Product Description

John Barry has been called the most important popular British composer of the 20th century. Winner of five Oscars, and composer of the James Bond films, "Born Free", "The Ipcress File", "Midnight Cowboy", "Out of Africa" and "Dances with Wolves", as well as classic TV themes such as the "Persuaders", he has become a cultural icon and an inspiration to countless musicians. Throughout the 1960s Barry was at the heart of swinging London, with two flats in Chelsea, an E-type Jag and friends like Michael Caine, David Bailey and Peter Sellers. Jane Birkin was his wife and his "Goldfinger" soundtrack was second only to the Beatles in the US. His career reflects the evolution of post-war British music from big band to rock and roll and the birth of pop, and his beginnings in the film world coincided with the renaissance of British cinema. Written with the cooperation of John Barry, and including insights from friends, "John Barry - A Sixties Theme" is a recreation of a period when London was the international focus for music and film. And against a backdrop of enormous social change, it reveals how John Barry came to write his music and why.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #652783 in Books
• Published on: 2001-11-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 261 pages

The Times
‘Fiegel’s take is illuminating – the most original of recent music books’

Mojo
Fiegel’s book is one you can’t put down’

Total Film
‘Cracking quotes, a flair for stirring research and a sensuous evocation of the Brit-capital at its hippest. A mouth-wateringly good read’

Customer Reviews

Excellent
This is a truly enjoyable book, obviously thoroughly researched, crammed full of fascinating details, it's intelligent, entertaining and evocative, capturing not only the spirit of John Barry, but also conjuring up a fabulous swirl of a swinging 60's London peopled with film stars and rock stars, models and musicians, all of them icons, all of them utterly fascinating.
I had serious fun reading this book - an absolute Must for Bond aficionados, it's also an absolute pleasure for anyone who loves the music of John Barry. One word of advice,the book is illustrated with a great collection of photographs BUT if you don't have any of John Barry's beautiful music in the house, go and get some, it's even better reading it with one of his superb soundtracks playing in the background. Life doesn't get much better.

Save your money
I am a huge fan of John Barry and was delighted when a friend bought this book for me as a present, but the childish style, constant name-dropping and irritating phraseology - 'the Lew Grade of the North' and 'the Eton of the north' - make for a book that is dull beyond belief.