Music and Musicians - RNIB Library



Music and MusiciansTalking BooksThe titles in this booklist are just a selection of the titles available for loan from the RNIB National Library Talking Book Service.Don’t forget you are allowed to have up to 6 books on loan. When you return a title, you will then receive another one.If you would like to read any of these titles then please contact the Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email helpline@.uk.You can search our online catalogue and add titles directly to your wish list by visiting . You can log onto your account in the My Library section with your customer number and pin number. These can be obtained from Helpline. For any further help in selecting books please contact the Reader Services Team on 01733 37 5333 or email libraryinfo@.uk Classical musicConductors in conversation; edited by Robert Chesterman. 1990. TB8849.A collection of conversations with 7 of the world's greatest conductors: Claudio Abbado, Carlo Maria Giulini, Herbert von Karajan, James Levine, Riccardo Muti, Eugene Ormandy and Sir Georg Solti. Covering all aspects of their lives, their work, their approach, their technique and interpretation, as well as their early influence and historic performances. This would interest all lovers of classical music. Read by Peter Barker. 6 hours 31 minutes. TB8849.Alldritt, Keith. Vaughan Williams. 2015. TB22934.This biography examines the considerable range of Vaughan Williams' work, from the English pastoral tradition to Modernism, and shows how Vaughan Williams was influenced by the Boer War, the economic depression after the First World War, the deprivations of the Blitz, and the austerity of the Cold War. He also reveals how the greatest influence on Vaughan Williams's music and creative development was his personal life.Read by Benedick Blythe. 17 hours 23 minutes. TB22934.Baker, Anne Pimlott. Beethoven. 1998. TB13052. This text describes his Beethoven's early employment as a court musician, his studies with Haydn in Vienna and his work during the French Revolution, rise of Napoleon and subsequent French occupation of Vienna. Despite the fact that Beethoven becomes more financially successful after Napoleon's defeat, his emotional life remained tumultuous with several unhappy love affairs and continuous worry over his suicidal nephew, Karl. Read by Anita Wright. 2 hours 10 minutes. TB13052.Barber, David W. Bach, Beethoven and the boys: music history as it ought to be taught. 1986. TB13364.This book chronicles the lives of the great (and not-so-great) composers as you've never read them before - exploring their sex lives, exposing their foibles and expanding our understanding of these remarkable but also all too-human creatures. Chock-full of information, interesting facts and trivia, this hilarious history covers music from Gregorian chant to the mess we're in now.Read by Peter Marinker. 4 hours 5 minutes. TB13364.Beer, Anna. Sounds and sweet airs: the forgotten women of classical music. 2016. TB23283.Since the birth of classical music, those women who dared to compose have been patronised, had their sex lives scrutinised and the veracity of their authorship questioned. 'Sounds and Sweet Airs' reveals the hidden stories of eight remarkable composers, taking the reader on a journey from 17th-century Medici Florence to London in the Blitz. Revealing not just the lives and works of eight exceptional artists, historian Anna Beer also asks tough questions about the silencing of their legacy, which continues to this day.Read by Jane McDowell. 12 hours 48 minutes. TB23283.Bocelli, Andrea. The music of silence. 1999. TB12878.Andrea Bocelli is one of the world's most successful male singers, selling 20 million recordings world-wide. He has become the popular face of classical music. Yet behind his extraordinary success lies a story of personal triumph. Andrea Bocelli was blinded at the age of twelve. Undeterred, he continued to pursue his childhood dream to sing, using Braille musical scores and lyric sheets. This is Bocelli's true story, told in his own words for the first time. Read by Peter Barker. 9 hours 14 minutes.TB12878.Bostridge, Ian. Schubert's winter journey: anatomy of an obsession. 2015. TB23074.Franz Schubert's Winterreise is at the same time one of the most powerful and one of the most enigmatic masterpieces in Western culture. Ian Bostridge focusses on the context, resonance and personal significance of a work which is possibly the greatest landmark in the history of Lieder. Though not strictly a biography of Schubert, Schubert's Winter Journey provides insight into the mind and work of the great composer. Contains swear words.Read by Chris Courtenay. 10 hours 42 minutes. TB23074.Boult, Adrian. Thoughts on conducting. 1963. TB13036.The techniques of orchestral command as demonstrated by several renowned conductors. Read by Alvar Lidell. 2 hours 36 minutes. TB13036.Callow, Simon. Being Wagner. 2017. TB23773.Simon Callow plunges headlong into Wagner's world to discover what it was like to be Wagner, and to be around one of music's most influential figures. During a wildly unpredictable sixty-nine year life, Richard Wagner became the hero of his era and the official protagonist of a new unified Germany: his music was its music. As a man, he was a walking contradiction, aggressive, flirtatious, disciplined, capricious, heroic, and poisonously anti-Semitic.Read by Simon Callow. 6 hours 40 minutes. TB23773.Carley, Lionel. Edvard Grieg in England. 2006. TB19150.Presents an exploration of Grieg's visits to England and what the country meant to him, showing how it had a far greater impact on his life and career than has hitherto been recorded. Read by Robin Houston. 22 hours 30 minutes. TB19150.Ferrier, Kathleen. Letters and diaries of Kathleen Ferrier. 2003. TB13933.Fifty years ago, Kathleen Ferrier, the greatest lyric contralto Britain has ever produced, lost her battle with breast cancer. Until now she has been a voice, but here we get to see the person. Her correspondents include composer Benjamin Britten, her accompanist John Newmark, her agents John and Emmie Tillet, as well as friends, family and fans.Read by Peter Barker, Joan Walker and Diana Bishop. 16 hours 29 minutes. TB13933.Fischer, Jens Malte. Gustav Mahler. 2011. TB19199.Fischer explores Mahler's early life, his relationship to literature, his achievements as a conductor in Vienna and New York, his unhappy marriage, and his work with the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic in his later years. Read by Richard Burnip. 41 hours 1 minute. TB19199.Glover, Jane. Mozart's women: his family, his friends, his music. 2005. TB15692.Mozart was fascinated, amused, aroused, hurt, and betrayed by women. He loved and respected them, composed for them, performed with them. His relationships with his artists are examined, in particular those of his operas, through whose characters Mozart gave voice to the emotions of women who were, restrained by the conventions of eighteenth-century society. Read by Charlie Norfolk. 13 hours 52 minutes. TB15692.Holst, Imogen. Gustav Holst: a biography. 2008. TB19105.A biography of the composer by his daughter, Imogen, quoting from his letters to friends, particularly Ralph Vaughan Williams and telling of his life as a teacher, performances of his works and his struggles against ill-health.Read by Helen Bourne. 7 hours 53 minutes. TB19105.Jacobs, Arthur. Henry J Wood: maker of the Proms. 1994. TB10495.A celebration of the man who made the Promenade Concerts famous. Sir Henry Wood, the great trainer of orchestral musicians, was the first in Britain to employ women in first class orchestras. The problems of Wood's complex personality and stressful private life are also revealed and his six decades of musical achievement displayed.Read by Peter Barker. 21 hours 37 minutes. TB10495.Jenkins, Katherine. Time to say hello. 2009. TB17474.Katherine Jenkins is an international singing superstar who has brought classical music to the masses and inspired young and old with her incredible voice, her glamorous looks and, above all, her love for music, her country and her fans. Read by Kate Jarman. 6 hours 41 minutes. TB17474.Johnson, Paul. Mozart: a life. 2014. TB21637.Liszt once said that Mozart composed more bars than a trained copyist could write in a lifetime. One of the world's most enduringly popular classical musicians, Mozart had a profound influence on Western music and on his contemporaries such as Beethoven and Haydn. Johnson focuses on the importance of Mozart's music, uncovering his wondrous output of composition and his gift and skill with instruments.Read by Benedick Blythe. 5 hours 40 minutes. TB21637.Jones, Aled. Aled: the autobiography. 2005. TB15697.Aled Jones achieved more as a teenager than many adults singers do in a lifetime. From 'Walking in the air' and multimillion album sales before he was sixteen, he has gone on to perform sell-out tours and has had a hugely successful broadcasting career fronting Songs of Praise and presenting on Classic FM. For the first time, Aled tells of his remarkable life.Read by Craig Ryder. 8 hours 56 minutes. TB15697.McKay, Elizabeth Norman. Franz Schubert: a biography. c1996. TB19117.This biography paints a vivid portrait of Schubert. It explores his family background, his education and musical upbringing, the nature of his friendships, effects of the repressive roles of Church and State, and the musical and artistic world of his day. Read by Monica Kendall. 17 hours 56 minutes. TB19117.Malone, Gareth. Music for the people: the pleasures and pitfalls of classical music. 2011. TB19116.The idea of finding out more about classical music can often be intimidating. With his infectious enthusiasm and gift for explanation, Gareth's personal narrative will provide a foundation of classical music understanding and give the reader the tools to appreciate a whole new world of music.Read by Gareth Malone. 8 hours 37 minutes. TB19116.Ockelford, Adam. In the key of genius: the extraordinary life of Derek Paravicini. 2007. TB14961.Derek Paravicini is blind, doesn't know his fingers from his thumbs and needs round-the-clock care. But he has an extremely rare gift - he is a musical prodigy who amazes all who hear him play. Born prematurely, weighing just 1lb 5oz, it was not long before his blindness became apparent, and that he had severe learning difficulties and autism as well. Music proved to be his way of dealing with a strange and confusing world.Read by Peter Barker. 8 hours 44 minutes. TB14961.Rhodes, James. Instrumental. 2015. TB22512.James Rhodes recalls the physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a child, his ensuing struggle with drugs and alcohol and the nervous breakdown that led him to spending months in a locked ward. But there is a bright, broad beam of light piercing through the darkness: James' passion for classical music, which enabled him to get through his tumultuous upbringing, to resign from his mind-numbing job and to become a renowned concert pianist.Contains sex, violence and swear words.Read by Geoffrey Newland. 7 hours 52 minutes. TB22512.Secrest, Meryle. Somewhere for me: a biography of Richard Rodgers. 2001. TB13371.The life of composer Richard Rodgers encapsulates the very essence of New York and London high society during the first half of the twentieth century. His twenty-five-year collaboration with Lorenz Hart gave rise to songs that will live forever such as 'The Lady is a Tramp' and 'Blue Moon'. Later he collaborated with Oscar Hammerstein II and together they wrote musicals such as 'The Sound of Music' and 'South Pacific'. Read by Liza Ross. 16 hours 45 minutes. TB13371.Siepmann, Jeremy. Chopin: the reluctant romantic. 1995. TB12477.Drawing on correspondence, diaries and friends of the composer, the author sets Chopin's colourful life against the turbulent times in which he lived. He examines Chopin's various amorous encounters, and discusses each area of his prodigious output. Read by Nigel Graham. 8 hours 15 minutes. TB12477.Siepmann, Jeremy. Joseph Haydn: his life and works. 2003. TB19557.Symphonies, quartets, concertos and keyboard works poured from the pen of Joseph Haydn, making him one of the most important figures in classic music. Jeremy Siepmann tells the story of the man and his work in this lively biography, enhanced by numerous examples of the music itself.Read by multiple narrators. 4 hours 43 minutes.TB19557.Siepmann, Jeremy. Life and works: Dvorak. 2007. TB19558.Dvorak’s life is illustrated with quotations from the composer and his contemporaries, enhanced by extended extracts from representrative works. Read by multiple narrators. 4 hours 38 minutes. TB19558.Smillie, Thomson. Aida: an introduction to Verdi's Opera. 2001. TB19554.Set in Ancient Egypt and the war with Ethiopia, this opera tells the story of the love between Rhadames, the Egyptian general and Aida, an Ethiopian slave and the jealousy of Amneris, daughter of the King of Egypt. Read by David Timson. 1 hour 6 minutes. TB19554.Smillie, Thomson. Don Giovanni: an introduction to Mozart's Opera. 2003. TB19555.The subject of 'Don Giovanni' seems unpromising - the last day in the life of the notorious womaniser Don Juan - but the skill of the librettist allied to the genius of Mozart at the very peak of his powers has created a work which is not only highly entertaining but reflects an incredible understanding of the human condition. Read by David Timson. 1 hour 22 minutes. TB19555.Smillie, Thomson. Madama Butterfly: an introduction to Puccini's opera. 2002. TB19556.The plot and background to Madame Butterfly is illustrated with words and music, using the principal themes and arias to familiarise the listener with the opera in an entertaining way, enabling the listener to get more from this remarkable art form. Read by David Timson. 1 hour 9 minutes. TB19556Smillie, Thomson. Cosi fan tutte: an introduction to Mozart's Opera. 2007. TB21157.On one level, the opera is purely a social anecdote about young people falling in and out of love; but Mozart was a supreme sensualist and a great humanist, and invested the tale with all his understanding of humanity and young love. Read by David Timson. 1 hour 21 minutes. TB21157.Smillie, Thomson. An introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan. 2007. TB21158.An investigation of the timeless popularity of the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan - a colourful partnership of the most successful writers in the history of light music. It highlights Gilbert’s mastery of language his wit, his turn of phrase, his brilliant lyrics and the special melodic gift which enabled Arthur Sullivan to write music of such beauty and style. While each was a master of his craft, it was the combination that created magic sparks and guaranteed Gilbert and Sullivan a place in musical history. Read by David Timson. 2 hours 41 minutes. TB21158.Suchet, John. Beethoven: the man revealed. 2012. TB20585.Beethoven may have been one of the greatest artists who ever lived, but he was still a man who had to live among fellow mortals and Suchet brings him effortlessly to life. Read by Robin Houston. 12 hours 25 minutes. TB20585.Suchet, John, The last waltz: the Strauss dynasty and Vienna. 2015. TB22523.The intriguing story of two generations of the Viennese family that produced some of the best known and best loved music of the 19th century. From nowhere, they produced two waltz kings, and literally hundreds of instantly recognisable and enduring melodies. Yet this was also a family riven with tension, feuds and jealousy, and those involved lived in an Austria that witnessed seismic upheavals.Read by Sean Baker. 8 hours 13 minutes. TB22523.Suchet, John. Mozart: the man revealed. 2016.The story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's life is well known. Suchet shows us the real Mozart, a man blessed with an abundance of talent yet sometimes struggling to earn a living. His mischievous nature and earthy sense of humour, his ease and confidence in his own incredible abilities; these were traits that never left him.Read by Robin Houston. 10 hours 34 minutes. TB23681.Swafford, Jan. Johannes Brahms: a biography. 2003. TB19299.This biography of Brahms reveals a man of contradictions. He was obsessed with biography, hoarding the manuscripts and letters of other composers. He actively prevented documentation of his own history, however. This book examines his life, looking at an era of cultural absolutes.Read by Hayward Morse, 32 hours 22 minutes. TB19299.Till, Nicholas. Rossini. 1987. TB19158. Gioacchino Rossini, born in 1792, is known to most people as the composer of the ever popular William Tell overture and one of the best loved of all comic operas, the Barber of Seville. This biography reveals the warm and witty personality of Rossini and draws a vivid picture of musical life in Europe after the fall of Napoleon.Read by Mark Elstob. 5 hours 23 minutes. TB19158.Wood, Bruce. Purcell: an extraordinary life. 2009. TB19157.By interweaving the events during an unparalleled period of social and political change with the life and music of Purcell, this book creates an account of this elusive English genius that is hard to put down.Read by Ian Robertson. 8 hours 34 minutes. TB19157.Pop, Jazz, BluesBarlow, Gary. My take. 2006. TB404283.Gary Barlow was Take That’s secret weapon: their gifted, down-to-earth front man who not only wrote most of their greatest hits but sang them too. But the band decided to quit at the height of their fame. What followed for Gary is an inspiring journey of highs and lows. For the first time, he tells his full story from his childhood in Cheshire to life after Take That.Read by volunteers. 8 hours 59 minutes. TB404283.Bartlett, Karen. Dusty: an intimate portrait of a musical legend. 2015.TB23826.Dusty Springfield was one of the biggest musical stars of the 20th century. From the launch of her career in 1963, until her departure for Los Angeles, she was Britain's biggest female star. This title reveals new details about the soul diva's upbringing, tumultuous relationships and unbridled addictions, including a lifelong struggle to come to terms with her sexuality.Read by Letsy Pugh. 12 hours 9 minutes. TB23826.Beckham, Victoria. Learning to fly: the autobiography. 2002. TB13286.From the time she saw the movie "Fame", Victoria Beckham wanted to be a star. A line from the theme song stayed with her -"I'm gonna live for ever, I'm gonna learn how to fly". With this amazing book she gives us the chance to fly alongside her on her journey from lonely teenager to international star. Contains swear words. Read by Charlotte Strevens. 14 hours 44 minutes. TB13286.Bergreen, Laurence. Louis Armstrong: an extravagant life. 1997. TB12264.A biography of the jazz and blues master, using new material from the Louis Armstrong archive. Louis Armstrong was a character of epic proportions - married four times, a life-long advocate of marijuana, who took his music from the streets of New Orleans to Hollywood, Europe and South America. Read by Jeff Harding. 22 hours 33 minutes. TB12264.Black, Cilla. What's it all about? 2004. TB17390.Since debuting on the showbiz circuit in 1963, Cilla Black has released 14 studio albums, in addition to two successful greatest hit packages and 37 singles. She has also starred in such shows as "Surprise, Surprise" and "Blind Date". This book relates the story of her life. Read by Eunice Roberts. 16 hours 20 minutes. TB17390.Brannigan, Paul. This is a call: the life and times of Dave Grohl. 2011. TB19036.He has sold over 40 million albums. He's been in bands that are thought to have changed popular music forever. He saw his best friend commit suicide. He starts supergroups. From a bandmate's suicide to drug abuse, from Washington DC to California, Paul Brannigan gives an intimate account of the life and times of Dave Grohl. Contains swear words. Read by Christopher Ragland. 13 hours 6 minutes. TB19036.Bret, David. The real Gracie Fields: the authorised biography. 2010. TB17768.In her day, Gracie Fields was one of the highest paid stars in the world. Appearing in a series of films which reflected the spirit of a troubled decade and cutting hundreds of superb recordings, she became an international legend and a national institution. In this first full-length biography of Gracie, David Bret reveals the real Gracie Fields: her personal tragedies, great bravery and her often extreme naivety. Contains swear words and violence. Read by Mike Aherne. 10 hours 27 minutes. TB17768.Brun-Lambert, David. Nina Simone: the biography. 2009. TB17819.This is the first biography of the legendary diva to tell her whole extraordinary story. It offers fresh insights into a notoriously complex character drawing on a wealth of original interviews with Nina Simone's intimate circle. Contains swear words. Read by Ryan Forde Isco. 15 hours 49 minutes. TB17819.Buckley, David. Strange fascination: David Bowie, the definitive story. 2005. TB17458.A biography of the influential and chameleon-like rock icon, David Bowie, who created the fantastical rock star and revenge of the suburbs, Ziggy Stardust. It seeks to unravel the Bowie enigma, via interviews, biography and academic analysis. Read by Alan Thorpe. 27 hours 33 minutes. TB17458.Charles, Ray. Brother Ray: Ray Charles' own story. 2004. TB19489.In an inimitable and unsparing voice, Charles tells his whole story, from the chronicle of his musical development to his heroin addiction to his tangled romantic life. Contains swear words and sex scenes. Read by Tee Jaye. 12 hours 55 minutes. TB19489.Clapton, Eric. Eric Clapton: the autobiography. 2007. TB15903.Eric was born an illegitimate child to a Canadian airman in 1945 and raised by his grandparents. From his early teens his solace was the guitar. At the age of eighteen, he joined the Yardbirds and from then on his legendary status was assured. In 1966 the world's first super group, Cream, was formed and at the age of 22 Eric was a world superstar. Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this autobiography. Contains swear words. Read by Mark Elstob. 11 hours 16 minutes. TB15903.Clarke, Donald. Billie Holiday: wishing on the moon. 2002. TB17392.Based on unrivalled access to archival interviews with those who knew her at every stage of her life, this is the most revealing biography of the incomparable Lady Day, from her childhood, right up to her tragic decline and death at the age of forty-four. Contains strong language. Read by Kenneth Jay. 19 hours 40 minutes. TB17392.Cole, Cheryl. Cheryl: my story. 2012. TB20553.Cheryl Cole has achieved massive success as a singer, style icon and TV star, and has been involved in some of the most gripping headlines of recent years. Read by Gloria Sanders. 10 hours 38 minutes. TB20553.Coles, Richard. Fathomless riches. 2014. TB22414.The Reverend Richard Coles is a parish priest in Northamptonshire and a regular host of BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live. He is also the only vicar in Britain to have had a number 1 hit single: the Communards' 'Don't Leave Me This Way' topped the charts for four weeks and was the biggest-selling single of its year. Here, he divulges with searing honesty, his pilgrimage from a rock -and-roll life of sex and drugs, to a life devoted to God and Christianity.Read by Richard Coles. 10 hours 1 minute. TB22414.Condon, Eddie. We called it music: a generation of jazz. 1992. TB22649.Eddie Condon pioneered a kind of jazz popularly known as Chicago-Dixieland, though musicians refer to it simply as Condon style. Played by small ensembles with driving beat, it was and is an informal, exciting music, slightly disjointed and often mischievous. The same could be said of this book, widely celebrated for capturing the camaraderie of early jazz.Read by Paul Birchard. 10 hours 13 minutes. TB22649.Costa, Antony. Blue: All rise, our story. 2017.Blue first rose to fame and mega-stardom in 2001. With 3 UK Number 1 Platinum-selling albums, 2 Brit Awards and 16 million records to their name, they quickly became the crushes of choice for the noughties generation. But their tendency to say exactly what they think, wear their hearts on their sleeves and court controversy (usually unintentionally) has meant that they've rarely left the limelight, or public hearts and minds, since.Read by Antony Costa. 6 hours 13 minutes. TB702305.Crawford, Michael. Parcel arrived safely, tied with string: my autobiography. 2000. TB13521.In his autobiography, Crawford recalls his childhood, his early years in showbusiness and the friendships to which it led. Stage shows like "The Phantom of the Opera" and films such as "Hello Dolly" are all remembered, and he offers plenty of professional and personal behind-the scenes anecdotes. Read by Gordon Dulieu. 11 hours 35 minutes. TB13521.Crawford, Sue. Ozzy unauthorized. 2002. TB13099.John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne has been very popular with the American public as the star of "The Osbournes", a fly-on-the-wall-docu-soap. This biography is a comprehensive study of his past, and with its specially commissioned astrological chart, the future of this survivor and star. Contains swear words. Read by Rachel Atkins. 5 hours 8 minutes. TB13099.Cross, Charles R. Heavier than heaven: a biography of Kurt Cobain. 2002. TB17419.Kurt Cobain's life and death fast became rock'n'roll legend. The worldwide success of his band, Nirvana, defined the music scene in the early 1990s and their songs spoke to and for a generation. This is the extraordinary story of artistic brilliance and the pain that extinguished it. Read by Simon Lee Phillips. 15 hours 33 minutes. TB17419.Davis, Sammy. Sammy: an autobiography. 2001. TB13681.Sammy Davis Jr rose from Childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African-American entertainers of the 1950s and 1960s. At the same time, he spent most of his career surrounded by controversy and ridicule - over his affairs with white film stars, his marriage to Swedish actress May Britt, his conversion to Judaism, his closeness to the Kennedys and his problems with alcohol and drugs. Contains swear words. Read by Jeff Harding and William Roberts, 18 hours 29 minutes. TB13681.Duberman, Martin Bauml. Paul Robeson. 1991. TB10168.The son of a runaway slave, a brilliant scholar and athlete, Paul Robeson became world famous as a singer and actor. He achieved notoriety through his political activities, campaigning for civil rights, and activity against fascism. A towering figure of the 20th century, he knew many international figures, from Indira Ghandhi and Khrushchev to Bernard Shaw and Einstein.Read by James Tillitt. 29 hours 6 minutes. TB10168.Dylan, Bob. Chronicles. 2004. TB13951.This is the first volume of the autobiography of a musical and political icon. Circa 1965, arguably the high point of his creative genius, Bob Dylan writes on the beginnings of his music career, his loves - including his very first date - and offers a very personal, anecdotal view of this time of great creativity, innovation and music history.Read by John Chancer. 9 hours 57 minutes. TB13951.Essex, David. Over the moon: the autobiography. 2012. TB20056.Pop star and national treasure David Essex started life as David Cook in a work house in the East End. Read by David Essex. 9 hours 54 minutes. TB20056.Faith, Adam. Acts of faith. 1996. TB11699.This is the life of Adam Faith, starting as a young musician, having twenty four hit singles, becoming an actor and then being involved in a car crash which left mental and physical scars. He then sets up business as a property tycoon, has a bypass operation, goes bust owing ?1.5 million and then gives one of his best performances as an actor in Stardust, leading to further key performances. Read by Cameron Stewart. 8 hours 56 minutes. TB11699.Faithfull, Marianne. Faithfull. 1994. TB10465.When Marianne Faithfull settled into a love affair with Mick Jagger her life looked like a rock'n'roll fairy tale, except that her passion for drugs increasingly dominated her life. She discusses her life as a junkie, her suicide attempts and her growing will to live, leading to a triumphant return as a songwriter, singer and actress. Contains sex scenes. Read by Norma West. 12 hours 53 minutes. TB10465.Fearnley, James. Here comes everybody. 2015. TB23397.The Pogues' story is told by James Fearnley, founding member and accordion player. The band experienced huge commercial success but relentless touring spiralled into years of hard drinking and excess which eventually took their toll, most famously on singer-songwriter Shane MacGowan.Read by James Fearnley. 14 hours 56 minutes. TB23397.Forbes, Bryan. A divided life. 1992. TB10106.Marshalling his recollections with humour and compassion, Forbes writes incisively of his friendships with the famous names of show business and tells of the turbulent years as head of production for EMI at Elstree. Whether writing with affectionate warmth of his wife and family, or describing the many hilarious exploits that have marked his long career he employs an unerring ear for detail. Read by Bryan Forbes, 14 hours 39 minutes. TB10106.Grima, Charlie, Aren't you glad that it's not Christmas every day? Memoirs of a Wizzard drummer. 2015. TB21990.30 years ago Charlie Grima was the drummer with Wizzard – the band behind festive anthem I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day. He later returned to acting and then to working with blind children at Dorton House, something he considers to be a privilege. Read by David John. 5 hours 18 minutes. TB21990.Guralnick, Peter. Sweet soul music: rhythm and blues and the Southern dream of freedom. 2002. TB19277.This volume tells the story of the birth of rhythm-and-blues. It records the rise and fall of Stax Records - who produced Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs - as well as other labels such as Atlantic. Read by Tommie T J Jenkins. 18 hours 10 minutes. TB19277.Halliwell, Geri. If only. 2000. TB13147.Geri's autobiography is funny, frank, poignant, incisive and, in the best sense, inspirational. At its heart, "If only" is about fame and the rollercoaster journey one girl took from believing it would provide the answer to life's problems to her discovery that the real solutions lie elsewhere. Contains swear words. Read by Candida Gubbins. 14 hours 3 minutes. TB13147.Hawks, Tony. One hit wonderland. TB13249.This is an account of the adventure that takes him around the world in search for that elusive follow-up hit. From the studios of Nashville to the coffee bars of Amsterdam; from the plains of Sudan to the wilds of Tasmania, Hawks will do anything to have a hit. Is it possible to get a hit anywhere in the world with a song called "You broke my heart like a bird's egg (but now the yolk's on you)"? Contains swear words. Read by Tony Hawks. 10 hours 38 minutes. TB13249.Heath, Chris. Feel: Robbie Williams. 2004. TB14017.The text explores nature of fame, ambition and talent and tells a very surreal tale of an ordinary young man thrust into a most peculiar world. Contains swear words. Read by David Thorpe. 20 hours 17 minutes. TB14017.Holland, Jools. Barefaced lies and boogie-woogie boasts. 2008. TB16146.From playing on bomb sites as a boy in the East End, to skiving off school and then selling millions of records with Squeeze, the first twenty years of his life were eventful, chaotic and colourful. Then came 'The Tube' with Paula Yates, the seminal live music programme that propelled him to fame. This memoir provides an inside look into the world of Jools Holland. Contains swear words. Read by Tim Bruce. 12 hours 21 minutes. TB16146.Hoskyns, Barney. Glam! Bowie, Bolan and the Glitter Rock Revolution. 2014. TB702214.Bowie, Bolan, Bryan Ferry and Iggy Pop are the icons that defined the particular type of music that came to be known as glam rock in the early 1970s. It was a period characterized by visual excess and ambisexual confrontation, where performance came to be as important as the music. Read by Joanna Hall. 4 hours 34 minutes. TB702214.Houston, Cissy. Remembering Whitney: a mother's story of life, loss and the night the music stopped. 2013. TB20320.Offering an insider's perspective on Whitney's remarkable career, her highs and lows, her drug problems, her marriage to Bobby Brown and her tragic last days. Read by Lachele Carl. 8 hours 13 minutes. TB20320.Jackson, Joyce Gray. My memories of Jim Reeves - and other celebrities. 2009. TB18154.The story of star-struck Kentucky girl Joyce Gray, who grew up, moved to Nashville where she worked behind-the-scenes on behalf of such Music City legends as singer Jim Reeves. This book documents her professional and private lives.Read by Regina Reagan. 6 hours 58 minutes. TB18154.Johnson, Brian. Rockers and rollers. 2010. TB19725. By night, Brian Johnson sings in the biggest rock and roll band on the planet. But by day, AC/DC's front man gets to indulge his passion for all things automotive. Rockers and Rollers is the story of man with an insatiable appetite for life and a glimpse into the extraordinary world of AC/DC. Contains strong language.Read by Mark Elstob. 4 hours 54 minutes. TB19725.Jones, Tom. Over the top and back. 2015. TB23497.In a career that has spanned six decades, Sir Tom Jones has performed with almost every major recording artist, from Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis and Sinatra, to Robbie Williams, Van Morrison and Jessie J, across every imaginable genre, from rock and pop to country, blues and soul. Here, Tom revisits his past, both personal and professional, exploring the twists of fate that took a boy from a poor Welsh coal-mining family to global celebrity status.Read by Jonathan Price. 12 hours 28 minutes. TB23497.Katona, Kerry. Too much, too young. 2007. TB16019.This is the account of Kerry Katona's unique upbringing, and a woman's journey through pop stardom, motherhood, marriage heartbreak to a new beginning. From the backstreets of Warrington to the smoky pubs of the East End, from the shelters where victims of domestic violence hide, to the exclusive hotels where international pop stars party, this is Kerry's story. Contains strong language. Read by Kate Walsh. 8 hours 40 minutes. TB16019.Kiedis, Anthony. Scar tissue. 2005. TB19422.In 'Scar Tissue' Anthony Kiedis, the charismatic and highly articulate frontman of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, recounts his remarkable life story, and the history of the band. It is the story of a man who almost destroyed himself and the band that helped him rebuild his life.Contains swear words and sex scenes. Read by Christopher Ragland. 15 hours 44 minutes. TB19422.Levy, Shawn. Rat Pack confidential: Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey & the last great showbiz party. 1998. TB400677.A biography of the "Rat Pack" - Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin. There was Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop when they asked him, Jack Kennedy and Sam Giancana, and tables of cronies. It was the ultimate spasm of traditional showbiz - private jets, gambling, cocktails and fist-fights. Read by volunteers, 11 hours 21 minutes. TB400677.Lynn, Vera. Some sunny day: my autobiography. 2009. TB16787.Dame Vera Lynn's career was set from an early age - along with her father, who also did a 'turn', she sang in Working Men's Clubs from just seven years old. She had a successful radio career with Joe Loss and Charlie Kunz in the 1920s and '30s, but it was with World War II that she became the iconic figure that captured the imagination of the national public.Read by Diana Bishop. 7 hours 38 minutes. TB16787.Lyttelton, Humphrey. It just occurred to me... : the reminiscences & thoughts of Chairman Humph. 2007. TB15452.The legendary band leader and jazz trumpeter, broadcaster and humorist looks back at his extraordinarily rich and varied life and the many colourful characters he has known and played with - from Duke Ellington to Louis Armstrong. Contains strong language.Read by Peter Barker. 7 hours 3 minutes. TB15452.Meat Loaf. To hell and back: an autobiography. 2000. TB13396.Meat Loaf is a living legend and this is his story, as bizarre as it is spectacular. He describes a cruel childhood; his experiences of success with the third best-selling album of all time; drink, drugs, bankruptcy and a nervous breakdown in the 1980s; and his triumphant return as a musical star. Contains strong language. Read by Jeff Harding. 6 hours 56 minutes. TB13396.Mercury, Freddie. Freddie Mercury: his life in his own words. 2008. TB16868.This book takes us on the journey of Queen - three academics and a frustrated art student, tired of having no money, taking on the music industry on their own terms. Spurred on by an almost uncontrollable, ambitious and forthright Mercury, Queen succeeded, becoming the biggest band of the generations to come. The story, told in his own words shows how on many occasions, the band almost split, but was always kept together by their shared love of breaching musical boundaries. Contains strong language. Read by Greg Wagland. 5 hours 51 minutes. TB16868.Miles, Barry. Paul McCartney: many years from now. 1997. TB11598.Based on a combination of interviews over a period of five years, together with material from McCartney's own archives, this is an account of Paul's personal history. Recalling the genesis of every song they wrote, McCartney talks in detail about how they worked together, and who was responsible for each line and melody. Contains strong language. Read by David Thorpe. 23 hours 59 minutes. TB11598.Miller, Stephen. Smart blonde: Dolly Parton. c2008. TB17986.Dolly Parton is the most famous person ever to have emerged from the American country music scene with her iconic cartoon image - mountainous blonde wigs, pumped up breasts and dazzling outfits. The first new and substantial biography for over 15 years, this book includes interviews with family members, musicians and producers who have worked with her over the years, and a detailed assessment of her music.Read by Jeff Harding. 16 hours 22 minutes. TB17986.Monro, Michele. The singer's singer: the life and music of Matt Monro. 2010. TB17414.The story of one of Britain's most iconic singers, tracing Matt Monro's life from his poverty stricken upbringing in post-war Britain to his day job as London bus driver, to the steady rise to fame that saw him become one of Britain's best-loved entertainers. This book exposes the man behind the voice, telling how Terry Parson overcame poverty, prejudice and alcoholism to arrive at the heart of the British entertainment industry as Matt Monro.Contains strong language. Read by Anna Harwich. 28 hours. TB17414.Morrissey. Autobiography. 2013. TB23501.Singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Smiths, Morrissey has been a solo artist since 1987 during which time he has had three number 1 albums in England in three different decades. Achieving eleven Top 10 albums (plus nine with the Smiths), his songs have been recorded by many singers. Read by David Morrissey. 12 hours 48 minutes. TB23501.Napier-Bell, Simon. Black vinyl, white powder. 2001. TB13421.The author uses his wealth of contacts and extraordinary personal experiences to chart the incredible story of an industry that has become like no other. Where bad or irrational behaviour is not only tolerated but encouraged; where drugs are sometimes as important as talent; where artists allow themselves to be pushed to their physical and mental limits in the name of profit and ego. Unsuitable for family reading. Read by Tim Bruce. 14 hours 5 minutes. TB13421.Nolan, Coleen. Upfront and personal. 2009. TB403729.Coleen describes her eventful life, from joining her sisters' band The Nolans when she was only nine to growing up in the spotlight as they went on to chart-topping success around the world. She reveals how she coped with her tumultuous marriage to Shane Richie, and when she was sacked from "This Morning" just as she was finding her feet. A way out finally came in the form of "Loose Women", where she reclaimed her place in the nation's hearts.Read by volunteers, 10 hours 29 minutes. TB403729.Nollen, Scott Allen. Jethro Tull: a history of the band, 1968-2001. 2002. TB404405.This is a history of the band written by an acquaintance of several of its members. The book includes a chronology of all the band's recordings and information on all accompanying tours, with the author's critiques as well as the band's own reminiscences and opinions of each album. Also included are previously unpublished interviews with members of the band.Read by volunteers. 17 hours 48 minutes. TB404405.Norman, Philip. John Lennon: the life. Volume 1. 2009. TB17073.John Lennon, the iconic songwriter, composer and one quarter of The Beatles was also the founding member. The book's hundreds of key informants and interviewees include Sir Paul McCartney, Sir George Martin, Neil Aspinall, Sean Lennon, and Yoko Ono, who speaks about the inner workings of her marriage to John. Read by Russell Boulter. 18 hours 31 minutes. TB17073.Also: Norman, Philip. John Lennon: the life. Volume 2. 2009. TB17074.Read by Russell Boulter. 14 hours 9 minutes. TB17074.Norman, Philip. The Stones. 2002. TB16788.The story of The Rolling Stones - the band's rise, the Marianne Faithfull, Brian Jones and Altamont scandals, the groundbreaking hits - is the stuff of twentieth century legend, and core to popular culture. Contains strong language. Read by Peter Wickham. 17 hours 57 minutes.TB16788.Peel, John. Margrave of the marshes. 2005. TB14768.The first half of the book, written by John describes his early life, from child to man, including his school and National Service. The second section written by his wife Shelia, completes the story, providing an intimate portrait of the man and his music, and the highs and lows of everyday life at their home in Suffolk. Contains strong language. Read by Johnathan Oliver, Joan Walker and Peter Kenny. 12 hours 40 minutes.TB14768.Ribowsky, Mark. Signed, sealed, and delivered: the soulful journey of Stevie Wonder. 2010. TB17812.This book takes an in-depth look at Stevie Wonder's life and his evolution from kid-soul pop star into a mature artist whose music helped lay the groundwork for the evolution of hip hop and rap. Read by Peter Brooke. 14 hours 2 minutes. TB17812.Richards, Keith. Life. 2010. TB20676.With the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics and the songs that roused the world. In 'Life' he tells his story. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records as a child in post-war Kent. Learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. Marriage, family and the road that goes on for ever.Read by Johnny Depp and Joe Hurley, featuring Keith Richards. 23 hours 5 minutes. TB20676.Rodgers, Nile. Le freak: an upside down story of family, disco and destiny. 2012. TB21529.Nile Rodgers is a founding member of the band Chic and one of the world's most successful music producers. He wrote 'We are Family' for Sister Sledge and 'I'm Coming Out' for Diana Ross, and produced two of the most popular albums of all time - Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' and David Bowie's 'Let's Dance'. Here he tells his story.Read by Ian Knauer. 10 hours 27 minutes. TB21529.Slash. Slash. 2008. TB20245.The never-before-told, no-holds-barred memoir from the legendary Guns N' Roses guitarist. Contains strong language. Read by Robert G Slade. 18 hours 38 minutes. TB20245.Sounes, Howard. Down the highway: the life of Bob Dylan. 2014. TB702201.Based on in-depth original research, including hundreds of interviews with Dylan's closest associates, Down the Highway now also contains a fresh section covering the artist's most recent projects. A compelling, engagingly fast-paced and revelatory life, it takes the reader on a journey from Dylan's childhood in a Minnesota mining town to one of the most iconic figures of contemporary culture.Read by Peter Markinker. 20 hours 31 minutes. TB702201.Sounes, Howard. Fab: an intimate life of Paul McCartney. 2014. TB702204.Howard Sounes spent more than two years investigating every aspect of Sir Paul's life and work, including interviewing over 200 people. The author pays equal attention to the story of McCartney in the Beatles and the ongoing story of his post-Beatles career, creating an engrossing history that spans the long arc of this great artist's life and work.Read by David Thorpe. 25 hours 37 minutes. TB702204.Sounes, Howard. Notes from the Velvet Underground: the life of Lou Reed. 2016. TB701803.To his dedicated admirers, Lou Reed was one of the most innovative and intelligent American songwriters of modern times, a natural outsider who lived a tumultuous and tortured life. In this in-depth biography, Howard Sounes examines the life and work of this fascinating man, from birth to death, including his time as the leader of The Velvet Underground.Read by Howard Sounes. 13 hours 41 minutes. TB701803.Stanley-Clarke, Jenny. Kylie: naked. 2002. TB13142.Kylie Minogue is an icon to millions of fans who have followed her remarkable career from the Australian soap "Neighbours" through Stock, Aitken and Waterman to her current disco revival at the top of the charts. This is a biography of the antipodean pop princess.Read by Erica Grant. 6 hours 40 minutes. TB13142.Steele, Tommy. Bermondsey boy: memories of a forgotten world. 2007. Read by David Graham, 12 hours 20 minutes. TB15950.In this memoir Tommy recalls his childhood years growing up in Bermondsey. He also brings to life what it was like to live through the devastation of the Blitz. Yet it was once he joined the merchant navy and began singing and performing for his fellow seaman that his natural ability as an entertainer marked him out as a favourite. Contains strong language. Read by David Graham. 12 hours 20 minutes. TB15950.Stewart, Rod. Rod: the autobiography. 2013. This is the autobiography of the legendary megastar, who has sold more than 200 million albums and singles worldwide. After more than 50 years in the music business, Rod Stewart takes a candid and romping look back at his life both on and off the stage.Read by Moray Treadwell. 13 hours 48 minutes. TB20685.Strauss, Neil. Everyone loves you when you're dead: journeys into fame and madness. 2011. TB18984.Join Neil Strauss as he: - Makes Lady Gaga cry - Tries to keep Motley Crue out of jail - Gets kidnapped by Courtney Love - Goes to church with Tom Cruise (and his mother) - Reads the mind of Britney Spears - Gets picked on by Led Zeppelin - Buys nappies with Snoop Dogg - and hot-tubbing with Marilyn Manson. Contains strong language. Read by Eric Meyers. 19 hours 53 minutes. TB18984.Sutherland, Bryony. Annie Lennox: the biography. 2002. TB17980.This book presents a complex, living biography of the working-class girl from Aberdeen who has become a pop legend. Ex-lovers, musicians, photographers, stylists, record company executives, producers and directors were interviewed to present the full story from childhood to the reformation of the Eurythmics.Read by Carolyn Bonnyman. 18 hours 39 minutes. TB17980.Taraborrelli, J Randy. Sinatra: the man behind the myth. 1997. TB11515.The explosive biography of one of the world's most controversial entertainers, taking the reader deep inside the private life and affairs of this complex, emotional man. The author provides details of his many tempestuous romances and relationships; his loss of memory which affected his later performance; his ties with the underworld; and his influence in American politics and history. Contains strong language. Read by Garrick Hagon. 30 hours 34 minutes. TB11515.Taraborrelli, J Randy. Madonna: an intimate biography. 2001. TB13149.This biography of Madonna is the result of ten years of exclusive interviews with people who are speaking publicly for the first time, including close friends, business associates and even family members. J. Randy Taraborrelli has also interviewed the star herself on numerous occasions and he draws on these first-hand experiences to bring Madonna to life.Contains strong language. Read by John Chancer. 17 hours. TB13149.Townshend, Pete. Who I am. 2013. TB 21412.The defining guitarist of a generation, Pete was the powerful creative force behind The Who, widely regarded as one of the greatest rock bands of all time. His musical knowledge and writing ability was and is unparalleled, and his taste for rebellion renowned. His pure passion and talent has guaranteed his status as an icon and authority on rock n roll for decades.Read by Pete Townshend. 17 hours 58 minutes. TB 21412.Trynka, Paul. Sympathy for the devil: the birth of the Rolling Stones and the death of Brian Jones. 2014. TB21765.Drawing on over one hundred interviews with key principals including Keith Richards, Andrew Oldham and Marianne Faithful, this is a story told from a totally new perspective and which lays bare the shocking ruthlessness, internal warfare and sexual competition within The Rolling Stones. Contains strong language. Read by Leighton Pugh. 11 hours 52 minutes. TB21765.Turner, Ike. Takin' back my name: the confessions of Ike Turner. 1999. TB404701.Ike Turner escaped poverty via his songwriting genius when he discovered a singing talent named Little Ann Bullock, renamed her Tina, and made her a global superstar. Yet the Ike and Tina partnership and ‘marriage’ went sour, and Ike Turner became a social pariah when Tina's autobiography, and hit movie accused him of serial adultery, drug addiction and domestic violence. Read by volunteers. 11 hours 15 minutes. TB404701.Turner, Steve. Cliff Richard: the biography. 1993. TB11928.With chart success second only to Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard's success and appeal are indisputable. Five decades into his career, his popularity is greater now than it has ever been. Yet, this full-scale, authorised biography scrutinises more than just the music. Steve Turner takes us behind the events of Cliff's life to discover the people, stories and tensions which have shaped the star today.Read by Paul Jones. 10 hours. TB11928.Turner, Steve. Cliff Richard: the biography. 1993. TB11928.With chart success second only to Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard's success and appeal are indisputable. Five decades into his career, his popularity is greater now than it has ever been. Yet, this full-scale, authorised biography scrutinises more than just the music. Steve Turner takes us behind the events of Cliff's life to discover the people, stories and tensions which have shaped the star today.Read by Paul Jones. 10 hours. TB11928.Turner, Steve. The man called Cash: the life, love and faith of an American legend. 2006. TB16875.Country music singer-songwriter Johnny Cash is an icon to people of all ages the world over. In Cash's first ever authorised biography, Steve Turner sifts the man from the legend and presents an unflinchingly honest picture. Read by Phil Shaw. 10 hours 52 minutes. TB16875.Walker, Johnnie. The autobiography. 2008. TB16157.Young Johnnie Walker was obsessed with music and loved to share that passion. So it wasn't long after he'd started DJing in dance halls and pubs around his Solihull home that he got his big break: he talked his way into a slot with newly founded private station Radio England - and launched his incredible career. Here, he tells of forty years at the heart of British broadcasting. He also speaks candidly about the personal challenges he's faced: divorce, exile and his very public struggles with drug addiction and cancer. Contains strong language. Read by Robin Houston and Jacqueline King. 13 hours 41 minutes.TB16157.Wall, Mick. When giants walked the Earth: a biography of Led Zeppelin. 2009. TB17412.The story of the band that wrote the rulebook for on-the-road excess - and paid the price for it, with disaster, drug addiction and death. Wall also recounts the stories of the five individuals that made the dream of Led Zeppelin into reality: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and their infamous manager, Peter Grant. Contains strong language.Read by Andy Love. 19 hours 57 minutes. TB17412.Williams, Robbie. Somebody someday. 2001. TB13335.This biography of Robbie Williams reveals the character behind the headlines, the genius behind the fact, the lifestyle behind the closed doors. Contains strong language. Read by David Thorpe. 6 hours. TB13335.Winehouse, Mitch. Amy, my daughter. 2012. TB22503.Using exclusive extracts from his own personal diaries, Amy’s father and confidant Mitch celebrates what influenced his daughter. Documenting her early years from Sylvia Young to the Brit School, and the darker side of her life as she struggled to cope with her addictions under the glare of the media spotlight, he gives new insights.Read by Rupert Farley, Mitch Winehouse. 9 hours 51 minutes. TB22503 ................
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