Sean Egan

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s masterpiece of American rock ’n’ roll with this handsomely produced and stunningly illustrated volume. Bruce Springsteen and Born to Run: 50 Years is the definitive story of a landmark album in American rock music. In 1975, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band released what would become their breakthrough album and arguably the most lauded album of Springsteen’s long, illustrious career. Born to Run has sold over 9 million copies and counting and continues to inspire musicians and music fans young and old from around the world. In this book, music journalist Sean Egan takes a deep dive into one of the legendary musician’s most famous albums on its 50th anniversary. Chapters cover Springsteen’s career prior to 1975, track-by-track analyses of each side, the studios where it was recorded, the supporting tour, and The Boss’s career after the LP. Illustrated with performance and off-stage photography as well as memorabilia, the book is presented as a slipcased hardcover. Springsteen fans new and old can expect:A deep dive into how the album came together and why it is regarded as a masterpieceTrack-by-track analyses of the studio cut as well as insight into the many disregarded tracks and ideas leading up to its recordingHistorical insight and analysis about the state of rock in the mid-’70s and how Springsteen assembled a wildly talented group of musicians in the E Street BandThe story of the battle between Springsteen and Columbia Records after his previous albums failed to ignite the public’s passionAnd much, much moreThis display-worthy book is a must for every Bruce Tramp’s collection. The Great Albums series presents authoritative explorations of rock’s most revered records, beautifully packaged for fans to treasure. Delve into even more groundbreaking releases with: Pink Floyd and The Dark Side of the Moon, The Who & Quadrophenia, Prince and Purple Rain, and Queen & A Night at the Opera, with more to come.

For some, Rod Stewart embodies all of the conceit and narcissism that susceptible egos are prone to once they make it big in the music industry. Even if that were true, however, that wouldn’t change the fact that he is responsible for some of the greatest recordings ever made. A great number of those songs were recorded for the Mercury label between 1969 and 1975, spread across Stewart’s solo output as well as his side gig as front man for the band Faces. Even when the records were likable more often than they were classic, Stewart was still one of the greatest live attractions in the world, whether on his own or with the band. Rod Stewart: The Classic Years gives an precedented in-depth look at this crucial phase of Stewart’s career. Author Sean Egan brings together interviews with musicians Mick Waller, Pete Sears, and Ray Jackson, engineer Mike Bobak, manager Billy Gaff, Stewart’s then-girlfriend and muse Dee Harrington, his publicist Jonathan Rowlands, and many other key individuals in orbit around Stewart, including a brand-new interview with the man himself for a first-hand account of the Mercury years. Egan offers a striking portrait of big egos, plenty of decadence, and solid-gold rock ‘n’ roll amidst the long post-‘60s hangover.

Planet of the Apes was a concept that started life in 1963 as a quirky work by French literary novelist Pierre (The Bridge on the River Kwai) Boulle. His concept of a world where humans are ruled over by apes proceeded to become one of the biggest multi-media sensations in history. The 1968 Charlton Heston motion-picture adaptation of Boulle's book was celebrated and successful but was just the beginning. By 1973, said picture had spawned four sequels. It then spun off a live-action TV series, which in turn spun off the animated TV show Return to the Planet of the Apes. What with this, comic books, novelizations, and a tsunami of merchandising, the late sixties and first half of the seventies had a distinctly simian flavor. A new generation was introduced to the concept when, in 2001, Tim Burton's updating of the series appeared in cinemas. This itself was rebooted a decade later in the form of Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its two sequels. Despite all the fantasy (and money-chasing), however, the series has always been marked by thoughtfulness, exploring serious themes alien to most franchises. Planet of the Apes explores every aspect of this media phenomenon---from books to films to comic books to television shows to video games to merchandise---to provide an overview of Planet of the Apes that is truly definitive. With the help of new and exclusive interviews, it examines the contributions of producers, directors, writers, actors, and makeup artists in an attempt to gain an understanding of how this media property has changed the world.

The year 1979 was a seminal watershed moment in rock music. The year saw the release of Pink Floyd's The Wall, David Bowie's Lodger, Led Zeppelin's In Through the Out Door, Bob Dylan's Slow Train Coming, Fleetwood Mac's Tusk, Elvis Costello and the Attractions' Armed Forces, Joe Jackson's Look Sharp! and I'm the Man, Stiff Little Fingers' Inflammable Material, Gary Numan/Tubeway Army's Replicas and the Pleasure Principle, Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, the Jam's Setting Sons, the Clash's London Calling, and the UK 2-Tone phenomenon. It also saw a slump in album sales, a resurgence in single sales, and the peak and bloody death of disco. Now, with the help of new and exclusive interviews with artists and producers, New Waves, Old Hands, and Unknown Pleasures tells the varied, vibrant, and often unexamined story of popular music in 1979. It reveals the stories behind key recordings, traces the trajectories of commercial and artistic successes, and explains the musical and socio-political context behind the sounds of the day.

THE JAM WERE THE RUNTS WHO BECAME KINGS. Initially derided by New Wavers for being uncool suburbanites, Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler unexpectedly proceeded to fulfil every promise ever made by punk as they took social protest and cultural authenticity to the top of the charts. The three-piece from Woking, Surrey racked up 18 hits, among them the timeless likes of In the City, Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, Going Underground and Town Called Malice. Their classic albums included Setting Sons and Sound Affects. Yet their musical excellence was only the half of it: they prided themselves on remaining accessible to their fans, disdaining Americanisation and spurning commercial compromise. Although it was a blow to their army of followers, their split at the end of 1982 was hailed as the perfect illustration of their integrity: a bowing out at the top, regardless of financial temptation. Their story, though, was more complicated and sometimes less honourable than how it appeared from the outside, with the group's vaunted values contrasted by private recrimination and duplicity. Sean Egan has spoken to a raft of insiders to provide the definitive Jam biography. Via access to recording producers, music label staff and all three members of the Jam, he has uncovered the full truth about a remarkable band. "... Sean Egan has written the most definitive telling of the story to date ... the book perfectly captures the era and ardent fanaticism that The Jam evoked during their reign while also offering insightful commentary on the music" -Classic Pop

In 1912, Edgar Rice Burroughs created Tarzan, an orphaned English lord given a simian upbringing in the African jungle. The 'ape-man' has been an iconic character ever since. Tarzan: The Biography traces his history in prose, film, comic strips, comic books, radio, stage, television, video games and merchandise. It contains exclusive interviews with Burroughs family and associates, and with actors, directors, writers and artists who have brought the character to the public. Originally published as Ape-Man, this improved publication has been fully updated and augmented by over 100 images. This is the definitive word on the Lord of the Jungle. Interviewees include: -Danton Burroughs, grandson of Edgar Rice Burroughs -Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas, Tarzan comics writers -Gary Goddard, co-screenwriter of Tarzan the Ape Man (Bo Derek version) -Hugh Hudson, director of Greystoke -Joe Kubert, Tarzan comics artist -Christopher Lambert, star of Greystoke -Denny Miller, Tarzan actor -Michael Moorcock, author and Tarzan expert -R A Salvatore, Tarzan author -David Yates, director of The Legend of Tarzan "...excellent book ... Egan writes ... with a winning mixture of affection, cattiness and awe-inspiring erudition" - Starburst

Fleetwood Mac was a triumph from the beginning-their first album was the UK's bestselling album of 1968. After some low points-when founder Peter Green left, some fans felt that the band continuing was sacrilege-Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined, and the band's 1977 album Rumours became one of history's immortals, a true classic that remained in the charts for years and public affection forever. In the press, the ethereal Californian Stevie Nicks, the tormented rocker Lindsey Buckingham, the dignified English rose Christine McVie, the blunt-speaking John McVie, and the loquacious Mick Fleetwood have all regularly been astoundingly candid. This collection of interviews across the entirety of Fleetwood Mac's career features articles from such celebrated publications as Crawdaddy, New Musical Express, Circus, Creem, Mojo, Goldmine, Classic Rock, Blender, and Elle, as well as interviews that have never previously appeared in print. In it, readers will learn the Fleetwood Mac story from the band members' own mouths, and experience it contemporaneously rather than through hindsight.

Fleetwood Mac was a triumph from the beginning—their first album was the UK’s bestselling album of 1968. After some low points—when founder Peter Green left, some fans felt that the band continuing was sacrilege—Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined, and their 1977 album, Rumours, became one of history’s immortals, a true classic that remained on the charts for years and in the public's affection forever. In the press, the ethereal Californian Stevie Nicks, the tormented rocker Lindsey Buckingham, the dignified English rose Christine McVie, the blunt-speaking John McVie, and the loquacious Mick Fleetwood have all regularly been astoundingly candid. This collection of interviews across the entirety of Fleetwood Mac’s career features articles from such celebrated publications as Crawdaddy, New Musical Express, Circus, Creem, Mojo, Goldmine, Classic Rock, Blender, and Elle, as well as interviews that have never previously appeared in print. Here is the only place you can learn the Fleetwood Mac story from the band members’ own mouths.

When considered in a broader social context, The Clash stand as one of the most important musical acts in rock history. Original punks who transcended the music’s minimalist origins, The Clash lived and breathed the idea that they could change the world with their art. In The Clash: The Only Band That Mattered, respected music critic Sean Egan examines The Clash’s career and art through the prism of the uniquely interesting and fractious UK politics of the 1970s and ’80s, without which they simply would not have existed. Tackling such subjects as The Clash’s self-conscious tussles with their record label, the accusations of selling out that dogged their footsteps, their rivalry with the similarly leaning but less purist Jam, the paradoxical quality of their achieving multiplatinum success, and even whether their denunciations of Thatcherism were proven wrong, Egan has come up with new insights into a much discussed group. Clash fans, Clash haters, social historians, and political students will all find themselves entertained by his thought-provoking conclusions.

The iconic life and career of the famed guitarist of the Rolling Stones is detailed in this compilation of interviews that spans the last 50 years. Featuring articles from GQ, Melody Maker, and Rolling Stone, as well as interviews that have never previously appeared in print, it charts Keith Richards's journey from gauche, young pretender and swaggering epitome of the zeitgeist to beloved elder statesman of rock. Initially overshadowed by band mates Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, Richards gained popularity as half of the second-most important songwriting team of the 1960s, and in 1967 the drug bust at his house and his subsequent trial and imprisonment made him a household name. His interviews match his outlaw image: free of banality and euphemism, they revel in frank stories of drugs and debauchery. Yet they also reveal an unexpectedly warm, unpretentious, articulate, and honest man. This collection amply illustrates the magic and charm of Keith Richards.

A bumper commemoration of the 50th anniversary of The Rolling Stones' signing in 1963.

Are you enamored with instant messaging? Would you like to learn how to create your own messaging application? This book shows you how, by dissecting Gaim—the world’s most popular open source instant messaging application. Authored by the Gaim maintainer, Sean Egan, you are presented a thorough overview of Gaim architecture and Application Programming Interface. You’ll learn how to make the most of the popular GTK+ graphical user interface toolkit. Egan guides you through the creation and installation of plug-ins, and discusses strategies involved in supporting messaging protocols like MSN Messenger, AIM and IRC. He also covers topics such as multi-platform support and internationalization.

This brilliant debut novel by respected music journalist Egan is the alternately exhilarating and harrowing story of guitarist Paul Hazelwood, from his childhood on a London estate where he nurtures his dreams of stardom to his agonizing realization that talent doesn't necessarily bring success.