Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos (Rock of Ages) [Hardcover]

Jan Reid (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rock of Ages | Publication Date: November 28, 2006

This is the second title in the new Rock of Ages series--books that reveal a wealth of never-told or forgotten stories behind some of the greatest rock music ever recorded

Rocksbackpages.com calls Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs "unquestionably one of the great compositions of the entire rock era." Amazon.com says "Layla stands as one of a handful of pillars of classic rock." Eric Clapton's rendition of the title song packs such a raw emotional wallop that Dave Marsh wrote in the Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll: "There are few moments in the repertoire of recorded rock where a singer or writer has reached so deeply into himself that the effect of hearing him is akin to witnessing a murder, or a suicide . . . To me, Layla is the greatest of them."

The music may be timeless, but the lives of the tortured souls who produced this great album clearly were not; most were cut short by accident or substance abuse, while those who remain bear deep scars. And lead player Eric Clapton, despite a hugely successful career, has been shadowed by this album, which he knew at the time would be the defining high point of his career. Both casual and committed rock fans will be compelled by the heartbreaking and often lurid details surrounding the saga of Layla and Derek and the Dominos--which has never been completely disclosed until now.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Thank god for Bobby Whitlock. The keyboard player, second lead singer, and song coauthor of the short-lived, fondly remembered Derek and the Dominos comes from a long line of, as he says, "river rats, whores, and moonshiners," and as Reid's principal informant for this jolly rock-album history, he's a gold mine. He was raffish to the max, and his band mates weren't stiffs, either. Drummer Jim Gordon was already on the road to homicidal dementia, bassist Carl Radle was gigging with all the rising stars of southern rock, of whom guitarist Duane Allman was indisputably the biggest and brightest. And then there was the group's raison d'etre, archetypal rock guitar god Eric Clapton, sodden in love with best friend George Harrison's wife but at the top of his game on his ax. There isn't all that much about actually making the great record here, but the horror show of substance abuse and poor impulse control that Reid shows began, for most of the band's members, before they were born, is appallingly amusing. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

JAN REID is the author or coauthor of eight books, including The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock and The Bullet Meant for Me. He is a founding contributor and writer-at-large for Texas Monthly and has also written for Esquire, the New York Times, GQ, and Men's Journal. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (November 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594863695
• ISBN-13: 978-1594863691
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JAN REID is a writer-at-large for Texas Monthly and has contributed to Esquire, GQ, Slate, Men's Journal, the New York Times, and many other publications. His books include Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock, The Bullet Meant for Me, Deerinwater, and Rio Grande.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars JAN REID - EITHER DO YOUR RESEARCH OR CONSULT AN EXPERIENCED MUSICIAN, December 24, 2006

By 

Samuel B. King "Sam King" (Concord, NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos (Rock of Ages) (Hardcover)

I bought this book anticipating a knowledgable coverage of this topic. Being a musician and fan of this band, Clapton and Duane Allman, at this point, halfway through the book, I am thoroughly dissapointed. Among other glaring errors: 1. otis Redding did not tour with B.B. King during the early '60s as reported, 2. Clapton did NOT play on the Stones "Love in Vain" released on the "Let it Bleed" album (that was Mick Taylor), 3. the first Allman Brothers' album was NOT titled "Beginnings" (that was a later twofer released during the 1970s including the first two Allman Brothers albums)and 4. Carl Radle was NOT a member of Blind Faith (what PLANET did this author grow up on!!!). All this may seem a bit picky, but, Mr. Reid, if you are seriously considering writing a book with this title - marketed to musicians (it is afterall in the music section)- either do your research or work with a musician who knows his stuff. All the info on Patti Boyd and the tabloid gossip might be accurate (frankly I don't give a whit about all that aspect of the book)- in fact the author might consider sticking to tabloid writing. I hope someone, preferrably a musician with an interest and knowledge of the work of these major artists, will eventually write a book worthy of their names. This one, I fear, is not such a book. Sorry, but its true.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting to read, but inaccurate information, January 11, 2007

By 

Baberufus (West Jordan, UT USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos (Rock of Ages) (Hardcover)

While overall I found this book enjoyable enough to read, I must agree with the aforelisted reviewer Mr. Sam King that Reid does not do a good job in getting his facts straight. I too found glaring errors in his history of rock in the late sixties. His writing style is OK, but I think it's irresponsible to do such a lame research job in such a high-profile publication. Most people probably don't know, won't care, or won't notice, but I was pretty appalled.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pure Crapola, February 24, 2007

By 

Thomas H. Redding - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos (Rock of Ages) (Hardcover)

The greatest album of all time deserves a CORRECT representation of how it was recorded. This is the Soap Opera Digest version. It is obvious to anyone who lived through the sixties and seventies that the author did NOT do his homework. A perfect example: Blackie, Eric's Stratocaster was made from three guitars purchased at Sho-Bud in Nashville, not five as reported by the author.
Read Marc Roberty's book and the liner notes to the 20th Anniversary CD set for a better and more accurate account.
I wasted my money and time