BOOKS THREAD

"Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded" by Jason Heller (2018)

As a fan of science fiction books and 1970s prog rock, this one had my name written all over it, and it didn't disappoint.

Not the biggest Bowie fan, but learned quite a few sci-fi references in his lesser-known tracks. Heller goes far beyond the obvious things like "Space Oddity" and the Ziggy Stardust album.

From King Crimson to Yes to Pink Floyd, from Rush to early 1980s synth pop, this book touches all the bases.

 

This was great. The writers let the sources do the talking, as in most of the book is direct quotes from those involved. There's an intro to each chapter, and then the quotes take over. It was handled really well, and SRV is quoted throughout as well, as the writers had both interviewed him over the years. And, speaking of David Bowie - mentioned in the post above this one - there's a SRV/Bowie connection that I didn't know about until I read this.

Joe Bob says definitely check this one out.

 

This is an outstanding book and the oral history format is perfect for it, just like it was for Light's book on the Allman Brothers, One Way Out, which is very highly recommended.

 

I just finished “Peter Pan’s First XI” by Kevin Telfer. It’s a story about J.M. Barrie, who formed this awful cricket team called the “Allahakbarries” in the late 19th century made up of some of the best British writers of that time, including A.A. Milne, Arthur Conan Doyle and others.

It was an interesting book but my cursory knowledge of cricket was certainly tested, and I had to look up some of the terminology. The book was extensively researched - which took away from it at times because I felt it diverged at places - but it also showed what life was like outside of cricket to Barrie, including the effects of WWI on these authors and Barrie’s connection to them. It was also funny that the name that was chosen - Allahakbarries - was a mistaken belief that Allah Akbar meant “Heaven help us,” rather than “God is great.”

My next book that I just started is “To Every Thing a Season,” about Shibe Park and the surrounding area. As I stated in an earlier post I have a desire to see a game from this park on video (I have a number of radio broadcasts) and this book, written by a Penn professor, examines the socioeconomic reasons for its decline. This goes beyond just the games, so it’s a read that I look forward to getting into.

 

Reading this now based on this recommendation. Very easy read. I remember seeing SRV on ACL in about 1984 because my brothers were into him. He was so pale and sweaty, I thought he was 40 years old. Now I fully understand why.

The Bowie story was very interesting. I think Vaughan handled it correctly.

 

Nile Rodgers, who produced the Bowie album and also did the Vaughan Brothers album, talks about it in his book, which is also very highly recommended.

 

Can you give me his take on it in a nutshell?

Seems like it was basically an untenable situation for SRV to release an album but also be touring as a member of Bowie’s band. Timing doesn’t work.

Maybe Bowie’s people took an extreme stance about locking his interviews down, but I can understand it.

 

I’m reading this book as well, definitely worthwhile. Never did see him but have “Live at the El Mocambo” to get my SRV fix whenever I need it.”Voodoo Child” of the DVD is one of the greatest guitar workouts I’ve seen. Mesmerizing.

 

I saw SRV five times in the Toronto area but alas, was not at that El Mo show. My fave SRV track is probably the live version of "Texas Flood" from the Montreaux show that brought him to Bowie's attention.

 

A friend gave me Thomas King's "Indians on Vacation" and "Sufferance" and I became a total fan. Just finished "The Back of the Turtle" and "The Inconvenient Indian". The love affair continues. Great writer.

 

When SRV was playing Austin City Limits in 1989, he was doing Look at Little Sister. About three minutes into the song, a guitar string broke. He switched instruments without missing a beat.

 

Every time I watch the scene in "Private Parts" in which Stern is driving across the bridge into Manhattan, I think of Bowie and Stevie Ray.