Ian MacDonald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian MacDonald
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| Born |
Ian MacCormick
3 October 1948 London, England
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| Died | 20 August 2003 (aged 54) Wotton-under-Edge, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Music critic, author |
| Years active | 1972−2003 |
| Known for | Revolution in the Head |
Ian MacCormick (known as Ian MacDonald) was a British writer and music expert. He was born on October 3, 1948, and passed away on August 20, 2003. He was famous for his books about the Beatles and the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.
Contents
About Ian MacDonald
Ian MacDonald went to King's College, Cambridge University for a short time. He studied English, then archaeology and anthropology. He left after one year. While there, he knew the musician Nick Drake.
From 1972 to 1975, he worked as an assistant editor at a music magazine called NME. Ian also wrote songs. He worked with the band Quiet Sun, which included his brother Bill MacCormick. Phil Manzanera, who later joined Roxy Music, was also in the band. Ian wrote lyrics for their album Listen Now. Later, Brian Eno helped him make his own album, Sub Rosa.
His Famous Books
Revolution in the Head
In 1994, Ian MacDonald wrote Revolution in the Head. This book looks closely at every song the Beatles recorded. It explores the main ideas and inspirations behind their music. The book has detailed information about each song. Paul McCartney has said he disagreed with some parts of the book. Ian was allowed to listen to the original Beatles' recordings for his research.
The book also includes an essay called "Fabled Foursome, Disappearing Decade." This essay talks about the big social and cultural changes of the 1960s. In 2002, a shorter version of the book was released. It focused only on the songs from the Beatles' number one album, 1.
The New Shostakovich
Ian MacDonald also wrote The New Shostakovich. This book tried to explain the works of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. It placed his music within the political and social events of his time. Ian was also a regular reviewer for the UK magazine Classic CD.
Later Writings
The success of Revolution in the Head encouraged Ian to write more about popular music. He started writing for Mojo and Uncut music magazines. A collection of these writings, called The People's Music, was published in July 2003. This was just weeks before he passed away.
He was also working on two other books. One was called Birds, Beasts & Fishes: A Guide to Animal Lore and Symbolism. The other was about David Bowie. Sadly, neither of these books were published.
His Legacy
Ian MacDonald passed away on August 20, 2003, at the age of 54. The song "Wish You Well" on Phil Manzanera's 2004 album 6PM is a tribute to Ian MacDonald.
Books by Ian MacDonald
- The New Shostakovich (1990)
- Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (1994)
- The People's Music (2003)
