NEW AUTHOR!
STEP UP, LAURENCE CANE-HONEYSETT
Originally studying graphic design, London-born Laurence Cane-Honeysett quickly established a distinguished career in music, illustration and writing, particularly focusing on Jamaican music for Record Collector.
By the early 1990s, he had joined Trojan Records, the world’s foremost vintage reggae label, initially as resident archivist, writer and product curator before assuming the position of label manager. Over the following two decades, Laurence led Trojan with distinction, overseeing the release of hundreds of new CD and vinyl albums, approximately half of which carried his sleeve notes.
During this period, he also co-wrote Young, Gifted & Black, the first authoritative history of Trojan Records, while continuing to contribute to a range of respected music publications.
To commemorate Trojan’s 50th anniversary in 2018, he wrote and art directed the widely acclaimed The Story of Trojan Records, which is scheduled for its fourth printing in 2028.
More recently, Laurence has moved on in order to work on a wide range of activities, including further books, articles for the music press and the development of new releases for a range of leading record companies.
NEW Book!
AC/DC. EVERY. DIRTY. SONG.
AC/DC. Every. Dirty. Song. is an incredibly comprehensive, narrative deep dive into every track the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll band has ever released. The title might nod to AC/DC’s unapologetic humour, but the work itself is serious, fully researched and immersive.
Each song is treated as a full essay — album cuts, B-sides, outtakes, live versions, rarities, and overlooked gems — exploring their origins, the studio magic (or chaos), cultural context, artwork, tours, gear and each song’s place in AC/DC history.
The material draws from a lifetime of immersion: numerous AC/DC shows worldwide; archival research; original interviews; writing for Classic Rock; and conversations from Kurt’s own AC/DC Beyond The Thunder podcast, which has featured members of AC/DC as well as many well-known cultural figures.
Here’s to the rock ’n’ roll damnation, the loudest noise pollution, and a salute like no other. For those about to read…
NEW AUTHOR!
THIS IS KURT SQUIERS
Kurt Squiers is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s biggest AC/DC fans and is the brains behind the successful charitable podcast AC/DC Beyond The Thunder.
He was hooked by Highway To Hell at the age of ten, had his first live AC/DC experience in 1985 and finally met the band in 2000, a relationship he has since maintained.
In 2009 Kurt launched AC/DC Twivia on Twitter (now X), asking a new question daily – over 5,000 questions and counting! – while giving away prizes to fans worldwide.
His day job is in advertising, where he runs his own company (SQUiERS LLC) and works with national brands and global bands – from AC/DC to Frank Zappa. He lives in in Raleigh, North Carolina and also writes for Classic Rock.
AC/DC. Every. Dirty. Song. is his first book.
NEW AUTHOR!
INTRODUCING RUDI ESCH
Rudi Esch was born in Düsseldorf and is a renowned music historian, author and musician. He is a cornerstone of the German alternative music scene and, as the long-standing bassist of the influential industrial band Die Krupps, played a key role in shaping the sound of EBM and industrial rock. He is also a member of Germany’s first punk band, Male.
With his critically acclaimed debut book, ELECTRI_CITY : The Düsseldorf School of Electronic Music, he established himself as the leading chronicler of Germany’s electronic heritage. In his most recent work, Spass Muss Sein – Love For Fun, Esch continues his exploration of German pop culture, giving voice to the pioneers, survivors and visionaries of the Schlager era.
Rudi is also the founder and curator of the eagerly anticipated annual ELECTRI_CITY Conference and is involved in various archival projects. He lives with his family on Graceland in the south of Düsseldorf and works as a music consultant in Düsseldorf and London.
NEW AUTHOR!
Mr. PATRICK HUMPHRIES
Patrick Humphries was recruited as a “hip young gunslinger” by the New Musical Express in the seventies, before joining Melody Maker as a staff writer. Since then he has also freelanced for a great many titles, including The Times, The Guardian, The Observer, Daily Mail, Mojo and Record Collector.
During this time, Patrick has interviewed many legendary figures, in particular Leonard Cohen, Art Garfunkel George Harrison, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Van Morrison, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Lou Reed, Ringo Starr, Bruce Springsteen and Roger Waters.
He has also written and presented some notable documentaries for BBC radio – covering such diverse subjects as Bob Dylan, Len Deighton, Elton John, Frederick Forsyth, The Bee Gees, Stephen Foster and The Battle Of The Alamo.
His first book – a biography of Fairport Convention – was published in 1982 and he has since written acclaimed biographies of Nick Drake, The Beatles, Lonnie Donegan, Richard Thompson and Paul Simon, amongst others.
“Patrick Humphries is one of the all-time great biographers of rock music. Few others come close” – Colin Hall, author of The Songs The Beatles Gave Away, and custodian of John Lennon’s Liverpool home, ‘Mendips’ (2004–2023).
“I didn’t think that anyone could find anything new in the Beatle universe, but you have. Ears and tail maestro… You done good” – Charles Shaar Murray on With The Beatles.
“With the Beatles is a terrific book. Patrick Humphries… scholarship in music is evident from the number of interviews with the famous (including three Beatles) and the not so famous who populate his book. Not only does the author know and love The Beatles’ music, he understands the roots from which they and their original fans sprouted. Many books have been written about The Beatles, and this is one of the very best” – Ray Connolly (That’ll Be The Day scriptwriter) on With The Beatles.
NEW AUTHOR!
Hello, NEIL COSSAR
Neil Cossar was the guitarist in the late seventies group The Cheaters, who, although signed to Parlophone Records, never quite troubled the charts. They were, though, continually on the road and BBC Radio 1 presented them with ‘the hardest working band of the year’ award after they’d played 321 gigs, as well as recording an album, during a single 12-month period…
Neil also ran a music PR company for 20 years – with his partner Liz Sanchez – working with Def Leppard, INXS, Joan Baez, Glen Campbell, Jean Michel Jarre, Natalie Imbruglia, The Hollies, Kiki Dee, Howard Jones, The Stranglers and UB40.