It is believed that the music of an individual’s late teen years is the defining soundtrack of their lives with a powerful psychological impact. My laIt is believed that the music of an individual’s late teen years is the defining soundtrack of their lives with a powerful psychological impact. My late teens and early 20s were spent obsessively following pop-punk and ‘emo’ bands: I was always the first in line in order to garner first row and the last to leave at the conclusion of the night having hung out with the bands and getting all the photos (in the film camera days) and autographs my little heart desired. I even dated many of these musicians, am still friends with them 20 years later and went on to work in the music industry for several years. One of my favorite bands at the time was Something Corporate (or, ‘SoCo’ to fans); a piano-driven pop-punk band headed by Andrew McMahon (later of his solo project, Jack’s Mannequin and currently Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness). I hung out with Andrew many times and still possess the photos and autographs to prove it. However, how much did/do I really known about McMahon other than artistically and his bout with cancer? McMahon lets fans into his private psyche in his debut memoir, “Three Pianos”.
McMahon stylizes “Three Pianos” chronologically split into three sections, or three pianos (hence the title) based on the correlating pianos at those periods of his life. McMahon goes as far as kicking off the text and each subsequent section with piano history blurbs while interspersing each chapter with overtures/epitaphs waxing poetic to an instrument. Perhaps this was a device meant to cultivate clever art and make “Three Pianos” stand out; but it is honestly odd and feels quite alienated from the memoir. It is certainly unnecessary and can be skimmed or ignored entirely without any loss of impact.
That aside, McMahon begins his journey exploring his childhood and the traumas resulting from frequently moving, a drug addict father and his years as an overweight teen. Unarguably, “Three Pianos” is beautifully written with a poetic, visual, literary description that puts most other celebrity memoirs to shame and reminds why McMahon’s music was so glorious and pivotal to pop-punk fans. Yet, there is something ‘flat’ and devoid of emotion in McMahon’s storytelling. One can declare events to be traumatic while writing with an illustrative flourish; but it can still fail to come across and truly be emotive to readers. This weakens the content as it simply doesn’t seem as ‘bad’ as McMahon’s spoiled whining makes it seem. “Three Pianos” is interesting, yes, but interesting enough to merit a memoir? That is debatable.
McMahon’s tone continues to sound immature as “Three Pianos” progresses and still holds back from genuinely letting readers into his psyche. This could be due to McMahon’s inability to open up and/or come to terms with his own life events; but then why compose a memoir? In fact, “Three Pianos” reads more like the routine therapist exercise urging patients to put pen to paper about their lives but without McMahon taking accountability. That is a central theme within “Three Pianos”: lack of accountability acknowledging his own hand in events.
“Three Pianos” often suffers from repetition in the points McMahon attempts to convince; but also leaving out important parts leaving readers confused and with unanswered questions. The pace of “Three Pianos” is clunky, slow and thin on the majority (there are ‘good’ parts, naturally).
McMahon’s “Three Pianos” noticeably improves when discussing the SoCo period of McMahon’s life and it is clear this is where he is most comfortable. However, fans hoping for gossip-y insight regarding his band will be disappointed (although it was neat learning what was happening in his life at the exact times I spent meeting McMahon). Much of the text focuses on McMahon’s excessive substance use; which like most other Hollywood memoirs: appears to be bragging rather than realizing the stupidity of his actions especially having an addict for a father. McMahon did a lot of drugs but is flippant about his behavior, mistreatment of others and instead humble-brags about his successes leaving a distasteful taste in readers’ mouths.
The pivotal climax of “Three Pianos” is McMahon’s battle with cancer and his survival. The pace quickens and McMahon is finally raw, open and reveals his inner thoughts and fears. If only the entirety of “Three Pianos” was this strong. McMahon, however, returned to substance abuse after his cancer survival which bluntly: is dumb and taking life for granted. McMahon never admits to this poor behavior in “Three Pianos”.
The concluding chapters return to the listless manner of the former sections and emerge stretched out as though McMahon was scraping for material and had to hit a certain word count. Despite this, the finality is strong ‘enough’; and conclusive. Unfortunately, “Three Pianos” strays from traditional memoir form and doesn’t include a section of photo plates/illustrations.
“Three Pianos” is well-written in terms of language but is one dimensional, whiny and makes McMahon unlikable as a person (I still like him as an artist but ‘meh’ as Andrew). “Three Pianos” is only suggested for huge fans of McMahon or SoCo nostalgia but doesn’t offer much to standard readers of celebrity memoirs.
Note: My rating of “Three Pianos” is 2 ½ stars. In lieu of half stars; I have rounded up to 3 ...more
Generally, most people enjoy music. Of course, some more than others; but when is the last time you heard someone say that they hate music? Probably, Generally, most people enjoy music. Of course, some more than others; but when is the last time you heard someone say that they hate music? Probably, never. So, the question is why on a psychological or biological level do we enjoy it? John Powell wondered this same question and attempts to explore it in, “Why You Love Music: From Mozart to Metallica – the Emotional Power of Beautiful Sounds”.
Powell’s “Why You Love Music” is a conglomerate of pop psych, theory, science (neuroscience), and cognition studies focusing on the various aspects of music -- from lyrics to musical roles and everything in between. Powell explores and breaks down the reasons why we enjoy music in terms of brain and mental responses. Initially, “Why You Love Music” begins in a slightly overwhelming manner without Powell introducing the topic which makes his writing style feel cluttered and loud. This evens out as Powell finds his footing and the reader becomes used to the presentation.
One will find that “Why You Love Music” is more of an explanation-type book where Powell (who is not a psychologist) explains the experiments/results of the field without having done any first-hand primary work. Not to mention, Powell clearly strives to capture the general pop psych audiences so the text serves as an introduction versus truly diving deep into the topics discussed. This does result in a very accessible and easy-to-understand piece expressed in laymen’s terms versus technical jargon that satisfies the average reader; but, it may not be suited for an expert.
On the other hand, Powell certainly knows what he is talking about and understands the material himself (Powell has a Masters in Music) which results in efficient educating of the reader with both ‘fun facts’ and more elaborate hypotheses.
Even though Powell’s writing is enjoyable; sometimes he is ‘cheesy’ and tries too hard to be a comedian which seems to be a common trend in pop psych books. This may cause some rolling of the eyes among readers.
One of the major positives of “Why You Love Music” is its comprehensive and all-encompassing look at the topic. Powell traverses all angles and focuses thoroughly on one topic before moving on but knows how to fit a lot of material into the work making “Why You Love Music” a compelling read.
It should be noted that some of the examples used in “Why You Love Music” are directed at British readers and may be slightly lost on the American audience. This, however, doesn’t negatively affect the book too much.
At the 125 page mark, “Why You Love Music” completely changes gears leaving the psychology behind and instead focuses on music theory, composition, what makes music, and the presentation of music. Not only does this subject change make this half of Powell’s work feel like an entirely new work but as does the pace which slows drastically for those readers not interested in these technical aspects. This is not cohesive and brings “Why You Love Music” down as it is no longer even related to the title.
The concluding chapter of “Why You Love Music” summarizes the first half of the book (thereby answering the title) but, at this point, some of the pizzazz is lost by the second half digression. Powell never truly recovers some of the lost readers and thus the ending is not memorable. Powell offers an appendix he terms, ‘Fiddly Details’ which explains timbre, post-skip reversal, harmonizing, hidden harmonies, and scales & keys. “Why You Love Music” also includes some suggestions for musical listening and viewing, references, and some notes.
“Why You Love Music” is an interesting book which begins strongly exploring the psychological connection to music in an accessible and even slightly humorous way. Sadly, Powell takes a detour in the second half which is not as appealing for less technical readers and gravely effects the overall readability of “Why You Love Music”. Even those interested in the second half have to admit that it doesn’t have to do with the book title and is more like Powell’s previous book, “How Music Works”. Either way, “Why You Love Music” is not terrible and is suggested for pop psych readers who are lovers of music searching for a quick read (about 2 days). ...more
Anyone who watched MTV in the early 90s knows who Kennedy, the curly-mopped, glasses-wearing, smart-mouthed, hipster VJ, was. Hosting the late-night pAnyone who watched MTV in the early 90s knows who Kennedy, the curly-mopped, glasses-wearing, smart-mouthed, hipster VJ, was. Hosting the late-night program, “Alternative Nation”; Kennedy hobnobbed with the crème de la crème of early 90s rock bands. Kennedy reveals her personal stories in, “The Kennedy Chronicles: The Golden Age of MTV Through Rose-Colored Glasses”.
Those readers expecting a chronologically-written celebrity memoir with literary merit; will be sorely disappointed with “The Kennedy Chronicles”. The text is instead a rehashing of gossipy, name-dropping stories during Kennedy’s days at MTV told in her loud-mouthed, conceited, Republican, ADHD tone/style. Sounds awful, right? Yes, if you are seeking professional writing but perfect if one wants to satisfy his/her teen fantasies of MTV infused sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll.
Kennedy keeps the pages alive and the pace rocking encouraging page-turning. Even though she comes off as judgmental and definitely exaggerates her stories; the text is ‘fun’ like the woman, herself. The issue with this is a sort of chunky narrative infused with repetition and off-track tangents. Also adding to this disjoined writing are occasional interviews with Kennedy’s former peers. Yet, this also adds a well-rounded view to Kennedy and her personality by giving others a voice against her subjective view.
The major problem with “The Kennedy Chronicles” is Kennedy’s lack of truly revealing her inner thoughts and feelings. Even though she recalls her MTV escapades in vivid detail; no deep emotions are explored making the text rather shallow. It is obvious that Kennedy is one of those types who use comedy and foul language to cover up feelings and not unpeel her own depths. This is disappointing for the reader who actually wants to get to know Kennedy as a person.
As “The Kennedy Chronicles” progresses; the pages become somewhat tedious as each chapter is basically the same: another gossip story that name-drops celebrities. Why must Kennedy do this? It’s obvious that because Kennedy was a straight-edge virgin (no alcohol, no drugs, and no sex); she didn’t really have first-hand stories to share that fit the music industry mold. Thus, she had to call out people she interacted with and their stories. This is supposed to be Kennedy’s story, though! Plus, Kennedy comes off as egotistical which is tiring for the reader.
For those not impressed with by Kennedy’s gossiping; there are some golden nuggets within “The Kennedy Chronicles” in which Kennedy exemplifies depth, intelligence, and artistry; which helps to carry the pace onwards. If only there were more of these moments…
Kennedy waits until the final two chapters to FINALLY open up about her personal and emotional topics versus just gabbing about celebrity friends. Clearly this is too little, too late. “The Kennedy Chronicles” ends rather abruptly but at least it ends with a little morsel of Kennedy revealed.
Despite “The Kennedy Chronicles” reading like a glorified tabloid; it doesn’t have the pathetic, “I’m relevant! Really!”- sense of urgency which other name-dropping memoirs have. It is obvious that Kennedy merely finds these interactions humorous and has a difficult time getting personal with the reader. Thus, even though “The Kennedy Chronicles” is relatively shallow; it is told in an entertaining and engaging way (Kennedy’s writing is far better than many other celebs, although that isn’t saying much). “The Kennedy Chronicles” is recommended for those who watched MTV in the early 90s or those simply seeking celebrity gossip stories from the music industry. ...more
I remember being a child and staring at the television set turned to MTV. The constant music videos, the fashions, the VJs… My world turned upside dowI remember being a child and staring at the television set turned to MTV. The constant music videos, the fashions, the VJs… My world turned upside down. Although MTV is almost nonexistent with the music nowadays, there are some people who remember its birth: the first-generation of the channel’s VJs. Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, and Martha Quinn (along with interview passages from deceased JJ Jackson) attempt to unveil the life of MTV in its prime with “VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV’s First Wave”.
Unfortunately, “VJ” immediately suffers from major issues as it dives into discussing David Lee Roth, which makes no sense, and then backtracks into a more memoir-like text in order to explain the early life of each VJ. The first chapter can basically be skipped. These issues continue with a chunky format which is written as if Gavin Edwards (the contributing writer) merely interviewed the VJs and then printed his notes (“VJ” is presented in an almost question/answer form). There is no cohesive voice, tone, or proper storytelling. Each VJ describes their life with straight forwardness while lacking any details i.e. “I studied radio in college. I got married the next year”. I want to know why you studied radio? How did you meet your spouse? “VJ” lacks editing, to say the least.
Due to “VJ” being written in an interview format, just as the reader is ‘getting into’ one VJ’s story, the text moves onto another VJ’s version/point of view. This would work if the VJs played off of one another’s stories/energies but it is very clear that they were interviewed separately. Plus, Edwards did not mesh each story together and therefore some of the VJs are terrible storytellers while some others clearly posses more skill (Martha Quinn). This, again, contributes to chunkiness and causes the reader to stray.
Although “VJ” contains some interesting facts/blurbs (blurbs is all they are), plus some random supplements such as newspaper articles or letters; overall the content is shallow and one-dimensional. The ‘real’ VJs or MTV is never revealed and each chapter is vain, repeating various groupie-esque stories. All the VJs thought themselves to be stars and that every artist in the music industry “liked” them (or wanted to have sex with them). This is repetitive, annoying, and paints very conceited individuals, leaving many unanswered questions.
Also frustrating, is the lack of chronology. “VJ” focuses on themes and event recall versus a timeline which results in confusion and back-and-forth time period jumps which also adds to not being able to truly get to know the VJs or to get a clear view of the MTV days. Again: very shallow.
The final chapters of “VJ” were the strongest, encompassing more emotion and depth than the entire book. Had “VJ” flowed in such a manner the whole time, the book would have been strengthened (at least it ended on a stronger note).
On a slight positive note, “VJ” contains a few pages of photographs (although in black and white).
Overall, “VJ” is a mess of a sloppy format (basically an extended magazine article), shallow, pretentious, and one-dimensional stories, and poor writing. Readers won’t learn about the psyche of the VJs or about MTV history. The idea behind “VJ” may have been unique but the execution is terrible and the VJs themselves are not compelling people (or at least they aren’t presented in a great light). Unless you are looking for a super quick and empty (I stress empty) book; “VJ” can be skipped.
Let me make something clear: at the time of this review I am only 28 years old. Making the 1984 Duran Duran concert shirt I own, as old as I am. This Let me make something clear: at the time of this review I am only 28 years old. Making the 1984 Duran Duran concert shirt I own, as old as I am. This means I did not attend a Duran Duran concert in person but my older half-sisters did. I was exposed to hairbands and rock-pop versus boybands (although I would argue that Duran Duran had a teenybopper vibe close to that of boybands). I have also worked in the music industry for many years: recording studios, record labels, backstage touring life, hotels, music festivals… these were all my career home. This means I truly understand the life of musicians. With that being said, I was a Duran Duran fan with John as my “favorite” and thus looked to “In the Pleasure Groove” to learn what he was truly about. Sadly, I didn’t learn too much about him, personally…
The immediate standout notes within “In the Pleasure Groove” concern the writing style and form of the memoir. Although Taylor’s life is followed chronologically; “In the Pleasure Groove” doesn’t sequence a personal bio and instead chronicles events which led to inspirations, the formation of Duran Duran, and band/career highlights. In fact, some portions read almost like an article on the music scene of the 70s/80s versus a personal memoir.
As for the writing style: “In the Pleasure Groove” flows like a fictional narrative with a literary voice and language that simply doesn’t feel like Taylor’s resulting in inconsistencies and a loss in believability. This makes sense, as the memoir is ghostwritten by Tom Sykes. On the plus side, this means that “In the Pleasure Groove” is written far better than most other celebrity memoirs as, let’s be honest, most celebrities should stick to their day jobs and not pen novels.
Thankfully, Taylor doesn’t try to dramatize his childhood by creating some false, broken home scenario and instead clearly depicts his harmonious and almost “Leave it to Beaver”-esque upbringing. This is not only refreshing in terms of a celebrity memoir but also makes “In the Pleasure Groove” more likable.
Much of “In the Pleasure Groove” is quite vivid and transports the reader into each described event. Although not detailed in terms of emotions; Taylor does bring his life…to…well, life! However, the focus of “In the Pleasure Groove” is the band and the music so expect coverage on Taylor’s career versus his personal life which is hardly mentioned. Plus, much of the text is very flat in their descriptions with John only stating what happened with no why or elaboration. There are mostly things Duranies know; we want more!
On another negative side, Taylor is a bit general in his storytelling, lacking a true emotional explanation or look into his psyche. Further, the average 5-page chapters are a distraction, as they create choppiness and move the reader to a new area too quickly. Basically, there are too many breaks within the reading. Not to mention, the text is double-spaced…
As “In the Pleasure Groove” progresses, Taylor’s voice becomes shallow, spoiled, and dare I say – boring. The material is dry and lacks any depth, causing the memoir to become repetitive and drab. It begins to feel as though Taylor doesn’t have anything to truly say and he doesn’t ever reveal his true self. The reader never gets to know him and concludes that all he encompasses is career and fame. The ending does focus a bit more on his personal life but this is where the stereotypical memoir form comes in, as Taylor becomes whiny and makes excuses such as how alcohol addiction is a disease and so nothing was his fault (take responsibility for your actions!). Not to mention, he comes off as a pop star who wants to seem “bad” and rock-n-roll.
Overall, “In the Pleasure Groove” is not terrible in terms of memoirs and the text is well-written; I just simply wanted “more”. I do recommend it for Duran Duran fans or even fans of the particular era of 80s/ early 90s music. Just don’t expect a real look at who John actually was/is as a person… ...more
1984 was a great year. There is the famous book “1984”, the song “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was #1 and made Cyndi Lauper a household name, and most1984 was a great year. There is the famous book “1984”, the song “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was #1 and made Cyndi Lauper a household name, and most importantly: I was born! Okay, okay, back to Cyndi Lauper. Love her or hate her, you certainly know who she is. Cyndi Lauper opens up her world in “Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir”.
The main striking factor in “Cyndi Lauper” is the memoir’s tone. As expected, Lauper is very direct and unapologetic with everything she says. Starting with a background bio; Lauper doesn’t follow the protocol of other celebrity memoirs which include begging for either pity or compliments. Lauper simply states the facts and moves on. Although this is a sigh of relief for regular readers of memoirs, Lauper also seems to be detached in her storytelling. Many of the events are emotional, dramatic, and told for the first time; and yet Lauper fails to offer deep insight or a proper arc to the events. This results in unanswered questions from the reader.
Lauper also has the tendency to strike off on tangents which breaks the reader’s pace. Although she does revisit the former topic, at that point, facts are repeated and result in “You’ve already said that” moments. Another weak aspect is Lauper’s constant attempts to convince the reader that she didn’t care about things (e.g. she didn’t care about people’s opinions of her singing, of her clothing, or her choice of men). However, if one feels the need to convince others continuously, then generally, the opposite is felt (meaning: she did/does care).
There are also apparent differences in the tones and the writing styles of Lauper and her contributor Jancee Dunn. It was quite obvious when Dunn would take the foreground. Plus, events which should have had more details (such as personal effects); were shaded by discussions on Lauper’s career. This left something to be desired.
Despite the negatives, “Cyndi Lauper” IS meatier, more mature, and much less annoying than other celebrity memoirs. Lauper is more relatable than expected and her life evokes page-turning. Sadly though, there are times when Lauper sounds too much like she is preaching about her charitable causes in the guise of explaining them.
Although a minor detail, the chapters are too long and don’t provide proper breaks (the “breathing” of the memoir is off). Also annoying was Lauper’s overuse of speaking directly to the reader and saying such phrases as, “Where were we?” and “Back to…” each time she digressed (which is often). Her regular mention of Lady Gaga is also not necessary for discussion.
The latter end of “Cyndi Lauper” focused strenuously on her career and activisms but still lacked the true attachment in storytelling. Something was missing making the text flat and the ending weak. Not to mention, the memoir’s ending felt abrupt, cut-off, and without a proper rounded conclusion.
Overall, however, “Cyndi Lauper” is much better than many other celebrity memoirs on the book shelves. Instead of focusing on drug use, parties, or sex; Lauper instead shows her genuine artistic side. Her passion for music, music theory, and fans is undeniable and it is unusual nowadays for a musician to truly care about the music. Lauper is the “Real Deal” is in this respect. Although it may not be the best book available, comparing “Cyndi Lauper” to other memoirs makes it worthy of being better than average. ...more
One doesn’t have to work in the music industry (although that is indeed my career background); to know that things aren’t looking so good right now. HOne doesn’t have to work in the music industry (although that is indeed my career background); to know that things aren’t looking so good right now. However, that also depends on where you’re standing. Regardless, the clarity of the situation is that things changed with digital. Not just digital in the iTunes realm, but dating back to the advent of CDs. That is where Appetite for Self-Destruction begins…
Appetite for Self-Destruction is divided into time frames depicting how each era in the recording industry led up to (or was effected by) the digital wave and eminent crash of the industry as we knew it. This sequencing is clear and logical, providing for easy understanding. However, the text does get bogged down with slow parts which aren’t necessarily ideal for an average reader and more targeted toward someone who either works in the industry or is truly interested in the inner-workings. For example, the explanation of the invention of CDs consists of a chapter which can cause many eyes to droop with technical and engineering jargon. Yet, your eyes are again alerted as Steve Knopper then focuses on the industry reactions to CDs (all were effected at the time: royalties, record stores, even environmentalists due to the early CD packaging of “longboxes”).
I had some problems with cohesiveness. The information was very “jumpy” seeming like Knopper had a mountain of information to present and was afraid he would forget it so he kept rushing it out there. Which brings me to my next point: much of the book is a simple re-telling of facts. Much of the “how” is covered but not the “why” resulting in a lack of deeper explanations, investigations, or future bearings on the industry. In fact, Knopper focuses too much on background info versus the topic at hand. For instance, there was more information on Shawn Fanning’s teen years and bio of his life than his company Napster’s influence on the industry. Not only does this result in the reader being unaware of what Knopper is trying to “prove” in his writing, but it also causes a lack of compelling or revealing particulars.
Appetite for Destruction is written in a manner which will either anger readers or make them feel like one of Knopper’s best friends; as it contains slang, cuss words, and short sentences. The informal language becomes annoying especially as the books follows patterns of having long, informative chunks, then an even longer boring section, and then another entertaining passage, etc. No consistency was evident.
One thing is certainly made clear by Knopper: the recording industry only reacts to its surroundings. They don’t know how to prepare ahead of time for changes and are stuck in their ways (usually to protect salaries) so execs go into crisis management mode when large events effect the industry. Sadly, this is too little, too late. Further, the industry generally runs to one solution: law suits. Sue, sue, sue. Sue everyone! Court, court, court! This way of handling things doesn’t solve anything and is the reason that there exists a love/hate relationship between the industry and fans. In time, this rift can only grow unless properly bandaged.
Bottom line: The record industry and music industry are two separate animals. There will always be a music industry. Record industry? Not so much. But you don’t have to read this book to know that much. ...more
I live in Hollywood. I am surrounded daily by screenwriters, ambitious aspiring actors/actresses, musicians, etc. What do each of these indiviuals tenI live in Hollywood. I am surrounded daily by screenwriters, ambitious aspiring actors/actresses, musicians, etc. What do each of these indiviuals tend to think they are? A triple threat. Most actors think they can be a successful singer while the model suddenly thinks she is a chef. Let's take Jennifer Lopez, for instance: actress AND pop singer?
Here is my piece: just because you are in one limelight, you aren't suddenly amazing at everything and can try to cross-over to other genres. Most fail. I am a fan of Steve Earle's music. Moreover, I am a HUGE fan of his son Justin Townes Earle whom I have some great shared hotel stories with from one of his tours (no, I didn't have sex with him!). Despite my interest in Steve Earle's music, that doesn't mean he is suddenly a terrific author and I won't just instantly like his work based on that fact, alone. I judged his book just like any other author with a pen and paper.
I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive (also the title of Earle's new album)instantly plunges the reader into a descriptive world. Not necessarily the best linguistic or skilled world; but a colorful and almost song-like place which obviously reflects Earle's musical roots. Immersed in a gritty and raw state, this book reads more like a short story (note that Earle previously released a book of short stories), meaning it is fast-moving and doesn’t dive too deeply into the psyche or background of the characters within. However, it also reads like many of the short stories written by my Creative Writing friends back in college. Whether this means that Earle’s work is too “by the book” (no pun intended) or just basal, I haven’t yet decided. The book had strong and weak parts; a constant roller coaster battle with boredom and intrigue. One moment I just wanted it to end while the next, I eagerly flipped pages. Although, I felt it didn’t pick up pace until 60 pages in, which is 60 pages too long, in my opinion.
Doc (main character) is a typical druggie with a conscious, desiring more in life and battling his demons but succumbing to addiction until 18 year old Graciela enters his life. Graciela is obviously the main character who drives the plot and the lives of all the characters within. She not only has the most appeal but almost makes Doc a side-note. In my opinion Doc should have been developed more and more focus placed on his relationship with Graciela.
One of the main parts of the books which stuck out to me, was the exploring of the underlying messages of faith, human bonds, and consciousness. At one point Doc ventures into a church with Graciela and his thoughts roam on the fact that many people who struggle and thus pray daily, mainly pray JUST to pray. They don’t expect any given miracles or changes in their life, it is enough that God hears them cry. This was a very sticky moment and due to my own struggles in life; was a moving one.
A major qualm? Like a movie which instantly results in my shunning it when I can figure out the ending ahead of time; I also figured out the book’s ending even with about 20 pages left. I hate when I can figure out endings to both films and literature.
Overall, Earle’s work is a prime example of a good idea but poor execution. Thick, controversial topics filled the piece, which should have been very moving but failed to do so. Not a masterpiece in literature, BUT there is beauty in the destruction and heartbreak which drives the reader to keep those pages turned.
A super-quick read (I read it in about 3 days with at least 60 pages a day); the short story essence flows through into the fact that the book isn’t difficult to comprehend or to remember past events making it, in that sense, a light read. Not terrible but as the phrase goes, Earle should stick to his day job.
As not only a music fan but a music industry professional, I can safetly say (even though this is a subjective statement); that this book is an insult
As not only a music fan but a music industry professional, I can safetly say (even though this is a subjective statement); that this book is an insult to the genre of "emo" and to music fans in general.
First of all, I don't even know why "punk rock" is in the title except for the minuscule connection that Greenwald makes between the offspring of punk rock, post-punk, and emo. Yes, he backtracks to Minor Threat and Rites of Spring but it mostly seems like a cry at acting like he knows what he talking about. Further, this book might as well be titled "My Crush on Chris Carabba" as Greenwald obviously is just personally in love with Dashboard Confessional. I wouldn't say this is a history into the birth of emo and more of fan stories involving Dashboard.
Since we're touching upon "fan stories", this book is an insult to fans everywhere. Portraying everyone as a crying baby who is also a groupie (mostly the females), Greenwald makes music fans sound pathetic and absurd.
As a writer for Spin, one would expect more but it is obvious that Greenwald is nothing more than the 12 year old teeny bopper-Warped Tour fans he makes fun of. ...more
Not only is my professional career within the music industry, but I am also a fan and musician, myself. Fascinated by the effects of music on the braiNot only is my professional career within the music industry, but I am also a fan and musician, myself. Fascinated by the effects of music on the brain and vice versa; Musicophilia failed to impress. Much of the book was repeitive without much research background aside from the author's own. There were only about two chapters which I found to be wholly sublime and noteworthy. Slow and mediocre, at best....more
I have worked in the music industry for about 10 years and firmly intrenched in the world in Los Angeles for the last 4. Not to toot my own horn, but I have worked in the music industry for about 10 years and firmly intrenched in the world in Los Angeles for the last 4. Not to toot my own horn, but I have a firm and passionate grip on music marketing/PR. Yet, even I found this book filled with clear, concise, and easy-to-understand information. Even I was sitting with a highlighter highlighting sections! Strongly suggested for any musician trying to make it in the music world or anyone on the business-end behind the scened in need of some reminders and sprucing up on business practices. Wonderfully presented in a factual but not boring way and updated on some of the new ways of the digital music universe. Must-read. Let me repeat: MUST...more
Daniel Levitin, author of "This is your Brain on Music" sadly failed to capture the same astounding and interesting threads which made his previous boDaniel Levitin, author of "This is your Brain on Music" sadly failed to capture the same astounding and interesting threads which made his previous book a must-read.
The premise is capturing: songs basically helped create human nature versus the other way around and some of the ideas really make you think (i.e. drum beats (music) helped motivate the cavemen to progress in their development). Further, this books says it won't categorize music because it is impossible to do but does just that.
The downside is that unlike Levitin's other works, The World in Six Songs features less scientific and experimental truths and focuses more on what comes off as Levitin's speculations and own opinions. Although an easy-read, much of the information doesn't stick out as opposed to all the factoids in This is Your Brain on Music. This is proven by the fact that I hardly remember what I learned in this book and yet read it much more recently than This is Your Brain on Music.
A fun-read and somewhat interesting but it won't "rock your world" so to speak. ...more
We tend to make music for as much granted as we do breathing. Music is EVERYWHERE. The same way that you encounter hundreds of advertisements in a dayWe tend to make music for as much granted as we do breathing. Music is EVERYWHERE. The same way that you encounter hundreds of advertisements in a day: you also encounter music in various forms.This is Your Brain on Music (yes, based on the popular egg-drug PSA, explores how music is processed within your brain and why we react the way we do.
This journey within the musical brain begins with a brief description of music in terms of notes, patterns, tempo, etc. One can skip this section if already familiar or simply not interested. It won't hinder your understanding of the subsequent chapters. Levitin then dives into explaining such noteworthy topics as why we get songs stuck in our heads, why certain songs are equated with memories throughout our lives, and how our brain tends to know the next couple notes in a song even if we've never heard it before. All of these topics are augmented with thorough research and scientific explanations; yet, in a lamen's terms.
You don't have to be a musician to be interested in this read, you merely have to an inquiring person. If nothing else, you will learn facts which will impress your friends and perhaps win you that spot on your favorite trivia game show. One thing is for certain: you will never look at music the same way again. ...more
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