Omnibus Press

The story of The Who’s momentous first tours of America told through fabulous photos by the band’s official photographer and tour manager Tom Wright.

Foreword by Pete Townshend

Tom Wright first met Pete Townshend at Ealing Art School in the early 60s. He became The Who’s official tour photographer and manager from 1967 in the US, also managing the Grande Ballroom in Detroit where The Who’s rock opera Tommy premiered. He was much more than the band’s photographer, he was a friend and photographed them right up to their farewell tour in 1991. Tom’s vast record collection and musical influences had a big impact on the band in their early years.

Their Generation covers The Who’s first tours of North America, a hugely creative time with explosive performances both on and off stage, the time of their US hit ‘I Can See for Miles’ and much more.

Through the fabulous photographs, many of which have never been seen before, we see the band backstage, onstage, on tour, at rehearsal, at ease, in studio, at home. The photos will be accompanied by extended captions providing background details of the time, the people and the places.

As well as The Who, Tom Wright toured with the Rolling Stones, the Faces, The James Gang, J. D. Elvis Costello, The Eagles and many more, documenting their performances and life on the road.

“One thing is certain, had I not met Tom Wright, The Who would never have become successful.” Pete Townshend

Now You’re One of Us is the definitive statement about Redd Kross, an in-depth and riveting tale told in the voices of the talented and tempestuous brothers at the core of this iconic outfit.

Emerging from humble beginnings in suburban Los Angeles, the McDonalds took their rock ‘n’ roll fantasy and ran with it — and wound up becoming one of the most influential American bands of their time. The band’s flamboyant, genre-defying, joyously tuneful blend of musical, sartorial and pop cultural elements profoundly influenced the punk rock, glam metal and grunge movements and won them a worldwide cult of fervent admirers that includes bands like Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, L7 and The Bangles.

Redd Kross continue rocking to this day, much to the intense delight of fans old and new. And now the McDonalds team up with award-winning music journalist Dan Epstein to tell their wild, hilarious and gloriously star-spangled tale.

“To me, Redd Kross will always be one of the most important bands of the last 30-40 years.” Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth)

"Brian Wilson. SMILE: Excellent! The man is my hero. I love him. I weep when I hear his band, I hear him sing. I love him." —Paul McCartney

The story of the Brian Wilson's legendary SMiLE album from Beach Boys authority David Leaf. The story of SMiLE is a story without precedent, appropriate for music that was and remains groundbreaking.

This is the first book to tell the full story of Brian Wilson and SMiLE, including the details of the original SMiLE recording sessions and their increasingly legendary status as well as the final release of the album, the accompanying concerts and film, and its afterlife.

With over two dozen new interviews as well as generous excerpts from his extended 2004 interviews with Brian Wilson and SMiLE collaborator Van Dyke Parks, the book tells the story of SMiLE by those who were there in 1966 and from the participants in its 2004 resurrection, including all the members of Brian Wilson’s band. It also features fan memories of what it was like to see Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE and what it meant to them.

With a foreword by Melinda Wilson and an anthology of essays from SMiLE historians, devotees, and music professors, this book promises to be the definitive word on the subject.

“If I had to select one living genius of popular music, I would choose Brian Wilson.” —George Martin

"He's a modern-day Stravinsky, the way he constructs his music." —Questlove

"I don't think there is anyone his equal in pop music." —Linda Ronstadt

"The only real pop genius in the world..." —Elton John

"One of the greatest music writing and production teams in pop music history" - Smokey Robinson

As the creative force behind Berry Gordy Jr.'s Motown Records in the mid-Sixties, a writing credit from Holland Dozier Holland was virtually a guarantee of chart success. From 'Stop! In The Name Of Love' to 'How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You', they were the songwriting and production dream team responsible for some of the greatest songs of the twentieth century.

In this compelling autobiography, brothers Eddie and Brian Holland share their story, starting with growing up in Detroit raised by a single mother and their grandmother, before shining a light on their early musical careers. A gifted lyricist, Eddie started out as a solo singer with Berry Gordy as his manager before partnering up with Brian and Lamont Dozier, both talented arrangers and producers.

Featuring honest and open first-hand accounts, this remastered edition is more than just a behind-the-scenes look at Motown Records at its peak: Eddie and Brian set the record straight on both their personal and professional lives and offer a revealing slice of pop-music history.

With an introduction by award-winning artist Richard Hawley.

So It Started There chronicles the life and career of drummer Nick Banks, including how he came to be in the iconic and beloved band Pulp.

Beginning with his childhood in Rotherham, England, Nick recounts his personal and musical journey through the genres, first as a punk, then as a goth; how it all started when he was first inspired to pick up the sticks by Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook.

Flash forward to the eighties. Nick spies an ad from his favorite band, Pulp, in a local club. He pays Jarvis Cocker and the gang a visit and the rest is history.

From there, Nick describes his growth as a professional drummer and musician, the trials and tribulations of chasing success in the music industry, touring triumphs and horrors, the band’s journey from relative obscurity to becoming a global sensation, and the process of writing and recording their most famous albums.

Written with warmth, humor, and charm, Nick tells all. And with it, tells the story of a band that defined a generation.

This comprehensive manual helps musicians and those working in live music to identify and cope with the various physical and psychological difficulties that can occur during, or as a result of, touring.

It covers topics including mental health, peak performance and performance anxiety, addiction, group dynamics, relationship problems, dealing with the media, physical health, diversity and inclusion, crisis management and post-tour recovery. Written by health and performance professionals, this timely and essential book provides robust clinical advice, cutting edge research, practical strategies, resources and detailed illustrations.

Each chapter is underpinned with personal recollections from musicians and prominent touring personnel, including Nile Rodgers, Justin Hawkins, Philip Selway, Charles Thompson, Katie Melua, Kieran Hebden, Jake Berry, Tina Farris, Taylor Hanson, Trevor Williams, Lauren Mayberry, Pharoahe Monch, Jim Digby, Will Young, Angie Warner, Dale 'Opie' Skjerseth and many more.

Touring and Mental Health is designed to be picked up, put down, read at length and passed around the tour bus.

Pressure Drop chronicles reggae’s most tumultuous and influential decade. Beginning in 1970 and unfolding across the world, reggae flourished against a backdrop of political upheaval, gang warfare, Black Nationalism, racial and class discrimination and grinding poverty. 

The music that developed as rocksteady and early reggae gave birth to deejays, dub, rockers, lovers rock, early dancehall and 2 Tone was by turns brutal and revelatory.

Including an extensive analysis of the decade’s major singles and albums, Pressure Drop includes eyewitness accounts and experiences of the decade from the likes of Burning Spear, Chris Blackwell, Gregory Isaacs, Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Black Uhuru, U-Roy, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Augustus Pablo, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, Sly & Robbie, Dennis Bovell, Don Letts and members of the Specials, as well as first-hand anecdotes of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.

 His story is a bitter-sweet, heart-warming and occasionally droll tale of unlikely success, petty feuding and playful mischief during five years of growing up in the music industry. Wiser but not much richer, Michael became a bicycle courier in Soho after the Undertones split. "Sixty miles a day, fresh air, no responsibilities," he writes. "Sometimes I think it was the best job I ever had. It wasn't, of course."

The critically acclaimed definitive biography of Kate Bush, revised and updated for 2024, with a new foreword by Sinéad Gleeson.

Detailing everything from Bush’s upbringing to her early exposition of talent, to her subsequent evolution into a stunningly creative and endlessly fascinating visual and musical artist, Under The Ivy is the story of one woman's life in music. Written with great detail, accuracy and admiration for her work, this is in equal parts an in-depth biography and an immersive analysis of Kate Bush's art.

Focusing on her unique working methods, her studio techniques, her timeless albums and inescapable influence, Under The Ivy is an eminently readable and insightful exploration of one of the world's most unique and gifted artists. The text has been updated to include coverage of Bush’s return to the top of the charts in 2022 following the extraordinary resurgence of ‘Running Up That Hill.’ An eye-opening journey of discovery for anyone unfamiliar with the breadth of Bush’s work, Under The Ivy also rewards the long-term fan with new insights and fresh analysis.

Brian Holland, Edward Holland, and Lamont Dozier, known as Holland-Dozier-Holland or H-D-H, were the greatest songwriting team in American pop music history. This is their story.

Seventy of the songs they wrote reached the Billboard Top 40, with 15 of these reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. No other songwriting team or individual has come close to equaling, let alone surpassing, this record. They’ve been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

As tunesmiths for the legendary Motown Record Corporation, and for their own corporations, Invictus Records and Hot Wax Records, they wrote and produced hits for Diana Ross and the Supremes, including “Baby Love,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Where Did Our Love Go,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “I Hear a Symphony,” “Come See About Me,” “Back in My Arms Again” and “Reflections.”

Now the legendary composers are ready to reveal the inspirations and stories behind their chart-topping hits, providing millions of fans with the first complete history of their songwriting process, and detail the real-life experiences that led them to write each of their most famous tunes. They will also reveal their creative and intimate relationships with Motown’s biggest stars.

Cognitive Dissident may begin in the music biography tradition, but it quickly becomes something deeper. Born out of years of conversation and collaboration between Matt Johnson, the creative force behind THE THE, and writer Jason Wood (Executive Director at the BFI), it expands into a work that is philosophical, cultural, and socio-political in scope.

The story traces Johnson’s period of reflection during The Inertia Variations project and follows the extraordinary creative rebirth that led to THE THE’s return: The Comeback Special tour, live album and film, the release of Ensoulment – their first new album in 25 years – and the acclaimed Ensouled world tour. Along the way, it illuminates Johnson’s evolution from the post-punk DIY scene to his many collaborations with producers, musicians, and cultural icons, as well as the influence of literature, art, and cinema that has always shaped his vision.

Through these conversations with Matt Johnson – a working-class auto-didact who achieved success and ultimately career control on his own terms – this book by extension is also a meditation on family, friendship, creativity, conservation, gentrification, geopolitics, love and loss.

From Manchester to Laurel Canyon—legendary musician John Mayall.  

With a foreword by Mick Fleetwood. 

John Mayall’s story is like no other in the annals of rock and blues. Born in the UK in 1933, he laid the foundations of British blues, nurtured a generation of future superstars and then took the music back to the land of its birth.

This extraordinary autobiography offers a vivid glimpse of Britain well before the rock revolution of the sixties, at a time when young men like John found themselves conscripted for national service that, in his case, included eighteen months in Korea. What followed when he returned was an odyssey of musical trailblazing.

From Manchester to Laurel Canyon and many points in between, John’s account of his long life is both affectionate and compelling – a guided tour through more than sixty years of the music business and its stars, brought to vivid life by one of its undisputed pioneers. This edition has been updated to include coverage of Mayall’s life and work up until his death in July 2024.

By 1983, many of Scotland’s post-punk bands had broken up or moved south to chase the major labels in London. That vacuum was filled by an influx of young musicians who were determined to remake the scene in their own image.

In this compelling and dynamic oral history, Grant McPhee chronicles the radical transformation of Scotland’s independent music scene from 1983–1995. Including archival photos and drawing from over 100 interviews with the key players of the time, Grant McPhee allows them to set the scene in their own words; including the Cocteau Twins, Shop Assistants, Teenage Fanclub, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream and many more.

Postcards from Scotland is the definitive story of the radicals, misfits and experimentalists who made independent music what it is today.

The triumphant last word on the radical movement that shook the world — Stephen Colegrave and Chris Sullivan’s deliciously cacophonous and comprehensive oral history of Punk, told by those who lived it.

“A gloriously vociferous encyclopedia for the Blank Generation. It's all here in staggering chapter and verse: how Punk came and changed the world forever.” — Jake Arnott, author of The Long Firm and He Kills Coppers

Punk: The Last Word is a powerful reimagining of punk—not just as a sound or style, but as a radical, DIY philosophy rooted in defiance, truth, and individuality. Cultural insider and Wag Club founder Chris Sullivan and Byline Times editor Stephen Colegrave bring together over 150 original interviews with punk’s most iconic figures—Iggy Pop, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Siouxsie Sioux, Vivienne Westwood, and many others. From musicians and designers to promoters and provocateurs, they paint a vivid portrait of the movement’s chaotic rise and lasting impact on both sides of the Atlantic.

Tracing punk’s rebellious spirit from 19th-century bohemia to the explosion of Kings Road and Coventry in the late '70s, this is, without a doubt, the most in-depth, insider account of punk’s evolution and legacy.

As the movement approaches its 50th anniversary, its core values—authenticity, resistance, and creative freedom—feel more urgent than ever. Punk isn’t just music. It’s a way of life.

At the beginning of 1994 Oasis were unknown, though signed to Creation Records. Things changed with the release of their album 'Definitely Maybe', which became the fastest selling British debut album at the time.

That year was one of meteoric change, with Liam and Noel Gallagher setting off on a major tour. Oasis: Their Breakthrough Year is an evocative collection of photos of Oasis taken during that time by Rock photographer Paul Slattery. Having been tipped off to their potential by producer Mark Coyle, who shared early versions of 'Definitely Maybe' when the band where still in the studio, Paul spent the year closely recording their burgeoning success; from sparsly attended shows around the UK to sold-out performances in the U.S. and Japan.

The very first and definitive biography of Peter Tosh, rude boy, founder member of the Wailers and a compelling recording artist in his own right —Tosh was Jamaica’s most controversial reggae star.

or the Mystic Man, music was the message. A fiery advocate of Rastafari and African nationalism as well as the legalization of marijuana, his uncompromising political stance has won him a reputation as Jamaica’s Malcolm X. One of reggae’s most extraordinary stories, the life of Peter Tosh came to an end when he was brutally murdered in 1987 amidst rumors involving the supernatural and Kingston’s criminal underworld.

In this essential biography, John Masouri—esteemed reggae journalist and author of Pressure Drop: Reggae in the Seventies – conducts hundreds of interviews with those who knew Peter Tosh best, including Bunny Wailer and other close associates. Tracing his recording career, we learn of his encounters with Eric Clapton and Joe Cocker, and volatile relationships with Bob Marley and Lee Scratch Perry. Tosh’s darker side is also revealed in tales of the singer’s fascination with the occult and in unprecedented detail, his untimely and tragic demise.

Bowie—in 1976, the Berlin Years

Book by book, year by year, the ultimate literary trip through Bowie’s greatest decade.

1976, and in England the heat is rising. Immigration protests, racist murders, the rise of the National Front and the return of David Bowie, now the Thin White Duke, crowing to the papers how Britain “could benefit from a fascist leader”.

But with his incorrigible best buddy Iggy Pop in tow, as he gravitates towards the divided city of Berlin, his wake-up call is coming – and with it a brave new musical direction that will cement Bowie’s place as the most innovative artist of the decade.

The seventh volume of Simon Goddard’s critically acclaimed Bowie Odyssey series is a stark and brutal black-and-white tale of art, anger, discord and salvation.

A look at the turbulent, triumphant life of one of rock and roll’s foremost icons

Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks is a musical visionary, a poet and an enduring style icon with a truly phenomenal life story. The Omnibus enhanced Dreams, Visions & Rumours is a celebratory examination of this tale, tracing Stevie’s life from her Arizona childhood, the magic moment when she joined Fleetwood Mac and the hedonistic turbulence that followed.

Crowned 'The Reigning Queen Of Rock And Roll' by Rolling Stone, and with gold and quadruple platinum solo albums under her beaded belt, Stevie Nicks has enjoyed the ultimate in rock 'n' roll success in her life as a recording artist - but this charmed life has come as a result of grit, self-belief and a devotion to creativity above all; hers has been a journey of intense highs and lows.

This biography, a celebration of the Stevie Nicks phenomenon, takes us on her journey from peripatetic mid-West childhood to her explosion onto the music scene as chiffon-swathed rock goddess, right up to present day. Including exclusive interviews with some of Stevie's associates and collaborators from over the years, author Zoë Howe explores the mystique while retaining the magic of this modern-day musical sorceress and wise woman of rock.

This updated edition includes information about the 24 Karat Gold self-portrait collection exhibition Stevie curated in Hollywood, her work with the LA band Haim, coping with the loss of her close friends Glenn Frey and Prince, being a Rolling Stone cover girl again and more.

“[An] absorbing study of an ultra-talented country music icon.” MOJO

This definitive biography of Dolly Parton is as dazzling as the woman it celebrates.

Smart Blonde tells the remarkable story of Dolly Parton’s rise from a poor East Tennessee childhood to superstardom in the male-dominated world of 1960s Nashville. With charm, determination, and unparalleled talent, Parton built not only a musical legacy but a multifaceted business empire.

With a foreword by music journalist, David Sinclair.

As the influential drummer from iconic rock‘n’roll band The Hollies, Bobby Elliott has six decades worth of musical anecdotes. Continually touring since 1963, his adventures have seen him beating Keith Moon in a drumming audition, being serenaded by Joni Mitchell while she was in bed with Graham Nash and being offered a job by Paul McCartney to work with Wings.

Covering all such stories as well as exploring Bobby’s personal highs and lows, It Ain’t Heavy, It’s My Story is a funny, honest and enlightening account of sixty years on the frontline of rock ‘n’ roll.

"Brian Wilson. SMiLE: Excellent! The man is my hero. I love him. I weep when I hear his band, I hear him sing. I love him." —Paul McCartney

This is the story of the Brian Wilson's legendary SMiLE album from Beach Boys authority David Leaf. The story of SMiLE is a story without precedent, appropriate for music that was and remains groundbreaking.

This is the first book to tell the full story of Brian Wilson and SMiLE, including the details of the original SMiLE recording sessions and their increasingly legendary status as well as the final release of the album, the accompanying concerts and film, and its afterlife.

With over two dozen new interviews as well as generous excerpts from his extended 2004 interviews with Brian Wilson and SMiLE collaborator Van Dyke Parks, the book tells the story of SMiLE by those who were there in 1966 and from the participants in its 2004 resurrection, including all the members of Brian Wilson’s band. It also features fan memories of what it was like to see Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE and what it meant to them.

With a foreword by Melinda Wilson and an anthology of essays from SMiLE historians, devotees, and music professors, this book promises to be the definitive word on the subject.

“If I had to select one living genius of popular music, I would choose Brian Wilson.” —George Martin

"He's a modern-day Stravinsky, the way he constructs his music." —Questlove

"I don't think there is anyone his equal in pop music." —Linda Ronstadt

"The only real pop genius in the world..." —Sir Elton John

'A magisterial biography… Thomson’s book adds something new to this conversation…' – Chicago Tribune

Behind The Locked Door is Graeme Thomson’s rich, insightful account of George Harrison’s extraordinary life and career.

As a Beatle, Harrison underwent a bewilderingly compressed early adulthood, buffeted by unprecedented levels of fame and success. After Beatlemania left him unsettled and unfulfilled his became a quest for deeper meaning which travelled far beyond the parameters of his former band and indeed music itself.

This elegant, in-depth biography tracks him assiduously through his many changes and conflicts, from schoolboy guitarist to global superstar, God seeker to independent film-maker, Formula One enthusiast to UNICEF Fundraiser, and marks the perennial struggle of a man attempting to walk a spiritual path lined with temptation.

Drawing on scores of new interviews with close friends and collaborators, rigorous research and critical insight, George Harrison: Behind The Locked Door is the ultimate account of the motives and varied achievements of an often misunderstood man. It is also an intimate character study, beautifully illustrating the eternal yin and tang of Harrison's nature; the definitive account of a compelling, contradictory life.

The most authentic memoir of Freddie Mercury—now in the Remastered Series from Omnibus Press.

Peter Freestone was Freddie Mercury’s personal assistant for the last 12 years of his life. He lived with Mercury in London, Munich, and New York, and was by his side when he died.

In this book, Freestone paints a striking portrait of the man behind the myth. The result is a compelling, entertaining, and ultimately, very touching memoir. From their first meeting at the Biba department store in the early 1970s – when Queen was still unknown – Freestone witnessed Mercury’s rise and with it the generosity, the excess, and the celebrity friends who came and went. From the famous names – including Elton John, Kenny Everett, Elizabeth Taylor and Rod Stewart – to the shadowy army of lovers, fixers and hangers-on, Peter Freestone saw them all play their part in the tragi-comedy that was Freddie Mercury’s life.

First published in 2000, Freestone’s best-selling account of his life alongside the singular icon is the closest fans will get to an autobiography of Mercury.

Look What I Dun is the story of Slade told through the eyes of drummer Don Powell whose life was shattered when, in 1973 at the height of the group's fame, he was involved in a horrific car crash.

Unflinching in his honesty, Powell deals frankly with the aftermath of the accident that took the life of his girlfriend and left him with injuries that affect him to this day. Leaders of the glam rock movement, Slade were the UK's biggest singles band in the years 1971-74. Their many hits have become rock'n'roll standards, not least 'Merry Christmas Everybody', arguably Britain's all-time favorite Christmas song. For Don Powell, though, success came at a price. Lucky to survive, the aftermath of his accident included alcoholism, financial woes and a life of reckless promiscuity. Now sober and settled in Denmark with an adopted family of his own, Don Powell's story - as told to Lise Lyng Falkenberg - is a no-nonsense journey to the heights and depths of the rock world.

Featuring honest and open first-hand accounts, Come and Get These Memories is more than just a behind-the-scenes look at Motown Records at its peak: Eddie and Brian set the record straight on both their personal and professional lives and offer a revealing slice of pop-music history.

As the creative force behind Berry Gordy Jr.'s Motown Records in the mid-Sixties, a writing credit from Holland Dozier Holland was virtually a guarantee of chart success. From 'Stop! In The Name Of Love' to 'How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You', they were the songwriting and production dream team responsible for some of the greatest songs of the twentieth century.

In this compelling autobiography, brothers Eddie and Brian Holland share their story for the first time, starting with growing up in Detroit raised by a single mother and their grandmother, before shining a light on their early musical careers. A gifted lyricist, Eddie started out as a solo singer with Berry Gordy as his manager before partnering up with Brian and Lamont Dozier, both talented arrangers and producers.

When Holland Dozier Holland came together, they helped transform Motown Records from a local soul label into a worldwide hit factory, home to international superstars such as Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, The Four Tops and The Isley Brothers. After an awe-inspiring tenure they left Motown in 1968, continuing their successes at new labels and with new collaborators for years to come.

From aristocratic lineage to convent school, stardom to attempted suicide, junkie to punk, folk singer to torch chanteuse, Marianne has seen her life flash by in banner headlines. 

Researched through over 50 interviews with her family, former lovers and friends, As Years Go By reveals the truth behind the headlines, the person behind the profile. Updated and extensively revised by one of the UK s most acclaimed writers, it is a candid, illuminating account of an endearing yet misunderstood artist.

The Ramones, pioneers of punk rock

The Ramones cut an unforgettable swathe through decades of popular music. With politically charged anger, raw sounds and ferocious 20 minute sets they undercut the glamour of the mainstream music industry and gave the punk movement an authentic voice – a voice which can still be heard echoing through the decades.

Seen through the eyes of the people who were there – musicians, managers, producers, publicists – this insightful biography depicts the Ramones’ rebellion against the establishment, how they forged their unique sound against the pressures of censure and managed to stay honest until the bitter end.

The incredible story of the resurrection of Elvis, from 50’s crooner to late 60’s King of Rock n Roll.

“Goddard not only knows his Elvis, but deftly weaves in the cultural background of the era.” –MOJO

As 1968 dawns, the once King of rock‘n’roll faces cultural oblivion. While elsewhere the Sixties are swinging, for Elvis they’re sinking– in terrible films, drug addiction, paranoia, religious mania and the mercenary wiles of his psychopathic manager. In the words of the hip young director assigned to his first TV special, Elvis’ reputation was “in the toilet.” However the same director, Steve Binder, was now about to save it. Together they would embark on the biggest creative fight of Elvis’ life.

The Comeback plots the incredible true story of Elvis’ fall and rise from Army discharge to iconic black leather resurrection. Simon Goddard takes the reader inside the life, music and mind of Elvis,  isolated from an America unravelling in its own Sixties chaos of war, racism, riots and assassinations, until his world and theirs collide in the greatest performance of his life.

A genre-busting modernist rock‘n’roll fable unlike any music biography you’ve ever read, The Comeback is the definitive account of how it took Elvis eight years on the big screen to lose his crown – but just one magical hour on a small one to win it back.

 His story is a bitter-sweet, heart-warming and occasionally droll tale of unlikely success, petty feuding and playful mischief during five years of growing up in the music industry. Wiser but not much richer, Michael became a bicycle courier in Soho after the Undertones split. "Sixty miles a day, fresh air, no responsibilities," he writes. "Sometimes I think it was the best job I ever had. It wasn't, of course."

This is the definitive history of the Velvet Underground, complete and more fully researched than any before

Do What You Fear Most is the authoritative tome on the band that changed music, fashion and culture forever.

Blending new archival insights and first-hand accounts, Richie Unterberger illuminates the band’s radical global impact on New York’s progenitors of punk, who bridged pure rock’n’roll, avant-garde experimentation and literary songwriting to take rock music into previously uncharted territory. Beginning with each member’s path to the band, it details their influences, successes and (many) failures, the whirlwind with Warhol, the triumph of the Banana album, the fractured and strained relationships and egos, and beyond to the end of the Velvets and the beginnings of various solo careers.

Rigorously researched and packed with previously undocumented insights, this book features first-hand interviews with the group’s associates, as well as a substantial amount of material newly unearthed from the Lou Reed Archive and the Andy Warhol Archive, as well as never-before-seen images and ephemera.

An entertaining and exhilarating narrative, Do What You Fear Most vividly captures the grit and uninhibited creativity of the 1960s New York cultural scene and is an essential portrait of one of the 20th century’s most visionary and influential bands.

From aristocratic lineage to convent school, stardom to attempted suicide, junkie to punk, folk singer to torch chanteuse, Marianne has seen her life flash by in banner headlines. 

Researched through over 50 interviews with her family, former lovers and friends, As Years Go By reveals the truth behind the headlines, the person behind the profile. Updated and extensively revised by one of the UK s most acclaimed writers, it is a candid, illuminating account of an endearing yet misunderstood artist.

“A full-blooded insider’s account of life inside the Kling Klang studio. This is a must read for the robots’ fans.” Prog Magazine

As a core member of Kraftwerk, some of the most beautiful, era-defining music has been co-composed by Karl Bartos. From “Computer Love” to “Autobahn,” “Tour de France” to Kraftwerk’s 1982 number one single “The Model,” Bartos’s deft musical hand has undoubtedly shaped the contemporary musical landscape we know today.

For the first time, in The Sound of the Machine Bartos speaks candidly about his life in Kraftwerk for the first time.  He vividly recalls his experiences in the Kling Klang studios during recording, describing the process and perfectly capturing the joy, passion and synergy of people composing and recording together. 

At once cerebral and witty, Bartos’s narrative journeys through his post-war childhood in Germany, his sense of wonder on first hearing The Beatles, his early musical ventures and his parallel career as a musician and teacher. Offering a fascinating insight into both a band and a man at the forefront of musical innovation over the last thirty years, Bartos also looks to the future, sharing his hopes and fears for today’s musical culture. 

Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks is a musical visionary, a poet and an enduring style icon with a truly phenomenal life story. The Omnibus enhanced Dreams, Visions & Rumours is a celebratory examination of this tale, tracing Stevie’s life from her Arizona childhood, the magic moment when she joined Fleetwood Mac and the hedonistic turbulence that followed.

Crowned 'The Reigning Queen Of Rock And Roll' by Rolling Stone, and with gold and quadruple platinum solo albums under her beaded belt, Stevie Nicks has enjoyed the ultimate in rock 'n' roll success in her life as a recording artist - but this charmed life has come as a result of grit, self-belief and a devotion to creativity above all; hers has been a journey of intense highs and lows.

This biography, a celebration of the Stevie Nicks phenomenon, takes us on her journey from peripatetic mid-West childhood to her explosion onto the music scene as chiffon-swathed rock goddess, right up to present day. Including exclusive interviews with some of Stevie's associates and collaborators from over the years, author Zoë Howe explores the mystique while retaining the magic of this modern-day musical sorceress and wise woman of rock.

This updated edition includes information about the 24 Karat Gold self-portrait collection exhibition Stevie curated in Hollywood, her work with the LA band Haim, coping with the loss of her close friends Glenn Frey and Prince, being a Rolling Stone cover girl again and more.

<p><em>"Brian Wilson. SMILE: Excellent! The man is my hero. I love him. I weep when I hear his band, I hear him sing. I love him."</em>&nbsp;<strong>&mdash;Paul McCartney</strong></p>

<p><strong>The story of the Brian Wilson's legendary&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>&nbsp;album from Beach Boys authority David Leaf. The story of&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>&nbsp;is a story without precedent, appropriate for music that was and remains groundbreaking.</strong></p>

<p>"This is the first book to tell the full story of Brian Wilson and&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>, including the details of the original&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>&nbsp;recording sessions and their increasingly legendary status as well as the final release of the album, the accompanying concerts and film, and its afterlife.</p>

<p>With over two dozen new interviews as well as generous excerpts from his extended 2004 interviews with Brian Wilson and&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>&nbsp;collaborator Van Dyke Parks, the book tells the story of&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>&nbsp;by those who were there in 1966 and from the participants in its 2004 resurrection, including all the members of Brian Wilson&rsquo;s band. It also features fan memories of what it was like to see Brian Wilson Presents&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>&nbsp;and what it meant to them.</p>

<p>With a foreword by Melinda Wilson and an anthology of essays from&nbsp;<em>SMiLE</em>&nbsp;historians, devotees, and music professors, this book promises to be the definitive word on the subject.</p>

<p>&ldquo;If I had to select one living genius of popular music, I would choose Brian Wilson.&rdquo;&nbsp;<strong><em>&mdash;George Martin</em></strong></p>

<p>"He's a modern-day Stravinsky, the way he constructs his music."&nbsp;<strong><em>&mdash;Questlove</em></strong></p>

<p>"I don't think there is anyone his equal in pop music."&nbsp;<strong><em>&mdash;Linda Ronstadt</em></strong></p>

<p>"[T]he only real pop genius in the world..."&nbsp;<em><strong>&mdash;Sir Elton John</strong></em></p>

Book by book, year by year, the ultimate literary trip through Bowie’s greatest decade.

With his first starring role in a feature film and his first number 1s on both sides of the Atlantic, 1975 ought to be David Bowie’s golden year. But away from the spotlight the suave soul boy of Young Americans is tumbling into a self-made hell of cocaine, witchcraft and the dark fantasies of his new fascist alter-ego, the Thin White Duke.

As David goes berserk in the Hollywood hills, back in the Britain he’s forsaken there’s a Nazi-crazed murderer stalking the streets where he was born, a masked rapist at large and a power-mad grocer’s daughter on the rise, while sappy nostalgia grinds pop to a standstill. But there are also restless scamps hanging around a certain King’s Road clothes shop, and David’s own drug-fuelled genius daring him to make the album of his life. The Seventies are about to reignite with a bang.

The sixth volume in Simon Goddard’s epic adventure through Bowie’s greatest decade, Bowie Odyssey 75 is an intricately plotted tour de force of rock’n’roll, crime, punishment, politics, punk – and a cautionary tale of tragicomic addiction.

The definitive biography of pop sensations ABBA, revised and fully updated.

Exploding on to the international music scene after winning Eurovision with ‘Waterloo’ in 1974, Abba have since become one of the most famous pop groups in the world. Bright Lights Dark Shadows is the definitive account of the rise, fall and rise of the Swedish pop music titans.

This new edition of the best-selling book has been extensively updated to include details of ABBA Voyage, the phenomenal ninth and final album, the amazing concert experience in London and the ongoing personal lives of Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog.

Punk protagonist, legendary drinker, Irish musical icon. The complete and extraordinary journey of the Pogues’ notorious frontman from outcast to national treasure has never been told – until now. This revised and updated paperback edition includes Shane's final months and the response to his passing.

A Furious Devotion vividly recounts the experiences that shaped the greatest songwriter of his generation including the formative trips to his mother’s homestead in Tipperary and the explosion of punk which changed his life.

As well as exclusive interviews with Shane himself, author Richard Balls has secured contributions from his wife and family, and people who have never spoken publicly about Shane before: close associates, former girlfriends and the English teacher who first spotted his literary gift. Nick Cave, Aidan Gillen, Cillian Murphy, Christy Moore, Sinead O’Connor and Dermot O’Leary are on the rollcall of those paying tribute to the gifted songwriter and poet.

This frank and extensive biography also includes many previously unseen personal photographs.

In 2011, Janet Devlin wowed X-Factor judges and charmed the nation with her unique vocals and performances. She consistently received the highest consecutive public vote out of all the contestants and gained a place on the live arena tour. But rather than this steering her towards greater musical success, Janet faced numerous challenges which almost cost her her career...

"Believe it or not, you’re holding my life in your hands. Not the picture-perfect version we’ve all become accustomed to, thanks to social media. This is my life as I’ve lived it – no filters.

Each chapter in this book unlocks the truth behind a song from my album Confessional. They span ten years of intense self-discovery married with a lot of self-sabotage. My broken brain has taken me to dark places both in my own head and in the real world. But, with destruction comes creation. I genuinely hope that My Confessional does not personally resonate with you and that you’ve not been to the same Hell that I’ve come to call Home, but if you have let my life be proof that it all works out in the end. I see now that the world is truly what we make of it and that everything happens for a reason. Or, at least, that’s what I tell myself.

Here lyeth my confessional of the sins I want so much to be free from and to finally forgive myself for what I’ve done.

I confess.

Janet Devlin"

• 'Don't interpret me. My songs don't have any meaning. They're just words.' - Bob Dylan.
  
• 'I was a veteran before I was a teenager.' - Michael Jackson.
  
• 'I would rather eat my own testicles than reform The Smiths, and that's saying something for a vegetarian.' - Morrissey.
  
• 'I am the only man who can say he's been in Take That and at least two members of the Spice Girls.' - Robbie Williams.
  
• 'Rehab is a cop-out.' - Amy Winehouse.

Listening to the Music the Machines Make is the revolutionary story of electronic pop from 1978 to 1983, a true golden age of British music. This definitive account explores how krautrock, disco, glam rock and punk inspired a new generation to rip up the rulebook and venture toward a new frontier of electronic music – one that laid the foundations for Hip-Hop, house, techno and beyond.

Including an extensive collection of archive images throughout, Richard Evans’s kaleidoscopic narrative draws on years of research, a plethora of archive press materials and the input of key figures, including Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure), Martyn Ware (The Human League, B.E.F., Heaven 17) and Daniel Miller (The Normal, Mute Records).

From the gritty and experimental to the camp and theatrical, this book charts the careers and impact of electronic pop’s earliest innovators and luminaries, from Devo, The Normal, Telex and Cabaret Voltaire to Soft Cell, Gary Numan, OMD, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode.