Author(s): Bruno MacDonald

Music

A Pink Floyd album with no instruments. A Sex Pistols record more incendiary than Never Mind The Bollocks. A sci-fi rock opera by Weezer. Rock 'n' roll history is littered with intriguing albums that never saw the light of day, let alone the charts. Self-destructive ambition, intra-band turmoil, record-company politics and even death have all played their part in creating a fascinating sub-genre of mythic masterpieces. Now, The Greatest Albums You'll Never Hear untangles the twists of fate, the fights and the sheer bad luck that prevented these sonic gems from being pressed. Spanning more than half a century of music from all genres, these tales take in legends such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, cult heroes like Brian Eno and Frank Zappa, and contemporary artists, including Green Day and Dr Dre. Some of the records featured evolved into classic albums, while others became must-have bootlegs. Some endured a torturous journey to belated release, but many remain tantalisingly unreleased and unheard. Each ill-fated record is accompanied by an imagining of the cover that might have been. These original artworks have been brought to life by a team of acclaimed designers and illustrators, including Vaughan Oliver (Pixies, Bush, Cocteau Twins), John Pasche (The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix) and Bill Smith (Genesis, The Jam, Led Zeppelin). At once compelling and heart-breaking, The Greatest Albums You'll Never Hear is a guided tour of rock 'n' roll's great unmade marvels, and a must-read for all music lovers.