Book Description
A complete education in classical music, written with verve and wit. No music lover can pick up this one-volume compendium without becoming a more knowledgeable, discerning listener. • The
sonata form revealed, and why it's been deeply satisfying for three centuries. • What to listen for in
Brahms, a self-described Classicist who was one of music's great innovators
. • Pizzicato, fioritura, parlando, glissando. • The transformative power of
Toscanini–who earned more conducting the New York Philharmonic than his contemporary Babe Ruth made with the Yankees. • And throughout, more than 2,000 recommended recordings.
Log on and listen. Created with Naxos, the world's largest classical music label, the book includes a unique Web site featuring more than 500 examples cited in the text. Look up
barcarolle. First read about its swaying 6/8 meter and Venetian origins; then log on to the music Web site and hear it performed in Act IV of Offenbach's
Les contes d'Hoffmann. If that whets your curiosity about Offenbach, click to hear the cancan in his
La vie parisienne. All online samples are marked by an icon in the text.
Customer Reviews:
A delightful experience for any classical music lover........2007-06-24
"The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music" is a delightful combination reference book and video game for all classical music buffs. Besides its nearly 1,000 pages of listings, from Claudio Abbado to Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, the book gives you access to a page on the Naxos Music website which allows you to listen to more than 500 musical selections online. I just signed on to the page for the first time, and listened to the very first listed selection--John Adams' "Shaker Loops." I look forward to hours of fun with this wonderful new toy! I appreciate the breadth and depth of knowledge author Ted Libbey brings to the project, as well as his inclusion of favorites of mine who aren't necessarily well-known to today's listening public, such as the Danish tenor Aksel Schiotz. In his introduction, Libbey notes he tried to avoid the gaps and errors in such standard reference works as Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, and adds, "Doubtless there will be errors still, and for these I accept full responsibility." Alas, I have already caught him in two. The first is the listing of Beethoven's birthday as December 17, 1770, when even "Peanuts'" Schroeder and Lucy know that Beethoven was born on December 16. Of course, that could have been a printer's or proofreader's error, but the second mistake is more serious--when Libbey states that Vladimir Horowitz withdrew from the concert stage in 1953 in a severe depression over the suicide of his only daughter. Actually, Horowitz's daughter, Sonia, did not commit suicide until the 1970s (which caused Horowitz a second bout of severe depression); I'm not sure exactly what caused Horowitz's 1953 breakdown, but I had always understood that an addiction to prescription drugs was at least partly to blame. Nevertheless, these are minor caveats to an otherwise enjoyable and informative volume. Any classical music lover with computer access would be happy to own it.
A handy reference.......2007-06-13
Don't get this if you are looking for an overview of music history, this is a reference book--exactly as advertised.
It comes with a login to naxos.com that allows you to listen to literally hundreds of hours of music from the naxos library for free! This is a tremendous value.
I was most impressed by the sheer amount of information--not just the historic information, even my favorite 20th and 21st century composers were given a fair amount of coverage.
NPR is better.......2007-06-10
Couldn't choose between the NPR ecyclopedia and the Vantage Guide so bought both. The NPR book is younger, more detailed, more information on a wider variety of artists and composers and in my opinion ; much better.
NPR LIstener's Enclyclopedia of Classical Music.......2007-06-08
Even for the true classic music afficiando, this is a helpful compendium of names and selections to use when purchasing albums or for general hands on reference.
The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music.......2007-01-17
What I like about The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music is that it's small enough to fit on my home bookshelf but concise and comprehensive enough to have the information on music terms, biographical sketches of famous composers and performers--from antiquity to present.
Another plus about this book is that at the end of each biographical entry, there is a list of recommended recordings by the artist. It is a handy ready-reference book for both public and academic libraries; it is also a great gift idea for old-time classical music lovers as well as for people who begin to develop interest in classical music. For its size and price, it can be added to any home-music collection.
One small minus point, Joshua Bell is in there, but his "Romance of the Violin"--my favorite CD-- is not listed.
Book Description
Represents a new-generation play-along package and a quantum leap over anything else previously available in this vein with over 6 hours of music, including 47 grooves and feels from all over the world-most in two tempos-88 tracks in all, truly professional sketch charts and incisive text by Tommy. An interactive groove experience for all level drummers with rhythm tracks that feature some of New York City's top musicians. Works in conjunction with the best-selling Grove Essentials DVD. For beginning drummers: simple rock beats with a real band feel; for intermediate drummers: syncopated, 16th-note grooves as well as jazz/swing feels; for advanced drummers: challenging world grooves, as well as jazz shuffles, jazz waltzes and RandB feels. Additionally, you'll find 3 "Global Tour" tracks that are 15-minute journeys through all the grooves and feels you've learned. The CD features all of the rhythm tracks in MP3 format, so that they can be downloaded into your computer (MAC or PC) and moved to your iPod , or any portable MP3 player. The disc is also playable in all MP3-capable CD and DVD players.
Customer Reviews:
Tommy and Igoe way back........2007-05-19
This purchase was my second of this book & CD series, as I wore out the last CD. I also have, and use, the DVD available that accompanies this series. I purchased them somewhere between STICK CONTROL and Joe Porcaro's DRUM SET METHOD, and they're part of my routine now. I've only been playing for a little over 2 years, and nothing could replace the best teacher in Atlanta, JACK DUKES, but Jack was the one who showed me this Tommy Igoe course. It covers a little of everything and a lot of some of it, and it's helped me to progress at an accelerated pace and find the things I like most to play. The grooves, minus the drums, are long-playing, longer than some of the other practice CDs I've used that only have short sections. I was 51 when my husband bought me the drum set, so I have to learn fast.
Great Item.......2007-03-24
Great resource for serious drummers. I found it a great resource to learn new beats and perfect the old ones. Nothing worse that having a drummer that only knows a few grooves.
I specially like the "world groove" section. I understand the chances of my band asking me to play a Mambo, Meregue, Salsa or Mozambique are slim, but I can use elements from these grooves elsewhere. Definitely recommend.
Excellent book for any level of player.......2007-01-16
This book is full of great beats for all levels. The CD has excellent tracks for developing feel with a band and leaves plenty of room for improv. I highly recommend this book for beginning players all the way to a pro that wants a chart reading challenge.
Just Starting or Wanting to exel in Your Drumming Skills?.......2007-01-11
I would recommend this product but not by itself. You really need the DVD too, because the music is from the lessons but in full length. I'm diggin the variety of grooves and there's something for every drummer whether your just starting out or you think your ready to go on tour!
Nice Practice Tool.......2007-01-10
I've been a drummer for about 20 years now and I found this CD/Book combo to be a very useful practice tool. It starts out providing basic rudiments, fills... which increase in complexity as you move through the book. The book and exercises end with 4 or 5 "charts" which you are required to follow in order to play along with the companion CD. These are not simple songs and the exercises are quite lengthy. The CD/book combo covers a variety of musical styles, tempos and groove. I recommend it for intermediate to advanced percussionists.
Average customer rating:
- For the Kubrick fan
- Well, why not?
|
The Encyclopedia of Stanley Kubrick (Library of Great Filmmakers)
Rodney Hill , and
Gene D. Phillips
Manufacturer: Facts on File
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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Kubrick: The Definitive Edition
-
Full Metal Jacket Diary
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Stanley Kubrick: A Biography
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Stanley Kubrick: Interviews (Conversations With Filmmakers Series)
-
Kubrick
ASIN: 0816043884 |
Customer Reviews:
For the Kubrick fan.......2003-08-22
This is a book of Kubrick facts and trivia, arranged in easy-reference format. The authors are opinionated about their subject, which is good --- they clearly love writing about these movies and everything that went into them. For the non-fan, this book could be tedious. Entries on actors veer off into complete discussions of the Kubrick movie in which they starred, minor details are repeated, and a few entries seem to be too technical or industry-based to be worth mentioning.
(For example, Kubrick says that at the end of Lolita, Humbert realizes that he loves her --- he's not just feeling lust for her. Kubrick calls this the most poignant moment in the story. This particular quote is repeated in the book at least five times.)
If you've read every other book about Kubrick, get this one. If not, read the books by Ciment, Walker, Herr, LoBrutto, and Baxter first.
Well, why not?.......2003-06-20
Bronx-born Stanley Kubrick spent much of his professional life in England where he made some of the most controversial and original films ever to grace the silver screen. This uneven but fascinating book is in a sense a tribute to the man and his work. This is not the first encyclopedic treatment of a top movie director published by Facts on File--they have also done Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles. Perhaps this format--an "encyclopedia"--will catch on. At any rate, it is fun to leaf through randomly or perhaps one could actually proceed alphabetically.
The entries of course all have some connection with Kubrick. Included are actors who played in his movies, and people related to him and his friends and other people he worked with. There are also entries on movie business phenomena like "antiwar themes" and "censorship." There is an interesting entry on Steven Spielberg's Artificial Intelligence (2001) in which I learned that the original conception came from Kubrick. There are a number of black and white photos spread throughout the text and some line drawings, mostly of Kubrick and the actors who played in his films. Often the photos are stills from the movies. It is interesting to see Kubrick at various stages of his career and how time changed his appearance. My favorite photo is of George C. Scott and Stanley Kubrick playing chess on the set of Dr. Strangelove underneath the "War Room" mock up. By the way, Scott is reported to have gained respect for the younger Kubrick when Kubrick beat him at chess.
There is rather a lot of repetition in the entries, some of it unavoidable of course because entries overlap in content. However the entry for Sue Lyon, for example, who was Kubrick's Lolita, contains a summary of the plot of Lolita to the exclusion of the rather sparse information about Lyon. Also the editing and proofreading of the entries is not first rate. The text was begun by Rodney Hill and then taken up by Gene D. Phillips, which may account for some of the avoidable repetition. Some of the entries were written by John C. Tibbetts and others tagged with initials and identified as "Contributors" near the back of the book.
Clearly the strength of the book is in the light it sheds on Stanley Kubrick and his life in film. The detail is fascinating and the writing, in spite of the repetitions, is engaging. There are nice pieces on George C. Scott, James Mason, Peter Sellers, Malcolm McDowell, Nicole Kidman, Shelley Winters, Arthur C. Clarke, etc. as well as essays on all of Kubrick movies. Included are behind the scenes information about what went on during the shooting of the films, how the films were conceived and how they progressed. I was intrigued to learn that Kubrick was able to get a fine performance from the otherwise undistinguished Sue Lyon partly because he sometimes allowed her to use her own vernacular instead of words from the script. Also interesting was the difficulties that Shelley Winters experienced (from her viewpoint!) in working with James Mason and Peter Sellers in Lolita (1962). The relationship between Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey and worked with Kubrick on the screenplay for the film, is interesting to follow. One realizes again that at the base of Kubrick's film creations is an abiding interest in science and human psychology.
Bottom line: an irresistible companion to the films of Stanley Kubrick, one of cinema's greatest directors and one of my personal favorites.
Book Description
From the award winning team that produced the best selling Ultimate Guitar Book comes the most comprehensive book about the electric guitar. Its A-to-Z format covers more than 120 makers from around the world and details their successes and failures through 1,200 unique color, studio quality photographs. The book focuses on the iconic electric guitar with an introduction that places the electric guitar in a historical context, running from early acoustic instruments in the 16th century to amplification experiments in the 1930's. The main body of the book is the A-to-Z of brands, covering the key 65-year period from 1935 to 2000.
Customer Reviews:
Oops!.......2007-09-02
I bought this book and later I bought "Totally Guitar" by Tony Bacon. Then I noticed the latter had incorporated all of this Illustrated Encyclopedia (of which Bacon is co-author) in his new book. So with Totally Guitar Totally Guitar: The Definitive Guide you get two books for the price of one.
If you're only looking for Guitar models, the Illustrated History is brilliant, but if you're looking for a lot more on the side for the same dollars, try Totally Guitar.
A dream come true!.......2007-05-14
Just what I was waiting for, all the guitars I had dreamed about together in a fantastic display of luxury photographs together with their history and general background. The best guitar exhibition at reasonable price.Terrific pictures and very good paper quality. A must for every guitar afficionado!
Guitar bible.......2007-02-08
This is a great encyclopedia, but I find it still lacks some information concering the big Far East brands.
Really good info on vintage guitar corporations........2006-12-05
This book is very professional and entertaining to read. It covers all of the basics and then some. It is probably 10 yrs old by now, but the info shared is relevant and the pics bring you back to yesteryear. This book includes even the older obsolete popular guitars, such as Harmony which was mass produced and found on nearly every other teenagers bunk bed during the 70's. I have 3 vintage guitars, Fender Tele, Hamer Special and now Ibanez 540 S and these are all included. Also is Danelectro which I own and the history includes the company from NJ to when it shut down to Korean models. Very good coffee table book for anyone who is moderately interested in guitars. I have seen all of the books out there and this is probably the most direct and simple one without condescending tone.
Great history and beautiful photos.......2005-11-25
This book is now showing up as a remainder at under ten dollars-- at that price there's no reason anyone interested in electric guitars would not have a copy. It offers a generic history of the electic guitar that will be familiar to anyone at all versed in the intstrument; what's unique here is the comprehensive coverage of factory-built guitars over the past 80 years. Every company I've heard of (and several I've not) is covered. Gibson, Fender, et al. get long sections and dozens of photos, but even lesser-known importers like Aria are given strong coverage. For those who have only heard about makes like Mosrite, Teisco, Framus, etc. there are great photos and strong histories. As an aspiring guitar builder I bought the book for the photos; the well written text is an added bonus.
Book Description
Bob Dylan's outreach is too wide, too deep and too long for any book about him to cover it all. He'll be 65 years old when this book is published. His career spans 45 years of American history, and that history has intersected with his prolific songwriting, recording, touring, acting, filmmaking, TV appearances and interviews. He has published a novel and a book of drawings, composed for movie soundtracks and written a best-selling autobiography. He has found a place in the world of literature and academic study as well as in popular music. He is important to the history of the times, having given voice to a generation at a time of huge social change and political struggle; his songs are enmeshed in the story of the civil rights movement as well as the folk revival movement. His busy life has embraced everything from Bohemian excess to being Born Again.
His work has revolutionised song, reaching into every area of popular music from folk to blues to rock to gospel. He has met and worked with untold hundreds of musicians, politicians, celebrities, singers, poets, writers, painters, filmmakers, actors and activists. He has released several dozen albums, written many hundreds of songs, in many cases adapting them from older folk and blues material, and recorded songs by many other composers. He has been the subject of an enormous number of books, academic conference papers, showbiz stories, essays and concert reviews. He has attracted more fanzine enthusiasm, and inspired more websites, than almost anyone in the world. In order to resist the forces of infinity pushing this book beyond all bounds, it was decided to exclude some categories of entrant. There are, inevitably, exceptions, but in principle the following have been omitted: background business people like concert promoters, accountants, lawyers, managers, music publishers, booking agents, film producers and so on; the majority of photographers, album-cover designers and magazine editors; and people whose only connection with Dylan is that they have made cover-versions of his songs.
The many different kinds of entry that are in the book include: Biographies of singers, musicians, songwriters and composers who have influenced Dylan and/or worked with him; Critical assessments and factual details (including place and date of recording, date of release and original catalogue numbers) for all Dylan's albums and for a large number of individual songs from all through Dylan's decades of work; Dylan's key career and biographical moments; Biographies of writers, poets and other key cultural figures who have impacted on Dylan's work and/or who are mentioned within it, from William Blake to William Carlos Williams and from Lenny Bruce to Franz Kafka, in each case delineating the often surprising ways in which they connect to Dylan's work; Short biographies of music critics and authors of books and major websites on Dylan; Critical assessments & facts on Dylan's own books and films; Discursive subjects, from Dylan Interpreters to Cowboy Heroes, and from The Use of Hollywood Dialogue in Dylan's lyrics, to `frying an egg on stage'.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.......2007-08-21
After all the hype and expectations, this tome was an utter disappointment. The entries are leftovers from Michael Gray's research for other Dylan books, namely "Song And Dance Man" (which I also own but have never waded through), and he doesn't seem to have edited it or put forth any additional effort. Many of the passages have incorrect information or mere guesses. I was in a book store in Berkeley returning from a recent Dylan tour, and they were selling it for $15. They had stacks of them. This was really a disappointment since I paid full price when it was first released. Anybody who gushes over this book in a review here simply does not know his/her Dylan history.
A Must-Have for True Dylan Fans.......2007-03-31
If you stumble upon any negative reviews of this book... ignore them. This book is amazing; it is obvious that Michael Gray has devoted a large part of his life to the passion which is Dylan. This book is great to skim through, deeply examine, and is a great reference while reading any other books on Dylan. If you have a library of your own... this should be on the shelf.
His most definitive work.......2006-10-15
So many books have been written about Bob Dylan that one would wonder at the need for another - but this isn't a reference book alone; it provides a fun ,readable text which packs in over eight hundred entries, over twenty pages of illustration, and everything there is to known about Dylan, including a searchable cd-rom to boot. Critic Michael Gray has written about Dylan before, but this is his most definitive work and represents the culminating achievement of a world authority on the topic: if there's only one Dylan reference your public library holding can afford, it should be this definitive guide.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Simply a book of the author's questionable opinions!!.......2006-09-18
This can hardly be called an "encyclopedia"...it's just an unorganzied compilation of the author's opinions, which, many times, are so far off from reality that it invalidates the entire book! Pass on this one...there are decent Dylan books worth buying...or just watch the PBS documentary for facts!
Opinionated and great fun.......2006-09-07
A little surprised to be given this for my birthday a few weeks ago (I'm not the world's most devoted Dylan fan, although I do find him fascinating), it took me several days before I even opened the book. Fully expecting it to be a dry compendium of facts and short biographies. It turns out this is, instead, a great mix of opinion, information, and critical judgment - not all of it polite, but always nicely written. The author, Michael Gray, takes on all-comers, and is often amusingly "politically incorrect" in his views on figures like Bono, Pete Seeger, Eric Clapton, and Dave Stewart. Gray is also generous in his praise for many, many others including Elvis, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, and dozens of old blues singers - so the book ends up painting a vivid picture of decades of American music and culture in general. My only complaint (so far) would be that the entries on Dylan songs and albums are uneven - but if you can cope with that, and with an author who has strong opinions, you'll find a great deal to love (and probably something to hate!) in this genuinely unusual and thoughtful book.
Book Description
Here is a revolutionary resource for all guitarists with over 2000 chords. Not only can you see each chord in an easy-to-read diagram, but clear, close-up photographs in full color make it easy to get your fingers into position instantly.
Customer Reviews:
Great for basics.......2005-12-06
There are a ton of great chords in here. I love the fact that there is a photo of each one. It is hard for me to overlook the fact that the title calls this an encyclopedia, because it is missing many different chord extensions and variations.
From Mark John Sternal
Author of "GUITAR: Total Scales Techniques and Applications"
"GUITAR: Probable Chords"
"Complete Guitar By Ear"
and, "The Twelve Notes Of Music"
Book Description
Take a walk . . . down memory lane, you Boomers and Gen Xers! From ABBA to Zoom is sure to grab anyone born in the 1950s, '60s, '70s, or '80s. Whether you grew up watching The Huckleberry Hound Show, Johnny Quest, or Sesame Street, this cultural encyclopedia is sure to draw you into a nostalgic and fun-filled read that you just can't put down.
American pop culture aficionado David Mansour spent 18 years accumulating an extensive collection of dolls, lunch boxes, board games, TV memorabilia, and other items from the 1960s through the '90s. That fascination, along with his lifelong lists-from "best toys" to "all-time coolest singers"-were the genesis for this wide-ranging volume of Boomer and Generation X treasures.
Readers will relish the mere mention of some of their greatest childhood and adolescent connections, then rush to learn the well-researched details behind those icons. Farrah Fawcett's feathered hair, James Bond movies, Lost in Space, Woodstock-it's all here! In page after page, more than 3,000 references arranged alphabetically make this a true trip through the Boom Times. Totally groovy!
Customer Reviews:
only 4 stars because of lack of inside pictures.......2007-08-30
I love this book. What a stroll down Nostalgia Lane... ;) My only complaint is that there are no pictures on the inside of the book at all. You can read about things, but if you're trying to explain to a child or someone who does not know, pictures would be nice. I like this book but I will be on the lookout for one with pictures.
Amazing.......2007-06-29
This is an amazing book. It's very imformative for anyone growing up in these eras or wanting to learn more about the eras. I'd recomend it for all ages.
walking down memory lane.......2006-02-27
i loved this book. a great way to bring back old memories of my youth. it was hard to think of something that wasn't in the book. i'm ordering a couple of the books as gifts for childhood friends.
Almost everything? almost,.......2005-08-15
This almost everything, (but not) pop culture book, is really very good, almost great.
It has classic TV shows, movies, top 40 music, Fads,
commercials, classic toy's, classic candy bars, great Icons, comics, and much more, popular and not very popular, about stuff from the 1950's to 1990's.
Babyboomers should have fun browsing in this book, but younger and older should like this book also.
The biggest problem with this book, is putting it down.
A book with, The Beatles, Jonny Quest, Coca Cola, Captain Kangaroo, Gilligan's Island, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Mini Skirts, The Flintstones, and much much more in one book can't be all bad.
Almost everything? almost, and almost everybody, should have fun reading this book.
Average customer rating:
- Utterly Amazing and, Unfortunately, Utterly Out of Reach
|
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Manufacturer: Grove's Dictionaries
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ASIN: 1561592374 |
Customer Reviews:
Utterly Amazing and, Unfortunately, Utterly Out of Reach.......1999-02-09
My local library has a copy of this, and if you're lucky, your library does as well. If not, you are missing out, assuming you don't have the 700-plus bucks to slap down for this baby. The editors thoroughly trace the careers of most of the artists you could probably name off the top off your head and rates them from one to five stars. The star ratings in particular are much improved over the previous releases that included the ratings. Fairly comprehensive; I'll only complain that he includes several cheesy Christian heavy metal groups of the eighties and fails to mention any vital Christian artists who actually made great music (There actually are some, like Adam Again, Daniel Amos, or Mark Heard). A special delight is the excellent balance between British and American tastes, not leaning one way more than the other between the (at times) very different critical camps on either side of the Atlantic. Check out your public library for this one, and bring plenty of change to make copies of your favorite entries. Colin would probably kill you, but I won't tell...
Book Description
This authoritative, finely researched volume is the definitive encyclopedia of metal music. It draws on acts relevant throughout the genre’s history from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin through to current innovators such as Papa Roach, Cradle of Filth, Marilyn Manson, and Limp Bizkit. Bands from the genres of goth, death metal, thrash metal, glam and punk, such as the Sex Pistols, Nirvana, and Rancid, are also included. The bands are listed from each of the major subgenres as well as side genres. Nu-metal, hardcore, grindcore, industrial, and power metal all have their own sections in the book, complete with “genre traits” section and the names of bands that typify that sound. Illustrated throughout with the best color photography from the last 30 years of metal music and featuring 200 photos from the Metal Hammer archive, this is the most comprehensive encyclopedia of metal music ever created and the ultimate reference for fans of all metal music, worldwide.
Customer Reviews:
Totally rediculous junk !.......2007-08-09
I saw this book on sale, appropriately it wasn't even inside the store that sold it (it was in a stand outside), at an increadibly give away price of 2 Euros. Normally, that would have meant that I should have bought this thing blind. Knowning that anything in terms of Metal literature is always welcomed in my generally huge book collection. But, I took a look inside of this book, and was dismayed at what I was staring at.
This self-professed author claims to have written "The Most Comrehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created", already that title is so ludicrous that it isen't even funny anymore. Anyone who knows anything about Metal, will tell you that there must be literally thousands and thousands of Metal bands all over the world. To believe that any human being could possibly put them into one single book (or any number of books for that matter) is either totally ignorant, or just plain dumb.
Next, as others have mentioned, the bands portrayed here as being Metal bands are hardly that. If my memory service me right, then about 90% or more, where (Hard)Rock, or wanna be Metal bands, with a heavysided NU-Metal amount, most Metal fans wouldn't consider Nu-Metal to be real Metal in the first place.
Another laughable, as well as, down right deploring matter was how many times the author actually managed to contrive up information that is so plainly wrong that any 14 year old Metal fan will immediately spot it, upon first sight ! For example that Dio's Band ELF founded Rainbow. It was basically the other way around, since Ex-Deep Purple gituar legend Ritchie Blackmore asked Dio to join his new solo project Rainbow, that he founded after leaving Deep Purple. There are numerous other mistakes of this sort, that one has to ask whether the author was drunk, when he wrote this masterpiece!
Apart from being riddled with mistakes which shows the embarrasing lack of knowledge the author had, one really has to wonder how that person ever managed to sneak this one by the publisher! But presumably the publisher knew even less about the subject than the author, and the same must have been true of any editor(s), if there ever was one.
To make a long story short: Avoid this one at any cost (even at about 2 Euros = 2 Bucks) or else you'll be sorry, since this thing isen't even worth the paper that its written on !!!
Dont be mislead.......2007-08-04
Title: "The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created."
Pages: 256.
Enough said.
Complete GARBAGE, full of insults, lies, errors, and non-METAL bands!.......2007-07-10
Unlike other frustrated reviewers such as myself, I find no need into "thorough explanations" of why this book is filled with nonsense from beginning to end. I threw this out within two hours of it arriving in my mailbox. Literally speaking, today's 12-year-old girl with almost no knowledge of hard rock could have probably put together a similair list to what this book tries (and fails) to force down people's throats. Fortunately, most heavy rock fans hold such a strong passion for what they love that this won't even matter.
1. First and foremost. Once I see bands like Blink 182 (perhaps the biggest laugh of this entire book), Hole, Everclear, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and so on (bands that are in no way METAL) in a book entitled "the most complete enclyclopedia of METAL music ever created", I know this was going to be not only an insult, but a bewilderment of how whoever wrote this book was paid for this piece of work? The Beatles, Stones, and Badfinger had a lot of heavier rock tunes themselves, I would have rather seen those guys get a mention over Hole or Everclear?
Tons of errors and inaccuracies in the very few interesting bits I did read. Somebody below pointed out several of them, one more I can add is in the WASP history where it mentioned Steve Riley as being on the first WASP record. He was not, though he did tour for the first WASP record.
Many metal legends (ie. Manowar comes to mind, who have been around since '78) aren't even mentioned, or others are given VERY SMALL sidebar shows while nu-metal buffoons like Slipknot, Korn, Coal Chamber, and slews of others are given a whole page (sometimes two, with photos).
This was terrible. I do not even know how this was released. Do not waste your time reading this book. It is terrible, full of lies, and I am beginning to think this 'list' is maybe just a big joke or parody?
Krahp.......2007-06-27
I thumbed through this in a bookstore. Garbage. If you want a metal book probably the best I've seen (and own) are Sound of the Beast for generalized sutff, and Lords of Chaos for BM. Honestly, I've never come across a perfect or "comprehensive, definitive guide" that these metal encyclopedia books claim. But this one is one of the worst. As other reviewers pointed out the author seems to have no idea what metal actually is. Blink 182? Errrr right..... next.
filler.......2007-05-14
missed alot of good bands. somewhat incomplete, otherwise, ok reference book on metal bands.
Average customer rating:
- Entertaining, informative, but not definitive yet
- Less Than Definitive
- If you appreciate (or are interested in) Mr. Dylan's art...
- A more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide
- Great Reference Material
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Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia
Oliver Trager
Manufacturer: Billboard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Dylan: Visions, Portraits, & Back Pages
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Younger Than That Now: The Collected Interviews with Bob Dylan
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The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia
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Lyrics: 1962-2001
ASIN: 0823079740 |
Book Description
The most encyclopedic sourcebook on one of the 20th century's most important artists, Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia completely chronicles this music icon's recorded work. Discussions of all of his officially released albums and collaborative efforts, including year of release, record company, serial number information for all formats (LP, CD, and cassette), track list, musicians, and descriptive analysis of its place in Dylan's career are provided. In addition, it offers critical and historically detailed entries on each of the songs that Dylan has recorded or performed in more than four decades of touring, including composer information, and the album on which the song appeared. Completing this reference are detailed biographical sketches of more than 100 musicians, songwriters, and other individuals associated with Dylan, and a selected list of films in which he has been involved.
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining, informative, but not definitive yet.......2005-08-31
Oliver Trager's "Keys To The Rain" is far from the "definitive" Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. As another reader notes, there are errors including some he didn't mention that I'll add here: The original September 1974 New York recording of "If You See Her, Say Hello," re-recorded in Minneapolis for its release on "Blood On The Tracks," was not included on "Biograph" (Trager may be confusing it with "You're A Big Girl Now"), but on "The Bootleg Series, Volume 1-3." Trager also claims Dylan's 1984 "Real Live" failed to make the charts. Not so. It failed to make the top 100, but it did have a brief, albeit dim, blaze of glory in the Billboard Top 200. There are other errors, most of them fairly minor, but their cumulative effect makes one question Trager's reliability too often.
Despite the faults, this is still an entertaining and informative read with lots of background on the recordings and, more significantly, the songs, including those that Dylan only performed in concert. Yes, it is reasonable to argue that it wasn't necessary to provide two pages on the careers of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini simply because Dylan covered their legendary "Moon River" at a handful of concerts (and if other sources are correct, Dylan only performed it once upon hearing of the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan). But I find these facts to be the main appeal of Trager's book. There are similar biographical details provided for everyone from Mel Tillis (whose "Detroit City" is another hit and run cover from the Never Ending Tour) and Charles Gates Dawes, vice president to Calvin Coolidge and co-author of "It's All In The Game," another chestnut Dylan dug out two decades ago in concert. And, of course, there are pages on less surprising figures, including Woody Guthrie, Blind Willie McTell, Johnny Cash, and Leonard Cohen. The result is that this book is almost a mini-history of popular music as much as it is about Dylan, but I find it contributes to a greater appreciation for Dylan's impressive range of musical styles and influences. On the other hand, a ridiculous amount of space is given to a biography of Catfish Hunter, the baseball player who was the subject of the most inconsequential outtake from the 1976 "Desire" album.
Trager's unpretentious style is refreshing, though, especially in contrast to those who write about Dylan and his songs as though the man was already dead and buried instead of alive, kicking, and as brilliant as ever.
Hopefully, Trager or someone at the publisher's office will pay attention to the complaints provided by the readers, and eliminate the errors in future editions. With a little work, Trager's book may one day live up to its title. It's still worthwhile overall, but Clinton Heylin would have gotten more of the facts straight.
Brian W. Fairbanks
Less Than Definitive.......2005-04-01
Keys to the Rain is undoubtedly a valuable guide to Bob Dylan's recorded output. The book is well-researched and written in a straightforward, accessible style.
Unfortuntately, the book has numerous flaws that make it an often frustrating read. The factual errors include the following: the author states that The Basement Tapes' version of "Million Dollar Bash" is "notable for Dylan's use of the harmonica" when there is no harmonica on the track; the version of "Spanish Is the Loving Tongue" that appeared as the B-side single of "Watching the River Flow" is not the same version that was released on the Dylan lp; "Step It Up and Go" is from the album Good As I Been to You, not World Gone Wrong; and "Down Along the Cove" is erroneously listed as being included on The Band's re-release of Rock of Ages.
Numerous errors in dates dot the book. There is a wonderful photo of Dylan and two youngsters (page 602) that is dated 1966 but comes from much earlier (either 1962 or 1963).
There is one particularly egregious misquotation of Dylan's words, as the phrase "Truth is shadowy" in the World Gone Wrong liner notes becomes "Truth is a shadow" in the book, which changes the phrase's meaning.
Trager writes in the introduction that "unreleased outtakes" and "unreleased material from The Basement Tapes are not included." Yet he includes songs never released by Dylan but recorded and released by other artists (which the author should have explained in the too-brief introduction). There really is no reason for Trager not to have included these songs, since he includes all songs Dylan has played in concert (both original songs and cover versions), and he includes unnecessarily long biographies of the authors of said covers. So the reader gets pages and pages on songwriters such as Sammy Cahn, Merle Travis, Lefty Frizzell and Donnie Fritts (to name a few), but nothing on such great unreleased Dylan songs as "I'm Not There," All-American Boy," "Goodbye Holly" and "Yonder Comes Sin." The author says that "these omissions were made for reasons of space," but surely he could have cut back on his discussion of other artists in a Bob Dylan encyclopedia and made room for all of Dylan's original songs, officially released or not. Nor is there anything on great covers recorded by Dylan in the studio but not released (such as "Freedom for the Stallion"). Including these songs would then have truly earned the book the title of definitive.
If you appreciate (or are interested in) Mr. Dylan's art..........2005-01-06
I've got Trager's 1997 book--The American Book of the Dead: The Definitive Grateful Dead Encyclopedia--and have plucked it off my shelf numerous times. I'll be doing the same with his latest effort, this Dylan encyclopedia. It is interesting that with all the Dylan books out there, it took until 2004 for something like this to appear. For the hardcore aficionado, this will be similar to Krogsgaard's Positively Bob Dylan and Heylin's Stolen Moments (as far as its usefulness), but to the casual observer it's a chance to get to know the songs Dylan has chosen to record and perform--not to mention biographical info. Photos throughout, and enough details in its 700-plus pages to keep one busy throughout 2005 (and 2006 and 2007, etc.) It's not dry either, I'd say Trager has a fondness and apprecation for the music.
Scott Marshall
author of Restless Pilgrim: The Spiritual Journey of Bob Dylan (with Marcia Ford, Relevant Books, 2002)
A more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide .......2005-01-04
Another Bob Dylan book? Yes, and what makes Keys To The Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia a more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide than others is its descriptions of all 44 of his officially released albums including collaborative efforts, entries on over 700 songs he's recorded or performed over the length of his career, and biographical sketches of all musicians, songwriters and others associated with any of his projects, including film. And if that isn't enough... entries include track lists, musician lists, critical analysis, serial number info for all formats including cassette, and background history. It doesn't get any better - or more 'definitive' - than this.
Great Reference Material.......2004-10-15
Absolute must for all those who consider rock and roll "art", and Dylan the ultimate "artist" of the genre. A quick glance will provide such useful info that "Blonde on Blonde" was recorded in Nashville, using primarily studio musicians. Consider that the next time you listen to "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands", and its haunting refrain. Only problem is that in a few years it will be out of date. Sadly, a compilation of Dylan's work will only be complete when Dylan retires which, gratefully, he shows no signs of doing anytime soon.
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