Customer Reviews

Corn Flakes with John Lennon: And Other Tales from a Rock 'n' Roll Life

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Cornflakes with John Lennon is less a memoir of Robert Hilburn and more a history lesson of Contemporary music through his experiences. Most well known as the Country and Rock music reviewer for The Los Angeles Times, Hilburn gives us a good glimpse into his life experiences that started his passion for R&B and Rock music. He finishes up telling us of his experiences with many musicians he covered and the inside look he had into the music industry and its many changes.

Some of the musicians and bands you will hear the most about include: John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, The Beatles, Micheal Jackson, Janis Joplin, Elton John, Chuck D, Ice Cube, Jack White, and many more.

The viewpoints on the music industry mostly come from the views of musicians and insiders more than Hilburns personal opinion.

As a fan of rock history, this ranks right up there with the 20th anniversary 2-hour TV special of The Rolling Stones Magazine in 1987, hosted by Dennis Hopper. The insight was wonderful. Hilburn's experiences shares rock 'n roll alongside historical insights from his experiences at the time. It brings depth and meaning into the subject with a personal touch. He shows a willingness to be open minded to genres and types of popular music besides rock and roll. Hilburn goes into detail the lengths he went to to decide the legitimacy of Rap. He also discusses the criticism he received for going against societies views at the time. I greatly respect Hilburn's expectation that music should be more than superficial subjects. That music should at times be deep and give the listener something for it's soul.

As mentioned by Bono in the introduction, when he wanted to get deeper into Hilburn's life, the subject changed. Hilburn does give you bits of his life that relate to his music experiences, but little past that.

Corn Flakes With John Lennon is an excellent look into popular music's past and I highly recommend it.

Just absolutely brilliant! Robert Hilburn fell into the career he was suited for: rock critic for the LA Times. Hilburn's specialty is not melody but a deep belief in lyrics. And what a perfect time for this specialty starting his career in the 60's and 70's! What sets this critic apart and makes this book so special, is that many of his subjects recognize his intelligence and form close relationships with him leading to this brilliant memoir. While the title covers Lennon, and this story provides magnificent incite, Hilburn also had long standing, unique relationships chronicled in this book with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Bono of U2. Yes, there are many more but the insight in these legends is particularly fascinating. Close to the end he gets Dylan to agree to an interview about the songwriting process. Now that's real journalism! What a coup! His in depth discussions with both Bono and Springsteen are also fascinating.

An interesting departure in this book is his discussions about Rap Music. It would be easy for a middle age white man to see no value in this new art form that to this day inspires loath from most middle aged Americans. But Hilburn gets it and early on writes about what they are portraying and rates early Rap albums among the year's best drawing much criticism. There is a particularly compelling interview with Ice Cube on this subject.

Overall, this is one of the fastest, most inspiring books I have read in recent years that is chock full of great information. I couldn't recommend this book higher.

What a surprise. As many suspected, but couldn't exactly put their finger on, Robert Hilburn was keeping a secret. A three decade secret. The secret, finally revealed in this `memoir' of sorts, is that while we all thought he was the pop music critic for the Los Angeles Times, Hilburn was quietly on another mission. The search for the replacement Elvis.

As the pop (or more aptly, rock) music critic of one of the nation's largest daily broadsheets, Hilburn was charged with bringing the world of rock'n'roll to the doorsteps of his avid readers weekly and he developed a solid reputation for doing so within music circles. Over the years however, many readers began to notice the critic's seeming obsession with a small cast of characters who garnered outsized coverage often at the expense of other so-called talents. The plurality of Hilburn's coverage seemed to center around a handful of iconic figures (Springsteen, U2's Bono, Prince) as well as a coterie of other performers that played to the critic's early country leanings (John Fogerty, the Band's Robbie Robertson, and even a true country act like Waylon Jennings). While the writer certainly covered other acts (LA's "X" was a perennial favorite as was P.J. Harvey in his latter day writings), most acts escaped much of his purview presumably due to his judgment as to their lesser cultural importance. (In these pages, Clapton, R.E.M., Pearl Jam and The Clash collectively get less mentions than a single Springsteen album, `Nebraska,' while Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd simply don't exist.)

In "Cornflakes with John Lennon: And Other Tales from a Rock `n' Roll Life," we now have the answer, the reason, the motivation for it all. Simply put, Hilburn was searching, consciously or otherwise, for the successor to Elvis Presley; an act that left an indelible mark on the young critic that proved difficult, if not impossible to dismiss. Hilburn's quest was to find and identify the next icon to capture the imagination of the mass rock audience. Not just good bands or those who made great records, but singular performers who could rise to take the leadership of an entire genre, much the way Elvis did until his demise. To Hilburn, it is all about the message, the grand statement and the commitment needed to carry it to the world.

Along the way, the author shares stories - most rather candid and personal - from his Louisiana upbringing filled with country and blues to his time spent with his idols like John Lennon, Springsteen and even Michael Jackson. Through his unique access, we are given quite a window into many a superstar's otherwise private moments; backstage with Yoko, coaxing reluctant interviewees like Springsteen and Dylan, and yes, even corn flakes with John Lennon.
Beyond the wall of fame, Hilburn examines his own influence on star-making (Elton John's U.S. debut at the Troubadour) or lack thereof (John Prine's early work). Through it all, what comes across are two things. One, that Hilburn was keenly aware of zeroing in on the artist even over and above any singular piece of musical output, and, two, that much as his critics argued for years, the writer was, at times, perhaps indeed guilty of acting as a fanboy in `critic's' disguise. And while this may have given rise to some contempt during his years as a top metropolitan arbiter of taste, it certainly makes for a great (and appropriate) read when presented in a book of reportage that is both personally insightful and a fun behind-the-scenes ride through the three most powerful decades of rock and roll as only a person of Hilburn's stature and access could deliver.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I came to Los Angeles around 1974 and began reading L.A. Times Pop Music Critic Robert Hilburn then. I was lucky enough to have worked for Billboard as an editor for some years so I can relate to the journalist's life. We saw some of the same concerts and interviewed some of the same artists. I was even lucky enough to meet John Lennon. This book is a great read. Like Hilburn's many reviews and articles over the years it's 'accessible' and you always feel like you come away learning something. He writes with immediacy and a unique kinetic energy. You feel like you are in the room during the interviews. It's a great relief from these books from psuedo intellectual music scribes who write more to impress other critics. And in the end they have nothing to say. I learned things about Hilburn that I didn't know and I also learned more about the artists he writes about. I particularly liked the Johnny Cash material and Hilburn's view of the evolution of art, music and commerce. Hilburn's passion for great artists and music is also extraordinary. Great job, Bob. (P.S. I, too, have always had a crush on Emmylou Harris!).

This book is primarily a personal memoir by Robert Hilburn of his career as a music critic whose primary focus was rock and roll music. There are some nice tidbits but no profound insights or stirring revelations. Hilburn definitely succeeds in presenting superstars as just regular folk, as evidenced by the title, but his adoration of the subjects does not allow for any deeper understanding. It's a good read, but a bit frothy and fan- oriented.

Robert Hilburn's "Corn Flakes With John Lennon" shows that the Los Angeles Times popular-music critic and editor arrived at the right place at the right time. During his 1970-2005 tenure, Hilburn was fortunate enough to have access to several rock, pop and country legends. Cultural historians will discover perceptive insights on Lennon, Elvis, Dylan, Cash, Springsteen, Bono, Janis Joplin and Michael Jackson, among other notable figures. Hilburn captures the music artist as human being rather than elusive icon - readily acknowledging the virtues and flaws. As Bono points out in the memoir's introduction, "Bob's role as critic was to encourage suspension of disbelief not just in the audience, but in the artist as well. That is an environment in which music grows. He made us better." Essential reading for classic-rock enthusiasts.

Growing up, I raced to open the L.A. Times on Sundays, Tuesdays and Saturdays, when Robert Hilburn's column ran. It was a bonus week when he covered a concert and a review ran on a fourth day. Before Google, before Amazon.com, before iTunes, Hilburn's column was my window into what was good in rock music. His taste was my taste. John Lennon. Steely Dan. David Bowie. Sparks. Elvis Costello. Talking Heads. Everyone he liked I liked, and when he said someone sucked, he was right.

I loved Hilburn and wanted to emulate him, and he further found a way into my heart when he personally answered my letter asking how to become a rock critic. He took me seriously. He didn't really say anything that others hadn't told me: Work hard and write a lot. But I couldn't get over how he had taken the time to write back. I've written other reviewers, and I'm still waiting to hear from them.

Years later, I discovered another reason he was so good at what he did when I got my wish and reviewed a dozen or so concerts for two newspapers and found out the downside of the job: You had to sit through excruciatingly bad sets, too.

This book answered some of the questions I had about Hilburn: where he came from, what brought him to rock music, what formed his tastes. But--and here's the funny part--it displays both too much of the man and too little.

I loved Hilburn's criticism, in large part because the man can write. And his memoir is no exception. It's a quick and good read. But then Hilburn revealed several things about himself that I can't get past. One is how snobbish he was about what he did. When John Lennon died, Hilburn writes about how he bristled over fans' displays of grief. He says that he kept thinking they had no right to be sad. He felt he was a friend of Lennon's and they weren't. I'm glad I never got that sense of snobbishness when I read Hilburn's columns, and it's shocking to read it here. As one of those fans, I felt as though I was punched in the gut by my hero.

I also couldn't believe how fluid Hilburn let the lines get between himself and those he wrote about. The book's title teases this connection, but as a former reporter who had very strict ethics about keeping working relationships professional, I felt a good measure of disgust that Hilburn blended those lines.

When I was in journalism, I always ran up against real life. I was sooooo tired when the news desk woke me up at 5 to cover a fire. I hated not being able to enjoy Friday nights because I drew the Saturday morning duty. My body couldn't keep up with covering a city council meeting until 1 and then pounding out two stories for the next day's paper. I didn't mind covering a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving, but I did mind missing my own family's celebration. How, I always wondered, did the successful journalists do it? Well, it turns out, Hilburn didn't. When there was a conflict between family and a big music event, he chose the event--even when he didn't have to. He didn't want to be at home. So there was no conflict. I read these accounts fascinated but disenchanted. I also got mad when Hilburn relates how he tried to talk Bono out of getting "sidetracked" by activism. How is that Hilburn's business? I wondered.

Finally, I was let down by the memoir because Hilburn draws the curtain just when I want him to get more personal. He writes that his decision to choose music over family led to his divorce, but his writing gets sketchy here. I'd like to know what those discussions were like. How was his wife handling it? I wondered. I don't know. Hilburn doesn't say. I'd like to know if professional journalists give up family because of the passion for music or the excitement of hanging out with celebrities--or whether they merely want an excuse to be away from home. Hilburn never quite says.

It's funny. I've written so little about the music, and of course, the music is the reason to read this book. He has ongoing conversations with Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Bono. What a trifecta. Hilburn is truly great talking about what it is about the music and the artists that gives birth to melodies and words that become the soundtrack of our lives. As someone who struggled to do that a number of times, I can tell you that it's not as easy as Hilburn made it look. And it's magic when it happens. Enjoy this book.

This is a fun read if you love music. Kept me interested the whole way through.

Robert Hilburn does an amazing job in this book! I love music- especially rock n roll, so this book was a delight. It is apparent throughout this book that Robert Hilburn provides some of the best documentary ever written on legends like John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, U2 (Bono specifically), Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, etc. Hilburn writes in a refreshing, intriguing manner that had me flipping the pages well past my bedtime. I really enjoyed how he tells the stories of many artists who are hesitant to warm up and open themselves to him at the beginning. But with time, Hilburn's charm and musical knowledge win over the artists and the relationships that follow are insightful in so many ways. Many artists' lives, habits, relationships & musical upbringing remain unknown to many of the fans who are intrigued by them; Hilburn breaks down this shroud of secrecy and offers all us readers an inside look into the artists we all love and cherish. Congrats, Robert- this book is a pleasant masterpiece and clearly stands out from the endless rock n roll and music biographies out there!

I loved this book. My ex-husband, and I, would always turn to Robert Hilburn for his take on new music. Because of Hilburn, we became aware of John Prine, for one. (I just saw U-2 in concert, and they have held up to Mr. Hilburn's high standards, in my opinion.)

A funny thing....because of the "freshness" of his reviews, I always felt that he was a contemporary of ours. 'Turns out, he's a lot older. (Sorry Robert.)

Nirvana, M. Jackson, N.W.A., they're all here. Dylan has remained a favorite for forty five years, some good "stuff" on him.

Thank you, Mr. H., for wonderful insights from a true believer in the power of music to transform, enlighten, and educate. L.A. Times 4 stars. :)