BOOK REVIEWS
Moanin' at midnight: The life and times of Howlin' Wolf – James Segrest and Mark Hoffman
Avalon publishing - 2004
5*****
This is the best biography I have ever read, that it is the story of one of the all time great bluesmen is an added bonus! If you are into reading biographies of any description but have no interest in the blues you should still enjoy this one. It is superbly written and researched by people who have a genuine interest in this complicated character. A simple uneducated (until later in life)but intelligent man, sometimes humble, sometimes arrogant, totally devoted to his music and fans and one of the greatest blues people to have ever or who will ever live! Most of the interviews are with people that knew him well, from his sad, incredibly hard start in life right up to almost his last breath, all told with a warts and all honesty.
I had the good fortune to see him perform in 1967 on the same bill as, amongst others, the great Son House and Muddy Waters. Even in this company the man stood out as a ‘force of nature,’ a term justifiably applied in his case, and gave the most memorable performance I have ever seen from any musician. We will definitely not see his like again, so do yourself a favour and pick up this hugely informative and pleasurable book!
YONDER COME THE BLUES – Paul Oliver, Tony Russell, Robert M. W. Dixon, John Godrich and Howard Rye.
Published in 2001 by The University of Cambridge Press.
Originally published as three volumes in 1970 by Studio Vista
3***
The three volumes that make up this, at times, fascinating book are Savannah Syncopators by Paul Oliver, Blacks, Whites and Blues by Tony Russell and finally (but not least) Recording the blues by Robert M. W. Dixon and John Godrich. All three books have been updated, there having been far more research completed in the thirty years between publications. Each of the three sections has an essay at the end updating much of the information in the originals.
So what was it like as a read? The first section, by Paul Oliver, is quite useful if you know anything about Africa generally and it’s music specifically. You need to be able to relate to areas, musicians and instruments otherwise much of it can just pass you by. The points he is trying to make about where the Blues actually originated are, in my opinion, far too scholarly for the casual reader, of which I was one. Many years ago I did some research into the blues links to African music but this goes into it in much greater detail despite ultimately avoiding conclusions. I read Paul Olivers brilliant book on the delta blues ‘Deep Blues’ some years ago and found that to be a much easier read, but no less educational.
The second section, written by Tony Russell, was much easier to relate to, as it delves into an area that I’ve always been fascinated by, namely the links in the early twentieth century between the ‘Blues’ and ‘Hillbilly’ music. It delves into the origins of the songs and instruments and the interrelations between poor black and white peoples music, their lives and influences. It explains about the record companies motivations for ‘Field recordings’ and generally gets to grips with the atmosphere of the time. All in all an excellent read and highly informative.
The third and final section relates to information about record companies, how they started up, general ups and downs of sales figures through the decades. Delves into the companies that promoted ‘race’ records and what their motivation was and what happened to them. It actually traces the recordings back to the dawn of the twentieth century and really is a fascinating read.
Overall the book is not perfect but does give an insight into where the blues originated and it’s development and effect on ‘country’ music.
Originally published as three volumes in 1970 by Studio Vista
3***
The three volumes that make up this, at times, fascinating book are Savannah Syncopators by Paul Oliver, Blacks, Whites and Blues by Tony Russell and finally (but not least) Recording the blues by Robert M. W. Dixon and John Godrich. All three books have been updated, there having been far more research completed in the thirty years between publications. Each of the three sections has an essay at the end updating much of the information in the originals.
So what was it like as a read? The first section, by Paul Oliver, is quite useful if you know anything about Africa generally and it’s music specifically. You need to be able to relate to areas, musicians and instruments otherwise much of it can just pass you by. The points he is trying to make about where the Blues actually originated are, in my opinion, far too scholarly for the casual reader, of which I was one. Many years ago I did some research into the blues links to African music but this goes into it in much greater detail despite ultimately avoiding conclusions. I read Paul Olivers brilliant book on the delta blues ‘Deep Blues’ some years ago and found that to be a much easier read, but no less educational.
The second section, written by Tony Russell, was much easier to relate to, as it delves into an area that I’ve always been fascinated by, namely the links in the early twentieth century between the ‘Blues’ and ‘Hillbilly’ music. It delves into the origins of the songs and instruments and the interrelations between poor black and white peoples music, their lives and influences. It explains about the record companies motivations for ‘Field recordings’ and generally gets to grips with the atmosphere of the time. All in all an excellent read and highly informative.
The third and final section relates to information about record companies, how they started up, general ups and downs of sales figures through the decades. Delves into the companies that promoted ‘race’ records and what their motivation was and what happened to them. It actually traces the recordings back to the dawn of the twentieth century and really is a fascinating read.
Overall the book is not perfect but does give an insight into where the blues originated and it’s development and effect on ‘country’ music.
IT STILL MOVES; Lost songs, lost highways and the search for the next American music by Amanda Petrusich. (2008 Faber & Faber)
4****
When I first picked this up I nearly didn’t bother reading beyond the first couple of pages, but thought I’d better give it a bit more of a chance. It seemed as if it was just going to be one of these books where the author travels to a few places linked with long dead artists and interviews one or two people that may or may not have known him/her! How wrong can you be! Luckily I did stick with it and this book is both entertaining and informative. If you have any interest in folk, blues, country, alt.country or any other sub genre of American roots music, without actually wishing to know everything, just background, this is an excellent book to start with. There are chapters, never overlong, on Alan Lomax, Beale Street in Memphis, Sam Pillips Sun Records, early Elvis Presley, Graceland, Clarksdale Mississippi and the blues, Nashville, an excellent piece on the more obscure side of alt.country, the Appalachia of the Carter Family, John Lomax with Leadbelly, Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, Woody Guthrie and even a piece on Nu Folk plus much more besides! There are also snippets of the authors life on the road and experiences whilst researching this book, without ever overdoing anything, but making essential links between each section.
Fairly obviously nothing is covered in great depth, but it is always readable and were I in a position of just having a vague interest in these genres I would consider it highly educational and appetite whetting, to read and hear more of the riches of American roots music!
When I first picked this up I nearly didn’t bother reading beyond the first couple of pages, but thought I’d better give it a bit more of a chance. It seemed as if it was just going to be one of these books where the author travels to a few places linked with long dead artists and interviews one or two people that may or may not have known him/her! How wrong can you be! Luckily I did stick with it and this book is both entertaining and informative. If you have any interest in folk, blues, country, alt.country or any other sub genre of American roots music, without actually wishing to know everything, just background, this is an excellent book to start with. There are chapters, never overlong, on Alan Lomax, Beale Street in Memphis, Sam Pillips Sun Records, early Elvis Presley, Graceland, Clarksdale Mississippi and the blues, Nashville, an excellent piece on the more obscure side of alt.country, the Appalachia of the Carter Family, John Lomax with Leadbelly, Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, Woody Guthrie and even a piece on Nu Folk plus much more besides! There are also snippets of the authors life on the road and experiences whilst researching this book, without ever overdoing anything, but making essential links between each section.
Fairly obviously nothing is covered in great depth, but it is always readable and were I in a position of just having a vague interest in these genres I would consider it highly educational and appetite whetting, to read and hear more of the riches of American roots music!
Meeting Jimmie Rodgers by Barry Mazor
Oxford University Press - 2009
4****
This is by no means the definitive biography of Rodgers. That has already been done and fortunately Mazor recognises the fact by telling just a little of the singers life in the first third of this excellent book. The remaining two thirds are given over to a discussion of the music, starting with Rodgers himself and working through the decades up to the present time. He discusses many of the people, famous as well as lesser known that have recorded or been influenced by the music. He also recognises that because of Rodgers diversity, virtually everyone that has recorded any genre of popular music since, whether they realise the fact or not, have been influenced by this man whose life was cut far too short by T.B. It is a fairly exhaustive analysis of his influence on music since his time but is always easy to read.
One of the conclusions that I reached after reading the book was that maybe too much is made of him being the 'First Country music superstar' and not enough of him being the 'First popular music superstar'. There is as good an argument for him being a blues musician as a country one. (or 'hillbilly' as it was in those far off days)
4****
This is by no means the definitive biography of Rodgers. That has already been done and fortunately Mazor recognises the fact by telling just a little of the singers life in the first third of this excellent book. The remaining two thirds are given over to a discussion of the music, starting with Rodgers himself and working through the decades up to the present time. He discusses many of the people, famous as well as lesser known that have recorded or been influenced by the music. He also recognises that because of Rodgers diversity, virtually everyone that has recorded any genre of popular music since, whether they realise the fact or not, have been influenced by this man whose life was cut far too short by T.B. It is a fairly exhaustive analysis of his influence on music since his time but is always easy to read.
One of the conclusions that I reached after reading the book was that maybe too much is made of him being the 'First Country music superstar' and not enough of him being the 'First popular music superstar'. There is as good an argument for him being a blues musician as a country one. (or 'hillbilly' as it was in those far off days)
