Music Books

Well researched and poetically rendered, this book tells a compelling story of The Little Town That Could. It's not just for R.E.M. fans, either; some of the best passages take the reader to the early 70s, when chance meetings, boredom, a thriving gay subculture, and some unsung movers-and-shakers who watched from the wings made things happen. Rodger Lyle Brown was there for much of the action and he captures the voices (and vices) of scores of characters who sowed the seeds that were reaped by bands such as the B-52's and R.E.M..

This book is a must for anyone interested in the Athens music scene (REM, B52s). Actually, it's insight on the challenges new bands face in breaking through makes it a must read for anyone in the music business. Greatly entertaining and a fast read. And I actually knew a few of the people mentioned in the book.

It's great to see this book back in print - seemingly a modest look into a grass-roots community of eclectics and artists, PARTY OUT OF BOUNDS actually presents a valuable piece of history - the rise of the Athens GA music and arts scene.

The reverberations from Athens ultimately threw a spotlight onto similar developments in Austin, Boulder, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem, Minneapolis, Seattle/Olympia, Monterrey MX, and countless other places off the beaten track of the commercial culture industry, spawning a tremendous amount of great and influential work in the process, and this book is - amazingly - still one of the only documents of it all.

Browne was a part of the scene, so his resources, contacts and memories aid in the construction of a rich cultural history. The DIY spirit of the times has been reflected in other works (Clinton Heylin's FROM THE VELVETS TO THE VOIDOIDS springs to mind) focusing on other places, but certain other aspects - the diversity among the people and participants - is largely overlooked in most histories, and Browne gives the art influences, the 'Southern' influences, and the gay influences that all formed some of the scene's foundations the respect they deserve.

And Browne does detail just how stressing and grueling being in a struggling young rock band can be - the joy and the myth is here for sure, but so is the work and financial strain. Browne hits the perfect balance in the writing - he manages to convey, with equal import, the cultural significance, and the fun and energy in scenes like the one that exploded in Athens, and one is also left with a great picture of how such developments can impact (culturally) cities and towns for decades afterwards: again, though this book is Athens-specific in its' historical focus, this in many ways is the story of many places.

At every level, this is an essential recounting of the history of grass-roots and underground creativity in the US.

-David Alston

Just so that the author isn't the only one posting reviews, let me just say that I've lost track of the number of times I've enjoyed this book. Every time I reread it, it conjures up a movie in my mind, artistic college kids in the deep South living to party and play music. Although I grew up in Minnesota, the early punk/new wave scene of the late seventies was much the same here as it was in Athens, GA, and the (hazy) memories of that time are lovingly recounted here.

Hey folks. Yes, this is a facsimile of the original edition from 1991, except this one has a great new cover that's much more like what I wanted for the first edition. Got a new intro, too. Folks have been asking for copies for years, but it's been out of print (with used copies for as much as $50, if you can imagine). If you have any rem, b's, or otherwise fans of athens, let em know.

Any questions, email me at rodlbro@aol.com

rodger brown (author)

This is a fascinating book, because it's more musucally aware than 99% of the hundreds of books on music I've read. It's not just anecdotes and instruments, but some very detailed discussion of what choices were made, what technical elements went into the effect, and how the bassline shapes the song. It's not just helpful transcription, but intelligent analysis. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Written with wit and verve, this book finally gives McCartney's extraordinary bass-playing its due. By analyzing each Beatles album through the lens of McCartney's bass lines, Bacon and Morgan give us a chance to hear these extraodinary recordings with fresh ears. My only quibble is with their choice of "Something" as "the best piece of bass playing he's evr committed to record." Better than "Rain"? Better than "The Word?" Better than "Taxman"? Better than "It's Getting Better All the Time"? C'mon, guys!

The transcriptions are fine, but most of all: this book is brilliantly well written, a delicious reading, and it's clear and deep analysis of Paul's bass lines (along with a lot of background information about recordings, instruments etc) will open your ears for one of the most important features in the never-ending beauty of The Beatles' music. Great job!

Tony Bacon & Gareth Morgan, England, October 2007.
Firstly, thanks a lot for the review, Rodrigo. We had great fun putting the book together - the story of Macca's bass playing and the transcriptions - and did a lot a lot of hard work on it. In answer to your regret concerning the wonderful 'Something', in fact we did prepare a transcription that was originally in the book, but permission to reproduce it was declined by the licensor, Harrisongs. We agree with Rodrigo and say so in the book: it is McCartney's finest hour with the Fab Four. The dynamics, phrasing, melodic content and feel (or groove) of what he plays is simply sensational. We hope the book also underlines some of PM's other great work with The Beatles.

I've been a fan of the Beatles since I was fourteen especially Paul Mccartney. Like him,I am also a bass player and it was his style that inspired me to be one. There are a lot of flamboyant bassist in the world but it's Macca's simple but original style that makes him unique. I was happy to have bought the Bass Master book because all the featured songs there have nice bass lines, but am a bit disappointed that the song SOMETHING was not included. To me this was Macca's greatest bass riff.

This book, gives an incredibly close look at Boston legends, the Pixies', best album. Way ahead of its time, Doolittle is probably in my top 10 greatest albums of all time and Ben Sisario goes straight to the source to dig up the dirt on it. Ben literaly takes a ride with the Pixies frontman, Charles Thompson (AKA Black Francis, aka Frank Black) in Thompson's big body Cadillac where he spills the beans on some of his most violent/beautiful/mysterious lyrics. From the first demos to years of obscurity on the shelves of record stores, you get to look from all angles (except Kim Deal's, who refused to be interviewed) at this influential and monumental masterpiece and truly understand it's beauty and significance.

While the 33 1/3 series seems short, it's the perfect length to tell the story/history of great albums. By the time you get through the first chapters, you're chomping at the bit to listen to Doolittle. And yes, you'll go back to these wonderful books for info on songs, recording techniques, and to re-read weird stories attached to different songs. Buy them and enjoy.

Doolittle has been my favorite album since it came out... I read this book sitting on a beach in Vancouver, CA, surrounded by drag-queens, interpretive dancers, Sikhs, Chinese families, and with a fireworks show in the harbor... the surrealism of the surroundings was only enhanced by the book...
Sisario's humor and obvious literary knowledge made this book about one of the greatest albums and bands ever an amazing treat... art, philosophy, music, biography, psychology, all compounded to make this an ideal book for even non-Pixies fans.

Ben Sisario's Doolittle is the most insightful book in the 33 1/3 series I have read so far. His interviews with Charles Thompson (Frank Black, Black Francis) and others involved in the formation of Doolittle make this a near perfect resource. This book has made listening to Doolittle, if you can believe it, even more enjoyable!

Outstanding study of Doolittle and snapshot of the Pixies themselves. Rare access to Frank Black, very illuminating analysis. Highly recommended.

This is the #1 book to own if you care about understanding how your player piano works and if you want to know how to service it. It is a classic!

This is an essential reference of player piano servicing. Very technical at points, nonetheless, it offers valuable tips for the novice do-it-yourselfer as well as for the professional restorer seeking advice. Hundreds of modern and period photos from rare service manuals enhance this book. The writing style is very clear and easy to follow.

The only negative, for me, is that it has not been updated since the 1980's. The advent of computerized solenoid player systems, and their potential for being installed on antique players, is barely covered. I would have also covered roll scanning and restoration more thoroughly.

Even if you never open your player, this book provides valuable insight into the inner workings of this most fascinating mechanical technology and helps you to appreciate the art and craft of piano rebuilding.

This book is great for helping with your own piano. Our player is so old that people don't have any idea or parts to fix it. This book gives us some ideas on how to do it ourselves.

I'm very happy with this book. It's all expected and more.

It covers everything from basic cleaning and minor repairs to an absolute complete rebuild of ever component imaginable for spinets, uprights, and grand pianos. The author explains precisely how each part of a piano action works and how to properly regulate them. Moreover it also has two chapters on tuning; the first covers the theory of tuning while the second covers the actual tuning process along with exercises that teach each step of the process. It's well worth its price.

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In a world of dumbed-down "hot to do it" books that simply tell you to hire an expert, this book is a breath of fresh air. This is the highly technical stuff that people like Audels wrote in the 1930's before America turned stupid.

Even if you're all thumbs, this will tell you what to look out for when hiring someone. If you have the skill, this will tell you the right way to do the job, just as it was done 80 years ago.

A fine resource written by a real gentlemen who is a purist in the field. If you own any instrument that plays itself, this book is a MUST!

The Power of Horses is a wonderful, unique collection of memories of Country Music legends love affairs with horses. Each star has a different take on the influence their horses have had in their lives - both as youngsters & in later years. These stories are inspirational to many aspects of life.
This is a book that any horse person or country and western music fan needs to own. It is a difficult book to put down once you start reading. It is easy to read, well thought out and flows well.

This book is a must for anyone who has or is interested in horses. All the top country music artists tell about the good things horses bring to their lives. There are some great photos in the book including Brad Paisley, Kix Brooks, Lynn Anderson, Toby Keith, Charlie Daniels, Clay Walker, and Tommy Shane Steiner. You will also find that the author has done an outstanding job of putting together the history of each of the country music legends.

The book is a great gift for kids or adults, is easy to read, the stories flow nicely and are very well written. I found it very informative as well as entertaining. Anyone who likes horses and or country music would REALLY like this book! Be sure to get extra copies to give as gifts!
I loved the authors use of words and the selection of photos that were used. The stories will make you laugh, cry and wonder.

Regards,
David Selman
Tracker Outdoors
www.tracker-outdoors.com

Get ready for a great read because this book rocks! If you love horses you have to read this book. Likewise if you are a fan of country music. The author does a great job in bringing out the emotion in these stories. Each person profiled tells how a horse helped them learn about life. The Power of Horses is very inspiring and uplifting, so get ready to feel your heartstrings pulled.

A great job of giving the fans a closer look at some of their favorite stars, sharing special moments and memories about one of God's greatest gifts to mankind-horses. Since history was first recorded there has always been a bond between humans and the incredible animal; which has meant so much to our survival and very existence through out the years. I don't think Lisa could have found a better way of bringing horses the recognition they truly deserve than by sharing some unforgettable stories from country music's finest stars. In her book, "The Power of Horses," Lisa proves that even in this modern age of mechanical genius, as we surpass our wildest dreams. People's love, inspiration and need of horses has never been stronger. If you are one of those millions who love horses then take a ride with the stars, you'll be glad you did.

This is a book that any horse person or Country and Western music fan needs to own. I started reading it and read it from cover to cover in 1 day. It is fun to read, and contains many very inspirational stories.

I stayed up all night reading this book and I liked it so much I have ordered several more for my friends. All the top country music artists tell about the good things horses bring to their lives, and there are some great photos in the book, too! Brad Paisley, Kix Brooks, Lynn Anderson, Toby Keith, Charlie Daniels, Clay Walker, and Tommy Shane Steiner are all in The Power of Horses, 18 stars in all. The book is a great gift for kids or adults, is easy to read, the stories flow nicely and are very well written. Very informative and entertaining at the same time. Anyone who likes horses and/or country music would REALLY like this book! Do yourself a favor and consider this book! Would I buy it again? I already did!

The techniques in this book are applicable and a "must have" for any kind of performer, though directed specifically toward classical singers. Whether you are an opera singer, a rock & roller, an actor, an instrumentalist, a public speaker, etc., you can benefit from practicing "power performance". It doesn't come easily. There is a lot of ground-work that you must do to fully benefit, but you will find practical tools to use along your journey, even before completing the book. In my opinion, it's a much more thorough discovery process than found in "The Inner Game of Music", though along the same lines. Definitely worth the investment.

Emmons and Thomas convert the "Tennis Technique" to a singer's manual for mental stamina. My favorite aspect of this book is the charts. There are charts to help you schedule, program, and maintain mental, physical, and emotional stamina throughout your practicing, preparation, and performance. The book contains many appendices that contain helpful reminders, charts, and tips for singers who teach and those who just perform. Using minimum to no scientific language, Emmons and Thomas communicate the importance of having a power performance by aiding the singer/teacher in "starting from scratch" to build up to the utmost potential of performance. Using techniques and advice from Olympians and teachers of singing, the witty language and motivating advice can help lead anyone to success.

This is a very good book. The area of the mental side of singing and performing is really paid too little attention to. There are so many books about singing technique etc. At last a good book on this subject! After having read only a few pages, it helped me already. The book is giving me very helpfull practical tips about selfconfidence on stage etc. The only thing is, that the English which is being used, is not so easy to read as in most American literature (I'm from Holland). But the positive thing about that is that I am increasing my English vocabulary...

This is a book with very down-to-earth advice. What amazed me most was that the most things I had always felt about performance, but didn't know how to put in words, are voiced accurately, objectively, concisely and fulfillingly in this book. Also, many things I had never stopped to think about are also dealt with nicely. You will learn how to make the most of performance problems, their sources and consequences in order to help you perform well. There is great joy awaiting you in this book. You will never regret buying it. Buy it. Buy it. Once more: buy it!

I am a professional trumpet player. This book is the centerpiece of a long list of reading material I've culled ideas from over the years. NOT FOR SINGERS ONLY! All musicians can benefit from this book! The book challenges the reader to think and to act. It is not a book you can read passively. If you work carefully through the charts and teaching points you will be rewarded with performances you enjoy giving and ones that audiences will enjoy hearing! Simply put, you'll get out of it what you put into it.

This is the book that all others will be judged against. It leaves "Inner Game" in the dust!

This book will help you board the bus with fervor for the impending state of our country. Want to know why Seinfeld heralded the return from the suburbs of those white flighters? Or how about what exactly is the responsible use of rock and roll and how it relates to Hitler's regime? All this and more can be consumed in this neon pink bible.

Forever before and after, there will be nothing quite like the psychic soviet. It is a delusional masterpiece, crying out over the failed dream of Socialism and spitefully kicking at the heels of the twisted powers that be. It's nice of Ian to bring it up - socialism - because not too long ago it was a real school of thought and has since been buried by all of the forces that Ian outlines herein.
I still can't take socialism any more seriously than I can nudism, because while I recognize money/clothing is not exactly "natural," there are a lot of situations where it serves a real purpose for people. Nevertheless, Ian's longing for the maternal government that macho capitalism drove to alcoholic defeatism is a good reminder that life doesn't actually have to be this way.

Additionally, Ian does a spiffy job at showing how the very counter-culture emblems we subscribe to so confidently - bands, beverages, bowl haircuts - are QUITE CERTAINLY "bread and circuses" set up by the invisible, cunning lords of the material world. The profound connections between eugenics and Dracula, beer-lust and WWII pride, LOTR and the GOP, and of course Art&Music as a psychological tool of the powerful- I really wouldn't have thought about it if Ian hadn't brought it up, but now I can't see it any other way. And Ian is fun, always playful and ingenious. Read this book!

Ian Svenonius has a unique, post-modern style. The idea of printing essays in a little pink plastic-covered book that you can carry around in your pocket is brilliant. The essays are entertaining, with some skewered observations that are ironic and paranoid at the same time. Think of this less as a book and more as a cultural artifact.

This book is incredible for many reasons.

First of all it's written by one of the brightest writers of this present generation.

The humor, insight, and politics are spot on.

It's all terrain cover and size make it perfect for trips or walks, or coffee shop.

I love reading it on the plane when I'm not looking out the window (in the dark), and laughing out loud waking up everyone around me.

I have bought at least ten copies for friends too.

Almost 300 pages and it's dirt cheap.

Only a fool would read this review or examine this page and not buy at least three copies.
Really, I'm not kidding.

An absolute must.

Vampirism, vodka and dialectical materialism are stimulating topics, but this set of essays reads like a half-baked dissertation written by a precocious over-medicated narcissist. Often verbose and incomprehensible--I highly recommend it. Notwithstanding, Mr. Svenonius' greatest work is executed on stage or in the format of an astrology column.

I routinely taped his radio program "Rock and Roll Alternative" in the late 70s to early 80s. He was always introducing new songs and educating me about the new music going on. If one of the new bands happened to be in town he almost always had them in the studio for an interview. This book is a great retrospective on that period of my life.

Anyone interested in the history of Rock should get this book. It's written in chronological order, and I found myself spending hours following the intricate relationships between the various bands.

This book is riveting. I label it dangerous, because after you'ver read it, you will be compelled to go out and spend all kinds of money seeking out records from all the bands that are spoken of in the book. Nothing is missing. Concerts that I attended are there with dates, times and copies of ticket stubbs. You thought you knew who played for who...........then you read this. Fascinating.

Getting this book is like striking gold for anyone who loves punk rock. It's a treasure-trove of information, in meticulous order. This is the kind of book you can open randomly at any page and just start reading. The author really did his homework. If you want to learn more about punk, you can definitely get the information reading this book.

Unlike any other book on the market about the Punk Rock revolution. It can be read cover to cover (as I did!) or you can pick and choose the entries searching for information on your favorite bands. If you are a music enthusiast, this book is definitely for you. It has all the stories on ALL of the bands whether they were comercially successful or not. Perhaps the best thing about the book is the excellent CD that comes with it. I can't wait to read the follow up!

Strouse is one of the most underrated composers of the American musical theatre. This is mostly due to the large number of failures he has been associated with. After reading his revealing memoir, it is easy to see why that happened. Strouse is singularly lacking in self esteem, and has been far too easily led, nor has he stood up for himself properly. This is a shame, because he wrote some of the best scores of the late twentieth century, including his masterpiece "Rags," a show that seems certain to be rediscovered one day and take it's place among the great ones.

Strouse promised a lot of "dirt" in this book, but I can't say it really delivers in that regard. Other than revealing that Arthur Laurents is an egomaniacal bastard (hardly a news flash) and that Strouse and Adams made a contribution to the development of "Hello, Dolly!," there isn't anything much along those lines.

One thing that emerges that is sort of surprising is how many close friends of Strouse's are gay; to the extent that it comes as a shock that he isn't gay himself! It is a testament to his open, accepting spirit.

It becomes very clear by book's end that Strouse suffers from chronic depression. One wonders why he isn't on medication for it. His creative output, despite that, is astounding.

I would have enjoyed more about Strouse's creative process, his aesthetic tastes, his opinions of the work of his contemporaries, and so on. The personal details are interesting, but after all, it is their work that fascinates us about these geniuses.

A fascinating autobiography of a genuinely 'nice' gentleman. Too often Strouse is left out in the panoply of great Broadway composers. As a (former) HS musical director, I conducted Annie, with with my staff on Birdie and the quality of the scores is beyond reproach. I remember the original Applause on Broadway; it's still one of my favorite scores. I enjoyed the 'backstage' chit-chat between producers, directors, and choreographers. It would have been wonderful to be a fly on the wall. My only disappointment is that I wanted to know how Lee Adams felt when Charles began collaborating with other lyricists. Highly recommended and a fast read!

What sets this autobiography of the great Broadway composer Charles Strouse apart from other "and then I wrote" memoirs, is that although Mr. Strouse gives plenty of fascinating info on the what, who and where of his career, his main focus is on how it felt to create those shows, work with those people, and live that life. So the reader is drawn in and effortlessly identifies with him, coming away with the experience of a life lived in musical theatre. The only curious element is that, although his portraits of famous collaborators like Arthur Laurents, Alan Jay Lerner and Sammy Davis, Jr. are quite vivid, we are left with only a shadowy outline of Lee Adams, who wrote the lyrics to many of his most famous shows, such as "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Applause."

A truly enjoyable and quick read. Many insights are offered into the world of Broadway musicals. Strouse reveals several things about himself that are very interesting. Some Broadway writers,producers, etc. really come off as horse's a---s. Like the bit where he ways he has made more money than he can spend. Was sorry that it wasn't longer!

A must-read for all fans of musical theatre, this heart-warming candid and funny autobiography provides a fascinating look into the world of showbusiness. Charles Strouse writes candidly about his ups-and-downs in showbusiness, the nagging insecurities that have followed him throughout his career and of course provides juicy tidbits about Teresa Stratas, Arthur Laurents, Leondard Bernstein and more.

This is a fun, yet provacative read. I recommend that anyone interested in music read this book, "The Quotable Musician: From Bach to Tupac". She covers the entire genre of music.

For those of you who love music and want more insight into
the lives of artist, this is the book for you ! Knowing what
certain individuals said in public and in private situations
is quite revealing !

Ms. Anderson has compiled the best book of quotes that I have ever read. I hope that there'll be more to come.

What musicians say when they're not playing their instruments or singing their songs is shrewd, surprising, and provocative, and "The Quotable Musician" gives it to us straight up. Brava to Sheila E. Anderson for listening and for orchestrating this composition of musical wit and wisdom for us all to enjoy. Encore! Encore!

Sheila Anderson's QUOTABLE MUSICIAN offers quotes and vignettes from a range of musical genres, from rock to classical to hip hop music. More than a thousand quotes are accompanied by explanations of their origins, making for a title which goes beyond a quote bible to explore the insights into musicians and the music industry reflected in each saying.