Genres Books

This is my favorite book about not only Jimi Hendrix, but Robert Johnson and Charlie Christian too. Occasionally Charles Shaar Murray gets a little carried away during his wordy descriptions, but it doesn't matter. If you want to learn about the evolution of African American guitarists, this is the place to start.

Perhaps the best book written on rock music.

Unlike the usual gossip-laden rock bios (which I sometimes relish too, I'll admit), Murray's book is a serious piece of work. I've yet to come across a rock author as capable as Murray in analyzing the most important aspect of our Jimi-worship-- the MUSIC. Murray's book delves into the sociocultural groundwork of Jimi's musical style, and makes very astute leaps in connecting Jimi's music to various influences. Murray is perhaps the most intelligent rock biographer I've ever read (and I've read most of the major ones). At certain times, it's as though Murray's descriptive skill nearly matches his subject's musical genius. In any event, this book certainly does Jimi justice. Murray's descriptions of some of Jimi's well-known material are awesome. He describes an instance of Jimi's tight playing as (sorry if I slightly misquote) a "propulsive ball of rhythm, densely packed with ideas," and so forth. Murray is singularly able to verbally express what we deeply feel about Jimi's music, but have a hard time explaining to others. You know how tough it is to convince non-believers why you KNOW that Jimi is a genius, when they think that he was merely a hyped-up, noisy, wildman-clown, right? Well, read Charles Murray's book. I think it'll sooth your soul, and you'll come away with a deeper knowledge and appreciation of his subject. Hats off to Murray!

Although most fans will be content with the 'Electric Gypsy' bio (which is equally good), "Crosstown Traffic" is more than a mere biography, and as such, invaluable for all Jimi fanatics.

The book is 1/4 bio, 1/4 Jimi's influences (as well as those subsequently influenced by him), 1/4 comparisons between peers and other black artists, and 1/4 conjecture based on his final days.

They've included a list of bootlegs (obviously out of date, but still pretty comprehensive) as well as all legitimate Hendrix material, and a guide to Jimiphiles on what artists to check out that might catch their interest.

This is not your typical chronological biography of an influential figure. In this outstanding piece of literary work, Charles Murray delves far beyond the superficial facts into far more profound terrritory. The author sets the standard by which all books dealing with the subject matter of Hendrix and era surrounding his meteorical ascension to the pinnacle of the fledging American rock culture should be judged. Thoroughly researched, the book is annotated with richly descriptive language that sheds new light on the role the cultural, social and political dynamics played in shaping Hendrix's life and the opposing impact he had on these dynamics. Paraphrasing an observation made by a prior reviewer, Murray transcends the almost inexplicable emotion evoked by Hendrix's art into eloquent, thought provoking prose. I found myself rereading many of the passages because I was so struck by the author's incisive and beautifully written statements.

The chapter's are as follows (possibly out of order and an omission or two as I recently lent my copy to a friend):

Chapter 1: The 60's, or the "We Decade". Murray delves into factors that engender the policitical, social, and musical climate of the late 60's within Britain and the United States. He astutely examines the contradictions, successes, failures, and outcomes from one of the most compelling eras of the last century. Hendrix's role as an iconic figure is also discussed in detail. The themes established here reemerge at various stages throughout the remaining chapters of the book.

Chapter 2: The Facts about Hendrix. The author reviews all the pubically known facts in a very straight forward fashion.

Chapter 3: Hendrix and women. Murray explores the background of women as the subject matter in rock and blues music and Jimi's volatile relationship with the female form. He analyzes how the influence of Jimi's "muse" manifested herself in various forms within his lyrics.

Chapter 4: Hendrix's role as a racial figure. Murray closely investigates all the elements encompassing the paradox of Jimi's cultural status: A black man playing to a white audience playing music popularized by whites rooted in the black musical tradition of blues.

Chapter 5: A critical comparison of his career with Robert Johnson's and Charlie Christian's; two fellow African American guitarists who similarily rose quickly to prominence, gained legendary status, and left a profound impact on Western Musical tradition.

Chapter 6: Hendrix and the Blues. An inciteful history (although brief by comparison since their are entire books on the subject) of the blues within the context of American and British culture as well as an exploration into how the african american muscial form influenced Hendrix and his place in history as one of its most important purveyor of the blues.

Chapter 7: Hendrix and Soul music. Describes the birth and growth of soul music, its influence on Henrdrix, and his corresponding influence upon the genre.

Chapter 8: Hendrix and Jazz music. Similiar to the previous chapter in its framework, it also explores what Hendrix might have done had been granted an opportunity to fulfill his musical potential and desires. Murray also establishes Hendrix as a seminal influence to the fusion movement.


Chapter 9: Categorizing Hendrix. A short but necessary acknowledgement using Hendrix as the definitive example of how it is impossible to categorize music without performing somewhat of a disservice to the artist.

Each chapter is carefully interwoven with quotes from Hendrix's comtemporary musicians, modern day artists (at the time of publication), other seminal literary works on music, as well as Hendrix's own lyrics and interview quotes. They provide an effective framework to buttress Murray's analysis and to serve as a transitional device between tangential arguements.

The size and depth of Murray's bibliography is as impressive as writing. It is another example of the level of scholarship at which he operates at. Also included is an exhaustive list of albums by other artists seperated by genre that either had an influence on Hendrix or were influenced by Hendrix.

Echoeing Robert Palmer's comments on the book jacket, "The artistry of this book is equal to that of its subject matter". If you want a traditional biography, this might not be exactly what you are searching for. However, if you seek to go beneath the surface of the iconoclastic Hendrix, his music, and the times he lived in, there is no better source. A truly illuminating experience and arguably the greatest book on rock'n'roll ever written.

This volume provides an encyclopedic reference of musical compositions that is sure to be useful to the professional as well as to those amateurs like me who enjoy collecting and listening to concert music. A little overwhelming to the novice perhaps, but invaluable none the less. I have never before seen a reference that listed the individual arias in an opera. One quible. The earliest composer cataloged is Monteverdi. As a lover of Renaissance music, I missed Byrd, Palestrina, Josquin Desprez and others in that period. No doubt the material from those earlier eras poses research challenges beyond the scope of the project but the book feels a little incomplete without them.

The Da Capo Catalog is a massive list of classical music pieces, organized by composer and type (operas, symphonies, instrumental pieces, songs, etc.) Aside from being a useful checklist for CD collectors, it also helps sort through the ambiguity and confusion in the naming of some classical works. For example, Mozart's "String Quartet No. 17 in B-flat Major," his "4th Haydn Quartet," his "Hunt Quartet," and his "String Quartet K458" are all different names and designations for the same piece of music, as you can easily see from the clear and concise entry in the Catalog.

The Catalog also identifies works of questionable attribution, revisions, transcriptions, adaptations, and exerpts. Personally I could have done with a bit less of the latter (there are some 70+ pages, for example, listing just arias and other exerpts from Handel's operas and oratorios). Instead, I would rather see included a few more modern composers such as Elliott Carter and Toru Takemitsu. But others will no doubt find the listing of exerpts to be of great value.

Recently, I became very interested in classical music. But I had one big problem; I didn't have any friend who get some knowledge about classical music. So I decided to buy books for self-teaching. There were three books I have bought until lately; "Classical Music for Dummies ", "The Penguin Guide to Compact Disk" and this book. I think that they make good combination for a beginner like me. "The De Capo Catalog of Music Compositions" has every work list of great composers throughout the history of classical music. I couldn't find any similar book like one at local bookstore. It makes this book very unique and valuable. I actually use this book with Penguin's guide every time l buy CDs. For a professional or a novice, this book would be a perfect reference.

Albeniz Albinoni Bacewicz Bach (CPE, JC, JS, WF) Balakirev Barber Bartok Beach Beethoven Berg Berlioz Bernstein Bizet Bloch Boccherini Borodin Boulez Brahms Britten Bruch Bruckner Busoni Buxtehude Cage Castelnuovo-Tedesco Cavalli Chabrier Charpentier Cherubini Chopin Copland Corelli Couperin Debussy Delius Dohnanyi Donizetti Dupre Elgar Falla Faure Franck Frescobaldi Gershwin Glazunov Glinka Gluck Gounod Granados Grieg Handel Haydn Hindemith Holst Honegger Hummel Ives Janacek Kabalevsky Kalinnikov Khachaturian Kodaly Lalo Lehar Leoncavallo Liszt Lully Lutoslawski Mahler Martinu Massenet Mendelssohn Messiaen Meyerbeer Milhaud Moniuszko Monteverdi Mozart Musorgsky Nielsen Offenbach Orff Paderewski Paganini Penderecki Poulenc Prokofiev Puccini Purcell Rachmaninov Rameau Ravel Respighi Rimsky-Korsakov Rodrigo Rossini Roussel Saint-Saens Sarasate Satie Scarlatti (P, G) Schoenberg Schubert Schumann Shostakovich Sibelius Skryabin Smetana Spohr Stockhausen Strauss (J, J, R) Stravinsky Sullivan Szymanowski Tchaikovsky Vaughan Williams Verdi Villa-Lobos Vivaldi Wagner Weber Webern Wieniawski Wolf

The complete works of 132 composers in 1 volume! Comprehensive in scope, yet concise in presentation; "The De Capo Catalog of Music Compositions" documents the voluminous output of Bach, Beethoven, et al. The arrangement by composer is very logical, with operas and orchestral works generally listed first followed by chamber music and smaller pieces. Even unfinished and "lost" compositions are listed for the sake of continuity and completeness. I recommend this catalog to musicians, recording collectors, classical radio announcers and the reference section of any public library.

Hugo Wilcken does an excellent job of bringing on the ambience of Bowie's world, circa mid 70s, not only focusing on the first disc of the Berlin Trilogy, Low, but capturing the mindset of the world in which Bowie lived, one full of drugs, Iggy Pop's The Idiot, Station to Station and so much more. Informative, not quite perfect, but too good not to give the full five stars and my personal fave of this series so far.

JCS

Seems quite meticulously researched. (The Amazon description should make some mention of that; it seems unnecessarily vague is describing what the book is.)

I did find 1 minor factual error in the first few pages (it was Gus Dudgeon who produced the "Space Oddity" single, not Paul Buckmaster!).

But given the density of detailed information packed into this relatively small book (culled from a variety of books and music articles published over the past few years), that may be a forgivable offense.

Overall, this book is filled with interesting facts, beginning with the recording of Station to Station, then the actual recording of Low and the beginning of Bowie's Berlin period.

Among other things, the book recounts:
- how various influences (Kraftwerk, Neu!, etc.) actually worked their way onto the album
- how Eno recorded the album's signature drum sound
- some of the strange devices used in the studio to "inspire creativity"
- an insight into Bowie's working methodology at the time
- and generally does a great job of analyzing the album in the context of Bowie's career and mindset

I have found this a very enjoyable read, and I recommend it to all Bowie enthusaists and especially fans of one of Bowie's very best albums, Low.

Having first listened to this record years ago, and understanding it is among Bowie's best, I found refreshing history bits about the record I never knew about. REcommended read for Bowie fans.

I would love to hear his take on the rest of the seventies records

This is perhaps the finest, most detailed analysis of Bowie's work I've ever read, and I earnestly entreat the author to consider taking on the remainder of the Berlin trilogy albums. In spite of the minor error or three (that's Walter Tevis who wrote The Man Who Fell To Earth, not Travis), this book answers so many questions I've always wanted to ask about "Low"-- which is saying a lot, as this has remained one of the most important albums of all time to my own musical work. Great stuff!

Death Lands: Pony Soliders
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The general outline of this book is that Ryan Cawdor and friends "jump" in to a scene out of the past with General Custer look alike and apache war bands. Ryan and his friends must figure out who to fight and who to save and in the end discover that maybe in victory you can lose more than defeat would have cost.

This was a pretty good entry to the series. The action moves fast and you want to turn the page to see how the characters get out of the next jam. The only problem I have with the death land books is that they can get a bit repetive, like Star Trek or Star Wars, this didn't have the "tin" ring some of the later books do. All in all I would recommend this book to someone looking for a fast paced action book.

-Morgan C.

THE DEATH LANDS BOOKS ARE ONE OF THE BEST EVER PUT OUT WHEN I DONE
WITH ONE I GIVE IT TO A FRIEND AND SHE LOVES IT THEN SHE PASS IT ON TO OTHER. I TOLD MY FRIEND THEY SHOULD MAKE A MOVIE ON DEATH LANDS
BOOKS WE BOTH AGREE IT BE ONE OF THE BEST MOVIE EVER I HOPE THEY
WILL MAKE A MOVIE SOME DAY SO KEEP PUTTING MORE BOOK OUT

I HAVE MOST OF THE DEATH LANDS BOOKS.THEY ARE ALL VERY GOOD.THEY KEEP YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT.YOUR NOT SURE WATS GONNA HAPPEN NEXT!I AM A OVER THE ROAD TRUCK DRIVER AND I BUY THE AUDIO BOOKS.THEY KEEP YOU GOING TILL THE LAST MINUTE.I HOPE HE RIGHTS MORE OF THESE GREAT ADVENTURES,SO I CAN KEEP TRUCKIN WITH A SMLE ON MY FACE.KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK...

I have nearly all of the Death Lands books and until today I didn't know they were or tape too. I am trying to collect all the books but am a little behind, I have 43.

To bad these books are so hard to find. Maybe people would buy more if they weren't so rare. Even though I want to buy the whole series, I'm so discouraged that I'm thinking of giving up.Too bad. PRINT MORE BOOKS...

If I had 10 or more years to do the research Hardy has done (and I could write) I would not have done better myself. I could not detect one false note or major factual error in the covering of Townes 52 years. This book is a joy to read and gives a very close account and filling in of many "missing years" that had never been shared before now. The album and song reviews are well done, and the adherence to chronology is most rewarding. Highest recommendation.

Hardy's long-awaited biography of Townes Van Zandt pretty much gets everything right. This is an excellent work. Hardy's treatment of Van Zandt's life is appropriately thorough, but it isn't at all tedious. I know that this book was exhaustively researched (and in the interest of disclosure I should say that I contributed some research). It is also clearly a labor of love - Hardy is a fan - but he has not succumbed to the tendencies of so many biographers to gush or to simply list everything he learned over the years about his subject's life.
What Hardy says about Van Zandt's song "Waitin' Around To Die" is also true about this book: The archetypical story is well-told. To the extent that Van Zandt's story is a sad one, this book, "bears the weight of its seriousness almost effortlessly. . . it is handled so deftly that there is no sense of it being maudlin." But the details of Van Zandt's drinking and drug use are not glossed over or glamorized. Hardy is objective; he doesn't vilify anyone, and he lets the narrative speak for itself.
This book is well-written, well-organized, insightful and quite moving too. It's the one to read if you're seriously interested in Townes Van Zandt. And you should be.

If you're looking for the most complete look at the life and music of one of America's greatest songwriters, this is the place. Hardy has obviously done an exhaustive amount of research and interviews with the people who knew and loved Van Zandt throughout his entire life, and Hardy uses this wealth of information to tell the complete story of this troubled troubadour.

From Van Zandt's childhood through his flirtation with family life to his increasing struggles with his own "angels and demons," Hardy has created an unbiased look at the factors that influenced Van Zandt's life and work. He does an excellent job of telling all sides of Van Zandt's story with both clinical precision and vivid storytelling.

Especially rewarding are the sections that detail the creation of Van Zandt's classic songs and albums. Amazing insights into Van Zandt's creative process and influences shed new light on Van Zandt's classic songs.

Hardy's book is the one-stop source for all things Townes. He hasn't just written an excellent Townes Van Zandt biography, he's written a great book that Van Zandt fans, old and new, can love.

This beautifully-conceived biography of legendary songwriter Townes Van Zandt sidesteps myth to create a vivid and complex portrait of the troubled poetic genius. From the assured hands of musician and music-writer Robert Earl Hardy, the book gives both a passionate and a compassionate telling of Van Zandt's tumultuous life and the searing creative journey that resulted in such unforgettable songs as "Pancho and Lefty," "Waiting 'Round to Die" and "Marie," among others. Van Zandt's wrenching lyrics are viewed with a musician's knowing eyes, allowing the reader to be taken more deeply into the music and heart that created it. Hardy also does a sensitive job of balancing various accounts of Van Zandt's story, leaving the reader to find her or his way to some kind of truth about this heatbreaking life. An auspicious first entry in the University of North Texas Press' new series "Lives of Musicians," the book stands easily on its own merits, and will also make a fitting companion piece for UNT Press' second book in the series: Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze Foley, a memoir about Van Zandt's running mate and fellow songwriter, Blaze Foley, due out in October 2008 and written, as it turns out, by me.

Townes Van Zandt (died 1997) was one of the world's greatest songwriters. He is hugely underrated - and many critics will agree that he ranks up there with Bob Dylan.

There is little written about Townes. There are a few interviews (not many), a few articles (again, not many) and there is John Kruth's patchy, disorganized biography.

This is the one to buy.
Mr Hardy has spent considerable time over the last 10 years or so interviewing many of those closely connected with Townes. His research, also, has been very comprehensive. The book is laid out in an orderly chronological manner, with a lot of information that even avid Townes Van Zandt fans would not have known (me included). Mr Hardy has an excellent free-flowing writing style and he tells the story very well.

The book (270 pages) also has good background notes on sources of comment/interviews and a comprehensive album discography.

Highly recommended.

This book was so well written, it touched off feelings in me that I had forgotten I had. I felt like I knew the characters personally. I wanted to scream at them, slap them, hug them, and laugh with them. It was a tastefully sensual book that awakened all of my emotions. I could have read on and on, if the book hadn't ended.

Well done, Ms. Herring. Even though it was your first Western, you wrote it like you have been writing Westerns all of your life. It was so realistic, I felt the dust on my face and the gun in my hand.

I anxiously await your upcoming novels.

This is Ms. Herring's first try at a western, and I have to let everyone know how impressed I am by this novel! The interaction within the family in this book was great, believable. The writing is excellently done, and there were no errors to be hand.

Once again, like in her two latest books, Beyond All Reason and The Comfort Of Strangers, I was not disappointed by Peggy J. Herring's talent.

Fresh and fun is how I'd describe this "western" tale of lesbian action, lust and love. I think Herring hit on a winning combination!

i loved the family dynamics in this story. the day to day chores and how the family dealt with each new problem was fun to follow. please tell me there is a follow up story dealing with cordy and esse. what happens with leo and maria? do they really get into raising and selling horses?

I enjoy Peggy Herring's writing. I think this is her first western and it was very good. I was heart broke about Cordy and Leo, but the plot thickens and all the pieces fell into place. What happens with Cordy and Jake's daughter???? It's about family, understanding, teamwork and love.

This beautifully presented tome is fascinating. There may only a few die hard, full time dismissers of Italian Opera left, but they will find it harder to be so snooty after reading any of the chapters. It is all about context. Gosset provides you with detailed examples of the conditions under which the works were composed and performed and the pressures facing all involved. It is fascinating and made me feel like a musical sloth in my own perfomance habits.

There are very elegantly printed musical examples as well as the odd juicy snide comment about singers whose attitude to performing these works is less than thorough. Sometimes the detail is daunting and perhaps a little dry but you could pick and choose your chapters if this is worrying you.

How reassuring that books like this are still being written when the Music section of Borders is filled with biographies of such musical heavyweights as Sting and Bono.

"Divas & Scholars" is a masterpiece from every possible perspective, and I am astonished that there are only 4 customer reviews ahead of mine. It is written in the liveliest, most personal style. Every chapter, every paragraph, every sentence is filled with fascinating information and insights. (The only book on music that I have ever read that is its equal is Charles Rosen's universally acclaimed "Classical Style," which was published 35 years ago. Rosen himself gave "Divas & Scholars" a rave review in the New York Review of Books (10/05/06).) No one before Gossett has ever explained so clearly the conditions under which masterpieces by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi were not merely created but nearly tossed off, in almost the manner one associates with live television in the 50's. No one else has ever explained so clearly what a first performance looked like and sounded like, the lighting, the gestures, the sound in a particular theater or particular instruments, and the particular text and ornamentation that a singer chose. No one else has ever shown in such specific detail how performance traditions (and music) were transmitted and how they changed over time and place. "Divas & Scholars" can be read by everyone--the opera lover, the record listener, the stage designer, professional opera singers, orchestra musicians and conductors, and directors. It could be read by everyone who has ever loved Norma, Lucia, and all the other great figures of bel canto opera. It could be read by anyone with an interest in the social history of Europe in the first half of the nineteenth century. A summary of the delights of this book would be as long as the book itself. Five stars are not enough. It will be a resource and a pleasure forever.

I found this book a true revelation. No review can express just how much valuable information there is in this book. Certainly the earlier reviewer is correct that this is one of the most important books ever written on early nineteenth-century Italian opera. The focus is on Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and early Verdi.

Some chapters can be rough going, with a good bit of technical detail. But even the amateur can find much to learn here.

If you're an informed opera-nut, don't miss this one.

Probably, this is one of the most important books ever published on the Italian melodrama of the 19th century and its relations to compositional process, composers, editors, conductors, singers and producers. As usual, the approach by Prof. Gossett is comprenhsive, elegant and acurate. For those involved in research on Italian Opera it is a must! The negative point, if relevant, is the prolixity of the text in some sections what, to some extend, is usual in the area of musicological research. Musicologists have some difficulty to go directely to the point,and Gossett is a great musciologist.

This book is fascinating for this opera lover, all kinds of facts to learn and gossip to relish.

This book is so crucial for any one playing Scarlatti sonatas.
There is so much detail, historical context, and yet the writing is such that even an amateur pianist like me can get a grasp on how to interpret the sonatas. There are some nice sections on how to approach them on the piano.

I wish I could find similar books for every other composer!

Ralph Kirkpatrick's 1953 work remains THE book on Domenico Scarlatti and his keyboard sonatas. There have been no substantial revisions in the biography of DS since 1953. Georgio Pestelli and many others have questioned Kirkpatrick on chronology, but when it comes to analysis of individual sonatas, Kirkpatrick is strong. Kirkpatrick was not a musicologist, so his book is actually interesting to read!

An indispensable reference for all those interested in one of the greatest keyboardists of all time. Kirkpatrick's work is one of real scholarship. Written in 1953, no one has since bested it.

This book is an indispensable reference for those studying the great composer Domenico Scarlatti.

The first 7 chapters are historical narratives without unusual merit except as an intoduction to the real book which is about music. There is a chapter on harpsichords. Kirkpatrick was not the first thinker on Scarlatti as evidenced by the extensive bibliography and appendix

He did establish the K identification number system which has stood the test of time at least in this country.

His real contribution is in identifying Scarlatti as a real musician writing music of extraordinary merit. His chapter on Scarlatti's harmony is very difficult reading.

The last chapter on "Performance of the Scarlatti Sonatas" should be read again and again by every musical teacher and student (he talks about tempo, rhythm, phrasing, articulation and attitudes).

Of course, one must have the sheet music on hand to see what it's all about, and a mind-set ready to accept Scarlatti into the company of Chopin and Liszt as well as Granados and Albéniz.

Kirkpatrick talks a little about the influence of Iberian song and dance forms on the sonatas of Scarlatti; a few others have scattered hints on this subject. I think the world would welcome a full-blown research here as a fitting sequel to this book.

This is a book that I actually made time to read. I rarely find a novel of any sort that keeps my interest long enough for early completion. It has many unexpected turns and really gives another side of this political arena. A very forward thinking novelist. I really enjoyed this. I am looking to buy a watch! You'll get it after you read it!

The Dream of the Fathers is a "future history" novel set in America in 2178, only two years away from the nation's eighty-fourth presidential election. Ethnicity has become a wedge issue dividing America, due to its fast-growing Hispanic population and increasing power struggles have lead to strife. The Dream of the Fathers chronicles Senator Steven Hildago's quest to win the presidency and claim control of the White House from the corrupt President George Alexander King III. But when Hidalgo is cruelly murdered, a surprising replacement candidate steps forward. A suspenseful saga filled cover to cover with crisscrossing Machiavellian motives, The Dream of the Fathers is a politically charged read, highly recommended.

This is a very timely book as Michael projects interesting and probable furture politics for America; especially the demographics. Science fiction is cleverly woven in and keeps a fast pace from the beginning. I really liked the end. Great read!

This is a must read for any sci-fi fan or fans of great political thrillers.
Williamson is brilliant in his portrayal of the future of politics. I could not put this book down once I got started.

This book is fabulous, when I picked it up - I couldn't put it down. It is honestly one of most fantastic books I have read. Not a lull in the action, profound, filled with intrigue and cementing to the last word. In my view it can be compared to the best of Grisham and Patterson. What a great movie it would make.

Larry A. Flick

Besides the book being interesting, it was in great shape and delivered rapidly. Thanks very much!

This book is necessary. This is for everyone from the musician to the music lover. It's for the anthropologist and the student. It's for the one who knows music is just in its accessibility to the masses and the one who insists it is popular culture and not fair game for academia. Professor Fonarow's brilliantly conceived piece of work will change your experience of any gig. You will be looking for "the zones" in every venue, redefine your conception of the "groupie," and see a sacred drama on the stage and in the audience. Fonarow allows us to understand the place indie music occupies in one's life and how aesthetics and metaphysics coexist to invite the idea of your music as your community and your culture as art. After reading this book, music will be participatory for you, whether or not you empathize with the indie ethos. The beautiful afterward (one I've read numerous times) is one of the most poetic endings of any ethnography I've ever read.

Wendy is the Jane Goodall of the indie rock show. I really enjoyed this anthropological treatment of independent music culture. She definitively describes the impossibly malleable subject of what is Indie. She identifies the zones of audience participation: from the sweaty body on body of the front, to the contemplative middle, to the indifferent bar area, and out to the home parlor of the retired fan.
A guilty pleasure for anyone who knows the scene.

College-level students of British music won't want to miss EMPIRE OF DIRT: THE AESTHETICS AND RITUALS OF BRITISH INDIE MUSIC. Its analysis blends ethnographic and socio-historic literature on local music communities and genres, comes from a doctor who has worked in the music industry for several major record labels, and offers results from her thirteen-year study of indie rock. From gigs and performances to behavior, norms, and music perceptions from both audience and performer perspective, EMPIRE OF DIRT helps define both the genre and experience of British indie music.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A brilliant read. It puts the development of modern individuals, from adolescence to adulthood, into a new meaningful perspective, as well as indie music within the greater context of human activity. I especially enjoyed the examples and anecdotes. The chapter on groupies depicts modern gender roles and attitudes that are too often overlooked in mainstream stereotypes. Her examination of musicians is hilarious as well as therapeutic and identifiable for anyone dissatisfied with the status quo. Her writing articulates the subconsciously absorbed culture and rituals with eloquence, humor, and insight. Her observations and discernment enhance the understanding and experience of music and culture. Thank you, Professor Wendy.