Most Popular Books by Matt Anniss

Matt Anniss’s critically acclaimed alternative history of UK dance music in the acid house era returns in updated and expanded form. Named by Rolling Stone UK as one of the best books on British music culture, Join The Future puts forward a persuasive new argument about the origins of UK club culture’s long-running love affair with bass. Since the dawn of the 1990s, Britain’s dancefloors have moved to a string of styles built around skeletal rhythms and heavy sub-bass, including breakbeat hardcore, jungle, drum & bass, dubstep, UK garage, grime and bassline. Yet another previously overlooked sound pre-dated them all: bleep and bass, or bleep techno, the first distinctly British form of electronic dance music. A mixture of social, cultural, musical and oral history based on five years of research and hundreds of interviews, Join The Future tells the previously hidden history of ‘bleep’ for the first time. It brings forth the untold stories of bleep’s pioneers and those that came in their wake, moving from mid-80s electro all-dayers and reggae soundsystem clashes in the North and Midlands to the birth of breakbeat hardcore and jungle in London and the South East in the early ’90s. Along the way, you’ll find first-hand accounts of key clubs and raves, biographies of forgotten and overlooked production pioneers, stories of bleep outposts in Canada and the United States, and the inside story of the early years of one of electronic music’s most iconic labels, Warp Records. Now expanded to include more interviews, analysis and a brand-new ‘afterword’ chapter, Join The Future is one of the most revealing and significant books on dance music in years.

Have you pictured yourself spinning the decks and mixing records? Do you want to create new sounds but are unsure where to start? From hip-hop to trance, DJing for Beginners tells you everything you need to know about the equipment and the techniques behind mixing records and sounds in rap, dance, reggae and other styles.

Take a journey through the riotous history of punk and indie music. Experience the origins of post-punk, Britpop, indie-pop and alternative rock music. See how dance and grunge music made an impact and meet some of punk and indie's greatest stars. ABOUT THE SERIES: This heavily illustrated, magazine-style series tells the story of music from the 50s to the present day, featuring quotes from contemporary artists about their influences and inspirations.

This is a vibrant and engaging book for aspiring young musicians who want to learn the ins and outs of being in a band. This book looks at recording, releasing, and promoting your music, including how it all works in the digital age.

Learn about how technology changes the music world.

Even during his first outstanding rookie season in Major League Baseball, Derek Jeter was determined to channel his burgeoning success into helping the community. This book explores the ways in which one of the world's top-performing baseball stars has become a role model by practicing what he preaches—eating well and exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and working hard to achieve success. Readers will learn all about Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation, which supports programs that encourage physical fitness and good values. All in all, this book shows the rewards that come from an athlete giving back.

Raised in a poor area of Washington, D.C., Kevin Durant is a true example of how studying and working hard can lead to great success in sports. As a role model for basketball fans nationwide, Durant works with several charities and manages the Kevin Durant Family Foundation, which works with kids from disadvantaged backgrounds and single-parent families. This book, complete with “Star Stats” and a timeline of achievements, celebrates Durant’s charitable activities and basketball success.

The population of Earth has exploded over the last 100 years. The planet now supports about 7 billion people, and this overwhelming number has many repercussions. Alternative energy resources and the costs of healthcare have become urgent matters. Questions about how to feed, clothe, and house a growing population demand answers. Poverty and overpopulation are no longer just problems for third-world countries but issues that need to be addressed in our own communities. Readers are presented with the many topics surrounding world population and the questions that experts are asking. Also highlighted are suggested solutions, some as radical as setting up colonies on other planets.

Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first commercial LP with this authoritative, highly illustrated, and multi-faceted look at the history and culture of vinyl record collecting and turntables. Vinyl records continue to be hot commodities among everyone from obsessive audiophiles to newbie collectors getting their toes wet. In the Groove: The Vinyl Record and Turntable Revolution is the book for both—and everyone in between. Published to mark the 75th year since the introduction of the commercial LP, In the Groove is written by a roster of well-known music journalists, vinyl junkies, and stereophiles teaming up to present a gorgeous tribute to the vinyl LP and the culture it has spawned: Richie Unterberger explores the history of the 33 1/3 LP, including its predecessor, the 78rpm record, the first commercial LPs, the pressing process, stereo vs. mono, and formats like the 7-inch/45rpm record. Gillian Gaar tackles those temples to the turntable: record stores. Inside, she examines the history of LP merchandising everywhere from department stores to headshops, Record Store Day, the artist in-store appearance, and swap meets and record shows. Martin Popoff pens a paean to the physical object itself, discussing the advent of the sleeve, the great LP covers, famous sleeve designers, liner notes and packaging, colored vinyl, and more. Matt Anniss looks at the collecting hobby and topics like obsessive collectors, what makes a great listening space, playing and caring for vinyl, collecting and vinyl in DJ and hip-hop cultures, and the mixtape phenomenon. Ken Micallef, a top hifi journalist, has the gearheads covered with explanations of turntables from portables to audiophile-quality units, the workings and parts of a turntable from motors and tonearms to plinths and cartridges, and the components of a system. In the Groove is illustrated throughout with images of gear, listening spaces, record stores, sleeve art, and celebrities and musicians enjoying the vinyl hobby through the decades. Brief, entertaining sidebars cover topics like famous labels from Stax to Sub Pop, famous EPs, well-known record stores, milestone LP covers, a beginner’s guide to grading, and formats that have challenged the supremacy of the LP, including 8-track, reel-to-reel, and cassette. Feel the groove with this effervescent ode to vinyl.

The story of the Williams sisters is an inspirational tale of two driven young women who overcame racism, classism, and sexism in their fight to excel in the world of sports. In this image-packed book, readers will discover how Venus and Serena’s astounding success journey is tied to their charitable efforts with organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House and the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund. “Star Stats” and a timeline of achievements highlight these tennis stars’ accomplishments both on and off the court.

Espionage—the practice of spying to gather secret information—isn’t a new method of gaining an edge on a competitor or enemy. However, technology has opened new doors to this sometimes illegal covert activity. Many countries, including the United States, even have government-sanctioned spies. There’s some truth in the James Bond stories! In this book, the methods and tools of espionage and anti-espionage are examined, including surveillance, bugging, spy satellites, drones, cryptography, and cyberwarfare. Readers will love this intriguing and in-depth look into the world of intelligence gathering.

Take a journey through the radical history of techno and dance music. Find out about the origins of house, techno, hardcore, and chill out music. Witness how the synthesizer changed the dance music world forever and meet the world's biggest superstar DJs. ABOUT THE SERIES: This heavily illustrated, magazine-style series tells the story of music from the 50s to the present day, featuring quotes from contemporary artists about their influences and inspirations.

Cancer is a global killer. It involves a large group of potentially deadly diseases, as many as 200, that cause an estimated 13 percent of all deaths worldwide. Besides causes and preventions, this thorough look at the disease also includes information about genetic screening and treatments. It answers questions such as what chemotherapy does and what alternatives are available for cancer treatments. Significant breakthroughs including gene therapy and immunotherapy have given us hope for the future of a cancer cure. This absorbing volume addresses many concerns about a topic often in the news that personally touches many lives.

Hailed as artistic geniuses who have transformed the music world, top professional DJs command enormous fees. They produce and release their own music and are major celebrities. Make sure this awesome job is on your radar! Inside you'll find these features: Real-Life Story: Turntablist Sara Simms tells On the Radar why being a professional DJ is the best job in the world! Back Story: Chart the rise of the DJ from street corner entertainer to international superstar. Five-Minute Interview: DJ Tom Thorpe explains what it's like to drop beats for a living. Are you On the Radar?

In January 1994, an earthquake shook a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, so hard that highway overpasses immediately collapsed. Gas pipes burst and buildings caught on fire. Sixteen people died in a fallen apartment building. As one of the most common natural disasters in the world, earthquakes can be a terrifying force of nature. Readers will be introduced to the amazing science behind an earthquake occurrence in addition to modern examples of earthquakes from all over the world. Including seismology and disaster relief, accessible content will engage readers while full-color photographs augment detailed timelines of featured earthquakes. Powered by information, readers will be ready to do more than just duck and cover when an earthquake hits.

Take a journey through the heartfelt history of soul and R&B music. Find out about the origins of funk, Philly soul, blue-eyed soul, and new jack swing. Discover the very first soul stars and today's world famous R&B superstars. ABOUT THE SERIES: This heavily illustrated, magazine-style series tells the story of music from the 50s to the present day, featuring quotes from contemporary artists about their influences and inspirations.

Combating illness is a battle that has evolved over centuries, but mankind has science on its side. In this exciting, high-interest series, readers explore the science behind combating disease. Readers will discover what science is doing to help keep human beings alive in the face of super viruses. A ‘Winning or Losing?’ feature updates readers on the latest in man’s struggle with disease, while ‘Breaking Through’ chronicles the cutting edge science that gives our smartest scholars the tools necessary for victory.

One of the most outstanding features of Robert Griffin III’s football career has been his commitment to personally connecting with his fans. From his earliest days with the Washington Redskins, RG3, as Griffin has been nicknamed, has conducted himself in such a way as to become a popular role model. He promotes healthy physical lifestyles, strong spiritual faith and values, and a commitment to giving time to others in need. This book highlights one athlete’s inspiring commitment to success, showing how strength of character goes a long when toward making a difference.

Mary Leakey's work on archaeological digs in the 1930s led her to her husband, Louis, as well as a great interest in prehistoric man. Together, the two found fossils that proved apes and humans had common ancestors. Louis Leakey hired young Jane Goodall in the 1950s to study the behavior of chimpanzees, to further prove the connection between humans and apes. Goodall was slowly accepted into a wild chimpanzee community, the first person to accomplish this. Readers will love learning about the incredible discoveries of these two extraordinary women, whose lives will forever be entwined by a mutual desire for scientific knowledge.