Laura Shenton

For The Stranglers, 1977 was a vital year. Not quite punk, certainly not pop and often at odds with live audiences and the music press alike, their approach was such that nothing could stop them. With hits like 'Peaches', 'No More Heroes' and 'Something Better Change', there was everything to play for despite a variety of confrontations and controversies. With two commercially and musically strong albums — Rattus Norvegicus (their debut) and No More Heroes — released within just months of each other, the story of The Stranglers in 1977 is one that needs to be told. With vintage interviews and reviews in abundance, this book comprehensively documents it all with immense detail.

In 1970, In Rock marked the studio arrival of Deep Purple MKII. When it came to making a follow-up, times were turbulent and divisive, so much so that there were doubts as to whether Deep Purple would even last! Sandwiched between In Rock and Machine Head, it is hardly surprising that Deep Purple's 1971 album, Fireball, is so often overlooked in comparison. It wasn't an easy time for the band; with demand for more concerts following the success of In Rock, the making of Fireball took over a year and yet, it is an essential album - both in terms of how it documents Deep Purple's progression as a band and in terms of what it offers overall musically. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Fireball from a range of angles including how it came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Deep Purple's legacy today.

For Jethro Tull, 1975 would prove to be a fascinating year. With Aqualung and Thick As A Brick behind them, and with A Passion Play and War Child having been met with a mixed critical reception, their next album, Minstrel In The Gallery is the product of a band who kept on going and who weren't afraid to explore. Minstrel In The Gallery is abundant in innovative musical ideas and insightful lyrics. Recorded in sunny Monte Carlo and described by Sounds as "a pleasant surprise", the album is a fascinating combination of acoustic and heavy rock teamed with a strings section, and of course, flute. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Minstrel In The Gallery from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Jethro Tull's legacy today.

Slaves And Masters is arguably one of the most divisive albums in Deep Purple's history. A product of Ian Gillan's sacking from the band and the recruitment of former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, in 1990, Slaves And Masters divided the fanbase enormously. But with four fifths of the classic MKII line-up at the helm and a desire to recapture the live feeling in the studio, that had been a hallmark of their seventies' albums, was it really the worst Deep Purple album as some fans claim? In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Deep Purple's thirteenth studio album from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Deep Purple's legacy today.

In 1994, Korn’s self-titled debut album marked their arrival. It was dark and brash and it demanded attention, as did their second album in 1996, Life Is Peachy. Good going for a new band, but in 1998, Follow The Leader saw Korn’s success and notoriety accelerate exponentially. With constant demand for the singles, ‘Got The Life’ and ‘Freak On A Leash’ on MTV, Korn exceeded their own expectations. For both the band and their fans, this was the start of something exciting, albeit turbulent. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on Follow The Leader from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Korn’s legacy today.

On 26th March 1971 at Newcastle City Hall, Keith Emerson, Greg Lake & Carl Palmer performed their version of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An Exhibition. An iconic classical piece given an innovative spin by the talented trio, it was released as an album following the success of their second studio album, Tarkus. In many ways, Pictures At An Exhibition is the underdog of Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s longstanding discography — so much so that there was uncertainty surrounding whether or not it was going to be released at all! And yet, despite the band’s uncertainties surrounding the LP at the time, it is now vital — both in terms of ELP’s history and in the wider sense of how it bridged a gap between rock and classical music. It certainly wasn’t the first album to do this but it is nevertheless a relevant and important part of such discourse. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on ELP’s Pictures At An Exhibition from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time, how it compares to Mussorgsky’s original piece and what it means in terms of ELP’s legacy today.

When Kate Bush shot to fame in 1978, her public image was that of a sweet young woman who sang about Cathy out on the windy moors, full of melancholy and yearning for Heathcliff. It was charming, inoffensive and, although eccentric, subtle enough to come across as endearing or at least, not challenging. When Kate’s fourth studio album, The Dreaming, was released in 1982, all of that changed. It is an album that some critics loved to hate — and that’s why it matters. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on The Dreaming from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time, and what it means in terms of Kate Bush’s legacy today.

Released in 1978, This Year’s Model was Elvis Costello’s second album and his first with The Attractions. Abundant in clever songwriting that often-made bold observational statements (even about the music industry itself!), This Year’s Model grabbed the attention of both UK and US audiences. In this book, author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in-depth perspective on This Year’s Model from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Elvis Costello’s legacy today.

Beat Instrumental summed it up in 1971: 'In a few short months Curved Air have emerged from the unknown depths to become one of the most talked-about bands around. By a combination of record company promotion (ranging from ads to that pretty patterned album) and a word-of-mouth reputation gained from their gigs, the group became a name before they had really done that much. Such a situation can be worrying for a band but Curved Air have the confidence to carry on unaffected.' Propelled into stardom at an exhilarating speed due to clever marketing and virtuosity in their musicianship, particularly violinist Darryl Way, the story of Curved Air in the 1970s is of a band that burned brightly before collapsing well ahead of their time. Fronted by the exotic Sonja Kristina, they supported Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter and B. B. King in huge stadiums, and several famous names passed through their ranks. These included Stewart Copeland who went on to form the Police with Sting. Every line up of Curved Air presented a stellar range of talent across a musically fascinating contribution throughout the decade. This book documents it all - from the groundbreaking albums like Air Conditioning and Phantasmagoria to the line up changes and traumas which caused the band to disband for the first time in 1976.

In 1983, Tears For Fears' debut album, The Hurting, was released after the success of their iconic single, 'Mad World'. Whilst embracing the popularity of synth pop, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith created an album that had a darker edge to it. Commercially it was a bold move but with memorable melodies and catchy rhythms, it paid off - all whilst making reference to the work of psychologist Arthur Janov. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on The Hurting from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Tears For Fears' legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

For Kate Bush, and indeed many in her strong fanbase, The Kick Inside is the album that started it all. Her 1978 debut was certainly attention grabbing; it propelled her to fame and got the ball rolling for a phenomenal career as a much appreciated musician and admired female talent. With the iconic 'Wuthering Heights', the young Kate had captured people's imagination with her original songwriting style and of course, her unique voice. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on The Kick Inside from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Kate Bush's legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

The year 1972 saw the release of Jethro Tull's iconic album, Thick As A Brick. A song spanning two whole sides of the LP with no gaps in between, Thick As A Brick was unusual even by so-called progressive rock standards at the time. Ironically, even though band leader Ian Anderson joked that the album was intended as "a bit of a spoof", it has gone on to be remembered as a masterpiece of the genre nearly fifty years later. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on Thick As A Brick from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Jethro Tull's legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

In 1974, Stormbringer was a pivotal album for Deep Purple. The second one made by the Mk3 lineup of Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale, it was ultimately the album that would see Blackmore call it a day with Deep Purple until the Mk2 line-up reformed in 1984. Blending a range of styles across heavy rock, funk and soul, Stormbringer is a very unique Deep Purple album and there is a lot to be said about the story behind it. In this book, music author Laura Shenton MA LLCM DipRSL offers an in depth perspective on Stormbringer from a range of angles including how the album came to be, how it was presented and received at the time (live as well as on record), and what it means in terms of Deep Purple's legacy today. As the author explains: "Basically, the book covers how the album was made, what was going on with the music in terms of the artist's intentions, how it did musically and commercially and what happened next." The narrative is essentially driven by contemporary interviews with the artists with small bits of music theory where relevant... in some cases they delve into the structure / key signatures / time signatures, based on the original sheet music without straying away from being an engaging read for non-musicians.

It started off so well. As Jon Lord enthused in the October 1975 issue of Melody Maker: 'Tommy can't be so bad for us with so many good ideas. All I can say is when you hear the album (Come Taste The Band) you'll change your mind. Whether you like the music or not, you'll have to realise that Deep Purple now have an excitement in their playing that they haven't had in a long time...' Despite calls of 'we want Blackmore' when Deep Purple Mark four played live, there was so much more to American guitarist Tommy Bolin than being Ritchie Blackmore's replacement. As a result, the purpose of this long-overdue biography is to readdress the existing narrative of Tommy Bolin's legacy. As well as discussing objectively Tommy's time with Deep Purple, Laura Shenton offers an insight into his musical achievements in his own right outside of the band, which include two cult rock albums in Teaser and Private Eyes. He also had a stint in The James Gang and made numerous guest appearances, where his versatile and virtuosic skills as a guitarist were utilised, before his untimely death in 1976 at the shockingly young age of 25

From humble beginnings in Teignmouth, Devon on England’s South West Coast, since the band’s inception around twenty-five years ago Muse has grown into one of the biggest bands in the world. Since the release of debut album Showbiz in 1999, Muse has gone on to mega status, selling out stadiums around the globe. From a band that was helped in the nineties with a £150 grant from the Prince’s Trust, they have escalated into leading torch bearers for twenty-first century rock music. Never shy to acknowledge influences from the past, Muse has also created its own unique style from blending numerous music genres into their own defining image. Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard have remained together through thick and thin; time and time again producing huge selling albums and sold out concert tours. This Visual Biography is a wonderful keep-sake souvenir portraying the band’s rise to superstardom, right up to 2019’s Simulation Theory tour. The largely, previously unpublished photos are complimented with a 15,000 word band history by music author Laura Shenton.

From the breakthrough with Crime Of The Century to the colossal success of Breakfast In America, it was never a smooth journey for Supertramp. With upsdowns financially, commerciallyin working relationships, Supertramp lived the highslows of the music business. From local gigs to highly demanding tours, this book documents it all.