Another look at my books

Posted on by Opher

I’m not sure that these are all of them. Thought you might like to have a trawl through and every purchase a dozen or so? Who knows? They are all available in paperback with most as eBooks, some as hardbacks and many as audios!

Anyway, thanks for looking and I sure am grateful for all reviews on either Amazon or Goodreads!

Thank you!

These are my books – Why not take a look?

Posted on by Opher

Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: books, biography, latest update

Thank you!

Opher Goodwin’s Top Rock Music Books

Posted on by Opher

Opher Goodwin’s Top Rock Music Books

Here is a list of some of my top Rock Music books (all available in paperback or kindle and some in Hardback):

Phil Ochs On Track: Every Album, Every Song  Phil Ochs was the ‘The Prince of Protest’ in the sixties. The only real rival to Bob Dylan, he was the archetypal Greenwich Village topical songwriter. Whether protesting the Vietnam War or campaigning for civil rights, workers’ rights and social justice, Phil was always there. Phil was the man to take up causes, write songs, play at rallies and even risk his life. His clear voice and sense of melody, linked with his incisive lyrics, created songs of beauty and power. As his career progressed, with lyrics and music becoming more highly poetic and sophisticated, he still never lost sight of his cause. Towards the end of the sixties he joined with the YIPPIES in protest against the Vietnam War. But idealism became Phil’s downfall. He was an idealist who could see no point in continuing if he was unable to make the world a better place. Phil lost all hope and descended into depression, which, along with excessive alcohol consumption, led to his suicide in 1976. Shortly before he took his life, Phil asked his brother if he thought anyone would listen to his songs in the future. Well here we are; sixty years later, still listening. The songs of Phil Ochs are every bit as relevant as they ever were and they are making the world a better place!Phil Ochs On Track: Every Album, Every Song: Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789523263: Books
Ian Dury On Track: Every Album, Every Song Paperback – 25 Sept. 2025  “We only ever get glimpses of Ian Dury; nothing is as it seems. From irascible rogue to national treasure, pop star to social commentator, cockney geezer to artist, he was a man greater than the sum of his parts. Part teddy boy, part punk, part vaudeville act; he was unique. The music that emanates from this powerful personality echoes the heart and drive of their complex creator.
   Dury began his career as a frontman with post-punk outfit Kilburn And The High Roads, but had his greatest success with backing band The Blockheads, which featured Chis Jankel and Wilko Johnson at various times. He found true commercial success with the albums New Boots And Panties and Do It Yourself. Dury went on to a critically acclaimed solo career and worked with The Blockheads again on the 1997 album Mr Love Pants. He also had a slew of non-album hits, especially the UK number one ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’.
   In this book, Opher Goodwin dissects his albums and songs to tease out their spirit and reveal the inspirations behind them. 
   This is Ian Dury: a Blockhead, a genius.”		Ian Dury On Track: Every Album, Every Song: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781789523744: Books
Leonard Cohen  On Track: Every Album, Every Song Paperback – 30 May 2025  An enigma, Leonard Norman Cohen was possibly the most improbable bohemian intellectual songwriter/singer in music history. He was certainly the working-class hero, the peoples’ poet, the suicidal lamenter of doom and the purveyor of popular songs. But the truth is even more complex. Throughout his life, there were juxtapositions of the most unlikely life choices and influences. To have fashioned a mishmash of ideas, styles and influences into a successful, long-lasting musical career is nothing short of amazing. He blended secular, mystical, sexual and religious themes into ambiguous poetic tapestries and devised an intricate, unique musical style. He possessed a deep baritone voice that, although mesmerising, was sometimes in danger of sounding monotonous. Leonard was able to fuse these elements into a distinctive amalgam that somehow worked on many levels. He did not look the part, play the game or conform to any rules, but Leonard touched hearts and minds all over the world, while writing some remarkable songs, including ‘Halleluyah’ and ‘Suzanne’. Focusing equally on his popular early albums, his more experimental mid-period and his final, late-career renaissance, this book analyses and interprets every album and every individual song to shed light on the phenomenon of Leonard Cohen.Leonard Cohen On Track: Every Album, Every Song: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781789523591: Books
The Beatles – White Album – rock Classics    Arguably the greatest album by the best rock band ever, The Beatles – also known as The White Album – proved to be a watershed recording. Coming as it did, after manager Brian Epstein’s death; after the disillusionment with the Maharishi; in the middle of the break-up of long-term relationships, and following on from the psychedelic masterpiece Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, it heralded changes of style and the marked the start of the falling apart of the previously tight-knit group.The album’s diversity and creation are analysed and its background and dynamics revealed. This extraordinary double album reflects a remarkable time and period. As the sixties came to an end, so too did the band. They mirrored the times they lived in. The album also followed on from their first highly criticised TV flop Magical Mystery Tour, the success of the first global satellite triumph of ‘All You Need Is Love’, and the highly ambitious Apple business venture. George Martin ducked out and ructions broke out between band members. But, among all the pressures and stress they found time to write and record an incredible array of songs; songs that synergised into a spectacularly successful album with a fascinating story. This is the tale of every track and every facet of this remarkable record.The Beatles: White Album – Rock Classics: Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789523331: Books
Bob Dylan – Bringing It All Back Home – Rock ClassicsOne of the most pivotal albums in the evolution of rock music, few other recordings have had more impact than the 1965 Bob Dylan classic, Bringing It All Back Home. In the mid-sixties, rock music was about to explode into psychedelia, prog and jazz fusion. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan had made an enormous impact on songwriting with his first four all-acoustic albums. He had created a different way of writing songs, by embracing themes such as civil rights, anti-war protests and social issues, which lifted the subject matter from teenage love songs to serious poetic works of art, rife with symbolism. But with Bringing It All Back Home, Dylan shot his lyrics through with surreal hard-edged beat poetry while the music contained both acoustic songs and blues-based loud electric rock. It alienated him from many of his peers in the folk community but nonetheless contains classic cuts like ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ ‘Maggie’s Farm’ and ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’. Dylan had opened the door to experimentation. The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, The Doors, Hendrix, Pink Floyd and Cream all listened and responded. In its wake, Songwriting rose to new heights with few boundaries. After Bringing It All Back Home, music was forever changed.Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home: Rock Classics: Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789523140: Books
Captain Beefheart On Track: Every Album, Every SongCaptain Beefheart (Don Vliet) was undoubtedly the creator of the most bizarre and wonderful music. A child prodigy sculptor, he applied his artistic approach to music, creating ‘aural sculptures’. He befriended Frank Zappa in High School, collaborating on a teenage rock opera and sci-fi/fantasy film entitled Captain Beefheart vs The Grunt People. It was from this film that Don took his name. Of course, a magic character had to have a magic band. Captain Beefheart On Track: Every Album, Every Song : Opher Goodwin: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Roy Harper On Track: Every Album, Every SongRoy Harper must be one of Britain’s most undervalued rock musicians and songwriters. For over fifty years he has produced a series of innovative albums of consistently outstanding quality. He puts poetry and social commentary to music in a way that extends the boundaries of rock music. His 22 studio albums 16 live albums, made up of 250 songs, have created a unique body of work. Roy is a musician’s musician. Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track): Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789521306: Books
In Search of Captain Beefheart – A Rock Music MemoirThe sixties raged. I was young, crazy, full of hormones and wanting to snatch life by the balls. There was a life out there for the grabbing and it had to be wrestled into submission. There was a society full of boring amoral crap and a life to be had in the face of the boring, comforting vision of slow death on offer. Rock music vented all that passion. This book is a memoir of a life spent immersed in Rock Music. In Search of Captain Beefheart: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781502820457: Books
Bob Dylan 1962 to 1970 On Track (Decades)  Bob Dylan is the magician who sprinkled poetic fairy dust on to the popular music of the early sixties and his songwriting sparked a revolution and changed rock music forever. The diminutive poet/singer claimed he was merely a ‘song and dance man’ but Dylan altered popular music from intellectually bereft teenage rebellion into a serious adult art form worthy of academic study. Bob Dylan 1962 to 1970 On Track (Decades) : Opher Goodwin: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Neil Young 1963 to 1970: Every Album, Every Song    In the realm of singer songwriters, few have been as influential as Neil Young, whose music has always been creative and relevant throughout six decades. Neil is a chameleon for whom boundaries of genres do not exist. He has delved into folk, country, r&b, rock ‘n’ roll, grunge, hard rock, electronic and pop and made them his own.Neil Young 1963 to 1970: Every Album, Every Song: Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789522983: Books
Nick Harper: The Wilderness Years    Nick speaks!  I first met Nick when he was a young child and over the years he has become a close friend. This book illuminates the genius that I feel is Nick Harper and is designed to accompany ‘The Wilderness Years’, a trilogy of vinyl albums. Nick talks candidly about many aspects of his music and career. I include, with Nick’s permission, the lyrics of all the songs featured in the trilogy. There are also many photos dating from his childhood to the present day.Nick Harper: The Wilderness Years: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9798815185630: Books
The Blues Muse – A novelI was in conversation with a good friend who, like me, is a Rock Music fanatic. We have both been everywhere, seen everyone and have had our lives hugely affected by music. However it is not who you have seen but what you failed to catch that you dwell on. I said to him that it would be brilliant if we had a time machine and were able to go back and see all the major events in Rock history; Robert Johnson play in the tavern in Greenwood, Elmore James in Chicago, Elvis Presley in the small theatres, The Beatles in Hamburg, Stones in Richmond, Doors in the Whiskey, Roy Harper at St Pancras Town Hall…………….. and a thousand more. Then I realised that I could. The Blues Muse: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781518621147: Books
Rock Routes – A History of Rock MusicThis charts the progress of Rock Music from its beginnings in Country Blues, Country& Western, R&B and Gospel through to its Post Punk period of 1980. It tells the tale of each genre and lists all the essential tracks. I was there at the beginning and I’m still there at the front! Keep on Rockin’!!Rock Routes: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781514873090: Books
Opher’s World Tributes to Rock Geniuses  If you like Rock Music you’ll love this! – 195 tributes to Rock Acts of Genius. – Each one a gem of a picture. You’ll find out what makes them so brilliant and a lot more besides! This is the writing of a true passionate obsessive. These are Ophers tributes to Rock geniuses – loving pen-pictures to all the great artists and bands that have graced the screens, airways, our ears, vinyl grooves and electronic digits – (well a lot of them anyway). These tributes make you thrill to all the reasons why they were so great.Opher’s World Tributes to Rock Geniuses: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781508631279: Books
537 Essential Rock Albums  – Pt. 1This is not your average run through an opinionated list of somebody’s favourite albums. This is much more than that. By the time you get to the end of the book you will be in no doubt as to the type of person who has written this and what their views are. This is Opher at his most extreme and outspoken. He’s been there at the front through thousands of shows, purchased tens of thousands of albums and listened to more music than seems possible to fit into a single life.537 Essential Rock Albums – Pt. 1 The first 270: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781502787408: Books

Thank you for looking. Why not try one or two? And please leave a review!

Cheers

Opher

My writing career – Publishing History

Posted on by Opher

My writing career – Publishing History

Rock Music Published with Sonicbond Press

On Track SeriesPublished
1. Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track) Paperback   2. Captain Beefheart On Track: Every Album, Every Song – Paperback    3. Bob Dylan 1962 to 1970 On Track (Decades) Paperback   4. Neil Young 1963 to 1970: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback   5. Phil Ochs On Track: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback   6. Leonard Cohen  On Track: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback   7. Ian Dury  On Track: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback    Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing
Classic Albums Series 
8. The Beatles: White Album – Rock Classics Paperback    9, Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home: Rock Classics Paperback   Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing

Education – Books published with Oxford University Press

Education books 
10.  Coordinated science multiskill practicals   11.  Coordinated science practicals   12.  Headship – a passion for education  Oxford University Press   Oxford University Press   Self-Published

Science Fiction – Published as Ron Forsythe

Sci-Fi novelsPublished
13.Gordian Fetish   14. God’s Bolt   15. Reawakening (Sequel to God’s Bolt)   16. Star   17. Green   18. Neanderthal   19. Schizoid   20. Farm 703 – The Human Project   21. Quantum Fever   22. Conexion   23. New Eden   24. The Pornography Wars   25. Terra 3 (The Cabal)   26. The Scrolls of Pandora 3   27. DremeWorld   28. A Message From Hermes   29. Ghenghis Smith   30. JudgementSelf-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Unpublished   Unpublished   Unpublished   Unpublished   Unpublished   Unpublished – in process

Science Fiction and other – Published as Opher Goodwin

Sci-Fi novels written as Opher GoodwinPublishedNotes
31.      Pornographic Syndromes 32.      Destination Self 33.      Hallucination 34    Nosedive 35.      Green 36.      Intergalactic Rockstar – Star turn 37.      Ebola in Eden 38.   Zero to Infinity 39.   Reality Dreams Vol 1 40. Reality Dreams Vol 2 41. October 14th is too far 42. Trapdoor 43. Journey into time 44. Sorting the Future  Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Self-Published                    Exists as typescript Exists as typescript Exists as typescript Exists as typescript
Fiction – Avant Garde Novels  
45.  Danny’s Story 46. City Angels 47.  Goofin’ with the Cosmic Freaks 48.  53 & Imploding 49. Reflections From a Ditch 50.  Farther From the Sun 51.  The Universe – a Users Guide 52.  The Apartment 53.  Torture 54. Bodies in a Window  Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published unPublished Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published   
Antitheist  
55.  Antitheist’s Bible 56.  Book of Ginny 57.  Antitheist’s Dictionary  Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published  Rewritten (Kathy & Tobes)
Sixties  
58.  Diary of a 60s freak  Self-Published   
Poetry  
59.  Poetry Vol 1 – Prose and Cons 60.  Poetry Vol 2 – Vice and Verse 61. Poetry Vol 3 – Rhyme and Reason 62. Poetry Vol 4 – Stanzas & Stances 63. Poetry Vol 5 – Poems & Peons 64. Poetry Vol 6 – Codas, Cadence and Clues 65. Poetry Vol 7 – Rituals & Odes 66. Poetry Vol 8 – Poems for Hard Times 67. Poetry Vol 9 – Diddles, Riddles, Enviroscribbles & political Tribbles 68. Poetry Vol 10 – Weaponising Words 69. Poetry Vol 11 – Guns, Rhymes, Elephants & Dreams 70. Poetry Vol 12 – Dead Ducks, Own Goals & Greed 71. Poetry Vol 13 – Moroccan Skies, Wonder Whys, Disguise & Lies 72. Poetry Vol 14 – Fana Ticks, Fantast Ticks, Miss Ticks, Polly Ticks 73. Poetry Vol 15 – Dark Matter for Dark Ages 74. Poetry Vol 16 – A Cosmic Dance Through Life 75. Poetry Vol 17 – Long Ago & Inbetween 76. Poetry Vol 18 – Polly Ticks, Squawks & Parasites 77. Poetry Vol 19 – Poems For The Planet 78. Poetry Vol 20 – Random Muses From My Mind 79. Poetry Vol 21 – 350 Million, Oven-Ready, World-Beating Poems 80. Poetry Vol 22 –Out Of The Covid & Into The Frying Pan 81. Poetry Vol 23 – Visions From The Pits Of Love & Despair 82. Poetry Vol 24 – Escapees From the 60s 83. Poetry Vol 25 – Toxic Times 84. Poetry Vol 26 – Crying For Ukraine 85. Poetry Vol 27 – Broken Britain 86. Poetry Vol 28 – More Futile Gestures 87. Poetry Vol 29 – Fusion, Fission & Chain Reactions 88. Poetry Vol 30 – Wonder, Awe & Anger in Rhythm 89. Poetry Vol 31 – My Thoughts Are Quantum 90. Poetry Vol 32 – Futile Gestures of Defiance 91. Poetry Vol 33 – Fighting Words 92. Poetry Vol 34 – Mean Words  Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published   Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-published Self-Published Self-Published Unpublished                                                          In process                   In process
Art  
93. My Art & Outpourings  Self-Published   
Rock Music  
94.  Rock Strata Vol 1 95.  Rock Strata Vol 2 96.  Rock Strata Vol 3 97.  Rock Strata Vol 4 98.  Rock Streams 99.  Rockin my life away 100.  Roy Harper Vol 1 101.  Roy Harper Vol 2 102.  Roy Harper Vol 3 103.  Roy Harper Vol 4 104.  Roy Harper Biog 105.  Under the covers 106.  In Search of Captain Beefheart (A memoir) 107.  537 Essential Rock Albums pt 1 108.  Ruminating on Roy Harper (Me & Roy Harper) 109.  Nick Harper the Wilderness Years 110.  Tribute to Rock Geniuses Vol 1 111. The Blues Muse (a novel) 112. Rock Routes (History of Rock Music)  Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Unpublished Self-Published Self-Published Unpublished Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published Self-Published  Typescipt Typescipt Typescipt Typescipt Typescipt Incomplete Completed for publication Typescript Typescript Typescript Partial and incomplete Incomplete     Fully edited & ready     novel tracing Rock history
Short Stories & AnecdotesPublishedRewritten as
113. A Universe of Shorts, Tails and Tales, and the Truth 114. Anecdotes, Weird Science, Writing & Ramblings From Life 115. More Anecdotes, Essays, Beliefs & FlotsamSelf-Published   Self-Published   Self-Published   
The EnvironmentPublishedRewritten as
116. Anthropocene ApocalypseSelf-Published   
Travel  
117. The voyage to the end of the world – Treasure of South America  Self-Published 
Covid DiariesPublishedRewritten as
118. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 1 – (210 days from March 15th 2020 to October 19th 2020)   119. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 2 – (Day 211 – Day 410  – October 12th 2020 – May 7th 2021)   120. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 3  -(Day 411 – Day 630  May 8th 2021- December 15th 2021)   121. The Corona Diaries pt. 4    Self-Published     Self-Published     Self-Published     Self-published                   
DeathPublishedRewritten as
122. The Book of DEATHSelf-published 
   
Grandfather  
123. The Teachings of White EagleSelf-Published 

Books – My writing career – Publishing History

Posted on by Opher

Rock Music – Published with Sonicbond Press

Education – Published with Oxford University Press

On Track SeriesPublished
1. Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track) Paperback  
2. Captain Beefheart On Track: Every Album, Every Song – Paperback   
3. Bob Dylan 1962 to 1970 On Track (Decades) Paperback  
4. Neil Young 1963 to 1970: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback  
5. Phil Ochs On Track: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback  
6. Leonard Cohen  On Track: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback  		Sonicbond publishing    
Classic Albums Series 
7. The Beatles: White Album – Rock Classics Paperback   
8, Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home: Rock Classics Paperback   		Sonicbond publishing     Sonicbond publishing

Education – Oxford University Press

Education books 
9.  Coordinated science multiskill practicals  
10.  Coordinated science practicals  


11.  Headship – a passion for education  		Oxford University Press



Self-Published

Science Fiction – Published as Ron Forsythe

Sci-Fi novelsPublished
12.Gordian Fetish  
13. God’s Bolt  
14. Reawakening (Sequel to God’s Bolt)  
15. Star  
16. Green  
17. Neanderthal  
18. Schizoid  
19. Farm 703 – The Human Project  
20. Quantum Fever  
21. Conexion  
22. New Eden  
23. The Pornography Wars  


24. Terra 3 (The Cabal)  
25. The Scrolls of Pandora 3  
26. DremeWorld  
27. A Message From Hermes  
28. Ghenghis Smith  		Self-Published   











Unpublished  
Sci-Fi novels written as Opher GoodwinPublishedNotes
29.      Pornographic Syndromes 30.      Destination Self
31.      Hallucination
32.      Nosedive
33.      Green
34.      Star
35.      Ebola in Eden
36.   Zero to Infinity
37.   Reality Dreams Vol 1



38. Reality Dreams Vol 2
39. October 14th is too far
40. Trapdoor
41. Journey into time

42. Sorting the Future  		Self-Published













Unpublished


Self-Published  		                 









Exists as typescript
Fiction – Avant Garde Novels  
43.  Danny’s Story
44. City Angels
45.  Goofin’
46.  53 & Imploding
47. Reflections From a Ditch
48.  Farther From the Sun
49.  The Universe – a Users Guide
50.  The Apartment
51.  Torture
52. Bodies in a Window  		Self-Published  
Antitheist  
53.  Antitheist’s Bible
54.  Book of Ginny
55.  Antitheist’s Dictionary  		Self-Published Rewritten (Kathy & Tobes)
Sixties  
56.  Diary of a 60s freak  Self-Published   
Poetry  
57.  Poetry Vol 1 – Prose and Cons
58.  Poetry Vol 2 – Vice and Verse
59. Poetry Vol 3 – Rhyme and Reason
60. Poetry Vol 4 – Stanzas & Stances
61. Poetry Vol 5 – Poems & Peons
62. Poetry Vol 6 – Codas, Cadence and Clues
63. Poetry Vol 7 – Rituals & Odes
64. Poetry Vol 8 – Poems for Hard Times
65. Poetry Vol 9 – Diddles, Riddles, Enviroscribbles & political Tribbles
66. Poetry Vol 10 – Weaponising Words
67. Poetry Vol 11 – Guns, Rhymes, Elephants & Dreams 68. Poetry Vol 12 – Dead Ducks, Own Goals & Greed
69. Poetry Vol 13 – Moroccan Skies, Wonder Whys, Disguise & Lies
70. Poetry Vol 14 – Fana Ticks, Fantast Ticks, Miss Ticks, Polly Ticks
71. Poetry Vol 15 – Dark Matter for Dark Ages
72. Poetry Vol 16 – A Cosmic Dance Through Life
73. Poetry Vol 17 – Long Ago & Inbetween 74. Poetry Vol 18 – Polly Ticks, Squawks & Parasites 75. Poetry Vol 19 – Poems For The Planet
76. Poetry Vol 20 – Random Muses From My Mind
77. Poetry Vol 21 – 350 Million, Oven-Ready, World-Beating Poems
78. Poetry Vol 22 –Out Of The Covid & Into The Frying Pan
79. Poetry Vol 23 – Visions From The Pits Of Love & Despair
80. Poetry Vol 24 – Escapees From the 60s
81. Poetry Vol 25 – Toxic Times 82. Poetry Vol 26 – Crying For Ukraine
83. Poetry Vol 27 – Broken Britain
84. Poetry Vol 28 – More Futile Gestures
85. Poetry Vol 29 – Fusion, Fission & Chain Reactions
86. Poetry Vol 30 – Wonder, Awe & Anger in Rhythm
87. Poetry Vol 31 – My Thoughts Are Quantum
88. Poetry Vol 32 – Futile Gestures of Defiance
89. Poetry Vol 33 – Fighting Words  		Self-Published
































































Unpublished		                                                          In process             In process   In process  
Art  
90. My Art & Outpourings  Self-Published   
Rock Music  
91.  Rock Strata Vol 1
92.  Rock Strata Vol 2
93.  Rock Strata Vol 3
94.  Rock Strata Vol 4
95.  Rock Streams
96.  Rockin my life away
97.  Roy Harper Vol 1
98.  Roy Harper Vol 2
99.  Roy Harper Vol 3
100.  Roy Harper Vol 4
101.  Roy Harper Biog
102.  Under the covers
103.  In Search of Captain Beefheart (A memoir)
104..  537 Essential Rock Albums pt 1
105.  Ruminating on Roy Harper (Me & Roy Harper)
106.  Nick Harper the Wilderness Years
107.  Tribute to Rock Geniuses Vol 1
108. The Blues Muse (a novel) 109. Rock Routes (History of Rock Music)  		Unpublished


Self-Published

Self-Published




Unpublished


Self-Published



Self-Published


Self-Published

Self-Published  
Short Stories & AnecdotesPublishedRewritten as
110. A Universe of Shorts, Tails and Tales, and the Truth 111. Anecdotes, Weird Science, Writing & Ramblings From Life 112. More Anecdotes, Essays, Beliefs & FlotsamSelf-Published    
The EnvironmentPublishedRewritten as
113. Anthropocene ApocalypseSelf-Published   
Travel  
114. The voyage to the end of the world – Treasure of South America  Self-Published 
Covid DiariesPublishedRewritten as
115. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 1 – (210 days from March 15th 2020 to October 19th 2020)  
116. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 2 – (Day 211 – Day 410  – October 12th 2020 – May 7th 2021)  
117. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 3  -(Day 411 – Day 630  May 8th 2021- December 15th 2021)   118. The Corona Diaries pt. 4    		Self-Published                      









Still on the computer
DeathPublishedRewritten as
119. The Death Diariesongoing 
   
Grandfather  
120. The Teachings of White EagleSelf-Published 

Books – My writing career – Publishing History

Posted on by Opher

Books – My writing career – Publishing History

I thought I’d written around a hundred but there are a few more than that. Some exist just as typescript waiting to be rewritten in a digital format. One day I might get around to it. Some are works in progress.

It’s been hell getting this into WordPress. It doesn’t like tables!! It’s still not completely right.

Rock Music Published with Sonicbond Press

On Track SeriesPublished
1. Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track) Paperback  
2. Captain Beefheart On Track: Every Album, Every Song – Paperback   
3. Bob Dylan 1962 to 1970 On Track (Decades) Paperback  
4. Neil Young 1963 to 1970: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback  
5. Phil Ochs On Track: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback  
6. Leonard Cohen  On Track: Every Album, Every Song (On Track…) Paperback  		Sonicbond publishing    

Sonicbond publishing    

Sonicbond publishing  
 
Sonicbond publishing    

Sonicbond publishing
   
Sonicbond publishing
Classic Albums Series 
7. The Beatles: White Album – Rock Classics Paperback   
8, Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home: Rock Classics Paperback   		Sonicbond publishing    

Sonicbond publishing

Education – Oxford University Press

Education books 
9.  Coordinated science multiskill practicals  
10.  Coordinated science practicals  
11.  Headship – a passion for education  		Oxford University Press  
Oxford University Press  
Self-Published

Science Fiction – Published as Ron Forsythe

Sci-Fi novelsPublished
12.Gordian Fetish  
13. God’s Bolt  
14. Reawakening (Sequel to God’s Bolt)  
15. Star  
16. Green  
17. Neanderthal  
18. Schizoid  
19. Farm 703 – The Human Project  
20. Quantum Fever  
21. Conexion  
22. New Eden  
23. The Pornography Wars  
24. Terra 3 (The Cabal)  
25. The Scrolls of Pandora 3  
26. DremeWorld  
27. A Message From Hermes  
28. Ghenghis Smith  		Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Self-Published  
Unpublished  
Unpublished  
Unpublished  
Unpublished  
Unpublished
Sci-Fi novels written as Opher GoodwinPublishedNotes
29.      Pornographic Syndromes
30.      Destination Self
31.      Hallucination
32.      Nosedive
33.      Green
34.      Intergalactic Rockstar – Star turn
35.      Ebola in Eden
36.   Zero to Infinity
37.   Reality Dreams Vol 1
38. Reality Dreams Vol 2
39. October 14th is too far
40. Trapdoor
41. Journey into time
42. Sorting the Future  		Self-Published
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Fiction – Avant Garde Novels  
43.  Danny’s Story
44. City Angels
45.  Goofin’ with the Cosmic Freaks
46.  53 & Imploding
47. Reflections From a Ditch
48.  Farther From the Sun
49.  The Universe – a Users Guide
50.  The Apartment
51.  Torture
52. Bodies in a Window  		Self-Published
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Antitheist  
53.  Antitheist’s Bible
54.  Book of Ginny
55.  Antitheist’s Dictionary  		Self-Published
Self-Published
Self-Published  		Rewritten (Kathy & Tobes)

Sixties  
56.  Diary of a 60s freak  Self-Published   
Poetry  
57.  Poetry Vol 1 – Prose and Cons
58.  Poetry Vol 2 – Vice and Verse
59. Poetry Vol 3 – Rhyme and Reason
60. Poetry Vol 4 – Stanzas & Stances
61. Poetry Vol 5 – Poems & Peons
62. Poetry Vol 6 – Codas, Cadence and Clues
63. Poetry Vol 7 – Rituals & Odes
64. Poetry Vol 8 – Poems for Hard Times
65. Poetry Vol 9 – Diddles, Riddles, Enviroscribbles & political Tribbles
66. Poetry Vol 10 – Weaponising Words
67. Poetry Vol 11 – Guns, Rhymes, Elephants & Dreams 68. Poetry Vol 12 – Dead Ducks, Own Goals & Greed
69. Poetry Vol 13 – Moroccan Skies, Wonder Whys, Disguise & Lies
70. Poetry Vol 14 – Fana Ticks, Fantast Ticks, Miss Ticks, Polly Ticks
71. Poetry Vol 15 – Dark Matter for Dark Ages
72. Poetry Vol 16 – A Cosmic Dance Through Life
73. Poetry Vol 17 – Long Ago & Inbetween
74. Poetry Vol 18 – Polly Ticks, Squawks & Parasites
75. Poetry Vol 19 – Poems For The Planet
76. Poetry Vol 20 – Random Muses From My Mind
77. Poetry Vol 21 – 350 Million, Oven-Ready, World-Beating Poems
78. Poetry Vol 22 –Out Of The Covid & Into The Frying Pan
79. Poetry Vol 23 – Visions From The Pits Of Love & Despair
80. Poetry Vol 24 – Escapees From the 60s (In process )
81. Poetry Vol 25 – Toxic Times 82. Poetry Vol 26 – Crying For Ukraine
83. Poetry Vol 27 – Broken Britain
84. Poetry Vol 28 – More Futile Gestures
85. Poetry Vol 29 – Fusion, Fission & Chain Reactions
86. Poetry Vol 30 – Wonder, Awe & Anger in Rhythm
87. Poetry Vol 31 – My Thoughts Are Quantum (In process )
88. Poetry Vol 32 – Futile Gestures of Defiance
89. Poetry Vol 33 – Fighting Words  		Self-Published

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Art  
90. My Art & Outpourings  Self-Published   
Rock Music  
91.  Rock Strata Vol 1
92.  Rock Strata Vol 2
93.  Rock Strata Vol 3
94.  Rock Strata Vol 4
95.  Rock Streams
96.  Rockin my life away
97.  Roy Harper Vol 1
98.  Roy Harper Vol 2
99.  Roy Harper Vol 3
100.  Roy Harper Vol 4
101.  Roy Harper Biog
102.  Under the covers
103.  In Search of Captain Beefheart (A memoir)
104..  537 Essential Rock Albums pt 1
105.  Ruminating on Roy Harper (Me & Roy Harper)
106.  Nick Harper the Wilderness Years
107.  Tribute to Rock Geniuses Vol 1
108. The Blues Muse (a novel) 109. Rock Routes (History of Rock Music)  		Unpublished
Unpublished
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Fully edited & ready




  novel tracing Rock history
Short Stories & AnecdotesPublishedRewritten as
110. A Universe of Shorts, Tails and Tales, and the Truth
111. Anecdotes, Weird Science, Writing & Ramblings From Life 112. More Anecdotes, Essays, Beliefs & Flotsam		Self-Published  

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The EnvironmentPublishedRewritten as
113. Anthropocene ApocalypseSelf-Published   
Covid DiariesPublishedRewritten as
114. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 1 – (210 days from March 15th 2020 to October 19th 2020)  
115. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 2 – (Day 211 – Day 410  – October 12th 2020 – May 7th 2021)  
116. The Corona Diaries – Pt. 3  -(Day 411 – Day 630  May 8th 2021- December 15th 2021)   117. The Corona Diaries pt. 4    		Self-Published  

 
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Still on the computer

Current Writing Projects.

Posted on by Opher

Right now I am juggling a number of writing projects:

The Beatles: White Album – Rock Classics Paperback – 29 Aug. 2024

Tomorrow is the launch day for the release of the book. I’m busy creating a few posts to publicise it. I’m not very good at publicising.  I hope the publisher is better at it than me.

Phil Ochs – Every Album, Every Song (On Track)

I have just received the edited proofs for a final read-through. That is going to be my main focus for the next days.

 

Leonard Cohen – Every Album, Every Song (On Track)

I have spent the last months reading, researching and listening to the whole of Leonard Cohen’s work. I completed the book yesterday. I will now put it on the back burner to deal with the other projects before returning with a more objective mind to start editing and rewriting.

 

Ghenghis Smith – A Sci-fi novel

I completed the first draft of Ghenghis Smith a couple of months back. It is one of a batch of Sci-fi novels that I am holding back to send to publishers. I currently have four: – Terra 3 (the Cabal), The Scrolls Of Pandora 3, DremeWorld and now Ghenghis Smith. They are all based in some future galactic empire but each has a social/political theme that strongly relates to our world. They are relevant.

 

Ghenghis Smith is going to take a lot of work. Currently it is only 40,000 words. When I have completed the two other assignments I shall go back to it, study it and find a way to develop it into a full-blown 70,000 worder. I’m looking forward to that.

 

 

The Death Diaries

This is a book that I’ve been playing with for a couple of years now. I keep adding bits. It sits on my computer and broods. I wrote two pages in it yesterday.

 

 

The Next Poetry Book

Not yet named but already twenty pages in. Poems pop into my head. I scrawl them down and add them. When I have enough I publish them.

 

 

The Next Sonicbond project

I’m already in discussion with the publisher. I fancy a classic rock album to get my teeth into – maybe Exile On Mainstreet or Wish You Were Here!

 

When I finally find a little time I will look to send a new package, a Sci-fi book or two, round to agents and publishers. I want to get my Sci-fi properly published.

Sending books around is a time-consuming thankless task. I tend to avoid it.

Why Do I Write??

Posted on by Opher

Why do I write? That is a question a lot of people ask me and it is one I often ask myself. 

Writing is a lonely, sedentary task. It is time consuming, frustrating and unrewarding in many ways.It was Paul Simon who wrote ‘All my words come back to me – in shades of mediocrity – like emptiness in harmony’.  That about sums it up. I am not the next John Fowles.

I did not study English Literature. Why do I think I can write? 

I write because I know I can articulate the contents of my mind into words that will resonate with my readers. I know I can and sometimes I do. I write because I have a head that is full of passions, ideas, thoughts, opinions and stories and I have a burning need to write them down.

I enjoy writing as much as I do reading – and I love reading. 

I am not religious. I do not believe in any god or afterlife; I do not believe there is an ultimate purpose. I believe we have to give life a purpose. We have to strive to make the world a better place. Writing does that for me. 

I love nature and am destroyed by what we are doing to the planet. It eats me up.

I write about the things that mean something to me. I am a communicator who is an idealist; I believe we can make things better. 

I write because I believe in creativity. Creating something beautiful or passionate gives purpose and fulfilment. My books contain the wonder in my head. 

I write because it is difficult. Writing a novel is like climbing Everest. It is so hard that it leaves you with a sense of fulfilment when you’ve achieved it. I’ve climbed a lot of mountains. 

I write because I am a rebel who wants to change the system. I want to change it because it stinks. I think we can do better. 

I write about my passions. 

There are no rules. I like to push the limits in every way going. My books are different. They are sometimes extreme. 

I write for fun. 

I have written 100 books and published eighty four. Eighty two are available on Amazon. They are my babies. They will live longer than me. 

I dread to think how many hours I have sat in the dark typing on an old type-writer or pounding the keyboard on my various computers. How much of my life? How many tens of thousands of hours?

A book would take me a couple of thousand hours.

I have carried out rewrite after rewrite. 

So far I have earned maybe around £2000 for all those efforts. I make about a dollar a book. It’s not a great return. If it was about the money I could have worked in a filling-station and bought a house! 

It’s not even about the recognition. You write into a relentless vacuum. Very few people take the trouble to leave a review or a comment. We feed off the scraps.

Writing. It is sometimes the most discouraging, pointless, lonely task in the world. Sometimes I read what I have written and despair. 

But I’m still writing!

Current Writing Projects

Posted on by Opher

I thought I would update you on my current writing situation:

I currently have two books published with Sonicbond Press that are available through Burning Shed or Amazon:

Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track)

Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track): Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789521306: Books

Captain Beefheart: On Track: Every Album, Every Song

Captain Beefheart On Track: Every Album, Every Song : Opher Goodwin: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Both books have received glowing reviews which have certainly bouyed me up. Thank you to all concerned.

I have been contracted for two more books with Sonicbond Press. The one on Bob Dylan is due out next month (greatly excited about that) and the one on Neil Young has recently been sent in to the publishers and is currently undergoing editing with a release date as next year.

On top of that I have around 80 other books that are available through Amazon.

These include le on Amazon. These include 29 volumes of poetry, more books on Rock Music, some novels, antireligious writing, art, travel and Sci-fi.

Then, I have produced fourteen novels of Sci-fi published under the alias Ron Forsythe:

Your Site ‹ Ron Forsythe — WordPress.com

I currently have a new Sci-fi novel, The Cabal, that is with a Canadian Publisher at present. I have written one sequel to that vovel – called The Scrolls of Pandora 3, which remains unpublished as yet, and have just begun to write a second sequel entitled Dremeworld..

As well as all that I have also another book of poetry that is halfway through, a book of short stories, which is a quarter complete, and am looking to take on another Rock Music project.

As a novel takes me about a thousand hours of work I think you can see that this keeps me fairly busy. I try to mix my writing in with travel, reading and photography as well as leading a life with my long-suffering wife. It’s a juggling act – but one I am greatly enjoying!

All the best to all of you.

Thank you for all your likes, follows and, above all, your great reviews. You keep me going.

Opher xxx

About the Author – Roy Harper On Track

Posted on by Opher

About the Author

Opher Goodwin is the author of many books on rock music and science fiction. He taught the first History of Rock Music classes in the UK. Opher was fortunate to spend the sixties in London, the epicenter for the underground explosion of rock music and culture, where he was able to see everyone from Pink Floyd, Hendrix and Cream to the Doors, Captain Beefheart and, of course, Roy Harper. He befriended Roy in 1967 and has not only attended hundreds of gigs but was a privileged guest In Abbey Road studios for the recording of some of Roy s seminal albums. He lives in East Yorkshire, UK.