Access All Areas

First as a journalist and then a publicist at Warner Brothers Records for nearly twenty years, Barbara Charone has experienced, first-hand, the changes in the cultural landscape. Access All Areas is a personal, insightful and humorous memoir packed with stories of being on the cultural frontline, from first writing press releases on a typewriter driven by Tip Ex, then as a press officer for heavy metal bands taking the bus up to Donnington Festival with coffee, croissants and the much more popular sulfate. To taking on Madonna, an unknown girl from Detroit, and telling Smash Hits 'you don't have to run the piece if the single doesn't chart', and becoming a true pioneer in music, Charone continues to work with the biggest names in music, including Depeche Mode, Robert Plant, Foo Fighters and Mark Ronson at her agency MBCPR.

The story of how a music-loving, budding journalist from a Chicago suburb became the defining music publicist of her generation, Access All Areas is a time capsule of the last fifty years, told through the lens of music.

“Barbara is the quintessential force of nature. In this great memoir her insatiable thirst for beauty and adventure is fabulously quenched, be it by great music, interesting people or ultimately a fine ros”

é, all for the reader to sit back and enjoy. Of course, having been in the right place at the right time also helps, and every day I thank my lucky stars we crossed paths years ago and I was permitted to join her on such a fabulous adventure. -- Rufus Wainwright
From Keith Richards to Madonna to Mark Ronson, the inimitable BC is a music industry legend and Access All Areas is the story of a life like no other -- Alexis Petridis
Barbara Charone had a massive role in shaping my career over the past 15 years and she's one of the most adored figures in the music industry for good reason. Access All Areas is a warm, funny, boozy take on the last 40 years of the British music industry from the perspective of someone who helped shape it but is also obviously still a massive fan at heart. Her teenager-like enthusiasm for every project and artist she's ever worked beams from very page and as a music trivia junky, I lived for all the 80's Smash Hits-era insider information . . . This book rules -- Mark Ronson
I loved this book! Smart, sharp and hilarious -- Suggs

Born in Chicago, Barbara Charone moved to London after graduating from Northwestern University. The first half of her career was spent as a music journalist working for NME, Sounds, Rolling Stone, Crawdaddy and Cream before writing the authorised biography Keith Richards: Life As A Rolling Stone in 1979.

In November 2000, after almost 20 years at Warner Brothers, Barbara co-founded leading independent music agency MBCPR with Moira Bellas where she still works now. Within six months it became one of the country's top music PR firms.

Barbara Charone is one of the most respected women working in the music business. In November 2001, Charone and Bellas, were honoured as Women of the Year by Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and The Brit Trust and in 2006 and 2009 won the coveted Music Week PR Award. In May 2022 Barbara Charone was presented with The Strat at the Music Week Awards, for lifetime achievement. Charone was involved in a recent successful bid to buy her beloved Chelsea Football Club, and will be a non-executive director.

First as a journalist and then a publicist at Warner Brothers Records for nearly twenty years, Barbara Charone has experienced, first-hand, the changes in the cultural landscape. Access All Areas is a personal, insightful and humorous memoir packed with stories of being on the cultural frontline, from first writing press releases on a typewriter driven by Tip Ex, then as a press officer for heavy metal bands taking the bus up to Donnington Festival with coffee, croissants and the much more popular sulfate. To taking on Madonna, an unknown girl from Detroit, and telling Smash Hits 'you don't have to run the piece if the single doesn't chart', and becoming a true pioneer in music, Charone continues to work with the biggest names in music, including Depeche Mode, Robert Plant, Foo Fighters and Mark Ronson at her agency MBCPR.The story of how a music-loving, budding journalist from a Chicago suburb became the defining music publicist of her generation, Access All Areas is a time capsule of the last fifty years, told through the lens of music.

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