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Author Topic: Revolution In The Head  (Read 21676 times)

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Revolution In The Head
« on: March 10, 2004, 02:22:33 PM »

This book, by Ian Macdonald, is unbelievably good. It's the story of the sixties, told through the Beatles discography. The guy's a genius, knows everything about music and popular culture. Anyone else read it?
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2004, 04:25:51 PM »

Yes, and I enjoyed reading it, but I subsequently leanred there are quite a few errors in it.  Plus MacDonald is furnishing information that he just imagined their reasons for as if it were true, so you have to be kind of careful (like why they wrote a lyric or used a phrase and such).

But clearly he is a fan!
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2004, 07:14:17 PM »

The book is error-riddled, and "imaginative" as Charlie said.

However, I'll disagree with him when he says MacDonald is "clearly a fan". It has always struck me that he wasn't a fan of the Fabs. Rather he is a fan of Macca, if anybody.

Futher, he is one of those writers who are continually looking for a fruitier phrase - and MacDonald finds them! This can make his prose style a bit dense and distracting.

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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2004, 03:53:15 PM »

yeah macca biased...there seem to be alot of them
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2004, 04:20:52 PM »

[quote by=brettles link=Blah.pl?b=books,m=1078928553,s=0 date=1078928553]This book, by Ian Macdonald, is unbelievably good. It's the story of the sixties, told through the Beatles discography. The guy's a genius, knows everything about music and popular culture. Anyone else read it?[/quote]

George goes through hell in this book! I think he only has good things to say about a handful of George's songs!

PLUS how can ANYONE have a bad thing to say about Nowhere Man, All You Need Is Love and Across the Universe??????

Obviously Ian Macdonald was extremely well versed in musicology, but at the end of the day these are just his opinions.
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2004, 03:46:40 PM »

[quote by=The_End link=Blah.pl?b=books,m=1078928553,s=4 date=1080058852]


Obviously Ian Macdonald was extremely well versed in musicology, but at the end of the day these are just his opinions.[/quote]

Yes, exactly. No-one can ask for more. His musicological background and love of Sixties popular culture provide him with every possible means of forming well-argued and interesting opinions. We don't have to agree with him on everything - that would just be weird.
He admires George a great deal, by the way, but acknowledges that his greatness was his own, and not connected with the Beatles phenomenon in the same way as
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2004, 05:29:04 PM »

There could be good found in the slime-books of Goldman and Seaman as well.  Like gold nuggets buried in manure.

But I am NOT comparing Ian to those scum.  His book IS interesting, mind-opening and enjoyable.

It's just that as a tool of accuracy he does not pass the test as much as others might (like Kozinn, Lewisohn---to a point---, Pollack and others).  Still, I enjoyed reading Revolution and expecially at the time it was written some of the misinformation simply was not known yet.
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2004, 06:44:17 PM »

[quote by=brettles link=Blah.pl?b=books,m=1078928553,s=5 date=1080143200]

Yes, exactly. No-one can ask for more. His musicological background and love of Sixties popular culture provide him with every possible means of forming well-argued and interesting opinions. We don't have to agree with him on everything - that would just be weird.
He admires George a great deal, by the way, but acknowledges that his greatness was his own, and not connected with the Beatles phenomenon in the same way as
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2004, 07:30:49 PM »

That is correct, which made Ringo's tom tom fills unique...he'd start on the floor tom and end up at the snare instead of the more normal reverse!
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2004, 07:35:19 PM »

[quote by=misterchaz link=Blah.pl?b=books,m=1078928553,s=8 date=1080156649]That is correct, which made Ringo's tom tom fills unique...he'd start on the floor tom and end up at the snare instead of the more normal reverse![/quote]

I knew he played fills "backwards" on a right-handed kit - I just didn't realise he was left-handed! Anyone got photographic proof? Not that I disbelieve YOU Mr Charlie!! ;)
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2004, 03:25:32 AM »

 How exactly would you get backwards fill proof from a photo?   ::)

Really, watch any of the footage on Anthology (or any live video performance).
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2004, 07:14:28 PM »

[quote by=misterchaz link=Blah.pl?b=books,m=1078928553,s=10 date=1080185132] How exactly would you get backwards fill proof from a photo?
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2004, 09:22:00 PM »

I am sure there are many photos of him available.  I know, being a south-paw is not something one much thinks about or pays attention to unless drawn to it.

I think a list of actual leftie celebs would be quite surprising!
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2004, 12:43:05 PM »

So.... Ringo's left-handed is he!!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2004, 04:25:19 PM »

Nice pic.  Doesn't mean he isn't tho.  Perhaps all these years he is ambidexterous when signing many autographs (to relieve strain on one hand).

Perhaps I am stretching.  :)

(Hell, I don't know...if he IS right handed I could live with it but I still believe he is indeed a leftie...)
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2004, 04:45:19 PM »

[quote by=misterchaz link=Blah.pl?b=books,m=1078928553,s=14 date=1080836719]Nice pic.
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2004, 08:01:48 PM »

Here ya go - here's the extract we're referring to from the book Revolution In The Head... just in case you're wondering what the hell we're talking about! It is describing the 2nd Middle 8 of From Me To You - from "I've got arms that long to hold you..." onwards.

The number 11 in brackets refers to Thank You Girl, and number 81 refers to Rain. Just in case you're wondering what a "coda" is, it's the ending of the song; sometimes a repeat of the chorus faded out.





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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #17 on: April 02, 2004, 01:40:27 PM »

Not my favourite one...
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2004, 01:04:03 PM »

[quote by=Taxgirl link=Blah.pl?b=books,m=1078928553,s=17 date=1080913227]Not my favourite one...[/quote]

Not your faourite? Book or song?
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Re: Revolution In The Head
« Reply #19 on: April 05, 2004, 01:23:57 PM »

book :)
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