Flowers in the Dustbin: The Rise of Rock and Roll, 1947-1977

Amazon.com

It appears that Flowers in the Dustbin author James Miller has just about had his fill of rock & roll. After chronicling a succession of triumphs in the development of the genre and its allied ancestors and offspring, here the veteran music scribe and editor of the superb first edition of The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll surveys an environment tainted by "the Muzak of the Millennium" and "artifacts of stunning ugliness" (exemplified by Marilyn Manson and Wu-Tang Clan). Miller ponders, "What if rock and roll, as it had evolved from Presley to U2, had destroyed the very musical sources of its own vitality?" The erudite yet eminently readable author doesn't answer his query in these pages, but he does prompt a longing for a time when pop culture moved too fast and impulsively to be processed and packaged.

Miller makes it his mission to tell the story of the "explosive growth" of rock & roll by recounting creative and commercial breakthroughs, dating from Wynonie Harris's 1947 recording of the jump-blues hit "Good Rockin' Tonight" through the last-gasp mutiny of the Sex Pistols and the death of Elvis Presley in 1977. In between, the development of top-40 radio begets the payola scandal of the '50s, Norman Mailer's "white Negro" becomes the model in a line of ever-more-self-conscious mavericks, and the 1960s trinity of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan pile remarkable musical and lyrical innovations atop one another like gifted children eager for attention. Once rock had reached its zenith, from the author's perspective, it didn't so much crumble as settle into regurgitated mush. That Miller is able to chronicle these dour developments in such an involving manner is testimony to his talent as a writer and historian, and to the thrill of rock & roll when it's right. --Steven Stolder

Book Description

A prizewinning historian and journalist who has covered the pop music scene for more than three decades, James Miller brings a powerful and challenging intellectual perspective to his recounting of some key turning points in the history of rock. Arguing that the music underwent its full creative evolution in little more than twenty-five years, he traces its roots from the jump blues of the forties to the disc jockeys who broadcast the music in the early fifties. He shows how impresarios such as Alan Freed and movie directors such as Richard Brooks (of Blackboard Jungle) joined black music to white fantasies of romance and rebellion, and then mass-marketed the product to teenagers. He describes how rock matured as a form of music, from Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley to the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Marvin Gaye, defining a decade of rebellious ferment. At the same time, he candidly recounts how trendsetting rock acts from Jim Morrison and the Doors in the late sixties to the Sex Pistols in the late seventies became ever more crude, outrageous, and ugly -- "as if to mark," writes Miller, "the triumph of the psychopathic adolescent."

Richly anecdotal and always provocative, Flowers in the Dustbin tells the story of rock and roll as it has never been told before.

Customer Reviews:

Great stories, arguable conclusions........2007-06-06

'Flowers In The Dustbin' (published as 'Almost Grown' in the UK) is a significant work. While James Miller seems caught somewhere between the erstwhile rock journalist and the detached academic, it's mostly a very good read.

Miller is selective in his subject matter, but provides rich detail in that context, neatly exploring the emergence and evolution of the music and its recurring themes. He gives almost equal weight to the artists and the star makers (managers, promoters, producers and disc jockeys), always with due reference to the wider culture of the times.

(Some of the criticisms in the Amazon customer reviews are facile, to say the least. Miller did not set out to author an encyclopaedia, nor a comprehensive history of the music. Thus, no chapter on Brian Wilson or Stevie Wonder or Van Morrison or Joni Mitchell - pick your own personal hero.)

Miller makes plausible arguments about rock as a 'finished cultural form' and rightly suggests, to the chagrin of some readers, that the excitement and cultural dominance of rock in the 50s and 60s will not be experienced again. (Part of the excitement, of course, was simply novelty, which - by definition - can't be repeated.)

What's missing, sadly, is a sense of continuing affection for the music. Miller is jaded and largely disinterested in the music that once made his living. Nor does he seem to believe that, although musical boundaries have blurred, great 'rock and roll' music is still being made. Rock - in its myriad variations - is in great shape and the standard of musicianship has never been better. Jim should get out more.

Exposing rock's managed, amateur soul.......2006-12-28

This is an excellent book. Miller takes us to the behind the rock scenes where the real decisionmakers managed and provided our 'authentic' experience. Much of what we want from rock is pretty simple, just rhythm to dance to and some dreams to escape into. But rock's managers hyped it into so much 'more' than that. It's good and refreshing to read something that brings down the overblown edifice that rock is in many minds.

A key scene in the book is when a be-feathered 'hippie' Jimi Hendrix runs into a record exec who'd known him a couple years earlier as a 'normal' rhythm-n-blues guy. Jimi sheepishly explains, "It's for the show."

Miller probably should've given punk some recognition that it was intended as a rejection of the indulgent, decorated, overly pretentious rock of the early 70s and late 60s. Yeah, maybe a short chapter on the Ramones woulda been nice. But I can see the point that they never had a big impact, never had the numbers.

And as for criticism of Miller for stopping at the end of the 70s: I think that is perfect, since the rock 'culture' had really ended, split forever into multiple subcultures. In fact, the split had occurred in the early 70s, but Miller rightly marches on for several of the 'great hopes', the next Beatles, who never panned out.

Great history, but stops short of excellence.......2004-02-05

Miller is a great writer, and he conveys an authority about the history of early rock'n'roll that is impressive, but his authority falls off a cliff when he goes past 1975. He has no time for anything recorded after the death of Presley, which means that he essentially snubs everything in the last generation (or more) of popular music.

Don't be fooled by the subtitle. Even if the book is supposedly about the "rise" of rock music, it is even more about the author's opinion that the music died off as soon as it "peaked." While I can understand the point of view, especially as I get on in years and cringe at most of what I hear on the radio, to imply that rock music died in 1977 is the height of absurdity, not to mention a willful ignorance of history.

one wise old guy's view.......2002-10-05

...

This whole book is obviously one man's perspective and I didn't agree with all of it, but I respect Miller's choice of emphases and do understand his feeling that rock "died" a long time ago. His is a thesis that is at least internally consistent and does seem to hold together, although admittedly he is free to cherry pick the rock "historical moments" that make it thesis work.

Any reader is going to find points of disagreement here. I always heard that "Rocket 88" was the first real rock song and I had never even heard of Wynonie Harris. I would have thought that the British blues-rock scene would have merited a little more attention. I would have teased the Deadhead readers about the bloated excess of their idols after about 1973.

Most of all I would have given a lot more attention to the downtown New York scene of the mid to late 70s that included the New York Dolls, Neon Boys/Television, the Ramones, Blondie, Patti Smith, Talking Heads and so many other bands and personalities. These people invented punk music and also revitalized rock music. There was an enormous underground music scene throughout the late 70s, through the 80s and into the early 90s wherein music was issued by independent labels, played on college radio stations and listened to in small clubs all around the United States. Different college towns successively took centerstage and one or two of their local bands went richocheting onto the national scene, only to be gobbled up by the corporate music industry (R.E.M. is exhibit A) or to implode as their music-first principles collided with corporate unit-moving "principles" (too many examples to mention).

Where Miller sees one long arcing rise and then an inexorable decline, I see shorter-term cycles. The music industry that we live with right now seems very much like the one that existed between Elvis's induction into the Army and the arrival of the Beatles in the US. Record-making companies hold the reins and one-hit wonders of minimal musical talent make insubstantial music that challenges nothing except perhaps good taste. Miller rightly laments the fragmentation of the once-united youth audience, but it possible that the internet may in the near future allow young people to make an end-run around the corporate shibboleth and "get together one more time".

All very interesting but not very rock and roll.......2001-05-07

All very interesting -- a very interesting look at rock and roll as a musical genre co-opted by "the industry" and ultimately rendered soul-less. Can you really call Elvis, Dylan, the Stones and the Beatles or even the Sex Pistols revolutionary when they are being used to generate billions by the establishment against which they were supposedly rebelling?

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Antioch Review, published by Antioch Review, Inc. on January 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1020 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Flowers in the Dustbin: The Rise of Rock and Roll, 1947-1977.(Review)(Brief Article)
Author: Max Brzezinski
Publication: The Antioch Review (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2000
Publisher: Antioch Review, Inc.
Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Page: 118

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

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The Footsteps of the Returning King That Have Been Lost to Us for Such a Long Time It Seems Like They Never Were and Other Poems
D. R. Wagner
Manufacturer: Runcible Spoon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LM5L92

Product Description

One of 500 copies.

The Footsteps of the Returning King that have been lost to us for such a long time it seems like they never were and Other Poems.

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The Footsteps of the Returning King that have been lost to us for such a long time it seems like they never were and Other Poems.
D.r. WAGNER
Manufacturer: Sacramento: Runcible Spoon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Pamphlet
ASIN: B000U8UZWA

A gift of gratitude: Something special for young people, particularly new graduates, and for their parents whose school never seems to end

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A gift of gratitude: Something special for young people, particularly new graduates, and for their parents whose school never seems to end
Perry Tanksley
Manufacturer: Parthenon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Life Is Never as It Seems
J. J. Michaels
Manufacturer: Genesis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 1585713058

Average customer rating:

Intense Reading
Spellbound
A Sequel Is A Must
Sharyn Leigh
This book is truly NEVER as it seems!!!!!!

Life Is Never As It Seems (Black Coral)
J.J. Michael
Manufacturer: Genesis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1585711535

Customer Reviews:

Intense Reading.......2005-12-31

The title LIFE IS NEVER AS IT SEEMS by J.J. Michael is indeed fitting for the story of a young girl who is about to embark on a revealing journey of learning about the spiritual gifts she possesses. With a mixture of paranormal and scripture revelations, we're treated to an exquisitely written novel.

Lindy, a graduate of Howard University, is an impressionable young lady who is kept under thumb by her mother and grandfather, who is pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church. They are strict and insist that anything outside of the church or their home that Lindy is exposed to is the devil's work. However, there is another underlying reason why they keep tabs on Lindy - she has a gift that many would consider strange or weird. She has the gift to see what others cannot, such as when someone is ill. Her mother, Margaret, is a neurological mess with a mixture of hearing voices to jealousy because she fears her daughter is taking her father's attention away from her. The grandfather is trying to hold the family together, but is unsuccessful because he has several issues to work with also.

Set in the era of the black power movement, Lindy is drawn into the environment and has a secret boyfriend named Nick. Living in a religious and dysfunctional household, she has to connive in order to leave the house to enjoy a social life with him. While attending a party with Nick at a professor's home, Lindy encounters a lady dressed in a hooded white robe. Unfortunately, she is the only one who sees and speaks with her, which sets the stage for Lindy seeking answers about her special abilities.

J.J. Michael has written a very compelling story of a young lady's quest to learn about her gifts and goals in life. She eloquently writes with detailed precision the explorations of her character's love life and the sins of the grandfather and mother collectively as she travels toward the truth about her family and the legacy of her grandmother. As you hold on to each word, the scenes are magnified from page to page, allowing you to experience each character's dilemma, and their decision-making. The theories and explanations of biblical scriptures and other religious overtones are wonderfully outlined, and it really gives you the opportunity to ponder and reflect on life, God, and our human purpose.

And finally what stands out is the ending because there is no ending; it's just the beginning that will open the door to a sequel to LIFE IS NEVER AS IT SEEMS by J.J. Michael.

Reviewed by Kalaani
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Spellbound.......2005-10-18

I was spellbounded throughtout the reading of this book. I felt each character evolve. I could see their faces and read their minds. It was as if I was right there, a silent character.

As an African American who is Baptist, I know this story well. Ms. Michael's account corresponds with my personal experiences. Her wonderful way of writing has me anxiously anticipating the sequel to this book.

A Sequel Is A Must.......2005-09-14

From the moment I picked this book up, I was hooked. It felt as though I had been literally transplanted back to my college days at Howard University in 1967 when I was 20 years old. Every character felt so very real. Every incident was one I had known of or heard about throughout my own search for spiritual truth in the midst of a rigidly fundamentalist church environment. Lindy's commitment to her family as well as to the boyfriend despised by her family were both playing havoc with her rapidly growing inner thirst for spiritual fulfillment and realization. She had unusual gifts and an inner power craving to be set free. Plus, there just might be a genuine soul mate for her in God's plan. Until the very end, my heart was in my throat hoping Lindy would make the right decision. I can't wait for the sequel. Kudos to JJ Michael.

Sharyn Leigh.......2005-08-04

Ms. Michael engages the reader to remember their own life history identifying through her vivid portrayal of characters from the 1960's in Washington D.C.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. When I did put 'Life Is Never As It Seems' down, I found myself thinking about the characters and wondering what was going to happen next. This is the mark of a great writer. Bravo!!! Can't wait for the sequel!

Sharyn Leigh
Sedona, Arizona

This book is truly NEVER as it seems!!!!!! .......2005-07-17

I was able to obtain a reviewer copy before the release date of this book and I could not put this book down. The author successfully weaves the characters together for the makings of a good drama mixed with moments of comedy and great adventure.

Although the main character, Lindy is not introduced immediately, you definitely become entranced with what Lindy is going through from her home life with her grandfather and mother, to her boyfriend Nick (with his secrets) to the other characters she encounters that either help her to understand her gifts/abilities or to destroy her because of those same gifts/abilities.

The novel is set during the 1960s in Washington, DC...although a short time before I was born, I was able to clearly get an accurate picture of how Blacks were viewed and separated among themselves because of their skin tone, hair texture, and facial features. This premise sets the theme and lays out the background with a twist of metaphysical and new age thought mixed in.

The novel is also a cliffhanger. The ending is set up perfectly for readers who want to know more about how these characters move on with their lives after the big showdown.

Average customer rating:

Very True

Love Is Never What It Seems
Cynthia Jones
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595297854

Book Description

Pauline is a psychotherapist in San Francisco who works with couples who are questioning the reality of their relationships. They are working very hard to escape the comfort of their routine in order to move on to a closer level of intimacy with each other. They are also trying to give themselves a moment to stop and question if they are still in love. Pauline listens to her patients trying to recuperate their previous level of excitement in their relationship and at the same time questions if it is easier to find a new love or to try to maintain the romance in their existing relationships. They don't want to give up but they don't want to continue living without the enlivening effect that love has to offer. As her clients question their love scenarios, Pauline reflects on her own relationship and her own thoughts about romance. She believes that as time goes by couples stop being amorous with each other and that they should try to loose the fear of exposing their difficulties in their relationships and try to share their needs and expectations more frequently. The book describes insightful discoveries inside different relationship scenarios were many times they find out that their life was not what it appeared to be.

Customer Reviews:

Very True.......2005-12-30

The author presents different scenarios of couple's who are trying to understand their present level of connection in their relationship. It's quite interesting and helpful!!

It would make a great movie Script!!!!

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Never As It Seems
Brubaker
Manufacturer: Peanut Butter Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0897164520

Things Are Never As They Seem: Poetry from the Heart

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Things Are Never As They Seem: Poetry from the Heart
Nichole Leonard
Manufacturer: Writers Club Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0595193528

Book Description

A book of poems to help anyone get through life and see the world through someone else's eyes.

Assault never on public's right to know never seems to subside.: An article from: St. Louis Journalism Review

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Assault never on public's right to know never seems to subside.: An article from: St. Louis Journalism Review
Tony Messinger
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from St. Louis Journalism Review, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2007. The length of the article is 955 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Assault never on public's right to know never seems to subside.
Author: Tony Messinger
Publication: St. Louis Journalism Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 37 Issue: 294 Page: 15(1)

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Auto-ordnance M1 carbine: seems it's true--old soldiers never die.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM]) : An article from: Guns Magazine

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Auto-ordnance M1 carbine: seems it's true--old soldiers never die.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM]) : An article from: Guns Magazine
Jim Gardner
Manufacturer: Publishers' Development Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Guns Magazine, published by Publishers' Development Corporation on August 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1010 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Auto-ordnance M1 carbine: seems it's true--old soldiers never die.(OUT OF THE BOX[TM])
Author: Jim Gardner
Publication: Guns Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2005
Publisher: Publishers' Development Corporation
Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Page: 34(4)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

You Watch Too Much TV is a Book of Lists for the television generation, offering fun facts and quizzes on Leave It To Beaver, Everybody Loves Raymond, and just about every show in between. Examples of a couple of debate-inspiring questions: Where in the city did Ralph Kramden's upstairs neighbor Ed Norton work on The Honeymooners? In the city's sewers; Who was the first to be voted off the island on the first episode of Survivor? Sonja Christopher

Customer Reviews:

Fun and entertaining!.......2005-12-29

I bought this book for my husband for Christmas. He absolutely loved it, it was the hit of Christmas Day. The trivia-quiz style is well organized - it is fun to quiz yourself on your favorite shows and to learn new facts about other shows. And the trivia is really cool and interesting. "What a cool book!" was repeated several times.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves TV, especially those of us who watch too much of it!!

Entertaining and fun read for the family.......2005-12-03

What a fun book to read. Not only did it bring back memories, it prompted conversations with our children about all the old shows. It was a great conversation starter and made our family trip this Thanksgiving a lot of fun.

It will be my gift of choice to give family and friends this year.

Should Be a Board Game!.......2005-10-28

So you think you know TV huh? Well don't be so sure of yourself until you read the fun new television trivia book "You Watch Too Much TV" by newcomer Ken Kessler. Within the pages you'll find 50 chapters of TV trivia that spans over multiple generations from the early black and white days to the the latest fad-Reality TV. It doesn't matter if you're a fan of American Idol or Love American Style. There's something in this book from everyone.

Sure TV trivia books may come and go but what makes this book unique is the way it is categorized. While lots of TV trivia books focus on certain eras, this book divides each chapter by categories such as TV theme songs, single parent-themed shows, and even cop shows. What character on Gilligan's Island is named in the theme song besides Gilligan? Who played Cagney in the pilot episode of Cagney and Lacey? What was Eddie's father's name on The Courtship of Eddie's Father? Don't know? It doesn't matter. You'll have fun learning.

The only flaw with this book is the fact that it expands across so many generations of television that some people may feel left out. After all, there are people who never even heard of My Favorite Martian, Bonanza, or even Fear Factor. Still with this minor distraction it will still be difficult to put this well researched book down. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the board game. Pick it up, gather the family around and just have fun with this book. This one is definitely a winner.

More than just a good book - Fun in a Cover!.......2005-10-09

You Watch Too Much TV is more than just a television trivia book. It's fun you can share with your whole family! Each chapter has a short intro with interesting facts and TV history, followed by questions that range from simple to very difficult. (Depending on how much you watch tv...)

This book spans shows from The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy to Everybody Loves Raymond and Friends. It also includes an entire chapter of trivia questions about cartoons so your kids can play along too.

Even if you're not a trivia buff, or you don't watch quite enough TV, this book is sure to bring back fond memories of television shows we all used to love.

Great Book for any TV Trivia Fan!.......2005-10-07

I just recieved this book and it really looks like it was done well! It has 50 sections with about 20 questions in each section. You Watch Too Much TV covers everything from Animation to Horror Related shows. The questions range anywhere from easy to Very Hard (atleast for me). I Highly Recommend this TV Trivia Book!

Book Description

The computer neophyte can make a Web page in less than an hour with this clear, easy-to-follow guide. Learn the basics of HTML, begin charting your Web site, and use this book to get into cyberspace -- the easy way! No experience necessary.

Customer Reviews:

Out of Date.......2007-08-13

Although the book was helpful in providing information which can be universally used, it was published in 1999, and since new tools have been developed since then and therefore are not included in the book, its practical use is limited.

Waaaay too old!.......2006-02-27

Don't waste your money on this book unless you already have, and want to use, FrontPage Express - a program that I could not find anywhere to download. Note that the date the book was published is 1999, which makes it 6 or 7 years old - exceedingly old in cyber terms! I don't know why they are ordering more to sell. No one appears to have anything to say about the book since 2000. Get something newer!

Good beginning, for Windows users.......2000-03-27

This book really should have been titled 'Creating your first web page with Microsoft FrontPage Express', emphasizing that the book isn't of much use if you're a Mac or Linux user. I also have a minor quibble that the book implies that you need to install FrontPage Express from the Windows 98 CD - obviously you only need an Internet Explorer CD or download. These points notwithstanding, this is a very good introduction that really will help you design your own webpage. Once you've done that you can then go and learn a bit of HTML, beginning with something like Sams Teach Yourself HTML 4 in 10 minutes, or HTML 4 Made Simple (a British book, see amazon.co.uk website) rather than the mite disappointing CliffsNotes Creating Webpages with HTML.

Quickly Learn Web Page Basics.......2000-01-03

This is the best 115 pages that I've read! I didn't have the time to read a 500 page book on creating web pages with HTML 4 or Frontpage 2000. So I bought this book because I could do the exercises in it quickly and it was focused on tools that I already had with Windows98: Microsoft FrontPage Express, Personal Web Server, and the Web Publishing Wizard. After setting up these tools, you'll be off and running learning about text placement, backgrounds, graphics, multimedia, hyperlinks, and tables for an "Orchid Club" home page. And guess what, IT'S FUN, FAST AND EASY. By following the step by step instructions, you'll understand the basic concepts of creating a web page of your own. This book will take you from creating a home page in FrontPage Express, all the way to publishing your page on a Web Server. But beware: you will only be building a very basic web page. This book doesn't attempt to teach detailed HTML, the language behind all web pages. But you can learn HTML from various Internet sites or other books if you are interested. When you are done with this book, you'll have enough knowledge to build your own personal home page and put it on the Internet for everyone to see. From here, you could learn HTML to enhance your web page, or use products like Microsoft FrontPage 2000 to design a more sophisticated web site.

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