Essential Works Ltd – förlag

Lifting Shadows, the authorized biography of Dream Theater – the American progressive-metal band comprising James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, John Myung and Mike Mangini – traces the band’s history from their mid-1980’s Long Island origins through to the arena filling act that they are today.This revised and updated edition features all-new interviews with the band and a host of others who have played their part in the rise of the pioneering prog-metal act. It covers the departure of founding drummer Mike Portnoy, the search for his successor and the band’s spirited return. Their tale is one of musical integrity, strong professional perseverance and a deep-rooted belief in their direction.The five-piece has enjoyed major success (notably with “Pull Me Under”) while remaining essentially an underground band. They thrive on the support of a growing and loyal fan base. As guitarist and founding member John Petrucci writes: “It’s incredible, and we are all very blessed and fortunate to have such a long career – not only where we started in America but all over the world.”

Glen Matlock was a founding member of the Sex Pistols and co-wrote most of their iconic songs. His story of the Pistols’ rise to global infamy is an honest, insightful account of a group of intelligent malcontents, determined to change the music business and to attack hypocrisy and stale conventions in society at large. Glen brilliantly captures the flavour of seventies Britain and reveals the complexities and personality clashes that made the Pistols so explosive at that time. Also includes true tales of the Pistols reunion tours of 1996 and 2002.Never mind the other bollocks-filled books about the Sex Pistols, here’s the truth.

From their beginnings playing music that could have seen them arrested, through three decades of success, struggle and strife and including new details about members leaving, Relentless uncovers the story of one of the world’s most influential Metal acts. Written with the support of the band, it is illustrated with over 70 photos, many from the band's personal archives, and most previously unseen.

The first official, illustrated, oral history of prog rock legends Jethro Tull. Illustrated throughout with previously unseen, personal and classic photographs and memorabilia, Jethro Tull's story is told by Ian Anderson, band members past and present and the people who helped Tull become one of the most successful bands in rock history.

Time Flies, The Story of Porcupine Tree is the first in-depth investigation into one of England's most enigmatic and engaging bands. Time Flies is the second book by Rich Wilson, the author of Lifting Shadows, the Authorised biography of Dream Theater. Drawing on original interviews with former band members, friends and colleagues, Rich Wilson describes the genesis of the band in founder Steven Wilson's bedroom and reviews their seventeen year career, commenting on and investigating their ten studio albums. With first-person contributions from band members and archive interviews with everyone connected to Porcupine Tree, this unauthorised biography is perfectly concise and complete.

Not everyone was a Punk in 1976. In fact, most young people danced to a different beat and wore their hair in entirely different ways. Noel Smith was a 16 year old Teddy Boy who bought his first drape suit and styled his hair into a quiff just as the long hot summer began. By the time the heatwave ended, he'd become the leader of a gang of South London rockabilly rebels and led them into battle with all manner of other street gangs – including Punks, Skins, Smoothies and bikers. This is the sharpest and truest telling of London’s gang wars fought between 1976 and 1982 that’s ever been written. Drawing on a cast of hugely memorable characters Noel tells the shockingly violent and sometimes hilarious story of what life was like for he and his gang of Balham Wildkatz. The clothes, the music, the pubs and parties of those far from golden years are all recalled in vivid and engrossing detail. It’s all crazy man, crazy.

Musician, author and composer John Foxx's Quiet Man stories have taken shape over the course of more than forty years. This is the first time they've ever been collected in book form. Designed by Barnbrook Studios, this beautifully printed and bound book collects together all of the Quiet Man stories in a uniquely presented style.

For the first time, in this special book the remarkable story of The Alan Parsons Project is told in full and illustrated with rare and previously unseen photographs from family archives. Using archival material and recently discovered recordings of Eric Woolfson alongside new interviews with numerous musicians on The Alan Parsons Project albums, this deluxe and lavishly designed book traces the evolution, development, and success of The Alan Parsons Project from 1976 to 1990.Authored by fan and writer Joel McIver, whose work on many Project boxed sets has opened new seams of information about how the Project was created and thrived, it is the only official book on the Alan Parsons Project.

To celebrate his forty years in showbiz, Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim, has dug deep into his capacious archive of photographs, memorabilia, bric-a-brac, awards and art objects to create a big book stuffed with memories. Included here are photos from his childhood, demo tapes, and hand-drawn posters for his imaginary teenage band, flyers, hand-written notes, personal photos and professionally shot images of Norm in each of his various musical guises. There are tales of being a Housemartin, a DJ, clubbing, making it big with Beats International, Freak Power, Pizzaman, Brighton Port Authority and a glittering array of pseudonyms, most famously of course, Fatboy Slim.It’s a huge jamboree of a book as befits Brighton's best-known DJ, cafe-owner, and football club director.

For the first time, Jethro Tull founder, singer, songwriter and photographer Ian Anderson has gathered together the complete lyrics from all of the Tull and solo albums in one volume. This hardback book is illustrated throughout with new, original and previously unpublished photographs taken by Ian to accompany certain lyrics.Ian has combed through everything from This Was in 1968 to unreleased 2021 songs, taking in all of his solo albums and tracks released only on box sets and compilations, to collate more than 300 song lyrics. After listening to original masters, checking notebooks and song sheets, Ian is confident that this book represents the complete, collected lyrics of his more than six decade-long career.

Published together for the first time; the collected artworks of John Foxx. Beginning with his early art college artworks and the creation of Ultravox! and debut solo album Metamatic, this full colour, 224 page monograph includes reproductions of the many and varied artistic media John has worked in, including drawing, photography, painting, graphic art, sculpture, and collage.Created in collaboration with acclaimed graphic designer Jonathan Barnbrook, this beautifully designed book presents his collected art and a unique first-person narrative.

Originally written in Danish in 1980, Pink Moon was the first biography of Nick Drake, and remains the only one to include exclusive interviews with the singer’s parents, Rodney and Molly Drake. In this new, significantly updated edition, available in English for the first time, author and poet Gorm Henrik Rasmussen reveals more from his visits to the Drakes in their home Far Leys – the first, just five years after the death of their troubled son.Rasmussen includes new interviews with Nick’s friends and collaborators plus extracts taken from his eight-year correspondence with the Drakes, and from telephone conversations he had with Rodney every month over four years.Full of intimate detail about the last three years of Nick’s life spent at his childhood home, Pink Moon – A Story about Nick Drake is a personal, original, and moving retelling of the life, death, and posthumous rise of a poet and guitarist who was strangely unsuited for his own time, and is more popular now than he ever was in life.

Originally written in Danish in 1980, Pink Moon was the first biography of Nick Drake, and remains the only one to include exclusive interviews with the singer’s parents, Rodney and Molly Drake. In this new, significantly updated edition, available in English for the first time, author and poet Gorm Henrik Rasmussen reveals more from his visits to the Drakes in their home Far Leys – the first, just five years after the death of their troubled son.Rasmussen includes new interviews with Nick’s friends and collaborators plus extracts taken from his eight-year correspondence with the Drakes, and from telephone conversations he had with Rodney every month over four years.Full of intimate detail about the last three years of Nick’s life spent at his childhood home, Pink Moon – A Story about Nick Drake is a personal, original, and moving retelling of the life, death, and posthumous rise of a poet and guitarist who was strangely unsuited for his own time, and is more popular now than he ever was in life.

Glen Matlock was a founding member of the Sex Pistols and co-wrote most of their iconic songs. His story of the Pistols’ rise to global infamy is an honest, insightful account of a group of intelligent malcontents, determined to change the music business and to attack hypocrisy and stale conventions in society at large. Glen brilliantly captures the flavour of seventies Britain and reveals the complexities and personality clashes that made the Pistols so explosive at that time. Also includes true tales of the Pistols reunion tours of 1996 and 2003.Never mind the other bollocks-filled books about the Sex Pistols, here’s the truth.

Originally published in 1976, Martin Bax's seminal cult novel is back in print after three decades.From harbours around the world, the hospital ship picks up casualties, emergency cases of men and women in states of severe psychic withdrawal and large groups of autistic children. They are victims of a worldwide disaster; a holocaust that spreads as the hospital ship sails on, struggling to save itself from its own lunacy.

Originally published in 1976, Martin Bax's seminal cult novel is back in print after three decades.From harbours around the world, the hospital ship picks up casualties, emergency cases of men and women in states of severe psychic withdrawal and large groups of autistic children. They are victims of a worldwide disaster; a holocaust that spreads as the hospital ship sails on, struggling to save itself from its own lunacy.

Sol Yurick’s cult novel, originally published in 1966, blasts the American judicial system and society in general. It was called ‘one of the fiercest and most effective satires to come out of America in a decade’ by The Spectator. Although written before his debut published novel The Warriors (1965), like that work, Fertig was eventually made into a movie—The Confession (1999) starring Ben Kingsley. It is now available for the first time in over three decades.

Sol Yurick’s cult novel, originally published in 1966, blasts the American judicial system and society in general. It was called ‘one of the fiercest and most effective satires to come out of America in a decade’ by The Spectator. Although written before his debut published novel The Warriors (1965), like that work, Fertig was eventually made into a movie—The Confession (1999) starring Ben Kingsley. It is now available for the first time in over three decades.

In 1962 Barry Miles was a student at Cheltenham art school. In 1969 he was running the Beatles’ Zapple label and living in New York’s Chelsea Hotel. In between, Miles was a major force in founding the UK’s counter-culture, and active in every significant underground event of the decade.This expanded edition of In the Sixties illustrates Miles’ story using personal and long unseen images of London in the 1960s, including photographs and drawings from pre-Beatles Britain to the post-psychedelic era. Also included in this edition are sound recordings of interviews conducted by Miles with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Townshend in 1967, with Mick Jagger in 1968, and John Lennon in 1969—which was never published.

From That’s All Right to Way Down via Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, Mystery Train, Little Sister and American Trilogy among many others, Essential Elvis cuts through the myth and mess of the life and career of the 20th-century’s first and greatest rock ‘n’ roll star.Peter Silverton investigates and celebrates the stories and the people behind the greatest recordings of Elvis’ career. Part biography, part personal history and full of hip-shaking thrills, Essential Elvis will have you reaching for the music, the original sound of rock ‘n’ roll.

A glamorous and sumptuous celebration of Black female artists, actors, entertainers and writers of the 20th century. Author Nichelle Gainer has drawn on personal family memories and largely undiscovered library archives to create a glorious collection of images and biographies that explore the lives and indomitable spirit of beautiful women who wowed audiences on screen, stage and the page, but who went largely ignored by mainstream media.

A glamorous and sumptuous celebration of Black female artists, actors, entertainers and writers of the 20th century. Author Nichelle Gainer has drawn on personal family memories and largely undiscovered library archives to create a glorious collection of images and biographies that explore the lives and indomitable spirit of beautiful women who wowed audiences on screen, stage and the page, but who went largely ignored by mainstream media.

A glamorous and sumptuous celebration of Black male artists, actors, entertainers and writers of the 20th century. Author Nichelle Gainer has drawn on personal family memories and largely undiscovered library archives to create a glorious collection of images and biographies that explore the lives and indomitable spirit of wonderful men who wowed audiences on screen, sports field, stage and the page, but who went largely ignored by mainstream media.

Italian singer, songwriter, musician, performer and artist Zucchero's autobiography is now available in English for the first time. In The Sound of Sunday he tells his own revealing, touching, hilarious and heart-breaking story. Among tales of working with some of the world's greatest musicians including Miles Davis, Luciano Pavarotti, John Lee Hooker, Sting, BB King, Bono, Joe Cocker , Solomon Burke, Andrea Bocelli, Eric Clapton and many others, are intimate details of his life and loves – of women, family and music.

Mick Jones, the founder of Foreigner and composer of their greatest hits, among them Feels Like the First Time, I Want to Know What Love Is, Cold As Ice and Waiting for a Girl Like You, has written the story of Foreigner. And the story of his life, which includes performing with the Beatles in 1964, with Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding in 1967, with Johnny Hallyday, Spooky Tooth, George Harrison – and, of creating one of rock music’s biggest bands.Illustrated throughout with classic and previously unseen photos from Mick’s own collection, this lavish book is published as Foreigner celebrate their 40th anniversary.

In 1966 Barry Miles and John ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins decided to start a newspaper. They called it International Times and launched it in April. It was the first British underground newspaper, and began a news media revolution.This catalogue accompanied the exhibition of the same name and displays the covers of every British underground paper that launched in the 1960s: 'International Times', 'Oz', 'Friends/Frendz', 'Gandalf’s Garden', 'Black Dwarf' and 'Ink'. It also includes the comic books that grew out of the papers, and various examples of the graphics, ads, posters and flyers produced by each publication.

The signature edition of Time Flies, The Story of Porcupine Tree is presented n a specially designed black jacket and matching presentation box and is signed by the author. The book is the first in-depth investigation into one of England's most enigmatic and engaging bands. Time Flies is the second book by Rich Wilson, the author of Lifting Shadows, the Authorised biography of Dream Theater. Drawing on original interviews with former band members, friends and colleagues, Rich Wilson describes the genesis of the band in founder Steven Wilson's bedroom and reviews their seventeen year career, commenting on and investigating their ten studio albums. With first-person contributions from band members and archive interviews with everyone connected to Porcupine Tree, this unauthorised biography is perfectly concise and complete.

Spirit of Talk Talk is a finely crafted book conceived by Toby Benjamin, celebrating the music created by Talk Talk and illustrated with a treasure trove of images from long-time collaborator and renowned art designer James Marsh. Displayed alongside large original artworks and previously unseen sketches and alternative covers, are rare and previously unseen photographs of the band and a specially commissioned biography of Talk Talk by music journalist and author Chris Roberts. Photographic images have been supplied from the archives of photographers Lawrence Watson, Richard Haughton and Sheila Rock amongst others.The book includes the full transcript of Mark Hollis’s final interview about the band. Also numerous tributes and eulogies from musicians, artists, producers, and people who worked with the band and knew them intimately. There are also honest, touching, and revealing tributes from musicians, artists friends and fans who were, and continue to be, influenced by Talk Talk’s music.This paperback edition has 32 pages of new content including an extensive preface from founding member Simon Brenner, interviews with Paul Webb and Lee Harris, exclusive interviews with a host of people connected to the band, among them musicians, engineers and musical collaborators, a wealth of new, unseen photographs and memorabilia taken from Simon Brenner’s personal archive - and a heartfelt afterword honouring founder and leader Mark Hollis.