Customer Reviews

Working Musicians: Defining Moments from the Road, the Studio, and the Stage

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In short, "Working Musicians" is a lot like sitting down at a dinner party with Paul Simon, James Hetfield, Jerry Garcia, and Bruce Springsteen, plus a hundred or so other career musicians, and listening to them shop-talk with each other. Since an invitation to that dinner party has not yet been extended to me, I enjoyed the heck out of this book. It's a wonderful resource both for aspiring musicians and for those who simply seek to understand how the professionals think. The anecdotes and stories from the road are pure pleasure to read. I've named a few of the rock icons whose interviews appear, but Pollock has managed to gather within these pages a very diverse, cross-genre crowd: jazz, country, rap, folk, broadway, you name it. The overall effect: it's a gem.

A must read!! Goes deep into the heart of the working musicians, as told by the entertainers in there own words. Enjoyed every readable momemt of this book.

You don't have to be limousine famous to be a respected musician, I think that's the point of Bruce Pollocks copilation: "Working musicians", after all, only a lucky few can make it that big.
Working musicians, or people who make a living out of their talent and ear, can be a good definition of Keith Richards work (even my 7 year old knows who Keith is), and to the likes of Richie Pollock who used to wake up before the sun came out in the late 80's to secure his place at the metro in Montreal. Performing hits of the 60's and 70's at the metro station was a noble way to make a few bucks.
In this book we can find first person testimonies of more than 100 working musicians from the ones who filled the Madison Square Garden to those who dedicated their talents to make people dance in weddings and Bar Mizvahs. From those who felt that their fame and career had an expiration date to the blessed who will play their music till their last breath. From the big rock and roll star to those who choose to stay true to their art and could never make the commercial jump. Even Paul Simon has a humble history to tale.
The different testimonies are divided by Pollock in themes: starting out, first albums, first gigs, the studios, the bussines, songwritters... I found the first chapters the best for the non musicians readers, the ones to take you to the soul of the craft. The chapters about the studio process were somehow boring for the nonmusician, but I really loved the book, it gave me an open window to the jazz, rock and pop musicians lives.

Most people, even if they've been living in Siberia, have heard of Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Garcia and Peter Tork - all famous and respected musicians. However, there are just as many unknowns profiled in this book, which makes identifying with their careers and music more difficult. (Just where does one find recordings by Julia Darling?) Other than that gripe, Bruce Pollock has broken his work into logical chapters - the first album, gigging, etc. If one is serious about making a living as a 'working musician,' then I could see how this book would be valuable.