The Island Book of Records Volume II - by Neil Storey (Hardcover)

About the Book

The second volume in this highly collectable series covers the years 1969-70, offering album sleeves, interviews and more.

Book Synopsis

The second volume of this highly collectable series, covering the pivotal years of 1969-70.

The Island Book of Records Volume II documents the years 1969-70, during which Island sought to build on its success with the Spencer Davis Group by seeking out new British rock talent. By the end of the period, Island was emerging as a major British label, one that could boast releases from Jethro Tull, Nick Drake, King Crimson, John and Beverley Martyn, Fairport Convention and Cat Stevens.

Featuring material from recent interviews and from media interviews of the time, and including a comprehensive discography of 45s, The Island Book of Records Volume II is lavishly illustrated with gig adverts (very many at venues that no longer exist), concert tickets, flyers, international LP variants, labels, LP and 45 adverts and other ephemera collector's dream.

From the Back Cover

The second volume of this highly collectable series, covering the pivotal years of 1969-70.

The Island Book of Records Volume II documents the years 1969-70, during which Island sought to build on its success with the Spencer Davis Group by seeking out new British rock talent. By the end of the period, Island was emerging as a major British label, one that could boast releases from Jethro Tull, Nick Drake, King Crimson, John and Beverley Martyn, Fairport Convention and Cat Stevens.

Featuring material from recent interviews and from media interviews of the time, and including a comprehensive discography of 45s, The Island Book of Records Volume II is lavishly illustrated with gig adverts (very many at venues that no longer exist), concert tickets, flyers, international LP variants, labels, LP and 45 adverts and other ephemera.

This LP-sized edition is a collector's dream, offering a truly unparalleled resource for those interested in music history and a perfect gift for any music lover.

Review Quotes

"In a word this is perfection in print." --Grahame Bent, Shindig! magazine

"I could spend hours poring over Neil Storey's handsomely designed Island Book of Records Volume II, the continuing story of one of Britain's greatest independent record labels." --Neil McCormick, The Telegraph 'Best Music Books of 2024'

"Packed with new interviews, artefacts and delicious details." --Jim Wirth, MOJO

"A rich and lovingly curated look at a particularly prolific year in Island Records history." --Roisin O'Connor, The Independent

"One of the coffee table books of the year." --Dylan Jones, The Evening Standard 'Greatest Reads of 2024'
"Neil Storey has once again delved into his impress-ive archive of record sleeves, gig posters and press cut-tings to cur-ate The Island Book Of Records Volume 2, cov-er-ing the years 1969-70: Blind Faith, Fair-port, Free and all kinds of hairy good-ness." --UNCUT

"A hugely evocative read and a veritable treasure trove of facts, figures and trivia."--Terry Staunton, Record Collector

"In Neil Storey the label has an archivist par excellence. [...] rather like Island itself, the vision, quality and attention to detail adds up to excellent value."--Mark Hodkinson, Rock'n'Reel

"Epic and invaluable series -- expensive but, to those with an interest, worth every penny."--Richard Williams, thebluemoment.com

Praise for Volume 1:

One of The Telegraph's Best Music Books of 2023

One of Shindig! magazine's Books of the Year 2023

"It's like entering the record shop of your dreams." --David Hepworth, author, podcaster and Radio Times columnist

"Eyewitness accounts underpin a vault-load of memorabilia across 390 elegant pages where the footnotes are as fascinating as major events in what is an exemplary piece of musical archaeology." --Phil Alexander, MOJO

"I had the pleasure of running Island Records for a decent stretch, but in my time there I never saw such a staggering overview of the early years compiled like this new book! The images, the details, the stories, everything! Rather amazing!" --Ted Cockle, former head of EMI Records

"LP-sized and weighing in at 390 pages, it's both an elegant coffee table book and a proper history, with a sizeable amount of written information to complement the fascinating photographs of record covers, artists and other ephemera, including gig adverts, concert tickets and flyers." --Peter Mason, Morning Star

"This is the anecdote rich inside story of the eventful first decade in the life of the maverick label which carved a distinctive niche within the UK's booming record biz of the 60s' as told by a cast of label employees, photographers, musicians, producers, and the man who started it all, Chris Blackwell."--Grahame Bent, Shindig!

"So, in sum, thanks Neil for it all, and now get back to work on those remaining volumes that will transport us all through the year of U2, Marley and so much else that closed out in 1989 when Chris Blackwell sold the company Phonogram. It's been a great, contrarian run--and now we have in in what my fellow music trainspotters will surely embrace as a big helping of glorious detail."--Fred Schruers, Dogtown Press

About the Author

Neil Storey has spent almost fifty years at the heart of the music industry. He joined the Island sales force in 1974 before going on to co-run the press office into the mid-1980s.