Neil Daniels – författare

Defenders Of The Faith is what heavy metal fans have been waiting for. This epic biography of Judas Priest includes over 50 interviews with prominent musicians, producers, record company personnel, journalists, childhood friends and ex-band members.From their deprived beginnings in late-sixties West Bromwich, through the numerous line-up changes of the 1970s to the controversial sell-out US tours in the 1980s, here is the complete history of the band up to and beyond their meltdown in the 1990s. The story continues with their re-invention in 1996 after the defection of Rob Halford... and Halford''s eventual return to the fold in 2003.Defenders Of The Faith is also about the music. From the band''s earliest demos to their contentious contract with Gull Records and breakthrough success with CBS, every album and tour is examined and assessed in detail. The result is the fullest and most authentic portrait of Judas Priest there has ever been!

Journey are undoubtedly one of America''s most successful melodic rock bands, with record sales in excess of 75 million. And with the recent phenomenal success of Don''t Stop Believin – now one of the most downloaded song of all time – they''ve been given an amazing new lease of life.Now, for the first time ever, their entire history is explored in this definitive biography. Featuring original interviews and a wealth of research, this is a story filled not only with heartache, bitterness and behind-the-scenes squabbles, but also creativity, dedication, passion and drive.

Pantera is widely regarded as one of the most influential and revered American metal bands of the past 20 years. Although its output was relatively short – from 1983 to 2000 it released only nine studio albums – its impact on the metal scene since the band split up in 2003 is still felt to this day. Guitarist Dimebag Darrell was tragically killed in 2004 but his legacy remains undiminished. Pantera had an enormous influence on nu-metal, groove metal, metalcore, and grindcore and continues to be publicized and written about. Its 1990 breakthrough album Cowboys from Hell is still regarded as one of the greatest metal albums in history, as is Pantera''s sixth opus, Vulgar Display of Power. Previously, the band had been associated with the glam metal scene, but as 1987 saw the release of many important thrash albums by such bands as Slayer and Metallica, Pantera recruited underground metal fan Phil Anselmo and changed its image and sound to something more aggressive, becoming a thrash-groove metal crossover band. With a wide array of research and many first-hand interviews with those who knew the group well, Reinventing Metal is an unauthorized, first-ever biography that focuses on the entire band – from its Texas high school start to the global mega-success that anchored Pantera as one of the most important metal names ever.

Don Cherry straddled the world of music and the world of golf. With his two innate talents, Cherry ascended to unbelievable heights—making gold records, winning major golf victories, and securing a place for himself in the history books. As a result, he touched the lives of dozens of big-time athletes and stars. From Demaret to Crosby, Dino to Palmer, Nicklaus to Sinatra, and Mickey Mantle to former U.S. presidents. Known in the sports world for his animated style and fiercely competitive nature, Cherry came close to winning the U.S. Open in 1960. At the same time, he got paid to sing, earning worldwide fame as the voice of "Mister Clean" (the most famous commercial jingle in the world), while making top-selling records. Cherry cut records that earned gold, such as "Band of Gold." He headlined at the Desert Inn and palled around with Rat Packer Dean Martin. He played The Masters nine times, won the famed America''s Golf Cup twice, and took home the Walker Cup three times. All of these are highlighted in Cherry''s Jubilee. So are some of his darker moments—such as the time he nearly died, falling into a coma before comedian Buddy Hackett diagnosed what the doctors couldn''t—and the most devastating blow of his life, the death of his son, who was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11. In Cherry''s Jubilee, Don Cherry tells the story of his remarkable life. In a down-home and honest manner, using humor and wit, he offers countless anecdotes, clubhouse stories, and backstage tales about his life and career. His engaging accounts, along with the many names and celebrities you will recognize along the way, show just how fascinating and consequential Don Cherry really was—and is. This is the true rags-to-riches story of a man who has lived the American dream and definitely earned his own band of gold.

J.J. Abrams is one of the most successful director-writer-producers working in Hollywood, and now that he is being offered the chance to visit a galaxy far, far away to direct the long-awaited Star Wars sequel, his reputation is set to shoot ever higher. Abrams'' success has been such that he has himself become something of a brand, especially since his popular revitalization of the Star Trek franchise. However, in the early 1990s Abrams began his career writing relatively average movie scripts, such as Regarding Henry and Forever Young, before moving into TV with Felicity. It wasn''t until the spy series Alias that his career truly launched. Since the early 2000s, Abrams has dominated genre-TV with the success of cult shows such as Lost and Fringe. At the same time, he found time for the big screen, directing Mission: Impossible III and Super 8 as well as producing the innovative monster movie Cloverfield. Then, not content with distinction in these two fields, 2013 saw the release of his first novel S. with Doug Dorst. While Abrams sceptics note that not everything he has been involved with has worked—a number of his TV shows have been cancelled and some of his films have received mixed reviews—there''s no question that Abrams is one of Hollywood''s most powerful people. This is the first biography of the cult legend who is set to dominate the world of SF for years to come.

Journey is undoubtedly one of America s most successful melodic rock bands, with record sales in excess of 75 million. And with the recent phenomenal success of "Don t Stop Believin'" now the most downloaded song of all time they ve been given an amazing new lease on life. The band is now receiving more acclaim and exposure than at any time since their early eighties heyday, when they released the multi-million selling "Escape" and "Frontiers" albums. Here, for the first time ever, Journey's extensive history is explored in this definitive biography, charting the many highs and lows of one of America s most beloved rock bands. Featuring original interviews and a wealth of research, "Don t Stop Believin: The Untold Story Of Journey" follows the band's entire career. It s a story filled not only with heartache, bitterness and behind-the-scenes squabbles, but also creativity, dedication, passion and drive. Fans both old and new will be fascinated by this previously untold story." " "

Iron Maiden first appeared at the Reading Rock Festival in 1980 when Paul Di'Anno was fronting the band and Dennis Stratton was on guitar. They appeared second on the bill to UFO on the second night. Undoubtedly for Maiden's Steve Harris there was nothing but respect for the headliners with UFO's Pete Way being one of Harris's biggest bass guitar influences.Also on the bill that day were two future Iron Maiden members - Bruce Dickinson, then the lead singer with Samson, and guitarist Janick Gers of White Spirit, who were brought in as a replacement band.By 1982 when Maiden returned to Reading it was naturally as the headlining act on the Saturday evening. The band had gone through significant changes to the line-up, most notably with Bruce Dickinson now fronting them, which coincided with their rise in popularity.Incredibly it would be another twenty-three years before Maiden returned to Reading, by which time they were in their third decade and had become the undisputed giants of metal. Their longevity also stood out as most of the other major acts that performed over the three days had only appeared on the scene over the previous few years and none could boast a back catalogue quite like Maiden's.With a large collection of photos by Alan Perry and memorabilia from the gigs plus narrative from Iron Maiden biographer Neil Daniels, this book is a wonderful celebration of Maiden's unforgettable appearances at this British institution.

Martin Freeman is one of Britain's best-loved actors. After being cast in bit parts and cameos - such as The Bill (his first onscreen role) and the beat-boxing Ricky C in Ali G Indahouse - he made his big break as Tim Canterbury in The Office. Freeman was later cast, among other roles, as the mundane character of Arthur Dent in the sci-fi movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and, labelled an 'everyday' bloke by journalists, began to run the risk of being stereotyped. However, in 2010 he completely turned his career around when he took on the role of Dr John Watson in the incredibly successful Sherlock. His biggest role followed as he portrayed Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy and, in recent years, Freeman has shown a dark edge to his thespian skills by portraying Richard III in the West End and Lester Nygaard in the critically acclaimed US drama series Fargo. An intensely private man, Freeman is in a long-term relationship with the actress Amanda Abbington, whom he met on the set of the 2000 Channel 4 TV movie Men Only and who played his on-screen partner in Sherlock. The Unexpected Adventures of Martin Freeman explores the rise to fame of this unassuming actor, how he has successfully managed to avoid the pitfalls of stardom, and how he has become one of the greatest actors of his generation. It is a must-read for any fan.