Ian Gittins Livres

"The Cure's story is a fantastical pop fable, but their trajectory has not been one of unbroken success. Along the way, their uneven, uneasy pop odyssey has taken in fierce intra-band tensions and fall-outs, numerous line-up changes and even a bitter court case that saw original group members feuding over payments and ownership of the band's name. There has been alcoholism, substance abuse and countless long, dark nights of the soul, many of which have been translated into luscious dark-rock symphonies. From gawky teenage art-punks in Crawley to gnomic, venerable rock royalty with 30 million record sales to their name, their journey has been a scarcely believable, vivid pop hallucination. A Perfect Dream is the tall tale of a truly unique British band. It's the story of The Cure."--Publisher's description

After debuting in 1978 with a brash single pulled from the pages of Camus, the Cure, led by Robert Smith, recorded a series of brooding albums, drawing the world's attention to goth rock. But they resisted categorization, and subsequent albums attracted new fans worldwide. Then, with the grand and somber Disintegration, they achieved global domination. This essential keepsake tells the story of the Cure--from the angular riffs of "Boys Don't Cry" and "A Forest," through the perfect simplicity of "Lovesong" and "Friday I'm in Love," to headlining some of the world's biggest music festivals--in beautiful, eye-catching color.

"From the band's earliest stirrings in Essex to the eve of their 40th anniversary, Depeche Mode: Faith and Devotion is a tale of triumph from adversity: the extraordinary history of a unique global synth-rock phenomenon."--Back cover

Rob Halford is the legendary frontman of Judas Priest, one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time. Known as 'The Metal God' by his devoted, global fan base, Rob Halford has always subverted the norm, and Confess will offer readers a compelling and honest look at the struggles he has faced with addiction and his sexuality as well as exploring his music and his many brushes with controversy. There have been few vocalists in the history of heavy metal whose singing style has been as influential and instantly recognizable as Halford's. Confess, published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Judas Priest - and described by Halford himself as 'exciting, fun, disturbing and terrifying' - will celebrate five decades of the guts and glory of rock-n-roll.

Instead of hydrogen to helium, here you'll find the Smashing Pumpkins to Spinal Tap - 118 artists and groups that have defined this music genre, arranged following the logical ordering of 'The Periodic Table'. Many of these elements are as unstable and reactive as their chemical counterparts. Shared style influences and band members are all mapped out, along with the genre's vast spectrum of sound. Grunge rock through to hardcore, blues rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, arena rock, glam rock and glam metal, punk rock, blues metal, 80s new wave, comedy metal, thrash, death, intelligent AND nu-metal are all represented! Includes: Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, Queen, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Yes, Slipknot, Nirvana, ZZ Top, Sex Pistols, Meat Loaf, Queens of the Stone Age, the Doors, Pixies, Frank Zappa, Slade, Marilyn Manson, The Beatles and Spinal Tap and more.

"Secrets of the Lost Symbol" delves into the enigmatic world of Freemasonry, exploring its history, influential members, and controversial practices. Ian Gittins uncovers the truth behind the myths, revealing the society's origins, philosophy, and rituals while distinguishing fact from fiction, particularly in relation to Dan Brown's work.

Drawing on years of experience covering Bjork and her industry, Gittins explores and celebrates the creative processes and motivations behind her amazing career and musical history.

Eight tracks. Endless stories. We all have our own Desert Island Discs - that handful of songs that transport us back to special times in our lives, capturing a mood perfectly and helping us tell our stories. Celebrating 80 years of the BBC's most iconic radio show, The Defnitive Desert Island Discs revisits some of the most remarkable and unforgettable of those life stories - song by song, and memory by memory. Whether it's Dame Judi Dench on her first experience of jazz in America; Lemn Sissay on 'Amazing Grace' capturing his love of Scotland; or Ike and Tina's 'River Deep - Mountain High' reminding Ian Wright of darker times, the music chosen helps reveal life's precious moments with a unique power and intimacy. Every story is a journey, and these are the songs that guided the way. With an introduction from Lauren Laverne, and featuring many new stories not included in the original broadcasts, this is the ultimate tribute to the music that defines and shapes us.

Depeche Mode odjakživa byli nadšení hudební vizionáři. Původně nenápadná skupina, která vznikla na počátku osmdesátých let v jinak ničím výjimečném městě Basildon, se stala průkopníkem britského elektropopu. Kapela, která se záhy po vydání debutového alba musela vypořádat s odchodem svého zakladatele a autora většiny jejích písní Vince Clarkeho, si rychle získala zapálené skalní fanoušky a postupně se stala součástí hudebního mainstreamu. Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andrew Fletcher a Alan Wilder představili světovým arénám a stadionům temné písně o sexu, náboženství, posedlosti a smrti. Během čtyř desetiletí přilákala tato skupina do řad svých příznivců miliony posluchačů od Moskvy po Montevideo. Nebyla to však bezproblémová cesta. Skupina se totiž v průběhu let potýkala s ochromujícími záchvaty sebepochybování, depresemi, vzájemnými rozepřemi, alkoholismem i katastrofální závislostí na heroinu, která charismatického, avšak zranitelného Gahana málem stála život. Tato kniha je příběhem triumfu nad nepřízní osudu: od začátků kapely v Essexu až po předvečer čtyřicátého výročí jejího založení. V rukou držíte mimořádnou historii jedinečného globálního synthrockového fenoménu. Toto je příběh Depeche Mode.

Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx shares his mesmerising diary entries from the year he spiralled out of control, died and came back to life.