Penguin Books Australia

The Rolling Stones have stood like a Colossus over the rock 'n' roll scene for almost five decades.  At the heart of the band is Keith Richards one of the greatest guitarists of his generation.  Famous for some of the greatest riffs of the last century, he is equally well known for his outrageous rock 'n' roll lifestyle.  The man who topped the Most Likely To Die chart for more than...

In the early twentieth century being a female composer was a dangerous game; one composer was diagnosed as mentally insane by her psychiatrist husband, several achieved success only after their divorces and often the only way to get their music published was to lie about their gender. Still, the allure of writing music enticed women from all walks of life, and from the convent and the nappy-change...

ART DOESN'T EXPRESS.   IT INVENTS

Whereas fans of Australian post-punk group The Triffids may profess not to know their Barthes from their elbows, Vagabond Holes begs to differ.

In Try Whistling This , join a perceptive critic on a pleasurable journey through music and musicians, ideas and history.

Andrew Ford traces the concept of dirty dancing back to 1610, marvels at the weirdness of Percy Grainger and considers the decision of Wilhelm Furtwängler to keep conducting under the Nazis. He explores the intersection of words and music, the bugbear of Australian musical...

A delightful and informative history of modern music.

Harmony is created by bringing sounds together. In music lessons, we learn how to do this in a formal way: we learn about chords and keys, and we are given rules for using them. This is the textbook way; this is legal harmony.  Everything else – including the sounds that constantly surround us, those of ticking clocks, dogs, traffic...

'This impressive debut will surely mark Anna Goldsworthy's arrival as an Australian writer to be reckoned with.'   The Age

In this remarkable memoir, Anna Goldsworthy recalls her first steps towards a life in music, from childhood piano lessons with a local jazz muso to international success as a concert pianist. As she discovers passion and ambition, and confronts doubt and disappointment, she...

'Shots is . . . better than good. Most of the time it is brilliant.' Australian Book Review

'The book shines with its descriptive sense of place.  Shots carries the reader along for the ride . . . from the bush to Melbourne and Kings Cross and on to Europe.' The Age

The Sound of Pictures is an illuminating journey through the soundtracks of more than 400 films. How do filmmakers play with sound? And how does that affect the way we watch their movies? Whether pop or classical, sweeping or sparse, music plays a crucial role in our cinematic experience. Other sounds can be even more evocative: the sounds of nature, of cities and of voices.

'She was the unchallenged queen of the New York rock scene...Dorothy Parker of Max's Kansas City' - Rolling Stone

From the pubs of the Sydney Push to New York's legendary nightclubs, Lillian Roxon set the pace for an era that changed the world.

This is a roller-coaster ride through the history and present of popular music – from The Monkees, The Rolling Stones, Nana Mouskouri and Neil Diamond to Cat Power, Antony and the Johnsons, Franz Ferdinand and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and covering such Australian mainstays as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Mark Seymour, Paul Kelly and the Countdown spectacular.

The story of an Australian girl who defied convention and became the most famous singer of her era.

Growing up in Melbourne, Nellie Mitchell dreamed of fame, but her devout father disapproved. When a chance arose to go to Paris, she trusted in her musical talent and hoped for a lucky break.

This extraordinary memoir begins with Don Walker's early life in rural Australia and ends in the late '80s. In mesmerising prose, Walker evokes childhood and youth, wild times in the '70s, life on the road and in Kings Cross, music-making and much more. Shots is a stunningly original book, a set of word pictures – 'shots' – that conjure up the lowlife and backroads of Australia.

The Rough Guide to Guitar is a one-stop shop for all your guitar-related needs – whether you're buying, playing, gigging, recording or a complete beginner. Covering everything from the basics a new player needs to hints and tips for experienced guitarists, and even how to successfully start a band. Written by Dave Hunter, one of the world's leading guitar authors and contributor to Guitar Player...

The Rough Guide to Classical Music is the ideal handbook, spanning a thousand years of music from Gregorian chant via Bach and Beethoven to contemporaries such as Thomas Adès and Kaija Saariaho.

Have you ever listened to an incredible piece of music and wondered exactly why it makes you want to dance or cry?

Are you mystified by how musicians just 'know' what notes to play next when they're improvising?

Or why certain notes sound great together and others clash?  

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conducting Music

Release the songs inside you!

Imagine writing songs that have the same powerful effect on others as your favorite songs have on you!

Songwriting is an art, but fortunately it's an art you can learn.  If you have song ideas but don't know how to combine them with the right lyrics and melodies to express yourself, you're come to the right place.  This helpful guide is packed with everything...

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Guitar starts at the very beginning with learning how to hold the instrument and covers everything from reading tablature, bar chords, and strumming to playing the blues and rock riffs. Each chapter has practice songs, and the guide includes a play-along CD, so learners are playing guitar from the very first chapter.

Make sure you hit all the right notes.

Playing the piano is much more than just learning notes and reading music; having good dexterity, building independent finger strength, and learning proper technique is absolutely essential to mastering the instrument. Packed with everything a player needs to become a great pianist, The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Piano Exercises is the perfect companion to the...