Like no record before or since, Gentlemen is fraught with the psychological warfare, bedroom drama, Catholic guilt, reprehensible deception and uncleansable shame that coincide with relationships gone seriously wrong. In addition to dissecting the record's organization, arrangements and lyrics, as well as exhaustively examining old articles, reviews and interviews, the book delves into the memories, experiences and influences of the Afghan Whigs.
Bob Gendron is a longtime contributor to the Chicago Tribune and a veteran Music Editor. He co-authored Nirvana: The Complete Illustrated History and has written for DownBeat, Rolling Stone, TONEAudio, and other outlets. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting craft breweries, playing hockey, and exploring neighborhoods. An avid fan of the White Sox and the Blackhawks, he lives in his hometown of Chicago with his wife and two dogs.
What works so well is how Gendron transcends Gentlemen and the era
from which it was birthed to tell us the whole story. The focus is
squarely on Gentlemen...The book may bank on alternative nostalgia
to sell itself, but it never sells that nostalgia in its pages,
choosing to give fresh stories to old fans and new converts alike.
Gentlemen the book is a companion for Gentlemen the album.
*The Tiny Mix Tapes*
From explaining how the eerie hum which opens the first track was
achieved by dangling a microphone out of a car window while driving
over a bridge in the band's hometown of Cincinnati, to the story of
how the evocative cover was inspired and photographed, Gedron
covers in unpretentious detail the recording, production,
arrangement and lyrics of this album by nineties alternative rock
band The Afghan Whigs. He uses interviews with all the band members
to examine the musicians' influences, personal drama, and
lifestyle, and to provide a window into the creative process of a
group of musicians at the top of their game. This pocket-sized
volume makes a nice afternoon read for the music fan for whom liner
notes are simply not enough.
*Book News, February 2009*
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
