Average customer rating:
- Nothing better...period
- Don't believe that you are getting 20 books.
- dumbed down
- The definitive dictionary of music and musicians
- The standard reference - deservedly
|
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (20 Volume Set
George Grove , and
Stanle Sadie
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Reference
| Subjects
| Books
| Almanacs & Yearbooks
| Atlases & Maps
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Business Skills
| Careers
| Catalogs & Directories
| Consumer Guides
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Education
| Encyclopedias
| Etiquette
| Foreign Languages
| Fun Facts
| Genealogy
| General
| Job Hunting
| Large Print
| Law
| Publishing & Books
| Quotations
| Spanish-Language Reference
| Study Guides
| Test Prep Central
| Words & Language
| Writing
General
| Instruments & Performers
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Harvard Dictionary of Music: Fourth Edition (Harvard University Press Reference Library)
ASIN: 1561591742 |
Amazon.com
This is the big one -- 20 thick volumes packed full of information on musical history, composers, artists and more. It carries a big price tag, but it's an invaluable aid for the serious student or writer. Grove has several other dictionaries, opera and jazz among them, but if you can only handle one, this is the one to get. This text refers to the 20 Volume edition of this title.
Book Description
Now available in a deluxe paperback edition, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is the world's greatest music encyclopedia. This unique 20-volume set is packed with over 18,000 pages of information on the history and development of music, instruments, musical forms and terms, musical cities and institutions, and, above all, thousands of eminent composers and performers. The text is fully illustrated with photographs, drawings and musical examples, and all major articles include extensive bibliographies. Entries on composers are accompanied by detailed lists of compositions, which, for example, list the precise instrumentation required for many compositions. These acclaimed worklists alone are a valuable resource for today's musician. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians includes: BL Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance music--insights on composers as well as new appraisals of theorists, philosophers, and chroniclers. It explores early musical rites, forms, styles and genres, and the social and historical forces that shaped the music of these eras BL Composers--the first aim of Music and Musicians is to tell you virtually everything you will want to know about the people who have been writing music, from ancient times onwards BL Ethnomusicology--discover Polynesian chants, Uzbek teahouse ensembles, Xhosa wedding songs, cowboy laments, modern protest songs, and other manifestations of non-western and folk music BL Forms and genres--harmony, counterpoint, rhythm and melody--the basic materials of music. Symphony, opera, cantata, concerto, motet, oratorio and sonata--these and other genres are surveyed historically and their repertoires outlined BL Performers--Music and Musicians covers influential figures from the world of popular music, jazz and opera; it explores the lives of patrons and poets, novelists and scientists, dancers and instrument makers, everyone whose work influences music BL Places and institutions--travel from London to Vienna, Dresden to Osaka, Paris to Pittsburgh. Explore top musical arenas such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Covent Garden
Customer Reviews:
Nothing better...period.......2006-04-04
Despite the fact many have tried to "pretend" there are other dictionarys/encyclopedias that are better than The Groves, there simply are not. Sure, The Groves is not cheap, however, if you are looking for a quality work, it will never be cheap. So, whether you are a person with degrees in Music History, or someone who just wants to have information readily available on music/musicians, this is the only way to go.
Don't believe that you are getting 20 books........2004-02-29
Although the announcement makes you think that maybe yo will be getting 20 books for a song, you will be singing a different tune when it arrives. You will get one (yes, 1) volume selected apparently at random. I got volume 13.
dumbed down.......2002-05-02
Four stars for what has been carried over from the 1980 version, zero stars for what has been appended to it. We can't entirely blame the dictionary for the poor quality of most of these additions. The dictionary depends on a large pool of contributors, most of whom hold academic positions, and our academies are beset with insufficiently acknowledged problems.
One problem is the graduate-school analogue of what in secondary schools has been called "grade inflation". We might call it "degree inflation". Unqualified candidates are routinely pushed through graduate school; mediocre minds are awarded doctorates and assume faculty positions. This is partly the result of a misguided egalitarianism and partly the result of a quid-pro-quo cronyism. In any case, it is self-perpetuating and self-proliferating. It manifests itself here most obviously in rambling pseudo-intellectual essays on such empty buzzwords as "postmodernism".
Another problem is commercialization. It manifests itself here most obviously in vacuous and clumsily written (and randomly strewn with rock journalism cliches) extended accounts of various pop music figures, such as, for example, Bob Dylan and David Bowie. (Both Bob Dylan and David Bowie have composed interesting song lyrics and are worthy subjects for popular culture historians, but neither have any particular MUSICAL significance.)
The definitive dictionary of music and musicians.......1999-09-13
One could never hope for a 'compleat' dictionary of music and musicians any more than one could hope for hope for a 'compleat'library of knowledge in one publication. But, just as the Encycopeadia Britannica has come to be seen the most comprehensive summary available of knowledge generally, so has Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians come to be seen as the ultimate summary of information available about music and musicians.
The question now is: when will 'Grove' follow the Encyclopaedia Britannica and reach out to a wider audience via CD-ROM and Internet on-line services? For this reviewer: the sooner the better
Ian Bowie
The standard reference - deservedly.......1998-09-27
Discursive and authoritative, the one failing is the lack of convenient text search. When available on CD-ROM with that capability, it will be an ideal reference.
Customer Reviews:
FORCED TO BUY FOR JAZZ HISTORY.......2007-07-26
This was required for my jazz history class at Sacramento City College (MUFHL 315 - online). It was 125.00 at the college book (packaged along with some worthless CD's). It is not laid out like a normal textbook. At the beginning, it doesn't have a chapter outline or learning objectives. At the end of each chapter, all you have is a sorry summery that doesn't cover any of what the author is trying to say within the chapter. THIS IS THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER BEEN FORCED TO BUY FOR A CLASS. I am tired people publishing the results of their graduate work as TEXTBOOKS and ripping off poor undeserving student. Reading this book is like watching paint dry.
This book connects the dots..........2006-02-13
I had begun to get serious about immersing myself in Jazz. A little dive around the corner was showing excellent Jazz groups and I had to take the opportunity to discover this great art form. My daughter lent me a textbook she had from college.
I immediately picked it up and for several hours was scanning it backwards and forwards. I kept referencing all the artists and songs I had heard of all my life and this book very handily made the connections. It's loaded with clear and concise and insightful teaching aids.
I can now understand much better the overall experience and history of jazz. The technical parts are still quite overwhelming, but the author's writing is very articulate and non-judgmental. I've rarely seen a more learning friendly book. As I started to mention, you can start anywhere you want in this book and just take what you can handle.
not for jazz scholars alone.......2005-12-20
It has been nearly 30 years since Mark Gridley's first edition of Jazz Styles appeared, and no other treatment of jazz styles comes close to his careful analysis of how jazz has been made since its inception. It is a work of great and serious scholarship, an invaluable resource for students of the genre. Yet, Jazz Styles is also an enjoyable and entertaining companion for anyone who wants to become a more perceptive listener to jazz. The Listening Guides are useful even for those 'veteran'
jazz fans familiar with the works described. Gridley will take you to ever-deeper levels of appreciation for jazz in all its varieties.
Book Description
Now in paperback, the New York Times bestseller by one of rocks most provocative figures Scar Tissue is Anthony Kiediss searingly honest memoir of a life spent in the fast lane. In 1983, four self-described knuckleheads burst out of the mosh-pitted mosaic of the neo-punk rock scene in L.A. with their own unique brand of cosmic hardcore mayhem funk. Over twenty years later, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, against all odds, have become one of the most successful bands in the world. Though the band has gone through many incarnations, Anthony Kiedis, the groups lyricist and dynamic lead singer, has been there for the whole roller-coaster ride. Whether hes recollecting the influence of the beautiful, strong women who have been his muses, or retracing a journey that has included appearances as diverse as a performance before half a million people at Woodstock or an audience of one at the humble compound of the exiled Dalai Lama, Kiedis shares a compelling story about the price of success and excess. Scar Tissue is a story of dedication and debauchery, of intrigue and integrity, of recklessness and redemptiona story that could only have come out of the world of rock.
Customer Reviews:
Scar Tissue.......2007-09-06
Exactly what I was looking for, good book, good price, and took 5 days to ship as opposed to the 1 month it promised.
Brutally Honest.......2007-08-29
This is a fantastic read, and is very well written. Some very cool photos and lyrics are included. I spent the extra money to buy a hardcover version which is a good choice. The drug addiction and honesty that Anthony brings to that disease is worth the read alone. It is awesome he has found a way to deal with his addiction and keep writing and performing at an exceptional level.
truly inspirational book!.......2007-08-13
i was amased by this great reading. anthony isnt only an extraordinary performer but a very good writer. the moment i started reading it, i didn't let it out of my hands. fan or not of RHCP, you'll find this book entertaining.
Drugs, Women, Music and Drugs.......2007-07-25
For those who think they know the Chili Pepper story, or those that are new fans and are unaware of the beligerent lifestyle of the Chili's up unitl this decade, this book clears it all up. Discussed in a narrative voice, all the events and feelings are dictated by Anthony Kiedis and provide a real world connection to these superstars. His individual story as well as the group as a whole is shared in a way that makes them seem so human and makes anyone wonder, "how are these guys still alive, sane, and still making beautiful, boandary pushing music together?"
Never a dull moment!.......2007-07-15
All I can say is that I wanted to have a book to read over the course of about half of the summer and instead I read it in just a couple of days! It's heartfelt & candid. And its written through the voice of Anthony Kiedis rather than someone taking his thoughts and trying to put them in some dull, refined, intellectual way. Anyway, now I have to find something to read that won't bore me after reading this great book!
Book Description
This practical, easy-to-use self-study course is perfect for pianists, guitarists, instrumentalists, vocalists, songwriters, arrangers and composers, and includes ear training CDs to help develop your musical ear. In this all-in-one theory course, you will learn the essentials of music through 75 concise lessons, practice your music reading and writing skills in the exercises, improve your listening skills with the enclosed ear training CDs, and test your knowledge with a review that completes each of the 18 units. Answers are included in the back of the book for all exercises, ear training and review.
Customer Reviews:
Good workbook-style resource.......2007-08-06
I wrote a review of this and several other books for an upcoming article in Classical Singer Magazine. This is a good workbook-style resource for getting a headstart on your theory; goes from basic to early advanced topics. The only thing I would have liked to see in it was more composition exercises, but that's my bias as a composer.
Good for music fundamentals or review.......2007-07-30
I used this to brush up before taking music theory. It's a decent review of the fundamentals of music. If you are completely unfamiliar, you might want something a bit more comprehensive. If you know basic theory, this is probably a waste of your time.
Good practical theory book.......2007-07-13
It was just what I learned in California's Certificate of Merit program. I needed a review, but it was how I learned it the first time. I recommend it to anyone. And I love that it has the listening CD's. The one caveat is that I play viola, and this version doesn't have my clef. But the theory is still the same. It was brand new and delivery was on time.
Music theory.......2007-05-07
Very well done for a quick review of music theory and would also be excellent for complete novices.
Meh.......2007-02-28
It was not what I expected and it is very dry... I guess all music theory is dry. But this book just seems to kill it for me. I don't know how to explain it I guess. I'd recommend going to a store and flipping through it first to see if you would like it, I only got it because someone had it on a list that had other good books.
Book Description
The only performer to earn 5 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame--for film, recordings, TV, radio, and live performance--Gene Autry was the singing cowboy king of American entertainment. Now, in Public Cowboy No.1, Holly George-Warren offers the first serious biography of this singular individual, in a fascinating narrative that traces Autry's climb from small-town farm boy to multimillionaire. Here for the first time Autry the legend becomes a flesh-and-blood man--with all the passions, triumphs, and tragedies of a flawed icon. George-Warren recounts stories never before told, including revelations about Autry's impoverished boyhood, his adventures as an up-and-coming singer, and the impact his unbelievable success had on his personal life. She describes Autry's loving but doomed mother, who died on the brink of her son's success, and his ne'er-do-well father, who married five times and wandered the west. Autry battled his own demons but emerges here in a positive light, an immensely personable man, one of America's most charitable benefactors, known for his boundless generosity, and a patriot who enlisted during World War II. The book provides equally colorful details of Autry's lengthy radio and recording career, which included such classics as "Back in the Saddle Again" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"; his movie career, where he breathed new life into the Western genre; and his role in early television, being the first movie star to develop his own TV shows. And along the way, we see how he invested shrewdly in radio, real-estate, and television, becoming the owner of the California Angels and the only entertainer listed among 1990's Fortune 400. Based on exclusive access to Gene Autry's personal papers, as well as interviews with more than 100 relatives, employees, colleagues, and friends, this engaging biography brings to life a major Hollywood star--a man who, more than anyone else, put Western music and style on the American cultural map.
Customer Reviews:
All About Gene.......2007-09-25
This is a big book all about the career of Gene Autry, and not enough about his personal life, which is usually what I like to read. I don't need to know about every record he made and when and every performance, etc., etc., etc. And I don't need to know about all his business dealings. But I like to know about what stars did behind the scenes, etc., and surprisingly this seemed to involve a lot of drinking and womanizing which I didn't think Autry had done. Oh well. There just wasn't enough about him personally for my reading taste, but the guy had no children and had a solid marriage, so I guess there isn't much dirt on him.
Autry Fans - Buy It!.......2007-08-12
Anyone who was a fan of Gene Autry or who liked westerns during their golden years or who just enjoys good biography will find this a very compelling story. It tells the story of a very good, but a very complex man who grew up in poverty, endured a difficult childhood, and displayed very human flaws. This book is endorsed by the Gene Autry Corporation but doesn't coverup or sugarcoat the fact that, despite his image, Gene drank heavily after WW2, maybe to the point of alcholism, and was not always faithful to his wife. Yet he never failed to visit children's hospitals, give supergenerously to those in need, take care of family and non-family alike, and do much good for many people. This includes several generations of children to whom he was always the ideal role model.
Holly George-Warren did an admirable job and deserves to be congratulated. One criticism: I wish Ms George-Warren had gone into greater depth into the extraordinarily complicated relationship between Gene and his wife Ina.
Memories of one of my favorite cowboys.......2007-07-31
This book brought back many great memories of Saturday matinees at our
neighborhood theatre. Gene Autry was one of my favorite western movie
stars. My favorite western movie star was Charles Starrett as the Durango Kid.
Our local movie "show" was a Columbia theatre which showed Columbia
movies including Columbia serials, the Durango Kid and assorted Columbia
"B" movies susitable for the kids' matinees. I enjoyed the Gene Autry 30's
and early '40's westerns more then the later ones he made. This book will
certainly return one to the "days of yesteryear." Excellent book!
Gene Autry, An American Idol.......2007-05-31
Public Cowboy No.1: The Life And Times Of Gene Autry, by Holly George-Warren
A book review by Jerry Rojo, May, 2007
Gene Autry, An American Idol
Holly George-Warrne's biographic tome is a definitive must-read, not only for the worldwide legions of the American cowboy moviegoing public, young and old, but also, anyone interested in a prototypical American dreamer on a lifelong trek, as defined by the arts and entertainment industry's dream factories from Hollywood to Madison Avenue. George-Warren's impeccably researched Gene Autry story, interestingly, is somewhat reminiscent of Doris Kerns-Goodwin's recent Abraham Lincoln book, Team Of Rivals, that chronicles the president's rags-to-riches life in the political arena. Both authors masterfully use the biographic form to convey their respective visions, yet provide the reader scholarly researched stories to ponder any number of themes and ideas about their subject. Like Lincoln, Autry was dirt poor, grassroots, self-made and ambitious; carefully grooming his career with a lifelong, unrelenting, innate ability to charm colleagues, friends and the public at large. Lincoln, too, was a performer. He cherished the spoken/written word, and the theatre, to the chagrin of his aristocratic, snobbish cabinet. Ironically, he was assassinated by a Shakespearean actor. The Autry book, like Lincoln's, defines his respective context/time in America. The political-rodeo arena is a metaphor for our country's so-called "culture", epitomized by the American Idol phenomena, with its demigod-like celebrities from respective realms of, popular entertainment, sports, politics. religion and, now a days, big corporations, all of which defines the current American ethos.
My can't-put-down read of George-Warren was fueled not only by her writing, but by my own childhood spent idolizing Gene Autry while growing up in Illinois, and, my subsequent professional interest in dramatic arts adds to the attraction. A compelling aspect of the book traces Autry's genealogy from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to pre-great depression Texas/Oklahoma, where Autry's story begins. During that period, one is amazed by his personal and professional character development, growing up in a family of six in abject poverty, with an on-and-off absentee, hard-drinking father, and by contrast, a deeply religious and nurturing mother. Everyone knows Autry's interest in the great American pastime, baseball, but a telling tidbit reveals that he was a pretty good sandlot player, and was offered a chance to play for a minor league team, but, declined because he was making more money working on the railroad and needed to support his family. That anecdote helps define this complex man. His devotion and generosity to family, friends and associates throughout his long life was always balanced by his knack for good judgment when it came to decisions about human welfare and the business of life.
It was during the seven odd years in the late 20s early 30s, while in the Chicago/Midwest, that young Autry began his "singing cowboy" career. But there was no overnight success here, instead, an astonishing story of how to succeed in show business--a methodology that paved the way for popular entertainers ever since. With a modicum of musical talent Autry used love of performing, hard work, determination, his WASPish good looks and savvy business acumen to mold a career that would lead to five-star recognition at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The book documents, in wonderful detail how he shrewdly evolved his signature persona-image, which, once established, never changed. At 91 he died with his boots on.
Before his Chicago days, Autry didn't start out as a cowboy singing around the campfire soothing a restless herd of cattle. He had his sights set on the popular music of the roaring 20s tin pan alley, which featured the likes of Gene Austin and Rudy Vallee (Autry's first name, Orvon, was substituted for Austin's). Ultimately, Gene Autry changed his musical style by literally imitating yodeling Jimmie Rodgers, the father of country/hillbilly music, who's great popularity appealed to blue-collar folks from the South and Midwest. After a brief trip to the Big Apple--before giving up his day job on the railroad--a failed audition with a record company sent Autry home to gain experience singing on local radio stations and other venues. He actually sang with a medicine show, a lesson learned, hawking products. Professional contacts and an established country-folk sound led him back to New York to make records. His recordings caught on, and with astute self-promotion Autry's popularity grew, garnering a spot on Chicago's popular WLS radio station's National Barn Dance program. There, his image was transformed to The Singing Cowboy.
With royalties from a national smash hit record, "That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine" in his hip pocket, a newly minted Martin guitar with his ivory signature on the frets, a new Hollywood-like-Tom Mix cowboy "look" and Buick automobile, he barnstormed the environs of Chicago, Illinois. There, he discovered a key player on the road to success, the highly talented musician, singer, song writer and naturally gifted comedic performer, Smiley Brunette. Autry always had a keen eye for talented associates, musical and otherwise. Back in Chicago on the airwaves, and on tour, they soon developed their signature hero/sidekick routine.
Unlike the multitude of American denizens, then and now, seeking instant success in golden California, Autry didn't go to Hollywood; Hollywood came to Autry. He was already a "star", self-made, and, at a time when the Great Depression was raging world wide. Now, only in his late 20s, part two of his odyssey begins at a B-Western studio factory that Autry would bale-out of near financial ruin, Republic Pictures. Here, Ms George-Warren really delivers the goods with a compendium of data-based facts of tinsel-town fiction that chronicles Autry's American idol success story.
It was 1934, but he didn't have an auspicious start in the movies. After an initial bit part in a Ken Maynard flick, studio executives had reservations--with good reason--about Autry's abilities. It seemed clear, he excelled at nothing cinematic: a marginal singer-guitarist, bad acting, awkward in the saddle and, most of all, he lacked gunslinger machismo, a staple at the time. But, no matter, the audience Autry already established, had a different opinion. He had something!! And it didn't take but a couple of years or so for the Studio and Autry, tinkering with the chemistry, to come up with THE original Gene Autry that would become a one-of-a-kind icon. By 1939 he was in the big leagues with Clark Gable/Gone With The Wind, if you consider audience appeal and box-office numbers. Now, cash-cow-boy Autry played to millions of adoring fans of, so called, sophisticated folks from the East, NYC to Boston, and, Great Britain, where he seduced hundreds of thousands from across the island empire, evidenced by massive turnouts on tour. It was 1942, a turning point in Gene Autry's fame if not fortune. Here again, he makes a watershed career decision. Much to the dismay of Republic Pictures/Hollywood, he joins the military to fight in World War II. George-Warren reveals insightful, detailed stories of the war years that further defines this remarkable man. For example, why, arguably, at the pinnacle of popularity and performance-form does he do it? Is he a consummate patriot, or as he says, protecting his image-based code of cowboy ethics? He survives air force missions, military boredom and keeps in tune doing a stint with the USO at the end of the war, meanwhile at home, movie reruns and other strategies kept him in the public mind's eye. After the war Autry picked up where he left off with his still adoring fans, donning his cowboy persona, producing and performing a mind-boggling schedule of entertainment engagements, including burgeoning TV (he was the first Hollywood star to do so); but, it WAS the beginning of the end and not the end of the beginning, as Churchill coined. Then, in the early to mid 60s the fame-flame goes out, but the fortune doesn't. Now, Gene Autry transitions to the business tycoon still wearing cowboy clothes, occasionally sporting an LA Angels baseball cap. Autry scrupulously designed and protected his public image that, except for in the military, never changed. As entertainer he performed the SELF and when he hung up the guitar in the early 60s he took on the role of CEO, Gene Autry Enterprises, but little else changed.
But what was at the heart of that masked man? It's all there in Holly George-Warren's biography that unearths the Man UNDER the persona, and as she perceives you don't need his purely business-life endgame story. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone, public or private that hated or disrespected Gene Autry, then or now. And he was no pushover while wheeling and dealing in either his business interests or performance career. That's evident by his tough, recalcitrant stance with the tightfisted studio honchos, which, by the way, help lead to Actors's Equity and the independent film makers of today. And yes, the book gets into the nitty-gritty of his postwar performing years of womanizing and binge drinking but that served to make him more human and strengthen his character. A shrink would have a field day, given young Autry's polarized parenting. As a 10y.o. boy I idolized that innovative kind of cowboy-man who was good and strong, and that seemed to portray the best of American values (My grandsons have his 10 Cowboy Commandments, framed.). Singing and playing the guitar as a real-life person his pictures were action-filled musical westerns, portraying the American mantra during that time: talk softly and carry a big stick; he toted a six shooter but never killing the bad guy. My growing up after the war, it was easy to see his weakness as an aging performer and ever more commercializing career strategy, but in the long run, that never led to diminishing the demigod I worshiped circa 1942.
Gene Autry represented as performer and citizen the "God and Country" ideology. The ancient Greek and Romans worshipped a pantheon of Gods who were half-God and half-Human. A recent book, The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins offers a view on the subject of the human need for God/demigods: it's in the genes, a kind of inner quest for survival. The American mystique seems particularly wedded to the phenomena of super hero, professing a particular moral/ethical/ism standard, albeit augmented by commercialism. Some Heroes are good and others not so, Abraham Lincoln/Adolph Hitler obvious opposites, others, Brittany Spears, Babe Ruth, Jerry Falwell, and Bill Gates fall somewhere in between. Gene Autry was clearly one of the good guys/entertainers, among American's pantheon of God/demigods, further identified in the Epilogue, that points to the multimillions he gave to charity in his lifetime, contributing to schools, hospitals and building a world-class western art museum and institute for western studies. Holly George-Warren's book gives us the arc of this complex quintessential American, who was Gene Autry.
A VERY PUBLIC COWBOY by John Paddy Browne.......2007-05-10
Whatever Holly George-Warren says in her new biography of Gene Autry; however much detail she covers; however many previously unpublished facts she unearths, she is never going to please everyone. Even a monumental biography such as this one, packed to bursting as it is with dates and names and stories, will never record everything that we, the readers, will want to see.
The problem is not Ms George-Warren's. When she says she could have written a book twice this size, I believe her.
No, the problem was created by Autry himself. He lived to a mighty age, and into that great expanse of time he packed enough life experiences to fuel any number of books and magazines and newspaper articles. One glance at George-Warren's footnotes and bibliography shows how the world has been flooded with Autry newsprint throughout a career - no, several careers - that spanned 70 years. And that doesn't take account of his austere childhood (a story in itself that George-Warren tells in remarkable detail), or the vast amount of Autry material that has appeared since his death in 1998: the DVDs, the CDs, the books, the websites - even the belated victory of his Angels team in the World Series. Look at any of the online auction sites any day of the week and you will get an idea of just how much stuff Autry left behind: the supply seems endless, and endlessly varied, and all of this is merely an illusion of the man's actual working life.
Autry was a workaholic, driven, it seems, to be always doing something. When his contemporaries Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy and Tyrone Power finished their day's work at the studio, they went home and put their feet up. Not Autry. As George-Warren records in breathless detail, even while shooting a movie, Autry would be called to the phone to deal with some other business in which he was involved elsewhere: or he would receive commercial partners for discussions on set. There simply weren't enough hours in the day for him.
This handsome biography could never hope to cover everything in such an industrious life, and some of the material that is missing has been judiciously excised for purely logistical, editorial reasons. Quite rightly, the author almost completely eschews Autry's involvement in baseball (a blessed relief for those of us not interested in sports), and instead concentrates a good deal of time to his early radio and recording work. A fascinating account of Autry's notorious shoot-out with Herb Yates at Republic Studios, usng the evidence of surviving documents, brings that painful episode to vivid life. George-Warren skirts around the hackneyed stories, veracious or otherwise, that Autry told so many times that he eventually believed them himself. She neither confirms them or denies them, but puts them into a sort of context from which the reader may draw his or her own conclusions about their probability.
Not that any of this matters, except insofar as how it paints a picture of a man who was as much a media creation as a real-life figure, and possibly more so since he carried the cowboy image into his private life by wearing his Western-styled clothes - his uniform - in public and at home, away from the working environment of the studios. He put on this uniform in the same way that Superman or Santa Claus put on their uniforms, and became a figment of our collective imagination. It was how he made money.
And money is the one constant in Gene Autry's life. Whatever he did, and he did an inordinate number of different things, money was at the heart of it. "Working with figures is what I do best," he allegedly said. "What I do less well is act, sing and play the guitar." There is no hint whatever in the 400-plus pages of Holly George-Warren's book that Autry ever did anything for the love of it. He frequently spoke about how "proud" he was of certain of his achievements, and he had every reason to be proud of them - but that's not the same as "love". No-one ever got him to say that he sang certain songs because he loved them, in the way that, say, folk singers might sing songs for the love of them. Autry sang stuff that would make him money, and that was the criterion for performing and recording it.
His pursuit of money, indeed, seems to have been the one true love-affair of his life - and he has said as much. No-one will begrudge the man becoming one of the richest people in America when he worked so diligently and tirelessly to attain that pleasant state. Nobody gave him his wealth: he went out and worked for it. Ms George-Warren could easily have published a page from any one of Autry's touring schedules (and I've seen them) that would have shown him to be working in a different town or city every single day for months at a stretch. None of your two-days-on and four-days-off for him.
Along the way he gave the illusion of being a happy, carefree cowboy, bestowing a bounty of delight on his fans - fans who would carry their affection for him and loyalty to him into their old age. Autry's trick, if this does not sound too cynical, is that he made them feel that they all mattered to him when, in fact, everything he did, be it hospital visits to chat with sick children, merchandising his name relentlessly, [...] or claiming writing credits for someone else's work - and even his enlistment into the armed forces in World War 2 - all of it had a "money handle" - and he saw it all as a means of furthering his career.
Autry's publicity as high-flying business magnate, which so fascinated the Hollywood press, has done his artistic reputation no favors. Dismissed as "commercial" and superficial by many, it has been an uphill struggle for those of us trying to keep his memory alive, to justify his place at the top of so many lists of achievements in the arts. Indeed, the juxtaposition of the name "Autry" with the word "art" is almost an oxymoron - a contradiction. Yet the trail that Autry left behind him, that so many fledgling artists have followed to their benefit, speaks volumes for the influence he has had on the cultivation and development of the Country and popular music of America and other English-speaking countries. Academically, though, he was never recognised in his lifetime, nor was his work and contribution ever seriously analyzed or documented.
At the end of the day we, his fans, seem not to be troubled by any of this, and even Holly George-Warren's commendably open, impartial and well-written book, with its tales of risque songs, binge drinking, and amorous dalliances with his leading ladies (and some of his female Fan Club members) does nothing to lessen the man's stature. If anything, it reveals him to be more human than the singing cowboy of the screen ever was: the sort of man we are able to relate to: a flawed hero we can identify with.
And if this flies in the face of that famous remark made by the fictional editor of the Shinbone Star: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend!" what it may do is make the legendary figure of Gene Autry a more approachable figure to a new generation of admirers. And in our hero, the Singing Cowboy, they will find a great deal to admire. Holly George-Warren has seen to that. --JOHN PADDY BROWNE
Book Description
To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the band Rush embarked on their R30 world tour in the summer of 2004, playing 57 shows for more than half a million fans. Drummer Neil Peart traveled between shows on motorcycle, logging 21,000 miles through 19 countries on both sides of the Atlantic. Part behind-the-scenes memoir, part existential travelogue, this book chronicles Peart's journey in search of the perfect show, the perfect meal, the perfect road, and an elusive inner satisfaction that comes only with the recognition that the journey itself is the ultimate destination.
Customer Reviews:
Great read for Rush fans.......2007-09-28
Mom, when I grow up I want to be a musician - Well you know son, you can't do both.
I found it fun, informative, entertaining and reflexive. An excellent read for Rush fans that appreciate Neil's way to observe the world, his experiences and reflexions of being in 'the Limelight' while keeping his feet (and wheels) in the ground. He describes his job as "hitting things with sticks - big deal!" but since only mediocre men feel satisfied every day, keeps challenged to give the best show he can give. Fun anecdotes of how the band develops a strange relationship with fans through the years and how they recognize them and see them change, some others on how some fans can get disturbing. In any case, Neil is able to have a life among 'the mortals' and be recognized only occassionally during his motorcycle trips from city to city that he describes in ways that make you want to be in those places or appreciate those in which you've already been.
Good stuff!!!.......2007-09-28
Neil is a great writer. The story is great, just a narrative of a trip? No, Neil takes you there. He paints such a vivid picture, you'll feel like you are riding shotgun! This goes for the whole series. I think for being such a private dude, it's a cool way for the guy to share feelings, thought and philosophies. I don't feel like he was looking for pity, just an outlet. These books just might make a Rush fan out of you too, I warned ya!
Ah yes, another review by me. You're welcome........2007-09-16
Welcome to my wonderful second review ever. I have been practicing 2 to 3 hours a day on my reviewing skills. Drinking some protein shakes and eating lots of free range, organic, dolphin trained, tuna to bulk up.
Sadly, I haven't done any book reviews in my strenuous review regime. So, to get an idea on how to review a book, I read every single review for this book... Right...
I noticed two things. One, I agree with almost every review. The good and the bad. Ignore the stars my fellow reviewers give this book and just read a couple of good reviews and bad reviews and that's basically the book.
The second thing I noticed is something I thought every book reviewer should talk about but that not a single one did.
The book itself.
The books jacket has three very nice pictures on a nice glossy paper. There is also a nice little bit of writing inside the jacket about the book.
The actual cover of the book is of a grayish color with little raised ridges running down it. It also is an exact copy of the jacket itself. Well, if you replace all the colors with the grayish color. Get rid of the pictures. Take away a few lines of text and symbols. And they are EXACTLY the same.
Even though Amazon says this book weighs 1.4 lbs. I am going to have to go all out weatherman on this, and say it feels more like solid 1.8 lbs. More if you like reading on your back, holding the book over your head. I don't recommend reading it this way unless you have conditioned yourself for this task.
The font is easy to read but just a size too small for my tastes. But not a deal breaker. I can't help it if I am going blind and bald. It is very fine and precise with no smearing or runs of any sort in my copy. Although, there are some spelling errors here and there.
The paper is sturdy but not too thick. It has an off white, almost aged paper look to it. My hands are so calloused from my review training, that I cannot get a proper feel of the paper. I imagine it has a very slight rough texture to it though.
The book has a very understated musky odor. Only noticeable when I took a good honking sniff at close range. I could see this causing some discomfort to the sinuses if you were reading on your back, with the book over your head, and you passed out from the exertion. You might wake up with that smell in your nose which might be disconcerting.
At the beginning of every chapter is a little quote or joke. They are good sometimes. If you like to read a quick chapter before going to bed every night then you are out of luck with this here book. Unless you are some kind of freak speed reader. The chapters are sometimes quite long but lucky for you, they are broken up into subchapter type things.
Yeah, anyway, football is on and I hear my recliner calling me.
Neil, you "USED" to be my favorite drummer..............2007-09-14
Now your my favorite writer.........
I just finished three of your four books, and have gained alot of inspiration and insight. I'm planning to do a similar journey of my own, on a bike just like yours, with a journal on hand, from Orange County to the tip of Argentina. I'm saving your last book as reading material for the journey. When I finish the book Neil, I'm going to send you a copy. In the meantime, if I ever see you in person, I will simply smile and walk away. Thanks for everything. Love Drew
Fun read, but not mandatory for Rush fans.......2007-08-31
After reading all of Neil Peart's other travel books, I had a pretty good idea what to expect going into this book, and it neither disappointed nor surpassed my expectations. The title did seem to indicate that there would be more hard "Rush content" than his other books, but all told, I would estimate that about 20% of the book talks about the shows themselves, and the rest is devoted to Peart's travels between shows.
First a quick note about the tone of the book itself, since so many other reviews seem to hit on this. As with pretty much everything else he's ever written, Peart makes no bones about the fact that he isn't thrilled interacting with rabid fans. But he's also honest about the fact that he has a hard time talking to people in general, even going so far in this book to say that he thinks Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are better friends to him than he has been to them. Pretty straightforward stuff. And to be fair, the negative interactions he describes here are with "fans" who can probably best described as nut-jobs. Even after reading this book, I still come away with the feeling that if I was ever to come across Neil, a simple "thanks for all the great music" would probably be met positively enough.
As for the content itself, the behind-the-scenes glimpses are great, as were Neil's views on Alex's legal battles, and his views on the State of Florida in general (no spoilers here, but it was pretty funny stuff). 400+ pages of motorcyle rides does get a bit tedious after a while though, and I found myself wishing that there was more technical info and anecdotes about the various concerts on the 2004 tour.
To an extent, this book does serve as a prelude to the "Snakes and Arrows" album, insofar as Neil describes in a bit more detail the various back-road church signs that inspired his work on that album. But are you missing anything from the album experience if you don't read the book? Probably not.
Overall, this was an enjoyable enough read, as it does provide some insight into the mind behind Rush's lyrics. But I wouldn't consider it as indispensible as "Travelling Music" is to describing the band's history.
Amazon.com
With his sixth novel, You Don't Love Me Yet, Jonathan Lethem continues to show off his dexterity with the form, following up the coming-of-age epic The Fortress of Solitude with a dreamlike, comic portrait of the Los Angeles art scene. Lethem craftily sets up his ruse with a letter of complaint from Falmouth Strand (a seemingly minor character) who warns us that the book we are about to read completely misrepresents the truth. Falmouth is a former installation artist who has turned from sculpting objects to "manipulating people's despair, pensiveness, ennui." For his latest project, he has posted signs around Los Angeles: "Complaints? Call 213 291 7778." The novel centers around Lucinda (the perfect, unwitting instrument for Falmouth's manipulation), a bass player in a would-be indie rock quartet with nearly enough good songs for a 35-minute set (if you don't count the two they don't like anymore). Lucinda has vowed to stop sleeping with the band's lead singer Matthew (for real, this time), launching a search for true love as drunken and misguided as the band's search for a decent name. She abandons her upscale barista gig to answer complaint calls for Falmouth's conceptual art piece. Before long, she finds herself drawn to a regular whose curious words are "like a pulse detected in a vast dead carcass" of daily complaints. By way of Lucinda, the "genius" complainer's words spark the band's next song, setting them on a shaky upward trajectory all too familiar in the art world. Various characters want (or don't want) to take credit for the song's apparent success, but who deserves it? The complainer who nonchalantly rattled off the words, Lucinda who wrote them down, the remaining band members who collaboratively put them to music, or Falmouth himself, who passively engineered the whole thing?
Fans of Fortress and Motherless Brooklyn may find this novel's levity too drastic a shift, but even though Lethem is having a great time here with wordplay, a motley cast, and Lucinda's sexual meanderings, You Don't Love Me Yet is anything but a simple entertainment. He plays with our notions of art and authorship, enjoying a bit of advanced cribbery himself as he experiments with Shakespearean antics and inexplicable love match-ups. At every turn, Lethem seems to be asking sticky questions: Can anyone create the consummate intersection of dream, desire, and reality that art (and great sex) embodies? Will it last, and should it? Can any one writer capture that moment with a few meager words? If they did, how long would it take for it to be reduced to meaningless slogan? --Heidi Broadhead
Book Description
From the incomparable Jonathan Lethem, a raucous romantic farce that explores the paradoxes of love and art
Lucinda Hoekke spends eight hours a day at the Complaint Line, listening to anonymous callers air their random grievances. Most of the time, the work is excruciatingly tedious. But one frequent caller, who insists on speaking only to Lucinda, captivates her with his off-color ruminations and opaque self-reflections. In blatant defiance of the rules, Lucinda and the Complainer arrange a face-to-face meeting—and fall desperately in love.
Consumed by passion, Lucinda manages only to tear herself away from the Complainer to practice with the alternative band in which she plays bass. The lead singer of the band is Matthew, a confused young man who works at the zoo and has kidnapped a kangaroo to save it from ennui. Denise, the drummer, works at No Shame, a masturbation boutique. The band’s talented lyricist, Bedwin, conflicted about the group’s as-yet-nonexistent fame, is suffering from writer’s block. Hoping to recharge the band’s creative energy, Lucinda “suggests” some of the Complainer’s philosophical musings to Bedwin. When Bedwin transforms them into brilliant songs, the band gets its big break, including an invitation to appear on L.A.’s premiere alternative radio show. The only problem is the Complainer. He insists on joining the band, with disastrous consequences for all.
Brimming with satire and sex, You Don’t Love Me Yet is a funny and affectionate send-up of the alternative band scene, the city of Los Angeles, and the entire genre of romantic comedy, but remains unmistakably the work of the inimitable Jonathan Lethem.
Customer Reviews:
Friends is better.......2007-09-01
Having suggested this book for our book club as "something different" based on a review in Entertainment Weekly, I have become the scourge of our group and have been banned from making any further suggestions for one year.
Seriously, reviewers are making this book out to be WAY more than it could have been, favorably comparing it to the genius of the television show "Friends"... NO.
Lethem has a definite style and a keen grasp of plot and pacing, however, the characters are not worthy of a story, uninteresting, uncompelling repulsive? shallow. Possibly, that is Lethem's point.
One book club member theorized that, riding the success of his last novel, he spent six heady months in the LA underbelly masquerading as a band groupie looking for material for another book and this is the result.
I don't necessarily agree, but I am not as insightful as my compatriots.
I am not about to write off Lethem and will definitely read his other, highly praised novels. I don't love this author yet.
Disappointing.......2007-08-28
I found it hard to like the characters, which I realize might have been the intention of the author, but I also found that I did not really care what happened to them. So, what would be the point of finishing the book? The plot was simply put, lacking.
Hard To Believe.......2007-08-06
I seem to more or less agree with all the comments on here. I found a lot of things hard to believe in this book. Lucinda and Carl's relationship for one. What was their attraction to each other? Why would Lucinda be interested in Carl?
Being a musician, I always hate reading fiction books about bands, because they're generally way off and sadly this one did the same thing a lot of other books have done. Get a band together, average musicians likely, and have them play their first show. And somehow they're a huge success, getting people to ask for an encore (and somehow know the name of the song - most PAs at even good clubs aren't good enough for people to really distinguish the words of a song from a rock band), and then get swarmed with offers for radio, management, and a record deal. It's not to say there aren't overnight successes, but nothing like this.
I've been in bands that had really good shows and went over well, but it was never anything like this and from years of following other bands (including ones who are quite successful) I know it's not true for them either.
Not Without Its Charms.......2007-08-02
It's mildly astounding that a writer possessing the formidable gifts of Jonathan Lethem could follow the brilliant one-two punch of Motherless Brooklyn and The Fortress of Solitude with such a decidedly minor work. Before I go any further, let me say that I am not the most objective reviewer for this book. I am interested in popular and unpopular music (and music is this novel's raison d'être), but more importantly, I think that Lethem is one of the most interesting authors around. So I suffered some of the pangs of feeling "let down" by a gifted writer that Lethem himself explored in his excellent collection of essays, The Disappointment Artist.
The premise of YOU DON'T LOVE ME YET is that Los Angeles is populated with groggy twenty-somethings who are rotating through various poses in search of musical and personal identity. Fair enough. But the slender scaffolding of characterization that Lethem erects here just can't sustain much in the way of meaning, momentum, or entertainment. The "humorous" subplot involving the kidnapping of a kangaroo is particularly ill-conceived, and as for satire, forget about it.
So why the high rating? Well, this is Lethem, after all. Even a page of unremarkable plot development usually yielded an insight, a play on words, or an errant thought revealing the talent of the scribe. Plus, since this is a quick read, I now have time to enjoy The Fortress of Solitude again.
Desperate? Get Used. .......2007-07-11
I have read and very much admired most of Jonathan Lethem's work. This book made me feel that the whole notion of a rock band is sunsetting, a relic of the late 20th Century, now slipping over the horizon into the gone world of history. Perhaps that was the intent. A brief summary is really all it takes to do the plot justice. An artist starts a public complaint line as a performance event. One Complainer rises above the pack and seduces a young & quirky rocker chick. For a day job, he fabricates slogans, viral word memes that sound like an unholy cross between Barbara Kruger and Erma Bombeck. The rocker chick & her cute friends in their 20's start a band in L.A., have sex with each other, get drunk, have sex with some other people, write quirky songs, play a loft party, and are somewhat willingly exploited, sexually & perhaps financially, by gray ponytailed, hippie capitalist types. Pace CRASS: so wot?
It's a very slightly diverting romp, with some witty dialogue, but the whole notion of a rock band's glamorous, decadent aura of "cool" is made to seem quite...posthumous, somehow. Like, there's not an original gesture they could make within the trope of "rock & roll," it's all been done before. Accordingly, the band quickly implodes after inspiring a brief frisson of exploitative lust, largely among the aforementioned graying ponytails. Really, on its face, this is an insultingly bad book. But to me it's obvious from his other books that Lethem is a kind of genius. So there has to be more to it than that, a lot more. Maybe this whole thing is a refugee from Lethem's id, a suckerpunch smackdown of the whole big stupid rock & roll thing? Or even a deliberate subversion of the tottering mausoleum of late 20th Century rock'n roll culture? A memorial service for cool?
Book Description
Paperback book and CD set. Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within is a book for any musician who finds themselves having reached a plateau in their development. Werner, a masterful jazz pianist in his own right, uses his own life story and experiences to explore the barriers to creativity and mastery of music, and in the process reveals that "Mastery is available to everyone," providing practical, detailed ways to move towards greater confidence and proficiency in any endeavor. While Werner is a musician, the concepts presented are for every profession or life-style where there is a need for free-flowing, effortless thinking. Book also includes an audio CD of meditations narrated by Kenny to help the musician reach a place of relaxed focus.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for what Ails you.......2007-09-23
The ideas in this book about self-awareness and practicing music are so profound -- and so true -- I've read this book three times this year.
Werner describes the thought process behind becoming a jazz musician. No one has previously described the mental pitfalls and hangups more clearly, sometimes it's like he has transcribed dialogue from ones own head. This book has made a difference in my playing and outlook, and for some of my friends.
For these reasons, I can't recommend this book enough (even if I disagree with him that meditation is the primary solution to the problems he describes).
Effortless Redundancy.......2007-08-29
In my estimation, this is not a book for anyone who is struggling with how to develop a clear method for practicing the piano or any instrument. In fact, book seems to be more focused upon Mr. Werner's ideological views about society than with the real issues of serious piano practice. For instance, he spends several paragraphs discussing the downfall of society as a result of women being able to use pain killers during child birth and humans being able to eat canned peaches. Then he makes some offhand comment about menopause. One begins to wonder whether this man has serious issues of his own and should be therapy. The bottom line is the book is extremely redundant and is of no help. I wouldn't recommend this book to any of my students as it would be a complete waste of their time. This book is really nothing more than a reflection of Kenny's stream of consciousness: a submerged mysogynistic and puritanical view of society that would have been better served if humans had not discovered the benefits of technology.
If a student really wants to become a master, then he or she should study the harmonic form of the piece and immerse oneself in the beauty of that experience. As Webern said, "your ears may tell you where you're going, but you have to know why."
Everyone should read this book.......2007-08-05
Even though, as a previous reviewer has noted, many of these truths should be self-evident, we forget them often. If nothing else as a reminder of what we already know, this book is a gem.
I would recommend this book for any musician.
Calling All Serious Muscians.......2007-07-18
This book is simply and profoundly inspirational. I've already noted a positive shift in my perspective towards my playing and improvising. If you are serious about your music and want deepen your musical and spiritual practice, I would highly suggest reading this book over and over!
Highly recommended for musicians of any instrument or style.......2007-07-12
I'm a drummer, and although Kenny is a pianist, the principles still applied.
He's a jazz man, and I prefer and play Rock, but his message still propels me to recommend this book. The only reason I rated 4 instead of 5 stars, is that I am Christian, and some of his "lessons" will definitely conflict with that faith. Disregard those passages, and you're still left with awesome material to internalize, and learn from.
Average customer rating:
- true story of u2 genius
- Excellent
- THE PICTURES ALONE ARE WORTH THIS BOOK!
- Fabulous
- Pure Joy
|
U2 by U2
U2 , and
Neil Mccormick
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Rock
| Composers & Musicians
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Rock
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
U2 - Zoo TV Live from Sydney (Limited Edition)
-
![U218 Singles [CD/DVD Combo]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000JJ4GW0.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
U218 Singles [CD/DVD Combo]
-
U218 Videos
-
U2 - Vertigo 2005 - Live From Chicago
-
Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas
ASIN: 0060776757
Release Date: 2006-09-26 |
Book Description
In 1975, four teenagers from Mount Temple School in Dublin gathered in a crowded kitchen to discuss forming a band. The drum kit just about fit into the room, the lead guitarist was playing a homemade guitar, the bassist could barely play at all and nobody wanted to sing. Over thirty years later, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are still together, bound by intense loyalty, passionate idealism and a relentless belief in the power of rock and roll to change the world.
Watch a video introduction to U2 by U2 |
In a epic journey that has taken them from the clubs of Dublin to the stadiums of the world, U2 have sold over 130 million albums, been number one all over the world, revolutionized live performance, spearheaded political campaigns and made music that defines the age we live in.
From the anarchic days of their Seventies punk origins through their Eighties ascent to superstardom with the epic rock of The Joshua Tree, the dark post-modern ironies of Achtung Baby in the Nineties and their 21st-Century resurgence as rock's biggest and boldest band, this is a tale of faith, love, drama, family, birth, death, survival, conflict, crises, creativity . . . and a lot of laughter.
Told with wit, insight and astonishing candour by the band themselves and manager Paul McGuinness, with pictures from their own archives, U2 by U2 allows unprecedented access into the inner life of the greatest rock band of our times.
Customer Reviews:
true story of u2 genius.......2007-08-24
Reading this book is the same as getting to know members of the band personally. I was especially amazed by the stories on how they started at the end of 70's, they reveal all the insides of their struggle to get recognized. The power of these people and their incredible belief in the future of what they were doing deserves the attention of not just U2 fans but also anyone who's interested in being taken into this amazing journey of four personalities. Highly recommended, worth of every penny spent
Excellent .......2007-05-14
I purchased this book as a gift for my boyfriend. He hasn't stopped talking about it and continuously quotes facts about U2 that he's read in the book whenever we're together. I'm very pleased with this purchase. I wouldn't have known about the book if it wasn't reccommended in the "if you liked this, you might also like that" section when I purchased a U2 CD. Thanks!
THE PICTURES ALONE ARE WORTH THIS BOOK!.......2007-05-13
Excellent book!, writen in anecdote format. The pictures alone are worth this book, you will not believe how beautiful they are. Written in a heart-warming and personal fashion. I would recommend this book to any music fan, for a u2 fan it is a must!!!!!!!!!
Fabulous.......2007-05-02
I love this book. The pictures are great and it is a great asset to the coffee table. Love it!
Pure Joy.......2007-04-10
I do not generally read non fiction and picked this book up for the photos. To my surprise, I actually read it cover to cover. It was interesting to learn the origin of the songs. For years I have been singing U2 word for word without realizing the meanings behind the songs. I had no idea that this group was so spiritual and found the book to be inspirational as well. Get all your U2 CDs out as you will want to play them in chronological order with the book.
Amazon.com
Right in time for the Grateful Dead's 40th anniversary, eccentric bass player extraordinaire Phil Lesh has delivered fans a most welcome gift: his autobiography. There are many books out there about the Dead told from the perspective of roadies, journalists, third party observers, and fans. However, with the exceptions of Jerry Garcia's ramblings in Garcia: A Signpost to New Space and Conversations With the Dead, Lesh's Searching for the Sound is the first time a founding member of America's favorite band tells their own story of what it was like inside the Grateful Dead. And what a wonderful, strange tale it is.
Phil Lesh, considered the most academic of the group due to his avant-garde classical composition training, literate mind, and passion for the arts, decided to write his story himself. Written without the crutch of a ghostwriter, Searching for the Sound might be considered disjointed in places, but overall it comes across as conversational, intimate, informative, and candid (particularly regarding topics of drug use and death). If you are familiar with the band and their extended family, their history, the sixties' musical milestones and influences and all the band's famous tales (the Garcia/ Lesh "silent" confrontation, being busted on Bourbon Street, the Wall of Sound), you may be a little disgruntled there is not much new here in the way of content. However, what is "new" and totally satisfying is Phil's warm, optimistic perspective on the many events that helped shape his life. As described by Lesh, his life's journey, much like the Dead's music, is "a [series] of recurring themes, transpositions, repetitions, unexpected developments, all converging to define form that is not necessarily apparent until it's ending has come and gone." For the many fans who enjoyed the fruits of his life pursuit of sonic explorations, Searching for the Sound is a welcome addition to their Dead library. --Rob Bracco
Book Description
Right in time for the Grateful Dead's 40th anniversary, eccentric bass player extraordinaire Phil Lesh has delivered fans a most welcome gift: his autobiography. There are many books out there about the Dead told from the perspective of roadies, journalists, third party observers, and fans.However, with the exceptions of Jerry Garcia's ramblings in Garcia: A Signpost to New Space and Conversations With the Dead, Lesh's Searching for the Sound is the first time a founding member of America's favorite band tells their own story of what it was like inside the Grateful Dead. And what a wonderful, strange tale it is. Phil Lesh, considered the most academic of the group due to his avant-garde classical composition training, literate mind, and passion for the arts, decided to write his story himself. Written without the crutch of a ghostwriter, Searching for the Sound might be considered disjointed in places, but overall it comes across as conversational, intimate, informative, and candid (particularly regarding topics of drug use and death). If you are familiar with the band and their extended family, their history, the sixties' musical milestones and influences and all the band's famous tales (the Garcia/ Lesh "silent" confrontation, being busted on Bourbon Street, the Wall of Sound), you may be a little disgruntled there is not much new here in the way of content. However, what is "new" and totally satisfying is Phil's warm, optimistic perspective on the many events that helped shape his life. As described by Lesh, his life's journey, much like the Dead's music, is "a [series] of recurring themes, transpositions, repetitions, unexpected developments, all converging to define form that is not necessarily apparent until it's ending has come and gone." For the many fans who enjoyed the fruits of his life pursuit of sonic explorations,Searching for the Sound isa welcome addition to their Dead library. --Rob Bracco
Customer Reviews:
Moonlight Rain.......2007-05-31
I FINALLY finished this book. It took two or three false starts (i.e., read up to page fifty and stop; wait a month or two, read up to page 50 and stop) but 6 days in the hospital (nothing life threatening) gave me ample time to finish the book. Fascinating- yes. Filled with interesting facts- yes. Reads more a history text book than the autobiography of a rock star- yes. I kept referring to a dictionary ever time (frequently) Phil used a word that I had never heard before. One cool thing is Phil refers to composers (Stockhausen, Berio, etc.) that most Deadheads would enjoy. (BTW, I've been hip to Stockhausen for several years. If you think the Grateful Dead invented "Space", you are wrong.) The same goes for references to books he has read. Basically, it's a slow read but very interesting. What I want to know is with all of the LSD he took, how he was able to remember tiny details from 1966?
Bass-ically where its at!.......2007-05-14
As a bassist myself, I relate to Lesh's writing and train of thought. He documents being a part of Grateful Dead as more of an ironic string of occurances than a drugged out trip. His book is incredibly personal while he discusses such moments as learning an instrument overnight, attending classical concerts while on tour, loosing friends, and finding the inner peace in chaos. He is funny, sad, and everything in between. Although some of the technical parts get a bit too detailed for those unfamiliar with sound technology, one can understand how dedicated he was to his craft aside from the music and lyrics. I liked how Lesh pointed no fingers, rather pushed towards the positives in everyone. I would recommend reading this book with Rock Scully's Living With the Dead because they follow the same format and share similar situations. Lesh's however comes across more intimately humorous. I strong urge readers to dig into this book!
Interesting and Illuminating.......2007-03-26
I've never been to a Dead concert, but once had a roommate in college who'd recorded about 100 of them, which he constantly played, so I've certainly heard my share of Live Dead. Everyone w/ a passing knowledge of the Dead knows that their best stuff was live, not studio. Just an observation that has nothing to do with the Lesh book. It's an interesting read and Lesh is an interesting character. Especially funny was how he got out of the army:
Army Doctor: "read the bottom line on the eye chart" Lesh: "I can't see anything" Army Doctor: "You can't see the bottom line of the chart?" Lesh: "What chart?" Army Doctor: "The chart on the wall" Lesh: "What wall?" Lesh certainly is thoughtful and observant. A good journey through the history of the Dead and sometimes quite moving.
Good 'Ol G.D........2007-01-21
My brother got this book signed by Phil himself. Another biography of the Grateful Dead. Written by One of the band members. It's good. Phils good. Check it out.
Searching for a Ghost Writer.......2006-11-23
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Not by the writing. In fact, some of the prose is quite unnerving, such as "if Mickey had been born Native American, his name would have been `Pushing the Envelope.'" Although he did remember the concept of foreshadowing from High School English, and he makes of point of highlighting all of the ominous signs of the chaos to come. But overall I was surprised, because, unlike many musicians' autobiographies I've read (for example, Miles Davis), Phil Lesh does not come off as a brittle narcissist. He does not use this opportunity as a format for squabbling, for giving his side of the story. He actually comes off as a thoughtful, sincere guy, and someone willing to take the time to reflect on the past.
I was interested to hear his take on the disintegration of the Grateful Dead in the eighties and nineties. His take on it was not unlike my own. He takes some ownership for his role, admitting that the Grateful Dead had become too large of an organization, too much of a money-maker with too many dependents. The band had to keep up an outrageous tour schedule, despite the obvious decline in the quality of the music and the painfully obvious deterioration of Jerry Garcia.
He makes a note-worthy observation about the parallel process between the band and the audience. At first, it was a bunch of guys with different musical backgrounds, but all with open minds, all in the right place at the right time, who used drugs to expand the individual consciousness of each member as well as the group consciousness in step with the counter-cultural revolution happening around them. They pushed boundaries but they also communicated with each other through the music, with novel sounds erupting organically from their collective experiments. But the drugs that fueled their creativity would also eventually isolate each of them from each other and from themselves. As alcoholism and heroin addiction destroyed the sense of community within the band, the dead head scene would suffer as well. By the end, prior to Jerry's death, you had a band on stage pretending they were playing together, pretending to play with even a fraction of their potential. And as an audience, we pretended too. Or at least those of us who still believed we were there for the music pretended, and the frat boys just came for the party. And they continued to sell out stadiums, while shows were marred by police stings, gate crashers, riots, tear gas, and death threats.
When I was catching shows, late eighties early nineties, you would hear two different kinds of fans as you filed out of one of their 2 in 3 mediocre shows. The Pollyanna-heads would be glowing, talking about how Jerry lifted his arm at one point, or almost rocked his shoulders with the beat, "Yeah, he was really into it tonight." The more jaded heads would just be complaining, complaining about the lackluster set-list, complaining the Jerry continued to tune himself down in the mix, that he was quitting on solos, that Bobby was trying to steal the show again. Both types annoyed me. I like to tell people that I quit going to shows because I realized that the fans who supported the Dead were enablers, burying our heads in the sand. But in reality, that's a post-hoc, grandiose explanation. I quit going because I was paying $35 for tickets a mile away from the stage, to see dishearteningly bad performances, while the drunken frat boys all around me didn't even know enough to get quiet during those increasingly rare moments of musical transcendence. The breakdown was complete, and for both band and audience, going to show meant little more than participating in a ritual.
Phil spends the most time on the early years. That's a good thing. That's the most interesting part. When they were actually hippies, living like hippies, and things were just starting to happen. Woodstock and Altamont are recounted not just as events but as contrasting symbols of everything that was good about the hippie scene and everything that was wrong about it. Ultimately it is a commentary on human nature, the capacity to love and experience ecstasy versus the tendency to retreat into hostility and hatred.
Like I said, Phil owns his role in it all, admits to mistakes, and doesn't spend a lot of time defending himself or trying to bolster his reputation. The only part where it felt like he had a little bit of a self-serving agenda was when he talked about the different directions he wanted to push the band, more experimentation with exotic time signatures for example. But even then, he talks about it in terms of lessons learned. He realizes he misread the mood of the band, they were content to play their songs and didn't want Phil as martinet. I think Phil is giving an honest account here. If you listen to the post-Dead music coming from all the living members of the Dead, it is Phil and Friends who continue to be the most exploratory. Though not the most charismatic of a stage presence, he may have been the biggest "believer" of the bunch, the most devout in his quest for the divine through the psychedelic. Along those lines, it's also interesting hearing Phil weave in and out of magical thinking. He's often grounded and very down-to-Earth, but moments later can go off on a tangent about any kind of mystical spirituality that he can tie in to the moment.
It's worth a read. Not great writing but good enough, readable, and will certainly be of interest to any fan of the band. The book ends with the recent history, the fall-out from Jerry's death, some of the ugly fighting over who owns the rights to what, and ultimately Phil's hepatitis and liver transplant. He really does end up sounding like a likeable guy, the grinning musical little brother of Jerry, the classically-trained marching band nerd, and the survivor who gets a second chance at the gift of being a father.
Books:
- The Pema Chodron Collection: Pure Meditation:Good Medicine:From Fear to Fearlessness
- The Secrets of Your Rising Sign: The Astrological Key to Getting What You Want
- The Shunning/The Confession/The Reckoning (The Heritage of Lancaster County 1-3)
- The St. Valentine's Day Massacre: The Untold Story of the Gangland Bloodbath That Brought Down Al Capone
- The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide: The Real Deal on Girls, Growing Up and Other Guy Stuff
- The Tenth Circle: A Novel
- The Tenth Garfield Treasury
- The Undomestic Goddess
- Tickle His Pickle: Your Hands-On Guide to Penis Pleasing
- Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 2: Learning Curve
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Where Have All the Leaders Gone
- The Complete Kama Sutra : The First Unabridged Modern Translation of the Classic Indian Text
- Pafko at the Wall: A Novella
- Out of Place: A Memoir
- Razzle Dazzle Writing: Achieving Success Through 50 Target Skills
- Petri Nets for Systems Engineering
- The Bastard of Istanbul
- The Saxon and Norman Kings
- Reports of the United States Tax Court, July 1, 1988-December 31, 1988
- Arrows in the Dark: David Ben-Gurion, the Yishuv Leadership, and Rescue Attempts during the Holocaus
![Rush - Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000FDFOX0.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
