Jennifer Otter Bickerdike – författare

A ROUGH TRADE, MOJO, UNCUT & LOUDER THAN WAR BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE RALPH J. GLEASON MUSIC BOOK AWARDA redemptive, myth-shattering biography of one of the twentieth century's most underestimated creative and artistic forces.'Here is the Odyssey of Nico . . . a scholarly and detailed chronicle of this brilliant artist, who was spurned and tortured for her trouble.'IGGY POP'At last, a comprehensive and compelling book about Nico.'VIV ALBERTINE'Absorbs from start to finish.'OBSERVERThe real story of Nico is one of determination, self-destruction and belief in one's artistic vision, at any cost . . .You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone is an empowering reappraisal of an underappreciated icon. Drawing upon new interviews and rare archival material Bickerdike defies the sexist casting of Nico's life as the tragedy of a beautiful woman losing her youth and fame, and instead cements her legacy as one of the most vital artists of her generation.'Gripping.' THE TIMES'[This] book gets closer to understanding Nico than most.' GUARDIAN'Deserves to sit with the great biographies.' RECORD COLLECTOR'A compassionate portrait of a musician whose artistry has often been overlooked.' MOJO'Valuable . . . Bickerdike gives Nico her due as an artist.' THE SPECTATOR'Entertainingly written and insightful.' INDEPENDENT'The best music book you will read this year.' LOUDER THAN WAR

The authorized biography of the quintessential '80s pop band The Bangles, who scored massive hits with "Manic Monday," Walk Like an Egyptian," "Hazy Shade of Winter," and moreFrom their first meeting in 1981, the Bangles were ambitious, focused, and intentional; their hard-work and determination resulted in millions of records sold across the globe, before becoming the first all-girl band to have five "Top 10" hits. Not long after coming together, they toured the world, released #1 records, and collaborated with the biggest artists of the day. They seemed unstoppable-until tensions within the band, artistic differences, and the pressures of sudden celebrity tore them apart less than a decade later.ETERNAL FLAME is the story of those eight years: of a diverse and vibrant Los Angeles music scene, unfettered work ethics and self-belief, the dawn of MTV, the unpredictable consequences of fame, life as a touring band, and their rapid rise to global domination--then imploding at the height of success. But it's also a story of the very real challenges faced by women attempting to follow their artistic dreams in a media and music industry ecosystem which seemed set up for their failure from the start.With unprecedented access to founding members Debbi Peterson, Susanna Hoffs, and Vicki Peterson, ETERNAL FLAME is the first authorized biography of this iconic group, featuring exclusive stories, input, and interviews from the pioneering band members themselves as well as those that knew them best. From playing the club circuit in 1980s' LA to bunking with Sting during a PR trip to the UK to topping the Billboard charts, to interludes with Prince and appearances on the definitive MTV, ETERNAL FLAME traces the band's rise to superstardom, taking readers behind-the-scenes and sharing with them never-before-shared anecdotes and personal ephemera.As Debbi herself notes, "I think it's about time that our true story was told. People only see certain aspects of the Bangles, especially as the media has twisted the past and we have been misrepresented for a long time. Plus, certainly in the eighties, we were women making it in a man's world. I think that needs to be celebrated." Dynamic, daring, and deliciously entertaining from start to finish, ETERNAL FLAME is a tribute to one of the greatest pop bands of the 20th century-and a long-overdue corrective that restores The Bangles to their rightful place in music history as feminist trailblazers.

A ROUGH TRADE, MOJO, UNCUT & LOUDER THAN WAR BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE RALPH J. GLEASON MUSIC BOOK AWARDA redemptive, myth-shattering biography of one of the twentieth century's most underestimated creative and artistic forces.'Here is the Odyssey of Nico . . . a scholarly and detailed chronicle of this brilliant artist, who was spurned and tortured for her trouble.'IGGY POP'At last, a comprehensive and compelling book about Nico.'VIV ALBERTINE'Absorbs from start to finish.'OBSERVERThe real story of Nico is one of determination, self-destruction and belief in one's artistic vision, at any cost . . .You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone is an empowering reappraisal of an underappreciated icon. Drawing upon new interviews and rare archival material Bickerdike defies the sexist casting of Nico's life as the tragedy of a beautiful woman losing her youth and fame, and instead cements her legacy as one of the most vital artists of her generation.'Gripping.' THE TIMES'[This] book gets closer to understanding Nico than most.' GUARDIAN'Deserves to sit with the great biographies.' RECORD COLLECTOR'A compassionate portrait of a musician whose artistry has often been overlooked.' MOJO'Valuable . . . Bickerdike gives Nico her due as an artist.' THE SPECTATOR'Entertainingly written and insightful.' INDEPENDENT'The best music book you will read this year.' LOUDER THAN WAR

Kurt Cobain and Ian Curtis. Through death, they became icons. However, the lead singers have been removed from their humanity, replaced by easily replicated and distributed commodities bearing their image. This book examines how the anglicised singers provide secular guidance to the modern consumer in an ever more uncertain world.

Kurt Cobain and Ian Curtis. Through death, they became icons. However, the lead singers have been removed from their humanity, replaced by easily replicated and distributed commodities bearing their image. This book examines how the anglicised singers provide secular guidance to the modern consumer in an ever more uncertain world.

Media pilgrimage has become a booming business in the 21st century. Fans of television shows, rock groups and books flock to places associated with their favorite series, artist or writer, trying to embody and perhaps understand what inspired the beloved piece of work, and, more importantly, to cobble together their own personal identity, seeking meaning in an ever-more divergent and fast-paced world. At the same time, participation in organized group activities are dropping. One of the largest down turns in the US and the UK can be seen in the steep decline of attendance at traditional religious venues. This trend dovetails with the radical uptick in on-line sites dedicated to pop culture and celebrities, as well as an array of niche-focused real-time tours allowing fans to experience the spaces, places and scenery featured in their favorite entertainment medium.

 

The Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim examines the function of fandom, specifically the visiting of spaces which have been recently deemed worthy of sanctification and a newly elevated status of importance. It examines how such pilgrimages are used as a means for forming and maintaining a common language of culture, creating a replacement apparatus based on more traditional frameworks of religious worship and salvation, while becoming an ever more dominant mechanism for constructing individuality and finding belonging in a commodified culture. Looking at television shows such as The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, bands like The Stone Roses and Joy Division, and authors like J.K. Rowling and the Brontë sisters, The Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim delves into these issues by examining spaces, fan communities and rituals, providing a unique and provocative investigation into how technology, media and humanistic need for guidance are forming novel ways of expressing value, forging self and finding significance in an uncertain world.

Media pilgrimage has become a booming business in the 21st century. Fans of television shows, rock groups and books flock to places associated with their favorite series, artist or writer, trying to embody and perhaps understand what inspired the beloved piece of work, and, more importantly, to cobble together their own personal identity, seeking meaning in an ever-more divergent and fast-paced world. At the same time, participation in organized group activities are dropping. One of the largest down turns in the US and the UK can be seen in the steep decline of attendance at traditional religious venues. This trend dovetails with the radical uptick in on-line sites dedicated to pop culture and celebrities, as well as an array of niche-focused real-time tours allowing fans to experience the spaces, places and scenery featured in their favorite entertainment medium.

 

The Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim examines the function of fandom, specifically the visiting of spaces which have been recently deemed worthy of sanctification and a newly elevated status of importance. It examines how such pilgrimages are used as a means for forming and maintaining a common language of culture, creating a replacement apparatus based on more traditional frameworks of religious worship and salvation, while becoming an ever more dominant mechanism for constructing individuality and finding belonging in a commodified culture. Looking at television shows such as The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, bands like The Stone Roses and Joy Division, and authors like J.K. Rowling and the Brontë sisters, The Secular Religion of Fandom: Pop Culture Pilgrim delves into these issues by examining spaces, fan communities and rituals, providing a unique and provocative investigation into how technology, media and humanistic need for guidance are forming novel ways of expressing value, forging self and finding significance in an uncertain world.

'[An] astute reckoning with modern celebrity' - The Times'A wild read' - The Guardian'A great, thorough piece of work' - Pandora SykesPart biography, part social history, Being Britney pieces together a collage of stories, interviews, legends and fan experiences to construct a definitive portrait of one of the biggest stars in recent history.In her unique narrative, acclaimed music author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike provides a sympathetic yet objective re-examination of Britney's trajectory from girl next door to woman trapped by fame. Being Britney is the compelling account of a talented, troubled and talked-about modern icon, whose life, work and individual significance will be recognised for many decades to come.'After years of being framed as a victim, Britney deserves to be celebrated as the fighter, inspiration and enigma she truly is.' - Jennifer Otter Bickerdike

''[An] astute reckoning with modern celebrity'' - The Times''A wild read'' - The Guardian''A well-researched, measured account'' - The SunPart biography, part social history, Being Britney pieces together a collage of stories, interviews, legends and fan experiences to construct a definitive portrait of one of the biggest stars in recent history.In her unique narrative, acclaimed music author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike provides a sympathetic yet objective re-examination of Britney''s trajectory from girl next door to woman trapped by fame. Being Britney is the compelling account of a talented, troubled and talked-about modern icon, whose life, work and individual significance will be recognised for many decades to come.''After years of being framed as a victim, Britney deserves to be celebrated as the fighter, inspiration and enigma she truly is.'' - Jennifer Otter Bickerdike

'[An] astute reckoning with modern celebrity' - The Times'A wild read' - The Guardian'A well-researched, measured account' - The SunPart biography, part social history, Being Britney pieces together a collage of stories, interviews, legends and fan experiences to construct a definitive portrait of one of the biggest stars in recent history.In her unique narrative, acclaimed music author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike provides a sympathetic yet objective re-examination of Britney's trajectory from girl next door to woman trapped by fame. Being Britney is the compelling account of a talented, troubled and talked-about modern icon, whose life, work and individual significance will be recognised for many decades to come.'After years of being framed as a victim, Britney deserves to be celebrated as the fighter, inspiration and enigma she truly is.' - Jennifer Otter Bickerdike

Die Künstlerin hinter den Skandalen:die wahre Geschichte der Britney SpearsSie war die ultimative Pop-Prinzessin: 1998 landete Britney Spears mit ihrer ersten Single »… Baby One More Time« weltweit einen Riesenhit und begründete damit eine steile internationale Karriere. Das dazugehörige Video zeigte eine blonde Lolita mit Zöpfen, bauchfreiem Shirt und kurzem Rock, mit unschuldigem Augenaufschlag und kirschrot geschminktem Mund - ein Look, der schon das Dilemma ankündigte, an dem Britney Spears später beinahe zerbrechen sollte.Denn: Unschuldig sollte sie sein, aber natürlich auch verführerisch. Erfolgreich, aber trotzdem das Mädchen von nebenan. Selbstbewusst, aber dennoch von den mächtigen Männern im Hintergrund leicht zu lenken. Britney avancierte so zu einer der wichtigsten Stilikonen der 2000er Jahre und schuf mit einem unverwechselbaren Mix aus R&B, Dance und Hip-Hop ihren ganz eigenen, tanzbar-melodischen Sound. Sie erklomm die höchsten Höhen der Pop-Olymps - und stürzte schließlich spektakulär ab.In Being Britney schildert Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, unter welchen Vorzeichen sich Britneys Aufstieg vollzog und welche medialen Mechanismen das perfide System stützten, das sie gleichzeitig groß machte und kleinhielt. Auf die Hits folgten Drogen, Alkohol, Scheidungen, Sorgerechtsprozesse und Zusammenbrüche. 13 Jahre lang stand Britney unter der Vormundschaft ihres Vaters. Doch jenseits aller Schlagzeilen schuf sie während dieser ganzen Zeit als kreative Künstlerin neue Musik.Being Britney ist nicht nur die packende Biografie einer faszinierenden Frau, sondern liefert auch aufschlussreiche Einsichten in die Unterhaltungsindustrie und beschreibt, welche Fallstricke auf kreative Frauen warten, die sich jenseits überholter Klischees in einem immer noch männlich dominierten Umfeld durchsetzen wollen. Das Buch zeigt die Britney Spears hinter den Skandalen - als moderne, feministische Pop-Ikone mit großem Einfluss auf den Sound und Stil des 21. Jahrhunderts.