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Battle Hymns
by Christian McwhirterMusic was everywhere during the Civil War. Tunes could be heard ringing out from parlor pianos, thundering at political rallies, and setting the rhythms of military and domestic life. With literacy still limited, music was an important vehicle for communicating ideas about the war, and it had a lasting impact in the decades that followed. Drawing on an array of published and archival sources, Christian McWhirter analyzes the myriad ways music influenced popular culture in the years surrounding the war and discusses its deep resonance for both whites and blacks, South and North.Though published songs of the time have long been catalogued and appreciated, McWhirter is the first to explore what Americans actually said and did with these pieces. By gauging the popularity of the most prominent songs and examining how Americans used them, McWhirter returns music to its central place in American life during the nation's greatest crisis. The result is a portrait of a war fought to music.
Battle Of The Bands (The\major Eights Ser. #1)
by Melody ReedKeyboardist Jasmine, age eight, tries to convince her band mates, Maggie, Becca, and Scarlet, to prove themselves in a Battle of the Bands competition, despite their poor equipment.
Battle of the Bands (High School Musical: Stories from East High #1)
by N. B. GraceGrab the Mic! East High is putting on the first-ever Battle of the Bands! Troy and his basketball buddies are looking forward to living out their rockstar fantasies, and Sharpay has formed her very own girl group. But while Troy and Sharpay prepare to step into the spotlight, Gabriella and Ryan are left in the shadows, Gabriella keeps herself busy by tutoring Ryan, but she can't help wondering why Troy wouldn't want to join forces with her again. Didn't the two of them make a great team in the last musical? In the end, Gabriella might have to take the stage without Troy by her side. Check out Bookshare for other books in the High School Musical series.
Batuta rebelde: Jorge Peña Hen. Una biografía
by Patricia PolitzerLa biografía íntima de uno de los músicos trascendentales de chile, asesinado por la caravana de la muerte. Jorge Peña Hen luchó años para que jóvenes y niños tuvieran la posibilidad de cambiar sus destinos a través de la música. Fue el creador de las orquestas juveniles y también el gran agitador cultural que convirtió la ciudad de La Serena en un polo musical durante los años cincuenta. Pero pocos años después vendría el golpe de estado: acusado sin prueba alguna de esconder armas en los estuches de los instrumentos, fue fusilado por la Caravana de la Muerte en octubre de 1973. Con una gran investigación y material inédito, correspondencia incluida, Patricia Politzer reconstruye en Batuta rebelde la vida y obra de un personaje que dejó una huella imborrable no solo en la música chilena, también en la latinoamericana. Se narran aquí sus batallas sociales y personales, las luces y conflictos de su matrimonio, la escuela de música que fundó y cómo fueron imbricándose los relatos que lo llevaron al paredón en uno de los periodos más oscuros de nuestra historia.
Bayou Underground: Tracing the Mythical Roots of American Popular Music
by Dave ThompsonA veteran music journalist explores rock-n-roll&’s bayou roots in &“a jolting 18-track joy ride [that] unlocks secrets and back-stories worth savoring&” (The Wall Street Journal). The bayou of the American south—stretching from Houston, Texas, to Mobile, Alabama—is a world all its own, with a rich cultural heritage that has had an outsized influence on musicians across the globe. In this unique study of marsh music, Dave Thompson goes beyond the storied stomping grounds of New Orleans to discover secret legends and vivid mythology in the surrounding wilderness. In Bayou Underground, the people who have called the bayou home—such as Bob Dylan, Jerry Reed, Nick Cave, Bo Didley, a one-armed Cajun backwoodsman, and gator hunter named Amos Moses—are unearthed through their own words, their lives and music, and interviews with residents from the region. Included interviews with legendary musicians like Jerry Reed and Bo Didley, Bayou Underground is part travelogue, part social history, and part lament for a way of life that has now all but disappeared.
Be Bad, Be Bold, Be Billie: Live Life the Billie Eilish Way
by Scarlett RussellThe ultimate guide to living your life to the fullest, featuring full-color illustrations and lessons inspired by multiple Grammy Award-winning musical phenomenon Billie Eilish.“I hope to show people that they shouldn’t care what other people think of them. I am really weird and, you know what? I like it, it’s special to me, and it’s fun to be weird. It’s you and it’s your life. Do what you want.”—Billie EilishWith her trademark neon hair, imaginative, fashion-forward outfits, and thought-provoking lyrics, Billie Eilish refuses to conform to others’ expectations of what a young, female pop star should look and sound like. Billie refuses to be labeled, restricted, or dismissed by anyone. An instant internet sensation, she quickly reached the pinnacle of pop culture success. Only eighteen years old, she’s already won four Grammy awards (Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year), is the youngest artist to record a James Bond theme song, and has graced the cover of Vogue magazine.Billie’s fans admire her ability to challenge the status quo and rewrite the rules. An iconoclast who lays down her own beat, she’s become the ultimate role model for today’s youth, inspiring them live their lives with purpose and no regrets. Be Bad, Be Bold, Be Billie captures the essence of this extraordinary artist and influencer and the values she embodies: learning to be yourself, standing up for what you believe, and dealing with haters. Scarlett Russell explores Billie’s incredible journey to stardom and offers insights and tips on how to adopt her poise and DGAF attitude to get where you want to be. Designed to reflect her distinctive style, Be Bad, Be Bold, Be Billie contains inspiring quotes from Billie and provides interactive exercises and activities to help you:Learn how to amplify your voice and make a difference in the worldIdentify your strengths and harness them to become your ultimate badass selfCreate a vision board to achieve what you want in your personal and professional lifePractice self-acceptance to improve your overall emotional well-beingDiscover the perfect Billie song to match your moodA celebration of Billie Eilish’s attitude, creativity, and commitment to her art, Be Bad, Be Bold, Be Billie is for anybody wanting a bit more Billie in their lives.
Be More Ariana Grande: Fierce Advice on Breaking Free and Being Yourself (Be More)
by DK“What Would Ariana Do?”Let the magic of Ariana Grande help you break free and be your best self! This inspirational guide to the pop phenomenon’s way of life shares words of wisdom, wonderful insights and suitably funky illustrations.Want to learn how to rock a perfect ponytail, write beautifully from the heart, or overcome adversity with strength and honesty? Discover how Ariana finds her courage so you can, too!Become the diva you were born to be:Be inspired by Ariana’s resilience and strength, with life lessons relevant for readers from all walks of lifeFun facts and trivia about the pop star accompany the wholesome life lessons, offering fulfilling insights into living more authenticallyBeautiful illustrations and bite-size facts make this book the perfect gift for Ariana Grande fans of all agesPop princess, whistle-note expert, dangerous woman – we’d all love to be more like Ariana. This excellent guide, packed with Grande wisdom, will show you how.
Be More Taylor Swift: Fearless advice on following your dreams and finding your voice (Be More)
by DKWhat would Taylor do?Songwriting genius, poised performer, warm-hearted friend—we&’d all love to be a bit more like Taylor Swift. This brilliant guide will show you how. Whether it is standing up for yourself and your friends, opening your heart to love, or refusing to let others write your reputation, these life lessons will help you shake off your troubles and become folklore for Swifties everywhere.Containing advice on love, friendship, overcoming fears, being yourself, and finding creative inspiration, Be More Taylor Swift is the perfect gift for Taylor Swift fans.
Be My Baby: A Memoir
by Ronnie Spector“Do I have to tell you that Ronnie’s got one of the greatest female rock-and-roll voices of all time? She stands alone.” —Keith RichardsBe My Baby is the behind-the-scenes story—newly updated, and with an especially timely message—of how the original bad girl of rock and roll, Ronnie Spector, survived marriage to a monster and carved out a space for herself amid the chaos of the 1960s music scene and beyond.Ronnie’s first collaboration with producer Phil Spector, “Be My Baby,” shot Ronnie and the Ronettes to stardom. No one sounded like Ronnie, with her alluring blend of innocence and knowing, but her voice would soon be silenced as Spector sequestered her behind electric gates, guard dogs, and barbed wire.It took everything Ronnie had to escape her prisonlike marriage and wrest back control of her life, her music, and her legacy. And as shown in this edition, which includes a 2021 postscript from Ronnie, her life became proof that our challenges do not define us and there is always the potential to forge a fuller life. In Be My Baby, the incomparable Ronnie Spector offered a whirlwind account of the ever-shifting path of an iconic artist. And, more than anything else, she gave us an inspiring tale of triumph.
Bea Breaks Barriers!: How Florence Beatrice Price’s Music Triumphed Over Prejudice
by Caitlin DeLemsHere is the little-known story of Florence Beatrice &“Bea&” Price, who faced many obstacles, including systemic racism and sexism, as she pushed forward to become one of the greatest Black classical composers.Florence Beatrice &“Bea&” Price loved music from a young age. When she wasn&’t practicing on the piano, she tapped her feet, drummed her fingers, and whistled. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, she was surrounded by Negro spirituals, classical music, Juba dance rhythms, and folk songs and even had the chance to play piano with John William &“Blind&” Boone. But as a young Black girl living in the South, Bea wasn&’t offered the same chances as white children. Not allowed to perform in public, Bea&’s first recital was in her living room. But Bea was not deterred. She studied hard, rose to the top of her class, and was accepted to the New England Conservatory of Music—one of two Black students—and majored in both music and composition. Bea never forgot her roots and wove all kinds of musical genres into her musical compositions and spirituals.
Beale Black and Blue: Life and Music on Black America's Main Street
by Margaret McKee Fred ChisenhallW. C. Handy, Furry Lewis, Booker White, Lillie May Glover, Roosevelt Sykes, Arthur Crudup, B. B. King, Bobby Blue Bland, Muddy Waters -- these and other musicians, singers, and songwriters, including the young Elvis Presley, eventually went to Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, to learn, improve, and practice their art. "To Handy and untold other blacks, Beale became as much a symbol of escape from black despair as Harriet Tubman's underground railroad," says Margaret McKee and Fred Chisenhall. They present Beale as a living microcosm of determination, survival, and change -- from its early days as a raucous haven for gamblers and grafters and as a black show business center to its present-day languishing. Choosing the former newspaper columnist, disc jockey, and schoolteacher Nat. D. Williams, as their main authority for the first part of this volume -- the street's history -- the authors have selected an individual with wisdom, perspective, and a distinctive voice that speaks from a lifetime of experience on Beale. His radio show on WDIA, "Tan Town Jamboree," was heard by thirteen-year-old Elvis Presley. Nat D. said, "We had a boast that if you made it on Beale Street, you can make it anywhere. And Elvis Presley made it on Beale first." Another Beale Streeter recalls, "He got that shaking, that wiggle, from Charlie Burse -- Ukulele Ike we called him -- right there at the Gray Mule on Beale."
Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song, and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis
by Preston LauterbachThe vivid history of Beale Street--a lost world of swaggering musicians, glamorous madams, and ruthless politicians--and the battle for the soul of Memphis. Following the Civil War, Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, thrived as a cauldron of sex and song, violence and passion. But out of this turmoil emerged a center of black progress, optimism, and cultural ferment. Preston Lauterbach tells this vivid, fascinating story through the multigenerational saga of a family whose ambition, race pride, and moral complexity indelibly shaped the city that would loom so large in American life. Robert Church, who would become "the South's first black millionaire," was a mulatto slave owned by his white father. Having survived a deadly race riot in 1866, Church constructed an empire of vice in the booming river town. He made a fortune with saloons, gambling, and--shockingly--white prostitution. But he also nurtured the militant journalism of Ida B. Wells and helped revolutionize American music through the work of composer W.C. Handy, the man who claimed to have invented the blues. In the face of Jim Crow, the Church fortune helped fashion the most powerful black political organization of the early twentieth century. Robert and his son, Bob Jr., bought and sold property, founded a bank, and created a park and auditorium for their people finer than the places whites had forbidden them to attend. However, the Church family operated through a tense arrangement with the Democrat machine run by the notorious E. H. "Boss" Crump, who stole elections and controlled city hall. The battle between this black dynasty and the white political machine would define the future of Memphis. Brilliantly researched and swiftly plotted, Beale Street Dynasty offers a captivating account of one of America's iconic cities--by one of our most talented narrative historians.
Bean Blossom: The Brown County Jamboree and Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Festivals
by Thomas A. AdlerBean Blossom, Indiana--near Brown County State Park and the artist-colony town of Nashville, Indiana--is home to the annual Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival, founded in 1967 by Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass. Widely recognized as the oldest continuously running bluegrass music festival in the world, this June festival's roots run back to late 1951, when Monroe purchased the Brown County Jamboree, a live weekly country music show presented between April and November each year. Over the years, Monroe's festival featured the top performers in bluegrass music, including Jimmy Martin, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, the Goins Brothers, the Stanley Brothers, and many more. Thomas A. Adler's history of Bean Blossom traces the long and colorful life of the Brown County Jamboree and Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Festival. Adler discusses the development of bluegrass music, the many personalities involved in the bluegrass music scene, the interplay of local, regional, and national interests, and the meaning of this venue to the music's many performers--both professional and amateur--and its legions of fans.
Bear Wants to Sing
by Cary FaganBear wants to sing his song, but the other animals won't give him a chance to perform his masterwork in this delightful picture book companion to the critically acclaimed King Mouse.A bear finds a ukulele in the woods. It makes a nice sound -- PLINK! -- and inspires him to write his own song. His friend Mouse would love to hear it. But Bear isn't the only animal in the forest to find musical inspiration that day, and Snake, Crow and Tortoise keep taking his turn to perform. When they finally give him the opportunity and meet his song with less enthusiasm than he'd like, the discouraged bear shelves his music career forever . . . but the kindness, empathy and appreciation of his best friend will prove that his art deserves recognition and can even inspire others.This dryly humorous and sweetly profound collaboration between two critically acclaimed children's book creators, a follow-up to the masterful King Mouse, has the makings of a modern classic.
Bear: The Life and Times of Augustus Owsley Stanley III
by Robert GreenfieldThe creator of the dancing bear logo and designer of the Wall of Sound for the Grateful Dead, Augustus Owsley Stanley III, better known by his nickname, Bear, was one of the most iconic figures in the cultural revolution that changed both America and the world during the 1960s.Owsley's high octane rocket fuel enabled Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters to put on the Acid Tests. It also powered much of what happened on stage at Monterey Pop. Owsley turned on Pete Townshend of The Who and Jimi Hendrix. The shipment of LSD that Owsley sent John Lennon resulted in The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour album and film. Convinced that the Grateful Dead were destined to become the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band, Owsley provided the money that kept them going during their early days. As their longtime soundman, he then faithfully recorded many of the Dead's greatest live performances and designed the massive space age system that came to be known as the Wall of Sound.Award-winning author and biographer Robert Greenfield's definitive biography of this Grateful Dead legend masterfully takes us through Owsley's incredible life and times to bring us a full picture of this fascinating man for the first time.
Beast: John Bonham and the Rise of Led Zeppelin
by C. M. KushinsThe first full-length narrative biography of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest drummers in rock history, and a genuine wild man of epic (and sadly fatal) proportions. Beast: John Bonham and the Rise of Led Zeppelin is the first-ever biography of the iconic John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) rock drummer of all time. Bonham first learned to play the drums at the age of five, and despite never taking formal lessons, began drumming for local bands immediately upon graduating from secondary school. By the late 1960s, Bonham was looking for a more solid gig in order to provide his growing family with a more regular income. Meanwhile, following the dissolution of the popular blues rock band The Yardbirds, lead guitarist Jimmy Page sought the company of new bandmates to help him record an album and tour Scandinavia as the New Yardbirds. A few months later, Bonham was recruited to join the band who would eventually become known as Led Zeppelin-and before the year was out, Bonham and his three bandmates would become the richest rock band in the world. In their first year, Led Zeppelin released two albums and completed four US and four UK concert tours. As their popularity exploded, they moved from ballrooms and smaller clubs to larger auditoriums, and eventually started selling out full arenas. Throughout the 1970s, Led Zeppelin reached new heights of commercial and critical success, making them one of the most influential groups of the era, both in musical style and in their approach towards the workings of the entertainment industry. They added extravagant lasers, light shows, and mirror balls to their performances; wore flamboyant and often glittering outfits; traveled in a private jet airliner and rented out entire sections of hotels; and soon become the subject of frequently repeated stories of debauchery and destruction while on tour. In 1977, the group performed what would be their final live appearance in the US, following months of rising fervor and rioting from their fandom. And in September of 1980, Bonham-plagued by alcoholism, anxiety, and the after-effects of years of excess-was found dead by his bandmates. To this day, Bonham is posthumously described as one of the most important, well-known, and influential drummers in rock, topping best of lists describing him as an inimitable, all-time great. As Adam Budofsky, managing editor of Modern Drummer, explained, "If the king of rock 'n' roll was Elvis Presley, then the king of rock drumming was certainly John Bonham."
Beastie Boys Book
by Michael Diamond Adam HorovitzA panoramic experience that tells the story of Beastie Boys, a book as unique as the band itself—by band members ADROCK and Mike D, with contributions from Amy Poehler, Colson Whitehead, Spike Jonze, Wes Anderson, Luc Sante, and more. Formed as a New York City hardcore band in 1981, Beastie Boys struck an unlikely path to global hip hop superstardom. <P><P>Here is their story, told for the first time in the words of the band. Adam “ADROCK” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond offer revealing and very funny accounts of their transition from teenage punks to budding rappers; their early collaboration with Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin; the debut album that became the first hip hop record ever to hit #1, Licensed to Ill—and the album’s messy fallout as the band broke with Def Jam; their move to Los Angeles and rebirth with the genre-defying masterpiece Paul’s Boutique; their evolution as musicians and social activists over the course of the classic albums Check Your Head, Ill Communication, and Hello Nasty and the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits conceived by the late Adam “MCA” Yauch; and more. <P><P>For more than thirty years, this band has had an inescapable and indelible influence on popular culture. With a style as distinctive and eclectic as a Beastie Boys album, Beastie Boys Book upends the typical music memoir. Alongside the band narrative you will find rare photos, original illustrations, a cookbook by chef Roy Choi, a graphic novel, a map of Beastie Boys’ New York, mixtape playlists, pieces by guest contributors, and many more surprises. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Beat Punks: New York's Underground Culture from the Beat Generation to the Punk Explosion
by Victor BockrisThe &“poet laureate of the New York underground scene&” chronicles three decades of electrifying artistic expression Once dominated by Beat Generation writers like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, by the 1970s and &’80s, New York City&’s creative scene had given way to a punk rock–era defined by figures like Debbie Harry and Richard Hell. While the aesthetics of these two movements seem different on the surface, author and prolific interviewer Victor Bockris—who witnessed it all—argues that the punks borrowed from the ideology and style of the beats, and that the beats were reenergized by the emergence of punk. In intimate conversation, Bockris&’s close friends—including celebrities from both periods, such as William Burroughs, Andy Warhol, Joey Ramone, and Patti Smith—reveal more about themselves and their art to him than to any other interviewer. Along with dozens of rare photos, Bockris&’s interviews and essays capture the energy of this unique time.
Beatbox Brothers (Into Reading, Level T #46)
by Marg McAlister David HardyNIMAC-sourced textbook <p><p> Jack's brother, Logan, is good at everything! He can breakdance, sing, and play the guitar. When Logan decides to audition for an advertising agency, Jack wants to try out, too—but he doesn't have an instrument. <p> He does have a secret musical talent, though … one that might surprise everyone.
Beatlemania: Technology, Business, and Teen Culture in Cold War America (Johns Hopkins Introductory Studies In The History Of Science)
by André MillardThis look at how changes in the music industry made the Fab Four phenomenon possible “presents a different interpretation of a much-studied topic” (Essays in Economic and Business History).In this unique study, André Millard argues that, despite the Beatles’ indisputable skill, they would not have attained the same global recognition or been as influential without the convergence of significant developments in the way music was produced, recorded, sold, and consumed. As the Second Industrial Revolution hit full swing and baby boomers came of age, the reel-to-reel recorder and other technological advances sped the evolution of the music business. Musicians, recording studios and record labels, and music fans used and interacted with music-making and -playing technology in new ways. Higher quality machines made listening to records and the radio an experience that one could easily share with others, even if they weren’t in the same physical space. At the same time, an increase in cross-Atlantic commerce—especially of entertainment products—led to a freer exchange of ideas and styles of expression, notably among the middle and lower classes in the U.S. and the UK. At that point, Millard argues, the Beatles rode their remarkable musicianship and cultural savvy to an unprecedented bond with their fans—and spawned Beatlemania.Lively and insightful, Beatlemania offers a deeper understanding the days of the Fab Four and the band’s long-term effects on the business and culture of pop music.
Beatleness: How the Beatles and Their Fans Remade the World
by Candy Leonard"A must-have for Beatles fans looking for new insight . . . Leonard uncovers fresh ideas [that] . . . six decades of Beatles literature passed over. —The SpectrumPart generational memoir and part cultural history of the sixties, Beatleness is the first book to tell the story of the Beatles and their impact on America from the fans’ perspective. When the Beatles arrived in the United States on February 7, 1964, they immediately became a constant, compelling presence in fans’ lives. For the next six years, the band presented a nonstop deluge of steadily evolving sounds, ideas, and images that transformed the childhood and adolescence of millions of baby boomers and nurtured a relationship unique in history. Exploring that relationship against the backdrop of the sexual revolution, political assassinations, the Vietnam War, and other events, Beatleness examines critically the often-heard assertion that the Beatles ?changed everything” and shows how—through the interplay between the group, the fans, and the culture?that change came about.Beatleness incorporates hundreds of hours of in-depth fan interviews and includes many fan vignettes. Offering a fresh perspective and new insights on the Beatles phenomenon, it allows readers to experience—or re-experience—what it was like to be a young person during those transformative years.
Beatleology
by Adam Jaquette Roger JaquetteAre you a romantic optimist with a cheery disposition? You might be a Paul. " Brooding, introverted, and artistic? You are probably a "John. " If you tend to take life as it comes with a happy go-lucky attitude, most likely you are a "Ringo. " Thoughtful, with a tendency toward passive-aggressive behavior? You might be a "George. " The tenets of Beatleology are simple: We all have an Inner Beatle guiding our destiny and governing our behavior. Forget Leo or Taurus. This book teaches us that it's more accurate to say, "I'm a John" or "I'm a Ringo. " A simple personality test determines who your Inner Beatle is and how you will interact with the other Johns, Pauls, Georges, and Ringos of the world-at home, at work, and on the street. Written in the spirit of our favorite "cheeky lads from Liverpool," This guide is pop psychology with a twist-and a dash of Sgt. Pepper!"
Beatleology
by Adam Jaquette Roger JaquetteAre you a romantic optimist with a cheery disposition? You might be a "Paul."Brooding, introverted, and artistic? You are probably a "John."If you tend to take life as it comes with a happy go-lucky attitude, most likely you are a "Ringo." Thoughtful, with a tendency toward passive-aggressive behavior? You might be a "George."The tenets of Beatleology are simple: We all have an Inner Beatle guiding our destiny and governing our behavior. Forget Leo or Taurus. This book teaches us that it's more accurate to say, "I'm a John" or "I'm a Ringo." A simple personality test determines who your Inner Beatle is and how you will interact with the other Johns, Pauls, Georges, and Ringos of the world--at home, at work, and on the street. Written in the spirit of our favorite "cheeky lads from Liverpool," This guide is pop psychology with a twist--and a dash of Sgt. Pepper!
Beatleology: A Magical Mystery Tour to Discover Your Inner Beatle
by Adam JaquetteAre you a romantic optimist with a cheery disposition? You might be a “Paul.”Brooding, introverted, and artistic? You are probably a “John.”If you tend to take life as it comes with a happy go-lucky attitude, most likely you are a “Ringo.”Thoughtful, with a tendency toward passive-aggressive behavior? You might be a “George.”The tenets of Beatleology are simple: We all have an Inner Beatle guiding our destiny and governing our behavior. Forget Leo or Taurus. This book teaches us that it’s more accurate to say, “I’m a John” or “I’m a Ringo.” A simple personality test determines who your Inner Beatle is and how you will interact with the other Johns, Pauls, Georges, and Ringos of the world—at home, at work, and on the street. Written in the spirit of our favorite “cheeky lads from Liverpool,” This guide is pop psychology with a twist—and a dash of Sgt. Pepper
Beatles '66: The Revolutionary Year
by Steve TurnerA riveting look at the transformative year in the lives and careers of the legendary group whose groundbreaking legacy would forever change music and popular culture.They started off as hysteria-inducing pop stars playing to audiences of screaming teenage fans and ended up as musical sages considered responsible for ushering in a new era. The year that changed everything for the Beatles was 1966—the year of their last concert and their first album, Revolver, that was created to be listened to rather than performed. This was the year the Beatles risked their popularity by retiring from live performances, recording songs that explored alternative states of consciousness, experimenting with avant-garde ideas, and speaking their minds on issues of politics, war, and religion. It was the year their records were burned in America after John’s explosive claim that the group was "more popular than Jesus," the year they were hounded out of the Philippines for "snubbing" its First Lady, the year John met Yoko Ono, and the year Paul conceived the idea for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. On the fiftieth anniversary of this seminal year, music journalist and Beatles expert Steve Turner slows down the action to investigate in detail the enormous changes that took place in the Beatles’ lives and work during 1966. He looks at the historical events that had an impact on the group, the music they made that in turn profoundly affected the culture around them, and the vision that allowed four young men from Liverpool to transform popular music and serve as pioneers for artists from Coldplay to David Bowie, Jay-Z to U2. By talking to those close to the group and by drawing on his past interviews with key figures such as George Martin, Timothy Leary, and Ravi Shankar—and the Beatles themselves—Turner gives us the compelling, definitive account of the twelve months that contained everything the Beatles had been and anticipated everything they would still become.