“My mother prophesied years ago that my voice would take meplaces. She was certain that there was a reason I was able to sing.I am still discovering what that reason is, what it is that Godwants to happen.” –CLAY AIKEN, from Learning to Sing When he was a kid singing in his church choir, Clay Aiken neverdreamed of becoming a pop music star. His ambition was to be ateacher, maybe even a high school principal. But Clay’s mother wasright, and the music that was Clay’s joy in life was destined tolead him to unexpected triumphs. In Learning to Sing, Clay details what his astonishing successhas meant to him. He writes from the heart about his life beforeand since his instant stardom on American Idol, how he has changed,and how he struggles to adapt to life in the public eye. He speakscandidly about his lonely childhood: the father who abandoned him,the school bullies who tormented him, the mother who taught him tobe strong, and the friends and teachers who–more than they everkne

What's the secret to writing a hit song? It's as simple as1-2-3-4-5-6 Innovative, practical, and inspiring, "Six Steps toSongwriting Success" presents a surefire step-by-step approach tomastering the elements consistently found in hit songs. AuthorJason Blume, a songwriter with the rare distinction of having hadsongs on the Country, Pop, and RandB charts simultaneously, haspacked this book with such key aids as the three-step lyric writingtechnique used by the pros; lyric, melody, and demo checklists; andtools for self-evaluation-plus many other exercises that work.Blume's warm, humorous style features motivational anecdotes andentertaining stories of how hit songs came to be written andrecorded. Get "Six Steps to Songwriting Success," and get on thecharts

A basic primer for anyone without musical training who wishesto learn to read musical scores when singing or taking up aninstrument, this accessible and complete book covers classical,popular, jazz, and folk music. Well-known pieces are accompanied bya muscial dictionary, a note directory, and a guide to musicalsigns.

Desde queen 1890 en Estados Unidos se utilizara el terminorascacielos para designar al edificio de oficinas en altura, esteha suscitado diversidad de reflexiones --entre el entornoarquitectonico y la opi-nion pOblica- acerca de sus limites ydisefio. El ras-cacielos es un producto genuinamenteestadouniden-se, fruto del siglo xx, cuya presencia y evoluci6n essin6nimo de progreso tecnologico, la sociedad de consumo y lapolftica liberal. Este volumen propone una revision de los rascacielos queinauguran el nuevo milenio, con la seleccion de edificios de laultima decada del siglo xx y principios del xxi de algunos de losarquitectos mas relevantes de la actualidad. Asf, se muestranedificios que forman parte del debate arquitect6nico actual y quemuestran como sus autores afrontan la arquitectura en relacion conla sociedad y la ciudad.

An illustrated, inside look at the rock group Nirvana offers acandid look the band's members, chronicling their rapid rise in themusic world and revealing the true story of the drug-abuse rumorssurrounding them.

Interior designers will enjoy this beautifully illustratedvolume of 39 interiors located in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing.Both private and commercial buildings are featured, includingrestaurants, resorts, and homes, in new and renovated locations.Many of the designs combine Asian materials and styles with Westerntraditions. Distributed by T

A huge gathering of the finest American and British song lyricsfrom 1910 to 1975. Robert Kimball, editor of the complete lyrics ofCole Porter, Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart and next year's IrvingBerlin, and Robert Gottlieb, editor of the recent Reading Jazz,have collaborated to choose the 800 or more most distinguishedlyrics of the century, from early P.G. Wodehouse and the IrvingBerlin of Alexander's Ragtime Band through the greats of Broadwayand Hollywood -- Gershwin, Hart, Porter, Berlin, Oscar Hammerstein,Yip Harbourg, Dorothy Fields, Frank Loesser, Noel Coward -- to theearly triumphs of Stephen Sondheim. Plus many writers who arebarely remembered today -- Don Raye ("Mr. Five by Five", "I'llRemember April"), Bobby Troup ("Route 66", "Daddy") -- withsurprises like Ogden Nash, Maxwell Anderson, Dorothy Parker, andTruman Capote. Over 100 lyricists in all, each one introduced witha brief biography and commentary, and presented chronologically, sothat this big volume not only presents the core of an entireliterat

The Ultimate Guitar Book is a comprehensive, lavishlyillustrated guide to guitars, from early acoustics to the latestelectrics. No book has ever brought together so many guitars insuch keen detail and rich portrayal, featuring speciallycommissioned photographs of over 450 famous, rare and vintageguitars. It is packed with construction and design informationwhich brings each instrument to life. In addition, it containsprofiles of great guitar designers and their pioneering innovativeworkshops. The Ultimate Guitar Book is quite simply the mostbeautiful book on the guitar ever produced: its opulentillustration is complemented by extensive factual narrative. Thebook is certain to become a definitive reference work on thesubject, and makes immensely pleasurable browsing for guitarplayers and collectors alike, from beginner to professional. 9inch. x 11 inch..

"A cat book with class, this sumptuously produced, highlyliterate collection of felinity as represented in art, literature,and photography is sure to elicit purrs, " raved Publishers Weeklywhen this BOMC Selection was published in 1982. Long out of print,this cat-lovers dream book is now reissued in paperback. 70full-color reproductions. --Ce texte fait référence à uneédition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.

The bible of the music industry Now in its tenth edition,"This Business of Music" has been revised and completely updated toreflect the latest changes in the ever-evolving music business.Every chapter has been revised. An entirely new chapter has beenadded, asking and answering the question "Are there borders incyberspace?" The answer is yes, and the book clearly and conciselyexplains what they are and how to maintain them. Commentary onrecent legislation, a reader-friendly summary of the laws oncopyright duration, and much more insightful analysis--plus fullyupdated lists of music organizations and important websites--make"This Business of Music" indispensable for musicians, agents,managers, marketers, music publishers and groups, colleges anduniversities, and everyone who wants to make music and makemoney.

Like Moses delivering forth the Ten Commandments, Henry Owingsis bringing music fans The Rock Bible an insider's guide to livingthe rock 'n' roll dream. This hilarious rulebook is full of dos anddon'ts for musicians, wannabe musicians, and rock fans of all ages.Here's what The Rock Bible has to say about Singers: 'When you feellike stage-diving, make sure the people in the front row like yourmusic enough to catch you.'Backstage antics: 'Couches at rock clubshave never been cleaned. Think of the crazy things that have beendone on these couches, and then proceed at great personalrisk.'Lifestyle: 'If you want to die while in a famous rock band,there are four options. 1. Suicide. 2. Car or plane crash. 3. Drugoverdose. 4. Murdered by a crazy relative. Just pick one and stickwith it.' Complete with faux-biblical illustrations and parablesand essays from comedian Patton Oswalt, drummer Brian Teasley, andprofessional smartass Andrew Earles, The Rock Bible is a rude andraunchy look at the best and worst of rock 'n'

Although developments in camera technology mean that qualityimages are now well within the grasp of the keen amateur, themarket place is competitive. How does an aspiring photographerimprove and promote his or her photography in order to earn extraincome, or to make the leap to professional status? This newsubject-focused series explains everything the amateur needs toknow, from planning a shoot to effective marketing of the images toclients. In the first title, Landscape Photography, renownedlandscape photographer Mark Lucock offers the keen amateur aninsight into the daily life and decision-making of the workinglandscape photographer, sharing professional insights and tradesecrets of producing successful commercial and fine artphotography. Equipment and technique are only part of the equation:Lucock's approach is also a spiritual one - his passion about theenvironment gives his approach a highly compelling, personal edge.Lucock equips readers with all the necessary information, andplenty of inspiration, to

Situated between Western Europe and the civilizations ofByzantium and the Islamic world, Renaissance Venice was uniquelypositioned at the crossroads of East and West. In the beautifulAdriatic city, ideas and aesthetics were exchanged and developed ina remarkable age of cultural fusion. Venice’s distinctivearchitecture is already well known for integrating divergentcultural influences, but the impact of this synthesis on Venetianpainting has not been fully explored. This gorgeous book focuses onthe work of the remarkable Bellini family of painters—Jacopo andhis sons Gentile and Giovanni—who transformed Venetianpainting in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. The authors examine the influence of Venetian trade with the Easton Bellini paintings; the Byzantine influence on Venetian art; theimpact of a visit to Mehmed II’s court in 1479 on Gentile Bellini,as well as his effect on Eastern-trained artists there; and muchmore. The book is abundantly illustrated with the Bellini family’

Breaking up is hard to do - and when a relationship turnssour, nothing provides more comfort than the cheesy pop hits of the'70s and '80s. Just as Quirk's I Can't Fight This Feeling was ananthology of classic love poetry, You Give Love a Bad Name featurespoetic writings on breaking up - and moving on - from The Bee Gees,Michael Bolton, Pat Benatar, Hall and Oates, and many others.Packaged in an elegant hardcover volume with a deluxe ribbonmarker, it's the perfect gift for anyone seeking to mend a brokenheart. Includes these timeless classics: - Is She Really Going Out with Him? - Joe Jackson - She's Gone - Hall and Oates - Cold Hearted - Paula Abdul - Alone - Heart - Goodbye to You - Scandal

Paul Nicklen, a resident of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories,has lived nearly all his life in the far north. Trained as abiologist, he is an experienced wilderness guide, as well as aninternationally acclaimed photographer. Huge Brody is an associateof the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge University. Heis the author of several books, including Maps and Dreams, Indianson Skid Row, and Inishkillane: Change and Decline in the West ofIreland. He lives in London.

An answered prayer for Beatles fans and collectors, the first?volume of a unique work that exhaustively chronicles all known and?available Beatles recordings! Have you ever watched a Beatles film clip andwondered: ? Where was that filmed? ? Is any more of that footage available? Have you ever heard a Beatles interview andasked: ? When was that taped? ? Where’s the best place to find the completerecording? Way Beyond Compare has the answers to these andthousands of similar questions. It’s the key to unlocking thesecrets behind every known Beatles recording in circulation through1965, telling you where to find them, what makes them unique, andhow they fit within the context of the Beatles’ amazing musical andcultural journey.

In this compelling book, Robert Coles, the celebrated Harvardprofessor and Pulitzer Prize–winning author, turns his attention topopular music legend Bruce Springsteen, and to the powerful impactSpringsteen’s work has had both on the lives of his audience and onthis country’s literary tradition. Coles places Springsteen in thepantheon of American artists—Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams,Dorothea Lange, and Walker Percy, among others—who understood andwere inspired by their “traveling companions in time,” the ordinarypeople of their eras. With wisdom and a unique personal perspective, Coles exploresSpringsteen’s words as contemporary American poetry, and offersfirsthand accounts of how people interact with them: A truckerlistens to “Blinded by the Light” during long, lonely nights andreminisces about his mother; a schoolteacher is astonished when ausually silent student offers a comparison between “Nebraska” andConrad’s Heart of Darkness; a policeman responds to “Am