No other pop group in recent history has faced fame with such intelligence, humour and shrewdness as the Pet Shop Boys. it is an unusually intimate portrait of two maverick British musicians always reluctant to compromise. 'There was a time when the Pet Shop Boys seemed to exist entirely on radio, television and in magazines.
The Pet Shop Boys are one of the most successful and unusual bands of the last five decades. They are the pop duo that proves pop music can be modern, ecstatic and playful as well as serious and intelligent, winning them legions of devoted fans throughout the world. In 1989, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe invited journalist Chris Heath and photographer Lawrence Watson to shadow them around Hong Kong, Japan and the UK as they embarked on their first-ever tour. This book is the result: an immersive portrait giving access into the duo’s inner sanctum, showing them in brilliantly observed detail as they work, relax, gossip, argue and occasionally try to make sense of what they do. ‘As clear a picture as could be wished for of the seething mass of elegant contradictions that is the Pet Shop Boys’ on-the-road experience.’ Independent on Sunday ‘This superbly reported book transcends tired rock journalism cliché. It’s about what it means to be a pop star, what it means to be a Pet Shop Boy… how to love pop, hold it to a higher standard and subvert its expectations.’ Laura Snapes
Ever since a sixteen-year-old boy called Robert Peter Williams joined a boy band and was told his new name, he has been Robbie Williams. It has been twenty years now. Twenty years of singing, songwriting and performing. Twenty years of adventure, mischief, hiding and self-exposure. Twenty years of triumph, mishap, uncertainty and irrepressibility. Twenty years of searching for the right balance between growing up and gloriously refusing to grow up. 'It's like it happened to someone else' he says, as if he needs to remind himself that it did happen. But it really did. Here is the evidence
A vivid and detailed story of the real highs and lows as Robbie has found his way forward, that is unprecedented in its intimacy and honesty, the uncensored and compelling portrait of the man as you've never seen him before
Ich glaube, es ist so: Am Anfang tut man alles, um ein Star zu werden, und den Rest seiner Karriere verbringt man damit, als Star zu überleben. Wie er zum Star wurde, beschrieb Robbie Williams 2004 in seiner Autobiographie Feel, einem weltweiten Bestseller. In seinem neuen Buch schildert er, was danach passierte. Wie er gegen Depressionen und Alkoholismus kämpfte, sich aus dem Popgeschäft zurückzog, UFOs beobachtete und die Einsamkeit suchte, wie er Ehemann und zweifacher Vater wurde und nun, nach der Versöhnung mit seinem musikalischen Partner Guy Chambers, mit seinem elften Album The Heavy Entertainment Show wieder in die Öffentlichkeit zurückkehrt. Auch sein neues Buch entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Musikjournalisten Chris Heath, der Williams in den vergangenen Jahren intensiv begleitete, ihn beim Komponieren und im Umgang mit seinen Kindern beobachtete. Daraus entstand ein intimer, unzensierter Bericht über den Robbie Williams der vergangenen zehn Jahre; eine Reportage über den Popstar und Privatmann und darüber, was es heißt, als Star zu überleben. Denn Robbie ist zurück - Vorhang auf! Es ist das Tagebuch eines modernen Entertainers und seiner unsteten Gedankenwelt, die Geschichte eines Popstars, der versucht, sich selbst wiederzufinden, nachdem er aus dem Vorruhestand zurückgekehrt ist. Es ist wahr, lustig, manchmal traurig, gut geschrieben und sehr unterhaltsam. Ich hoffe, dass die Menschen Spaß daran haben. Robbie
The publication of Feel: Robbie Williams by Chris Heath in September 2004 caused shockwaves of controversy and delight. Not only was its publication trumpeted in tabloids, on TV and the radio, but it was also critically lauded by the broadsheets. Finally, a book had been written on the subject of celebrity and the modern world which had intelligence, honesty and humour. Written by Chris Heath, who spent nearly two years working with Robbie on this book, every word is imbued with Robbie's humour, charisma, talent, memories and complexity. But more than ever before, this book tells the truth about his extraordinary life. You may have seen his face a million times, heard his music every day, followed him from the beginning of Take That, but this is a man with some serious surprises in store. After years of rumour and lies, the complete, intimate story of Robert P. Williams had been written. This is a groundbreaking book.
An Improbable Escape from the Nazis - and the Tangled Way We Tell the Story of the Holocaust
Focusing on the lesser-known narrative of the Holocaust, this book presents a well-researched and clearly articulated account of the Shoah by Bullets. It sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of this tragic history, offering readers a compelling exploration of the events and their implications. The author's meticulous approach ensures that this important story receives the attention it deserves, making it a significant contribution to Holocaust literature.
Denby Dale and Upper Denby - Unknown and Unseen is the last of this ever-popular series of books and includes around 200 previously unpublished photographs of the area. Also included are the stories of three local families, namely the Gaunts, Turtons and Seniors who have a long and fascinating history in the area. Further details include the stories and competition entries for the Denby Dale and Upper Denby brass bands and the men who led them. The story of Upper Denby club is told for the first time, and a historical miscellany includes information dating from 1343 up until 1812. Furthermore, the previously forgotten story of the Denby Dale branch of the British Legion is also told for the first time, using its archive which was luckily saved from destruction when the Denby Dale band hut was demolished in the 1970s. The minutes include details from the Second World War and evoke a vivid picture of the time, with blackouts, rationing, the home guard and the deadly consequences of the war for the local soldiers. This book is essential reading for anyone researching family connections in the area, but will also appeal to all those with links to Denby Dale and Upper Denby, as well as nostalgia lovers of the district in general.
Commemorates and celebrates the lives of the soldiers from Denby & District.
