Making Tracks
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This book was first published in 1975 from which my copy dates. Its UK price at that time was 75p. The fact that it is still in circulation today, albeit at a considerably inflated cost, speaks volumes of it. As the title makes clear, this offering is about the development of the Atlantic record company. The author, Charlie Gillett, was indeed fortunate to gain access not only to many of its stars, but also the big wheels at the top, Herb Abramson, Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler. He carefully interleaves the details of their business dealings with information about their personal relationships. It is this personal interest which helps to sustain the readers interest throughout. Having read many similar books I have often found myself confused by the intricacies of record contracts but Charlie carefully extrapolates what is relevant from the un-necessary detail and explains them in such a way that nobody could fail to understand. For making the complex simple and for sustaining human interest this book is flawless. Besides being well written, well researched and easy to digest the book is also illustrated with a good selection of photographs. What surprised me most was how 'hit and miss' the company was in its early days. Although having a good ear for music its hierarchy had little buisness acumen, indeed, Atlantic survived those early days am much by luck as by good judgement. This book is not just about 'Soul' music as such, indeed I don't think the word is used at all. People like Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding are described as R&B artists. It is about all branches of the company including its subsidiary labels, the independents for which it distributed, Rock Music and Country and Western. This is a comprehensive, well-written offering which gives the reader an in depth appreciation of how the company operated. For anybody with the slightest interest in Atlantic records this is a book they cannot afford to be without.
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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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