» Blog Archive Miles Copeland Announces Release Of Memoir -
The Big Kahuna Books, Hard Music, News

Miles A. Copeland III has announced the release of his memoir titled Two Steps Forward, One Step Back – My Life In The Music Business. Few executives over the past half century have left a larger global footprint on a global basis. Whether as a manager for The Police, Bangles and others, or a label owner with IRS Records, Copeland has been a visionary.

Historically, his impact on the careers of hundreds of artists is indisputable. On a touring basis, he reimagined the possibilities of where artists can tour, being the catalyst for events in regions of the world where few had staged shows in the past. The early introduction of his television property The Cutting Edge captured the emergence of New Wave, Punk, and a time where the landscape constantly fueled the rise of artists across the continents.

Belinda Carlisle offers, “Miles was larger than life to our band, The Go-Go’s. We were in awe and a little bit afraid of him, but at the end of the day we considered him a protector, and we knew we could trust him. He helped us navigate the early days of our career. He’s a legend!” Former management client Jools Holland offers, “This refreshing and provocative book will surprise, shock, and inform both music-business insiders and civilians on the fringes of showbusiness. It is an essential read for anyone considering a career in the music industry.”

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back tells the extraordinary story of a maverick manager, promoter, label owner, and all-round legend of the music industry. It opens in the Middle East, where Miles grew up with his father, a CIA agent who was stationed in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon. It then shifts to London in the late 60s and the beginnings of a career managing bands like Wishbone Ash and Curved Air—only for Miles’s life and work to be turned upside down by a disastrous European tour. From the ashes of near bankruptcy, Miles entered the world of punk, sharing a building with Malcolm McLaren and Sniffin’ Glue, before shifting gears again as manager of The Police, featuring his brother Stewart on drums. Then, after founding IRS Records, he launched the careers of some of the most potent musical acts of the new wave scene and beyond, from Squeeze and The Go-Go’s to The Bangles and R.E.M. The story comes full circle as Miles finds himself advising the Pentagon on how to win over hearts and minds in the Middle East and introducing Arabic music to the United States. “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” his father would tell him. In the end, though, the truth is what counts—and it’s all here.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back by Miles A. Copeland III will be released on June 18 in the U.K. by Jawbone Press, and on July 13 in the U.S. by Quarto. The 336-page softcover release features 16 pages of photographs. The retail price has been set at $22.95 US, $29.95 CAN and £14.95 in the U.K. (ISBN 978-1-911036-77-7). An eBook will be available via Kindle and Apple Books.

Comments are closed.

RSS
Follow by Email
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
YouTube
Instagram
SOCIALICON

Subscribe

Enter your email address:

Search

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

ADS