[.ca] Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra ... (ISBN 0966122100)

From Amazon.com:
The Doors, Love, Judy Collins, Tim Buckley, and Phil Ochs were all products of the nurturing environment at the Elektra Records of the '60s and early '70s. With help from coauthor Gavan Daws, the label's then head, Jac Holzman, collects his reminiscences and those of many of his cohorts in the enlightening, often hilarious Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture. This oral history follows Holzman's exploits from his days as a producer of small pressings of obscure folk music to his signing of rockers like Jim Morrison and Arthur Lee and his eventual sale of the company and subsequent departure. Before he left, though, Holzman and friends had irrevocably altered, as he says, the "recording technique, packaging, marketing and the behavioral sciences of rock and roll." --Rickey Wright

You must read this book:
Jac Holzman has given us a gift with this book, right down to the paper he chose himeself to print it on. If you have any interest in the history of recorded music, the music business, and why we listen to the music we enjoy today, you absolutely must read this book. It's not only a fascinating account of how a major record label came to be, it's a fantastic insight into what goes on behind the scenes in the very quirky world of music business. If you love music and cherish the sounds of the fifties and sixties, from folk to blues, rock to psychedelia, and you haven't read this music giant's first hand account of making so much of it happen for you, you're doing yourself a major disservice. Thank you Jac and Gavan!

The Story of Elektra Records:
Legendary music business figure Jac Holzman's historical account "Follow The Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records In The Great Years Of American Pop Culture," is newly released in paperback to coincide with Elektra's 50th anniversary. The new edition contains a CD featuring 26 pre-rock Elektra recording artists. Part social history, part secret diary, 'Follow The Music' is a marvelous history that chornicles popular culture from the folk era to The Doors, Carly Simon and Queen. Holzman founded the acclaimed record company at age 19 on $600 and turned it into one of the most important labels of all time. The stories of it's development are often wild and sometimes poingnant with insider anecdotes that are heartwarming, shocking and funny. It chronicles the modern recording industry when times were good and people had fun.

Lovingly Crafted:
I won't natter on about how great this book is: it is. The reminiscences are superb and the edition I purchased offered up a bonus CD with Elektra's pre-rock music on it that was absolutely first-rate! If there is a complaint here, it's that Holzman's left music fans high and dry by reissuing very little of Elektra's lustrous past onto CDs. I, for one, would love to hear the albums on display in Follow The Music. Cynthia Gooding, Fred Neil, Judy Henske, The Holy Modal Rounders, Ed McCurdy, Josh White, Don Nix & The Alabama State Troupers...all lovingly recalled yet without any CD reissues to enthrall a new generation. Please Mr. Holzman, if you ever read this, consider reissuing the albums that made Elektra a first rate innovator... That said, this book is a superb read and a joy to "get lost in".

Journey of 1000 miles begins with a step:
Once, in the MUSIC business, there were men and women in charge of labels who, with a combination of passion about great music, and just the right amount of business acumen, were able to nurture the explosion of musical creativity in the 60s. Jac Holzman is just such a person. The exciting and interesting story of Elektra records is told using an oral history approach; illuminating the story with a fascile balance of viewpoint. I had never heard the full story of how Love and then, The Doors, became labelmates at Elektra. There were moments in the telling of that particular story where I felt that I could almost reach out and touch the participants. FOLLOW THE MUSIC is an entertaining, engrossing, sometimes funny-sometimes tragic account of one of the titans of American music and his lovechild; whose ability to follow his dream to it's fruition has enriched us all. Oh, if we could all be so blessed. The recent failure of the modern music industry shows what happens when people who aren't committed to music and creativity are in positions of authority. Everything suffers; most of all, the music.

I doubt there is a more enoyable book about the industry:
A desire to find out more about Paul Siebel was my primary motivation in picking this up. Holzman recounts in great detail his first foray into recording and the early releases on Elektra. By the time we get to Siebel, however, the inevitable metamorphosis from MUSIC business to music BUSINESS is so advanced that individual artists and albums don't get the space that they had in the early part of the book. Although this was initially disappointing for me, Holzman's story, ideas and experiences make for a fascinating and very human tale that resonates beyond the Elektra saga. I have also read "Mansion On The Hill" (and recommend it, by the way) but I had no empathy with David Geffen or any of the corporate characters there. Holzman is the real, rare thing. It really did make me jealous of the lucky few who were in the right place at the right time and went on the journey with this inspired and ispiring guy. It's a buy!