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What makes the Eurovision Song Contest so popular? Why do so many
people love to hate it? Is the voting fair? Will Ireland ever win
again? This book is the Eurovision uncovered. For the first time,
one of its insiders reveals the inner workings of the Contest, the
controversies and the key players over the last ten years. Julian
Vignoles was a member of the Contest's 'board of directors', the
Reference Group, for six years. He reveals the debates that led to
changes in the rules, and the political disputes behind the bright
lights and glitter of Europe's most popular TV show. He analyses in
detail the voting patterns, completely de-bunking the 'bloc voting'
allegations. Did you know that seven of the last ten Eurovision
winners were actually from Western Europe? Julian Vignoles argues
that, contrary to popular belief, former communist countries are
under represented in the results. And why have both Ireland and the
UK failed to win or come close in the televoting era? Inside the
Eurovision Song Contest is also a Visual treat. Kyran O'Brien, a
veteran press photographer, covered Ireland's involvement in the
Eurovision for many years and his eye for the candid shot is
evidenced throughout this book. With contributions from Linda
Martin, Niamh Kavanagh and Charlie McGettigan, as well as critics,
fans and the legendary 'back room man', Executive Supervisor Svante
Stockselius, this book is a must read for all those who love - or
are deeply sceptical about Eurovision.
A Delicate Wildness - the Life and Loves of David Thomson,
1914-1988, is the first exploration of the contribution - and soul
- of a relatively unsung but uniquely talented man. This resonant
biography boasts more than 50 unseen photographs. Thomson was a
Scotsman who became an honorary Irishman, writer, folklorist and
radio producer. His life took a fateful turn when, while a history
student at Oxford, Thomson came to County Roscommon in the early
1930s as tutor to an Anglo-Irish family. He fell in love with the
daughter of the house, became a farmer and 'went native', caught up
in the history and landscape of counties Roscommon and Leitrim. He
wrote his first book when he was forty, The People of the Sea, an
exploration of seal lore. He went on to write eleven published
works including autobiographical fiction, before turning to the
genre in which he most excelled - memoir: Woodbrook (1976), about
his time in Ireland, is regarded as an Arcadian masterpiece and
minor classic. For his final book, Nairn in Darkness and Light, he
returned to the north of Scotland to meditate on childhood, and was
made Scottish Writer of the Year in 1988. David Thomson had an
impish grin, was wary of literati and drank with the London
homeless. His friend Seamus Heaney described him as having a
'delicate wildness'.
Rory Gallagher is revered as one of the world's greatest
guitarists. He bounded across the stage with the swagger of a rock
star, but offstage he was a shy, unassuming man. There were no wild
parties, no marriages and divorces. His short life shifted between
the bright lights of his success and the darkness of personal
struggle. Gallagher was a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer
and champion of blues music. His career began in an Irish showband,
followed by four years as the central talent of Taste, one of the
great Irish bands. He went on to even greater fame as a solo artist
in the 1970s. Gallagher was dedicated to a steadfast musical
vision, one that continues to burn brilliantly in rock history.
Drawing on extensive interviews, Julian Vignoles casts new light on
the familial, musical and other influences that inspired Gallagher,
and on the complex personality that drove his career. He reassesses
Gallagher's songwriting, often overlooked because of his dexterity
as a guitarist. Crucially, Vignoles shows how many songs speak
eloquently - and poignantly - about the person who penned them.
Meticulously researched, this portrait is the insightful biography
that Rory Gallagher deserves, as revelatory for his legions of
loyal fans as for curious rock and blues enthusiasts.
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