Daryl Easlea – författare

Slade were the most iconic group of the 1970s glam rock era. Although the original quartet – Dave Hill, Noddy Holder, Jim Lea and Don Powell – ceased working as a unit in the nineties, memories of the group remain strong, thanks mainly to their remarkable, enduring, festive single, 'Merry Xmas Everybody'.But there is so much more to the band than just that one record. Whatever Happened To Slade? is the first serious biography of the group in over three decades. It details the complete story of this singular band, as well as the personal histories of the four individuals who combined to turn Slade into a genuine phenomenon. Whatever Happened To Slade? charts their emergence from the 1960s beat boom, their initial successes, their epoch-making glam heyday, the group’s attempts to crack America, Slade In Flame, their bleak, retrospectively adored film, their re-emergence as hard rocking heavyweights, through to their final dissolution and post-Slade careers. Drawing on hours of new interviews and meticulous research, with a foreword by Bob Geldof and an afterword by Jim Moir, Whatever Happened To Slade? reassesses a band that won hearts and perforated eardrums across four incident-filled, bittersweet decades.

Foreword by Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, The Human League)Tina Turner: singer, trailblazer, icon. One of the best-known and most-beloved performers of all time, Simply Tina documents her life, career and relationship with celebrated music photographer, Paul Cox.When Paul Cox captured Tina's legendary 1983 comeback performance with Heaven 17 on Channel 4's The Tube, it was the beginning of a friendship that would last for over two decades. During that time, Paul was commissioned to photograph Tina on numerous video shoots and live performances.This unique and intimate collection contains a variety of never-before-seen images, telling the story of Tina's career through a mixture of live photos, video shoots, promo shots, candid images and sessions in the recording studio, as well as a few featuring some such high-profile names as David Bowie, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams and many more.

When LA musicians Russell and Ron Mael moved to Britain in 1973, they hit the pop world as Sparks and looked like oddballs, even in the context of the glam rock movement that made them welcome. Soon defined by their weird and wonderful 1974 single This Town Ain''t Big Enough For The Both Of Us from the Kimono My House album, Sparks have now released 22 albums over four decades, each record inhabiting a bizarre world of its own.Their songs were peppered with puns and pop culture nods, as well as nostalgia and jokey images, all mixed up in a kaleidoscope of musical references ranging from rock to opera to disco. They remain one of pop music''s truly original and uncompromising acts.The Sparks story is now celebrated in this unauthorised book, Daryl Easlea''s exploration of their extraordinary drawing on hours of new interviews and research. Talent Is An Asset comes as close as possible to pinning down the quicksilver nature of two gifted musicians who have gone out of their way to remain unpredictable and elusive, forever entrenched behind a dazzling gallery of jokes, impersonations and musical eccentricities.

Crazy in Love explores the astonishing life and career of Beyoncé Knowles, the Texan teenager who rose from performing in hometown backyards to being the most recognisable face on the planet.Beyoncé now towers above the entertainment industry – Music, film, fashion. She has released critically acclaimed albums one after the other, and, alongside partner Jay-Z, forms half of one of the most powerful couples in the world. This exciting and revealing portrait delves into the key events of her life, her music and her marriage to uncover true person behind the persona. Crazy in Love is essential reading for any fan.“At this point, I really know who I am, and don’t feel like I have to put myself in a box. I’m not afraid of taking risks – no one can define me.” Beyoncé

The first in-depth biography of The Black Eyed Peas explored their rise from back-street gangsta rap to globally famous group.Tells the full story from the backstreets of Los Angeles in the mid 1980s to the formation of the Black Eyed Peas and a record deal in the mid 1990s.

He became famous with Genesis but simply to call Peter Gabriel a pop star would be to sell him very short indeed. A quintessential Englishman, he has since pursued several overlapping careers, bringing to each of them his trademark preoccupation with quality control and restless curiosity.In 1975, after leaving the band that made him famous he diversified into writing movie soundtracks, various audio-visual ventures, tireless charity work and supporting major peace initiatives. He also became world music’s most illustrious champion, launching the WOMAD festival and recording solo albums that featured musicians from every corner of the globe. These and several other careers make writing Peter Gabriel’s biography an unusually challenging task, but Daryl Easlea has undertaken hours of new interviews with key friends, musicians, aides and confidants to get to the very heart and soul of Peter Gabriel, his music and his complex life. The result is an extraordinary biography of an extraordinary man.

With their era-defining music and instantly recognisable look, Chic’s reputation as pioneers of disco has endured long after the movement itself.After their initial success in the 1970s with classics such as `Good Times’, `Le Freak’ and `I Want Your Love’, Chic disbanded in 1983, with founding members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards becoming in-demand producers. After Edwards’ tragic early passing in 1996, Nile Rodgers’ involvement in Daft Punk’s 2013’s smash hit `Get Lucky’ catapulted Chic back to international acclaim. And now, from curating Meltdown in 2019 to headlining festivals all over the world, Nile Rodgers and Chic have arguably never been more popular. Covering the sweet successes and fallings out of favour, the creative process and encounters with Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Diana Ross, Madonna and others, the acclaimed Everybody Dance explores the highs and the lows of Chic’s journey in fascinating detail. With a new foreword by Duran Duran founding member John Taylor and a host of new interviews with Nile Rodgers, Johnny Mathis and many others, to add to those with Ahmet Ertegun, Bryan Ferry and David Bowie, this edition bring their enthralling journey up to date. A must-read for any disco fan, Everybody Dance: Chic and the Politics of Disco is the essential story of the legendary band who still get us lost in music, over four decades on.

You've recorded the album, toured the world, and all of the fans have left the venues. Where can the rock star now turn for sanctuary? With stadium size egos to placate, how does the rock star relax in their household? From Keith Moon's stately home to George Harrison's Buddhist retreat, Sinatra's chic apartment to Elton John's crash pad, how do the homes of the rock stars reflect their personalities and idiosyncrasies? This picture led book takes you through the keyhole of the abode's of our biggest stars.

In this deeply personal memoir, Jim Lea of Slade reflects on his life and music through heartfelt vignettes, rare memorabilia and previously untold stories.However, this is a different kind of autobiography. Instead of a linear narrative, Jim Lea - Slade's beloved bassist, pianist, violinist and songwriting powerhouse - opens his heart in short, thematic chapters that craft an intimate portrait across every stage of his life.He talks frankly about his time in the group, his Staffordshire childhood, songwriting, family life, musicianship, his retreat into the world of therapy and beyond.Written with Whatever Happened To Slade? author Daryl Easlea, the book is full of hitherto unseen material from Lea's personal collection. They include letters to his childhood sweetheart (and wife of 53 years), archive family photographs, school exercise books and behind-the-scenes snaps of Slade, alongside a timeline and discography.Lea is the final member of the fabled four-piece to tell his story. It is the book that every Slade fan has been waiting for. So, how does it feel?

When eccentric LA brothers Russell and Ron Mael moved to Britain in 1973, they exploded onto the pop scene as Sparks - an act that stood out even amid the flamboyance of the glam rock movement that embraced them.Talent is an Asset captures the quicksilver essence of these two gifted musicians, who have spent decades deliberately remaining unpredictable and elusive. Hiding behind a dazzling gallery of jokes and musical idiosyncrasies, Sparks have ignited an esoteric musical flame that burns to this day.Packed with puns, pop culture nods, nostalgia and absurdist humour, shown through a kaleidoscope of styles from rock to glam to disco, Daryl Easlea distills seven decades of Sparks' singular energy into this essential, unauthorised biography.

Der Autor Daryl Easlea hat stundenlange Interviews mit Wegbegleitern, Musikern, Helfern und Vertrauten geführt, um zum Herzen und zur Seele Peter Gabriels, seiner Musik und seines komplexen Lebens vorzudringen. Viele Fotos aus allen Schaffensphasen bereichern dieses Buch. Die Resultat ist die einzigartige Biografie eines außergewöhnlichen Künstlers.

Slade were the most iconic group of the 1970s glam rock era. Although the original quartet – Dave Hill, Noddy Holder, Jim Lea and Don Powell – ceased working as a unit in the nineties, memories of the group remain strong, thanks mainly to their remarkable, enduring, festive single, 'Merry Xmas Everybody'. But there is so much more to the band than just that one record.Whatever Happened To Slade? is the first serious biography of the group in over three decades. It details the complete story of this singular band, as well as the personal histories of the four individuals who combined to turn Slade into a genuine phenomenon. Whatever Happened To Slade? charts their emergence from the 1960s beat boom, their initial successes, their epoch-making glam heyday, the group’s attempts to crack America, Slade In Flame, their bleak, retrospectively adored film, their re-emergence as hard rocking heavyweights, through to their final dissolution and post-Slade careers.Drawing on hours of new interviews and meticulous research, with a foreword by Bob Geldof and an afterword by Jim Moir, Whatever Happened To Slade? reassesses a band that won hearts and perforated eardrums across four incident-filled, bittersweet decades.

The definitive, lavishly illustrated, history of one of the most iconic record labels of all time.Decca is one of the great global names in recorded music. From pioneering techniques that revolutionised classical recording, to the 1960s and 70s pop explosion, through to the classical revival in the 1990s and 2000s, the sheer diversity and range of Decca's story and its influence on 20th- and 21st-century music is unparalleled: from Vera Lynn to the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Luciano Pavarotti and the Three Tenors, to today's crossover superstars such as Andrea Bocelli and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.Featuring rare photography and never-seen-before archival material, this sumptuously produced history includes twelve chapters covering: Decca's Foundation (Andrew Stewart); American Decca (Lois Wilson); Decca and the Second World War (Dr Tony Wakeford); The Decca Sound (Michael Gray); Decca's Golden Years (Paul Moseley); The Pop Years 1956-68 (Jon Savage); Decca Beyond Pop and Classical (Louis Barfe); Stones, Smurfs, Splodgenessabounds (Daryl Easlea); The Three Tenors (Adam Sweeting); Russell Watson and the 21st Century (Sam Jackson); Decca Today and Tomorrow (Tom Lewis); Essential Recordings.Full of lively anecdotes and insights into the label's broader contribution to culture, Decca: The Supreme Record Company is a treat for collectors, aficionados, and anyone fascinated by the development of modern music.