1000 Record Covers (Klotz $$$)
1000 Record Covers (Klotz $ $ $ )
Record covers are a sign of our life and times. Like the music on the discs, they address such issues as love, life, death, fashion, and rebellion. For music fans the covers are the expression of a period, of a particular time in their lives. Many are works of art and have become as famous as the music they stand for–Andy Warhol’s covers, for example, including the banana he designed for The Velvet Underground.
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Celia: My Life (Spanish Edition)
For the first time in her own words comes the personal story of a life filled with heartbreaking setback and triumph, from one of the most celebrated talents the world has ever known. After Celia Cruz passed away on July 17, 2003, more than a half million people stood in line for hours in order to pay their respects, in both Miami and New York. Millions more paid tribute to her, holding impromptu memorials in living rooms and crowded street festivals throughout the world. Filled with the sound of her unmistakable voice, as fans played the songs that she will forever be remembered for, the Queen of Salsa’s passing was marked with the same celebratory fervor Celia Cruz emulated throughout her life and career; a career that spanned the entire
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Great for remembering!,
I don’t know if there was a full size “coffee table edition of 1000 Record Covers produced. This is an undersized book but the reproduction of the album covers will bring back the excitement and creativity of each of the eras – 1950′s, 60′s,70′s, 80′s and 1990′s.
The commentary is left to a minimum, without more than a few words of interest just every so often.
I guess I want my cake and to eat it too. The small size is easy to read in bed or while relaxing. But a full size (12″ X 12″) edition would be marvelous.
I spend a lot of hours looking through this intriqueing book.
John row
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|Cover Me,
This book of “just” album covers is put together so brilliantly, it seems to actually have a plot. As Ochs goes through his collection of covers, (some obscure, some not) they tell the story of Rock and Roll from the 50′s, forward. His groupings of related covers accurately describe the many stages, styles, and trends that Rock music has gone through. You can pick it up and browse through it, but it really is better to go page by page. This is a work of love. Ochs (for all his success with his Archives) really gets it.
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|But…but…but…Vaughan Oliver?,
As soon as I saw this title, I plonked it onto my amazon wish list, as it combines two of my main passions (music and design). But after flipping through a copy, I had to remove it from my list – maybe if rents plummet and I can afford more space for bookshelves it’ll make a reappearance, but until then I’ll do without it.
The title – “1000 Record Covers” – at least makes no false claims, e.g. “1000 Great Record Covers”, or “1000 Essential Record Covers”. However, such a claim is made on the back cover, and I must refute it. Too many of the entries are mediocre, and there are too many masterpieces that are ignored. I would blame this less on the author – all the choices come from his collection, which is by its nature limited – and more on the editors, who should have realized the shortcomings of such a scheme. My personal interest would be in covers from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and I can’t forgive the absence of (for starters) Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, Gang of Four, the Slits, Buzzcocks, the Fall, Wire, the Pixies, Eno, Magazine, the Cramps, the Residents, the Pop Group, Pere Ubu, Avengers, Angry Samoans, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Romeo Void, Monochrome Set, Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, X-Mal Deutschland, Coil, Chrome, Crass, Delta 5 – all of whom released LPs with compelling cover designs.
Labels such as Z, Dischord, les Disques du Crepescule, Two Tone, Rough Trade, Factory, Postcard, TVT, are virtually or completely ignored, and designers such as Malcolm Garrett (his Duran Duran work doesn’t count – not at the expense of “A Different Kind of Tension”), Vaughan Oliver, tomato, Peter Saville (Roxy Music’s “Flesh + Blood” gets in, but it’s one of Saville’s weaker efforts and his name is misspelled!), Barney Bubbles, Neville Brody are similarly slighted.
The book could also use an index of designers.
It may seem like I’m harping on about bands from mainly one genre (punk/new wave/whatever), but the truth of the matter is that much of the really innovative cover design in the last 30 years has come from that area.
To be fair, the book does include covers of LPs by the Dead Kennedys, Clash, XTC, Ramones, Echo & the Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes, Public Image, Patti Smith, Altered Images (yay!), so some credit is certainly due.
Also happy to see the a Soft Machine record in there.
And this book did make me recognize what a subtle piece of work TheCure’s “…happily ever after” is.
I’m writing this review not to slag the book off, but to inform people with similar expectations to what I had that while there is a lot of good material in here, there are gaping holes as well. Again, I think the weakness lies in limiting the choices to one person’s record collection instead of directing the author to choose from the entire gamut of record covers available to him.
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|The Nightingale in Exile,
This is an enjoyable memoir from the great Cuban singer Celia Cruz, reminiscing on her long life of musical creativity and success. She came of age in the rich Afro/Latin/Caribbean musical scene of pre-Castro Cuba, but then had to flee her homeland, never to return, after the dictator took control and ruthlessly suppressed his people’s vibrant and colorful homegrown culture. For some reason Celia never hit it big with mainstream American audiences, but she was huge in the Latin community, and hundreds of thousands of fans mourned her passing in 2003. This book is written mostly in the form of positive reminiscences on friends, faith, and successes. There is nothing wrong with that in the slightest, but I can’t quite give this book a perfect rating because of some missed opportunities. Celia’s life offers many rich lessons on having to flee one’s home into exile, and continuing to work for one’s people through success in the outside world. Celia has many very wise and compelling things to say about Castro, the suffering of her people, life in exile, and the issues faced by black and Latin women in music. Unfortunately, Celia’s experienced and heartfelt remarks on these matters usually appear for only a paragraph or two, and then it’s back to the joyful reminiscing. But even though some golden opportunities for real insight are lost, this is still a great story about the life of an outstanding talent and personality. [~doomsdayer520~]
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|The Queen of Salsa.,
The explosion of Latin music in America did not start with the likes of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez or even Gloria Estefan. No, the introduction of the pulsating, hypnotic, rhythmic beats of Latin America was started over forty years ago and owes its unveiling in part to the powerful and soulful voice of Celia Cruz. Written by the diva herself, CELIA: MY LIFE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY is a sentimental celebration of a musical journey that spanned more than half a century.
Born of African descent in Havana, Cuba to a loving family of humble means, music was always a part of Celia’s life from the first time her mother sung her a Spanish lullaby. Growing up, Celia was enthralled with the beautiful fusion of the Afro-Cuban music that was drenched within the island’s culture. Cuba’s musical landscape was quite eclectic and she was captivated by the varied musical styles that swept her homeland. She was influenced by everything, from salsa to samba. Acknowledged by family, friends and neighbors as having a glorious voice, Celia was encouraged to share her gifts with the world. Persuaded by a cousin to enter talent shows, as a teen she began wowing local audiences with her talent. It was just a short time before she became the toast of Cuba.
With the blessing of her friends and family except her father, who wanted her to pursue a more “respectable” profession, Celia began pursuing music. She began perfecting her skills by working the various nightclubs and musical revues in Cuba. It is through Celia’s eyes that we are given a front row view of the beautiful and sultry nightclubs that were once part of Cuba’s night life. The reader is given a rare look on and behind stage from Celia as she allows us to experience the exhilarating thrill of her performances. Through Celia’s narration we are also given a bird’s eye view of the changing politics of Cuba and the rise of Fidel Castro. She frankly discusses how she witnessed the political turmoil that nearly tore her homeland apart and ushered in a dictator. Disenchanted with the political changes in Cuba, with a heavy heart Celia decided to escape from the communist nation; sadly she left all she knew and loved behind. Upset and humiliated that one of the nation’s most celebrated entertainers had defected from his country Fidel Castro forbade Celia from ever stepping foot on Cuba’s soil again.
Despite being banished from her homeland and a few personal and professional setbacks, CELIA: MY LIFE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY is a joyful testimony of a legendary singer’s triumphs in life and within the music industry. Celia Cruz recently passed on leaving behind a catalog of wonderful music that will continue to be enjoyed by her legions of fans for years to come. Her voice will forever inspire and invite future generations to celebrate and treasure the pulsating beats of Latin music.
Reviewed by L. Raven James
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
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|Very emotional, interesting since the beginning thru the end,
In this book we can read the story of Celia Cruz in her own words. She shares important anecdotes with the reader, many of them so emotional that they absolutely will move your heart and you will be able to know the wonderful woman she was.
An excellent example of courage, perseverance, self-esteem and faith to all the inmigrants and all the people of this country!
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