Stuff
Adobe DRM
Product Details
Scribner, February 2010
eBook, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 1439142645
ISBN-13: 9781439142646
Description
Everyone knows the hits: “Hanky Panky,” “Mony Mony,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” All of these songs, which epitomize great pop music of the late 1960s, are now widely used in television and film and have been covered by a diverse group of artists from Billy Idol to Tiffany to R.E.M. Just as compelling as the music itself is the life Tommy James lived while making it. James tells the incredible story, revealing his complex and sometimes terrifying relationship with Roulette Records and Morris Levy, the legendary Godfather of the music business. Me, the Mob, and the Music is a fascinating portrait of this swaggering, wildly creative era of rock ’n’ roll, when the hits kept coming and payola and the strong-arm tactics of the Mob were the norm, and what it was like, for better or worse, to be in the middle of it.
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Browse Inside Me, the Mob, and the Music"Tommy James's story is one of the most interesting of any of the 1960s rockers. . . . His story reads like a music-industry version of 'Goodfellas.'"
-- Denver Post
“A boisterous memoir . . . It’s high time that [Tommy James] had a book to himself.”
-- Janet Maslin, The New York Times
"Tommy James' rock & roll education cost him millions, but at least we got this entertaining memoir."
-- Rolling Stone
"This is one helluva story."
-- Howard Stern
“I may have danced with Springsteen, but I LOVE Tommy James and the Shondells too! Who can forget ‘Mony Mony’ or ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ or ‘Hanky Panky’—just some of my faves.”
— Courteney Cox
— Courteney Cox
“Not only is Tommy James a Hall of Fame songwriter and responsible for well over 100 million records sold worldwide, he has given us music that will live forever. He is a gentleman, a wonderful husband, and a friend.”
— Ron Alexenburg, President, Alexenburg Entertainment
— Ron Alexenburg, President, Alexenburg Entertainment
“I think Tommy James is a terrific artist. He explored and succeeded with everything from teen-pop like ‘Hanky Panky’ to psychedelic flower power with ‘Crystal Blue Persuasion’ and ‘Crimson & Clover,’ and aggressive, exciting rock like ‘Mony Mony.’ I’m excited about the book and I am sure everyone who appreciates all those hits will love hearing the stories behind the stories.”
— Shadoe Stevens, national television and radio personality
— Shadoe Stevens, national television and radio personality
“It was Pittsburgh that first recognized Tommy James when, in the short period of just three weeks, ‘Hanky Panky’ leaped to the top of the hit parade in the early summer of 1966. In an industry not known for longevity, Tommy is among those who year after year continued to have success offering a diverse sound that was all his own. Fans of Tommy James, of which I am one, look forward to his latest distinct creativity and never grow tired of hearing the hits he has given us over the years.”
— John Rook, Hit Parade Hall of Fame, Hit Parade Radio
— John Rook, Hit Parade Hall of Fame, Hit Parade Radio
“There are many people who make records, and often great records, but it’s rare that an artist records music that is everlasting. Tommy James is one of those rare artists. To me, he is one of the greatest rock n’ roll producers and artists who ever was. It’s time he gets the recognition he deserves.”
— Tony Orlando
— Tony Orlando
“From his early days with the Shondells, through his career as a solo artist, Tommy James made wonderful hits! His music has become a part of the soundtrack of our lives.”
— Dick Clark
— Dick Clark
"An insightful autobiography."
-- Mojo magazine
"The songwriter shows how bare-knuckled mafia operators made money from rock-and-roll's turbulent adolescence."
-- The Washington Post
Caldwells Patch, January 29, 2011
...d spend hours playing records on the turntable. One of my favorite songs was “Crystal Blue Persuasion” by Tommy James and the Shondells. The peaceful song comforted me as I watched the famous, mesmerizing orange and tangerine Roulette ...
CourierPostOnline.com, January 28, 2011
...gold hit singles and even album liner notes written by a presidential hopeful (Hubert Humphrey in 1968) … Tommy James is ready to see even more. Specifically his life story, told in the form of a Broadway play and a movie based on his ...
South Orange Patch, January 28, 2011
...d spend hours playing records on the turntable. One of my favorite songs was “Crystal Blue Persuasion” by Tommy James and the Shondells. The peaceful song comforted me as I watched the famous, mesmerizing orange and tangerine colored ...
Yahoo! Music, February 17, 2010
...brilliant band name and we've got a winner!Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells by Tommy James and Martin Fitzpatrick (Scribner)� Have to put a word in here for the release of this new book by ...
South Bend Tribune, February 12, 2010
..."Hanky Panky,'' indeed. In 1966, when Niles' Tommy James traveled to New York looking for a major record label for what would become the first of his two No. 1 songs, his representatives left a copy of the ...
