Books 244 Items

Strange Things Behind Belgian Windows is exactly whatits title describes: a series of photos of the strange andintriguing objects people display behind their windows, for passers-by to look at. These tableaus will make you smile, or maybe even stop and reflect. A stuffed fox, a portrait of Christ, a dusty Egyptian bust, a globe with gaudy colours...They are exhibited like treasures behind a glass screen, inviting you to wonder about the stories behind them, or about the daily lives going on behind the facade. Photographer Jean-Luc Feixa roamed the streets and avenues of Brussels for months, with his camera in hand, curious about the hidden spots and the unique colors of his new hometown.

Als Punk etwa im Jahr 1980 in der DDR ankam, verunsicherte er nicht nur die sogenannten Staatsorgane, auch die Spießer und Biedermänner, die bekanntlich im Osten die Mehrheit stellten, liefen Amok. Bereits optisch als Provokation gewollt und verstanden, bildete sich in einigen Zentren eine ganze Gegenkultur samt Lifestyle und Musik heraus, der es um Freiräume und Freiheit ging. Und genau wie Punk in der DDR eine von Stadt zu Stadt, von Kaff zu Kaff ganz unterschiedliche Szene jeweils mit ganz eigenen Protagonist:innen und Eigenheiten war, zeichnet sich dieser Sammelband durch Vielstimmigkeit aus, Stories stehen neben Anekdoten, sachliche Analysen neben ganz persönlichen Reflektionen. "Punk in der Ddr" versteht sich als eine Zeitklammer, die möglichst viel von dem wiedergeben will, was für zehn Jahre in diesem anderen deutschen Staat für zumindest etwas Farbe und Esprit sorgte. Mit Texten von Cornelia Schleime, Franziska Hause, Jan Müller, Anne Hahn, Tim Mohr, Alexander Pehlemann, Jan Off, Roland Galenza, Jochen Schmidt, Peter Wawerzinek, Heinz Havemeister, Iron Hennig und vielen anderen mehr. Einige der hier versammelten Texte sind bereits in vergriffenen Publikationen erschienen, einige wurden extra für dieses Buch verfasst. Gemeinsam ist ihnen allen, dass sie möglichst viel von der Lebenswirklichkeit made in GDR abbilden, die in die Geschichte einging. Broschur, mit Abbildungen ca. 264 Seiten

Wisdom and musings on creativity and life from one of the world’s most beloved musicians, producers, and mentors, Quincy Jones12 Notes is a self-development guide that will affirm that creativity is a calling that can and should be answered, no matter your age or experience. Drawing from his own life, and those of his many creative collaborators past and present, Quincy Jones presents readers with lessons that are hardworking and accessible, yet speak to the passion of self-expression.

On February 11, 2012, Whitney Houston was found submerged in the bathtub of her suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. In the decade since, the world has mourned her death amid new revelations about her relationship to her Blackness, her sexuality, and her addictions. Didn’t We Almost Have It All is author Gerrick Kennedy’s exploration of the duality of Whitney’s life.

The year 1972 brought together two legends of rock 'n' roll at the peaks of their careers: Jim Marshall and the Rolling Stones. Selected by Life magazine to photograph the Stones' Exile ON Main ST. tour, Marshall had a week of unlimited access. The results are his now-iconic images of the band, onstage in their full glory and backstage in moments of unguarded camaraderie. Marshall's ability to capture the essential spirit of an artist and the transformative power of music is matched only by the Stones' largerthan- life.

From a talented young journalist on the rise, a deeply reported, timely new biography of the Notorious B.I.G., publishing for what would have been his 50th birthdayThe Notorious B.I.G. was one of the most charismatic and talented artists of the 1990s. Born Christopher Wallace and raised in Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, Biggie lived an almost archetypal rap life: young trouble, drug dealing, guns, prison, a giant hit record, the wealth and international superstardom that came with it, then an early violent death.

George Michael was an extravagantly gifted, openhearted soul singer whose work was both pained and smolderingly erotic. He was a songwriter of true craft and substance, and his music swept the world, starting in the mid-1980s. His fabricated image—that of a hypermacho sex god—loomed large in the pop culture of his day. It also hid—for a time—the secret he fought against revealing: Michael was gay. Soon his obsession with fame would start to backfire. As one of the industry’s most privileged yet tortured men began.

Happy, beautiful and full of fun - this book is an intimate portrait of the real Amy Winehouse. With over 50 photographs, many seen here for the first time, this is a celebration of a young artist on the cusp of fame. The photos were taken by Charles Moriarty just before Amy released her debut album. These beautiful images give an early glimpse of the girl who would captivate the world. With a foreword by Asif Kapadia, director of Academy Award-winning documentary Amy, and an introduction by Ashleigh Kane from Dazed, Before Frank is a tribute to the enduring spirit of a truly special artist.

Published by Moriarty Publishing

About: ‘where i am allowed to sit for one more day, and this is an endless wonder’... is something more logical in its unfurling of desire (if the weight of words hold more ‘meaning’), a transversal thing from object to image. The book inlcudes poetry, prose, drawings and contributions from Angelina Nonaj, Hanne Boulanger, Emily Yuting Chen, Sam Horman, Harriet Jones, Sami Domenico, Laila Sakini, & Sam M plus an interview with ‘J’ by Lauryn Groševs on the topics of “my seat and weep”, the book, care, desire and interpreting connection.

Excerpt: I can find it difficult to articulate things into words, it's as if I can't find the (right) words. Sometimes it's a gesture, a look or a glance, or a simple movement that seems to communicate, or embody, what I want to say or what I "mean". The next question, for me, is what changes, or rather who. The absurdity of closeness, of putting things together, building meaning.

When Tim from Dagger Zine approached us about his book idea covering long-loved "spaces" held sacred for countless music fans, we knew it was a great project to get behind, Similar in its community effort to our last book release (The White Label Promo Preservation Society), Hinely organized an incredible list of contributors from all stripes of the underground music spectrum, each waxing their own warm recollections of wild nights seeing life-changing bands and/or terrible bathroom experiences. Chock full of photos, original newspaper ads, flyers, and long-lost monthly calendars of the pre-Internet age, Where The Wild Gigs Were illustrates how important these sacred spaces really are, and how much it's noticeable when we can't actually be AT these homes-away-from-home, spread all across the USA. From Stache's in Columbus, OH to Flynn's Ocean 71 in Miami, FL (the 'CBGB's on the beach'), back to The Brewery in Lansing MI (complete with previously unpublished Stooges photos!), to City Gardens in Trenton, NJ (staffed by Comedy Dentral's Jon Stewart) to Peter Aaron's sordid details on the mob-run Jockey Club in Newport, KY, you won't find many dull moments as each page bleeds into the next, oozing with recollections of blurry good times and endless excitement before the world changed, as we know it. Includes a foreword by Byron Coley and an afterword by Tesco VEE. 235 pages, paperback. First edition of 500 copies.

If you're interested in the Microphones box set but maybe you don't actually enjoy music (or maybe you have the records, or maybe it's sold out), here you can buy just the book.

It's pretty fancy on its own. 12.5" x 12.5", 107 pages, perfect bound with huge french flaps, packed with beautiful photos and artwork, notebook spreads, studio track sheets, show posters, etc. These were made at the sustainability-award-winning Hemlock Printers in Burnaby, B.C., a splurge.

It works as either a semi-abstract aesthetic art thing or as an abundantly packed collection of background materials that should satisfy even the most curious Microphones music listener.

The first ever book of its kind on the history of the artwork of The Residents and their label Ralph Records. The life of Ralph Records and The Residents has always been cloaked in obscure mysteries, woven by the anonymous Cryptic Corporation, around which many luminaries have revolved; painters, graphic artists, cartoonists, musicians, film-makers, and writers. All have been channeled together by a powerful creative synergy that helped champion a new, mercurial and thoroughly multi-faceted artifact. Buy Or Die!, for the very first time, brings together a collection of images that represented the sounds of Ralph from 1972 to the present. A historical journey that traces the path of one of the most innovative record labels of the last fifty years. A collection of original, rare, and remarkable images drawn from record covers, fan catalogs, posters, and a wide variety of promotional material, demonstrating the technological and stylistic adaptations undergone through the arc of half a century.

In 1985, Nike released Michael Jordan’s first sneaker, the Air Jordan 1, and sneaker culture was born. Now thousands of people wait in line at Supreme, and companies throw millions of dollars at LeBron James to keep him in their marketing plans. The trend that saw steady growth for decades with the emergence of sports, hip-hop, and sportswear advertising has exploded into a phenomenon. And no one has watched that phenomenon more closely than Complex.

Sneaker of the Year explores the past 35 years of sneaker culture with the expertise, authority, and passion that only Complex can offer. With vibrant photographs and illustrations throughout, as well as input from some of the sneaker world’s most important voices, this compilation is a must-have for hypebeasts and sneakerheads everywhere.

Europe offers an astonishing variety of scenic landscapes and some of the most enchanting trails to explore them. Wanderlust Europe takes you from the Scottish Highlands to endless amber beaches of the Baltic Sea, from the Scandinavian tundra, the majestic peaks of the Alps, the pristine peaks of the Balkans, to the rugged coastal mountains of the Mediterranean islands, and along the romantic valley of the Rhine river. Wanderlust Europe points the reader in the direction of the continent’s most awe-inspiring routes. Offering expert knowledge on how best to experience the wild outdoors, this stimulating manual traverses far-reaching locales in pursuit of breathtaking beauty and a sense of freedom. Combining first-hand tips with informative maps and an array of spectacular photography, this book is a welcome addition to the Wanderlust series and for anyone with an urge to connect with the great outdoors.

With outdoor enthusiast Alex Roddie on how best to experience nature’s majesty, this book offers long-distance trekking, short-day trips, and extended weekend escapades for hikers of all levels. Explore the world one step at a time with Wanderlust Europe.

The cannabis industry has become a thriving activity. Consuming the plant and using its derivatives have become legal in several countries and paved the way for a new generation of design-savvy and diverse consumers and entrepreneurs. High on Design showcases the new brands, designs, and creators behind this revolution. Meet the creative minds behind Gossamer, a biannual print magazine for casual weed smokers and curious mind. Learn everything you need to know about pot and weed as a medium for cultural understanding with Mia Park and Dae Lim, creators of Sundae School. Expand your culinary horizon with Michelin-Starred chef, Claus Henriksen who will give you an insight into his haute cannabis cuisine and gourmet herbs. Have a look inside Broccoli, a female-run magazine about cannabis culture and discover the most exciting cannabis businesses around the world from High Road, an award-winning dispensary design studio to Tokyo Smoke, a Canadian cannabis retailer.

While reflecting on the novel aesthetics and trends of contemporary cannabis culture, High on Design also gives a profound view of the phenomenon regarding politics, history, legalization, and society. This is your guide to the best brands, the most stylish dispensaries, the slickest products, and the most creative entrepreneurs.

„Ikonographische Bilder aus Berlin kennt man zu Genüge und in verschiedenen Tonalitäten: Sarah Eick gelingt nun das große Kunststück, das auch Urberliner:innen, die sehr viele Fotografien über ihre Heimatstadt gesehen haben, noch Bewunderung abverlangt: ihre Fotos geben zweifellos Berliner Motive wieder, doch gleichzeitig sind es Werke von einer großen, translokalen, abstrakt-poetischen Qualität. Eigentümlich kontextlos, fast wie Ufos, wirken die bekannten Gebäude und Stadtansichten. Ohne jede Form von historisierendem oder nostalgischem Pathos lässt Eick ihnen eine große Würde zukommen. Selbst eine Imbiss-Bude sieht bei ihr erhaben aus.” – Tanja Dückers (Schriftstellerin, Publizistin, Kunsthistorikerin)

The dozens of artists and craftspeople featured in this volume create miniature representations of real-world scenes—everything from housewares, such as a thumb-sized rice cooker, to storefronts and cliffside dwellings suspended in test tubes, all the way up to entire multi-story buildings, with every detail preserved inside and out. Each of these exquisite works tells an intriguing story, encapsulating history, culture and memory, and elevating everyday items—the signage on the side of a garbage can, a rusted downspout—to objects worthy of artistic representation, prompting us through this striking shift of scale to perceive the world in whole new ways.

Among the featured artists, Tatsuya Tanaka brings Japanese iconography into his master work “Miniature Calendar,” while Joshua Smith, from Australia, keeps streets and addresses and memory alive by re-creating them in miniature, freezing them in time, complete with weeds and water stains. This book not only digs into the stories behind the works, but provides guidance for those who are ready to try their own hand at mini crafts. Three masters share their inspirations and techniques by revealing a detailed process of a single masterpiece.

Anywhere, California is another close look by Rudy VanderLans into the cultural landscape of his favorite subject, the Golden State. Whether it’s the garage where Apple started in Los Altos, or the former location where the Manson Family lived in Chatsworth, or an anonymous abandoned storefront in Calexico, VanderLans finds beauty in the unlikeliest of locations. Yet he rarely divulges the why or what of his photographs. Instead he stresses that things aren’t always what they appear to be, leaving much to the imagination of the reader.

Stylistically diverse, and meticulously composed, his pictures are as sundry in nature as California itself. Presented in unencumbered page layouts, with well-considered sequencing, this publication is another testament to VanderLans’ dual mastery of design and photography. It continues his preference for the book format as his primary vehicle to show his photography, making this limited first edition another instant collectible.

For fans, Boxer is a profound personal meditation. Life decisions have been based on it. Relationships have been created and dissolved by it. For the band that recorded it, Boxer symbolizes a do-or-die moment; a final, give-it-everything-you've-got effort to make it work.

Released in May 2007, The National's fourth full-length is the album that saved them. It's where the Ohio-via-Brooklyn five-piece found the sound, success, and spiritual growth to become one of the most critically acclaimed bands of their time. Obsessively researched and featuring intimate interviews with the fighters who were there in the ring, Ryan Pinkard captures a transformative chapter in The National's story, revealing how their breakthrough album is deeply intertwined with their personal lives, the New York indie rock renaissance of the early aughts, and a generational experience in America.

Kraftwerk's most concise and focused conceptual statement, Computer World, was also their most influential album, paving the way for a range of new musical styles and genres. This book explores the band's revolutionary sonic template, and their lyrical obsessions in detail.

An analysis of the bands work reveals a unifying theme, overlooked by other writers, of movement and transition. While many remarked on the prevalence of travel within Kraftwerk's art: Autobahn (1974) – cars, Trans-Europe Express (1977) – trains, The Man- Machine (1978) – space, and Tour De France (1982) – bicycles, Francis contends that this is a surface manifestation of a deeper theoretical subtext in their work. Movement is really a reflection of the concept of transition, through time and space, from one physical, emotional, or existential state of being to another. The book explores transition, as expressed on Computer World, via theories of post-humanism, cybernetics and the anthropology of transnationalism.

New York City in the 1970s was an urban nightmare: destitute, dirty, and dangerous. As the country collectively turned its back on the Big Apple, two musical vigilantes rose out of the miasma. Armed only with amplified AC current, Suicide's Alan Vega and Marty Rev set out to save America's soul. Their weaponized noise terrorized unsuspecting audiences. Suicide could start a riot on a lack of guitar alone. Those who braved their live shows often fled in fear--or formed bands (sometimes both). This book attempts to give the reader a front-row seat to a Suicide show.

Suicide is one of the most original, most misunderstood, and most influential bands of the last century. While Suicide has always had a dedicated cult following, the band is still relatively unknown outside their musical coterie. Arguing against the idea of the band's niche musical history, this book looks at parallels between Marvel Comics' antiheroes in the 1970s and Suicide's groundbreaking first album. Andi Coulter tells the origin story of two musical Ghost Riders learning to harness their sonic superpower, using noise like a clarion call for a better future.

The question of control for Black women is a costly one. From 1986 onwards, the trajectory of Janet Jackson's career can be summed up in her desire for control. Control for Janet was never simply just about her desire for economic and creative control over her career but was, rather, an existential question about the desire to control and be in control over her bodily integrity as a Black woman.

This book examines Janet's continuation of her quest for control as heard in her sixth album, The Velvet Rope. Engaging with the album, the promotion, the tour, and its accompanying music videos, this study unpacks how Janet uses Black cultural production as an emancipatory act of self-creation that allows her to reconcile with and, potentially, heal from trauma, pain, and feelings of alienation. The Velvet Rope's arc moves audiences to imagine the possibility of what emancipation from oppression--from sexual, to internal, to societal--could look like for the singer and for others. The sexually charged content and themes of abuse, including self-harm and domestic violence, were dismissed as “selling points” for Janet at the time of its release. The album stands out as a revelatory expression of emotional vulnerability by the singer, one that many other artists have followed in the 20-plus years since its release.

In a bar called The Bucket of Blood, a man shoots the bartender four times in the head. In the small town of Millhaven, a teenage girl secretly and gleefully murders her neighbors. A serial killer travels from home to home, quoting John Milton in his victims' blood.

Murder Ballads, the ninth studio album from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, is a gruesome, blood-splattered reimagining of English ballads, American folk and blues music, and classic literature. Most of the stories told on Murder Ballads have been interpreted many times, but never before had they been so graphic or profane. Though earning the band their first Parental Advisory warning label, Murder Ballads, released in 1996, brought Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds their biggest critical and commercial success, thanks in part to the award-winning single, “Where the Wild Roses Grow,” an unlikely duet with Australian pop singer, Kylie Minogue.

Closely examining each of the ten songs on the album, Santi Elijah Holley investigates the stories behind the songs, and the numerous ways these ballads have been interpreted through the years. Murder Ballads is a tour through the evolution of folk music, and a journey into the dark secrets of American history.

Now completely revised and updated, with full-color photographs and family-friendly recipes throughout.

The deeply personal story of a father learning to share his love of nature with his children, not through the indoor lens of words or pictures, but directly, palpably, by exploring the natural world as they forage, cook and eat from the woods and sea.

This compelling, masterfully written tale follows Dylan Tomine and his family through four seasons as they hunt chanterelles, fish for salmon, dig clams and gather at the kitchen table, mouths watering, to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Closer to the Ground captures the beauty and surprise of the natural world — and the ways it teaches us how to live — with humor, gratitude and a nose for adventure as keen as a child’s. It is a book filled with weather, natural history and many delicious meals.

"Legendary drum & bass magazine Knowledge returns for a one-off special book to celebrate their 25th anniversary. It's been ten years since the last issue and five years since they called it a day and over the years people have clamoured for its return but Knowledge always resisted the temptation. So why are they bringing it back now? Well, they feel they have unfinished business. Reaching 20 years was such an important milestone but it was a bittersweet moment and they didn't celebrate it at all because they knew the end was coming. What better way to mark their 25th anniversary than with one last issue?

Knowledge Magazine returns with a special one-off book celebrating their 25th anniversary. There have been some special issues in the past but this is the biggest and best Knowledge ever. This is one for the collectors:

10” x 10” large format book
Hardback material cover with debossed logo
Premium 130gsm matt art paper
160 full-colour pages featuring new and classic long-form features and interviews"

"As government legislation, standardised music and bad drugs forced the euphoria of the rave phenomenon into the darkness, a new underground movement emerged – the jungle and drum & bass nexus.

It was the sound of the beating heart of Britain’s multi-cultural urban rave, produced by the children of the Windrush and their closest friends, and distilled via the journey from a Tivoli Gardens soundclash, to the UK’s inner city blues parties and onto jazz-funk all-dayers and soul weekenders.

It was a space that was forged in the hidden edges of urban warehouses and the darkened recesses of clubland’s backrooms; schooled in the swagger of dancehall, the thunder of hardcore, the fury of bebop and the depth charge of dub.

Jungle and drum & bass was like nothing else the world had experienced before – simultaneously black and white, urban and suburban, old skool attitude and new school innovation. A socio-cultural melting pot of early-90s broken Britain seizing the wheel and taking control of the machine.

Originally published in 1997, State of Bass explores the scene’s roots through its social, cultural and musical antecedents and on to its emergence via the debate that surrounded the apparent split between jungle and drum & bass. Drawing on interviews with some of the key figures in the early years State of Bass explores the sonic shifts and splinters of new variants, styles and subgenres as it charts the journey from the early days as the deliberately hidden underground, ignored by the media in favour of the post-rave progressive house scene, to its position as a global phenomenon.

State of Bass: The Origins of Jungle and Drum & Bass extends the original text to include the award of the Mercury Prize to Roni Size & Reprazent for the groundbreaking New Forms album and brings new perspectives to the story of the UK’s most important subterranean urban energy.



Quotes

“Cogent, well researched and hardly oblivious to the nutty charisma of jungle’s lexicon and nomenclature. The first serious attempt to document the drum & bass realm is a total success.”
Select

“Exceedingly well researched, endlessly authoritative and undeniably ace…”
Melody Maker

“(State of Bass) deserves a special mention. A thorough account of the story of jungle.”
Ben Osborne, author of The A-Z of Club Culture

“The best book so far on the evolution of drum & bass”
Sheryl Garratt, author of Adventures in Wonderland: a decade of club culture

“Martin James comes up trumps with an in-depth examination of Jungle’s roots, history and even a recommended listening guide.”
Muzik

“Essential reading for anyone who is interested not only in the jungle scene… but in dance in general, in the music industry as a whole or even British society and its infrastructures.”
DJ

“An acutely perceptive and thought-provoking account of the circumstances and celebrities surrounding the development of a modern music that we can finally call our own.”
The Scotsman

“Well worth rattling through if you can track it down.”
FACT

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"Showcasing the mastermind behind some of the most iconic rave flyers and record covers of the late eighties and early nineties, Junior Tomlin: Flyer & Cover Art is a comprehensive insight into Junior Tomlin’s incredible back catalogue.

Rave culture transformed the way people experienced music, sparking a revolution in British society and spreading across the globe during the late eighties. Its influence is still being felt today, as millions of people around the world attend clubs and festivals that embody the spirit of rave culture. Intrinsic to the spread of the culture in those pre-internet days was the dissemination of flyers, giving ravers information on where and when their favourite promoters would be organising parties. In order to stand out from the competition, it was imperative that the most respected events had distinctive flyer artwork.

Junior Tomlin’s visionary capabilities led to a long-running career as a flyer artist. His fantastical projections of the future and often surreal imagery earned him the title The Salvador Dali of Rave. Tomlin’s iconic work was highly sought after, with ravers collecting his remarkable work and promoters queuing up to commission him to produce imagery for their flyers. Junior’s imagination conjured up alternate worlds, references to outer space and gave us a peek into the endless possibilities presented by an unknown future. It was the perfect representation of the brave new world being cultivated by rave promoters and the community that sprung up around the culture.

Junior worked with a range of seminal rave promoters from 1992 onwards including Telepathy, Dreamscape, Slammin’ Vinyl, One Nation, Dream Odyssey and Ravealation. 30 years since he designed his first flyer Junior Tomlin: Flyer & Cover Art documents his work across 160 pages, with commentary and draft sketches provided by Junior himself. Divided into two distinct sections – Record Covers and Flyers – the book also features an in-depth interview with Junior and a foreword by Chelsea Louise Berlin (artist, flyer collector and author of Rave Art) plus words from former clients.

Chronicling the work of a pioneering artist whose art was intrinsic to early rave culture, Junior Tomlin: Flyer & Cover Art marks a critical time in British history. In a time where division and conflict seem to be more prevalent than ever, the book allows us to escape into Junior’s fantasy worlds and travel back in time to an era when social barriers were being broken down.

The book is 25cm x 25cm, printed on premium 130gsm full-colour paper. It is the first time his work has been documented and presented in such a comprehensive, cohesive fashion.

“His record sleeves are classic examples of a hugely important artform now sadly deceased in the digital age.”
Danny Briottet (Renegade Soundwave)

“When I think of music and the concept of what I wish to express, I always want the visual representation to be in total synergy with that I am creating. Artwork is so important! This is why I did not hesitate when it came to choosing an artist and legend like Junior for specific work projects I had in mind.”
DJ Rap"

"The Secret DJ returns with the follow-up to their acclaimed debut book. Less a sequel and more a panoramic wide-angle painting of the biggest youth movement in human history, The Secret DJ: Book Two charts the rise of dance music over the last 30 years and its connection to western capitalism and culture.

While never claiming to be instrumental, The Secret DJ was around for every stage of the journey and is a continually wry observer of this unstoppable growth. The Secret DJ’s signature humour and wit are ever-present in this ascent, charting personal ups and downs as well as the buying and selling of the acid house revolution.

Covering topics as wide as drugs, music production, anthropology, the gentrification of the scene, technology, travel, fame, devaluation, inflation, relationships, technique, festivals, rejection, social media, situationism and hypernormalisation; almost no aspect of the last four decades go unmentioned in terms of what we know today as Electronic Dance Music.

“No one in publishing would have the balls to touch this book with a bargepole,” says the Secret DJ. “It takes courage to speak up. There’s not much in the way of reward for telling it like it is, not any more. If you expose an industry, that industry hates you for life with the intensity of the sun. I have nothing but admiration for Velocity Press, they’ve taken a big risk working with me. I appreciate it greatly. It’s good to know there are still people out there willing to stand up.”

“I loved The Secret DJ – some all-too-familiar characters mixed with the highs and lows of what this industry can throw at you. Excited and intrigued to read the second instalment… how much more extreme can it get?!” – Denney

“I never read books about electronic music, why would I? But I guess The Secret DJ is more an anarchist handbook for shattered dreamers than a manual on how to make it big on the scene. Can’t wait for his new adventures.” – Ivan Smagghe

“We all have war stories, us jobbing night-lifers. From having sets ended by soldiers with automatic weapons in Juarez to coming-round in Glasgow city centre suddenly best pals with a gangster who’s most affectionate nickname was ‘Wolf’. I’ve bagged a couple over the years. And yours are undoubtedly more vivid, funnier or more ludicrous than mine. The Secret DJ’s are better still.” – Ewan Pearson

“I loved book one, waiting to live the DJ life vicariously again thru book two!” – Arthur Baker

“The Secret DJ’s first book managed to do something very different to the existing dance music memoirs (and I should know as I have read them all). It functioned not only as a hilarious jaunt through the insanity of the glory years of dance music – i.e. when there was still money in music – but as a harrowing portrayal of the emotionally, physically and mentally taxing straits an international DJ will find themselves in. Anyone with even a passing curiosity about ‘the industry’ should read it and await its follow up, especially if they have any frankly dangerous notions of joining up professionally, which I cannot in all good conscience recommend.” – Manu Ekanayake (music and culture journalist)

“It’s rare for a writer to capture the excitement and absurdity of dance music culture at the same time, but the Secret DJ did that to great effect in the first book. This latest chapter in the story promises to be every bit as exhilarating, providing an important critical voice at a time when ‘the society of the spectacle’ threatens to suck the life out of those clinging to the acid house dream.” – Justin Robertson

“The first book is a raw, effective and bizarrely emotional tale of ‘the life’. Superbly true and direct. I can hardly wait to hear the tale of the music movement being told by The Secret DJ in Book Two!” – Miguel Campbell

“The Secret DJ returns to once again pull back the curtain on the world of dance music and the sometimes harsh, but always hilarious, realities of what lurks behind it. Get ready for a second descent into the far(cical) side.” – Neville Watson

“Really enjoyed the first book, both hilarious debauchery and insightful commentary on a world usually kept behind the curtain. I’m looking forward to the next instalment, hoping for a lot more righteous anger within.” – Posthuman

“Every participant in the music industry will wince at the thought of falling under the glance of the Secret DJ’s withering pen, but still find themselves avidly leafing through his pages for the merest mention.” – Carl Puttnam (Cud)"

"The first decades of the 21st century saw dramatic changes in the music industry as new technology transformed creation, communication, and consumption. Amid this turmoil one change occurred relatively quietly, almost naturally: so-called bedroom producers, music makers raised on hip-hop and electronic music, went from anonymous, often unseen creators to artists in their own right.

In Bedroom Beats & B-sides: Instrumental Hip Hop & Electronic Music at the Turn of the Century, Laurent Fintoni details the rise of a new generation of bedroom producers at the turn of the century through the stories of various instrumental hip-hop and electronic music scenes. From trip-hop, jungle, illbient, and IDM in the 1990s to just “beats” in the late 2000s, the book explores how these scenes acted as incubators for new ideas about composition and performance that are now taken for granted.

Combining social, cultural, and musical history with extensive research, the book tells the B-side stories of hip-hop and electronic music from the 1990s to the 2010s and explores the evolution of a modern beat culture from local scenes to a global community via the diverse groups of fringe idealists who made it happen and the external forces that shaped their efforts.

Includes quotes and stories drawn from more than 100 interviews with producers, DJs, label owners, and more including James Lavelle, Charlie Dark, Luke Vibert, Mark Pritchard, Flying Lotus, Georgia Anne Muldrow, El-P, Hudson Mohawke, Kode9, Prefuse 73, Anti Pop Consortium, Dabrye, Waajeed, Tekilatex, Ghislain Poirier, Kutmah, LuckyMe, Benji B, The Bug, and many more.

Bedroom Beats & B-sides is the first comprehensive history of the instrumental hip-hop and electronic scenes and a truly global look at a thirty-year period of modern music culture based on a decade of research and travel across Europe, North America, and Japan.

Laurent Fintoni says: “This book is a deeply personal project that has consumed me for over 20 years. I hope it can do some justice to the vibrancy and importance of the culture it seeks to celebrate and its people. I am grateful to Velocity Press for taking a chance on me as a first-time author and giving me space and support to tell the first, but hopefully not the last, version of this story.”

Quotes

“Laurent Fintoni has created an epic tome of information. It’s one of the best examples of connecting the dots between many facets of electronic music. He writes similar to a DJ seamlessly transitioning from one point to the other, with visual vigour. Not since Kwodo Eshun’s More Brilliant Than The Sun, has someone delved this deep between the beats.”

King Britt

“As hip-hop has erupted over four decades to become the dominant genre of the 2020s, this work casts essential analysis on an influential set of producers who rose from obscurity to influence pop culture. It’s a story of changes in music technology and musical education, but crucially of how a small set of outsiders sought to hack, adapt, and break their technology in pursuit of making something expressive and new. In appropriation of tech and genre, the beat scene is a worthy analogue to consider a culture facing the failures of postmodernism, and the opportunities of a new age in media.”

Dominic Flannigan (LuckyMe)

“Finally a deep dive into one of the more interesting new musical trajectories of the modern era.”

Sam Valenti IV (Ghostly)

“The music industry was caught looking the other way, head in the sand, handing out golden parachutes. In the used bins we would marvel at their trash, what they couldn’t sink their teeth into, upcycling it in our way.”

Daedelus (Brainfeeder)

Written in Japanese!

Story of CAN / Stockhausen and WDR Studio / Postwar German landscape that nurtured krautrock / Euro Free Jazz Mixture / CAN's Constituent molecules / CAN's DNA / Long interview for members / Disc Guide.

The Belgian illustrator Tom De Geeter brings a fresh new look to the top ten list with Tens: he asked hundreds of artists, TV makers, musicians, famous and less well-known people to put together their so-called tens, and set them neither themes nor limitations. It is a unique and out-of-the-box insight into the interests and hobbys of various people, brought with great attention to craftsmanship and detail. No perishable or predictable lists, but a quirky, surprising, and extremely varied collection, illustrated by Tom De Geeter with contrast-rich yet delicate line drawings.

"Volta No Vento" is the result of a dialog between the French photographer Gilles Roudière and the French musician and composer Toàn initiated by Iikki, between November 2019 and November 2020.

Black & White & Weird ALL Over Highlights Rare Glimpses OF ''Weird Al'' Yankovic's Comic Genius

Book Featuring Unreleased Black-And-White Photographs Taken By Yankovic Drummer Jon ''Bermuda” Schwartz Due From 1984 Publishing October 27, 2020

''See funny music's greatest star as he bursts into fame! Weird Al's drummer takes you into the studio, backstage, and offstage for the making of a superstar. Hey, I was there too-but Bermuda brought his camera!'' - Dr. Demento

''This book will undoubtedly appeal to both Weird Al completists and those who enjoy black-and-white photographs taken by drummers.'' - ''Weird Al'' Yankovic

''Weird Al'' Yankovic is one of music's most beloved figures. A skilled accordion player and songwriter, the California native is known for his meticulous parodies of popular songs, hilarious originals, and, of course, for upbeat polkas!

For much of Al's career, one man has been by his side, photographing and documenting the fun and weirdness: longtime drummer Jon ''Bermuda'' Schwartz. Since meeting Al in 1980, Jon has taken more than 20,000 images of Al in his element: on tour, in the studio, and on video sets.

Black & White & Weird All Over presents hundreds of images of Al, culled from Jon's personal collection of black-and-white photography. These photos only existed on contact sheets - out of mind and out of sight - until now! From behind-the-scenes shots taken on the sets of Al 's iconic videos for ''Ricky,'' ''I Love Rocky Road,'' ''Eat It,'' and ''Living With A Hernia,'' to studio sessions for Al's Dare to Be Stupid and Polka Party! LPs, Black & White & Weird All Over is the ultimate photographic essay of Weird Al 's undisputed comedic genius.

Biographies Jon ''Bermuda'' Schwartz (author I photographer) has been the drummer with ''Weird Al'' Yankovic since 1980 and is seen and heard on all of Weird Al's albums, videos, and concert and television performances. He is also the group's archivist with an unmatched collection of memorabilia, audio & video releases from around the world, and photos.

''Weird Al'' Yankovic (foreword) is an American comedian and actor who is known for his music parodies and original songs that make light of popular culture. He has sold more than 12 million albums, performed more than 1,000 live shows, and earned five Grammy Awards. His last LP, Mandatory Fun, went to #1 on the Billboard 200, the first comedy album to do so since 1963.

‘Cuba: Music and Revolution: Original Album Cover Art of Cuban Music: Record Sleeve Designs of Revolutionary Cuba 1959-90 ’ is a stunning new deluxe 250-page large format hardback book compiled and edited by Gilles Peterson and Stuart Baker (Soul Jazz Records) that features many 100s of stunning and unique Cuban record sleeve designs made since the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959. These album covers have rarely been seen (nor heard) outside of Cuba and show a rich previously hidden history of both music and design.

‘Cuba: Music and Revolution’ is the first ever book about Cuban record sleeve design and has been five years in the making, made in full co-operation with the Cuban government. The record sleeve designs reflect both the rich cultural Latin musical legacy of Cuba, as well as the political and aesthetic influence of revolutionary Communism, which manifests itself both in the music created on the island and the artwork of the designs included here.

Cuban music is the source of much Latin music in the 20th century. Salsa, the all-encompassing Latin music that came out of New York in the 1970s, and soon spread across Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere, owes all of its success to the Cuban music on which it is fundamentally based.

These record sleeves help document the dramatic change in Cuba’s identity from that of 1950s tourist paradise to socialist state. Following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the United States imposed a trade embargo which exists to this day, and as a consequence the many 100s of Cuban records featured here have rarely been seen outside of Cuba.

The book is edited and compiled by Gilles Peterson, BBC broadcaster, record label owner, DJ, record collector, founder of Worldwide FM and Stuart Baker, founder of Soul Jazz Records. Together they have edited two earlier critically-acclaimed music and design books ‘Freedom, Rhythm and Sound – Revolutionary Jazz Cover Art 1965-83’ and ‘Bossa Nova and The Rise of Brazilian Music in the 1960s’.

In conjunction with the deluxe book, Soul Jazz Records will be releasing an album also compiled by Gilles Peterson and Stuart Baker, charting the rise of Cuban music in the 1970s and featuring many of the artists who appear in this book.

Take a break from your stressful day-to-day sneaker hunting and amp up your creativity. In the Sneaker Coloring Book you can color your most beloved shoe models in what ever way you want. You can relax your mind with some peaceful coloring fun, or get head on creative adding that complex design you always wished for your favorite sneaker model.

Whether you are an advanced sneaker head or just have the slightest interest in street fashion and sneakers, you can t go wrong with the Sneaker Coloring Book! Equally well suited for kids and adults, the book s 50 pages are packed with illustrations of some of the most iconic sneaker models of all times. From the original Pro Keds, Adidas Superstar and Vans Sk8-Hi, via 80s classics such as Troop and Air Jordan, to recent models like Nike Marty Mcfly, Puma Creeper, Balenciaga triple S and Adidas Yeezy just to name a few of the many models included in the book.

The shoes in the Sneaker Coloring Book are illustrated by Alexander Rosso, a sneaker nerd of rank who has spent the past 12 years working as a graphic designer and illustrator, mainly in the music and streetwear business.

The Sneaker Coloring Book is marker friendly! Use your favorite markers without the risk of ruining the illustration on the other side of the paper. The Sneaker Coloring Book is the latest in Dokument Press popular coloring book series, with themes such as hip hop, graffiti, skateboarding and lowriders.

There has recently been a sharp increase in cases where corporations have been sued by street and graffiti artists because their artworks had been used and exploited without the artists’ authorisation, for example in advertising campaigns, as backdrops in promotional videos, or as decorating elements of products. This trend shows and confirms that these forms of art are vulnerable. They are actually more exposed to unauthorised exploitation (and destruction as well) than works of fine art, because they are placed in the public eye. Protecting Art in the Street explains, with words and images, how copyright laws apply to street art and graffiti, and how they can be of help to creators within these artistic communities. Knowledge about these issues does matter. There has recently been a spike in legal actions or complaints against corporations and individuals that have tried to exploit commercially street artworks without the artists’ consent; and more importantly without sharing with them any profit. Also, legal actions have been brought by street artists to fight destruction of their pieces. By adopting a simple language, Protecting Art in the Street constitutes an easy-tounderstand guide aimed at navigating street artists and graffiti writers through otherwise difficult and intricate legal issues concerning the protection of their artistic outputs.

A daily planner with facts on what happened on this day in hip hop history! The Hip Hop Journal: A Daily Planner provides you with a notebook as well as a daily update on the most important historical events that took place in hip hop culture on each date. Simply turn to today’s page to and find out what classic records were released on this day in the past, and next to it note your schedule, ideas, grocery list, or even your rhymes. Get inspired by what has happened in hip hop’s past and make the most of your day! The journal offers ers a variety of facts, from record releases and movies to important cultural events relating to the development of hip hop culture over the last 45+ years. The Hip Hop Journal is a loving celebration of the rich body of work that builds one of the most influential cultures of our times, and an invaluable help in planning your day-to-day activities. In the Hip Hop Journal you plan your year accompanied by the many events in hip hop history, visualized by hip hop illustrator Mark 563’s illustrations, depicting the most iconic rappers and hip hop personalities from the ‘70s until today. You may not know them all, but if you spend a little time every day, listening and catching up on the classic record releases listed in this book, you will be close to a PhD in hip hop by the end of the year. The Hip Hop Journal is the latest title in Dokument Press’ publications related to hip hop, graffiti and street art, and it is the third release with illustrator Mark 563, following the tremendously popular Hip Hop Coloring Book and Hip Hop Coloring Book: East Coast Edition.

The work of Banksy has captivated generations over the last 20 years. The brilliant comments about politics and the stateof the world are thought-provoking for young and old.The fact that we don t know who the artist is creates a welcome mysterious dimension at a time when most thingsare just an Internet search away. As a consequence, we canall claim to be Banksy. Just like V for Vendetta inspired theuse of Guy Fawkes masks by participants in street levelprotests around the world, we can all be Banksy too, andparticipate in our physical surroundings.

The Banksy Coloring Book is an original coloring book for all ages. A perfect gift to anyone interested in street art andillustration! The Banksy Coloring Book is filled with illustrations inspired by the great art of Banksy. It gives a first taste of howstencils are made and what it takes to master them. Easyand open to anyone. Enjoy!

Zwölf Tocotronic-Alben, zehn Künstler, zehn Songs. Titel wie Slogans für Häuserwände, harte aber melo­dische Gitarren, live noch energetischer und intensiver. Seit über 25 Jahren haben Tocotronic die deutschsprachige Popkultur geprägt wie kaum eine andere Band. Und das ohne musikalische oder politische Kompromisse. Statt den immer gleichen Sound zu bedienen, hat die Band sich immer wieder verwandelt, neue Konzepte und Ästhetik erprobt und politisch immer klar Position bezogen, gegen Deutschtümelei, Nationalismus oder die europäische Abschottungspolitik.

»Sie wollen uns erzählen« fängt die zahlreichen Facetten von Tocotronic ein: Zehn Songs aus der gesamten Schaffensphase werden von ausgewählten Comic­künstler*innen und Illustrator*innen interpretiert. Im gezeichneten Songbook von Tocotronic haben sich Jim Avignon, Julia Bernhard, Tine Fetz, Eva Feuchter, Anna Haifisch, Sascha Hommer, Katja Klengel/Piwi, Moni Port, Jan Schmelcher und Philip Waechter je einem Tocotronic-Song angenähert, mal mehr Comic-Strip, mal mehr im illustrativen Stil. Herausgeber Michael Büsselberg, selbst Musikkenner und Comicfan, hat die die Idee des illustrierten Band-Songbooks aus der angloamerikanischen und französischen Popkultur »importiert« und kongenial auf seine liebste deutschsprachige Band adaptiert.

Als Zugabe hat Tocotronic-Schlagzeuger Arne Zank einen Comic-Strip über das Kennenlernen der Band-Mitglieder beigesteuert. Und Sänger Dirk von Lowtzow hat die ausgewählten Songs mit exklusiven Statements und Anmerkungen versehen.

This book is a journey – a ride through the depths of Germany’s modern musical roots:

At the beginning of the 1970s, experimental and progressive music in Germany developed far from the mainstream. Although few initially noticed it, it is now internationally celebrated as a cult phenomenon called „Krautrock“. Today, bands like Kraftwerk, Can, Amon Düül II, NEU!, Cluster, and Tangerine Dream are considered pioneers of groundbreaking sound experiments.

In order to understand the Krautrock era and its impact, it’s worth delving deeper into the history of German rock music and taking a closer look at the overall picture.Times & Sounds offers a comprehensive insight into the mechanisms of post-war Germany’s music industry and sheds light upon its diverse musical styles, as well as their mutual influences and connections, which have received little attention until now: From the onset of German Jazz and Swing orchestras to the first Rock ‚n‘ Roll bands around Hamburg‘s Star Club and electronic synthesizer pioneers. From the intact world of Schlager to agitprop and left-wing protest songs. From the avant-garde compositions of Stockhausen and his presumed disciples of Krautrock to the Neue Deutsche Welle.

This book is a journalistic diary tracing Germany’s dynamic culture from the late 40s to the early 90s. Those who take this journey experience the ups and downs of five decades, thus developing an understanding deeper than any other of the Krautrock phenomenon.

– Foreword by Hans-Joachim Roedelius (Kluster/Cluster/Harmonia)
– Hardcover with coloured headband and ribbon
– 536 pages including coloured endpaper with infographics

The continuing adventures of Hiroshi Fujiwara, "godfather of streetwear."

Commanding the hothouse environment of Harajuku, the street fashion and culture district of Tokyo, Hiroshi Fujiwara is recognized the world over as a pioneer in streetwear, music, and art and is the ultimate arbiter of cool. Known internationally as one of the founding fathers of the 1990s Tokyo scene, Fujiwara exerts a disproportionate influence over contemporary design culture. With recent and highly successful collaborations with Louis Vuitton and Moncler, and with his mainstay work at Nike and Medicom, Fujiwara refines an aesthetic immersed in punk, hip-hop, and skate culture and translates it into pure luxury. A musician and producer originally from western Japan, Fujiwara is one of the most prolific of sneaker designers, and his kicks remain some of the most sought-after collectibles. In addition to his very visible and long-standing collaborations with major Western brands, he has long associations with Japanese disruptors like Jun Takahashi of Undercover and is head of the Tokyo-based Fragment Design. Chronicling his reign as the arbiter of hip for more than thirty years, this book presents his current preoccupations, with chapters on his highly sought-after artwork and graphics, sneakers, product design, and curated personal effects, giving readers a unique glimpse into one of the most influential tastemakers of our time.

There has never been--and will never be--another nightclub to rival the sheer glamour, energy, and wild creativity that was Studio 54. This catalog accompanies an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum exploring how Studio 54 was a unique zeitgeist of an era.

From the moment it opened in 1977, Studio 54 celebrated spectacle and promised a never-ending parade of anything goes. Although it existed for only three years, it served as a catalyst that brought together some of the most famous, creative, and strangest people in the world. It quickly became known for its all-ages celebrity guest list and its uniquely chic clientele of superstars and freaks of all races and sexual preferences who would often show up half-dressed or in costume. From the cutting-edge lighting displays and sound system to its elaborate sets that would change on a whim, altering the environment and ambiance, it was the beginning of nightclub as performance art.

Now, the Brooklyn Museum is staging the first exhibition featuring the nightclub as a bellwether of New York City cultural life. More than 650 objects--spanning fashion, photography, drawings, film, and music--as well as video, film, and soundtrack, create an immersive experience, with an exhibition design inspired by the club's original lighting and atmosphere. Highlights include never-before-published costume sketches by artist Antonio Lopez and newly discovered set designs, as well as ephemera salvaged by the original club staff and interviews with the cultural luminaries who were there.

Telling the story of this legendary club, as well as serving as a companion to the exhibition, Studio 54: Night Magic serves as a document of the era, depicting the wild energy and provocative creativity of this seminal cultural moment.

"If there’s a cultural artefact capable of withstanding the vagaries and fickleness of the digital age as well as the printed book, it’s the vinyl record . . .

In Listening to the Wind, Ian Preece (editor, and co-author of In The Heyday of The Football Annual) sets out on an international road trip to capture the essence of life for independent record labels operating in the twenty-first century. Despite it all – from algorithms and streaming to the death of the high street and the gutting of the music press – releasing a record to serve its ‘own beautiful purpose’, as 4AD’s Ivo Watts Russell once said, is a flame that still burns through these pages. With countless labels, albums and artists to be discovered, this book is for those who share that inextinguishable love for music.

Features extensive, original interviews with the likes of Analog Africa, Light in the Attic, Thrill Jockey, International Anthem, Dust-to-Digital, Pressure Sounds, Heavenly, Touch, Mississippi, Sublime Frequencies and more! [like Japan Blues for instance] "

"you can't help warming to his anti-populist folly, and soon acquire a shopping list as long as your arm" **** Mojo

"A garrulous, engaging and deeply informed travelogue" The Wire

Dark Fashion World showcases nearly 20 emerging fashion designers from around the world who push the boundaries of modern fashion, leading fashion and design fans and professionals into a dark world of visual delight. The projects within strive to evoke a sense of the traditional Victorian Gothic as well as new, more contemporary darknesses. Leather, vinyl and metal all have their place, but the pieces featured also turn to satin, floral accessories and fur in surprising ways that draw viewers out of the light and into a space defined by uncanny beauty. Designers even utilize bright colors and bold patterns for unsettling effects that can inspire dread as well as delight. With an eye for the bizarre and a deep affection for an aesthetic both romantic and sinister, Dark Fashion World reveals the essence and secrets of the diverse culture of dark fashion couture.

Vier Männer müssen eine Band gründen. Deshalb begeben sie sich aufs Land in Meeresnahe. Sie wollen dort in mehrtägigen Sessions gemeinsam Songs erarbeiten. Durch Umwelteinflusse (Wetter, Unterkunft, Küche, Wald und Tiere) entsteht etwas: Es ist unvorhergesehene Musik. Jeder der vier schreibt währenddessen heimlich eine Art Tagebuch, um die unerträglichen Spannungen im Bandgefüge abzuleiten. Das Buch versammelt diese illustrierten Aufzeichnungen. Eine absurde Welt, beherrscht von größenwahnsinnigen wie liebevollen Figuren. Es passiert viel, sogar unerklärliches. Doch lasst sich die Erde das alles gefallen?

Who had the greatest dunk of all time? Which version of Michael Jordan was the best Michael Jordan? What is allowed and absolutely not allowed in a game of pickup basketball? Basketball and Other Things takes readers through the most pivotal and ridiculous fan disputes in basketball history, providing arguments and answers to basketball’s greatest questions, explained with the wit and wisdom that is unique to Shea Serrano. Serrano breaks down debates that all NBA fans have considered, from the classics (Which years was Kobe at his best?) to the fantastical (If you could assign different values to different shots throughout basketball history, what would they be and why?). With incredible art from Arturo Torres, this book is a must-have for anyone who has ever stayed up late into the night debating basketball’s greatest moments, what-ifs, stories, and legends.

Illustrated by Arturo Torres, foreword by Reggie Miller.

Shea Serrano is an award-winning writer, author, and illustrator. His most recent book, The Rap Year Book, reached the bestseller lists of the New York Times and Washington Post, topped the Arts and Entertainment iBooks bestseller list, and was chosen for the Pitchfork book club. Currently, Serrano is a staff writer for The Ringer. He lives in Houston, Texas.

Dangerous is Michael Jackson's coming of age album. Granted, that's a bold claim to make given that many think his best work lay behind him by the time this record was made. It offers Jackson on a threshold, at long last embracing adulthood-politically questioning, sexually charged-yet unable to convince a skeptical public who had, by this time, been wholly indoctrinated by a vicious media. Even though the record sold well, few understood or were willing to accept the depth and breadth of Jackson's vision; and then before it could be fully grasped, it was eclipsed by a shifting pop music landscape and personal scandal-the latter perhaps linked to his assertive new politics. This book tries to cut through the din of dominant narratives about Jackson, taking up the mature, nuanced artistic statement he offered on Dangerous in all its complexity. It is read here as a concept album, one that offers a compelling narrative arc of postmodern angst, love, lust, seduction, betrayal, damnation, and above all else racial politics, in ways heretofore unseen in his music. This record offered a Michael Jackson that was mystifying for a world that had accepted him as a child and as childlike and, hence, as safe; this Michael Jackson was, indeed, dangerous.

Voodoo, D'Angelo's much-anticipated 2000 release, set the standard for the musical cycle ordained as "neo-soul," a label the singer and songwriter would reject more than a decade later. The album is a product of heightened emotions and fused sensibilities; an amalgam of soul, rock, jazz, gospel, hip-hop, and Afrobeats. D'Angelo sets to music his own pleasures and insecurities as a man-child in the promised land. It was both a tribute to his musical heroes: Prince, Sly Stone, Marvin Gaye, J Dilla ... and a deconstruction of rhythm and blues itself.

Despite nearly universal acclaim, the sonic expansiveness of Voodoo proved too nebulous for airplay on many radio stations, seeping outside the accepted lines of commercial R&B music. Voodoo was Black, it was definitely magic, and it was nearly overshadowed by a four-minute music video featuring D'Angelo's sweat-glistened six-pack abs. "The Video" created an accentuated moment when the shaman lost control of the spell he cast.

Pete Townshend was once asked how he prepared himself for The Who’s violent live performances. His answer? ‘Pretend you’re in a war.’ For a band as prone to furious infighting as it was notorious for acts of ‘auto-destructive art’ this could have served as a motto.
Between 1964 and 1969 The Who released some of the most dramatic and confrontational music of the decade, including ‘I Can’t Explain’, ‘My Generation’ and ‘I Can See For Miles’. This was a body of work driven by bitter rivalry, black humour and dark childhood secrets, but it also held up a mirror to a society in transition. Now, acclaimed rock biographer Mark Blake goes in search of its inspiration to present a unique perspective on both The Who and the sixties.
From their breakthrough as Mod figureheads to the rise and fall of psychedelia, he reveals how The Who, in their explorations of sex, drugs, spirituality and class, refracted the growing turbulence of the time. He also lays bare the colourful but crucial role played by their managers, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. And – in the uneasy alliance between art-school experimentation and working-class ambition – he locates the motor of the Swinging Sixties.
As the decade closed, with The Who performing Tommy in front of 500,000 people at the Woodstock Festival, the ‘rock opera’ was born. In retrospect, it was the crowning achievement of a band who had already embraced pop art and the concept album; who had pioneered the power chord and the guitar smash; and who had embodied – more so than any of their peers – the guiding spirit of the age: war.

In 1984 the groundbreaking Subway Art brought graffiti to the world. 30 years on, the bible of the street-art movement is back and better than ever!

With over 70 fresh photographs not included in the original edition.

In new introductions Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant recall how they gained entry to the New York City graffiti community in the 1970s and 1980s.

New afterwords continue the story from the decline of the subway graffiti scene in the late 1980s to its unexpected rebirth as a global art movement.

The authors bring us up to date on how the lives of the original subway artists have unfolded, and mourn the loss of several writers to the darker forces of the street.

128 pages, 33,5 x 23,4 cm, paperback.

Not only do scripts and alphabets form bridges between cultures, but their history and the stories they tell are the perfect springboard for calligraphic experimentation.

From India to Ethiopia, Tibet and beyond, Denise Lach has travelled widely in the world of script. Here, she documents complex and simple characters, playful shapes and vibrant colours, which she then translates into her own visual art. She demonstrates the exciting design possibilities offered by script: you can repeat, turn, mirror and rotate letters; you can also experiment with rhythms, contrasts, colours and line widths.

In addition to calligraphic techniques, Lach introduces examples from printmaking, fabric printing, collage making and digital techniques.

Brimming with beautifully photographed works of art – on paper, stone, fabric or ceramic material – Journeys in Calligraphy will take you to many surprising destinations.

Contents:

Early Writing
Ethiopia
Swahili
Kannada
Tibet
Burma
Runes
Malay
Other Journeys

192 pages, 26 x 23,5 cm, hardcover.

Wes Anderson’s eighth feature film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, is the fullest expression to date of Anderson’s varied thematic and stylistic idiosyncrasies and influences—a meticulously crafted, visually resplendent matryoshka-doll caper set primarily in an alternate-history version of 1930s Europe. This supplementary, one-volume companion to The Wes Anderson Collection (Abrams 2013) is the only book to take readers behind the scenes of The Grand Budapest Hotel, with in-depth interviews between Anderson and cultural critic and New York Times bestselling author Matt Zoller Seitz. Anderson shares the story behind the film’s conception, the wide variety of sources that inspired it—from author Stefan Zweig to filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch to photochrom landscapes from turn-of-the-century Middle Europe—personal anecdotes about the making of the film, and other reflections on his filmmaking process. These interviews are accompanied by behind-the-scenes photos, ephemera, and artwork, as well as exclusive critical essays by Ali Arikan, Steven Boone, David Bordwell, Olivia Collette, and Christopher Laverty; interviews with costume designer Milena Canonero, composer Alexandre Desplat, lead actor Ralph Fiennes, production designer Adam Stockhausen, and cinematographer Robert Yeoman; and an introduction by playwright Anne Washburn.

23,8 cm x 28,6cm, 256 pages, hardcover.

Close The App, Make The Ting is a collection of ideas shared by Elijah that began in July 2021, as the Covid 19 lockdowns were ending in the UK. They started as simple notes questioning what the music and creative scenes would look like after being shut down for 18 months shared regularly on Instagram, then developed into a multimedia project that spanned visual installations, an album with grime MC Jammz, a club night and a lecture series that toured the world.

Close The App, Make The Ting: Transformative Prompts for the Modern Artist brings together the best of the ideas and the projects they inspired. This book is for anyone producing or thinking of producing creative work, that needs something outside of ‘advice’, these are evergreen artistic prompts that will inspire new ways of approaching being an artist in the 2020s.

The book is 25cm x 25 cm, and the 160 pages are printed on premium heavyweight paper.

“Elijah’s work and writing is stimulating and insightful. He captures the shifting tides of music and creativity with a canny sense of precision and clarity. The ability to connect the dots across music, culture, history, politics, the evolving creative landscape and more is a rare quality, and yet, he thrives at it.” – Anifieok Ekpoudom (author of Where We Come From: Rap, Home & Hope in Modern Britain)

The OSTKREUZ agency was founded in the midst of the upheavals that took place in East Berlin in 1990. For Dream on - Berlin, the 90s, nine OSTKREUZ photographers worked together with curators Annette Hauschild (OSTKREUZ) and Boaz Levin (C/O Berlin Foundation) to cast a modern-day eye over their extensive archives as seen from today’s perspective. As documentarists operating at the apogee of photojournalism, they tracked the changes that the city underwent. They observed the shifts in society and the challenges facing a city that had previously been divided by a wall as it grew together, capturing all this in powerful, personal images. The essays reflect this on a variety of levels: Janos Frecot’s examination of the changes in the urban space; Jens Balzer’s description of Berlin’s potential as a centre of creativity and culture; and Anne Rabe’s very personal view, as a young East German writer, of today’s Berlin.

OSTKREUZ is an independent, Berlin-based agency that is run by twenty-four photographers.

348 pp.
250 b/w and color illustrations
thread-sewn hardcover

Leipzig September, 2024
ISBN: 9783959058520

Width: 20 cm
Length: 24 cm

Language(s): English

Editor
Boaz Levin, C/O Berlin Foundation, Annette Hauschild, Kathrin Kohle, OSTKREUZ

Designer
Marc Naroska

Text
Jens Balzer, Janos Frecot, Boaz Levin, Veronika Epple

Photographer
Sibylle Bergemann, Annette Hauschild, Harald Hauswald, Ute Mahler, Werner Mahler, Jordis Antonia Schlösser, Anne Schönharting, Maurice Weiss

The bedroom wall and what to cover it with has always been a dilemma through the ages as we revelled in our teenage / rebellious glory. Posters, flyers, ticket stubs badges tour programmes and record sleeves. Items we gathered, begged and stole were carried home after sweaty nights in clubs and pubs. Tape and blu tack in hand we tried to find a place to add our new additions.



I always thought it would be great to show the Punk Rock items of what I call ‘the class of ‘76’ groups I had gathered over the years in a bedroom setting. Each room could have a different theme. Blondie, Buzzcocks, The Clash, The Damned, Generation X, The Jam, Ramones, Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Stranglers, and maybe a mixed Punk Room with all the above and some smaller bands to fill out the story.



Maybe I could then put all that in a book to show the beauty of it all. So I did and here it is. I hope all this madness might bring back some fond memories for you as you flick through these pages.

Swiss Hardcover, cloth binding
240 pages
17 x 24 cm
ISBN 978-3-00-079721-7
Edition of 600
Published by JB. Institute, 2024

Contributions by
Dinho Araujo, Jan Brokof, Britta Brüning, Jana Duda, Lukas Feireiss, Elke Giffeler, Lenia Hauser, Łukasz Polowczyk, Dr. Sebastian Möllers, and Andrea Sunder-Plassmann

“ENSEMBLE” is the first book by 44flavours and showcases a 20-year creative journey.

Sebastian Bagge and Julio Rölle have been working together as the artist duo 44flavours for over 20 years. The book contains a careful selection of their projects and works from the last two decades, documenting the development and dynamics of their artistic collaboration.

“In the book, we look at our backgrounds and the dynamics of our collaboration: What context do we come from? How did we develop together? Another focus is on our installation work and our experimentation with different materials, with bricolage playing a major role. Overall, our research into painting and the exploration of physical and imaginary spaces is covered.

The main influences on our work can be filtered out as follows: encounters with other positions, investigating certain materials and learning techniques, discovering new places and ways of thinking, social exchange, and the activation and exploration of work processes in exchange with others, the development of a dynamic that leads to new ways of working and results, playful exploration, discovery, trial and error.”

Julio Rölle & Sebastian Bagge

The perfect-bound 80-page coffee table book delves into our two decades of history through in-depth interviews with our founders Friction & K-Tee, as well as a range of artists past and present. Accompanied by beautiful full-colour photography from the archives throughout, this book is an essential for Shogun fans and D&B enthusiasts worldwide.

Four our 15th book release, we present Wicked Game: The True Story of Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey by author Michael Goldberg. Another incredibly in-depth look into the dark side of San Francisco in the 1970s & 80s, and the dark side of rock ‘n roll in general, through the wild life of one Jimmy Wilsey. From his vantage point on bass in SF Punk legends THE Avengers in 1977, through his quick trip with Belfast Cowboys (with Rozz Rezabek from Negative Trend) and on into his next phase of real guitar virtuosity in Silvertone (the early band fronted by Chris Isaak which also included John Silvers from The Dils), Wilsey’s life unfolded sadly as many others of his era and from this scene. Full of amazing and previously unseen photos from the Michael Goldberg, Hugh Brown. Bruce CONNER,JAMES Stark, SUE Brisk and Chester Simpson archives, and complimented with intimate interviews from his past relationships with Claudia Summers and Jennifer Rubin (Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Bad Dreams, The Crush, etc), everything looked so promising, until it wasn’t…"

Entropy is Tuft's fourth monograph capturing the sublime and awe-inspiring beauty of nature as it is radically transformed under the unrelenting pressures of climate change.

A photographic exploration detailing the poetry and fragility of nature amidst the tragedy of climate change

Since 1998, mixed-media artist Diane Tuft has traveled the world recording the environmental factors shaping Earth’s landscape. Entropy is Tuft’s fourth monograph capturing the sublime and awe-inspiring beauty of nature as it is radically transformed under the unrelenting pressures of climate change.

The exquisite collection of photographs provide a captivating glimpse into the rapidly changing landscapes of our world. Tuft focuses specifically on water as its subject, contrasting global sea-level rise with water depletion in Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Compelling essays by prominent figures in art and science contributed by Bonnie K. Baxter, Ph.D., Professor of Biology and Director of Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster University and twentieth-century art historian Stacey Epstein, Ph.D. add depth and insight to Tuft’s work and its significance in the context of climate change.

Weaving passages of haiku with her beguiling photographs, Tuft's newest monograph is packaged in a luxe-cloth-wrapped case screenprinted with her artwork Journey’s End featuring the Great Salt Lake. An extraordinary book, Entropy is a dramatic call to arms inspiring collective action for the critical preservation of nature.

About the author

Diane Tuft exhibits and lectures at institutions across the globe. Her work is included in such esteemed collections as the Whitney Museum of American Art; Nevada Museum of Art; International Center of Photography; and Parrish Art Museum, as well as many private collections. Tuft’s previous publications include UNSEEN: Beyond the Visible Spectrum (2009); Gondwana: Images of an Ancient Land (2014) and The Arctic Melt: Images of a Disappearing Landscape (2017). Tuft is also an award-winning producer of multiple short films, including Coastal Requiem (2019). She lives and works in New York City.

Bonnie K. Baxter, Ph.D. is Professor of Biology at Westminster College, and is founder and director of Great Salt Lake Institute, which serves to connect people to Great Salt Lake through research and education.

Stacey Epstein, Ph.D. is a specialist in twentieth-century American art and founder of Stacey Epstein Fine Art, where she advises auction houses, museums, corporate collections, artist foundations, and estates.

Reviews

‘A fascinating book.’ – Frames

‘This book offers a glimpse of the beauty we may be losing.’ – Blind Magazine

‘One of the most captivating books on the market linking fine art with climate change. The viewer can easily just enjoy it for its fantastic photography; it is literally one of the few books in the category where every image is a ten out of ten. For those interested in a more nuanced understanding of the work, the accompanying text manages to provide actual scientific analysis in an enjoyable, accessible format.’ – New York Journal of Books

Specifications:
Format: Hardback
Size: 350 × 260 mm (13 3/4 × 10 1/4 in)
Pages: 136 pp
Illustrations: 70 illustrations
ISBN: 9781580936705