Maximum Volume - by Kenneth Womack (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Discover the untold story of the man behind the music.Maximum Volume offers a glimpse into the life of George Martin, the producer who shaped the sound of the Beatles.

This first volume traces Martin's journey from a working-class childhood to his groundbreaking role as head of Parlophone Records. Explore his early musical influences, his experiences in the Fleet Air Arm during World War II, and his unlikely discovery of the Beatles.

Uncover the painstaking efforts Martin undertook to prepare the Beatles' revolutionary sound for the British music marketplace. From number-one hits to the landmark album Rubber Soul, witness the creation of Martin's unmistakable musical signature.

This biography is for:

• Beatles enthusiasts
• Music history buffs
• Anyone curious about the creative process behind iconic recordings

Review Quotes

"An authoritative account of pop-music history and the man who helped shape it." --Kirkus Reviews

"George Martin transformed the role of 'producer' as much as the Beatles transformed our idea of a 'band, ' so Kenneth Womack's engaging account of Martin's life fills a major hole on pop music's shelf. For a rich, illuminating understanding of how the Beatles catalog transcends song, performance, and arrangement, jump through this hogshead of real fire: tonight, George Martin tops the bill." --Tim Riley, author of Tell Me Why and Lennon: Man, Myth, Music

"They seemed an unlikely partnership--the Beatles, who knew everything about rock and roll music, and their classically trained producer George Martin, who knew very little. But as Kenneth Womack uncovers in this engrossing and forensically detailed biography, the recording studio became a 'magic workshop' and George Martin a musical wizard when it came to the Beatles' songs. A fascinating read." --Ray Connolly, author of Being Elvis

About the Author

Kenneth Womack's books include Long and Winding Roads, The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles, The Beatles Encyclopedia, and New Critical Perspectives on the Beatles. Womack is dean of humanities and social sciences at Monmouth University, where he also serves as professor of English.