Tim Burrows – författare

Casting his eye widely across the globe, Tim Burrows examines the facts, myths and characters behind such legendary venues as the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, the Astoria in London and the Cloudlands Ballroom in Brisbane. Interviewing the musicians and promoters who were there at the beginning and those still involved today, he paints striking pictures of a variety of popular musical movements including jazz, rock n' roll, reggae, punk and rave. He shows how venues have evolved over the years, some falling by the wayside, some changing with the times and some managing to kep to their original ethos against all the odds. Burrows also looks at contemporary trends in live music - the influence of corporate chains, the huge boom in festivals - and new projects such as the O2 arena, asking how the way we view live music today might evolve in the future.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE EAST ANGLIAN BOOK AWARD 2023''Exceptionally well-written and intelligent ... if you are interested in this remarkable microcosm of England, the book will grip you; if you aren''t, it will make you realise that you jolly well should be.'' Simon Heffer, Spectator''A deeply sensitive and engaging portrait of a misunderstood county and its people'' Financial Times''A stellar performance'' Jonathan MeadesEssex. A county both famous and infamous: the stuff of tabloid headlines and reality television, consumer culture and right-wing politicians. England''s dark id. But beyond the sensationalist headlines lies a strange and secret place with a rich history: of smugglers and private islands, artists and radicals, myths and legends. It''s where the Peasants'' Revolt began and the Empire Windrush docked. And - from political movements like Brexit to cultural events like TOWIE - where Essex leads, the rest of us often follow. Deeply researched and thoroughly engaging, The Invention of Essex shows that there is more to this fabled English county than meets the eye.