Diana Ross
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I was given this book by my brother, who in turn had been given it by my mother. She had picked it up from the local library in one of their clearouts. It is stamped 'Lancashire Library Withdrawn from Circulation' and cost her the grand total of 75p. The spine is damaged and the pages so grubby that they stick together. How long ago she got it I cannot tell but it was first published in 1981. I wouldn't be in the least surprised if this book is now out of print. Whether Diana Ross is a soul diva or a supper club cabaret artist is wholly a matter of opinion, but none the less she was an important figure in the development of Motown Records and therefore her early work and associations are of real relevance. The book is logically divided into nine chapters. The first one is entirely devoted to a potted history of Motown in its infancy whilst the second is about the formation of the Supremes and their rather lean years at the start of their careers. The third chapter traces the rise of the group to superstardom, whilst the fourth is about their demise and Diana's decision to go solo. The fifth chapter is about Diana's early years singing alone but with Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson as her producers, which at least ensured her work had some remnants of soul content. At this point soul fans should put the book down because it barely features in either the rest of her life or the book. Chapter six is about the lack of direction which followed the departure of Ashford and Simpson, whilst their re-union in chapter seven brings sees her star rise again, though more in cabaret, TV and films than as a soul songstress. Chapter eight sees Diana going Disco and once again forcing her way into the charts, well at least in Britain. Chapter nine is a review of her film career. It concludes with a comprehensive discography. Despite this being about an American star, the author and publishers are both British and this shows in the perspective which focuses heavily on British Tours, British Chart positions and British successes. What was happening in the rest of Europe is pretty largely ignored. Another feature which makes this book unusual in the new Millennium is the rather dated way the book is designed. Huge Photographs sprawled across double pages which are irritatingly split by the spine. Anyone hungry for information from its 140 pages will be sorely disappointed, but anyone searching for photographs and memorabilia will be delighted. Its pages are crammed full of beautifully taken pictures, mainly black and white, but with eight pages of glorious colour plates in the middle. Unfortunately text is restricted to a minimum to make way for them. What there is is interesting and well written, but it is superficial and many of the darker aspects of the rise and fall of Diana Ross and the Supremes are quickly glossed over. The story of Florence Ballard for example is barely touched upon. Despite its odd little quirks I enjoyed reading this book and is probably worth the money if only for the pictures alone, but if its information you're after then rest assured, there are much better sources around. |
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Why Not visit the Authors other Website, 'The Alternative Blackpool Website' at http://www.localdial.com/users/jsyedu133/bpool This Site Last Updated 18/05/05
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