Robben Ford Discussion

telefunk1 · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:40 am Post subject: Summer reading

Any good music related books being read out there this summer?

I just finished two interesting reads, kind of related to each other:

Don Felder's "Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)

and

David N. Meyer's "Twenty Thousand Roads: the Ballad of Gram Parsons and his Cosmic American Music"

Interesting because Parsons is usually attributed to have "invented" country rock, and the Eagles to have ruined, commercialized and corporatized it.

The Felder book is mostly about him and the business interactions with the rest of the Eagles, not much in the way of music making (except how difficult it was once the egos started getting in the way) and certainly nothing for the gear head if that is what you are looking for. Amazing that any of these guys are still alive after the amount of serious imbibing that went on. Kind of behind the scenes tell all type of book - but a fast and easy read.

The Parsons bio is much more of an academic work - lots of interviews and research and commentary on Parsons' role in the evolution of American music. Lots of imbibing going on in this one, too, of course! Good stuff.

To be honest the Eagles are one of my least favorite bands in the world (to be sure, I agree with the Dude in the taxi scene from the Big Lebowski) and I wanted to read the Felder book to hear him dish on his former band mates - I was not disappointed. It is also a pretty stark tale of getting screwed in the music biz. On the other hand, the Parsons story is more about an opportunity lost - he had everything going for him and blew it. But if I had to chose between the two artists I would take Parsons brilliant failures any day over the homogenized and over produced Eagles (see page 366 of the Parsons book for a blunt criticism of their music). So put on Grievious Angel and listen to Gram and Emmylou and James Burton et al and wonder about what could have been.

roadwarriorfortheblues · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:22 am Post subject:

I'm looking for something good to read. I've been reading some great fiction by author Rebecca West. My favorite, so far, is "The Fountain Overflows." It was a 1957 best selling novel about music and creativity. I also enjoyed her "Return of the Soldier," a very short novel (not about music).

I'd like to read a book about some of the American artists who have lived in self-imposed exile from the U.S., but I haven't found one. I've found biographies about individual artists, but nothing that interviews a large number of musicians and fine artists about experiences living in exile.

I'd also like to read a book about songwriting. One that will help. Any suggestions?
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Richard Harris · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:25 am Post subject: Summer Reading

Bill Graham Presents, Its been out for awhile. Great, Great stories of artists just getting started like Santana or when he was throwing dollars under the dressing room door to get CSN out to play and then running back out to the crowd to work them up even more and then back to the dressing room door to throw more money under the door to entice them out to play. Great reading you wont put it down. Enjoy

JohnnyZ · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:43 am Post subject:

Bluelobster · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:45 pm Post subject: Books

Hello Road W. , i don't remember any but one book really funny is :
"Quiet days in Clichy" by Henry Miller.
This one makes me crack up though my last reading is ""years old.EDITED LATER And anyway like a real old fart i've been taliking about this book yet just like a showoffster who sucks , aridiculous moron .

And any news about the Bloomfield Book's world travel.Who is the last one .................I've asked this once , it's incredible how many people can get amnesic for such a ridiculous thing , i mean : book never got back, happy with just the cost of this rip off...... Idea

ZDITED LATER
there is a strong lack of action on this strange thing,
can't believe you are struggling with your necks,
you bunch of ....................................................workers
Proof : neveranyaction during week-ends unless Robben will start to do unreal things i presume..............

roadwarriorfortheblues · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:42 am Post subject: tracking device

The book went from UncleSalty to Aeolian and the thread stops with FatTeleTom's request for it next ????

http://www.online-discussion.com/RobbenFord/viewtopic.php?p=14034#14034

I have my own copy, so I didn't get to autograph the travelling book.

Thanks for book suggestions! "Quiet Days in Clichy" looks good. Thanks Blob! .... I'm not sure I want to learn songwriting from someone named Rikky Rooksby. I can't even say his name three times fast.
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Travelling by train of thought

JohnnyZ · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:05 am Post subject:

Re: the Bloomfield book

I'm hoping to get it back someday for a refresher and to put my JohnnyZ Hancock on it which I didn't think to do the first time...

Bluelobster · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:10 am Post subject: tracking Exile

FatTeleTom · Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 191

Just FYI, I never heard anything about the Bloomfield book after my post, so no idea where it's at.

As for a music-related read suggestion, I just finished a couple of older books:

"Deep Blues", by Robert Palmer. An acknowledged classic on the development of Delta, Memphis, and Chicago blues. Great read.

"Temples of Sound" by Jim Cogan and William Clark. Great look at the great studios and engineers/producers behind most of the great American music of the last half century or so.

telefunk1 · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject:

Road - interesting question on the expatriate musicians. You might start with a bio of one of the most famous jazz expats and see if the references include what you are looking for...

http://www.amazon.com/Dexter-Gordon-Musical-Biography-Paperback/dp/0306803615/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214252772&sr=1-1

I have not read this Dexter Gordon bio so I don't know if it is any good, but I love is music!

Check this out, too...

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/44590007

and then this one...

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/26552871&referer=brief_results

roadwarriorfortheblues · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:44 am Post subject:

Thanks Telefunk! Great suggestions. I didn't know about Worldcat.org either, so thanks for that too.
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Travelling by train of thought

frank0936 · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:33 pm Post subject: reading

I enjoyed "Inside Out" by Nick Mason. It's the story of Pink Floyd as told by their drummer. It was really interesting to to see how many people were involved in the evolution of that band. The other music book that I just finished is Eric Clapton's autobiography. Eric doesn't pull any punches on himself and tells of his addictions and failures as well as his successes in a very matter - of - fact, but still entertaining, way.
Frank