What'd I Say: The Atlantic Story: 50 Years of Music

by Ahmet Ertegun, Greil Marcus

Ahmet Ertegun created Atlantic Records in 1948 building it to become the single most important record label of the post war era. By the early 1950s he had signed John Coltraine, Charles Mingus, Ray Charles and LaVern Baker. By 1960 Atlantic dominated World music having signed just about anyone who was anyone in the newly enfranchised pop scene and the company went on to dominate the rock industry for the next three decades. The roster of Atlantic talent over 50 years is a rock and roll hall of fame many of whom have contributed to this book. They Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Robert Plant, Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, Phil Spector, Jack Bruce, Jewel, Tori Amos, Cher, Booker T, Rufus Thomas, Steven Stills, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Young Rascals, Maurice Gibb, Dr John, Yes, Greg Allman, Chic, Manhattan Transfer, Sister Sledge, Genesis, Phil Collins, Blues Borthers, Stevie Nicks, Mick Jones, Julian Lennon, and many, many more. Never before has Ahmet Ertegun talked comprehensively about his life in music nor about the bands he signed, how he found them and nurtured them. A team of the world's finest rock journalists write on each era of rock and roll, from the early days to the 1960s, to the mega groups of the 70s, Punk, and the modern era from Country to the Lemonheads and Jewel. With over 1000 colour and black and white photographs, many never before seen, this is a celebration of the history of Atlantic and of Rock and Roll by the people who made the history.

Genres: Music, History, Biography

568 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1998

Reviews

[Kevin A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A richly illustrated coffee table book of the first fifty years of Atlantic Records, this book still offers quite a lot of substance in its glossy pages. Granted, the book loses steam when it hits the 1980s and 1990s. The label was still successfully breaking new stars, but wasn’t defining a musical culture the way it had from the 1940s through the 1970s, primarily thorough R&B/Soul but also in jazz, hard rock, Sourhern rock, Progressive rock, and disco.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up this marvelous, gigantic book from a second-hand dealer for 30 euros. It's a book I'd wanted for some time and had realised was becoming increasingly hard to find outside of the collector's markets. If you have a serious interest in discovering why the popular music of the second half of the 20th century was so replete with talent and creative energy you need to read this book and books like it. This is the first-hand story, not only of wave upon wave of musical genius, but of an era before the corporations took control of music and turned everything into the digital equivalent of aural diarrhoea.

[Mitchell Caplan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing book. The history of Atlantic and the artists they represented back inn the day is truly a great look into a glorious period in the music business.

From Jazz to Blues to Rock to Soul, the broad range of artists and stories are fun, entertaining, and if you are a real fan of the history of music, a great read.