Why Jazz Happened

Why Jazz Happened is the first comprehensive social history of jazz. It provides an intimate and compelling look at the many forces that shaped this most American of art forms and the many influences that gave rise to jazz’s post-war styles. Rich with the voices of musicians, producers, promoters, and others on the scene during the decades following World War II, this book views jazz’s evolution through the prism of technological advances, social transformations, changes in the law, economic trends, and much more. In an absorbing narrative enlivened by the commentary of key personalities, Marc Myers describes the myriad of events and trends that affected the music's evolution, among them, the American Federation of Musicians strike in the early 1940s, changes in radio and concert-promotion, the introduction of the long-playing record, the suburbanization of Los Angeles, the Civil Rights movement, the “British invasion” and the rise of electronic instruments. This groundbreaking book deepens our appreciation of this music by identifying many of the developments outside of jazz itself that contributed most to its texture, complexity, and growth.

Arts & Photography

Myers, Marc

Music

University of California Press

Every great song has a fascinating backstory. In Anatomy of a Song, based on the ongoing Wall Street Journal column, writer and music historian Marc Myers brings to life five decades of music through oral histories of forty-five transformative songs woven from interviews with the artists who created them. Bringing readers inside the making of a hit, Anatomy of a Song includes the Isley Brothers' memorable song "Shout," Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz," and R.E.M's "Losing My Religion." After receiving his discharge from the army in 1968, John Fogerty does a handstand and reworks Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to come up with "Proud Mary." Joni Mitchell remembers living in a cave on Crete with the "mean old daddy" who inspired her 1971 hit "Carey." Elvis Costello talks about writing "(The Angels Wanna War My) Red Shoes" in ten minutes on the train to Liverpool. And Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart, the Clash, Jimmy Cliff, Roger Waters, Stevie Wonder, Keith Richards, Cyndi Lauper, and many other leading artists reveal the emotions, inspirations, and techniques behind their influential works. Anatomy of a Song is a love letter to the songs that have defined generations of listeners.

Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop

GROVE PRESS

Based on the popular Wall Street Journal column, Anatomy of a Song captures the stories behind 45 influential rock, R&amp;B, and pop hits through oral-history interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them―including Keith Richards on "Street Fighting Man," Rod Stewart on "Maggie May," and more Writer and music historian Marc Myers brings to life five decades of music in Anatomy of a Song, based on the popular ongoing Wall Street Journal column, through oral histories of forty-five transformative songs woven from interviews with the artists who created them. Taking readers inside the making of a hit, Anatomy of a Song includes Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz,” Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May,” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.” Joni Mitchell remembers living in a cave on Crete with the “mean old daddy” who inspired her 1971 hit “Carey,” while Elvis Costello talks about writing “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” on a train to Liverpool. Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Smokey Robinson, Grace Slick, Mavis Staples, Steven Tyler, the Clash, Merle Haggard, Bonnie Raitt, Debbie Harry, and many other leading artists reveal the inspirations, struggles, and techniques behind their influential works. Covering the history of rock, R&amp;B, country, disco, soul, reggae and pop, Anatomy of a Song is a love letter to the songs that have defined several generations of listeners.

Rock Concert: An Oral History as Told by the Artists, Backstage Insiders, and Fans Who Were There

Product Description 
A lively, entertaining, wide-ranging oral history of the golden age of the rock concert based on over ninety interviews with musicians, promoters, stagehands, and others who contributed to the huge cultural phenomenon that is live rock 
Decades after the rise of rock music in the 1950s, the rock concert retains its allure and its power as a unifying experience—and as an influential multi-billion-dollar industry. In Rock Concert, acclaimed interviewer Marc Myers sets out to uncover the history of this compelling phenomenon, weaving together ground-breaking accounts from the people who were there. 
Myers combines the tales of icons like Joan Baez, Ian Anderson, Alice Cooper, Steve Miller, Roger Waters, and Angus Young with figures such as the disc jockeys who first began playing rock on the radio, like Alan Freed in Cleveland and New York; the audio engineers that developed new technologies to accommodate ever-growing rock audiences; music journalists, like Rolling Stone's Cameron Crowe; and the promoters who organized it all, like Michael Lang, co-founder of Woodstock, to create a rounded and vivid account of live rock's stratospheric rise. 
Rock Concert provides a fascinating, immediate look at the evolution of rock 'n' roll through the lens of live performances —spanning from the rise of R&B in the 1950s, through the hippie gatherings of the '60s, to the growing arena tours of the '70s and '80s. Elvis Presley's gyrating hips, the British Invasion that brought the Beatles in the '60s, the Grateful Dead's free flowing jams, and Pink Floyd's The Wall are just a few of the defining musical acts that drive this rich narrative. Featuring dozens of key players in the history of rock and filled with colorful anecdotes, Rock Concert will speak to anyone who has experienced the transcendence of live rock. 
 Review 
Praise for Rock Concert: 
“Providing excellent context, [Myers has] assembled a narrative whose themes include politics, geography, economics, class, and race, as well as the music itself. And while he necessarily covers familiar territory—the Elvis phenomenon, Dylan plugging in, Woodstock, Altamont—he comes at those watershed episodes from fresh angles, as we hear throughout from promoters, fashion designers, roadies, photographers, and so on...The oral-history approach can be a kick when the voices are engaging, as they frequently are in Rock Concert.”—Air Mail 
“Engrossing…Starting with the emergence of R&B in the late 1940s and ending with 1985’s Live Aid benefit, [Myers] vividly recreates what went on behind the scenes, onstage, and in the crowds with intimate accounts from the people who were there… Eminently entertaining, this is sure to delight rock fans of all persuasions.”—Publishers Weekly 
“A multifaceted account of the rise of the rock show from the birth of the genre until Live Aid in 1985…A revealing, absorbing book for those who keep their old ticket stubs close at hand.”—Kirkus Reviews\nPraise for Marc Myers and Anatomy of a Song: 
"In these pieces . . . songwriters and performers speak in their own voices . . . Because of Myers's skill as an interviewer, their pride and enthusiasm come blasting through. Each story is a pleasure to read and will deepen your listening experience . . . Myers bears down hard on these songs and the artists rise to the standards he sets."—New York Times Book Review 
"A first-rate playlist . . . A rich history of both the music industry and the baby boomer era."—Los Angeles Times Book Review 
"Marc Myers's Anatomy of a Song [is] a winning look at the stories behind 45 pop, punk, folk, soul and country classics . . . A smart, gracious book. His interviews yield some fascinating details."—Washington Post 
"[A] splendid volume."—Guardian 
"A music lover's dream book."—Cleveland Plain Dealer 
"Anatomy of a Song . . . reads like a dream karaoke playlist. Not a dud in sight."—Huffington Post 
"Who would've ever guessed the inspiration behind Gladys Knight's soul-s

Biographies & Memoirs

Arts & Literature

A lively, entertaining, wide-ranging oral history of the golden age of the rock concert based on over ninety interviews with musicians, promoters, stagehands, and others who contributed to the huge cultural phenomenon that is live rock 
Decades after the rise of rock music in the 1950s, the rock concert retains its allure and its power as a unifying experience—and as an influential multi-billion-dollar industry. In Rock Concert, acclaimed interviewer Marc Myers sets out to uncover the history of this compelling phenomenon, weaving together ground-breaking accounts from the people who were there. 
Myers combines the tales of icons like Joan Baez, Ian Anderson, Alice Cooper, Steve Miller, Roger Waters, and Angus Young with figures such as the disc jockeys who first began playing rock on the radio, like Alan Freed in Cleveland and New York; the audio engineers that developed new technologies to accommodate ever-growing rock audiences; music journalists, like Rolling Stone's Cameron Crowe; and the promoters who organized it all, like Michael Lang, co-founder of Woodstock, to create a rounded and vivid account of live rock's stratospheric rise. 
Rock Concert provides a fascinating, immediate look at the evolution of rock 'n' roll through the lens of live performances —spanning from the rise of R&B in the 1950s, through the hippie gatherings of the '60s, to the growing arena tours of the '70s and '80s. Elvis Presley's gyrating hips, the British Invasion that brought the Beatles in the '60s, the Grateful Dead's free flowing jams, and Pink Floyd's The Wall are just a few of the defining musical acts that drive this rich narrative. Featuring dozens of key players in the history of rock and filled with colorful anecdotes, Rock Concert will speak to anyone who has experienced the transcendence of live rock.

Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul

Following his 2016 smash hit Anatomy of a Song, acclaimed music journalist Marc Myers collects fifty-five new oral histories of iconic songs from his popular Wall Street Journal column 
Songs that sell the most copies become hits, but some of those hits become something more—iconic recordings that not only inspire a generation but also change the direction of music. In Anatomy of 55 More Songs, based on his column for the Wall Street Journal, music journalist and historian Marc Myers tells the story behind fifty-five rock, pop, R&B, country, and soul-gospel hits through intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them. 
Part oral history, part musical analysis, Anatomy of 55 More Songs ranges from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” to Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By,” The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” and Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.” Bernie Taupin recalls how he wrote the lyrics to Elton John’s “Rocket Man;” Joan Jett remembers channeling her rage against how she had been unfairly labeled and treated as a female rocker into “Bad Reputation;” and Ozzy Osbourne, Elvis Costello, Bob Weir, Sheryl Crow, Alice Cooper, Roberta Flack, John Mellencamp, Keith Richards, Carly Simon, and many others reveal the emotions and technique behind their major works. 
Through an absorbing chronological, song-by-song analysis of the most memorable post-war hits, Anatomy of 55 More Songs provides a sweeping look at the evolution of pop music between 1964 and today. This book will change how you listen to music and evaluate the artists who create it.

Literature & Fiction

Essays & Correspondence

The editor-in-chief of Moneysworth reveals the effective and successful strategies of the rich and famous, including Dick Clark, Donald Trump, Tom Cruise, Matt Lauer, and others, and offers seven time-tested steps that promote luck, success, and a prosperous lifestyle. Original.

How To Make Luck: Seven Secrets Lucky People Use To Succeed

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Addiction & Recovery

Renaissance Books

Anatomy Of A Song

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Myers, Marc. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Myers, Marc

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Myers, Marc. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Why Jazz Happened

Why Jazz Happened

Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop

Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop

Rock Concert: An Oral History as Told by the Artists, Backstage Insiders, and Fans Who Were There

Rock Concert: An Oral History as Told by the Artists, Backstage Insiders, and Fans Who Were There

Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul

Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul

How To Make Luck: Seven Secrets Lucky People Use To Succeed

Anatomy Of A Song