| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| billgoodman |
Posted - 10/07/2004 : 03:30:20
almost there, pre-order here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/184449490X/qid=1097144282/sr=8-13/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i13_xgl14/002-4852845-7364068?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
 "I joined the Cult of Serge/'Cause he invented indierock before Frank did" |
| 35 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Carl |
Posted - 07/12/2005 : 04:20:24
'Fictional male fan?' I see a pattern a developing here. And a serious problem with Mr. Mendelssohn! |
| qrter |
Posted - 07/11/2005 : 20:37:54
funny thing is Mendelssohn wrote another book called "Waiting for Kate Bush" - see this description from play.com:
quote:
This hybrid of satirical comic novel and music biography has two heroes - a fictional male fan and the object of his obsession: the wildly eccentric chanteuse Kate Bush. 'Waiting for Kate Bush' is both a novel and an incidental portrait of the singer's wilderness years after her last album.
sound familiar..? |
| fbc |
Posted - 06/19/2005 : 09:54:38
it was just a waste of paper, ink and subject.
i mean, a book about the Pixies AND frank black should be such an inspiring and amazing read. especially to folk like us
but alas
 |
| qrter |
Posted - 06/19/2005 : 08:01:17
yeah, I'm a Frank fan too. I noticed basically everyone thinks it's crap. which it is! |
| fbc |
Posted - 06/18/2005 : 02:17:47
Yeah, nice one qrter.
hopefully it will put a few people off.
quote:
I just started visiting this forum to see what other Pixies fans have been writing about Mendelssohn's book.
you should read what the frank fans think too. we think it's shit!
|
| Carl |
Posted - 06/17/2005 : 20:54:11
Good for you. |
| qrter |
Posted - 06/17/2005 : 19:56:33
Hey all,
I just started visiting this forum to see what other Pixies fans have been writing about Mendelssohn's book.
Here's what I submitted to Amazon.com a week ago:
quote:
Bad Music Journalism in Book Form
I was terribly disappointed by this book, to say the least. This book isn't about the Pixies, it's about Mendelssohn and especially his terrible writing. The book contains everything that can be bad about music journalism: an author who constantly is trying to be wry and witty (but just comes of as forced and very repetative), thinks we read the book because he has written it (therefore trying to be An Author, again just resulting in forced prose) and not because of the subject and mistakenly thinking the reading public actually cares what he thinks about the subject. Mendelssohn likes to pull a quote from an interview he has found and then reacting directly to what Black says there - not only is the quote taken completely out of context but Black obviously has no chance to react. He uses this to hammer home his opinions on Black's music. I can't tell you how sick I got of hearing how Mendelssohn doesn't approve of Black's decision to record to stereo in his Catholics-years. Again and again and again we get to read this. I might not like this decision either, but it is Black's decision and what is the point in going on and on about it? It doesn't tell the reader anything.
This combined with the completely uninteresting story of a fictional character called Vicky, makes for a grating read at best.
If you enjoy your music journalism as devoid of bloated ego-prattle as possible, if you are enthusiastic about Frank Blacks music (be it solo are during the Pixies), if you care about readable writing, if you'd like to read about the subject being indicated in the title and NOT just about the writer trying desperately to impress you..
Avoid.
|
| Carl |
Posted - 06/15/2005 : 18:12:38
Yep. And unfortunatly, we're not getting any intimate Pixies shows over here. They played Phoenix Park last year supporting RHCPs, now they're playing our national stadium! I'm really complaining, though..hope the sound will be okay!! |
| prozacrat |
Posted - 06/15/2005 : 16:32:22
I think that's a bit of an understatement. The majority of stadium shows could, musically, hardly hold a candle to most bands that play in clubs. At least that's been my experience. |
| Carl |
Posted - 06/10/2005 : 20:17:13
It's like because they're not playing stadiums they're less relevent as a live band. Which is total arse. |
| prozacrat |
Posted - 06/08/2005 : 23:13:35
If I had any respect for the guy, I'd feel offended by his cheap jab at both Frank and my home state. I read a brief bit of it again at a bookstore, and happened to find him referring to FB&TC playing a show in Sioux Falls, SD and then a few days later in Boise, ID. He then said "Oh, the glamor." I happened to be at the Sioux Falls show, and the audience loved it, and the band loved it, from what I could tell. I guess unless you're selling out arenas playing catchy Top 40 tunes, you're a failure. It's looked like the guy has written plenty of other stuff, some of which looks like it got good reviews, but I don't see how that's possible. He probably wrote the reviews himself. |
| Carl |
Posted - 06/07/2005 : 09:13:50
Never trust a man who makes typos!
Having said that, I love Talosocrazy too! |
| toeknee |
Posted - 06/07/2005 : 05:39:32
I believe he calls one song ('Thalassocracy') 'Thalossacracy' and then 'Thalossocracy'.
I mean, get a fucking education! 'Thalassa' = Greek word for sea. |
| prozacrat |
Posted - 05/23/2005 : 12:33:47
I read this in a review at amazon.com:
"When he talks about Frank Black's solo material (which I think is excellent) all he does is insult it, without giving proper reasons. Then he has the audacity to make production suggestions, like how the cymbals should be quieter, etc... He also at one point says how Frank's melodies should fit more into specific spaces in the song structures. He actually quotes a song and offers a "better" word for a line in the verses, so that the lyric will "fit" better and not sound as original. You have to read it to believe it. But DON'T, because it will be a huge waste of your time. "
Is this true? Would somebody actually do this? I'm not just saying this as a Frank Black fan. Would somebody actually make suggestion to improve someone else's lyrics? I can understand a bandmate or friend of mine proffering some suggestions while I'm still working on one of my songs, but if you've been writing songs as long as Frank has, it just makes no sense for somebody (especially somebody not really interested in the music) to be telling him how he should write. This guy needs to go back to listening to N'Sync and Ashlee Simpson, where nobody's overweight and all the lyrics suit the current trends. Sheesh. |
| Adam |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 09:53:35
Ok, up to the Dog years. Am I mistaken, or did JM kinda give this album a decent review?
Free the Heel! |
| Carl |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 18:49:14
Intresting, did'nt hear about stalkers hanging around his house, but I'm sure even small cult acts get a few nutters banging on they're door.
"Tainted"-'taint a bad word!!
"Tainted love, etc.!" |
| fbc |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 10:25:22
The 'Her Perf' parts are all filler, but I do wonder John's facts and the little details concerning the paragraph about the fans stalking FB's home.
I'm like you Adam, skipped most of the fictional shit, but also found some nice info on FB and the band. That's the confusing thing, some decent stuff tainted (forum word of the week) by the majority.
And still we wait for a decent book on the music, not the waistlines, the music. |
| Adam |
Posted - 05/16/2005 : 09:36:32
Ok, I've made it to the ST/TOYT years of the book where jm just starts thrashing "our hero". THere really is no point to it whatsoever. I have picked up a few new pieces of info from the book, though.
Free the Heel! |
| Carl |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 19:20:20
There should be sitcom starring FB and Mendelssohn, called the Frank And John show, where the two live together like a kind of 'Odd Couple', and are at loggerheads all the time, with JM constantly starting new, slanderous, books about Pixies/FB. And everytime John writes a new bio, Frank screams from the other room: "Mendelssooooohn!!", and the audience whoops! |
| Daisy Girl |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 19:31:31
yeah. i actually meant to put an extra many in. 
but i am not writing a book right now either! |
| floop |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 19:26:11
quote:
Originally posted by Daisy Girl
there could be many, more.
is that comma a typo?
I guess floop WAS right!
|
| Daisy Girl |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 19:22:57
quote:
Originally posted by Carl
What typo typos? :D
well that would make me read the whole darn thing again... and to be honest my free time is at a premium!
But I swear there were at least three. Plus, I didn't read that fan mumbo jumbo, so there could be many, more. |
| Adam |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 09:13:23
Ok, I've gotten to the part where he starts making little comments about Franks build and Kims voice. Also decided to skip the adventures of Her Perf, because I don't care what she is up to.
Free the Heel! |
| Carl |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 16:42:54
What typo typos? :D |
| floop |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 15:16:01
I fucking hate it when boks have typos! |
| Daisy Girl |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 15:13:30
quote:
Originally posted by Mickey
the fact that this guy does'nt like the Pixies (especially Frank) really isn't the thing that frustrates me. What frustrates me is that I spent $20.00 on something that is so poorly written that it feels like a zine put out by a couple of 15 year olds.
Plus it's very poorly researched. I can look through article archives and use google too, bro!
-Mickey
Yeah, the book actually had some typos, too. |
| Carl |
Posted - 05/10/2005 : 18:15:33
I hav'nt read it!! |
| floop |
Posted - 05/10/2005 : 17:40:48
so would you guys say you liked John Mendelssohn's book, or disliked it? |
| Carl |
Posted - 05/10/2005 : 17:39:17
WE can write a better book!! I want this Mendelssohn's head on a plate! |
| Mickey |
Posted - 05/09/2005 : 22:48:04
the fact that this guy does'nt like the Pixies (especially Frank) really isn't the thing that frustrates me. What frustrates me is that I spent $20.00 on something that is so poorly written that it feels like a zine put out by a couple of 15 year olds.
Plus it's very poorly researched. I can look through article archives and use google too, bro!
-Mickey |
| Daisy Girl |
Posted - 05/09/2005 : 22:11:09
Yeah, trust me I wish I would have bought a Pixiesdisc instead  |
| fbc |
Posted - 05/09/2005 : 10:47:19
i'm sure i've posted this before, but it must have been the new crappy book thread. still relevant here.
http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11577&whichpage=1
this is a thread that happened months ago, and if you can be arsed to look, you may find some quotes from the book that aren't exactly favourable*. All be it just one man's opinion, but still, this is a book about Frank Black and the Pixies.
[*edit - i didn't want a book in favour or out of favour of the music, just one that delved deep into the history, gave us the facts, some nice quotes and additional info to the already known) |
| fbc |
Posted - 05/09/2005 : 10:35:48
Away from the pointless fictional fan chapters, check out the part of the book after the bands split. Look at the FB solo shit. You see? |
| Adam |
Posted - 05/09/2005 : 10:02:22
I'M UP TO CHAPTER 5. SO FAR I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH ANYTHING. WHEN DOES ALL THIS THRASHING OF THE BAND COME IN?
Free the Heel! |
| Daisy Girl |
Posted - 05/07/2005 : 17:53:39
yeah, I thought about using it as TP, but it's too rough. |
