Kingmaker Publishing

Formed in 2019, Kingmaker is a book publisher dedicated to the rock music sector. Kingmaker is run by Prog magazine journalist/Big Big Train manager Nick Shilton and Big Big Train founder Greg Spawton.

Kingmaker published its first book Genesis: 1967 to 1975 – The Peter Gabriel Years by Mario Giammetti in May 2020 and published the same author’s Genesis: 1975 to 2021 – The Phil Collins Years in September 2021. The autobiography of Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly – Marillion, Misadventures & Marathons: The Life & Times of Mad Jack – was published in January 2022. Several further titles are scheduled for publication in 2022 and beyond.

Kingmaker prioritises quality over quantity. We do not aim to become a mass market publisher or publish countless titles annually. Instead our mission is to devote ourselves to a handful of books each year, which tell the stories of various bands and artists to delight their fans, while providing books to treasure as works of art themselves. 

Kingmaker’s books are lovingly written and immaculately produced, with attention to detail in the text complemented by beautiful design and imagery.