Books - Reviews by KeithS

Books - Reviews by KeithS

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Member	Item		Review/Comment
KeithS SUBS 3rd Jul 2021		Book Ed Ward - The History Of Rock & Roll, Volume I: 1920-1963 (2017)	Review I've read so many books purporting to tell the history of Rock and Roll and so very few are worth the trouble....this one was surprisingly interesting and told the story in a conversational style interspersed with little asides which prompted a "Ooh, I didn't know that" Eventually he comes to the British invasion...and here was where a few alarm bells started ringing. Apparently British teenagers learned all about US Rock and roll from Decca's London-American label..naming Mimi Trepel as the lady who signed up all those legendary labels for UK consumption. London-American existed thanks to Mantovani, who's sales in the US allowed Decca to do reciprocate deals - taking US artists to the UK!!!!! Every UK teenager had the iconic "blue and silver labeled discs with their triangular centres, in their collections.!!! A few pages later talking about Cliff Richard, the Shadows were recording for HMV. These annoyingly, silly mistakes could have been so easily checked by a proof reader but otherwise I quite enjoyed this book. Another plus is the attempted index that most book in the genre seem to ignore 1 person found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 25th Sep 2020		Book Clive Selwood - All The Moves (But None Of The Licks) (2003)	Review Interesting ......Selwood began with Vogue and Decca then Philips and worked for many UK labels in sales..Salvo, Century 21 and Elektra. His association with Johns Peel is probably best known along with their Dandelion label and has many tales to tell of the people they signed ....the Gene Vincent chapter is a little sad. He must have met all the important names in the record industry at one time or the other..Clive Davis, Kim Fowley, The Doors, Don Arden, Johnathan King 6 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 15th Aug 2019		Book Michael James Roberts - Tell Tchaikovsky The News (2014)	Review The story of the US Musicians Union's elitist attitude through the years ...that demanded a prospective member must be able to read music before admittance. Beginning with members who were Clasically trained -through to Jazz musicians who also thought themselves to be so much higher than Pop and Rock and Roll musicians - and how they fought to keep their ranks unsullied by these untrained newcomers. They may be selling lots of music but were not thought of as "Musicians" but "Entertainers" Interesting to read correspondence between the Union and Government about restricting English Pop Groups like The Beatles from touring the USA "as there are many musicians here in the US who can do the job - probably more effectively" The Union's publications never once mentioned Rock and Roll in any form until well into the late 1960's..and then only as a passing comment 4 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 16th Sep 2018		Book Håkan Lahger - Hög Standard (2018)	Review Great shame that this is only available in Swedish at present because the rise and fall of record companies is always interesting reading. Sonet began because of a burning musical interest in Jazz..at that time the youth music of the after war years in Sweden. Enthusiastic young men contacted US record firms through the Swedish Embassy's commercial registers and got an answer back from Savoy and were able to import discs and sell to a market hungry for product. Visiting Jazz musicians on European tours were recorded and a network of contacts was soon built up. By 1958 it was obvious that Jazz was on the wane and similar overtures were made to US companies like Chancellor, Roulette and Canadian American offering Scandinavian representation where that was not already covered by Decca and EMI in the UK. Sonet kept its small label values and many interviews with Artists contracted to the label all tell of a distinct family feel ..all were welcomed and nurtured. Interesting also is the views of other label bosses working with Sonet ..Chess, Alligator, Island, Mute. Monetary rewards were only for re investing in another music project. Nobody starved at Sonet but Music making was by far the more important to them. This book and the one about Metronome Records deserves translation as 45Cat has shown that there is an interest in other that UK and US companies 7 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 11th Jul 2017		Book Clinton Heylin - Bootleg (1996)	Review This book ...unlike 45Cat...makes a distinction between "Bootleg" and "Pirate" but from past experiences, no matter what one suggests, an arm-waving attack will come from somewhere with a completely different take on the subject. So it has always been, and depends on which parts of the music industry you have been involved with...or not. One take is that a Bootleg gives you the chance of hearing music that has not been authorised by the Record Company or artist.Should we accept their restrictions "Only this is what you may listen to" Piracy is much older - Shakespeare's plays were copied by people in the audience writing down the lines. The discs for mechanical pianos were copied without permission..big selling 78's were illegally copied and distributed. Copyright laws date back to printers rights to circulate Shakespeare's plays , or the rights to produce piano rolls and sheet music and thus have not been amended with the same speed that technology rushes ahead. This book carries many interviews with the shady characters who produced Bootleg discs and all say a similar thing. "Why should Record Companies react so violently..they were never going to produce this stuff anyway..its not affecting their economy" These "unauthorised" discs were never produced in large quantities and their original selling prices were not exorbitant..so the main reason for their existence was a love of the music rather than financial gain. Many Bootleg discs were even bootlegged by other bootleggers but legallity always comes to the fore. US laws differ from Europe..so produce in Germany and sell where you want...the loopholes caused uncertainty. There's bound to be alternative views of this industry but the book is informative 6 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 23rd Apr 2017		Book Rich Kienzle - Southwest Shuffle (2003)	Review Interesting book beginning with the Country Swing bands like Spade Cooley, Hank Penny and Tommy Duncan but strangely arrives quickly in California and Capitol Records..rather than the titled "South West" Capitol's Lee Gillette and Ken Nelson are included along with Tennessee Ernie, Buck Owens and Cliffie Stone. Guitarists Jimmy Wyble, Roy Lanham and Speedy West are discussed along with the constantly moving gangs of sidemen. Even Willie Nelson closes out the book 5 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 29th Dec 2016		Book Douglas Adams - The Deeper Meaning Of Liff (1992)	Review The Subtitle says it all . All these new words are actual place names and can be found on the map of the world. For Example BINDLE To slip foreign coins into a customer's change BRADFORD A school-Teachers hairy old jacket, now severely discoloured by chalk-dust, ink, egg and the precipitations of unedifying chemical reactions DUNOLLY An improvised umbrella FARRANCASSIDY A long and ultimately unseccessful attempt to undo someone's bra 4 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 6th Jul 2016		Book Charlie Gracie - Rock And Roll's Hidden Giant (2014)	Review I remember Charlie and his huge Guild guitar and his early tour of England when we were fascinated to see the original US artists . Those very few who came to the UK in those early days have obviously left a lasting impression. According to Charlie, he was already a fantastic, seasoned young performer by the time he got to Cameo records and was earning good money singing in clubs and dances but argued with this new started,unsure, struggling little label about his earnings from two best selling records. This got him into lots of trouble and his career was doused forthwith. From that point on he became a local musician struggling to keep bread on the table. Personally I am not interested in watching singers from the 1950's hobbling around and singing their teen-age hits. Those little records were of their time..and of my time..AT that time. Hearing their take on the happenings of those times is far more interesting. This book is full of Charlie meeting famous singers who say "Wow!!! I can't believe its you. You are the reason I became a showbiz personality". Charlie makes a point of being a humble guy but manages to teach Eddie Cochran to play cool guitar licks and describe Buddy Holly as fantastic although he wasn't much of a guitar player and didn't have much of a voice. ....and his faith in God also helped of course 4 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 13th Dec 2015		Book Pete Frame - The Restless Generation (2007)	Review Well researched story of why teenagers in austere after the war Britain took to music to brighten their existence. Ken Colyer's and Chris Barbers Trad Jazz..Lonnie Donegans breakaway skiffle..Tommy Steele into Marty Wilde, Vince Eager... Six five special..Boy Meets Girl A good 490 page read 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 13th Dec 2015		Book Richard Aquila - That Old-Time Rock And Roll (2000)	Review This was a disappointment. Really a book for those who don't know a thing about Rock&Roll and haven't got any concentration span to read pages of text unless there are lots of pictures The whole story is told in the first 28 pages with plenty of references to much better books on the subject. "Nobody knows when Rock & Roll really began"....."Black music was segregated until white teenagers discovered that it was better than the watered down white versions"...."Bandstand "Southern singers sang something called Rockabilly" After about 25 pages of this, the rest of this quite thick book is devoted to "lists"..for example "Songs about Boy's Names" "Songs about the American West". And finally comes the obligatory alphabetical list of well known singers and groups with a brief description of what they did. 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 13th Dec 2015		Book Alanna Nash - Behind Closed Doors (1988)	Review Alanna isn't a rabid Country fan but is interested to meet the people behind some of the larger-than-life personnas that they trade behind. A set of intelligent well-researched face-to-face interviews with many big names in Country Music-many of whom are no longer with us- making this doubly interesting as she got to talk to people that you don't hear too much about 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 6th Dec 2015		Book Brian Southall - The Rise And Fall Of EMI Records (2009)	Review A bit of a disappointment...I was left with a feeling that I had just read through the minutes of a large company's management meetings. Lots of corporate facts, share prices, which director never got on with which director. A bit too much "how giant corporations are run" and really not a lot on the things I was interested in 3 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 6th Dec 2015		Book Ken Emerson - Always Magic In The Air (2005)	Review A must for all of a certain age who remember the days before the "Singer-Songwriter". When teams of young songwriters churned out tune after tune hoping to have it recorded and reap the rewards of a "hit" New Yorks Brill Building was a warren of tiny offices for record companies and publishers so it was possible then to write a tune, run up the corridors and sell it..if you were lucky! 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 6th Dec 2015		Book Vick Flick - Guitarman (2008)	Review Vick is the man responsible for the James Bond lick..why so much weight is put on that simple fact beats me..but his career as one of the UK's top session guitarist is fascinating to read. His time with The John Barry Seven and early UK Rock & Roll TV shows .....the sessions with famous singers and groups and how they behaved in the studios........sessions for Oriole for the Embassy label..its all here Well recommended 3 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 1st Dec 2015		Book Jimmy Bowen - Rough Mix (1997)	Review From the first recording with Norman Petty and hit parade days with Roulette..through to the early days of The Nashville music scene and Reprise Records with Frank Sinatra. An interesting biology of the music industry from so many sides 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 30th Nov 2015		Book Bill Flanagan - Written In My Soul (1990)	Review A collection of short head-to-head interviews with the artists as listed on the cover . All about the art of songwriting. Any interview with Chuck Berry is always interesting 2 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
KeithS SUBS 30th Nov 2015		Book Clive Davis - Clive Inside The Record Business (1974)	Review Much has been written about Clive who was president of the US Columbia label from the late 1960's through to the mid 1970's. This is the story from the horse's mouth, and he was , of course, miss-understood and blameless, but in the meantime rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in show business ✔︎ Helpful Review?