Hotel California Book

[Jeff Cooke]

Has anyone else here picked up the book "Hotel California" which is focused on the Cali music scene in the 60s and 70s? I'm reading it right now. Just curious if anyone else has it or read it?

[sodascouts]

I've read this book - well, parts of it. It's interesting indeed! Good photos, too.

[Brooke]

I've read it too. Very interesting!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

To be honest - I have read the book, but I have also read just about everything that has been published about the band. So, at this point, they all seem to run together in my mind. That tells me that there must not be really anything that distinguishes one of these books from the other. I would say the lone exception to this may be Felder's book, Heaven and Hell. I guess the fact that it was actually written by him makes some things that he says more memorable to me.

[Jeff Cooke]

It used to be that biographies and autobiographies would really sour me on artists because my illusions would be disintegrated when I discovered that my favorites were actually assholes. I was a big Pink Floyd fan until I read books...lol.

Now I just come to grips with the fact that we're all human no matter how rich or famous we are and a rock star's vomit or snot isn't any more or less appealing than anyone else's. If I was in the spolight there would be a lot of shadows.

It is interesting, though, to read about a whole scene and the interactions between artists from that scene and especially in that period.

[sodascouts]

What you say brings to mind an interesting question - if you like the work of an artist and then find out that the artist is not exactly admirable or, worse yet, that he's done some truly awful things (look at Phil Spector for instance - not a musician but a groundbreaking producer) - does that make the work lesser?

On another note, I actually got this book for Christmas from my older sister. She anxiously asked if I already had it. I thanked her and told her no, I didn't have it. It was true... I had the hardcover and this was the paperback! lol I just hated to tell her "Yes" and see her face fall. And I also truthfully told her that I had just been discussing this book with people who had read it and there had been positive comments, which made her even happier! lol

[Jeff Cooke]

It definitely doesn't lessen the ART, it can lessen the integrity of the art/artist if it is contradictory. It CAN ruin the magic of the music. Sometimes not knowing is better than knowing. Like, I have no idea if the guy who chopped my hamburger is a child molester, murderer, satanist, whatever. If I knew, it wouldn't have a different flavor but I wouldn't buy it. I know that's an extreme example but it's what came to mind!

[Brooke]

The very first book I read about the Eagles (To The Limit by Mark Eliot) certainly opened my eyes about my all time favorite band. I was a bit disillusioned at first, but later realized that that's just the way it was with rock bands back in the day. And I love them now more than ever, but they just aren't quite on as high a pedestal as they had been. I found out that they were human, not Gods.