A memoir that takes you into the belly of the Hollywood music beast
586368
I've never been a rock drummer, never lived the fast and loose life on the Hollywood music scene, never dealt with the extreme highs and depth-charged lows of the entertainment business.  But after reading Billy McCarthy's one-of-a-kind memoir, I feel like I've lived vicariously in "the life."  McCarthy is an amiable host on a tour of the music industry (and it is an industry, as he demonstrates time and again!).  We go from McCarthy's beginnings of south suburban Chicago garage band days to the near-miss of hitting the big time in Hollywood, written in an engaging "let me tell you a story" prose style.  And what stories!  Loyalties to the music and artistry followed by the inevitable fights among band members,  double crosses by greedy record execs looking for The Next Big Thing, brushes with greatness, crashing at Rodney Dangerfield's East Coast digs while plotting his next move with Rodney's son, and of course the drugs and girls, girls, girls that come with the territory of this world.  A real page turner, about the joys and agonies of making music, whipped up into a Bacchanalian overdrive that ends with a wistful and touching conclusion.
4694358
If you had to pick 21 songs to include in your memoir what would they be? Sounds like an impossible task, right? Well, life-long music fan Dave Holmes has accomplished the impossible with his new memoir, "Party of One: A Memoir in 21 Songs." I devoured this book like a delicious meal - I laughed, I cried, I had texted friends to reminded them of some songs that I can only connect with them, searched You Tube for some of the titles Dave mentions, and much more. Dave's writing reads like you're sitting with a friend who is telling you about their life on a laid back weekend. In addition to his 21 chapters, I love that that he peppered his chapters with "Interludes" inspired by the mini plays hip hop artists used to put on their albums. Each interlude gives facts from his life, or job (or whatever ...) that are about pop culture that will have your brain exploding with memories of your own. Dave gently tells stories of his childhood, immediately letting you know that he'll come out as gay to his family and friends. Ultimately this book about loving yourself, and being able to love others - even if they're different from you. Dave is blessed with a high achieving family who embrace him for who he is even if he may have hit some bumpy roads in his about childhood (growing up gay in Catholic schools in St. Louis and Massachusetts and how he dealt with being gay before the "It Gets Better" campaign ). Like all good hero stories, Dave transformed his fear, and in one big courageous moment landed a job (in a very unique way!) as an actor and writer on MTV that lasted for many years (doing some pretty hilarious television!). Today you can find Dave on XM Radio, doing stand up comedy in Los Angeles (where he now lives), writing (he is currently working as a editor and writer for Esquire), livin la vida loca at his local Cross Fit gym, and sooooo much more. It's not surprising to see why NPR listed Dave Holmes as one of their favorite "Top Ten Pop Culture Humans"! And you don't have to be a pop culture or music fan to l-o-v-e Dave's memoir! (PS - My son Jack was LUCKY to get a signed copy!)
1029489
A great read, and great insight into an amazing album.
2532784
This is a beautiful and compelling memoir, the story of a survivor who found solace in music. It includes some of the most vivid writing of musical experience that I have ever read. A talented author who we will hope for more from.
2052657
I found the book enlightening, but at the same time, typical; Enlightening as to the details behind the man and his music, and typical of a professional with serious alcohol and substance abuse issues.

Eric recognizes early in a difficult upbringing that his inclination toward and talent in music is significant. He feels music is his star to follow, and he meets and interracts with hundreds of people as he follows that star for more than 50 years. The time period, from the early '60's to the present, is an evolutionary one, because it spans several truly-historic decades in music, involving numerous now-legendary artists. In one form or another, Eric is involved with each, and among many styles of music. Despite debilitating life issues, Eric remains relevant, active and popular throughout his career; a real rarity in an industry with many "one hit wonders". All of this is a mark of his amazing talent, as a writer and a performer.

But for the last 20 years, Eric is controlled by the effects of alcohol and drugs. All aspects of his life are affected, and until he meets and marries Melia, and has several children by Melia, his life off-stage is a disaster. It's amazing that these addictions did not cost him his life, many times over. He "hits bottom" several times, and rehabs several times, leaving many people and relationships in his wake. The very last chapters of the book recount his "new" life with Melia, and the first times in his life he feels satisfied and worthwhile.

Eric's social life choices and derelict social habits are a bi-product of his addictions. Numerous women are engaged, abused, and caste-aside. His emotional maturity is compromised and any personal growth is stunted as a result. Depression and suicidal thoughts are commonplace, and are exacerbated and sustained by his disease. He's virtually never sober till the mid-'80's, but when he finally recovers, his accomplishments are significant and his life finally flourishes. He mentions many in the industry who succumb to similar additions or physically deteriorate because of drugs and alcohol. Eric is a fortunate survivor.

The book is not the most balanced as to time and events, and might dwell a bit too much on the darker sides of Eric. However, it does give the reader a first-hand, seemingly-candid, and detailed insight into the life of a music legend, whose works and influence will long outlive his career. His genius and his major flaws are in full view.
3048055
Cheren has written an autobiography and therefore readers looking for a carefully researched or well-polished volume need to adjust their expectations.  The book reads like a transcription of a taped interview or reminiscence.  It contains all sorts of memories, anecdotes, and reflections from a man who has reason to look back with truly mixed, powerful emotions.

The assertive ego on display here is part and parcel of the story.  Cheren's involvement in the record and nightclub industries all but promise self-promotion will be prominent.  He deserves some of his self-accolades, I'd say.  He did join into the record industry at a time when shifts in lifestyle and musical tastes were emerging.  He did shape the signings and releases that forged the genre that would be called disco.  He did participate in the nightclub and social world that exploded outwards following the Stonewall transition.  He did rally in response to the health crisis that exploded in the 80s.  He did survive HIV to tell the tale.

Regardless of authorial shortcomings, this book is invaluable in its first-hand portrayal of the NY gay scene post-Stonewall.  It stands as a companion to the other, much-cited document The Dancer From The Dance, which we must remember is fiction.  Cheren's autobiography gives the places, players, and events with all the details anyone could hope for.  He paints the picture vividly, bringing it all back to those of us who took part and depicting it clearly for those who weren't there.

Even more valuable to me, and what makes me keep referring back to the book time and again, is the timeline of emerging music.  Cheren's part in the music industry allows him to discuss early disco releases in authoritative ways that scholars have not been able to.  He was there, he can discuss the newness of the music and the responses of the audiences he danced with.  He worked alongside many of the notable DJs, remixers, and producers and watched with pride as his chosen musical motif developed throughout the 70s, 80s, and beyond.  He is one of the few writers who not only detail the important, magnetic musical releases of the early 70s, but also the pre-disco records of the 60s that dancers had to settle for in the early clubs.

This book has many merits;  for me, it is most revered for its musical insights into social dance soundtracks.  For fans of real disco, this is a must-have.  For people wanting to understand social dancing patterns in the US, it is essential.
4931636
Jerry Blavat? Jerry Who? If I had grown up in Philadelphia I probably would have known who Blavat was. As it stands, not knowing who he was did not take away from this interesting memoir that was engaging from the get go.
Blavat appears to be a living legend in his hometown of Philly where he morphed from a teen celeb on the Bandstand tv show, to a tv show host, dj, club owner, talent booker, and all-around rock impresario. He was on a first name basis with the likes of Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Don Rickles. He knew a lot of prominent music industry people and he knew organized crime figures.
This memoir covers a lot of ground starting with his birth into a mixed marriage. His dad was Jewish and somewhat of a con man. His mom was from an Italian catholic family. The extended family was populated by a loving cast of quirky characters. Blavat's recollections are populated with a wealth of anecdotes about family, friends, and eccentric celebrities. From a ten year FBI investigation re: his relationship with mobster Angelo Bruno to his dealings with the legendary Chuck Berry, there seems to be something of interest for everyone. Blavat is a natural storyteller who instantly engages his reader and manages to keep things interesting.
Presumably the author has let it all hang out re: his life in and out of show biz. Some fans may have a problem with this, but I don't.  I'm of the mind that he's wise to tell it his way while he's still around rather than have someone do it later.
I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very thorough as well as honest.
452455
This book was a great insider's view of the rock and roll and punk rock music scene of the 70s (Led Zepplin, The Stones) To a lesser extent it also covered some artists from the 80s and on including snippets of Michael Jackson's solo career, U2 (mostly Bono) and the 90s on up -Lady Gaga and even rappers like Eminem, jay-Z and Kanye West.
It's very apparent that the author lives and breathes Rock and Roll music and has made it her career as a writer. Yes there was plenty of name dropping of course and she did credit herself with discovering the Clash and Elvis Costello. But what I found most fascinating about this book was how deeply she got into the underground rock scene of the 1970s in New York City including the New York dolls and Television. Plus the section devoted to John Lennon.
The only real problem I had with the book was that she jumped around a lot from era to era and artist to artist. That was slightly disconcerting at times. Other than that I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is as interested as I am in music, be it rock and Roll, Punk, or Blues.
4883524
I confess that I rarely play the Beatles' music, having been a child born early in the 60s so having heard their songs constantly by osmosis. The best commendation for Spitz's massive biography is that it inspired me to listen again, with fresh ears and unjaded spirit, to their art. He pours seven years' labor into not so much analyzing the songs--which has been done admittedly by Mark Lewisohn, Ian MacDonald, and Tim Riley to name only a few--as the emotion that infused the tunes.

The caption error for Pattie and George is a howler, but overlooking this golden blunder, other photos capture marvelously Beatlemania--as bobbies are hoisted up by the back-massed press of girls; Linda coming on to Paul at their first meeting; Astrid Kerchherr's studies; and the entry of Yoko into the studio, summed up in a dismal 1969 snapshot of the band at its lowest ebb. Until I read Spitz's descriptions, I never felt the power of the band. He opens with a masterful set-piece of a Liverpool show in 1960; he bottles the smell of the Hamburg digs; he pummels you with the violence behind the screaming fans; he lets you feel how dispirited touring could become with their Manila fiasco; he shows how they assembled in the studio their finest recordings; he documents with admirable patience Yoko's artistic trajectory; he takes you into the Maharishi's lair; he shows how Linda for Paul and Yoko for John compared and contrasted as these pairings helped hasten the end of the bond. And Magic Alex must deserve in his infamy (and the Fool--as in the Janus-faced crafty Dutch collective) his own credit.

While even casual fans like myself know all this, Spitz does what a careful biographer and a diligent researcher should: he renews our sense of what it was like for over ten years. True, George does get less than his share of the spotlight, but to be fair to Spitz, the author is never less than sympathetic to this imbalance, and he explains with hundreds of examples how difficult it was for even George to penetrate the John-Paul partnership. I do wish that Maureen and Pattie were given a bit more attention; while Cynthia gains much and deserved insight, and while the plight of those women faithful to their philandering mates is thoughtfully detailed, there remains more of a silence in these pages about how George and Ringo must have spent their time with their own partners.

It's a bit off-putting to see how Spitz aligns his quotes with brackets to show his own corrections and insertions and deletions. On the one hand, great attention to fidelity. But it makes for a consistently awkward intrusion into the narrative flow that for hundreds of pages rarely betrays its careful assembly. I admire the stamina of Spitz to keep hundreds of sources in order and to extract from them, with fair balance and footnoted commentary to clarify or establish disputed points in (as the Notes admit) such an unreliable Niagara of source material. Still, it remains, perhaps ineradicably due to the suspect provenance of much of these sources at such a distance in time, a bit too clunky to blend smoothly into a popularized account rather than a scholarly analysis.

Spitz enjoys his subject, and it shows. My favorite quote from many, about the pitch of "Hard Day's Night": "The Beatles would play the Beatles and do what the Beatles normally did--minus the smoking, drinking, swearing, and sex." (491) I do wish that a bit more depth had been given to how the Beatles made many of their later, if minor songs; that a British discography had accompanied the US album listings appendixed, for the narrative seems to use the British album releases as its implicit foundation; and that the Klein-Eastman battles in the waning days of the band had been edited to offset the tedium that results from the battle of accountants and lawyers. But these are minor distractions from the best one-volume (although I know that Lewinsohn is set on a three-volume study) summation of the band for those of us who are (at least for me) admirers but less than obsessed with every last utterance by the band.
3530191
Shop Around is simply a gem of book.  As he proven again and again throughout his sports writing career, Bruce Jenkins is a superb writer.  He has that down-to-earth, no b.s, wonderfully descriptive yet supremely dry, funny and self-effacing style that leaves you turning pages and wanting more.  Full of sentiment without being sentimental, the book is a deeply personal memoir, and deeply felt, yet offers us a record of a seminal time in American cultural history that is as entertaining as it is insightful. What powers it most of all is the writers sheer love of the music, and his undying respect for the phenomenal musicianship of the men and women who made it.  Whether you're a long-time devotee of Motown & R&B, or only have a passing acquaintance, this book is a delightful exploration of one boys journey into the heart (and soul) of American popular music.

Lon Porter
1992945
I'm much chagrined to admit that before an accidental viewing of one of VH1s seemingly never-ending repeats of a teen idol retrospective, I had never heard of the Bay City Rollers. Born in 1976, my own musical awakening didn't come until the era of Van Halen and Micheal Jackson.
Having got this out in the open at the beginning, I feel completely comfortable recommending this book without reservation. Sure it's about a band, but way more importantly, it's about a fan. Having lived through a tragic "love affair" of my own, Sullivan's words ring incredibly true. She says the things that I haven't sufficiently grown up to phrase, but she said them exactly as I feel them.
Bye Bye Baby should be required reading for passionate fans of any persuasion (be it for Nsync or, for God's sake, the cast of Rent or the Chicago Bulls). The sentiments and the sharing, the friendships these people formed and the goofy things they lived through, and occasionally lived for, make the book worth the read.
And if you're not down with that, it's a fascinating sociological recounting of American pop culture in the 70s, spattered with Tab and Sid and Nancy and Elvis and Lennon.
1578506
It's obvious when a writer knows their subject, and you can tell from the start that Rush is no stranger to the music scene. The book is a memoir and a historical foray into American music woven into a cohesive narrative that packs an emotional punch. You won't be able to think of some of the most well-known musicians of the 70s without thinking of the stories Rush has to tell about them, but you'll know them so well it'll be like you met them yourself. A fun book that flies by, the chapters are short and the stories he tells are hilarious. You can't go wrong.
1798991
Reading this book of fans' recollections of their youthful devotion to various bands and singers was like taking a trip down memory lane. Most of these fans eventually became rock writers and the book is edited and introduced by well-known music critic John Aizlewood. To mention just some of the authors and their fave artists, we find Stuart Maconie on Elvis Costello, Aizlewood on Dexy's Midnight Runners, John Bauldie on Bob Dylan, Danny Kelly on The Clash, Sheryl Garratt on The Bay City Rollers,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Lucy-O-Brien/dp/0826472087/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Lucy O'Brien</a>&nbsp;on Siouxsie and The Banshees, David Sinclair on Mick Jagger, Sid Griffin on&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Gram-Parsons/dp/B000002LKH/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Gram Parsons</a>&nbsp;and D.J. Taylor on The Jam.

My favorite pieces include Bauldie's "Simple Twist Of Fate" where he describes his discovery of pop music via Radio Luxembourg up to actually meeting Dylan, Danny Kelly's "White Riot" in which he narrates his discovery of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Clash/dp/B00002MVQM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Clash</a>&nbsp;via his early love of reggae music, Garratt's "All Of Me Loves All Of You", a very amusing piece of a young girl who discovered The Bay City Rollers in 1975 and eventually became editor of The Face magazine and Lucy O'Brien's "A Kiss In The Dreamhouse", about her early worship of and later encounters with&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Siouxsie/dp/B000S850GS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Siouxsie</a>. And "Beast of Burden," David Sinclair's essay on&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Mick-Jagger/dp/0007245815/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Mick Jagger</a>&nbsp;and the Stones. Many of the histories are set in the middle to late seventies and are filled with references to the clubs, records, magazines, bands and tours of the punk era.

Although all the different contributions make for interesting reading, there are some that I didn't really relate to as I do not know the artists - these include David Cavanagh's "Hell Of A Summer" about The Triffids, John Fordham's "Goin' Out Of My Head" on Wes Montgomery, Steve Lamacq's "Eat Yourself Whole" on Kingmaker and Mick Houghton's "Halfway To Paradise" on Billy Fury. The contribution of Mike Edwards (of Jesus Jones) on his love of Arabic music breaks the mould a bit and here I do know some of the artists he mentions, like Fairuz, Samira Tewfiq,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Ofra-Haza/dp/B000008U6H/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Ofra Haza</a>&nbsp;and Oum Kulthoum. Sid Griffin's piece on Gram Parsons is very personal and poignant, one of the best amongst a set of fascinating fan histories.

The book concludes with short notes on the contributors. Love Is The Drug is a great read as most of the pieces are free of pretension, very honest, often funny, memoirs of a time when your favorite band or singer meant everything in the world. It is something with which most lovers of popular music can identify.
4014892
You could read "Life" looking for a chronological survey of the Stones or Keith Richards. Maybe you're looking for some insight into how the rich-and-famous fast crowd lives life. Perhaps you just know "Keef" as the original bad boy of rock 'n roll and are looking for some vicarious cheap thrills. It seems like a lot of the armchair Amazon review crowd was doing just that, but that is not what this book is about. This is really a stream-of-consciousness tale about how a visionary musical genius changed the culture of the world.

Just read some of how Richards describes music...it's a spiritual thing to him. To feel about some trade the way Keith feels about his guitar playing, with such passion, it's a special thing with which he gives such openly honest insight. It quickly becomes clear why the Stones were able to so powerfully influence audiences around the world: they were musicians first, all the rest was secondary. There is something big to take away here, Keith makes sure you do.

Richards starts the book first with his childhood but quickly transitions into the buttoned-up world of the pre-sexual revolution 1960s. I love the feedback loops he describes in first third of the book as the Stones were becoming a household name: these Brits were reintroducing mainstream white American culture to the rich, black blues music of Chicago, which helped open the doors for Motown's great artists to leave their own mark on pop culture. It's a beautiful thing - all the interplay between the US, UK, White America, Black America; it's almost a foreshadow of the civil rights movement that would follow.

No doubt, there are a ton of crazy stories and characters mixed into all these bigger points he's making, which are both fun and dubiously believable at times. I know this is an autobiography, which can tend to be a bit rose-tinted, but the way Richards so openly talks about things that others would sweep under the rug (a failed marriage, band discord, life as a junkie), you take him at this word about the other things in the book. He earns your trust as a reader quickly.

I'm not going to say this is an easy read without its faults. Richards is writing off the top of his head and you'll be lost frequently - a great number of his stories and the people he introduces in the book are haphazard and incomplete, but it almost seems better this way. It reflects the man telling the story as much as anything. And the back quarter of the book gets pretty weak - I really don't care about Keith Richards bangers-and-mash recipe anymore than I would care about Julia Child's guitar playing hobby - but its all honest, even if questionably enjoyable at parts.

But when this book is good, it's better than any autobiography I've read. You are getting insight, knowledge, passion and inspiration from a true genius. Pick it up.
322392
Tommy James' no-holds-barred story of how he was caught up in the intestines of the pop music industry from the mid-1960s through early 1970s is served with a side order of his perspective on the rest of the world from his smelly, churning vantage point.  This is a first-person history through the wide eyes of a Midwestern kid who goes to New York to seek his fortune and who is almost immediately snatched into a recording syndicate with clear ties to the notorious Genovese family; and then toward the end, through wiser eyes.

The opening chapter or two are magically literary.  Then, as certain as the progression from childhood to adolescence, the tone changes.  As a privileged rock star whose chart-toppers would be the envy of most in the business, his vantage point is unique.  He can count both mobsters and Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, as benefactors.  If you're a student of U.S. history, this is no textbook but it could be an enlightening side resource.  If you're serious about the history of popular music, this is an important read.  The list of artists whose lives were touched by the musical arm of the Genovese clan may surprise you.  But this is not a "tell all" story a la Jose Canseco or Jim Bouton "outing" their peers.  Tommy James comes off respectfully toward all.

The secondary plot of James' story is his relationship with Morris Abel, the connected "Godfather" of the popular music business in New York from the 1950s through the 1970s.  The love-hate dynamic between the two men is both compelling and repulsive.  The book's lighter counterpoint:  The backstory behind all the biggest hits, which fans of Tommy James and the Shondells will find delightful.

James does not reveal much of his soul in this book.  He does leaves us breadcrumbs that give us insight into his regrets over his failed marriages, his lost opportunities toward his son, and a connection to God that endured all the stereotypical excesses of the rock star lifestyle.  His decision to not tell us more of his spiritual journey may be the book's biggest lost opportunity; but in fairness, that is not his intent.  James wants to take us on "one hell of a ride" and in that, he has succeeded.
108804
Phil's book captures a special period in music, life in NYC, Boston ,etc. A ride that will have you laughing and then heartbreak. Early days at CBGB'c and Max's Kansas City. thru Glam, Punk ,Sex and Drugs....Meeting Wayne Kramer (MC5,Gang War) . Listening to Johnny Thunders talk about pasta sauce. Watching The Ramones at there first ever gig.  And fronting one of the coolest bands to come out of NYC " The Senders"  "Punk Avenue" will also have you pulling out your vinyl and listening to Mink DeVille , The Cramps, The Real Kids , Blondie...A book for anyone that loves Music, Arts, Fashion ,etc. A book for anyone that loves the history of great music which Phil and his  friends created in the 1970's.
4281887
Powerful, poignant memoir by legendary rock poet Patti Smith about her shared struggles to succeed as an artist with the controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe when they were, in her words, "just kids," starting out as starving artists in the seedy underbelly of the late 1960's-early 1970's NYC. It's at times lyrically written, though not always as insightful or as revealing as one might like - we get next to nothing about how she came to the song by Bruce Springsteen that would make her legend, "Because the Night" - but it reads like Forrest Gump at times, with an unending stream of famous names that flash across her life: Allen Ginsburg buying her dinner at an Automat, thinking she's a guy; Janis Joplin crying on her lap because the guy she fancied left with a prettier girl; Jimi Hendrix talking about his dreams for making music on a stairway just before departing for his fateful departure to London; and a plethora of literary, music and art world notables of the mid-20th Century. As much as she was an early muse and lover for Mapplethorpe, who comes across as pure and innocent, though recklessly, and ultimately fatally, pursuing his own inner muse, we do get an intimate picture of the tortured artist effect, of the great effort it takes to produce art, poetry and/or music that moves and inspires others. Ultimately, of course, this book is a love story, requited, but tragic between two young people who always supported each other, held on loosely, and let the other flower as their life's pursuits took them in different but parallel directions over time.