Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Stolen Melodies, Ripped-Off Riffs, and the Secret History of Rock and Roll

Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Stolen Melodies, Ripped-Off Riffs, and the Secret History of Rock and Roll
Average customer rating:

Sounds Like is a Behind The Hits winner

A lot of fun despite errors

Fun and quick, but could be so much more

Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Stolen Melodies, Ripped-Off Riffs, and the Secret History of Rock and Roll
Timothy English
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Influence

ASIN: 0595396194

Book Description

Ever heard a song and thought "Hey, they ripped that off!"

Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Stolen Melodies, Ripped-off Riffs and the Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll is the first book ever to examine the phenomenon of songs that appear to have "borrowed" their melodies from earlier songs.

While many are familiar with the similarities between George Harrison's My Sweet Lord and the Chiffon's oldie He's So Fine, did you also know that:

· The first rock 'n' roll hit, Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock took part of its melody from Hank William's Move it on Over?
· The guitar riff that powered Nirvana's classic Smells Like Teen Spirit had its origins in Boston's More Than a Feeling?
· Bob Marley's Buffalo Soldier shares its melody with The Theme from the Banana Splits, a kids show from the 1960s?

Come along for an exiting and informative journey through The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll. You'll find out how ultra-hipsters the Strokes borrowed a melody from ultra-dork Barry Manilow; why Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker Jr. over Ghostbusters, how a novelty record cut by his dad may have influenced John Lennon's Imagine, and how an obscure song by the band Spirit was a likely inspiration in the creation of Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.

Sounds Like Teen Spirit will delight any music fan, and is sure to send you running to your stereo or I-Pod to hear the songs for yourself!

"A fun and fact-filled book that you can either read from cover to cover, or skip around and open up at any page and dig in. Most of the songs you can hear in your head (or dig out the cds!) and you'll find yourself going again and again 'Oh yeah, this song really does sound like that song!' An enjoyable read."- Bob Brainen, WFMU, Jersey City, NJ

"The book is a winner, one of those why didn't-I-think-of-that projects.guaranteed to elicit laughter and/or fistfights among your friendly neighborhood music geeks." -Kirkus Discoveries

Customer Reviews:

Sounds Like is a Behind The Hits winner.......2007-06-29

As a music author (Behind The Hits) and a radio dj/musicologist, I was very excited to learn of Timothy's book. Smells Like Teen Spirit has put together many of the songs I have chronicled over the years that sound suspiciously like others.

On my radio shows I have played them in a feature named "Call The Lawyers!" -- and, indeed, some of these song pairings went to court. Others didn't but perhaps should have. All in all, they represent a fascinating side of rock music history. Rip offs or inspirations? Homages or stolen riffs? No matter -- it's what was in the grooves that counts. Some are obvious, but one is often surprised by the musical connection Tim's ears have made. There are some songs here that even I never put together (or didn't know about), like Jorge Ben's "Taj Mahal" as the basis for Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy". And the song by John Lennon's father? Imagine that!

This is a very well-researched, well-documented and well-written reference as well as being a fun read. I commend and recommend Timothy's book to all who love and enjoy the various decades of rock and roll and the artists who made (or should we say, "re-made"?) the music.

--Bob Shannon

A lot of fun despite errors.......2007-06-29

This book was a lot of fun. It included the sound-alikes everyone knows - "My Sweet Lord" and "He's So Fine," "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Surfin' U.S.A." - and some surprises. Did you know, for example, that Radiohead's "Creep" borrows from the Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe," and that Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" was re-worked from a Bonnie Tyler song? I didn't, and it made me listen to those songs to hear the resemblances.

I wish the book had been twice as long, as there certainly are more such examples. I also wish the author had included a CD with examples, but I'm sure that would have been a copyright nightmare.

The book, as fun as it is, is full of printer's errors. Who are "Nirvina" and "Holwin' Wolf?" I hope the sequel is more carefully edited.

Fun and quick, but could be so much more.......2007-06-08

If you're into the history of rock music and love dissecting songs to see where they came from, you'll enjoy this book. It has many interesting examples of songs that were either directly ripped off from something else, or just sound suspiciously similar. The author gets into the history of the songs, the lawsuits and the stories behind the scenes. You'll be surprised and amused when you realize how many classic songs were ripped off from others, and that's the real joy of the book.
On the down side, the writing isn't dynamic and the book is a very quick read. You can probably get through it in half an hour. Also, it's tough to enjoy without hearing the music you're reading about. But if you can flip through it and listen to the songs at the same time, it's a lot of fun.

The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll: The Definitive History of the Most Important Artists and Their Music

Average customer rating:

toni's opinion,
no billy joel or bob segar? thank God!!!!
Great!
The must have for basic rock review
We Didn't Start the Fire

The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll: The Definitive History of the Most Important Artists and Their Music
Rolling Stone Magazine
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679737286
Release Date: 1992-11-10

Book Description

The ultimate illustrated history of rock & roll--comprehensive, authoritative, and fully updated with coverage of the most important new sounds and artists of the 1980s and `90s.

Customer Reviews:

toni's opinion,.......2007-05-30

Deserves 5stars, but it is just a copy,the photos are quiet dark,
the editors are five stars,
Thanks,
toni

no billy joel or bob segar? thank God!!!!.......2007-01-19

Rolling Stone has long been the "Gold Standard" for rock journalism. Any history of rock and roll that doesn't have Billy Joel or Bob Seger is all right by me. I need to update my copy right away! Great job, as usual, Rolling Stone!!!!!

Great!.......2007-01-04

Bought this for my 16-year-old son, and he is studying it like I've never seen him study anything. It is a great way to educate our younger people on the beginnings of rock-n-roll, and every day, my son says "Mom, did you know that..." and shares some new thing he learned from the book. Very complete reference guide, also, and interesting to look through even for an old fogey like me. Worth every penny.

The must have for basic rock review.......2006-03-19

While the "history" is mostly a series of editorial reviews combined with facts, you will learn about the basics and some interesting tidbits as well. It's also a great way to have comprehensive listing of all of an artist's released music.

We Didn't Start the Fire.......2006-02-06

The reason Rolling Stone leaves out artists like Billy Joel, Three Dog Night and Bob Seagar is because they are nowhere near the top echelon of rock and roll artists. The reason they heap praise on the Rolling Stones is because the Rolling Stones are the greatest rock band in the history of the genre. And the reason the Beatles get two chapters is because no other artist has had as much impact on rock and roll music as the Beatles. Get real, people!

Rockin' in Time: A Social History of Rock and Roll (6th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Rockin' in Time
Excellent book
Incredibly poor, inaccurate work.
Very Good for what it is.
Excellent, concise resource for the social history of rock

Rockin' in Time: A Social History of Rock and Roll (6th Edition)
David P. Szatmary
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0131887904

Book Description

This well-organized, visually interesting book offers an in-depth examination of the social history of rock-and-roll. Rockin' in Time emphasizes several main themes, including the importance of African-American culture in the origins and development of rock music. Tracing rock from its inception–from American blues to the present–this book shows how rock-and-roll has reflected and sometimes changed American and British culture for the last fifty years. Topics covered in this comprehensive history are: the blues and racism; Elvis Presley and rockabilly; Dick Clark and Don Kirshner; the California sound; Bob Dylan; the British invasion; Motown; acid rock; campus unrest and militant blues; the 1970s; punk rock; MTV; Generation X; the rave revolution; hip hop; and nu-metal. An excellent reference work for rock fans, music industry employees, those employed by radio stations, and those in music and performer-related marketing.

Customer Reviews:

Rockin' in Time.......2007-10-04

This item was received in a matter of a few days. The item was in very good qualities. The book is very informative and intertaining.

Excellent book.......2007-07-13

I have this book for a class on the social history of rock and roll, and it's such an easy and interesting read that I find myself reading the non-required parts. Very informative and to-the-point.

Incredibly poor, inaccurate work........2005-04-29

I originally had to read this book for a History of Rock and Roll class at the University of Cincinatti. I found the subject interesting, and the professor gave wonderful lectures. I had good expectations about this book going in, but those quickly soured as I read it.

It seems correct, at least, about the social problems of the different eras and their relation to rock. Not that such is a particularly daunting feet.

However, it is rife with laughable fallacies. For instance, it calls David Bowie, amongst other glam rock bands of the era, metal. It futher goes on to call many pop bands of the 60s and 70s rock, when they have no guitar work and no bass line at all, such as the Carpenters.

I really had a good laugh when they called Bad Religion hardcore. Bad Religion is about as hardcore as Elvis is rap. Further massive genre confusion consisted throughout the entire book.

I also noted several drastic misinterpretations of songs. For instance, it claims 'Thunder Rolls' by Garth Brooks is about domestic violence. Its about infedility, not focusing on violence at all, but rather the emotional ramificationsof being cheated on.

The writing is also rather dry. Many times it is merely a citing of the names of band members as well as constantly describing minor changes in bands lineups which are of no true consequence. It also tends to list off songs which have no impact on any giving band's successes or failures.

After reading the book in completetion, I really had to question the earlier passages about older rock and blues (50s to 60s) that I had thought were true. In the end, I felt that it wasted my time and money and possibly misinformed me more than anything.

Very Good for what it is........2002-03-25

What is it? A comprehensinve list type book on the history of rock and roll. Not much depth, but ALL genres covered.

Excellent, concise resource for the social history of rock.......1999-07-05

I have read and re-read this book many times since I first picked up the 3rd edition in 1996. I am a high school social studies teacher and I use this book as a resource constantly when I am teaching contempory history. Well thought out, concise yet complete, easily readable. I applaud Mr. Szatmary for his effort, the book has inspired me to research the sociolgical implications of rock and roll and not merely the "pop history" currently offered. Further, I was so inspired by this book that it prompted me to author a website dedicated to the sociology of rock and roll history.

Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock-and-Roll's Legendary Neighborhood

Average customer rating:

Well done
Mixed results for an unevenly written book.
It's the 60's Again
Better than "White Bicycles"
Interesting look at L.A. and Hollywood in the 1960's - 1980

Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock-and-Roll's Legendary Neighborhood
Michael Walker
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Hotel California: The True-Life Adventures of Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Mitchell, Taylor, Browne, Ronstadt, Geffen, the Eagles, and Their Many Friends
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ASIN: 0571211496
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Book Description

In the late sixties and early seventies, an impromptu collection of musicians colonized a eucalyptus-scented canyon deep in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles and melded folk, rock, and savvy American pop into a sound that conquered the world as thoroughly as the songs of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones had before them. Thirty years later, the music made in Laurel Canyon continues to pour from radios, iPods, and concert stages around the world. During the canyon’s golden era, the musicians who lived and worked there scored dozens of landmark hits, from "California Dreamin’" to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" to "It’s Too Late," selling tens of millions of records and resetting the thermostat of pop culture.

In Laurel Canyon, veteran journalist Michael Walker tells the inside story of this unprecedented gathering of some of the baby boom’s leading musical lights—including Joni Mitchell; Jim Morrison; Crosby, Stills, and Nash; John Mayall; the Mamas and the Papas; Carole King; the Eagles; and Frank Zappa, to name just a few—who turned Los Angeles into the music capital of the world and forever changed the way popular music is recorded, marketed, and consumed.

Customer Reviews:

Well done.......2007-10-10

This is a good choice for anyone interested in the history of 1960's rock music.

Mixed results for an unevenly written book........2007-09-11

In the summer of 1972 forces that had been building for decades coalesced to give us the opening strains of the Eagles' "Take It Easy" and Country-Rock went from being a musical undercurrent to being a pop phenomena that affected music, fashion and the culture of young adults for the rest of the '70s. Strangely, in the early '80s this musical phenomena vanished much more quickly than it had appeared leaving little to mark its passing until the Eagles reunion in 1994. Now, over 30 years later there are any number of books telling the story of how Folk, Country, Rock and (to some extent) Blues all came together in LA's Laurel Canyon to make LA the musical promised land which bred this phenomena. Likewise, these books explain how it all collapsed into a heap as cocaine inflated egos clashed and creativity was overtaken by monetary concerns and other realities.

Of the books I've read on the subject of the LA music scene in the '60s and '70s this one perhaps best explains the poisonous effects of cocaine and other vices on the whole scene yet he seems to resist the conclusion that the absolute freedom of the times opened the door to its eventual demise. Michael Walker refers to the culture of the '50s as if it were a nasty communicable disease and he seems genuinely surprised that the free spirits of Laurel Canyon weren't able to change the world to their liking and eventually they too had to conform to reality just as their forebears did.

This brings me to my greatest problem with this book, it seems to be written from the viewpoint of someone who wishes he was there and feels as if he missed out. While he is honest in pointing out that drug-related crime and prostitution surfaced in spite of the tidal wave of idealism that existed at that time he seems to write from a viewpoint of wistful nostalgia for something he never actually was a part of. He seems to believe in the fantasy even though he is chronicling its failure. Accounting for the fact that the author is a Chicagoan that relocated to Laurel Canyon helps to explain this; at least to me. The author (and this book) seem divided; one foot rooted in the past "glories" of the era he writes about while the other foot cautiously treads the reality of the present. It's as if part of the author is wishing that some of the old crew would show up in his yard and start partying while the other half of him would call the police in a heartbeat if they did.

I wouldn't warn anyone off of buying this book, it is in fact very informative, but it is nonetheless uneven. It is a book I would recommend to a true afficinado of the subject but not as a sole purchase if you want to read about Country-Rock. A few other books you might enjoy are: Desperados: The Roots of Country Rock, Hotel California: The True-Life Adventures of Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Mitchell, Taylor, Browne, Ronstadt, Geffen, the Eagles, and Their Many Friends and To The Limit: The Untold Story Of The Eagles.

It's the 60's Again.......2007-09-06

The 1960's music scene in Los Angeles comes vividly alive in this account of the rock world that thrived in Laurel Canyon. This is a must-read for anyone (like me) who grew up listening to CSN&Y, Frank Zappa, the Mamas and the Papas, Joni Mitchell and others. It's amazing to think that all this talent and more converged in one place at one special time. Michael Walker provides a thorough accounting of the birth and death of Laurel Canyon as a rock colony in a captivating and insightful way. You can almost smell the marijuana wafting from the book! These truly were the good old days, probably never to be seen again. A great read!

Better than "White Bicycles".......2007-08-22

Put on your wire-rimmed granny glasses when reading "Laurel Canyon", an affectionate and breezy evocation of the area that virtually birthed the "laid back" California musical sounds of the 60's and 70's.

Author Michael Walker painstakingly constructs a portrait of this sequestered piece of real estate, with its narrow, winding roads, quaint bungalows, and eucalyptus trees. It came to serve as a refuge, salon, and social laboratory for the Western fringe of the Woodstock generation.

A whole rogues' gallery of rock stars, groupies, club owners and passers-thru is recreated, to accurately reflect the milieu of people that interacted, "back in the day." You'll get a ringside seat at Frank Zappa's audition of Alice Cooper, see David Crosby careening down the road, cape flying, on his motorcycle, and find Arthur Lee of "Love" tripping on a hill top.

It's heady stuff. And don't believe the snide comment about "a magazine piece" from Publishers Weekly. Yes, there may be a resemblance to the kind of recreations of times and places that "Vanity Fair" publishes... but I view that as a GOOD thing. The writing in "Laurel Canyon" is crisp--it's juicy and it flows. It has flair, it's not prosaic, and that's what you want in a book about places where great music originated. Grab a glass of vintage wine and enjoy.

***Recommended cds to accompany reading:

"Ladies of the Canyon", Joni Mitchell
"Deja Vu", Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
"Blues From Laurel Canyon", John Mayall
"Forever Changes", Love
"Permanent Damage", the GTOs
"Jackson Browne" ("Saturate Before Using"), Jackson Browne

Interesting look at L.A. and Hollywood in the 1960's - 1980.......2007-08-12

Laurel Canyon is a good two sitting read that offers the reader an insightful perspective into the world of West Hollywood and LA over a roughly 20 year period. The writing style seemed odd at times, but overall not a great obstacle. For some reason Walker finds it necessary to elevate the importance of the LA music scene and culture while purposely downplaying or omission of the San Francisco Bay Area's colossal influence on 1960's musical and cultural significance with such bands as The Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Country Joe and The Fish, Sly and The Family Stone, Blue Cheer, Quicksilver Messenger Service etc.). Walker seems to consider "L.A Citizen" Janis Joplin more of a fixture of LA than San Francisco despite Janis' extended stay and musical development with Big Brother and The Holding Company and shacking up with the Grateful Dead in the Haight. The music scene and draw to LA/Hollywood was largely reciprocal to the movie industry presence there where as the cultural development in San Francisco in the 1960 was he next phase of the 1940-50's Jazz and Beat movements - think Kerouac. From the famous Psychedelic light shows (Glenn McKay and The Brotherhood of Art at the Fillmore and Winterand (The Last Waltz) Cow Palace (Rust Never Sleeps movie), Candlestick Park (Last Beatles Concert) to the 1960's rock art; Stanley Mouse, Robert Crumb (keep on truckin'), Golden Gate Park (first love-ins), Electric Kool-Aid acid test, Purple Haze (Stanley Owsley (bear)) etc.. All roads lead to San Francisco in the 1960's ..

AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll: The Ultimate Story of the World's Greatest Rock-and-Roll Band

Average customer rating:

Shoot to Thrill!
Rockingest band ever
Show business
Bored to Tears
By Far The Best Book Available On AC/DC

AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll: The Ultimate Story of the World's Greatest Rock-and-Roll Band
Murray Engleheart , and Arnaud Durieux
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061133914
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Book Description

Over three decades and more than 150 million albums, AC/DC has established itself as much more than just a great rock band. For millions of fans spanning several generations across the world, they are an ear-bleedingly loud, sweat-soaked religion, courtesy of such classic albums as Highway to Hell and Back in Black.

Now, in a book of astonishing breadth and scope, comes, for the very first time, the complete story of AC/DC. Everything you ever wanted to know and plenty more you never dreamt of is all here, the ultimate balls-out adventure, laced with sex, drunken escapades and brawls. It's a journey that started in the suburban Sydney, Australia, bedrooms of brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, boys who could wreak havoc with their guitars. Over their power chords were the lyrics and voice of Bon Scott, who would lead them higher and higher—until his tragic death in 1980. The bittersweet irony after his death was that not only did the Youngs manage to hold together without him, but the band's fortunes and status skyrocketed with his replacement, Brian Johnson, and the album Back in Black.

Five long years in the making, AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll is sourced from more than 1,300 interviews the band has given over the past thirty years combined with in excess of 75 of the authors' own interviews with those who worked with AC/DC both in the studio and on the road—many of whom have never spoken about the band publicly. It's topped off with stunning, never-before-seen photos to create the ultimate portrait of the ultimate rock band.

Customer Reviews:

Shoot to Thrill!.......2007-07-06

A great look into the AC/DC story. Learned quite a bit about the band and this well written and compelling without suffering the usual rock bio cliches.

Rockingest band ever.......2007-06-05

Interesting book about the band. Found references to early shows and bands and looked them up on YouTube.

Show business.......2007-05-15

It's a good book but not a GREAT one. I'm missing more detailed info about the recording sessions, making of the LPs etc. I'm sure a lot of research has gone into making the book but somehow it's lacking in depth and structure. Sorry to say but I was expecting a little bit more effort, as the book was so much hyped.

However, this book is a must for any big AC/DC fan (like myself)and I recommend it.

P.S. If you are a Who fan read "Dear boy, life of Keith Moon". That is absolutely the best rock'n'roll book I have ever read.

Bored to Tears.......2007-03-26

For decades now I've been a huge AC/DC fan and eagerly bought this book to validate many of the myths surrounding them. It was definitely full of facts but very repetetive. . ."Despite the bands small stature they were very street tough." Seems to be on every page of the book. From paragraph to paragraph the subject changes making it a hard-to-follow read. There's no story line, and I found myself bored to death. The author could have learned a few things from the writers of "The Dirt".

By Far The Best Book Available On AC/DC.......2007-03-22

Without the shadow of a doubt this is the best book available on AC/DC. From the members pre AC/DC early years, through to the bands Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame induction and beyond, it's all here.

Whether you're a die hard fan, or just have a passing interest in the group, this book has been painfully researched by Murray Engleheart & Arnaud Durieux to provide an accurate account of the bands formation, devolpment, determination and eventual success.

The highs & lows are all covered, from the bands early success, to Bon Scott's tragic death, to the triumph that was "Back In Black". Find out what made this band tick.

Rockin' Down the Highway: The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll

Average customer rating:

Rockin' Book!
This is not a coffeetable book...
Rockin Down the Highway
Rockin Down the Highway ROCKS!
A 'must' for any comprehensive rock library collection.

Rockin' Down the Highway: The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll
Paul Grushkin
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0760322929

Book Description

In the world of music, a car is a helluva lot more than a just another mode of transportation. Its inspiration, a symbol of freedom and style, and often a way to hit the road and get to the gig. From Robert Johnsons 1936 recording Terraplane Blues to rapper Xzibits hit MTV show, Pimp My Ride, from pink Cadillacs and Lil Deuce Coupes to T-birds and Roadrunners, cars have been a constant theme in rock-n-roll and the blues. Perhaps its because references to cars in American song are so pervasive that no one has ever attempted the daunting task of exploring the connection . . . until now. In this beautifully produced volume, best-selling music writer Paul Grushkin draws on private collections, renowned photographers, lauded poster artists, and top private archives to present a thematic illustrated examination of the remarkable 50-plus-year synergy between rock music and motoring, from early RB to surf to metal to punk to hip-hop. The result is astounding. Hundreds of rare 78s, 45s, LPs, sheet music, and more were photographed for the book. Dozens of prominent photographers (including Steve Coonan, Jim Marshall, Henry Diltz, Glen E. Friedman, and Pamela Springsteen), illustrators (Stanley Mouse, Ed Big Daddy Roth, Darrell Mayabb, and Coop, among them), and prominent poster artists (Emek, Justin Hampton, and Mike Martin, to name just a few) participate. Rockers like Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Snoop Dogg, and Billy F Gibbons are just a few of the hundreds of artists whose associations with automobiles are celebrated here. The book is replete with lyrics, anecdotes, and commentary from famous musicians, as well as ordinary rock-n-rollers whove loved rock and cars equally with a passion.

Customer Reviews:

Rockin' Book!.......2007-09-26

If cars, rock-n-roll,and the birth of those two cultures even slightly interests you, this is the book for you! The author, who also put out another great book, art of modern rock, really shows just how much rock-n-roll and the car culture have been intertwined since the birth of rock-n-roll to the present time.

This is not a coffeetable book..........2007-02-03

I'm not a huge fan of coffeetable books. They always seem to have an air of pretension about them (or I do ha ha), but "Rockin Down The Highway" does NOT come across that way. It's packed full of cool photos and info that draws you in and doesn't leave you feeling like an outsider. Even you're not a fan of rock music and hot rod cars, this is a great book to while away the time with...and maybe have a cup of coffee while you're at it.

Rockin Down the Highway.......2007-01-16

Awesome book. It's about time that someone wrote about the marriage between music and cars and the people that drove them. This author really did his homework. I've done my share of reading about cars but there are photos in there that I've never seen.
Worth every dime.

Rockin Down the Highway ROCKS!.......2006-12-21

Rock `n' roll is cool music, of that we can have no doubt. From Chuck Berry and Elvis, to the newest stars of 2006, rock n roll does, in fact, appear to be "here to stay." And cars have been a big part of rock since the early days. Whether you were revving up your Little Deuce Coupe, if you were Born to Run, or Born to Be Wild, or just roaring down the road in your Little Red Corvette, the cars have been there all along.

Paul Grushkin's book, Rockin Down the Highway celebrates this marriage of cool with photos, stories, cartoons, art and much more, bringing cars and rock together in a big, very attractive package. The book is as fun to read as it is to look at, with all varieties of entertaining anecdotes and tidbits from Mr. Grushkin and other contributors, ranging from well-known rockers and rock writers to ordinary rock fans recounting the pleasure of the open road, stereo blasting out their favorite tunes.

This is a big, lovely style book, lavishly illustrated and beautifully composed. It would go beautifully on the coffee table of any rock fan!

A 'must' for any comprehensive rock library collection........2006-12-14

There are plenty of books on automobile history and culture and plenty on music history, but what makes Rockin' Down the Highway: The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll an impressive study is not just an oversized format which packs in color photos on every page - some 1,000 of them - but an attention to surveying the connections between cars and rock music. It's the first illustrated, book-length history of the topic and includes many photos not previously seen in print, coming from a notable rock historian who uses posters, photos, ads, album covers and more in the process of analyzing the attraction of fast cars and fast music to a teen audience. An outstanding, sweeping presentation which will prove a 'must' for any comprehensive rock library collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Rock and Roll: Its History and Stylistic Development (5th Edition)

Average customer rating:

stay away

Rock and Roll: Its History and Stylistic Development (5th Edition)
Joe Stuessy , and Scott Lipscomb
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0131930982

Customer Reviews:

stay away.......2007-08-03

This book is predictable, boring, and prejudiced. What did I expect from a textbook? More, I guess. I've been listening to a lot of rock and roll from a lot of different time periods in the past two years and have been trying to understand the history of the music, influences on bands, where different trends came from, flashes of originality ... I don't mind an academic perspective, I hoped for some music theory, but this book is just plain stupid. What a waste of money.

The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock 'n' Roll (Book & DVD)

Average customer rating:

A really great book and DVD
Where's Ricky?
great fun
A must-own book for rock'n'roll historians

The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock 'n' Roll (Book & DVD)
Jerry Naylor , and Steve Halliday
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Go Cat Go!: ROCKABILLY MUSIC AND ITS MAKERS (Music in American Life)
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ASIN: 142342042X
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Book Description

In five brief but glorious years, a handful of young, animated performers set the entertainment world on its ear. The Rockabilly Legends - They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock and Roll celebrates the rebel forefathers who created this raw, driving sound that continues to influence and inspire musicians. This unique volume - part tribute, part first-person recollection, part history, and all fascinating - provides a complete picture of the times. It features hundreds of original rare and captivating photos, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and others. Candid interviews with music legends and personal reflections. Stunning design. Includes a one-hour DVD sampler of rockabilly music to immerse the reader into those heady days from 1954 through 1959 when a new, high-energy sound and spirit instantly captured the hearts of fans around the world.

Customer Reviews:

A really great book and DVD.......2007-08-23

This is probably the best book I have ever read on the history of rockabilly and its origins. The graphics are great and make the book a really fun one to read. When I bought it, I didn't realize there was a DVD inside and the DVD is worth the price of the book itself. So it feels like a two for one. Jerry knew most of the people in the rockabilly world and the first hand experience brought a breadth and personal feel to this book. I was also so glad that the Johnny Burnette Trio was in this book too as often they are left out of the rockabilly discussion and were an important part.

I do wish however, that Jerry would have included some females in the story. Wanda Jackson especially - she is not included in this book and I think she should have been. Also I think that Chuck Berry's influence in the rockabilly world and Little Richard could have been highlighted in this book as well. It seems odd they are written about in this book. Maybe some discussion on the pre-Elvis influence of Bill Haley too where he crossed over into some pioneering sounds of rock and roll/rockabilly prior to Elvis.

This is still a great, great book and I am so glad it was written.

Where's Ricky?.......2007-07-03

Jerry Naylor is to be commended highly for his exhaustive research and commitment to what I understand was a seven year labor of love. He truely captures the essence of the talent that made the 50's Rockabilly era so special and created the roots of rock n' roll.The addition of the DVD to complement this volume makes it even more desireable for any student of music history! My only complaint is that Ricky Nelson was not included, since he too was a pioneer in rockabilly and idolized Carl Perkins as his musical mentor!While I realize Jerry may not have worked with him directly he still deserved honorary mention! That aside though, this book/dvd is a must have!

great fun.......2007-06-08

This book is so much fun to read! Looking back, rock 'n' roll has grown to be such a standard genre of music that we don't often think about how it came to be, but this book goes through and shows you step by step how it came about. There are some great pictures and great stories and it even includes a DVD! This book is wonderful!

A must-own book for rock'n'roll historians.......2007-04-15

This is a great book that is not only easy to read, and has an abundance of great early photos from 1954 - 1959, but tells the definitive beginnings of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison. It connects them all through stories of how they all played together or ran into each other during the mid-50s.
Elvis was just a 19 year old truck driver who was talked into going to a cheap recording studio in Memphis in 1954 to sing some gospel songs, and met session player Scotty Moore there. Producer Sam Philips didn't like what he was hearing, until Elvis started singing (during a break) an old blues tune from the 40s called "That's Alright Mama." Philips loved it, and rockabilly (which is what early rock'n'roll was called) was born. They soon after got a slot on the Grand Ole Opry to play just one tune, and Elvis got a positive response from the females. Teenaged Roy Orbison saw Elvis from the front row in January 1955 at a west Texas concert, and he immediately dropped his hilbilly singing of Hank Williams tunes, and started doing rockabilly. Buddy Holly saw early Elvis as well, and it influenced him to start his Crickets. There's stories of Johnny Cash (how he tried to get Roy Orbison on the Sun label), and Jerry Lee, and Carl Perkins, and how they all got influenced each other, and even played together.

Get this book....it's great!

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood

Average customer rating:

Couldn't put it down - I grew up admiring these characters...
Juicy and exciting read
Not Recieved, No Refund
Great in spite of itself
The Godfather of New Hollywood Books

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
Peter Biskind
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684857081

Amazon.com

Not only is Peter Biskind's Easy Riders, Raging Bulls the best book in recent memory on turn-of-the-'70s film, it is beyond question the best book we'll ever get on the subject. Why? Because once the big names who spilled the beans to Biskind find out that other people spilled an equally piquant quantity of beans, nobody will dare speak to another writer with such candor, humor, and venom again.

Biskind did hundreds of interviews with people who make the president look accessible: Scorsese, Spielberg, Lucas, Coppola, Geffen, Beatty, Kael, Towne, Altman. He also spoke with countless spurned spouses and burned partners, alleged victims of assault by knife, pistol, and bodily fluids. Rather more responsible than some of his sources, Biskind always carefully notes the denials as well as the astounding stories he has compiled. He tells you about Scorsese running naked down Mulholland Drive after his girlfriend, crying, "Don't leave me!"; grave robbing on the set of Apocalypse Now; Faye Dunaway apparently flinging urine in Roman Polanski's face while filming Chinatown; Michael O'Donoghue's LSD-fueled swan dive onto a patio; Coppola's mad plan for a 10-hour film of Goethe's Elective Affinities in 3-D; the ocean suicide attempt Hal "Captain Wacky" Ashby gave up when he couldn't find a swimsuit that pleased him; countless dalliances with porn stars; Russian roulette games and psychotherapy sessions in hot tubs. But he also soberly gives both sides ample chance to testify.

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls is also more than a fistful of dazzling anecdotes. Methodically, as thrillingly as a movie attorney, Biskind builds the case that Hollywood was revived by wild ones who then betrayed their own dreams, slit their own throats, and destroyed an art form by producing that mindless, inhuman modern behemoth, the blockbuster.

When Spielberg was making the first true blockbuster, Jaws, he sneaked Lucas in one day when nobody was around, got him to put his head in the shark's mechanical mouth, and closed the shark's mouth on him. The gizmo broke and got stuck, but the two young men somehow extricated Lucas's head and hightailed it like Tom and Huck. As Peter Biskind's scathing, funny, wise book demonstrates, they only thought they had escaped. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

When the low-budget biker movie Easy Rider shocked Hollywood with its success in 1969, a new Hollywood era was born. This was an age when talented young filmmakers such as Scorsese, Coppola, and Spielberg, along with a new breed of actors, including De Niro, Pacino, and Nicholson, became the powerful figures who would make such modern classics as The Godfather, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, and Jaws. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls follows the wild ride that was Hollywood in the '70s -- an unabashed celebration of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll (both onscreen and off) and a climate where innovation and experimentation reigned supreme. Based on hundreds of interviews with the directors themselves, producers, stars, agents, writers, studio executives, spouses, and ex-spouses, this is the full, candid story of Hollywood's last golden age.

MARTIN SCORSESE ON DRUGS: "I did a lot of drugs because I wanted to do a lot, I wanted to push all the way to the very very end, and see if I could die."

DENNIS HOPPER ON EASY RIDER: "The cocaine problem in the United States is really because of me. There was no cocaine before Easy Rider on the street. After Easy Rider, it was everywhere."

GEORGE LUCAS ON STAR WARS: "Popcorn pictures have always ruled. Why do people go see them? Why is the public so stupid? That's not my fault."

Customer Reviews:

Couldn't put it down - I grew up admiring these characters..........2007-02-23

Firstly - I don't think that this book should be mistaken for a spiteful Paul-Johnson-type of takedown of Great Men...Biskind's not a curmudgeon, and I see no evidence of a Grand Thesis in this book smashing down facts to fit the preconceived mold...

I'm made to remember, as I first read & then occasionally re-read this book, that the Seventies was not just the time in which the putative counter-cultural forces stormed & took the tired old film studio citadel (and in the process became, many of them, boring old farts struggling for relevance); nor was it simply the time in which Spielberg & Lucas hatched the modern Big Blockbuster--but it was also the age of the invention of the super-auteur, the well-advertised & vaunting "maverick" filmmaker who compulsively pointed up to the stands every time he came up at bat (Bogdanovich & Coppola, most egregiously)...The super-stardom of these people arrives with the mainstreaming of know-how fetishism, and the over-valuation of the film artiste - the ascension of film-schools, making-of docs, horserace reports on box-office grosses, and so on...Much of what has been taken for slimy "gossip" in this book seems, on reflection, to be intimately connected with the films themselves: and in some wild cases ("Days of Heaven"; "Apocalypse Now"), the prodigal wasn't bankrupted & chastened, but came back home a star...

That said - I'm grateful for Biskind's hard treatment of Altman, and of Paul Schrader--they were begging for it...I don't understand why he treats Robert Towne's "Personal Best" as an ignominous all-'round failure--it REALLY wasn't that bad!

Juicy and exciting read.......2007-01-17

This book reads straight from the gossip columns. It's a fun, juicy read that you won't be able to put down. Peter Biskind gives you a sneek-peek behind Oz's curtain to see the nitty gritty lives of people like Scorsese, Speilberg, Copolla and Lucas. This won't be "classic literature," but you will find it exciting, addicting and a definate page-turner! Read this book just for the fun of it!

Not Recieved, No Refund.......2007-01-04

They say they sent it to my address, but i never recieved it. I called them. they told me they sent it, and did not offer further help.

Great in spite of itself.......2006-09-17

Peter Biskind's EASY RIDERS RAGING BULLS is destined to become a pop-culture classic, of a problematic sort for sure, but a classic still.

Biskind's research is formidable - the current academic revival of interest in the career of the late Hal Ashby was probably instigated by this book - this alone is an indication of how throrough a cultural chronicle of 70s 'New Hollywood' this work really is. It has obviously been taken very seriously in some quarters, and for all of its' academic impact, it also managed to become an improbable bestseller.

It's also one of those things that you love, and slot into a sort of 'guilty pleasure' category; Biskind balances his exhaustive cinema-historical research with equally exhaustive tales of sex-and-drug debauchery, though ultimately the avalanche of tittilating tawdriness does serve something of a purpose, in illustrating how certain individuals responsible for reinventing and reinvigorating Hollywood at the beginning of the 70s were also sowing the seeds of their own demise by the end of the same decade.

Biskind structures the book in emulation of one of the key players illuminated within - the entire book is structured like an Altman film, shifting gradually between a great cast of contradictory, combative characters (Hal Ashby as the moral center of it all), with the many historical narratives weaving together at the end. Along the way, he engages in a little bit of analysis (not enough, but understandable, given all else that is going on here), tracing the shadows of Nixon and Vietnam through films as seemingly disparate as "The Exorcist," "Jaws," "The Godfather," "Star Wars" and "The Conversation."

Overall, an essential piece of American cultural history.

-David Alston

The Godfather of New Hollywood Books.......2006-06-23

One can tell just by watching the films of directors such as Coppola, Scorcese, Friedkin and all the others that made up the New Hollywood of the 1970's, that they were infused with a streak of arrogance. Many films that were full of pretence and repulsive characters, but that nevertheless embodied a new spirit of American auterism, brought about by a new found European sensibility and a shift in power from producers to directors. So its no surprise that Peter Biskind's detailed and intriguing read, reveals these directors to be monstrous human beings. Power hungry, tin pot dictators fuelled by drugs, alcohol and sex. Somehow despite the lines of coke and the absurd sums of money that went flowing around, some of the greatest films in American cinema appeared. Biskind's enthusiasm for this period comes across and it helps that he lived through it and his book is filled with a great deal of insightful social commentary, his reading of STAR WARS for example is quite interesting. However he does tend to overcook the political and allegorical side of his critique. At times the book becomes a bit too gossipy and academics and film students might be put off by the tales of back stabbing and drug abuse. But, this does give the book a spark, which separates it from the more impenetrable and theory based books on the same subject. It is precisely because of Biskind's talky and down to earth prose that makes the book such a joy. There is a great deal of value to this book and after reading it you cannot view the films of this period in quite the same way. Enjoyable from start to finish.

Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll: Fourth Edition

Average customer rating:

Rock and Roll Poetry
Don't believe the hype
I will never read anything by this author again!
Dancing About Architecture, Yay!
I'm confused on what he focuses on the most...

Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll: Fourth Edition
Greil Marcus
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452278368

Amazon.com

More than 20 years after its initial publication, Mystery Train remains one of the smartest, most provocative books ever written about rock-and-roll. Marcus puts his subjects--which include Robert Johnson, Elvis Presley, The Band, Randy Newman, and Sly Stone--into their proper context, which is the culture-at-large. He makes you understand why these musicians matter, and what they've contributed to the American imagination. In his introduction, Marcus confesses that he's no longer "capable of mulling over Elvis without thinking about Herman Melville"--to the benefit, I might add, of both parties.

Customer Reviews:

Rock and Roll Poetry.......2007-03-25

This book is an amazing look into the history and impact of rock and roll on pop culture. Greil Marcus writes about this artists and songs as a poet who has been deeply affected by this music. The lyrics seem to impact the very roots of his soul and diversly shape his world and view of America. This book is a must for any fan of rock and roll music or anyone interested on the impact rock and roll has had on American culture in general. Highly recommended.

Don't believe the hype.......2007-02-02

Uh, I'm not sure I agree a hundred percent with your detective work, there, Greil.

If he truly wanted to present and comprehensive view of what his subtitle purports, that is, American myths archetypes and how they inform and are presented by Rock and Roll, why is the scope of this book so narrow? The artists he focuses on are a motley crew. Elvis, Robert Johnson sure- but Randy Newman? The Band, but not Dylan? Harmonica Frank, but no Chuck Berry? Berry's oeuvre itself is a perfect microcosm of 20th century American Mythos. Speaking of myth, why is Pilgram's Progress invoked as a metaphor for The Band, but Faust isn't referenced at all in the Robert Johnson chapter. America is nothing if not Faustian. This book is 40 percent Rock-Geek trivia, and 60 percent pure ponderous speculation. Marcus occasionally drifts into a fugue and wanders far away from his (musical) subject, several times in the Elvis section whereupon he suddenly remembers what he was supposed to be writing about and tries vainly to shoehorn all of his speculations together. I think Marcus is a fine writer (we would not entertain his notions for a second if he wasn't), and this book certainly has its moments, but on the whole it does not nearly live up to its hype. He has done better, in The Old, Weird America, dealing with the same themes and sticking to one musical subject (Dylan's Basement Tapes).

I will never read anything by this author again!.......2006-10-05

I was SO excited about getting this in the mail to start reading, I had just read "This Wheels on Fire" by Levon Helm (which is AMAZING) and wanted to read more about that kind of music and read a critics take on it all and well...it was awful!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was pretentious and cliche...all of it. I cannot understand why this book is supposed to be so great. He makes all of these assumptions about what these musicians bodies of work are really about or are supposed to represent but even to someone who was not alive during the time period, it is obvious B.S.! Marcus tries to explain that The Band's whole body of work is some sort of metaphor...that is about a "worried man"...that their work is a story that they have made up to represent their fears and their vices. If you want to know what "the weight" is about, read Levon Helm's book which is honest, touching, inspiring AND informative.

Dancing About Architecture, Yay!.......2005-11-02

This was one of the first music criticism books I ever read. Sometime since I read someone scoffingly say, "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture." Well yes, this is true, and this is what makes Greil Marcus so great -- his writing his half dancing, half architecture. Even though the TONE of his writing makes a foray into claiming authority, he never loses his subjectivity. You always have the feeling that this is just another guy talking about music, except that he's incredibly smart and knowledgeable about music, literature and culture. I've heard some people complain about his choices for subjects here, that Robert Johnson does not deserve to be singled out, and that Dylan should have his own chapter, or even his own volume. But this book doesn't pretend to pick the greatest artists of all time and write about their greatest hits; there's dozens of other books for that. Read those books first, and then come to Marcus if you want something deeper. He does something different, and his books shouldn't be judged by those standards. At the end of the day, the best thing I can say is that I wish this book included a chapter about every artist that I love, and that reading this has deepened my appreciation of every figure involved.

I'm confused on what he focuses on the most..........2005-03-07

Is it the music or the events surrounding the music? In any case, Greil Marcus' MYSTERY TRAIN is perhaps the most unusual rock criticism book in existence. I purchased this volume because of my interest in the Band (who are by far the greatest artists in the whole story). And that point makes me wonder why the Band's records weren't scrutinized and explained even more. Where else can you read about the song "Across the Great Divide" and then tell people you know what it's about? I love the chapter on the Band, although I am not a fan of Marcus' writing, and I wish that he would have cleaned up his word choices and focused on the Band days instead of the Hawks' days (and some people can't see that artistic growth?). Anyway, anyone who says no one has heard of these artists needs serious medical attention. If anyone hasn't heard of the Band, I recommend that the get their head back into the real world. To call the Band's music siginificant and worthwhile is the understatement of the century. However, I never felt that Elvis did much for music (well, he didn't do much for me), and if you really want to get confused read the chapter on Sly Stone. Who the heck is Stagger Lee and why is he mentioned here? Did Marcus see WOODSTOCK? I think he spends too much time comparing things with classic authors from days gone by and he even draws paralells between old movies. That is fine with me, and I can certainly see the way music influences movies and vice versa, but a lot of that seems to be overblown. I didn't know if I was reading about Randy Newman or Raymond Chandler. He devotes a surprising amount of time to the Kinks, and while I find some of their material interesting, their place as one of the greatest bands in history is probably in question. I really don't like the words that Marcus uses to describe musical ideas that he hears, nor do I care for his admitting to having a perverted Elvis dream and his declaration of Ray Davies' homosexuality and his sensitivity towards murder and violence. If you want to, you can get confused. I am enthused by pop culture but particularly the music, and I love the sixties and would love to write about that decade myself, and I have purchased Levon Helm's THIS WHEELS ON FIRE, and have been fascinated by THE TWILIGHT ZONE COMPANION, WAITING FOR THE SUN, and I even bought the films EASY RIDER, DON'T LOOK BACK, and WOODSTOCK. Yet somehow, MYSTERY TRAIN doesn't seem to fit either in the forties or in the seventies, so I really don't know how to label it--but I suppose I am just grateful for the Band pages, but mind you I wasn't terribly impressed with those or Marcus' all-too-brief run down of a song called "The Rumor". At least he acknowledges it in detail later on, but what is his point in doing so?

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