I recently read "You never give me your money" by Pete Dogget which is the Beatles story post break-up, and how they kept the legal profession in champagne for years through endless litigation. No-one really comes out of it too well but you do end up thinking maybe Paul Macartney got a bad press overall - it seems he was the first one to realise they were being robbed blind by an assortment of crooks and chancers, and got labelled a "breadhead" when he tried to put a stop to it.
Always liked Lord of the Flies, which we did at school.
Currently reading "The Beatles, Britain and America" by Jonathan Gould.
I didn't think Ian MacDonald's "Revolution in the Head" could be topped as far as Beatles books go; but this one is running it mighty close
Any reason 'Revolution in the head' was so good mate? Have read a few Beatles books but not this one yet... worth a go? Will have a look at "The Beatles, Britain and America" too!
All i've been reading all week is the bloody rumour and transfer threads here. Gripping stuff. On a serious note, Currently reading"The broken window" by Jeffery Deaver (my favourite author). Part of the Lincoln Rhyme series. Don't know if anyone can recall the first one being made into a hash of a movie with Angelina Jolie & densil Washington (the bone collector).
Henry, You say you've read the new Bond by Deaver. What do you think of it? I've got a copy and it's next on my list.
Blair, Brown at 10, (both by Anthony Seldon),The War We Could Not Stop (Randeep Ramesh), and Al-Qaeda (Jason Burke) interpersed with Parrot and Olivier in America (Peter Carey) and Identification of British Birds. Books for next week seem to start with words like Low Fat Exercise and Diets. Can't wait.
East is East (T Coraghessan Boyle) - read it a few times now, and always find a reason to come back to it. Wonderful storytelling, humorous, dark and clever.
East is East (T Coraghessan Boyle) - read it a few times now, and always find a reason to come back to it. Wonderful storytelling, humorous, dark and clever.
Is that the one about Charlton's location in London?
Where Eagles Dare by Alistair MacLean although oddly enough they had it on channel 5 the other night and only started it a few days before, couldn't resist watching it again.
Always liked Lord of the Flies, which we did at school.
Currently reading "The Beatles, Britain and America" by Jonathan Gould.
I didn't think Ian MacDonald's "Revolution in the Head" could be topped as far as Beatles books go; but this one is running it mighty close
Any reason 'Revolution in the head' was so good mate? Have read a few Beatles books but not this one yet... worth a go? Will have a look at "The Beatles, Britain and America" too!
Revolution in the Head is divided into 2 parts. Put as simply as I can; the first part is a lengthy essay where MacDonald argues, convincingly, that the 60's brought about a complete change in the cultural mindset, a "revolution in the head" as it were, that was both reflected by and at times driven by the music of the Beatles.
I found it fascinating and compelling albeit I don't completely buy into his theory.
The second part; the bulk of the book, consists of an in depth analysis of every song the Beatles recorded in chronological order; which I found so enjoyable and interesting that I couldn't put anything other than Beatles on the turntable for several weeks after.
Jonathan Goulds book, "Can't Buy Me Love; the Beatles, Britain and America" ( to give it it's full title) is a more straightforward biography of the Beatles as a group ( as opposed to the lives of the individuals).
I agree with the comment on the cover, "it' makes an old subject sound fresh"
For what it's worth, in my opinion, if you grew up with the Beatles head straight for "Revolution in the Head"; if you were born post-Beatles start with the Jonathan Gould book.
After that, make a point of reading "Lennon Remembers" by Jann Wenner.
Also try "The Lives of John Lennon" by Albert Goldmann; which, depending on your point of view, is either (a) an informative counterbalance to the Beatles myth or (b) gossip, tittle-tattle, innuendo and lies.I suspect the latter but enjoyed the read
And continuing the music book theme, may I recommend A Wizard, A True Star: Todd Rundgren In The Studio by Paul Myers (Mike Myers' brother). It was written with the full cooperation of Rundgren and even as as on obsessive Toddhead, I learnt great deal.
Some insightful stories about Rundgren producing The New York Dolls, Badfinger (after George Harrison left them in the lurch to help with the crisis in Bangladesh), Hall & Oates, Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell, Patti Smith, The Tubes and XTC, plus chapters on his solo masterpieces (obviously a lot devoted to the, at the time, career-suicide album A Wizard, A True Star), as well as the albums with his band Utopia.
And continuing the music book theme, may I recommend A Wizard, A True Star: Todd Rundgren In The Studio by Paul Myers (Mike Myers' brother). It was written with the full cooperation of Rundgren and even as as on obsessive Toddhead, I learnt great deal.
Some insightful stories about Rundgren producing The New York Dolls, Badfinger (after George Harrison left them in the lurch to help with the crisis in Bangladesh), Hall & Oates, Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell, Patti Smith, The Tubes and XTC, plus chapters on his solo masterpieces (obviously a lot devoted to the, at the time, career-suicide album A Wizard, A True Star), as well as the albums with his band Utopia.
Blimey, Hawky, you really are an obsessive.
I remember seeing him on something like the Old Grey Whistle Test after which my old flatmate and I rechristened him A Wanker, a True Bore (How witty we thought we were)
You could almost persuade me to reappraise his work.
Almost ;-)
Interesting about Badfinger -they're a book in themself, eh?
And continuing the music book theme, may I recommend A Wizard, A True Star: Todd Rundgren In The Studio by Paul Myers (Mike Myers' brother). It was written with the full cooperation of Rundgren and even as as on obsessive Toddhead, I learnt great deal.
Some insightful stories about Rundgren producing The New York Dolls, Badfinger (after George Harrison left them in the lurch to help with the crisis in Bangladesh), Hall & Oates, Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell, Patti Smith, The Tubes and XTC, plus chapters on his solo masterpieces (obviously a lot devoted to the, at the time, career-suicide album A Wizard, A True Star), as well as the albums with his band Utopia.
Blimey, Hawky, you really are an obsessive.
I remember seeing him on something like the Old Grey Whistle Test after which my old flatmate and I rechristened him A Wanker, a True Bore (How witty we thought we were)
You could almost persuade me to reappraise his work.
Almost ;-)
Interesting about Badfinger -they're a book in themself, eh?
Actually there's a book about Badfinger from the same publisher as the Rundgren book, mate. And don't get me started on Todd. IMHO, Todd is Godd! Already got tickets for his three nights at the Jazz Cafe in October.
Oh, and if you are in need of pointers for a reappraisal, Six-a-bag-of-nuts, I'm your man! I honestly think he's a frickin' genius.
Always liked Lord of the Flies, which we did at school.
Currently reading "The Beatles, Britain and America" by Jonathan Gould.
I didn't think Ian MacDonald's "Revolution in the Head" could be topped as far as Beatles books go; but this one is running it mighty close
Any reason 'Revolution in the head' was so good mate? Have read a few Beatles books but not this one yet... worth a go? Will have a look at "The Beatles, Britain and America" too!
Revolution in the Head is divided into 2 parts. Put as simply as I can; the first part is a lengthy essay where MacDonald argues, convincingly, that the 60's brought about a complete change in the cultural mindset, a "revolution in the head" as it were, that was both reflected by and at times driven by the music of the Beatles.
I found it fascinating and compelling albeit I don't completely buy into his theory.
The second part; the bulk of the book, consists of an in depth analysis of every song the Beatles recorded in chronological order; which I found so enjoyable and interesting that I couldn't put anything other than Beatles on the turntable for several weeks after.
Jonathan Goulds book, "Can't Buy Me Love; the Beatles, Britain and America" ( to give it it's full title) is a more straightforward biography of the Beatles as a group ( as opposed to the lives of the individuals).
I agree with the comment on the cover, "it' makes an old subject sound fresh"
For what it's worth, in my opinion, if you grew up with the Beatles head straight for "Revolution in the Head"; if you were born post-Beatles start with the Jonathan Gould book.
After that, make a point of reading "Lennon Remembers" by Jann Wenner.
Also try "The Lives of John Lennon" by Albert Goldmann; which, depending on your point of view, is either (a) an informative counterbalance to the Beatles myth or (b) gossip, tittle-tattle, innuendo and lies.I suspect the latter but enjoyed the read
Cheers! Im only 26 so definitley post-Beatles! Will give them a go.
Actually there's a book about Badfinger from the same publisher as the Rundgren book, mate. And don't get me started on Todd. IMHO, Todd is Godd! Already got tickets for his three nights at the Jazz Cafe in October.
Oh, and if you are in need of pointers for a reappraisal, Six-a-bag-of-nuts, I'm your man! I honestly think he's a frickin' genius.
I'll make a deal with you, mate.
Pick out 6 songs and I'll Spotify them and try to listen again with an open mind (At 57 that is becoming increasingly difficult)
I must admit I'm equally precious about Ray Davies and Syd Barrett.
Do you know I was playing some Syd stuff recently and my wife and son started laughing at it. Laughing ffs
'Do you know I was playing some Syd stuff recently and my wife and son started laughing at it. Laughing ffs'
Is nothing sacred?
All right, mate, I'll take you up on that deal, and I'll try and come up with six songs that reflect how diverse he is (some would say annoyingly so; he seems to take pride in alienating fans of each previous album when he releases a new one). Give us time to have a think. I'll avoid any well known ones, I think.
All right, Six-a-bag-of-nuts, it was tough, and I think I may have a few too many mid-tempo numbers. Also, I think A Wizard, A True Star only works in its entirety, so I didn't want take tracks from that out of context, even though I'm obsessed with that record. Here we go then:
1 The Last Ride (one of the few accessible tracks on his intensely experimental fifth album, 1974's Todd. Heart-on-the sleeve soulful vocal with some excellent guitar work by the man himself)
2. Hawking (at a push, my absolute favourite of his songs. The vocal just stops me in my tracks. Interesting arrangement, and beautiful backing vocal arrangement. Performed live in the studio. From the Nearly Human album)
3. Pretending To Care (from the virtually forgotten A Capella album, where, tired of playing every instrument himself, he made an album with no instruments at all, just his voice layered over and over)
4. Freedom Fighters (From the first Utopia album; an anthemic rocker with strange time signatures)
5. Afterlife (from the accidentally successful 2004 album Liars, recorded entirely in his linen cupboard on an Apple Mac!)
6. Weakness (I almost kept this off, as I'm not a huge fan of this album, Arena, the follow-up to Liars, but it shows a rockier side to him; again recorded entirely on an Apple Mac, but with live guitar, obviously. But it still rocks)
Oh, and Six-a-bag-of-nuts, there's a Kinks night on BBC4 on Friday 15 July, including a Julien Temple documentary about Dave Davies. I'm sure I remember reading in one of Andrew Loog Oldham's autobiographies that Ray Davies once sold (!) his brother to a wealthy homosexual!
The Catcher in the Rye was one of my favorite books when I was a teenager. I think I still have a copy somewhere... Maybe I should get it out and re-read it, or maybe it would be better if I didn't going by what has been said above.
Comments
I recently read "You never give me your money" by Pete Dogget which is the Beatles story post break-up, and how they kept the legal profession in champagne for years through endless litigation. No-one really comes out of it too well but you do end up thinking maybe Paul Macartney got a bad press overall - it seems he was the first one to realise they were being robbed blind by an assortment of crooks and chancers, and got labelled a "breadhead" when he tried to put a stop to it.
Henry, You say you've read the new Bond by Deaver. What do you think of it? I've got a copy and it's next on my list.
Blair, Brown at 10, (both by Anthony Seldon),The War We Could Not Stop (Randeep Ramesh), and Al-Qaeda (Jason Burke) interpersed with Parrot and Olivier in America (Peter Carey) and Identification of British Birds. Books for next week seem to start with words like Low Fat Exercise and Diets. Can't wait.
Story had some good twists and was easy to read but didn't make me think "wow, this is brilliant"
Geoff Boycott-Leo McKinstry
Some insightful stories about Rundgren producing The New York Dolls, Badfinger (after George Harrison left them in the lurch to help with the crisis in Bangladesh), Hall & Oates, Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell, Patti Smith, The Tubes and XTC, plus chapters on his solo masterpieces (obviously a lot devoted to the, at the time, career-suicide album A Wizard, A True Star), as well as the albums with his band Utopia.
The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose, the accompanying book to the HBO miniseries.
A very good read and includes people who are not in the series.
Oh, and if you are in need of pointers for a reappraisal, Six-a-bag-of-nuts, I'm your man! I honestly think he's a frickin' genius.
Is nothing sacred?
All right, mate, I'll take you up on that deal, and I'll try and come up with six songs that reflect how diverse he is (some would say annoyingly so; he seems to take pride in alienating fans of each previous album when he releases a new one). Give us time to have a think. I'll avoid any well known ones, I think.
'The Count of Monte Cristo', by Dumas. EPIC.
700 pages in and the tension is building.
1 The Last Ride (one of the few accessible tracks on his intensely experimental fifth album, 1974's Todd. Heart-on-the sleeve soulful vocal with some excellent guitar work by the man himself)
2. Hawking (at a push, my absolute favourite of his songs. The vocal just stops me in my tracks. Interesting arrangement, and beautiful backing vocal arrangement. Performed live in the studio. From the Nearly Human album)
3. Pretending To Care (from the virtually forgotten A Capella album, where, tired of playing every instrument himself, he made an album with no instruments at all, just his voice layered over and over)
4. Freedom Fighters (From the first Utopia album; an anthemic rocker with strange time signatures)
5. Afterlife (from the accidentally successful 2004 album Liars, recorded entirely in his linen cupboard on an Apple Mac!)
6. Weakness (I almost kept this off, as I'm not a huge fan of this album, Arena, the follow-up to Liars, but it shows a rockier side to him; again recorded entirely on an Apple Mac, but with live guitar, obviously. But it still rocks)
Memoirs of a Geezer - Jan Wobble
A different perspective on the punk days ... excellent