1 comments about 20th Century Rock & Roll-Women in Rock (20th Century Rock and Roll).

1. I'm a freelance music journalist who does a lot of writing about women in rock. This book scores very highly with me based on range, subject, and knowledge of the individuals covered.

   The author divides the book into a section devoted to the 50 women who have defined rock and roll, with a short essay on each, and a recommended discography. I like the selection much better than some books (including the truly disappointing Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock). He doesn't include ALL the artists I consider essential, but that's a personal matter. I think he did a very good job, with a range from the obvious choices like Joan Jett and Tina Turner to more obscure but important artists like Lita Ford and Suzi Quatro.

   He includes several appendixes with info on all-girl bands, all-girl groups (singers as opposed to instrumentalists) and spotlights on frontwomen of renown, ranging from superstars like Stevie Nicks to the cult heroines like Christina Amphlett and Doro Pesch.

   This is a book to give people who don't know much about the subject, or to throw at people who say "women can't rock."

   It's not a historical survey (though the author recommends several books, including the one I think of as the definitive volume, Gillian G. Gaar's "She's a Rebel"), but it's a very good basic reference volume.

   KW

1 comments about The Compact Disc Handbook (The Computer Music and Digital Audio Series, Vol 5).

1. This book describes very precisely all the technical aspects in relation with the compact disc: basics on digital audio processing, error correction, special coding modulation for CD and so on. The only thing we could miss is simply the fact there is no chapter on the DVD CD device: maybe in a further edition ?

   In summary, a very good book to be introduced in the CD system, explained in a language which is not too difficult to understand by non-specialists (but some knowledge in DSP would be helpful).

1 comments about Official Price Guide to Elvis Presley Records and Memorabilia.

1. This book is filled with great information about Elvis' music and other memorabilia. I bought mine at Graceland in 1999 and after seeing the current prices, I'm glad I did. It is a treasure trove of trivia and details about the great variety of music that was published when Elvis was alive and in the years following his death.

4 comments about The Beatles Memorabilia Price Guide.

1. I was disappointed with this book due to the fact it needs to be updated from 1997. It only covers Beatles memorabilia, not records or albums. Didn't cover autographs. Only covers pricing for early Beatles items, nothing current or the Beatles as individual artists. If you need a price guide for early items and don't mind the book being outdated by 4 yrs, this is the book for you.



2. This 225 page softbound volume (3rd edition) contains a wealth of information for the Beatles fan. It covers every type of Beatles collectible. Major topics range from Yellow Submarine, Pinback Buttons, Pennants and Books to Movie Items, Record Promo Items, Fan Club Items, Trading Cards and concert items. Scores of items are pictured in full color and black and white. Each item is described in detail. There is even info on reproductions and counterfeits. Everything is priced, although prices are from 1997. Every Beatles fan, collector or not will enjoy this great compendium. Add it to your collection.



3. This 240 page, softbound 3rd edition has more than 400 full color and over 400 large, sharp photos covering more than 1,500 Beatles collectibles. Many of these items were not previously documented. There are more than 300 new items from the previous editions of this book. You'll find plenty of text accompanying the pictures, descriptions and values. Topics range from Yellow Submarine, pinback buttons, books, magazines, sheet music, record promotion, trading cards, to fan club items, concert tickets, original ads and how to identify repro and counterfeit items. A treasure trove of information and a joy to browse. Every Beatles fan will enjoy !



4. This book is a must have if you collect Beatles memorobilia. It's the most complete guide I have ever seen.

No comments about Yesterday's Children: The Antiques and History of Childcare.

1 comments about Goldmine Records & Prices (Goldmine Records and Prices).

1. Not as many artists listed in this book as are in the Record Album Price Guide, however I do like the listing of the 45's along with the albums that the artist has cut

5 comments about The Little Audio CD Book.

1. Some may find this book of use but it didn't help me much. I'm going to try the Nero 6 book even though the reviews aren't that great. Hopefully it will get me more detailed help in using the Nero filters.



2. This is a must for anyone who is serious about recording any audio file and reproducing it to the highest possible standard.



3. For making audio CDs at home, this book covers it all. Not much hear for the experienced audiophile but newcomers to CD making will find much to gain by reading this book. Chapters cover vinyl-to-CD, Mp3-to-CD, cassette-to-CD and on and on. There is even a chapter that covers making "Enhanced CDs". That is, those CDs that not only play on an audio player but have additional functionality when placed in a CD-ROM drive. Much of the book discusses various audio editing software and what you can do with it. Highly recommend to all but those who already have
   considerable experience in making their own music CDs.



4. The book offers a wealth of information for PC users, but unlike the many very common guides which include illustrations for both Mac and PC formats, only 3 of this book's 200+ pages offer specific guidance for Mac-users.
   Samples, examples, and illustrations are of the authors' favorite PC Programs while only mentioning Mac options on one or two pages.
   I will offer that theory, practice, and concept are pretty thorough but as for practicality for Mac Users, I beg, please guys... do a Mac version.



5. Very well written & concieved, just wish it had more info about CD-Rs themselves, and updated version might include info about the Ultradisc CD-R from Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab - the world's ultimate CD-R...

5 comments about Girl Groups: Fabulous Females That Rocked the World.

1. Simply the best thing written on girl groups, ever.



2. This is as close to a definitive book on the Girl Group genre as you are likely to find... unless John Clemente decides to write a sequel, including the groups he had to leave out due to space limitations.

   He corrects many of the mistakes made in Alan Betrock's book on the same subject. This book sets the record straight. The discographies are amazing. The interviews and rare pics are terrific. Any fan would be pleased.

   If I have a complaint, it's that some groups have been left out. How can you include the Go-Go's but not the Bangles? As I said, space must have been the issue. Let's hope there is a volume 2 in the works.




3. Yes, this was a welcomed book, with the rare photos of obscure and not-so-obscure groups, the interviews with the players, the histories of the groups, and the discographies.

   But. I want more. I want better. I want authoritative. And this just ain't that. Unfortunately, given the subject matter, there aren't going to be all that many chances to get what I want unless and until I write it myself. (The last, and first, book to cover this subject matter was "Girl Groups: The Story Of A Sound" back in the mid-1980s.)

   Since the publication of Clemente's book, the online girl-group community has lifted him to near-godhead status, and I've heard not a peep of criticism: when you're starving, anything's better than nothing. But I think the book has obvious problems and these should be pointed out.

   Despite Clemente's good intentions and obvious love for his subject matter, his writing is mundane, repetitive and often irritating. (Is there an editor in the house??) Worse is his lack of perspective/criticism: every girl group or female singer is just fa-a-abulous, so we don't get much insight into musical quality -- just a not very well-written cheerleader's surface story of when, who and how. Very little about the output --the "what", except, of course, that it's fa-a-abulous. Later I found, through a chat-list Clemente was on, that this may have been a quid pro quo for the interviews: he revealed in one post that he wasn't really much of a fan of, or that knowledgeable about, at least one of the groups' music, that of Reparata & the Delrons, but you wouldn't know it from their section in the book. For me, this cast doubt on the honesty of the whole project.

   I've found several omissions in his discographies which could easily have been rectified with a quick check of other, reliable sources. Some of the histories are incomplete: While his piece on the Angels is in-depth and informative as far as it goes, their later-60's, early-70's story is truncated (and there is a story there still waiting to be told). ...And WHO designed that ugly cover?!

   It's frustrating that books on this topic are so rare that an inferior book such as this one becomes a Bible.




4. There have been a lot of books and videos about girl groups but all them involved large, really large, gaps of information, missing names, erroneous information and so on. John Clemente amazingly gets it all down, all correct and every little detail in. How he did it I don't know. This book is fabulous and endlessly rereadable. And you will love the rare photos.



5. The work that went into this book is astounding. As a girl-groups expert, I seldom find information that is new to me. However, author John Clemente painstakingly looked at the top girl groups and not only gives a narrative history, but a listing of group members over the various years and an exhaustive discography. Fun to read, fab pictures, and, if you're into collectibles, a good reference book, too.

No comments about Warman's Elvis Field Guide.

No comments about The Art of Sound Reproduction.