Major Labels

Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres by Kelefa Sanneh (2021) 496 pages

This has been on my reading list for a couple years, so I moved it to the top when I saw the Rhythm & Books book group was reading it. I did not finish it in time for the discussion, but I did enjoy it. I learned a lot. The Rock, R&B, and Country chapters were very informative and the most like a broad history. The author was a big fan of Punk and Hip-Hop, so those chapters switch to a more first-person point of view. Then the chapters on Dance music and Pop music are much shorter. Through the author's record store job as a teen, to his college radio DJ experience, to his work as a music critic for a couple different newspapers he shows how deeply he understands the business and art of popular music. The research and analysis is fascinating. My reading pace was a bit slow getting through it, but it could have been even slower if I stopped to make or find a playlist for all the songs mentioned.
 

Vengeance: a Novel / Zane, 274 pp.

Wicket is a pop megastar with a lot of big secrets and a very painful past.  Her 40th birthday prompts her to return to Atlanta, her childhood, to attempt to exorcise her demons by exacting revenge against former friends who've wronged her.

I had mixed reactions to this story - Wicket is a disturbing main character in many ways.  Among other things, her difficult childhood has resulted in an intense BDSM 'problem' which is outlined in eye-popping, vicious detail.  Truly, I had no idea.

On the other hand, Zane does a great job of depicting the growth and change of a character through self-reflection and psychotherapy. In her 'Commentary by Zane' closing chapter she makes clear that her explicit goal is to remind readers that personal growth is always possible.  Bibliotherapy!  I am totally on board with that.

Legends, Icons & Rebels

Legends, Icons & Rebels: Music That Changed the World by Robbie Robertson, Jim Guerinot, Sebastian Robertson, Jared Levine  128 pp.

I'll start by saying I rarely watch Tavis Smiley's talk show but when I saw that Robbie Robertson was the guest I had to watch. Robertson, musician, songwriter, member of the iconic group The Band, was promoting this book. This book was inspired by a conversation Robbie and his son, Sebastian about how the children he worked with responded better to good music by great artists instead of the usual "kiddie music" they were offered. From that conversation the concept of introducing children to some of the greatest musical artists of all time was born. Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Carole King, Marvin Gaye, and many others are featured in brief articles about their unique contributions to popular music. The book is lavishly illustrated by fifteen different artists. Included are two cds containing performances by each of the twenty-seven legends in the book. I may have to buy this one for my niece's children.

Star Island

Star Island/Carl Hiaasen 337 pgs

Cherry Pye is a pop star with very little talent but a taste for the partying. She has a body double to stand in for her when she is too trashed to make an appearance. This double gets kidnapped by an aggressive photographer and the usual Hiaasen craziness ensues. One of my favorite characters, the ex-governor makes an appearance and some crazy new characters will fill your imagination. This is a typical book for Hiaasen but that is why I like it. - Christa