Rank The Disco Books!!!!

[Com King]

Hi,

I read Jussi's book when I started listening to Disco and it was PERFECT at the time. Full of information, easy to read and funny. Congrats

LOVE SAVES THE DAY is the only other one I read and I agree with what has been said. It's probaby hard to be more complete, but there are sometimes too much information and you can get lost.



Other excellent books about music :
Laurent Garnier - Electrochoc . I don't know if that one has been translated in english but it's an excellent book by one the early adopters on house and techno here in Europe. Garnier talks about his own experience but then widens it to general discussion about music (especially Detroit Techno & Chicago House)

Jeff Chang & Kool DJ Herc - Can't Stop Won't Stop : A history of the Hip Hop Generation : Incredible book about hip hop culture (dance, art, music) and his roots.

[pepper1dancer]

A book I have is really good. It's called " The Billboard Book of Number One Hits" by Fred Bronson. It gives you all the details how the record has gotten to #1 including artist/label information. It even gives you The top 5 of the same week that song was #1. Writers, Producers, Labels, etc...I highly recommend it. I have the 3rd edition which starts with Bill Haley and His Comets with (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock 1955 (It was #1 for 8 weeks starting July 9th, 1955) and ending with Vanessa Williams Save the Best for Last (#1 for 5 weeks starting March 21, 1992). I dont know if they have any higher editions. Money back guaranteed!!!!

[zeca azevedo]

LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE: THE HISTORY OF THE DISC JOCKEY - Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton (1999/2000)

I read this one a few years ago and liked very much. Lots of great info about the beginning of dj culture and the music industry. Unfortunately, the book wasn't mine. Now I have to buy a copy for myself.

[Deep_Sang]

Can anyone tell me what a fair price for Albert Goldman's book is these days? I've seen some copies in the $50-70 range, but not sure if this is overpriced. Thanks in advance.

-DS

[JussiK]

50 is not bad for the Goldman, it's pretty essential if you're serious about the music. It's true that half of it is about the 1960's and the rest reads like an extended Interview magazine article with loads of celebrity gossip etc but still, it's all good stuff and informative, too. And the pictures are priceless, so pay 70 if needed, you need it.

[Cdnbob]

TURN THE BEAT AROUND: THE SECRET HISTORY OF DISCO - Peter Shapiro (2005)

Our local library had this book so I thought I'd take it out and give it a read. Overall I found this to be a rather bland, dry and at times frustratingly dull book that to me seemed to concentrate on the political side of the music rather than the music and artists themselves. Yes, there were sections of the book I did find interesting but overall I was actually rather disappointed. There were moments where I felt the writer was discussing something and seemed to go off on a tangent about something in some ways not really connected to the original subject. Funnily sometimes I thought "is this book about disco or not?" Sadly, I had hoped for something more interesting. I'd give this book a 5 out of 10.

[disco-disc]

Thanks to ALL*THAT*GLITTERS* I purchased the book
YOU BETTER WORK!-Underground Dance Music in New York City......
Amazon-U.S. | Amazon-U.K.

And having just read about 30 pages it is VERY interesting.
It is a STUDY book, that looks at the background and the ETHNOGRAPHICS
The author/writing is VERY college / university ......but if you get over the long words and 'ethno'... it is shaping up to be a very informative book.

Will hopefully re-post when I complete reading it, but any one else have it ??

[Dirk Diggler]

I agree with most.

Love saves the day & Saturday Night Fever are essential, closely followed by Last Night a DJ sve my life.

Not really a Disco book, but one that while give you goose bumps nevertheless : Vinyl Junkies by Brett Milano