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39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Idea, But Could Have Been Better, November 11, 2000
This review is from: Jews Who Rock (Paperback)
After reading a book about Jewish Sports Heroes (no it is not that slim), the Israeli born music exec and Madonna Maverick partner, Guy Oseary, got the idea to compile a book of 100 top Jewish rockers, or rockers with some Jewish parentage or heritage. The forward by Ben Stiller and the afterward by Perry (Peretz) Farrell (Bernstein) are interesting, and I wish the rest of the book followed their formats. Stiller talks of his Bar Mitzvah and how his band played at the after party. Stiller played on a drumset that he got for xmas (hmmm). They played "Hey Jude" (Jew'd). Farrell writes about the Biblical musicians, such as David. My complaint with this book is that it lists the artists, one per page, giving some bio info, such as birthdate, birthplace, and discography, but there are no interviews with the rockers. It left me hanging. I wondered, how is Warren Zevon Jewish? How did the Beastie Boys bnai Mitzvot affect their work? How did Saul Hudson go from Saul to Slash? I was hoping for something akin to the webzine PLOTZ, which actually interviewed Beck and other Jewish rockers about their Jewish heritages. But this book just lists some basic facts. I am sure it will make a good gift for other Jewish rockers and trivia specialists. It includes no brainers, like barry Manilow, Gene Simmons, Randy Newman, Mark Knopfler, Paul Simon, Lisa Loeb, Billy Joel, Dylan, Carole King, Kenny G (Gorelick), The Beastie Boys, and Phranc; but I wish it had given more data on Herb Alpert, Malcolm McLaren, and Zevon. The rockers out there will be excited to read about the Jewish members of The Doors, Foo Fighters, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Yo La Tengo, Matchbox 20, Elastica, Wang Chung, Blue Oyster Cult, Counting Crows, Janes Addiction, The Mamas and the Pappas, and Megadeth.
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29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not a Good Job; Some big Errors, November 24, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Jews Who Rock (Paperback)
I admit a certain potential conflict of interest. I run a web site that is largely devoted to the relation of Jewish people to popular culture.... When I heard this book was coming out--I looked forward to some new insights from an "insider." The book consists of one page profiles of "Jewish" performers. Each page consists of credits that could be found anywhere on the web. The biggest surprise to me was the listing of John and Michelle Phillips of, "The Mamas and the Papas", as Jewish. Mama Cass Elliott (born Ellen Cohen) was Jewish--this is well known. But the Phillips are not! How can I be sure? I am in contact with an author who is half way through a major book on the band. But this error seems typical of the tossed off quality of the book. Another Amazon reviewer noted that Robbie Robertson is listed and that he is half Native American and questioned whether he was "half" Jewish. He has, in fact, a Jewish father--but he is much closer to his Native roots. You would never find this out from the book. Also listed are a number of people who are "half" Jewish, but who were raised in another faith. There are so many Jewish rockers today who relate to their Jewishness in their work or lives. Many writers have written articles on this very subject. I hate to be mean--but it appears that this gentleman used his name and connections to put out a book that is little more than a list of "possibly" Jewish rockers. In some cases, he lists some Jewish members of a band (J. Geils band stands out)--and omits other Jewish members of the same band! Beyond everything else, if he blew it on the Phillips--how can we trust other stuff? The final weirdness is that he dedicates the book to his pal, Madonna--"the rockingest Jew I know." Well, Madonna has studied Jewish mysticism--but she is not Jewish by birth and a formal conversion has never been reported anywhere. But he calls her, "Jewish". Do you know something we don't? Care to share it with us?
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Great Topic, Lazy Book, November 19, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Jews Who Rock (Paperback)
For those interested in all things Judaic and rock n' roll, "Jews who Rock" seemed like a most welcome book, but the actual product is purely tossed-off. Most of the inclusions are obvious, and despite a few surprises, highly dubious (Robbie Robertson, who has acknowledged his Native American roots through his music and in many interviews, is Jewish? And John Phillips? How?) Or simply untrue -- Lenny Kravitz may have a Jewish father, but he is an avowed Christian, and hence not a Jew who Rocks. Moreover, the "did you know" factoids are bland,oft-reported,and generally reveal nothing about the artist's relationship to Judaism. Why didn't Oseary bother to ask any of the artists about how they personally relate to Judaism, or how Judaism informs their music? Only Perry Farrell's typically cosmic, but reverant, essay suggests the book that might have been with greater research and insight. Hardly the definitive book on an otherwise fascinating subject.
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