New Book - Tearing Down the Wall of Sound by Mick Brown

I finally finished reading Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal by Ian Christe. As expected, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sound of the Beast contains an expansive look at all of metal's main genres, including proto-metal, classic metal, American metal, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, hair metal, glam metal, speed metal, thrash metal, death metal, alternative metal, avant-garde metal, Norwegian black metal, grindcore, metalcore, nu metal, rap metal, metallic techno, and doom metal, to name a few. While I probably won't ever buy, say, a death metal album, it's still interesting to read about death metal and its underground popularity and impact. One of the most intriguing discussions in the book was about Norwegian black metal. I am fascinated with that particular genre, not so much musically, but more with the intensity of their beliefs and the gravity of their actions (murder, suicide, church burnings, etc.). It's some messed up (but very interesting) stuff. All in all, I highly recommend this book for any metal fan or for anyone who wants to learn more about heavy metal.

I have moved on to Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector by Mick Brown. As many of you are probably aware, Phil Spector is probably the greatest producer in rock and roll history, inventing his famous "Wall of Sound" and producing such acts as The Ronettes, The Crystals, The Righteous Brothers, Ben E. King, Ike & Tina Turner, The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, John Lennon, and The Ramones, not to mention the fact that he wrote or co-wrote tons of rock and roll standards, including Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," which had the most radio airplay of any song in the 20th Century. As more of you are probably aware, Phil Spector may have killed B-list actress Lana Clarkson at his home in 2003, and has been on and off trial for murder since then. Spector was eccentric, erratic, and vehemently private, but had let the author interview him back in 2002 for the first time in 25 years. It should be an interesting read.

Books read in 2009:
The Informers by Bret Easton Ellis
Oh The Glory of It All by Sean Wilsey
I Hate New Music: The Classic Rock Manifesto by Dave Thompson
Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal by Ian Christe