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Book review, sort of...Hallelujah, biography of Leonard Cohen

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 19 December 2009 11:50

Title: Hallelujah Author: Tim Footman Publisher: Chrome Dream Books Year: 2009 With 272 total pages, 166 the heart of the story, eight exquisite pages of photos, an 8 page index, 3 appendixes, 5 extensive pages of notes with a discography, covers section featuring details on a number of artists who interpreted Cohen's work, a bibliography and more, this is a delight for the Leonard Cohen fan. Fifteen Years After Kurt Cobain's Alleged Suicide Some nasty lesbian type was encroaching on my turf at the counter in the coffee shop. "I like to give people space" I said. Well, her hard Margaret Hamilton wicked-witch-of-the-west face didn't take too kindly to THAT. It's Christmastime - "a time for miracles" to quote or paraphrase Alan Rickman as the pseudo terrorist / master thief in the original Die Hard movie. People at Christmastime are hardly miracles with the mall and post office jammed and tempers simmering. I find them pushy, obnoxious and with a complete lack of faith (in a time reserved for faith)...her highness of rude avoiding the empty table next to me...though she keeps flashing the evil eye my way. Some time earlier a couple plunked their baby carriage smack dab in the middle of the narrow row. "Sorry for living" me thought to meself. When I asked them to allow me to get to my table inside the narrow peninsula they couldn't be bothered, then pushed the carriage aside (with baby aboard) and Christmas packages fell. "Merry Christmas" the fellow grunted. "Why so sarcastic?" I shot back...their inconsideration of the rights of others duly noted. Now a fellow is in line with long white Santa hair, glasses and a white flowing beard. Who does he think he is? Actually, it's quite amusing, hands down he's the best Santa lookalike in the room. Kurt Cobain died, allegedly, in April of 1994...at least that's what it says in the Leonard Cohen biography by Tim Footeman, "Hallelujah". It's too bad that the talented ones - Heath Ledger, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain went so quickly while they had so very much to offer. Meanwhile Leonard Cohen dies in slow motion right before our eyes. ---This review is a parody of Continuum's 33 1/3rd series of books. Sadly, all of it is true and will be included in Joe Viglione's collection of short stories entitled "The Salt Water Summers". Leonard Cohen "Hallelujah" Written by Press Release Wednesday, 18 November 2009 23:05 Direct link to this site: http://tinyurl.com/leonardcohenhallelujah FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Leonard Cohen "Hallelujah" - A New Biography By Tim Footman To Be Published December 1, 2009 A major recording artist since the release of his first album in 1967, the legend that is Leonard Cohen has had a revival of religious proportions during the past few years. After spending the best part of the previous decade living in a monastery and meditating 12 hours a day, music's most eloquent poet rose again in the late noughties, and in the process grabbed a whole new fan-base from generations barely aware of his huge body of work up to that point. This book tells Cohen's entire, fascinating story. From his years growing up in Quebec in a middle class Jewish family, through a decade as a budding poet and author - following the publication of his first collection in 1956 - his relocation to NYC and entry into the world of folk and rock [at the age of 37] and his successful career as a singer-songwriter whose own recordings have regularly competed with versions by other vocalists. The story continues through the Cohen revival and the wholly unexpected position he found himself in, in December 2008, when 2 cover versions of the song with which this book shares a title competing for the coveted UK Christmas Number one single spot. The book goes on to include details of his newest material - his first for a decade - currently being recorded alongside more live performances. This work includes many new interviews with key Cohen associates, brand new research and the most updated material available. Leonard Cohen has attracted a completely new generation of fans over the past two years, thanks to some high profile UK gigs at the O2 and at summer festivals [including a stunning Glastonbury appearance in July '08]. He achieved his first credit as a top 10 composer in December 2008 in style, when his song 'Hallelujah' occupied both the UK's Christmas Number One and Number Two spots in different versions. There has not been a new Leonard Cohen biography published since 1998. Leonard Cohen is currently recording material for a proposed new record to be released, allegedly, during 2010. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Footman (born 1968) is a writer specializing in popular music .He is the author of a number of books including Welcome To The Machine: OK Computer and the Death of the Classic Album (2007). His work has appeared in Mojo, Time Out, The Bangkock Post and the iconoclastic Doctor Who fanzine Perigosto Stick, among other publications. He is a contributor to the Guardian's comment website Comment is Free and the Prospect blog First Drafts. From 1999 to 2001 he was the editor of Guinness World Records, during which time its emphasis became markedly more light-hearted. Before this he was editor of the PUSH Guide to University. His most recent book is The Noughties [Crimson Publishing 2009]. He was the winner of one of the biggest cash prizes on the UK edition of The Weakest Link and has also appeared on Mastermind, University Challenge and Brain of Britain. PUBLISHED BY CHROME DREAMS PAGES 304 PHOTOS 24 b/w/color BINDING PAPERBACK BIC CODE AV ISBN / BARCODE 9781842404720 PRICE £12.99/ $19.95 SIZE 7 x 9 ¾ # # # Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 23:08 Notes http://roadcrewmag.com/issue-printer/thankful-for-all-things-music

Last Updated on Saturday, 19 December 2009 12:00

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Book review: Meet The Beatles - Steven D. Stark

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 19 December 2009 11:42

Title: Meet The Beatles, A Cultural History of the Band That Shook Youth, Gender, and the World Author: Steven D. Stark Publisher: Harper Entertainment (Harper Collins) Year: 2005 344 pages including 273 pages of text, enormous source information and index.

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Bonnie Raitt biography Just In The Nick Of Time by Mark Bego

Written by Joe Viglione

Sunday, 22 November 2009 08:37

Author: Mark Bego Title: Just In The Nick Of Time (Updated edition: Still In The Nick Of Time) Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Cooper Square Press; Updated edition (February 25, 2003) Language: English ISBN-10: 0815412487 ISBN-13: 978-0815412489

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Leonard Cohen "Hallelujah"

Written by Press Release

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 23:05

Direct link to this site: http://tinyurl.com/leonardcohenhallelujah FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Leonard Cohen "Hallelujah" - A New Biography By Tim Footman To Be Published December 1, 2009 A major recording artist since the release of his first album in 1967, the legend that is Leonard Cohen has had a revival of religious proportions during the past few years. After spending the best part of the previous decade living in a monastery and meditating 12 hours a day, music's most eloquent poet rose again in the late noughties, and in the process grabbed a whole new fan-base from generations barely aware of his huge body of work up to that point. This book tells Cohen's entire, fascinating story. From his years growing up in Quebec in a middle class Jewish family, through a decade as a budding poet and author - following the publication of his first collection in 1956 - his relocation to NYC and entry into the world of folk and rock [at the age of 37] and his successful career as a singer-songwriter whose own recordings have regularly competed with versions by other vocalists. The story continues through the Cohen revival and the wholly unexpected position he found himself in, in December 2008, when 2 cover versions of the song with which this book shares a title competing for the coveted UK Christmas Number one single spot. The book goes on to include details of his newest material - his first for a decade - currently being recorded alongside more live performances. This work includes many new interviews with key Cohen associates, brand new research and the most updated material available. Leonard Cohen has attracted a completely new generation of fans over the past two years, thanks to some high profile UK gigs at the O2 and at summer festivals [including a stunning Glastonbury appearance in July '08]. He achieved his first credit as a top 10 composer in December 2008 in style, when his song 'Hallelujah' occupied both the UK's Christmas Number One and Number Two spots in different versions. There has not been a new Leonard Cohen biography published since 1998. Leonard Cohen is currently recording material for a proposed new record to be released, allegedly, during 2010. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Footman (born 1968) is a writer specializing in popular music .He is the author of a number of books including Welcome To The Machine: OK Computer and the Death of the Classic Album (2007). His work has appeared in Mojo, Time Out, The Bangkock Post and the iconoclastic Doctor Who fanzine Perigosto Stick, among other publications. He is a contributor to the Guardian's comment website Comment is Free and the Prospect blog First Drafts. From 1999 to 2001 he was the editor of Guinness World Records, during which time its emphasis became markedly more light-hearted. Before this he was editor of the PUSH Guide to University. His most recent book is The Noughties [Crimson Publishing 2009]. He was the winner of one of the biggest cash prizes on the UK edition of The Weakest Link and has also appeared on Mastermind, University Challenge and Brain of Britain. PUBLISHED BY CHROME DREAMS PAGES 304 PHOTOS 24 b/w/color BINDING PAPERBACK BIC CODE AV ISBN / BARCODE 9781842404720 PRICE £12.99/ $19.95 SIZE 7 x 9 ¾ # # #

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 23:08

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Beatles Books - And How To Read Them!

Written by Joe Viglione

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 20:06

Beatles books proliferate like waves on a beach, and they will continue to as people continue to absorb and study the music of the Fab Four! The Beatles Anthology Author: The Beatles * Hardcover: 368 pages * Publisher: Chronicle Books; 1 edition (October 5, 2000) * Language: English * ISBN-10: 0811826848 * ISBN-13: 978-0811826846 * Product Dimensions: 13.6 x 10.2 x 1.6 inches About Chronicle Books External link: Expert review by Joe Viglione THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY With the logical picturing of the 3 Beatles Anthology CDs on the front cover, this massive "coffee table book" sells for Sixty Dollars though Amazon has it these days for from 14.25 used to 29.99 collectible and 28.00 new. 368 massive pages this "permanent written record" is their official statement. Let's just say that your Beatles collection must start off with this book while the other 1400 or so (to date, 11/17/09) can fill in the blanks. That means that BEATLE Books: From Genesis to Revolution (Paperback) by W. Fraser Sandercombe (Author, CG Publishing, Canada) would have to be second in your collection. W. Fraser Sandercombe BEATLE BOOKS: FROM GENESIS TO REVOLUTION Author: Hertsgaard, Mark Title: A Day In The Life: The Music and Artistry of The Beatles Hardcover Publisher: Delacorte Press Bantam/Doubleday/Dell Publishing Group ISBN 038531377-2 Year: 1995 Paperback Edition * Paperback: 448 pages * Publisher: Delta (March 1, 1996) * Language: English * ISBN-10: 0385315171 * ISBN-13: 978-0385315173 GEMMZINE has a quick overview of Beatles Books with hopes for lengthier reviews as time permits. REVIEW by Joe Viglione The 434 pages include an additional 3 page note to the reader, 318 pages of the book itself, research notes and an index. It's a scholarly work that is chock full of information. The only photographs are on the first page of each of the 24 chapters. It gets an A and is one of the better books out there on the Beatles. How many books can be called just "The Beatles"? Bob Spitz used that original title again Published: October 10th 2006 by Back Bay Books Details: Paperback, 992 pages (isbn 0316013315) (isbn13: 9780316013314)

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 20:41

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Book review: Meet The Beatles - Steven D. Stark

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 19 December 2009 11:42

Title: Meet The Beatles, A Cultural History of the Band That Shook Youth, Gender, and the World Author: Steven D. Stark Publisher: Harper Entertainment (Harper Collins) Year: 2005 344 pages including 273 pages of text, enormous source information and index.

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Woburn: Hidden Tales of a Tannery Town by Marie Coady

Written by Joe Viglione

Thursday, 05 November 2009 20:01

Last Updated on Thursday, 05 November 2009 20:52

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Wicked Good Year by Steve Buckley

Written by Joe Viglione

Thursday, 05 November 2009 20:00

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Bowie - A Biography by Marc Spitz

Written by Official Press Release from Carol Kaye

Monday, 19 October 2009 15:05

AN EXPANSIVE BIOGRAPHY OF ONE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY’S GREATEST MUSICIANS AND INNOVATIVE CULTURAL ICONS BOWIE A Biography By Marc Spitz “A breezy, well-lit portrait of the ever-enigmatic rocker . . . Spitz’s encyclopedic knowledge and obvious appreciation for Bowie’s work separate this book from countless cookie-cutter rock stories.” —Kirkus Reviews “Spitz concentrates on the complex evolution of Bowie’s music to deliver an evenhanded, critically thorough, while still reverential, life of the Thin White Duke.” —Publishers Weekly “BOWIE is inspired, edge-worn, loud, quiet, observant, humble, gorgeous, and humane. If the record business loved music as much as Marc Spitz does, there would still be a record business.” —Dan Kennedy, author of Rock On: An Office Power Ballad New York, NY (October 5, 2009)--He is a style icon and music legend. A master of reinvention. An innovator whose absence from the rock scene for much of this decade has left a void—a void that proves how vital he has been for these past forty years. To fill that void comes BOWIE: A Biography (Crown; October 27, 2009), a David Bowie biography like no other. Rock ’n’ roll journalist Marc Spitz charts the long and storied arc of Bowie’s life, from his childhood in postwar England as David Jones—an R & B–loving kid torn between suburban comfort and the fast and rough London of the sixties—to his reincarnation as a utopian hippie mime, to his ascent in the seventies as one of the most influential cultural figures of the last half century. In a major work that was years in the making, Spitz not only recounts Bowie’s career, he also reveals how much his music has influenced other musicians and how his life and style influenced the times in which he lived. BOWIE takes a fresh and in-depth look at the decades that formed the artist, from postwar England to the advent of rock ’n’ roll, as well as the times that Bowie shaped so powerfully, from the seventies “me decade” up until the information age. With more than one hundred original interviews with those who knew him best, BOWIE offers fresh insight and unforgettable stories about the rock legend. Interviewees include childhood friend George Underwood, Peter Frampton, Angie Bowie, former manager Kenneth Pitt, mentor Lindsay Kemp, author Hanif Kureishi, Siouxsie Sioux, Dick Cavett, Jon Savage, Steve Strange, Camille Paglia, guitarist Reeves Gabrels, filmmaker Todd Haynes, and Ricky Gervais. Little known details about Bowie include the rock legend’s strange fascination with speaking in riddles, his refusal to use elevators, his insistence on hiding knives under his bed, and his secret friendship with Frank Sinatra. Spitz reflects with humor and infectious energy on how growing up with Bowie and writing this exhaustive history changed him in ways that he never expected. Never before published photographs complete this inspired exploration of a true rock ’n’ roll revolutionary. About the Author Marc Spitz’s writing on rock ’n’ roll and popular culture has appeared in Spin, the New York Times, Maxim, Nylon, Blender, and Uncut (UK). He is the author of How Soon Is Never?; Too Much, Too Late; and Nobody Likes You: Inside the Turbulent Life, Times, and Music of Green Day and coauthor with Brendan Mullen of We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk. BOWIE: A Biography By Marc Spitz Crown Publishers October 27, 2009 * Pages: 448 Price: $26.99 * ISBN: 978-0-307-39396-8 www.CrownPublishing.com www.DavidBowieBook.com

Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 October 2009 18:31

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Days Of Hope And Dreams: An Intimate Portrait Of Bruce Springsteen

Written by Joe Viglione

Thursday, 08 October 2009 20:21

Title:DAYS OF HOPE AND DREAMS An Intimate Portrait of Bruce Springsteen Author: Stefanko, Frank/Photography and Text Publisher:BILLBOARD BOOKS ISBN #:ISBN 082308287X Year: 2003 In Bruce Springsteen's introduction to the 136 page collection of 80 photographs which make up DAYS OF HOPE AND DREAMS the singer and subject matter mentions how Patti Smith brought photographer Frank Stefanko to his attention backstage at one of her concerts. reveals early, unpublished images of Bruce Springsteen as only a friend and confident could capture. Patti Smith" singing "Because The Night" is not the only collaboration between the street poet and The Boss - With 136 pages, 20 color photographs, 60 black and white, Frank Stefanko issues his "intimate" look at Springsteen with an introduction by Bruce himself. OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE "Frank always shot your internal life, he let your external imperfections show. His photos had a purity and poetry, there was some humor in their laconicness. In the aftermath of Born To Run he latched on to the very conflicts and ideas I was struggling to come to terms with. Who am I? Where do I go now? He showed me the people I was writing about in my songs. He showed me the part of me that was still one of them." -- From the Introduction by Bruce Springsteen DAYS OF HOPE AND DREAMS reveals early, unpublished images of Bruce Springsteen as only a friend and confident could capture. Born and bred in a working class environment in Asbury Park, NJ, Springsteen has for more than three decades been one of music's most influential songwriters and performers. Born and bred in a working class New Jersey home as well, photographer Frank Stefanko crossed paths with Springsteen through an introduction by a mutual friend, musician Patti Smith. Their meeting spurred a photographic collaboration that lasted from 1978 to 1982 and produced cover photos for Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River, and a friendship that continues today. An Intimate Portrait of Bruce Springsteen Photography and Text by Frank Stefanko Introduction by Bruce Springsteen To be released in September by BILLBOARD BOOKS "Frank always shot your internal life, he let your external imperfections show. His photos had a purity and poetry, there was some humor in their laconicness. In the aftermath of Born To Run he latched on to the very conflicts and ideas I was struggling to come to terms with. Who am I? Where do I go now? He showed me the people I was writing about in my songs. He showed me the part of me that was still one of them." -- From the Introduction by Bruce Springsteen DAYS OF HOPE AND DREAMS reveals early, unpublished images of Bruce Springsteen as only a friend and confident could capture. Born and bred in a working class environment in Asbury Park, NJ, Springsteen has for more than three decades been one of music's most influential songwriters and performers. Born and bred in a working class New Jersey home as well, photographer Frank Stefanko crossed paths with Springsteen through an introduction by a mutual friend, musician Patti Smith. Their meeting spurred a photographic collaboration that lasted from 1978 to 1982 and produced cover photos for Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River, and a friendship that continues today. Now, for the first time, 80 images from Frank Stefanko's archive of several thousand photos are seeing the light of day. DAYS OF HOPE AND DREAMS presents an unforgettable selection of the photographer's most candid and personal images from his time with Springsteen, along with his behind-the-scenes recollections of their work and friendship. Excerpt from DAYS OF HOPE AND DREAMS In Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bruce was addressing important issues regarding the working class, the family man, and the internal struggle of the individual. It was a very meaningful album for him...I made a kind of tent area that basically served as a portable darkroom for my Besseler enlarger and mixed chemicals. I developed the film from our session on the spot....As I slid the paper into a tray of developer, Bruce was looking right over my shoulder, watching and waiting. All of a sudden, an image of him materialized. Bruce hit me on the shoulder, "Frank, that's magic." "That's not magic. That's darkroom chemistry." I replied. "No. That's magic."

Last Updated on Thursday, 08 October 2009 20:22

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Snoop Dogg - The Doggfather

Written by Joe Viglione

Thursday, 08 October 2009 20:06

Title: The Doggfather Author: Snoop Dogg / Seay, Davin Publisher: William Morrow Year: 1999ISBN: 0688171583 The book The Doggfather won't go down in history as the greatest of literature, but as each and every human being's life on planet earth is worthy of a book, we now have an important one from the lips of Snoop Doggy Dog. The conflict in this man is amazing, espousing peace and God, there are three photos of the rapper with a gun pointing out of the page to the reader. It is frightening imagery, and this action hardly backs up the star's words throughout this tome that he is promoting non-violence. The gun photos show this role model as hip and cool, and that is in stark contrast to the message in the book. A picture being worth a thousand words, there are three thousand reasons why the philosophy here has to be taken with a grain of salt. One of the more compelling chapters is the trial, and maybe the court room drama gives a focus as in most of the book it is about the rapper's ego.

Last Updated on Friday, 09 October 2009 02:46

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Brian Wilson Biography Wouldn't It Be Nice

Written by Joe Viglione

Monday, 05 October 2009 19:28

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wilson

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Beatles Book Review: The Longest Cocktail Party by Richard DiLello

Written by Joe Viglione

Sunday, 04 October 2009 19:43

Amazing the different covers on this same book by Richard DiLello! B10805 - The Longest Cocktail Party by Richard Dilello 326 pages. Measures 18.5cm x 22.5cm (7 inches x 8.75 inches). LINKS: Beatles Virtual Library Books on The Beatles Onlline Store Tracks ZVAB.COM German Book site B E A T L E S A R A M A Listen to beatles Arama - Keeping the Beatles Alive Beatle Business The Longest Cocktail Party Don Romeo's column: British music mag Mojo has started re-issuing classic books about rock, and I picked up their edition of The Longest Cocktail Party by Richard diLello. Before going on to be a screenwriter of such shows as Midnight Caller and the film Colours, Richard diLello was the assistant to Derek Taylor, the Press Officer of Apple Records

Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 October 2009 20:53

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Tom Adrahtas: Diana Ross 50 Years of Stardom & Secrets

Written by Official Press Release

Sunday, 04 October 2009 13:24

Book Title: Diana Ross: 50 Years of Stardom & Secrets Author: Tom Adrahtas Diana Ross: 50 Years of Stardom and Secrets Author Tom Adrahtas Exposes Her Pain, Her Love & the Lies Don't miss out! Schedule Author Tom Adrahtas Today! On March 13th and 14th Motown legend, Diana Ross will be featured on American Idol as the songstress tutors the show's contestants, and on April 5th, she launches a 12 city U.S. tour --- her first in over a decade. Lifelong Diana Ross fan, Tom Adrahtas has made a big splash with his new biography, "Diana Ross...A LIFETIME TO GET HERE...” Tens of thousands of copies have been sold! The best time to schedule an interview Adrahtas gained unprecedented access to individuals who worked closely with the singer during her' five decades in the music business, and 'from their lips to your ears, the author not only shares little-known facts about Ross, but also refutes many of the unfair criticisms and stereotypes that the singing star has been subjected to, calling into account those who’ve propagated them. “...A LIFETIME TO GET HERE...” delivers the goods, from the formation to break-up of the Supremes, including; * How such different personalities came together to form The Supremes, * The myths and misperceptions purported by her Supremes' sister, Mary Wilson, * How Ross dealt with 30 years of false accusations and untruths, * What was the 'behind the scene's relationship between Diana, Mary, Florence and Cindy, * Who coined the phrase, 'Call Her Miss Ross,' and why, * How did Diana handle Mary Wilson's bitter "Dreamgirls" memoir, What Gladys Horton (of the Marvelettes) has said that is invaluable to Ross' fans, and, How the film 'Dreamgirls' delivers a highly fictionalized perspective of the Supremes. “...A LIFETIME TO GET HERE...” is a beautiful 450 page, coffee table hard cover that features over 60 photographs, including many that have never been previously published, about America's Original Dream Girl, Diana Ross. The Diana Ross that is captured in these pages is the woman who inspired the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Alicia Keys, and Beyonce - the woman who opened the door for the Halle Berrys of the world, and the woman whose name instantly conjures up the essence of glamour and elegance.. “...A LIFETIME TO GET HERE...” is the story of a strong woman who reached the pinnacle of show business on the strength of her vastly underrated talent, her immense capacity for work, and her desire for perfection, all starting at a time in history when people of \color were not accorded equal access or equal hope for realization of the American Dream. Perhaps most significantly, it is the story of a woman who realized the greatest of career heights, while successfully making her first priority the raising of her 5 children. Tom Adrahtas has been an unabashed fan of Motown music since the 1960s and his interviews have been described as inspirational and eye-opening.

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The Quarrymen

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 03 October 2009 22:15

Title: The Quarrymen Author: Davies, Hunter Publisher: Omnibus Press Date: 2001 ISBN# 071198526X The names {$John}, {$Paul}, {$George} and {$Ringo} may be as identifiable as {$Elvis} and {$Marilyn}, but what about Rod, Pete, Eric, Len and Colin? Before {$Pete Best} there were the fellows in {$The Quarrymen}, and when you add three of the four {$Beatles} who actually were members of this "skiffle" group, it becomes a job and a half keeping track of the personalities who were the foundation of one of the most popular musical acts in history. {$Hunter Davies}, author of {-The Beatles} along with at least thirty-five other books including {-Back In The USSR}, {-Dwight Yorke} and {-Great Britain: A Celebration}, does an admirable job of relaying to the reader the elements that brought together these individuals, their journey and evolution. For {$Beatles} fans it is absolutely essential reading. 16 pages of photographs and 262 pages of text are thick with biographical information on {$John Lennon} and who his mates were and how the band materialized from sheer willpower. As the story unfolds, {$Davies} gives more details of {$The Beatles} than one would imagine for a biography of the earlier group, but that is inevitable seeing how {$Pete Shotton} was John's best friend growing up and eventually worked for the {@Apple} company. How {$John Lennon} met {$Yoko Ono} is given another, important, perspective, and the tales of {$Rod Davis} walking down Saville Row in January of 1969 hearing {$The Beatles} performing on the rooftop, or Pete suggesting to {$Paul McCartney} how the song {&"Eleanor Rigby"} should be structured, are bits of {$Beatles} information that the insatiable followers of the fab four are always desperate for. There are lots of items like that in this book.

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The Catalog Of Cool - Gene Sculatti

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 03 October 2009 22:14

#12 Gene Sculatti's THE CATALOG OF COOL TITLE: THE CATALOG OF COOL AUTHOR: Edited by Gene Sculatti PUBLISHER: Warner Books YEAR: 1982 ISBN: 0446375152 "Cool" is timeless. {$Gene Sculatti}, of {@Warner Brothers} {-Waxpaper}, and {-Billboard Magazine} fame, certainly knows how to define it. He decides to start with {$Bob Dylan}, and who can disagree? This is a great coffee table book, with sixties colors spelling out the title, held by a hand reminiscent of {$Thing} from the TV show {#The Addams Family} wearing a pair of sunglasses. Little capsule reviews of "cool" flicks like {#Lolita}, {#The Horror Of Party Beach}, the essential {$Ed Wood} stuff like {#Glen Or Glenda}. How about {$Jayne Mansfield} in {#The Girl Can't Help It}, this is the other side of {$Leonard Maltin}, the "cool" or "hip" side. There's {%Jim Trombetta's} story on the "Hipster Saint", {$Robert Mitchum}, {%Ron Spencer's} article on Japanese robots, {$Joe McEwen's} "Hip City USA" - the Real Philly Story - how the city discovered {$Fabian} and {$Ben Franklin} - the mini discussion goes from Cheese Steaks to radio station {$WDAS}. What would a book on cool be without {$Lenny Bruce}, and Lenny's "Ten Greatest Riffs" are discussed in detail. There's agreat dictionary on how to speak hip - you know, how a "beard" is a "cover or disguise in the form of an object or person", or how to "dig" (verb), is to "understand implicitly" - and we can't forget "gig" (noun) - which is a "job, vocation, temporary assignment". For the "Threads" department there is the "Dark History Of Sunglasses", discussion of the ducktail hairdo, but its the "Sounds" section which will really help you identify yourself. Short takes on {$The Trashmen}, {$The Velvet Underground}, {$Mary Wells}, {$The Zombies}, {$Frank Sinatra}, {$The Ramones}, {$Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers}, {$Paul Revere & The Raiders}, {$Nelson Riddle}, these are the artists one must listen to if they want any chance of redemption, and this book is a wonderful bible of all that is "Cool". Joe Viglione

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One Is The Loneliest Number - Jimmy Greenspoon, Mark Bego

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 03 October 2009 22:12

TITLE: ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER AUTHORS: Greenspoon, Jimmy with Bego, Mark PUBLISHER: PHAROS BOOKS, A Scripps Howard Company Distributed by St. Martin's Press YEAR: 1991 ISBN: 0886876478 Three Dog Night may not have received the underground acclaim of Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention, Big Brother & The Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin, The Jimi Hendrix Experience or any of the other counter culture revolutionaries of the sixties. And one would hardly think you could find revelations about all of the above in a book by the keyboard player of the band that recorded Hoyt Axton's Joy To The World. As fascinating a read as this is, it is extremely difficult to take. Rich with rock history, Greenspoon's abuse of his parents, of his wives, his junkie mindset, and his total obsession with scoring heroin is a documentary on how to help destroy a recording career rife with grammy nominations, gold record awards and sold out arenas. The number of name groups that opened for Three Dog Night is staggering. And if you are into gossip and name dropping, there's lots of that in this 321 page confessional. Don Johnson, Julia Densmore ex wife of Doors drummer John Densmore, Helen Reddy's bass player Jack Ryland replacing original 3DN bassist Joe Schermie who was fired (and who had the distinction of having lived where Janis Joplin died), stories about Arthur Lee and Love, or photographer Ed Caraeff creating the Suitable For Framing cover with members of the notorious GTO's (Girls Together Outrageously). There are even nuggets about unreleased Three Dog Night performances, a lengthy version of Take Me To The Pilot - the Elton John tune - the band having recorded John/Taupin compositions Your Song and Lady Samantha, how they decided to record the somewhat rare Lennon & McCartney tune It's For You, memories of a jam with Uriah Heep featuring Eric Clapton, Brian Auger, Steve Winwood and others. There is no doubt that Three Dog Night emerged from a very hip scene, and were themselves, an important group. Perhaps their choice of material and the fact that their arrangements made them famous in the era of the "singer/songwriter" led to solid bashing by the critics. The recording of Pieces Of April is a great story, and for those into the history of sixties/seventies rock and the L.A. scene, this book is an overlooked gem. The fact that Chuck Negron's Three Dog Nightmare and Greenspoon's memoirs - stories about men with heroin addictions who performed in Three Dog Night, are the first two major books on the band is, well, rather unsettling. Without the addictions, would publishers have gotten behind these import stories? Joe Viglione

Last Updated on Sunday, 18 October 2009 11:22

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Byron In Love by Edna O'Brien

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 03 October 2009 22:08

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The Velvet Underground

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 03 October 2009 21:10

Title: Velvet Underground Author: Albertoli, Carlo Publisher: Nuovi Equilibri ISBN: 88722605256 If you are looking for Italian translations of all the songs found on the first four albums from The Velvet Underground as well as the double live 1969 album, this interesting addition to the Sconcerto Series from Stampa Alternativa/Nuovi Equilibri is essential. It is pretty fascinating finding the English lyrics (which are also available, of course, in Lou Reed's own Pass Thru Fire - The Collected Lyrics Hyperion ) next to those in the Italian language, and might be a novel and interesting way for the ambitious taking a trip to Rome to learn a few phrases though "Lucidi, lucidi, lucidi stivali di cuoio" (shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather) might get one more than they bargained for. There's a free mini-cd in the book featuring a 1967 live take of "Ride Into The Sun" by The Velvet Underground along with two cover songs, a 2:20 "Femme Fatale" by The Carnival Of Fools and a six minute "European Son" by the Subterranean Dining Rooms. The festivities start off with a reproduction of the cover to the infamous Michael Leigh book, The Velvet Underground, where Reed got the name of the group, and a dozen additional photos along with 9 pages of Italian text making up the biography portion of this 100 page volume. Trying to read the translation to "The Murder Mystery" is a trip, the double story line of prose is truly a work of art and a workout. Meanwhile "Jack e nel suo busto/Jill e nel suo gile" changes not only the gender of the clothing as Reed did originally but one of the characters as well: "Jack's in corset Jill is in her vest" instead of Jane in a song entitled "Sweet Jane" is definitely amusing. Sweet Jill! Dolce Jane! La Dolce Vita!! There are at least 19 of these books published by this outfit, all written in English and Italian, every title containing a mini cd, the lyrics and a (brief) history of the artist. Joy Division, The Smiths, Syd Barrett, Billy Bragg, Hawkwind, Sisters Of Mercy, The Residents and others all get the treatment. The prices are in Italian liras ranging from 13,000 to 18,000 depending upon the title and the books are available from Nuovi Equilibri sri - p.o. box 97 - 01100 Viterbo Italy. Telephone 0761 352277. There's also an incomplete discography (in English and Italian) though the real treat is getting the lyrics to such revered songs translated, giving a new dimension to material that has truly been overexposed. "Bacia lo stivali di lucido, lucido cuoio" - boy, if we only had this in Latin class back in the day - "Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather" indeed. joe viglione

Last Updated on Monday, 05 October 2009 02:46

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A Memoir by Buddy Holly & Peggy Sue

Written by Joe Viglione

Saturday, 03 October 2009 20:40

Direct link is here: http://tinyurl.com/peggysuebuddyholly

Last Updated on Saturday, 03 October 2009 20:45