What Is A Wommett

Mick Abrahams first rose to fame as a guitarist during the 1960s and was a founder member of Jethro Tull, although his time with the band was to prove short lived owing to the vividly contrasting musical styles of himself and Ian Anderson. In his autobiography What is a Wommett Mick finally puts the record straight about this parting of the ways and the events that have shaped the man and his music since that time up to the present day. Perhaps best known for his time with Blodwyn Pig, the band he formed after leaving Tull, Abrahams has continued to delight fans with his own brand of blues, jazz and rock on highly acclaimed albums spanning several decades. With a fitting foreword by radio presenter and champion of great music, Bob Harris, this autobiography provides a fascinating insight into the character of an upbeat man who hasn't allowed anything to keep him down for long. Packed with anecdotes and stories about Mick's life in and out of the spotlight, this book is a must have for his fans and anyone who remembers the excitement of the emerging new musical talent of the sixties.

On The Buses was a classic British situation comedy, created by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney, which ran for seven series from 1969 to 1973, and introduced a host of much-loved memorable characters. The series followed the ups and downs of life on the buses as portrayed by two work shy-busmen, Stan Butler (played by Reg Varney) and his mate Jack Harper (Bob Grant) as they invented new scams to wind up their long suffering boss, inspector Cyril Blakey Blake (Stephen Lewis). This book tells the whole 'On The Buses' story from its inception through to the three spin-off feature films it spawned. It includes details of cast, crew, locations and the many famous faces and catch phrases which made-up one of the most popular sitcoms ever to appear on our TV screens. On The Buses aired in an era where entertainment was unrestrained by politically correct rules but hilarious scripts and quality acting guaranteed the series a legion of loyal fans around the globe. This book is a must have for anyone interested in learning more about On The Buses an example of British sitcom at its best.

Lea Walker first caught the public eye when she appeared on Channel 4's Big Brother programme in 2006. Her outgoing personality, surgery enhanced figure and outspoken manner kept audiences glued to their screens but behind the smiles she was hiding a long history of eating disorders, abusive relationships and unhappiness. As well as trying to come to terms with a history of violence, a failed marriage and life as a single parent, Lea has faced a continuous battle with her distorted body image. It is only recently, that she has managed to emerge triumphant from the trauma of the past and find the inner strength to finally lay her demons to rest. Living with BDD is more than a biography. It is a touching and honest account of one woman's struggle to come to terms with the crushing low self esteem and dysfunctional body image that have dominated her life. By telling her story, Lea hopes that she may be able to help others to face up to their own personal nightmares. She is living proof that there is no problem so great that it cannot be overcome.

For the first time, in NO LAUGHING MATTER, Norman Hudis, who wrote the first six Carry On movies, reveals his hitherto secret, decades-long and quixotic writing-activity since he left the series. It's this: He Carried On Writing Carry On stories in the hope that, one day, he'd be asked to return and come up with one! Two typical intriguing examples, elaborated in these memoirs: "Carry On Under The Pier If Wet", skewering two doughty British institutions, the seaside concert-party and boarding-house - and, most audacious of all, "Carry On Shylock Holmes.". More firsts revealed within these pages: Norman's frank and terse opinions about, among others, Ted Ray, Hattie Jacques, Joan SIms ("Did I sleep with her?"), Charles Hawtrey ("Do you believe in fairies?"), Kenneth Connor and Kenneth Williams and, in Hollywood, Elvis Presley, Robert Young, Anne Baxter, Erik Estrada, Joan Crawford and Harold Shmidlap ("Who's he?" Hint: legendary creator of the TV series "Frontier Accountant."). Emerging, somewhat bewildered, but with a firm sense of comedy implanted in him by undergoing upbringing by a rather odd family, Norman felt compelled to seek substitute families to redress the balance: respectively as a young newspaperman, then serving airman in the WWII RAF, plus post-war film publicist and, finally, fully home, as a writer. This autobiography, therefore, with a fitting foreword by Carry On producer Peter Rogers, is Norman Hudis in a succinct and delightful nutshell. In his words: "I call the book NO LAUGHING MATTER as an understatement, because my life, beginning with the upbringing by my unconventional family, has actually been such a hysterical hoot, it's no great wonder that I write comedy. After all, let's face it, I've lived it."

Jonny Texas came from an unconventional but close-knit Midlands family and developed a fascination with all forms of gambling from a young age. He grew up learning how to be a wheeler dealer and in his twenties, with a young family to support, the challenge of beating the odds to make large sums of money became even greater. As he grew older, his life was to become a rollercoaster of highs and lows as he moved from one wild money spinning venture to another, making huge amounts and then losing them, unable to resist any gambling opportunity. The two constants in his life have been his family and poker and, at times, they have made uneasy bedfellows. But somehow, Jonny has managed to pull off the unimaginable, repeatedly pulling himself back from the brink of disaster and turning himself into a winner, appearing on TV and in the public eye. From Sixpences to Dollars documents the extraordinary story of one man's obsession with gambling and how he has ultimately turned it to his advantage.

Lifer Charlie Bronson's reputation precedes him - ‘Britain's most violent prisoner’ - or does it? Do we really know the true Charlie, or are our impressions the result of media hype? Well, what is in no doubt is that Loonyology is 200% Bronson and will transport the reader on the dizziest no-holds-barred roller-coaster ride of their lives, from suspense and shock to laughter and tears, and from Bronson the ‘Solitary King’ to Bronson the Philosopher, the Poet, the Artist, the Author, the Joker, the Walking Scar and the Freedom Fighter. Now 55 years old, and having spent most of his last 34 years as a maximum security ‘Bronco Zoo’ inmate, he’s a much wiser man as he looks back on his crazy journey of unpredictable behaviour, his ever-alert mind darting from reminiscences of his teenage years to memories of fellow-cons, the screws, the cranks, letters and news reports, prison life and procedures, and the overall madness (‘loonyology’) of the legal and penal systems, peppering his stories with diary entries, true gems of information, sound advice and hilarious one-liners. Together with his many supporters and with the aid of a top lawyer, Charlie is campaigning for the parole board to finally allow him his freedom, but begging is not his style: he calls a spade a spade and is determined to win with dignity, fighting with his pen and his brain to achieve his aim of a life outside ‘the cage’. In his words: “I chose to be a villain. I’m not proud of it, nor am I ashamed of it. I have paid my debt to society and it’s time to go home.”

Jim Dawkins left home at the age of sixteen to pursue his dream of joining the army, and subsequently served with the Royal Green Jackets, including tours of Canada and Northern Ireland. During that time he learnt many important lessons in the ‘University of Life' that would serve him well in the future, such as discipline, respect, pride and honour, but which, at the same time, would lead to insufferable stress as he constantly battled with his conscience and struggled to swim against the tide. Once back in Civvy Street, and with a new house and a baby to support, Jim decided to join the Prison Service. But what faced him in this new career, which centred on Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs and Belmarsh prisons, shocked him to the core. For this ex-squaddie, who believed in establishing good working relationships with inmates, including notorious long-termer, Charles Bronson, the cancerous environment of staff bully-boy tactics and prisoner victimization was sickening. Jim tells his story, which, although peppered with humorous anecdotes of often lager-induced incidents from both his army and prison days, bears witness to the stark reality of what actually goes on behind prison doors, and exposes both the glaring flaws in the prison system and the atrocities perpetrated in the name of justice, which ultimately forced his decision to leave the Prison Service seven years later.

(Musicians Institute Press). Navigate the guitar neck better than ever before with this easy-to-use book! Designed from Musicians Institute core curriculum programs, it covers essential concepts for players of every level, acoustic or electric. A hands-on guide to theory, it will help you learn to build any scale or chord on your own and unleash creativity. No music reading is required.

Was John Lennon meeting Paul McCartney more significant than John Lennon meeting Yoko Ono? Rubber Soul or Revolver? Which Wings album was Paul McCartney's solo pinnacle? In 100 brief chapters, John M. Borack discusses and ranks the greatest moments in Beatles history. An avid Fab Four fan since childhood and a music journalist for more than thirty-five years, Borack has created a book to agree with and disagree with, and one that is sure to spark conversations. A love letter to the greatest rock band of all time, The Beatles 100 is a book for Beatles buffs and casual fans alike.