Thursday, September 17, 2020

THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (VOLUME 1): small update



A few weeks ago, I submitted the updated book proposal for The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) to my agent. A week later, I sent her the complete current draft, which includes 135 of the proposed 165 individual song entries. Drafts for all of the book's supplemental material were completed months ago. 

The 135 completed first drafts include a number of entries that I finished just in time to insert them into the document I submitted. These are the recently-completed chapters:

DEEP PURPLE: Highway Star
THE ONLY ONES: Another Girl, Another Planet
HEART: Kick It Out
THE BEVIS FROND: He'd Be A Diamond
THE JAM: That's Entertainment
PINK FLOYD: Wish You Were Here
JUDAS PRIEST: Heading Out To The Highway
THE CONTOURS: Do You Love Me
MANNIX: Highway Lines
EMITT RHODES: Fresh As A Daisy
THE CARPENTERS: Only Yesterday
NEIL DIAMOND: Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Time Will Tell

While I would love to leave you with the impression that I'm in the midst of an incandescent burst of creative energy, I have to confess that each of these was already at least partially written. I just had to put them together and pin the ribbon on top.

These are the chapters still awaiting closure:

AMY RIGBY: Dancing With Joey Ramone
LOVE: 7 And 7 Is
MERLE HAGGARD: Mama Tried
OTIS REDDING: (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
BOB DYLAN: Like A Rolling Stone
ABBA: Dancing Queen
MILLIE SMALL: My Boy Lollipop
THE RONETTES: Be My Baby
THE MARVELETTES: I'll Keep Holding On
THE MAYTALS: Pressure Drop
THE PANDORAS: It's About Time
P. P. ARNOLD: The First Cut Is The Deepest
LINDA RONSTADT: You're No Good
RAY CHARLES: Hit The Road Jack
THE MUFFS: Saying Goodbye
THE BANGLES: Live
DON HENLEY: The Boys Of Summer
BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY: Piece Of My Heart
ARTHUR CONLEY: Sweet Soul Music
THE COWSILLS: She Said To Me
EARTH, WIND AND FIRE WITH THE EMOTIONS: Boogie Wonderland
BLONDIE: (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS: All For Swinging You Around
THE SUPREMES: You Keep Me Hanging On
THE MC5: Kick Out The Jams
CHEAP TRICK: Surrender
THE O'JAYS: Put Your Hands Together
THE PRETENDERS: Back On The Chain Gang
EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS: Do Anything You Wanna Do
MARYKATE O'NEIL: I'm Ready For My Luck To Turn Around

Still much to do, but a lot done already. I've been picking at bits of the remaining chapters, and I think the Merle Haggard section will probably be the next one done. Since posting the project's last update on August 27th, I've resisted the temptation to make any further changes to the book's proposed Table of Contents. I don't rule out making changes, but I'm leaving the blueprint intact for the time being. The completed drafts total more than 127,000 words so far, not counting any of the partially-written chapters. I think it reads well, but I'll know more once I've finished initial drafts of the entire book. 

That's when the fun begins. Seriously. The review and revision stage is my favorite part of the writing process. That's when the work gets better, the glow of pride and certainty growing within as a project moves from theory to reality. I'm looking forward to it. I hope you are, too.


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This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read about our history here.


The many fine This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation albums are still available, each full of that rockin' pop sound you crave. A portion of all sales benefit our perpetually cash-strapped community radio project:


Volume 1: download

Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download

Carl's writin' a book! The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1)will contain 165 essays about 165 tracks, each one of 'em THE greatest record ever made. An infinite number of records can each be the greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Updated initial information can be seen here: THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (Volume 1).

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