Rooksby's 'Songs and Solos'

Dr Rikky Rooksby, who teaches literature and music courses for International Programmes, has just published 'Songs and Solos' (Hal Leonard/Backbeat), a practical guide for songwriters in how to develop and incorporate solo passages within their songs.

The book includes an extended essay on the history of the instrumental solo in popular music from the late 1950s with specific reference to the rise of the guitar solo. It comes with a CD of 40 example solos composed and recorded by the author.

Songs and Solos is Dr Rooksby's 12th song writing title since 2000, in a series which has sold over 300,000 copies. This practical knowledge informs his popular Oxford Experience course The Beatles, Popular Music and Sixties Britain. He is currently working on a book for the general reader on the C20th symphony.

'Songs and Solos' is available at Blackwell's Bookstore and many other places.

Published 20 October 2014