Arts and Entertainment Books

I have a feeling this book will continue to draw acclaim as the months and years go by, for it must be the standard biography for some time to come. Drawing on a wealth of material from the artist's family, Janis Londraville and Richard Londraville have managed to animate a long forgotten story, and it has made me completely interested in Paul Swan's works in all their guises. It's hard to imagine today the ease with which Paul Swan seems to have said to himself, "Well, painting is only making me this famous, I think I'll add another string to my bow and become an interpretative dancer"? How often does that happen, and how often does any arrist excel in both wildly competitive fields?

Janis Londraville and Richard Londraville hint that Swan's good looks helped him along here and there. With so many photos of him spread throughout the book, a concordance of beauty begins to take shape in the reader's mind. Is he the "most beautiful man in the world" as his press agents claimed? It's a type of good looks you don't see very much today, or if you do, you see them in leading men who are just average looking--say, the Bill Pullman look. (Take a gander at the book jacket photo.) But Swan knew how to work his look, and he studied the Egyptian arts of presentation, so that his dances resembled early versions of Madonna's "Vogue" movements, with hand manipulations framing the face, the body, the long legs and the cinched in waist. He could have been a contender in the movies, but alas, he let the camera come close a little too late (he was already 40 when he played a herald in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (first version) by Cecil B. DeMille. In fact his age was always getting in his way, like a clumsy, ardent teenage boy stumbling over his erection. In old age he was still performing his "Grecian" and "classic" dances in which, apparently, he would dance off his seven veils and at the end reveal the original naked body Isadora Duncan had fondled way back in the day. In his prime, when he went to Greece, Greek newspapers claimed that their statuary had come to life and was walking in American clothes! "See him and then see our marbles! Is he not the Hermes of Praxiteles come to life again? Or is he Antinous?"

He was sort of a dramatic Paul Lynde sort of queen except without a sense of humor, and not much of a dad to his two long suffering daughters. The authors luckily had his unpublished memoirs to draw on, and they are adept in art criticism to a scary extent, coming close to persuading me that Paul Swan's painting is necessary, like Thomas Hart Benton or Jackson Pollock. At any rate he is an American Rousseau, for good or bad, and I would love a companion volume with full color plates of all his surviving work, And what a shame that the authors worked hard interviewing nearly every available witness who knew the old man, and in a touching vignette they report that one, the actress Lisan Kaye, who posed as the Empress Theodora in 1944 for Swan, can't remember him at all, trapped as she is in her Alzheimer's disease. Something very Swanlike about that inability.

Do the authors cheat in subtitling their book "from Wilde to Warhol," considering that Swan actually never did meet Oscar Wilde? Yes, a little, I think, but it suits the carnival barker aspect of their subject, for whom no publicity was bad publicity.

I have had the privilege of working with Janis and Richard Londraville as an intern, and as a gift for assisting them with the exhibition of Paul Swan's works that Janis is curating at the SUNY Potsdam campus, I recieved an autographed copy of their book. I simply couldn't put it down! The authors did an amazing job of telling the story of Paul Swan, and after I'd finished the book, I felt as if I'd known the artist for years. This is a wonderful, amazing book and I'm glad I got the opportunity to work with the authors on an exhibit of Paul Swan's works. Everyone should read this book!

When I read the review in the Hollywood Reporter, I figured the book was worth a look. Indeed, it was. I can't say it better than HR: The book should have screen actors guild members "turning pages with one hand and dialing their agents with the other." This is a visual book, filled with images. There is a lot of power is this crazy artist's life. --Another artist.

If this were fiction, it would almost be unbelievable. As a biography, it's simply fascinating to read what he did, who he knew, and how he survived during that time in history. An excellent exploration of art, sexuality, personality. You will burn through it.

Whether you're thinking about a career in the music industry, curious about the mechanisms behind starting up a record label, or an artist that wants to cover the business side of being a successful performer, this is the book for you.

Christopher Knab's book, "Music Is Your Business: The Musician's ForeFront Strategy for Success", skillfully navigates the reader through the sometimes tumultuous terrain that independent musicians and record labels travel every day. Methodically comprised of what he calls the Four Fronts, namely Artist & Product Development, Promotion, Publicity and Performance, Chris pulls from a body of knowledge that spans from his thirty years in the music industry.

Terms are spelled out in an easy to read format, but with a technical tone for those that want to sharpen skills they already have. Whether you're a beginner or long time veteran, his book is loaded with useful and insightful information that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else. As someone whose starting his own label, this resource has been an invaluable source of inspiration and information. Simply put, this book rocks!

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to start treating their music career as a serious business.

There are a lot of solid books out there that bite off a piece of the music industry - promotion, getting gigs, publicity, website management - but this is the book you need to start with. In it you will find a detailed overview of every aspect of the music business in clear no-nonsense prose. Getting a sense of the big picture is crucial in order to be able to prioritize the work that needs doing.

Unlike many of the music books out there, the reader is treated as an adult, and there are no silver bullets offered. What you get instead is professional advice on all of the tools you need to develop a solid and professional business around music. This is not a book of generic answers, but a book that will help you make sure you are asking all of the right questions, with advice for how to find the answers specific to your career.

Whether it is the proper way to organize a bio, or how to submit your music to magazines, or how to set up house concerts and build a loyal following, there is a ton of great thinking in here.

As a working professional in the Music Industry, I feel this book is a "must" read for any artist or anyone representing an artist who wants to make the Music Industry their career. So many artists just want to play, and ignore the business aspects. As it's stated in the book, The Music Business is just that, a business!

Hands on experiences, with printed examples make this an easy to read and reference guide that you'll come back to time and time again. Before you know it, you'll be sharing this information with other artists.

If you don't read this book, or think you know it all, you are not serious about furthering your career, for it discusses the pitfalls of the industry and warns you how to not fall trap to them.

Take control of your career.. Do it now! Order this book!

Robin Fairbanks, Seattle

Chris Knab has made his career in all areas of the music business, from record store owner to radio DJ, starting a record label to managing an independent radio station, and music business educator and consultant.

Using what he calls the Four Front strategy to cover Artist and Product Development, Promotion, Publicity and Performance issues, Chris Knab shows independent musicians how to navigate the paths to sucess in the music business.

Let me break these down for you a little bit. In the Artist Development section, he lays out the knowledge and skills that musicians and bands need to reach their goals of getting their music out to an audience, and guides you through the many potential minefields that can hinder you from achieving success. In the Product Development section, he and entertainment lawyer Bartley Day detail the specifics of getting a record released, including CD production and both retail and internet distribution, as well as the many legal issues to be considered. In the Promotion section, he gives detailed information needed to get radio airplay for your songs. In the Publicity section, he shows the ways to get the word about your music out to the print, broadcast and internet media. Finally in the Performance section, he focuses on ways to find and build an audience of customers for your music.

The book is packed with useful information, but is also easy to read, and is a very good reference for any musician or band seeking a successful music career. The book won't do the work for you, but it will give you a detailed insider's view on what you need to do to make it in the music business.

In the airport recently, I picked up the Los Angeles Times and came across a review of this delightful book, which will appeal to movie buffs, history buffs or anyone whose family experienced the Great Depression. I quote from Jonathan Kirsch who wrote the review: "The next time a 1930s gangster flick called 'Kid Galahad' shows up on cable, take a close look at the guy in the spectacles and the fedora standing next to Humphrey Bogart. 'If you are familiar with many B movies of the late '30s or '40s,' writes Joan M. Cunningham, 'you would probably recognize my father's face, if not his name.' Joe Cunningham was one of the character actors who are the unsung heroes of old Hollywood, and his brief but memorable career is detailed in an unabashedly sentimental memoir by his daughter. Joan Cunningham recalls a childhood on the margins of Hollywood." The review goes on to highly recommend this fascinating book about the other side of Hollywood during it's Golden Age. I picked up the book and couldn't put it down.

Just returned from a tip to California where I learned about the Hollywood moguls who founded the movie industry. What a joy, when I returned, to discover this little book--the other side of the coin--that told what it was like for families to live and work amoung the famous in Hollywood of the 30s and 40's. The author takes you back with her to walk the streets where Jackie Cooper was her neighbor and little girls adventured out to get a peek at the big studio lots. You feel the highs of dining at Chassens when dad has a bit part and the lows of moving to a smaller house when bits are sparse. A love story from a daughter for her father, forever a featured player in her life.

A delightful read. I was transported back in time to an era of "B" movies as seen in the lives of the players, a family that shared love, and tough times with humor and strength.

A revealing, surprising, delightful look at bygone Hollywood by one who was there: the daughter of the "Bit Player" in the title. This personal remembrance is sprinkled with the famous--and not-so-famed--personalities and events that have shaped our impression of Hollywood's "golden age." Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Ginger Rogers...they're all here, but in small roles, supporting the star: Joe Cunningham.

Snap this one up for an insider's look at a special time in our nation's cultural history. You'll be rewarded with page after page of anecdotes about life on the edge of the spotlight, and in the middle of how things really were. (Check out the photo of the author at Shirley Temple's birthday party--she's adorable!)

I was fascinated by the star-studded stories, and touched by the loving look back at a uniquely American family. I recommend this to all who appreciate good movies, good writing and good reads.

I recently finished reading 'My Father's voice', the biography of Lorne Greene written by his daughter Linda Greene Bennett. If you are a Lorne Greene fan this book is an absolute MUST for you. I thought I knew quite a lot about this man but discovered I hadn't even scratched the surface! I just wish I had had the opportunity to meet him. Linda obviously loved her father dearly and this comes across in the book. I laughed and I cried but loved it totally.
Even if you are not a particular fan of Mr. Greene it is still worth reading about this hard-working, intelligent, humorous, wonderful person, and WHAT a life he had!!

I very much enjoyed reading this book. It reminds me how "Stars" are seen by the public, when in fact they are still just human after all. Mr. Greene was quite a man, very ambitious, talented, funny and warm. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys the work of this man, as I do.

I bought this book for my husband, and he didn't put it down till the book Was finished! He loved it.

If you're a fan of Lorne Greene and Bonanza, you'll love this book. I had no idea that the man was such an accomplished actor! A "must-read" for all fans of the show.

Stanislavsky is still the most influential figure in modern or contemporary theater. In this book, he is open about his life especially the rough years in Russia, his first exposure to the theater, his first time at directing. He also writes about his professional relationship with another Russian, Anton Chekhov. He writes about his travels mostly in Russia such as his journeys to Petrograd, the Russian provinces that inspired many of Chekhov's plays, and of course his first journey abroad. The book is really for theater junkies like myself who would have loved to have been a theatrical actress or director but life isn't so bad. He has directed William Shakespeare's tragedies like Othello and Julius Caesar along with Chekhov favorites like The Cherry Orchard, The Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya and The Sea Gull. Stanislavsky also founded and developed the Moscow Theater Company. He did it all for love, not money nor fame. He became rich in so many other ways.

For those in the arts, and especially those in dramatic art, this book is a must. It is the account of the father of modern truthful acting and a look into what a life spent towards creating art is about. While at times the book can drag a bit and get wordy, there is too much insight and inspiration in this book to pass it by. It is so wonderful to have an account of this mans amazing life in his own words to read, study and eventually aim for.

A must read for those of the stage!

This book is Stanislavski account of his experiences in working at the Moscow Art Theatre that he Co-founded with Vladimir Danthcheko ( who also wrote a similar book from his perspective titled ' My life in the Russian Theatre'). The book deals with the problems the duo faced in ushering in modern theatre as we know it today and the solutions they came up with. Highly recommended for those interested in learning about this major revolution that happened in theatre at the end of 19th century.

"Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art." Truly one of the world's greatest arts educators, Stanislavsky's autobiography is beautifully written. It is a fascinating portrait of the history of modern acting and also of Russian history. Absolutely key for understanding the Method, and the development of today's theater.

The New Amsterdam Theatre is amazing. It has been given a new life. This book tells that story. It brings us back to Old New York when there used to be over fifty theatres!! It is a shame that we've let them be destroyed. But this book gives the story of a theatre and a peek into a past that deserves to be remembered.

This is the most beautiful book I own. I had been to the New Amsterdam in its most painful days. At this time I saw Mondo Cane and would not sit down it was such a flea bag theatre. It was a historical sight...Ziegfeld Folies et al. I really felt sad as I stood there feeling the greatness that had passed; at the time I felt... forever. Disney has brought the theatre and the feeling back. I witnessed this with my viewing of LION KING. What I felt had been lost forever can be seen in this wonderful book. The pictures before and after make one feel that nothing is impossible. The beauty that had decayed and looked irreversable has been accomplished and this book, and this theatre stand as testaments to what can be accomplished. Anyone who has walked into a theatre and felt the past rekindle will love to read this inspiring book. This book shows the cycle of a wonderful theatre and all that it was and lost and then saved. It symbolizes the rise and fall of 42nd Street as well as one beautiful theatre. This book will for once and for all show what a thetare can be and fall to and rise above. This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in Theatres anywhere and what they should symbolize to all of us.

This book offers an excellent overview of the New Amsterdam Theater from the beginning through the recent renovation with discussions of the architecture of the building, the decorative artwork and of course a history of shows that have played at the theater from the beginning.

Do you know a theater buff who deserves the perfect gift this holiday season? Disney's Hyperion has just released the ideal book for anyone who loves the theater: The New Amsterdam: The Biography of a Broadway Theatre.

The book is as striking as New York's famed and recently refurbished New Amsterdam Theatre. Opening from the center to reveal the main stage framed by delicate murals and art nouveau decorations, the book is brimming with pictures. It begins with decades old photographs and sketches that depict the grace and splendor of the theater when it opened in 1903 and concludes with before-and-after pictures demonstrating the care and effort that went into the building's restoration.

This book does not simply tell the story of the rise, fall, and rebirth of the Broadway landmark, it recounts the history of American theater as it passed over the stage of the New Amsterdam. From the Ziegfeld Follies to Fred Astaire to Jack Benny to Disney's recent staging of King David, the New Amsterdam welcomed America's most famous and talented performers. The New Amsterdam: The Biography of a Broadway Theatre makes this history come alive with photos of movie posters, actors, sets, and costumes.

Disney is to be commended for committing their resources to the painstaking and comprehensive restoration project that has saved the New Amsterdam from its undeserved fate as a forgotten and abandoned relic from Broadway's' glamourous past. They can also be congratulated for offering this remarkable book that preserves and shares 94 years of America's artistic heritage.

...this book will fascinate you. This is ultimately a tale about finding one's place in the world; a place that seemingly evades and, at times, can appear as unattainable as a mirage. Carlos Acosta's descriptions of his familial and economic hardships are honest and direct without being either exploitive or self-deprecating. He states things as they are, but the lyrical quality of his writing lends his ultra humble origins an unmistakable air of dignity and pride. Even as he conquered the highbrow world of ballet, the boy who grew up in poverty in the Havana suburb of Los Pinos, never left his side. "Yuli" as his family called him, is ever present. The restless and truant boy who loathed ballet and dreamt of soccer and break-dancing is very much entrenched in the man who is considered the greatest classical male dancer of his generation. From playing "eating mud" to being the first ever black principal dancer of London's Royal Ballet, we come to know an individual who has struggled his entire life to stay close to people and places that his art necessarily pushed further away from him. Again, if you couldn't care less about ballet, you'll find a little bit of yourself within its pages, as this book will undoubtedly speak to everyone. At its core, it's a humanistic a tale as they come. Funny, moving, haunting and honest, No Way Home: A Dancer's Journey from the Streets of Havana to the Stages of the World is a deeply rewarding experience that reminds us of the price we must pay for the choices we make.

I'm not interested in dancing or Cuba. To speak plainly, I didn't expect to enjoy this book. But enjoy it I did.

From the cover, the book appears to be about the life of a fabulously talented dancer who begins his life is dank poverty in Cuba, and fight his way out of all that. Sounds like a well worn idea, right?

But it's far more interesting than that. Carlos Acosta actually didn't want to be a ballet dancer, and tried to stop being a dancer several times. He almost succeeded.

The book isn't really about dancing. You don't need to know anything about dancing to appreciate the soul of this man. Acosta could have had the same life and travels and written the same basic book even had he been a swimming star, a soccer star, film star, baseball star, a great break dancer or singer. The core question of the book would still have been the same: What use is ambition and earthly success if you lose your family and your sense of belonging in the world? Does having talent give you a responsibility to fulfill your potential?

Acosta comes off as a very likeable guy, even as he describes himself doing rather unlikeable things, at times. He is poor but does not hate poverty. He has troubles in his family but still feels that he belongs with them. He has troubles with his country but wants to stay. He acknowledges that he's in the minority-- that lots of his countrymen want to escape. He paints no rosy picture of life in Cuba. He sees the problems, he just doesn't mind them.

His family, teachers, and friends relentlessly push him to fulfill a destiny that they insist is his. At times he also becomes ambitious to dance well, but his thoughts always return to his family and the beloved dirty, terrible, dangerous neighborhood of his childhood. He travels far, but always finds a way to go back home. Perhaps the title should have been No Way to Stay Home.

I like Acosta because he doesn't buy into the philosophy of ambition for ambition's sake. Yet to please the people he loves he must leave the people he loves and appear to love something else. How he comes to terms with this makes for a book I felt compelled to read in one sitting.

I am not a balletomane or even a big fan of memoirs, but I loved this book! The writing, the style, and the story pull the reader in to Acosta's world. This is a universal story, told brilliantly and with great attention to language and pace. A great story for all ages!

I bought "No Way Home" because I heard Julie Kavanagh (she wrote the recent Nureyev biography) call Acosta the most charismatic figure in contemporary ballet. I am glad I bought it. It's an eminently readable and moving memoir. I am a big memoir guy, but hardly a ballet aficionado. The themes in this book transcend ballet. Acosta addresses universal human issues in relating his personal history (race, the idea of home, familial relationships, ...) and he probes these issues honestly and with a keen eye for detail.

This book provides fabulous insight on WWII and the spirit of America that helped win the war for the Allies. So many times, my parents said, "Why, back in my day we didn't get meat at every dinner. But we didn't complain: we LIKED it!" If you want to know more about America's patriotic spirit and how it "gets the job done", you'll love this book. The Andrews Sisters were a class act and Maxine and the other USO "soldiers in greasepaint" did their best to encourage and cheer our fighting forces on home soil and abroad. This book has a lot of history and tells about emotions of the folks during that time in a very poignant way. If you ever wondered why certain songs with wacky titles were popular ("Six Jerks In A Jeep"), you'll come away with greater understanding.

Great book about the Andrews Sisters, their work during the WWII years with the USO, and many of the other stars that participated in these shows to entertain the troops.

This book provides fabulous insight on WWII and the spirit of America that helped win the war for the Allies. So many times, my parents said, "Why, back in my day we didn't get meat at every dinner. But we didn't complain: we LIKED it!" If you want to know more about America's patriotic spirit and how it "gets the job done", you'll love this book. The Andrews Sisters were a class act and Maxine and the other USO "soldiers in greasepaint" did their best to encourage and cheer our fighting forces on home soil and abroad. This book has a lot of history and tells about emotions of the folks during that time in a very poignant way. If you ever wondered why certain songs with wacky titles were popular ("Six Jerks In A Jeep"), you'll come away with greater understanding.

I am a professional director in the American theatre, and for the last 20 years of her life, it was my joy to direct and collaborate with Maxene Andrews on many shows, radio interviews, personal appearances, and stage appearances! She was a great lady with a heart of gold, and such pride in America!

She always spoke highly of her sisters and family, and was never boastful about the major contribution "The Andrews Sisters" made to America, and especially the WW II effort to bolster the spirits of our fighting men and women.

Maxene is sorely missed by her friends and fans, but the book she wrote with Bill, "Over Here-Over There," is a treat to read and love! She was excited when "telling the memories!" The book especially reflects wit and faith in times of great trouble for our country. The music and the stories behind the shows for the USO are inspiring!

I am happy to have known Maxene and to have been a part of her life as her director and friend! No single singing group in our history has equally the perfection and spirt of these three Greek daughters of an immigrant to America!

Maxene Andrews is a spirit that continues to brighten our torch of freedom through the music that she and her sisters sang. The stories told in this book reflect the scenes behind the scenes of keeping America smiling!


CASH BAXTER
Producer/Director
Palm Desert, CA

In the Bible, the Israelites were ordered by the Pharaoh to make bricks without straw. Similarly, Blaisdell had to create visually interesting and workable monsters on short notice with virtually no money. He succeeded admirably despite having the deck stacked against him. Anyone remotely interested in genre movies will be fascinated by this thorough, excellent book. Highly recommended.

Gives a great insight into Paul's work, in some cases you'd think you were there with him. The conditions that Paul worked under was amazing and his commitment and materials used.
His wicked sense of humour and support from his friends in this
then under exposed art of effects and monster making. Still think Technicians behind the scenes should get more support and recognition - grin. This book tops up your enthusiasm to do more

Randy Palmer eloquently invokes the fun-loving spirit of Paul and his funky, renegade creations. Paul certainly was a rare breed; capable of creating fiercely original monsters under less than thankless conditions. Paul's monsters are as endearing as they are memorable, imbued with a soulfulness that few possess. Technique can be learned - imagination can't! Like most gifted artists Paul possessed this and met a tragic end. Randy Palmer sets the record straight and Paul is finally given his due. Randy's book is a MUST own for monster lovers/makers everywhere! A big "Beulah" thank you to Randy...and of course Paul.

For those of you who don't know, Paul Blaisdell designed and built some of the most memorable movie monsters of the late fifties operating under incredible time constraints and a budget laughable even for American International Pictures. Remember the carrot creature from It Conquered the World? How about the pulpish titular antagonists from Invasion of the Saucer Men or the anatomically correct She Creature? While other special effects men of the time, such as Ray Harryhausen, went on to acclaim and respect in the Hollywood establishment Blaisdell was ignominiously fired upon asking for a little respect in an industry that treats its unknowns even worse than its shining stars. The only information available on the man has been from an old article in Cinefantastique magazine and in the reminiscences of his friend and champion, Bob Burns. This well researched biography can be seen as a celebration of a forgotten special effects man and as another cautionary tale of the Hollywood fringe (a great companion piece to the Ed Wood biography, The Nightmare of Ectasy). Some of his notable creations may be so for the wrong reasons but they had more heart than a good majority of the slick and forgettable monsters made these days. Mr. Palmer's book is a wonderful addition to the bookshelf of any fan of fantastic films and their creators.

This album is for the head banger. For the casual listener, there is no way in. But since this is about the book and not the album, here's a bow shot: There is no tablature in here. So if your skill lies in reading music, this is the place to go but don't expect any fret numbers laid out for you neatly to go home, have a few beers and play along. I doubt if Gilmour himself will be able to play along this stuff considering he cannot read music. Additionally, here's a bit of trivia for you. The outro solo on Pigs on the wing - Part 2, was crafted and executed by Snowy White and not David Gilmour, as is usually thought. In conclusion, this is one of PF's heaviest albums and worth learning to read notes to play the stuff. Have fun

RK

this cd is almost perfect...
Pigs on the wing.. almost makes me cry every time I listen to it..

Dogs is a 17 minute tour de Force.... All thanx to Waters...
Waters is god...
This is a great book... Gilmour's solos are great... But thanx to waters... ahhaha

I thought I'd save everyone the trouble and let you all know that this book does NOT have the popular Tablature format!
Otherwise, the book has a nice collection of photos and essays as well as the music in standard format.

The animals is not generally known for it's musical prowess. It was also admitted by the band that they needed something badly for a tour and threw in this material. While waters dominates the album's song credit, David Gilmour's contribution to it's music has not gone unnoticed. Dogs features some of David's best guitaring and of which he admittedly was very proud of. For him as well, It is not his normal run of the mill solo. Historically for Floydians, it is a track(the solo parts) that Waters accidentally erased and that Gilmour had to re-record. Anyway, It is subtle in the guitar sound and has a pace remniscent of Money, all the luscious signature Gilmour bends. Also sonically, It is an altered tuning that is tuned down a whole step on all strings. Pigs features some repetitive musical parts, the only musical highlight being the outro solo with good bass finishing things off. This solo is a good example of Gilmour's lyrical playing. Rarely does he move around in this solo between too many notes. Instead his attitude is compositional by just staying around a few notes riding it high with bends and vibrato. The two solos are a must for progressive guitarists and there is a lot of learning here in terms of feel and those huge bends. Sheep, not to metion, has some unusual guitar playing on it as well and is a great track and fantastic usage of biblical psalms by Waters. Lyrically, Roger has put George Orwell's Animal Farm to good use here and in Rock & Roll format. It is his lucid observation of the workings of society and the evils that go with it that makes Pink Floyd the band they are and worthwhile listening to.