calvino Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I thought the Beatles '66 was a great, interesting read - but I not the biggest Beatles' fan, so it was all new info for me. Be curious to know if you get anything new out of it, Winston --- I am pretty sure you are a more knowledgeable Beatles fan than I am. Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I thought the Beatles '66 was a great, interesting read - but I not the biggest Beatles' fan, so it was all new info for me. Be curious to know if you get anything new out of it, Winston --- I am pretty sure you are a more knowledgeable Beatles fan than I am.Ha - I have a lousy memory, so everything is new for me every day! Link to post Share on other sites
ih8music Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Finished Trouble Boys Finished this one last night. It's a must read for any Replacements fan. Not a very likeable group of guys, and you don't really get to know any of them really well, but it seems that no one really does - they kept people at a distance and it doesn't seem like any of them were sober for very long anyways, so what's there to know about them? They were drunk assholes most of the time. Indeed they were a bunch of assholes -- and I really appreciated how Mehr didn't pull any punches w/ that respect -- but I think that's far from the only take-away I got from the book. What was new to me was the really rough early life of the band, especially Bob, and how that fueled both the creative genius as well as their self destructive behavior. They were terrified of failure almost as much as they were terrified of success -- and thus they sabotaged opportunities left and right. They were really flawed, vulnerable people who never let their guards down and would look at their more successful peers like REM with both jealousy and disgust. And by the time they had matured to the point of wanting to give a damn, the damage had been done -- both to the industry folks who were tired of getting burned by them, as well as to their relationships with each other. There was simply no gas left in the tank. I found it to be a really tragic, captivating read. But then again, I fully admit to being a 'mats fanatic. Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Indeed they were a bunch of assholes -- and I really appreciated how Mehr didn't pull any punches w/ that respect -- but I think that's far from the only take-away I got from the book. What was new to me was the really rough early life of the band, especially Bob, and how that fueled both the creative genius as well as their self destructive behavior. They were terrified of failure almost as much as they were terrified of success -- and thus they sabotaged opportunities left and right. They were really flawed, vulnerable people who never let their guards down and would look at their more successful peers like REM with both jealousy and disgust. And by the time they had matured to the point of wanting to give a damn, the damage had been done -- both to the industry folks who were tired of getting burned by them, as well as to their relationships with each other. There was simply no gas left in the tank. I found it to be a really tragic, captivating read. But then again, I fully admit to being a 'mats fanatic. Your summary is great. I didn't intend to be so flippant. Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Every 10 years or so I reread "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and every time I'm amazed at how wonderful a writer Kesey is. G'damn that man could really turn a phrase. Link to post Share on other sites
The Inside of Outside Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I thought the Beatles '66 was a great, interesting read - but I not the biggest Beatles' fan, so it was all new info for me. Be curious to know if you get anything new out of it, Winston --- I am pretty sure you are a more knowledgeable Beatles fan than I am.It's fantastic so far - with so many new details. I'm only through the first couple of months, but the thing that's impressing me the most is just how hungry all the Beatles were (OK, maybe not Ringo so much...) for new culture. Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 It's fantastic so far - with so many new details. I'm only through the first couple of months, but the thing that's impressing me the most is just how hungry all the Beatles were (OK, maybe not Ringo so much...) for new culture. Yeah, esp. Paul. Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Beatles '66 was a fantastic book. Can't praise it highly enough. I'm going to have to make a photocopy of the Appendix in which they list the contents of each Beatles' jukebox. Started this one this morning. Link to post Share on other sites
The Inside of Outside Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 Link to post Share on other sites
Fritz Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 I agree. Sometimes A Great Notion really hit me as a work of such pure yet complex genius. Every 10 years or so I reread "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and every time I'm amazed at how wonderful a writer Kesey is. G'damn that man could really turn a phrase. Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Just finished the below - first time reading any of Thomas Bernhard's stuff, definitely an interesting style of writing. Funny, too. Definitely will read more of his stuff. No onto the below - our letter writing/phone-calling group decided to set up a book club, too. Link to post Share on other sites
Robby Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Just finished Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson - good book, but looongJust started Quicksilver, by the same author - looks even longer! Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Just finished "Heads" by J Jarnow. If you are curious as to how the whole LSD and Grateful Dead scene intermingled, this is the book for you. Very well researched. Link to post Share on other sites
Robby Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Put down Quicksilver and will pick it back up again in a few days. Now reading Waking Gods. Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Just finished "Bear: The Life and Times of Augustus Owsly Stanley" by R. Greenfield. Not a lot of new material in this however I was surprised to find out that Terry the Tramp offed himself (supposedly) after the Altamont disaster because of the heat he was catching from his outlaw brethren. They blamed him for getting the HA involved. Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Just finished "Bear: The Life and Times of Augustus Owsly Stanley" by R. Greenfield. Not a lot of new material in this however I was surprised to find out that Terry the Tramp offed himself (supposedly) after the Altamont disaster because of the heat he was catching from his outlaw brethren. They blamed him for getting the HA involved. That is also mentioned in the Altamont book by Selvin. I recently read that after I noticed it was on my public libraries' e-book site. I didn't think I would learn much - but I actually did. Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Whats Selvin's book titled? Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Whats Selvin's book titled?Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day He mentioned that Terry the Tramp was also a heroin addict - which goes against Angel code ----- which I found interesting. I started on Greenfield's book on Bear, but it didn't hold my interest. i just flipped through it. Link to post Share on other sites
The Inside of Outside Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 As soon as my wife is done with it: Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Tell me about this. Racing.jpg I loved this book! As soon as my wife is done with it: I wish I were free to go hear him speak about this in L.A. tonight...one of the last dates of his now-cancelled book tour. Much love and support to the man as he works through his grief and depression following his mother's passing. I'm told the book is powerful! Link to post Share on other sites
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