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And the Radio Played Just for Me
Neil Sheasby
In And the Radio Played Just for Me, Stone Foundation co-founder and bassist Neil Sheasby writes about growing up with music as a constant companion and how music shapes memory, identity, and belonging.
From the glow of the family TV set on Thursday nights, gathered around Top of the Pops, to the crackling warmth of the radio on Sunday afternoons, Neil recalls a childhood and adolescence scored by the songs of the seventies and beyond. The thrill of live bands in working men’s clubs, the chaos of cinema aisles turned into dancefloors, every fairground ride, carnival, cinema trip, and late-night bike ride carried its own soundtrack — sometimes joyous, sometimes chaotic, always unforgettable.
With warmth, wit, and an eye for the details that make the ordinary feel extraordinary, Neil captures the innocence of youth, the magic of discovery, and the way music seeps into every corner of memory.
And the Radio Played Just for Me is a celebration of the timeless bond between music and memory — an invitation to look back and remember the soundtrack of your own life.
Available from 11 November, 2025.
Sorrento Books
Sorrento Books is an independent publisher dedicated to reviving the spirit of chapbooks, with a focus on popular culture from our leading contemporary voices.
Our chapbooks echo the rich tradition of these small, accessible booklets that once brought stories, ideas, and commentary to the masses.
We’re proud to launch with three chapbooks by acclaimed journalist and author Paolo Hewitt, part of his When My Soul Was in the Lost and Found series. Hewitt’s work captures the essence of music, culture, and personal reflection—perfectly aligning with the ethos of chapbooks as a platform for unique and compelling narratives.
Historically, chapbooks emerged in the 16th century from broadsides, offering folk tales, ballads, religious texts, and political commentary. Sold by itinerant “chapmen,” they were a lifeline between cities and rural communities and played a key role in making literature accessible.
ICONs
Describe your image
We are proud to introduce ICONS, an exclusive series of prints designed by Micklewhite and Leach, the creative minds behind our chapbook covers.
Our first print pay tribute to five trailblazers of 1960s culture:
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David Hemmings – the charismatic star of Blow-Up, the defining cinematic reflection on the swinging 60s.
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Mary Quant - revolutionary designer and retail pioneer who popularised super-high hemlines, and made London the epicentre of cool.
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Cathy McGowan - trendsetting presenter of Ready, Steady, Go!, who became the face of 1960s youth culture and Mod fashion.
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Francoise Hardy - French singer, songwriter, actress and style icon of the 1960s, known for her cool, melancholic voice and timeless elegance that shaped French pop culture.
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Oliver Reed - iconic actor known for his intense screen presence, rugged charisma, and off-screen wildness. He embodied both raw talent and rebellious charm.
Each print is beautifully produced on 200g museum-quality paper to give each print a heavyweight feel, using state-of-the-art 12-colour giclée print process for rich colour depth and fine detail.
More ICONS will be released over the coming months - but we want your input. Do you have an icon in mind? Email us at contact@sorrentobooks.co.uk and let us know who you think deserves the spotlight.
Available in A4 and A3, unframed and unmounted from £8.64 (excluding delivery).
ICONs
Morning Glory Prosium
La Famiglia
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Neil Sheasby
Neil Sheasby is a founding member of the band Stone Foundation and has enjoyed a career in music spanning over four decades. Born and raised in Atherstone, Warwickshire—where he still lives—Neil is a lifelong music obsessive with an extensive vinyl collection that’s rarely out of reach.
He is the author of two previous books: Boys Dreaming Soul (2019) and Bass Notes: Life and Times on the Road with Stone Foundation (2023), an illuminating chronicle of life on the road with Stone Foundation, with whom he continues to tour the world, playing bass guitar and cowriting and producing a string of Top 40 albums.
Away from the stage, Neil is a proud father to three sons—Lowell, Sonny, and Mason—and has shared his life with his partner Claire for over 30 years. He’s a passionate DJ, hat collector, and devoted Leeds United supporter.
Neil divides his time between performing, writing, contributing to Paninaro magazine, and in his spare time helping out at Urban Village Records in Henley-in-Arden.
Janette Beckman
British-born photographer Janette Beckman began her career in the punk rock era working for music magazines The Face and Melody Maker. She shot bands from The Clash to Boy George as well as three Police album covers.
In 1983 she moved to New York to document the underground hip-hop scene photographing pioneers Run DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, Slick Rick and many more.
Her work has been shown in galleries worldwide and is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Museum of the City of New York and the British National Portrait Gallery.
She has published five books, including Rap Portraits & Lyrics of a Generation of Black Rockers (1991), Made in the UK (2005), The Breaks Stylin’ & Profilin' (2008) and The MashUp (2018) a collaboration with iconic New York graffiti artists reinterpreting her hip hop images. Her monograph covering 40 years of photography Rebels From Punk To Dior was published by Drago in November 2021.
Janette continues to chronicle sub-cultures as well as photographing campaigns for brands like Dior and Levis . She is represented by the Fahey Klein Gallery.
Latest playlist
It's no surprise - we love music.
Every Monday, we publish a playlist of what we're listening to in the Sorrento Books office.
Check out all our playlists on our Spotify page.