John Shepherd – författare

'The most lovable figure in modern politics' was how A.J.P Taylor described the Christian pacifist, George Lansbury. At 73 he took over the helm of the Labour Party of only 46 MPs in the Depression years of the 1930s. Throughout a remarkable life, Lansbury remained an extraordinary politician of the people, associated with a multitude of crusades for social justice. He resigned from Parliament to support 'Votes for Women', and for the next ten years edited the fiery Daily Herald. In 1921 Lansbury led the 'Poplar Rates Rebellion' - when thirty Labour councillors went willingly to prison in defiance of the government, the courts and their own party leadership.As Labour leader, Lansbury was known universally as a committed socialist an implacable opponent of capitalism and imperialism. He never sought personal wealth, travelled everywhere by public transport, and made his home in impoverished East London. His final years were spent in a tireless international peace crusade to prevent the drift towards another world war.In this major new biography, John Shepherd draws on an impressive range of research to reconstruct the life of a charismatic Labour pioneer. He reaffirms George Lansbury's standing at the heart of Old Labour and his importance to British politics as a whole.

'The most loveable figure in modern politics' was how A. J. P. Taylor described the Christian pacifist, George Lansbury, who at 73 took over the helm of the Labour Party of only 46 MPs in the Depression years of the 1930s. Throughout a remarkable life, Lansbury remained an extraordinary politician of the people, associated with a multitude of crusades for social justice. He resigned from Parliament to support 'Votes for Women' and for the next ten years edited the fiery Daily Herald. In 1921 Lansbury led the 'Poplar Rates Rebellion' - when thirty Labour councillors went willingly to prison in defiance of the government, the courts, and their own party leadership.As Labour leader, Lansbury was known universally as a committed socialist and an implacable opponent of capitalism and imperialism. He never sought personal wealth, travelled everywhere by public transport, and made his home in impoverished East London. His final years were spent in a tireless international peace crusade to prevent the drift towards another world war.In this major new biography, John Shepherd draws on an impressive range of research to reconstruct the life of a charismatic Labour pioneer. He reaffirms George Lansbury's standing at the heart of Old Labour and his importance to British politics as a whole.

Rock and Popular Music examines the relations between the policies and institutions which regulate contemporary popular music and the political debates, contradictions and struggles in which those musics are involved.International in its scope and conception, this innovative collection explores the reasons for and ways in which governments have sought either to support or prohibit popular music in Canada, Australia and Europe as well as the impact of broadcasting policies in forming and shaping different musical communities.Rock and Popular Music is a unique collection suggesting significant new directions for the study of contemporary popular musics.

Rock and Popular Music examines the relations between the policies and institutions which regulate contemporary popular music and the political debates, contradictions and struggles in which those musics are involved.International in its scope and conception, this innovative collection explores the reasons for and ways in which governments have sought either to support or prohibit popular music in Canada, Australia and Europe as well as the impact of broadcasting policies in forming and shaping different musical communities.Rock and Popular Music is a unique collection suggesting significant new directions for the study of contemporary popular musics.

First published in 1991. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Britain is no longer the sole organizing centre for cultural studies. The contributors to this volume demonstrate how cultural studies has diffused into other English-speaking countries and how its original concerns have been renegotiated and changed. The result is a landmark book which provides students with an unrivalled guide to the international phenomenon of cultural studies.

The Routledge Reader on the Sociology of Music offers the first collection of source readings and new essays on the latest thinking in the sociology of music. Interest in music sociology has increased dramatically over the past decade, yet there is no anthology of essential and introductory readings. The volume includes a comprehensive survey of the field’s history, current state and future research directions. It offers six source readings, thirteen popular contemporary essays, and sixteen fresh, new contributions, along with an extended Introduction by the editors. The Routledge Reader on the Sociology of Music represents a broad reference work that will be a resource for the current generation of sociologically inclined musicologists and musically inclined sociologists, whether researchers, teachers or students.

Britain is no longer the sole organizing centre for cultural studies. The contributors to this volume demonstrate how cultural studies has diffused into other English-speaking countries and how its original concerns have been renegotiated and changed. The result is a landmark book which provides students with an unrivalled guide to the international phenomenon of cultural studies.

Over thirty years later, the ‘winter of discontent’ of 1978–79 still resonates in British politics. On 22 January 1979, 1.5 million workers were on strike. Industrial unrest swept Britain in an Arctic winter. Militant shop stewards blocked medical supplies to hospitals; mountains of rubbish remained uncollected; striking road hauliers threatened to bring the country to a standstill; even the dead were left unburied. Within weeks, the beleaguered Callaghan Labour government fell from power. In the 1979 general election, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister, beginning eighteen years of unbroken Conservative rule. Based on a wide range of newly available historical sources and key interviews, this full-length account breaks new ground, analysing the origins, character and impact of a turbulent period of industrial unrest. This important study will appeal to all those interested in contemporary history and British politics.

This new edited collection of essays focuses on the history of Labour’s second period in office during the 1929-1931 global financial crisis. Contributions by leading historians and younger academics bring fresh perspectives to Labour’s domestic problems, electoral and party matters, relations with the Soviet Union and ideological questions.An important range of new historical research provides a much-needed reappraisal of Ramsay MacDonald’s second Labour government, which impressed few with its conventional policies for tackling mass unemployment. Oswald Mosley, John Maynard Keynes and Ernest Bevin’s alternative economic strategies are critically studied in key essays. A more positive side of the government’s policies is also adeptly revealed on consumerism and agriculture. Significant new light is adroitly shed on the 1929 general election, the first fought on a universal franchise. The intricate politics of the Parliamentary Labour Party and the disaffiliation of the Independent Labour Party are convincingly explored. The influence of the Soviet Union on Labour’s thoughts and actions is analysed in valuable accounts of Labour’s foreign policy and Labour’s turn to socialism after 1931. An important fresh account of opposition politics breaks new ground on the reaction of Tory politicians, including Harold Macmillan, to MacDonald’s government. The volume concludes with an absorbing analysis of the myths surrounding ‘1931’ in Labour history.This timely volume makes accessible a major reassessment of existing knowledge and new scholarship that will appeal to students and teachers of British political and social history. It is essential reading for sixth form and university courses on twentieth-century history.

From advertising to zydeco, this volume provides a guide to scholarly literature on the popular music of the world. It covers non-biographical aspects of the field, including genres, the industry, social and cultural contexts, musical practices, geographical locations and theory and method.

Music and Cultural TheoryIn this book Shepherd and Wicke make a bold and original contribution to the understanding of music as a form of human expression. They argue that music is fundamental to social life. Music is not merely a form of leisure or entertainment: it is central to the very formation and reproduction of human societies.The authors pursue this argument through a wide-ranging assessment of some of the major cultural theoretical contributions to understanding music. Theories of culture, linguistic theories, structuralist and post-structuralist theories and psychoanalytic theories of music are carefully explained and critically examined. The authors then develop their own account of music as a non-referential yet material form of human expression which embodies and conveys principles of symbolic structuring. They emphasize the human body as a principal site for the musical mediation of social and symbolic processes.Music and Cultural Theory establishes new links between musicology and cultural studies, showing how each discipline can inform and enrich the other. It will be recommended reading for students and professionals in musicology, media and communication studies, cultural studies and the sociology of culture.

How does a society recover from a devastating war? This was the question posed in the 1920s as people searched for normality in the aftermath of terrible trauma. Written from the perspective of those who lived, worked and played in the metropolis of greater London, "1920s Britain" uncovers the hardships and stresses of the age, strains which manifested in the general strike of 1926. However, the 1920s was also a time of recovery and hope for the future; London itself was a place of international significance and hope. Delve into the past in this intriguing insight into a difficult time for Britain and the people tasked with its recovery.

The 1970s is remembered as a decade of punk rock, the 'Winter of Discontent', 'Bloody Sunday' and 'The Female Eunuch'. The iconic images of the '70s, from the break-up of the Beatles to the striking Merseyside graveyard diggers and mountains of municipal rubbish in Leicester Square, provide a glimpse into the extraordinary contrasts of the decade. Britain in the 1970s has been painted as a country in crisis, but the country also experienced huge positive social and cultural shifts, with the blossoming of modern feminism, the Gay Liberation Front, and the establishment of the Commission for Racial Equality. The high street enjoyed the impact of new technology and new brands, and global travel was brought within the reach of many. Here the authors reassess a decade rich in continuities and contrasts from different national and local perspectives.

Children of the 1950s have much to look back on with fondness: Muffin the Mule, Andy Pandy, and Dennis the Menace became part of the family for many, while for others the freedom of the riverbank or railway platform was a haven away from the watchful eyes of parents.The postwar welfare state offered free orange juice, milk and healthcare, and there was lots to do, whether football in the street, a double bill at the cinema, a game of Ludo or a spot of roller-skating. But there were also hardships: wartime rationing persisted into the ’50s, a trip to the dentist was a painful ordeal, and at school discipline was harsh and the Eleven-Plus exam was a formidable milestone.Janet Shepherd and John Shepherd examine what it was like to grow up part of the Baby Boomer generation, showing what life was like at home and at school and introducing a new phenomenon – the teenager.

At one time, Liverpool's landing stage was so busy that ships would be literally queuing in the Mersey to discharge and embark passengers. However, the period from the late 1940s saw both the golden age of Liverpool shipping as well as the decline of its passenger trade. From the early 1960s, though, Liverpool's passenger trade entered a decline that was unstoppable. The Jet Age had seen the loss of much of its trade and shipping line after shipping line moved away from the port or stopped its ships sailing and sold them for scrap or service with foreign lines. John Shepherd tells the story, using the memories of those who sailed in them, of the last liners to use Liverpool.

Popular music has been a major force in the world since the 19th century. With the advent of electronic and advanced technology it has become ubiquitous. This is the first volume in a series of encyclopedic works covering popular music of the world, consisting of some 500 entries by 130 contributors from around the world. Entries range between 250 and 5000 words, arranged in two parts: part I: social and cultural dimensions, covering the social phenomena of relevance to the practice of popular music. Part II: the industry, covers all aspects of the popular music industry, such as copyright, instrumental manufacture, management and marketing, record corporations, studios, companies, and labels.

Popular music has been a major force in the world since the 19th century. With the advent of electronic and advanced technology it has become ubiquitous. This is the second volume in a series of encyclopedic works covering popular music of the world. It consists of some 460 entries by 130 contributors from around the world. Entries range between 250 and 5000 words and are arranged in four parts: performers and performing; musical production and transmission; musical instruments; and musical forms and practice. Entries include musical examples, bibliographies, discographies and filmographies.

Whose Music? combines historical, musicological, and sociological materials and styles of analysis in ways that connect to the field of sociology. The analyses of social class systems presented here speak in translatable ways to analyses of musical forms. Not only that, both are connected to an understanding of the organizations through which works are distributed to their audiences. Perhaps most importantly for the contemporary reader, this book depicts the part of the process by which dominant class groups justify their domination--cultural and otherwise.

Whose Music? combines historical, musicological, and sociological materials and styles of analysis in ways that connect to the field of sociology. The analyses of social class systems presented here speak in translatable ways to analyses of musical forms. Not only that, both are connected to an understanding of the organizations through which works are distributed to their audiences. Perhaps most importantly for the contemporary reader, this book depicts the part of the process by which dominant class groups justify their domination--cultural and otherwise.

In Tin Pan Alley we see the beginnings of the pop world as we now know it: commercial, constantly capturing, exploiting or even occasionally creating a public mood. The Alleymen were workers as much as artists. This book, first published in 1982, explores how the change occurred, the ways in which songwriters organised themselves to get greater control over their products, the social circumstances that influenced their choice of subject-matter, the new forms, such as the integrated musical, developed for maximum appeal, the vast publicity structure built to market the merchandise, and, of course, the many stars who came to fame by taking a walk down the Alley.

In Tin Pan Alley we see the beginnings of the pop world as we now know it: commercial, constantly capturing, exploiting or even occasionally creating a public mood. The Alleymen were workers as much as artists. This book, first published in 1982, explores how the change occurred, the ways in which songwriters organised themselves to get greater control over their products, the social circumstances that influenced their choice of subject-matter, the new forms, such as the integrated musical, developed for maximum appeal, the vast publicity structure built to market the merchandise, and, of course, the many stars who came to fame by taking a walk down the Alley.

The Routledge Reader on the Sociology of Music offers the first collection of source readings and new essays on the latest thinking in the sociology of music. Interest in music sociology has increased dramatically over the past decade, yet there is no anthology of essential and introductory readings. The volume includes a comprehensive survey of the field’s history, current state and future research directions. It offers six source readings, thirteen popular contemporary essays, and sixteen fresh, new contributions, along with an extended Introduction by the editors. The Routledge Reader on the Sociology of Music represents a broad reference work that will be a resource for the current generation of sociologically inclined musicologists and musically inclined sociologists, whether researchers, teachers or students.

Designed specifically for young athletes, this manual contains a wide range of progressive practice drills to help players develop. Fun, educational and challenging, all drills are illustrated and cover the essential technical skills, including: warming uprunningjumpinghurdlingthrowingAs well as easy-to-follow instructions, each drill contains information on the equipment needed, the space required, how to construct a safe and effective training session and how to organise the athletes.

Designed specifically for young people, this manual contains a wide range of progressive practice drills to help them develop their fitness. Fun, educational and challenging, all drills are illustrated and cover the essential technical skills, including: agility speed peripheral vision body awareness strength and general fitness As well as easy-to-follow instructions, each drill contains information on the equipment needed, the space required, how to construct a safe and effective training session and how to organise the athletes.

Designed specifically for young people, this manual contains a wide range of progressive practice drills to help them develop their fitness. Fun, educational and challenging, all drills are illustrated and cover the essential skills, including: agility speed peripheral vision body awareness strength and general fitness As well as easy-to-follow instructions, each drill contains information on the equipment needed, the space required, how to construct a safe and effective training session and how to organise the athletes.

This is a comprehensive and authoritative reference to a huge range of American musical styles, from Barbershop to Bluegrass and from Ragtime to Rockabilly. The six "EPMOW Genre" volumes contain entries on the genres of music that have been or currently are popular in countries and communities all over the world. Included are discussions on cultural, historical and geographic origins; technical musical characteristics; instrumentation and use of voice; lyrics and language; typical features of performance and presentation; historical development and paths and modes of dissemination; influence of technology, the music industry and political and economic circumstances; changing stylistic features; notable and influential performers; and relationships to other genres and sub-genres. This volume, on the music of North America, features over 100 in-depth essays on genres ranging from Adult Contemporary to Alternative Rock, from Barbershop to Bebop, and from Disco to Emo. All entries conclude with a bibliography, discographical references and discography, with additional information on sheet music listings and visual recordings.Written and edited by a team of distinguished popular music scholars and professionals, this is an exceptional resource for anybody studying or researching the history and development of popular music.

Sixties children grew up in a more permissive and commercial age. They enjoyed a childhood in which new vaccines gave children protection from life threatening diseases while the contraceptive pill meant smaller family groups. A controversial programme of comprehensive education began to be rolled out while primary schools would become less rigid and more centred on the needs of the child. This was also the first young generation not to be conscripted into the armed forces.Rising prosperity and rapid technological advances meant more children lived in homes with refrigerators, washing machines and science-inspired toys. Parents had more leisure time to spend with their children and television became the norm. Sixties children routinely travelled in cars and went on family holidays, increasingly abroad. Sweets and toys were plentiful in this first full decade without rationing. Teenagers had money to spend on fashion, pop music and, worryingly, drugs. The Beatles began to dominate the vinyl record market.This book is part of the Britain’s Heritage series, which provides definitive introductions to the riches of Britain’s past, and is the perfect way to get acquainted with a 1960s childhood in all its variety.

Afraid of training with weights? Worried of putting on muscles? Think again. Strength training is for women.This book is the ultimate guide to toning up, burning fat and getting the body you want. It shows you why women should train with weights and why you should not be afraid of them. Dispelling the myth that weight training makes a woman ‘bulky and unfeminine’, the book shows that weights and resistance training methods could be the single most important element in your fitness regime. Packed with full-colour photos and descriptions of over 30 exercises, the book gives you advice on how to put together a resistance training programme as well as how to interchange exercises. Motivational, it also gives three 6-week workout programmes to achieve a stronger, fitter and firmer body.This is the ideal companion to get the best toned body you’ve always wanted. Strength training is for women.