Follow the Music

Last updated
Follow the Music
Follow the Music.jpg
Author Jac Holzman, Gavan Daws
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Publisher Jawbone Press
Publication date
Aug 30, 2000
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages444 pages

Follow The Music the autobiography of record mogul Jac Holzman and the founding of his record company Elektra Records, written by Jac Holzman and Gavan Daws. [1] [2] [3]

The books follows Holzman on his journey from overseeing limited pressings of obscure folk artists to signing international stars such as The Doors, right up to the sale of the company and beyond.

Reception

Since its initial publication in 1998, the book has been described as "a must-read addition to the best chronicles of popular music in this over-stulated century" by Timothy White, editor in chief at Billboard magazine, and an "extraordinary history ... funny, enlightening, and entertaining" by Allmusic. In a review for Variety, Phil Gallo described the book as "basic and straightforward", as well as being "a quick and easy read". [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elektra Records</span> American record label

Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1950s and 1970s. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived as an imprint of Atlantic in 2009. In October 2018, Elektra was detached from the Atlantic Records umbrella and reorganized into Elektra Music Group, once again operating as an independently managed frontline label of Warner Music. In June 2022, Elektra Music Group was merged with 300 Entertainment to create the umbrella label 300 Elektra Entertainment (3EE), though both Elektra and 300 continued to maintain their separate identities as labels.

<i>L.A. Woman</i> 1971 studio album by the Doors

L.A. Woman is the sixth studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released on April 19, 1971 by Elektra Records. It is the last to feature lead singer Jim Morrison during his lifetime, due to his death exactly two months and two weeks following the album's release, though he would posthumously appear on the 1978 album An American Prayer. Even more so than its predecessors, the album is heavily influenced by blues. It was recorded without producer Paul A. Rothchild after he quit the band over the perceived lack of quality in their studio performances. Subsequently, the band co-produced the album with longtime sound engineer Bruce Botnick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nonesuch Records</span> American record label company

Nonesuch Records is an American record company and label owned by Warner Music Group, distributed by Warner Records, and based in New York City. Founded by Jac Holzman in 1964 as a budget classical label, Nonesuch has developed into a label that records critically acclaimed music from a wide range of genres. Robert Hurwitz was president of the company from 1984 to 2017.

Paul Henry Beaver Jr. was an American musician who was a pioneer in popular electronic music, using the Moog synthesizer. From 1967, Beaver collaborated with Bernie Krause as the recording duo Beaver & Krause.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jac Holzman</span> American businessman (born 1931)

Jac Holzman is an American music businessman, the founder, chief executive officer and head of record label Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records. Holzman helped commercially launch the CD and home video formats, as well as the pilot program which became MTV. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

<i>The Stooges</i> (album) 1969 debut album by the Stooges

The Stooges is the debut studio album by American rock band the Stooges, released on August 5, 1969 by Elektra Records. Considered a landmark proto-punk release, the album peaked at number 106 on the US Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The tracks "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "1969" were released as singles; "1969" was featured on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs" at number 35. In 2020, it was ranked number 488 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaney & Bonnie</span> American husband and wife music duo

Delaney & Bonnie was an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Bobby Whitlock, Dave Mason, Steve Howe, Rita Coolidge, and King Curtis.

<i>Da Capo</i> (Love album) 1966 studio album by Love

Da Capo is the second studio album by American rock band Love, released in November 1966 by Elektra Records. The album was recorded during September and October 1966 at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California, with the exception of lead single "7 and 7 Is" recorded previously in June. "7 and 7 Is" became the band's biggest commercial single.

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<i>13</i> (The Doors album) 1970 compilation album by the Doors

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">7 and 7 Is</span> 1966 single by Love

"7 and 7 Is" is a song written by Arthur Lee and recorded by his band Love on June 17 and 20, 1966, at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood. It was produced by Jac Holzman and engineered by Bruce Botnick.

<i>In My Life</i> (Judy Collins album) 1966 studio album by Judy Collins

In My Life is the fifth studio album by American singer and songwriter Judy Collins, released by Elektra Records in 1966. It peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts in 1967.

<i>Whats Shakin</i> 1966 Elektra compilation album with various artists

What's Shakin' is a compilation album released by Elektra Records in May 1966. It features the earliest studio recordings by the Lovin' Spoonful and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, as well as the only released recordings by the ad hoc studio group Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse, until they were reissued years later.

<i>The Original Delaney & Bonnie & Friends</i> 1969 studio album by Delaney & Bonnie

The Original Delaney & Bonnie, also known by its subtitle Accept No Substitute, is the second studio album by American recording duo Delaney & Bonnie. It was recorded with many of the "friends" that would form the core of their best-known 1969–70 touring band, including Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle and Rita Coolidge.

<i>John B. Sebastian</i> (album) 1970 studio album by John Sebastian

John B. Sebastian is the debut album by American singer-songwriter John Sebastian, previously best known as the co-founder and primary singer-songwriter of the 1960s folk-rock band the Lovin' Spoonful. The album, released in January 1970, includes several songs that would become staples of Sebastian's live performances during the early and mid-1970s. Most notably, the album included "She's a Lady", Sebastian's first solo single, and an alternate version of "I Had a Dream" which was used to open the soundtrack album of the 1970 documentary film Woodstock. John B. Sebastian also featured support performances by David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash several months before that trio agreed to work together as a performing unit.

A sampler or promotional compilation is a type of compilation album generally offered at a reduced price to showcase an artist or a selection of artists signed to a particular record label. The format became popular in the late 1960s as record labels sought to promote artists whose works were primarily available in album rather than single format, and therefore had little opportunity to gain exposure through singles-dominated radio airplay. Most samplers showcased already-released material, so that as they sampled artists they also sampled the albums from which their tracks were drawn. The term 'album sampler' is also used in cases where an album is distributed among multiple records in case of, for example, vinyl where the maximum play time is less than the length of the full album. In these cases, album sampler titles may be added to each vinyl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Little Red Book</span> 1965 song

"My Little Red Book" (occasionally subtitled "(All I Do Is Talk About You)") is a song composed by American songwriter Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David. The duo was enlisted by Charles K. Feldman to compose the music to Woody Allen's film What's New Pussycat? following a chance meeting between Feldman and Bacharach's fiancée Angie Dickinson in London. "My Little Red Book" was composed in three weeks together with several other songs intended for the movie. Musically, the song was initially composed in the key of C major, largely based on a reiterating piano riff performed. David's lyrics tells the tale of a distraught lover, who after getting dumped by his girlfriend browses through his "little red book" and taking out several girls to dance in a vain effort to get over her.

William Stanley Harvey was an American graphic designer and art director, responsible for the design of Elektra Records' logos and many of its album covers between the 1950s and 1970s including those by Love, The Doors, MC5, The Stooges, Judy Collins, Tim Buckley and others.

<i>Beatle Country</i> 1966 studio album by Charles River Valley Boys

Beatle Country is the fourth and final studio album by the American bluegrass band Charles River Valley Boys, released in November 1966 by Elektra Records. Where the Charles River Valley Boys' previous albums consisted of traditional and new bluegrass and some early country songs, Beatle Country contains only covers of the Beatles. The band and several session musicians completed the album at Columbia's studio in Nashville, Tennessee, across four days in September 1966. Paul A. Rothchild and Peter K. Siegel produced the album, with Glenn Snoddy as audio engineer.

References

  1. "Carly Simon reveals 'You're So Vain' clue - CNN". Articles.cnn.com. 2010-02-26. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  2. "About Jac Holzman". Follow the Music. Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  3. Billboard - Google Boeken. 11 July 1998. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  4. Gallo, Phil. "Reviews: Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture". Variety . Retrieved 8 July 2022.

Holzman, Jac; Daws, Gavan (1998). Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture (1st ed.). Santa Monica, Calif.: FirstMedia Books. ISBN   9780966122114. [1]


  1. NOLL, JOHN. "Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture". tapeop.com. Retrieved 30 January 2022. REVIEWED BY