- Hardcover: 592 pages
- Publisher: Desert Hearts (1 Sep 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 189894802X
- ISBN-13: 978-1898948025
- Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 16.2 x 5.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
521,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #46 in Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Instruments > Electronic Instruments
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Product Description
Product Description
Meet the world s first true sampler. The Mellotron stunned the music world when it was launched in 1963 by offering any sound you wanted, from a symphony orchestra or church choir to samba combo or rock n roll drums. Featured in this volume are some of the musicians (not all of them keyboardists) who spotted its potential and ran with it, many of them confessing to having a love-hate relationship due to the Mellotron's extremely eccentric mechanics. Featured are: Tony Banks (Genesis), Mike Pinder (Moody Blues), Ian McDonald (King Crimson, Foreigner), Woolly Wolstenholme (Barclay James Harvest), Greg Lake (King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer), John Wetton (King Crimson, UK, Asia), Nick Magnus (Autumn, Steve Hackett Band), Martin Orford (IQ, Jadis), Roine Stolt (Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Tangent), Jakko Jakszyk (Level 42, 21st Century Schizoid Band, Tangent), John Hawken (Renaissance, Strawbs), Doug Rayburn (Pavlov s Dog), Tony Clarke (Moody Blues), David Cross (King Crimson), Dave Cousins (Strawbs), Blue Weaver (Strawbs, Bee Gees), Robert Kirby (Strawbs), Robert Webb (England), Dave Gregory (XTC), Andy McCluskey (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark). Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson) provides a drummer s view of working with four classic Mellotron bands, and there are perspectives from Geoff Unwin, the first Mellotronics demonstrator, John Bradley & Martin Smith of Streetly Electronics, the original makers of the Mellotron, and Planet Mellotron's Andy Thompson.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Anyone interested in the mellotron and its use, from the early 60s to the present, will enjoy this huge book, which is quite good value at the cover price. However, it is poorly edited and full of grammatical errors. It is printed on rough paper (hence the modest price) such that the many black and white photos lack both sharpness and clarity.
Whilst the interviews with various musicians contain snippets of fascinating information, there is too much repetition of information about how the mellotron worked - I lost count of how many references were made to the fact that the instrument did not have tape loops but a single tape that allowed notes to be played continuously for 8 seconds before re-winding. Just one example of the poor editing is in the interview with John Hawkwen on page 306 where at the top of the page it is written "It was the Renaissance connection that did it for me with the Strawbs" and then five sentences later "..it was probably the Renaissance thing that clicked with the Strawbs".
The organization of the book is also unusual. At the start of the book only two pages are devoted to technical information and explanation about how the mellotron is constructed and works (out of about 600 pages in total) and this is followed by a section describing the musical context of the mellotron and the "progressive rock" genre.
Then, the interviews with various key musicianss are presented (although, sadly, Rick Wakeman is absent). These interviews are only partly about the mellotron, with a great deal of space devoted to childhood influences, early band experiences etc. The general consensus amongst these musicians seems to be that they loved the mellotron sound but didn't care too much for the instrument itself as it was too temperamental (especially when touring) and was little more that a large, cumbersome tape player.
Then there is an end section, in smaller font, which provides some more discussion about the "Golden age of the mellotron", "Ingredients for the golden age", "Musical traditions on both sides of the Atlantic divide" etc, followed by a useful section on additional sources of information.
In summary, this is a quirky book which gives the impression of having been compiled from the information researched, rather than written as a coherent and consistent narrative. Certainly, the beginning and end sections could have been combined in order to provide a more comprehensive perspective on this instrument that helped define the music of the 60s and 70s. Perhaps this will be done in a subsquent edition?
Whilst the interviews with various musicians contain snippets of fascinating information, there is too much repetition of information about how the mellotron worked - I lost count of how many references were made to the fact that the instrument did not have tape loops but a single tape that allowed notes to be played continuously for 8 seconds before re-winding. Just one example of the poor editing is in the interview with John Hawkwen on page 306 where at the top of the page it is written "It was the Renaissance connection that did it for me with the Strawbs" and then five sentences later "..it was probably the Renaissance thing that clicked with the Strawbs".
The organization of the book is also unusual. At the start of the book only two pages are devoted to technical information and explanation about how the mellotron is constructed and works (out of about 600 pages in total) and this is followed by a section describing the musical context of the mellotron and the "progressive rock" genre.
Then, the interviews with various key musicianss are presented (although, sadly, Rick Wakeman is absent). These interviews are only partly about the mellotron, with a great deal of space devoted to childhood influences, early band experiences etc. The general consensus amongst these musicians seems to be that they loved the mellotron sound but didn't care too much for the instrument itself as it was too temperamental (especially when touring) and was little more that a large, cumbersome tape player.
Then there is an end section, in smaller font, which provides some more discussion about the "Golden age of the mellotron", "Ingredients for the golden age", "Musical traditions on both sides of the Atlantic divide" etc, followed by a useful section on additional sources of information.
In summary, this is a quirky book which gives the impression of having been compiled from the information researched, rather than written as a coherent and consistent narrative. Certainly, the beginning and end sections could have been combined in order to provide a more comprehensive perspective on this instrument that helped define the music of the 60s and 70s. Perhaps this will be done in a subsquent edition?
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Nick Awde's "Mellotron" is an excellent read for anyone interested in classic, late 1960s and 1970s British rock, particularly for those fans of some of the bands now most famously associated with the "progressive" movement - Genesis, King Crimson, Yes, Moody Blues, Strawbs and Barclay James Harvest to name a few. The resurgence of interest in the Mellotron from the 1990s onward is also covered, with insights provided by the leading exponents of today.
The book comes in at nearly 600 pages but is written in an easy and informative style that makes it absorbing to read and difficult to put down.
It is a well structured book. Awde and Planet Mellotron's Andy Thompson present overviews of the Mellotron's significance to the rock movement in Britain and America, but the main bulk of the book is taken up with lengthy (but extremely interesting) interviews with some of the major musicians of the late 60s/early 70s generation, as well as with a host of new exponents such as The Flower Kings's Roine Stolt (also played with Transatalantic and The Tangent) and Jakko Jakszyk (Level 42, The Tangent, 21st Century Schizoid Band) . The interviews are well conducted leading to some insightful, and at times amusing, revelations.
It all makes for fascinating reading, becoming almost a social history of that era within its informative pages.
Wonderful - highly recommended!
The book comes in at nearly 600 pages but is written in an easy and informative style that makes it absorbing to read and difficult to put down.
It is a well structured book. Awde and Planet Mellotron's Andy Thompson present overviews of the Mellotron's significance to the rock movement in Britain and America, but the main bulk of the book is taken up with lengthy (but extremely interesting) interviews with some of the major musicians of the late 60s/early 70s generation, as well as with a host of new exponents such as The Flower Kings's Roine Stolt (also played with Transatalantic and The Tangent) and Jakko Jakszyk (Level 42, The Tangent, 21st Century Schizoid Band) . The interviews are well conducted leading to some insightful, and at times amusing, revelations.
It all makes for fascinating reading, becoming almost a social history of that era within its informative pages.
Wonderful - highly recommended!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A book about the signature instrument of early 70s prog rock is a wonderful idea, but this book misses the mark. In terms of content it includes interviews with leading mellotron users of the era, many of whom seem to overestimate their creative input and underestimate the appeal of the mellotron itself. Unfortunately many of the interviewees give simlar answers to the author's questions, and there is no input from key exponents including Rick Wakeman, Robert Fripp or Steve Hackett. The author mentions the influence of the mellotron but completely overlooks the uptake of the machine across European prog rock throughout the 1970s, and the resurgence of mellotron bands in Sweden in the 1990s and 2000s.
Unfortunately it soon becomes apparent that proof-reading and editing may well have been overlooked before the book was published.
Unfortunately it soon becomes apparent that proof-reading and editing may well have been overlooked before the book was published.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Mellotron
I bought this book because one of my friends used to be a keyboard player, he is interviewed in this book and I was curious as to what he had to say in print. Read more
Published 9 months ago by hiflier
A thing of beauty
This book, whatever its flaws, is indeed a thing of beauty for anyone who happens to like prog rock. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Zander Nyrond
DEAR OLD MELLOTRON
This is an absolutely must for any mellotron/progressive rock fan. A nice detailed history of the instrument, an deep description of his mechanism and very interesting interviews... Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2009 by Gerolamo Profumo
Disappointing!
At the core of this book is a number of extended interviews with musicians who have some connection with Mellotrons, but it isn't really a book about the Mellotron except as a... Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2009 by Joolz
Needed editing
An intriguing book, with lengthy interviews with many Mellotron people (sadly, some key people missing), rather longwinded and really could have done with a heavier hand in the... Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2009 by Mr. P. W. Sanders
Good stuff
Nick Awdeıs book is not just an in-depth look at rockıs most maligned keyboard, but also a brilliant study on popular music generally. Read more
Published on 24 Oct 2008 by Peter Bm Stevenson
Listmania!
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