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Check for Availabilityout of stock. Click on the button below to search for this title in other formats.  More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionseBook editionsThe Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:“A fascinating look into the West Coast recording studio scene of the 60s and the inside story of the music you heard on the radio. If you always assumed the musicians you listened to were the same people you saw onstage, you are in for a big surprise!” —Dusty Street, host of Classic Vinyl on Sirius XM Satellite Radio If you were a fan of popular music in the 1960s and early 70s, you were a fan of the Wrecking Crew—whether you knew it or not. On hit record after hit record by everyone from the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Monkees to the Grass Roots, the 5th Dimension, Sonny & Cher, and Simon & Garfunkel, this collection of West Coast studio musicians from diverse backgrounds established themselves as the driving sound of pop music—sometimes over the objection of actual band members forced to make way for Wrecking Crew members. Industry insider Kent Hartman tells the dramatic, definitive story of the musicians who forged a reputation throughout the business as the secret weapons behind the top recording stars. Mining invaluable interviews, the author follows the careers of such session masters as drummer Hal Blaine and keyboardist Larry Knechtel, as well as trailblazing bassist Carol Kaye—the only female in the bunch—who went on to play in thousands of recording sessions. Readers will discover the Wrecking Crew members who would forge careers in their own right, including Glen Campbell and Leon Russell, and learn of the relationship between the Crew and such legends as Phil Spector and Jimmy Webb. Hartman also takes us inside the studio for the legendary sessions that gave us Pet Sounds, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and the rock classic “Layla,” which Wrecking Crew drummer Jim Gordon cowrote with Eric Clapton for Derek and the Dominos. And the author recounts priceless scenes such as Mike Nesmith of the Monkees facing off with studio head Don Kirshner, Grass Roots lead guitarist (and future star of The Office) Creed Bratton getting fired from the group, and Michel Rubini unseating Frank Sinatras pianist for the session in which the iconic singer improvised the hit-making ending to “Strangers in the Night.” The Wrecking Crew tells the collective, behind-the-scenes stories of the artists who dominated Top 40 radio during the most exciting time in American popular culture. Review:"From 1962 to 1975, one group of studio players, the Wrecking Crew, provided the tracks for records as various as 'He's a Rebel,' 'Surfer Girl,' 'California Dreamin',' 'MacArthur Park,' 'Classical Gas,' and 'Bridge over Troubled Water.' Industry insider Hartman opens our eyes to this fascinating group of musicians, tracing the careers of three members of this group — Glen Campbell, Carol Smith, Hal Blaine — who shared little more than an innate inner drive, musical talent, and a work ethic shaped by grinding poverty. Campbell, for example, lit out on the road when he was 13 to play guitar. Eight years later, Campbell joined the Champs, whose 'Limbo Rock' Chubby Checker would soon record as 'The Twist.' In 1962, Phil Spector gathered Campbell, Smith, Blaine, Billy Strange, Bill Pitman, and seven other highly skilled session musicians to lay down the tracks for 'Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah,' added the voices of Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, and a #1 record and the Wrecking Crew were born. Hartman also traces the work of later members of the Crew such as Leon Russell, Larry Knechtel, and Jim Gordon, as well as the successful solo careers of Campbell and Russell. Hartman's fast-paced tale offers dazzling insights into a little known chapter of rock and roll history." Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. Synopsis:Part Hit Men and part Laurel Canyon, this hidden history of rock and roll chronicles the uncredited studio musicians who provided the soundtrack for a generation. If you listened to radio in the 1960s and '70s, you listened to the Wrecking Crew. On hit record after hit record by everyone from The Byrds to the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, Simon & Garfunkel, the Fifth Dimension, and Frank Sinatra, this motley group of west coast studio musicians established themselves as the driving force of the pop music industry—sometimes over the objection of actual band members who were forced to make way for Wrecking Crew musicians in the studio. Building off his eye-opening article for American Heritage, industry insider Kent Hartmann tells the definitive story of the group that dared play "long hair" music before it was socially acceptable. He follows the recording careers of such musicians as drummer Hal Blaine and trailblazing bassist Carol Kaye, as well as those who went on to fame in their own write, including Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, and Jim Gordon (who co-wrote "Layla" with Eric Clapton). The Wrecking Crew tells the collective, behind-the-scenes stories of the artists who dominated the sounds of Top 40 radio during the most creative era in American music culture. About the AuthorKENT HARTMAN is a longtime music industry entrepreneur who has worked with dozens of well-known artists, including Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf, Hall & Oates, Counting Crows, and Lyle Lovett. He has written for American Heritage, The Oregonian, and Portland Tribune. Hartman teaches marketing at Portland State University and for several years produced The Classic Comedy Break, a nationwide radio feature. He lives in Portland. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!Average customer rating based on 3 comments: 
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Arts and Entertainment » Music » Genres and Styles » Rock
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