Isle of Noises

"This is without doubt the finest book I've ever read about songwriters and the songs they write." Noel Gallagher

Isle of Noises features brand-new, exclusive, in-depth conversations with twenty-seven of the UK's greatest living musicians. Artists discuss their individual approach to writing, the inspiration behind their most successful songs, and the techniques and methods they have independently developed. It is an incredible musical journey spanning fifty years, from 'Waterloo Sunset' by Ray Davies to 'The Beast' by Laura Marling, with many lyrical and melodic secrets revealed along the way.

Original handwritten lyrics from personal archives and notebooks (many never-before-seen) offer a unique glimpse into the heart of the creative process, and some of the greatest names in photography, including Jill Furmanovsky, Pennie Smith and Sheila Rock, have contributed stunning portraits of each artist.

The combination of individual personal insights and the breadth and depth of knowledge in their collected experience makes Isle of Noises the essential word on classic British songwriting - as told by the songwriters themselves.

PRAISE FOR ISLE OF NOISES

"Never less than illuminating" Belfast Telegraph

"Daniel Rachel's Isle of Noises is made for sipping slowly, featuring long Q&As with 27 British songwriters." Best Music Books of 2013, Guardian

"Daniel Rachel's interview technique ... was straightforward: talk to songwriters not about fame, excess or the rock'n'roll lifestyle, but simply about the day-job. The insights he got were as fascinating as his subjects" Best Books of 2013, NME

"Rachel's brilliant tome is as far from the snotty, gossipy stereotype of music journalism as it's possible to get. . . . The introductions, and the questions that follow, reveal real insight" Guardian