Paul Williams is one of originators of serious writing about the whole rock music scene. This is a great collection of his early pieces from the original Crawdaddy magazine, which was his brainchild. In addition, check out his other writings. He remains an enthusiastic observer/participant of music and pop culture.

Excerpts and recollections from the first 19 issues (February 1966-October 1968) of Crawdaddy!, the first magazine of serious rock music coverage and criticism. This was the period when rock & roll was transforming into rock, when new groups and sounds were a weekly happening, and the rock album was asserting its place in the market. It is fascinating to read the articles, reviews, and interviews by some of rock music's future premier writers such as editor/publisher Paul Williams, Jon Landau, Richard Meltzer, and Ed Ward, and to relive the history of the music in the reprinted news items and record release notices. Fans of rock history and pop music journalism will enjoy this long-overdue celebration of the orgin of the form.

CREATING AND PLANTING GARDEN TROUGHS by Joyce Fingerut and Rex Murfitt is a pragmatic and down-to-earth (or hypertufa) work book with 164 jam-packed detailed pages printed on non-gloss heavy paper. The book contains about 10 pages of color photos, so if you're looking for a "look-book" as opposed to a "work-book" don't stop here. TROUGHS won an American Horticultural Society Book Award, and like AHS publications and U.S.D.A. government publications this publication is filled with good, solid information. (Reminds me of the Girl Scout Handbook.)

Fingerut and Martin begin with an overview of the history and background of troughs (originally carved from solid stone and used to hold water for livestock). Even though most of the photos are in black and white, you obtain a clear idea of the beauty various shapes and sizes can add to your garden. The older troughs covered with moss are to die for.

A section on "Hypertufa" explains what it is and why it is useful for making incredibly lightweight and strong facsimiles of real stone troughs. Next, the reader is supplied a shopping list of ingredients, utensils and other supplies (rubber gloves, polystyrene foam, duct tape, etc.) needed for the trough-making project. Exact quantities and amounts are not provided, but ratios are given instead. This lack of exactness might prove frustrating to the new trough maker.

A good part of the book is devoted to the design and installation of plants in troughs. There are many excellent photos and an informative text describing plant choices, plant care, recommendations, etc.). If you aren't inclined to take on the obviously dirty and labor-intensive work of making your own troughs, you can check to see if your local garden supply store or nursery sells ready-made troughs and then use this book as a guide to filling them with plants.

For the novice or experienced trough maker or trough gardener, this book is a MUST HAVE. I could have been spared months of research and many lost hours in trough construction had this book been available when I began making troughs! A very organized presentation of material with breath taking color photographs, detailed resources, extensive plant index, and easy to assimilate instructions. I recommend this to all my "trough students"! A worthy investment!

Without a doubt, Creedence Clearwater Revival is one of the best, and most important, rock and roll bands that America ever produced. And the chief creative driving force behind this band was John Fogerty, the main songwriter, singer, and lead guitarist.

Many of Fogerty's immortal classics are contained in this terrific book: Proud Mary, Born On The Bayou, Bad Moon Rising, Green River, Fortunate Son, Lodi, Who'll Stop The Rain?, Up Around The Bend, Have You Ever Seen The Rain?...this small group alone is enough to insure CCR's inclusion on any Rock and Roll 'Hall of Fame' lists...

What makes these songs so memorable are the simple, yet brilliant, guitar passages that John Fogerty always crafted his songs with. Both the rhythm and lead parts to these songs are all derived from the basic roots of rock and roll guitar...learn them, and you will have a terrific foundation on which to build your own guitar vocabulary and style, whatever direction you decide to go.

The tablature to these songs are accurate and spot on, yet not too complicated or overwhelming for someone just beginning to learn how to play...if you are familiar with the songs, this book will show you how to play cool sounding stuff very quickly...

With great songs, great guitar parts, and great guitar tablature to match, this book is a great value for the money. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. lr*****

This book basically breaks down all the chords making their near-perfect music very easy to play. I am a novice at guitar, and I found this book very helpful, some some of it is just way too advanced for me. I highly recommend it for those who want to play good music.

the book tells the reader exactly what it should, the history of each man and the lives. in and and out of rock and roll, that they led up to that point. if you are a true CSN fan this book is a must read.

An outstanding accomplishment by author Zimmer. He takes you backstage, in the studio and to the homes of CS&N, and provides a remarkable, authentic picture of life with the gang. The author seems invisible, a stellar achievement, and the inside world of the pop music business and the artists that make it work come to life. The section on how Nash "stole the girl" from Stills, and their reaction, is priceless. I was able to make contact with the author, Dave Zimmer, who works for MCA records, and he says a new edition of the book will be out sometime in '99, in time for a landmark tour.

The book is about Kia Lambert who finds herself working for the greatest entertainer of all time - her dream job! She has had a secret plan, and it's working...

At first glance, you've got a pretty cool plot.

What makes it cool is not only the plot, though, but the book describes the fanworld to such a perfection I was wondering if she was describing me or not... And the rest of the entertaiment world? Seemed freakishly accurate to what I've heard.

And not only that! The book has more twists and turns than the internet has webpages, but... Tami Parrrington manages to keep it easy to follow... Quite a ride!

Read the book! You will not regret it!

An innocent obsession forces Kia Lambert, a sweet yet determined Midwestern
girl, to work her way into the entourage of Gabriel Evans, the world's most
famous pop-star. Getting close and intimate with the living legend is her
primary goal, and it seems just as unreachable as flying to the moon. Yet
soon her wits and charm allow her to enter his life.

One thing she doesn't know is that in a while she might want to escape. But
what sacrifice will it take?

Gabriel Evans's glittering world is built on the dark secrets of his past.
But no secret can stay a secret forever. Running along the edge of a blade,
torn between the all-mighty image demands, the never-ending wars of the
entertainment business and his own withered dreams of art and freedom, he
has enough problems without a smart fangirl conniving her way up to his
personal assistant position.

One thing he doesn't know is that she might be his destiny. Or his jinx?
It's a vivid story of falling stars, broken hearts and the choices we make.

It should be noted first, that the look of this book may have spawned that primary & pastel coloured graphics look that culminated in those dodgy Culture Club-esque album covers of the 80's.

This is, however, not a bad thing. Remember that Bowie himself spawned Icehouse, Bauhaus (and therfore 'the fields of the nephilm'- a gothic embarrasment from the UK that mass cringing couldn't drive away)and a whole gamut of pass the sick, or make up, bag 'artistes'.

The photos were a revelation, in terms of size and quality, when first published and it must have been obvious to Eel-Pie (Publisher owned by Pete Townsend) that sad spotty but 'different' - i.e. couldn't score chics - schoolkids like myself were going to buy two copies at a time. One for perusing and dripping saliva on and the other for the bedroom wall. Some of us particularly sad types bought three, as some pages had 'crucial' snaps on either side.

In fairness, up until then in the UK (or at least Scotland) there were about 20 unofficial Bowie books that you could buy. All of which had little of written interest and shared the same newsprint qualiy black and whites. Face it, the photos were all that really mattered. As soon as I had parted with my pocket money, the cellophane wrapping was aibourne and my mums scissors were gummed up with cellotape as I added the latest installement to the 'installation (conversation?)piece' that was my bedroom 'collage'.

Once I had bought my third copy and actually started to read the thing (only joking, I read the second one before I cut it up) I realised that this was not going to be the same old cliche ridden sychophantic drivel that I was used to swallowing so gratefully. When you are a young teenager and your mates periodically want to beat you up 'cos you listen to a poof', it can be quite comforting having some hack confirm to you in print that 'the chamelion of rock' is actually the second coming in mascarra. Like, it says so there so it must be true!

How refreshing then, to read a book that praises and ridicules Bowie in fairly equal measure, even though it's obvious that Carr & Murray love 95% of the music they are critiquing. I didn't agree with all of their observations and conclusions, but neither I or the authors should mind about that. This was then, the first music publication that for me, made reading it feel like an adult pursuit. Just before I cut it up and used it to cover every inch of my bedroom.

Two more things, 1. If you buy a copy, you will need a bigger coffee table 2. I wish I had kept one.

The book is the size of a record album. Of all my Bowie books, it has held up the best (no pages falling out after all these years) and is as fresh, information-wise, as the day I purchased it. It contains giant size, full-color pictures of Bowie during many stages, up until about the late seventies. It comes complete with discography, and many pictures of international albums he has produced. It is THE definitive guide on Mr. Bowie.

a must have for any deadhead! an excellent reference to any show or date or setlist. this book has it all. great for keeping those bootlegs in order. this will solve those 4 or 5 song mystery tapes with a complete setlist date and venue. i love it and so will you.

The Deadbase contains much need information for both the tape collector or die hard fan. Easy to use setlist and songs played sections allow information to be at your fingertips in seconds. An interesting stage banter section gives exact quotes for every band members stage chat said in between songs played. This must have guide gives tape collectors setlists for every show played in the Dead's 30 year history, and as a bonus includes Jerry's solo setlists. THe die hard fans guide of everything the dead did on state in their 30 year touring trip.

This brought back so many great memories of our last trip to Graceland. What a clever book!

If you've been to Graceland, then you've probably written on the wall, and this wonderful book brings back all those good memories! I laughed and cried at the graffiti Wright has collected.

Def Leppard is by far one of the greatest bands in rock 'n' roll history. This book depicts their "road to fame" and does so very nicely. If you don't have this book already, I suggest you go and buy it NOW.

Def Leppard is one of the greatest groups in rock 'n' roll history. This book depicts their "road to fame". I think any true Leppard fan would definitely want to have this book.