The music industry, Simon Napier-Bell says, is “a world of greed, corruption, self-interest and fun”. While this book contains abundant examples of the first three, it’s always the fun that wins out. Napier-Bell, who co-wrote the lyrics to Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” before managing the Yardbirds, Marc Bolan and Wham!, is a fabulous guide to the industry’s pitfalls and pleasures, combining lightly worn knowledge with gossipy twinkle as he moves from the invention of music publishing in 1710 right up to dance music and downloads. It’s hard to make economic nuts and bolts exciting, but Napier-Bell doesn’t just have an eye for talent: he’s alert to the flamboyant character (former CBS president Walter Yetnikoff), the curious aberration (Britain’s love of The Wombles) and any chance to share an anecdote involving late-night parties at Cher’s house, or the record company office that had “a half-kilo of cocaine … sent in every afternoon”. He keeps his focus, though, discussing payola, contracts and mergers with the same authority as disco, jazz and Michael Jackson, ensuring the book is always a blast.
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