Five Years Ahead Of My Time

Five Years Ahead of My Time: Garage Rock from the 1950s to the Present tells of a musical phenomenon whose continuing influence on global popular culture is immeasurable. The story begins in 1950s America, when classic rock ’n’ roll was reaching middle age, and teenaged musicians kept its primal rawness going with rough-hewn instrumentals, practicing guitar riffs in their parents’ garages. In the mid-1960s came the Beatles and the British Invasion, and soon every neighborhood had its own garage band. Groups like the Sonics and 13th Floor Elevators burnt brightly but briefly, only to be rediscovered by a new generation of connoisseurs in the 1970s. Numerous compilation albums followed, spearheaded by Lenny Kaye’s iconic Nuggets, which resulted in garage rock’s rebirth during the 1980s and ’90s. Be it the White Stripes or the Black Keys, bands have consistently found inspiration in the simplicity and energy of garage rock. It is a revitalizing force, looking back to the past to forge the future of rock ’n’ roll. And this, for the first time, is its story.

Based upon work and materials compiled for the acclaimed and now much sought after 2007 Cramps biography A Short History of Rock'n'Roll Psychosis, Journey To The Centre Of The Cramps goes far beyond being a revised and updated edition: Completely overhauled, rewritten and vastly expanded, it now represents the definitive work on the group. In addition to unseen interview material from Ivy, Lux and other former band members, Journey To The Centre Of The Cramps also sees the Cramps' story through to its conclusion, recounting Lux's unexpected death in 2009, the subsequent dissolution of the group and their enduring legacy. The Cramps' history, influences and the cast of characters in and around the group are likewise explored in far greater depth. Features unseen first-hand interview material from Lux Interior and Poison Ivy. A wealth of new interview material with former band members and other key players in the band's history and never before seen/rare photographs and ephemera to help illustrate the book.

If you have an enquiring mind and want to learn how bobbing ostriches can reverse global warming, and how many blades were on Occam’s Razor, then this book is for you. If you don’t, and have no interest in finding out why infinity should be abolished, or why you shouldn’t take the first spaceship heading to Alpha Proxima, then it probably isn’t. Although things can change, so you may want to play safe and get the book anyway. Just in case. Either way...

Over recent years the study of addiction has moved from being a fragmented and under-developed area of science to become a forefront subject with its own identity. This book describes that fascinating process of evolution through a series of probing face-to-face interviews with the international scientists and other actors in the field who helped make the process happen. Unique in-depth interviews with 30 influential figures who have shaped modern addiction science. Ten commentaries from leading contemporary experts interpret this material by section. Recent history as base for future research planning and policy development

Littauer offers readers the opportunity to discover their true identity through a process of discovering how family relationships and circumstances can mask their natural temperament.

Bruce Gareth was a boy with determination. He managed to emerge from a poor family background to become one of today's leading aesthetic injectors, a real rags-to-riches story. He points out that, with a little knowledge, life can become so much easier and more fruitful, especially when one incorporates a sense of humour in life's challenges. Also, meeting interesting characters adds extra flavour to an exciting life. Savoury incidents he couldn't believe, to enjoying and watching revenge being served cold This book exposes Gareth's adventures in all aspects of life, and even provides insight into how men think about sex and women. He touches on the world of plastic surgery and explains the art of injectables. He exposes some of the practices of Harley Street and its surgeons. And he explains how life can come crashing in on you, when only you know the terrible secrets why. Anything written by the author is subject to scrutiny of the Royal Courts of Justice of the United Kingdom.

"Iain Dale's Diary caught the beginning of the great blog wave and rode it until Twitter became the dominant form of digital communication. Dale was key in transforming British political comment - melding political convictions, personal views, gossip and emotional honesty. His diary of the Westminster Village quickly built up hundreds of thousands of readers and became a must for those on the inside and those on the outside as well. Dale had something for everyone and not just political geeks: chance encounters, domestic dramas, the travails of supporting West Ham, and even the joys of walking the dog. We miss it. Read all about it in The Blogfather, an offer you shouldn't refuse." - Adam Boulton

Lois Weber (1879–1939) was one of early Hollywood’s most successful screenwriter-directors. A one-time Church Army worker who preached from street corners, Weber began working in the American film industry as an actress around 1908 but quickly ascended to the positions of screenwriter and director. She wrote, directed, starred in, edited, and titled hundreds of movies during her career and is believed to be the first woman to direct a feature film. At the height of her influence, Weber used her medium to address pressing social issues such as birth control, abortion, capital punishment, poverty, and drug abuse. She gained international fame in 1915 with her controversial Hypocrites, a complex film that featured full female nudity as part of its important moral lesson. Her most famous film, Where Are My Children?, was the Universal studio’s biggest box-office hit the following year and played to enthusiastic audiences around the globe. These productions and many others contributed to her standing as a truly world-class filmmaker. Despite her many successes, Weber was pushed out of the business in the 1930s as a result of Hollywood’s institutionalized sexism. Shoved into the corners of film history, she remained a largely forgotten figure for decades. Lois Weber: Interviews restores her long-muted voice by reprinting more than sixty items in which she expressed her views on a range of filmic subjects. The volume includes interviews, articles that Weber wrote, the text of a speech she gave, and reconstructed conversations with her Hollywood coworkers. Lois Weber: Interviews provides key insights into one of our first great writer-directors, her many films, and the changing business in which she worked.