Traveling Music : The Soundtrack to My Life and Times

Book Description

The music of Frank Sinatra, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, and many other artists provides the score to the reflections of a musician on the road in this memoir of Neil Peart's travels from Los Angeles to Big Bend National Park. The emotional associations and stories behind each album Peart plays guide his recollections of his childhood on Lake Ontario, the first bands that he performed with, and his travels with the band Rush. The evocative and resonant writing vividly captures the meanderings of a musical mind, leading rock enthusiasts to discover inside information about Rush and the musical inspirations of a rock legend.

Customer Reviews:

Indispensible for the Rush Fan or Musician.......2007-08-13

After having read all of Neil Peart's drumming and travel-related books, I have to say that this is my favorite. The book is divided into two main (but interspersed) sections. One deals with a particular car trip Peart took in 2002-03 and his thoughts on the music he chose to provide the soundtrack to this journey. It quickly became clear that Neil's tastes are a lot more diverse than my own (his include Madonna, Sinatra, and Linkin Park), and I had a tough time relating to this portion of the book -- although Peart's reflections on the industry were quite engaging.

The other half of the book details the influence of music on Peart's life from childhood, right up through shortly after he joined Rush. It is almost a partial autobiography, and if you are interested in a previously-undetailed account of the drummer's early career, you will find this portion of the book priceless.

If you are a Rush fan who found himself partly put off by the tone of some of Peart's other books (specifically "Roadshow"), I would still recommend giving this book a try. This is one of the industry's best sticking to two subjects he knows better than most -- music and drumming.

Disguised As a "Travel Book".......2007-08-04

This book is by far the best book Neil Peart has written. This book is more biographical, in a very musical sense, than a travel book. What I mean by this is that Neil writes about his travels to the Big Bend area in South West Texas, several excursions he took while on that trip, such as a bird watching tour, and a hike up Emory Peak, etc. But the bulk of the content in this work is about his life and how certain songs, musicians, and bands have affected his life.

Neil details his early childhood, how his father's music was something he ignored as a child but embraced it as his own later in life. Moreover, he describes how he eventually took up drumming, his earliest bands in his own hometown, and how he progressed as a drummer from childhood to the last current tour, Vapor Trails, at the time this book was published. He describes certain details from various bands he "passed through" for a certain time, his experiences in London, England as a young adult, and how touring with Rush and playing a typical 76 or so show stopping tour affected him; all these details are great, and make the book that much more interesting.

However, the underlining greatness of this work, I think anyway, is Neil's descriptions of the music he is listening to throughout all these other details mentioned above. The way Neil describes how his "radar music" or his play list that is contained in the back of his mind resurfaces on occasion is the most interesting aspect of this work, since this is where Neil gets more personal opening himself up more than merely describing events. He details songs like they are personal parts of his life, exposing these parts with a serious vulnerability that is quite opposite to his personality, which is introverted and a bit hidden.

What happens when you read Neil's descriptions of bands and their songs, is that you will find yourself searching for these bands, if you have not listened to them before, and sampling them for possible purchases. At least I found myself doing this. He should get paid for promoting these bands, since several of them gained a new listener and buyer of their music. All this being said, this is an excellent book, especially if you are a music lover, it is well worth the price, and if you are a Rush fan, then this book is a must to take a peak inside the life, mind, musical taste and musical influences of one of the greatest drummers in rock and roll history, I highly recommend this book.

So anyway...........2007-01-25

I find it particularly amusing that - not having read ANY of Neil Peart's works - that I would have such a strong opinion on something he wrote. I have been INTO Rush since Fly By Night, an album I bought new and nearly wore off the turntable. I was 14 at the time. No band, before or since had the effect on me that Rush had. I just HAD to learn to play bass BETTER than before. The bar was put THAT HIGH...

However, (and now we come to the somber part...) I don't even have to read this (or any other) book by Neil Peart - nor anyone in Rush - to know that these guys have LOST IT..... I mean, actually having DISDAIN for the fans that admire and adore the music you make, and that has made you FAMOUS?? How absolutely WRETCHED a person must you be? And you can tell by the interviews I've heard them give that they totally DON'T GET IT.... They have actually put themselves so high on pedestals that they don't realize that their music S**KS. I am totally not surprised to hear that people like Neil Peart have nothing good to say to fans that want to praise him and pay homage. This is, after all ,the ultimate form of dishonor. It must suit him and the other guys to a "T".

Especially when you consider the absolutely LOUSY excuse for music it is that they spew today. Last album I nearly broke my eardrums listening to - "Vapor Trails". All you have to do is listen to a few seconds of the opening tracks and you go, "WHO IS THIS??" This is certainly not a band deserving of calling themselves "Rush". Not in my wildest imagination anyway.

One could imagine that losing a wife and daughter could make somoeone wanna jump off a bridge or something, but this is a man who has enough money and resources at his disposal to FIND A WAY to get some help. Sounds like, unfortunately, that the therapy didn't make him a better person. Still a complete lack of humility, according to these reviews. What a shame. Some people just never get it, do they?

Just think of how un-self indulgent Neil Peart would get to be if he weren't a "star" and no one would even know who he was....hmm.... No one - outside of Rush fans - would even know who he is nor care. Therefore, all this book-writing would be completely in vain.

Music is the Message.......2006-11-19

Many of the reviews I've read regarding Neil Peart's "Traveling Music" treatise seem to focus on either a) his seeming arrogance at not wanting to have regular interactions with fans, or b) a seeming lack of eloquence in this work. I think those reviews are missing a vital element here.

To be sure, Mr. Peart is not Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck or any of the countless other revered novelists in history. I'm also pretty sure that he doesn't want to be any of them. I also don't think that people should hold him in low regard because he is so shy. No, I think the focus here should be on the central message of his book: That, whatever the genre...rock, country, jazz, classical...music helps us to understand the textures and feelings that pervade us as we live and breathe in this world. No matter what your mood, there is a song out there to describe it. No matter how fond your memories, there is a song out there that can engage those memories as if they just happened.

Mr. Peart probably shares more than he needs to about his shyness with people. I will never be famous, but I know that many famous people are far more animated about having their space invaded. Note that he is also very uncomfortable lying about who he is when "outed" by someone. It's clearly a difficult thing for him, and I admire his honesty and courage in how he addresses it, so give him his space, and give him a break.

Focus on the notion that music is the message here. The wonderful diversity that it provides us, and the many emotions and themes it elicits, whenever we plug in and listen.

Top 500 Drummer of All-Time.......2006-10-17

Not the God, but a god ... lowercase g. I would have to say he is the god of drumming. He's easily in my top 500 list of all-time drummer. He's somewhere between the drummer from Dexy's Midnight Runners whose name I cannot recall and the original Chris on The Partridge Family ... a/k/a "The Ugly Chris."

If you like your books written by someone who has a hard time writing coherently, then you are going to LOVE this book. I have a theory that Mr. Peart typed this book by using his drumsticks on the typewriter. Which goes to show that he's not as coordinated as he would have us believe. Be careful, Mr. Peart or you're going to find yourself off of my top 500 drummers list and on my Bottom 500 Typists List! LOL.

Just kidding Neal, Rush is as vibrant and vital today as it as ever been and just because young people don;t listen to it and it's not on the radio anymore does not mean that the music isn't still not great.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Warfare in the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages

Average customer rating:

Warfare in the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages
Hoffman Nickerson
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

Firearms & Weapons | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0486430855

Book Description

Comprehensive study of armed conflict, based on contemporary accounts and accompanied by illustrations and maps from rare sources, vividly describes dramatic changes in the art of war over 1,500 years — from Roman rule through 565 AD, to war tactics during the Crusades. Fighting methods, supply systems, tactical organization, and more. 15 black-and-white illustrations.

Book Description

This is the explosive true story of the only man ever to infiltrate the Hells Angels organization as an FBI informant, uncovering the truth about the notorious biker gang's netherworld of evil, lust, and violence.

A chilling crime story that strips away the Hell's Angels's image to reveal a powerful and deadly organized crime syndicate.

The author's acceptance into the highest ranks of the gang led to an unprecedented FBI sting operation and 42 arrests.

Customer Reviews:

nt good.......2007-08-25

i bought this book a few years ago and began reading it as soon as i got home. i got eally bored with it, really fast. i stopped reading it about half-way through, and have not picked it back up since.

this guy became an informant long before he could have done anything for the HA that you would find interesting to read about.

dont buy.

Ridiculously emotional and biased diatribe.......2007-07-09

This, uhh, author has some serious emotional issues. This is an example of how this, umm, author might relate the experience of walking into a convenience store and briefly making eye contact with a scruffy-looking person exiting the store.
"His cold, brown eyes bore into mine, daring me to answer his challenge... I knew my life was in danger, as I watched him swagger through the door, reeking of beer, sweat, and the stench of the violence I knew he was capable of." While the scruffy guy exiting the store is wondering, "Why is this guy staring at me?"
OK- I am a woman, and I've worked with felons, some of whom were OMG (outlaw motorcycle gang) members, and some of them flirted with me and/or threatened me frequently. However, I cannot imagine ever reaching the emotional state that apparently affects this, uh, author and his "writing". Unless he wrote this book in 48 hours, immediately after being released from being held hostage by Hells Angels who hogtied and tortured him over a period of 612 days, there is no excuse for this emotionally wrought, hand-wringing diatribe. Anyone, with any passing knowledge of this subject material will find this endless editorial absurd. Yes, some bikers in OMGs can be very dangerous, break laws, threaten and murder people, ad infinitum. But- anyone who writes a book about this material, attempting to present information about OMG culture, law enforcement investigations, and other pertinant data needs to retain some semblence of objectivity. This author's emotional and biased writing style makes the reader struggle through endless sermons to get to the data. And data that is presented in such an extrordinarily emotionally biased manner, is of questionable value to any intelligent reader.

Author's insane prejudice.......2007-07-02

It's very hard to get a factual or non-biased read from any of this author's books. Even his commentary on TV is awful. I found it very hard to not be disgusted by his diction.

A little monotonous - but comprehensive.......2007-03-15

It's tough to get through this book, not just for its marginal writing, but also because the over-the-top detail seems misplaced. In the middle of what I *think* is a chronological story, why do I need to know that the Rochester chapter president reported at some East Coast Officers Meeting that one of their members had a drug bust and got 30 days?

As I was reading it I was surprised at what I was reading, not because anything there was shocking (I have read just about every book on this subject), but because I was having a hard time understanding the point!

As to Tait being a rat, and that for this reason we should not read this book, normally I would dismiss that as somewhat silly reasoning. But unlike others that have been inside an OMG and written about it, Tait really WAS a rat, in that he was just an egomaniac wannabe that turned on his brothers. At least George Wethern ("A Wayward Angel") was an upright HAMC member before situations created mostly by his MC brothers put him into a corner. Tait has no excuse at all.

Another so-called "rat" (against Mongols) was Billy Queen ("Under and Alone"), but he was in law enforcement. Same with Jay Dobyns ("Angels of Death"). Those guys are playing their game the same way those on the other side play theirs.

As for Tait, I guess I like to curb crime too, but Tait set a few too many people up for my taste. I have a bit of a hard time swallowing Lavigne's hero worship of this character. Bottom line - the book is quite complete, but be prepared for it to leave a bad taste in your mouth.

If you are into this stuff, I do suggest "Under and Alone" (William Queen), "Hells Angels" (Hunter S. Thompson) and "Hells Angel" (Sonny Barger). Those books are educational while still being balanced and fun to read.

Poor Writing, Boring Story, Lacks Focus.......2007-01-07

It's a shame that Lavigne's book lacks continuity and focus. He jumps from one place to another, and from one topic to another without a good transition. There are too many supporting characters in the book and it's difficult for me to keep track. His prejudice shows through the story, and unlike T.J. English, he can't be neutral or impartial.
I say it's a shame because this is a serious subject. The Hell's Angels are a recurring problem for law enforcement in the USA, Canada, and Europe, and there have been many books on biker gangs as organized crime. This is also a book about a top FBI informant, and anyone who read "Black Mass" or "The Westies" knows that informants/snitches are a major source of convictions. Unfortunately the book lacks a central purpose. Was Tait trying to gather information on drugs, guns, explosives, or all three? What did the chapter in Kentucky have to do with the story? Other than one murder, it occupies to much space. The different crimes for which the members were convicted should be broken into some sort of order.
If the events occured exactly as written, I doubt the informant could've kept track of his own activities. I hope he kept his log in alphabetical order.

On another note, I think "Anthony the Informer" messed up his life. His army service wasn't boring by any means, and it could have been his crowning achievement. But he screwed up because he was so tough that he couldn't take orders. He could have been a top lawman like Bernard Kerik, but going AWOL doesn't help a soldier's career.

Average customer rating:

Hell's Angels : Into the Abyss
Yves Lavigne
Manufacturer: Harper Collins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8UVJI

Average customer rating:

Hells Angels : Into the Abyss

Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Canada, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000H21ZZ0

Average customer rating:

Hells Angels Into the Abyss
Yves Lavigne
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEX6QW

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