Hellfire

[peterchecksfield]

For those who didn't buy it first time round...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/o/ASIN/0141030755/ref=s9_asin_title-1966_p/202-9126062-2572616?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=right-2&pf_rd_r=1Q8RSX260CGFASE52838&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=139297691&pf_rd_i=468294

[Perk]

Does anyone remember how the original cover looks like?

Perk

[flip54]

The UK Plexus paperback and hardback had a different 50s shot to the 1982 US Dell paperback (a tinted blue n gold shot of JLL and mike standing on piano Cafe De Paris NY City 58), was there a US hardback?

Phil

[Perk]

When you mention it Phil, i remember that cover, though i only saw it on a picture in Fireball mail. A very good book in my opinion!

I think the three books i looked through the most is this one, Chas Whites and Paul Macphails. Not counting Wim´s Breathless - The JLL LP album guide ; )

Perk

[bailbath]

Here is a scan of my copy which I reread recently it is a little dog ear'd.

I didn't think it was as good now as when I read it first.It is out of date now and I wonder if the new issue is updated.It was published in 1982 a quarter of a century ago!!!!!!!
IAN

[Perk]

I don´t see the book as something that can be updated, it would ruin it.
It´s not a "facts" book, it´s rather a story about Jerry´s inner struggles etc. Probably one of the best of it´s kind ever written.

Perk

Here´s my later issue cover ..

[bailbath]

I think a new chapter about what is going on now would be ok.As I said I have reread it recently and it was a bit of a anti climax to be honest.Maybe I built it up too much in my mind.

IAN

[peterchecksfield]

I agree with Ian, I re-read it a while back & it just sort of fades out circa 1980. So there's no nearly dying in hospital, no marriage & death of Shawn, no marriage & having a son with Kerrie, no GBOF movie, no moving to Ireland, no having his best selling album at 71 years of age...

The book could quite easile be twice the length now (maybe the best thing is for him to write a part two as Peter Garulnick did with his Elvis books).

Peter

[Perk]

I get the point, but i see the book completely different. Almost like how to update the bible? Not that i belivie in the bible but the same.

I think for updating, a new "facts" book would do the thing!

Perk

[flip54]

Tosches doesn't write straight biographies ala Peter Guralnick but tries to get into the mind or personality he's writing about and constructs a noiresque style, almost like a musical James Ellroy, as well as the JLL his books on diverse Americans like Sonny Liston (Night Train) and Dean martin (Dino) are equally enjoyable. There's also a Tosches Reader which is worth checking out

The passge of time does make books seem dated, I re-read Jerry Hopkins pioneering Elvis right thru the 70s and the original Catalyst by Hawkins and Escott got me thru boring college work but the likes of Guralnick (and also Escott solo) have advanced the cut and paste of musical biographies (or the salaciousness of a twat like Goldman)to a high critical and best seller status

This book would've made a great Scorcese movie with a method man like De Niro or Sean Penn playing the Killer. I recently watched Quaid in films like Tombstone and All American and he was pretty good but his Jerry Lewis styled Killer still makes me shudder

Flip

[Perk]

Well Peter Guralnick does write good! I got the "Feel Like Going Home" & "Lost High Way", books. (I bought them all in Memphis by the way).

But to compare Peter to Nick in "Hellfire", that´s strange to me!

Perk ; )

[flip54]

Peter Guralnick is simply the bext factual music writer in the world period. Both Robert Gordon and Prof Charles Wolfe talked about him as the gold standard of music writing

I've met him several times and he;s charming ,erudite and measured in his comments. His researching and cross checking are most diligent. I have all his books including his blues novel, and his guide to blues which was my early introduction to that genre. His book on Sam Cooke was a masterpiece and the Elvis books will never be bettered, I even have them on audio tapes. Best listened to with the contemporary music playing in the background (and a bottle of Jack)

Also a fine producer doing some great albums with Sleepy LaBeef, about whom he wrote a brilliant piece in Lost Highway, my favourite all time book

I look forward to his next project. Always hoped he'd do the definitive Sam Phillips story

Flip

ps he mentioned Nicks Cohn & Tosches as being great writers also

[Andrew McRae]

I agree that Peter Guralnick is the top man the field. Not least of the disappointments associated with the lack of Grammy academy recognition for "Last Man Standing" was the fact that his essay in the booklet didn't get nominated in the related category.

PG's "Sweet Soul Music" is an essential reference, and undoubtedly the best written introduction to southern/country soul music you could wish for. One day I hope he'll expand on some of the contents of this work and write a definitive biography of Solomon Burke.

Andrew

[Benny]

I agree with Perk. I think it's pretty much a finished product. I only have a German edition, but might pick up the English one sometime. Tosches is a great writer, not 100% factual and complete, but a lot of atmosphere and feeling. My favorite book about music is his "Unsung Heroes of Rock'n'Roll", I also like "Country - The Twisted Roots of Rock'n'Roll".

Haven't read anything by Guralnick yet. My favorite factual writer is Colin Escott, he would also be a good candidate in writing a more complete biography on Jerry, like he did on Hank Williams. Right now I'm reading his (& Martin Hawkins) "Good Rockin' Tonight"..

[peterchecksfield]

Haven't read anything by Guralnick yet. My favorite factual writer is Colin Escott, he would also be a good candidate in writing a more complete biography on Jerry, like he did on Hank Williams. Right now I'm reading his (& Martin Hawkins) "Good Rockin' Tonight"..

I used to admire Colin Escott's work, but it seems that he's not quite as "factual" as I once thought, & he often presents pure guesswork as "facts". I know that Billy Lee Riley is very critical of him.