Synopses & Reviews
A giant of the music industry grants an all-access pass to the world of rock and roll, with mesmerizing stories of thirty-five years spent working with legends from Led Zeppelin, to Stevie Nicks, to Nirvana.
Danny Goldberg has been a hugely influential figure in the world of rock and roll. He did PR for Led Zeppelin; he managed the career of Nirvana; he ran Atlantic Records, Mercury Records, and Warner Bros. Records; he launched Stevie Nicksas solo career. In Bumping into Geniuses, Goldberg shares his stories about performers who represent a broad and powerful portion of the psychic real estate of the rock and roll kingdom: Patti Smith, Warren Zevon, Bruce Springsteen, KISS, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, Hole, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle, Led Zeppelin, and more.
But thereas more to this story than just Goldberg's varied career. Itas also a look at the industry itself: a business that was neither the romantic vehicle for self-expression that its most naive fans imagined, nor the purely crass money machine depicted by its most cynical critics. It was complex and chaoticaa mixture of art and commerce, idealism and selfishness and sometimes, rock as most gifted and influential musicians were able to transcend it all.
For anyone interested in the rock and roll industry, or simply the mores and temperaments of the musicians themselves, Bumping into Geniuses is an incredible insider's tale that only Goldberg could tell.
Review
"Goldberg shows us a sometimes dark business run by record executives, concert promoters, and artist management agencies that alternately stroke and squeeze musicians for a better return on their investments." Library Journal
Review
"[A] surprisingly excellent book, an engaging, droll and...largely demystifying look at the evolution of the rock trade from Woodstock to grunge." New York Times
Review
"Great behind-the-scenes stuff told literately and with a minimum of pretension, this is both entertaining and cautionary reading." Booklist
Synopsis
A giant of the music industry grants an all-access pass to the world of rock and roll, with mesmerizing stories of thirty0five years spent working with legends Danny Goldberg has been a hugely influential figure in the world of rock and roll. He did PR for Led Zeppelin; he managed the career of Nirvana; he ran Atlantic, Mercury, and Warner Brothers; he launched Stevie Nick?s solo career. In Bumping into Geniuses, Goldberg grants an all-access pass to the world of rock and roll, with mesmerizing stories of forty years spent working with legends, including Patti Smith, Warren Zevon, Bruce Springsteen, Kiss, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, Hole, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, the Eagles, Susan Blond, Michael Des Barres, Steve Earle, Led Zeppelin, and more.
But there?s more to this story than just Goldberg?s varied career. It?s also a look at the industry itself: a business that was complex and chaotic ? a mixture of art and commerce, idealism and selfishness ? and sometimes, rock?s most gifted and influential musicians were able to transcend it all.
About the Author
Danny Goldberg is president of Gold Village Entertainment. He has worked in the music industry since 1969, including his years as chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Records and Mercury Records.