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Buy Crossfade Here!
The Big Chill's first book, 'Crossfade', edited by Vicki Howard and Pete Lawrence, is available from the Big Chill's online shop.The book, published by progressive publishing house Serpent's Tail, offers ten essays written on different music genres / eras by handpicked Big Chiller contributors, each from an enthusiasts' perspective: Mixmaster Morris tracing practically the entire history of jazz from a personal viewpoint, Stuart Borthwick on his 80s icons, Alan James on the post-punk eclectic era, Yam Yam's Guy Morley on African music (and politics), Tony Marcus on rave culture and its relationship to nostalgia, Susanna Glaser on her progression from classical to bleep, Ally Fogg in defence of chill out, DJ Derek on his reggae roots in St Pauls, Bristol, Hillegonda Rietveld on The Hacienda and house music, and co-founder Pete Lawrence attempting to debunk a few pre-conceptions about folk music.
"We were keen to let some of our Big Chill artists and writers share their passions and experiences and knowledge with the world," says Vicki. And that knowledge, that passion, had few limits. As Pete says, "What surprised me was the common ground and the crossreferences between the diverse genres that the writers chose. But then, turning that preconception on its head, subverting the tried and tried and trusted, or however you choose to describe it, has always been at the centre of our ethos."
The book was turned around from concept to finished product, in a little over nine months, an extraordinary feat testament to the energy, commitment, enthusiasm and sheer hard work of the team involved. "There's something there about the human gestation period and the book being 'our baby' too, but it would be too easy a gag to crack," grins Vicki.
Crossfade is published by Serpent's Tail (RRP £12). You can buy it NOW from the Big Chill's online shop!
Written: 26th Aug, 04
Read: 3314 times
