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Posted: |
Dec 21, 2008 - 5:50 AM
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By: |
Gareth
(Member)
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John Barry - The Man With The Midas Touch
___________________________________
by Geoff Leonard - Pete Walker - Gareth Bramley
foreword by Don Black, OBE.
ISBN 978-1-904537-77-9
255 x 180mm
304pp
=================================
John Barry is far and away Britain's most successful and celebrated film
composer, responsible for some of the most memorable movie music in
cinematic history. Such is his standing within the film industry that he
remains the only musician from the UK to have won as many as five Academy
Awards (for Born Free, The Lion In Winter, Out Of Africa and Dances With
Wolves). His contribution towards creating James Bond's musical persona is
now part of film legend, another significant accomplishment in what has been
a truly extraordinary multi-faceted career.
During the formative years of British rock 'n' roll, John Barry led his own
band, The John Barry Seven, into the charts as well as masterminding the
emergence of singer Adam Faith, whose distinctive string of hit singles -
epitomised by 'What Do You Want?' - lit up the pre-Beatle pop era. Ever
versatile, Barry has also composed many popular themes for TV, among them
The Persuaders, and wrote the long running hit musical, Billy.
In John Barry - The Man With The Midas Touch, this astonishing 50-year
career is celebrated in all its musical facets. The authors, each one an
authority as well as a fan, draw not only on their own knowledge, but also
on conversations with Barry himself and with people who have known him over
the years as a performer, producer, arranger or writer.
Among almost 200 photographs (more than 60 in colour) celebrating John
Barry's entire career right up the present day, many have never been issued
before, while others have not been available in any form for a number of
years.
The most comprehensive and complete discography yet compiled is another
major feature of the book, making it an essential reference point for
enthusiasts and music historians alike.
Avaliable from
http://www.johnbarry.org.uk
or
http://www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.redcliffepress.co.uk/new.html#smr
WHSmith's, Waterstone's, etc.
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Looks like a great book. We need more of these in film music land. I know I'd be ecstatic if they were to release one on my own favourites Williams, Elfman or Goldenthal, for example.
Who are 'they', Thor. Why not write one yourself?
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Posted: |
Dec 22, 2008 - 1:39 PM
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By: |
Alex Klein
(Member)
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I'll quote the authors:
"Whether or not you purchased "John Barry - A life in Music", ten years ago, you can look forward to a book that has been thoroughly re-written and completely updated. We have spent a lot of time on the picture content and this too has been extensively updated and includes a good selection of rare photos, both colour and black and white.
There are approximately 300 pages including two photo sections of 16 pages each of colour and b&w. In addition to this, a photo introduces each of the thirty chapters, and, of course, the discography has been updated to include everything that's happened since 1998. It's a book that does full justice to a glittering career."
I don't have the first edition, so I can't compare. I will tell you that the amount of photographs completely amazed me. I'm sure every chapter had substantial re-write and some completely new chapters were written. A few examples of things that obviously didn't make the first book (and are discussed in the new edition):
- Mercury Rising
- Brighton Rock
- Eternal Echoes
- Enigma
- The re-recordings
- Old and new pictures (quite revealing!)
- Don Black's foreword
- The discography (so extensive I feel like an amateur!)
I know I sound like a commercial but Ii'm being honest. I think enough content has been updated to warrant this second purchase (and if you were one of the authors, would you release a book that doesn't differ much from your old edition? I would be bad marketing thinking, IMO).
Alex
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I was in the BFI on 12 December and bought this very nice and informative book. When I got home it was confiscated and has now been re-presented to me as a Christmas present from my other half. It is a handsome volume and truly worth having, don't hesitate guys, get it!
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Great Work thank you Geoff, Pete and Gareth. 
