Allan Moore

From Robert Johnson to Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson to John Lee Hooker, blues and gospel artists figure heavily in the mythology of twentieth-century culture. The styles in which they sang have proved hugely influential to generations of popular singers, from the wholesale adoptions of singers like Robert Cray or James Brown, to the subtler vocal appropriations of Mariah Carey. Their own music, and how it operates, is not, however, always seen as valid in its own right. This book provides an overview of both these genres, which worked together to provide an expression of twentieth-century black US experience. Their histories are unfolded and questioned; representative songs and lyrical imagery are analysed; perspectives are offered from the standpoint of the voice, the guitar, the piano, and also that of the working musician. The book concludes with a discussion of the impact the genres have had on mainstream musical culture.

The Cambridge Companion to Blues and Gospel Music

Ted trusted Agnes, but on reading her diary, his blood ran cold.

The Diary

At a gala evening dinner dance, lovely thirty-five-year-old Butters announces openly on the dance floor to Slats, The last time I saw you, you were naked. Kevin Slats Slattery, a married middle-aged advertising executive with two children, is certain he has never seen this woman before. He is in a tizzy over her outrageous pronouncement. He wonders if Butters is a hustler, kook, bored housewife, or actress. He wonders which of his friends put her up to this stunt. In spite of how upset he is by Butters' pronouncement, Slats is intrigued by the woman herself a voluptuous female with teasing eyes and a dazzling smile. Soon, Butters and Slats act on their mutual attraction and begin an affair, both cheating on their spouses. Even though Butters has made Slats feel like a man again, he questions his affair and still feels obligated to Terry, his wife of twenty-five years. A humorous romance, The Last Time I Saw You, You Were NAKED! depicts the magnificence of life and delivers the message that adversity can be a powerful motivator. The human spirit can overcome inequities, and individuals can reach within themselves to become survivors. Just add a bit of humor.

The Last Time I Saw You, You Were Naked!

Paul Carr

The Bloomsbury Handbook of Rock Music Research is the first comprehensive academic survey of the field of rock music as it stands today. More than 50 years into its life and we still ask - what is rock music, why is it studied, and how does it work, both as music and as cultural activity? This volume draws together 37 of the leading academics working on rock to provide answers to these questions and many more. The text is divided into four major sections: practice of rock (analysis, performance, and recording); theories; business of rock; and social and culture issues. Each chapter combines two approaches, providing a summary of current knowledge of the area concerned as well as the consequences of that research and suggesting profitable subsequent directions to take. This text investigates and presents the field at a level of depth worthy of something which has had such a pervasive influence on the lives of millions.

Allan Moore

Books

Your next favorite book is out there