Stephen Lambe – författare

For a few shortyears in the 1970s, the unique music of Focus entertained the world. Builtaround the prodigious instrumental talents of Dutch masters Jan Akkerman(guitar) and Thijs van Leer (keyboards and flute), the band produced threeclassic hit albums in quick succession between 1971 and 1974, at the same timescoring two worldwide hits with 'Sylvia' and 'Hocus Pocus'. The latter piece isas ubiquitous as tunes from the 70s get, distinctive for Akkerman's famous riffand van Leer's bizarre yodelling. Musical and personal tensions between the twoled to a split in early 1976, but the band limped on without Akkerman until1978. An unlikely revival in 1985 was a false dawn, and except for a few publicappearances, the duo have not played together since. Stephen Lambe's book guides the readerthrough the band's early history, dealing with all seven Focus albums from theera song by song, plus the eponymous 1985 comeback. It is an important pottedhistory of the band and an insight into the tensions which led to such acreative - if short-lived – peak. But the book also acts as an essential guideto the astonishing music the two men made together – and sometimes apart -while at the apex of their powers.

Tewkesbury is one of the most fascinating towns in the England. It is known to have been settled as early as the 7th Century, but the site really came into its own during the medieval period, with the establishment of its famous Norman Abbey. Following the Battle of Tewkesbury, which ended the first phase of the Wars of the Roses in 1471, the Town continued to thrive into the Tudor period and beyond. Today it remains a busy market town, loved by its residents and much visited during the spring and summer. The rivers Avon and Severn converge near the town, while three long-distance footpaths - the Avon, Severn and Gloucestershire ways - pass through the Town.Stephen Lambe's meticulously-crafted book is the product of many months treading the footpaths around the Town. It features walks to suit all ages and abilities. Most of the walks are accessible from Tewkesbury Town Centre, while several others require a short journey to local villages, such as Bredon, Forthampton, Twyning or Apperley. Each walk is described in detail, with colour photos and maps to guide the reader through every twist and turn.Whether you are a local resident or a visitor to the Town, this is the perfect way to spend some time in and around this delightful Gloucestershire Town.

When Yes ran into problems recording their tenth album in Paris at the end of 1979, it was almost the end. Yet in the 80s, the band rallied, firstly as part of an unlikely collaboration with new wave duo The Buggles, then with 90125, the most successful album of their career, which spawned a number one hit in the USA with 'Owner Of A Lonely Heart'. The band failed to capitalise on this success, however, lingering too long over its successor Big Generator and by the end of the decade, Yes had effectively split into two versions of the same group.With most authors concentrating on the group's 1970s career, Yes in the 1980s looks in forensic detail at this relatively underexamined era of the band's history, featuring rarely seen photos researched by author David Watkinson. The book follows the careers of all nine significant members of the group during a turbulent decade which saw huge highs but also many lows. Not only does it consider the three albums the band itself made across the decade, but also the solo careers and other groups - including Asia, XYZ, The Buggles, Jon and Vangelis and GTR - formed by those musicians as the decade wound towards a reunion of sorts in the early 1990s

Yes are the archetypal 1970s progressive rock group. Playing powerful and adventurous music when it was briefly part of the mainstream, the band thrilled millions with their iconic albums and epic live shows. Records like Fragile and Close to the Edge helped define an era and although the band dissolved at the end of the decade, Yes emerged once again with 90125, a streamlined, modern sound in the 1980s and a US number one hit single in ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’. Now in their sixth decade, the band continues to release albums and play live into the new millennium.This book examines each one of the band’s studio albums, highlighting the many high points, and the rarer missteps, as well as focussing on the changes in band dynamics which led to some varied – but always interesting – music. This new, expanded edition celebrates a flurry of recent Yes activity, including new albums The Quest and Mirror To The Sky as well as a detailed examination of the band’s live recordings, making this the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to the band’s music yet written, which will be essential reading for Yes' legions of fans worldwide.

Against the odds, 90125, released towards the end of 1983, was Yes' best-selling album. Yet it was never intended to be a recording by one of the 1970s rock dinosaurs, but a combination of commercial expediency and luck saw an album by a new band called Cinema – featuring Yes stalwarts Chris Squire, Alan White and Tony Kaye alongside talented multi-instrumentalist Trevor Rabin – become Yes following the last-minute recruitment of vocalist Jon Anderson. A US number one hit single, 'Owner Of A Lonely Heart,' led to a triple platinum record and a massive world tour, giving this band a new lease of life in the 1980s.Featuring new interviews with several of the main protagonists, including Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin, this book traces the story of the album from its rudimentary demos in 1981, right up to the end of the world tour in early 1985. 90125 is reviewed in full, and the book also includes a detailed look at the somewhat complex and contrived process that created it, followed by an examination of the album's legacy and remarkable afterlife.The 90125 story is possibly the most astonishing in this legendary group's nearly six-decade history. This is how it happened.

Jesus Christ Superstar, a through-sung rock opera written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice is a worldwide phenomenon. Originally a best selling  concept album in 1970, it went on to successful, if sometimes controversial, stage runs all over the world. It became a film in 1973 and has since been revived many times in stage and concert versions. It has also been regularly re-recorded via cast albums and other re-imaginings whether official or unofficial.Stephen Lambe’s book traces the history of its early iterations, placing Rice’s bold story within its historical and religious context. He discusses Andrew Lloyd Webber’s imaginative and varied score, which expanded as the stage productions developed. He goes on to discuss the movie directed by Norman Jewison which set up its star Ted Neeley for an entire career as the archetypal Jesus. Many of the revivals, especially around the 20th and 25th anniversaries, are covered as are many of the recordings both in audio and video versions. As well as the conventional productions, there have been some bold and sometimes bizarre reworkings over the years, and the book digs into many of these with a forensic eye, making this hugely comprehensive guide a must have for all JCS fans.

"When Carry On Sergeant became a big hit in British cinemas in 1958, not even the most optimistic of its cast or crew believed that it would become the first of a 31-film franchise. But the series went on to become one of the most successful and well-loved in British cinema. Beginning as relatively gentle comedies, the humour broadened in the late 60s, taking on an end-of-the-pier quality that, at its best, was as hilarious as it was risqué.  Sid James, Barbara Winsor, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Jim Dale and Charles Hawtrey: these were just some of a superb repertory company of performers whose careers have often been defined by their appearances in the Carry On Series.Lifelong fan Stephen Lambe discusses each film in depth, celebrating the team's greatest moments, while also examining in equal detail some of the series' lesser-known or less successful editions. He also celebrates many of the unsung performers who made the Carry Ons such a success and, with a critical eye, re-examines the series in light of shifting social trends. With plenty to excite both casual and diehard fans, Carry On Watching is the perfect reference guide to this remarkable series of films. "