Chicago: Feelin' Stronger Every Day

Rating:
Summary: A Commendable effort!
Review: The reviewers from England and Buffalo, NY don't get the point of this book. It is the first book that actually documents the positive contribution that Chicago made to American music. I think the writer did a commendable job in staying clear of the negative pitfalls surounding a group of people who achieved such incredible star status, with all of the associated and inevitable notariety and conjecture that accompanies such an achievement. Thank you Ben Joseph for protecting the reader from the negative trivia while documenting and celebrating the wonderful music that this collection of extremely gifted musicians have given to us. The original founders of Chicago, who have been suffering from communication failure for too long, would do well to read this book. Maybe they will soften their hearts if they remember the 'good old days' when they got together to share their mutual love of music and created a magical sound that won hearts and minds all over the world.

Rating:
Summary: Rediscovering a great band
Review: This book was a fun read. I especially liked the interviews with the session musicians and touring personnel. I have always been a fan of Chicago's music but I must say that I never knew much about the band other than the fact that they went through numerous changes through the years, both with musicians and in styles. I was somewhat disappointed in the recent VH1 profile of the band in that the show seemed to focus all it's attention on the death of guitar player Terry Kath, which was quite tragic, but the rest of the information was dealt with rather quickly. I discussed this show with a neighbor who happened to mention the book and I am quite pleased that I found out about it and took the time to read it. I especially enjoyed the writer's in depth analysis of the albums. Reading this book also led me to the record store, where I was able to catch up on several Chicago albums that I never bought the first time around, including some recent work that I was totally unaware of, namely the Christmas album, which is fantastic. It's truly remarkable how much music this band has made!