Customer Reviews

Melody Maker History of 20th-Century Popular Music

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I lived for Melody Maker - getting the English editions 2 months later at Kogarah newsagent, looking at Heaven (imagine King Crimson in Concert).

I loved Roy Hollingsworth, Steve Lake, Chris what's his name, Alan Jones.

A paper with immense humour, insight, reporting on (well, what I thought was then) the most important period in modern music - I adored Prog - Van Der Graaf - all that stuff. Waiting for three months to get the latest imports from Tandy Records in the UK and getting all these wonderful sleeves - Roger Dean etc. Island, Charisma, Harvest. I thought they were the best days of my life. In retrospect, maybe the hollowest? Still, the schooners of beer were good and the THC mild.

So what's this book about? Not what I wanted, but that isn't to discredit it.

It starts in the early 20's the role of muso's in the war years, Elvis, a lot on the 60's and 70's and then sort of blurs out. It's a history of the paper (and the times) - not the times (and the paper). It's very difficult to criticise on it's aims and its research, it achieves it's goals. But if you are looking for THAT article on Blodwyn Pig, this isn't for you. I'd love to be abe able to get all MM's between 68 - 76 - no idea how. But this is a good start anyway! Better than that rotten NME (the enemy). It's scholarly in a sense, but so quick you miss it it. Again, it makes points about racism, feminism, gay rights - but so quick - blink and you miss it. Too much bland 80's stuff (BUT THAT'S ME!).

Greg

3.5 stars.