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Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture
Jac Holzman witnessed a cultural transformation during the time he ran Elektra Records from 1950 to 1973. Follow the Music captures pivotal scenes of pop culture as Holzman saw them, from what happened backstage when Bob Dylan went electric to Jim Morrison's legendary shenanigans.
441 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 22, 2018
Memoirs from record executives aren't my idea of a good time, but when someone as innovative and creative as Jac Holzman writes his story then it's a guaranteed good read. He has hundreds of tales to tell about the folk music legends he helped in the Fifties and Sixties, moving up to the great rock bands like Love, The Doors and The Stooges. (Holzman hated the MC5 and has lots of wild stories about them).
What could have made this book better?
1. There's very little space devoted to Phil Ochs, one of his strongest folk acts. Wonder if there was any enmity between them after Ochs moved to A&M Records?
2. There's very little mention about Queen, who were still in his stable for awhile before he retired from Elektra Records.
3. The book would have benefited from a sort of afterword on all the great projects Holzman embarked on after leaving Elektra, and I'm surprised they've been left out.
What made the book great (among other things)?
1. Elektra being the first label to release anything by Cream.
2. The only book that will tell you everything you wanted to know about Judy Henske and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, two under-reported legends in music.
3. Theodore Bikel's enormous contribution to the history of folk music, largely overlooked.
4. Holzman's recounting of the legendary Dylan electric set at the Newport Folk Festival, which the Butterfield Band were the pickup group.
5. The Nico Stories (Marble Index) are worth the price of the book. Trust me.
6. Tons of Tim Buckley stories, all interesting.
Along with Joe Boyd's superb White Bicycles this is one of those hard to put down rock exec books that any music lover should read. Highly recommended. (And I still like Fred Neil).
What could have made this book better?
1. There's very little space devoted to Phil Ochs, one of his strongest folk acts. Wonder if there was any enmity between them after Ochs moved to A&M Records?
2. There's very little mention about Queen, who were still in his stable for awhile before he retired from Elektra Records.
3. The book would have benefited from a sort of afterword on all the great projects Holzman embarked on after leaving Elektra, and I'm surprised they've been left out.
What made the book great (among other things)?
1. Elektra being the first label to release anything by Cream.
2. The only book that will tell you everything you wanted to know about Judy Henske and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, two under-reported legends in music.
3. Theodore Bikel's enormous contribution to the history of folk music, largely overlooked.
4. Holzman's recounting of the legendary Dylan electric set at the Newport Folk Festival, which the Butterfield Band were the pickup group.
5. The Nico Stories (Marble Index) are worth the price of the book. Trust me.
6. Tons of Tim Buckley stories, all interesting.
Along with Joe Boyd's superb White Bicycles this is one of those hard to put down rock exec books that any music lover should read. Highly recommended. (And I still like Fred Neil).
July 24, 2010
Jac Holzman, the founder and guiding light of Elektra Records started a good thing. It's a fascinating book on many levels. I m a huge fan of record labels that have a strong identity - and Elektra was such a company. Right now I am not even sure if there is an Elektra any more. Nevertheless its a fascinating history that started in the Village NYC to LaCienga Blvd in Los Angeles.
Holzman had taste and a good nose for business. There wasn't anything eccentric about him (therefore not on the Joe Meek genius level for instance) but he was a product and personality of the times. In the 50's he was a border-line beatnik folk lovin' capitalist. In the 60's he believed in the artist (that's consistent with him) but also into alternative life style things, like communes, etc. But he never lost the eye to have something unique on his label.
He big time with the Doors and for sure took part in Punk Rock before that even really started with The Stooges and the Nuggets series. He listened to good people and he was always looking forward and not backwards. And at least in this book, most say good things about him. And I have to point out that this book is put together by Holzman, but is basically an oral history of the label. The only one who comes off as an asshole is David Geffen towards the end of the book.
One of the good things about reading this book is that it made me curious to hear some of the folk recordings he put out in the late 50's and early 60's. For a record label heard he put out really weird music of his time. Incredible String Band, David Peel, Stooges (at the time), and various odd and strange folk/rock songwriters as well as Bread! It's a classic music business book and a rock n' roll book as well. Highly recommended.
Holzman had taste and a good nose for business. There wasn't anything eccentric about him (therefore not on the Joe Meek genius level for instance) but he was a product and personality of the times. In the 50's he was a border-line beatnik folk lovin' capitalist. In the 60's he believed in the artist (that's consistent with him) but also into alternative life style things, like communes, etc. But he never lost the eye to have something unique on his label.
He big time with the Doors and for sure took part in Punk Rock before that even really started with The Stooges and the Nuggets series. He listened to good people and he was always looking forward and not backwards. And at least in this book, most say good things about him. And I have to point out that this book is put together by Holzman, but is basically an oral history of the label. The only one who comes off as an asshole is David Geffen towards the end of the book.
One of the good things about reading this book is that it made me curious to hear some of the folk recordings he put out in the late 50's and early 60's. For a record label heard he put out really weird music of his time. Incredible String Band, David Peel, Stooges (at the time), and various odd and strange folk/rock songwriters as well as Bread! It's a classic music business book and a rock n' roll book as well. Highly recommended.
June 14, 2009
A fascinating book consisting of interviews with Jac Holzman and others involved with Elektra. Comes with a CD too!
November 12, 2017
Music and music industry
I enjoyed the history and stories of musicians. Written a bit simply and a little disorganized but if you liked the music of the sixties and early seventies, you'll enjoy this book.
I enjoyed the history and stories of musicians. Written a bit simply and a little disorganized but if you liked the music of the sixties and early seventies, you'll enjoy this book.
May 15, 2019
The history of Elektra Records by the guy who started selling records out of his dorm room. It's fascinating!
I have a couple of friends who worked at Elektra during the '80s and they still have great things to say about Jac.
I have a couple of friends who worked at Elektra during the '80s and they still have great things to say about Jac.
December 7, 2020
This is an oral history from some of the most influential people in the history of music. It’s about Jac Holzman, the founder of Elektra records but it’s also about the sixties, which means there are a lot of stories about Jim Morrison. I’m sort of over reading about Jim being a drunk mess. Anyway, there are also a lot of fluffy meaningless words about how Holzman changed music with the creation of his label. He was a visionary, sure, but this book is extra long and wordy.
January 27, 2009
Jac Holzman was the founder of Elektra Records, and one of the biggest groups he signed were The Doors. I admit I bought this book because I’m a Doors fan and I thought I’d get the juiciest stories about my favorite group, but I was wrong. I got much more than I bargained for, the story of Elektra is fascinating from beginning to end.
Jac Holzman started Elektra from his college dorm room (a precursor of Napster perhaps?) He haunted coffee houses in Greenwich Village in the late 50’s perfectly positioning him to catch the folk scene as it came on and to record it. Holzman did everything from finding the artists to recording them to getting the records made to getting them into record stores, and even though all this took place 50 years ago it would be good for any entrepreneurs out there to read this book. The stories related by Holzman are interesting, he knows how to turn a tale.
The oral biography format is a perfect fit for this story, or even this type of story. It is the story of a career and the many aspects of running a record company from it’s inception to through it’s heyday, to the day its sold to a major company. The story of a career like this is dependent on many voices and in an oral biography you hear those voices, they may sometimes not agree on events or perspective, but you get the fuller impact of the story behind it. You’ll hear from not only Holman, but Theodore Bikell, Paul Rothchild (producer of The Doors & Janis Joplin), John Sebastian, Judy Collins, Jim Morrison, Jackson Browne, Ray Manzarek, Warren Zevon, Carly Simon, Robby Krieger, Paul Williams, the MC5 (with one of the best Rock ‘n’ Roll stories), even Harrison Ford makes a guest appearance as a carpenter who works on Holzman’s house before he finds fame as an actor. I could list all the legendary, famous and near famous as the review and that would be enough to entice music fans to read this book. The list of people who were instrumental to Elektra is in the front of Follow The Music, it’s seven pages long. Each witness offers his or her opinion, perspective, or anecdote to the building of Elektra as one of the premier record companies of the 60’s. You may go into Follow The Music because of your favorite band but you’ll come out with an appreciation of for all the artists involved and the stories of how their music reached you.
Jac Holzman started Elektra from his college dorm room (a precursor of Napster perhaps?) He haunted coffee houses in Greenwich Village in the late 50’s perfectly positioning him to catch the folk scene as it came on and to record it. Holzman did everything from finding the artists to recording them to getting the records made to getting them into record stores, and even though all this took place 50 years ago it would be good for any entrepreneurs out there to read this book. The stories related by Holzman are interesting, he knows how to turn a tale.
The oral biography format is a perfect fit for this story, or even this type of story. It is the story of a career and the many aspects of running a record company from it’s inception to through it’s heyday, to the day its sold to a major company. The story of a career like this is dependent on many voices and in an oral biography you hear those voices, they may sometimes not agree on events or perspective, but you get the fuller impact of the story behind it. You’ll hear from not only Holman, but Theodore Bikell, Paul Rothchild (producer of The Doors & Janis Joplin), John Sebastian, Judy Collins, Jim Morrison, Jackson Browne, Ray Manzarek, Warren Zevon, Carly Simon, Robby Krieger, Paul Williams, the MC5 (with one of the best Rock ‘n’ Roll stories), even Harrison Ford makes a guest appearance as a carpenter who works on Holzman’s house before he finds fame as an actor. I could list all the legendary, famous and near famous as the review and that would be enough to entice music fans to read this book. The list of people who were instrumental to Elektra is in the front of Follow The Music, it’s seven pages long. Each witness offers his or her opinion, perspective, or anecdote to the building of Elektra as one of the premier record companies of the 60’s. You may go into Follow The Music because of your favorite band but you’ll come out with an appreciation of for all the artists involved and the stories of how their music reached you.
January 6, 2011
Interesting book. The Stooges and MC5 don't get much of a mention, apart from a rather dismissive one. Jim Morrison was clearly a bit of an arse, no matter how good-looking and 'poetic' he was. It's actually quite amazing to think how much music the Doors created in a relatively short time 6 albums in approximately 4 years. But I digress. Holzman emerges as a driven individual who put his company above his personal relationships but in doing so committed some fine (and, let's be honest, some not so fine) music to vinyl. It's also a familiar story of how, once the company was sold, the essential spark disappeared under the layers of corporate nonsense and ended up being managed by the faintly egregious David Geffen for a while.
The book is constructed from interviews only. I'm not always a fan of this style but in this case it works well and carries the narrative along. One might accuse Holzman of being an unreliable and biased narrator but there are moments of criticism that creep in and it's not all about hearty back-slaps and wasn't-I-brilliant.
Well worth a read as an example of how the music business was different all those years ago.
The book is constructed from interviews only. I'm not always a fan of this style but in this case it works well and carries the narrative along. One might accuse Holzman of being an unreliable and biased narrator but there are moments of criticism that creep in and it's not all about hearty back-slaps and wasn't-I-brilliant.
Well worth a read as an example of how the music business was different all those years ago.
September 22, 2012
This book is unique. I was there (so to speak) musically for the entire time period of this book. Either as a musician, DJ, record store owner or concert promoter. So this book really, really resonates with me. That being said, it is heavy at times, choppy, and; big surprise, incredibly self indulgent at others. But, if you are a music historian or as far gone as me (music freak) this is a book you really want to check out. It takes a while to plow through (I had it going behind a couple of others for a week or so) but it is really interesting and fun. The Elektra 7000 series of records were discs I always wanted to hear, even if they were by artists I was totally unfamiliar with. I still have many of them in my vinyl collection to this day.
September 22, 2015
Reading one book often leads to the reading of another. A footnote in Malcolm Searles' "A Sweet Surrender" on the 70s Elektra Records recording artist Bread referenced this work co-authored by former Elektra head Jac Holzman. Written in an easy-to-read and yet often disjointed and repetitive "interview" format, "Follow the Music" features insider stories of the development and catalogs of bands such as The Doors, Bread, and Queen and singer-songwriters like Carly Simon, Harry Chapin and Judy Collins. Numerous off-course journeys with artists who were signed to Elektra but never made it offer up curiosities for the hard-core fans of music from the late 1950s to the late 1980s. An interesting if not artful read.
August 4, 2014
Fascinating account (for a record geek anyway) of Elektra records, a label Holzman founded with a record cutting machine as an undergraduate at St. John in 1950. Initially a folk label, it became the home for a number of offbeat artists by the end of the 1960s--Doors, Love, MC5, Stooges, Incredible String Band, Tim Buckley, etc.
By 1970, a post-divorce Holzman had begun to lose interest, and the label was purchased by Warner Bros. Holzman continued to run the label for a couple of years, but the inspiration was gone.
By 1970, a post-divorce Holzman had begun to lose interest, and the label was purchased by Warner Bros. Holzman continued to run the label for a couple of years, but the inspiration was gone.
December 7, 2014
Perhaps the best book you will ever read on the development of that part of popular music in the 1960s that came under the "big tent" and "hands-off" philosophy at Elektra Records. Starting with a stable of little-known folk and jazz artists in the 1950s, Elektra built its stable of musicians through the folk music and "jug band" period straight through to the Doors and mainstream rock powerhouses. An electrifying and unusual corporate story that, in its genesis, is just a guy messing around with some Ampex tape recorders. A must read. Comes with a CD of some early acts with the label.
July 1, 2013
Good book....wonderful stories of a time when people were really striving to work together in new, adventurous musical ways. And if you like The Doors or any bands from back in that day, you will like this book on Jack Holzman and Electra Records
July 1, 2012
Fascinating mixture of gossip and music and business. I enjoyed the reflections on people.
May 29, 2015
Fascinating
An oral history of the legendary music company. Puts you there, both in the moment and in an honest retrospective. If you love music history, this is highly recommended.
An oral history of the legendary music company. Puts you there, both in the moment and in an honest retrospective. If you love music history, this is highly recommended.
May 18, 2016
Excellent Read
Worth the time spent . I personally had no idea the scope of the label I could not put it down read the book in one marathon sitting .
Worth the time spent . I personally had no idea the scope of the label I could not put it down read the book in one marathon sitting .
June 3, 2016
One of the best books on music I've ever read. The history of Jac Holzman and Elektra Records. Behind the scenes with the Doors, Love, Judy Collins....
June 22, 2016
A delightfully frank walk through a slice of the folk music world in the 50's and 60's. Crisply edited and entirely engaging.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews