Customer Reviews

Rock 'N' Roll Gold Rush: A Singles Un-cyclopedia

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This book is not just a book of lists and statistics like you get in all those giant Joel Whitburn things. It's more of a musical-historical memoir from a very unique point of view, because Maury Dean has lived a lot of it. He's been a student of rock & roll for almost all his life. He even once wrote a dissertation on the "glottal stop" as perfected by Buddy Holly, you know that "wuh-a-ho" kinda sound that forms in the back of the throat like you hear in "Wel-a-hell-a-hell, the lit-tul things you-oo say and do/Make me want to-oo be with you-a-hoo..." in RAVE ON. I mean this guy is a STUdent of what makes pop music POPular. You will learn practically every thing you wanted to know about pop music from the beginning of time until 2003. It's called ROCK AND ROLL GOLD RUSH, I know, but you'll also find lots of OTHER stuff in there too, like George and Ira Gershwin and George Bennard (composer of The Old Rugged Cross) and Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck. And you'll find out how the author himself once placed a tune in the top forty when he was a member of the Michigan group, The Woolies. I mean this book is like a giant jar of Prego. Whatever your tastes, whatever you want, it's in there, man. If you are a music buff, you will deVOUR this book - although it may take you quite a few sittings. I'm still dipping into and snacking from time to time, as it has become an invaluable reference tool for me. Dean designed this book for use as a textbook, and it would make an excellent one, but hey, this is just plain great stuff. What I really wanna say is that "This is really good sh*t," but I don't think you can say that on-line, can you? - Tim Bazzett, author of the Reed City Boy trilogy

Under the guise of a huge, phone directory size book, this one insinuates that it is a list of famous single songs and maybe some bios collected from library books. WRONG. It's fun! Prof. Dean teaches music, talks about his stars really crossing with 'THE REAL GUYS", his reminising about a youth seeking a place in the entertainment world, plus homey touches including his dog Snarf, his old cars, his family...Just open any page and start having a ball. I did and no-one paid me to say it! Yet!

This is the perfect book for any fan of any kind of Rock n Roll music. Heavy Metal, Classic Rock, or Light Easy Listening. It has every great artist from Elvis to Buddy Holly to Beatles to Metallica to The Doors to Black Sabbath to Chuck Berry to Linkin Park to Led Zeppelin to Jefferson Airplane and everything in between. Along with countless of facts about every artist and song, it shows the songs numbers and dates when they peaked on the charts. Also the book is filled with great photos. its a must have for any Rock fan. i thought i knew rock n roll until i purchased this book, i learned something new on every page .