Download or read book Godfather of the Music Business written by Richard Carlin and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2016-03-10 with total page 485 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Association of Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence Best Historical Research in Record Labels – Best History (2017) This biography tells the story of one of the most notorious figures in the history of popular music, Morris Levy (1927-1990). At age nineteen, he cofounded the nightclub Birdland in Hell's Kitchen, which became the home for a new musical style, bebop. Levy operated one of the first integrated clubs on Broadway and helped build the careers of Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell and most notably aided the reemergence of Count Basie. In 1957, he founded a record label, Roulette Records. Roulette featured many of the significant jazz artists who played Birdland but also scored top pop hits with acts like Buddy Knox, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Joey Dee and the Starliters, and, in the mid-1960s, Tommy James. Stories abound of Levy threatening artists, songwriters, and producers, sometimes just for the sport, other times so he could continue to build his empire. Along the way, Levy attracted "investors" with ties to the Mafia, including Dominic Ciaffone (a.k.a. "Swats" Mulligan), Tommy Eboli, and the most notorious of them all, Vincent Gigante. Gigante allegedly owned large pieces of Levy's recording and retail businesses. Starting in the late 1950s, the FBI and IRS investigated Levy but could not make anything stick until the early 1980s, when Levy foolishly got involved in a deal to sell remaindered records to a small-time reseller, John LaMonte. With partners in the mob, Levy tried to force LaMonte to pay for four million remaindered records. When the FBI secretly wiretapped LaMonte in an unrelated investigation and agents learned about the deal, investigators successfully prosecuted Levy in the extortion scheme. Convicted in 1988, Levy did not live to serve prison time. Stricken with cancer, he died just as his last appeals were exhausted. However, even if he had lived, Levy's brand of storied high life was effectively bust. Corporate ownership of record labels doomed most independents in the business, ending the days when a savvy if ruthless hustler could blaze a path to the top.

Download or read book All Over the Map written by Ron James and published by Anchor Canada. This book was released on 2022-11-01 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NATIONAL BESTSELLER Canada's most verbally virtuosic comic makes his literary debut—and he's just as richly, gloriously funny on the page as on stage. His legion of fans—the ones who ensure his every show the length and breadth of Canada is sold out—recognize Ron James as one of the great stand-ups of his generation. His seemingly improvisational flights of fancy—no two shows are ever the same—are crammed with inventive phrase-making, feature a voluminous vocabulary, and put every word into the service of uproarious comedy. He sounds like a man born to write a great book—and now at last he has. But this is a book he has been writing for most of his life, in his head, in his car, while driving from gig to gig. In All Over the Map, Ron has brilliantly captured the voice that has enthralled millions on stage and screen. He also lets up a little on the usually relentless laughs (though there are still plenty of those) to reveal a new dimension to his beloved showbiz character. His hilarious reminiscences of growing up in Nova Scotia and his early struggles as an aspiring comic, his reveries on such topics as family, country, celebrity and lessons learned from myriad chance encounters will deepen our appreciation for this great comic and win him many new fans in his new role as author.

Download or read book Rickles Book written by Don Rickles and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-06-03 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An internationally popular comedian describes his youth as a disadvantaged Jewish boy from Queens, the obstacles he overcame in order to achieve success, and his four-decade stage and screen career. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.

Download or read book Growing Up Laughing written by Marlo Thomas and published by Hachette Books. This book was released on 2010-09-28 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Growing Up Laughing: My Story and the Story of Funny is a book that only Marlo Thomas could write -- a smart and gracious, witty and confident autobiographical journey. For as long as Marlo Thomas can remember, she's lived with laughter. Born to comedy royalty--TV and nightclub star Danny Thomas--she grew up among legendary funny men, carved much of her career in comedy and, to this day, surrounds herself with people who love and live to make others laugh. In this long-awaited memoir, Thomas takes us on a funny and heartwarming adventure, from her Beverly Hills childhood, to her groundbreaking creation of That Girl and Free to Be . . . You and Me, to her rise as one of America's most beloved actress-comediennes, to her marriage to talk-show king Phil Donahue. Her youth was star-studded--Milton Berle performed magic tricks (badly) at her backyard birthday parties. George Burns, Bob Hope, Sid Caesar, Bob Newhart and other great comics passed countless hours gathered around her family's dinner table. And behind it all was the rich laughter nurtured by a close and loving family. Growing Up Laughing is not just the story of an iconic entertainer, but also the story of comedy. In a voice that is curious, generous and often gleeful, Thomas not only opens the doors on the funny in her own life, but also explores the comic roots of today's most celebrated comedians, in personal interviews with: Alan Alda, Joy Behar, Stephen Colbert, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Griffin, Jay Leno, George Lopez, Elaine May, Conan O'Brien, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Ben and Jerry Stiller, Lily Tomlin, Robin Williams and Steven Wright.

Download or read book Don t Try This at Home written by Dave Navarro and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2012-10-09 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Step into the booth. Check your judgments at the curtain. Close your eyes. Listen: you can hear the voices of the visitors who sat here before you: some of the most twisted, drug-addled, deviant, lonely, lost, brilliant characters ever to be caught on film. What do you have to offer the booth?

Download or read book Rat Pack Confidential written by Shawn Levy and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 1999 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A biography of the 'Rat Pack' - Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, this is the brilliant story of their rise and fall, and their connections with the Kennedys and the Mafia.

Download or read book Adventure in Grocery Shopping written by Dan May and published by . This book was released on 2016-08-05 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Joke s Over written by Ralph Steadman and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2006 with total page 460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A rollicking, no-holds-barred memoir, "The Jokes Over" is the definitive inside story of Hunter S. Thompson and the Gonzo years.

Download or read book I Am Ozzy written by Ozzy Osbourne and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2010-01-25 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne shares his unbelievable story for the first time in this tell-all memoir of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. Take what you thought was "rock and roll excess" and double it–you still wouldn't be anywhere near the dizzying life of Ozzy Osbourne. Born into a life so poor that the whole family slept in one room, music was his salvation, and his band Black Sabbath went on to change the musical landscape forever. But along with the rock and roll came the inevitable sex and drugs, and Ozzy soon fell into an epic relationship with booze and chemicals. The stories of Ozzy's days on the road are now those of legend–biting the head off a live bat, the tragic plane crash that took the life of his best friend and writing partner Randy Rhoades–but few know of the real heartbreak he suffered during those days of hard living. In the end, it was the love of his family that saved him. Told for the first time in the rocker’s hilarious and inimitable voice, Ozzy finally comes clean.

Download or read book Books In Print 2004 2005 written by Ed Bowker Staff and published by R. R. Bowker. This book was released on 2004 with total page 3274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Halliwell s Film Guide written by Leslie Halliwell and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 1992 with total page 1280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Soulacoaster written by R. Kelly and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2012-08-12 with total page 395 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who is R. Kelly? Three-time Grammy winner, who has sold more than 35 million records worldwide. Legendary writer and producer, who collaborated with such music icons as Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Jay-Z, and Aretha Franklin. Visionary cultural messenger, who created the hip hopera phenomenon Trapped in the Closet. Creative genius. Sex symbol. The man who puts the "R" in R&B. Through the iconic anthem "I Believe I Can Fly" and such sexy R&B mega-hits as "Bump N’ Grind," "Ignition," and "When a Woman’s Fed Up," R. Kelly has proven to be one of the greatest musical talents of his generation. Yet his rollercoaster ride to the top has been as perilous as it has been exhilarating. In Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me, Kelly shares his life story through episodic tales and exclusive color photographs, exploring his meteoric rises and sudden falls. From the crippling learning disorder that rendered him unable to read or write, to the teacher/mentor who prophesized that his destiny was in music, not basketball, we follow his evolution from Chicago street performer to struggling L.A. musician and beyond. Kelly reveals his hard-won ascent to superstardom and his battle to move forward after legal and personal ordeals that threatened to destroy his life. Now back at the top, Kelly recounts the surprising twists and turns that have taken him to new heights of maturity and artistry. Part memoir, part keepsake, Soulacoaster unlocks the door to R. Kelly’s story as only he can tell it, promising his fans an intimate and unforgettable ride.

Download or read book Humor 101 written by Mitch Earleywine, PhD and published by Springer Publishing Company. This book was released on 2010-12-15 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Humor is complex, and the author, Mitch Earleywine, does an exceptional job of covering the big bases of humor from a research perspective in a small space with a readable content. When I first picked up this book and began reading it, I was looking for depth. What I found was an overview and at the same time a very exciting way to provide an entrÈe into psychology-a vehicle for students to grab hold of topics central to psychology but studiedand researched in terms of modern themes, and particularly humor." --PsycCRITIQUES "I've just finished reading Humor 101 with great interest and admiration. The book combines psychological research and practicality beautifully and humorously." -- Bob Mankoff Cartoon Editor, The New Yorker Magazine "In lucid, cheerful prose, Earleywine offers up the impossible: an explanation of humor that is as thoughtful, fascinating, and entertaining as humor itself." Elisa Albert Author of ,The Book of Dahliaand How This Night is Different "Dr. Earleywine's witty insight on this topic will make you funny, happy, and wise. Mitch has that rare ability to clearly explain something that is mysterious as it is magical: the power of laughter. Read this book and laugh while you learn." Brett Siddell Sirius/XM Satellite Radio Personality "Dr. Earleywine has written the perfect guide to understanding humor. No one else has the unique combination of witty stage time, outstanding teaching expertise, and impressive scientific background. You'll love this book." Derrick Jackson Winner, Ultimate Laff-Down What makes something funny? How does humor impact health and psychological well-being? How can you incorporate humor into everyday life? A concise, reader-friendly introduction to an important but often underappreciated topic in modern psychology, Humor 101 explains the role of comedy, jokes, and wit in the sciences and discusses why they are so important to understand. Psychology professor Dr. Mitch Earleywine draws from his personal experiences in stand-up comedy to focus on how humor can regulate emotion, reduce anxiety and defuse tense situations, expose pretensions, build personal relationships, and much more. He irreverently debunks the pseudoscience on the topic of humor and leaves readers not only funnier, but better informed. The Psych 101 Series Short, reader-friendly introductions to cutting-edge topics in psychology. With key concepts, controversial topics, and fascinating accounts of up-to-the-minute research, The Psych 101 Series is a valuable resource for all students of psychology and anyone interested in the field.

Download or read book Angry Youth Comix written by Johnny Ryan and published by Fantagraphics Books. This book was released on 2015-04-05 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the first time, all fourteen issues of Johnny Ryan’s career-defining comic book series Angry Youth Comics (2000–2008) are collected in one place: all the comics, the covers, and even the contentious letters pages, in one toilet-ready brick. Johnny Ryan’s utterly unpretentious, taboo-tackling is an infectious and hilarious bombardment of political incorrectness, taking full advantage of the medium’s absurdist potential for maximum laughs. In an age when the medium is growing up and aspiring to more mature and hoity-toity literary heights, Ryan builds on the visceral tradition that cartooning has had on our collective funny bone for over a century.

Download or read book My Dad Wrote a Porno written by Jamie Morton and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-09-26 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Belinda blinked, it wasn't a dream, the job interviewer had just asked her to remove her jacket and silk blouse.

Download or read book Toddlers Are A holes written by Bunmi Laditan and published by Workman Publishing. This book was released on 2015-04-07 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Toddler a**holery is a normal part of human development—not unlike puberty, except this stage involves throwing food on the floor and taking swings at people who pay your way in life. For parents of toddlers, it's a "you better laugh so you don't cry" period. Bunmi Laditan's hilarious, satirical guide to toddlerhood offers parents instant (and very welcome) comic relief—along with the very good news that "It's Not Your Fault." Chapters cover the cost of raising a toddler, feeding your toddler, potty-training, tantrums, how to manage the holidays, and "how not to die inside." Parents will see themselves in the very funny sections on taking your toddler to restaurants ("One parent will spend their time walking your toddler around the restaurant and outside like a cocker spaniel, while the other, luckier parent will eat alone."), Things You Thought You'd Never Say That You Now Say As a Parent of a Toddler ("I can tell you're pooping because your eyes are watering."), and how to order pizza ("Spend $40 on pizza delivery. Listen to your toddler cry for 30 minutes about how the pizza is all wrong. Watch your toddler take a small bite of crust. Google 'can anger give you a heart attack?' Start the bedtime routine."). Laditan's wildly funny voice has attracted hundreds of thousands of fans of Honest Toddler on social media; here she speaks parent-to-tired-parent, easing the pains and challenges of raising toddlers with a hefty dose of adult humor and wit.

Download or read book Divided Soul The Life Of Marvin Gaye written by David Ritz and published by Omnibus Press. This book was released on 2010-01-07 with total page 423 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David Ritz presents his uniquely candid and and intimate account of the tumultuous life of the Prince of Soul music, Marvin Gaye. Author Ritz has assembled years of conversations and interviews from his life as a close friend and lyricist to the gifted Soul sensation, and tells the Marvin Gaye story with fly-on-the-wall accuracy and detail. From his early years as an abused child in the slums of Washington DC, through his rise to the very peaks of the Motown phenomenon, his fall from grace and subsequent comeback, to his untimely death at the hands of his father, Marvin's story is the stuff of legends. The cast of characters includes the Jacksons, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and countless other icons of the world of soul music.The definitive biography of an enormously gifted and sensitive musician.