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Category Archives: BOOK REVIEWS
Book review: Electric World – A Casual Guide to the Music of Neal Schon by Neil Daniels
Available as an EBook or book on Amazon Neal Schon if you needed reminding is the guitarist with melodic rock giants Journey, although this book by Neil Daniels (the Ginger Wildheart of rock writing as he always seems to have … Continue reading
Book review: High Stakes & Dangerous Men – The UFO Story by Neil Daniels
Soundcheck Books www.soundcheckbooks.co.uk UFO have never been a massive band like say Deep Purple, although they have had periods in their history, most notably the 70’s Schenker years, when they easily sold out Apollo sized venues here in the UK … Continue reading
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Tagged Andy Parker, book review, classic rock, Danny Peyronel, hard rock, High Stakes & Dangerous Men – The UFO Story, Michael Schenker, Neil Carter, Neil Daniels, Paul Raymond, Pete Way, Phil Mogg, Ron Nevison, Soundcheck Books, Strangers In The Night, UFO
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Book review: If You Like The Ramones… by Peter Aaron
Backbeat Books www.backbeatbooks.com The latest in this excellent series of ‘If You Like…’ books and this time it is US punk meets rock ‘n’ roll legends the Ramones. This one is slightly different as the author Peter Aaron not only … Continue reading
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Tagged Backbeat Books, book, book review, If You Like The Ramones…, Motorhead, Peter Aaron, punk, review, rock 'n' roll, US punk
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Book review: The Beach Boys In Concert by Ian Rusten and Jon Stebbins
Backbeat Books www.backbeatbooks.com You could sum this review up simply as this book is perfect for the avid Beach Boys fan. It lists nearly all of their concerts from their early days up until their 2012 reunion, although the later … Continue reading
Book review: Cher: All I Really Want To Do by Daryl Easlea and Eddi Fiegel
Backbeat Books Despite being well into her 60’s Cher is still instantly recognised as one of the most famous female singers of all time. From her big 1960’s hits with ex-husband Sonny Bono to massive solo success in both music … Continue reading
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Tagged All I Really Want To Do, Backbeat Books, book review, Cher, Daryl Easlea, Eddi Fiegel
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Book review: Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison by John Kruth
Backbeat Books I have personally been looking for a good biography of Roy Orbison for a number of years and John Kruth’s “Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison” has certainly met my expectations. With a sense … Continue reading
Book reviews: ERIC CLAPTON – All You Need To Know FAQ and Day by Day
Published by Backbeat Books Normally reserved for the ranks of more obsessive fans and anoraks (and before you ask, I am one myself- KISS, Rolling Stones and Hanoi Rocks) of late these kinds of books have taken on a whole … Continue reading
Book review: Shell Shocked: My Life with the Turtles, Flo & Eddie and Frank Zappa by Howard Kaylan
Shell Shocked: My Life with the Turtles, Flo & Eddie and Frank Zappa by Howard Kaylan with Jeff Tamarkin Backbeat Books www.backbeatbooks.com For a man behind timeless pop classics like the Turtles ‘Happy Together’, Howard Kaylan has certainly led a … Continue reading
Book review: Never Mind the Botox by Mitch Stansbury
Subtitled taking indie rock back from the kids, this is a cracking read consisting a series of short gig reviews and running through it his various family and friends joining him at the various concerts. They go chronologically between 2007 … Continue reading
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Tagged gigs, Mitch Stansbury, never mind the botox
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Book review: AC/DC – The Early Years with Bon Scott by Neil Daniels
Independent Music Press Engaging, easy to read and authoritve, Neil Daniels’ latest offering “AC/DC- The Early Years with Bon Scott” is essential reading for fans of the band. Having grown up watching a Brian Johnson fronted AC/DC and only hearing … Continue reading
Book review: No Off Switch by ANDY KERSHAW
Virgin Books Andy Kershaw is best known by many for his time as a Radio 1 DJ, along with later in his career working on Radio’s 3 and 4. Then there is his work presenting ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’ … Continue reading
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Tagged Andy Kershaw, Bhundu Boys, John Peel, John Walters, No Off Switch, Radio 1, Radio 3, Radio 4, Virgin Books, world music
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Book review: ’50 Years – The Rolling Stones, Views from The Inside, Views from The Outside’ by Hanspeter Kunzler
’50 Years – The Rolling Stones, Views from The Inside, Views from The Outside’ by Hanspeter Kunzler (eBook) Published by Hanspeter Kunzler I am a massive fan of The Rolling Stones, to the point where I can be quiet anal … Continue reading
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Tagged ebook, Hanspeter Kunzler, The Rolling Stones
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“Entertain Us- The Rise of Nirvana” by G Gaar
Jawbone Even if you are not a fan of Nirvana, you will be aware of how their story ended- band gets huge, singer doesn’t like that, has mad wife, shoots himself (or did he?!!), becomes a saint like figure for … Continue reading
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Tagged Dave Grohl, Entertain Us- The Rise of Nirvana, Gillian G Gaar, grunge, Kurt Cobain, Nirvana
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Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering Reality
Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering Reality edited by William Irwin (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012) This is the latest in the Blackwell Philosophy and Popular Culture series and this one examines the mighty Black Sabbath, particularly their music, through … Continue reading
To Master Reality with Black Sabbath, Let Philosophy be Your Guide by William Irwin
William Irwin is the editor of Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering Reality (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012) and here he gives us his views on what we may expect from the new Black Sabbath album currently being recorded… To Master Reality with … Continue reading
Never Hold An Underdog Down – You Me At Six by Neil Daniels
Never Hold An Underdog Down – You Me At Six by Neil Daniels Publisher: Independent Music Press This book was a great read. 154 pages crammed with the wonderfully written story of You Me At Six. … Continue reading
If You Like Led Zeppelin… by Dave Thompson
If You Like Led Zeppelin… by Dave Thompson Backbeat Books www.backbeatbooks.com Another in the series of ‘If You Like…’ which takes a big name band and then suggests other music, books and films you may like based on the artist … Continue reading
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Tagged book review, classic rock, Dave Thompson, Fairport Convention, Led Zeppelin, Roy Harper
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GUITAR WORLD presents DEAR GUITAR HERO
Backbeat Books 2012 www.backbeatbooks.com This book is based on the ‘Dear Guitar hero..’ section of ‘Guitar World’ magazine where fans ask their guitar heroes questions, from technical set-up ones through to more ‘Smash Hits’ type questions about favourite foods. There … Continue reading
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Tagged Backbeat Books, books, guitar hero, Guitar World, Jeff Beck, music books, Ritchie Blackmore, Slash, Yngwie Malmsteen
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If You Like Metallica… by Mike McPadden
Backbeat Books www.backbeatbooks.com A book that does what it says on the tin in that it recommends music, along with books and films, you may enjoy as a fan of Metallica. A book like this you’d think would be fairly … Continue reading
Iron Maiden: The Ultimate Unauthorized History of the Beat by Neil Daniels
Jawbone Press www.jawbonepress.com £24.95 224pp ISBN 9781908279231 Neil Daniels fresh from his book on Metallica’s early years now turns his attention to one of the metal bands of all time, Iron Maiden. This is a lovely illustrated tome with live … Continue reading
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Tagged Blaze Bayley, Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden, Neil Daniels, Steve Harris
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Metallica: The Early Years and the Rise of Metal by Neil Daniels
Independent Music Press 2012 www.impbook.com Oh no not another book on Metallica I hear you groan but this one has two things going its favour – it concentrates on the early years and as it is unauthorised has some honest … Continue reading
The Complete History of Guitar World (Backbeat Books 2010)
A very concise history of the highlights of the respected ‘Guitar World’ magazine. Even non-musos like myself can enjoy this book. For only 300 pages they cram the information in from every song transcripted in the magazine between July 1980 … Continue reading
