On Track
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Van Der Graaf Generator
Every Album, Every Song
by Dan Coffey
Part of the On Track series
No progressive rock band could ever be said to be a household name, but Van der Graaf Generator, who celebrated their fiftieth anniversary in 2018, rarely enjoyed that distinction even in the households of many prog fans. VdGG, and the band's main creative force, Peter Hammill, only really had one foot in prog, the other pivoted between more straight-ahead rock, wild experimentation, and at times, brutal noise. While VdGG's initial run ended prematurely, the band eventually came full-circle, reforming in 2005 and still going strong. Both Hammill and VdGG have been lauded as musicians' musicians by such luminaries as Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Julian Cope, Mark E. Smith, and Johnny Rotten. This book will explore what these musicians, and legions of dedicated fans, found so inspiring over the years: all of the VdGG albums, including Pawn Hearts and Godbluff as well as several solo Hammill albums crucial to the VdGG story, are discussed in these pages, including a handful of essential live recordings, experiments, and collaborations. Nothing like this analysis of the band has been published before, and this book will prove an invaluable guide for navigating the Van der Graaf Generator sonic labyrinth. Dan Coffey is a librarian, critic, and poet. He has written extensively on experimental and avant-garde music for Avant Music News, Stereo Embers and Perfect Sound Forever, as well as publishing numerous book reviews for Foreword Magazine. He once interviewed VdGG in an electrical storm! Coffey lives in Iowa with his wife and son, and his ever-growing record collection.
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Crosby, Stills and Nash
Every Album, Every Song
by Andrew Wild
Part of the On Track series
The music of Crosby, Stills and Nash and especially their 1969 self-titled debut album, exemplified the Woodstock generation — three men, three voices, one common view of freedom and justice. However, their decision to recruit Neil Young before their first public performance fundamentally altered the CSN band dynamic. Worldwide acclaim and success followed: their first three albums, released 1969-1971, have sold almost 30 million copies. In 1974 they embarked on the biggest stadium tour then attempted, playing baseball and football stadiums and racetracks across the US to thousands of fans. They were also pop stars, securing nine top 40 singles in the USA between 1969 and 1982. And yet today, with Neil Young regarded as a musical legend, via a classic back catalogue, his colleagues Crosby, Stills and Nash, remain far less acclaimed.
They comprised Crosby: the drug-addled hippy with weird songs and golden voice, Stills: the bluesman and guitar genius and Nash: the hard-as-nails balladeer with a strong social conscience. Together, at their best, they were unbeatable. This book tells you why, aiming to set things straight, with an album by album analysis of CSN's five studio albums, as well as the three they made with Neil Young.
Andrew Wild is a music collector and experienced writer with nine books to his name. His books include The Solo Beatles (Sonicbond 2020) and Queen On Track (Sonicbond 2018). He lives in Rainow, Cheshire, UK.
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The Chic Organisation
Every Album, Every Song
by Chris Sutton
Part of the On Track series
This book charts all of the albums which feature The Chic Organisation, helmed by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. As well as records under the Chic name, the duo also wrote, produced and played on albums by Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, Debbie Harry, Johnny Mathis, Sheila B., Madonna, Odyssey, Carly Simon and David Bowie, amongst many. Appearing on these records was a regular pool of talented singers and musicians. So, sharing their thoughts are Eddie Daniels, Sammy Figueroa, Jean Fineberg, Stan Harrison, Bill Holloman, Kenny Lehman, Ellen Seeling, Roger Squitero and Jessica Wagner. Alva Chinn, who appeared on the front of the debut Chic album, also contributes, as does Tony Wright, who designed the Take It Off cover.
Every album and song is reviewed all together for the first time. There is also a section on further listening, which features records with a slightly lesser Chic presence for those who want to dig a little deeper. The book also features the more recent work of the rebranded Nile Rodgers & Chic. While many will know of the extent of Chic's influence and work, it will likely come as a surprise to even more. Whether you are a hardcore fan or are keen to delve below the surface, this book is for you. Le freak c'est Chic!
Chris Sutton has been a fan of the Chic Organisation since they first emerged in 1977. He feels their peak remains the two C'est Chic and Risque albums. He is the manager of Smethwick Heritage Centre, for whom he has written several publications. This is his sixth book for Sonicbond, following on from books on Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Sparks and two on Alice Cooper. He is also a regular contributor to PowerPlay Magazine and has contributed to a TV documentary on Alice Cooper.
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Caravan
Every Album, Every Song
by Andy Boot
Part of the On Track series
Caravan have a history that stretches back over half a century, with a catalogue of music that ranges from progressive rock classics to pop gems that really deserved to be hits. Lumped into that strange category known as 'the Canterbury Sound'.
This book traces their history, track-by-track, over eighteen canonical albums, stopping off to examine the plethora of live and BBC session releases that have swollen their back catalogue like a girl who grows plump in the night. Beginning with their pop-psych debut on Verve, continuing through the run of classic and revered albums on Decca/Deram that forged their reputation and then on the albums that saw them move towards pop and be swept up by the tides of fashion, it ends with the decades of reunions that saw fewer albums, but a refinement of the sensibilities that define their unique sound.
With ever-present Pye Hastings on guitar, vocals and songwriting and the late Richard Coughlan on drums, the band has also been defined by the skills of viola player Geoff Richardson and the Sinclair cousins – David on keys and Richard on bass. But this is not to belittle the contribution of every musician and songwriter whose talents have combined to make this most English of bands just that little bit special.
Andy Boot began his writing career on Kerrang! where he tried to write as little about metal and as much about prog as possible. A varied career followed, including non-fiction books on film, true crime and psychic phenomena, as well as novels in sci-fi and thriller franchises. In later years, development work in documentary and unscripted TV kept him away from the printed word, but the chance to put down in print all those thoughts about a band who have made him happy since he was fourteen was just too good to resist. He lives in Essex, UK.
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Magnum
Every Album, Every Song
by Matthew Taylor
Part of the On Track series
Having celebrated 50 years as a band in 2022, Magnum remain a musical enigma, much loved by legions of fans despite never fitting easily into the sub-genres favoured by rock music critics. Formed in the West Midlands of England around a nucleus of guitarist and songwriter Tony Clarkin and vocalist Bob Catley, the band dabbled with pomp rock and progressive sounds in the late 1970s before achieving success in the 1980s with records like Chase the Dragon, On a Storyteller's Night and their commercial highpoint, Wings of Heaven. They even had two top thirty singles in the UK, with 'Start Talking Love' and 'Rockin' Chair'. The changing musical landscape of the 1990s led to a split, but the band returned in 2001 and continued to release records of remarkable consistency until the sad passing of guitarist Tony Clarkin in early 2024.
This is the first book on the history and music of Magnum. It covers each of the band's twenty-three studio albums, as well as live recordings, compilations and the late 1990s Hard Rain project. Charting the ups and downs in commercial and artistic achievement, it is an essential guide to one of Britain's most underappreciated rock bands.
Matthew Taylor is a writer, historian and avid music fan. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on sport, leisure and popular culture, his work featuring in publications as varied as BBC History Magazine, Prospect and When Saturday Comes. He teaches at De Montfort University, UK, where he is Director of the Institute of History. His musical tastes range from classic and prog rock to alternative/ indie rock and electronica. He first heard Magnum's music during the mid-1980s and has followed the band ever since. He lives in Leicestershire, UK.
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The Small Faces and the Faces
Every Album, Every Song
by Andrew Darlington
Part of the On Track series
Small Faces. Big Sound. There were but four Small Faces.
First, they were the sharp little mod fourpiece of the 'All Or Nothing' Decca years, Carnaby Street, Ready Steady Go! and Rave magazine. Then they were the irreverent freakbeat experimentalists of the Immediate years, with 'Tin Soldier', 'Lazy Sunday' and classic album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. Their hits were praised, covered and imitated by subsequent rock musicians such as Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher.
When The Small Faces split, Steve Marriott formed Humble Pie with Peter Frampton, and the rest of the band became The Faces with the addition of future Rolling Stone Ron Wood and vocalist Rod Stewart. The Faces became one of the biggest rock bands of the seventies via albums such as A Nod Is As Good As A Wink… To A Blind Horse and Ooh La La or worldwide hit 'Stay With Me'. When those bands came to a natural end, and with 'Itchycoo Park' returned to the top ten, The Small Faces reformed for two more albums. Were they ill-advised or are they ripe for re-evaluation? The evidence is laid out here. For this is the full story song-by-song, from the very start, to the end …
Andrew Darlington is a hack writer, a self-educated acrobat juggling words. Jefferson Airplane musician Grace Slick once politely declined his offer of marriage. His latest poetry collection is Tweak Vision: The Word-Play Solution To Modern-Angst Confusion and his Science Fiction Novel In The Time Of The Breaking are both from Alien Buddha Press, USA. He's also written a biography of Beatles PR Derek Taylor called For Your Radioactive Children: Days In The Life Of The Beatles Spin-Doctor, published by SonicBond, who also published his 2021 book The Hollies On Track. His writing can be found at Eight Miles Higher: http://andrewdarlington.blogspot.co.uk/.
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Anthony Phillips 1977–1990
Every Album, Every Song
by Alan Draper
Part of the On Track series
In the mid-1960s, two notable bands emerged from the rarified cloisters of Charterhouse Public School in rural Surrey: The Anon, with guitarists Anthony Phillips and Mike Rutherford and The Garden Wall, a unit driven by the duo of Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks. Following the 1966 end-of-term school concert, these two bands merged, leading to the first lineup of Genesis. Phillips remained with Genesis until July 1970, when stage fright and ill health forced him to quit. He embarked on a long course of musical self-improvement that would produce an impressive technique on both guitar and keyboards, leading to a flourishing solo career, commencing with his first solo album, The Geese & The Ghost, in 1977.
In this book, Alan Draper looks at Anthony Phillips' solo output, from his 1977 debut album through to his most successful long-form work, Slow Dance, in 1990 and the various Private Parts And Pieces collections. Also included are the two Archive Collection albums, released after this date, as they contain previously unheard material from the pre-1990 period. In the 21st century, Phillips' albums have become widely available via beautifully packaged box sets, providing the perfect opportunity to explore his impressive body of work once again.
Alan Draper is a writer and musician living in Fareham, Hampshire, with his wife, Radiance. Starting his musical career as guitarist with The Alsatians in 1978, he wrote both sides of their 1980 single: 'Teen Romance'/'Our Man In Marrakesh'. His song 'Complications' featured on the album Rocking With The Renees by The Gymslips, a top twenty hit on the independent chart in 1983. His first solo album Earth Magic appeared in 1989, followed by Ascension Day in 1999, both displaying folk, classical and progressive rock influences. He is also the author of Stackridge: On Track and The Divine Comedy: On Track.
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The Damned
Every Album, Every Song
by Morgan Brown
Part of the On Track series
The Damned are a great British rock n' roll institution. They have helped to plot the course of guitar music over the last 45 years, putting UK punk on record for the first time in 1976, and going on to lay the groundwork for the hardcore, Goth, post-punk, indie-pop and horror-punk movements that have thrived in their wake. Ever underestimated by critics, their string of classic albums has nevertheless been hugely influential, from the trailblazing punk of Damned Damned Damned to the epic, eclectic sprawl of The Black Album, through the glossy dark-pop of Phantasmagoria, to the genre-spanning triumph of the recent Evil Spirits and beyond.
In this book, Morgan Brown takes a fascinating, deep dive into each of the band's groundbreaking records, unearthing the stories and inspirations behind them. He picks apart their musical building blocks and examines both the creative process and the creators themselves; early visionary leader Brian James, iconic frontman Dave Vanian, madcap genius Captain Sensible, volatile percussive dervish Rat Scabies and many more. Curious new listeners and long-time enthusiasts alike will find this book the perfect companion on a voyage of discovery into the strange, chaotic, wonderful world of The Damned.
Morgan Brown has been an active part of the UK punk scene for over twenty years as a guitarist, drummer and songwriter. His various bands have toured widely, sharing bills with many of the genre's leading lights, including, on numerous occasions, The Damned. He is a self-confessed music nerd, enjoying a wild assortment of pop, jazz, folk, heavy metal, country, and whatever else takes his fancy. He is also an avid consumer of sci-fi and crime fiction and is a regular contributor to Hark! The 87th Precinct podcast, which is dedicated to the detective novels of Ed McBain. He lives in Liverpool, UK.
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The Incredible String Band
Every Album, Every Song
by Tim Moon
Part of the On Track series
The Incredible String Band evoke love and devotion to all those who fall under their spell. Their world is not ours, but a land of mythical creatures and fey beings.
This book looks at all their recorded output from the first album which saw the turning point from the mix of old time American music and Scottish dance tunes to the first steps in songwriting, through albums which still maintain a legendary reputation, 5000 Spirits and Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. Looking at their increasingly eclectic instrumentation and fantastical songwriting, there is also fresh look at the slightly lesser-known albums that followed and the later version of the band that moved steadily towards the rock mainstream before imploding in 1974. There is also a look at the albums that appeared when the band briefly reformed in the 21st century and a run through the best of the posthumous live albums and compilations of unreleased material.
The band went from major success to cult status. They suffered mockery in the punk period to finally becoming a highly respected band, whose albums still sell steadily to this day. This book will follow that journey and examine every stop along the way.
Tim Moon was born in 1953 in the village of Shelf in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Music was around the house in the form of LPs of musicals and Frank Sinatra, and then one day his father brought home an acoustic guitar, spurred on by the British skiffle boom. Tim was mesmerised and his interest was aroused again by the emergence of The Beatles which prompted him to acquire his own guitar. Tim has written for various music publications and presents a couple of folk based radio programmes. He gigs, acts and is otherwise happily retired in his seaside home in Filey, North Yorkshire, UK.
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Roy Harper
Every Album, Every Song
by Opher Goodwin
Part of the On Track series
Roy Harper must be one of Britain's most undervalued rock musicians and songwriters. For over fifty years, he has produced a series of innovative albums of consistently outstanding quality, putting poetry and social commentary to music in a way that extends the boundaries of rock music. His 22 studio albums and 16 live albums, made up of 250 songs, have created a unique body of work.
Roy is a musician's musician. He is lauded by the likes of Dave Gilmour, Ian Anderson, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Joanna Newsom, Fleet Foxes and Kate Bush. Who else could boast that he has had Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and Steve Broughton in his backing band? Notable albums include Stormcock, HQ and Bullinamingvase.
Opher Goodwin, Roy's friend and a fan, guides the reader through every album and song, providing insight into the recording of the songs as well the times in which they were recorded. As his loyal and often fanatical fans will attest, Roy has produced a series of epic songs and he remains a raging, uncompromising individual.
Opher Goodwin is the author of many books on rock music and science fiction. He taught the first 'History of Rock Music' classes in the UK. Opher was fortunate to spend the sixties in London, the epicenter for the underground explosion of rock music and culture, where he was able to see everyone from Pink Floyd, Hendrix and Cream to the Doors, Captain Beefheart and, of course, Roy Harper. He befriended Roy in 1967 and has not only attended hundreds of gigs but was a privileged guest In Abbey Road studios for the recording of some of Roy's seminal albums. He lives in East Yorkshire, UK.
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Gong Revised and Updated
Every Album, Every Song
by Kevan Furbank
Part of the On Track series
Every now and then a band comes along that defies convention, refuses to be pigeon-holed, thumbs its nose at comfy predictability and blows raspberries at commercial wisdom. That band is Gong. From 1970 to the present day, Gong have ploughed a unique musical furrow - part progressive rock, part spacey psychedelia, part proto-punk, ambient trance, drum 'n' bass and absurdist political performance art.
In this revised edition, long-time fan Kevan Furbank examines all the Gong albums from Magick Brother in 1970 to 2023's Unending Ascending and chronicles the stories behind each recording. He examines the songwriting, arrangements and mythology that inspired each track, with new insights from, amongst others, the current fantastic Gong line-up, bassist Mike Howlett, violinist Graham Clark and guitarist Josh Pollock.
…He salutes the many great musicians who have passed through Gong in the last 50-odd years, including guitar hero Steve Hillage, drummer Pierre Moerlen, flute and sax maestro Didier Malherbe and, of course, whimsical visionary and Gong founder Daevid Allen. The author also discusses the off-shoots of the Gong family tree - including Mother Gong, Gongmaison and Pierre Moerlen's Gong.
If you have never heard any Gong, this book is the perfect introduction. If you have, you will want to go back and revisit the glorious music this band has made.
Now happily retired, Kevan Furbank was Managing Editor of Reach Ireland, publishers of the Irish Daily Mirror and the Irish Daily Star and a journalist on local and national newspapers for more than 40 years. He has published books on local history and written stories, articles and columns on practically every subject under the sun. This is his fifth book for Sonicbond. His music tastes encompass prog, rock, folk and jazz and, in his spare time, he likes to pretend he can play, guitar, bass, ukulele, bouzouki and keyboards. He is married with two grown-up daughters and lives in Northern Ireland.
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The Hollies
Every Album, Every Song
by Andrew Darlington
Part of the On Track series
'The road is long, with many a winding turn, that leads us to who knows where? Who knows where?'
Everyone loved The Hollies. They were the 'group's group'. Never confrontational or rebellious, always smartly suited, always smiling. The band had an unbroken run of immaculate pop singles which, while they seldom had that must-buy factor of the latest Rolling Stones or Beatles record, were hallmarked by tight harmonies and an almost unfailing chart sensibility. Throughout the sixties and well into the seventies, everyone had at least one or two Hollies singles in their collection and nobody begrudged The Hollies their hits.
When 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' and 'Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress' became global million-sellers, The Hollies were inducted into The Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame. Graham Nash – by then deep into his second career as part of Crosby, Stills and Nash - was reunited with other members of the outfit on stage together in the March 2010 ceremony.
This book tells the full story of the band's music, from the band's origins in Manchester, through the full arc of hits, and the albums – track-by-track, into the twenty-first century, then… now… always.
Andrew Darlington watched the very first episode of 'Dr Who', he also watched the most recent episode. Whatever academic potential he may once have possessed was wrecked by an addiction to loud rock 'n' roll and cheap science fiction, which remain the twin poles of what he laughingly refers to as his writing career. He is most proud of his parallel universe collection A Saucerful Of Secrets. His latest book is a biography of the Beatles spin-doctor Derek Taylor: For Your Radioactive Children (Sonicbond, 2020). His writing can be found at 'Eight Miles Higher': andrewdarlington.blogspot.co.uk/
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REO Speedwagon
Every Album, Every Song
by James Romag
Part of the On Track series
Once, there were four university students who started a rock band named after a firetruck. Five and a half decades later, REO Speedwagon are still going strong, still drawing massive crowds, and, thankfully, have no plans to stop. With classic albums like the multi-platinum You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish and the ten million-selling Hi Infidelity, REO conquered America's heartland, then the nation, and finally – as a ten-year 'overnight sensation' – the world. It was the rock tunes like 'Golden Country' and 'Back on the Road Again' that built their reputation before the ballads like 'Keep on Loving You' and 'Can't Fight this Feeling' brought them global fame. REO have sold over 40 million records under their own name and are featured on the soundtracks to scores of films and television programs, including Supernatural and Ozark.
REO Speedwagon on track shines a light on the band's lengthy career. This book delves into the tracks on each of their 16 studio albums, their official live releases, and several compilations, while also providing a glimpse of some of the band members' outside projects, creating a comprehensive companion to the music of this American institution.
James Romag grew up in the American Midwest and has been a classic rock fan since long before it came to be known by that term. He is an avid concert-goer, particularly those featuring loud, screaming rock and roll guitars. James works for an investment firm and is a US Air Force veteran. He has a degree in publishing, has edited several books and published a handful of short stories. This is his first book for Sonicbond. James lives in Colorado at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where he's careful not to get caught when the wind comes up and the sun goes down.
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UFO
Every Album, Every Song
by Richard James
Part of the On Track series
UFO, the legendary band which have been gracing the world's stages for the last 50 years, have given us more than their fair share of superb quality hard rock songs including 'Doctor, Doctor', 'Rock Bottom', 'Shoot Shoot', 'Too Hot To Handle', and 'Only You Can Rock Me'. And that was just during the Seventies!
Albums such as Force It, Obsession, The Wild, The Willing, And The Innocent, Walk On Water and You Are Here are acknowledged as classics of the melodic hard rock genre, and their live masterpiece Strangers In The Night regularly features at or near the top of rock music polls. UFO's history can be delineated by the guitarists who have passed through their ranks. Phases in the band's career include: the early 'Space Rock' stumblings; their astonishing development with the brilliant, mercurial Michael Schenker; the consolidation and first downfall during Paul Chapman's tenure; subsequent re-launches and crash-landings; a troubled reformation of the Schenker line-up and the final, mostly settled, version with Vinnie Moore.
This book explores each of the band's 23 studio albums, and, of course, Strangers. Every song is analysed in detail and opinions are numerous in this passionate critique of one of Britain's best loved and most influential rock institutions.
Richard immersed himself in music as soon as he got his first real six string at the age of 10. Previously chained to a desk for a living, he broke free, armed with a music degree from the Open University and a Licentiate Diploma in Classical Guitar from the Royal School of Music, and proceeded to roam the East Midlands as a freelance guitarist and music teacher. He lives with his wife in Leicestershire, UK, and when not involved with music he enjoys foreign travel and playing chess badly.
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Status Quo: The Frantic Four Years
Every Album, Every Song
by Richard James
Part of the On Track series
'Status Quo? All their songs sound the same and they only know three chords' Really?
This retrospective of one of Britain's most successful bands takes this lazy criticism and puts it to the sword. Spanning the period 1970 to 1984, the creative peaks and troughs of all the songs recorded by 'The Frantic Four' are examined in detail by a fan who can play guitar a bit, and also knows his Bach from his byte.
Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster, and John Coghlan withstood the slings and arrows of unending criticism to become a national institution, even playing to royalty along the way. After their early, psychedelic-influenced and fleeting pop success, Quo underwent a dramatic and natural re-invention, unleashing a series of innovative albums and hit singles, such as 'Down Down' and 'Rockin' All Over The World' that established their unique sound and style.
Relentless touring, changes in musical direction, unwise choices of producer, substantial substance abuse, and personality clashes all played their part in the collapse of the classic line-up before a brand re-launch in 1986 that enjoys continued success to the present day.
Status Quo – The Frantic Four Years on track examines the band's groundbreaking first era with critical detail and honest opinions.
Richard James immersed himself in music as soon as he got his first real six-string at the age of ten. Previously chained to a desk for a living, he managed to escape and armed with a music degree from the Open University and a Licentiate Diploma in Classical Guitar from the Royal School of Music, now roams the East Midlands as a freelance guitarist and music teacher. He lives with his wife in Leicestershire, UK, and when not involved with music he enjoys travel, playing chess badly, and inventing new ways to tease his cats. This is his third book, following UFO On Track and Tom Petty On Track, both published in 2021.
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The Human League: And the Sheffield Electro Scene
Every Album, Every Song
by Andrew Darlington
Part of the On Track series
Sheffield in the late-1970s was isolated from what was happening in London in the same way that Liverpool had been in 1963. A unique generation of electro-experimental groupings evolved in the former Steel City around Cabaret Voltaire and The Future. The Future split into two factions, Clock DVA and The Human League, the latter splitting into two further factions - Heaven 17 and The Human League as we now know them, fronted by Philip Oakey with Joanne Catherall and Susan Sulley.
Dare became one of the most iconic albums of the eighties; the album by which The Human League are most instantly recognised. It is an ambitious record, both driven and voracious, with giddy grenades of inventiveness. A triumph of content over style, at once phenomenally commercial and gleefully avant-garde.
The American success of 'Don't You Want Me', accelerated by the high-gloss video, which exploited the band's visual appeal, heralded what was soon termed the 'second British invasion'. It was the first of two singles by the band to top the US charts.
This book tells the full story, from the scene's origins in Sheffield, through the full arc of the very early Heaven 17 albums and the complete Human League discography into the twenty-first century.
Andrew Darlington watched the very first episode of Dr Who and he also watched the most recent episode. Whatever academic potential he may once have possessed was wrecked by an addiction to loud rock 'n' roll and cheap science fiction, which remain the twin poles of what he laughingly refers to as his writing career. He is most proud of his parallel universe collection A Saucerful Of Secrets. His latest book is The Hollies on track (Sonicbond, 2021) and his writing can be found at Eight Miles Higher via andrewdarlington.blogspot.co.uk.
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Nektar
Every Album, Every Song
by Scott Meze
Part of the On Track series
Of all the British bands that rose to fame in rock's golden age, Nektar remain the most mysterious and least documented. Because they chose to base themselves in West Germany, commentators in their native land tended to overlook them. They're all but excluded from prog's official narrative even though Remember The Future is a classic and one of very few European art rock albums to succeed in the USA.
This book reveals Nektar as much more than just a hit LP, celebrating works of equal stature which seemed to pour effortlessly from the players. Whether you know only the 1970s albums that show the band at the pinnacle, or you've followed their progress under leaders Roye Albrighton and now Derek Moore, here is everything you need to complete your understanding of an intriguing band as distinctive as their artwork and as dazzling as their light show.
It documents how Germany was both boon and bane for the band, how America tore them apart and pulled them back together, and how from Journey To The Centre Of The Eye to The Other Side, Nektar have a vision and a connection that brings them much closer to our lives than any other band of their stature.
Scott Meze's many guises include music critic, science fiction author, and folk horror poet. For him, Nektar are the perfect nexus between the space rock that shifts the animal part of his brain out into the wonder of the universe and the prog that keeps his humanity grounded in the sheer inventive brilliance of our species. Scott abandoned the drippy dells of Somerset, UK, for the steamy swamp of Tokyo decades ago, and neither he nor his wife have a clue what he's doing here.
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The The
Every Album, Every Song
by Brian J. Robb
Part of the On Track series
The The was always a personal project for songwriter Matt Johnson. Started in 1979, when Johnson was a teenager, the post-punk outfit became central to the political and personal pop of the 1980s. Never a singles band, despite a few minor hits, their albums were successful: Infected in 1986 reached 14, followed by 1989's Mind Bomb at number four and 1993's Dusk at number two. Band members included Johnny Marr and DC Collard, with other collaborators including JG Thirlwell, Jools Holland, Neneh Cherry, Zeke Manyika, and Sinead O'Connor - a Who's Who of 1980s independent pop.
A reluctant live musician, Johnson created Infected: The Movie instead of a world tour in 1986. The Mind Bomb band, including Marr and Eller, launched the 1989-90 The The vs The World tour. Johnson appeared to retire following 2000's Naked Self, although he kept busy, with a sideways move into scoring movies. It wasn't until 2018 that The The returned to playing live and this was followed in 2024 with the new album, Ensoulment and its accompanying tour, almost a quarter of a century after the band's last recorded music. In recent years, Johnson has been busier than ever with podcasts, an Official Bootleg series,and other idiosyncratic projects.
The Author
Brian J. Robb is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling biographer of Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, and Brad Pitt. He has also written books on silent cinema, the films of Philip K. Dick, Wes Craven, Laurel and Hardy, the Star Wars movies, Superheroes, Gangsters, and Walt Disney, as well as science fiction television series Doctor Who and Star Trek, and Depeche Mode for Sonicbond Publishing. His illustrated books include an Illustrated History of Steampunk and Middle-Earth Envisioned, a guide to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (Winner, Best Book, Tolkien Society Awards). He is a Founding Editor of the Sci-Fi Bulletin website and lives near Edinburgh, UK.
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The Jam
Every Album, Every Song
by Stan Jeffries
Part of the On Track series
From the band's first single, 'In The City' in April 1977, to their last, 'Beat Surrender' in November 1982, The Jam went from new wave wannabees to arguably the biggest band in the UK. The Jam on track covers every song released by the group during their five-and-a-half-year career on the Polydor label that saw them have thirteen top twenty singles and five top ten albums in the UK. The book also includes the pick of demos and little-known recordings from various compilation albums after the band's demise. Each song is looked at from a musical and lyrical point of view and includes contemporary comments from Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler, plus music critics and those working closely with the band.
Album and single sleeves, as well as TV and video appearances, are part of the mix as Stan Jeffries looks at what made The Jam one of Britain's most respected acts, while demonstrating how their legacy continues to this day. For both the dedicated and the curious, this book guides you through the career of one of Britain's musical giants.
Stan Jeffries, Sheffield born and fled. North, to Newcastle, where he lived and worked for seven years and wrote The Encyclopaedia of World Pop Music 1980-2001 in his spare time. He spent a dozen or so years touring the globe with any band who'd have him. Laughably, he called this a job. His first Jam album was All Mod Cons and his first Jam show was in Leicester during the 1979 Setting Sons tour. Currently, he lives in Andalusia, Spain, where he struggles to make himself understood by the natives.
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Marc Bolan and T. rex
Every Album, Every Song
by Peter Gallagher
Part of the On Track series
For many, T. Rex founder Marc Bolan remains forever frozen in time as the poster boy of glam, the pop-rock genre he effectively launched with his March 1971 Top of the Pops appearance to promote 'Hot Love', the band's first number one single. But this is to view him through too narrow a focus. In John's Children he flirted with modernist art-rock. He sang folk songs of an otherworldly England in Tyrannosaurus Rex. He became a teen idol while dominating the singles and album charts and he also experimented with his unique brand of interstellar soul. Finally, he proclaimed himself 'The Godfather Of Punk' and became its patron, touring with The Damned and giving several major new wave acts their first television exposure.
This book examines all aspects of Bolan's career, from the genre-defying My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair… through the transitional A Beard Of Stars and T. Rex albums, the misunderstood Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow and the should-have-been comeback Futuristic Dragon. Along the way, it discusses Unicorn, the defining document of the Tyrannosaurus Rex years, and the essential T. Rex trilogy of Electric Warrior, The Slider and Tanx.
During the day Peter Gallagher is a lecturer in Events Management, but at night can be found scribbling away in his man-cave. Having talked about writing for decades it is only recently he decided to do something about it, with 2020 seeing the publication of his first short story and the commissioning of his first book. His favourite bands include T. Rex, The Ramones, and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, none of whom he has seen in concert. He Lives in Glasgow, Scotland.
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Bob Dylan: 1962 – 1970
Every Album, Every Song
by Opher Goodwin
Part of the On Track series
Bob Dylan is the magician who sprinkled poetic fairy dust onto the popular music of the early sixties. His songwriting sparked a revolution and changed rock music forever.
The diminutive poet/singer claimed he was merely a 'song and dance man', but Dylan altered popular music from intellectually bereft teenage rebellion into a serious adult art form worthy of academic study.
Dylan headed for the sixties as a Little Richard rock 'n' roller but soon turned acoustic folkie. After absorbing the music and words of Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson and Brecht, he became a vagabond social troubadour. Basking in Rimbaud, he transformed into a poetic symbolist before later immersing himself in lysergic beat surrealism. The chameleon of Dylan in the sixties was bewildering to his followers. His first album was a raw debut folk/blues. He followed this with three acoustic poetic gems, three ground-breaking surreal, electric wonders and four that were more mundane and country tinged.
But by the mid-sixties, he was a strung-out polka-dotted rock star. He crashed (physically and mentally) before leaving the sixties as a clean-cut country crooner. Dylan had mutated more times than a trilobite. Dylan's ground-breaking music changed the world and his amazing story is revealed by exploring the eleven albums that he released between 1962 and 1970.
Opher Goodwin is the author of many books on rock music and science fiction and taught the first 'History of Rock Music' classes in the UK. He was fortunate to spend the sixties in London, the epicentre for the underground explosion of rock music and culture, where he was able to see everyone from Pink Floyd, Hendrix and Cream to The Doors, Captain Beefheart and Roy Harper. He now lives happily in East Yorkshire, UK.
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Steve Hackett
Every Album, Every Song
by Geoffrey Feakes
Part of the On Track series
Guitarist Steve Hackett first came to many fan's attention when he joined Genesis in 1971. Following seven excellent albums with the band, he went his own way in 1977. He had already kick-started his solo career with the critically acclaimed Voyage of the Acolyte in 1975, but 25 studio albums have followed, making him the most prolific member of the classic Genesis line-up. In the 1980s, he also formed the successful GTR band with Yes guitarist Steve Howe. Steve Hackett's solo work has embraced rock, prog, classical, blues, pop, jazz and world music, while his most recent electric album At The Edge of Light released in 2019, is perhaps his best since the classic Spectral Mornings in 1979. On stage, he has kept the Genesis flame burning brightly, performing the band's classic material from the 1970s, alongside his solo work.
This book examines, in detail, each one of Steve's studio albums, including Under A Mediterranean Sky, released in 2021 and traces his long and varied musical history. Collaborations, live albums and compilations are also discussed, making this the most comprehensive guide to the music of Steve Hackett yet published. Whether the reader is a diehard fan or someone wishing to catch-up on his post-Genesis work, this book is essential reading.
Geoffrey Feakes is an author and music journalist. He has published two previous books, The Moody Blues On Track in 2019 and The Who On Track in 2020. He has been a writer for the Dutch Progressive Rock Page since 2005 with hundreds of reviews and interviews to his credit. He first saw Steve Hackett on stage with Genesis in 1972 and has followed his career ever since. He lives in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK.
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Roxy Music
by Michael Kulikowski
Part of the On Track series
In ten short years, Roxy Music made two of the most experimental albums in popular music history and one of the most smoothly romantic. Conceived by Bryan Ferry at the turn of the 1970s, the band released its first album, Roxy Music, to wide acclaim in 1972 and swiftly followed up with the ground-breaking single 'Virginia Plain'. Ferry, Andy Mackay, and Phil Manzanera remained Roxy's core players over seven more albums in three distinct phases.
The debut and For Your Pleasure (1973) featured all manner of electronic weirdness from Brian Eno, while Stranded (1973), Country Life (1974), and Siren (1975) marked the peak of Ferry's songwriting and struck a delicate balance between edgy art and gorgeous craft. Finally, Manifesto (1979), Flesh + Blood (1980), and Avalon (1982), the last two without powerhouse founding drummer Paul Thompson, framed Ferry's tales of doomed romance within a sophisticated wash of sound that used the studio itself as an instrument.
The members of Roxy Music have had long and distinguished careers outside the band, but nothing can surpass the eight albums they made together. This book tells the musical story of this most enigmatic of British bands.
Michael Kulikowski's day job is teaching about ancient Rome as the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of History and Classics at Penn State University, USA. He is the author of academic books and articles, as well as Imperial Triumph (2016) and Imperial Tragedy (2019), which are written for the general reader and narrate the history of ancient Rome from its height around AD 100 to the end of the western empire in the fifth century. He writes regularly for the London Review of Books and has been listening obsessively to Roxy Music for forty years.
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Procol Harum
Every Album, Every Song
by Scott Meze
Part of the On Track series
Few artists have had as great an impact with their debut single as Procol Harum. Mesmerising and perplexing in equal measure, 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' remains the perfect distillation of the possibilities of psychedelia in that brief period when British pop seemed to promise a summer of love that would last forever. But as this book reveals, from the start, Procol Harum envisioned a post-psychedelic landscape of the heartsick and bewildered. Through Gary Brooker's classically inspired melodies and soaring, soulful vocals, lyricist Keith Reid told harrowing stories of voyages into the darkness of the soul, through graveyards of the damned, and to the depths of madness, via classic albums like A Salty Dog and Grand Hotel.
Aided by musicians of the calibre of organist Matthew Fisher and guitarist Robin Trower, Procol Harum invented and mapped out the interplay of those two instruments, soon to explode into prog rock's epic structures, and pioneered the integration of band and orchestra that helped break the boundaries separating young musicians and the establishment. It's all here in Scott Meze's guide, from the first note to the last of a legacy that cries out to be heard.
Scott Meze is a psychedelic music obsessive born in Britain but based in Tokyo, the music connoisseur's capital of the world. Scott Meze has never knowingly tripped the light fandango. However, he did once successfully chat up a girl by reciting 'The Miller's Tale' to her. He is the author of books on Soft Machine and Nektar in the On Track series.
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Little Feat
Every Album, Every Song
by Georg Purvis
Part of the On Track series
Little Feat may not be a household name, but the band are loved by a good number of musicians who are: Keith Richards rounded up the Rolling Stones to see them perform in Amsterdam in 1975, Robert Plant publicly lamented their lack of success (as Led Zeppelin's soared into the stratosphere), and Bob Dylan and Elton John saw them in concert whenever possible. Legends like Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, and Bob Seger helped out on their many albums, and they backed up Robert Palmer, John Cale, and Chico Hamilton.
Yet they never had a hit single, and the closest they came to success was with their 1978 live album, Waiting for Columbus, later performed live in its entirety by jam band Phish. But not even the death of their leader Lowell George could stop the Feats' shoes from sailin'. The band reformed in 1988 and has continued ever since, with Craig Fuller and Shaun Murphy helping out along the way. Little Feat on track dives into the ups and downs of their 50-year career and discusses every album and song, from their idiosyncratic 1971 debut to the post-pandemic optimism of 2021's When All Boats Rise.
Georg Purvis is the author of Queen: The Complete Works, Pink Floyd In the 1970s and Elvis Costello and The Attractions on track. He's been a Little Feat fan his entire life, thanks to his parents, Lynn and Georg. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Meredith, and their two cats, Spencer and William.
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Captain Beefheart
Every Album, Every Song
by Opher Goodwin
Part of the On Track series
Captain Beefheart (Don Vliet) was undoubtedly the creator of the most bizarre and wonderful music. A child prodigy sculptor, he applied his artistic approach to music, creating 'aural sculptures'. After befriending Frank Zappa in high school, they collaborated on a teenage rock opera and science fiction/fantasy film entitled Captain Beefheart vs The Grunt People. It was from this film that Don took his name. His Magic Band started out as a blues group in the mid-sixties, but soon, with lysergic propulsion, surreal poetry, free-form jazz, polyrhythms and African beats, they established themselves at the forefront of West Coast acid rock.
A series of hugely inventive albums, including the infamous Trout Mask Replica, and some legendary live performances, established them as the foremost avant-garde rock band. Few bands were as influential, with The Beatles, The Fall, PJ Harvey and Tom Waits all paying homage, and as a result, The Magic Band have inspired a myriad of tribute bands and created a mythology like no other. This book sets the history of the band in context, analysing every track and attempting to interpret both the music and Don Vliet's poetry. It is essential reading for diehard fans and the Beefheart-curious alike.
Opher Goodwin is the author of many books on rock music and science fiction and taught the first 'History of Rock Music' classes in the UK. He was fortunate to spend the sixties in London, the epicentre for the underground explosion of rock music and culture, where he was able to see everyone from Pink Floyd, Hendrix and Cream to The Doors, Captain Beefheart and Roy Harper. He was introduced to Captain Beefheart in 1967 and attended that first amazing gig at Middle Earth. He never fully recovered but now lives happily in East Yorkshire, UK.
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Cardiacs
Every Album, Every Song
by Eric Benac
Part of the On Track series
When Tim Smith died in July of 2020, he left behind a legion of adoring fans and an honorary doctorate in music. Not bad for someone who never had a top ten hit and who's music was so infamous during its heyday, that some magazines not only refused to review his work, but edited out praise from fellow musicians. But who was Tim Smith?
He was the composer, guitarist, singer, and lyricist for cult band Cardiacs. Working in the 1970s up to 2008, Smith and his rotating band of musicians created some of the most intricate and original music of all time. They combined punk energy, prog complexity, ska rhythms, heavy metal drama, and much more with an absurd and satirical lyrical stance, while creating a confrontational on-stage image that inspired as many as it appalled.
Eric Benac examines each Cardiac album (including the never-re-pressed, cassette-only releases) and side projects, like the sublime prog-folk of Sea Nymphs, the warped psychedelics of Spartley's Japs, and the twisted brit pop of Tim's solo album. Each song is discussed both musically and lyrically, making this the first full analysis of the work of this unique band.
The author:
Eric Benac is a freelance writer. He has over a decade of experience as a professional writer, including three years as a journalist and ten years as a marketing and blogging expert. Beyond his paid work, Eric enjoys writing poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and music reviews. In his spare time, Eric records Zappa and Cardiacs-influenced electronic pop as Gergy 12. His first book was Frank Zappa On Track, also for Sonicbond. He lives in Holt, Michigan, USA.
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Level 42
Every Album, Every Song
by Matt Phillips
Part of the On Track series
One of the most iconic and successful British bands of the 1980s, Level 42 are also arguably the ultimate 'fusion' unit, streamlining their energetic early jazz/funk/rock sound into slick, effortlessly-soulful pop music. Encompassing eleven studio albums, including twenty UK top 40 hits and two US top twenty singles, in many ways their catalogue defines the 1980s but also reflects their musical virtuosity and vibrant eclecticism, peppering tracks with influences from Herbie Hancock, Return To Forever and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. Emerging from the so-called 'Britfunk' scene, Level 42 developed from being one of the most electrifying live acts of the era to become a true songwriters' collective, delivering the effervescent, ubiquitous hits 'The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)', 'Something About You' and 'Lessons In Love'.
Level 42 - on track is the first in-depth study of the band's illustrious catalogue, track by track, album by album, with recording information, musical analysis, studio gossip, full musician credits and contributions from Mark King and Gary Husband. The book also covers the solo projects of the band's many members. Level 42 – on track is a must for fans and those interested in the wider musical landscape of the 1980s and 1990s.
Matt Phillips has been a Level 42 fan since seeing the band perform 'The Chinese Way' on Top Of The Pops in January 1983. He is the founder of movingtheriver.com and soundsofsurprise.com, has contributed to various magazines including Classic Pop and Jazzwise and won the inaugural Write Stuff award for jazz writing. Matt has been Universal Music's jazz catalogue manager and Jazz FM's web editor, and has written the liner notes for Miles Davis, Tony Williams and Billy Cobham DVDs and CDs. As a multi-instrumentalist, he has performed extensively in London and Europe, and co-written songs for Silver Sun. He lives in London.
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Laura Nyro
Every Album, Every Song
by Philip Ward
Part of the On Track series
Laura Nyro (1947-1997) was one of the most significant figures to emerge from the singer-songwriter boom of the 1960s. She first came to attention when her songs were hits for Barbra Streisand, The Fifth Dimension, Peter, Paul and Mary, and others. But it was on her own recordings that she imprinted her vibrant personality. With albums like Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry she mixed the sounds of soul, pop, jazz and Broadway to fashion autobiographical songs that earned her a fanatical following and influenced a generation of music-makers. In later life her preoccupations shifted from the self to embrace public causes such as feminism, animal rights and ecology – the music grew mellower, but her genius was undimmed.
This book examines her entire studio career from 1967's More than a New Discovery to the posthumous Angel in the Dark release of 2001. Also surveyed are the many live albums that preserve her charismatic stage presence. With analysis of her teasing, poetic lyrics and unique vocal and harmonic style, this is the first-ever study to concentrate on Laura Nyro's music and how she created it. Elton John idolised her; Joni Mitchell declared her 'a complete original'. Here's why.
Philip Ward is a writer, translator and former parliamentary researcher. Now freelance, he has published widely on literature and music, both popular and classical, and is a regular contributor to RnR magazine (where he recalls his proudest moment was interviewing Marianne Faithfull.) His previous books include Sandy Denny: Reflections on Her Music (2011), Becoming Helen Mirren (2019) and a translation of Frank Wedekind's novella Mine-Haha (2010). When not dabbling in musical composition, he is currently at work on a biography of the novelist Michael Arlen. Home is Cambridge, England, where he is a Senior Member of Wolfson College.
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Linda Ronstadt: 1969 – 1989
Every Album, Every Song
by Daryl Richard Lawrence
Part of the On Track series
Linda Ronstadt is one of the most important women in the history of popular music. Starting her solo career in 1969, she redefined what a music superstar could be by expanding her repertoire from her country rock roots, to cross over to success with mainstream pop music, and then evolving into more diverse genres such as operetta, American jazz standards, and mariachi.
This work provides a track-by-track breakdown of the first twenty years of her solo career when her output totaled an amazing 17 albums. Transcending genres and applying her own vision to not only her career, but each song she interpreted, Linda Ronstadt garnered a wide fan base and had massive commercial success with albums such as Heart Like A Wheel and Living In The USA.
Those familiar with her work, as well as those entirely new to it, will find something to discover through this analysis of her output up to 1989. All the best-known hits are covered in this volume; however, the real fun is finding new favorites by visiting or revisiting lesser-known works. So sit back, put some of her songs on, crack this book open, and indulge in the voice that sold over 100 million records worldwide.
The author
Daryl Richard Lawrence holds a Master of Science in Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. When not occupied with his museum operations job, he spends his time reading, writing, volunteering for the local historical society, and podcasting about Marvel comics. Daryl resides in the almost always wintry Minnesota, USA, and dotes upon his pet rabbits, who mostly tolerate the many keyboard clicks it takes to write a book. His writing ranges from music reviews to historical biographies. A lifelong classic rock fan, he is overjoyed at sharing his passion for artists and their songs.
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The Allman Brothers Band
Every Album, Every Song
by Andrew Wild
Part of the On Track series
In 1973, the Allman Brothers Band were one of the most popular in America. They headlined the Watkins Glen Summer Jam – attended by 600,000 people – and their album Brothers and Sisters was number one for five weeks. The group made the cover of Newsweek and Rolling Stone named them 'band of the year'.
Always a strong live draw, in the two years prior to Watkins Glen, they released one of the greatest live albums of all time and lost two founding members in motorcycle accidents, including guitar genius Duane Allman. Drug use and a ruinous 1976 court case forced the band apart, but a three-album reunion between 1978 and 1982 rekindled some of the old fire. It was with their twentieth anniversary and second reformation in 1989 that provided a degree of stability.
Their legacy of eleven studio albums and six contemporaneous live albums include classics such as their self-titled debut, the sophomore Idlewild South, the definitive live document At Fillmore East and the astounding final album Hittin' The Note from 2003.
The music of the Allman Brothers is the pure distillation of the four main ingredients of American music: blues, rock, jazz and country. At their best, they transcended genre: they just were.
Andrew Wild is an experienced writer, music collector and film buff with many books to his name, including recent publications about Queen, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits and Crosby, Stills and Nash. His comprehensive study of every song recorded and performed by The Beatles between 1957 and 1970 was published by Sonicbond in 2019. He lives in Rainow, Cheshire, UK.
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Iron Maiden On Track
Every Album, Every Song
by Steve Pilkington
Part of the On Track series
Mention the words' heavy metal' and chances are one of the first names you'll get back is Iron Maiden. From their early days as front-runners of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal in 1980, through to their epic and progressive works of more recent times, the band have been 'all things to all men' in the metal world. Such is their profile that even the non-metal fan would probably cite them as a key example of the genre. This book lifts the lid on every single track recorded by the band, album by album, from the punk-ish debut with original vocalist Paul DiAnno, via the glory years fronted by Bruce Dickinson, through to the sprawling double-disc epic Book Of Souls.
By way of facts, anecdotes, analysis and a dollop of opinion, Steve Pilkington provides both an informative companion for the die-hard fan and a perfect roadmap for the more casual listener to follow. From 'Prowler' to 'Empire Of The Clouds', through each and every line-up change, this is every Number recorded by The Beast, the ultimate recording history of Iron Maiden.
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Duran Duran
Every Album, Every Song
by Karen Windle
Part of the On Track series
Duran Duran, New Romantic trailblazers and 1980s teen idols, are a British institution. Over nearly 45 years, they have innovated with their indelible music videos, released multiple hit albums and garnered critical acclaim. From their classic self-titled debut LP and the exuberant synth-pop of Rio to the lush balladry of The Wedding Album and their recent masterstroke Future Past, they have never failed to surprise listeners – or influence a new wave of musical artists.
In this book, Karen Windle explores their 16 studio albums and key stand-alone singles, sharing the stories behind the music. She offers a closer look at their biggest hits and deepest tracks, showcasing the four members' talents: vocalist Simon Le Bon's singular lyrics and rich harmonies, keyboardist Nick Rhodes' innovative synth work and the funk-inflected rhythm section featuring bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor. The two guitarists who put their stamp on Duran Duran's sound aren't overlooked: unapologetic rocker Andy Taylor, who helped propel the classic lineup to the top of the charts, and American axeman Warren Cuccurullo, who pushed the band back into prominence with his inventive riffs. This book provides a roadmap to their extraordinary catalogue, for both new listeners and the most dedicated Duranies.
The Author
Karen Windle is a writer, editor and music blogger who has covered Duran Duran and other bands for more than 25 years. She has worked at three daily newspapers and a nonprofit during her editing career and also writes and edits a blog, Duran Duran And Beyond. She enjoys a huge range of music, from punk to yacht rock, but always returns to her new wave and synth pop roots. She has a passion for vegan living and a strong commitment to animal welfare. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
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David Bowie 1983-2016
by Don Klees
Part of the On Track series
In a career full of twists and turns, none was as sharp as the one David Bowie experienced after his 1983 album Let's Dance. The record gave Bowie the hit that he wanted but completely altered his artistic standing in the process. Instead of an innovator who pushed rock music forward, the singer found himself a global superstar with a mass audience whose tastes he didn't understand and who reciprocated this feeling as the 1980s unfolded.
After immersing himself in the band project Tin Machine, Bowie spent the 1990s embracing reinvention and experimentation with mixed but often fascinating results, leading to a full-fledged renaissance early in the 21st century. From there, his story only got stranger; 2013's The Next Day was a triumphant comeback after years of self-imposed silence, while 2016's Blackstar stood among his most challenging albums and became the final release of his lifetime.
One constant is that the records David Bowie released during this time were ultimately the result of his own artistic vision, wherever it took him. This book considers all those releases on their own merits, away from the shadow of his 1970s landmarks. Even if Bowie himself didn't always appreciate the results, every album featured songs worthy of his reputation.
The author
Don Klees literally watches TV for a living. When not basking in television's glow, he enjoys debating the merits of theatre versus film with his wife, telling his kids about music from before they were born (including several David Bowie concerts) and writing about pop culture in general. In addition to two previous books for SonicBond, Don's writing has appeared in Chromakey, CultureSonar and We Are Cult as well as various anthologies, including the David Bowie-themed Me And The Starman.
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Neil Young 1963-1970
by Opher Goodwin
Part of the On Track series
In the realm of singer-songwriters, few have been as influential as Neil Young, whose music has always been creative and relevant throughout six decades. Neil is a chameleon for whom boundaries of genres do not exist. Throughout a long career that continues to this day, he has delved into folk, country, r&b, rock 'n' roll, grunge, hard rock, electronic and pop and made them his own. But the sixties were his launch pad. This book follows his music through that seminal period when he played with The Squires, Mynah Birds, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crazy Horse and The Stray Gators. During this seminal period, Young wrote or co-wrote some of his greatest songs, including 'I Am A Child', 'Southern Man', 'Helpless' and – most importantly – 'Ohio'. He was also involved in some seminal albums, including his eponymous debut solo album, After The Gold Rush and Déjà Vu. This is the story of how one of the most seminal artists of the last fifty years learned his trade, by delving in detail into every band, every twist and turn, and every track.
Opher Goodwin is the author of many books on rock music and science fiction and taught the first 'History of Rock Music' classes in the UK. He was fortunate to spend the sixties in London, the epicentre for the underground explosion of rock music and culture, where he was able to see everyone from Pink Floyd, Hendrix and Cream to The Doors, Captain Beefheart and Roy Harper. He was introduced to Captain Beefheart in 1967 and attended that first amazing gig at Middle Earth. He never fully recovered but now lives happily in East Yorkshire, UK.
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Steeleye Span: 1970 – 1989
Every Album, Every Song
by Darren Johnson
Part of the On Track series
When Ashley Hutchings broke away from Fairport Convention in 1969, he recruited two musical duos to form Steeleye Span. They didn't seem to agree about very much at all. This fractious group imploded before their debut album was even released. Undeterred, two new musicians were enlisted, and the band continued. Then, Hutchings himself resigned. Rather than this being a disaster, however, it set in train what would become the band's most commercially successful period in the early 1970s. This was an extraordinary time for folk rock, but it was not to last. The second half of the decade saw another change in line-up, disappointing album sales and a two-year hiatus. All was not lost, though, and the classic line-up reconvened at the start of the 1980s.
Covering a two-decade period, this book examines every album from Hark! The Village Wait in 1970 to Tempted And Tried in 1989. The fascinating history behind the traditional songs on these albums is examined in detail, together with insights into how the band went about truly making them their own. This is a meticulously researched celebration of the music of one of the UK's most important bands in the folk rock genre at the most crucial period in its history.
The author
A former politician, Darren spent many years writing about current affairs, but after stepping away from politics, he was able to devote time to his first love: music. His previous books for Sonicbond were The Sweet In The 1970s, Suzi Quatro In The 1970s and Slade In The 1970s. Following this glam rock trilogy, he now turns his attention to folk rock. A keen follower of both rock and folk, he maintains a popular music blog Darren's Music Blog and has reviewed many albums and gigs over the past decade. He lives in Hastings, East Sussex.
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The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
by Peter Gallagher
Part of the On Track series
Alex Harvey was active in the music industry from the very birth of British rock and roll. A Zelig-like figure, he won a contest to become Scotlands Tommy Steele in the 1950s, followed the Beatles to Hamburg in the early 1960s, dabbled in psychedelic rock during the Summer of Love, and joined the house band of counterculture musical Hair at the close of the decade. By the time 1972 rolled around, he had been there and done that, but had never made it big. He was 37 years old and was thinking of calling it a day. Also thinking of calling it a day were Scottish hard rockers Tear Gas. They had released two albums, each with a different line-up, none of which set the world alight, and now their singer wanted out. In a last-ditch effort to salvage something, Alex Harvey and Tear Gass respective managers decided to unite their respective acts. The result was Sensational. This book examines not only the eight albums by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band but also Harveys earlier work with his Soul Band and solo, and his post-SAHB releases. It also reviews those two Tear Gas albums as well as Fourplay, the album SAHB released without Alex.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band is Peter Gallaghers third book in Sonicbonds On Track series after entries for Marc Bolan, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and T. Rex and Warren Zevon. He also wrote Kiss In The 1970s for their Decades series. He is a regular contributor to the British music magazine Shindig!, and has also been published in The Dark Side, Writing Magazine, and The London Reader. His website dedicated to local tourism can be found at www.brownsignblogging.com. He lives in Glasgow, Scotland.
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Renaissance
by David Detmer
Part of the On Track series
Renaissance, a much beloved but highly underrated English progressive rock band, began life in 1969 as an offshoot of The Yardbirds. Keith Relf and Jim McCarty, who had recently left that iconic blues-rock group, decided to put together a new band that would differ from its predecessor by being more influenced by classical and folk music. After releasing two albums in 1969 and 1971, The band then quickly underwent a 100 percent turnover in personnel, resulting in an entirely new Renaissance The new band was distinguished by the astonishingly beautiful five-octave-range vocals of their lead singer, Annie Haslam; their lengthy, multi-movement, classically inspired compositions, and their unusual instrumentation. Renaissance released six classic studio albums, and one live double album, between 1972 and 1978, even scoring a UK hit with Northern Lights. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw the band commercialise with limited success, before folding. In the 21st century, with Haslam continuing as the bands distinctive voice, Renaissance has returned to its orchestral/symphonic rock roots with two studio albums of new material and multiple live releases featuring contemporary treatments of its 1970s classics. This book, the first ever published on Renaissance, assesses their entire career, covering every song on every album. It is the essential guide to the recorded works of a group that deserves to be ranked among the greatest in the progressive rock genre.
David Detmer is a Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University Northwest. He is the author of six previous books, the most recent of which are Zinnophobia (about the radical American historian, Howard Zinn) and Simply Sartre (on the French existentialist philosopher and playwright, Jean-Paul Sartre). An amateur guitarist, his published essays on The Beatles and Pink Floyd have been translated into German, Portuguese, and Korean. He lives in Munster, Indiana, USA.
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Nirvana
by William E. Spevack
Part of the On Track series
Despite being active for less than a decade and releasing just three studio albums during their short tenure, Nirvana's overwhelming musical and cultural impact on the world cannot be understated. Within such a narrow timespan, the famous trio made themselves synonymous with what came to be known as grunge; a potent mix of melodic punk and heavy metal that evolved in America in the mid-1980s. Combined with the band's anti-glam, battered image and Kurt Cobain's lyrical themes of social alienation and world apathy, Nirvana rallied the youth with anthemic, head-banging singalongs and introspective dirges, providing a haven for those feeling lost and abject. Thirty years after the shocking death of Kurt Cobain, Nirvana still dominate the musical conversation and their influence continues to be far-reaching.
This book aims to justify such a strong legacy with a detailed analysis of every song from Nirvana's three studio albums, as well as non-album singles, B-sides and any other outliers. In addition, tracks from live and compilation albums will be considered in this appraisal of a band that managed to showcase so much in such little time. They only reveal more as the years go by – as this assessment will prove.
William E. Spevack has been published in the magazines Laptop, CPU, and PC Upgrade as well as the music website AlternativeNation.net. His first book, Keep On Shining: A Guide Through the Music of Love & Arthur Lee, was published in December 2021, and the wrote Green Day On Track for Sonicbond Publishing in 2023. He is a Bard graduate and a passionate music fan, who enjoys writing about music, playing sports, playing keyboards and reading music history books that focus on the music specifically. He lives in New York City.
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Joni Mitchell
by Peter Kearns
Part of the On Track series
In her long career, Canadian songstress Joni Mitchell has been hailed as everything from a 1960s folk icon to 20th century cultural figure, artistic iconoclast to musical heroine, extreme romantic confessor to both outspoken commentator and lyrical painter. Eschewing commercial considerations, she simply viewed her trajectory as that of any artist serious about the integrity of their work. But whatever musical position she took, she was always one step ahead of the game, making eclectic and innovative music. Albums like The Ladies Of The Canyon, Blue, Hejira and Mingus helped define each era of the 1970s, as she moved from exquisitely pitched singer-songwriter material towards jazz. By the 1980s, her influence was really beginning to show via a host of imitators, many of them big names in their own right. He profound influence continues in popular music to this day. This book revisits her studio albums in detail from 1968's Song to a Seagull to 2007's Shine, providing anecdote and insight into the recording sessions. It also includes an in-depth analysis both of her lyrics and the way her music developed stylistically over such a lengthy career, making this the most comprehensive book on this remarkable artist yet written.
Peter Kearns is an independent recording artist and writer. Since the '80s he has performed live as keyboardist or recorded with acts including New Zealand's Shona Laing, the UK's Judie Tzuke, and New Yorker John Tabacco, being half of the duo Tabacco & Kearns. He has released two solo albums. As a writer he's contributed to Witchdoctor.co.nz - New Zealand's technology and music website for grownups, and New Zealand Musician magazine. Joni Mitchell On Track is his third book for Sonicbond Publishing after books on Elton John and 10cc and Godley and Creme. He lives in Amberley, New Zealand.
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Peter Gabriel
by Graeme Scarfe
Part of the On Track series
If Genesis, according to British comedian and fan Al Murray 'were the progressive rock band who progressed', then Peter Gabriel as a solo artist would be the member that progressed the most. Who would have thought that listening to early Genesis would eventually take the listener to Senegal, Armenia, South Africa and beyond, via the artistic endeavours of their former vocalist? This is a journey through Peter Gabriel's solo albums, his live recordings and soundtrack compositions. During his forty-year plus solo career, Gabriel has become a worldwide pop star via his early, self-titled albums and his seminal 1986 record So. He has had hit singles throughout his career, including the bucolic 'Solsbury Hill' in 1977 and the poignant 'Don't Give Up'. He also helped pioneer video creativity with the song 'Sledgehammer'. In doing so, he has reached beyond his progressive rock origins to achieve a level of popularity and respect that other musicians from that genre could only dream about. You may have heard many of these songs before, but there's always something new to be found by digging in the dirt. This is the perfect guide to his music for new listeners and long-term fans alike. What on earth is going on? In the words of the Burgermiester: 'I...will...find...out.'
Graeme Scarfe was born in the 1960s, educated in the comprehensive system in the 1970s and 1980s and graduated from Bournemouth University in the 1990s. He has worked as a music journalist, sound recordist and stand-up comedian. He also regularly lectures on Film. He wrote the original screenplay for the British Horror film Lighthouse and the comedy novel Seagulls on Speed which is available from www.seagullsonspeed.co.uk. He listens to an awful lot of music and attempts to play the guitar. A member of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain, he is married with two children and lives in Sussex, UK.
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Gentle Giant
by Gary Steel
Part of the On Track series
They lasted for only a decade and never lit up the world's charts, but Gentle Giant belong in the pantheon of great progressive rock bands of the era. At times edgy and experimental, but also capable of great beauty – not to mention some of the greatest riffs known to man – the group's explorations of medieval music gave their sound its unique character. But it was the thrilling complexity of their compositions – which Frank Zappa might have called the 'statistical density' of their writing – together with the instrumental ability of its players, that make their music as potent today as it was at their peak nearly 50 years ago when albums like Octopus and The Power And The Glory helped define the progressive rock era. This book takes a microscopic look at each of Gentle Giant's eleven studio albums and provides fresh assessments of the many live and 'odds and sods' recordings. It also rounds up their existing documentary and performance footage. In doing so, it tells the story of one of progressive music's most fascinating groups and the thrilling – and occasionally tortuous – ride the Shulman brothers and key band-mates like Kerry Minnear and Gary Green experienced along the way.
Gary Steel is a New Zealand-based journalist who has developed severe tinnitus from attending thousands of rock gigs in his 40-plus years of rock writing. In that time he has also interviewed a who's who of contemporary music and reviewed just about every record going for whoever would publish his pungent opinions. As a pimply adolescent with Rick Wakeman hair, he tried unsuccessfully to turn his schoolmates away from their obsessions with glam and disco and convert them to ELP, King Crimson and Gentle Giant. He has edited and published several music magazines, run his own record shop and is a late-in-life first-time Dad of young kids.
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Kansas
by Kevin Cummings
Part of the On Track series
Progressive rock is generally considered an English affair, focusing on the likes of Yes and King Crimson. However, in America, its best-known exponents are Kansas. Although the band are best known for their US radio staples 'Carry On Wayward Son' and 'Dust In The Wind,' their musical range runs much deeper. A unique blend of European prog and American blues, Kansas are capable of an extended symphonic epic followed by a shorter, gritty blues song. Yet even those tracks are never simple three-chord tunes and virtually everything the band has recorded has a progressive touch. Such is the beauty of Kansas music. Despite personnel changes, including the departure of three lead singers, they continue to flourish. Recent years have brought a new line up, new albums and a rejuvenated outlook, resulting in acclaimed live shows. Their legacy will no doubt continue as they approach their half-century mark. Kansas: On Track follows the band from their first album 2020s The Absence of Presence. Each song is carefully considered in context, along with comments from the author and key figures in the bands history. Hardcore fans and casual listeners alike will gain a renewed appreciation of Americas premier progressive rock band.
The author: Kevin Cummings is a musician and writer. He holds a masters degree in music theory and a bachelors degree in music education. His varied career includes positions as a college music instructor, a technical writer and over two decades as a church musician. An active composer, Kevin maintains a website offering original music, recordings and arrangements, as well as transcriptions of Kerry Livgrens music. Through it all, he has been a progressive rock nerd, especially concerning the music of Kansas. He lives in Elmira, New York.
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Deep Purple From 1984
by Phil Kafcaloudes
Part of the On Track series
In 2024, Deep Purple celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their reunion by releasing their 23rd album, =1. Some band members thought the 1984 reunion would fizzle out after one album, but it flourished despite internecine strife, illness and the loss of two founders in Richie Blackmore and Jon Lord. As other members approached eighty years of age, they still succeeded in producing albums that were to be among their most successful. This book tells this sometimes bizarre post-reunion story through their music and, to an extent, their touring. Neither was always completely successful, as the band seemed to be either searching for synergy in their sound or for a commercial product that did not sacrifice artistic integrity. The lyrics are especially valuable because they reveal the hardship of the road and insights into their own growing frustrations with society. In doing this, the band has not just resurfaced but written a new story for a new audience. All these things make this phase of Deep Purple an interesting study, not just of a band loved by so many but also of musicians who just wanted to play their music and sometimes found that it was not quite as simple as that.
Phil Kafcaloudes is an author and journalist who was an arts editor at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, reviewing music, theatre and film. He presented the ABCs international breakfast program for nine years, interviewing James Bonds and rock stars as well as presidents and prime ministers. In 2011, his novel Someone Elses War was published in Australasia and translated into Greek for Europe. His adaptation of the novel was shortlisted for the Cooper Prize for Playwriting and had its first public performance in 2024. He plays drums and bass, although not nearly as well as the people he writes about.
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Sparks 1969 to 1979
by Chris Sutton
Part of the On Track series
This long-overdue book charts the career of Sparks from 1969 to 1979. Every album and every song is examined, including some which are still officially unreleased, beginning with their early recordings as Halfnelson/Sparks and when they were a band of fiv
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Inxs
by Manny Grillo
Part of the On Track series
Between their formation in 1977 and retirement as a band in 2012, INXS went from pub band to world fame with their unique hybrid of rock, pop and funk. Despite soaking up a vast number of influences along the way, INXS transcended all specific music genres to become unique and, along the way, sold tens of millions of albums worldwide.
The hit singles, including 'Need You Tonight', 'Never Tear US Apart' and 'Suicide Blonde' amongst many others, have seeped into popular culture. At the same time, the life and loves of their electric frontman, Michael Hutchence, kept the band in the public consciousness. Biographies, documentaries and even a TV biopic have all been written and produced about the band and Michael's life. However, this is the first book that takes a deep dive into their entire catalogue, taking in every INXS track, including song commentaries, opinion, facts and stories.
From their early demos to breakthrough album Shabooh Shoobah and The Swing via the global success of Kick to the creative rebirth of Welcome To Wherever You Are, all the way through to the post-Hutchence celebration Original Sin, every album track and B-side is covered here in glorious detail.
Ever since he wore out the first Now That's What I Call Music album at the age of 4, Manny Grillo has had a deep love for music. It was Christmas 1988 when he received a copy of the 'Need You Tonight' single that his love for INXS began. That record kicked off a four-decade journey, which has seen him become a contributor to the wonderful INXS: Access All Areas podcast and has culminated in the release of his first book – a lifelong ambition.. The other loves of his life are his wife, Kim, and children Alicia, Luca, Jude and Heidi. He lives in Yorkshire, UK.
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10cc & Godley & Creme
by Peter Kearns
Part of the On Track series
Hailing from Manchester, England, sophisticated pop purveyors 10cc hit the ground running with their 1972 debut single, 'Donna'. Their pedigree reached back to bassist Graham Gouldman's songwriting successes in the 1960s, while guitarist and recording engineer Eric Stewart, was already a bonafide pop star having sung the global hit, 'Groovy Kind of Love,' with The Mindbenders. When the pair teamed up with drummer/singer Kevin Godley and multi-instrumentalist/singer, Lol Creme, the combination produced four hit albums including Sheet Music and The Original Soundtrack. The group also enjoyed ten successful singles including the classic I'm Not In Love. Their music was defined by eclectic, boundary-pushing pop that earned them comparisons to The Beatles while still occupying a unique position in music.
Departing in 1976, Godley and Creme moved on to create genre-defying experimental records, including the groundbreaking Consequences, while Gouldman and Stewart continued their run of hit singles and albums with a new 10cc lineup. Their final album was 1995's Mirror Mirror, a highly respectable full stop on this influential band's colourful and innovative discography. This book examines every released recording by both Godley & Creme and 10cc, including the band's debut album under their early name, Hotlegs.
Peter Kearns is an independent recording artist and writer. Since the 1980s he has performed live as keyboardist or recorded with acts including New Zealand's Shona Laing, the UK's Judie Tzuke, and New Yorker John Tabacco, being half of the duo Tabacco & Kearns. He has released two solo albums. As a writer, he's contributed to Witchdoctor.co.nz - New Zealand's technology and music website for grownups and New Zealand Musician magazine. His first book was Elton John 1969-1979 On Track for Sonicbond Publishing. 10cc & Godley and Creme On Track is his second book. He lives in Amberley, New Zealand.
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Dream Theater
Every Album, Every Song
by Jordan Blum
Part of the On Track series
No other band has affected modern progressive metal as deeply or widely as American quintet Dream Theater. Formed at Berklee College of Music as Majesty in 1985 by guitarist John Petrucci, drummer Mike Portnoy, and bassist John Myung, the group have spent thirty years repeatedly pushing new boundaries and reinventing their identity. Although other acts – such as Queensrÿche and Fates Warning – paved the way for the prog-metal subgenre, Dream Theater were, without doubt, the first to meld influences from both metal and progressive rock into a groundbreaking blend of quirky instrumentation, extensively complex arrangements, and exceptional songwriting. Whether with subtly or overtly, they've since left their mark on just about every progressive metal band that has followed.
In this book, Jordan Blum examines every Dream Theater studio album, and their behind-the-scenes circumstances, to explore how the group impacted the genre with each release. Whether classics of the 1990s like Images and Words and Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, benchmarks of the 2000s like Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Octavarium, or even thrilling modern efforts like A Dramatic Turn of Events and Distance Over Time, every sequence of albums contributes something crucial to making Dream Theater's legacy nothing short of astonishing.
Jordan Blum is an Associate Editor at PopMatters, holds an MFA in Creative Writing, and is the founder/Editor-in-Chief of The Bookends Review, an independent creative arts journal. He focuses mostly on progressive rock/metal and has contributed to many other publications, including Sonic Perspectives, Paste, Progression, Metal Injection, Rebel Noise, PROG and Sea of Tranquility. He is the author of Jethro Tull On Track, published by Sonicbond in 2019. Finally, he records his own crazy ideas under the pseudonym Neglected Spoon. When he's not focused on any of that, he teaches English courses at various colleges. He lives in Philadelphia, PA, USA.