|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
There is a newer edition of this item:
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Beginning with the contention that the disc jockey is "dance music's most important figure," Brewster and Broughton persuasively argue that the contemporary DJ is the epitome of the postmodern artist and that disc jockeys have long influenced the evolution of American musical tastes. Brewster and Broughton's ardent history is one of barriers and sonic booms, spanning almost 100 years, including nods to pioneers Christopher Stone, Martin Block, Douglas "Jocko" Henderson, Bob "Wolfman Jack" Smith and Alan "Moondog" Freed. Along the lines of Kurt B. Reighley's recent Looking for the Perfect Beat: The Art and Culture of the DJ, this is an obsessively unabridged and ever-unraveling (the authors will offer updates at www.djhistory.com) chronology of DJs and the musicAnorthern soul, reggae, disco, hip-hop, garage, house and technoAthey have fostered, and, more accurately perhaps, the music that has fostered them. So as not to miss a note, the authors, both former editors at Mixmag USA and contributing writers to The Face, interviewed more than 100 DJs, dancers and scenesters and elicited some vibrant, pull-quote anecdotes, especially in the hip-hop chapters. What comes to light makes sense: readers learn that the DJ is a distinctly American invention (Reginald A. Fessenden in 1906), but they came into their own, and into wealth and fame, in Britain (case in point: Paul Oakenfold). Brewster and Broughton's subtext is refreshing: rather than draw curt lines between American and British contributions, they show how intimate the countries were in forging a communications phenomenon. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
From the first time a record was played over the airwaves in 1906, to a modern club economy that totals $3 billion annually in New York City alone, the DJ has been at the center of popular music. Starting as little more than a talking jukebox, the DJ is now a premier entertainer, producer, businessman, and musician in his own right. Superstar DJs, from Junior Vasquez to Sasha and Digweed, command worship and adoration from millions, flying around the globe to earn tens of thousands of dollars for one night's work. Increasingly, they are replacing live musicians as the central figures of the music industry.
In Last Night a DJ Saved My Life, music journalists Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton have written the first comprehensive history of the mysterious and charismatic figure behind the turntables -- part obsessive record collector, part mad scientist, part intuitive psychologist of the party groove. From England's rabid Northern Soul scene to the birth of disco in New York, from the sound systems of Jamaica to the scratch wars of early hip-hop in the Bronx, from Chicago house to Detroit techno to London rave, DJs are responsible for most of the significant changes in music over the past forty years. Drawing on in-depth interviews with DJs, critics, musicians, record executives, and the revelers at some of the century's most legendary parties, Last Night a DJ Saved My Life is nothing less than the life story of dance music.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Back when man was stumbling around the dusty savannahs figuring out the best way to surprise a woolly mammoth, he found his experience divided sharply between night and day. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Back when man was stumbling around the dusty savannahs figuring out the best way to surprise a woolly mammoth, he found his experience divided sharply between night and day. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lecture essentielle,
By Ruby (Montreal) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Last Night a Dj Saved My Life: The History Of the Disc Jockey (Paperback)
Au début, je ne voulais pas lire ce livre à cause du titre. Je croyais que c'était pour être un autre livre sur les raves bonbon djs plogués etc... Surprise, j'ai adoré du début jusqu'à la fin. C'est une lecture essentiel pour tous les djs, amateurs or animateurs de radio, étudiants en communication et sans oublier les journalistes (qui trop souvent radotent n'importe quoi) bref tous les gens intéressés par la diffusion de musique enregistrée au public. Ça ne parle pas que de la musique électronique, mais de toutes les musiques. C'est vraiment l'histoire du DJ. C'est un excellent livre. Une lecture essentielle.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Despite flaws, an excellent book.,
By
This review is from: Last Night a Dj Saved My Life: The History Of the Disc Jockey (Paperback)
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life lives up it's billing as the definitive history of the disc jockey, as well as that of club culture. Brewster and Broughton presented an extensively researched and well connected history through a number of key genres, from sock hops, Jamaican sound systems, soul, disco, hip hop, and into house and techno. Through interviews with survivors of these scenes, the reader is given a good deal of first hand information, and gets a real feeling for most of the music presented, regardless of how familiar you are. In fact, one of the greatests aspects of this book is that it centers on the underground cultures: hip-hop before it became rap, disco before it became mainstream, etc. However, the book is not without it's faults. Very early on, the authors slam academia, claiming that such an approach is incapable of providing a passionate or meaningful account. Certainly, this is both true and false, and it is unfair to make such a claim. My other main complaint with the book is that once it moves into the more modern genres of house and techno, the writers seem to lose their steam. One gets the feeling that these chapters were included in an effort to be definitive, not a level of deep-rooted passion for the music by the authors. Consequently, these chapters are not very interesting reads. Still, this is the definitive book on the subject. Despite the aforementioned flaws, it is extremely informative, and overall, very well researched. A must for anyone interested in deejaying, club culture, or general music history.
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEST BOOK EVER,
By A Customer
This review is from: Last Night a Dj Saved My Life: The History Of the Disc Jockey (Paperback)
For those interested in EVERY aspect of DJ culture and its rich history, this is the book for you. Every DJ should read this book to know where you've come from so that you know where you're going. VITAL.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Entertainment > Music > History & Criticism
- Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Dance
- Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Popular
- Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Rap
- Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Rock
- Books > Entertainment > Pop Culture > Music
- Books > Entertainment > Radio > History & Criticism
- Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Popular Culture
- Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Sociology > Culture
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
