Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Like most music fans, I knew "Closing Time" but not any other Semisonic songs. Having read this book, I now understand why. Slichter's clear explanations of the machinations of the music industry (percentage points, independent promoters, Soundscan A&R guys) gave me great insight into what actually goes on behind the scenes of our favorite songs. He chronicles the signing process, the video making process, and what it's like to go on tour (even down to a detailed explanation of the tour bus) and why some songs "hit" and some miss. The book is neither gossipy (he meets Prince but doesn't give lots of details) or boring - Slichter is a Harvard graduate and writes very well. I wish he had given us an epilogue, telling what he and his bandmates are doing now, and what happened to Coco. It also would have been fun to see a "money count" detailing just how much was spent on the band and how much they actually made back. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in going into the music business.
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