Behind The Muse: Pop and Rock's Greatest Songwriters Talk About Their Work and Inspiration

Rating:
Summary: He's not a critic, he's a SONGWRITER...
Review: ...and that's why this collection of interviews merits a place of honor in your music library. Bill DeMain appreciates and creates fine songs. And that's the difference. Because he's a songwriter--and a damn good one at that--he brings a refreshing dimension to discussions with some of pop music's most celebrated (Hal David, Jimmy Webb) and, in some cases, least appreciated songsmiths (Nick Lowe, Dolly Parton). I'd place this alongside Bill Flanagan's "Written in My Soul" as a must-have for would-be and working songrwriters alike. And even if you just plain love listening to music, you'll still enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: An absorbing, unusual title
Review: Plenty of individual titles cover pop and rock star biographies and works, but Bill DeMain's Behind The Muse provides an unusual compendium of insights on modern songwriters who talk about their works and inspirations, from Dolly Parton and Billy Joel to Jobim and Burt Bachrach and Tori Amos. The diversity of personalities who appear side by side to share their insights makes for an absorbing, unusual title.