The Swing Movement -- all jazz hands and high-waisted pants -- advanced and receded in good order. I wrote this book to tell the other side of the story. I want you to know about the oddball collection of iconoclasts who got together and made the Squirrel Nut Zippers what they were: a combustible; improbable gumbo of joy and menace. Along the way; I write about our many influences: jazz and blues and hot music and calypso and; yes; swing. Come run these fields; like rabbits; while the harvest moon hangs caught in the branches. Come linger over this snapshot."[An] utterly engaging memoir.... A must-read for anyone with even the remotest interest in how the music biz works.... A short; sharp; sweet shock of a read.... Both Maxwells pinch-me moments and his creeping sense of dread are visceral and believable enough to land the reader right there in the middle bunk of the Zippers tour bus. And if that reader also happens to be an aspiring musician; the message here couldnt be clearer: enjoy the ride; but be careful what you wish for." -BLURT Magazine "Impressive.... [The] book digs into the bands early years in the Chapel Hill; North Carolina; music scene; via intimate stories; and the band discovering and incorporating sounds and influences that may have seemed unusual to mainstream audiences; but were simply the result of young; adventurous musicians getting turned on to great music." - Esquire"Tom Maxwell The Minor Drag are planning a fall tour in support of both the album and book.... Plan to listen and read." -Artist Direct
#318128 in eBooks 2014-10-28 2014-10-28File Name: B00M719ZRO
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. For fans only...but if youre not a fan; listen and read; and you will be!By Nicholas J. Perry-GuettiScratch is the complex; problematic; and irreplaceable well-spring of so much brilliance in music that "normal" ideas of art and society fail to account for the magnitude of his output. As this book amplifies; "normal" ideas are something for which Perry has had little or no use for the majority of his life. Katzs thorough; excellent and devoted account of the mans life so far (and at 78; he still puts on a terrific show; as this reviewer can personally attest) can be exhaustive in its cataloguing of all things Perry; but the value of such reference material is beyond price. On a rainy Sunday; I searched for the songs mentioned in the text on iTunes; and found most of them. All those confusing Upsetters compilations and various artists collections are now chronologically navigable; thanks to Katz.12 of 12 people found the following review helpful. People Funny Boy:By A CustomerA must read for anyone who thought that they know about Reggea; Rock Steady; Ska - Jamaican music in general. This book must be the ultimate documentary of music as well as the music scene in Jamaica during the 60s;70s; and 80s. Its not just a book about Scratch; it is a book about all Jamaican musicians; singers and procuders of the period. Its the best documented piece of Jamaican history. Someday it will become the most sought after Jamaican history book!David Kratz ensures that the reader lives moment by moment with almost every musician; producers; and Jamaican artist of the period - some of whom have long been forgotten. He takes you into the studios; delves into the background of each and every artist mentioned in the book; takes to the UK and US with Scratch and Bob Marley; then brings you back to the Black Art Studio where Scratch produced some of the most revolutionary and influential Jamaican music.Any Jamaican who reads this book will certainly say: "Me know da music deh; but me didnt know sey a Scratch do it." The reader will soon learn that Scratch is the greatest Jamaican music producer. No other producer will ever come close to matching his skill and artistry of Scratch in the studio. Nuff respect to Scratch. He is a true genious! And hats off to David Katz. He certainly knows how to "ride de rythm". The book is a master piece!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. ... in there but I found a lot of it pretty tedious. Couldve been edited to half the length ...By Daniel KegelThere are some interesting stories in there but I found a lot of it pretty tedious. Couldve been edited to half the length and been a more compelling read. I considered giving up on finishing it but instead I skimmed through the repetitive parts and got through.
