Just a quick post to say that Electric Shock, from the Gramophone to the iPhone – 125 years of Pop Music by Peter Doggett, is one of today’s Kindle daily deals at 99p. Thought it might be of interest to many on this site.
Electric Shock by Peter Doggett
Anybody read it? Sounds good. I dug his Beatles book and I like books on this big scale – Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay, Bob Stanley’s Yeah Yeah Yeah and the like.
(Of course it all started with Charlie Gillett’s Sound of the City and Nik Cohn’s Awopbopaloobopalopbamboom)
Haven’t read it, but something to get stuck into on these dark, cold winter evenings. Read Yeah Yeah Yeah a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so detailed and I learned so much. Hope Electric Shock is just as good.
Doggett’s You Never Give Me Your Money was good.
I’ve not read it (yet) but have heard good things, despite having it on my Xmas list (which I don’t think Santa received, ‘cos of the postal strikes).
So I’ve splashed the 99p on this one instead.
For me, it’s up there with the best Beatles books. Gives a real insight to the mess at Apple and the lost relationship and friendship.
YNGMYM is, for my money, the best value Beatles book there is. There is *literally* no filler in it.
And as you read it, you find yourself muttering ‘wanker’ at every one of them. Even your favourite one.
Especially your favourite one.
Even Martha???
Especially Martha.
Yoko split The Beatles? Nope, it was that flipping sheepdog, hanging around the studio offering ideas for a different middle eight or experimental bridge insert
Right, I’m definitely including it on this year’s list for Santa. If he doesn’t deliver the goods this December, I’ll be booking a trip to Lapland to have a word.
She even insisted on the guest spot in Good Morning Good Morning. Such a diva
It’s very good, Tune In for me though. The recent McCartney Legacy book seems to be a winner too, haven’t got through it yet.
I’ve started it, but slowed down on reading anything generally. As the book thickness suggests it is detailed, but not boringly slow, and very informative.
Definitely worth reading
I likes me some thickness.
Mmm-hmm.
A good read, if slightly dry if I remember correctly. Superseded maybe by Bob Stanley’s Let’s Do It and Yeah Yeah Yeah but well worth 99 pence…
Thanks, Alan 👍
A hearty thumbs up from me. I read it on publication. I must read it again.
You Never Give Me Your Money was good, as I recall, but that was before all of Peter Jackson’s Get Back-sessions revisionism since 2022, so I wonder how it now stands.
Just ordered this and You Never Give Me Your Money from the library thanks.
I’ve just gone on our library website to try and do the same. No books by Peter Doggett but they do have six different books by Maurice Doggett, four of which are histories of the Eastern Counties Coachworks. The man is obviously thorough, but they will have to wait until I’ve read his ‘A history of the Old Cattle Market Bus Station, Ipswich’. I suppose I will have to review it.
Normally love Doggett (YNGMYM, plus his CSNY and 68 books are all excellent), but this particular one left me a bit cold
Didn’t he do a Bowie book? Don’t know why I”m asking, I’m not sure if I want to read another one.
Ask again when you’re sure…
Wasn’t he on a Word Podcast for the Bowie one? I’m (supposed to be) working so can’t look it up.
It was mainly about the Beatles book but they digressed into the Bowie at the end, which I think he might have still been writing.
Yes, The Man Who Sold The World: Bowie In The 1970s. I felt that it was an attempt to do a Revolution In The Head-style account of Bowie’s 70s output. Having read and really enjoyed YNGMYM, I found it a real let-down.
I have a vague memory of him saying that it was actually a project Ian Macdonald had started before he died and Doggett took it on hence the similarity to Revolution in the Head. But you’re right it was a bit of a slog.
Also seems a bit redundant in the light of the Pegg and O’Leary books.