- Hardcover: 160 pages
- Publisher: New Holland Publishers Ltd (30 Sep 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1843307294
- ISBN-13: 978-1843307297
- Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 16 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 538,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
However, as is the way with popular culture, the bubble eventually burst. The Hit Factory is an account of this exciting journey from the perspective of Mike Stock, one third of the hit-making triumvirate. From his early life to the early days of SAW, writing for the Eurovision Song contest and their first hit with Dead Or Alive in 1984, through to that fateful first meeting with Kylie and the halcyon days of 1989, the book also goes on to relate the darker side of being so successful - and where things started to go wrong. It is candid, revealing and sometimes shocking, exploring uncharted territory and exploding the myths about a seemingly jolly scenario.
About the Author
Mike Stock is still a record producer, having founded Better The Devil (BTD) Records and launching the pop project the Fast Food Rockers. He lives in London and Sussex.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating but badly edited.,
By
This review is from: The Hit Factory: The Stock, Aitken and Waterman Story (Hardcover)
Towards the end of the book Mike thanks two people for taking what he had written and organising it. I wish that they had done a better job. The book is packed with interesting information, but it needs ordering properly. Topics veer all over the place in a disjointed manner.
Not to worry. The book is still fascinating and draws the reader in because there's the climb up to the peak and then the decline. Several restarts are described and they were sucessful in their own way. In the end Mike Stock does come across as a bit too bitter and sure that the way he thinks of pop music is the only right way. I could sympathise with the rants against the music business, but some of it just sounds too bitter. The music scene changed; dance music came and changed a lot of things. Not everyone wants a 3 minute pop song from a hit factory. Overall, even though I don't like a lot of the SAW songs I still appreciate what they did. The work rate was astounding and I have a soft spot for a good pop record. I've been listening to loads on Youtube and some of the Sonia songs are masterpieces. At the time I thought that Sonia was really naff. I don't care about that any more. If you're interested in how SAW operated and how their main song writer thought then this book will not disappoint you.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You have to grab the tune and drive it.,
By
This review is from: The Hit Factory: The Stock, Aitken and Waterman Story (Hardcover)
Mike Stock came from humble beginnings and created a career for himself by playing in pubs and clubs. He learnt a few lessons on the way up such as play what the public want such as the Birdie song not just to please yourself. If you learn anything from this book that is it. How many people decry popular success and say that they only admire more worthy work such as rock. " We were there to entertain. It was another important lesson: if you want to play your own stuff, fine ,do it in your bedroom- don't charge people money just to indulge yourself." He decided that song writing was his forte and joined up with Pete Waterman and he liked his salesmanship. "Pete's job was to keep supplying us with work and putting us in touch with artists " He expanded on the theme of what people think is acceptable. These groups would have hits that were totally manufactured by SAW and then they would listen to their "mates down the pub" they would say I want to do something heavier not this pop stuff. None of their so called mates was ever successful. They just had ordinary jobs but they had opinions about music. He recorded with some of the best such as Cliff Richard and Paul McCartney and he said that Donna Summer was the best singer he worked with. You have to grab the tune and drive it. It was a good insight in to the pop music industry but I would have suspected a lot of it. He gives his top ten rules for survival in the great game of pop. 1 Don't believe your own publicity 2 Don't listen to friends down the pub 3 Don't change producer 4 Don't try to be sexy 5 Don't go pole vaulting that is keep working 6 If you are British don't pretend to be American 7 Remember no journalist is your friend 8 count the pennies 9 Watch out for the taxman 10 Get yourself an adviser your can trust These ten rules applies to most business but more so to the music industry. It always amazes me that groups who do well then disappear after their success and never return however much effort they make Banarama are doing it at the moment but that is 20 plus years after their hits. I will look up his groups on YouTube as I liked most of them and now we can be nostalgic about the 80s. Only Kylie stills seems to be going strong. If I had any criticism of the book is that he repeats more than once how he was hard done by but he broke some of his own rules by not securing the rights to all his work so when Pete Waterman sold out he sold work that Mike stock had created. All in all a great book as it tells you all you need to know about the music industry . If you are unsuccessful you are ignored and it you are successful you are reviled and people envy your success. Maybe that is all about being British. Take the money and enjoy it don't spend your life trying to justify it you will only be deified when you are long dead. I will read Pete Waterman's version of events and let you know
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
King of Hits,
By
This review is from: The Hit Factory: The Stock, Aitken and Waterman Story (Hardcover)
Mike Stock is the guy who wrote the hits and should be given the credit he deserves,this book is frank,and I believe an honest account of the SAW days and,if you've read Pete Waterman's autobiography this is an essential read,as it highlights the internal wranglings of the three guys from another perspective,from the perspective of the multi-talented guy who wrote all the hits,it's a great book and Mike Stock is the REAL hitmaker.He alludes to current programmes like Pop Idol so it's a very current book and anyone wishing to perform or aspire to write a hit record should buy a copy,a fascinating insight into the pop industry and sometimes a rather disturbing one.
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