McLeods Booksellers

Should I Stay or Should I Go? And 87 Other Serious Answers to Questions in Songs by James Ball

$19.99 NZD

Category: Music

What is love? How soon is now? Is there life on Mars?How do you solve a problem like Maria? They're some of the most famous questions ever asked. But do you know the answer to them? In Should I Stay or Should I Go?, award-winning journalist James Ball travels from the economic status of doggies in windo ws, to what war is good for and what becomes of the broken hearted to find out the definitive, fascinating and hilarious answers.In doing so he uncovers what we have always known - pop music is the key to life itself. ...Show more

Drum Course For Beginners

$14.99 NZD

Category: Music

The Definitive Guitar Handbook (2017 Updated) by Rusty Cutchin

$26.00 NZD

Category: Music

This best-selling one-stop resource is packed with practical advice on how to tackle the basics, such as simple chords and finger-picking, right through to more complex power chords, slurs, bends and slides. It also includes tips on stagecraft and performing live, and step-by-step guitar maintenance. Th e galleries of guitars and guitarists, and the chord dictionary have been comprehensively updated for this edition. ...Show more

Australia Rocks: Remembering the Music of the 1950s to 1990 by Lucy Desoto

$49.99 NZD

Category: Music

Australian rock music has a rich history of performers and bands that have created not just the soundtrack for Australian lives but have also shaped the international music scene. In the early days of the 1950s and '60s, Australian rock saw performers like Johnny O'Keefe and The Easybeats. The 1970s saw Cold Chisel and AC/DC, among others, performing to packed halls locally. AC/DC turned this into international success, blasting through three decades of touring and performing. However, it was only in the 1980s and 1990s that Australian rock truly made its mark on the international stage with iconic bands such as Men at Work, Midnight Oil and INXS. Australia Rocks brings the bands and the times to life through unique photographs and evocative text. Written by a rock musician, it also goes beyond the 'big names' to highlight the many independent, often lesser-known performers who played such an integral part in shaping the industry, and shines a light on how rock music was not only influenced by global events (the Vietnam War, for example) but also formed part of enormous cultural shifts (the Swinging Sixties, the protest movement, etc.). From the demure dance halls of the 1950s to the smoke-filled pubs of the 1970s and the packed concerts of the 1990s and beyond, Australia Rocks will have music lovers dusting off their vinyl collection and remembering the good times. ...Show more

Mozart – The Man Behind the Music

$14.99 NZD

Category: Music

When Ziggy Played Guitar - David Bowie, the Man Who Changed the World by Dylan Jones

$30.00 NZD

Category: Music

On 6 July 1972, David Bowie, with a flame-orange cockade quiff, lavishly applied make-up, wearing a multi-coloured jumpsuit that looked as though it were made from fluorescent fish skin, and carrying a brand spanking new blue acoustic guitar, made his third appearance on Top of the Pops. It was this per formance that properly resonated with Bowie's audience, and caused a seismic shift in the zeitgeist, embedding the Ziggy Stardust persona into the nation's consciousness. In When Ziggy Played Guitar, Dylan Jones looks back at one of the most influential moments in pop history, and the birth of an icon. ...Show more

Ed Sheeran by Sean Smith

$35.00 NZD

Category: Music

Ed Sheeran is a true inspiration. His moving and uplifting songs forge a lasting connection with the millions of people around the world who love him and his music. He was the thirteen-year-old guitarist in a school rock band when he decided to become a singer-songwriter, even though he could barely hol d a tune and had never written a song. Within a year, he had recorded an album in his bedroom. Bestselling biographer Sean Smith traces the astonishing journey of the shy little boy with a stammer who, avoiding flashy showmanship, grew up to be a global phenomenon. Through compelling new research and interviews, he tells the story of Ed's remarkable mum and dad who gave their son the courage to pursue his dream, the friends and mentors who encouraged him and the lovers who inspired his most famous songs. Smith describes the setbacks Ed faced before his fortunes were transformed by Elton John's management company, a record deal and a song that changed everything - with a little help from Taylor Swift. Ed found it difficult to cope with the world at his feet, but a new relationship with a girl from his home town has brought him happiness and a fresh purpose in life. Now he is the most successful solo star on the planet, earning £83 million last year. Yet in the middle of his record-breaking 2018 UK tour, he played for just 400 people at a charity night to raise money for the homeless. As this captivating book reveals, there's no one quite like Ed. ...Show more

Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, etc. by Jeff Tweedy

$39.99 NZD

Category: Music

Through his pioneering work in the legendary country-punk band, Uncle Tupelo, to his enduring legacy as the creative force behind the unclassifiable sound of Wilco, Jeff Tweedy has weaved his way between the underground and the mainstream - and back again. Funny, disarming, and deeply honest, his memoir casts light on his unique creative process and the stories that shaped his life and career, from a childhood spent in Illinois to the release of No Depression in the early 90s - which set the blueprint for alt-country - and later working with Mavis Staples and, posthumously, Woody Guthrie. ...Show more

30-Second Rock Music - The 50 Key Styles, Artists and Happenings Each Explained in Half a Minute by Mike Evans

$32.99 NZD

Category: Music | Series: 30 Second Ser.

30-Second Rock Music starts with 1950s rock'n'roll (and its roots) and explores blues and folk, progressive and heavy metal, punk, indie and alt rock, profiling extraordinary bands and musicians along the way. Featuring groups as diverse as Wilco, The Killers, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie W onder and The White Stripes, this book promises rock fans the world tour of a lifetime, from Detroit to Tokyo and everywhere in between.   ...Show more

Queen: Album by Album by Martin Popoff

$45.00 NZD

Category: Music | Series: Album by Album Ser.

A thoughtfully curated and gloriously illustrated retrospective of the band's studio releases, Queen, comes just in time for the 45th anniversary of their debut LP and biopic. Formed in 1970, Queen went on to become one of the most popular--and most successful--rock bands of all time. Even following the untimely death of beloved and magnetic frontman Freddie Mercury, and nearly 50 years after their formation, interest in the band has continued, evidenced by scores of reissues, arena tours with surviving members, and a feature-film biopic. In this new installment in Voyageur Press's Album by Album series, rock journo Martin Popoff convenes a cast of 19 Queen experts and superfans to discuss all 15 of the band's studio albums (including their soundtrack for the 1980 film Flash Gordon). Panelists include Queen experts, rock journalists, musicians, and record industry figures. The results are freewheeling discussions delving into the individual songs, the circumstances that surrounded the recording of each album, the band and contemporary rock contexts into which they were released, and more. The engaging text of this beautifully designed book is illustrated throughout with rare live performance and candid offstage photography, as well as scads of rare Queen ephemera. The Album by Album series is a unique approach to the rock bio, injecting the varied voices of several contributors. The results have even the most diehard fans rushing back to their MP3 players (or turntables) to confirm the details and opinions expressed ...Show more

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2018 by Robert Dimery (General Editor)

$45.00 NZD

Category: Music

Now newly revised for 2018, this fascinating book is the ultimate critical guide to history's greatest albums.

Ed Sheeran: Memories We Made - Unseen Photographs of My Time with Ed by Christie Goodwin; John Sheeran

$39.99 NZD

Category: Music

'...a fabulous book' Chris Evans (BBC Radio 2) A stunning collection of rare and unseen photographs and stories charting Ed Sheeran's rise to global superstar, by long-time collaborator Christie Goodwin. Featuring a foreword and additional photo captions by Ed's father, John Sheeran. "When I first met Ed Sheeran he was unknown and unsigned - just a young busker trying to make it big. But I could see something special in Ed. I agreed to photograph him for free to help him on his way to the top. That was the beginning of a 10-year collaboration, with the two of us crossing paths as Ed became one of the biggest stars on the planet - a story told here, through my camera. Including images and stories I'm sharing for the first time, with additional captions by Ed's father John, this is an up-close and intimate view of Ed Sheeran." Christie Goodwin ...Show more