Spawned in the intensely fertile music scene that blossomed in and around Seattle in the late 1980s, Nirvana instantly distinguished itself from the bulk of its peers by virtue of the singular passion that drove its leader, Kurt Cobain. Few were prepared for worldwide Nirvana-mania set off by the 1991 release of Nevermind. With the instantaneous success of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' the album stormed the charts. Their next album, In Utero, was the last studio recording released by Nirvana: the demons that made Cobain's writing so powerful took their toll: he took his own life less than a year later. Although the band released just five albums, Nirvana's influence is certain to be felt for many years to come: Nirvana, an unofficial publication, shows the multiple reasons behind that impact through the words of the band, their friends and their colleagues. Through interviews with those close to the band coupled with intensive archive research, the unique status this band occupies-as representatives of the time, and as timeless songwriters-will be revealed.

On January 1, 1967, a new contract between 'Colonel' Tom Parker and his sole client, Elvis Presley, gave Parker a 50 per cent cut of royalties and profits that Presely generated. It was an unashamed grab for a bigger piece of a pie that had actually been shrinking for some time. Parker's plan to re-establish Presley as a star after he left the army in 1960 had been successful at first, with the success of films like "G.I. Blues" and "Blue Hawaii" and their soundtracks. But as the decade progressed the films became formulaic, the music bland, and sales declined. By 1967 Presley's singles struggled to break the top 20, and he hadn't had a number one for six years. Yet by the end of 1968 he was artistically revitalized, re-emerging in a TV comeback special of December that year slimmed down for the now iconic black leather suit, playing country-soul influenced rock like he meant it and loved it. It was the pivotal moment of the second great period of Presley's career, which lasted through to the end of 1970, during which he recorded some of his most enduring records, including "Suspicious Minds" and "In The Ghetto". In "Return Of The King" author Gillian Gaar shows how Presley reclaimed his crown, making an extraordinary transition from fading MoR balladeer to engaged, vital artist.

Elvis passed away in 1977 but his spirit lives on. His records still sell, his movies are still hugely popular and his concerts are still discussed by new generations of fans. The Elvis Presley estate has tens of thousands of photographs and miles of video footage from all eras of Elvis' career and fans' hunger for new imagery and information on the King remains unsated. This publication is a beautiful, desirable package, ideal for any Elvis fan. This book tells the personal story of Elvis and his relationships with those near and dear to him and contains more than 150 colour and black and white photographs from the Graceland archives, accompanied by insightful text from an author with a proven Elvis track record. To take you closer than ever before to the King, 30 items of rare memorabilia are carefully reproduced on the page, including personal letters, receipts, telegrams, publicity material and other fascinating items which provide new insight into the life of a legend. There are photographs of Elvis himself, Elvis with friends and family, and all manner of personal artifacts, including guitars, jewelry, clothing, vehicles and more.

(Book). Nirvana is one of the most influential bands in rock history, and even now, nearly 20 years after Kurt Cobain's death, the reverence in which they are held is undiminished. Books have been written about Nirvana before, but they tend to concentrate on the band's superstar period and Kurt Cobain's demise, while skating over the early years. In Entertain Us, Gillian Gaar redresses the balance by examining in forensic detail the band's rise to fame, and their first album, Bleach . Drawing on archive material and interviews with many key people in the story, she traces Nirvana's formation, its early recordings and many personnel changes, and the arrival of Dave Grohl to complete the familiar three-piece line up. By critiquing every song the band recorded in this period, tracing influences and unpicking complex relationships between band members, associates and record labels, Gaar gets to the heart of a compelling story.

Though "Nevermind" was Nirvana's most commercially successful album, and the record that broke them - and the grunge phenomenon - internationally, "In Utero" has increasingly become regarded as the band's best album, both by the critics and the band members themselves. Instead of sticking to the "grunge pop" formula that made Nevermind so palatable to the mainstream, Nirvana chose instead to challenge their audience, producing an album that the band's creative force, Kurt Cobain, said truly matched his vision of what he had always wanted his band to sound like. Here, the full story behind the creation of "In Utero" is told for the first time.

Gillian G. Gaar's critically acclaimed, breakthrough book, the first full history of women in rock and pop ever written, became an instant classic upon its publication in 1992. Arranged chronologically and told with impassioned detail, She's A Rebel charts a half century of women performers from the early R and B singers of the 1950s, to the girl groups, Motown acts, folksingers, and rock chicks of the 1960s, to the punk rebels and pop divas of the 1970s, to the brash all-girl bands, rappers, and riot grrls of the 1980s and 1990s. This expanded ten-year anniversary edition features over 75 photos and includes three all-new chapters on all the major artists of the last decade as well as an insider's look at the music industry and the emerging power of women rock stars. With new preface by Yoko Ono and dozens of new profiles and interviews with performerssuch as Courtney Love, L7, Bikini Kill, the Breeders, Sarah McLachlan, Ani di Franco, Sheryl Crow, Sleater Kinney, Alanis Morrisette, Lucinda Williams, Mariah Carey, Destiny's Child, Lauryn Hill, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, Bjork, and many others this book captures the amazing explosion of women's voices and talent in the music world. "[She's A Rebel] is as thoroughly entertaining as it is researched ...It's exhaustive and exhilarating. "Billboard"