Drew Pisarra's "You're Pretty Gay" is Powerful, Engaging and Insightful

Drew Pisarra is a talented author with a strong narrative voice, a sharp wit, and a unique perspective. He’s previously displayed his knack for creating fascinating and offbeat stories and poems in works such as Publick Spanking, his first book of short stories, and Infinity Standing Up, an intense and passionate sonnet cycle which boldly examines the ups and downs of a modern relationship. You’re Pretty Gay, his latest collection of short fiction, is a finely honed and keenly observed set of stories which examine the queer experience from a variety of settings and viewpoints.

Speaking in Pisarra's sardonic voice, the narrator of these absorbing tales goes from suffering the slings and arrows of a bully, dealing with questions of his sexuality, to quite literally consuming the photos of a departed family member. These superbly written vignettes deal with love, lust, loss, joy, sadness and discovering your sexual identity in a world that pretty much wants to push (and sometimes shove) you into a pre-defined category. The outstanding and well-crafted stories in You’re Pretty Gay are refreshing, challenging and unpredictable.

Pisarra’s style is engaging and accessible, and his work is insightful, poignant, funny and illuminating. His prose can be razor sharp, and he pulls no punches, but that's one of his greatest strengths as a writer.  We're able to empathize with the narrator/main character throughout these tales precisely because the emotions on display in these pages are so raw and honest. Stories such as "The Hat from Hell," "Flashes of the Future," and "Dating Games: Silver Edition," will certainly delight, inspire and (perhaps) shock you just a little bit, and you won't soon forget them.

The book will be released by Chaffinch Press on June 25. You can learn more by following this link: https://chaffinchpress.com. Drew Pisarra is an award-winning poet and playwright who has toured the country with his monologues, worked in the television industry, and has also been part of the installation art duo Saint Flashlight with Molly Gross. The powerful stories in You’re Pretty Gay will challenge your pre-conceived notions of storytelling, and open your eyes to different perspectives about life, family and sexuality. If you haven't yet explored Pisarra's work, You're Pretty Gay is a pretty fine place to start.

Jim Steinman Walks the "Streets of Fire"

Jim Steinman, who passed away recently, was the master of over the top, emotion-filled pop/rock songs. Steinman struck gold with his long-standing collaboration with Meat Loaf on albums like the unforgettable Bat Out of Hell. He also produced and penned hits for Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, and Sisters of Mercy, among others. “Too much is never enough” was always the mantra in Steinman’s musical oeuvre. One of the best showcases for his work was the movie Streets of Fire, which was released in 1984. The film was directed by Walter Hill, who also helmed The Warriors and The Long Riders. Hill had just scored a major hit with 48 Hours, which co-starred Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, so he was a hot property in Hollywood at the time. Hill conceived a story that featured all the things he wanted to see in a movie; lots of action, car chases, motorcycles, and a damsel in distress who is saved by a tough guy anti-hero, all set to a pulsating rock soundtrack.

Originally titled The Adventures of Tom Cody, Hill and screenplay co-author Larry Gross shaped Hill’s concept into a “Rock & Roll Fable” set in “Another, Time, Another Place,” a world that entwined the look of a retro 1950s biker flick fused with the cool vibe and flashy visuals of 1980s music videos. The film tells the story of rock singer Ellen Aim, who’s kidnapped by a gang led by the villainous Raven Shaddock. Her former flame, war veteran Tom Cody, leads a ragtag group of heroes to rescue her, including Billy Fish, Ellen’s manager and current boyfriend, the tough talking female soldier of fortune McCoy, and Tom’s sister Reva. After they track Raven and his gang through the neon streets and rock and roll nights of the city, Tom manages to recue Ellen. But the vengeful Raven wants revenge. He demands a mano a mano showdown with Tom, or he and his gang will cause death and destruction across town.

 The amazing production design and kinetic visuals of the movie, courtesy of noted cinematographer Andrew Lazlo, give the film a look that was unique at the time. Streets of Fire definitely influenced subsequent movies and television shows, and its visionary style holds up well today. The cast includes Michael Pare as Cody, Diane Lane as Ellen Aim, Willem Dafoe as Raven, Rick Moranis as Billy and a fantastic supporting turn from Amy Madigan as McCoy. The part of McCoy was originally written for a man, but when Madigan tested for the part of Tom’s sister, she told director Hill she felt she could play McCoy (then called Mendez in the script), and that it would be really effective to showcase a woman in the role. Madigan turned out to be right, and her performance is one of the highlights of the film, which is an entertaining blend of genres, including Westerns, action movies, biker flicks and an MTV styled rock musical.

 

Speaking of music, Streets of Fire features tunes written by Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers band-mate Benmont Tench, Ry Cooder and Dan Hartman, whose song “I Can Dream About You” became a big hit during the time of the film’s original release. But the songs that perfectly encapsulate what Streets of Fire is all about are a pair of tunes written by Jim Steinman. Originally, Hill wanted to use Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Fire” in the film’s finale, and a sequence was filmed with Diane Lane’s character Ellen Aim performing the song. Negotiations with Springsteen broke down, so Hill and his crew turned to Steinman, who’d written a song called “Nowhere Fast,” which was set to open the film. He composed “Tonight It Was It Means To Be Young” a typically Steinman-esque power rocker, in just two days. The song has all the things we love about Steinman’s music all rolled into a glorious seven minute, over the top, rock and roll epic. The producers loved it so much they spent additional money to re-shoot the closing sequence with Lane lip-syncing the song to vocals by the group Fire, Inc. who had also contributed to “Nowhere Fast.” Fire, Inc. wasn’t an actual band, but the studio group featured vocalists Holly Sherwood and Laurie Sargent, who contributed the vocals for Lane’s on camera performances.

 

The world of Streets of Fire, with its archetypal characters, stunning visuals, and genre-bending story, is a perfect fit for Steinman’s grandiose music, and his songs are certainly highlights of the film. It’s no surprise that two of the music videos created to promote the movie were adapted from those opening and closing sequences. While the film wasn’t a hit upon its original release, it’s turned into something of a cult favorite over the years, and has a loyal cadre of fans. Sadly, since the movie wasn’t successful at the box office, a pair of sequels planned by Walter Hill never materialized, although Road To Hell, a low-budget film directed by Albert Pyun, featuring Michael Pare reprising the role of Tom Cody, was released in 2008. Like the music of Jim Steinman, if it’s in your wheelhouse, Streets of Fire isn’t just a movie you watch it’s a movie you experience. If you’re new to the film, and are looking for something different to watch, I recommend checking it out, especially if you’re a fan of Walter Hill’s other work as a writer and director on films like Hard Times, The Driver, and The Warriors. You might find that Streets of Fire will become a new favorite, or at the very least, a guilty pleasure. I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy it and you'll dig the music, too. Here’s a look at the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEOvn2IaLMM.

"Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb": A Chat With Andrew Curry

Andrew Curry, that maestro and super-producer of the indie-pop tribute album, has returned with another outstanding collection of tunes. After previously saluting AM radio hits of the 1970s, British bands of the 1980s, the theme songs to the James Bond films, and the music of Paul Williams, he’s back with Higher Than a Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb. This extraordinary compilation features artists such as Lisa Mychols, Greg Pope and Coke Belda presenting their phenomenal interpretations of the music of Andy Gibb. Once you hear tracks like Pope’s terrific take on “I Just Want To Be Your Everything” and Belda’s deeply emotional version of  “Me (Without You),” I think you’ll agree that Higher Than a Mountain is an exceptional record.  Andrew was kind enough to take some time to chat with me about this latest release from Curry Cuts, his Portland based label. 

 

Q: This is your fifth tribute compilation, after Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock, Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion, Songs. Bond Songs: The Music Of 007 and White Lace & Promises: The Songs Of Paul Williams. You probably have the process down to a science at this point, but this time around, you had to deal with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. Did that world-changing event present any special challenges for you when you were putting this album together?

A: The pandemic definitely impacted this project, practically from the day I started working on it. I had the idea for a tribute to Andy in the latter months of 2019, and I started recruiting musicians shortly thereafter. Anticipating a spring 2020 release date, I asked for songs to be submitted by March of 2020. Well, we all know what happened in March of last year. The world effectively closed. A few musicians were able to work from studio spaces at home, but lots of other folks – even solo musicians who do all the instruments and production work on their music – were left unable to get to their normal studio spaces. Bands who always recorded together in the same space were suddenly unable to do that. So a March 2020 deadline became an April 2020 deadline, then a Halloween 2020 deadline, then a “You know what? Just get it to me whenever you can” deadline. A few folks were able to meet that original date. Others couldn’t get their recordings started until winter of 2021. For a fifteen track compilation, I was literally receiving tracks over a thirteen month span. It was wild.

Q:  Higher Than a Mountain effectively showcases Andy’s talents as both an artist and a songwriter. People tend to forget that Andy and his brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice (The Bee Gees) were multi-talented artists, and had successful careers as writers and producers in addition to having hits of their own. The Bee Gees got unfairly labelled as “just a disco act” after the success of Saturday Night Fever, but their body of work (including the songs they worked on with Andy) really illustrates the breadth of their skills. In the liner notes for the album, you talk about being a fan of Andy and The Bee Gees when you were younger. Was there a conscious effort on your part to try and broaden people’s perceptions about Andy’s music?

A: Definitely. As I say in those same liner notes, the compilation really doubles as a tribute to Andy and his older brothers, who were all essential to Andy’s success, especially Barry, who wrote or co-wrote most of Andy’s biggest hits, and produced them as well. Barry recently released a great album called Greenfields, where he revisits old Bee Gees songs as duets with current country artists. At the end of last year, HBO released How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?, a fantastic documentary about the Bee Gees. So the Gibbs have been back in the spotlight in a way that’s led to a lot of people re-evaluating them and their contributions to the pop music landscape. I wanted Andy to get a bit of recognition as well, because he was really a prominent cog in the Gibb hit-making machine of the late ‘70s. I sometimes think that his contributions to their legacy were overlooked.

Q: The songs on Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb are an eclectic mix of well known tracks and album cuts from Andy’s brief but impressive discography. Did you choose the songs, or did the artists select the tunes they wanted to record?

A: I chose the tracks I wanted to include on the compilation, and I generally offered specific songs to the participating musicians, songs I could really hear them doing in their own personal style. I wanted to include all the hits, of course. But it was just as important that I shine the spotlight on some deeper cuts, some tracks that Andy wrote without the help of his older brothers. It gives us some sense of what kind of artist he might have become had he been able to sustain his career a few years longer.

Q: Do you have any favorites among the deep cuts that you selected for the album?

A: The fun of the projects that I do is re-visiting the source material and discovering songs that maybe I’d forgotten or hadn’t heard in years. “Time Is Time” (covered by Keith Slettedahl on the album) was a song I remembered from back when it was released, but it was never one I gave much thought to in subsequent years. I bet I listened to it 100 times or more as I began putting the record together. It’s definitely one that is worth a new listen, especially for folks who think they know Andy’s sound. It doesn’t fall into the disco/adult contemporary niche that Andy worked so well back in the day, and I think it might have been an even bigger hit had it not come out when the Gibb backlash was in full effect. 

 Q: The artists did a fantastic job making these songs their own, while staying true to the spirit of the originals. Some amped up the power, like The Test Pressings on “Why,” and Irene Pena on “Wherever You Are.” Lisa Mychols’ beautiful cover of “(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away,” Minky Starshine’s darker take on “Desire” and Ken Sharp and Fernando Perdomo’s lovely rendition of “One More Look At The Night,” are all highlights of the album. Did any of these versions surprise you when you heard them for the first time?

A: Those are all terrific examples of the variety that’s on this record. Minky has been on my last several compilations, and it’s never easy to predict what his track will sound like. He did a lovely and fairly faithful version of Spandau Ballet’s “True” on Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion, but, as you note, his version of “Desire” on this record is a significant departure from Andy’s original, with those full Bee Gees backing vocals so prominently featured. Lisa Mychols collaborates with her husband Tom Richards on her tracks, and I’m always blown away by their takes on these old songs. Her track on this record, “(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away,” layers harmonies on top of harmonies, and the end result just melts me.

As for “Why,” Robbie Rist (of the Test Pressings) told me years ago that he always wants the song that no one else selects. That way he can make it into his own thing. I think that’s precisely what they’ve done with “Why,” a song that was never a single, so fewer people will have an idea about what the original sounds like. They made it into a legit rock song, and I love it.

  

Q: With the success of the HBO documentary, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? Barry’s album, and the upcoming release of your tribute to Andy, it feels like what’s occurring is a well-deserved re-assessment, and even a deeper appreciation, of the music of Andy and his brothers. Do you hope the more casual fans (and even the devoted ones) will take another look at their music after listening to Higher Than a Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb?

A: Well, that’s certainly one of the main goals of the record. I frequently make the argument that no one, not even the Bee Gees themselves, paid a higher price than Andy did for the backlash that hit the Bee Gees so hard at the start of the ‘80s. As I said in my liner notes, the Bee Gees were effectively run off the radio when the ‘80s started, but they were able to pivot to a new career as in-demand songwriters, and they wound up writing some truly enormous hits like “Woman In Love” for Barbra Streisand and “Islands In The Stream” for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. But Andy was never able to make a similar transition, and so he was just casually tossed aside, the victim of a misguided ”We’re done with all the Gibbs” movement on American radio. 

Climbing to such heights, only to then fall so low, it’s no wonder that his problems with addiction spiraled out of control. It’s really a sad story. I think it’s time for folks to get a new perspective on Andy and his music, the way people have been (very justifiably) re-assessing the older Gibb brothers. There’s a biography of Andy coming out in 2022 that I hope folks will read. I’m excited that Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb can be a part of the process which brings a bit more attention to some terrific music and the under-appreciated man who made it.

Thanks to Andrew Curry for chatting with me about his latest project from Curry Cuts. Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb will be released digitally on May 7, while the CD version will be be available around May 14. It's always a pleasure to talk with Andrew about his magnificent compilations. Here’s a link to the Bandcamp page for the album, where you an also preview several of the songs from the record: https://currycuts.bandcamp.com/album/higher-than-a-mountain-the-songs-of-andy-gibb.

The Tenth Anniversary of Eclectic Avenue

A long time ago, in a city not so far away, a young man declared he wanted to be a writer, in order to share his love and passion for the music, movies and books that he loved so much. It took a long time, and several almost serpentine twists and turns in life for it to happen, but here I am many years later, writing about music, movies and books here at Eclectic Avenue (since 2011) and for CultureSonar, the excellent arts and entertainment website I began writing for in 2017. Since this month marks the tenth anniversary of Eclectic Avenue, I just wanted to say a few words of thanks to all the friends and colleagues who've said kind things about my work, and supported my writing throughout the years.

I have always dabbled in writing in one way or another, starting in my high school years, and moving on through college and into my subsequent jobs in the publishing and IT worlds. As with many things in life, there were those who supported me in my endeavors, and others who thought I was crazy to pursue my dream. After several tough years on the personal side of life in the early to mid 2000s, I decided to start my own blog in 2011, and Eclectic Avenue was born. That led to me meeting a great group of writers in the blogging community. I began participating in some blogathons, which got my work noticed by a larger number of people, and gained me some new readers. I even got some sincere kudos from some of the bands I covered (thanks, Early Elton) and a lot of support from my pal and musical compadre Gilda, with whom I'd worked on the well-regarded KISS fanzine, FIRE, back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Since Eclectic Avenue was doing well, I decided to expand my horizons. I submitted a piece to CultureSonar, a fantastic arts and entertainment website which features the work of some very talented writers penning articles celebrating the music, movies and books they care about the most. My first piece for CultureSonar, a story on Elton John's Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player, was published in February 2017, and I've been writing for them ever since. My work for CultureSonar has allowed me to write some great articles, and to interview Dave Mason, William Shatner and Phil Volk of Paul Revere & The Raiders, among others. I continue to write for CultureSonar, and I want to thank Al, Cindy and Drew of CultureSonar for their support of my work. It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of such a phenomenal group of writers.

The writing I do here at Eclectic Avenue, and for CultureSonar, continues to be a lot of fun for me, and never seems like work. I've been able to write about everything from classic films to a number of great albums, as well as share my reviews of some terrific live concerts, including shows by Todd Rundgren and Bruce Springsteen. In addition to being able to indulge my passion for writing, I also have a full-time job in the healthcare world, and I also share positive energy as a Reiki volunteer. I can honestly say that all of these things bring me a great deal of joy. I'm very grateful for these multi-faceted parts of my life. Eclectic Avenue has come a long way in ten years, and so have I. Thanks to all of the artists, producers and writers who've graciously allowed me to interview them over the years. A big thanks to all of my friends and colleagues for your ongoing support of my work: thanks for reading, for commenting on my pieces, and for sharing my stories with others. I look forward to sharing more of my work with you in the future.

The Enthralling Story of The Bee Gees

The Bee Gees are one of the best-selling groups in music history. They had numerous hits from the 1960s through the 1990s as performers, and also found success as writers and producers for other artists. Their story is filled with ups, downs, twists and turns, happiness, and heartbreak. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?, an HBO documentary released in 2020, does a fantastic job telling the in-depth story of the band, from their beginnings in the 1960s, to their super-sized 1970s success, which was spearheaded by their contributions to the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. The film also details their fall from grace during the disco backlash, and their re-invention as hit-makers for artists like Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross. The story of their rise, fall and rise is captivating

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? charts the group's early years with some terrific performance footage, featuring their early hits, such as "New York Mining Disaster 1941" and "I've Gotta Get A Message To You." In the wake of the British Invasion, their heavenly harmonies, and innate talent for crafting memorable pop songs, brought them great success in the mid to late 1960s. But in the latter part of the decade, the pressures of fame and internal rivalries within the group caused the band to break up. Their attempt at solo careers didn't work out, however, and the group reunited in 1970, finding success with the songs "Lonely Days" and "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" It was just the first of several times the brothers Gibb would successfully re-invent themselves.

When the group once again fell into a musical dry spell during the early-mid 1970s, their manager Robert Stigwood and his client Eric Clapton suggested they try recording in Miami, where Clapton had rejuvenated his career making his album 461 Ocean Boulevard in the studio located at that address. The band worked with legendary producer Arif Mardin, and began exploring a more R&B oriented sound. Songs like "Jive Talkin'" and "Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)" brought the band back onto radio playlists, and expanded their audience. Barry's unique falsetto vocals also played a significant part in the band's new direction, becoming a vital element of songs like "Nights On Broadway." The Bee Gees were back on top of the charts.

Then came Saturday Night Fever. Robert Stigwood wanted the band to contribute songs to the soundtrack of a little movie about disco dancing starring John Travolta, who was then best known for his role as Vinnie Barbarino on TV's Welcome Back, Kotter. No one could have predicted the film and its soundtrack album would go on to become such a phenomenal success, raising The Bee Gees profile into the stratosphere. As their younger brother Andy began his own career in music (aided by his brothers) and the disco craze took the world by storm, it seemed like there was nowhere to go but up for The Bee Gees. Their music was everywhere, and their follow-up to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, Spirits Having Flown, was another chart-topping album, spawning three number one hit singles.

Then came the backlash. Disco music had risen in popularity, and saturated the airwaves and record stores. It was inevitable that there would be a downturn. A Chicago DJ named Steve Dahl, who often spouted diatribes about how "Disco Sucks" on his radio show,  hosted a "Disco Demolition Night" on July 12, 1979 at Comiskey Park. Thousands of people brought disco albums to the ballpark to be blown up between the games of a scheduled White Sox doubleheader. The event turned into a free for all when fans stormed the field and caused significant damage after the records were destroyed. Sadly, as noted in the film, the event had overtones of racism and homophobia attached to it, but what it really signaled was the beginning of the end of the disco era.

Unfairly labelled as simply a disco-oriented act, The Bee Gees found themselves essentially blacklisted on the airwaves, with their subsequent releases, like 1981's Living Eyes, receiving little to no airplay on US radio. Hurt by this rejection, the band re-trenched, and re-invented themselves once again, finding new success as writers and producers for Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and their brother Andy, before his untimely death in 1988. Their success as behind the scenes hitmakers rejuvenated the brothers, and they began to write and record once again as The Bee Gees. The trio started touring, and found that their fans were thrilled to see them performing live again. Sadly, both Robin and Maurice have now passed on in the intervening years, leaving Barry the only surviving member of the group.

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?, directed by Frank Marshall, is a heartfelt, moving and insightful look at the history of the brothers Gibb, featuring archival interviews with Maurice, Robin and Andy, as well as new footage with Barry filmed specifically for the documentary. There are also interviews with Justin Timberlake, Eric Clapton and Nick Jonas regarding their thoughts on the band's legacy. The film doesn't shy away from the dark side of the band's story, but it justly celebrates the lasting impact and wonderful discography of the group. If you're a fan of The Bee Gees or Andy Gibb, this film is a must see; the phemonenal in-studio and performance footage alone makes it worth watching. You'll also be reminded about just how many incredible songs the band has provided for us over the years. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? is currently available for streaming on HBO Max. Here's a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5tncybE7Wg.

Ken Sharp's Marvelous "Miniatures"

Ken Sharp, the talented artist behind a number of terrific power pop records, including 1301 Highland Avenue and Beauty in the Backseat, has just released a phenomenal new album entitled Miniatures. What’s unique about the record is that the all of the songs are under two minutes in duration. This emotionally driven album is a heartfelt song cycle focused on life, love and friendship. Even though the thirty-two tracks on the record have a brief running time, they’ll have a lasting impact on you as a listener.

Songs like “Perfect Sun” and “Lorelei” will appeal to fans of the baroque pop sound of bands like The Zombies, The Left Banke, Belle and Sebastian and Arcade Fire. There’s also more than a passing nod to the Pet Sounds era work of Brian Wilson on “Jeanne I Will Remember” and “Susannah Silently Shining,” among others. Sharp hasn’t lost sight of his power pop roots, which you’ll find in the DNA of songs such as the British Invasion sounds on "Something’s Happening" and the Big Star essence of “Drivin.”

Sharp evokes a confessional, singer-songwriter vibe throughout the album, which has touches of pop, jazz and even a hint of folk. There’s a deep 1970s mood on songs like “Growing Up So Fast” and “You’ll Be Known,” and you'll definitely encounter stylistic echoes of Todd Rundgren and Laura Nyro. Miniatures is an intimate, low-key and acoustic-based affair, and thanks to the terrific production work by Sharp, there’s a marvelous array of instruments on display, including harpsichord, ebow, organ and mellotron. His expressive vocals and masterful guitar work are aided and augmented by special guests Fernando Perdomo and Kaitlin Wolfberg.

Embarking on a personal project like this can often have its drawbacks. When an truly artist bares his soul, the music sometimes doesn't connect with listeners. There are no such issues with Miniatures. Sharp’s thoughtful, introspective songs are instantly accessible and absolutely unforgettable. The beautiful tunes on Miniatures will touch your heart, make you smile and energize your soul. This wonderful album is one of Ken Sharp’s best works. Miniatures sounds better every time you listen to it.  I highly recommend checking out the record, as well as the other albums and singles in Ken's discography. Follow this link, https://kensharp.bandcamp.com/album/miniatures, to the album's bandcamp page, and this one, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTIP3DW1Ju4, will bring you to the video for the song “Susannah Silently Shining.”

Hollywood Eden: An Absorbing Look at California Rock in the Early-Mid 1960s

There are a plethora of stories regarding the music that exploded out of the California pop/rock scene from the late 1950s through the mid-1960s, which was one of the more fertile periods in rock and roll history. Author Joel Selvin has written a unique and insightful chronicle of the singers, songwriters, producers, impresarios and (sometimes) shady hangers-on that inhabited the recording studios, bars, concert venues and nightclubs during that bygone era, which brought us unforgettable music from groups like The Crystals, Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys, and The Mamas and The Papas. Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars and the Myth of the California Paradise weaves a riveting, inter-connected tale of these artists, beginning at the point where a number of them first crossed paths in their high school years, where they first became obsessed with fast cars, girls and rock and roll music.

Hollywood Eden features fascinating details about the creation of songs like “Surf City” and “He’s A Rebel,” but the book isn't just about the music, it also tells the colorful stories of the people behind the songs. Selvin’s narrative features in-depth portraits of Phil Spector, Nancy Sinatra, Kim Fowley, Herb Alpert and teen idol Tommy Sands. Others float in and out of the compelling narrative, including Kathy Kohner, the real-life inspiration for Gidget, Jill Gibson (who briefly replaced Michelle Phillips in the Mamas and The Papas) and Barry Keenan, who engineered the kidnapping of Frank Sinatra, Jr. There’s a lot less than six degrees of separation between many of these supporting characters and Brian Wilson, Jan and Dean, Glen Campbell and Herb Alpert  than you might think, and Selvin connects the dots in compelling fashion.

Not everyone in Hollywood Eden comes off looking like a great guy, or gal. Some of the movers and shakers featured in the book would fit comfortably into the cast of a film noir flick. There's a dark side to the sun-dappled California dream, and Selvin's absorbing chronicle doesn't shy away from those details, while saluting the genius of musical innovators like Brian Wilson and Lee Hazlewood. Selvin has written extensively about rock and roll and the music business in previous books such as Here Comes The Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Burns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues, and Fare Thee Well: The Final Chapter of the Grateful Dead's Long Strange, Trip, and he really knows his subject matter. 

As the decade of the 1960s moved forward, songs like Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” and the music of The Byrds helped steer rock and roll in new directions. Artists, songwriters and producers began to adapt their work to the evolving times. Selvin notes these changes, marking a turning point in the era with Jan Berry's life-changing 1966 car crash, which occurred not far from the location of Jan and Dean's hit song "Deadman's Curve." This insightful, revealing and powerful book will open your eyes to both the light and the darkness inherent in the California dream, and the business of rock and roll. Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars and the Myth of the California Paradise (which will be released on April 6) is an engrossing history of the pre-psychedelic California rock scene, and it's a must read for fans of the genre.