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William Collins

Facing the Other Way: Anniversary edition, updated with a new afterword

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The first official account of the iconic record label.This Mortal Coil, Birthday Party, Bauhaus, Cocteau Twins, Pixies, Throwing Muses, Breeders, Dead Can Dance, Lisa Germano, Kristin Hersh, Belly, Red House Painters.Just a handful of the bands and artists who started out recording for 4AD, a record label founded by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent in 1979, and which went on to be one of the most influential of the modern era. Combining the unique tastes of Watts-Russell and the striking design aesthetic of Vaughan Oliver, 4AD records were recognisable by their look as much their sound. In this comprehensive account concentrating on the label’s first two decades (now updated with extensive new material 13 years after the paperback was first published), music journalist Martin Aston explores the fascinating story with unique access to all the key players and almost every artist who released a record on 4AD during that time, and to its notoriously reclusive founder. With a cover designed by Vaughan Oliver, this is an essential book for all 4AD fans and anyone who loved and loves the music of this period. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Collins


Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 9, 2026


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 688 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0008804109


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 07


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.5 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.02 x 1.81 x 9.21 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #466,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #164 in Punk Music (Books) #332 in Music History & Criticism (Books) #1,039 in Rock Band Biographies


#164 in Punk Music (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • It Couldn't Happen Again...
Format: Hardcover
I grew up a Cocteau Twins fan, so when I came across such a humungous book telling the entire story of Ivo and 4AD, not only did I have to have it immediately, but I was flabbergasted that such a book was ever written in the first place. Are there really that many people out there who love this stuff as much as me? Guess so. And I assume if you're reading this, you might be one of these fellow freaks. This is primarily a biography of Ivo, about whom I knew precious little. Now, I know much about this man, his vision, his faults and his baby 4AD. For me, it's a fascinating study in the overlap of eccentricity, mental disorder and artistic productivity. This story isn't always a happy one. The story of my fave Cocteau Twins also takes up a fairly large chunk of this book. The details of their story were a joy to read. However, I found myself growing frustrated with their behavior with each passing chapter. What immature children they were! I had known that Robin and Liz struggled emotionally, but I romanticized this as what helped them to make such fantastic music. (And it probably did.) But why did they have to be such noncommunicative babies with Ivo? Their passive aggressive behavior led to such stupid tensions--it made me so frustrated. For think of what incredible music they could have made had the band survived into the late 1990s--or longer? I wish they could have been mature and made their 4AD relationship last. But then--I reminded myself as I was reading--they were just kids. Twenty-somethings with an international record label deal, romping on world tours, dealing with marriages, divorces and drug addiction. I can only imagine how I would have behaved had my life been placed on such a trajectory at such a young age. Kudos to Martin Aston for weaving together a hundred little stories into one. This took some literary dexterity on his part and he did a fantastic job to make this big book fun to read. Aston introduced me to the lions share of other 4AD bands that I had never heard of, and some that I hadn't listened to in forever, like Throwing Muses and Lush for example. I gave so much of this stuff a fresh listen for the first time in a long time and fell in love all over again. Thanks, Martin Aston! It seems like this type of record label and what Ivo accomplished was so very radical in the 1980s. And, given the current state of technology and music, it would be near impossible to ever do again. This is the wonderful story of a great artistic adventure: Ivo, the self-made patron. 'Facing The Other Way' made me nostalgic. It made me go back and listen to this stuff over and over and over again and really appreciate what it took to make these albums exist. Awesome. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2015 by Joe
    • A good read for any 4AD fan
Format: Kindle
I mostly enjoyed reading this book, made better by being able to listen to all the mentioned artists and tracks on YouTube as I read the text. I was first introduced to 4AD via a track from "This Mortal Coil"s first album which was played on a college station near me. When I bought the vinyl album in 1984, I wasn't aware that it wasn't a band, and when I realized it, I proceeded to get albums from the artists that participated in the projects and became one of the many 4AD fans that blindly relied on the label's releases as a good bet even without hearing anything from them beforehand. I have many CDs from that label and have always been a Voughn Oliver and Chris Bigg fan as well as of Ivo. This is a very interesting insight into the world of the music industry of the time with the specific look at indie labels and this very special label headed by a very talented and gifted individual that brought in very diverse acts and thus shaped the music scene. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2016 by Bari T
    • Essential for any 4AD fan.
Format: Kindle
Being a loyal Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance and Pixies fan since my teens this book is like a dream come true. It gives you the whole story of the label in great detail - down to every release - and it made me discover a lot of new stuff that I had not heard before, since just about every record mentioned here is available on Spotify, at least from where I live anyway (Norway). The author does a fantastic job at getting under the skin of the key characters of the 4AD family, especially the enigmatic label boss Ivo Watts-Russell. The book is an enjoyably light read and if you're a fan you'll find yourself flying through the pages. Recommended! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2014 by Trond Berger
    • Excellent behind the scenes story
Format: Hardcover
I enjoyed travelling thru my teenage years of music from the perspective of the bands I idolized. The read is fantastic, as there is so much back story and many side stories to 4AD's history. Thank you for writing this and giving so much insight into each band. There were a couple of bands I discovered while reading, as I missed them when they first produced albums, and I am enjoying listening to them now. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2015 by Kelsi Arcos

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