9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I read this book twice!, September 19, 2009
This review is from: Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953-1968) (Paperback)
The writing is robust and beautiful. I wanted to keep it in my life a little longer. Clay Cole has skillfully blended memoirs with cultural history. There are tender moments and others that are very funny. Clay has the well-earned reputation of being one of the kindest people in show business. He does not hold back, however, in describing some of the darker moments in Rock 'n' Roll history. Payola and racism get it right in the chops.
Baby boomers will love this book, but non boomers should not hold back. Everyone's life will be enriched by reading about these legendary times when teenagers wrote and performed for teenagers, and the book could easily be used in writing classrooms as a prime example of how to tell a story.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Blast-from-the-Past Masterpiece, September 30, 2009
This review is from: Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953-1968) (Paperback)
What a delight to get this highly anticipated book! I am a voracious reader who is usually the "can't put it down" type, but Sh-Boom! took several days since I wanted to feast on every page. I didn't want to miss a detail. What a life...and what a writer! One can only imagine the time and energy it took to put this book together, yet the masterful way Clay Cole has woven such divergent threads into a cohesive, breath-taking tapestry is simply mind-boggling! Boomers and music lovers of all ages are going to love it! This awesome book (and Clay's Interview Spotlight on [...]) brings back those amazing years with zeal while letting the reader get to know the legendary Clay Cole better.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clay is back!, October 17, 2009
Clay Cole is back to answer the question, whatever happened to Clay Cole? And he is back with a gentle yet ferocious bio-history of the years that rock n roll was driving force for teen agers in the New York area in the early 50's and late 60's and classy cousin Clay was in his tux, driving the bus!
This book is a wonderful history of New York when it was shiney and glittering with the new rock n rollers, the real clubs, the real smells, sights and sounds...and if you were lucky enough to live there or near NYC you will close your eyes, hear, see, and smell it all over again, while you have this book in your hands.
The most delightful thing is that Clay tells the truth. He tells it in a manner which you can totally believe, not a means to an end, not to slight anybody. He does that by offering some folks who totally deserve it, a Compoz. (And you know who you are!)
If you want to go back to the Great Ol' Days of teenage music, when we were in charge of the sound and the beat (and it was great to dance to) pick up Clay's book, and see if you can put it down for a minute (you won't be able to) and see if you aren't going back to reread some pages when you are done.
Thank you dear Clay for telling us where you have been, where you are, and what is going on now...don't lose touch! A great read!
T.Pettit, Massachusetts
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