Thames & Hudson to publish iconic Oasis book by photographer Jill Furmanovsky and Noel Gallagher

Exciting news today for fans of Oasis (and who isn't, right?). See the timely media release below and official cover for a book that will cast a renewed focus on one of rock's all-time great bands...Robert Kinsler

Thames & Hudson to publish iconic Oasis book by photographer Jill Furmanovsky and Noel Gallagher

Book cover image: Courtesy of Thames & Hudson

 

Tristan de Lancey, Creative Director at Thames & Hudson, has bought World All Language rights to OASIS: Trying to find a way out of nowhere by Jill Furmanovsky and Noel Gallagher from Vicki McIvor at Take Three Management. Thames & Hudson has sold rights in three countries thus far: in France to Editions Seghers (Editions Robert Laffont); in Italy to Lizard Rizzoli (Gruppo Mondadori); and in Japan to Sekai Bunka Publishing Inc. The book will be published by Thames & Hudson in the UK, US, and Australia in hardcover this Fall 2025.

 

Organized chronologically, OASIS: Trying to find a way out of nowhere contains more than 500 photographs, contact sheets, and sequenced film strips of the band on stage, backstage, on the road, in the studio, and behind the scenes. This beautiful volume, edited by Noel Gallagher, will present classic highlights and unseen images from Jill Furmanovsky’s complete Oasis archive. Given unprecedented access to countless worldwide Oasis performances and recording sessions, she was able to intimately document the relationship between Noel and Liam Gallagher up to their split, creating a poignant visual diary that is more than the sum of its parts. In this book she extends the visual story to 2025*, capturing the band in rehearsal for the upcoming reunion tour.

 

*Definitely… Maybe

 

Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards, 

London, UK, October 3, 2024.

Noel Gallagher and “ICON” Award winner 

Jill Furmanovsky

PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Hogan/Hogan Media/Shutterstock

Accompanying the images is illuminating commentary by Noel Gallagher, who relates the inside stories of the events pictured in many of the shoots, demonstrating an honest and touching relationship between band and photographer. An additional three essays by music journalists provide context to the band’s story and an introduction by Jill Furmanovsky celebrates the supreme significance of Oasis in her 50+ years photographing musicians.

 

Jill Furmanovsky has photographed legendary rock musicians for more than 50 years, including Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Blondie, The Clash, The Ramones, The Pretenders, Joy Division, Leonard Cohen, Amy Winehouse, and Oasis. In 2024 she received a Lifetime Achievement award from Amateur Photography magazine; the Legend of the year award from So.Co for Image of Music Awards; and the Abbey Road ICON award, at which award ceremony Noel described Jill as “one of my best friends.”

 

Noel Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of Oasis, the band that defined the era of Cool Britannia. In August 1994 Oasis’s first album, Definitely Maybe, entered the UK charts at number one and received widespread critical and commercial success, as did their next two albums, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) and Be Here Now (1997). The band split in 2009 but are reforming for a worldwide tour in 2025.

 

Jill Furmanovsky commented: “From the first time I photographed Oasis in December 1994 until my last shoot with them in August 2009 when they split, I was permitted closeness and the gift of almost unlimited access. I was just the right age and had just the right amount of experience to shoot the merry band of musicians (and they were wonderfully entertaining) fronted by the extraordinarily talented Gallagher brothers.  I would say this is my best body of work as a photographer. It was made with love and an understanding of what a fan might like to see. Much of the material here has never been published before and I hope Oasis fans will enjoy that. I'd especially like to thank Noel for his contribution to and support for the book. It has been a joy to work with the design and editorial team at Thames & Hudson who worked tirelessly to give the work the gravitas it deserves.”

 

Noel Gallagher commented: “It’s been an honor to have been associated with Jill for 30 years.”

 

Tristan de Lancey, Creative Director at Thames & Hudson, commented: “Amidst all the excitement of the Oasis reunion, I was delighted to sign up Jill and Noel’s book. Jill’s body of work with Oasis is extraordinary and unsurpassed and includes swathes of candid behind-the-scenes material, much of which, incredibly, is being scanned for the first time. Her three-decade friendship with Noel, Liam, and other band members is known to many; what’s less known and utterly unique is her ability to capture the band in those in-between moments—off-guard and true. The energy, the humor, and—yes—the tensions ripple through each and every frame. Combine all of this with first-hand commentary from Noel, insightful anecdotes from Jill, and three documentary essays, all packaged beautifully in a statement format, I’m expecting readers of all generations to be blown away. It’s nothing short of a monograph on steroids—with a surprise ending—publishing worldwide on the eve of their autumn Wembley concerts.”

 

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New Music: Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, Nickel Creek

A stunning hardcover edition celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon as well as eagerly-awaited full-length returns from Depeche Mode and Nickel Creek are featured in my column this week.

Title: Pink Floyd — The Dark Side Of The Moon: The Official 50th Anniversary Book

Author: Jill Furmanovsky
Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Hardcover: 160 pages

Tell me more: Released in March 1973, Pink Floyd's eighth studio album The Dark Side of the Moon would ultimately prove to be one of the most iconic rock albums of the 20th century and is the groundbreaking English troupe's most beloved effort. According to Wikipedia, The Dark Side of the Moon is certified 14 times platinum in the United Kingdom and topped the LPs and Tape charts in the U.S. where it has "charted for 975 weeks." Now in celebration of the 50th anniversary of that release, Thames & Hudson has issued the must-have "Pink Floyd — The Dark Side Of The Moon: The Official 50th Anniversary Book." 

Curated by Jill Furmanovsky and featuring art direction from Aubrey Powell, the gorgeous LP-sized hardcover volume features rare and previously unseen photographs (including backstage and onstage images of the band taken during The Dark Side of the Moon tours of 1972-1975), song lyrics, tour dates, a Melody Maker review of the band's 1972 Wembley concert and much more; the book was created with the involvement of members of Pink Floyd. A truly marvelous keepsake for fans of Pink Floyd and The Dark Side of the Moon. Information: wwnorton.com.

Artist: Depeche Mode

Title: Memento Mori (Columbia Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Depeche Mode, Color Theory, Erasure

Tell me more: On their 15th studio album Memento Mori, Depeche Mode remind the music world why the British outfit matters more than ever; this is especially true following co-founder Andrew "Fletch" Fletcher's tragic death on May 26, 2022. Electronic rock's most enduring artist, Depeche Mode's David Gahan and Martin Gore are back with a brilliant batch of tracks that revisit familiar territory even while moving their sound ever onward into the future. The opener "My Cosmos is Mine" is a dark and brooding track with Gahan's powerful baritone awash in the troupe's signature electronica soundscape. The compelling "Watch Another Angel Die" is infectious on its surface even as the song's lyrics ponder religious doubt. The album's most enticing track, "Ghosts Again," is a sweeping number with a dynamic rhythm and irresistible flow across its full length. Romantic doubt ("Don't Say You Love Me," "Before We Drown"), self reflection ("My Favorite Stranger"), death ("Soul With Me"), obsession ("Always You," "Never Let Me Go") and human nature ("People Are Good") are detailed expertly via compelling originals produced by James Ford — along with additional production by Marta Salogni. Information: depechemode.com.

Artist: Nickel Creek

Title: Celebrants (Repair Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Nickel Creek, First Aid Kit, bluegrass music

Tell me more: Celebrants is Americana outfit Nickel Creek's first original album since 2014's A Dotted Line. It almost goes without saying that it is wonderful to have new music from the talented trio of Chris Thile, Sean Watkins and Sara Watkins — especially when the disc is as great as this one. My favorite track is the sumptuous musical jaunt "Strangers," with the dashing mix of Thile's mandolin, Sara Watkins' fiddle and Sean Watkins' acoustic guitar work dancing with the trio's artful harmonies. Other standout songs on the 18-track disc include the gorgeous "Holding Pattern," rousing "Where the Long Line Leads," sonically ambitious "The Meadow" and bewitching "Stone's Throw." Additional kudos to bassist Jeff Picker for his musical skills that enhance the music making across Celebrants. Information: nickelcreek.com.

Robert Kinsler

Rock and Roll Reads: Richard Blade thriller, 'Bowie at 75,' Belle and Sebastian Illustrated Lyrics, more!

Whether you are looking to add a good book to your personal library or seeking out early holiday gift ideas, there are a number of wonderful new titles available in print now.

Title: Ghosts of the Congo

Author: Richard Blade

Publisher: BladeRocker Books

Hardcover: 335 pages

Tell me more: One of America's best-known and popular DJs, Richard Blade hosts a daily show on SiriusXM's 1st Wave and on KCBS. He has recently earned well-deserved acclaim for his writing, penning an autobiography (World In My Eyes), a collection of interviews conducted during the pandemic (The Lockdown Interviews) and a series of exciting novels including SPQR, Birthright and Imposters. Blending the action-packed adventure of an Edgar Rice Burroughs classic with the pulse of an edgy contemporary political thriller, Blade's latest novel Ghosts of the Congo will keep readers engaged and entertained. Blade has a gift for using sharp dialogue, winning characters and colorful detail to propel his suspense-filled storytelling across every page. From the ravaged streets of America's broken cities and top levels of power in Washington, D.C. to the most remote jungles of West Africa, the events that play out in Ghosts Of The Congo blur the line between fiction and modern history. The story revolves around a thrilling rescue mission to save a group of America's most important VIPs, including the nation's First Lady and the Vice President. Read this thrilling novel before some savvy producer makes it into a cinematic blockbuster. Information: RichardBlade.com.

Title: Bowie at 75

Author: Martin Popoff

Publisher: Motorbooks

Hardcover with slipcase: 208 pages

Tell me more: Acclaimed author/rock music aficionado Martin Popoff has turned his expertise and wordcraft to celebrate the legacy of the late David Bowie. The essential Bowie at 75 is a fascinating and well-researched volume that chronicles distinct sides of Bowie's wide-ranging career that sadly ended with the release of his final album Blackstar on his 69th birthday — that masterwork was released a mere two days before his death on Jan. 10, 2016. Popoff brings the reader on a fast-moving chronological journey through 75 "career highlights" of Bowie's life. The result is both a well-aimed introduction and exhaustive appreciation of his singular journey as a pioneering singer-songwriter, genre-defying rockstar and acclaimed actor. Fully illustrated with historic photographs (including 250 color images), memorabilia such as concert posters, 7-inch picture sleeves and more, this is an important and objective appreciation of one of one of rock music's most influential names.  Information: quarto.com.

Title: Belle and Sebastian: Illustrated Lyrics

Authors: Lyrics by Stuart Murdoch; Illustrations by Pamela Tait

Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Hardcover: 128 pages; 40 illustrations in color and B&W

Tell me more: Scottish chamber pop outfit Belle and Sebastian has enjoyed acclaim for a winning parade of albums dating back to their 1996 debut Tigermilk. Now band leader Stuart Murdoch has teamed with illustrator Pamela Tait on the new hardcover title Belle and Sebastian: Illustrated Lyrics. The lovely collaboration features enticing visual reinterpretations of many of Belle and Sebastian's best-known songs including "If You're Feeling Sinister," "The Boy with the Arab Strap," "Piazza, New York Catcher," "Another Sunny Day" and "Nobody's Empire." A fateful project to be sure, Murdoch first fell in love with Tait's intricate and expressive illustrations when he rediscovered an old fan email sent to him by her a decade earlier. Now fans of Belle and Sebastian — as well as Tait's signature artwork - can share in the magic. Information: ThamesAndudsonUSA.com.

Title: Through the Prism: Untold Rock Stories from the Hipgnosis Archive

Author: Aubrey Powell

Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Hardcover: 320 pages

Tell me more: Those looking for a behind-the-scenes close-up look at the world of a number of classic rock masters will want to pick up Through the Prism: Untold Stories from the Hipgnosis Archive. Fans of Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Who, The Police, Paul McCartney and others will all enjoy insights courtesy of designer, photographer and filmmaker Aubrey "Po" Powell. The multi-talented artist founded the graphic design studio Hipgnosis with Storm Thorgerson in 1968; this is a lavish edition to be sure with more than 250 illustrations and photographs spread across the volume's 320 pages. What's more, Powell is brutally honest as the shares previously-untold tales featuring a notable cast of musicians, actors, managers, comedians and world leaders. From the founding of Hipgnosis in the midst of rock and roll's golden age to surviving drug busts and sharing details about the birth of the most famous album cover of all time (Dark Side of the Moon), this is a must have title. Information: ThamesAndudsonUSA.com.

Title: Disturbing The Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave

Author: Bill Kopp

Publisher: HoZac Books

Paperback: 362 pages

Tell me more: Wire Train, Romeo Void, Red Rockers, The Nuns, Roky Erickson and Translator are only a few of the groundbreaking artists with ties to seminal San Francisco-based 415 Records in the late 1970s and early-to-mid 1980s. Now author Bill Kopp is revisiting the Bay Area's thriving indie music scene of that era via the wonderful Disturbing The Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave. Based on nearly 100 interviews with artists, industry executives, friends, producers, journalists and more, the book also features hundreds of photos, gig posters and memorabilia from the personal archives of those who were in the midst of the burgeoning music scene championed by 415 (pronounced four-one-five) Records. The book also features a foreword by Joel Selvin. Information: 415book.com.

Robert Kinsler

"Belle and Sebastian: Illustrated Lyrics" coming Sept. 13, 2022

Mark your calendars! Belle and Sebastian: Illustrated Lyrics will be released on Sept. 13, 2022. The 128-page hardcover book will feature 40 color and black & white illustrations and marks a collaboration between Belle and Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch and illustrator Pamela Tait. The suggested retail price of the book is $24.95 and it looks wonderful...Robert Kinsler

From the imagined lives of the passengers riding Glasgow buses in the early 1990s to questions raised about the status quo and musings on the meaning of religion, Stuart Murdoch, front man of Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian, has written some of the most captivating lyrics of the past two decades. Belle and Sebastian recorded their first critically acclaimed album Tigermilk in three days, and played a sold-out show at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Philharmonic. Their songs have animated many film soundtracks, developing a cult following that has helped to define the sound of indie music as we know it today.

The first volume in Thames & Hudson’s Illustrated Lyrics series, Belle and Sebastian combines lyrics selected from over twenty-four years of Belle and Sebastian songs with specially commissioned illustrations from Scottish artist Pamela Tait, who was personally selected for the project by Stuart Murdoch. Murdoch stumbled upon, and fell in love with, Tait’s intricate and whimsical character illustrations on the internet and when the opportunity arose to create a book he knew exactly who he wanted to illustrate his lyrics. Set with expressive typography, and with notes on the illustrations from Tait at the back of the book, this is an exceptional publication that will seduce even the most devoted fans into “seeing” these wonderful songs afresh.

Contributors

Stuart Murdoch

Author

Stuart Murdoch is a Scottish musician, writer, and filmmaker. He is the founding member, lead singer, and songwriter for Belle and Sebastian.

Pamela Tait

Illustrated By

Pamela Tait is a Scottish artist who lives on the Black Isle. She expresses her own folklore through illustration, seeing patterns and faces in her surrounding

The Rolling Stones: Unzipped, new visual history of the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world

It's definitely a big news day for fans of The Rolling Stones! Earlier today came word that the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are set to hit the U.S. this fall to complete their 'No Filter' Tour. Now comes news about a new book about the English band...Robert Kinsler

Coming October 12, 2021, THE ROLLING STONES: UNZIPPED, an intimate and comprehensive visual history tracing the incredible musical career and creative life of the “greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world”  

 

For almost 60 years The Rolling Stones have helped shape popular culture around the world. THE ROLLING STONES: UNZIPPED (Thames & Hudson, October 12, 2021) traces their impact and influence on rock music, art, design, fashion, photography, and filmmaking. Packed with evocative archival photos, artworks, outtakes, and memorabilia, this stunning visual history immerses readers in the world of the Stones.  

 

Peppered throughout with insightful new commentary by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood, this volume also features an incisive introduction by writer and music critic Anthony De Curtis, as well as interviews with Buddy Guy (on the roots of the Stones’ music), Don Was (on the band’s working method in the studio), Anna Sui and John Varvatos (on the evolution of the band’s style), Martin Scorsese (on the band’s filmed performances and videos), Shephard Fairey (on the band’s art and design), and Patrick Woodroffe and Willie Williams (on the band’s live shows). In addition to stills from films, videos, and documentary footage, vivid photographic sections showcase the Stones’ musical instruments, their stage clothing, album cover designs, notebooks with lyrics, and tape boxes from the original recording sessions.  

 

A bold and captivating record of the “greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world,” THE ROLLING STONES: UNZIPPED accompanies a blockbuster touring exhibition of the same name, scheduled to open next in late November 2021 outside Toronto, Canada.  

 

 

About the book   

THE ROLLING STONES: UNZIPPED  

The Rolling Stones, Introduction by Anthony DeCurtis  

Thames & Hudson, October 12, 2021  

288 pages, 400 illustrations in color and b&w  

$50.00, hardcover, ISBN: 9780500023853  

https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/the-rolling-stones-unzipped-hardcover  

 

About the authors  

The Rolling Stones—Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood—have all been specially interviewed for the exhibition and this accompanying book.  

Anthony DeCurtis (Introduction) is an author and music critic. He has written for the New York Times, Relix, and Rolling Stone, for which he is a contributing editor.