Music Books

In this book Erdman strings together a series of meditations on the process of preaching, including philosophical and theological reflections, practical thoughts on preparing to preach, the art of preaching, and prayerful reflection on Scripture. I like the variety of expression this book has. Instead of being a string of "how-to" tips and tricks (though there are some in it), it avoids that kind of simplicity by broadening its scope to questions about why and how we prepare and preach in the real world.

On one level I am torn about how to rate this book. From time to time the things Erdman writes are insightful, helpful, and outright wonderful to read. His encouragement for pastors to be pastors and keep their own souls and congregations rooted in the Word of God is a sorely needed corrective for the self-help pop-psychology that passes for most preaching today. There are several chapters I will keep with me for future encouragement, and several have already influenced my own preparation (to its benefit).

On the other hand, there are ways in which the meditations don't deliver the kind of direction and insight they could have. I don't think it helps pastors very much to be encouraged to not take moral stances when clear moral issues rise to the surface of culture and church. I agree that one of the more important jobs of a pastor is to listen and listen and listen (pg. 103), but another job pastors have is to speak clarity into cultural confusion where it can be spoken. Then there are moments that seem more to be a result of a fairly tinted political view of the world rather than a biblical reflection on things. At times even prophets like Jeremiah seem to be snatched out of context to support a hesitancy to proclaim God's Word into a broken and rebellious world.

As I read I wavered between genuinely appreciating Erdman's insights and writing style, and being irritated. Sometimes irritation is good for the soul as it exposes our own shortsightedness, but I am not sure that's the kind of irritation I felt. Overall, however, I am glad this book is on my shelf.

This is a book that all who call themselves preachers should read. It confirms those things which we know to be true about preaching and at the same time challenges the task of sermon writing. It reminds the reader of what the task of preaching is, which is bringing the Word of God to God's people, not God's people bringing a Word to God. As Erdman writes, it is more than a how to book on preaching. It offers the reader a new way of looking at the Word and how it frames our lives. As one who dares to preach and teach regularly it reminds me of the true frame of all that ministers are called to do and that is scripture. This manuscript is a challenge and a joy all wrapped into one.

"The best way to be a really good preacher is by not trying to be good at all."

"Go ahead, preach as badly as you can. You can't do it."

If I could just keep those two great bits of advice in healthy tension, I'll be a much better preacher this Sunday.

Knowing Chris Erdman and his giftedness, I was prepared for a great read on the "countdown to Sunday." Not only was I not disappointed, but I feel I am somehow far more prepared for the rest of my Sundays; and far more prepped to engage life and God in a number of ways. Yes, it is officially a practical book about preaching (but far from a cheesy formula or bad sermon itself), but unlike any book in this genre since Dennis Kinlaw's "Preaching in the Spirit," it is far more....it is spiritual formation woven into the stuff of daily life and world events; with a special focus on sermon preparation and preacher preparation.

Of course anyone who grasps the implications of:

1)our living "in modernity's last gasp"
2) U2's "inhabiting" their songs as an encouragement for us to inhabit the text
3) working your week so one can actually spend time with loved ones and sleep well on Saturday, and actually worship with, and enter sabbath with, the congregation
4)"our fear of each other... is at bottom, fear of death"

is a genius in my book!

The book is a model for how to work your week as the sermon grows. Interspersed among the daily guidelines are powerful prayers and fantastic theological and cultural insights. Erdman's eminently helpful suggestions and his engaging conversational tone dovetail with his loaded prophetic statements about (for example) the subtle insidiousness of extreme nationalism. He must be wrestled with.

His four page chapter on hospital visitation shines. I don't dare give it away, but I dare say it changed almost everything about the hospital visit I made today. And probably my sermon this Sunday.

And coming to view funerals as "dissent from death", as well as coming to terms with the fact that "Death would love to help us write our (funeral) sermons" refill me with the hope and life of the gospel.

I particularly enjoy that many of the author's suggestions I have stumbled onto over the years; and several of his ideas I can now incorporate and test-drive. But how I wish I had this book, and Chris Erdman as my preaching professor, twenty years ago.

But if I could eventually say with him that"I nearly always come out of my Fridays with a much clearer sense of what the Word wants to do among us come Sunday," it's not too late.

And I am already drawing from it as I teach preachers in our network.
Maybe I'll eventually practice most of it, and not just preach it.
Let the countdown begin.

This is a great pastoral tool designed to help a pastor preach more faithfully and realistically. The author encourages the reader to preach their own sermons using their own life experiences, not the experiences or words of others.
The book is broken down into daily "spiritual formations" which help the minister focus on the sermon at hand that they will be preaching on Sunday and live the principles in that sermon.
Countdown to Sunday helps the preacher to peel off the mask they often feel forced to wear and to and be themselves. His best advice? You have to be real. It's only then you can be useful to God.

This is a good book for every new pastor to read. It should be required reading.

Mr. Erdman is a preacher. He gives a simple outline on how to prepare sermons through the week. The book was strong in slowing down the preaching preparation. I tend to develop a sermon in one day. Maybe this is done because I preach twice and teach twice, where Erdman seems to develop one sermon a week. His book also gives a lot of grace to the minister as he encourages us to try to fail. He implores to allow the Biblical text to be the highlight of the sermon and not the illustration. He makes a good point in stating that we are too concerned about making the great sermon or making the top delivery of the material. Instead we must focus on allowing the text to mold us. The book is good as a counteraction to the success mindset in the church. It is not the best book on preaching, it is more of a book on some of the poor practices within the Christian world when it comes to preaching. If you are looking for a book to help you develop sermons, this is not the book for you. If you are a perfections when it comes to sermons, this is the book for you.

Hi,
I'm happy with the book, fast shipping to my home.

First, 2 pages about how to hold your pick in your hands. Than: work on scale exercises!

It's well written, but it's still up to you: lots of practice!
Some things are less explained, but it's for the advanced player, you have to know already some basics about what scales are, how they are formed. In fact you don't need it, but it's nice to know it beforehand.
But maybe there are things explained in Creative Guitar 1 (wich i don't have), but you can follow without that book if you already can play.

I'm still at the first chapter and playing slowly, but I'm looking forward to work it out. Finally good exercises for stretching fingers and playing scales. I'm looking forward for the sweep picking and tapping exercises.

Extensive picking exercises really get your fingers doing the stuff that's tough to do. Lot's of insight from the master. Really a large number of variations on each topic so there is bound to be something that will highlight a weakness of yours. Then it's up to you to spend the time practicing them. The CD is great for improving over as well. A steal when you consider what lessons covering this material would cost.

I have been a great fan of Guthrie Govan (the author of this book) since I read his articles in the pages of Guitar Techniques magazine (also a great resource):)
I really liked the way the author summarized and verbalized the techniques that are involved in playing. For me, it was a great way to explain how each technique should look like and feel like which for this part, I believe is the sign of a good teaching technique.
This book is great for people who have played for a while and think are pretty familiar with the majority of concepts the instrument has to offer and Guthrie here throws a monkey wrench into the system. As guitarists we realize that the comibations and scale patterns are virtually endless but he offers combinations and ideas that sound melodious and musical.
I particularly liked the sections on picking (a great simple explanation of a big topic), the immitation of other instruments on the guitar (now I don't need that mandolin) and the two handed techniques deserve hours and hours of expirementation.
If you have been playing for several years and if you feel like you in a bit of a rut this one is for you.

This guitar book is great for people who kind of know a good amount about the guitar. It has many helpful tips and it contains a lot of good examples to practice.

Tear their faces off with blazing virtuousity is what you'll do when you master the techniques in this book! I have quite a few other technique books by Troy Stetina, Satriani, and Musicians Institute I believe. They are alright and have some decent and some useful information in them but have not made the impact on my guitar playing I was hoping.

Particularly useful in this book is that exercises and ideas are written in both standard notation and tablature. Sometimes its easier to see patterns in standard notation than it is in tab form; notation also helps a lot in learning the fretboard. I was worried this book would skimp on the technical side of playing and be geared more to standard scale exercises like other books I own. This is not the case. Two handed tapping, eight finger tapping even, legato picking, strange sequences similiar to those found on Vai's Passion and Warfare album, odd rhythm grouping patterns, double stops, and even how to make your guitar sound like a Hammond organ and other intruments are included.

This is a fantastic book geared to highly technical guitar playing. References to other great guitar albums are also sprinkled throughout to expand your listening library. I would highly recommend this book to anyone serious about mastering the guitar and wish I had it years ago myself. I've been playing for almost 15 years now.

Makiya is not a Zionist or a Neo-Con, so it's hard for the Manichean anti-Americans to demonize his evidence and arguments against the totalitarian-drooling status quo in the Middle East. In the first half off the book, he relays heart-breaking anecdotes about sons unable to kiss their dying mothers after a chemical attack, children raped in front of their parents, prisoners forced to drink gasoline and shot so that they would explode, children surviving mass grave shooting, all in that "noble" Arab Gov't known as Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

The second half of the book is a scathing indictment of the Edward Saids and Noam Chomskys of the world who rationalize the inhumanity all too prevalent in the Mid-East, specifically in Iraq, "Saddam was a victim, The U.S. is worse, Saddam's strong!" and all that junk. Because Makiya isn't a GOP Zionist, these criticisms are particularly strong and persuasive. The book is a much needed call on the part of Arabs and Muslims to adopt a Liberty-based morality instead of a relativistic, ethnic allegience based morality. A good book for all to read.

As an arab-american familiar with the brutal insanity of Saddam Hussein's regime, I've always been puzzled by the Arab talking heads who routinely criticize the U.S. for it's targetting of Iraq. Makiya's writing was instrumental in helping me understand this in somewhat deeper terms than simple anti-americanism, though his insightful and revealing writing has only heightened my frustration.

Regarding the current political climate: You can certainly question the U.S.'s motives, but if you find yourself struggling to find "smoking guns" vis-a-vis terrorism and WMDs to ethically support replacing Saddam's regime, look no further than this book.

Beautifully written; there are points at which you will literally be moved to tears.

Now that the American government is controlling Saddam's infamous Abu Ghraib/Ghurayb prison, the site of many atrocities like those described in Cruelty and Silence, we owe it to ourselves to study the crimes against humanity that were perpetrated there. Arguments about whether the old death chamber should be destroyed or maintained for future generations go without much notice in the United States, as do the reports of ongoing investigations to insure we follow legal guidelines in handling the prisoners we now hold at Abu Ghraib. We owe it to ourselves to operate this facility in a manner which testifies to our philosophy and way of life. And when we question ourselves, the cause in Iraq, the price we pay, the chances of success, we should understand the nature of the vicious regime which created the dysfunctional and factionalized Iraqi society we see today. Cruelty and Silence helps us develop a long-term perspective to the challenges ahead.

This is one of the best books I have read all year. Ten years old, it is still agonisingly relevant. In its bearing witness to human cruelty, human indifference but also human courage, it is as unflinching, as passionate and as magnificent as the works of Primo Levi. Beautifully written, meticulously observed, focussed on people, not abstractions, it is a book that haunts me and will continue to do so for a long time to come. If you have any doubts at all about the rightness of invading Iraq, read this book. There will be no doubts left, only a terrible regret that the ousting of the Saddam regime was not done long, long ago.

Makiya achieves two goals in this 1993 book: he details the "rising curve of cruetly" in Iraq under the rule of Saddam Husein and more broadly throughout the Arab world, and he castigates Arab intellectuals for their silence on this topic.

Even though it is 13 years old, this book is highly relevant today for people trying to understand the middle east. Makiya warns that "Sunni-Shi'i hatred is today [in 1993] the most virulent potential source of new violence," thus accurately predicting Iraq's current quandry. Iraq's Sunni minority will "fight to the bitter end before allowing anything that so much as smells of an Islamic reupblic to be established in Iraq. They see in such a state -- whether rightly or wrongly is irrelevant -- their own annihilation." I wonder if the Bush administration was aware of this viewpoint as it planned the invasion of Iraq.

The book tackles the topic of cruetly through several first-person accounts, including a survivor of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, an Iraqi arrested and interrogated by the secret police, and Kurdish witnesses to chemical attacks and mass deportations and shootings. The reader learns about the anarchy of the intifada, the brief and unsuccessful uprising against Saddam in the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, where rebels resorted to wanton vengence-killing, and the returning security forces were paid cash bonuses for killing Shi'i males. Based on documents captured by Kurdish fighters, Makiya analyzes the efforts of the Iraqi regime to eliminate the Kurdish independence movement as a threat to B'athist hegemony, an operation code-named "Al-Anfal," a reference from the Koran to parceling out the spoils of war, which appears to have involved the razing of thousands of villages, as well as the killing of 100,000 non-combatants. The author also touches on violence against women, a widespread problem in the mid-east, and apparently a tactic that the Iraqi regime institutionalized as a strategy for dishonoring entire families.

On their own, these stories are chilling, just like other historical accounts of terror and genocide. They are even more disturbing when one stops to consider the implications for peace and prosperity in the middle east today. Makiya notes that the "terrible force of memory...tends always to sow dragons' teeth in the shape of the children and survivors of the dead," and he warns that the legacy of Saddam Husain for Iraq may be a continuation of violence, terror, cruelty, and silence.

In the second part of the book, Makiya takes Arab intellectuals to task for their support of Saddam during the Gulf War and for their wilful ignoring of the violence and terror that characterized his regime and that are all too prevalent throughout the middle east. Ideologies based on cultural nationalism, which ignore the importance of human rights, are "morally bankrupt," in Makiya's view. I found his arguments persuasive, although to be fair I have not read the writings of those he criticizes.

writen as well as the music, in depth from early school days to 1989. beutiful pictures not just for a cure fan but for anyone wants to read about interesting people.

This book is the "definitive version" of the first ten years of the band we all know and love, The Cure. It takes us from Robert's early school days to the height of 1986, without leaving anyone behind. By far, the best biography to date, but another is in the works.

Ever since I became a Cure fan I had always wondered if Robert or any of the other band members had a biography, marking the major turning points of their musical careers.... And I guess that my question has been answered ever since I first heard about this crucial book. It lives up to what everyone has said about it, and I just got it yesterday from my friend Ben actually!(Thanks again! You're a sweetie!!)
What can I really say that hasn't been said already? It starts out in the late 70's, the original band members were in the middle of high school and already showing major signs of music excellence. Robert showed obvious signs of his intrest in music around his 10th grade year, and this book clearly highlights his journey to the top. I personally think it's quite intresting to read about their rise to fame and the obstacles they had to encounter along the way. I don't want to give out any spoilers so you all will just have to find out of yourselves the stories in here (oh yeah, there's a hilarious one that concerns Lol and Billy Idol... I almost fell over laughing!!)
This treasure is full of surprises and just about anything else you won't expect to hear. And, lets not forget the oh so needed eye candy!! It's practically exploding with tons of rare, great pictures... Color and black and white. The cute as hell baby pictures are a perfect ending. I especially love the color on the cover. Just because it says it's "paper-back" does not mean that it's not durable or good-looking. First time I saw it I thought it was a hard back because the front is glossy.
The pages are made out of nice quality paper and it's really thick, so you'll have hours to spend reading it. It's a fairly large book as well, I'd say around the size of a good-sized magazine (the width being roughly 8 1/2 in. and the length being 11 in.). This book is generally hard to come across(if not impossible), so I highly urge any Cure fan who is considering on buying this to second-guess no more.
You WILL NOT find any and I mean ANY other Cure book that will be more on the mark than this one. Take it from me and millions of Cure fans alike, this book will easily become one of your most valued possesions. Also, it's important to note that this is the only site on the 'net where I've seen this book for sale (new and used).
I've tried bidding before and no matter what, I was always outbidded by like, 12 other people so just save yourself some time and not to mention money and buy this now! I wish that I would've done that a long time ago. I promise you won't be disappointed in the least!

I have been a cure fan for as long as I remember and own several cure books, but I must say this is my very favorite, one of the most interesting I have ever read on this band."Ten Imaginary years" takes you on a journey from the very begining of the band (it even mentions how Smith and Tolhurst meet) and ends around the late 1980's when the cure play in Orange, France.
Members of the band talk about their experiences with being in the world of music,their musical inspirations, life on the road, bad managment,fights,bar hopping, drinking binges (hilarious!!!), making of their videos, family life and the very unusual characters and situations they have been in along the way.
This was one of my first cure books , so I absolutely recomend it to the new cure fan and for the old cure fan, its a must have. It has great pictures (including childhood pictures form all members!!), a discography at the end of the book and lots of information about the members I had no idea about. Most important of all this book is extremely humorous.This book is the real thing, it revelas all unapologetically. You will love it!!!!!

This book is not just a The Cure fan's book, it just a great book. In depth from cover to cover with every thing from school times to kiss me kiss me kiss me. In a few words: Lovable, interesting, and just wonderful.

The focus of this book is the automobile crash that ended the life of actor James Dean. Dean only ever made three movies but those three had a huge impact on folks of that period.

In any case, the details given here will present you with a clearly defined account of why and how this youth noir-icon died.

He was on his way to a race, in a racecar, when a young man pulled out from an intersecting highway. So, the question arises, 'Was Dean's speed the cause of the spectacular crash or, was it carelessness on the young man's part who possibly failed to yield the right-of-way?' (HINT: Dean was just issued a speeding ticket about an hour or so before the crash!)

This book has plenty of nice illustrations and I found it a real page-turner of a mini-biography.

We invite you to learn more about James Dean and other Warren Beath titles at http://jamesdeanindeath.com/

I first read this book almost 15 years ago and lost the original paperback whilst at college.But I can still recall the creepy passages of Beath's descripton of Dean's death and Beath's veiled admission of his own descent into madness and obsession-the young man that Beath describes throughout the book IS the author himself because if you read his bibliography at the front,he lists NOTES ON DYING which is the thesis the character writes in the book.Bits that stick out are the Japanese business-man buying the hulk of the tow-truck that carried away the crumpled porshe after the crash and the author stealing a high-way cornice and storing it in his room,only to find it infested with hornets and flies.Quite superb.

I read this book when it first was published, so I am obviously not in the best position to critique it at least a couple years later. However, when it comes to James Dean I am an admitted addict and have read almost everything that has been published about him over the past 30 years. What makes this book a standout is that it concentrates on Dean's death as opposed to his life. It provides very detailed information re: his last ride and how his death and the subsequent hoopla surrounding it was handled. It also provides quite a lot of previously unpublished material in regard to the period immediately before and after his death. The author has saved us all a lot of pain and irritation by researching this material in a factual and precise manner.
What makes this book a positive departure from the other Dean book is that there is no psychological stuff about Dean's tortured youth or attempts to affix a death wish to him, just a lot of good hard facts. Joe Friday couldn't do a better job in that area.
The best part of this book? It sticks to the truth and makes for an interesting read.

Beath makes the death of James Dean a very personal experience for the reader. This is not a book one reads and forgets - the reader has participated in the author's passionate search for the substance behind the tragedy and the reader is changed. I'm ready for more from this author.

Appeared in Sing Out! the Folk Music Magazine, June, 2003 by Rich Warren
Scott Alarik is arguably the finest contemporary journalist covering the folk community. Alarik begins with a succinct, well-reasoned definition of folk in his introduction and moves on. (He considers the word 'folk' to include the contemporary aspect of the music, and prefers using 'traditional' or 'traditional folk music' when describing the older music.) For this book, Alarik has collected more than 300 columns primarily written for the Boston Globe (along with a few written for these pages) over more than a decade; from Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer in September 1991 to The Mammals in August 2002. As a performer himself, Scott brings considerable knowledge to the table, knowing what questions to ask and how to approach his subjects. You'll find conversations with Dar Williams, Pete Seeger, Gordon Bok, Hankus Netsky of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, a good number of Irish artists and even Patricia Monteith, station manager at WUMB. However, unlike some others writing about the community, Scott is objective without an axe to grind or a chip on his shoulder. He handles the descriptive prose and invites the artists to do the talking. While Scott removed dated references, the book does read like a collection of columns, often ending abruptly. As a newspaper writer myself, I know the brick wall of column length limitations. Many times I wished the short pieces were longer with a more graceful flow. One very distracting newspaper style element is putting one quote in each piece in large type, about 10-points larger than the body text. Obviously, the book is Boston oriented, but that should not lessen enjoyment for readers in Omaha or Sacramento. Sadly for researchers, the book is not indexed. The sub-title, Adventures in the Modern Folk Underground, captures the essence of this book. It is rich with nuggets of intelligence and insight. Scott gives us the stories behind the songs, the singers and the music. He covers a multitude of subjects, with many artists turning up in more than one chapter. Even if you never read a word, the scores of Robert Corwin's black and white photos are worth the price of admission. Corwin's lens brings to light whatever soul Alarik might miss with words. While some interest in the folk community is likely a prerequisite to an interest in this book, others would do well to understand that, in a broader sense, the folk community is a microcosm of the larger music community. There's a lot to learn here. If someone approached me wanting to know more about this music that I love so dearly, I would buy that friend a copy of Deep Community.

Author, songwriter, and folksinger Scott Alarik is fully qualified to document the current U.S. Folk Scene. His new book, Deep Community: Adventures in the Modern Folk Underground (2003), is comprised of articles he has written between 1990 and 2002 for the Boston Globe newspaper and Sing Out! The Folk Music Magazine. Black & white photographs by the noted music photographer, Robert Corwin, add immediacy and drama. Published by Ellis Paul manager Ralph Jaccodine's Black Wolf Press, Deep Community is comprehensive in scope, detailed in its appraisal, and accurately researched. There are illuminating interviews and articles here about older generation performers, musicians of every stripe, from traditional to pop, including Celtic, Klezmer, bluegrass, old timey, new acoustic, cowboy, blues, and songwriters, some Music Industry acts as well as grass roots & DYI performers, the New England dance community, managers, agents, record producers & labels, coffeehouses & commercial venues, festivals, concert promoters, folk radio, folk arts & educational organizations, and, of course, today's hottest young stars, all presented up-close & personal. Mr. Alarik writes from a valuable three-pronged perspective: his Boston Globe pieces are tailored for broad readership, his Sing Out! articles for a targeted folk music audience, and all are informed by his many years as a professional folk performer. Throughout the book, his extensive knowledge of folk music, its values, and its value to the culture is obvious. Mr. Alarik writes with insight, humor, curiosity, and profound respect for his subject. This is a fascinating, intelligent, and imminently readable book presenting ideas & perspectives that resonate far beyond the boundaries of the folk world. My only complaint is the lack of an index.

Appeared in Sing Out! the Folk Music Magazine, June, 2003 by Rich Warren
Scott Alarik is arguably the finest contemporary journalist covering the folk community. Alarik begins with a succinct, well-reasoned definition of folk in his introduction and moves on. (He considers the word 'folk' to include the contemporary aspect of the music, and prefers using 'traditional' or 'traditional folk music' when describing the older music.) For this book, Alarik has collected more than 300 columns primarily written for the Boston Globe (along with a few written for these pages) over more than a decade; from Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer in September 1991 to The Mammals in August 2002. As a performer himself, Scott brings considerable knowledge to the table, knowing what questions to ask and how to approach his subjects. You'll find conversations with Dar Williams, Pete Seeger, Gordon Bok, Hankus Netsky of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, a good number of Irish artists and even Patricia Monteith, station manager at WUMB. However, unlike some others writing about the community, Scott is objective without an axe to grind or a chip on his shoulder. He handles the descriptive prose and invites the artists to do the talking. While Scott removed dated references, the book does read like a collection of columns, often ending abruptly. As a newspaper writer myself, I know the brick wall of column length limitations. Many times I wished the short pieces were longer with a more graceful flow. One very distracting newspaper style element is putting one quote in each piece in large type, about 10-points larger than the body text. Obviously, the book is Boston oriented, but that should not lessen enjoyment for readers in Omaha or Sacramento. Sadly for researchers, the book is not indexed. The sub-title, Adventures in the Modern Folk Underground, captures the essence of this book. It is rich with nuggets of intelligence and insight. Scott gives us the stories behind the songs, the singers and the music. He covers a multitude of subjects, with many artists turning up in more than one chapter. Even if you never read a word, the scores of Robert Corwin's black and white photos are worth the price of admission. Corwin's lens brings to light whatever soul Alarik might miss with words. While some interest in the folk community is likely a prerequisite to an interest in this book, others would do well to understand that, in a broader sense, the folk community is a microcosm of the larger music community. There's a lot to learn here. If someone approached me wanting to know more about this music that I love so dearly, I would buy that friend a copy of Deep Community.

Library Journal
Alarik, folk writer for the Boston Globe and music critic for National Public Radio's Here and Now program, has compiled nearly 125 of his brief articles to capture the spirit and substance of folk music at the turn of the 20th century. Initially published in Sing Out!, the Boston Globe, and Folk Music Magazine, these sketches portray a wide range of folkies, including the well known (e.g., Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, and Emmylou Harris), the seasoned veterans (e.g., Utah Phillips and Ronnie Gilbert), the up-and-comers (e.g., Bill Morrissey, Dar Williams, Greg Brown, and Chris Smither), the relatively obscure (e.g., Jerry O'Sullivan, Natalie MacMaster, and Aine Minogue), and important folk entrepreneurs (e.g., Chris Strachwitz and Ralph Jaccodine). Though focusing on singer-songwriters and the sounds of his home base of Boston, the author defines the folk genre to cover a broad expanse of musical styles, including Celtic music, bluegrass, country dance, acoustic blues, the women's music movement, and the Latin revival. He emphasizes such themes as the crippling effects of the fickle music business, the potential of the Internet for folk, the importance of tradition, the definition of folk music, gender in folk, and the sense of community engendered by folk artists. Fascinating, informative, well written, and enhanced by Corwin's photos, this book offers an essential primer to the continuing folk revival that first blossomed during the 1980s. Highly recommended to anyone remotely interested in American music, folk, and the music industry.-Dave Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

CORRECTED REVEIW:

DEEP COMMUNITY by Scott Alarik
July 15, 2003

Reviewer: Susan E. Naiman-Pascar (see more about me) from Lynn, MA United States
"Deep Community," authored by Scott Alarik, is an incredibly insightful, exquisitely written and well put-together book, a patchwork quilt woven of stories and reviews about the modern folk genre and the music that comes out of a music community segregated (Thank goodness!) from the mainstream of the pop music culture. It has always been so, and as most mainstream music trends have been born and died, folkmusic stays ever-bouyant and followed by its loyal fans. It has evolved to include ancient, traditional, topical, blues, and merging new styles of music such as "Afro-Celtic." "Deep Community" is a DEEP examination and look inside the hearts and minds of the artists, songwriters, singers and musicians who create this music and perform it.
I have been a "folkie" since I attended my first Newport Folk Festival in the summer of 1963, entered art school in Boston that same September and Harvard Square became my "hangout." I became a member of Club 47 on Palmer Street just outside the Square and was a regular attendee every Friday and Saturday night until the club closed its doors in October of 1968. The club opened again a few years later, has changed hands several times and is presently a strong and ongoing folk establishment now known as Club Passim.
Once again I am proud to be a member and recently attended a book release and music night the club hosted for Scott's book. Present were Ellis Paul, Vance Gilbert, Robbie O'Connell, Catie Curtis, Aoife O'Donovan and Aine Minogue. To start off the evening, and between the two sets by all of the performers, Scott read exerpts about each one from his book. It has to be one of the best evenings of folkmusic I've ever attended.
Like that evening, "Deep Community" is a collection of reviews I've been reading for many years from Scott's career as Boston Globe's folk critic. The artists run the genres from Pete Seeger, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Bill Morrissey, Joan Baez and Utah Phillips to newer and younger artists such as Ellis Paul, Vance Gilbert, Dar Williams, John Gorka, Eddie from Ohio, Christine Lavin, Richard Shindell, Patty Larkin, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, just to name a few.
Aside from Scott's individual, truthful, creative and unrepetitious reviews, the artists' thoughts and feelings about their reasons for being folk performers, their love of the music, and their dedication to preserving and keeping folkmusic alive are interspersed throughout the book. The book is written from Scott's own experience as a folk performer and his perspective as a gifted writer. I don't want to say too many specifics or make too many references because I want you to buy the book, read it for yourself, and see why it should be an important and integral part of your folk library.
Along with Paul Stookey's and Geoff Bartley's reviews, and artists I've personally had the good fortune with whom to discuss Scott's book, I feel there isn't enough to be said about what a folk masterpiece and fitting tribute "Deep Community" is to a medium I hold passionately to my heart and to the man who wrote it. Thank you, Scott!!!

PS.....By the way, Scott is also a talented and diversified singer/songwriter and musician in his own right. If you have a chance and he's playing in your area, be sure to catch his show. Though he often performs on his own, he also has a wonderful and unselfish habit of doing shows that showcase and expose to us folk fans several new and gifted performers on stage within one evening's entertainment.

Townes Van Zandt was a cult musician with a lot of demons like mental illness and alcoholism and drug abuse. It's all catalogued here for those who care. He left a lot of recordings, but never quite achieved the kind of fame he may have deserved. I'm not sure how thoroughly this book was researched, because I know of at least one manager of Van Zandt's who is not even mentioned. Still, it's unlikely that anything better will be done for a long time.

Hardy has written a meticulous and incisive book on TVZ that is sure to please TVZ fans. I have not read John Kruth's bio on TVZ so I cannot compare the two. Nevertheless, I was quite pleased with the ethos of this bio and am sure other TVZ fans will appreciate it in kind. Despite Hardy's obvious awe of Townes, "A Deeper Blue" does not come off unctuous. It never approaches hagiography, and comes fairly close to being quite objective. Moreover, the narrative methodically unravels, yet is consistently interesting. It is well-written and overall, offers a thorough and compelling portrait of TVZ. I'm glad I bought it.

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.

This is an excellent biography. Townes' story is assuredly a sad one but he left a legacy of unparalleled songs. I actually put off finishing the book for almost a month just because I didn't want to read the end...I already knew what happened but it didn't make reading a detailed account of his last days any easier.

I've also read the other biography out there, To Live's To Fly, and there's simply no comparison. TLTF was largely anecdotal and the author broke a key rule of biography writing by attempting to project his own importance into the story; Hardy has simply done an exhaustive amount of research and cites all of his sources. He presents the story and then steps aside, so this is the one to go with if you want a more factual recounting of Townes' life. 100% worth the price and read if you're a fan, and if you aren't it just might convert you.

I have read the 5 star reviews listed here and agree with them. I want to add however, that what makes this book even more special is to see the picture of the author. He is a white guy in his 60's who has simply adored Diana Ross for over 45 years. It is the vignettes he tells about his Ross sightings and meetings that add depth and warmth to this book. He also tells the reader "everything you wanted to know but didn't realize would interest you" which separates this from all other biographies on Diana Ross (for example, the films Diana was going to star in but the projects never happened.) I have read J Randy Taraborelli's 2007 biograhy Diana Ross Diana Ross: A Biography and actually suggest it be read PRIOR to Diana's Dogs, because it provides more detail in a chronological order about Diana's amazing life and career. Diana's Dogs is like finding a pearl in an oyster for a Ross fan, though. The one criticism I have is simply the title--I love the cover artwork, but I would have chose a different name, perhaps DIVA--the definition of Diana Ross. And as I stated prior, the author's personal stories were so essential that I could have read more of those as well. As a big fan, I completely identified with him, and am so grateful that he wrote and published this treasure of a book!

What I most enjoyed was the tone or attitude the author established about Diana Ross and her musical history. Maybe I mean "attitude." I'm very much interested in the cult of celebrity and how it plays out in the media, so this book seemed a natural to acquire. I'm not a big fan of Ross, but I am intrigued by "Motown" and its importance. Most of all, the author seems to relish the offbeat observation, the humorous aside, and more importantly, the jaundiced, slightly tempered satirical focus. Done lovingly (I assume), the author explores the evolution of the word "diva" as epitomized in the career of Supreme Diana Ross--an exploration that takes him into a variety of places, some not so laudatory, to be sure. Nevertheless, what he has managed to do is to encapsulate something of the shifting, evolving currents of contemporary pop media, as evidenced by the rise of black crossover music, best exampled by Diana Ross and her early days as a Supreme and later as a solo performer.

What I really enjoyed were the throwaway asides, the glib observations, the shoot-off-the-hip comments. Somehow, as the book moved along, I felt I was reading not only a personal commentary on the author's favorite singer but, as well, a sardonic, bemused speculation on the bizarre contemporary culture we now live in.

To tell you the truth, this book was captivating.

This is the most realistic book on Diana Ross I have read to date. So much about this woman that is written is either slanted too far against her or in favor of her. This book is balanced and explores Diana Ross in both positive and negative ways.

I agreed wholeheartedly with the author when he critiqued the Return to Love Tour where Diana Ross partnered with two former Supremes with whom she had never performed with in the past. It was a poor choice for her career and that certainly showed the years that followed. She should have either made the real reunion happen and do all she could to get Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong on that tour or not do it at all.

Still I have to say I went because I am a diehard fan! And it was great!

Even so, I love this DIVA and have since the day I heard her on the radio and watched her perform. I appreciated the author talking about how embarrassed he was to admit he was a fan of Diana Ross. I have felt that way throughout my life thinking that people would see my celebrity worship as less than and inferior to others who worship sport celebrities or classic writers or even the Beatles or the Stones.

I no longer feel this way. I am a proud fan of Diana Ross and the Supremes.

Thank you for this realistic view of this wonderful woman!

I have always been able to see the good side of this star and her "dark" side which we all have.

I was given a copy of this book by a fan who bought it, read it over night, disliked it, and said it was too negative. He knows of my love for Diana's music, so he thought I'd join him in not liking it. To the contrary, I think he misread the book's intent. Yes, there's a lot of dark stuff about the great diva, but that's what makes a diva, no? The great divas of history are bigger-than-life, impetuous, over-the-top, furious, willful, wonderful. What's also there is a lot of the great, wonderful, compelling stuff--Diana as the singular singer of our time.

But what makes me write these comments is the fact hat the book seems to be to tell a large, comprehensive story. There is so much ground covered here, there is so much information packed into the smallish chapters. It's a comprehensive look at the singer. I learned stuff I've never known before, and I've read all the bios and the magazine articles (I own them all!). I've been a fan for over 30 years, and thought I know what needed to be known about her. But the author seems to pull gossip and facts and observation together into a seamless package that somehow tells me some things I didn't know. And that takes some doing.

Oh yeah: there are no pictures inside, like in the biographies. That's why my friend handed it over (aside for the belief that it's a negative screed intended to smear the reputation of the untouchable lady). No pictures. Just commentary. Lots of it. A thousand words are sometimes better than one picture. Believe me.

A new book on Diana Ross, the Supremes, and Motown. And, frankly, a book totally different from what's been published before.

What caught my attention were the later chapters of the book--the ones dealing with aspects of Diana Ross's careers I'd never considered. Long a fan, if not a constant one, I nevertheless had read the Taraborrelli and Wilson tomes, and so I knew the story of the Supremes and of Ross herself. I admit that their viewpoints may have colored my way of looking at her, taking something away from my appreciation of her music. But this book makes me look at her in a new light. This is because of the chapters in the "Act 3" part of the book. Ifkovic has these fascinating chapters on the way the tabloid headlines depict her, how reviewers employ poetic similes to describe her, and, even more bizarre, the titles of movies she never made--but was "supposed" to make. What was "not" filmed tells us about her career. There's even a chapter on the academic papers delivered around the globe at various esoteric conferences. As well, there is material on the use of Diana (or the Supremes) as inspiration for writers, from Stephen King to Ann Beattie. I can't think of another such book on a celebrity--and I've read a bunch on celebs from British punk rockers to Hollywood luminaries-that tackles such offbeat and utterly unexpected topics.

A good read, this slight book. I also appreciate his plays on language, his delight in the pun, and his cynical disregard of the proprieties of good taste in his depictions of such Motown stalwarts as Mary Wilson. This book won't make some people happy, but its story needs to be out there.

I like the book I recemend it to anyone who is a mama and papas fan

This book was very good, but it was sad to find out how really pathetic these talented people were. John Philips was the worst of the group, what a egotistical and controlling as*hole! I was totally blown away by the actions of this famous group! I understand that this was the 60's , but not everyone was doing drugs and laying around stone out of their minds. Cass Elliott brags that she dropped acid 5 times during her pregnancy and her daughter turned out perfectly normal! She was considered a "good" mother by her friends?!! (I have to wonder what her daughter really thinks about that.) To me, being very talented is not an excuse for being irresponsible. I'm glad I read this book, It was a real eye-opener about who the Mama's and the Papa's really were.If you Love this group you HAVE to read this.

For me, a good celebrity biography has several qualities: it makes me feel I know the person better, it feels credibly researched, and it makes me glad I am NOT that person.

This is a simply wonderful biography of a great, flawed, unfortunate, amazingly talented person.

My mom went to Forest Park High School in Baltimore. Cass Elliot went there also. There is a picture of her in my mom's yearbook, 1959....Who knew? Love you Cass, always have, always will!!!

David Crosby offered the author $100 if during her research she came across anyone who disliked Cass.Needless to say,she did not collect any reward.

Her reward is knowing she has done a worthy job in presenting the essence of Cass Elliot for readers touched by the singer's amazing talent and personality.

A must-read for anyone remotely interested in Cass,The Mamas and Papas and the West Coast music scene of the mid to late 60's

EXCELENTE Transcripcion
La verdad, Para mi ESTE es el Mejor Album de Dream Theater
y tenerlo en libro es lo mejor que he tenido

Se los recomiendo mucho, esta muy completo no le falta nada
Solo practicar y practicar hasta que salga la Magia :D

MaRtYn
MTY-MEX

This book is simply what it says it is. It's note for note. I often sit down and read the book while listening to this work of art. The information found in this book is awesome...take from it the licks and chord harmonies and help shape your own playing. If you want to know how to play these songs, buy this book. Its simple.

this book is correct note by note. The fact that Petrucci edited it makes it even more amazing.

Where I really learn from Dream Theater is when I read this score while the CD is playing. Because, after all, this book really is a very thorough score for the album, allowing you to watch at least two of the parts in action (guitar and voice), plus the occasional piano part written out. Since I play both piano and guitar, and sing, it's like having a partial orchestration provided for my education. And I do learn from this music. You will, too, and that can only help your own technical ability. Of course, you really need to know how to read music (and quickly, in some sections) to read the book while the CD is playing. As Petrucci says in another book, regular practice is the greatest boost to proficiency - so if you get this book, read thru it with the studio recording, and practice regularly, you will learn how to play this music. Maybe not as well, maybe not as spontaneously, but there are so many techniques here you'll gain a solid foundation for rock playing and writing. Not a bad return on your $25 investment, as long as you're willing to put in the time, too.

Not every page is going to surprise you, because there's a lot of repetition in DT's music and usually with enough subtle variation that few shortcuts can be taken and still remain faithful to the original songs. You'll see that here. You'll also see plenty of "Riffs" and "Rhythm Figures", too. Again, the trick is to see how they constructed their songs and appreciate both the repetition and the changes.

You will learn from this book, which is an excellent transcription of the guitar and voice parts, and I think you'll enjoy it every step of the way. 5 stars simply because this is such a great resource for any guitarist's education -- and it's such great music, too.

This book is excelent. A must for all guitar players.