Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles

Book Description

A fascinating memoir featuring never-before-told stories from Beatles recording engineer Geoff Emerick—the industry legend who made music history by crafting the groundbreaking sound of the group's most famous records, including Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, and Abbey Road

Geoff Emerick was only fifteen years old when he began working with the Beatles as assistant engineer for their early classics “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You.” Incredibly, at the age of nineteen, he was promoted to full engineer, taking the helm for the group's groundbreaking album Revolver. Ten months later, he joined forces with the Beatles for the recording of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, hailed by Rolling Stone as the greatest album ever made. In their constant quest for experimentation and new sounds—and despite the technical limitations of the pre-digital age—Emerick developed a slew of innovative recording techniques, many of which are still in use today.

In Here, There and Everywhere, Emerick tells his story for the first time, taking the reader through the hallowed (though somewhat dingy) corridors of Abbey Road Studios to give rare insights into the Beatles' unique creative processes and personalities and provide a behind-the- scenes look at how the greatest band of all time made their greatest records. As Emerick describes the Beatles' transformation from wide-eyed Liverpool teenagers into tour-savvy professionals, he provides a startling picture of the Fab Four. Fascinating and moving, Here, There and Everywhere illuminates the creative tensions within the band that fueled their early success, but would ultimately lead them to record in separate studios while the partnership was disintegrating.

“We all owe some debt to Geoff Emerick's self-effacing work as an engineer and producer . . . there is very little that any group of scruffy musicians can throw at him that he cannot put into some kind of good sonic order. I feel fortunate to have worked with him.”
—Elvis Costello

Customer Reviews:

He should know; he was there.......2007-09-28

Few accounts of history are more accurate than the first-hand kind, and that is what we have with Mr. Emerick's outstanding book. To his credit, this thoroughly British gentleman focuses on what he actually saw versus what is commonly known about the Beatles. His tone is respectful, but he does not shy away from saying what he thinks based on what he saw and how he was treated. Mr. Emerick went on to engineer and produce some great acts, which I hope are the subjects of a future book. And consider this: When I was 19, I was just learning to tie my shoes. He was engineering the "Revolver" album!

Class Act.......2007-09-17

I couldn't put this book down....what a fascinating first hand account of one of the most infuential musical experiences in modern history. I think you will find it particularly interesting if you write and record music, as Geoff's recollections are incredibly detailed and specific. It's truly unbelievable that he could remember so much of what happened in such picture perfect detail, and it is a lasting testament to critical and often unsung heroics of the worlds best audio engineers. Howard Massey did an excellent job helping Geoff make this material completely accessible to the lay person and fan as well. When I proposed to my wife in 2002 I wrote a symphonic piece and surprised her at Capitol Records in Studio A, where we recorded it live (I proposed afterwards). While they were mixing the music we took a tour of Capitol Records, and when we returned there was a gentleman in the studio playing the most beautiful music on the grand piano. We listened for awhile, then entered to studio and spoke with him for almost half an hour. What a lovely man, and what great music. That was Geoff Emerick. Perhaps someday we will hear you on the other side of the glass young man:)
Thanks so much for sharing your amazing life with us Geoff. As I sit at my grand piano in Maui I can't thank you enough for the inspiration. Warmest aloha from Maui, Tim & Michele Heile

Here, There and Everywhere.......2007-09-03

Geoff Emerick was there for the creation of the Beatle sound. It is well written with enjoyable person information.

Interesting book.......2007-09-01

I picked up this book to find out why the Beatles are so good, and I found all the answers I was looking for. This book gave terrific insight to all four beatles and the camp that surrounded them, though my patience did wear thin towards the end- Emerick favors Paul, tends to repeat himself a little bit, and shows a little disdain towards Lennon and George Martin. That being said, I really thoroughly loved the book as a music student and an audio engineering student, but any fan of music should read this to get a glimpse of the thrilling world that creates the music we all love. I love understanding the context to the music I listen to, and if you do too you'll really enjoy this book.

I'll read this one again, soon!.......2007-08-29

My favorite Beatles related book to date. Geoff Emerick and Howard Massey captured a straight forward account of The Beatles in the studio from beginning to end. Added bonus includes Paul's sojourn in Lagos recording Band on the Run. The interesting happenings their, were not in the studio.

Michael Jackson: The Man behind the Mask

Average customer rating:

ALL OF YOU WHO BELIVE THESE BOOKS ARE PATHETIC
Michael Jackson....sad, sick, pitiful....etc, etc.....
So, Informative
Musical Genius
The real Michael Jackson from a Motown insider

Michael Jackson: The Man behind the Mask
Bob Jones , and Stacy Brown
Manufacturer: Select Books (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1590790723

Book Description

`Michael Jackson: The Man behind the Mask' is the INSIDE STORY of the truth behind the rumors, ugliness and mystery surrounding Michael Jackson.

Is Jackson just a confused person who got too much fame too soon or is he a cold and calculating villain who will stop at nothing to have his bizarre appetites satisfied? Now you can read about it for the first time from the man who knows everything!

The author, Bob Jones, is not a journalist conducting interviews but somebody who has known and been with Jackson for 34 years as his chief of Public Relations; by his side since Michael was 11 years old. Bob Jones is the one person with this unique inside view of Michael Jackson's world. To a certain degree, Bob Jones CREATED Michael Jackson. He created his image. For example, Bob Jones created Michael Jackson's famous nickname "The King of Pop".

Customer Reviews:

ALL OF YOU WHO BELIVE THESE BOOKS ARE PATHETIC.......2007-03-15

IF YOU LIKE THE TRUTH, DONT BUY IT.
ITS FUNNY HOW YOU JUDGE THIS MAN ON BOOKS WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO HE'S FALLEN OUT WITH OR NO LONGER TALKS TO WHO ARE TRYING TO GET REVENGE AND MAKE A QUICK BUCK. MJ IS NOT SAD AND PATHETIC - YOU ALL ARE. IM NOT A HUGE MJ FAN BUT IM NOT ABOUT TO GO AND CALL HIM SAD AND PATHIC BASED ON A BOOK THATS NOT EVEN WRITTEN BY HIM. WHO DOES THE AUTHOR THINK HE IS? MIKES PSYCHIATRIST OR SOMETHING? UNTIL MJ ONE DAY COMES OUT WITH ALL THIS AND ITS THE TRUTH I WILL NOT BLIVE IT. ITS SAD HOW THE PUBLIC TURNED THEIR BAK ON HIM. OH AND HIS TALENT ISNT DOWN THE DRAIN...I BELIEVE IT CANT BE LOST.. I JUST THINK ITS MASKED BEHIND THE CONTROVERSY...

Michael Jackson....sad, sick, pitiful....etc, etc............2006-08-08

I was a fan of Michael Jackson's since I was 5 so imagine my increasingly mixed feelings regarding the many bizarre changes I observed over the years. The auther confirmed my gut feelings regarding Michael's disdain for his own race. It's unfortunate, pitiful, & very, very sad. I've seen him grow from a cute cheeked adorable little boy to an inhuman-looking wizened freak because of childhood trauma & self hatred. My mom says he looks like a "dough-face." This man used to be the biggest pop music sensation in the world, but he got so caught up in being recognized as "royalty" that he turned himself into something I can't even fathom. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because it was a little too short. So sad, because he was a talented individual, but it seems that all that talent went down the drain because he got so caught up in his own celebrity & self glorification. As for him hating his own race...pitiful. Apparently Mr. Jackson has never heard of karma, or doesn't care.

So, Informative.......2006-06-09

Perhaps the most overlooked and underrated work on Michael Jackson. It was a short and informative read. It didn't bore you with things you already knew and heard. It was simply put and easy to follow. Kudos to Bob Jones for finally speaking out. I don't know how well this sold, but if Mr. Jones had gone with a major publisher, such as Harper, Simon and Schuster, Warner it would have done even better. Great job and thanks for the compact and detailed-filled story.

Musical Genius.......2006-05-06

"Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask" is a comprehensive story about this remarkable man, that attempts to reveal the truth about him. The book is well written and fairly balanced account on Michael Jackson by someone who should know him well, having worked with him for over 30 years. Michael Jackson is clearly a musical genius with exceptional step, spin and turn on the dance floor. He is one of the most successful American musician and entertainer. His music has brought a lot of happiness to many people all over the world. He is often referred to as The King of Pop or Wacko Jacko. His successful musical career and controversial life style has been at the forefront of pop culture for over a quarter of a century.

Jackson began his musical career at the age of five as lead singer of The Jackson 5. He made his first solo recordings in 1971 while remaining a member of the group. He began a full-fledged solo career in 1979 and formally parted with his siblings in 1984. In his solo career, Jackson recorded and co-produced the best selling album of all time Thriller, with approximate worldwide sales of 60 million , received thirteen Grammy awards and charted thirteen number one singles in the U.S. Michael Jackson has been awarded numerous honors.

From 1988 to 2005, Jackson lived on his Neverland Ranch property, on which he built an amusement park and private zoo for the enjoyment of economically disadvantaged and terminally ill children. His frequently held sleepover parties have received widespread critical media-coverage, especially after he revealed that he sometimes slept in the same bed with several unrelated children. This led to him being accused of child sexual abuse both in 1993 and 2003. He was eventually tried and acquitted of the latter allegations in 2005.

As a human being, Michael Jackson made mistakes and his eccentric character is well known. I am a black man myself and the fact that Michael does not like blacks does not bother me. What is of concern is his relationship with children which in any case he was acquitted. What I consider important is the thrill I have got from his music. Michael should be left alone in freedom instead of being hounded all the time. After all, the last time I checked, America was a democracy, where a man has a right to be eccentric.

The real Michael Jackson from a Motown insider.......2006-04-14

Author Bob Jones was a fixture at Motown Records and was the man who dubbed Jackson the 'King of Pop': for over thirty years he was the public relations force behind the star, and so there's no better writer to explore the 'real' Jackson. Michael Jackson fans - and even those who know music well but don't particularly like Jackson - will find this a gripping read which exposes many truths behind the mask; from his affection for children to his endless plastic surgeries. From his hatred of blacks to his many musical and social challenges, you really get a close inspection of Jackson's life and motivations in MICHAEL JACKSON: THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK.

Chosen by Fate: My Life Inside Death Row Records

Average customer rating:

Great book to read
tupac is the best ever
Read what realy goes down with Snoop and the Death row crew
What a waste of talent.

Chosen by Fate: My Life Inside Death Row Records
McKinley "Malik", Jr. Lee , and Frank B. Williams
Manufacturer: Dove Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0787114324

Customer Reviews:

Great book to read.......1999-09-07

This book really let's you know how it was in the midst of the Death Row project. I was really amazed on the life of McKinley Malik Lee, Jr. Buy the book. You will not be disappointed . I hear he is recording great music now (gospel rap) that should be released at the beginning of the year (2000). Wouldn't it be awesome to hear somthing with him and Snoop Doggy Dogg? Platinum baby!!!!! God Bless!!!!!!

tupac is the best ever.......1999-04-19

Ok well Tupac Shakur is the best rapper that ever liver and no one will ever top him. It is a same what happened to him he was very talented and i wish he was still here. I have ever cd he ever maede and he is mostly all i listen to.. I think all the books writen about him are good as long as they say the good points about him to and how sweet lhe was.Tupac Amuru Shakur R.I.P.

Read what realy goes down with Snoop and the Death row crew.......1998-06-02

Just like Li'l Kim says first you get the money then you get the power after you get the power you get the respect. No matter what coast your from most people got respect for Snoop and his crew. Told to you by McKinley 'Malik',Jr. Lee you get the inside info about the rise of Death Row Records. This book is one of the ones that will make you want to keep reading forever. After you read tihs book you'll know more about Suge, Snoop, Dre, and how they came to be.

What a waste of talent........1998-04-04

I am a white female who is into all kinds of music and I found Snoop and 2Pac, both to be very talented people. I felt that reading this book would help me understand the lifestyles of a gangsta rapper. I am afraid all I found was a complete waste of life and talent. Death Row Records was appropriately named. All involved seemed to have encountered death at some time. It's really a shame that people these days are so quick to pick up a gun and use it without regard for human life. Hind sight is indeed 20/20. Nothing will bring Tupac or Biggie Smalls back and still the guns and drugs are out there every day, stealing away the great talents from our world. People wake up. Death isn't the answer to Life, it is only the end of an era.

By the Seat of My Pants: My Life in Country Music

Average customer rating:

Very Informative

By the Seat of My Pants: My Life in Country Music
Buddy Killen , and Tom Carter
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Looking Back to See: A Country Music Memoir

ASIN: 0671795406

Customer Reviews:

Very Informative.......1998-03-13

Good example of diggin & scratchin to make a livin. Nice guy makes the big time. Very informatve @ behind the scenes & workings of Nashville. I Am a songwriter, hopefully there are a few tidbits of information here that will help me go pro. Thanks Buddy, you're a great guy to know....

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Story
My Life Reincarnated (Hole in My Life By: Jack Gantos)
My Life Reicarnated
My Life Reicarnated
One of the best book I've read

Hole In My Life

Manufacturer: Listening Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0807216445
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Amazon.com

"I find myself moving like a knife, carving my way around people, cutting myself out of their picture and leaving nothing of myself behind but a hole." A gaping hole of misery is what popular young adult author Jack Gantos remembers when he thinks back to 1972, "the bleakest year of my life." Just 20 years old, Gantos was in a medium security prison for his participation in a get-rich-quick drug scam. Scared silly by the violence he saw around him daily, Gantos's only lifeline was a battered copy of The Brothers Karamazov, which he painstakingly turned into an impromptu journal by scratching his own thoughts into the tiny spaces between the lines. There, he recorded both his fears and his dream of someday writing a book of his own. Before prison, Gantos had penned a scattered myriad of journals, but had never been able to pull them together into a cohesive narrative. It was during his time behind bars that he found himself growing into a focused, diligent writer who eschewed drugs for the bigger high of watching his words fill the hole once and for all.

Gantos, best known for his award-winning Joey Pigza titles, mines darker material here that is as deeply compelling as his lighter fare. Using short, meaty sentences, Gantos manages to write in a way that dismisses the dubious "romance" of prison, drugs, and "life on the edge" without ever sounding didactic or heavy-handed. Older teens will appreciate his candor and sheer willingness to give them the straight story. Vigorously recommended. (Ages 13 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Becoming a writer the hard way

In the summer of 1971, Jack Gantos was an aspiring writer looking for adventure, cash for college tuition, and a way out of a dead-end job. For ten thousand dollars, he recklessly agreed to help sail a sixty-foot yacht loaded with a ton of hashish from the Virgin Islands to New York City, where he and his partners sold the drug until federal agents caught up with them. For his part in the conspiracy, Gantos was sentenced to serve up to six years in prison.

In Hole in My Life, this prizewinning author of over thirty books for young people confronts the period of struggle and confinement that marked the end of his own youth. On the surface, the narrative tumbles from one crazed moment to the next as Gantos pieces together the story of his restless final year of high school, his short-lived career as a criminal, and his time in prison. But running just beneath the action is the story of how Gantos – once he was locked up in a small, yellow-walled cell – moved from wanting to be a writer to writing, and how dedicating himself more fully to the thing he most wanted to do helped him endure and ultimately overcome the worst experience of his life.

Download Description

In the summer of 1971, Jack Gantos was an aspiring writer desperate for adventure, college cash, and a way out of a dead-end job. For ten thousand dollars, he recklessly agreed to help sail a sixty-foot yacht loaded with hashish from the Virgin Islands to New York City, where he and his partners sold the drug until federal agents finally caught up to them in a bust at the Chelsea Hotel. For his part in the conspiracy, the twenty-year-old Gantos was sentenced to serve up to six years in prison. In Hole in My Life, this acclaimed author of over thirty books for young people confronts the period of struggle and confinement that marked the end of his own youth. On the surface, the narrative tumbles from one intense moment to the next as Gantos pieces together the story of his restless final year of high school, his short-lived career as a smuggler, and his time in prison. But running just beneath the action is the story of how Gantos--once he found himself locked up in a small, yellow-walled cell--moved from wanting to be a writer to writing, and how this newfound dedication helped him endure the worst experiece of his life.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Story.......2007-06-15

Hole in my Life by John Gantos was one of the most compelling reads that I have found in a very long time. Rather then writing just a memoir, his use of musing, self-discovery, and character building create a story that reads as a dripping dramatic novel.
Gantos uses musing in a very smooth manner throughout this novel. His first chapter, and the openings of many other chapters consist of him reflecting on the event past by grabbing the readers attention and foreshadowing towards an unknown future. He also uses musing to bring humor into such terrible situations. For example, when talking about the arrest that brought him to prison, he references about how prisoners have some funny stories about their experiences of "getting caught." By using past and present tense fluently throughout the novel, Gantos transitions through this time in his life in a very well-written re-creation.
The main point that Gantos is trying to make is that throughout these events he went through, he changed from wanting something from his life to taking charge and pursuing his goals. One statement that he commonly uses is that he "needs to stop thinking about being a writer and just be one." It takes him being secluded in jail to realize that the possibilities for him to create a life out of his ambitions are endless.
Rather than using many characters to help describe his personality, Gantos specifically centers on his own thoughts, feelings, and emotions to give the reader an image. The connection the reader feels towards Gantos throughout the novel is based on his descriptions of how places, people, events, and objects have changed him for better or worse. He builds a strong structure of description that changes the feeling of the book from a memoir to a fantastic, story-driven rollercoaster. I couldn't help but feel his sense of anguish as he was thrown into a spiral of tumultuous events.

My Life Reincarnated (Hole in My Life By: Jack Gantos).......2007-05-19

Hole in My Life
By Jack Gantos
"You don't just end up homeless, hung-over, sleeping in your car with all your worldly possessions because you have control of your life." That is one of my favorite quotes from this book, and there are many more, too. Hole in My Life was one of the best books I've ever read alongside Go Ask Alice. One reason is that it is a biography (the author wrote about himself), and another reason is because it connected to my life a whole lot more than I expected it to.
Jack Gantos was an ordinary aspiring writer just trying to get into a nice college. Then one of his friends offered him ten thousand dollars to help crew a boat loaded with smuggled drugs to New York. He has an adventure that looks good for his future, but eventually takes a turn for the worse.
I really liked this book, mostly because of the description the author used and much of the word choices. For example, "...with the needle in my arm and the blood blooming into the syringe..." or when he's explaining his drunken stupors he uses the phrase "power barfed." I love this category of writing and I'm pretty sure I always will and I encourage many of you to read it because you will probably learn many life lessons. Even if you do think you'll never get caught. I used to think that, too.
By: Jaime Erlenbaugh Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

My Life Reicarnated .......2007-05-19

"You don't just end up homeless, hung-over, sleeping in your car with all your worldly possessions because you have control of your life." That is one of my favorite quotes from this book, and there are many more, too. Hole in My Life was one of the best books I've ever read alongside Go Ask Alice. One reason is that it is a biography (the author wrote about himself), and another reason is because it connected to my life a whole lot more than I expected it to.
Jack Gantos was an ordinary aspiring writer just trying to get into a nice college. Then one of his friends offered him ten thousand dollars to help crew a boat loaded with smuggled drugs to New York. He has an adventure that looks good for his future, but eventually takes a turn for the worse.
I really liked this book, mostly because of the description the author used and much of the word choices. For example, "...with the needle in my arm and the blood blooming into the syringe..." or when he's explaining his drunken stupors he uses the phrase "power barfed." I love this category of writing and I'm pretty sure I always will and I encourage many of you to read it because you will probably learn many life lessons. Even if you do think you'll never get caught. I used to think that, too.
By: Jaime Erlenbaugh
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

My Life Reicarnated .......2007-05-19

One of the best book I've read.......2006-12-30

The book "hole in my life" is a fantastic book. I read "hole in my life" in six days and it usually takes me about a month and a half to finish read a book, because when I would read a book, I would read it than put it down, than pick it up again. but "hole in my life" had something different than the other books i've read. "hole in my life" has been one of the most interesting book i've read in a while. The book was so interesting, and enteraining that it kept me gessing. The book also had a bit of adventure to it too.

by:kevin

Average customer rating:

Fascinating insight into European Musical life (1910-90)
An Excellent Story of a Truly Amazing Life

Recording My Life
Isabella Wallich
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Publishing, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1860743277

Book Description

The fascinating biography of the first female record producer who revolutionezed how people listened to music.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating insight into European Musical life (1910-90).......2001-11-30

This is a personal history of a woman who through her uncle,the great impressario Fred Gaisberg, came to know many of the major
clasical musicians of the pre-war years in Europe. Her stories are fascinating in their portrayal of the artists as real people. This background lead her on to form her own recording company and demonstates her ambition to help younge and talented musicians and to record and promote great music. Well worth reading by the serious musical student and historian.

An Excellent Story of a Truly Amazing Life.......2001-03-26

An excellent story of a Isabella Wallich's extraordinary life, both personally and professionally.

A few of my favorite things. (Meanderings). (sound recording review) (book review): An article from: Sojourners

Average customer rating:

A few of my favorite things. (Meanderings). (sound recording review) (book review): An article from: Sojourners
Holly Lebowitz Rossi
Manufacturer: Sojourners
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Sojourners, published by Sojourners on May 1, 2002. The length of the article is 529 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A few of my favorite things. (Meanderings). (sound recording review) (book review)
Author: Holly Lebowitz Rossi
Publication: Sojourners (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2002
Publisher: Sojourners
Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Page: 53(1)

Article Type: Sound Recording Review, Book Review, Bibliography

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Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles

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Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles
Massey, Geoff, Howard Emerick
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download

Whassup?(Review) (sound recording review): An article from: Girls' Life

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Whassup?(Review) (sound recording review): An article from: Girls' Life
Kara Wilde
Manufacturer: Monarch Avalon, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Girls' Life, published by Monarch Avalon, Inc. on April 1, 2001. The length of the article is 615 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Whassup?(Review) (sound recording review)
Author: Kara Wilde
Publication: Girls' Life (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2001
Publisher: Monarch Avalon, Inc.
Volume: 7 Issue: 5 Page: 36

Article Type: Sound Recording Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

My Life and The Paradise Garage : Keep On Dancin'

Average customer rating:

amazing
I really liked this book ...
Mixed feelings. (Please read the *whole* review!)
Keeping it Real
I couldn't have said it better!

My Life and The Paradise Garage : Keep On Dancin'
Mel Cheren , Gabriel Rotello , and Brent Nicholson Earle
Manufacturer: Twenty-Four Hours for Life
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Keep on Dancin' is the story of the rise and fall of the legendary Paradise Garage, the underground disco that was ruled by the greatest DJ of all time and rivaled only by Studio 54 in its soulful and decadent magnificence. Set against the passionate love affair of two men who would both eventually rate as two of New York City's greatest style and scene makers, the story traces the hypnotic birth of disco, the Garage inspired technical innovations that changed the music industry, the erotic life of gay New York and the devastating rise of AIDS. What started out as a whisper of an idea between lovers - Garage owner Michael Brody and financial backer Mel Cheren - eventually culminated into a dance palace that existed for more than a decade and is still spoken about with reverence. Keep on Dancin' gives hundreds of private recollections from the people who were there: Tom Moulton, Francois Kevorkian, Grace Jones, Thelma Houston, Frankie Knuckles, Junior Vasquez and others help recreate the moment when love was the message.

Customer Reviews:

amazing.......2005-01-15

This is truly an amazing book. And Mel Cheren has lived an amazing life, from being a record promoter in the 60s who was living a closeted life, to being at the epicenter of gay life in the 70s, to fighting the AIDS crisis in the 80s. I bought this book just hoping to get more info on the Garage but I got so much more. I got a history lesson in gay life over the past 30 years. Truly educational and fascinating. But yes I must agree with the past poster--a little too much backpatting and a little too much taking credit for other people's successes. Other than that, a fine book and one definitely worth owning if you have any interest in disco, gay life or the Paradise Garage.

I really liked this book ..........2002-05-02

I thought this book was great. I live in Boston and have spent a considerable time going back and forth to New York over the years. I think I spent most weekends there in the mid-80's. Anyway, I moved in a different crowd form Mel's Boston crew, but I knew some of them casually. His appendix held a few surprises for me as to what happened to some of them.

The book is a great gay history of that period in New York. It brought back many memories of both happy and sad times. Earlier sections were before my "era", so I found them very interesting. I felt like I knew many of the people Mel talks about and remember watching and listening as the club music scene grew. There are many interesting stories about this phase of the music industry.

My only reservation: Mel did do some great things, but Mel knows it. So we know it. A lot. Just a tad too much back-patting. Otherwise a great read about New York Gay life and the rise of club music.

Mixed feelings. (Please read the *whole* review!).......2001-09-18

I must admit that I have very mixed feelings about this book.

While reading it, I never thought it was that great a read, and still now I feel the writing style is a bit simple, and also that there are a few anecdotes too many where the author pats his own back. No doubt has Mel Cheren had quite a bit of an impact on the disco/dance scene, but he should have left the praising of his persona to other people...

On the other hand, I feel there are some VERY IMPORTANT points and topics in this book, in some cases maybe requiring a bit of reading between the lines:

The rise and fall of Disco - the music, the clubs, etc. - I'm a DJ myself, and I can clearly see parallels happening in todays' (2001) Dance Music scene. "It's all just a little bit of history repeating..."

The other big thing that hit me like a hammer was all the tragedies described that happened because of AIDS. Apart from being about parties, clubbing, drugs and so on - this book to me was also an important contribution towards my awareness of AIDS. I don't think I've ever been as aware of the issue as after reading this book.

I think that in a way this publication also is a good description of the Yin/Yang principle: in every bad thing there is something good, and in every good thing there is something bad. For all the fantastic drug- and sex-parties the people in this book have experienced, they did pay a very high price. The ones who died and also the ones who survived.

Keeping it Real.......2001-08-23

As a birthday gift to myself I invested in the book My Life and the Paradise Garage: Keep on Dancing-as a summer read, along with some club classics. What a gift! The book was informative, educational, and sure enough enlightening from the first, to the last page. All of the ole Loft/Paradise Garage heads should have a copy. This book simply explored the pure essence of the disco-happy people era. I could not have invested in the book and not any of the music. I also made an investment in some of David Mancuso- Loft classics Volume 1&2, and Larry Levan hits from the Garage. While reading this book and listening to those fabulous sounds I was totally blown away! These items were the best gifts I could have given to myself. The book helped me to realize I was apart of history, a free spirit dance era that will never exist again. This music will allow me to keep on dancing while most of the great underground clubs have closed their doors. High accolades are due to Mel Cheren for putting history on paper and for his never ending pursuit toward helping others. Mel is indeed the Godfather of Disco and a crusader for humanity. Thanks to David Mancuso for sharing his space at 99 Prince Street, and the rebirth of his great sounds. Much respect to the spirit of Larry Levan the master of the turntables. Larry must must be spinning the wheels of steel, for the angels in glory. This birthday was really great! I was not dancing at the Paradise Garage, theme beach party or dusting my dancing shoes in the baby powder on the floors at the Loft. I was dancing up a storm and a sweat at home to the fierce sounds and energy of the better days. Thanks to everyone, including Amazon.com, who thought it was worth putting these products on the market. I think all bona fide party heads should have a copy of this book, and the sounds of club music which has been tucked away too long. Thank you all for keeping it real!

I couldn't have said it better!.......2000-09-03

okay,I was really waiting to write this review,because it deserves a HIGH PRAISE and I really wanted to say it the RIGHT way.After I've read the review by KJG as well as Frankie C.,Tony Higgins...oh well actually ALL given reviews so far,I have to say that I couldn't have said it better. I am 26 years old and grew up in Frankfurt/Germany-far away from the Garage and New York-BUT thanks to my 8-year-older brother I grew up being introduced to House Music from the very early beginings on in the 80's since he listened to "the ultimate feeling of music"-MY MUSIC! This is the book I've waited for all my life! It gave me answers to so many questions I wanted to know about-how did this get started?who were the people behind it?what were their dreams?isn't this what we're all looking for?

no second doubt-BET THE BOOK!

*Mwah* Vonnie =)

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