Bøger af Daniel Rachel

"We lived in Britain, a country that had hugely benefited from immigration, but curiously had an innate antipathy to the ideas of multiculturalism and diversity. Daniel Rachel has managed to capture the essence of that contradiction in those Margaret Thatcher-governed years, with this comprehensive, cautionary but nonetheless celebratory saga of the 2 Tone label."--Pauline Black, singer of The Selecter"Daniel Rachel has managed to talk to all the significant players and the story he tells is one that shines a light on the challenges of mixing pop with politics. This feels like the definitive story of 2 Tone. Masterful." --Billy Bragg In 1979, 2 Tone Records exploded into the consciousness of music lovers in Britain, the US, and beyond, as albums by The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers burst onto the charts and a youth movement was born. 2 Tone was Black and white: a multiracial force of British and Caribbean musicians singing about social issues, racism, class, and gender struggles. It spoke of injustices in society and fought against right-wing extremism.The music of 2 Tone was exuberant: white youth learning to dance to the infectious rhythm of ska and reggae crossed with a punk attitude created an original hybrid. The idea of 2 Tone was born in Coventry, England, and masterminded by a middle-class art student, Jerry Dammers, who envisioned an English Motown. Borrowing L700, the label's first record featured "Gangsters" by The Specials, backed by an instrumental track by the as-yet-unformed Selecter. Within two months, the single reached number six on the UK music charts. Dammers went on to sign Madness, The English Beat, and The Bodysnatchers as a glut of successive hits propelled 2 Tone artists onto Top of the Pops and into the hearts and minds of a generation.As excitement grew in the United States, 2 Tone bands began crossing the Atlantic to perform for American audiences. Soon, however, infighting among the bands and the pressures of running a label caused 2 Tone to bow to the inevitable weight of expectation and recrimination.Still, under the auspices of Jerry Dammers, 2 Tone entered a new phase. Perhaps not as commercially successful as its 1979-1981 incarnation, the label nevertheless continued to thrive for another four years, releasing a string of fresh signings and a stunning end-piece finale in the activist hit song "(Free) Nelson Mandela."Told in three parts, Too Much Too Young is the definitive story of a label that for a brief, bright burning moment shaped British, American, and world culture.

Take a fascinating journey with 'The Lost Album of The Beatles' by Daniel Rachel. Published in 2023 by the Octopus Publishing Group, this book offers a unique exploration into the world of one of the most influential bands in history. The Beatles have left an indelible mark on the music scene, and this book provides a new perspective into their journey. It is a must-read for any fan of the genre. The author, Daniel Rachel, brings his extensive knowledge and passion for music to the pages, creating an immersive experience that transports readers back to the height of Beatlemania. Don't miss out on this captivating read, brought to you by the esteemed Octopus Publishing Group.

Rude Boys Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation.

I Just Can't Stop It is the honest and compelling autobiography from British Music Legend, Ranking Roger.

Tony Blair, Noel Gallagher, Damon Albarn, Tracey Emin, Irvine Welsh and an abundance of other contributors unite in this ambitious oral narrative charting the epic highs and crashing lows of the UK's most creative period: the nineties. 'A tale of hedonism and opportunism, of great hope and dashed expectations' New Statesman

Walls Come Tumbling Down charts the pivotal period between 1976 and 1992 that saw politics and pop music come together for the first time in Britain's musical history; musicians and their fans suddenly became instigators of social change, and 'the political persuasion of musicians was as important as the songs they sang'. Through the voices of campaigners, musicians, artists and politicians, Daniel Rachel follows the rise and fall of three key movements of the time: Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone, and Red Wedge, revealing how they all shaped, and were shaped by, the music of a generation.Composed of interviews with over a hundred and fifty of the key players at the time, Walls Come Tumbling Down is a fascinating, polyphonic and authoritative account of those crucial sixteen years in Britain's history.