Book Description
Contains the following two books: (1) The Beatles Story on Capitol Records, Part One: Beatlemania & The Singles and (2) The Beatles Story on Capitol Records, Part Two: The Albums in a special slipcase. Hard cover with over 1,200 color photos throughout, including all picture sleeves, album covers, label variations, trade advertisements, posters and point of purchase displays. Essential and entertaining for both casual fans and serious collectors.
Customer Reviews:
The best of Bruce's books about the Beatles.......2005-09-07
I bought these books when they first came out, and i wasn't disappointed. I previously read Bruce's book on Vee-Jay - and if you haven't read that then you should check it out too.
The Capitol volumes are easily the best, because they cover the Beatles best records. Everything from Meet The Beatles to Magical Mystery Tour is here, with the singles to match.
You get the album art and labels in full-colour, with info on the records like release dates and sales etc.
He also tells the story behind each release. For example, the famous Butcher cover gets a full run-down, as do the early Capitol singles when EMI had to bully them into releasing them.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the records is here.
A book for collectors.
Phenomonal.......2002-03-19
Beatles fans who thought the bar could not be raised any higher after the legendary Mark Lewisohn Beatles books (also available at Amazon.com, by the way) are in for a real treat. The Bruce Spizer books are a marvel. I have three so far and will buy the fourth one when it comes out. If you are into minute details and great archival images on large glossy high quality paper stock, BUY BRUCE SPIZER'S BOOKS. They are expensive but well worth the investment. They are must haves and certainly more information than most humans should or would care to know about the Beatles on Captiol Records.If there is a Beatle manic on your Xmas list, you can do no better than to splurge on this set of books. They are that good.
The best book set on the Beatles U.S. Records ever!!.......2001-02-13
I CAN'T IMAGINE HAVING ANY INTEREST AT ALL IN THE BEATLES AMERICAN RECORDS AND NOT OWNING THIS SET! IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE INDIVIDUAL REVIEWS FOR EACH OF THESE VOLUMES, BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE DO! JUST TYPE IN "SPIZER" IN THE SEARCH BOX UNDER THE BOOKS CATEGORY AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT THESE AND ALL OF HIS MAGNIFICENT BOOKS!! LET ME SIMPLY SAY THAT THESE TWO VOLUMES ARE THE SINGLE BEST BOOKS EVER PUBLISHED ON ANY RECORDS, ANYWHERE AND IT HAPPENS TO BE A BLESSING TO US THAT MR. SPIZER CHOSE THE BEATLES AS HIS SUBJECT MATTER! QUITE SIMPLY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BEATLES U.S. CAPITOL RECORDS, YOU GET ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU EVER DREAMED OF IN TERMS OF TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY! THIS 'SLIP-CASE' EDITION BEAUTIFULLY HOUSES BOTH VOLUMES IN A STUNNING AND STURDY MATCHING CASE! IT'S THE PERFECT PROTECTIVE PACKAGE FOR THE PERFECT BEATLES BOOKS! IF YOU ALREADY OWN BOTH BOOKS, DO WHAT I DID AND GET THE SLIP CASE EDITION FOR COLLECTING PURPOSES AND USE THE OTHERS AS YOUR 'USER' OR 'READING' COPIES! I ALSO IMPRESSED A FEW FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS BY PRESENTING THIS 'SLIP-CASE' EDITION AS A GIFT!
Book Description
This is the second part of Bruce Spizer's critically acclaimed "The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records, Part One: Beatlemania & The Singles." It contains detailed information on the group's Capitol albums from "Meet The Beatles!" through "Magical Mystery Tour", including extensive coverage on the controversial butcher cover and “Sgt. Pepper.” There are also chapters on the unique albums released by Capitol in Canada and in Mexico, as well as chapters on where and how the records and album covers were manufactured and on the special mixes appearing on Capitol albums, plus a few surprises. Hard cover with over 700 color photos throughout, including all album covers, label variations, trade advertisements, posters and point of purchase displays. Essential and entertaining for both casual fans and serious collectors.
Customer Reviews:
Why The Beatles Hate the LP's.......2007-05-13
During the press conference for the Vancover show in 64,Paul voiced his
disaproval of how the American record company would release anything
as a single. During one of their U.S shows John took a swipe at one
of the LP titles. He didn't have a copy of it & didn't want one.After
buying the Capital Box sets of their U.S. LP's I know know why & you
will too. Growing up in Australia, we got the U.K. versions of their
albums - which are the REAL versions & are better. Read this book & you
will see how the record company milked the music for all they could.
Capitol never wanted them but when they were forced to take
The Beatles...they became the most succesful act to have records released by the label. And you payed for that privilage. A facinating book.
AN AMAZING JOURNEY BACK INTO BEATLEMANIA - PART 2.......2003-07-19
This was the second Bruce Spizer book that I had bought and like it's companion "Part 1 - The Singles" it is an amazingly enjoyable book to behold. I've got these US versions in my collection though they are Orange Label 70's variations. It's great to learn about the logic behind their releases and it's equally interesting to listen to a US "Rubber Soul" especially as I was used to the UK/Australian 14 track version all these years... the US Version sounds like a Folk/Pop/Rock Album ALA the Byrds The "Butcher Cover" saga is a production almost bigger than "Ben-Hur". Bruce Spizer takes you right into the minds of those involved with that drama. No wonder Alan Livingston was reluctant to take those 20 "Butcher" LP's home..he'd had enough of them! The Author's thoroughness is never in question and the quality of his books consistently put many others to shame. The label reproductions are wonderful and helpful if you've bought the original US LP's. To think that now those US LP's are now deleted and replced by their UK counterparts. Overall the quality is superb and Mr. Spizer's books sit in the same class as those of Mark Lewisohn's "Complete Beatles Chronicle" & "Abbey Road" books as well as the massive "Beatles Anthology" tome. While each part stands alone quite well you must buy Part 1 to complete the set as they complemment each other really beautifully. I thoroughly recommend these books to any Beatles fan and lovers of Rock Music books.
Must for Beatle Fans.......2001-05-31
A great book to find treasures with your old LP's. To find out what version or issue numbers you might own. Pictures are extremely good! With glossy photos!!
THE REAL BEATLES ANTHOLOGY.......2001-02-09
This book is the third book of a trilogy that every Beatle collector should have. Starting with the history of VJ, Bruce has fantastically illustrated the Beatles American history on vinyl. With this third edition, Part 2 of the history at Capitol, The photo's, the adverts, and the history itself make this book worthwile in every way.
Surely, even Capitol Records themselves must be proud!.......2000-11-23
WELL FOLKS, IT'S FINALLY HERE! THE LONG AWAITED VOLUME TWO OF BRUCE SPIZER'S NEW BEATLES CAPITOL ALBUMS BOOK TITLED, 'THE BEATLES' STORY ON CAPITOL RECORDS PART TWO: THE ALBUMS' (By Bruce Spizer, October 2000). INDEED, I'M RUNNING OUT OF SUPERLATIVES TO DESCRIBE THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT BRUCE HAS DONE IN THE FIELD OF THE BEATLES AMERICAN RECORDS. JUST WHEN YOU THINK IT'S NOT POSSIBLE, HE IMPROVES HIS PRODUCT EVERYTIME! AS YOU ALREADY PROBABLY KNOW, HIS FIRST TWO BOOKS ('Songs, Pictures & Stories Of The Fabulous Beatles Story On Vee Jay Records' & 'The Beatles' Story On Capitol Record Part One: The Singles') WERE AMAZING CRITICAL SUCCESSES AND EASILY THE BEST BEATLES RECORD BOOKS TO EVER BE PUBLISHED ON THE SUBJECT OF THE BEATLES ORIGINAL CAPITOL & VEE JAY RECORDS! THIS BOOK CONTINUES BRUCE'S TRADITION OF IMPROVING THE BOOK WHENEVER AND WHEREEVER HE CAN. ONE EXAMPLE IS BRINGING TO VIBRANT LIFE THE "ALREADY REALLY GOOD PICTURES" INTO VERY BRIGHT, STUNNING DETAILED IMAGERY! INDEED, MANY OF THE LABELS IN THIS BOOK LOOK BETTER THAN THE RECORD LABELS THEMSELVES! THE STORYLINES AND RESEARCH ARE SIMPLY FIRST RATE. THE ARTICLES SUCH AS THE "THE HISTORY OF THE BUTCHER COVER", ALONG WITH HISTORIES/ILLUSTRATATIONS OF THE BEATLES CANADIAN AND MEXICAN ALBUMS (AND VARIOUS OTHERS) ARE TRULY A BONUS AS THIS BOOKS STANDS STRONG ON THE MERITS OF THE BOOKS MAIN FOCUS, ...THE U.S. RECORDS! ANOTHER HUGE TREAT ARE THE MANY IN-STORE PROMOTIONAL ITEMS SUCH AS ORIGINAL IN-STORE MOTION/STILL DISPLAYS AND POSTERS FEATURED IN FULL COLOR!! YES MANY OF US ASSISTED BRUCE IN HIS EFFORTS, BUT HE TAKES HOME THE TROPHY AND DESERVEDLY SO! JUST ORDER IT FOR YOURSELF AND YOU'LL SAY THE SAME THING I DID.... "I DIDN'T THINK IT COULD BE DONE, BUT THIS BOOK IS EVEN BETTER THAN THE OTHERS!!!" OF COURSE, AS WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT WITH ALL BRUCE'S QUALITY WORKS, EVERY SINGLE ENTRY IN THE BOOK IS ACCOMPANIED WITH FULL ILLUSTRATION! I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT'S IN STORE FOR HIS "BEATLES ON APPLE RECORDS" BOOK WHICH WILL BE OUT IN 2002! ...THE PHRASE "ABSOLUTELY A MUST HAVE FOR EVERY BEATLE FAN AND COLLECTOR" IS INDEED, A PRETTY WORN OUT PHRASE, BUT IT'S GREAT BOOKS LIKE THIS THAT FORCE IT'S USE YET AGAIN!
Customer Reviews:
On the Inside of "Rolling Stone".......2007-09-21
To those who are not fervent fans of "Rolling Stone" magazine, Ben Fong-Torres is probably most memorably known as the editor of "Rolling Stone" portrayed in the rock movie "Almost Famous." This book is the story of his and his family's life in the San Francisco Bay Area, and how a guy like Ben ended up as a founding editor of the world's most famous rock magazine. Hint: he was a college DJ.
The story chronicles the inauspicious beginnings of the magazine, with details about early life at the magazine and Jann Wenner's vision. It is also the story of Ben Fong-Torres's attempt to balance the lure of rock and roll with his parents' more traditional view of what a good Chinese- American boy should do with his life.
Fong-Torres describes well the counterculture atmosphere of the 1960s that gave way to the founding of the magazine. However, the part of this autobiography that is most compelling is the description of the Chinese-American community in the Bay Area and the story of Fong-Torres's own brother's death. This is a great book for rock history junkies, but more than that, it is a sincere tale of growing up Asian in America.
The Rice Room.......2007-01-10
Ben Fong-Torres has a way of painting great pictures with words. Having grown up in Oakland, and attended the same high school. His book brought back vivid memories for me. I just ordered one of his newest books cnd can't wait to read it. He has such a passion for writing and for music, that clearly jump out at the reader.
Great read!.......2004-11-03
Ben Fong Torres has lived a life that many of us dream about! Meeting some of the most famous rock stars the world has ever known and getting a chance to do what he loves to do! What a great country we live in! Reading Ben's tome about growing up in California was so interesting..Ben writes with such honesty and wonderful detail that you can imagine yourself propelled back in time sharing those experiences with him! I admire Ben for his straightforward account of growing up asian american in this country and as an asian american I really identified a lot with what Ben went through! Fantastic book!
A Straightforward Look at an Interesting Life.......2004-09-25
It would have been tempting for Ben Fong Torres to write one of those "rockstars I've met" memoirs, replete with purple prose about purple people. Ben Fong Torres takes a different tack in this autobiography, telling us about two disparate worlds. One is the world of being the child of Chinese immigrants, living without a great deal of money. The other is the story of a man who seemed born to be a journalist, coming of age in 1960s San Francisco.
Many novels chronicle the Asian American experience in California with a magical realism. The author instead uses a conversational, simple style.
The book is not free from flaws. One section of the book tries to communicate the 60s "free love" experience, but comes off a bit like "hippie chicks I've conquered". It's as though the social failure from high school must show his belated prowess even after all these years. But it's a quibble, overall.
But overall, this book feels more "real" than many more "visionary" works. Mr. Fong Torres' description of how a family tragedy indirectly helps him connect the disparate pieces of his bicultural world really works well.
I thought this book would be flamboyant. It is anything but. It's a simple, solid read by a good writer. It's worth taking in.
An Inspirational Story For All.......2004-02-11
This was a wonderful story and one I would recommend to anybody, especially children of 1st generation immigrants. Being the child of 1st generation immigrant parents, I could also relate to Mr. Fong-Torres search for identity and acceptance. I was moved by his perseverance and determination at getting ahead in life. The fact that he didn't fit the typical Asian mold of becoming a stereotypical doctor or lawyer, but rather the head editor of a musical writing empire (Rolling Stone Magazine) impressed me even more, because he showed a very souful spirit, one that went after his passion of music rather than trying to pursue an obligation at attaining a status symbol job in order to prove success as an Asian-American. In addition, I also thought his stories were fun and entertaining. He grew up in a very colorful time (particularly the 60's) so it was enjoyable to read about all his experiences from that era, which helped make him who he is today.
Book Description
In this riveting book, acclaimed journalist Kathy Sawyer reveals the deepest mysteries of space and some of the most disturbing truths on Earth. The Rock from Mars is the story of how two planets and the spheres of politics and science all collided at the end of the twentieth century.
It began sixteen million years ago. An asteroid crashing into Mars sent fragments flying into space and, eons later, one was pulled by the Earth’s gravity onto an icy wilderness near the southern pole. There, in 1984, a geologist named Roberta Score spotted it, launching it on a roundabout path to fame and controversy.
In its new home at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the rock languished on a shelf for nine years, a victim of mistaken identity. Then, in 1993, the geochemist Donald “Duck” Mittlefehldt, unmasked the rock as a Martian meteorite. Before long, specialist Chris Romanek detected signs of once-living organisms on the meteorite. And the obscure rock became a rock star.
But how did nine respected investigators come to make such startling claims about the rock that they triggered one of the most venomous scientific battles in modern memory? The narrative traces the steps that led to this risky move and follows the rippling impact on the scientists’ lives, the future of space exploration, the search for life on Mars, and the struggle to understand the origins of life on Earth.
From the second the story broke in Science magazine in 1996, it spawned waves of excitement, envy, competitive zeal, and calculation. In academia, in government agencies, in laboratories around the world, and even in the Oval Office–where an inquisitive President Clinton had received the news in secret–players of all kinds plotted their next moves. Among them: David McKay, the dynamic geologist associated with the first moon landing, who labored to achieve at long last a second success; Bill Schopf of UCLA, a researcher determined to remain at the top of his field and the first to challenge McKay’s claims; Dan Goldin, the boss of NASA; and Dick Morris, the controversial presidential adviser who wanted to use the story for Clinton’s reelection and unfortunately made sure it ended up in the diary of a $200-an-hour call girl.
Impeccably researched and thrillingly involving, Kathy Sawyer’s The Rock from Mars is an exemplary work of modern nonfiction, a vivid account of the all-too-human high-stakes drive to learn our true place in the cosmic scheme.
Customer Reviews:
Rock from Mars Review.......2007-01-20
This is a great book if you like exploring where science originates and how personal battles control the dominant paradigm. Sawyer traces the journey of ALH84001 from its discovery in the Antartic ice by Robbie Score to its place of fame as the first possible clue to possible bacterial life on Mars. Sawyer also includes the massive controversy at stake, the secrecy of the research, and the rush accompanied with going public with their findings. In addition, she explores the backlash against the claims of the McKay group claims and their attempts to explore every possible avenue of contamination. Bringing together scientists across the board from glacial geologists to chemical specialists, ALH84001 allows almost everyone in the scientific community to evaluate the possibility that Mars might have seeded Earth with microbacteria or vice versa and, thanks to Sawyer, you can too.
Human Reaction In the Face of a Possible Paradigm Shift.......2006-07-13
This book is a page-turner! The possibility of having discovered traces of ancient Martian life, no matter how primitive, has sent ripples throughout the (mainly scientific) world. This book gives an excellent overview of the entire story - from the 1984 discovery of this Martian rock in the Antarctic to the present time. As expected, there was much debate about whether the rock did indeed show signs of primitive, ancient Martian life. Consequently, two main camps formed: those trying to prove that the rock did show such signs of Martian life and those proposing alternative explanations for the rock's interesting features. I think that the author has done an excellent job in presenting the story without taking sides in the occasionally heated debates that took place over the years. There are no good guys and no bad guys here, just people trying to understand what had been found in the face of a possible paradigm shift. This book can be enjoyed by anyone because of its clear prose and engaging writing style. Nevertheless, because of its subject matter, it will likely be more popular among science buffs.
Tales of the Rock Star.......2006-05-12
We are fascinated by the possibility that there may be some sort of life elsewhere than on the Earth. The possibility that there is no life elsewhere is equally interesting, but it doesn't, for instance, make interesting science fiction movies. Life outside of Earth has most often been imagined on Mars, which for all its differences from our planet is the one that is most similar to our own. Thus, when on 7 August 1996 researchers announced that they had found evidence that might show fossilized life on Mars, it was not just a scientific announcement, but one which that non-scientist President Clinton had to take part in making. _The Rock from Mars: A Detective Story on Two Planets_ (Random House) by Kathy Sawyer tells how the announcement came about, the science behind it, and the personalities (and the infighting) that made it happen and have kept research in the arena to the current day at various cutting edges at the limits of our understanding. Sawyer, a science reporter for the _Washington Post_, has made this story not only interesting but exciting, a refreshing view of how big science is done these days.
The story began sixteen million years ago with an asteroid slamming into Mars. This sent up debris, and some of the debris became asteroids in their own right, and came down on Earth. This particular rock came down 13,000 years ago, and remained in the ice of Antarctica until it was discovered in 1984. The special nature of the rock, wasn't understood until 1993, when geochemists started examining it, and found that it was 4.5 billion years old; it was the oldest known rock from any planet including our own. More important, they found carbonates and iron crystals that were similar to such chemicals produced by organisms on Earth. Sawyer carefully explains the process of examining the rock; acid, electron scanning microscopes, ultraviolet lasers and more are brought upon it. There is lots of evidence that was turned up, and whatever the aftermath of the research, the team of David McKay, a famously careful and conservative researcher, did such a thorough job that the evidence was never in question. It was the interpretation of the evidence that proved to be troubling. Many scientists were upset that the researchers were taking undue advantage of a hot story and making it seem that their interpretation was factual rather than tentative. NASA was criticized from the start for hyping the research and using it for political reasons. In the ten years since the announcement, the controversy has become less prominent, but among scientists who are looking into the subject, there are still opposing camps on the matter, and vehement disagreements, and hurt feelings.
As Sawyer winds up the story, there is no overall agreement on just what McKay's team turned up. There have been different ways of looking at the rock since then, none of them making a conclusive case. This is not a bad thing. Because of the controversy, new techniques have been brought into play and new discoveries have been made. For instance, what was learned about possible earthly contamination of the rock will be used when bits of Mars are brought back by robot spacecraft sometime in the future. Because of the controversy, there has been increased interest and better explanations for the origins of life on Earth in the most unlikely and unwelcoming of environments. With its depiction of all-too-human scientists attempting objectivity when contemplating the great mystery of life elsewhere, Sawyer's account is an appealing picture of a good example of how science works.
Science vs Politics. (Guess who wins?).......2006-04-01
Kathy Sawyer does an absolutely first-rate job of describing what is really a very intricate subject--what is life, and how do we know? The first half of the book describes the discovery of a meteor lying on the snow in Antarctica--which turns out of have been ejected from the planet Mars! The initial investigation of these rocks is cursory and tells little that is new. The rock molders in a museum repository for years--until it is examined again. Suddenly, in a leap of inspiration, one scientist notices tiny features that look strikingly like fossilized microbes--the first signs of extraterrestrial Life!
President Clinton announces the discovery, and the second half of the book describes the intense politicking that goes on as scientists jockey furiously for air time to claim credit for or denounce the sensational discovery. Few books give a clearer picture of the rampant egotism that dominates science just as much as it dominates every other field of human endeavor. So much for the vaunted impartiality of the "scientific mind." (Indeed, please find me a single left-wing scientist who disagrees that humans cause global warming--or a single conservative scientist who thinks they do!)
Why not five stars for this terrific book? Well it is a fine coda to what is surely the best book on extraterrestrial life "Rare Earth: Why Complex Life in Uncommon in the Universe." That's Five Stars worth of reading. (Read it first, and then you'll really enjoy "The Rock From Mars.")
A Story of Big Science.......2006-03-16
From movies and television the public has an image of the scientist being a selfless, mild mannered, seeker of knowledge. 'Taint so.
Scientists are people just like the rest of us. They are competitive with each other and with the world at large. They establish theories and points of view that they will defend almost to the death. When an alternative view comes around there is not the dispassionate scientific openness that allows honest discussion. Instead there is a very passionate series of thoughts centered around what this will do to the grants and funding that that scientist has. With that comes money, status, grad students -- all the things that matter most to a scientist.
This is the story of a rock found in Antarctica. First it was just a rock. Then it became clear that it came from Mars. (The evidence is well developed in the book.) Then they spotted things that might indicate that there was or had been life on Mars. Then it hit the fan.
Life anywhere but Earth has all kinds of meanings (for instance to the churches - intelligent design and all that). There could be entirely new branches of biology. The story of proving that this was or was not evidence of life on Mars fills the rest of the book. It was a vicious fight. It's a supurb book.
Was there life on Mars? We really don't know. Even with all the space craft that have visited Mars, including the two rovers, we really don't know.
Average customer rating:
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Mel Bay Play Jazz, Blues, & Rock Piano by Ear, Book Two
Andy Ostwald
Manufacturer: Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Piano
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Instruction & Study
| Theory, Composition & Performance
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Mel Bay Play Jazz, Blues, & Rock Piano by Ear, Book One
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Mel Bay Play Jazz, Blues, & Rock Piano by Ear, Book Three
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David Bennett Cohen Teaches Rock'n'Roll Piano: A Hands-On Beginner's Course in Traditional Rock Styles
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Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (Keyboard Instruction)
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The Best of Rock 'n' Roll Piano: A Step-by-Step Breakdown of Keyboard Styles and Techniques
ASIN: 0786629657 |
Book Description
This comprehensive introduction to jazz, blues, and rock piano will offer easy-to-understand explanations of music theory, and guide you step by step as you develop your skills. Above all, Piano by Ear will help you to explore and develop your ability to improvise. Rather than focus on written notation, you'll learn to express yourself at the piano by relying on your ear and on your own creative instincts.
Building on the fundamentals introduced in Book One, Book Two introduces a whole new world of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic possibilities. Click on "Contents" for details. Only basic piano technique and basic music-reading skills are needed. You'll want a CD player with headphones at your keyboard—a portable CD player will do the job!
Average customer rating:
- An enjoyable and entertaining mess of a book.
- Appeals to the Beatles fan and the mother in me.
- The Mini-Me Beatle...
- Fun and touching, if uneven
- A Beautiful Memoir
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Two of Us: The Story of a Father, a Son, and the Beatles
Peter Smith
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Clapton: The Autobiography
ASIN: 0618251456 |
Book Description
Before seven-year-old Sam Smith discovered the Beatles, he and his father had little in common. Like so many other kids his age, Sam was drawn first to the Fab Four by their trivia as much as by their music and personalities. Peter Smith was content to point Sam to all the clues of Paul McCartney's putative demise, to reveal who "Julia" was, and so forth. But soon the Beatles opened the two Smiths to each other, and to a harmonious new friendship. They found themselves using the band's songs and exploits to fuel discussions of life's splendid complications -- friendship, teamwork, romance, art -- and its inevitable sorrows -- failure, betrayal, and mortality. Music fans will delight in this singular celebration of the Beatles" history and continuing cross-generational appeal. Smith takes us everywhere the Fab Four took him and Sam: from the boy's Beatle-drenched bedroom to the circus of devotion that is Beatlefest to Paul McCartney's childhood bedroom in a Liverpool row house. Ultimately, the two Smiths come to realize that the object of their affection transcends any facts that could ever be amassed about it. The Beatles" essence isn't in Liverpool or London or in heavily annotated lyric sheets. It is, of course, in their songs, and in how they help us understand ourselves and connect with each other. With a wit and clarity reminiscent of of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity and Stefan Fatsis's Word Freak, Smith limns the intensity of an obsession. And he evokes with wry intelligence the love a father and son can share.
Customer Reviews:
An enjoyable and entertaining mess of a book........2004-03-15
Reading Two of Us : The Story of a Father, a Son, and the Beatles by Peter Smith I was reminded of one of my own Beatle moments growing up. I was over at a friend's house waiting for him to finish getting ready to go watch a baseball game. His younger brother, then in 6th grade I'd imagine, and I were watching the American Bandstand show where the first films of the Beatles in their Sgt. Pepper facial hair was showing. After the film Dick Clark was asking some of the teen girls in the audience what they thought. "Yuck! They're so old looking and ugly" was the consensus. I remember turning to Roger and asking what he thought? "Those girls better get used to it," Roger said, "because in 3 months everybody's gonna look like that". A statement that proved to be very prophetic.
I mention this because as you read Two of Us you will have many such recollections, both dealing with your own youth and adolescence as well as those of your kid's if you are a parent. And that is what makes this book so enjoyable-you are flashing back over your own life and experiences as you share those of Peter Smith and his son. The shared experience adds greatly to the narrative and makes reading this book a very personal sort of experience.
Unfortunately, it's a somewhat disappointing experience as well. The problem is that Smith takes this work in a lot of directions that may have been meaningful for him personally but are pretty much boringly meaningless detail to the reader. There's a lot of introspection about the relationship between the author and his father-an entity so fleetingly described as to be little more than a caricature to the reader. Thus, all the prose associated with the comparison of Smiths relationship to his dad and comparing that to his relationship to his son is more irritating than enlightening.
Smith is also wont to let his metro-sexual side intrude into the text. That he thinks his son is "beautiful" is ok-but he keeps using that phrase throughout the book. The touchy-feely aspects of the book wear one down after a while.
Lastly, there's a dissonance to the thread of the book. The Beatles bring son and father together and, as could be expected, eventually, as the boy grows, that's not enough any more. They grow out of this device. There is no indication that Smith is working on a way to keep the relationship alive outside a Beatles context. This is supposed to be a book about an adult trying to engage a youth-yet the adult seems to be the one who's having trouble growing and communicating here.
However, for a time there is a connecting through the vortex of the Beatles, and there are some magical aspects to this relationship and the story of it. In the end one is left with a sense of wonder that has more to do with the Beatles than with this father-son combo-what's is the power of their existence that creates a dynamic that can, and often does, bridge generations? If the book does one thing well, it's stimulate the reader to examine that phenomenon within the context of his own experience. In the end the power of the book is that Sam and Peter's experience highlights and reveals our own experiences.
Appeals to the Beatles fan and the mother in me........2004-03-08
What a wonderful time I had reading this book. It made me pull out my Beatles music and find more patience with my two-year-old son. A very moving experience all in all. I can't give it higher praise than that.
The Mini-Me Beatle..........2004-03-07
What begins as a touching memoir of a father/son relationship eventually rings false. I had a hard time believing some of the dialogue from the seven year old son. We are supposed to believe the son had developed deep emotional insights from listening to the Beatles over the course of what seems like only a few months. The author has created a fantasied ego projection of the ideal son, one that shares his love of the Beatles. Instead of "Two of Us", a more apt title would be "I Me Mine".
Fun and touching, if uneven.......2004-03-05
The best (and worst) thing Peter Smith does is that he keeps the focus on his son's, rather than his own, relationship with the Beatles. Smith give us numerous poignant moments, all presented through Sam, and in doing so, he misses something. I kept thinking, "Where's the rest?" In particular, I wanted to read more about Peter's own love for the Beatles. It's there, but at times it's like an afterthought. For example, I wondered why, if Peter Smith is such a fan, did he wait until his son was 5 or 6 to introduce him to the Beatles? Why weren't all his kids immersed in them, like I was by my parents? (Thanks, Mom and Dad!)
I did appreciate Smith's honesty when he related how Sam's interest waned at times.
Overall, the books seems as though it were rushed to the publisher. It needs better organization and greater depth.
Final note: There are a few errors. Example: "You Won't See Me" is called "You Don't See Me."
A Beautiful Memoir.......2004-02-11
Like a lot of kids, Smith found that the sports-thing wasn't going to work for him and his own son. Plus, he was getting a little tired of listening to kids' music during the long car rides he and his family took. The Beatles hit the spot perfectly. Two of Us isn't just a look at how a father and a son bonded over music, it shows 1) how the Beatles just keep on trucking, year after year 2) how parents can "bond" over something cultural in a sports-nutty country; and 3) the joys of introducing your kids to something really great and lasting and elevating in a world of crappy music and video games. The book will make you laugh and make you cry and when you're done with it, I guarantee you: you'll go straight to the record player, or CD player, and play Beatles non-stop!
Book Description
"A truly compelling narrative . . . a powerful piece of cultural reporting."-Washington Post
Washington, D.C.'s creative, politically insurgent punk scene is studied for the first time by local activist Mark Andersen and arts writer Mark Jenkins. The nation's capital gave birth to the most influential punk underground of the '80s and '90s. Dance of Days recounts the rise of trailblazing artists such as Bad Brains, Henry Rollins, Fugazi and Bikini Kill.
Mark Andersen is outreach coordinator for Emmaus Services for the Aging, and lives in Washington, D.C.
Mark Jenkins writes about music and film for the Washington Post, Washington City Paper, NPR's "All Things Considered," and other outlets. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Download Description
The authors present an eyewitness account of the punk scene in Washington, D.C. Illustrated with more than 100 photos, the book documents the rise of trailblazing artists from the 1980s and 1990s, while examining the roots of Dischord Records, Positive Force, and Riot Grrrl. Artists featured include Henry Rollins, Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Bikini Kill.
Customer Reviews:
wow.......2006-11-16
It's a great book but you aren't into the bands and curious about the scene at that time then you will probably be pretty bored.
HARDcore.......2006-08-06
I loved reading this book. I even saw some of my good friends past and present in here. A must have for the DC Hardcore fan, what a great birthday present I give it 6 stars!
A letdown but bought it since it's about harDCore.......2006-05-12
I suspect most people bought this book just because it is about Dischord and the DC scene, and we like the idea of a cool looking book format about the scene. But this book is, overall, a letdown.
Like the author himself, this book is a bit of a bore that seems to glorify certain things without driving a sense of vitality at all. The details can be cool but often times are tedious and painful to read. Let's face it-- no one from outside the scene would find this book tolerable at all.
I am not going to debate what bands were/weren't included. I just found the book to be long and, ultimately, slightly a downer. Disappointing. Steal it from a friend then give it back-- you'll see.
quite a thrilling read.......2006-01-12
I'm just a twenty-year-old college student so I really can't say if this book is "accurate" or not. However, it is a thrilling first-person account of one of the most exciting music scenes in the history of the country. Alternative/punk music icons such as Ian MacKaye, Guy Piccioto, Henry Rollins and Dr. Know are given new life as the book details their rise from rebellious punks to near-living legends. This book is first and foremost a labor of love, and it shows in the writer's passionate and detailed accounts of the experiences (from his own and other sources) that helped shape and influence countless bands to come.
Very well written.......2005-07-18
While I agree with many of the complaints against this book (it being focused on only one element of the D.C. scene and certain bands etc) I do find it to be one of the few and certainly one of the very few well written books on American hardcore music (unlike American hardcore a tribal history for example which reads like it was written by a disgruntled four year old)
Some of the pictures of the early D.C. scene are exellent (how old were Bad Brains in those photos???) and the book well documents the evolution of bands and their members both musically and politically. The main bands being Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Iron Cross, Scream and several others covering their high and low points over the past two decades.
The downside is the heavy focus on a few key bands (I would have liked to read more on other 80s D.C. bands Swiz for example but they receive only about 3 lines (if that) and lables (Dischord being the main focus of the book to the point you would think they were the only label in Washington) and the second part of the book goes way top heavy on Fugazi, Bikini Kill and the effects the whole Nirvana indie music explosion had on the D.C. scene.
This book may have a few faults (and other reviewers have listed them) but it is well written and documented and if you have an interest in the Dischord bands then this is the book for you.
This book shows that punk also had a conscience and an intelligent voice and was not simply a means to "blow off steam" as Steven Blush would have us believe.
Average customer rating:
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Widow's Web: The True Story of a Little Rock Beauty Whose Deadly Wiles Led to Two Murders and Scandalized the Entire of Arkansas
Gene Lyons
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Women
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| Biographies & Memoirs
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Criminology
| Crime & Criminals
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Sociology
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ASIN: 0671641859 |
Product Description
The best from the latter years of one of the world's true great rock bands! Titles are: The Song Remains the Same * No Quarter * Houses of the Holy * Trampled Underfoot * Kashmir * Ten Years Gone * Achilles Last Stand * Nobody's Fault but Mine * All My Love * In the Evening. Includes an explanation of notation and tablature.
Average customer rating:
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Rock art: Fifty-two record album covers
Dennis Saleh
Manufacturer: Comma Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Printmaking
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ASIN: 0930750012 |
Books:
- The Elusive Quest for Growth: Economists' Adventures and Misadventures in the Tropics
- The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine
- The Forty Days of Musa Dagh
- The Gardens of Colonial Williamsburg
- The Henry Clay Frick Houses: Architecture, Interiors, Landscapes in the Golden Era
- The Iliad (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret
- The Journalist And The Murderer
- The Miracle Ball Method: Relieve Your Pain, Reshape Your Body, Reduce Your Stress
- The New York Trilogy: City of Glass; Ghosts; The Locked Room (Contemporary American Fiction Series)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Why Didn't I Learn This in College
- Naked Came the Manatee
- Dusty Answer
- History: Fiction or Science
- In the Footsteps of the Quiet Man: The Inside Story of the Cult Film
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- Omphalos: An Attempt to Untie the Geological Knot
- Creating a Stress-Free Office
- Effective media relations: A practical guide for communicators
- Laura Stamm's Power Skating
The Beatles on Apple Records
The Beatles Solo on Apple Records
The Beatles Are Coming!: The Birth of Beatlemania in America
The Beatles Swan Song: "She Loves You" & Other Records
The Beatles Story on Capitol Records, Part Two: The Albums
