Alan Clayson Books

A frank and often brutal account of how British idols-in-waiting served their apprenticeship for fame in the music, the personalities, the club scene, the sex, the prostitution, the drugs, the return home.

Alan Clayson's Beatles Box was that rarity in Beatles studies: a set of biographies of each of the Moptops by a single expert. Now that set is available in a handy condensed form as The Little Box of Beatles.

Exploring the rise of a legendary band, this book delves into the Yardbirds' influence on rock music and its pivotal role in launching the careers of guitar icons Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. Through engaging anecdotes and historical context, it highlights the band's innovative sound and their contributions to the music scene during the 1960s. Fans of rock history will appreciate the insights into the dynamics of the band and the lasting impact they had on future generations of musicians.

Well-researched and frank, this full biography includes an account of Harrison's rivalries, drug abuse, religious obsession, marital ructions, artistic plagarism and finally his reputation as a talented, charitable, middle-aged musician.

The book explores the life and work of Edgard Varese, a French composer who shaped the sound of industrial society, contrasting with Debussy's focus on pastoral themes. It delves into Varese's innovative approaches to music and how his compositions reflected the complexities of modern life, showcasing his significant influence on the evolution of contemporary music.

A four-part boxed set dedicates a volume to each of the Beatles, discussing their lives and musical backgrounds while drawing on interviews with fellow artists, family members, and friends to provide insight into the unique contributions that each made to the band. 50,000 first printing.

After the release of the Rolling Stones's psychedelic album Their Satanic Majesties Request in 1967, many feared that the bad boys of rock had sacrificed their raw, bluesy edge to love, peace, and flower power. No need to worry. Salvation was at hand with Beggars Banquet, featuring "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man." The album was a storming return to Satanism, social revolution, and celebrations of the working man. Author Alan Clayson explores the social and cultural developments of the time, the ways that the changing dynamics of the band affected the music, and how the songs took shape. From the latest swinging happenings down on Carnaby Street, to who Mick was sleeping with, to what Keith was taking, Legendary Sessions: The Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet is an entertaining trip through rock history. -- Publisher's description

Renowned party animal and phenomenal drummer for The Who, Keith Moon lived fast and died young. Not a typical biography, this compendium of stories, facts, photos, and analysis is divided up by subject and details all aspects of Moon's personal and professional life. Among the topics discussed are his promising film career, his unique drumming style, his obsessions and addictive personality, and a notorious period in the 1970s called "the lost weekend." Interviews and commentary from some of his closest friends and contemporaries, such as Viv Stanshall, Harry Nilsson, Frank Zappa, and Screaming Lord Sutch, and more than 60 photographs fill in the details of Moon's short life.