Doo Wop: The Music, the Times, the Era
by Bruce Morrow, Rich Maloof
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bruce Morrow, Rich MaloofIntroduction: T. J. Lubinsky
Foreword: Neil Sedaka
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-11-01
ISBN: 1402742762
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Sterling
Book Reviews of Doo Wop: The Music, the Times, the Era
Book Review: Do's and don'ts about Doo Wop
Summary: 1 Stars
BOMB! How did I end up with this turkey? I thought the cover looked pretty cool, the size, number of pages and even the weight suggested a coffee-table book that might be the last word on this musical genre. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, because:
* The text really is very superficial. Nothing new here and if you are familiar with the history of doo wop and rock 'n roll you'll probably have read all these clichés before.
* Dozens of groups are mentioned and I would have thought a possible strength of the book like this would have been a useful discography but there isn't one and amazingly, not even an index.
* I doubt very much that Cousin Brucie had anything to do with the book other than accepting a fee for his celebrity endorsement. Ace DJ that he was the real author is Rich Maloof.
* The layout of the pages is particularly bland. As a publication designer I could see that, potentially, the book could look visually exciting but the pages are a crude mix of colour panels for text and decoration, loads of different headline types and (rather alarmingly) a too big text type. Every photo in the book is the usual boring shot from record company PR departments mixed in with record covers, music graphics and news photos. With all this stock imagery a grid would have given all the pages a coherent look.
* The editorial seems very wide ranging. Chapter one starts on the west coast of Africa and includes Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and other stars of the Forties. Later chapters include Peter, Paul and Mary, Mamas and the Papas, Bob Dylan and the Beatles. Admittedly the various strands of pop music are more or less intertwined but the book is called Doo Wop and I think it should have concentrated on that specific style and personalities.
* Overall it seems to me a book packager's quickie. The publishers: Sterling (owned by American Barnes & Noble booksellers) gave the job to Band-F Limited, who even give themselves a plug on a page at the back. I predict that the title will be available in coming months at remainder prices.
I think I'll stick to my `Rock On' by Norm N Nite as the book that fills me in about doo wop groups. Photos, biogs and record listings are all included or even better is American Singing Groups: A History 1940 to Today which has a ton of facts and just for the fifties alone lists 150 groups, lots of them have a discography too.
***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.
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