Popular music Books

Book SynopsisFrom the first Tin Pan Alley tunes to today’s million-view streaming hits, pop songs have been supported and influenced by an increasingly complex industry that feeds audience demand and regulates supply. As musicians and performers have created new styles and content to satisfy public craze for novelty, music producers, distributors, promoters, and even lawyers have also evolved to present that music in the best way. Harvey Rachlin investigates how music entered American homes and established a cultural institution that would expand throughout the decades to become the multi-billion dollar industry. As form followed function, the music produced shaped and was shaped by consumer buying habits, technological advances, new distribution channels, expanding global markets, and legal strictures. Exploding in the 1950s and 60s with pop stars like Elvis and the Beatles, the music industry used new technologies like the television to promote live shows and record releases. More recently, the development of online streaming services has forced the music industry to cultivate new promotion, distribution, copyright, and profit strategies. Growing in tandem with each other, pop music and its business has become a relationship that has defined our shared cultural history. This book not only charts the music that we all know and love but also reveals our active participation in its development throughout generations.Table of ContentsChapter One: The Dawn of Pop Chapter Two: Pop In the Alley Chapter Three: Booze, Airwaves and Celluloid Spark the Biz Chapter Four: The Road to Rock and Roll Chapter Five: Screaming for Elvis and the Beatles Chapter Six: A Golden Age of Pop Hits Chapter Seven: Disco Fever and Music Video Fervor Chapter Eight: The Boom of Streaming Chapter Nine: The Rise of Hip Hop and Rap Chapter Ten: A New Age of Pop Star Chapter Eleven: A Hierarchy of Popular Songs Chapter Twelve: Pop Goes the Future Appendix A: 100 Years of Hit Songs: A Select List Appendix B: Rock and Roll Labels of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s and Some of Their Major Artists

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Book SynopsisIn celebration of the 45th anniversary of The Dark Side of the Moon, Bill Kopp explores the ingenuity with which Pink Floyd rebranded itself following the 1968 departure of Syd Barrett. Not only did the band survive Barrett’s departure, but it went on to release landmark albums that continue to influence generations of musicians and fans. Reinventing Pink Floyd follows the path taken by the remaining band members to establish a musical identity, develop a songwriting style, and create a new template for the manner in which albums are made and even enjoyed by listeners. As veteran music journalist Bill Kopp illustrates, that path was filled with failed experiments, creative blind alleys, one-off musical excursions, abortive collaborations, general restlessness, and—most importantly—a dedicated search for a distinctive musical personality. This exciting guide to the works of 1968 through 1973 highlights key innovations and musical breakthroughs of lasting influence. Kopp places Pink Floyd in its historical, cultural, and musical contexts while celebrating the test of fire that took the band from the brink of demise to enduring superstardom.Trade Review“Music journalist Kopp tells the story of how Pink Floyd developed their iconic sound from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) to The Dark Side of the Moon (1973). He interviews engineers and others involved with these early albums to get firsthand accounts... Kopp, who’s also a musician, describes each of the songs from the earliest albums using some music theory (e.g., chord progression and root notes)...The group’s original songwriter, Syd Barrett, his dismissal from the band and replacement by David Gilmour (as well as other band drama) are covered, but not in great detail since the focus is on the actual music rather than the musicians. The author often mentions the 2016 release of The Early Years 1965–1972 box set, so patrons may ask about this. VERDICT Pink Floyd fanatics will appreciate the in-depth exploration of how the band developed their distinct sound." * Library Journal *“Music journalist Kopp debuts with a succinct look at Pink Floyd’s work from 1968 to 1973, focusing on the musical rather than the personal developments that led to the creation of The Dark Side of the Moon. Kopp expertly analyzes how the band developed from the idiosyncratic yet “concise pop songwriting” of its founder Syd Barrett, through a range of “musical excursions” including electronic experiments and film soundtracks, to more conceptual albums such as Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother. By offering detailed evaluations of songs such as “Echoes”— “a glacial and majestic twenty-three-plus minute piece of music that distills all of Pink Floyd’s accumulated musical virtues circa 1971 into a fully realized work”— Kopp shows that nearly “everything the band did would, in one way or another, provide clues to the band’s eventual and wildly successful direction.” He also provides new insights into how Dark Side was crafted into “a unified work” through live performances and studio sessions. Hard-core Floyd fans will delight in Kopp’s sensitivity to the intricacies of the band’s work, while people only familiar with Dark Side will be alerted to the often “overlooked development of Pink Floyd’s music” that led directly to that masterpiece. Kopp’s smart and well-researched history is a welcome addition to the Pink Floyd library.” * Publishers Weekly *With song titles like “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” and “Brain Damage,” Pink Floyd always chartered its own idiosyncratic course in the pop universe. Founded by Syd Barrett, an enigmatic (and, later, increasingly unhinged) guitar student from Cambridge, the band released its debut single, “Arnold Layne,” in March 1967. In this finely detailed account of the band’s career, from its debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, to the release of its masterpiece, The Dark Side of the Moon, Kopp focuses with laser-sharp attention on a specific time period: from early 1968—when Barrett, the leader, public face of the band, and chief songwriter, left—to spring 1973, when Dark Side was released. Within a few years, as Kopp notes, the Pink Floyd lineup of David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright that fans know so well emerged. Kopp discusses at length the pre–Dark Side albums, including A Saucerful of Secrets, Ummagumma, and Atom Heart Mother; their performances on BBC radio; their contributions to motion-picture soundtracks, such as Michelangelo Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point; and the development of the band’s distinctive sound, culminating in the live performances and release of The Dark Side of the Moon, in 1973. Pink Floyd fans will savor every word. With a foreword by Jerry Shirley, former drummer of the band Humble Pie. * Booklist *This superb book by the talented Bill Kopp on how the legendary Pink Floyd basically started out as a psychedelic folk rock outfit in the mid-60s only to transform into a prog rock mammoth in merely five or six years is a brilliant study of musical growth and how the aforementioned act helped shape the modern cultural landscape . . . "Reinventing Pink Floyd" oozes passion and comes across as both cohesive and coherent. All the devout fans of (prog) rock music out there ought to immerse themselves in this marvelous piece of literature; it is perfect for one of those grey and rainy days where you just want to curl up in your favorite armchair with a cup of strong coffee and a captivating book. Kopp's narrative is entertaining and absorbing, but it also places the first six years of the band's existence in a wider cultural and historical perspective, which lends further weight to the importance of the (early) Floyd catalogue while also helping us understand why the ensemble continues to inspire so many fans and listeners all over the world even after all these years. * Eternal Terror Webzine *If you are a dedicated Floyd fan then the Kopp book will offer a rewarding read especially if you are also a musician as the book talks a lot about time signatures and unusual chords. * The Carouser *Bill Kopp has written knowledgeable, well-informed, conscientious, and sensitive chapters about Syd’s music and what it took to record it in somewhat difficult circumstances for us all. He has written about what really matters. A great readwell worth the price of admission. -- Jerry Shirley, drummer for Humble PieKopp’s excellent analysis of Pink Floyd’s post-Syd, pre-arenas era performs a valuable service to the Floyd canon. -- Joel McIver, bestselling rock authorCombining research into their classic albums and a wealth of little-known and unofficial recordings with astute and entertaining analysis, Kopp generates fresh insight into Pink Floyd’s formative years. Even longtime fans of the band will be surprised and enlightened. -- Richie Unterberger, author of Unknown Legends of Rock’n’RollTable of ContentsIntroduction Historical and musical contextualization of early Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett as leader Discussion of the group's reliance on Barrett Apples and Oranges: 1967– Defining characteristics in Barrett's songwriting and musical approach This early period features a band focused almost solely on the compositions, vocals and distinctive guitar work of Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett, the group's original leader. The studio songs of this period are characterized by a childlike wonder, filtered through the influences of English classical literature and LSD. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and singles – Barrett's studio work as an exemplar of "Summer of Love" musical ethosReaction in G: Cambridge St/ation – Pink Floyd's live shows of the era were distinctly different from the band's studio output, and would provide more of a template for the band's future direction.BBC One: Continu/ation – Live performances for radio bridged the gap between the band's live and studio approaches. Point Me at the Sky: 1968 – Syd leaves; the band begins again in his shadow Reeling from the loss of both its leader and management, Pink Floyd struggles to develop new material that continues where Syd Barrett;s music left off. Searching for a Sound: A Saucerful of Secrets – Losing its leader halfway through the making of an album means Pink Floyd has to draw upon its live set for ideas. The group quickly moves away form pop song structure.Soundtrack One: Tonite Let's All Make Love in London – Without even trying, the band makes its first foray into the world of film soundtrack work.BBC Two: Germin/ation and Continua/tion – The band works hard for commercial success via multiple television appearances and additional soundtrack work (The Committee) The Narrow Way: 1969 – Developing a distinct identity Guitarist David Gilmour takes on a more active role. The loss of the band's primary songwriter and creative visionary found the group adrift artistically, searching for a new and distinctive musical direction. Nonetheless, some of the group's most enduring work was creative during this period of exploration and experimentation, setting the tone for the future. Soundtrack Two: More – Pink Floyd makes its first serious journey into the world of composiing music for motion pictures.Live work vs. Studio Experiments: Ummagumma – Double-album highlights the group beginning to reconcile the differences between its live performance and studio work; the lines between the two begin to blur.The Man and the Journey: Dramatis/ation – An early conceptual work aims to combine scattered individual songs into a cohesive, semi-narrative extended work, presaging The Dark Side of the MoonRemergence: 1970 – Increased musical risks yield rewards and setbacks Pink Floyd explores long-form musical composition in live performance while pursuing soundtrack opportunities that showcase a different side of the band and provide clues to the future. Epic song structure: Atom Heart Mother – Expanding its sound to include a full orchestra and choir, the group collaborates closely with avant-garde composer Ron Geesin.Soundtrack Three: Zabriskie Point – The band's ambient-leaning tendencies are explored in a suite of songs and incidental music created for film.Soundtrack Four: Music from The Body – Album marks the first outside venture by a Pink Floyd member (post-Syd Barret) and develops some musical ideas that will reappear on The Dark Side of the Moon.BBC Three: Devi/ation – Developed onstage rather than in the studio, the band's extended set-pieces preview the direction Pink Floyd's music would take for the rest of its time as a group. Biding My Time: 1971 – In-depth pursuit of promising musical approaches Learning from the experience of working with a collaborator, the group retreats into itself, combining its strengths onto a single album. Refining the Formula: Meddle – Continuing its approach of developing long-form musical works onstage, Pink Floyd creates one of its most enduring work. BBC Four: Reverber/ation – Once again the band reconciles its studio work (specifically, pop-length songs) with long-form explorations; BBC performances of this era are the most accurate representations of the band's growth. Odds and Ends: Relics – Scattered non-album tracks and previously-unreleased material shows both how the band has changed and maintained some of its original ideas. Burning Bridges: 1972 – Leaving Syd's influence behind and looking to the future A distinct musical personality emerges, and the group once again attempts collaboration with outside artists, most notably filmmaker Adrian Maben and ballet choreographer Roland Petit. Soundtrack Four: La Valée (Obscured by Clouds) – Pink Floyd embarks on its final film soundtrack project.Wot's … Uh the Deal: Obfusc/ation – The band attempts to combine music and ballet, with mixed results.Echoes: Live at Pompeii – A live performance in ancient coliseum ruins serves as the final word on Pink Floyd's transitional years, while previewing the future. The Great Gig in the Sky: 1973 – Creating the perfect album The synthesis of everything the band has learned in the previous five years. Perfecting the Formula: The Dark Side of the Moon Oh, By the Way: 1974 and Beyond Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe seeds of irreverent humour that inspired the likes of Wayne and Shuster and Monty Python were sown in the trenches of the First World War, and The Dumbellsâconcert parties made up of fighting soldiersâwere central to this process. Soldiers of Song tells their story. Lucky soldiers who could sing a song, perform a skit, or pass as a "lady," were taken from the line and put onstage for the benefit of their soldier-audiences. The intent was to bolster morale and thereby help soldiers survive the war. The Dumbells' popularity was not limited to troop shows along the trenches. The group also managed a run in London's West End and became the first ever Canadian production to score a hit on Broadway. Touring Canada for some twelve years after the war, the Dumbells became a household name and made more than twenty-five audio recordings. If nationhood was won on the crest of Vimy Ridge, it was the Dumbells who provided the country with its earliest soundtrack. Pioneers of sketch comedy, the Dumbells are as important to the history of Canadian theatre as they are to the cultural history of early-twentieth-century Canada.Trade Review"The Great War is remembered as a terrible and senseless conflict where a generation was put through the sausage-grinder of stalemate and slaughter. Nine million were killed, including more than sixty thousand Canadians. The civilian soldiers who formed the ranks of all armies suffered under terrible strain, but they found coping mechanisms in the midst of destruction. Laughter, humour, pranks, and songs helped them to endure. Meanwhile, behind the lines, concert and theatre groups offered humourous skits and performances to bolster morale. In Soldiers of Song Jason Wilson has produced a groundbreaking study of these concert parties, with a focus on the most successful of them, the Dumbells. Wilson, a scholar and two-time Juno Award nominee, has researched deeply to unearth and reconstruct the popular songs, irreverent jokes, and cutting barbs directed against the war effort, generals, and the enemy. His work reminds us that the more than 450,000 civilian soldiers who served overseas came from all professions, including actors, comics, and musicians, and that they too contributed to winning the war." -- Tim Cook -- Canada's History"Jason Wilson, an accomplished musician who has authored three previous books on Canadian history and culture, has written an outstanding book on the musical entertainment for Canadian soldiers during the First World War. Soldiers of Song discusses the Canadian 'concert parties' that performed during and after the war, with a focus primarily on the most well-known show, the Dumbells.... I was impressed by the author's ability to balance an historical approach with cultural analysis. This is in contrast to earlier works on concert parties, which are more descriptive. The author's extensive use of primary materials also makes the book a useful historical source on early-twentieth-century Canadian popular music.... Soldiers of Song is a valuable and insightful survey of wartime entertainment that also sheds light on Canadian music theatre of the early twentieth century. Reproductions of photographs of performers and performances are interspersed throughout, and there is an extensive list of sources and acknowledgements. Completing the presentation are nine appendices detailing the personalities, performances, and publication histories of the most prominent Canadian concert parties." -- Sean Luyk, University of Alberta -- CAML Review"This rich cultural study details how Canada's long music hall tradition strengthened morale on the Western Front. This isn't always a nostalgic view, for the performances mirrored the racism as well as the moral and gendered ambiguities of the age. But the Dumbells' humour nurtured a style that anticipated The Wayne and Shuster Hour, Monty Python, even Saturday Night Live. From these pages one can almost hear the songs and laughter of a generation at war." -- Geoff Hayes, University of Waterloo, co-editor (with Mike Bechthold and Matt Symes) of Canada and the Second World War: Essays in Honour of Terry Copp"Jason Wilson has written a vivid account of one of the most colourful chapters in Canada's history. He has unearthed a great story, which despite its significance has been almost forgotten. He captures the mixture of song, laughter, bravery, and gallows humour with which the Dumbells buoyed the spirits of Canadian soldiers during the Great War as they struggled with the appalling realities of trench warfare. In their wartime and postwar appearances, the Dumbells contributed notably to the development of a Canadian style and a Canadian national spirit." -- Thomas H.B. Symons, C.C., O.Ont., FRSC, founding president of Trent University and chair of the Ontario Heritage Trust"In this fascinating study ... we are shown how, as the war continued, the traditional content based on the Music Hall led to a growth in the darker side of comedy which arose from the trench experience.... This most enjoyable book is a welcome addition to our knowledge of the everyday life at the Front." -- Bob Wyatt -- The Western Front Association Stand To!Table of ContentsTable of Contents for Soldiers of Song: The Dumbells and Other Canadian Concert Parties of the First World War , by Jason Wilson List of Figures I Introduction II The Music Hall and Beyond III In the Interest of Morale: The Dumbells and the Development of the Canadian Concert Party IV Only a Soldier Knows: The War and Humour V The Canadian Concert-Party Experience VI The Dumbells in Peace Notes on Sources and Acknowledgements Appendices A Dramatis Personae : CEF Concert-Party Entertainers of WWI B Notable Concert Parties of the CEF and BEF C Important Casts of the CEF Concert Parties D Postwar Concert Party Revues E North American Tour Itineraries F Catalogue of Dumbells Sheet Music G Catalogue of Dumbells-Related Music H Miscellaneous Songs I Important British Music-Hall Revues Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWinner of the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award The life (1912–1988) and career of Gil Evans paralleled and often foreshadowed the quickly changing world of jazz through the 20th century. Gil Evans: Out of the Cool is the comprehensive biography of a self-taught musician whom colleagues often regarded as a mentor. His innovative work as a composer, arranger, and bandleader—for Miles Davis, with whom he frequently collaborated over the course of four decades, and for his own ensembles—places him alongside Duke Ellington and Aaron Copland as one of the giants of American music. His unflagging creativity galvanized the most prominent jazz musicians in the world, both black and white. This biography traces Evans's early years: his first dance bands in California during the Depression; his life as a studio arranger in Hollywood; and his early work with Claude Thornhill, one of the most unusual bandleaders of the Big Band Era. After settling in New York City in 1946, Evans's basement apartment quickly became a meeting ground for musicians. The discussions that took place there among Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis, and others resulted in the “Birth of the Cool” scores for the Miles Davis Nonet and, later on, for Evans’s masterpieces with Davis: “Miles Ahead,” “Porgy and Bess,” and “Sketches of Spain.”Trade Review"A beautifully constructed biography." -- Variety

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Book SynopsisÊRush FAQÊ documents the amazing story of the world's greatest Canadian prog rock power trio from its origins in a church basement in Willowdale Ontario to its induction ceremony at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Covering 40 albums 10 DVDs thousands of mesmerizing live shows and millions of rock's most loyal fans the story of Rush is as epic and unique as its music. Rush has been maligned by the press for decades and misunderstood by a legion of mainstream rock fans and rock glitterati. And yet only the Beatles and Rolling Stones have earned more gold and platinum records. Few artists if any have been as influential as Rush's three virtuoso ä bassist-keyboardist-vocalist Geddy Lee guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer-lyricist Neil Peart.ÞRush's focus has always been about its muse and its music. As such ÊRush FAQÊ studies the evolution of the band's sound from the early days of Zeppelin-esque blues-rock to complex synth-laden opuses to the return of concept-album bombast with the critically acclaimed ÊClockwork AngelsÊ.ÞWith wit humor and authority music industry veteran and unabashed Rush geek Max Mobley examines the music gear personalities and trials and tribulations of one of rock and roll's truly legendary acts. It is a story Rush fans will treasure and rock and roll fans will admire.

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Book SynopsisIn a career spanning five decades, Elton John has sold over 250 million records worldwide and has appeared in nearly 4,000 live performances. Inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award winning singer-songwriter is the most successful solo artist Great Britain has ever produced and the third-most successful artist overall in American music history (behind only Elvis Presley and the Beatles). Elton John FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Rocket Man chronicles the music legend s entire career to date. Beginning with his humble, and at times disheartening, childhood in the North London suburb of Pinner, readers are privy to the serendipitous meeting between John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, with whom he d form a songwriting partnership that would ultimately rank alongside Lennon and McCartney in its success. Investigating the highs and lows throughout each of John s musical phases and sartorial changes, the book underscores not only the talent behind the legend but the unvarnished truth behind tales that are familiar only to diehard fans.

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Book SynopsisJoe Wilson served for twenty-eight years as executive director of the National Folk Festival and National Council for Traditional Arts. Throughout his impressive career, Wilson wrote extensively and colorfully about many facets of vernacular music in North America, including works on major folk instruments, as well as on characteristic musical styles, especially old-time, bluegrass, modern country, blues, cowboy, a cappella gospel, and others. This volume, a companion to Lucky Joe’s Namesake: The Extraordinary Life and Observations of Joe Wilson, compiles Wilson’s best writings on musical topics, including some previously unpublished works.With wry humor, Wilson covers the origins of roots music in eighteenth-century America and its subsequent dispersion through races, classes, ethnic groups, and newly settled regions. Wilson knew, worked with, and wrote about many iconic artists of the twentieth century, including Willie Nelson, Doc Watson, Clarence Ashley, the Stanley Brothers, Kenny Baker, Cephas & Wiggins, John Jackson, and members of the Hill Billies – the band whose name came to signify an entire genre of the earliest recorded roots music. This carefully curated volume is comprised of works previously scattered in liner notes, small-circulation magazines, tour booklets, and unpublished manuscripts, all collected here and organized by theme.The writings of this legendary, internationally recognized figure will be indispensable to roots music fans and will delight readers and students interested in the traditional arts and dedicated to preserving historic folkways.

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Book SynopsisFolk Music in Overdrive is a reader of music scholar Ivan Tribe’s more significant published articles, revised and updated, from their original publication in magazines such as Bluegrass Unlimited, Precious Memories: Journal of Gospel Music, Old Time Music, and Goldenseal: West Virginia Traditional Music, as well as two never-before published essays. Tribe delivers essays on well-known solo artists, such as Charlie Monroe and Mac Odell; country music duos like husband and wife team Joe and Stacy Isaacs or the brotherly duos of The Bailes, Callahan, and Goins brothers; famous and lesser known sidemen, such as fiddlers Tater Tate and Natchee the Indian, or dobro player Speedy Krise; and musical groups such as the enigmatic Coon Creek Girls. This collection represents an important contribution to music studies and spans bluegrass as a genre from its beginnings to the present.These thirty-nine revised articles had been originally built around interviews with the musical figures and their close associates; but revision yielded new information from a variety of sources, much from Bear Family boxed sets as well as counsel, advice, and knowledge shared by other music scholars. The musicians and bands that Tribe profiles here were both bluegrass pickers and singers themselves, as well as some musicians who are often characterized as traditional country musicians. Some led bands for all or part of their careers while others ranked as noted sidemen or band members. Others composed songs that have become popular, indeed often standard, fare in the bluegrass field.As part of the Charles K. Wolfe Music Series, formed in honor of the late music scholar, Folk Music in Overdrive succinctly advances traditional music scholarship and Wolfe’s own love of early country and bluegrass.

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Book SynopsisFrom his earliest recordings to his posthumously released albums, the haunting baritone of Waylon Jennings marked him as an extraordinarily individualistic country music artist. This biography by the late R. Serge Denisoff, first published in 1983, recounts Waylon’s west Texas upbringing, his introduction to music as a radio announcer at thirteen years old, his tutelage by rock star Buddy Holly, and his eventual stellar yet stormy music career. Where the original 1983 biography ends, music scholar Travis Stimeling picks up with the waning years of Waylon’s recording and performing. Stimeling recounts in the new afterword Waylon’s continued musical success in the early 1980s—though his financial troubles and battle with drugs and alcohol would soon cost him both professionally and personally—his triumphant and sober return in the 1990s and collaboration with longtime recording artists in the industry, and his continued musical relevance in an evolving industry driven by Nashville’s urban popularization of country music. Additionally, series editor Ted Olson, in his foreword, touches on Waylon’s legacy and the continued influence of his outlaw style of country music. Fans of Waylon, country music, and the Nashville music scene are sure to find this second edition of R. Serge Denisoff’s classic biography a welcome addition to the publications on the father of outlaw country.

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