The Tastemaker - by Tony King (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Leaving school and starting his career at Decca Records in 1958 at the age of sixteen, Tony King would soon find himself becoming close friends with Elton John, rekindling John Lennon and Yoko Ono's relationship, mediating a quarrelsome Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and spending time with Freddie Mercury in his final days - a far cry from his childhood days in Eastbourne. Living in an era of seismic social, technological and cultural transformation, King experienced these defining moments as a stalwart in London and New York's gay scenes. Alongside his heady life in showbusiness, he was witness to the AIDS crisis and its devastating consequences: the death of family, the death of friends and the stultifying weight of responsibility in being called upon to hold things together"--

Book Synopsis

"This is a brilliant book by a brilliant man. A magician with perfect taste. Thank God I met him. He is gold dust!" -- Elton John

From the Beatles to Elton John and the Rolling Stones, Tony King has been a confidante and creative muse for some of the world's greatest artists. Now, for the first time, he tells his story.

The Tastemaker charts the singular life of a man who has been at the beating heart of music's most iconic moments for over sixty years.

Leaving school and starting his career at Decca Records in 1958 at the age of sixteen, Tony King would soon find himself becoming close friends with Elton John, rekindling John Lennon and Yoko Ono's relationship, mediating a quarrelsome Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and spending time with Freddie Mercury in his final days - a far cry from his childhood days in Eastbourne.

Living in an era of seismic social, technological and cultural transformation, King experienced these defining moments as a stalwart in London and New York's gay scenes. Alongside his heady life in showbusiness, he was witness to the AIDS crisis and its devastating consequences: the death of family, the death of friends and the stultifying weight of responsibility in being called upon to hold things together.

At once profound and suffused with Tony King's disarming warmth and unparalleled charisma, The Tastemaker paints an intimate portrait of a music legend and captures the unpredictable world he stamped his indelible mark upon.

Review Quotes

"An embarrassment of riches from 60 years as a rock'n'roll fixer . . . It's clear from this book why these stars wanted King around: he's witty, animated, his gossip lacks malice and his love of music is enduring." ― Sunday Times

"As The Tastemaker" so powerfully demonstrates, King left an indelible imprint upon a slew of rock music's greatest stars. In turn, their trust in his marketing instincts made for extraordinary collaborations that unleashed their hits upon the world in fine style." ― Salon

"King is an unflinchingly generous witness . . . The Tastemaker is a slight piece of work on the surface, but as witness to extreme times, King is more powerful than he looks." ― Uncut

"King might be rock history's best-kept secret: a Zelig-like figure whose career in the music industry connects the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to Elton John, Freddie Mercury and the late 1970s zenith of disco." ― The Guardian