From Jake Shears – world famous singer, songwriter, actor and LGBTQ+ icon – comes this wide-eyed and determined coming-of- age story; an unforgettable literary account of a man overcoming the odds and finding his true voice. Long before hitting the stage as the lead singer of the iconic glam rock band Scissor Sisters, Jake Shears was Jason Sellards, a teenage boy living a fraught life, resulting in a confusing and confining time in high school as his classmates bullied him and few teachers showed sympathy. It wasn’t until years later, while living and studying in New York City, that Jason would find his voice as an artist and, with a group of friends and musicians who were also thirsting for stardom and freedom, form the band Scissor Sisters. First performing in the smoky gay nightclubs of New York, then finding massive success in the United Kingdom, Scissor Sisters would become revered by the LGBTQ+ community, sell out venues worldwide, and win multiple accolades with hits like Take Your Mama and I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’, as well as their cult-favourite cover of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb. Candid and courageous, Shears’ writing sings with the same powerful, spirited presence that he brings to his live performances. Following a misfit boy’s development into a dazzling rock star, Boys Keep Swinging is a raucously entertaining memoir that will be an inspiration to anyone with determination and a dream. ‘This is a beautiful, fascinating memoir by a beautiful guy who has lived a fascinating life – and he has the insights and receipts to prove it. Wonderful!’ - Dan Savage

The 1960s saw the nexus of the revolution in popular music by a post-war generation amid demographic upheavals and seismic shifts in technology. Over the past two decades, musicians associated with this period have produced a large amount of important autobiographical writing. This book situates these works -- in the forms of formal autobiographies and memoirs, auto-fiction, songs, and self-fashioned museum exhibitions -- within the context of the recent expansion of interest in autobiography, disability, and celebrity studies. It argues that these writings express anxiety over musical originality and authenticity, and seeks to dispel their writers' celebrity status and particularly the association with a lack of seriousness. These works often constitute a meditation on the nature of postmodern fame within a celebrity-obsessed culture, and paradoxically they aim to regain the private self in a public forum.

A comprehensive exploration of the final four decades of David Bowie’s musical career—covering every song he wrote, performed, or produced In Ashes to Ashes, the ultimate David Bowie expert offers a song-by-song retrospective of the legendary pop star's musical career from 1976 to 2016. Starting with Low, the first of Bowie's Berlin albums, and finishing with Blackstar—his final masterpiece released just days before his death in 2016—each song is annotated in depth and explored in essays that touch upon the song's creation, production, influences and impact.

Addressing the interart, intertextual, and intermedial dimensions of David Bowie’s sonic and visual legacy, this book considers more than five decades of a career invested with a star’s luminosity that shines well beyond the remit of pop music. The book approaches the idea of the star David Bowie as a medium in transit, undergoing constant movement and change. Within the context of celebrity studies, the concept of stardom provides an appropriate frame for an examination of Bowie’s transmedial activity, especially given his ongoing iconic signification within the celestial realm. While Bowie has traversed many mediums, he has also been described as a medium, which is consistent with the way he has described himself. With contributions from a wide range of disciplinary areas and countries, each chapter brings a fresh perspective on the concept of stardom and the conceptual significance of the terms ‘mediation’ and ‘navigation’ as they relate to Bowie and his career. Containing a multitude of different approaches to the stardom and mediation of David Bowie, this book will be of interest to those studying celebrity, audio and visual legacy, and the relationships between different forms of media. It was originally published as a special issue of Celebrity Studies.

The story of how the son of a coal laborer of limited means fueled his journey to becoming a successful business man and politician through self-drive and a desire for change and the betterment of his country. Joseph L. Bruno is a small town American success story. As the son of immigrants, he worked his way out of Depression-era Glens Falls, NY, served in the United States Army in Korea, and as the leader of the Senate Republicans in New York, became one of the three most powerful men in the state. During his fourteen years in the Senate, he forged coalitions, achieved compromises, and brought together feuding legislative factions for the common good. Senator Bruno represents a rare form of politician, one who knows that when the race is over, you have to shake hands with your opponent and govern, in order to provide a better quality of life for the people you represent. Within these pages you will meet household names like Rudy Giuliani, Russell Simmons, Hillary Clinton, Al D’Amato, Donald Trump and Eliot Spitzer—and see them as you never have before—in the hallways where decisions are made and in behind the scenes conversations amongst friends and opponents. In this brand new autobiography, Senator Bruno reminds us all that you never know what life has to offer next. In the face of adversity all you need to do is Keep Swinging. Features color and black and white photo insert.

In 1960s Bristol, a family is overshadowed by tragedy While Susan, a typically feisty seven-year-old, is busy being brave, her mother, Eddress, is struggling for courage. Though bound by an indestructible love, their journey through a world that is darkening with tragedy is fraught with the kind of misunderstandings that bring as much laughter as pain, and as many dreams as nightmares. How does a child cope when faced with a wall of adult secrets? What does a mother do when her biggest fear starts to become a reality? Because it's the Sixties, and because it's shameful to own up to feelings, Eddress tries to deny the truth, while Susan creates a world that will never allow her mother to leave. Set in a world where a fridge is a luxury, cars have starting handles, and where bingo and coupons bring in the little extras, Just One More Day is a deeply moving true-life account, told by mother and daughter, of how the spectre of death moved into their family, and how hard they tried to pretend it wasn't there.

• The first book to offer a complete summary of Kylie Minogue’s 35-year recording history across five decades (1987-2022) • Examines every song in the Kylie back catalogue with over 300 individual entries • Chronicles Kylie’s classic hits, album tracks and B-sides, plus music video and remix information and insights • Details Kylie’s essential demos, rarities, live tracks and additional recordings, plus a lavish 16-page colour section of her iconic album covers • Part of the exciting and expanding Song by Song series From Neighbours TV teen queen to Stock Aitken Waterman’s megastar, the rise of Kylie Minogue to the top of the charts is one of the biggest smash hit success stories in pop music. Across fifteen studio albums, her transition from ‘SexKylie’ (with help from Michael Hutchence) to ‘IndieKylie’ (thanks to Nick Cave and Manic Street Preachers), then to undisputed ‘Princess of Pop’ (courtesy of the irresistible ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’) proved she was not just an actress, singer and a remarkable live performer (including Glastonbury Goddess), but a true global superstar. After successfully beating cancer, Kylie returned to the top with several big-selling albums, including the critically lauded The Abbey Road Sessions, festive fave Kylie Christmas and 2020’s history making Disco. This book is an exhaustive ‘step back in time’ through her complete catalogue across five poptastic decades. Every released track and collaboration from her 300-plus song catalogue – many self-penned or co-written – over thirty-five years is examined in detail with new insights, revelations and vital video/remix information. Kylie: Song by Song celebrates this unique artist’s truly remarkable and unparalleled career and is a must-have for every dedicated fan of the lucky, lucky, lucky Australian pop princess.

'You want it all? There's not much missing here. 9/10.' - Classic Rock 'An engaging mix of humour and detailed critical analysis ... great fun. 4/5.' - Mojo From the award-winning author of Bring It On Home: Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin and Beyond and Pigs Might Fly: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd comes MAGNIFICO! THE A TO Z OF QUEEN. Addressing the phenomenal success of Bohemian Rhapsody, acclaimed music journalist Mark Blake builds on the legend of Queen and their enduring audience appeal. Providing a fresh, unparalleled take on Queen's music, story and legacy, Blake's complete portrait covers not only the major hits and bestselling albums, but also the inside stories behind the music. Via a series of essays, interviews and biographies, the author shares a wealth of lesser-known details - gained from over thirty years of original material - and explores what the songs of Queen say about their creators.

*AS READ ON BBC RADIO 4 'BOOK OF THE WEEK'* 'Lip-lickingly, dance-around-the-living-room good... A smash hit' Observer 'Unflinching and heartwarming' - Adam Kay 'Tender, clever and as funny as it gets ... a heart-piercing joy' - Lauren Laverne 'An exceptional coming-of-age story [...] Pete Paphides may very well have the biggest heart in Britain' - Marina Hyde 'I ADORE this utterly wonderful coming-of-age memoir. Joyful, clever, and a bit heartbreaking' - Nina Stibbe 'Heartfelt, hilarious and beautifully written, Broken Greek is a childhood memoir like no other' - Cathy Newman 'So wonderfully written, such a light touch. Drenched in sentiment yet not in the least sentimental' - John Niven 'It's brilliant. Sad, really funny and beautifully written ... just fantastic' - Alexis Petridis 'A truly beautiful book' - James O'Brien 'Intoxicating' - Kirsty Wark 'Oh, how I love Pete Paphides and this book' - Daniel Finkelstein 'A balm in these times' David Nicholls 'Fantastic ... Can't recommend it highly enough' Tim Burgess __________ 'Do you sometimes feel like the music you're hearing is explaining your life to you?' When Pete's parents moved from Cyprus to Birmingham in the 1960s in the hope of a better life, they had no money and only a little bit of English. They opened a fish-and-chip shop in Acocks Green. The Great Western Fish Bar is where Pete learned about coin-operated machines, male banter and Britishness. Shy and introverted, Pete stopped speaking from age 4 to 7, and found refuge instead in the bittersweet embrace of pop songs, thanks to Top of the Pops and Dial-A-Disc. From Brotherhood of Man to UB40, from ABBA to The Police, music provided the safety net he needed to protect him from the tensions of his home life. It also helped him navigate his way around the challenges surrounding school, friendships and phobias such as visits to the barber, standing near tall buildings and Rod Hull and Emu. With every passing year, his guilty secret became more horrifying to him: his parents were Greek, but all the things that excited him were British. And the engine of that realisation? 'Sugar Baby Love', 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart', 'Tragedy', 'Silly Games', 'Going Underground', 'Come On Eileen', and every other irresistibly thrilling chart hit blaring out of the chip shop radio. Never have the trials and tribulations of growing up and the human need for a sense of belonging been so heart-breakingly and humorously depicted. *Listen along with Pete's BROKEN GREEK playlist on Spotify!*

Every person has a story to tell, but few beginners know how to uncover their story's narrative potential. And despite a growing interest among students and creative writers, few guides to the genre of memoirs and creative nonfiction highlight compelling storytelling strategies. Addressing this gap, the authors provide a guide to memoir writing that shows how an aspiring writer can use storytelling tools and tactics borrowed from fiction to weave personal experiences into the shape of a story.