Current Music Books
Two autobiographies at the moment. Neil Young's Waging Heavy Peace (bathroom reading,) and Carole King's Natural Woman (over morning coffee.)
The latter, as you'd maybe expect from someone who's spent a lifetime crafting three minute jewels, is a masterpiece of concision. Short chapters, chronological structure, tight, well balanced, fair-minded. In contrast, while it's not all over the shop, Young's book bounces around a good deal, he also has a clear and current agenda which he returns to almost every other chapter.
Basically Neil's a techno-nerd, he collects guitars and cars, he designs sound-effects for toy trains, and most recently he's proselytising for high quality online audio, via his own system, PureTone. It's clear his motives are as pure as his product: he really believes in hi def sound, Man! But, nevertheless he comes across as a bit of a shill. Otherwise it's a good read. I wasn't fully aware of his debilitating medical conditions in his youth — epilepsy, polio — and his devotion to his sons, who both have chronic long-term conditions, is admirable and never sentimentalised.
In her book — which, unlike Young's is more bio than memoir — King gives us the facts, but little in the way of reflection. They're also selective, sometimes glaringly so. Those of us familiar with the controversy surrounding He Hit Me, and it Felt Like a Kiss for instance, would have liked her take on the song, but it's not even mentioned, though there's a entire chapter on Little Eva. Other things are, however. Four failed marriages. The difficulties of being only 5'2" and pushed ahead two grades in high school. A husband, and business partner, with substance abuse issues. And, of course, working on Tin-Pan-Alley in the early sixties.
I'm only half-way through both books and I'll definitely finish them — though Young's will take substantially longer. If you had to choose one, I'd definitely go for King's.
Two autobiographies at the moment. Neil Young's Waging Heavy Peace (bathroom reading,) and Carole King's Natural Woman (over morning coffee.)
The latter, as you'd maybe expect from someone who's spent a lifetime crafting three minute jewels, is a masterpiece of concision. Short chapters, chronological structure, tight, well balanced, fair-minded. In contrast, while it's not all over the shop, Young's book bounces around a good deal, he also has a clear and current agenda which he returns to almost every other chapter.
Basically Neil's a techno-nerd, he collects guitars and cars, he designs sound-effects for toy trains, and most recently he's proselytising for high quality online audio, via his own system, PureTone. It's clear his motives are as pure as his product: he really believes in hi def sound, Man! But, nevertheless he comes across as a bit of a shill. Otherwise it's a good read. I wasn't fully aware of his debilitating medical conditions in his youth — epilepsy, polio — and his devotion to his sons, who both have chronic long-term conditions, is admirable and never sentimentalised.
In her book — which, unlike Young's is more bio than memoir — King gives us the facts, but little in the way of reflection. They're also selective, sometimes glaringly so. Those of us familiar with the controversy surrounding He Hit Me, and it Felt Like a Kiss for instance, would have liked her take on the song, but it's not even mentioned, though there's a entire chapter on Little Eva. Other things are, however. Four failed marriages. The difficulties of being only 5'2" and pushed ahead two grades in high school. A husband, and business partner, with substance abuse issues. And, of course, working on Tin-Pan-Alley in the early sixties.
I'm only half-way through both books and I'll definitely finish them — though Young's will take substantially longer. If you had to choose one, I'd definitely go for King's.
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