The 33 1/3 Series

polystyle

Well-known member
Have only recently rd 2 of them so far ,
but they made great informative and quick reads ,
lots of tiny details on processes , artist's mind sets , cool tunes & Albums.

The ones I ate up where the Erik Davis one on the 4th Led Zep Album
and Hugo Wilcken on D Bowie's Low.
Now eying the one on Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures as the whole series is on sale @ Virgin Mega

Anyone else been reading these ?
Recommended
 

BrokenFist

Crackin Skulls
I have the Joy Division one. It's written by Colin Meloy of the Decemberists (whom I absolutely do not like) I think. Haven't gotten around to reading it yet though.
 

neupunk

Active member
Actually, the Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" one is by Chris Ott. Colin Meloy did the one on The Replacements' "Let it Be."
 

BrokenFist

Crackin Skulls
neupunk said:
Actually, the Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" one is by Chris Ott. Colin Meloy did the one on The Replacements' "Let it Be."

Oh yeah, that's right. I got the two confused.
 

vache

Well-known member
I really love this series. I think it's an excellent idea and has been executed extremely well. I've read "Unknown Pleasures," "Forever Changes," and "Murmur." The last is definitely my favorite in that it seems to be a more personal response to the album while at the same time exploring the tropes of the southern US that haunt the album. Also, learning that the album was recorded in a studio used mostly by gospel groups goes far to explain the mood evoked by the production. I realize that maybe many people here aren't likely into that record, but if you grew up in the South in the US in the 80s, it's very resonant.

I'm looking forward to the "Loveless" book based on the excerpts posted on their blog: http://33third.blogspot.com/
 

qwerty south

no use for a witticism
waste paper - they weren't interested in my proposal for a book on 'yo! bum rush the show' (not in the canon of classic albums) but published a book about 'endtroducing' ('the emperor's new shelltoes') which is basically a long interview?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Raw Patrick

Well-known member
Did the guy say that he was not interested in it bcz it was not in the 'canon of classic albums' or did you just get turned down?
 

_Hugo

Member
Raw Patrick said:
Did the guy say that he was not interested in it bcz it was not in the 'canon of classic albums' or did you just get turned down?

David Barker, the editor, has definitely put some non-canonical albums into the mix, as well as some quirky choices from canonical bands. But I think it's fair comment to say that a lot of the series deals in Mojo-esque canonical fare. I guess the market for books focused on a single album is small enough already... "Canonical" is a term that varies pretty much with the audience anyway. While virtually everybody has heard of the Beatles, I'm guessing 95 percent of the wider population wouldn't have clue who Joy Division or the Stone Roses are. And yet they are "canonical" to some. Of the upcoming volumes, the one I'm looking forward to is Eno's Another Green World.

Full disclosure: I'm the author of one of these, on Bowie's Low.
 

Don Rosco

Well-known member
Having said all that, i'd rather read one on 'Yo! Bum Rush the Show' than any of the others. I've wanted to know what was up with the Bomb Squad for years.
 

Kate Mossad

Well-known member
As always it's a bit of a mixed bag. The Joy Division one I found a bit "student" and overly-earnest to be honest. However I've already read almost everything on the band so as a primer it has some value I suppose. However the book on the MC5's Kick Out The Jams was excellent not least because the author actually saw the band at the time. He also manages to convey a tangible sense of the impact they made at the time backed up with a wealth of relevant details and quotes from some of the main players. Recommended.
 

Raw Patrick

Well-known member
I thought the MC5 one was boring and not too perceptive. Nothing I hadn't heard a hundred times. The james Brown one is good. The Zep one is kinda mystifying but worth a read. I should get some more of these. Is the Paul's Boutique out yet?
 

nochexxx

harco pronting
pauls boutique

this book was a total gift from the gods. i've always been obsessed with this record and reading about the beasties post def jam and pre grand royal was just totally engrossing.
considering how much money they had i'm surprised the project didn't go tits up musically as it did commercially.
 

mms

sometimes
Don Rosco said:
Having said all that, i'd rather read one on 'Yo! Bum Rush the Show' than any of the others. I've wanted to know what was up with the Bomb Squad for years.


you need the issue of wax poetics with jay dilla on the cover then mate
big interview on the history of them - very inneresting also stuff on dilla and hyphy.
here is a linky
http://waxpoetics.com/

i read the one on sign o the times - and although it was a good read it was a strange one, a it of a ramble but a good one, although i dont entirely agree with the idea that it's prince's best.
 

Don Rosco

Well-known member
mms said:
you need the issue of wax poetics with jay dilla on the cover then mate
big interview on the history of them - very inneresting also stuff on dilla and hyphy.
here is a linky
http://waxpoetics.com/

Deadly! Turns out they sell it in my local hip hop shop too. I've emailed them, cheers dude.
 
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