Showing results by publisher "Nine Eight Books" in All Categories

Described variously as a 'polymath', a 'renaissance man' and 'one of the most colourful characters in the music business', Mike Batt has led an extraordinarily vibrant and challenging life that has been full of both glorious victories and bitter failures. For better or for worse, he is a man who has always lived life on his own terms. Idiosyncratic but mainstream, complicated but compassionate, steadfastly maverick in spirit but avowedly commercial in outlook. He is a man of great contradictions, but even greater talent.

Beginning with Simon's remarkable childhood and exploring his relationship with his father, Ivor Raymonde (the legendary producer, musician and arranger for acts such as the Walker Brothers and songwriter for artists including Dusty Springfield), the book will journey through the musician's rise to prominence and his time with Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil. It will also chart the successful career he has forged running his own label, Bella Union, for the past twenty-seven years, discovering and developing globally renowned artists.

Neil Innes was an English musician and comedian. He rose to prominence as the creative genius behind Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and went on to collaborate with Monty Python and co-created the Beatles parody band the Rutles. Yvonne met Neil in the 1960s and the couple married in 1966. They had three sons and were together for over fifty years until Neil's death in 2019.

The story of soul legend P.P. Arnold is one of musical highs, personal lows and extraordinary endurance. From her origins in powerhouse church gospel, the talented singer's performing career began at the age of just seventeen when she joined the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. But little did the young Ikette know that her world was about to be turned upside-down...

Formed in 1988, Lush were part of the London gig scene during one of the most vibrant and creative periods in UK music. Now, Miki Berenyi tells all. The audiobook begins with her childhood of extremes. From the bohemian lifestyle of her father's social circle to the privileged glamour of her mother's acting career, Miki's young life was a blur of travel, celebrities and private schooling. But frequent relocation, parental neglect and the presence of her abusive grandmother resulted in crippling shyness, mental-health issues and a vulnerability. The route out of this hole was music.

From experimenting with punk in Big in Japan to penning and recording new-wave tracks for Care, Ian Broudie developed his musical talents early. With an independent record label in his name, he soon became a producer-for-hire, working on hit records for acts like Echo & the Bunnymen, the Fall, the Pale Fountains, Terry Hall and the Coral. But, as his debut album of home recordings took off, Ian's one-man outfit transitioned into the Lightning Seeds, and the critical acclaim of his next three records led to the assembly of a touring band to perform his music live across the Atlantic.

The must-listen memoir from Darcus Beese - the UK's first black record company CEO and one of the greatest A&Rs of his generation. From growing up as a teenager on the streets of West London to running one of the biggest record labels in the world in New York - this is a truly remarkable rags to riches tale.

During his time as managing director of Fierce Panda (a role he holds to this day), Simon was responsible for discovering bands such as Coldplay, Keane, Placebo and countless other acts of independent hue—some of whom have gone on to achieve earth-shattering musical superstardom, while others have merely packed out the Bull & Gate in north London on a wet Wednesday evening. Now, Simon's fascinating memoir tells the unfiltered story of his time at the indie coalface.

With her canon of best-selling singles, electrifying stage performances and iconic music videos, Britney Spears is undoubtedly a modern pop superstar. But her story has long been clouded by society's dark obsession with beauty, youth and fame - a relentless glare that has threatened to eclipse her musical success.