When he passed permanently into the next dimension in 2006, Syd Barretts life had developed into something far more significant than he could ever have imagined. The man who turned his back on probable fame, fortune and the entire rock music scene over thirty years ago had become an involuntary legend. Was he a genius or just a madman? The definitive answer to this question will never be known. But Psychedelic Renegades goes a long way towards unraveling the enigma that was Syds personality. Mick Rocks extraordinary images and frank text expose a man with enormous natural charisma, whose moods could be dark and brooding as well as buoyant with madcap laughter. This superbly produced book covers the period 1969-71, and features the photo session in and around Syd's London flat that produced the cover for his first solo album, The Madcap Laughs; it also features images Mick shot for the now famous Rolling Stone interview in 1971, which became the last photos Syd ever posed for.

A unique account of the Japanese rock phenomenon from a legendary rock musician with an army of fans 'The most obscenely enjoyable book of the year ... enlightening, thrilling and occasionally hilarious ... Cope is a supremely engaging writer whose aim is to entertain, educate and freak out' Telegraph 'This book's astonishing blend of seriousness and hilariousness is testament to perhaps the most remarkable mind in rock today' Word Julian Cope, eccentric and visionary rock musician, follows the runaway underground success of his book Krautrocksampler with Japrocksampler, a cult deconstruction of Japanese rock music, and reveals what really happened when East met West after World War Two. It explores the clash between traditional, conservative Japanese values and the wild rock 'n' roll renegades of the 1960s and 70s, and tells of the seminal artists in Japanese post-war culture, from itinerant art-house poets to violent refusenik rock groups with a penchant for plane hijacking.

“This makes entertaining reading. Many accounts of the birth of personal computing have been written, but this is the first close look at the drug habits of the earliest pioneers.” —New York Times Most histories of the personal computer industry focus on technology or business. John Markoff’s landmark book is about the culture and consciousness behind the first PCs—the culture being counter– and the consciousness expanded, sometimes chemically. It’s a brilliant evocation of Stanford, California, in the 1960s and ’70s, where a group of visionaries set out to turn computers into a means for freeing minds and information. In these pages one encounters Ken Kesey and the phone hacker Cap’n Crunch, est and LSD, The Whole Earth Catalog and the Homebrew Computer Lab. What the Dormouse Said is a poignant, funny, and inspiring book by one of the smartest technology writers around.

'The closest we'll ever get to a straight up Bowie autobiography -- but who'd ever want anything straight-up from Bowie?' - Rolling Stone In 2002, David Bowie and Mick Rock created Moonage Daydream, the defining document of the life and times of Ziggy Stardust. Twenty years later, it remains the closest readers will get to understanding Bowie through his own words. Alongside over 600 photographs taken by Mick Rock, Bowie's intimate and often humorous commentary gives unprecedented insight into his best and most memorable creation. Readers can see how Bowie singlehandedly challenged and elevated 1970s culture through his style, his inspirations which ranged from Kubrick to Kabuki, and his creative spirit which persevered through the decades. Moonage Daydream is the essential David Bowie book. First published as a signed limited edition, Moonage Daydream sold out in a matter of months and became lore among David Bowie fans. Now, on the 50th anniversary of Bowie's acclaimed album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the book is available again in a brand-new unabridged edition, keeping to Bowie and Rock's original vision, allowing readers to explore Moonage Daydream the way the authors intended. 'This is a book of extraordinary photographs. Ziggy Stardust blazed briefly but intensely, and I am delighted to see his life and times as a rock'n'roll star immortalised in this book.' - David Bowie

Utagawa Kuniyoshi produced thousands of prints and designs during his lifetime, but is perhaps best-known for his musha-e ('warrior prints'), with which he came to prominence in 1830. 'Outlaw Swords of Death' collects over 160 of Kuniyoshi's most striking and innovative early musha-e designs, presented in large format and full-colour throughout.

John Cavanagh is a former presenter of the Rock Show on BBC Radio One. He is a regular presenter on several other BBC Radio networks. And he owns a Farfisa Compact Duo organ which was used by Pink Floyd on many of their early recordings.