To Be Here Someday book review by Deacon Blue fan Jim Boyle:If you haven't done so already I would really urge you to treat yourself or a loved one to Paul English's absolutely stunning book this Christmas, charting the 35 year career of Deacon Blue. Whilst I'm maybe a tiny bit biased because some of my scribbles, pics, press cuttings and ticket stubs feature in the final cut it's been the most enjoyable non-fiction book I've read in years. I was a little bit curious about how it would turn out when I first heard the ambitious aim of trying to tell the band's story both from the perspective of the band as well as their fans but Paul English has absolutely nailed it. I loved the format of the book, perfectly set out in two complementary parts. The first part follows the chronology and the back story of the band told by the band and some of their crew from the very early days through to the cancellation of the original Cities of Love dates last year. Each member often brings a different take or recollection and it features a lot of tales I had read before but also so many fascinating new anecdotes and insights. So many brilliant and amusing little stories and rare facts are shared for the first time. No spoilers here though. I found myself going onto autopilot playing each of the band's albums in the background as I read the relevant section of the book, often seeing an album track or its meaning in a slightly new light. Their back catalogue really is outstanding and it was fascinating hearing how they tried to evolve their approach and sound at different times in their career, whether it was the pressure from the record company to write a hit single, their brief flirtation with the Oakenfold stable and dance remixes or the impact on some of the band members (Jim especially) depending on whether piano or electric guitar was at the forefront of the band's sound at different times. Paul's writing is so natural and heartfelt and it's clear he also has a passion for the band and gets that across. I loved the little extras with a number of clever chapter titles and a handful of subtle lyrical references throughout. I noticed all your tiny touches Paul. The images scattered through the book also did a great job of bringing the different chapters of the band's career to life. The second part of the book, sharing the memories and reflections of the fans, has been painstakingly and lovingly curated by Paul English. Again whilst I was delighted to submit my own scribbles I wasn't quite sure how a story told by dozens of different voices would translate into a memoir and wondered whether it would flow or become a bit disjointed or repetitive, more like a scrapbook. Any fears were quickly allayed. The second part is a wonderful read and it flows just perfectly. Every voice offers something slightly different. Whether people have never seen them live or have seen them dozens of times it's clear that the band means a lot to so many but also means something different to so many too. It was equally fascinating to hear how the same song can mean something so different to different people. The band has a special connection with its audience and that's clearly much more than just entertaining them.

Deacon Blue: To Be Here Someday

Neuroscientist Dr Julia Jones aka Dr Rock is back - with the third wellness book in her health trilogy. Julia has been studying the effects of music and sound on behaviour and wellness for 30 years. The first book helped in boosting a surge of interest in this area and became a unique music-based wellness programme run at offices of some of the largest companies in the world. As an academic her PhD, MSc, MBA, PG Cert and BA (Hons) studies and research all examined various aspects of neuroscience and psychology. She began her professional career as a Sport & Exercise Psychologist and Physiologist in the early 1990s, working with Olympic squads. Her post-doctoral studies continue to examine the neuroscience of mental health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (King's College London). As a consultant and coach she advises business leaders, elite sports, health organisations, government groups and celebrities. She sits on the Education Task Force of the UK Parliamentary Group for Artificial Intelligence. Julia has recently written innovative wellness and care strategies for the new £5bn Brent Cross Town development in London, and the NHS' first dementia village. The final book in the Health Trilogy, titled 'F-Bomb Longevity Made Easy' published in 2022, will reveal how the latest technology, combined with biological science, will easily keep our in-built, evolutionary, biological, wellness systems ticking. It will explain how these practices and breakthroughs are going to change the way we approach wellness and healthcare forever (and possibly significantly extend our healthy lifespans beyond 100 years).

F-Bomb Longevity Made Easy

Neuroscientist Dr Julia Jones aka Dr Rock is back - with the second wellness book in her health trilogy. Neuron: Smart Wellness Made Easy is the latest volume in a series which draws attention to the shortcomings of previous diet and fitness approaches to health and the failure of all these multi-billion trends to produce healthy nations. Dr Jones's first book, titled 'The Music Diet: A rock and roll guide to a healthier, longer, life" presented a range of science, demonstrating the many ways that music and sound can be used to deliver positive health effects throughout life. It encouraged readers to re-embrace music as a wellness tool within daily life, and to view it as much more than purely entertainment - which is how it had become positioned over previous decades. The sequel revisits music and sound as a wellness tool and expands the examination by also reviewing the latest science relating to other wellness practices that can be used alongside music and sound. These include natural daylight exposure, timed eating routines, slow motion strength moves, breathing techniques and many others. Many of these practices now fall under the term 'biohacking' and this new book explores an extensive range of the latest neuroscience and physiological insights in an easy-read. It also documents a 12-month experiment the author performed on her own wellness using these Smart Wellness techniques - combining basic science knowledge, simple habits, the latest tech devices and lab tests of gut health and biological ageing speed. Dr Jones said: "Neuron explains why decades of diet and fitness trends failed to produce healthy nations, and highlights why this new and fast-growing 'smart wellness' movement is far more likely to finally deliver the improvements in public health that we urgently need. You'll learn all the basic science with a daily schedule of simple habits that can provide you with a shortcut to wellness and produce transformative results." The book also marks the launch of a Smart Wellness programme, already being delivered online by global employers, and the opening of Dr Jones' first immersive Smart Wellness experience centre. Julia has been studying the effects of music and sound on behaviour and wellness for 30 years. The first book helped in boosting a surge of interest in this area and became a unique music-based wellness programme run at offices of some of the largest companies in the world. As an academic her PhD, MSc, MBA, PG Cert and BA (Hons) studies and research all examined various aspects of neuroscience and psychology. She began her professional career as a Sport & Exercise Psychologist and Physiologist in the early 1990s, working with Olympic squads. Her post-doctoral studies continue to examine the neuroscience of mental health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (King's College London). As a consultant and coach she advises business leaders, elite sports, health organisations, government groups and celebrities. She sits on the Education Task Force of the UK Parliamentary Group for Artificial Intelligence. Julia has recently written innovative wellness and care strategies for the new £5bn Brent Cross Town development in London, and the NHS' first dementia village. The final book in the Health Trilogy, titled 'Autotune', published in 2022, will reveal how the latest technology, combined with biological science, will easily keep our in-built, evolutionary, biological, wellness systems ticking. It will explain how these practices and breakthroughs are going to change the way we approach wellness and healthcare forever (and possibly significantly extend our healthy lifespans beyond 100 years).

Neuron: Smart Wellness Made Easy

With an irrefutable reputation achieved over fifty-plus years working with a stellar cast of clients which included U2, The Stone Roses, David Bowie, New Order, The Police, Depeche Mode, Simply Red, Bob Marley, Massive Attack, , REM, Matchbox Twenty, The Pixies, Elvis Costello, Genesis, Johnny Cash, Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, Tom Petty, Peter Gabriel...and many more, it is not for nothing that U2's manager, Paul McGuinness, has said, "Tony Michaelides has long been one of the UK's foremost record promoters and undoubtedly one of the best that U2 have had the pleasure of working with."Tony is acknowledged by both the artists he has nurtured and by his peers for the wealth of experience he has gained through an illustrious career that spanned more than three decades. His first foray into the music industry began in 1974 working as a sales representative for Transatlantic Records before he took on a similar role at ABC Records. In 1978 he made the move to Island Records and to work in their promotion department. Tony set up his own promotions company, TMP. His first two clients naturally, were Island and A and M Records. Over the next 25 years TMP became one of the most highly respected and successful promotion companies in the UK. During that time, in 1984 Tony was invited to replace Mark Radcliffe on one of the UK's most popular radio stations, Piccadilly/Key 103 and for the next 12 years presented his own music program, 'The Last Radio Program, ' which was a Sony nomination for 'Best local radio show.' As his operation expanded TMP undertook all regional promotion activities at Factory Records and over the next 10 years worked with Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, James etc. During that time Mute Records also approached him to handle their artists which included Depeche Mode and Erasure.1997 marked a personal highlight in Tony's career when he was asked to be the publicist for David Bowie's 'Earthling Tour, ' responsible for all press, radio, and television. The following year TMP expanded their operations into working with more American clients, most notably Lippman Entertainment, one of the world's most successful management companies and the opportunity to work with multi platinum act, Matchbox Twenty. They also became the UK consultants to Warner Chappell's LA office and Atlantic Records in New York. In 2004 Tony was granted a Green Card as an "Alien of Extraordinary Ability, " for services to the music and arts, an accolade awarded to a small percentage of people who have reached 'The Pinnacle of Excellence in the Field of Endeavor.' With a wealth of stories accrued from working with some of the world's leading artists it became abundantly clear that these stories should be shared with a larger audience. A new day had dawned, and as Tony says, "I learned from some of the greatest people to have ever graced the music industry, the likes of whom will never exist again. And to be now given the opportunity to inspire others with the stories has become both a pleasure and a passion." It's what he likes to call 'Moments That Rock', and which coincidentally became the title of his podcast together with his new book.

Moments That Rock

This book outlines the many ways that music can improve your wellbeing if you embed it in your life and your workplace. This is the one diet you'll want to stick to for life. Dr Julia Jones (aka Dr Rock) has been studying the effects of music on human behaviour for 20 years. While working as a Sport Psychologist with GB Olympic squads, her MSc research examining the effects of music on focused performance, resilience and motivation was published in the Journal of Sport Sciences. Julia's PhD research examining the effects of music exposure during youth forms the basis of her current work with the NHS' first dementia village opening 2020. She contributes to a number of UK Government groups and commissions relating to health, technology and education. She is a member of the British Neuroscience Association and currently studying applied neuroscience principles and the effects of music on stress, attention, mental health and brain function at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College, London.

The Music Diet

Marcel Rijs has followed Kim's career from the start. In 1996 he started a website about her, which eventually became her official fansite wilde-life.com. He was involved in several compilation CD's and reissues of Kim's early albums. After writing the liner notes for Kim's first three albums, released by Cherry Pop last year, he was inspired to write a full biography. The book came together over the course of a year, with Kim contributing exclusive quotes to tell the story of an astonishing career. Kim first saw success in 1981 with her debut single "Kids in America", which reached number two in the UK. In 1983, she received the Brit Award for Best British Female solo artist. In 1986, she had a UK number two hit with a reworked version of the Supremes' song "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which also topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1987. Between 1981 and 1996, she had 25 singles reach the Top 50 of the UK singles chart.

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