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Rock The Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Rock The
GUITAR Oriented MUSIC THEORY including Cheat-Sheets - BOOK
Published in Plastic Comb by REF Publishing, Las Vegas, NV (2007-10)
Author: Robert E. Frazier
List price:
New price: $29.95

Average review score:

awesome
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-13
I am a bass player, and learned advanced music theory in the class room and on the bass. This book really helped me apply my knowledge from the bass to the guitar. I also teach, and this is a great guide to teaching music theory. However, it is not for beginners. Like other reviews said, this is not a casual read. Be prepared to play the examples, write out the exercises and play through them. But after all is said and done, this book contains a ton of useful, practical information, and is a great addition to any teachers books.

perfect
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-24
I bought this for my husband and he says it's wonderful. The cheat sheets are extremely helpful and the layout is very user friendly.

Concentrated Guitar Oriented Music Theory
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-17
This 54 page (including covers) booklet contains more information that other books many times its size. This is not a casual read book, and could be somewhat overwhelming for someone just starting out. However, it's a treasure trove of useful information for someone willing to study it. The Cheat Sheets are loaded with information. Spend some time with them. The more I study them, the more I see. Helpful for learning the fretboard, scales and chords.

Guitar Oriented Music Theory
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-16
Guitar players seem to fall into two categories. Those who can read notation and those who can't. So why is learning to play music such a killer?

For the biginning guitarist reading notation is like learning geometry. For the advanced player its learning Einstein's "Theory of Relativity.

But, it doesn't have to be that way. As mentioned in previous reviews this book takes the reader visually into the world of note theory without the usual dragged out chapters written in "Latin Text" which is associated with most books written about music theory.

For beginning guitar players this book helps to bridge the communication gap sometimes left at the end of a lesson between student and teacher. To quote an old adage "Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words".

For the advanced and re-entry level player this book is filled with instant visual information showing scale definitions, transposing, cord spelling, intervals, cycle of 5th diagrams, arpeggios, voice patterns and fingerboard layout relationships that are essential to becoming a better guitar player.

The bottom line is this book will open up a new world to your musical abilities. But, you will still need to devote time and effort to reach your full potential as a guitarist.

All In One Resource
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-16
I am an avid reader and since I got back into music last year, I have purchased at least a hundred books on guitar playing. Since I underline everything, I wanted to go back and take notes from my reading so I could have all the important information in one place. Thanks to Robert Frazier and his Guitar Oriented Condensed Music Theory book - I don't need to bother. He has taken literally every critical highlight out there and put it all together for me. He's also added a few pieces that I didn't find elsewhere and/or made sense of things I'd seen before. In my opinion, you could spend a whole day just unpacking a single page from this material (it's that loaded). I recently took a trip to Croatia with my guitar in hand and had very limited luggage space to spare - this was one of three books that I brought with me. It's not packaged in a fancy way, it's just full of great content. I highly recommend it.

Rock The
Hot Rocks: A Nick Hoffman Mystery (Nick Hoffman Mysteries)
Published in Paperback by Perseverance Press (2007-04-15)
Author: Lev Raphael
List price: $14.95
New price: $8.31
Used price: $2.76

Average review score:

A new find for me....delightful characters,
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-09
Ah, how I wanted to find another gay sleuth. Since Fred Hunter and his series will no more be as Fred has passed on, this series gives me just what I need. Nick, Juno and Stephan are quite a combo, and since this is my first read in the series, I am sure this book is no exception.

As other reviewers have stated, the murder takes place in a upscale Health Club steam room, and the victom, Vlado, is one of the most popular of the personal trainers at the club. Nick and his bizarre, Divine Miss Juno character take their romp through the steeets of this Michigan burb to find the guilt, and in the process discover much about their own personal demons. But the ride is fun, light fare, and a perfect book for the beach and a cool drink.

But what makes this such a wonderful read is Raphael's view of society, especially as it relates to social doctrine, religious hypocrisy and relationship turmoil. This is a quick read, and you will want to go immediately and get another Hoffman installment.

I'm So Smart
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-12
Hot Rocks is a laugh-out-loud murder mystery. I'm not even a fan of the genre, at all, but I loved this book. You'll feel very smart if you get all the references, a pleasant aspect of reading this novel.

His Best Yet!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-02
The social observations in this series have always been a hilarious mix of the thoughtful and witty, but Raphael's seventh mystery outdoes the rest as it charts delightful new territory: the luxury health club. Filled with the fitness-obsessed, it's an ideal setting for murder, and Raphael does a deft job of limning all the different personalities and motives that one finds in this super-charged environment rife with envy, jealousy, and murderous rage. But you don't have to ever have done even one push-up to enjoy the details, the insights, the luscious character descriptions, and Raphael's expertise as a mystery writer. I'd consider this the best-plotted mystery of the series since The Edith Wharton Murders, which I remember as having received rave reviews all over, including from the New York Times, and rightly so. This one, appropriately enough, is much leaner. You always hope that the books in a series will get better, and here you will not be disappointed.

Excellent even for those not familiar with Nick Hoffman.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-24
I had never read any Nick Hoffman story - nor anything, in fact, by Mr. Raphael - so it was with some apprehension that I picked up Hot Rocks. My fears were quickly put to rest: it's a welcoming introduction to the series for anyone, irrespective of their familiarity with Hoffman, Raphael, the State University of Michigan, Michigan Muscle or any of the other wickedly satirical devices Raphael uses. It's terribly funny and the mystery itself holds together and keeps your attention throughout. I plan on reading more by Raphael based on my enjoyment of this book.

Hot ,"Hot Rocks"
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-28
Raphael, Lev. "Hot Rocks: A Nick Hoffman Mystery", Perseverance Press, 2007.

Hot, "Hot Rocks"

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

The Nick Hoffman series has always had social observations and "Hot Rocks" is no different. This time the venue is a health club for the wealthy and the observations are wittier and funnier than ever. The seventh in the series, Lev Raphael does not disappoint a bit--in fact he outdoes the others. The club is brimming with those obsessed with toning their bodies and what an ideal setting for a murder.
If any of you belong to a health club, you are familiar with the types there as well as the aura that pervades, The personalities run the gamut and what a wonderful setting for a crime like murder. We know that health clubs foster jealousy and envy which can become rage quite easily. Raphael is, of course, aware that not everyone is into fitness so he gives us descriptions that are explicit.
Nick Hoffman a SUM professor, like myself, is an academic. Perhaps that is why I enjoy reading his adventures when he acts as a detective.
After the murder has been committed, the list of suspects includes trainers, wives whose bodies need work, club members who are possessed of arrogance and other wealthy characters. None of these are what they appear. Nick does not act alone. He has a fellow detective, Juno Dromgoole. Together they are quite a team--especially when they banter and show how ambivalently they feel for each other.
Nick has just returned from a Caribbean vacation and he knows he has to get back in shape afterwards. He goes, with his partner Stefan to Michigan Muscle but his workout routine suddenly is interrupted when he finds a dead body in the steam room.
What a perfect book to read at the beach. Raphael looks at the culture of the health club as well as American society using Nick Hoffman to satirize the rich. Stylishly written, you will be taken on a series of twists and turns through the world in which we live and you will be turning pages quickly. The writing is clear and probably some of the best that Raphael has done. Nick and Juno manage to get a good look at the life of the wealthy and as they do so, secrets are no longer secret and deceptions cease to deceive. Nick also has to deal with his own secrets and those of his partner who has a complicated past. The book is not just a story but a puzzle that the reader has to solve. Peppered with human characters that are identifiable as people we know, "Hot Rocks" is a fun romp. It isn't just a story, it's a trip. Nick is our driver and quickly becomes a friend who gives a social commentary which is honest and real. As excitement increases and we near a climax and think we have everything figured out, things change and the ride gains speed. I was somewhat sad t close the covers of the book because it meant I would be saying goodbye to friends I had made. But knowing that Raphael is a writer who just doesn't quit, I also know that I will be with Nick again in the eighth of the series.

Rock The
The House Without a Christmas Tree
Published in Paperback by Bantam Books (1982-11)
Author: Gail Rock
List price: $1.95
Used price: $12.00
Collectible price: $24.00

Average review score:

The House Without a Christmas Tree
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-29
This is a great book! Our fifth grade teacher read it to us just before we went on christmas vacation. Their was some very funny parts. The television special was great, too! First our teacher read us the delightful book and then we watched the t.v. special. We also found the differences from the book & movie. We wereso attentive to listening to the book, that we went into so much detaile in the differences. I would reccomend this book for anyone!!!

Charming, sweet story
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-21
I love this book. It is so sweet and heartwarming and a must read around the holidays. The characters are very interesting with a lot of depth. Addie is so typical of a young girl that I feel like many young woman can relate to her. I love her grandmother. What a wise woman! The father is all too human, grieving for his deceased wife. It's a tender tale and one I like to reread every holiday season!

Fantastic! Perfect for any age group...
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-25
I remember reading this book when I was in grammar school. It really touched me. Today I am a teacher, and I read it to my classes. They adore it. The T.V. special was excellent too. It was very heart warming, especially for the holidays! I definitely recommend it.

A Beautiful Story
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-25
This is a wonderful story about a 10 year old girl who is faced with a rough turn of events in her life every Christmas. Addie's father misses Addie's mother who passed when Addie was very little. Because of his heartbreak over the death of Addie's mother, Addie's father oushes her away, especially at Christmas.

Addie has always wanted a tree and finally wins one at school. The presence of the tree only upsets her father however, and at the last minute she gets rid of the tree.

I truly felt for Addie, and for her father. Neither did she understand her father's feelings anymore than her father understood hers. This is a short story that gets too the point quickly, but has many wonderful things to teach it's readers. I truly enjoyed it.

The House Without A Christmas Tree
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-11
I read this book to my classes when I taught 4th grade in Nebraska. It was touching and heartwarming, we especially liked the school Christmas party. The characters were so well developed. Everyone related to Addie and her lonely life. I remember it being on TV with Jason Robards as the father. How can we get it back on TV?

Rock The
Punk Farm
Published in Hardcover by Knopf Books for Young Readers (2005-04-26)
Author: Jarrett J. Krosoczka
List price: $15.95
New price: $8.50
Used price: $3.49
Collectible price: $32.50

Average review score:

Even the older kids love it!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
I read this book to many of my music classes. They ALL loved the book--from pre-k up to the fourth grade. It's funny, silly and cool all at the same time. They LOVED listening to the Punk Farm version of Old MacDonald.

The book can be used to teach about the instruments used in a rock band.

I just ordered Punk Farm on Tour. Can't wait to get it!!

Jarret Krosoczka is the MAN...Buy Punk Farm
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-28
I recently attended Art All-State in Worcester and Jarret Kroscozka was one of the Artist Mentors for the program...At the end of the mentor slideshow he got up and did a life-changing reading of Punk Farm. E-I-E-I-OH!! The pictures are adorable and it's basically and amazing kid's book, buy it!

Funny HA HA!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-12
Must be willing to sing it and act it out, if so, this is the one for you!!! Storytime Fun.

Great Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-01
We originally got this book at the library, but my daughter (2) loved it so much, we had to buy it for her. It's really a fun book and we enjoy reading & singing it to her. I can only recommend it!

old mcdonald rock out
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-04
initially, we borrowed this book from the library and we loved it so we had to buy it. my daughter loves the song "old mcdonald" and jarrett j krosoczka puts a rocking twist to the whole thing. when we read the book together, i sing punk farm's rendition and she wiggles/dances in my lap!:0D an added bonus--you can download the song from the website! good times!

Rock The
The Who Concert File (Talking) (Talking)
Published in Paperback by Omnibus Press (2004-06-01)
Authors: Joe McMichael and Jack Lyons
List price: $14.95
New price: $10.00
Used price: $12.00

Average review score:

If you can have only one Who book. . . .
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-20
I passed on this book when it first appeared figuring a mere concert list wouldn't be very interesting, what a blunder! This book is far more than a concert chronology, it's an enthralling history of the band, bursting with photos and short essays on the people, places and events that make up Who history. This was clearly a labor of love for the authors, and if Who fanatics have been able to find a few errors scattered around, big deal, I'm just glad the book was reissued as a sub-compact paperback updated to the shows following the death of John Entwistle. As the surviving members of The Who have chosen to "Defiantly spit into the abyss" and continue to tour to critical and public acclaim, further editions of this fine book are entirely justifed. And boy was I thrilled to recently find I still have a ticket stub from a Who show thirty years ago documented in this book. There are maybe half a dozen essential books about The Who and this is one of them, if it's the only one you buy then you've made a good choice, it's outstanding whether you're a new Who fan or a grizzled Wholigan.

A Near-Complete Who Record
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-04
Seem to be reading and listening a lot to the Who, and this book was an impulse buy.

For the fan, this is a way to walk through history with the band, from the earliest beginnings as the Detours, and even before with Daltrey's founding of the group, and Townshend and Entwistle's affiliation with others.

A lot of stories, memorabilia, set lists, and very interesting stuff.

The Who's amazing journey 1963 - 1997
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-01-24
I really enjoyed this book. Especially the great photos included.
I bought my copy in London, so it was nice to travel parts of London and see a few places where they actually played! But it's really only for die hard fans of the band (like myself, I guess). Also interesting are the set lists to the shows they played.
I'm no good at writing reviews, but I'll highly recommend this one. It's worth the price. A thanks to Irish Jack and Joe McMichael for making it.

And of course The Who. The greatest band in the world.

Great book with one significant flaw
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2004-11-25
First thing you should know is that while this is a thick book, it is also small; around 6" x 5", which is quaint, and not a flaw in anyway, just a surprise. There are lots of great pictures, reviews, accounts, and set lists provided.

The flaw, to my mind though, is that there are no references about circulating RECORDINGS of these shows. Most of the hardcore fans who would buy this book probably collect tapes, bootlegs, and cdrs. Most of the time a setlist or stage comments are provided for a show it's because a recording exists. I would have loved it if the authors could have aknowledged this with brief comments like, "A clear, but distant audience recording exists for the first 80 minutes of the concert" or "A mixed soundboard recording of this show has been bootlegged and rereleased many times." There are websites with this kind of information and other highly collected bands, such as Led Zeppelin, have entire books devoted to the collection of unreleased material.

If you're a fan you're guaranteed to enjoy this book regardless, so get it!

The Who's Playbook
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-10
If you get an opportunity to see The Who (now on tour - summer/fall 2000) please do so. Other than Bruce Springsteen, they are without peer on stage.This book does a fine job of detailing Who gigs from the early 1960's (as the Detours)to the 1996-1997 Quadrophenia tour. The authors recap the songs, the stage "happenings" (smashed guitars, onstage feuds, etc.)and other "Odds & Sods". It's kind of like a baseball box score for Who fans! If you're already a Who fan (or are an aspiring one) this is THE book for you!

Rock The
Activities That Teach
Published in Paperback by Red Rock Publishing (1993-01-01)
Author: Tom Jackson
List price: $15.95
New price: $12.92
Used price: $8.99

Average review score:

Great group training
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-03
This book provides me with many leadership building activities to use in my classes at school. The various activities teach communication skills and goal setting,along with games that encourage making good and healthy choices. Marvelous resource for sponsors and teachers who emphasize being good role models!

Fabulous!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-04
I am a teacher in an alternative high school and was fortunate enough to meet Tom Jackson in person at a conference just a few weeks ago. He did many of his "lessons" with us and they were fabulous. I went and bought all of his books and now can't wait for the school year to start so I can use his lessons on my students!

Thought Provoking Activities
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-10
Activities that teach has worked very well for us. We use the activities in our 4-H Club. Members age range is between 9 and 18. This book has provided activities that promote thought and sportsmanship. The members have enjoyed working through the activities.

Attention teachers!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-04
This book is awesome for teachers!! I am a Home Ec. teacher for Middle School and I use at least one of these activities per day! It's great for all grades and can be simplified if needed.

Hands on learning that is fun & easy
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-05
I use this book teaching Health to grades 6-8. It contains a variety of activities that are great supplements to units for social isssues, decision making, alcohol, smoking, drugs & more. Most of the hands on activities involve every student in the class, so they really remember the message!. Discussion questions are listed after each lesson. I started using this book by borrowing it from another teacher, now I've got my own copy.

Rock The
The Band Never Dances
Published in Library Binding by Harpercollins (1993-08)
Author: J. D. Landis
List price: $13.89
New price: $49.88
Used price: $0.45

Average review score:

"Can Judy Valentine's fame mask her painful past?"
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-06
"The Band Never Dances" is an excellent read told in the first person by Judy Valentine, a 16-year-old New York drummer in search of a band to write/play with. Her lyrics are quite moving, in particular "The Girl Inside the Girl," which was inspired by her older brother, Jeffrey, who killed himself three years ago after coining the expression "...the band only plays. It never dances," hence the title of this book and her band's debut CD and single.

Judy spends the duration of the story struggling over her brother's untimely death and trying to find some catharsis through her music and up-and-coming fame in her rock band Wedding Night. At the same time, a love triangle develops between her and one of her band mates (Mark the Music) and Nick Praetorious, the quintessential "bad boy" rock singer they tour with. How this hot-and-cold relationship draws out and concludes is quite satisfying for any romantic. Judy, especially, is a remarkable character--she's extremely bright and independent, and like in the book, other young women will want to be her.

This is one of the best contemporary young adult novels I've read in awhile. It's fast paced, touching and deep, and suitable for the slightly older teen crowd due to some mature themes. In fact, the book seemed to be written from a much older character's point of view than from a 16-year-old's. At times, I couldn't connect her age and actions together, but I loved this book regardless. Recommended.

Required reading for any musician
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-20
A magnificient book, although tad childish and naive. The author weaves a beautiful tale of the protagonist Judy, a drummer who recovering fromt eh death ofher brother, is yearning to discover herself through her 'band'. SHe finds this band when she answers mysterious want ad. and meets Strobe, together they assemble this band...Irwin. Maddox and Mark the Music. The descirpitions that the author uses when describing music being made is painfully beautiful. His descriptions of Mark the Music playing the guitar are exceptionally beautiful....leads you to believe the author is a guitarist...The story is very tight and Judy's voyage of discovery, in the company of 'Wedding Night', the band, is told very well. The ending is beautiful...ANyone with music in their hearts will fall in love with this book.

spectacular
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-06-01
This is one of the most wonderful books from my early adolescence I ever read...it can to me at just the time I needed it and that I will never forget. I felt just like the heroine of the book the whole time... her against the world in a desperate desire to simply make music and find out who she is. Read it...and give it to your teens...

One of the most amazing books written
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-08-05
The Band Never Dances is a beautifully written book that captures your heart and makes you become very involved with the characters. Being a musician myself, I fully understood what Judy was dealing with throughout her stuggle in the band, and many people have had tramatic expericences as well. All in all the book seemed to touch on every subject and a very realistic way.

Unique Storyline Keeps the Pages Turning
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-11-22
Judy Valentine always hid from life behind her drums. It was always her dream to be part of a rock band, as well as her older brother's dying wish for her. Three years after her brother's suicide, Judy finds her band, Wedding Night. Opening for Nick Praetorious, the hottest act in the country, brings the band national attention and forces Judy at sixteen years old to deal with success, attention, and being idolized while still developing her own identity.

Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher tells the similar story of a teenage boy named Dillon who also loses his older brother to suicide. Dillon escapes his pain through triathalons, an extreme contrast to Judy's music writing and playing. Crutcher tends to write novels centered around sports because more young people can relate to sports analagies than they can to introspecitve song lyrics. For me, it was nice to read a young adult novel with a storyline that I could relate to rather than merely understand.

"You can give her all your money, till you're totally broke./ You can christen her with diamonds, You can sprinkle her with coke./ But you'll never have her and you'll never know her/ 'cause she's the girl, she's the girl inside the girl."(Pg. 36) Judy "wrote" this song,"The Girl Inside the Girl". Many other full song lyrics are included throughout the book so that one can truly hear the sounds of a Wedding Night concert as well as visualize it. One even begins to understand the rock and roll lifestlye through a teenager's eyes. Once seen from behind closed doors, a rock star's life loses it's luster and glamourous image. Yet, the passion never dies for the music, not for Judy Valentine.

This book was written for "young adults", so it might be a little below an older teen's reading level. However, the storyline is just so unique, I would still recommend it to any music lover.

Rock The
The Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique (33 1/3)
Published in Paperback by Continuum International Publishing Group (2006-03-15)
Author: Dan Leroy
List price: $10.95
New price: $5.98
Used price: $4.96

Average review score:

Excellent, informative, well researched book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-08
This book is the best source of information anywhere regarding Paul's Boutique.

Highly recommended!

fantastic
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-08
poured through it in a couple of days, fantastic read during probably the most 'heady' times of the Boys. enjoy!

They should all be this good!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
LeRoy knocks it out of the park. This book is what all the other books in the series should be. It's packed full of interesting information about before, during and after the making of the album. It's a fun read. Quick and easy. No filler.

Entertaining and Illuminating Piece. Wish it was longer.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-09
I am not much of a Beasties fan. Like some of their music but their voices can drive me nuts at times, truth be told. I don't even own Paul's Boutique. I only bought this book on a lark as I knew the recording techniques forged within this record was a turning point of sorts in music. When I received the text in the post, I picked it up then could not put it down until I finished the entire thing. After that I went directly back to page one and started again from the top.

The book begins in the late 80s and goes until '92 or so. Everyone the author discusses gets treated fairly, whether they deserve it or not. Delicious Vinyl is seen as a sort of west coast magnet for all things creative, though in truth they were a controversial label to say the least. Def Jam is somehow given a pass for not paying The Beasties over a million dollars in royalties after the author finds relevant quotes to show that Russell Simmons was just looking out for the group by stiffing them. The crazy thing is that everything seems so vivid, understandable and believable. It makes you long for those halcyon days when Joe Smith was CEO of Capitol Records but seemed more concerned with Magic Johnson's rebound average than any of his own recording acts. Of course, none of this makes any logical sense at all, but within the context of the book it is proven that some good things actually came out of this upside-down era in music.

Rather than blow the book by revealing some of the sorrid details within it, I will simply say that whether you dig the Beasties or not, Pauls Boutique is worth a read. It is a fascinating story. Perhaps even the great Bob Mack himself could not have told this story any better.

I had a huge, ecstatic review all planned out for "Paul's Boutique"...
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-04
... and then I came here and read the unanimous 5-star reviews and agree with all of them.

There's not much I can add that wouldn't be redundant.

Except to say that "Paul's Boutique" -- one of my favorite albums -- has always kind of been shrouded in mystery. The album may be dense with information, but there's not a lot of background that I could find.

This book changes all that. It is as filled with names and details as the album is full of samples.

From Leroy's very well-reported account, we learn the backstory of the Dust Brothers and the mysterious Matt Dike (long rumored to be the main mastermind behind "Boutique") plus, a sampling of the late 80s L.A. scene from which this album emerged; we meet a host of side players like Mario C and Money Mark, and also the ill-fated exec Tim Carr (whose heart and mind, I'm convinced, where in the right place all along); there's the promotional wrangling that went on at Capitol before the release and after the record flopped; and also what was going on with the three main charcaters -- MCA, Ad Rock and Mike D -- who wanted to derail the locomotive of "License to Ill" and almost got crushed under the cattleguard.

The book tells the story of the album, and at first I thought it kind of scrimped on the background of the recording of the individual songs, but it closes with a finely detailed track-by-track examination that reveals a lot (but not nearly all) of the samples that helped make up one of the richest, coolest, bangingest records ever made.

Rock The
Beatle!: The Pete Best Story
Published in Paperback by Plexus Publishing (2001-03-02)
Authors: Pete Best and Patrick Doncaster
List price: $14.95
New price: $24.10
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A Must For Beatlemaniacs, Fascinating and Evocative
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-17
Pete Best occupies a place in history worthy of a great Shakespearian character. He was the Beatles' original drummer who was sacked in favor of Ringo Starr at the precise moment the band was offered a recording contract by George Martin of E.M.I. Records. Best and co-author Patrick Doncaster tell the whole early Beatles saga, sparing us few details of the carousing, pranks and debauchery, but also imparting the fun, cameraderie, and musical growth of the Fab Four in those heady Mersyside days. I was expecting a fun read when I bought this book, but never expected the haunting, spooky feeling that remained after I finished the last chapter entitled "Down Among the Ghosts." In this short final chapter, Pete describes his emotions today when he wanders down into his mother's basement, the site of the former Casbah Club, one of the original Beatles venues. Here he lets himself travel back in his mind's eye to the rollicking days when Liverpool's musical explosion was going full tilt; and the bands, the screaming girls, the laughter, and dreams of glory were his everyday reality. In these visits, he conjures up the many departed people and former friends who poured downstairs each night. He sometimes takes a few whacks at his little brother's drum kit which sits by the old coffee bar. Then, he lets the cloud of memory evaporate, and climbs back up the stairs as today's Pete Best, a civil-servant living not far from his old home. Really a unique and amazing read!

SIMPLY BEST
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-22
In a sense Pete Best was a winner of another kind.
He made a succesful marriage for one thing and after 1995 a lot of money.
His recording career in the States came to nothing and yet the songs were typical Merseybeat,mostly written by Waddington and Bickerton who would achieve success in the 70s with a string of hits by the Rubettes.
Also overlooked is the fact that he was the only one of the 1962 Beatles who got a Decca recording contract

A brutally honest account by the REAL fifth beatle
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-07
Wow. I read this book and enjoyed it immensely. It is the most honest account I have read in years.
Pete Best was with the Beatles during the early sixties, when they had yet to hit the big time. They spent several months in Hamburg, just learning their trade. He was with them through the Cavern Club years and the Decca audition. But just when things started to go right for the band, he was sacked.
Why?
We don't know. Pete says that he still doesn't know after all these years.
You may expect the book to be bitter about the Beatles success - but it isn't. You may expect him to bad mouth the band throughout - but he doesn't. He paints them in a remarkably nice light, that comes across as both honest and believable.
He recounts tales about drugs, drink and girls - and describes the personalities of the big bands they met - Tony Sheridan and Gerry and the Pacemakers for example.
And he also gallently talks about the day he was sacked, and the reasons why he thinks they did it.
The prologue at the end that describes his subsequent career shows that we shouldn't be sorry for him at all... What we wouldn't give to be at the heart of that!

Beatle The Pete Best Story
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-12
Highly recomending this book for any Beatles Fans.
Anyone who is interested in the early Beatles History
this is a must read....
I finished reading this book in just under two days.
And like another reviewer I also found myself unable to put it down! It just drawns you in.
I came away with a different prospective on Pete,
really not knowing much about him or his life except that he was the original drummer for the Beatles.
I actually bought this book to be autogrpahed as I was going to see him the following week and lucky the book arrived in time..
A must have!!!!!

One of the "BEST" books about the Beatles
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-18
Just by chance, I picked this book up at a Tower Records, and found myself unable to put it down! Pete Best sounds like a true, honest to goodness gentleman, and I must admit that his firing is by far one of the more seedier, dirtier chapters of Beatle lore. Pete gives excellent insight into these first few years that helped bring rise to Beatlemania. I especially found his story about the George Harrison illness episode to be utterly haillarious! I won't tell anymore about it; read for yourself. The reader is given a very there-as-it-happened feeling. As far as Pete's drumming goes, a Keith Moon he was not, but he did what was required and being a drummer myself, I think the whole thing about not being good enough was a wrong assesment. I was very pleased to read this book and know that Pete has handled himself in his later years very well after the incident involving his being fired from the group. I understand he's now doing the lecture circuit routine. Good for you Pete; you deserve your fair share of acknowledgement; you helped get the Beatles to the level of success they achieved. Highly recommended!

Rock The
The Beatles Swan Song: "She Loves You" & Other Records
Published in Hardcover by 498 Productions, LLC (2007-03-12)
Author:
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Average review score:

Super Swan Song effort
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-17
This latest installment of Bruce Spizer's books on the Beatles American Records is another "must-have" for fans and collectors of Beatles records. Informative, entertaining and full of wonderful color pictures is how I can best describe his latest work. This edition contains a wealth of information on so many different label releases. You need this book to document the many official and "unofficial" labels. I went through the book in less than a month. Highly recommended!

ANOTHER EXCELLENT BOOK FROM MR. SPIZER
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-27
I have all of Bruce Spizer's Beatle related books and this final instalment matches all of the others for sheer detail and quality. It's a mind boggling journey through all of the Beatles "other label" US releases and certainly an education for collectors and fans alike. I especially like the "Capitol in The 70's & 80's" chapter covering the various compilation Lp's issued such as "Hollywood Bowl", "Rock & Roll Music" "Reel Music" & "Love Songs"..this completes a "Capitol" loose end.
It's a typically thorough book and sits proudly alongside the other Spizer instalments and the 50+ other Beatles tomes on my bookshelf. Well done Bruce. Very recommended to Beatles fans and Collectors alike.

Bruce's Beatles Books are the best!!!!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-05
This and all the other Beatles Books by Bruce Spizer are the absolute best Beatles Books on the planet. They are full of facinating facts, pictures and stories. These books are great history lessons for all fans. Even The Beatles themslves should be thanking Bruce for these books because there is information in these books I am sure they never knew about themsleves or their records in the USA. I suggest all Beatles fans buy Bruce's books.

Bruce Spizer Beatles Swan Song book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-09
I was lucky enough to see Bruce Spizer at the 2007 Chicago Beatlefest.
I purchased the book "The Beatles Swan Song" and was very happy that Bruce personally signed the book for me.
This "blooming book" / (i.e a reference to A Hard Day's night)is a must read!!!!!
The book is hard back and the print is very legible (even for my eyes) and the graphics are just lovely.
The content?....let me say this again, "Thank you Bruce, I appreciate your work and research you did."
"THE BEATLES SWAN SONG" book is simply an amazing piece of work!!! VERY HISTORICAL!!!

Beatles Swan Song
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-07
Mr Spizer is the ultimate Beatle book author.In both content and quality he is outstanding.This book like all the others before it is very helpful and entertaining.


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