Search  for anything...
HarperCollins

Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD

  • Based on 302 reviews
Condition: New
Checking for the best price...
$19.99 Why this price?

Buy Now, Pay Later

As low as $4 / mo
  • – 4-month term
  • – No impact on credit
  • – Instant approval decision
  • – Secure and straightforward checkout

Ready to go? Add this product to your cart and select a plan during checkout.

Payment plans are offered through our trusted finance partners Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, Apple Pay, and PayTomorrow. No-credit-needed leasing options through Acima may also be available at checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Free shipping on this product

This item is eligible for return within 30 days of receipt

To qualify for a full refund, items must be returned in their original, unused condition. If an item is returned in a used, damaged, or materially different state, you may be granted a partial refund.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

Availability: Only 6 left in stock, order soon!
Fulfilled by Amazon
Arrives Friday, Dec 12
Order within 13 hours and 6 minutes
Available payment plans shown during checkout
Protection Plan Protect Your Purchase
Checking for protection plans...

Recently Viewed

Description

The first official account of the iconic record label.An NME Book of the Year 2013 • A Rough Trade Book of the Year 2013 • A Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year 2013This 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, a label 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 (up to the point that Watts-Russell left), music journalist Martin Aston explores the fascinating story with unique access to all the key players and pretty much 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 the music of that time. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Friday Project


Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 30, 2014


Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 650 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0007564120


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 25


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.7 x 5 x 7.7 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #671,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #395 in Music Encyclopedias #539 in Music Reference (Books) #1,302 in Music History & Criticism (Books)


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Friday, Dec 12

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

  • Klarna Financing
  • Affirm Pay in 4
  • Affirm Financing
  • Afterpay Financing
  • PayTomorrow Financing
  • Financing through Apple Pay
Leasing options through Acima may also be available during checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Similar Products

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
    • Very interesting, but could have used a good copy editor
Format: Hardcover
In the 80's, my musical tastes ranged from top-40 to the poppier side of new wave, and as the 90's started, I veered in the direction of folk-rock. But then in 1992 a friend told me I should listen to Cocteau Twins. So I went to a good local record shop and found the Cocteau section, but I had no idea which release to choose as my entry point. A shop employee suggested "Blue Bell Knoll". I took it home, and from the first listen I was captivated, and from there I went on to explore the rest of the label's offerings. The artists on 4AD changed the way I thought about music, and many of the 90'S 4AD releases are still among my all-time favorites. With that background, I have very much been looking forward to the release of this book. I just got the book yesterday, and I'm a little over 200 pages into it at this point. So far it has been a thoroughly enjoyable in-depth look at the label, highlighting each band and giving the story of each release in more-or-less chronological order. The one thing that surprises me -- particularly given the label's reputation for attention to detail -- is the somewhat slipshod editing of the book. I really wasn't expecting glaring typos... for example, in the first photo section, Pixies are listed as "Piixies", while an early reference to The Normal's song "Warm Leatherette" is misspelled as "Warn Leatherette". And there are others. It gives the impression that no one at the publisher took the time to give the book a full read once it was finished. That said, the author has done an amazing job of tracking down every possible source for information and quotes, and the book has encouraged me to seek out some of the obscure and early 4AD releases that aren't already in my collection. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2013 by too_old_to_be_so_indie
    • The Mystique Unveiled
Format: Hardcover
My first exposure to 4AD was dancing to Stranger by Clan of Xymox in 1985. I then bought the album and became enthralled by the enigmatic sleeve design-many a puffs were taken to try and figure that one out. Soon afterwards I heard Elizabeth's voice sing "Lorelei" and I was hooked. Nonetheless, I'm not a creative-type person-just an average Joe-so there is so much I didn't "get" or fully appreciate about the world of 4AD. Reading Facing the Other Way not only took me on a complete journey through the story but also opened my mind's eye to the other otherness of it all. I am now able to enjoy my 4AD collection at a whole new level and have massively expanded it. Thanks Martin for the wonderful journey! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2014 by David d.
    • 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
    • 4AD Record label fans: MUST READ!
Format: Paperback
4AD Records was a huge influence on me in the 80s and 90s. This book provides a history of the record label before the internet made things more accessible and transparent. The mystery of album covers and working relationships of artists and producers given to you in these pages were unknown while listening to artists like Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance and Clan of Xymox in my youth! Bands like Pixies, Lush, Breeders, The Wolfgang Press, and related projects discussed in detail. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2017 by Nathan Mayhem

Can't find a product?

Find it on Amazon first, then paste the link below.
Checking for best price...