An Uncut Magazine Book of the Year
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'An adventurer, an entrepreneur, a buccaneer, a visionary' - BONO
As the founder of Island Records, renowned music producer Chris Blackwell has discovered and worked with some of the most legendary artists of the second half of the twentieth century - from Steve Winwood to Cat Stevens, Bob Marley to Grace Jones, U2 to Roxy Music, via Nick Drake, the B-52's and Robert Palmer. A maverick free spirit himself, Blackwell turned Island into a home for groundbreaking musicians and their wildly divergent music styles, playing an instrumental role in bringing reggae to the world stage.
Now, as he turns eighty-five, the great raconteur takes us back to the island where it all began: Jamaica - the paradise where his family once partied with the likes of Noël Coward, Ian Fleming and Errol Flynn and where, as local Jamaican sounds began to adopt contemporary American trends, Blackwell's burgeoning musical instincts flourished. It was also the birthplace of the cutting-edge Island Records, founded by Blackwell in 1959. But that was just the start of a truly remarkable career...
Winding through the music industry, this fascinating memoir makes for a giddy ride, encountering Island's many esteemed collaborators over the years and unpacking the initiatives, decisions and risks that ultimately brought such enduring success to Blackwell, both in music and beyond.
- 405 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
Information
Subtopic
MusicTable of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Prologue: Nearly the End
- 1. School versus Errol Flynn
- 2. The ’50s, Jamaica: Finding a Purpose
- 3. The ’60s, London: Making Contact
- 4. Hits, Misses and the Human Host
- 5. Folk: New Allies and New Sounds
- 6. Meeting Cat Stevens
- 7. Meeting Bob Marley
- 8. Voices, Visionaries and Videos
- 9. The ’70s: St Peter’s Square, Hammersmith
- 10. The ’80s: Compass Point, Bahamas
- 11. Timing: Grace Jones and the All Stars
- 12. Meeting U2
- 13. The ’90s: Shifting Ground
- 14. Moving On: For the Love of Jamaica
- Epilogue: Whatever Next
- Acknowledgements
- Credits
- Index
- Plates
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Yes, you can access The Islander by Chris Blackwell in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Media & Performing Arts & Music. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.