On The Road Again
15 Hitmakers of the Fifties
tell their own amazing stories
Dave Nicolson
In this second book of interviews with the stars of pop and rock'n'roll, Dave Nicolson delves deeper into the dazzling and often treacherous world of the music industry in its golden age. The author's firm belief that popular music represents an important aspect of social history, and his reputation for accuracy and honesty as a writer, have enabled him to obtain some revealing and highly personal first-hand accounts from 15 pioneering performers who were at the forefront of the Fifties' music revolution: Freddie Bell, Martin Denny, Johnny Farina (Santo & Johnny), the Kalin Twins, Robin Luke, Chas McDevitt, Phil Phillips, Marvin Rainwater, Herb Reed (Platters), Tommy Sands, Joe Terranova (Danny & The Juniors), Mitchell Torok, Marty Wilde and the 'Cool Ghoul' himself, John Zacherle.
REVIEWS
"Dave is not an intrusive interviewer, he's not in the business of eliciting 'true life' confessions... The strength of this book lies in the freedom which Dave gives the various artists to tell their stories, unfettered and free from interference. It may not be controversial, but there is a wealth of anecdote of the kind that fans love and, for all I know, has not appeared elsewhere. How many people know that Chas McDevitt's mother was a nun, or that the Kalin Twins were amused by being called the Kylin Twins in England (they should have spent more time north of Watford)... Well worth reading." Now Dig This
"As a piece of oral history... this is a valuable insight into the life and times of artists including the Platters, Tommy Sands and the Cool Ghoul himself, John Zacherle." Classic American
" 'Amazing stories' is true. We are all familiar with the ruthless rapaciousness of record companies in the 1950s, but some of these stories beggar belief... A fascinating collection of reminscences from the horse's mouth. Buy it and read it. You won't put it down until the end." Tales From The Woods
"Way back in 1981 Dave Nicolson started conducting interviews with many, many R&B ,Rock N'Roll, and just plain 'Pop' artists. These one-on-one documentations have remained unpublished - until now... Dave lets each artist open up, and talk about their lives in the business in their own words. Even the unappealing (to me) Kalin Twins interview was quite interesting! ... If you are familiar with the Peter Guralnick books Lost Highway and Feel Like Goin' Home, these little gems are laid out in pretty much the same manner, with photos, old ads and pictures of original records adorning nearly every page. I highly recommend these books. They are fun, nostalgic and educational." Holler
"Interesting stuff" Blue Suede News
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