5 comments about Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground New Edition.

1. This is a pretty good look at the genesis of the Black Metal sub-subculture for about half the book. It details the horrible acts of certain individuals of the scene and allows them to voice their own opinions, and this is how we learn that most if not all of the members and leaders of this "cult" are just reactionary idiots with too much time on their hands.
   
   But halfway through the writers lose their momentum and it becomes a fairly unfocused look at satanism and black magic - which ultimately has little to do with the subject at hand.
   
   The final chapters feel like repetition of much of the information in the first eight chapters, but are interesting because of the detailing of bands in different areas of the world and what different scenes are like there.
   
   As I put in my title, this is a good book, but it could have been great with some editing.



2. Although it does a good job of getting into the background of the Black Metal tools in Norway, their thesis meanders a bit halfway through. For me, it was more helpful to learn about some of the names used in Metalocalypse.



3. A fascinating account of the formation of Norwegian Black Metal and its aftermath that attempts to delve into the minds of a handful of originators. The first half of the book makes for intriguing reading as the events of the black metal subculture branch out into an unsuspecting society. The latter half of the book attempts to discover the motivation behind the more sinister deeds of the black metal fraternity, but at times tends to be a little confusing and lacking focus, which is possibly a reflection of the state of mind of the book's antagonists. The authors successfully present the facts and let the reader draw their own conclusions, ensuring this book is a great conversation starter.



4. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT BLACK METAL AND THE EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED WITHIN IT.



5. This is a great book if you are wanting to know more about the underground world of black metal. It also has subjects of diff. religions, Nazism, Fascism, Norse Mythology. It also has very good interviews with Black Metal musicians.

5 comments about The Beatles: The Biography.

1. Excellent book on the Boys! Really goes indepth about where they came from, their family and backgrounds, and how day by day the alliance was formed leading to the greatest band in musical history! Well done!!



2. i have read more beatles books than i care to admit. this one by bob spitz is the best one so far.
   if you want to read one book about the beatles and only one, this is it.



3. Let's face it: Beatles fans know their trivia after forty-five years of discussion about a group that was one of the major catalysts for societal and cultural changes in the sixties and beyond. This book, while highly interesting and well written, just gets under the skin with so many factual errors splattered across the pages. It is amazing that the text was not vetted by whatever editors were assigned to birth this book on rock and roll legends. As another reviewer has noted, the biography appears to have been rushed to market.
   
   All that having been said, it does offer fantastic stories about the Beatles that fall into various categories: stories we've all heard before but are here viewed from a slightly different narrative and psychological viewpoint; stories we've heard that have new information; and, thankfully, many stories that are brought to light for the first time.
   
   More time is spent on the band's formation than it's break-up, which seems an inexcusable error since any comprehensive biography needs to cover the entire life of its subject(s). The break-up has always been a source of great discussion, with numerous accounts as to how, when, and why the band fell apart. Even THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY proved that there are different perspectives on many aspects of the group's history from the surviving members themselves. So was it Paul's overbearing nature? Yoko's constant presence?; George's feeling that he could live quite happily without the melodrama?; or was it just that it was time for four creative geniuses to go their own ways? Was it John or Paul who pulled the plug ... or pulled the plug harder? This book doesn't delve deeply enough on a crucial era in Beatles' history. Spitz seems to favor Paul's personality over Johns's, but regardless, the end of the book skimps on too many important details.
   
   Despite its problems, this book is an important addition to the history of four very talented men who were in the right place at the right time. For a true Beatles' fan, there's no such thing as too much information about a band that still serves as inspiration for contemporary artists. It's a good book. Period.



4. Best book I've ever read about the Beatles. Bob Spitz writes very well and puts you right there in the room with them. It's a delight to have so many pages to go. I don't want it to end. It's Fabulous!



5. Bob Spitz's biography of the Beatles is perhaps the finest, best researched, and most tantalizing analysis of how and why this group intersected with history in such a powerful way. Details are lavishly arranged to give the reader a sense of the sheer talent and blinding ambition that made the Beatles a cultural and musical phenomenon. Spitz does not sugar coat the one-tracked vision that guided the group's rise to fame. The Beatles had a killer instinct for success that was evident from their earliest days. They were also prodigious learners, intent upon absorbing the lessons from other stars about how to write hits and wind up an audience. Immensely entertaining and thought provoking, Spitz's biography places us in the center of the maelstrom called "Beatlemania" and also dissects the frenzy with the keen wit and observations of a talented social psychologist. Spectacular from start to finish. A meditation wrapped in electric sparks.
   
   Donald Gallinger is the author of The Master Planets

5 comments about Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons.

1. 
   There is no definitive biography of pop icons Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, but until one comes along this glossy coffee table book will do. Make no mistake - this book is primarily about the musical Jersey Boys rather than the musical group that inspired it - but there is plenty of material about both to make the casual fan happy.
   
   Billed as "the official companion to the Broadway musical," the book features the show's libretto, tons of photos, and interviews with the cast, director, writers, and the Four Seasons themselves. There is also a nice Valli/Seasons discography at the end of the book that spans five decades of musical output.



2. I loved The Four Seasons. This book gives me a complete picture history of my favorite group



3. Even though i was born in the 70's i have to say Frankie Valli and the four seasons, their music, their lives, have touched me, and i love the fact that the book was written "jersey boys" it made me just totally fall in love with them and their music....awesome...thanks



4. I loved the musical "Jersey Boys" and wanted to learn more. This book has biographical data about the singers and that time in the 1960s when they made their mark. It also chronicles how the story came to the stage and includes the complete script. It was like reliving the whole experience. If you are a fan of the The Four Seasons, have seen the musical and enjoy the music of the era, you will aappreciate this book!



5. THIS WAS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT....ON MANY LEVELS.ALOT OF WHAT'S WRITTEN ISN'T EVEN ACCURATE...I love the Jersey Boys but NOT this book....

5 comments about Led Zeppelin Classics (Authentic Guitar-Tab).

1. All I have say is "Wow" this book is incredible. I've been playing guitar for about 3 months now, and I'm a HUGE Zeppelin fan so I decided to get this book. I think I might have bit off a little more than I can chew. I can play the riffs from a few songs, but that's about it. But, as they always say "Practice makes perfect." If you're experienced with a guitar, I would HIGHLY recommend this.



2. I only wish this book contained ALL the songs! The tablature is outstanding and truly what any major Zeppelin guitarist fan is looking for. The solos are included, and unlike "Led Zeppelin Complete," this is a reliable, well-put-together arrangement of GREAT Zeppelin songs. The only bad thing about it is that the fabulous maker of the book did not transcribe MORE songs! At $15.72, this is the best deal for classic Zeppelin tabs, BELIEVE ME! "Dazed and Confused" is soooo intricate, giving me MORE than I asked for! And when I flipped to "What is and What Should Never Be," I realized just how much sense this book really makes. Definitely for experienced guitar players with ears "experienced" in the sound of LED ZEPPELIN. This book will help you to better understand the music behind the madness of this quartet. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED--grab this gold before it is gone!!



3. The delivery was great .The book was ok but needed the guitar scales to play lead the music, if you read music which i don't know how, and taps are not complete on how to play the songs like they did .



4. This is a good reference for assisting in the composing many of Led Zeppelin's works. There is music notation for vocals, lead guitar and rhythm guitar. The accuracy is questionable in many areas but it does a fairly good job as a starting resource.



5. What can I say. I got this book for my wife and she loves it. Even her guitar instructor wanted to steal it. A book two with other of the Led Zeppelin's songs would be nice :-)

5 comments about Tommyland.

1. I'm a huge fan of Motley Crue and have read both Dirt and The Heroin Diaries and LOVED them. This on the other hand...not so much. I was really disappointed to be honest. The book was boring and completely random and just plain shallow. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.



2. I bought this book because I really enjoyed reading Nikki's book and The Dirt. I couldn't make it past the 2nd chapter of this book. In my own opinion this book is very boring. I'm not sure why either, because Tommy is such an interesting and funny guy in general.



3. I bought this for my husband and he loves the book. It arrived in great condition.



4. This was another way to get inside the Motley Band for me. If your a diehard fan then this is a must. It is added to my colection with The Dirt.



5. not bad I decided to read this after i read heroin diaries and motley crue dirt.. this was not half as good ..read the other two if you haven't yet

No comments about Guitar Hero 3.

5 comments about The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History.

1. So says Bob `Slim' Dunlap shrewdly of the effect his recruitment to The Replacements' ranks in 1987 had upon his daughter. Emily's discomfiture however, is indicative of the love-the-band/hate-the-group relationship that many have with the `Mats, and this is certainly one of the most enduring impressions left by Jim Walsh's oral history, All Over but the Shouting. As Paul Westerberg himself famously sang, "the ones (that) love us best are the ones we'll lay to rest," and Walsh's account certainly bears out the notion that the closer you got to the band the harder they were to love.
   
   Herein, Walsh has collected a multitude of accounts from band members, associates, contemporaries, scenesters and onlookers and aptly synthesized them into an affectionate and engrossing chronological account of the turbulent history of one of rock's great bands.
   
   A positive feature of the text is that Walsh has assembled much varied discourse from Westerberg, as well as from the 6 other major players: original lead guitarist Bob Stinson, teenaged bass player Tommy Stinson, drummer Chris Mars, Bob Stinson's replacement Slim Dunlap, roadie Bill Sullivan and original manager/mentor Pete Jesperson. Favourably, he also avoids falling into the trap of merely reiterating previously available information on the band - most notably in the Sire-years greatest hits collection All For Nothing/Nothing For All and Michael Azerrad's compendium of epochal independent 80s bands Our Band Could Be Your Life in which the `Mats figure prominently.
   
   Ironically, given his rather paradoxical position within the band's history it is Slim Dunlap whose sensitive, articulate and altogether rational recollections provide the most objective and absorbing reading, detailing the highs and lows of living alongside the band as a close friend and respected contemporary to living within the band as the oft-maligned replacement to the elder Stinson.
   
   Westerberg's accounts, on the other hand are more inconsistent, ranging from an initial reticence to discuss his band in anything other than vague peripheral terms to an eventual realisation that printed word could be used for his own means - seemingly too late. Tommy Stinson is more ambiguous still - disappointingly he is not greatly represented - but generally shoots from the hip, yet even his fond memories are always tinged with a sense of ambivalence. An overriding sense of each of the pair's striking ego pervades much of the accounts on them also, with instances of commendable actions few and far between.
   
   Bob Stinson, predictably is portrayed as the fallen hero of his generation; a gentle-giant of a man with no discernable assets beyond his ferocious lead guitar skills and a big heart. Touching testimony from former partners rounds this out but also repudiates the cultivated image of him as something of a simpleton. The comparative lack of comment from or pertaining to original drummer Chris Mars however, serves to further marginalise him from the Replacements' myth.
   
   An integral problem the book suffers however, is that there is a striking sense of Twin Cities' `in-crowd cool' to it in that responses to the `Mats from an audience outside of Minnesota are not well documented (save for two scathing snippets from (journalist/Big Black/Shellac frontman) Steve Albini, and the ubiquitous hometown-hero reverie demonstrated toward Prince is misplaced. A further problem with this issue is that the scope of those interviewed is neither great nor varied. Minneapolis' own Soul Asylum (Dave Pirner & Danny Murphy) and Hüsker Dü (Bob Mould & Grant Hart) are two of too few bands who made it beyond the indie ranks to contribute and the Hüskers' testimony is disappointingly non-revelatory considering the rivalry between the two. However, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck does offer some insightful backstage anecdotes - yet again, there is a simultaneous longing to read something attributed to Michael Stipe.
   
   Despite some of its short-comings however, the positives outweigh the negatives substantially, rendering All Over but the Shouting an engaging and comprehensive chronicle of the life and times of one of rock's greatest and most shambolic bands.



2. You would think that no other band would have better stories than the Replacements. That may be true, but you wouldn't know it after reading this book. The chronology is a little sloppy (you'd expect that, wouldn't you), but the real flaw is in the stories. There are a few nuggets that live up to expectation, but on the whole I don't know that much more than I did before. How did Paul take over Bob's band? What was the real reason Bob was kicked out? Was there a moment when Paul and Tommy officially decided to go on hiatus? (They're not officially broken up, which was news to me.) At the end, the author (a friend of Paul's) said it was intentionally an unauthorized biography. There might have been some good things that came out of this approach, but there are a lot of holes. Too many clippings from Mpls papers, not enough long interviews. But hey-- it's the Replacements. How could it not be (at least a little) interesting. Not exactly Studs Terkel, but maybe that will be the next great Replacements book.



3. I believe that this book is a wonderful companion to a chapter about Replacements from Michael Azerrad's book "Our Band Could Be Your Life". Indeed, some of peculiar facts/stories about Replacements told by Azerrad can be seen in this book, as well.
   
   Whereas Mr. Azerrad provided somewhat brief and compressed (albeit, vivid) biography of this explosive band, Jim Walsh did it a bit differently. The whole book is, basically, nothing but a number of questions and answers, yet he managed to keep it entertaining/interesting enough, which is not an easy task by any means.
   
   To me, much of success is based on anecdotes/stories like the one where Jon Bon Jovi sent a letter to an editor of Rolling Stones wondering why he never even heard of Replacements and how they ended up on top of their charts. Then there's naked Bob Stinson, sloppy song covers and general "we don't give a flying f" type of attitude.
   
   Yet, behind all of their drunker behavior/crude jokes and anything else, you can still see something real - in particular, a part about Bob Stinson and Peter Jesperson struggle with post-Replacements period (which, unfortunately, ended in tragedy for Bob) is particularly hitting hard.
   
   All in all, this is one well-deserved biography for one amazing band. Now ,Mr. Walsh, can we have few more books on the likes Big Black and/or Minutemen? Please? Please?



4. A great book.
   We needed it so much.
   Hope others will follow but, in the meantime, relax, take it easy and remember.
   
   It wasn't just a waste of time.



5. If you're as big a fan of this late, lamented band as I, then you know that you have to read this book. Paul Westerberg is one of the best songwriters to ever commit words to melody and this book filled in a lot of the blanks for me. I knew the basic story of the band but this gave me some insight into the formation of The Replacements that I wasn't aware of. It also provides a lot of information regarding Bob Stinson after he left the band that I hadn't heard before. Plus, it gives you a sense of the day to day pressures that bands/musicians face and a real idea of why so many bands fall apart. The Replacements should have been huge but weren't. Some of their problems were self-induced and some were the result of less than stellar management, music trends and just plain bad luck. But we still have the music and now we have a good portion of the story as well. Until the band members themselves write their own versions, this one will do just fine.

5 comments about Ronnie: The Autobiography.

1. What a disappointment. I'm a longtome Stones fan, so I already know the story and the details. But other than about two pages of interesting anecdotes about hanging with Keith in the 70's, there's nothing here-- just a quick summary of his life. An incredible disappoinment and waste of money.



2. Why this man is not classified as one of the true Rolling Stones is beyond me.



3. First get me right here: as much as I do NOT like the Stones that much, this is a very nice and funny little autobiography by one of its members. He has had a much more interesting career as a member of the Faces and the Jeff Beck group among other things. However the very sympathetic way in which he recounts his past experiences make even the Stoens years interesting (OK, I guess they ARE an important group after all). The book is written with a great deal of wit and he comes over really well in this biography which is not the usual "my groupie and drug hell" kind of bio that everybody seems kind of keen on producing as of late.



4. THE WOODMANS LONG JOURNEY WEAVES US THROUGH THE
   LABARYNTHS OF ROCKS HALCION DAYS - ETCHED WITH
   CANDID IF NOT GRAPHIC FLASH BACKS TO THE MUSICS
   EARLIEST INFLUENCES TO WHAT HAS NOW BECOME TO ALL,
   QUINTISENSUAL CLASSIC ROCK.
   
   RONNIE IS FOR THOSE WHO LIVED THROUGH THE LATE 60'S
   ONWARDS - AN ENGROSSING READ!.
   
   THE CONSUMATE JAMSTERS ABILITY TO ADAPT HIS CHOPS
   TO SO MANY STYLES OF ROCK LUMINARIES THAT FINALLY
   CULMINATES TO HIS ASCENT INTO WITHOUT A DOUBT THE
   WORLDS GREATEST WORKING BAND IS REMARKABLE.
   
   WARTS - D C'S AND ALL THE 356 PAGES FOCUSES ON FAMILY,
   WIVES,CHILDREN,FRIENDS,PLAYERS AND LEGENDS - NOT
   ENOUGH ALAS WAS SPENT ON THE LONDON YEARS - NO
   MENTION AT ALL OF "THE SPEAKEASY" THE CLUB THAT
   HOSTED MORE HISTORIC ONE NIGHT IMPROMPTU JAM
   SESSIONS THAN CAN EVER BE IMAGINED,WOODY BEING
   IN NEARLY EVERY ONE..
   
   I WOULD OF ALSO LIKED MORE ON THE IMPORTANCE
   OF THE STYLE AND FEEL OF LONDON DURING THOSE DAYS.
   MORE ON GRANNYS - SWEENYS - COSTAS - RUSKINS AND
   OF COURSE THE CHELSEA COBBLER ..
   
   STRANGELY MISSING - HARDLY A WORD ON GLIMMER TWIN
   NUMBER TWO ? BUT THERE AGAIN"LOOSE LIPS MIGHT SINK SHIPS"
   
   WE WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR HIS MAJESTY TO PUT
   PEN TO PAPER,BUT DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH.
   
   'YOU DON'T WANT ME TROUSERS TO FALL DOWN NOW DO YA"
   
   RONNIE ON THE P C ROCK BIO GRADE TWANGS IN AT A SOLID 7.
   
   WEAVE IT OR LEAVE IT - RONNIE IS DEFINITELY A WEAVER WORTH
   WEADING



5. This is a fun read. Just don't trust any of the dates past 1978. The chronology is definitely jumbled. Perhaps this is understandable considering the copious amounts of drugs that he admits to consuming. However, the fact that no editor corrected statements like Woody saying he did a show with Dennis Wilson in 1985 (he died in '83) is almost shameful...

5 comments about The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics.

1. Even though my dad already knows all the words to all the songs, he still enjoyed flipping through this volume while singing along to his favorites. The art throughout was undoubtedly an extra source of inspiration.



2. First show for me was '68. Got on the bus that day and never got off. Now you can read everything Jerry mumbled and Bobby chewed into a mic. Plus you can all the background references and allusions to Hunter's lyrics. Must have book for the serious DeadHead.



3. After singing so many wrong verses and words, it's great to have a nice source to go to to get 'er straight! I really like the annotations, without which I would have never known what a "Catch Colt", or hundreds of other obscure sayings really meant. It brought out a new respect for both Hunter and Barlow, and to understand the depth of lots of the lyrics I simply didn't understand. It's part of, "Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right"
   If you liked this book, take a look at "A Box of Rain", by Bob Hunter. No annotations, just poetry...but stunning stuff just the same.A Box of Rain: Lyrics: 1965-1993



4. I was a little disappointed to find that some of the songs that were not written by the dead but clearly made famous by them were not in the book. How can you not have song's like dark hollow in the book. Who is the original writer of that? I have no idea but the dead made that song. I feel it is one of there best and to not include that one and others was for me personally a bit of a let down.



5. It's very easy to get lost in this book, if you care about Grateful Dead lyrics. Steve Urbauer Stephen Urbauer

5 comments about Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain.

1. Heavier Than Heaven
   
   Kurt Cobain was a small town boy gone big. After living a hell of a childhood he finally found what he wanted. Kurt and two friends started a band. They took the name nirvana which a new state of mind. They took off on American tour. They fired their drummer Chad Channing. They recruited new drummer Dave Grohl. They got famous. Kurt killed himself by overdosing on heroin and shooting himself in the head.
   
   I can say this is one of the best books I have ever read. This book gives you every thing you need in a book. I don't care if this review is not long enough this is all I have to say.
   
   The characters are Kurt Cobain.



2. This is a great buy. The book reads smooth although the timelines are not always constant. There is only one outcome according this book and it tries to cover most sides of Kurt's life, including the bad sides. Fortunately it is not 'don't use drugs propaganda' which I see to often these days.
   
   Still there is some room for discussion because the author does some personal interpretation of facts and stories.



3. This book is a wonderful tribute to Kurt's life. Charles Cross' writing style makes you feel as though you were watching a movie. His descriptions reach points where you'd think they were best friends and the amount of detail leaves you wondering how he could know so much about someone who isn't even alive to ask anymore. Cross uses many quotes from the people in Kurt's life and fills you in from day one, starting with Kurt's parents before he was even born. I dislike the amount of names mentioned in the book however. Many characters are only name drops, which becomes confusing at times because you're not sure who is being spoken about. Other than the obsessive amount of names, the stories are fairly easy to follow. The author added some pictures about 200 pages in, from mostly Kurt's family that were very touching to look at. I thoroughly enjoy it, and do not regret buying it. I'd say it's definitely worth the money.



4. By: ANETA BASALAJ
   
   By writing this book, Charles Cross is letting the world know everything about Kurt Cobain, including details even Kurt probably didn't realize about himself. He starts from Kurt's childhood and describes his entire life all the way up to his death.
   
   Cross is a veteran music journalist, which makes him the perfect person to write about one of music's most incredible people. He used to be the editor of The Rocket, the Northwest's highly regarded entertainment and music magazine, which was also the first publication to do a cover story on Nirvana. It is obvious that Cross really knows what he is talking about in this book.
   
   Cross went through over four hundred interviews and an extensive four years of research in order to write Heavier Than Heaven. He goes into great detail, providing not only the facts, but analysis as well, which makes the reader more interested in reading and has him or her thinking throughout the book. Cross did not leave a single important event of Kurt's life out. Not only does the reader have a massive amount of knowledge about Kurt after finishing the book, he or she also gains respect for him.
   
   The obvious strength of the book is the enormous amount of information provided by Cross. This is also a weakness in the sense that readers might find themselves getting restless reading fact after fact, which is not necessarily the author's fault. Another strength of Heavier Than Heaven is the fact that the book is very chronologically accurate. The author does a very good job of not skipping around dates, especially when starting a new chapter. All in all, Heavier Than Heaven is a very well written book that any Nirvana fan should add to his or her bookshelf.



5. I think this book is a very captivating read. It gives alot of detail about Cobain's childhood, rocky adolescence, the forming of Nirvana, all the way through to his death. By the end of the book, it's pretty easy to understand why he killed himself. Alot of people are going to say that it's not true, that it's the "Courtney sanctioned" version of what happened, that Cross is making it up to cover up a murder, but this is nonsense. Overall, Courtney Love is not portrayed in an overly-flattering way, neither is Cobain portrayed in a bad light. People who say that Cross makes Love look great and Cobain look bad either have not read the book or are reading that interpretation into the book.
   
   Alot of people complain about the end, when Cross fictionalizes Cobain's last hours, but he never says that it's fact - to the contrary, Cross points out that that chapter is a fictionalization of what it might have been like. Does fiction have a place in a biography? In "Heaver Than Heaven," I say yes. It would have been a huge letdown if his death had been muddied over - even though we don't know what happened for sure.
   
   I give the book four stars because it's a very engrossing read. My understanding of Kurt Cobain increased greatly after reading this book, and I think my appreciation for Nirvana's music also deepened. It's a haunting, sometimes disturbing portrait of one of rock music's most mythical legends.