Pop Gallery eBooks Series

“The Big British Bands”: The British may not have originated rock n’ roll, but they certainly exploited it much better than the American artists who started the ball rolling in 1956. In England, they had their own stars who did their own versions of folk, pop and rock n’ roll music and the kids went wild. This book focuses on WHO influenced The Beatles to write their amazing catalog; The Rolling Stones’ British Invasion years and their ANTI-BEATLES image with their 19-year-old manager Andrew Loog Oldham; The Who For Starters covers their years up through Keith Moon’s 1978 death; KinksVille focuses on Ray Davies competitive nature with his British counterparts and so many more acts that came through Great Britain. You will gain a lot of knowledge with this very easy read for young and older fans alike.

“Thirty Six Albums That Matter”: (With Several Video Links at the End of Manuscript) You could argue what are the BEST 36 albums of all time until the cows come home. That is NOT what this book is about. This is about the culture of popular albums. Each one of these albums (or CDs) contributed something significant to past generation’s listening habits or had a big impact on culture because of that record in some way. To say something matters doesn’t mean it will matter to everyone. These are recordings I feel matter in the context of popular music since the year 1956. These are recordings that go from Elvis Presley’s debut until Nirvana’s 1991 ‘Nevermind.’ These are not necessarily my own favorite recordings of particular artists. For instance, my favorite Beatles album is ‘The White Album.’ The general consensus among critics and fans is that ‘Sgt.Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ was the most important record, so that’s the one I chose. You get the idea. You will gain a lot of knowledge with this very easy read for young and older fans alike. 

“Throwing Stones (The British Invasion Years)” (Includes Video & Audio Notebooks at End of Manuscript) The Rolling Stones were a big part of the decade in culture and sound. They, along with The Beatles, led the way. The Stones were the anti-Beatles by design. I will go into detail as the eBook rolls along and you will get a great understanding as to how they pulled it off. Mick Jagger and Keith Richard emerged as great collaborators and songwriters, rivaled only by Lennon & McCartney for output. They became social commentators with songs like “Street Fighting Man” and “You Can’t Always get What You Want.” They were also immersed in the drug culture of the day, as evidenced by songs like “Mothers Little Helper.” This book will cover the first part of the journey for the band up to the death of founding member Brian Jones in 1969. This era coincides with the demise of The Beatles as well. ‘Throwing Stones’ goes through the music and the times this band helped to shape.

“American Music (From Elvis to Nirvana)”:  Elvis Presley drove a truck, finding his way to Sun Recording Studios in 1954 and later into the national psyche. In America, music was a disposable commodity from the 1920’s on. One man’s trash is another man’s gold and that is what this book delves into. It is easy to read and informative. You will gain a lot of knowledge with this very easy read for young and older fans alike. What will people be saying 100 years from now about rock n’ roll? Will Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley and Jerry Lee Lewis all the way to Nirvana in the 1990s be given their proper due as the founders of rock n’ roll? This book also covers rhythm & blues, disco, power pop, punk and new wave in this book.

(Updated January, 2017) “How The Beatles Did It” (with 13 Video Notebooks and 6 Audio Notebooks at the End of The Manuscript) The Beatles history has been told and retold for more than half a century. This user-friendly reference book will focus on the material they wrote and recorded and artists who influenced that material. How DID The Beatles do it? Musically! That’s how. As we all know, many recording artists who followed them were greatly influenced by their body of work. I have gathered annotated quotes and a few by some of the artists who were directly and indirectly influenced by the songs and the legendary recordings produced by George Martin, Phil Spector and Chris Thomas (‘The White Album’). I have paid attention to detail in the analysis of when and where certain songs were conceived and taken some liberties in the assumption of certain songs, but have done my best to present solid evidence of the possible influences. The best part of the equation is YOU. You will be able to go listen to certain songs by the artists who may have influenced The Beatles. You will be able to make that final decision. This is a content-heavy book with a lot of analysis. It is designed for Beatle fans new and older. This is a band that has transcended generations and future generations will be following the songwriting model Lennon, McCartney and Harrison created with the great arrangement and production guidance from Sir George Martin.

This Kinks eBook covers their earliest British Invasion years up to 1970 and their transgender classic “Lola.” Any kid who can pick up a guitar in a garage has undoubtedly played that opening guitar riff to “You Really Got Me,” one of the most seminal and most-copied 1960s rock guitar riffs ever put to vinyl. It is easy to play and gets your head shaking and the hair up on the back of your neck instantaneously. Brothers Ray and Dave Davies are legendary in their rock and roll behind-the-scenes antics and caricature cartoonish nature. They really were the original Rock and Roll Bad Boys.” They fought on stage, back stage and involved their audience in the show. On the other hand, Ray Davies was brilliant at social commentary. He took on social, financial and political inequality YEARS before anyone else did. Songs like “Dead End Street” and “Sunny Afternoon” present a clear and precise point of view that is to be admired and adored half a century later. I hope you enjoy reading, watching and listening to the content I have put together as much as I have enjoyed researching and presenting one of my all-time favorite bands, The Kinks. I discuss their music, their dynamic and their approach in this eBook. Check out the audio and video notebooks which go in depth as I “Deconstruct” some of the key songs.

Of all the genres of popular music, defining the singer-songwriter is tough because they all crossover into each other. Taylor Swift is a very different type of singer-songwriter than Bruce Springsteen, yet they both fall into this category. I’m sure you (like me) think of the CLASSIC singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Carole King, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. They are all covered in here, but so are some of the more obscure artists like Warren Zevon, Elliott Smith, Elliott Murphy and Nick Drake. I have made sure to throw in “Quick Reviews” and “Context” for these artists as well as observations and “Anecdotes” to add a little flavor to their stories and music. There are iTunes links for every song (when possible) so you can sample and/or download if you feel inclined to do so. I want to make it as easy as possible for every generation to become familiar with the unfamiliar and re-connect the fans already in the know. Technology is a tricky thing to maneuver when it comes to music. Many records have been out of print for decades, but as you will see iTunes has done a great job keeping those songs alive. I mostly have vinyl, but I’m grateful that these songs are available digitally so YOU can be the judge yourself. You don’t have to take my word for it.

“They Rocked Hard and Died Young” (Includes Video Notebooks at the End of the Manuscript) There are so many young rock and rollers who died before their time. We can only guess what they would have produced into middle age or beyond. If you look at bands like The Who and Rolling Stones who have carried on for decades after losing a core member, you realize just how fragile human life really is. In this eBook, I discuss their lives and contributions to their art of Pop Music and hopefully add some context. There are so many legendary and interesting stories like that of father and son Tim & Jeff Buckley, who both died prematurely in their primes. Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Nick Drake, Marc Bolan, Keith Moon, John Lennon, Sid Vicious, Brian Jones, Elliott Smith and Buddy Holly. Context is the key element when describing art and how that art affects the world. All of these artists contributed in their own way and will forever.

“When Disco Was Everything” (Includes 9 Video & 17 Audio Notebooks at the End of the Manuscript) The difference between Disco AND R & B, Soul and Funk is the intended audience. Disco was the first genre that brought white and black audiences together in the dance clubs. Before Disco music was even segregated on television with ‘American Bandstand’ playing mainstream and the more watered-down acceptable black acts AND ‘Soul Train,’ which played the grittier black acts. Disco brought them all together for a period of time and changed both the consumers and the artists. All of a sudden white artists like The Rolling Stones (“Miss You”) and Rod Stewart (“Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”) started jumping on the trend. We will discuss those artists and acts like Abba, Bee Gees, Blondie and The Jacksons, as well. Cher recorded Disco songs. Radio DJ Rick Dees scored with “Disco Duck.” It was an art form and a gimmick all at the same time. Read on for more clues.

“The Fab Four (Solo Years)” (Includes Video Notebooks at the End of the Manuscript) There is nothing subjective about this eBook on The Beatle’s solo work after the break-up in 1970. I have definitive opinions on the quality of the solo work put out by these amazing artists once they left the “Beatles Bubble.” There was a lot of competition during The Beatles eight-year run on the pop charts and their 13 years together, especially between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It certainly carried over into their solo careers. No popular music act has been scrutinized more than this group, which carries on 50 years onward. It would be an oversimplification to state that their post Beatles material never lived up to their body of work prior to the split. It was different and of its time. The 1970s were a different period than the 1960s and it is evident that their influence as songwriters during the period of the 1970s forward was not as significant as The Beatles work during the 1962-1970 period of time. One other interesting tidbit to note before getting started is that John & Paul actually got together in 1974 during a Harry Nilsson session John was producing and jammed to Little Richard’s “Lucille” with Stevie Wonder, Nilsson and Bobby Keys (Rolling Stones) playing along. They were still somewhat friendly, despite all the press accounts that stated otherwise for many years. This eBook and the multi-media materials that accompany it are based merely on my observations and opinions.

“The Modern History of Power Pop” (Includes 9 Video and 17 Audio Notebooks at the End of the Manuscript) Read, Watch and Listen about the underrated genre of Power Pop Music, which began with The Beatles, was carried on through great acts like Badfinger and The Raspberries and made its way through to The Knack, Plimsouls, Go Gos and The Bangles. There are so many more great bands covered in this eBook. I discuss the origins of Power Pop. The Beatles, Hollies, The Who, The Kinks, Zombies, Badfinger and The Monkees are covered in ‘The Origins of Power Pop’ chapter. These bands ALL influenced legions of Power Pop bands throughout the decades. The NEXT generation of bands like The Raspberries and Big Star continue to inspire bands today. These bands are well-covered in this eBook. This eBook is designed for fans “in the know” and the fans who “want to know.”

“The R & B, Soul and Funk Trunk” (Includes Video Notebook Links at the End of the Manuscript) This eBook traces as far back as Fats Domino and that version of R & B all the way until Disco started to infiltrate the international psyche. James Brown, Aretha, Michael Jackson, they are all there in the eBook. It is “We The Music-Buying People” who care because of the memories and quality this music reminds us of. We are the ones who must keep the flame burning and continue to listen to Marvin Gaye, Sly & the Family Stone, War and Kool & the Gang’s contributions to OUR lives. Art is about the AUDIENCE, not the artists. It is about who WE love and appreciate. The consumer always decides what will really sell, not the supplier. They are lucky when they get it right. The consumer NEVER gets it wrong. If it is great and the timing is right, it becomes a long-lasting hit song that lives in our memory. That is what these eBooks are about. Hopefully you will read or hear about someone or some act that interests you enough to check it out and keep the flame burning for these treasure genres of popular music.

“The Girls Can’t Help It” (Includes Video Notebooks at the End of the Manuscript) There has been a rich history of Girl Groups in the American and world culture for decades. The music has been written by professional writers and by many of the acts themselves. The most important factor has always been the ability of the music to reach and connect with the intended audience. Early groups like The Chantels, The Paris Sisters, The Blossoms and then BAM…POW…ZAM…The Supremes. That group rivaled The Beatles throughout 1964 as Billboard Chart Toppers. In this eBook I will discuss all of these significant Girl Groups from the beginning (The Chantels thru The Spice Girls). It is important to know the past so we can see what the future has to offer and the history of Girl Groups is rich in quality and quantity. There were songwriting teams at Motown and in the Brill Building in the early days. The Beatles covered some of these early Girl Group hits like “Chains” and “Please Mr. Postman.” They also hung out with one very prominent Phil Spector-produced group of gals in 1964. Read on for more clues.

“Music That Matters (Classic Pop)” (Includes 11 Video Notebooks at the End of the Manuscript) What makes music have a lasting impact on your soul minutes, days, months, years and decades after you first experienced a particular group, song or album? Chances are you were experiencing something emotionally that connected you with a particular group, song or album and you still feel that connection. This could be music that never went beyond your radio in that moment, or has been collecting dust for many years on vinyl or CD, or even a cassette tape. It is possible you have that music, but no means to play it in the original form. Most people have given their vinyl collections away or sold them as technology has changed. Cassette, 8-Track and even CDs have given way to newer forms of translating those recordings. There are so many acts that are long gone, but have seen a resurgence of their material so many years later. These are what I call the “Underrated Pop” artists. Some of them are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, some of them are working in car dealerships, or teaching high school English in a small northeastern town. These artists had their time and their place to shine as a relevant act. They continue to live on because that connection we all feel when we hear the song on an oldies station, or maybe on TV or a movie soundtrack. This eBook will focus on many artists who either had a few hits or had a lot of success at a certain point, but now remain underrated years later. These are just two examples of bands who had short runs, but continue to impact other artists and fans nearly 50 years later. I will discuss the impact of acts like The Left Banke, Merry-Go-Round, Byrds, Turtles, Standells, The Easybeats, The Equals, The Byrds, Mamas & Papas, Grateful Dead, Sly & The Family Stone and The Jefferson Airplane. Some of these were huge artists in their time and are still praised and followed. They deserve some space and they will get it here. I will also do several honorable mentions at the end in the Epilogue.

"The Who For Starters" (Includes Video and Audio links at the End of The Manuscript) First they were The Detours and then they were Mods and Rockers who took London and the rest of the free world by storm by the end of the 1960s. They are always mentioned in the same breath with The Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Kinks when talking about “Greatest Bands Ever” articles or polls. There is good reason for this hyperbole, The Who is and always been that great. They were a force to be reckoned with when Keith Moon was alive behind the kit smashing away “Always out of time…” as bassist John Entwistle would say, but they still clicked as a rhythm section. Pete Townsend emerged as one of the greatest rock writers ever and also established himself in that exclusive “Guitar God” class of Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. Those guys don’t breathe the same air as most mortal guitar players. They are in their own class of species. Townsend broke ground writing first his mini rock operatic piece “A Quick One While He’s Away” in 1966. That piece led to the full-fledged rock opera “Tommy” in 1968, which ran on the stage and screen for years. The NEXT concept was ‘Lifehouse,’ which was abandoned and re-worked with a new producer (Glynn Johns) to become what is widely-known as their best album ‘Who’s Next.’ The ‘Quadrophenia’ album & film and finally the ‘Who Are You’ album, round out the Keith Moon era. We will discuss ‘The Who: For Starters’ and take you right up to Keith Moon’s untimely death in 1978. There is Audio Notebooks for you to listen to and Video Notebooks for you to watch that go more in depth about certain facets of this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame powerhouse.

“Music That Matters: Classic Rock” (Includes 11 Video Notebooks at the End of the Manuscript) Whether or not you are a fan of Classic Rock, it certainly is an important part of the history of Pop and Rock music. A lot of these bands were staples of both AM and FM radio and are still played throughout the world to this day. Bands like Led Zeppelin and Steely Dan Are revered by generations of fans. Heart, Black Sabbath, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Pink Floyd, Peter Frampton, Bad Company and Foreigner are still out there creating their music some sort of incarnation. This eBook will focus on the contributions that these acts made and the impact they had on acts that followed. For me personally, these were all acts I grew up with because I was a teenager during their heyday. Some of them I followed. Others, not so much, but I have an appreciation for all of their contributions.