Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fine selection of trivia, 4 Jan 2008
When it comes to popular music, you would be lucky to find a more devoted enthusiast than myself. Indeed, I have regarded myself as quite the expert on contemporary sounds, ever since I began collecting 78s in the late 60s. One of my favourites has always been Cliff Richards. It was a sad day when he parted company with backing group 'The Sillhouettes', but I shall never forget when they re-united in the 80s. There is a special atmosphere when 'slowhand' Marvin Gaye steps rhythmically from side to side, that complements Cliff's vocals perfectly (although I have to be honest and say that Cliff sounds even better alongside the Young Ones, in the Comic Relief version of 'Living Dead'). Cliff has had a number one hit in eight consecutive decades so far, but only time will tell whether 'The Peter Piper of Pop' can manage a ninth before 2010!
Anyhow, Cliff aside, my tastes are extremely varied. I am equally at home with modern day stars (like Robin Williams of 'Take Five' or ghetto-born gangster-raper MC Hammer) as with the earlier generation (such as 'Rat-pack' crooners Robert Downey jr. and Des O'Connor). Still, I should think that my favourite group will always be ABBA. To this day, I have fond recollections of the time they claimed the Eurovision title for Finland with 'Puppet on a String' (ripping the skirts off was such a radical idea!). I can honestly say that I was in tears when they later announced their decision to 'Finnish' performing together (shortly after the release of their classic valedictory album 'ABBA Gold'). Doreen has always been a big fan of Bjorn Borg, although my own favourite band-member would have to be Agnetha (Damn it! What was her surname again? It's gone now. Agnetha... Agnetha... Agnetha Christie! That's the one!).
Elsewhere, I am a big fan of the Marquis de Sade's work (especially the song 'Smooth Operator') and I continue to admire the grunge music of 'The Nirvanas'. It seems hard to believe that over twenty years have already passed since the tragic suicide of front-man Curtis Stigers (well, his famously volatile widow Courtney Pine maintains that he was actually assassinated by The Notorious B.I.G. but 'Nevermind', eh?).
[EDIT- Whoops! Forgive my foolish mistake. I didn't mean Courtney Pine. I meant Courtney Cox, of course!]
Anyhow, despite my prior level of expertise, I feel compelled to admit that I did learn a couple of new things from this volume (did you know that renowned ladies' man Elton John was christened with the name 'Dwight Yorke'?). The researchers have uncovered some excellent morsels of trivia and put them together in a slickly polished volume. One can only hazard a guess at what 'The King of Rock and Roll' Elvis Costello (as seen on the cover) was doing during those final minutes on the 'throne'. However, if he'd had this book to read then I am sure that he would have died a happy man. No toilet-library should be without a copy! Full credit to the authors for following in the footsteps of the great mockumentary band 'Spinal Cord' by managing to turn things up to eleven!
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
RAISES TRIVIA TO SUBLIME HEIGHTS, 1 Nov 2004
By A Customer
If you feel you need to know about the eleven hairiest bands in rock, eleven songs to play at your funeral or eleven songs that start with a sound effect then this is the book for you. Even if, like me, you feel your life is pretty complete without this information the book is still lively and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny. It now has a treasured place by the downstairs loo and is well worth putting on your Christmas list or buying for the anorak in your life. It is of course ONE BETTER than other books on the market..,.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Turn That Racket Down, 16 Aug 2009
Really quite a tedious little book. Given the material available its hard to see how you could lose here, but these authors manage it.
The basic idea seems to be sound. Lists of 11 items of interest (inspired of course by the famous Spinal Tap "These go up to eleven") on a particular theme, such as "Eleven reasons that Elvis is not dead".
The book simply fails to deliver at any level. I had heard most of the anecdotes before. The lists showed no great imagination and the authors display neither wit nor insight.
The only thing I can say is turn that racket down.
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