Rating: 
Summary: not so bad, not so good
Review: I was in high spirits while anticipating reading this book, and the begining started out slow, I wish they focused more on the live shows than the making of the albums. The whole bit on the horde festival was just too long, this is a book about dmb remember. I found it much more ejoyable to read the book while listening to dmb...it helped alot, while reading about the making of BTCS i tossed it on and found a new-found respect for the album. The author did seem hell bent on siteing every article out there about dmb while still failing to do any actual eyewitness questioning. Overall not a bad book check it out if you have 14 bucks to spend.
Rating: 
Summary: I am sorry. Did I read my own post?
Review: While I understand that this book will be of use to newer fans, I can not help but wonder how they will become disillusioned even more after they read this book. The complete list of shows to find the bootlegs? Come on. There is a fine list of these shows archieved at nancies.org. Besides that, the shows can be traded for free and only posting that list makes the bootleg market more prolific. In short, go to nancies.org and read the faq about trading and the band and do it all on aols time and save yourself the money
Rating:
Summary: Don't do it!!
Review: I know whenever i see something about DMB i get all giddy at my new found opportunity to learn more about the band. But let me tell you, i would be much better off if I'd skipped this "opportunity." "Music for the People" is a weak combination of recycled information and average writing skills. It's only redeeming factor is the gigography, listing all of DMB's shows, in the back section of the book. Save your money for the next time DMB tours... don't waste it on this book. If you're dead set on reading something regarding DMB, I'd go with "Step Into the Light" by Morgan Delancey.
Rating: 
Summary: Choppy paragraphs that contain no real significant info
Review: I thought "Step into the Light" was ok, because it brought out some info I did not know, and had some really great pictures. Even though "STEP" was mostly a culmination of articles, it still went into finer detail and did not ramble on. "Step" brought us to the humble beginnings of "Millers" while this book casually mentions the bar, neglecting the significance of where the band members met and developed the band. I found that the new book totally neglected the other band members. There was no real mention of their upbringing, or talents. The pages are full of short paragraphs that basically state everything we already know. It seemed as if the author needed to meet a page quota and just enclosed useless bits of information, for example about a page long explanation about the beginnings of the HORDE FESTIVAL. The book is basically everything that fans put up on the DMBTA message board, slapped on with a fancy cover. Don't buy it!
Rating:
Summary: DMB fans unite, DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!!
Review: In addition to DMB, I also love U2, so I had an idea...I'll go buy other books about them and read 'em all, then I'll do research on every interview they ever gave, then I'll put it all into a book and call it my own!! Yeah, that'll work. Why would I need to interview the band members when I can just use quotes from previous magazine articles. Okay, I'm being sarcastic but it burns me that Martell is making money off this (maybe not if you don't buy it) when it's just a compilation of old news and re-packaged interviews. Obviously the band did not authorize this. And there are ALOT of mistakes and misinformation.
Rating:
Summary: Trying to make a quick buck or just poorly researched?
Review: While I am a huge fan of DMB and most everything that has to do with one of the most talented bands in the world today, this book was not a typical DMB experience. There were many mistakes in the book and it offered very little new material from the well written "Step Into The Light" by Morgan Delancey. I hope this author was not after a quick buck from the extremely succesful DMB
Rating:
Summary: MTV illiterates
Review: Simon & Schuster focus groups have just discovered the MTV demographic, the same one that certain presidents tap for interns, and the result is non-books like this crap.
Rating: 
Summary: Rockin' Biography
Review: An extremely perceptive book on the Dave Matthews Band. Martell joins true biography language with witty one-liners, something only a true author can do about a nonfictional subject. Read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Best DMB book on the market!
Review: This is the best book for DMB fans. Martell has obviously put a lot of effort into tracing the history of the band, and he's also included information in the back of the book that nobody else I've found has uncovered. For instance, there is a list of some of the best shows to look out for if you are purchasing bootlegs, and a complete list of all their shows. Not so heavy on the photos, but really meaty when it comes to content, "Music for the People" gets an A+!
Rating:
Summary: A Page Turner!
Review: I understand the criticism leveled at Martell in the above reviews but urge the crtics to think again before setting Martell aside so quickly. This was a book geared toward the mass of Dave fans, not really toward the die-hard fans who know what color boxers he wears. Martell writes well and draws the reader into an interesting narrative. Alot of musical biographies are far too imbedded with fact and detail to be really accessible to the normal reader or fan. I applaud Martell on his decision to write a book that is accessible to all readers and on his unerring ability to recreate the spirit of Dave and his music. I strongly recommend the book to anyone who loves Dave Matthews.
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