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The Soundtrack of My Life
In this star-studded autobiography, Clive Davis shares a personal, candid look into his remarkable life and the last fifty years of popular music as only a true insider can.In the history of popular music, no one looms as large as Clive Davis. His career has spanned more than forty years, and he has discovered, signed, or worked with a staggering array of artists: Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Simon and Garfunkel, Barry Manilow, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Dionne Warwick, Carlos Santana, The Grateful Dead, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Aretha Franklin, to name a few. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy, and hosted the world’s highest profile parties.
In this fully illustrated, personal account, Davis tells all, from becoming an orphan in high school and getting through college and law school on scholarships, to being falsely accused of embezzlement and starting up his own record company, J Records. His wealth of experience offers valuable insight into the evolution of the music business over the past half-century and into the future.
Told with Davis’s unmatched wit, frankness, and style, The Soundtrack of My Life exposes a trove of never-before-heard stories—some hilarious, others tragic, all revealing—that will captivate and inspire all music lovers.
In this fully illustrated, personal account, Davis tells all, from becoming an orphan in high school and getting through college and law school on scholarships, to being falsely accused of embezzlement and starting up his own record company, J Records. His wealth of experience offers valuable insight into the evolution of the music business over the past half-century and into the future.
Told with Davis’s unmatched wit, frankness, and style, The Soundtrack of My Life exposes a trove of never-before-heard stories—some hilarious, others tragic, all revealing—that will captivate and inspire all music lovers.
608 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2013
146 people are currently reading
1292 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
April 21, 2013
I really admire Clive Davis, and wanted to love this book. But sadly, the book descends into a mind-numbing repetitive pattern throughout its densely-packed 500+ pages:
(1) "X, who are very talented musicians, made a lot of money because they did what I told them to do."
(2) "Y, who are also very talented musicians, failed to make a lot of money because they refused to do what I told them to do."
If you're looking for colorful anecdotes about the many interesting musicians and artists that Davis worked with over the past decades -- trust me, they aren't here. And if you're looking for tips on how to be the next Clive Davis, forget it. The career lessons that I managed to pull out of this book tended to be general business bromides: Do what you love, stick with your gut feelings, work hard, reward loyalty, and try to get along well with others.
This is Davis's second book. My fingers are crossed that maybe the third time will be the charm.
(1) "X, who are very talented musicians, made a lot of money because they did what I told them to do."
(2) "Y, who are also very talented musicians, failed to make a lot of money because they refused to do what I told them to do."
If you're looking for colorful anecdotes about the many interesting musicians and artists that Davis worked with over the past decades -- trust me, they aren't here. And if you're looking for tips on how to be the next Clive Davis, forget it. The career lessons that I managed to pull out of this book tended to be general business bromides: Do what you love, stick with your gut feelings, work hard, reward loyalty, and try to get along well with others.
This is Davis's second book. My fingers are crossed that maybe the third time will be the charm.
March 20, 2013
When I began reading, I thought this would be a 4 star or better, but as I continued, my early enthusiasm declined. I did like the book and thought much of the info was interesting. Overall the text began to bore me a bit. Reading his memories reminded me of those stars who accepted a Grammy or Oscar as they stood before the audience and tried to thank every last person who was involved in their project. Don't let that discourage you from reading the book, because despite the sometimes dry prose, it was good and interesting. One has to, in my opinion, admire the work ethic and drive Clive possessed. He was so lucky to have a great job that he very much enjoyed.
April 18, 2013
I wish the editor of this book had told Clive to "stop telling and start showing". This book had me aching for stories instead of facts and sales numbers. There was very little dialog or direct quotes from anyone. Instead, all chapters (after Clive's childhood years) are the same format: Clive first heard about artist X from John/Jane Doe and was blown away by the music. Then...contract details...then a list of each hit song, sales figures and awards won.
Three or four chapters like that are interesting, the next three are a little tiring, but another 25+ chapters with that same format and you start skipping paragraphs.
That's not to say I didn't like the book. I did. I just wish I got to know all his artists the same way I got to know Aretha and Carlos Santana (two artists that he quotes directly, and therefore allows you to 'get to know' a bit better.) Oh, and there is one awesome/hilarious quote from Janis that Clive shares, that will make you love her even more. (or, if you're easily offended, maybe not).
I do believe that Clive has some golden ears, and his suggestions have turned hundreds of "OK" songs into major hits, thereby shaping American music for the past 50 years. And he's certainly had a fascinating career.
I'm glad I read this book but I wish it was filled with more funny, shocking or insightful stories, instead of basic facts.
Three or four chapters like that are interesting, the next three are a little tiring, but another 25+ chapters with that same format and you start skipping paragraphs.
That's not to say I didn't like the book. I did. I just wish I got to know all his artists the same way I got to know Aretha and Carlos Santana (two artists that he quotes directly, and therefore allows you to 'get to know' a bit better.) Oh, and there is one awesome/hilarious quote from Janis that Clive shares, that will make you love her even more. (or, if you're easily offended, maybe not).
I do believe that Clive has some golden ears, and his suggestions have turned hundreds of "OK" songs into major hits, thereby shaping American music for the past 50 years. And he's certainly had a fascinating career.
I'm glad I read this book but I wish it was filled with more funny, shocking or insightful stories, instead of basic facts.
September 6, 2015
There's a story in the Clive Davis memoir that goes like this:
Barry Manilow thought of himself as a singer-songwriter. He didn't want to record any outside music. But I didn't hear a huge smash hit on his second album, and his first album hadn't sold so great. So I talked him into recording this great song I'd found, "Mandy," which I'd renamed from its original title, "Brandy." I had Manilow record it at the tempo I wanted, in the key I wanted, then I got every radio station in the world to play it. "Mandy" shot to #1 on the Hot 100 and stayed there for half a year, and Manilow's album went octuple platinum. I sent Manilow a solid-gold bracelet with encrusted diamonds spelling out the words "I told you so."
And there's another story in the Clive Davis memoir that goes like this:
Taylor Dayne's first two albums produced eight Top 10 pop singles and sold platinum. I handpicked all eight of the songs from outside writers because I knew they'd be smash hits. When it came time to record her third album, Taylor resisted my song suggestions. She wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. She wanted to write her own stuff. I told her, "Look at Whitney Houston. We've taken her to the top of the Hot 100 eleven times now, and she can't even write her name on a piece of paper. But she's got plenty of respect and Grammies and a shitload of money. But okay, have it your way, let's see what you've got." And guess what -- Taylor Dayne's third album sucked. It destroyed her career. I personally signed a check for her royalties as songwriter. The check was for $108. In the memo spot, I wrote, "I told you so."
There are a dozen different versions of each of the above stories in The Soundtrack of My Life . Kelly Clarkson's judgment especially takes a beating toward the back third, and it's obvious that Davis's recollections are egotistical, rosy and one-sided. But I couldn't help myself -- I read this book compulsively, with a big smile on my face, for like three weeks straight.
Clive Davis, who published this book at age 81, is one of the three most prominent record executives of the rock era. His head for the business aspect is admirable, but his passion for the music itself is what attracted me as a reader. It makes me a whole lot less cool, but I get excited by well-crafted pop music; the older I get, the more I love mainstream shit. Davis perfectly captures, again and again, that feeling when you first hear a brand new pop song that's an absolute sure thing.
Parts of the first act were a little tedious, but I jumped in at the mid '90s (Ace of Base wouldn't listen to me or do what I said. Years later, I found out they were Swedish and didn't understand a single word out of my mouth.) and worked my way back through time after I got to the book's end. I got so into the know-it-all formula of the executive guiding the path of household-name superstars that I went straight to Tommy Mottola's Hitmaker after reading this.
Barry Manilow thought of himself as a singer-songwriter. He didn't want to record any outside music. But I didn't hear a huge smash hit on his second album, and his first album hadn't sold so great. So I talked him into recording this great song I'd found, "Mandy," which I'd renamed from its original title, "Brandy." I had Manilow record it at the tempo I wanted, in the key I wanted, then I got every radio station in the world to play it. "Mandy" shot to #1 on the Hot 100 and stayed there for half a year, and Manilow's album went octuple platinum. I sent Manilow a solid-gold bracelet with encrusted diamonds spelling out the words "I told you so."
And there's another story in the Clive Davis memoir that goes like this:
Taylor Dayne's first two albums produced eight Top 10 pop singles and sold platinum. I handpicked all eight of the songs from outside writers because I knew they'd be smash hits. When it came time to record her third album, Taylor resisted my song suggestions. She wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. She wanted to write her own stuff. I told her, "Look at Whitney Houston. We've taken her to the top of the Hot 100 eleven times now, and she can't even write her name on a piece of paper. But she's got plenty of respect and Grammies and a shitload of money. But okay, have it your way, let's see what you've got." And guess what -- Taylor Dayne's third album sucked. It destroyed her career. I personally signed a check for her royalties as songwriter. The check was for $108. In the memo spot, I wrote, "I told you so."
There are a dozen different versions of each of the above stories in The Soundtrack of My Life . Kelly Clarkson's judgment especially takes a beating toward the back third, and it's obvious that Davis's recollections are egotistical, rosy and one-sided. But I couldn't help myself -- I read this book compulsively, with a big smile on my face, for like three weeks straight.
Clive Davis, who published this book at age 81, is one of the three most prominent record executives of the rock era. His head for the business aspect is admirable, but his passion for the music itself is what attracted me as a reader. It makes me a whole lot less cool, but I get excited by well-crafted pop music; the older I get, the more I love mainstream shit. Davis perfectly captures, again and again, that feeling when you first hear a brand new pop song that's an absolute sure thing.
Parts of the first act were a little tedious, but I jumped in at the mid '90s (Ace of Base wouldn't listen to me or do what I said. Years later, I found out they were Swedish and didn't understand a single word out of my mouth.) and worked my way back through time after I got to the book's end. I got so into the know-it-all formula of the executive guiding the path of household-name superstars that I went straight to Tommy Mottola's Hitmaker after reading this.
June 3, 2013
When I first picked up the book at my local library and saw the size, I was like Geeze, I am going to need more than 3 weeks for this one; it's soooo big! Regardless, I started to read the book and the pages flew by!!
I'm going to put myself out on a limb and refute the negative reviews I read on this site. Seems like some people thought this book should have been a 'tell-all'. If Mr Davis is the professional that he is, it would never be such a book. ,y recommendation for those folks is to go pick up a copy of National Enquirer as that is more your level of reading. Others felt that he was full of ego...well, too bad! If you had the amazing career this man has had, and made the kind of impact that he did on music, you would gloat a little (very little) too. I think those type of comments were out of jealousy of some sort.
I found the book was the soundtrack of MY life, and enjoyed seeing the record industry from his point of view. There was only one chapter I skipped (on hip hop, ironically for someone living in Atlanta) as I am just so not interested in that style. Other than that my only criticism is that I would have liked to see the story told in more of a straight line. He seemed to go back and forth a little in time, and I found that confusing. Also Steve Ferrera names was spelled two different ways Ferrara and Ferrera and I got confused over the character. If you really are into ,USC from more than a superficial commercial standing, you will enjoy this book.
I'm going to put myself out on a limb and refute the negative reviews I read on this site. Seems like some people thought this book should have been a 'tell-all'. If Mr Davis is the professional that he is, it would never be such a book. ,y recommendation for those folks is to go pick up a copy of National Enquirer as that is more your level of reading. Others felt that he was full of ego...well, too bad! If you had the amazing career this man has had, and made the kind of impact that he did on music, you would gloat a little (very little) too. I think those type of comments were out of jealousy of some sort.
I found the book was the soundtrack of MY life, and enjoyed seeing the record industry from his point of view. There was only one chapter I skipped (on hip hop, ironically for someone living in Atlanta) as I am just so not interested in that style. Other than that my only criticism is that I would have liked to see the story told in more of a straight line. He seemed to go back and forth a little in time, and I found that confusing. Also Steve Ferrera names was spelled two different ways Ferrara and Ferrera and I got confused over the character. If you really are into ,USC from more than a superficial commercial standing, you will enjoy this book.
January 24, 2022
dnf, stopped midway when it became obvious, I could not expect much in terms of real insights.
feel pity for the guy, cannot see how this elevates his reputation anywhere.
a- really depressing insight into how the music biz works, if you thought it was ugly and superficial before, this is def not going to change your mind... in fact, I probably will stop completely listening to many of the artists he mentioned, now that I have a better sense of how the sausage was made.
b- milky-way-sized ego, whereby essentially every statement in the book is combination of: (i) I found the song, (ii) I found the artist, (iii) I made the recommendations which made the song/album/[fill-in-the-blank] great, (iv) I predicted it completely and fully and/or (v) it didn't work out or I messed up but it was [XYZ]'s fault.
c- everything is so first level, there is really no cerebral insight into anything, it really is about how many thousand records XYZ sold and how many thousands XYZ got paid. How XYZ introduced me to ABC, very mechanic, devoid of much intellectual insight or thought.
so basically, why the f did this guy decide to sell records when he could have single-handedly solved earth-sized problems like global warming, the Cold War, world peace, faster-than-light travel, time-travel or global poverty is beyond me... its a real shame, Clive Davis' ability to predict everything and anything, his Midas touch, etc. really would have solved everything, but now we are just stuck with these dreadful memoirs and a bunch of one-hit wonders
depressing, really depressing
feel pity for the guy, cannot see how this elevates his reputation anywhere.
a- really depressing insight into how the music biz works, if you thought it was ugly and superficial before, this is def not going to change your mind... in fact, I probably will stop completely listening to many of the artists he mentioned, now that I have a better sense of how the sausage was made.
b- milky-way-sized ego, whereby essentially every statement in the book is combination of: (i) I found the song, (ii) I found the artist, (iii) I made the recommendations which made the song/album/[fill-in-the-blank] great, (iv) I predicted it completely and fully and/or (v) it didn't work out or I messed up but it was [XYZ]'s fault.
c- everything is so first level, there is really no cerebral insight into anything, it really is about how many thousand records XYZ sold and how many thousands XYZ got paid. How XYZ introduced me to ABC, very mechanic, devoid of much intellectual insight or thought.
so basically, why the f did this guy decide to sell records when he could have single-handedly solved earth-sized problems like global warming, the Cold War, world peace, faster-than-light travel, time-travel or global poverty is beyond me... its a real shame, Clive Davis' ability to predict everything and anything, his Midas touch, etc. really would have solved everything, but now we are just stuck with these dreadful memoirs and a bunch of one-hit wonders
depressing, really depressing
May 9, 2013
This book started out great. I enjoyed learning about his childhood in the 50's and how he felt after his parents deaths. I liked the personal stories and I wish there were integrated more throughout the book. He fell into a pattern of telling the reader story after story about the great artists he found and how successful they became. I wanted to know more stories about artist who were fantastic but were not a commercial success. I also wanted more about his life as he moved from decade to decade.
Near the end of the book he disclosed that he is bisexual and told a very brief story about how he came to realize that about himself. I wanted more of that with the music.
This book could have been better.
Near the end of the book he disclosed that he is bisexual and told a very brief story about how he came to realize that about himself. I wanted more of that with the music.
This book could have been better.
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March 19, 2020Clive Davis is the man responsible for Whitney’s “I Will Always Love You” and Santana’s “Smooth,” the two most grating and overplayed singles of the ‘90s. I should’ve known his autobiography would play out the same way.
There’s nothing in any of the 500 pages of this book you couldn’t just imagine yourself. In fact, your imagination would be more interesting. The first tenth of this stupid thing consists of Davis’ upbringing and personal life and then almost nothing else outside of music is mentioned until the final eight pages. Otherwise, it’s just a relentless tallying of record sales and Grammy nominations.
It’s baffling that someone with such an amazing life would tell such a boring version of it.
There’s nothing in any of the 500 pages of this book you couldn’t just imagine yourself. In fact, your imagination would be more interesting. The first tenth of this stupid thing consists of Davis’ upbringing and personal life and then almost nothing else outside of music is mentioned until the final eight pages. Otherwise, it’s just a relentless tallying of record sales and Grammy nominations.
It’s baffling that someone with such an amazing life would tell such a boring version of it.
January 11, 2014
What happens when the world's most boring guy has one of the world's coolest jobs? There was a chance this could have worked, but it really doesn't. If you are a fan of unintentional humor, he is also the whitest person on the planet, so the chapters on rappers are especially hilarious. And the 'revelation' of his personal life is the most disingenuous thing you will read this year; he is fooling nobody but himself.
April 22, 2025
a wild ride into the past!
April 13, 2013
Clive Davis is a genius at promoting himself and his stable of musicians. He is an expert in music business management. He has assisted dozens of recording artist superstars in realizing their dreams of fame and fortune. He knows how to keep up with listener tastes, how to discover new stars, and how to resurrect the careers of aging stars. He lures readers by dangling the carrot of his relationships with the greats (such as Janis, Simon and Garfunckel, Aretha, Whitney, Springsteen, Puffy, and Manilow). And yet, his book is often BORING. Why? Most chapters follow this formula: tell how he met a recording artist, tell how he helped them, and cite every award and accomplishment of theirs in which he (allegedly) participated. He doesn't dish enough about the stars to make those chapters interesting. And, oh yes, the gratuitous "inside" info on his bisexuality is a tease as well because it is written in a relatively impersonal, unemotional way that makes this reader feel as if it were added to spice up the tale and thereby sell a few more books.
When Davis does seem like a real person is when he shares the story of his upbringing, education, entry into the recording field, and lessons learned about how to promote an artist (find someone who is able to record an album with at least one hit single on it and is also good at hitting the road/stage to promote it). Then the book is informative and lively. Too bad this "good stuff" is only about 25% of the book.
When Davis does seem like a real person is when he shares the story of his upbringing, education, entry into the recording field, and lessons learned about how to promote an artist (find someone who is able to record an album with at least one hit single on it and is also good at hitting the road/stage to promote it). Then the book is informative and lively. Too bad this "good stuff" is only about 25% of the book.
January 21, 2021
Mixed feelings about this autobiography of Davis' career in the music industry. No doubt he is a titan and has worked with nearly everyone who is anyone over the past five decades and more. Davis is a bright, articulate man and has had a remarkable life and great success. I just found the book to be, albeit readable, quite repetitive (it's a huge tome at 500+ pages) and his healthy ego shone through on every page, which eventually became a bit much for me to take. The personal reveal at the end of the book felt jarring given that nearly the entire book focused on his career and business accomplishments. Picked this up to read after watching a terrific documentary on his career ... I should have just stuck with the doc, which was very well done.
June 2, 2014
I feel like I've been thoroughly schooled on the music industry. This was a very fascinating read with indepth stories captivatingly told by Clive Davis about some of the biggest names in the music industry. The book also chronicles Clive's journey from his humble beginnings to becoming one of the most powerful and sought after excecutives in the music industry. It's amazing what Clive has done and the lives he has impacted. He can truly say his life hasn't been in vain. I also appreciate how he tells the good along with the bad, letting us know that he hasn't been perfect in his decisions and choices. Overall this is a wonderful read.
July 14, 2013
Those readers who complain that this narrative is too long on sales figures and earnings and short on interesting stories are right- at times this potentially fascinating story reads like a spreadsheet. Mr. Davis offers many insights into the music business but the book isn't very well written. It's repetitive and tedious. And why Mr. Davis felt compelled to devote a section to his sex life near the end is a complete mystery. I don't care WHO he does it with as long as I don't have to read or hear about it.
June 26, 2013
Whew. That was so hard to get through and of course, the juicy stuff was the last chapter. While I am aware he has done a lot in the music industry, you would have thought he wrote the songs, produced all, sang, played the instruments, and sold albums door to door for all artists. Tad bit full of himself is an understatement. It was interesting hearing his stories especially about Joplin among others. Not something I think is worth the long read!
February 28, 2013
I heard a great interview on Saturday.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/20...
What an amazing book! I couldn't put it down. I love music and have so many of the records talked about in this book. It was nice he mentioned Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss and many others in the recording industry.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/20...
What an amazing book! I couldn't put it down. I love music and have so many of the records talked about in this book. It was nice he mentioned Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss and many others in the recording industry.
March 14, 2013
This book should have been SEVERELY edited. Clive Davis isn't as fascinating as he thinks he is. There are some interesting tidbits, but the writing is very tedious at times and good stories get lost in that. I just ended up skimming. This might have been better read as a book and not on the Kindle either. Disappointing.
April 3, 2013
Reading this book was like watching a movie you recorded. The first 200 pages were interesting and then you fast-forward through the artists in which you have no interest. I guess someone who really loves contemporary music might find the book riveting. I would have liked a little more gossip and a little less business.
July 17, 2022
interesting vignettes about certain performers but wanted more details about some of them and less about him. I respect the man tremendously for his genius but in the book found him very egotistical and too eager to credit himself for just about everything under the sun, while blaming everyone but himself for his own misfortunes. Made me take everything he wrote with a bit of salt.
December 4, 2013
If you enjoy reading about a record exec. "Dumbing down" an artist music for commercial appeal,If you enjoy celebrating the great deals "for the label" struck with musicians for their recording output,If you enjoy reading about Barry Manilows recording history all told by a man with great business skills but by his own admission, not a speck of musical pedigree have I got a book for you!
January 28, 2015
This is a trek through much of the history of rock and roll with this instrumental man and all the acts he influenced. His journey and knowledge of music helped to bring their artistic skills to the market for our benefit. Its especially wonderful and important for us music affascinatos. 7 of 10 stars
May 5, 2013
Highly self-serving and overwhelmed with pointless album sales data, but music history lovers will find a handful of fascinating stories inside. Not sure why, but Davis saves all his personal introspection and biographical revelations for the final 20 pages.
May 25, 2013
Mr. Davis has a healthy ego, and that shines through in his book. If you can put that aside, though, it is very interesting to get a glimpse into the business and read some stories about iconic artists like Janis Joplin, Paul Simon, Santana and many more. Very readable and some great stories.
March 31, 2014
Truth be told I found this a bit boring. I wanted more juicy music industry gossip and less in depth discussion about the corporate business side of things. I found myself skimming through most of the book in all honesty and even doing that it took ages to read. Definitely overly long.
November 4, 2013
A tedious read. I found Davis too self indulgent. This book read like record stuck on repeat. Same formula every chapter. A disappointing read.
June 23, 2013
Boring
March 11, 2014
The Soundtrack of My Life was a book I found difficult to get into, and therefore gave up on it. I might try at a later date to give it another go.
September 26, 2025
No one should write a 500+ page autobiography unless his name is Christopher Columbus. And the book better include all four voyages.
But Clive Davis has had an eventful life, even if I didn't need to know the street address of his childhood home.
As for the name Clive Davis: Very British, talley ho, tut tut right? Unusual birth name for a working class Jewish kid from Brooklyn.
He was a record company executive, music producer, and just about anything else except actually making music. Why should we care about that? How about Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Santana, Blood, Sweat & Tears (Davis tried to get them to change their name; no go), Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, Patti Smith, Miles Davis, Simon & Garfunkel (Davis tried to get them to change their name; no go), Brooks and Dunn... ? And that's a very partial list.
Davis' formula wasn't any mystery: Make sure his record label covers multiple genres. Sign star-quality artists who will create a large audience of sustained devotees. Give them guidance, support and material to realize that potential by finding good songs and managing the radio/album/singles strategy. And do what Clive says!
What distinguished Davis is that he executed the formula better than anyone else. This book is his detailed account of his career, but I read it for the hundreds of show biz anecdotes. Example: Barry Manilow insisted on limiting his records to songs he wrote. When Davis asked him to record "I Write the Songs" (NOT written by Manilow), Manilow thought Davis was mocking him and didn't speak to Davis for two months.
In every event he recounts, he is center stage. (It's an autobiography, so fair enough.) If I were to write a Clive Davis discovery story, it would go like this:
"Bob Felden and I went to hear the band perform. As soon as they played their first number, I knew I wanted to sign them. After the show, I went back to the dressing room..."
Well, Bob, thanks for dropping in. Stop by any time.
In a glamor business like music recording, you always always always push the product. And the product is... you. Self-promotion is survival. Davis basks in his status and wealth, though not excessively.* From the book's many pictures, we can say for sure: (1) Clive Davis knows a lot of celebrities; and (2) Clive Davis likes to wear stripes.
So let's just enjoy the stories, be amazed by his success, and not worry too much about who deserves credit for what.
* Unless you consider 175 references to his bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel "excessive."
But Clive Davis has had an eventful life, even if I didn't need to know the street address of his childhood home.
As for the name Clive Davis: Very British, talley ho, tut tut right? Unusual birth name for a working class Jewish kid from Brooklyn.
He was a record company executive, music producer, and just about anything else except actually making music. Why should we care about that? How about Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Santana, Blood, Sweat & Tears (Davis tried to get them to change their name; no go), Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, Patti Smith, Miles Davis, Simon & Garfunkel (Davis tried to get them to change their name; no go), Brooks and Dunn... ? And that's a very partial list.
Davis' formula wasn't any mystery: Make sure his record label covers multiple genres. Sign star-quality artists who will create a large audience of sustained devotees. Give them guidance, support and material to realize that potential by finding good songs and managing the radio/album/singles strategy. And do what Clive says!
What distinguished Davis is that he executed the formula better than anyone else. This book is his detailed account of his career, but I read it for the hundreds of show biz anecdotes. Example: Barry Manilow insisted on limiting his records to songs he wrote. When Davis asked him to record "I Write the Songs" (NOT written by Manilow), Manilow thought Davis was mocking him and didn't speak to Davis for two months.
In every event he recounts, he is center stage. (It's an autobiography, so fair enough.) If I were to write a Clive Davis discovery story, it would go like this:
"Bob Felden and I went to hear the band perform. As soon as they played their first number, I knew I wanted to sign them. After the show, I went back to the dressing room..."
Well, Bob, thanks for dropping in. Stop by any time.
In a glamor business like music recording, you always always always push the product. And the product is... you. Self-promotion is survival. Davis basks in his status and wealth, though not excessively.* From the book's many pictures, we can say for sure: (1) Clive Davis knows a lot of celebrities; and (2) Clive Davis likes to wear stripes.
So let's just enjoy the stories, be amazed by his success, and not worry too much about who deserves credit for what.
* Unless you consider 175 references to his bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel "excessive."
August 18, 2018
Extremely engrossing history of one of the all time great record company minds. The sheer amount of careers that Clive Davis helped to make and the 100s of millions of albums sold that he had a hand in are remarkable to read about. He clearly had a good ear for hits and a good sense of a potential super star (when paired with the right material). Some other readers seemed put off by his repeated attempts to prevent singers from shooting themselves in the foot. Yes, there are a series of "I told you so" stories, but he recounts them because they are all true. He even calls attention to the fact that the pattern repeated itself many many times. Recording star is given a-list material by outside writers and becomes a super star, follow up album flops after same recording star insists on writing all the songs themselves, over the objection of Clive and others. Even if you think his telling of these many stories is self-congratulatory, it doesn't make them any less true. I think even more remarkable was his ability to revive the careers of artists who had been all but forgotten by the record buying public. Whatever magic formula Clive was working with, it did the job. He managed to match artist with material better than anyone.
I would have given this book four stars, but I am knocking it down one simply because it seems like it needs another round or two of editing. There are anecdotes that are repeated just a mere 10 or 12 pages after they are told the first time. There are also jumps in time that are a little too jarring and probably could have been smoothed out.
For fans of music, and fans of inside baseball when it comes to the music industry, Clive is the man. Read this book and enjoy it, despite some of its flaws in craft.
I would have given this book four stars, but I am knocking it down one simply because it seems like it needs another round or two of editing. There are anecdotes that are repeated just a mere 10 or 12 pages after they are told the first time. There are also jumps in time that are a little too jarring and probably could have been smoothed out.
For fans of music, and fans of inside baseball when it comes to the music industry, Clive is the man. Read this book and enjoy it, despite some of its flaws in craft.
August 8, 2022
A couple of things come through on reading this book, firstly Clive Davis really can take credit for being one of the greatest A&R men of all time (the list of stars he has been responsible for discovering and whose careers he hs helped to develop is both diverse and deep), secondly Clive Davis really wants you to know that he is one of the best A&R men of all time - and in this 500+ page tome there really doesn't come down to much more than this (there is a very significant personal revelation that comes at the end of the book, but this only serves to highlight the lack of introspection in the rest of the book).
As many other reviewers have pointed out there is a huge degree of sameness as Davis discusses each of the artists he has mentored, suggesting that when the artist agreed to follow his guidance they were generally successful but when they insisted on their own artistic freedom, and stopped listening to him, they tended to find troubles lay ahead.
Interesting to read about the industry, some of its famous artists and executives, and how it developed over time, and again one cannot help be impressed by Davis's contribution and longevity of success n the field, not sure that we needed quite so much of it though and would have enjoyed more introspective insight into what had led to that record of success.
As many other reviewers have pointed out there is a huge degree of sameness as Davis discusses each of the artists he has mentored, suggesting that when the artist agreed to follow his guidance they were generally successful but when they insisted on their own artistic freedom, and stopped listening to him, they tended to find troubles lay ahead.
Interesting to read about the industry, some of its famous artists and executives, and how it developed over time, and again one cannot help be impressed by Davis's contribution and longevity of success n the field, not sure that we needed quite so much of it though and would have enjoyed more introspective insight into what had led to that record of success.
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