Michael Heatley – författare

The first biography of Manchester born singer David Gray, from his early years in obscurity though the gradual building of support in Ireland to the huge mainstream success of the White Ladder album, which has sold over a million copies in the UK and produced massive hit singles, Babylon and Please Forgive Me.Updated and revised to cover the chart-topping follow-up album, A New Day At Midnight.

Sex, drugs, egos, money, fans, music, god and who we love and hate... the rock stars have their say.Featuring over 2,000 words of wisdom and stupidity from all your favourite rock stars and five decades of rock''n''roll.Quotes include: ''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.

Ryan Adams is American roots music''s first superstar of the new century. First finding cult fame with alternative country band Whiskeytown, his rebellious image and photogenic street urchin looks have won a wide fan following that includes Elton John and Noel Gallagher. In this first account of his life, Michael Heatley traces Adams'' progress from small town North Carolina to trysts with actress Winona Ryder, the broken romances and personal demons that have fuelled his most affecting work and his dedication to legendary country-rock pioneer Gram Parsons. Still in his mid twenties, Adams has the world at his feet. If, unlike Parsons, he opts for self-preservation rather that the self-destructive image he often portrays. This book assesses the past, present and future of a performer with the potential and the eclecticism to be ''the new Neil Young''.

Michael Buble soared to overnight fame at the comparatively late age of 25 after performing at the Canadian Prime Minister’s daughter’s nuptials in 2000. Since then, the UK hit artist has sold over 25 million albums and has won two Grammy Awards.At This Moment: The Story of Michael Bublé tells the story of a humble fisherman’s son in Vancouver who turned his back on MTV to embrace the music of the Forties, Fifties and Sixties. With exclusive details on his many recordings, including the hard-to-find pre-fame releases; his high profile love affairs; his ambivalent attitude to fame and his obsession with ice hockey.

Four volatile bursts of energy whose incendiary music and intelligent lyrics made them articulate spokesmen for a dissatisfied generation. This is the band in their own words - from their anarchic beginnings to their current mainstream success and life in the aftermath of guitarist Richey Edwards'' disappearance.

A survey of guitar-based rock - tracing all genres, from the late 1960s blues-rock boom to '90s blues and R&B. It covers all the essential people, events and developments, giving an informative and thoughtful history, alongside key artists and tracks. It is suitable for rock fans.

In a world dominated by industry created pop idols, the story of David Gray is a heartwarming one of passionate belief in music and a healthy mistrust of celebrity. In this first major account of Gray's life and work, Michael Heatley examines the cult singer/songwriter's Manchester roots, his Welsh upbringing and his unique popularity in Ireland. Here too are the stories behind the four legendary albums that preceded the phenomenally successful White Ladder, recorded in the summer of 1998. Heatley assesses the imact of global success on Gray, who faced with following up his surprise multi-million seller, achieved the near-impossible. The chart-topping A New Day At Midnight, acclaimed by The Guardian as 'Darker, stronger, bleaker and more powerful than White Ladder's wistful sadness,' reflected personal changes in Gray's life and pointed to a fascinating future. Fully illustrated with a comprehensive discography.

Sex, drugs, egos, money, fans, music, god and who we love and hate...the rock stars have their say. This book features over 2,000 words of wisdom and stupidity from all your favourite rock stars and five decades of rock 'n' roll.

Fifteen Fulham legends come together to tell the stories behind their favourite ever games for the club - enabling Cottagers fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there, playing their hearts out for the white shirt...John Mitchell and Les Strong recall 1975 FA Cup heroics, recounting stories of overturning Birmingham City in the semi-final before facing West Ham at Wembley as Second Division underdogs; George Cohen waxes lyrical about an eight-goal semi-final against Manchester United in 1958. Rodney McAree opts for the goal at Carlisle in 1997 that started Fulham's climb from the basement to the Premier League - while Simon Davies nominates the Europa League Final. Craven Cottage greats Steve Earle, Ray Lewington and Danny Murphy also turn in characteristic star performances, winding back the clock to relive treasured memories of the Match of Their Lives for Fulham.

Fourteen Derby County legends come together to tell the stories behind their favourite ever games for the club - enabling Rams fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there, playing their hearts out for the white shirt...Steve Powell recalls playing against Liverpool at the Baseball Ground when he was just 16, in a match that virtually sealed Derby's first league championship; Jim Bullions recounts heroic stories of Wembley in 1946, when the Rams beat Charlton to lift the FA Cup. Michael Johnson waxes lyrical on beating Forest in a six-goal thriller - while Darren Moore nominates the win over West Brom in the 2007 Championship play-off final. County greats Johnny Morris, Dave Mackay and Marco Gabbiadini also turn in characteristic star performances, winding back the clock to relive treasured memories of the Match of Their Lives for the Rams.

The Boy in the Song is a follow up to 2010's The Girl in the Song. It features the real-life stories that inspired some classic pop songs about the male of the species. While the first book was filled with songs about unrequited love, the follow-up is more varied, with songs written from a number of emotions. There are songs motivated by love and hate, there are tributes and there are biographical tales. Each song is featured on two, four or six pages with a small biography of the artist along with the story of how and why the song was written, and, most intriguingly, what happened after the song became a hit.

The Girl in the Song tells the stories of 50 women who have inspired classic rock songs.Who was Emily in Pink Floyd's See Emily Play? What happened to Suzanne Verdal, immortalised in Leonard Cohen's Suzanne? Did life change for Prudence Farrow after John Lennon penned Dear Prudence? And whatever happened to 'the girl with mousy hair', an ex-girlfriend Bowie sings about in Life on Mars? This fascinating book explains how each song came about, when it was released, the impact it had on the charts and then gives a mini-biography of the song's muse. Suzanne Verdal was living a bohemian lifestyle by the river in Montreal when Cohen wrote his poem Suzanne, which he subsequently set to music. Later in life she tried to get in touch with the star who blanked her backstage at a gig. She was last heard of living in a car in California. Apart from songs, the book features sidebars on the performers who wrote about the women in their life – Syd Barrett famously included four girls in the same song. Other examples include:Under My Thumb – The Rolling Stones (Chrissie Shrimpton),She's Leaving Home – The Beatles, Layla – Derek and the Dominoes (Patti Boyd), Peggy-Sue – Buddy Holly (Peggy-Sue Gerron), Maggie May – Rod Stewart, Light of Day – Bruce Springsteen (Julianna Phillips), Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond (Caroline Kennedy).

The history of football is being written at a rapid rate - but it only makes sense when placed in the context of a century in which association football developed, came of age and established itself as the global game. This book chronicles that.