All the Moves (But None of the Licks)

Clive Selwood is the man who invented 'chart hyping' in the first place, the man who started the first 'hippie' record label and who pioneered the concept of radio 'session' recordings with one of the most successful independent record labels ever. Replacing Des O'Connor as a Butlin Redcoat, falling foul of London gangsters, taking a major record company to the top of the league, getting fired and taking sweet revenge by making its main rival No.1 singles company – Clive Selwood has had his fingerprints all over the secret machinations of both the UK and international music industries for over four decades. A director of such international record companies as Elektra, UK Records, CBS and Pye and creator, with John Peel, of the Dandelion independent label and, later, Strange Fruit Records, Clive Selwood worked with such legendary names as Tim Buckley, Jim Morrison, Arthur Lee and Love, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Barry White, Rod Stewart, Abba, Marc Bolan, Elton John and hundreds more. He was also associated with Jonathan King, Gerry Anderson of Thunderbirds fame (creating, with Century 21, the best-selling children's label ever), Clive Davis of Arista, the Ertegun brothers of Atlantic , Gamble and Huff of Philadelphia and, er, the Wombles. From the Doors to the Brotherhood of Man, Eddie Cochrane to Andy Williams, Dusty and Liza to Simon and Garfunkel, the reader will be there at the crucial moments. Illustrated with photographs from the author's private collection, 'All the Moves' covers every facet of the music business – lawyers, chart fixing, marketing, record production, music festivals, record executives and personalities, artist management, sex, bribery and the creation of both successful and unsuccessful record companies. Not since Fredric Dannen's book 'Hit Men' over a decade ago has such a well-placed industry insider 'told it like it really is'. Having helped to shape and guide the careers of some of the world's leading recording artists, Clive Selwood chooses to dedicate this fascinating memoir to the millions of 'air guitarists' with all the classic moves of their heroes – from 'Slowhand' to Slipknot – but none of their licks, and the countless souls trapped in mundane jobs who dream of the danger and the excitement that the music business would appear to offer.