Omnibus Press: Difference between revisions

Omnibus Press
Parent company	Wise Music Group
Founded	1972
Headquarters location	London, United Kingdom
Distribution	Worldwide
Publication types	Books
Official website	omnibuspress.com

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Omnibus Press is a publisher of music-related books.^[1] It publishes around 30^[2] new titles a year to add to a backlist of over 300 titles currently in print.^[3]

History

Omnibus Press was launched in 1972 as a general non-fiction publisher to complement the sheet music published and distributed by its parent company Music Sales Group.^[4] Music Sales had launched a separate company called Book Sales Ltd and the earliest Book Sales catalogue, issued in the early 70s, included compilations of underground comic strips, art and photography titles and one of the earliest books on the then newly discovered art of video.

After former Melody Maker music journalist Chris Charlesworth joined as Omnibus editor in 1983,^[5] it was decided to concentrate exclusively on music books, and among its earliest acquisitions was Rock Family Trees by music archivist Pete Frame which remains in print and have been the basis of two BBC TV series. Over the succeeding decades Omnibus has published many biographies on most of rock musicians. These include Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance by Johnny Rogan, Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon by Tony Fletcher, Uptight: The Velvet Underground Story by Victor Bockris and Catch A Fire: The Life of Bob Marley by Timothy White.

Among the rock and pop writers whose work has been published by Omnibus over the years are Richard Williams, Chris Welch, Peter Dogget, Patrick Humphries, David Sinclair and Everett True (UK) and Dave Marsh, Paul Williams, Nelson George, Jerry Hopkins, David Ritz and Danny Sugerman (US).

Wise Music Group has published The Beatles' printed sheet music since the company's inception, and this association is reflected in the many Beatles-related books that Omnibus has published. These include The Beatles: A Diary by Barry Miles, a Beatles insider from the early days, With The Beatles: The Historic Photos of Dezo Hoffman, and The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles by Dominic Pedlar, an analytical study of their music. In 2007, Omnibus published Colin Larkin's Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise Edition). At 1,600 pages, this is the abridged version of Larkin's 10-volume encyclopedia, a biographical listing of rock, pop and jazz artists.^[6]

In 2006, Music Sales acquired Sanctuary Books which added a significant number of additional music books to the Omnibus list, as well as a number of sports, travel and novelty & gift books.^{[citation needed]}

In February 2020, parent company Wise Music Group changed its name from The Music Sales Group.^[7]

References

^ "graal.com". Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
^ "ingramcontent.com". Archived from the original on 8 January 2015.
^ "About Omnibus Press". omnibuspress.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
^ "Book Publishing – Wise Music Group". wisemusic.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
^ "Interview: Chris Charlesworth, music journalist and publisher". Hippocampus Magazine. 1 July 2012. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
^ Larkin, Colin (1 January 2009). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001/acref-9780195313734.
^ "The Music Sales Group is now Wise Music Group". WiseMusic.com.

[1] "graal.com". Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.

[2] "ingramcontent.com". Archived from the original on 8 January 2015.

[3] "About Omnibus Press". omnibuspress.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

[4] "Book Publishing – Wise Music Group". wisemusic.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

[5] "Interview: Chris Charlesworth, music journalist and publisher". Hippocampus Magazine. 1 July 2012. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

[6] Larkin, Colin (1 January 2009). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001/acref-9780195313734.

[7] "The Music Sales Group is now Wise Music Group". WiseMusic.com.

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+{{Short description|British publisher of music-related books}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
 {{Infobox publisher
 | image        = [[File:Omnibus Press logo.gif|225px]]
-| parent       = [[Music Sales Group]] (as of 2006)
+| parent       = [[Wise Music Group]]
 | status       =
-| founded      = 1976
+| founded      = 1972
 | founder      =
 | successor    =
 | country      =
-| headquarters = United Kingdom
+| headquarters = London, United Kingdom
 | distribution = Worldwide
 | keypeople    =
@@ Line 17: / Line 19: @@
 | numemployees =
 | nasdaq       =
-| url          = {{url|http://omnibuspress.com}}
+| url          = {{URL|http://omnibuspress.com}}
 }}
-'''Omnibus Press''' is the world's largest specialist publisher of music-related books.<ref>[http://www.graal.com.pl/en/publishers-and-agents/omnibus-press-music-sales graal.com]</ref> It publishes around 30<ref>[http://www.ingramcontent.com/pressreleases/Pages/Ingram%20Publisher%20Services%20announces%20new%20client%20Omnibus%20Press.aspx ingramcontent.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108232903/http://www.ingramcontent.com/pressreleases/Pages/Ingram%20Publisher%20Services%20announces%20new%20client%20Omnibus%20Press.aspx |date=2015-01-08 }}</ref> new titles a year to add to a backlist of over 250 titles currently in print.
+'''Omnibus Press''' is a publisher of music-related books.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.graal.com.pl/en/publishers-and-agents/omnibus-press-music-sales |title=graal.com |access-date=2015-01-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109123839/http://www.graal.com.pl/en/publishers-and-agents/omnibus-press-music-sales |archive-date=2015-01-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It publishes around 30<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ingramcontent.com/pressreleases/Pages/Ingram%20Publisher%20Services%20announces%20new%20client%20Omnibus%20Press.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108232903/http://www.ingramcontent.com/pressreleases/Pages/Ingram%20Publisher%20Services%20announces%20new%20client%20Omnibus%20Press.aspx|url-status=dead|title=ingramcontent.com|archive-date=8 January 2015}}</ref> new titles a year to add to a backlist of over 300 titles currently in print.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Omnibus Press |url=https://omnibuspress.com/en-us/pages/about-us |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=omnibuspress.com |language=en |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030155710/https://omnibuspress.com/en-us/pages/about-us |url-status=live }}</ref>
 == History ==
-Omnibus Press was launched in 1976 as a general non-fiction publisher to complement the sheet music published and distributed by its parent company [[Music Sales Group]].<ref>[http://www.musicsales.com/Book.aspx Music Sales Group]</ref> The previous year Music Sales had launched a separate company called Book Sales Ltd and the earliest Book Sales catalogue, issued in 1975, included compilations of underground comic strips, art and photography titles and one of the earliest ever books on the then newly discovered art of video.
+Omnibus Press was launched in 1972 as a general non-fiction publisher to complement the sheet music published and distributed by its parent company [[Music Sales Group]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wisemusic.com/about-us/book-publishing/|title=Book Publishing – Wise Music Group|website=wisemusic.com|access-date=28 December 2022|archive-date=28 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228141748/https://www.wisemusic.com/about-us/book-publishing/|url-status=live}}</ref> Music Sales had launched a separate company called Book Sales Ltd and the earliest Book Sales catalogue, issued in the early 70s, included compilations of underground comic strips, art and photography titles and one of the earliest books on the then newly discovered art of video.
-After former ''[[Melody Maker]]'' music journalist [[Chris Charlesworth]] joined as Omnibus editor in 1983,<ref>[http://www.hippocampusmagazine.com/2012/07/interview-chris-charlesworth-music-journalist-and-publisher/ Hippocampus Magazine]</ref> it was decided to concentrate exclusively on music books, and among its earliest acquisitions was [[Rock Family Trees]] by acclaimed music archivist [[Pete Frame]] which remain in print to this day and have been the basis of two [[BBC TV]] series. Over the succeeding decades Omnibus has published many best-selling definitive biographies on most of rock's greatest superstars. These include ''Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance'' by [[Johnny Rogan]], ''Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon'' by [[Tony Fletcher]], ''Uptight: The Velvet Underground Story'' by [[Victor Bockris]] and ''Catch A Fire: The Life of Bob Marley'' by Timothy White.
+After former ''[[Melody Maker]]'' music journalist [[Chris Charlesworth]] joined as Omnibus editor in 1983,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hippocampusmagazine.com/2012/07/interview-chris-charlesworth-music-journalist-and-publisher/|title=Interview: Chris Charlesworth, music journalist and publisher|website=Hippocampus Magazine|date=1 July 2012|access-date=28 December 2022|archive-date=28 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228141745/https://hippocampusmagazine.com/2012/07/interview-chris-charlesworth-music-journalist-and-publisher/|url-status=live}}</ref> it was decided to concentrate exclusively on music books, and among its earliest acquisitions was [[Rock Family Trees]] by music archivist [[Pete Frame]] which remains in print and have been the basis of two [[BBC TV]] series. Over the succeeding decades Omnibus has published many biographies on most of rock musicians. These include ''Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance'' by [[Johnny Rogan]], ''Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon'' by [[Tony Fletcher]], ''Uptight: The Velvet Underground Story'' by [[Victor Bockris]] and ''Catch A Fire: The Life of Bob Marley'' by Timothy White.
-Among noted rock and pop writers whose work has been published by Omnibus over the years are [[Richard Williams (journalist)|Richard Williams]], [[Chris Welch]], Peter Dogget, Patrick Humphries, David Sinclair and [[Everett True]] (UK) and [[Dave Marsh]], Paul Williams, [[Nelson George]], [[Jerry Hopkins (author)|Jerry Hopkins]], [[David Ritz]] and [[Danny Sugerman]] (US).
+Among the rock and pop writers whose work has been published by Omnibus over the years are [[Richard Williams (journalist)|Richard Williams]], [[Chris Welch]], Peter Dogget, Patrick Humphries, David Sinclair and [[Everett True]] (UK) and [[Dave Marsh]], [[Paul Williams (journalist)|Paul Williams]], [[Nelson George]], [[Jerry Hopkins (author)|Jerry Hopkins]], [[David Ritz]] and [[Danny Sugerman]] (US).
-Music Sales has published [[The Beatles]]’ printed [[sheet music]] since the company’s inception, and this close relationship with the world’s most famous pop group is reflected in the large number of high-quality Beatles-related books that Omnibus has published over the years. These include ''The Beatles: A Diary'' by [[Barry Miles]], a Beatles insider from the early days, ''With The Beatles: The Historic Photos of [[Dezo Hoffmann|Dezo Hoffman]]'', the most iconic photo book on the band ever published, and ''The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles'' by Dominic Pedlar, the most detailed analytical study of their music. In 2007 Omnibus published [[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]'s ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise Edition)''. At 1,600 pages, this is the abridged version of Larkin’s renowned 10-volume encyclopedia, the most authoritative biographical listing of rock, pop and jazz artists ever published.<ref>[http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001/acref-9780195313734 Oxford Reference.com]</ref>
+Wise Music Group has published [[The Beatles]]' printed [[sheet music]] since the company's inception, and this association is reflected in the many Beatles-related books that Omnibus has published. These include ''The Beatles: A Diary'' by [[Barry Miles]], a Beatles insider from the early days, ''With The Beatles: The Historic Photos of [[Dezo Hoffmann|Dezo Hoffman]]'', and ''The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles'' by Dominic Pedlar, an analytical study of their music. In 2007, Omnibus published [[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]'s ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise Edition)''. At 1,600 pages, this is the abridged version of Larkin's 10-volume encyclopedia, a biographical listing of rock, pop and jazz artists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001/acref-9780195313734;jsessionid=AF247F0D8A269463BE72CB10BBED8E38|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|first=Colin|last=Larkin|date=1 January 2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001/acref-9780195313734}}</ref>
-In 2006 Music Sales acquired Sanctuary Books which added a significant number of additional music books to the Omnibus catalogue, as well as a number of sports, travel and novelty & gift books.
+In 2006, Music Sales acquired Sanctuary Books which added a significant number of additional music books to the Omnibus list, as well as a number of sports, travel and novelty & gift books.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
+In February 2020, parent company Wise Music Group changed its name from The Music Sales Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wisemusic.com/news/the-music-sales-group-is-now-wise-music-group/|title=The Music Sales Group is now Wise Music Group|website=WiseMusic.com}}</ref>
-==Photo books==
-Omnibus Press also publishes [[photobook]]s under its Vision On imprint, with books on [[The Clash]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]], [[Metallica]], [[Iron Maiden]], [[Iggy Pop]], [[The Smiths]] and the [[Bob Dylan]] pictures of Barry Feinstin. It has published the work of rock photographers [[Jim Marshall (photographer)|Jim Marshall]], [[Mick Rock]], [[Bob Gruen]], [[Ross Halfin]] and Steve Gullick and of [[Storm Thorgerson]], the album sleeve designer most famous for his work with [[Pink Floyd]]. It published the iconic ''Skinhead'' book by fashion photographer [[Nick Knight (photographer)|Nick Knight]].
-==Graphic novels==
+==References==
-Omnibus Press have published a series of graphic novels by the  British [[comics]] creator [[Jim McCarthy (comics)|Jim McCarthy]]. Titles include,  ''Metallica: Nothing Else Matters - The Graphic Novel'',<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/student/career-planning/getting-job/i-want-your-job-comic-book-artist-840180.html ''The Independent'']</ref> ''Gabba Gabba Hey! The Graphic Story Of The Ramones'',<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/arts/music/part-ramones-biography-part-dreamscape.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 ''The New York Times'']</ref> ''Sex Pistols: The Graphic Novel'', ''Michael Jackson: Neverland - The Life And Death Of Michael Jackson'', ''Reckless Life: Guns And Roses'' and ''GodSpeed: The Kurt Cobain Graphic Novel''. <ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/comics/interviews/a307397/jim-mccarthy-godspeed.html#~p0T3kxYFz05Nju ''Digital Spy'']</ref>
-==Notable books==
-*''The Beatles: A Diary''
-*''Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance''
-*''The Life Of Keith Moon''
-*''Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett and the Dawn of Pink Floyd''
-*''Paul Weller: My Ever Changing Moods''
-*''Sex and Drugs and Rock’n’Roll: The Life of Ian Dury''
-*''Abba: Bright Lights & Dark Shadows''
-*''Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir''
-*''Johnny Cash: American Icon''
-*''The Dark Story Of Eminem''
-*''Hey Ho let’s Go: The Ramones''
-*''Metallica: Justice For All''
-*''The Libertines: Highs & Lows''
-*''Mod: A Very British Phenomenon''
-*''Mods A New Religion''
-*''Without Frontiers The Life And Music Of Peter Gabriel''
-*''George Harrison: Behind The Locked Door''
-*''Under The Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush''
-*''The Lionel Bart Story: Fings Ain't Wot They Used T' Be''
-*''Steely Dan: Reelin’ In The Years''
-*''Kurt Cobain: Godspeed''
-*''Look Wot I Dun: Don Powell''
-*''Joni Mitchell: In Her Own Words''
-*''Stevie Nicks: Visions, Dreams & Rumors''
-*''Glen Matlock: I was a Teenage Sex Pistol (1989)''
-===References===
 {{Reflist}}
+{{Authority control}}
-== External links ==
+[[Category:British companies established in 1972]]
-*{{Official website}}
+[[Category:Book publishing companies of England]]
-* [http://justbackdated.blogspot.co.uk/ Just Backdated]
+[[Category:Book publishing companies based in London]]
-[[Category:Book publishing companies of the United Kingdom]]