Whispering Jack

The album examined in this book transformed the singer John Farnham from a faded teen pop star into the most popular solo rock performer in Australia, in a career that has lasted for more than 30 years. Whispering Jack remains the top-selling album by an Australian artist in Australia, and constitutes the turning point in Farnham's bid to achieve credibility as an adult contemporary musician. The first single from the album, 'You're the Voice,' has achieved such iconic status that it is routinely referred to as Australia's unofficial national anthem. The book examines the album, its context and that history in order to recover a crucial conjuncture in the development of Australian rock and popular music, one that has previously been ignored in Australian popular music studies.

A forbidden fling… Jack Quinn has always been his widowed mother's fiercest protector. So, when his mom decides to reunite with her childhood sweetheart all the way out in California, there's no question—Jack's going with her, and to hell with the consequences…. Mia McMahon isn't exactly thrilled about her wealthy father dating a woman from his past. She smells a gold digger. But once she meets Jack, she forgets all about getting his mother out of the picture—and focuses on getting him into bed! The attraction between Mia and Jack is intense, irresistible…and breaks every rule in the book. Then again, everyone knows that the most delicious affairs are the forbidden ones….

David Nichols tells the story of Australian rock and pop music from 1960 to 1985 – formative years in which the nation cast off its colonial cultural shackles and took on the world. Generously illustrated and scrupulously researched, Dig combines scholarly accuracy with populist flair. Nichols is an unfailingly witty and engaging guide, surveying the fertile and varied landscape of Australian popular music in seven broad historical chapters, interspersed with shorter chapters on some of the more significant figures of each period. The result is a compelling portrait of a music scene that evolves in dynamic interaction with those in the United States and the UK, yet has always retained a strong sense of its own identity and continues to deliver new stars – and cult heroes – to a worldwide audience. Dig is a unique achievement. The few general histories to date have been highlight reels, heavy on illustration and short on detail. And while there have been many excellent books on individual artists, scenes and periods, and a couple of first-rate encylopedias, there’s never been a book that told the whole story of the irresistible growth and sweep of a national music culture. Until now . . .

"As playwright, composer and director, Mr Wood has given children a self respecting art form" (The Times) The Gingerbread Man - 'The perfect children's play, with lots of superbly silly jokes and foot-tapping songs ... a magnificent epic of comic disarray' (Time Out); The See-Saw Tree - 'We are made to feel at once that the theatre is something immediate and involving' (Times); The Ideal Gnome Expedition - 'David Wood has surely scored again ... yet another gently entertaining excursion into a fantasy world where eminently sensible values prevail' (Daily Telegraph); Mother Goose's Golden Christmas - 'I cannot recommend this pantomime highly enough ... an enchanting blend of mirth and music that captivates the hearts of mums, dads and kids' (Romford Observer)

In this deeply personal and insightful biography, author and music industry insider Jeff Apter provides a rare glimpse inside Farnsies world. Thanks to the support of those close to John its unlike any other book about the man. A family man at heart and the most loyal of friends, John was sometimes uncomfortable with the spotlight and for many years struggled to make his music career as successful as those close to him - including Glenn Wheatley and Molly Meldrum - could see it could be. He finally hit his stride with 1986s Whispering Jack and the breakaway success of Youre the Voice, which became the anthem of a generation. Jeff reveals the drama behind John being named Australian of the Year, how the cassette demo of Youre the Voice was nearly overlooked, and how John once accidentally sparked the attention of ASIO. And he explores Farnhams relationships with the figures who have been instrumental in making him The Voice: his first manager, Daryl Sambell; his wife of 40-plus years, Jill; and longtime friend and manager Glenn Wheatley.

As Hollywood entered the sound era, it was rightly determined that the same public fascinated by the novelty of the talkie would be dazzled by the spectacle of a song and dance film. In 1929 and 1930, film musicals became the industry's most lucrative genre--until the greedy studios almost killed the genre by glutting the market with too many films that looked and sounded like clones of each other. From the classy movies such as Sunnyside Up and Hallelujah! to failures such as The Lottery Bride and Howdy Broadway, this filmography details 171 early Hollywood musicals. Arranged by subgenre (backstagers, operettas, college films, and stage-derived musical comedies), the entries include studio, release date, cast and credits, running time, a complete song list, any recordings spawned by the film, Academy Award nominations and winners, and availability on video or laserdisc. These data are followed by a plot synopsis, including analysis of the film's place in the genre's history. Includes over 90 photographs.

Laura sees strings. Strings are memories people create during heightened emotional episodes. These strings are left behind on inanimate objects, creating a history that Laura can read. Not a bad skill to have for an antique appraiser. However, not all strings are good. When she bumps into a serial killer with twenty-three bloody strings attached to his knife, things become personal. Her best friend, Carol, is dating him. Laura suspects Carol is his next victim. She tries going to the police, but they think she’s a kook. Travis Dyner is a respected member of the community. He broadcasts the college football games. The police say this isn’t the first time someone has tried to stop him from calling the game. But what can Laura do? All she has are his strings. How can she use her talents to catch him in time to save her friend? …and possibly herself.

His French honeymoon continually interrupted by a series of misdeeds, DCI Jack Austin returns to Portsmouth to find the missing link. When an ambitious new detective infringes on his territory - and his ego - Austin resorts to illogically effective tactics to protect those that matter most. With a corpulent gangster gone missing and a banker murdered in Paris, can Austin reveal the perpetrator and bring him to justice?

All Jack Tanner asks is to be judged on his own merits. But life as the son of a much-loved war hero is never going to be that simple. Caught up in a galactic war, he confronts deep personal tragedy, suffers life-threatening injuries, and finds love for the first time on his way to becoming a soldier and a leader. Galactic superpowers Meridian and Sendara have been at war for decades when Jack Tanner, fresh out of military academy, signs on with Meridian's Starforce for his final year of officer training. All he wants is to be allowed to stand or fall on his own merits. But life as the son of a much-loved war hero is never going to be that simple. Thrown into non-stop action right from the start, this is Jack's coming-of-age story. He will confront personal tragedy, stumble through the trials and tribulations of first love and discover the true value of friendship on his way to becoming a soldier and a leader. Across the galaxy, an organised crime syndicate concocts a treacherous plot that could change the course of the war. Bribery, sabotage, treason and murder combine to threaten Jack's family, his new friends, his career – and his life. Against a backdrop of interstellar war and an escalating series of betrayals, all roads lead to Kobara Junction, where Jack will be in the forefront of the climactic battle as a desperate Starforce strikes back against its Sendaran enemy. Keywords: Military, Stars, Interstellar, War, Science, Starship, Action, Young, Adult, Fantasy