On the 15th of this month, we were delighted to be hosting, with Waterstones' Gower St, the legendary Ken Russell in person. Ken was talking about his two new books published by us, comprising four novellas in total: Elgar: The Erotic Variations; Delius: A Moment With Venus; Beethoven Confidential and Brahms Gets Laid. Our thanks must go, first of all, to Waterstones for their events management skills but also to Ken for a memorable evening indeed.
In fact, Ken had already turned in a barnstorming performance that afternoon, appearing on the Robert Elms show on BBC London. The redoubtable Mr Elms is a fluent, confident performer on the radio and if he wasn't overawed, he certainly met his match in Ken - or so Ken said later on that evening. Their hilarious, good-humoured banter ranged over his films, love of music, Celebrity Big Brother (he called Jade and her mother 'the terrorists') and, of course, the books, where Ken showed not only the fun that he likes to have with these august figures, but his deep knowledge of and abiding love of their music.
And it was more of the same at Waterstones' where the assembled crowd included Loving Mephistopheles author Miranda Miller and two people who have kindly provided us with brilliantly-written and illuminating forewords for titles in our Modern Classics series: Graham Coxon (Narcissus and Goldmund) and Christopher Priest (Ice). Thanks also to all those gathered there on the evening. This is not to say, however, that Ken has finished his unique PR drive - look out for mooted appearances on Classic FM and The Wright Stuff. And, of course, look out for the books themselves which are hitting the bookshops now.
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