During the 1960s—a juncture in history when music was the meeting place for the ideas of the young and questioning—Bob Dylan stood head and shoulders in influence above all others. In telling the story of his first calendar decade as a recording artist, Decade Of Dissent provides a unique angle on an endlessly fascinating and truly peerless career.Dylan’s 60s recordings constitute a dizzying run that includes such landmark albums as The Freewheelin’ Bo...

Their songs have been covered by acts as diverse as Ride, Boney M and the Sex Pistols; they impressed Pete Townshend so much that he asked their guitarist to join the already successful Who; said guitarist pioneered the use of the violin bow on guitar strings – a trick promptly lifted and made famous by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page; they inspired the name of Creation Records, the most influential record label of the '90s; they have been cited as an influence by Paul Weller, Alan McGee, Ride, ...

Tommy Docherty dragged the world's biggest football club into the modern era. Between 1972 and 1977, 'The Doc' led Manchester United on a rollercoaster ride of failure and success unmatched at any time in their history. Appointed manager in late 1972 when the club was at their lowest post-War ebb, Docherty dismayed many with muscular tactics in his efforts to keep the club in the top flight. But after initial problems, not least relegation to the Second Division, he and the club never look...

The Who were a mass of contradictions. They brought intellect to rock but were the darlings of punks. They were the quintessential studio act yet were also the greatest live attraction in the world. They perfectly meshed on stage and displayed a complete lack of personal chemistry offstage.Along with great live shows and supreme audio experiences, the Who provided great copy. During the 1960s and '70s, Pete Townshend, messianic about contemporary popular music and its central import...

Planet of the Apes started life in 1963 as a quirky work by Pierre Boulle, the French literary novelist famous for The Bridge over the River Kwai. His concept of a world where humans are ruled over by apes proceeded to become one of the biggest multi-media sensations in history.The 1968 Charlton Heston motion-picture adaptation of Boulle's book was celebrated and successful but was just the beginning. By 1973, said picture had spawned four sequels. It then spun off a live-action TV ...

CAN YOU DIG ITWalter Hill's The Warriors was not just a motion picture—it was a social phenomenon on every level.The tale of a Coney Island street gang who, framed for murder, have to make the perilous journey back to home turf across the terrain of rival crews out for revenge, it caused a sensation when it hit the theaters in early 1979. Despite a low budget, an absence of marquee names, and minimal promotion, it proceeded to lead the box office, devoured by an urban youth...

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s masterpiece of American rock ’n’ roll with this handsomely produced and stunningly illustrated volume.Bruce Springsteen and Born to Run: 50 Years is the definitive story of a landmark album in American rock music. In 1975, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band released what would become their breakthrough album and arguably the most lauded album of Springsteen’s long, illustrious career. Born to R...

The Clash thought they could change the world. They never did, but they created some of the greatest rock music of all time in the attempt. Clash interviews were mesmerizing. Infused with the messianic punk spirit, the Clash engaged with the press like no rock group before or since, treating interviews almost as addresses to the nation. Their pronouncements were welcomed but were hardly uncritically reported. The Clash's back pages are voluminous, crackle with controversy, and constitute a...

For the Internet generation, a quick introduction to the great and inventive chameleon of rock, David Bowie.David Bowie needs no introduction. An immense star whose music and writing transcended generations he was one of the most articulate influencers of modern music. Over fifty years his singles and albums slid up and down the bestseller charts, adapting to the changing times, exploring new musical themes, always pushing at boundaries in a desperate desire to see...

An intimate look into the heart and soul of one of rock's most enduring bands.Fleetwood Mac on Fleetwood Mac chronicles the band's formation, meteoric rise, and tumultuous relationships through candid interviews and encounters. From the early blues days to the Rumours era and beyond, this collection offers a unique perspective on the band's creative process and personal struggles.Featuring articles from celebrated publications and never-be...

When considered in a broader social context, The Clash stand as one of the most important musical acts in rock history. Original punks who transcended the music’s minimalist origins, The Clash lived and breathed the idea that they could change the world with their art.In The Clash: The Only Band That Mattered,respected music critic Sean Egan examines The Clash’s career and art through the prism of the uniquely interesting and fractious UK politics of the 1970s and ’80s, without whi...

Many have long found it difficult to take Rod Stewart seriously. However, once we get past the awkward stuff—leopard-skin leggings, bum-wiggling stage schticks, and a hairstyle unseemly for a man of his age—there remains the undeniable fact that the "Caledonian Cockney" is responsible for some of the greatest recordings ever made. Again and again, the combination of his heartwracked songs and gravelly, sensitive vocal delivery have conjured sonic magic.The bulk of Stewart's classic ...