Decent Books on Music and Musical Culture

[sneer]

Hey all,

I've been asked to put together a music section at the bookshop I work at and would appreciate some ideas or recommendations..

There's no genre prefrence and obscurity is most welcome

Many thanks in advance!

Joe

[kingthing]

I really enjoyed this one, from a slightly anal and boring point of view:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Your-Brain ... 1843547155

[kingldub]

I really enjoyed this one, from a slightly anal and boring point of view:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Your-Brain ... 1843547155

Was literally just about to suggest this. I liked it a lot too.

[squnt]

david katz .Solid_Foundation- An Oral History of Reggae
jane bussman.once in a lifetime the crazy days of acid house and beyond

[greeny]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thats-Joint-Hip ... 249&sr=8-1

this book basically got me my degree. it's awesome.

[dq]

Love Saves the Day
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Saves-Day-Am ... 0822331985

Energy Flash
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Energy-Flash-Jo ... 0330350560

Hold On To Your Dreams
http://www.dukeupress.edu/Catalog/ViewP ... ctid=16107

[Soiree]

SONIC WARFARE- SOUND, AFFECT, & THE ECOLOGY OF FEAR.
This is an incredible read, totally complex, demented and futuristic.

[twentyOneDummies]

Energy Flash
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Energy-Flash-Jo ... 0330350560

Required reading for anyone thinking the elitism vs populism debate in electronic music is anything new and anyone thinking drugs wasn't an important part of the scene.

[dickman69]

SONIC WARFARE- SOUND, AFFECT, & THE ECOLOGY OF FEAR.
This is an incredible read, totally complex, demented and futuristic.

+1

[sneer]

Thanks alot, keep em coming!

@dq - Have you checked a new one from duke press: Babylon East, about soundsystem culture in Japan (mighty crown etc..) looks decent!

+ Sonic Warfare is bagged for the store already!

Thanks again!

[piratefetus]

this one's great:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Culture-R ... 630&sr=1-1

totally changed the way I think about a lot of things regarding music.

this is supposed to be a good one too, but I haven't had the chance to read it yet: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Undercurrents-H ... pd_sim_b_1

[sneer]

cheers pirate, exactly the kind of thing i'm after!

you seen this? also edited by rob young: http://www.versobooks.com/books/tuvwxyz ... mers.shtml

[fhsueh]

Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer
http://www.amazon.com/Analog-Days-Inven ... 0674016173

The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music (Victor Wooten)
http://www.amazon.com/Music-Lesson-Spir ... 954&sr=1-1

Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy, Lawrence Lessig
http://www.amazon.com/Remix-Making-Comm ... 982&sr=1-1

Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd
http://www.amazon.com/Comfortably-Numb- ... 016&sr=1-1

[bunzer0]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/DJ-Culture-Ulf- ... 0704380986

[fuzzywobbles]

Hip-Hop Japan: Rap and the Paths of Cultural Globalization
http://www.amazon.com/Hip-Hop-Japan-Pat ... 0822338920
Just got done reading this. Very good. Mostly about how globalization spreads music and how this changes our view of what is original depending on context.

[clashmag]

Bass Culture - Lloyd Bradley
Best book I've ever read on Jamaican music. Full of detail yet totally readable, takes it right up to digital dancehall, ragga and beyond.

Young, Gifted & Black - Story Of Trojan Records
Massively important label in the evolution of black British music + identity

Some of the 33 1/3 series are quite good - thinking Paul's Boutique, Endtroducing etc

Chuck D's autobiography is a good read.

Anything by David Toop (Ocean Of Sound, Haunted Weather and Rap Attack)

Also Mika's autobiography, McFly - Behind the Music and the stuff I've actually got on my bookshelf when not pretending to read the above.

[bunzer0]

so it is still possible to read interesting posts on this place !
BIG UP !

[duck]

Bass Culture - When Reggae Was King

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Culture-Wh ... 843&sr=1-1

Last night a DJ saved my life
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Night-DJ-S ... 900&sr=1-1

The Music Instinct and How it Works (bit heavy)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Music-Instinct- ... d_sim_b_15

Sweet Soul Music

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sweet-Soul-Musi ... 999&sr=1-1

All Crews - Journey Through Jungle Drum and Bass Culture

http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Crews-Journ ... 060&sr=1-1

I might think of some more in a minute....

[duck]

oops, sorry, didn't see someone just posted "Bass Culture" already.

[Sharmaji]

some faves:

Dub: Soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican Reggae by Michael Veal:
http://www.amazon.com/Dub-Soundscapes-S ... 951&sr=8-3

Can't Stop, Won't Stop by Jeff Chang:
http://www.amazon.com/Cant-Stop-Wont-Hi ... 994&sr=8-1

Fela: Life and Times of an African (oh crap, it's out of print)
http://www.amazon.com/Fela-Times-Africa ... 020&sr=1-1
also by michael veal. clearly we're onto something here.

Raga Mala, Autobiography of Ravi Shankar:
http://www.amazon.com/Raga-Mala-Autobio ... 107&sr=1-1

People Funny Boy, bio of Lee Perry:
http://www.amazon.com/People-Funny-Boy- ... 162&sr=1-1

Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy: how music captures our imaginations by Robert Jourdain
http://www.amazon.com/Music-Brain-Ecsta ... =1-3-fkmr0