webby
23-02-2010, 14:20
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has read books that have then inspired them to listen to new music, or indeed listened to music that has prompted you to read about it/the artist/the making of?
I think it was Elvis Costello who once said “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's a really stupid thing to want to do”. I disagree. I may not write about music, but I certainly like to read about it.
I've read books about Paul McCartney, The Beatles, Bono, U2, Neil Young, Crowded House, Simple Minds, Brian Wilson, and The Beach Boys amongst others, and it's the Beach Boys one I want to highlight here.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0711961972.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys: How Deep Is The Ocean? (Link to a preview of the book) (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CfCMwtZkTysC&lpg=PP1&ots=Hvkgglwty-&dq=how%20deep%20is%20the%20ocean%20beach%20boys&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=&f=false)
Written by Paul Williams of Crawdaddy fame, this is a great book. I bought this at a time when I had just a couple of Beach Boys cds. I'd started reading about them online and learned about the infamous aborted Smile album. There was an awful lot of myth and mystery surrounding the album, especially as it was to be the follow up to the acclaimed Pet Sounds album. My interest was piqued and I chose this book to gain a better insight.
The book contains essays and interviews from the time of recording in '66/'67, right up to it's release in 1997. It's written with such passion, awe and marvel that I just could not resist the urge to track down more of these long lost, or rather, unreleased recordings as well as other Beach Boys work. Some of the Smile tracks were included on the Good Vibrations:30 Years of the Beach Boys 5cd box set. This was quite pricey at the time, but when I saw it at £30 one day I bought it. Since then, I've bought a few of the twofer remasters; Smiley Smile & Wild Honey, Friends & 20/20, Sunflower & Surf's Up and 15 Big Ones & Love You. At around £6 a pop they were a bargain. They're a steal now at £4 on amazon!
I've also downloaded lots of Smile bootlegs and various session work, as well as the official release in 2004 of the rerecorded Smile album. It's all fascinating stuff.
I may not have delved so deep had it not been for that book.
I was wondering if anyone has read books that have then inspired them to listen to new music, or indeed listened to music that has prompted you to read about it/the artist/the making of?
I think it was Elvis Costello who once said “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's a really stupid thing to want to do”. I disagree. I may not write about music, but I certainly like to read about it.
I've read books about Paul McCartney, The Beatles, Bono, U2, Neil Young, Crowded House, Simple Minds, Brian Wilson, and The Beach Boys amongst others, and it's the Beach Boys one I want to highlight here.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0711961972.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys: How Deep Is The Ocean? (Link to a preview of the book) (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CfCMwtZkTysC&lpg=PP1&ots=Hvkgglwty-&dq=how%20deep%20is%20the%20ocean%20beach%20boys&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=&f=false)
Written by Paul Williams of Crawdaddy fame, this is a great book. I bought this at a time when I had just a couple of Beach Boys cds. I'd started reading about them online and learned about the infamous aborted Smile album. There was an awful lot of myth and mystery surrounding the album, especially as it was to be the follow up to the acclaimed Pet Sounds album. My interest was piqued and I chose this book to gain a better insight.
The book contains essays and interviews from the time of recording in '66/'67, right up to it's release in 1997. It's written with such passion, awe and marvel that I just could not resist the urge to track down more of these long lost, or rather, unreleased recordings as well as other Beach Boys work. Some of the Smile tracks were included on the Good Vibrations:30 Years of the Beach Boys 5cd box set. This was quite pricey at the time, but when I saw it at £30 one day I bought it. Since then, I've bought a few of the twofer remasters; Smiley Smile & Wild Honey, Friends & 20/20, Sunflower & Surf's Up and 15 Big Ones & Love You. At around £6 a pop they were a bargain. They're a steal now at £4 on amazon!
I've also downloaded lots of Smile bootlegs and various session work, as well as the official release in 2004 of the rerecorded Smile album. It's all fascinating stuff.
I may not have delved so deep had it not been for that book.