Robin Turner

Andrew Walsh

Jeff Barrett

'Pitched as an antidote to the 'modern slavery' of Blackberry's, mobiles etc, Jon Savage's memoir of navigating the pre-gentrification Docklands with Derek Jarman is a highlight, while poignant pieces about epic canoe trips, ice-skating through the Fens and innumerable idyllic tributaries constitute an extended billet-doux to the landscapes and idiosyncrasies of the British Isles' - (4 STARS) - "Mojo" magazine. From the Thames to the Telford, the Wear to the Wellsbourne; from canoe adventures to ice-skating, from angling to day-dreaming, "Caught by the River" is an exceptional new take on nature writing. Here, the writers take you on a journey down some of our most famous waterways and some of its best kept secrets. Funny, surprising, delightful and poignant, they all share one thing - a passion for the rivers of Britain and Ireland. The result is a uniquely modern take on an age old writing tradition - a rock 'n' rock nature book ever. The authors, many acclaimed and the rest soon to be, each contribute to a collection of writing as varied and unexpected as the rivers themselves.This evocative anthology of the best new nature writing is presented in a collection of essays on some of our favourite rivers, covering the entire length of the country. A diverse collection of authors share their thoughts, experiences and reminiscences on the river that means something special to them. Contributors include Gavin Pretor-Pinney who retraces a canoe trip his grandfather made 60 years ago, Roger Deakin writes about the history of ice skating in the fens, Jon Savage describes a trip down the Thames with the Sex Pistols, Irvine Welsh recounts the courtship rituals witnessed by the River Forth, plus there are many more contributors including Bill Drummond, Edywn Collins, John Niven, Jarvis Cocker, and Chris Yates to name a few.

An Anthology of Writing about British Rivers

Caught by the River

Believe in Magic is a fully illustrated history of one of the most colourful and exciting independent British record labels, Heavenly. Set up by Jeff Barrett in 1990 as the acid house revolution was in full swing (he being one of the architects), Heavenly's early releases set the tone and tempo for the mood of the decade to come - their first release was by perhaps the most revered acid house dj of them all, Andrew Weatherall; and this was quickly followed by singles from St Etienne and Manic Street Preachers. Heavenly was always more than a label though, more of a 'club' and in 1994 Jeff and Robin set up The Heavenly Social, alongside the Hacienda perhaps the most famous club in recent British history, where the Chemical Brothers made their name. Over nearly 180 releases in thirty years, Heavenly have consistently produced some of the most exciting music across all genres - dance, acid house, singer-songwriter, psych-garage - and this book collects rare photographs, ephemera, artwork into a celebration of a label that is, alongside Rough Trade and Factory, one of the most beloved institutions on the independent landscape. Running though the book will be a ridiculously entertaining 50,000 word oral history of the chaos and bad behaviour and general party spirit that is the presiding personality of the label, its bands and the people associated with its success.

30 Years of Heavenly Recordings

Believe in Magic

Paul Moody

Inspired by George Orwell, Paul Moody and Robin Turner take a nostalgic road trip around Britain in search of the perfect pub. 'A deeply satisfying travelogue' Stuart Maconie In 1946, George Orwell, a man fond of a pint, wrote about his favourite pub, The Moon Under Water, in his EVENING STANDARD column. But it didn't actually exist. It was Orwell's vision of a perfect pub. Today, Wetherspoons have fourteen Moon Under Waters, and the nation is awash with identikit, high-street lounge bars competing for a dwindling clientele. Paul Moody and Robin Turner's road trip around Britain, therefore, is not just a search for the perfect pub. It is a deeper investigation into what has happened to British pub culture, once the toast of the world. In fact, it is a search for a kind of life-force kindled by the British public, something the powers-that-be are forever trying to extinguish. Along the way, such luminaries as Pete Brown ('the King of Beer'), Tim Martin (Wetherspoon's boss), Iain Sinclair, James Dean Bradfield and Paul Kingsnorth are consulted - along with a host of micro-brewers, landlords, politicians, bloggers and barroom philosophers. What emerges is a picture of the country as seen through a pint glass, a vision that goes to the heart of what it means to be British.

Looking For the Moon Under Water

The Search for the Perfect Pub

'Heavenly is more than a record label, it's the absolute nectar of all that's brilliant in the culture of these island. I love the shit out of them and everything they stand for.' Irvine Welsh BELIEVE IN MAGIC tells the story of Heavenly Recordings in thirty vignettes, photography and ephemera, all of which relate to landmark records, moments and characters in the label's first three decades. A label responsible for creating satellite communities of fans around the world and at all the major festivals, Heavenly was set up by Jeff Barrett in 1990 after several years working for Factory and Creation as the acid house revolution was in full swing; early releases set the tone and tempo for the mood of the decade to come - their first single was produced by perhaps the most revered acid house DJ of them all, Andrew Weatherall; and this was quickly followed by era-defining singles from Saint Etienne, Flowered Up and Manic Street Preachers, music which perhaps captures the flavour of the early '90s better than any other. Heavenly was always tuned to an aesthetic that was sensitive to the anarchic spirt of the times; defiantly eclectic with a radar set to taste and a never-ending commitment to discovering new talent. In 1994 they set up The Heavenly Sunday Social, which became one of the most influential and mythologised clubs in recent British history, where the Chemical Brothers - then the Dust Brothers - made their name. For thirteen weeks, it was the hottest nightclub on the planet. For 180 demented acolytes in a basement room below the Albany pub. Over nearly 200 releases in thirty years Heavenly have consistently produced some of the most exciting music across all genres, and this book collects rare artwork and wild anecdotal evidence into a celebration of a label that is one of the most beloved institutions on the independent landscape. BELIEVE IN MAGIC includes contributions from Manic Street Preachers, Beth Orton, Doves, Don Letts, Edwyn Collins, Confidence Man, Mark Lanegan, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard.

Robin Turner

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