Melcórë Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I refer to Lewisohn's Beatles Complete Recording Sessions as "The Bible" Dave Lewis's Concert Files comes close, he should do The Studio Files, it'd be a smash. If you're a Hendrix fan, I'd suggest Ultimate Hendrix - it's in the same vein as Lewisohn (as I mentioned above) and illustrates how, forty-odd years on, they're still pumping out his material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Duck Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I can't wait to read Hoskyn's book. I can't afford to buy it so I'm going to have to wait for my local public library to obtain a copy for me through interlibrary loan. Does it have much to say about John Paul Jones? I find him the most intriguing member of Led Zeppelin, probably because most rock writers ignored him during Zep's heyday. What exactly did JPJ get up to when he pulled his disappearing act during Zep tours? Did he go sightseeing? Was he playing golf? Inquiring minds want to know. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pottedplant Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 He would go to the movies with a friend. So says someone in the Hoskyns book- or JPJ may have said it in a quote in the book. He was not always gone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melcórë Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I can't wait to read Hoskyn's book. I can't afford to buy it so I'm going to have to wait for my local public library to obtain a copy for me through interlibrary loan. Does it have much to say about John Paul Jones? I find him the most intriguing member of Led Zeppelin, probably because most rock writers ignored him during Zep's heyday. What exactly did JPJ get up to when he pulled his disappearing act during Zep tours? Did he go sightseeing? Was he playing golf? Inquiring minds want to know. I can't remember exactly if he references his disappearing act, but there are a wealth of other JPJ quotes in the book that I'd not seen before - good to see them collected in one place. I would love to hear from Pat...but I think I can understand why no one pesters her for an interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pottedplant Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I will be more careful about cite checking in the future. The quote I was referring to is on page 290 of the Hoskyns book. quote by Sam Aizer (artist relations in the Swan Song U.S. office) "John Paul and Brian Gallivan would come up to my little office, and I'd say, "What are you doing today?" Jonesy would say, "We're going to see a movie." Brian and him, that's what they did." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Duck Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I can't remember exactly if he references his disappearing act, but there are a wealth of other JPJ quotes in the book that I'd not seen before - good to see them collected in one place. Does it have quotes about JPJ by other people? Of course, I'm interested in what the man himself has to say but I'm also interested in how others viewed him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb126 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Does it have quotes about JPJ by other people? Of course, I'm interested in what the man himself has to say but I'm also interested in how others viewed him. Yes, there are. Not nearly as much as discussions about Jimmy and Robert, but there are some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishhead Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Does it have quotes about JPJ by other people? Of course, I'm interested in what the man himself has to say but I'm also interested in how others viewed him. the first part of the book has quite a few quotes regarding his studio days from other record producers and studio dudes.......good stuff......the whole book is really good IMHO......I loved it and read it in about 3 days.....If you knew me, and my reading dedication (not) then that would seem almost impossible........hope you eventually get it and enjoy it too....cheers DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well, finally got my copy yesterday...as I usually do with these kind of books, I started in the middle, read to the end then went back to the beginning; I was most curious to read about the 'latter years' of the band and how fucking crazy things got. I was not disappointed. For those who haven't read it yet, rest assured: there is not as much emphasis on the 'dirt' and/or 'sleaze' as there seemed to be in either Mick Wall's book or Hammer Of The Gods. This is about as close to a 'definitive' Zeppelin bio as we've gotten so far- with all the input from the principles as well as Peter Grant, Benji Lefevre, many more, even Richard Cole -and their spouses- it's like the Led Zeppelin version of The Beatles Anthology book. The individual personalities come through in the comments very well. Two little anecdotes that made me laugh out loud were the "Blue Snot" story and the one about Bonzo being so hungry whilst on tour in 1980 that he scarfed down his burger wrapper and all- "Tastes just as good!" IMO Hoskyns did his homework here- he interviewed damn near everybody...I bet a few more people in the Zeppelin universe now have Jimmy Page as an enemy -what with all his paranoid secrecy which hasn't appeared to diminish over the years- as a result of their contributions (apparently Page was not in favour of this book coming out, in spite of being interviewed himself). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Percys_Plant Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Good to see you enjoyed the book, Nutrocker! You're making me want to read it again...for the umpteenth time. Hah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabe Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Might have to give it another read too. The line that floored me was something like, "after inhaling half of Peru..." Glad those days are distant and hopefully faded memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadecatcher Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Well, finally got my copy yesterday...as I usually do with these kind of books, I started in the middle, read to the end then went back to the beginning; I was most curious to read about the 'latter years' of the band and how fucking crazy things got. I was not disappointed. For those who haven't read it yet, rest assured: there is not as much emphasis on the 'dirt' and/or 'sleaze' as there seemed to be in either Mick Wall's book or Hammer Of The Gods. This is about as close to a 'definitive' Zeppelin bio as we've gotten so far- with all the input from the principles as well as Peter Grant, Benji Lefevre, many more, even Richard Cole -and their spouses- it's like the Led Zeppelin version of The Beatles Anthology book. The individual personalities come through in the comments very well. Two little anecdotes that made me laugh out loud were the "Blue Snot" story and the one about Bonzo being so hungry whilst on tour in 1980 that he scarfed down his burger wrapper and all- "Tastes just as good!" IMO Hoskyns did his homework here- he interviewed damn near everybody...I bet a few more people in the Zeppelin universe now have Jimmy Page as an enemy -what with all his paranoid secrecy which hasn't appeared to diminish over the years- as a result of their contributions (apparently Page was not in favour of this book coming out, in spite of being interviewed himself). Ah the blue snot, hilarious anecdote. That someone was called to save the powder by separating spilt writing ink from it instead of pitching it for a clean lot had me laughing out loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Only Way To Fly Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I've stayed away from the bio books because they all seem to be the same stories. I've read Hammer of the Gods back in 1987, Cole's book that came out a couple of years ago & the one about the 1975 tour. I avoided this thread for a long time because it was another "book review" - anyway - based on the posts in the forum I just ordered my copy from Amazon for around $20 USD. Very much looking forward to it & thanks for the 15 + pages of notes on the subject! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Who exactly is Mick Farren, and why does he sound so bitter? His remarks in the book seem like the literary equivalent of a classic internet troll popping into the discussion from time to time to talk more shit...completely extraneous to the subject, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadecatcher Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Who exactly is Mick Farren, and why does he sound so bitter? His remarks in the book seem like the literary equivalent of a classic internet troll popping into the discussion from time to time to talk more shit...completely extraneous to the subject, IMO. He seems to be a journalist, novelist, former singer/musician and associated with the Hell's Angels: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_Farren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayougal65 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Who exactly is Mick Farren, and why does he sound so bitter? His remarks in the book seem like the literary equivalent of a classic internet troll popping into the discussion from time to time to talk more shit...completely extraneous to the subject, IMO. He is a pre-punk singer (The Deviants), writer/lyricist/novelist and so-called counterculturist who has amongst other mags wrote for NME back in the day! One of his most famous articles was entitled, "The Titanic Sails at Dawn". In it he bemoaned rock and roll's safe mainstreaming and celebrity! He was especially critical of the Stones and celebrity fans like Liz Taylor and Princess Margaret! Most of his comments in the book are especially nasty. His band, The Deviants opened for Zeppelin when Zeppelin was just beginning in "68". In one of his interviews he did say his band at one point wanted to be like Zeppelin. Sour grapes much? Who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishhead Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I've stayed away from the bio books because they all seem to be the same stories. I've read Hammer of the Gods back in 1987, Cole's book that came out a couple of years ago & the one about the 1975 tour. I avoided this thread for a long time because it was another "book review" - anyway - based on the posts in the forum I just ordered my copy from Amazon for around $20 USD. Very much looking forward to it & thanks for the 15 + pages of notes on the subject! I agree with you about the same old stories and the books that you referenced but I hope you enjoy the Hoskyn's book as much as I did. It is a really different take on the band and the "behind the scenes" record industry and financial discussions are pretty cool. Good reading to ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 He is a pre-punk singer (The Deviants), writer/lyricist/novelist and so-called counterculturist who has amongst other mags wrote for NME back in the day! One of his most famous articles was entitled, "The Titanic Sails at Dawn". In it he bemoaned rock and roll's safe mainstreaming and celebrity! He was especially critical of the Stones and celebrity fans like Liz Taylor and Princess Margaret! Most of his comments in the book are especially nasty. His band, The Deviants opened for Zeppelin when Zeppelin was just beginning in "68". In one of his interviews he did say his band at one point wanted to be like Zeppelin. Sour grapes much? Who knows? I'll take "Sour grapes" for $200, Alex. The dude sounds like a whinging prat of the finest kind...I don't know why Hoskyns even interviewed him...I mean, Ross Halfin strikes me as being a sycophantic, opinionated asshole but at last he's a 'player' in the Zeppelin universe for good or ill Some of Halfin's more acerbic remarks in the book have their place; Farren's...not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidscott Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Great book IMO. No real surprises if one is familiar with the other previously published stuff about Zeppelin but this book adds some depth and detail because it's all quotes from people that new the band and had access. The tragedy of Bonzo's alcoholism really came across to me in this book. Had Zeppelins career been in more recent times I think somebody might have made more of an effort to help him. His deterioration was stunning and towards his end he was obviously very unhappy and that, for me at least, comes across so strongly in the book that it almost makes you want to cry. Their huge success and the enormous money machine they were the driving force behind seemed to make everyone an enabler. Peter Grant another great tragedy...I didn't know the extent of his cocaine problem before. Page says he never regretted the drugs (I'm assuming he means his own use) because when he needed to focus he could etc. but IMO drugs and alcohol destroyed Led Zeppelin in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melcórë Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 IMO Hoskyns did his homework here- he interviewed damn near everybody...I bet a few more people in the Zeppelin universe now have Jimmy Page as an enemy -what with all his paranoid secrecy which hasn't appeared to diminish over the years- as a result of their contributions (apparently Page was not in favour of this book coming out, in spite of being interviewed himself). The people who come across as particularly anti-Page appear to have an axe to grind, at least to me - I take it all with a healthy dose of skepticism. Hoskyn's interview with Page (and I believe the other members) dates to 2003; as far as I can see, he was upset about the book's publication because he probably thought that the axe-grinders would be given more space than others, or that it would be a rehash of past drivel. Hoskyn's book is of course an entirely different (and much better) animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadecatcher Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 The people who come across as particularly anti-Page appear to have an axe to grind, at least to me - I take it all with a healthy dose of skepticism. Hoskyn's interview with Page (and I believe the other members) dates to 2003; as far as I can see, he was upset about the book's publication because he probably thought that the axe-grinders would be given more space than others, or that it would be a rehash of past drivel. Hoskyn's book is of course an entirely different (and much better) animal. On the point that Page may have been uneasy about the publication of this book and is known to threaten authors in advance of their publications, the very format of this book makes censorship tricky. It's one thing to anticipate an author's negative commentary or that certain elements might be exposed, but quite another to challenge the direct quotes and opinions of 200 people (likely authenticated with recorded interviews and possibly signed releases). Hoskyn shaped the story by selecting quotes and presenting them in a certain order, sometimes canceling out information, other times balancing it. By including mean-spirited and inaccurate quotes as well as the benign or favourable, the intent and credibility of the voices included in this book are revealed. It's a smart book. Axe grinders are as much a part of this story as the sycophants, hangers on, close family members and friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melcórë Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 On the point that Page may have been uneasy about the publication of this book and is known to threaten authors in advance of their publications, the very format of this book makes censorship tricky. It's one thing to anticipate an author's negative commentary or that certain elements might be exposed, but quite another to challenge the direct quotes and opinions of 200 people (likely authenticated with recorded interviews and possibly signed releases). Hoskyn shaped the story by selecting quotes and presenting them in a certain order, sometimes canceling out information, other times balancing it. By including mean-spirited and inaccurate quotes as well as the benign or favourable, the intent and credibility of the voices included in this book are revealed. It's a smart book. Axe grinders are as much a part of this story as the sycophants, hangers on, close family members and friends. I fully agree with you - I particularly enjoyed the passages where quotations were in direct contrast with others; still, I view Pagey as less "paranoid" and more "tired" at this point. He'd rather talk about the music - I'd rather hear about it - but it's the drugs and whips that are always brought up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabe Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Might have to give it another read too. The line that floored me was something like, "after inhaling half of Peru..." Glad those days are distant and hopefully faded memories. Well, I'm guessing Steven Tyler knows a good book and reads it when he hears about it. Just read a quote attributed to him about "snorting half of Peru." A bit of plagarism maybe, but not necessarily the sincerest form of flattery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstickbonzo Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I found the book to be the best I've ever read about the band and that's after having read all of them (with Peter Grant's being the best before this one). The interviews are telling and it reinforces whatever mojo they certainly had together was stripped from them in August 1975 and from there onwards, they were never quite the same group (for various reasons). It's an incredible polaroid of the times they lived in: incredible fame, incredible excess and an incredible legacy that was forged at the ultimate price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Well, I'm guessing Steven Tyler knows a good book and reads it when he hears about it. Just read a quote attributed to him about "snorting half of Peru." A bit of plagarism maybe, but not necessarily the sincerest form of flattery. That's a really well-used line , I doubt Tyler lifted it from the book or vice versa, its been around in various versions for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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