NewBeats

Subway Art: 25th Anniversary Edition
By Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant
Chronicle Books
Review by David Chiu

I grew up in the early ‘80s when the New York City subway cars were strewn with graffiti. Even as a kid, I kind of shared the sentiments of my elders who found it an eyesore. However, over the years, I have gained an appreciation of that “art” and so has the rest of the world. Graffiti has now become a respected art form to the point of being formally exhibited, such as at the Brooklyn Museum a few years ago. That would have never had happened in the 1980s, way before Giuliani, gentrification, the decrease in crime, and the now-squeaky clean Times Square.

Subway Art is a book of photographs of graffiti on subway cars and the artists (or “writers” as described in the text) behind it, They were taken by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant, who back then saw something that nearly all average and hardened New Yorkers didn’t see: that subway graffiti was for these young people a way of expression and the sign of the times.

In this 25th anniversary edition of the book, we get to see a wide, panoramic view of how much art has covered throughout several subway cars such as on the #1 and #5 lines. There’s a bold, fresh, in-your-face character to the work, from being an advertisement of the writer’s name, such as the late Dundy—to even expressing social consciousness (like the futility of war in “Stop the Bomb.” There are also photographs of the writers in action—some of these kids would do their work at night, while others mugged for the cameras. What may also be surprising to most of us is that the graffiti writers were not an exclusive boys’ club—a few of them included a woman such as Lady Pink. The book concludes with new text by the authors on how the popularity of the book has affected their lives. while mentioning the current status of some of the writers, most of whom went on to pursue careers in art and other endeavors.

Going through the photographs of Subway Art triggered a flood of memories—it makes me miss that gritty, adventurous time of the city. Aside from the art, it is amazing to see or remember what life in New York was like back then. Photographs of commuters and even cops who rode these graffiti-filled subway cars showed us that even back then New Yorkers seemed unflappable. (One image features someone flipping the bird through the subway door window!).

Of course now graffiti is virtually gone on the trains except for perhaps what we dub as scratchiti (making marks on the windows using a sharp instrument) or some form of tagging on movie posters in the station. Subway Art is a reminder of how talented, energetic and brave these then-kids were. It marked an era that is now gone but, thanks to the authors of this book, will never be forgotten.

Images from Chronicle Books Web site.

Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People
By Tim Reiterman with John Jacobs
Tarcher/Penguin
Review by David Chiu

Yesterday marked the 30-year anniversary of the Jonestown suicides when over 900 followers of Rev. Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple church, killed themselves by drinking fruit drink containing cyanide. On that same day before the suicides, Jones’s men in an airstrip ambush gunned down five people including California Congressmen Leo Ryan. The bizarre and ultimately tragic story of the Peoples Temple is told in Tim Reiterman’s compelling and exhaustive book Raven, which was previously published in 1982, and now has been reprinted in paperback.

Reiterman, then a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner, was an unlikely participant in the events of that horrible day—he was among the wounded in the ambush after visiting Jonestown with Congressman Ryan and the media. His book tells the story of the charismatic Jim Jones, whose fiery brand of religion, politics and social philosophy began in Indiana in the mid-‘50s. As a minister he was unorthodox and unpopular in the community for his racial integration views—he practiced what he preached by adopting non-white children. Jones’s populist appeal followed him to Ukiah and then San Francisco where he preached civil rights and social justice, and his congregation was mostly African Americans and young progressive whites.

But, as the book unravels, there was a dark undercurrent to Jones’s life and message, and the details convey the strange and bizarre things happening inside the church: Jones started having sexual relations with both male and female parishioners; he conducted fake healings; and he saw himself as a Christ-figure and even God. His followers were convinced to donate their savings and properties to the church. And Jones’s paranoia about being betrayed was so palpable that no one was allowed to leave the church upon penalty of severe punishment and retribution. The most chilling episode was having the members engage in the practice of suicide by drinking fruit punch and then were told that it was poisoned (it wasn’t) as a sort of test

Jones’s power was at its zenith upon the Temple’s arrival to San Francisco in the mid ‘70s. His ironclad rule went mainly unchecked because he was able to ingratiate himself with the local politicians (even gaining an audience with First Lady Rosalyn Carter). The media didn’t cover the seamy side of the church or ignored it until journalist’s Marshall Kilduff’s explosive magazine expose convinced Jones and his followers to move to what they considered a modern-day utopia in Guyana. But it was the concern of the followers’ relatives that convinced Congressman Ryan to visit the camp. That would set off the chain of events that culminated with the final and catastrophic moments.

Raven is an absorbing read—it is so mind-blowing and hard to put down even at over 600 pages. As it draws from numerous interviews and sources, Raven’s thorough reporting and the research is a prime example of great journalism. And underneath the sordid and fantastic details of the church’s politics and machinery are some really heartbreaking moments represented in the stories of some of the families— particularly Steve Katasaris, a loving father who tries to convince his brainwashed daughter Maria to leave the church.

There have been numerous books and articles in addition to documentaries about Jonestown, but Raven might be the ultimate and authoritative source for any understanding about Jones and the Peoples Temple. With continued interest with Jonestown especially during this anniversary, the book’s reemergence couldn’t been more timely as a cautionary reminder of what happens when a group puts its own individuality and life in the hands of a corrupt and insane person.

For more information about Jonestown:

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/jonestown/index.html

Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple
http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/

“On the 30th anniversary, Jonestown survivors reflect on the tragedy and their new lives” By Tim Reiterman
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-30-years-after-jonestown,1,1130544.story

Watch the trailer to the documentary Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

If You Liked School, You’ll Love Work…
By Irvine Welsh
Reviewed by David Chiu

Author Irvine Welsh, best known for his 1993 novel Trainspotting, returns with his latest collection of short stories that feature interesting characters in quite unusual circumstances. In “Rattlesnakes,” for example, three Americans in the desert make an ill-fated encounter with two Mexican brothers who hold them at gunpoint. Equally unsettling is “Miss Arizona,” in which a writer interviews an eccentric old woman who later has a surprise waiting for him. The best of the pieces is “Kingdom of Fife,” a quirky story that involves two social outcasts, a table football match [or what we Americans call foosball], and a human head. Through his gritty, in-your-face style, Welsh is a master in developing offbeat characters, from an English bar owner coping with the women in his life , to an elder Scotsman who constantly listens to the music of 50 Cent. And as you’re finishing along Welsh sometimes throws an unexpected curve ball as he does on the aforementioned “Miss Arizona” and “The DOGS of Lincoln Park,” about an urban professional who loses her dog. In the end, it is the dark humor that makes the stories in this collection all the more fun and entertaining.

Genesis: Chapter and Verse
By Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford
Published by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Griffin
Review by David Chiu

What makes Genesis so interesting through this latest authorized biography is how for the most part the lives of the band members were relatively subdued compared to their more raucous contemporaries. In this book you won’t find any in-depth tales of rampant drug use, sexual escapades, back stabbings or tragedies that have befallen many of rock’s best bands. Instead, what you have is a story about the music and the people behind it. The book traces the history a band that started out as a collective amongst school friends, to this year’s recent reunion tour. In between, Genesis had sold millions of records and played many shows in large venues during its evolution from a progressive art rock outfit to a huge commercially successful pop group. The classic lineup of Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford, along with their close friends and associates, shares their memories with respect and admiration for the music and for each other. In some cases the commentaries members are very candid as fans will get the back stories behind some of Genesis’ most popular albums; the devastating departures of Gabriel, Hackett and Collins; and an aborted attempt at a reunion tour amongst the classic five as recent as a couple of years ago. Fully-illustrated with beautiful photos (i.e. Gabriel in the Supperman stage costume and breathtaking images from the band’s tours in the ‘80s and early ‘90s) and anecdotal captions, Chapter and Verse is the Genesis’ ultimate souvenir tour program but ten-times better. The only minor quibble is that there is not an album and singles discography to make the book more complete. All you ever needed to know about Genesis is finally here with this collection.

Watch the Genesis videos of “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)”, featuring Peter Gabriel; and “Invisible Touch,” featuring Phil Collins.

“I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbeIa77sqXE">

“Invisible Touch”

Rat Salad:
Black Sabbath: The Classic Years 1969-1975
By Paul Wilkinson
Published by Thomas Dunne Books
Review by David Chiu

Part rock biography, part history lesson, first-time author/Sabbath fan Paul Wilkinson’s takes a different approach than others in his career survey of the heavy metal founders. Rather than rehashing the typical that would befit a band of this stature—sex, drugs and rock and roll– although Wilkinson does touches more on the latter. Instead he chooses to focus in talking about the band’s first six albums from its self-titled 1970 debut to 1975’s Sabotage (He doesn’t discuss the last two albums with original singer Ozzy Osbourne, Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die, for he considers them sub par). He delves headlong into describing and telling the story behind each song from the albums, including the classics “Paranoid,” “War Pigs,” “Snowblind,” and “Iron Man.”

Rat Salad is also somewhat of a cultural history of the early to mid ‘70s, during when the author was an adolescent in Britain, as if to provide some context to the times the band lived in. For example, the song “War Pigs” reflects antiwar sentiment as the Vietnam conflict raged on. Wilkinson also draws from poignant moments in his childhood, including a kiss with a sweetheart in school.

The absence of any further discussion on Sabbath and what happened to the group after Osbourne’s departure may make this book somewhat incomplete. However, the author would himself point out that stuff can be found in other books previously written about Sabbath. On the other hand, Rat Salad simply emphasizes the music and the process behind it. His writing style is conversational and lively—even some of the footnotes carry a sense of humor. Overall Rat Salad is strictly for the fans of the original Sabbath, but it is accessible enough for those who aren’t.

Heavy Metal Thunder: Kick-Ass Cover Art from Kick-Ass Albums
By James Sherry and Neil Aldis
Chronicle Books
Review by David Chiu

Remember this name: Manowar. No, this doesn’t refer to a ship but rather an obscure heavy metal band from the ‘80s best known for it’s campy, over-the-top Conan the Barbarian-inspired album covers: muscle bound men, lightning bolts in the background, and titles such as “Kings of Metal” and “Louder than Hell.” One can only imagine what the music actually sounds like.

Manowar isn’t the only heavy metal band to sport weird album covers. The genre has been to known to sport the most imaginative, sometimes garish and ghoulish, artwork than any other genre in music. That’s what’s part of the fun of the book Heavy Metal Thunder, which contains what the authors regards as the best- metal album covers around. It spans from Black Sabbath, the first heavy metal band, to modern day heroes such as Nine Inch Nails and Nirvana (although the latter two would hardly be regarded as metal). Skeletons, monsters, wagging tongue and big hair are the common visual symbols found on the covers.

Not surprisingly the author mentions the popular metal bands known for their art work like Iron Maiden, AC/DC and Judas Priest, as well as some long-forgotten (i.e. Accept’s “Balls to the Wall,” which makes the rare homoerotic statement in a macho-heavy genre). Even notorious glam metal act Motley Crue gets into the act with a couple of their albums getting mentions.

And yet, alongside the well-known bands are many unknown obscure acts with the weirdest covers, some mundane and laughable (i.e. Oral’s Sex) while others are truly gruesome and disturbing (Be warned: Some of the images are not for the faint at heart).

With any ranking of this sort, one is bound to find glaring omissions, and there are some: Def Leppard (“Pyromania,” “Hysteria”), Europe, (The Final Countdown”), Blue Oyster Cult (any, i.e. “Agents of Fortune”), Led Zeppelin (“Houses of the Holy”), and T. Rex (“Electric Warrior”).

Ironically what makes Heavy Metal Thunder an attractively guilty read is that for most of it, there is no text. The authors just let the covers speak for themselves, allowing us to either admire the ingenuity of the artists or to gasp with a barf bag. It also makes one realize that in the age of the compact disc why this is almost a lost art. The cover of Pantera’s “Vulgar Display of Power” (1992), showing a man getting punched in the face, is representative of what makes a heavy metal album cover stand out: hard-hitting and no-holds barred.

Live Fast, Die Young: The Wild Ride of Making Rebel Without a Cause
By Lawrence Frascella and Al Weisel
Published by Simon & Schuster
Review by David Chiu

Perhaps no other movie depicted teenagers with sensitivity and stark realism better than “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955). The film was one of its kind in its portrayal of restless youth that represented the underside of the golden Fifties era that gave us “Leave it to Beaver.” Its themes of delinquency and alienation still resonate to this day.

There is no question that an iconic film of that stature was driven by its iconic star—James Dean. And certainly in the unconventional way “Rebel” was made from its casting to its story line was also driven by the iconoclastic director Nicholas Ray. The story behind the making of the film, as exhaustively written and researched by authors Lawrence Frascella and Al Weisel in “Live Fast and Die Young: The Wild Ride of Making Rebel Without a Cause,” published this past fall in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the film and Dean’s death.

Remarkably, the authors were able to make this a detailed biography of the film despite the fact that the principals—Dean, Ray, and actors Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo—have long since passed away. Most of the reminisces here are from the underrated screenwriter Stewart Stern and surviving actors such as Corey Allen and Frank Mazzola. Aside from the main story line, the book also touches upon the conditions that surrounded filming (the Cold War and the rise of juvenile delinquency), casting (including a story on Plato’s nameless nanny, played by Marietta Canty), and the psychological power trips evoked by Ray (ironically the director related better with the kids than his generation). Also in the book are some juicy tidbits surrounding the players, including Wood’s affair with the older Ray; references to the themes of homosexuality evoked by Dean and Mineo; and insight about the Rebel ‘curse’ and the red jacket famously worn by Dean. Naturally the book concludes about Rebel’s impact on popular culture, which has been tremendous and global (Kudos to the authors for mentioning Morrissey’s video “Suedehead,” in which the brooding alternative rocker visits Dean’s hometown of Fairmount, Indiana).

If there was ever a book about a movie that deserves a medal for its insightful chronicle and exhaustive research, it’s “Live Fast, Die Young.” This back story alone would make an interesting movie. Hopefully Hollywood will knock on the authors’ doors to make a deal, if they hadn’t already. For more information about the book, visit livefastdieyoungbook.com

Belle and Sebastian: Just a Modern Rock StoryBy Paul Whitelaw
Published by St. Martin’s Press
Review by David Chiu

Apparently, even a group that has been only together for ten years and is more of a cult alternative (twee) band, albeit a wildly popular one since the Smiths, could warrant a biography. Paul Whitelaw, a music writer, has done so by covering his fellow Glaswegians, Belle and Sebastian. In 300 pages, he tells the story of the modest group beginning with its visionary singer and driving force Stuart Murdoch. Certainly the author benefits from the cooperation by the current and former members of the band, who offered interviews. Whitelaw goes into depth with a chapter devoted to the making and release of each album from the debut Tigermilk to the recent Dear Catastrophe Waitress (the book was published a few months before the new Belle and Sebastian album The Life Pursuit, which was released this February). Belle and Sebastian fans will enjoy reading the detailed descriptions of the behind-the-scenes stories (which will probably disappoint those seeking any trashy gossip, although there is the sometimes tense moments that face any band mentioned here, and Belle and Sebastian is no exception). Whitelaw treats his subjects with both objectivity and admiration. A complete and exhaustive discography closes out a wonderful and painstaking detailed look at a band that has been a popular best-kept secret amongst its die-hard following.