These recently released books contain well-written, deep dives into a trio of historic and groundbreaking musical subjects. They’re also presented in a unique way with stunning visuals that make them perfect gifts. Click through the titles for purchasing information:
‘LAND OF A THOUSAND SESSIONS: THE COMPLETE MUSCLE SHOALS STORY 1971-1985,’ by ROB BOWMAN (Malaco Press): There have been some extraordinary books written that chronicle the rich and fertile history of American R&B and soul music, primarily from the late ’50s, 1960s and early to mid-1970s. However, books that match an insightful and well-written text with a lavish presentation are far fewer in number. What’d I Say: The Atlantic Story is the gold standard. But now, another book can be put on a very short list: Land of a Thousand Sessions: The Complete Muscle Shoals Story 1951-1985. Interestingly enough, part of the Muscle Shoals story is actually a key part of the Atlantic story and that history is one of the most absorbing sections of this exhaustive and definitive survey.
The key to this book is the chronicling of the legendary Muscle Shoals studio, FAME studio and label. The list of artists who either were part of the scene in Alabama or who recorded there is staggering. Producers and record executives Billy Sherrill, Rick Hall, Chips Moman, Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Phil Walden, Barry Becket, Norbert Putnam and David Briggs, figure prominently. Becket, Putnam and Briggs also were part of the loose amalgamation of ace studio musicians who were known as the Swampers, which included Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson and David Hood. Others who contributed to key sessions and/or were songwriters included Dan Penn, Arthur Alexander, Spooner Oldham, Wayne Perkins, Jimmy Haskell and Steve Cropper.
To name just some of the many artists who recorded there and made legendary music would include Aretha Franklin, King Curtis, Etta James, the Box Tops, Percy Sledge, Arthur Conley, Otis Redding, Boz Scaggs, the Rolling Stones, Bobbie Gentry, Lou Rawls, Mavis Staples, Don Nix, Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, the Staple Singers, Traffic, Paul Simon, Donnie Fritts, Kris Kristofferson, Rod Stewart, Cat Stevens, Art Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffet, the Hour Glass featuring Duane Allman and Gregg Allman, and the immortal album Dusty in Memphis from Dusty Springfield. This is easily one of the best books written on R&B, soul and American recording history.
‘THE GRATEFUL DEAD: PHOTOS AND STORIES FROM THE FORMATIVE YEARS, 1966-1977,’ by JIM MARSHALL (Chronicle Books): The Grateful Dead have been written about in many book forms and coffee-table books that include iconic photography of the group and are excellent and plentiful. However, if anyone’s photographs of the Dead during their salad days could provide one of the best visual documents of the group in that period, that person would be the late Jim Marshall.
There are a handful of rock photographers who were as iconic, groundbreaking and untamed as the rock gods of the 1960s and 1970s they photographed. Marshall might be at the top. Having begun his career photographing the cream of jazz artists either performing in San Francisco or recording for California-based labels, transitioning to photographing the musicians of the psychedelic ’60s scene in San Francisco was a natural progression – a meeting of like-minded iconoclasts and rule-breakers.
Many other people, directly or indirectly connected to the Grateful Dead and iconic music locales and events are also included. Even if you’ve never met any of the people, but love the music of the Dead, other San Francisco groups, or musician friends and collaborators of the group (Crosby Stills Nash and Young and others), looking through the book is akin to paging through an old family album. The faces and places are so familiar and bring back warm memories of a time where the music seemed to flow and 60 years on has lost none of its luster.
‘BUZZ ME IN: INSIDE THE RECORD PLANT STUDIOS,’ by MARTIN PORTER AND DAVID GOGGIN (Thames & Hudson): Although not really a coffee-table book, this hefty hardcover contains a plethora of black-and-white and color photographs, poster art, lists, album cover art, graphics and more. Along with the exhaustive list of studio albums, the Record Plant was involved in such live performance recordings as The Concert for Bangladesh, The King Biscuit Flower Hour radio series and more.
The book is laid out in an unconventional style that is a mix of narrative and oral history, quotes, lists, graphs and other tasty tidbits. The list of classic albums made at the Record Plant and list of names who worked there is mind-blowing. The two owners of the studio – Chris Stone and Gary Kellgren – often come across as wilder and more rock ‘n’ roll than some of the biggest names who recorded there. The period covered is primarily from the latter ’60s through the 1970s, the golden era of analog studio album-making.
While rock biographies, photo books and books of lists proliferate, these behind-the-scenes books are often more illuminating and provide a unique insight into a secret, almost hermetically sealed world where the music that defined the album era was made.
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