story which, like Madvillain's music, continues to spawn infinite legends.
A stunning, in-depth look at the power and poetry of one of the most consequential rappers of our time.
Kendrick Lamar is one of the most influential rappers, songwriters and record producers of his generation. Widely known for his incredible lyrics and powerful music, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. In Promise That You Will Sing About Me, pop culture critic and music journalist Miles Marshall Lewis explores Kendrick Lamar's life, his roots, his music, his lyrics, and how he has shaped the musical landscape. With incredible graphic design, quotes, lyrics and commentary from Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alicia Garza and more, this book provides an in-depth look at how Kendrick came to be the powerhouse he is today and how he has revolutionized the industry from the inside.
This is the first biography of Joe Walsh, from his days in the James Gang to his membership in the Eagles. One of the most colorful characters in all of rock and roll, Walsh has enjoyed a successful musical career for more than five-decades. With his offbeat attitude and quirky sense of humor, he earned a number of nicknames including the Analog Man and the Clown Prince of Rock Guitar. In the process, he wrote and recorded some of the most memorable classics of the 1970s including Rocky Mountain Way, Life's Been Good and Funk #49. As a member of the Eagles, Walsh helped to craft a number of enduring rock standards such as Hotel California, In The City and Life In The Fast Lane. This book chronicles Walsh's often-complicated life as a musical showman, a talented guitarist and a much-respected ordinary, average guy.
In 1999, Modest Mouse struck out for Chicago to record their major-label debut for Epic Records. Amid indie circle cries of sellouts, a largely untested producer, and a half-built studio, the trio recorded the instrumental basics of The Moon & Antarctica ... and then singer/songwriter Isaac Brock got his face smashed by a hooligan in a park.
With barely any vocals recorded, Brock emerged from the hospital with his jaw completely wired shut, and returned to a mostly empty studio. And there, on a diet of painkillers, in a neighborhood that wanted to purge the band from its borders, a creative alchemy took place that would redefine Modest Mouse and indie rock at large. The fact that the band finished the album at all is surprising. The fact that it is now considered by critics as hands-down one of the greatest records ever made (NME) is perhaps an utter miracle. The Moon & Antarctica is an album so strange and enigmatic, from those sweet opening notes, to the plunging depths of the middle, to the shocking, furious end, that you almost hesitate to listen to it again for fear of it losing its chaotic magic. But then you do, and you discover all-new sounds-a lost harmonic here, a stray percussion element there, a fresh interpretation of a lyric that leaves you thunderstruck. And that ever-looming question, years on: How the hell did Modest Mouse pull this off?!
A discussion of White Limozeen, from Dolly's self-fashioning to a rigorous critique of her genre.
White Limozeen (1989) was a commercial recovery after Dolly Parton's first major failure two years previously with the release of Rainbow. This book is a case study in how an album is sold and a persona constructed. The album had a complex relationship to the country music genre at a time when the genre was in the middle of major sonic and cultural shifts, and it represents how country music saw itself. This question of identity was especially relevant since White Limozeen was produced by Ricky Skaggs, the bluegrass prodigy who was in the middle of his own genre-widening experiments. The album reflects dense and complex production, shredding ideas of purity, studio craft, slickness, and authenticity. In it, Dolly seems to be imagining the limits of her own personae - the country girl, the blonde burlesque, the pop legend, the gospel singer.
Nanci Griffith (1953-2021) remains, despite her untimely death, a living, breathing, ever-present entity and inspiration. According to author Brian T. Atkinson, reflections on Griffith's omnipresent influence often cause people to shift from past tense to present tense in mid-sentence. She remains one of the most well-loved of Texas' singer-songwriters with hits still popular today, such as Gulf Coast Highway, Trouble in the Fields, and Love at the Five and Dime.
Atkinson has interviewed a host of songwriters and other artists from across the spectrum: from Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, and Robert Earl Keen to Counting Crows' Adam Duritz, American Pie songwriter Don McLean, and the London Symphony Orchestra's Tom Norris. Gathering the recollections of those who performed with, listened to, and were impacted by the artistry of Nanci Griffith, Atkinson balances these with his own comments and reflections on Griffith's legacy--including the demons she wrestled with that ultimately overcame her.
Love at the Five and Dime: The Songwriting Legacy of Nanci Griffith promises to be, as one reviewer has described it, an indispensable source for anyone wanting to learn more about all things Nanci. This book adds deep value to our understanding of the life and work of a vital Texas artist.
America's Original Gangsta.
Snoop Doggy Dogg fired up the burgeoning U.S. rap scene in 1993 with his outstanding debut, Doggystyle. It not only revolutionised a genre, it also put West Coast ganstas at the top of the charts for the first time ever. With producer Dr Dre, Snoop lit the spark for many other famous rappers to find fame and built a global apparel empire and brand that now branches out into multiple bestselling products, all available on his online 'Snoopermarket'. This little guide is the pick-me-up every Snoop fan deserves. With more than 175 whip smart wisecracks from America's highest pop culture power, The Little Guide to Snoop Dogg is the best way to celebrate 30 years of Doggystyle without putting your back out. 'I felt like I was out of pocket. I apologised to him, and let him know and I'm just bettering myself. I make mistakes. I ain't perfect. I'm Snoop Dogg.'
Just Kids for the grunge era.
Seattle band, The Gits and their charismatic front person Mia Zapata were on the verge of international rock stardom but on July 7, 1993, days before their third US tour, Mia Zapata, The Gits 27-year-old singer-songwriter, was brutally assaulted and murdered by a stranger. Zapata's death sent chilling ripples through progressive communities throughout the United States. She became a cause-celebre for women's rights activists outraged by the brutal killing and lack of law enforcement support. This book reclaims Zapata's story to focus on the art she and The Gits created and not her tragic end.
Much has been written and said about her murder, yet Zapata's life and work remain overshadowed by the circumstances of her death. Zapata's friend and bandmate, Steve Moriarty, tells her story--and the story of their band, The Gits--from their first meeting in 1985 to their last goodbye.
Moriarity and Zapata met in 1985 as first-year students at Antioch College, where they discovered the power of punk rock and found an outlet for their progressive ideas through music. Zapata, Moriarity, and fellow students Matt Dresdner and Andy Kessler attended a show by San Francisco punk legends Dead Kennedys that inspired the friends to start a band fueled by Mia's provocative lyrics. They quickly gained critical praise and dedicated fans.
Moriarty details their struggles as newcomers to the then-pre-tech outpost of the Seattle music scene. Interspersed are the tales Zapata told of her legendary ancestor, Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, to entertain the band as they spen't countless hours on the road crammed into a single un-air-conditioned van touring the US and Europe. They shared stages with Beck, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Joan Jett, Bikini Kill, L7, and more--all who expected Mia and The Gits to be the next big thing.
The Gits's story is more than a biography; it's a testament to the ability of artists and musicians to challenge the status quo and the power of friendship to change the world. Moriarty reframes the sensationalist story as he shares his personal narrative and presents, with intimacy, grit, and humor, the lived experience of The Gits and his dear friend, Mia Zapata.
Included are never before seen paintings, letters, and pictures.
John Cale's enigmatic masterpiece, Paris 1919, appeared at a time when the artist and his world were changing forever. It was 1973, the year of the Watergate hearings and the oil crisis, and Cale was at a crossroads. The white-hot rage of his Velvet Underground days was nearly spent; now he was living in Los Angeles, working for a record company and making music when time allowed. He needed to lay to rest some ghosts, but he couldn't do that without scaring up others. Paris 1919 was the result.
In this vivid, wide-ranging book, Mark Doyle hunts down the ghosts haunting Cale's most enduring solo album. There are the ghosts of New York - of the Velvets, Nico, and Warhol - that he smuggled into Los Angeles in his luggage. There is the ghost of Dylan Thomas, a fellow Welshman who haunts not just Paris 1919 but much of Cale's life and art. There are the ghosts of history, of a failed peace and the artists who sought the truth in dreams. And there are the ghosts of Christmas, surprising visitors who bring a nostalgic warmth and a touch of wintry dread. With erudition and wit, Doyle offers new ways to listen to an old album whose mysteries will never fully be resolved.