The Kinks burst onto the British music scene in 1964, propelled by the historic guitar riff of 'You Really Got Me' -- a progenitor of both heavy metal and punk rock. Sixty years later, the band's impressive songbook is among the most literate, empathetic, humorous, and melodic in the rock canon. In Thank You for the Days, fans from around the world share how The Kinks have inspired and shaped their lives. Here are their stories, from unforgettable concerts and offstage encounters to enduring friendships forged through a shared love of the music. Among the contributors are songwriters Ron Sexsmith and Wesley Stace (a.k.a. John Wesley Harding) as well as Crouch End Festival Chorus musical director David Temple and other collaborators who have worked with The Kinks behind the scenes. Band members Ray Davies, Dave Davies, and Mick Avory even offer up some words of gratitude to the fans for their loyalty over the years. Whether you're a 'dedicated follower, ' a casual fan or simply a lover of rock history, you'll find something in Thank You for the Days that will inspire you, make you laugh, or tug at your heart -- much like The Kinks' music does.

For four decades, Depeche Mode dominated electronic music, from the naïve melodies of 1981's Speak & Spell through to 2023's Memento Mori. Through changing line-ups featuring Vince Clarke, Alan Wilder, and Andy Fletcher, singer Dave Gahan and main songwriter Martin Gore have been the band's core. Starting as teenagers and now in their 60s, they have survived worldwide fame, addictions to drink and drugs, and near-death experiences, while continuing to innovate as technology and the music business evolved. An acclaimed live band, it is through their 15 studio albums that Depeche Mode have best expressed themselves, from the industrial darkness of Black Celebration (1986) to their popular breakthroughs with Music For the Masses (1987) and Violator (1990) and the emotional upheaval of 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion. The band survived the chaotic fallout from that album and tour in the mid-1990s, with Gahan experiencing a near-fatal drug overdose, to regroup with Ultra (1997). They continued their explorations of love, death, sex, and politics on acclaimed albums Playing the Angel (2005), Delta Machine (2013), and Spirit (2016). Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, proven survivors Depeche Mode's story is here told in song by song detail.

The Stranglers, or Meninblack, were once considered the bad boys of punk despite never really being a punk band. Formed in Guildford in 1974, they celebrate their golden anniversary as a band that have continued to tour and record throughout their history, giving us some classic tunes like 'No More Heroes', 'Peaches' and 'Golden Brown, ' just part of a legacy that includes 40 Top 40 UK singles hits and 18 studio albums.They have courted controversy, been jailed, been reviled and lauded - in fact, everything that can happen to a band has happened to The Stranglers. Still led by original bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel, The Stranglers have created some thought-provoking music with a sense of melody which proves that their musicality and intelligence were often greater than their contemporaries. This book examines every album and single recorded by the band, as well as rarities and their many videos throughout their history. With a foreword by current guitarist and vocalist Baz Warne, the band's colourful history is explored as we discuss every song created by one of the most interesting and eclectic bands in rock music.

Phil Ochs was the 'The Prince of Protest' in the sixties. The only real rival to Bob Dylan, he was the archetypal Greenwich Village topical songwriter. Whether protesting the Vietnam War or campaigning for civil rights, workers' rights and social justice, Phil was always there. Phil was the man to take up causes, write songs, play at rallies and even risk his life. His clear voice and sense of melody, linked with his incisive lyrics, created songs of beauty and power. As his career progressed, with lyrics and music becoming more highly poetic and sophisticated, he still never lost sight of his cause.Towards the end of the sixties he joined with the YIPPIES in protest against the Vietnam War. But idealism became Phil's downfall. He was an idealist who could see no point in continuing if he was unable to make the world a better place. Phil lost all hope and descended into depression, which, along with excessive alcohol consumption, led to his suicide in 1976. Shortly before he took his life, Phil asked his brother if he thought anyone would listen to his songs in the future. Well here we are; sixty years later, still listening. The songs of Phil Ochs are every bit as relevant as they ever were and they are making the world a better place!

When David Bowie died in 2016 some people say the world went to hell in a handcart. It seems that while Bowie was alive his songs and their strange commentaries on modern life had some kind of deep significance that made sense of it all for many people. His music evokes something futuristic and prophetic to his fans. In this book, there is light shed on Bowie's songwriting in the early, most-lauded part of his career, his much-vaunted sense of alienation and his desperate search to make music that was art. Art-rock is an odd sort of genre to be associated with, but it fits David Bowie to a tee. Everything he did was infused with a kind of indescribable oddness, like his two mismatched eyes, the result of a teenage spat with a school friend over a girl. He had a lifelong interest in ideas about life on other worlds, and yet one of his many songs associated with this theme, 'Life On Mars', is more concerned with the failings of this planet. When he sang 'Starman' on Top Of The Pops in 1972, his arm draped around the shoulders of his talented lead guitarist and arranger, Mick Ronson, he lit up a million teenage hearts. This is a complete examination of all the songs from Bowie's golden years, which extends from his days as a mod saxophonist through to his astonishing 1980 hit album, Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). His songs run the gamut from extraordinary to esoteric but were always written from the heart.

When Crowded House arrived with their debut album and hit single 'Don't Dream It's Over' in 1986, the seed of a unique musical journey was planted into our collective musical consciousness. The Aussie/Kiwi trio created a sound as playful as Split Enz - out of which two of its members graduated - with an adventurous spirit inspired by The Beatles, and crafted genuinely enduring melodies. Earworm-worthy songs like 'Weather With You', 'Distant Sun', 'Better Be Home Soon' and so many others have become genre-bending, sing-along-able and timeless creations. What began with three buddies, led by songwriter Neil Finn, playfully frolicking, and mugging the camera in music videos, developed into mature artists reflecting on life, love and mortality after the death of their beloved drummer. In time, this blossomed once again into a true family band as the younger Finns joined their father as permanent members. Along the way, Crowded House consistently churned out unforgettable melody after intoxicatingly unforgettable melody over eight studio albums. This track-by-track exploration of their poetic lyrics and musical legacy recognises the quality that has brought them the love and admiration of music fans and fellow musicians from around the world.

Small Faces. Big Sound. There were but four Small Faces. First, they were the sharp little mod fourpiece of the 'All Or Nothing' Decca years, Carnaby Street, Ready Steady Go! and Rave magazine. Then they were the irreverent freakbeat experimentalists of the Immediate years, with 'Tin Soldier', 'Lazy Sunday' and classic album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. Their hits were praised, covered and imitated by subsequent rock musicians such as Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher. When The Small Faces split, Steve Marriott formed Humble Pie with Peter Frampton, and the rest of the band became The Faces with the addition of future Rolling Stone Ron Wood and vocalist Rod Stewart. The Faces became one of the biggest rock bands of the seventies via albums such as A Nod Is As Good As A Wink... To A Blind Horse and Ooh La La or worldwide hit 'Stay With Me'. When those bands came to a natural end, and with 'Itchycoo Park' returned to the top ten, The Small Faces reformed for two more albums. Were they ill-advised or are they ripe for re-evaluation? The evidence is laid out here. For this is the full story song-by-song, from the very start, to the end ...

It's almost impossible to discuss the history of rock music without praising the monumental quality, impact, variety, and boldness of Britain's Jethro Tull. Named after an eighteenth-century agriculturalist - and not after their striking front-man Ian Anderson - the group almost immediately became one of the most ambitious, and significant acts in two subsections of the genre: progressive and folk rock. Officially formed in 1967, mastermind Anderson, guitarist Martin Barre and company initially forged a blues course before veering in a more diverse, and expansive direction. Their 1970s period - which is often considered their peak-took them close to progressive rock via iconic albums like Aqualung and Songs From The Wood plus lengthy narrative suites Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play, all hit albums on both sides of the Atlantic. Like numerous peers at the time (including ELP, Rush, Yes, and King Crimson), Tull then embraced the more commercially accessible demands of the 1980s - complete with a fair share of both synthesizers and hard rock. Album by album, this book examines the behind-the-scenes circumstances and motivations for each release via a track-by-track analysis to acutely observe why Jethro Tull were - and always will be - of invaluable 'benefit' to rock music.

Incredibly, Uriah Heep have now been active for a full fifty years. However, few would argue that the period which has come to define them the most, and during which they were at their most influential, was 1970-1980. During this decade they released an incredible thirteen studio albums and a legendary double live album, as well as having a regular turnaround of musicians in all but the guitar and keyboard roles. During this remarkable decade, there were the first three albums, as the band sought to find a stable line-up, followed by the classic run begun by the Demons And Wizards album featuring the definitive Box/Hensley/Byron/Kerslake/Thain line-up.When charismatic frontman David Byron departed, there was a period of some uncertainty, but still some remarkable music was made. In this book the reader will be taken on a year-by-year journey through that decade, looking at the albums, the often gruelling touring schedules and the ups and downs of the relationships within the band. Never quite attaining the sales and success of some of their rivals at the time, Uriah Heep nevertheless released some of the most extraordinary music of the decade - and this book takes you through it all.

Considered by some as the seminal King Crimson album for the band's 'classic period', Red stands as book-ends with the debut In the Court of the Crimson King, an album which guitarist Robert Fripp declared 'defined the progressive rock oeuvre'. Rumours have it that Red was the final album heard by Kurt Cobain prior to his untimely death while inspiring his band Nirvana's In Utero, citing one example of the influence it has had over the past fifty years. Also demonstrating King Crimson's approach to re-invention, Red points the way forward for proto-punk, grunge and math rock while casting a backwards glance to the grand ballad style represented on earlier albums such as In the Court of the Crimson King, In the Wake of Poseidon and Islands. Furthermore, the 1972-1974 Crimson re-wrote the ground rules for progressive rock, daringly transiting from the classical music quotation approach of other bands by applying modernist compositional techniques to such pieces as the driving title track and the mysterious improvisation, 'Providence', while anticipating the direction the band may have taken in songs such as 'Fallen Angel' and 'One More Red Nightmare' had Fripp decided not to jump ship prior to Red's release. 'The Crimson ethos is formed by the composite different feels, not by anyone feeling the same'. (Robert Fripp - Private Journal, 1974)

The J. Geils Band were the original Bad Boys from Boston, getting down to it and blowing your face out every night. With classic albums like Full House, Bloodshot, Love Stinks, and the massively successful Freeze-Frame, Geils have been nominated for the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame no fewer than five times since 2005. From their early days as R&B and blues purists, through defining tracks like 'Looking for a Love, ' the instrumental 'Whammer Jammer, ' and the US Top 40 'Give It to Me, ' to global fame with radio staples' Love Stinks, ' 'Centerfold, ' and 'Freeze-Frame, ' The J. Geils Band created a unique sound and turned every show into a house party. Though it took time for record sales to catch up to their live reputation, by the early 1980s there were few hotter act than J. Geils. The definitive companion to the music of this hard drivin' band, The J. Geils Band - on track is a comprehensive overview of every track on Geils' 11 studio albums, with a look at their official live releases and a rundown of the musicians' projects beyond the band. on track makes clear why Geils, often referred to as America's answer to The Rolling Stones, were the funkiest band in the land.

Arguably the greatest album by the best rock band ever, The Beatles - also known as The White Album - proved to be a watershed recording. Coming as it did, after manager Brian Epstein's death; after the disillusionment with the Maharishi; in the middle of the break-up of long-term relationships, and following on from the psychedelic masterpiece Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, it heralded changes of style and the marked the start of the falling apart of the previously tight-knit group.The album's diversity and creation are analysed and its background and dynamics revealed. This extraordinary double album reflects a remarkable time and period. As the sixties came to an end, so too did the band. They mirrored the times they lived in. The album also followed on from their first highly criticised TV flop Magical Mystery Tour, the success of the first global satellite triumph of 'All You Need Is Love', and the highly ambitious Apple business venture. George Martin ducked out and ructions broke out between band members. But, among all the pressures and stress they found time to write and record an incredible array of songs; songs that synergised into a spectacularly successful album with a fascinating story. This is the tale of every track and every facet of this remarkable record.

Against the odds, 90125, released towards the end of 1983, was Yes' best-selling album. Yet it was never intended to be a recording by one of the 1970s rock dinosaurs, but a combination of commercial expediency and luck saw an album by a new band called Cinema - featuring Yes stalwarts Chris Squire, Alan White and Tony Kaye alongside talented multi-instrumentalist Trevor Rabin - become Yes following the last-minute recruitment of vocalist Jon Anderson. A US number one hit single, 'Owner Of A Lonely Heart, ' led to a triple platinum record and a massive world tour, giving this band a new lease of life in the 1980s. Featuring new interviews with several of the main protagonists, including Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin, this book traces the story of the album from its rudimentary demos in 1981, right up to the end of the world tour in early 1985. 90125 is reviewed in full, and the book also includes a detailed look at the somewhat complex and contrived process that created it, followed by an examination of the album's legacy and remarkable afterlife. The 90125 story is possibly the most astonishing in this legendary group's nearly six-decade history. This is how it happened.

Ultravox made an indelible mark on the popular music of the 1980s despite never reaching number one at any point: famously, 'Vienna' stalled at number two, while their only other top five single was the zeitgeist-capturing 'Dancing With Tears in My Eyes', reaching number three in May 1984. Between 1981's 'Vienna' and 1984's 'Love's Great Adventure', Ultravox scored 12 Top 30 hit singles (17 reached the Top 40), and seven top ten album releases. Fronted first by John Foxx, then Midge Ure, Ultravox went from being an acclaimed but hitless art rock outfit to a Blitz-era chart-storming quartet. They also proved to be a formidable live band, mixing in-vogue electronic synthesisers with drums and guitar and Billy Currie's trademark classical violin. The band became one of the most successful acts of the era, capped by their 1985 appearance at the Live Aid concert. They also made their mark with arty, distinctive, and influential music videos. Having split following 1986's controversial U-Vox album, the 1980s Ultravox line-up regrouped in 2009, celebrating the 30th anniversary of 'Vienna' with a series of UK, US, and European tours. That led to a new, belated album, 2012's Brilliant. Every album, every song - this is Ultravox.

In 1974, as Apple was winding down, George Harrison and RIngo Starr both wanted to help new artists, so rather than trying to salvage Apple Records, each ex-Beatle created their own label. Ringo Starr established Ring'o Records, while George Harrison created Dark Horse Records, set up to be a much smaller scale label, releasing records from new artists as well as some of his old friends, with an eye to eventually releasing his own solo music. While Dark Horse had an encouraging beginning with a hit single from Splinter in 1974, the label started suffering some problems, failing to establish itself the way Harrison hoped. However, some incredible music from a variety of artists was created from 1974 to 1977 and some of Harrison's best solo material would come out on that label. In the end, Dark Horse Records would only release George Harrison's solo work (for the most part), but since 2020, Dhani Harrison has taken over the reins and has made Dark Horse a viable label once again, signing Cat Stevens, Billy Idol and releasing music from Joe Strummer and Leon Russell. Finally, in 2023, it was announced that Harrison's entire solo catalogue was going to be rereleased on Dark Horse. This book tells the story of the label from the beginning, through its struggles and to its new and exciting renaissance.