RebeccasReads

Just a Few Seconds: A Story from the Hidden World of Music and Beyond

“…I would forever be at the mercy of my dreams.  It is a shame however that dreamers are generally looked down on by society and that there is only one word for two different kinds of dreamer.  There are the passive dreamers who sit on their backsides and do very little to follow those dreams and there are the active dreamers who devote their entire life to following their dreams and when they succeed we all benefit from their perseverance.”  (p.4)  Nemo James was a dreamer of the active variety.

Before reading “Just a Few Seconds: A Story From the Hidden World of Music and Beyond,” I had no idea who Nemo James was.  At the completion of the book I felt that I had gotten a true sense of both Derek Newark (Nemo James’ real name) the man and of Nemo James the musician.  I also went to his website and listened to a few previews of his songs because, while you can envision what he may sound like in your head, hearing the actual music gives you the complete picture.

I found his story to be quite interesting.  While unique to me, I am certain that his life story is an all too familiar trail to most musicians trying to make it in the music industry.  His autobiography spans decades as he jumps from band to band and venue to venue.  The book is intelligently and eloquently written and I appreciated the look inside a musician’s life.  At times, “Just a Few Seconds: A Story From the Hidden World of Music and Beyond” moved along a little too slowly for my liking, but my interest was regained quickly enough.

I enjoyed reading about Nemo James’ perseverance in “Just a Few Seconds: A Story from the Hidden World of Music and Beyond.”  James has a second book due to be released in December 2011 called the “Croatian Diaries” which sounds to be an interesting follow-up book.

Just a Few Seconds: A Story from the Hidden World of Music and Beyond
Nemo James
Derek Newark Publishing (2010)
ISBN 9780956798602
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (05/11)

The Beatles Discography: Volume One - The 60's

What a curious volume! This book is an album of complete Beatles’ discography from 1960s. Album covers from all over the world, every single one ever created during a decade. This is the first volume in a series, with more on the way. It is an absolute must-have for devoted Beatles fans and collectors, especially for those, who possess an admiration for mostly unappreciated art of album covers. With this anthology, it is quite fascinating to see the difference between the designs of the same record in various parts of the world, with British and American releases often having quite different designs, not even mentioning those released in Germany or somewhere else in the world. The uniqueness and meaning of each cover is fascinating! Each one tells a story, has its own face value, and was inspired by something special.

The second section of the book contains the chronological song index with specific information about each song. And the third section is full of additional information like author’s personal thoughts. The author is an absolute Beatles fan and collector with a desire for every meticulous scrap of detail to be noted. I am certain this book includes it all, when it comes to Beatles albums in 1960s. There is no place for anything to be left out.

The quality of "The Beatles Discography"  and images inside is wonderful. It is a nice memorabilia item for devoted fans and collectors, and especially those, who are peculiar about nitty-gritty specifics. 

The Beatles Discography: Volume One - The 60's
Stephen E. Donnelly
Outskirts Press, Inc. (2011)
ISBN 9781432769246
Reviewed by Andrey Bilko for RebeccasReads (6/11)

Blood Country: A Nashville Sideman Mystery

Dan Jewell’s “Blood Country: A Nashville Sideman Mystery” begins in January in Nashville.  Joe Rose, guitarist and private investigator, receives a call from his ex-wife Patty Hill, an Associate Math Professor at Vanderbilt.  Patty had just been talking to her friend Roxanne Hamlin, a country singer, on the phone.  Roxanne is trying to leave her husband Vern, also famous in the country music industry, but Vern is not allowing her to leave.  Roxanne doesn’t want to involve the police so Patty thinks that Joe may be a good choice to help out.

The domestic situation actually turns into a job opportunity for Joe as he ends up being hired by Vern for a different matter.  Vern had received a letter from an anonymous source regarding his father’s murder which happened twenty years prior.  In the letter, it is suggested that the man who was accused of killing Vern’s father was not actually the person who committed the crime.  So, Joe is sent to investigate and to try to unearth the truth as to who killed King Hamlin.

Jewell does a wonderful job with character development.  The individuals we are introduced to throughout the novel are very memorable and intriguing people.  The story itself is fast-paced and has many twists and turns.  I recommend “Blood Country: A Nashville Sideman Mystery” for those who enjoy mystery and suspense, particularly those who are also fans of country music as there is quite the focus on the Nashville music scene.  I am sure we will see more “Nashville Sideman” mysteries from Dan Jewell in the future. 

Blood Country: A Nashville Sideman Mystery
Dan Jewell
Outskirts Press (2011)
ISBN 9781432765835
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (03/11)