5 comments about Traveling Music: Playing Back the Soundtrack to My Life and Times.

1. This is the third book I have finished from Neil. The other books read up to this point have included Ghost Rider and Road Show. I couldn't comment on Ghost Rider because I felt the book was so very personal and considered therapy for Neil's experiences. I enjoyed Road Show. It was fun hearing about Neil's experiences on the road fetching National Park Stamps along the way.
   
   In Traveling Music, there is a bit more of Neil's thoughts on just about everything. My first assumption prior to reading this book was, okay, he is getting in a car, listening to various music on the road with comments. It is this, but Neil's broad view of the music business and his experiences as a real music listener, world traveller, book reader and appreciator of the arts lends itself to everything he comments on. He is the type of person I feel whom anyone could strike up a meaningful conversation about any subject. That is the feel of the book. When he hits on a piece of music he likes, you get some very insightful and sometimes researched infomation on it. I learned more about Sinatra from Neil's appreciation than I had from my own experience for example. Also, there is no confusion that Neil is a proud introvert and I feel he enjoys his time alone to think and experience things and get back in touch with himself. I can relate to this and it makes me more inquisitive to read his views and comments. He also has a very good book list on his website and I've taken on a few of his recommendations and enjoyed them.
   
   The only negative is the African Bike Ride area of the book towards the end. I kind of drifted in and out of that chapter because I felt I couldn't relate to that, and also because it seemed to move away from the initial car ride - music listening / comments area. But overall a very good read and I recommend it and look forward to another book from Neil.
   
   - David Carlin
   david.j.carlin@verizon.net



2. Both the content and the cohesion of this memoir are clear, strong, and good. The overall architecture is better than Ghost Rider and Roadshow, actually coming full circle both literally and metaphorically.
   
   He's a fun person, and it's a blast to get invited along to travel in his Beamer (I wonder if his wife and his Mom are as scandalized of the speeds he drives at as I am) with great music for a nice hike and some bird watching. I found myself thinking, "I love that group, too!", or, "Hum, I've never heard that song, I'll have to go online and have a listen!" I'm amused and delighted he stays in cheap roadside motels, and buys pre-packaged sandwiches and peanut butter cups from convenience stores, because I hope and expect him to be more comfortable in life because he's worked so hard for it and deserves it. However, he's just a regular guy from a regular background, and harbors no snobbishness about such things.
   
   Neil relates happy and horrible life events in great detail from birth to the day he joins Rush on this drive. It's reaffirming to realize that a shy person from an average background can pen such moving prose after experiencing and observing his world. Few writers can observe a vermillion flycatcher on a plain moment in a plain bird watching trip and form it into a work of art with the tender, fleeting joy he and the others around him witnessed.
   
   I now understand what it is to be a "burning spirit", a musician that plays with such "intensity and vulnerability", so that they take "music from sidewalk entertainment to compelling art." (Sounds like somebody we know!) Neil's provocative chapter I nicknamed "The Superconductor Essay" (after the Rush song on the same theme) gives me a lot to think about in music appreciation, for I--a non-musician--never listened to music the way he does. I used to think I did, because like Neil I like a lot of diverse things, but I've never thought about why I like them. His thoughts on the intention by a musician or any artist that really got me thinking about his point of view. To his credit, a non-musician can easily follow. He is open-minded, and challenges himself to listen to musical styles that don't appeal to him, for example a country singer in a roadside restaurant that "really sang that song, from the inside out."
   
   Moreover, he doesn't name names in what he dislikes, so the tome doesn't come off as a bitchy-moany manifesto.
   
   It's touching how uncorrupted he is in the corrupt world of the music business. He befriends and encourages other artists, including young up & coming ones. He has no blinders on to music: caring nothing of the artist's age, race, religion, or economic status. And boy howdy does he love music--he shares how he tunelessly yelps along with Frank Sinatra CDs, or the fun he had at recent The Tragically Hip concert.
   
   As always in Peart's writings, great lessons in geology, history, vocabulary, and the music industry are included.
   
   If you've assumed `rock stars' have it `easy'-- you're wrong. It's amazing that he's the sweet man he is despite for how he's suffered in his personal life. Neil shares the secret: perseverance, grit, and hard work. Great memoir, give it a read.



3. I was a little trepidacious about picking this book up. I had just read 'Roadshow' and found it slightly disappointing at least when compared to 'Ghost Rider.' The synopsis on the book about Peart taking a drive and talking about his favorite bands didn't really appeal to me all that much despite being a long-time Rush and Neil Peart fan.
   
   I'm glad I decided to pick up the book after all. Far from being just a discussion of his favorite music, Peart weaves the music into details from his life creating the most autobiographical of all his books. I've always found it ironic that Neil is often considered the most secretive and private member of Rush, yet he has revealed far more about his life than any other member of the band through his writings.
   
   This is by far the most well-written book Peart has produced so far. Next to 'Ghost Rider' which is essential for understanding key tragic events in Neil's life, 'Travelling Music' is a must-read for fans of Rush and even fans of popular music in general.



4. Traveling Music was an enjoyable read. I have read Neil's first three books and this is the best thus far. The book's premise: Peart is traveling in his BMW Z8 (a very hot car) from California to Texas. Through his journey we are taken back to his past while he listens to his favorite music. I appreciated what he liked - especially how much he likes Sinatra. As a fellow motorcycle traveler - I enjoy `the road' stories.
   
   And now, the other side of the book: I did find it odd how many of the great icons in the music business - at some point or another start to despise their fans: the very people who spend the money on the albums and tours. The people who make these guys rich and famous. I know some of the radical ones can be annoying, I get that. It just that many of us that are reading this - don't have that experience. I was also a little shocked on his views on America. I don't understand why the African chapter was in this book - this should have been in the first book - Masked Rider.
   
   I hope Peart continues to write - and I hope that he would take some time to have a more direct approach on his life and his song writing in a book that is less about traveling.



5. Excellent reading. The concept of this book is solid, what music someone listened to at what times in their life (I should have thought of that!). This by a world class musician and writer, so its quite interesting learning what the author listened to, and when. I have been a Rush fan since I first heard them when I was 12 or 13 back in 1980, and as such have a lot of respect for Neil as well. Anyhow, I enjoyed the book, as well as his other books too.

5 comments about The Music of The Eagles Made Easy for Guitar.

1. Excellent for Beginner to intermediate guitarist. Good selection of Eagles favorite songs in easy to play chord progressions.



2. First class - ideal for those who want the rhythm sections to some great classics



3. I just received this book and I am very impressed. I have only been playing the guitar for just a short while and still taking lessons. I like the way this book is laid out and easy to follow. Anyone that knows the Eagles' songs and know the basic chords can play the songs in this book. I am glad that I bought this book and recommend this to any beginner or advanced guitarist. It is ia fun book.



4. This is the greatest guitar book I have ever used. I liked it so much I bought another copy and mailed it to my buddy in Kansas. Yahoo it is SO worth the cost.



5. This book is done right. All the chords are clearly shown and they seem correct too!
   I've been practicing Hotel California for a few days and it's been a blast.

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

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



2. 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



3. 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!



4. 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. I saw a touring production of "Jersey Boys" in my home state, Arizona. I decided to get this book for a friend of mine who doesn't love musicals like I do, but wanted to see this show because she and her husband grew up with the music of the real Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. For me the musical was interestingg, an intriguing look at the Fopur Seasons, and why they hit so quickly, but I disliked theprofane Jersey language, so I give this four stars.

5 comments about Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam.

1. You don't have to be a fan of heavy metal music to find interest in this book, I know its certainly not my scene. What I like about this book is that Mark Levine isn't relying on interviews alone to tell the stories of how musician's struggle in countries that try to censor them, he puts himself in the middle of it. He spends time with these musicians, he performs with them and he sees the heart and the pain behind the music these artists are creating. The book also goes into the internal conflict some of these musicians face in weighing out religion vs music and how they balance the two.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about some of the things western and eastern cultures have in common and the differences related to that commonality.



2. American and Western rockers like to pretend they're revolutionaries who are sticking it to the man and changing the world. But in Muslim nations, metalheads and rappers fight the sting of real political, cultural, religious, and military harassment. LeVine is both a working musician and an academic expert who has travelled extensively through the Middle East and North Africa, and he delivers a fun and readbale odyssey through several poorly understood nations, highlighting groundbreaking artists and the political/cultural developments that inspire, and are inspired by, the metal and rap underground. In addition to showcasing a great many intriguing artists who are using the power of forbidden music to comment on the struggles faced by their peoples, LeVine also illustrates the great diversity of Middle Eastern societies, presenting complex and varied cultures that are a far cry from the simplistic religious militancy displayed in the Western press since 9/11.
   
   Underground musicians of the region really are sticking it to the man (that is, the religious and/or military big brothers of their countries) and have had a real impact on social movements and cultural awakenings. While you'll need some tolerance for LeVine's lapses into turgid professor-ese (like an ongoing anemic application of public sphere theory and occasional lapses into big pseudo-thoughts like "the complex politics of cultural production"), he more than makes up for it with stirring descriptions of the sounds created by esoteric musicians and the worldviews of the region's progressives and nonconformists. LeVine also presents a plausible (though probably monochromatic) young person's view of the state of the Muslim world and its sociological near-futures, mostly dispensing with unrealistic idealism.
   
   In addition to being a plausible political/cultural study and an even better work of globe-trotting musicology, this book ultimately brings well-deserved attention to musicians who have literally risked their lives or livelihoods to be heard. Count on me to pick up the forthcoming CD from LeVine's growing Heavy Metal Islam artist development project. [~doomsdayer520~]



3. This is a grad student's wet dream--a combination of half-understood Interwar social theory, and "cool" manifestations of counter-culture in the Muslim world. In reality, it all has precious little to do with Islam--it's almost exclusively the work of an educated westernized wealthy elite. LeVine is either dishonest or very very foolish. I'm guessing both.



4. This is apretty good example of what's wrong with academic studies of the Islamic world. LeVine is so impressed with his own theory (which is, in brief, "wouldn't it be, like, totally cool if music, like, liberated the people, man?!?) that he fails to see how utterly irrelevant this music is in the Islamic world. Pretty poorly written too--which is, in any event, standard for these sorts of polemics. A silly book.



5. While the concept of the book, namely the rarely discussed role of musical counterculture in the middle East, certainly has potential, its execution is a disaster. Mark LeVine's writing has all of the excitement of an academic dissertation, with none of the depth or research behind it. He clearly knows little or nothing about heavy metal, and also clearly did little or no immersion into the music to learn about it. (The editor also did no fact checking--can't "high brow" books about a "low brow" topic at least have someone acquainted with the topic read it at some point prior to publication?)
   
   Just about every mention about the actual music or bands involved is riddled with errors that a simple Google search would have corrected. Just a few: mentioning a Rage Against the Machine song as being called "F*** you, I won't do what you tell me", describing a poster of the "band" "Cowboys From Hell," and worst of all, discussing Iron Maiden's famous mascot, "Freddy". Come on, people--that is just sloppy!
   
   Despite all of that, the biggest problem remains that LeVine is such an undistinguished writer that "Heavy Metal Islam" is a stultifyingly boring read. I couldn't help but imagine what the book would have been like by a compelling author (such as David Hadju, whose recent "Ten Cent Plague" makes the world of 1950's anti-comic book hysteria pop with life) who could have drawn out the passion and frustration in these people's stories. While it suffers from some of the same repetition as this book, the documentary "Heavy Metal in Baghdad" is a much more evocative depiction of the role of heavy metal in the lives of a group of young Iraqis struggling to fulfill their musical ambitions, while trying simply to survive.

5 comments about The Best of Coldplay for Easy Piano: Updated Edition.

1. This isn't for a beginner or an advanced beginner. By "easy" is meant that it is comparable to The Library of Easy Piano Classics ISBN 0-82556-1284-5.
   
   If you're not quite ready for this level I'd still order it and the more advanced Coldplay, A Rush of Blood to the Head, because these punk rock music books are here today and gone tomorrow. This is probably not going to be available by the time you're ready.



2. It's a great book for intermediate players. I wouldn't exactly call it "easy piano." While the notes are easy to read and not complicated, the key signatures are what make the songs difficult. Brush up on those before trying out this book!!



3. 12 Coldplay songs from the albums "Parachutes" and "A Rush of Blood to the Head".
   
   I've only had a couple of years of piano lessons (and that was years ago) and I bought this book to help me get back into playing. The arrangements are easy (but no, not beginner), and don't take much practise before you're sounding pretty good! Includes the guitar chords.
   
   The songs are:
   
   (1) Amsterdam (2) Clocks (3) Don't Panic (4) Everything's Not Lost (5) Green Eyes (6) In My Place (7) Rush of Blood (8) The Scientist (9) Sparks (10) Trouble (11) A Warning Sign (12) Yellow
   
   The book itself is a slim softcover book with a shiny cover. It is bound by three staples, and the pages fall flat once pressed down - so its fine on a music/piano stand.
   
   Note - This describes the the 2003 edition which I was sent initially (in error). So check that you were sent the right edition! The 2004 edition is bound, so doesn't lie flat as well as the 1st Ed but it includes a 13th song: "Fix You" from "X&Y"



4. The music was easy piano by my standards, a quick learn and authentic enough to the true sound of Coldplay as well.



5. I'm surprised that none of the other reviews mentioned the fact that these "arrangements" are very different from the originals. The melody (vocals) is in the right-hand treble clef and simple base notes in the left. These are not really the chords that are played by the band, and it is virtually impossible to sing along with what is written, unless you like singing exactly the same thing your right hand is playing. And there's not enough of a chord in the left hand to fill it out if you just drop the right and sing it. I'm fairly disappointed in this. Maybe if all you're looking for is a similar sounding arrangement and don't plan to sing, then this may be the book for you.

5 comments about John Denver Anthology for Easy Guitar.

1. This book is great for me at my level. I have loads of fun singing these songs and performing for my wife and kids. This book has brought me a lot of joy.



2. Although not new to playing guitar, I am no expert either. As a keen John Denver fan this anthology certainly works for me and has given me a lot of pleasure. Some of the numbers (about half) will need to be transposed (or Capo'd) to be able to play along with the man himself - but then again some of us can't sing along in the same key anyway; so maybe the key supplied is better in some cases. The clear and fairly simple presentation is well worth the money.



3. Great Anthology of most Denver fans favorites, easy chords, simple arrangements are very easy to play for beginner to intermediate guitar players, probably way too easy for accomplished players. Even able to use the book for keyboard fake book. All in all a worthwhile addition to my collection of guitar song books.



4. I found this to be a real super guide to the words and chords of many of John Denver's songs. I really recommend it.



5. what made me look to amazon.com, is the ease of purchase in the past,have never been disapointed with amazon. customer service, most be your top priority. tks johnny

1 comments about The Story of the Supremes.

1. Don't be misled by the title of this hard cover booklet. It is not "The Story Of The Supremes" There is very little story here. It is less than one hundred pages. It is a small glossy photo book. The text is a bit more than a two-part magazine article, with very little depth . There are some glaring factual errors such as Diana Ross changed her name from Diane to Diana in 1966!!! She was billed as Diana Ross on the first Supremes Motown album in 1963. The author wasn't even born during the height of The Supremes success, and everything written is second-hand. There are many wonderful color photos, some never before seen, but most are ruined by being spread across the binding. This should have been a "coffee table" book, but then it would have been three times the price. The author does give credit to The Supremes for their place in the Civil Rights movement of the Sixties, a fact often overlooked in other assessments of the group. They really were a bridge over a cultural divide in our country at that time. Mary Wilson's foreword although only a page is more personal and informative than the rest of the book, which is downhill from then on in. I got the impression that this was a companion piece of merchandise to go with the "Mary Wilson Gown Collection" exhibition.. I was confused about that and it may explain why there was such a lack of information in the story. One would do better to read Mary Wilson's autobiographies for an insiders story of The Supremes, although it is heavily slanted against Diana Ross, Mary was there and it is her truth.
   Mary Wilson has recently been working the cabaret circuit and although I haven't seen the act, I have listened to some cuts on a CD that a friend made for me. This is an excellent venue for Miss Wilson's talents. I have told many friends over the years that Mary could have parlayed her fame as a Supreme into a much larger & broader career in the same way that Michelle Phillips branched out in show business after a two year stint with The Mamas and Papas". It was Cass Elliot's voice that gave the group it's unique sound , just as it was Diana's sound and Mary and Florence's harmonies that took America by storm in the Sixties, they never captured the same magic after Florence left, though Diana retained her star quality. Anyone who paid attention to popular music knew who Mary Wilson was. There was no need for her to fight Motown for the Supremes name. She could have gone out on her own then as she is doing now, rather than dragging The Supremes around the world to "Oldies" shows. Who knows, perhaps she acquired more confidence with maturity. But you never heard the phrase "Ringo Staar formerly of The Beatles"
   At the end of the day save your money and put it toward the box set of The Supremes if you don't already own it, because the book that comes with the four Cds has six times more of "The Story of The Supremes" plus you get all the music. This book is strictly for die-hard fans that have to have anything to do with The Supremes.

3 comments about Ben Folds - Rockin' the Suburbs: Piano/Vocal Transcriptions.

1. Accurate transcription of piano music as played in Rockin the Suburbs CD. Keep in mind that this is not a transcription of a live performance, and so songs such as "Rockin the Suburbs" might be a little sparse on notes since little piano is used on the CD. Songs with less accompanyment by other instruments, such as "The Luckiest" sound more complete when played only with a piano.



2. Folks looking for the same full-instrument transcribed scores as the previous scores Hal Leonard released are going to be a little disappointed. When the previous reviewer says the piano parts get a little sparse, he means it, and unfortunately unlike in the previous books, you can't turn to the lines of other instruments for fill-inspiration. This also means it's a heck-of-a-lot easier to play than the other books (maybe this is a good thing for you?)
   
   Still, it's Ben Folds, who pwnz all things piano and the piano ballads (Luckiest, Fred Jones Pt. 2) are sure to please.



3. Purchased as a gift...was just what I was looking for. Thank you for
   quick service.

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 Let's Spend the Night Together: Backstage Secrets of Rock Muses and Supergroupies.

1. This Book is Really Great. I enjoyed "I'm With The Band" the Most, but this has the opinion of other Women & Includes Many Other Bands. No One can Compare to "The Original" Miss Pamela!



2. "Let's Spend the Night Together-Backstage Secrets of Rock Muses and Supergroupies" by the lovely Pamela DesBarres promises what it delivers. She gleams all the juicy tidbits from famous and infamous groupies alike. She engages the reader as a best friend/cheerleader for these women and their delioiously colorful lives. As a music lover/fan I was delighted by their tales and Ms DesBarres obvious good time in being privy to their secrets. A very good time from a down-to earth , trailblazing, and engaging author!



3. The follow-up to "I'm With the Band, Confessions of the Groupie" is another addition to the Pamela Des Barres collection of page turners.
   
   Written impeccably, Pamela takes us into the intimate lives of other groupies other than herself. The stories are interesting, captivating, and take you back to the days of when rock and roll ruled America.
   
   I highly recommend for any music fan, entertainer, or someone looking for a fun read.



4. For anyone who wasn't lucky enough to live through the 60's and 70's music scene but wanted to- read this. It isn't easy to find a first hand account of things from a groupies point of view. Pamela Des Barres is amazing as far as writing and life experiences go. That is for sure.



5. This book provides a vastly entertaining read about a vastly different collection of individuals. Each mini-memoir presents a glimpse into the lives of groupies/muses during specific eras of rock history. Some of the stories are positive & upbeat (Michele Overman) while others might be rather disturbing (Connie Hamzy). There are many flavors of "groupiedom" and you will find them all in this book. Everyone from the groupie artists/performers - Cynthia Plaster Caster, Cherry Vanilla, Lexa Vonn, Cassandra Peterson, Miss Mercy, Bebe Buell - to average people who just want to "worship" Rock N' Roll. I always enjoy Pamela DesBarres' writing & this book solidifies her position as a rock historian.