Songwriters On Songwriting: Revised And Expanded

This book covers the subjects you always want to read covered in interviews with your favorite songwriters, but unfortunately usually are pushed aside for more sensationalist fare. Similar questions are posed to a great number of great writers, mainly concerning the nuts and bolts of inspiration and artistic process. I got this book on the recommendation of Noel Gallagher and can't say I was disappointed at all. Enthralling read.Someone needs to do a second volume with the next generation of writers, as most of these writers are of the baby boomer era, being interviewed in the nineties.

Great to dip into. The articles make me consider my own songwriting process. Doesn't get bogged down in theory. If you want technical look elsewhere. If you want to know about the great songwriters inspirations on a daily basis, you will find it here. I really wish I had bought this book sooner. Most of the great songwriters are represented. I can see this being a well loved book which I will store in my songwriting bag.

I love this book even though I'd never heard of half of these people before (young and naive that I am).. Basically the author has compiled a collection of interviews with songwriters. Well written and very interesting. Even more so if you're interested in songwriting yourself.. Some really great interviews. To name but one, Bob Dylan. Need I say more.. Don't think twice it's alright. ;)Highly recommend this book x

On the surface this may seem not the most interesting book to read, 700 pages with a variety of songwriters covering different genres and time periods. But this is a book to savour, to dip in where and when you choose, and every interview will leave you feeling you have learned something new. Whether you wish to read about older writers such as Sammy Cahn and his experiences writing for Frank SInatra, singer songwriters such as Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Paul SImon and Neil Young or more contemporary artists like Madonna and Suzanne Vega you will come away with a greater understanding of the craft of songwriting. A good holiday read for the beach.Paul Zollo has an impressive CV; a Music and English graduate, editor of Songtalk (the journal of the National Academy of Songwriters), author of The Beginning Songwriters Answer Book, he has written for many music magazines and is an accomplished singer songwriter and recording artist. His understanding of songwriting and encyclopedic knowledge of the musicians he interviews allows his interviews to reveal a great deal about how they write, where they get inspiration from as well as some great anecdotes and stories.There are a couple of notable omissions such as Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits, and such a collection seems strange without them. Also not all the interviews are the same length and some are a bit short, such as Mark Knopfler's is only 6 pages whereas Paul SImon's is 36 pages and generally the longer the interview, the more rewarding the read. Don't let this small fault deter you as even the smaller interviews are illuminating in some way.You can dip in and out.

This book is awesome, it has been such an inspiration. I bought this for a friend and then she bought it for me too! You must read this if you are into songwriting.......there is something Magic about it! just could not put this down and after reading all of it I still pick this up for inspiration quite a lot :)

Still working through this book after several weeks....!!Very inspirational for any budding songwriter or one who has come to a standstill for any reason...A diverse collection of successful songwriters from many genres and eras...Providing useful insight into the creative process....Highly recommended....!!

A fascinating format where a knowledgable interview engages songwriters in conversation. A few say how they tap into the divine, or the subconscious , but most just get on and do it.

It was a lot bigger than expected and took about 10 days to come but a very cool book

Je recommande

Brilliant!

Ich habe dieses Buch als Geschenk für meinen Freund gekauft - er ist studierter Musiker und wollte sich endlich die Zeit nehmen, sich einmal mehr mit Songwriting auseinander zu setzen. Ich habe also bewusst nach etwas gesucht, das einem nicht bloß die Basics der Kompositionslehre oder Ähnliches erklärt, sondern einen gewissen Einblick in den kreativen Vorgang an der Sache gibt.Mit diesem Buch habe ich offensichtlich das absolut richtige ausgesucht - Madonna, Zappa und diverse andere, sehr unterschiedliche, Größen des Songwriting kommen zu Wort und schildern ihre kreativen Prozesse, Methoden, Tricks und sonstiges ohne, dass es zu trocken wird.Mein Freund schwärmt die ganze Zeit von diesem Buch - wer sich also entweder einfach mal mit Songwritern befassen möchte, oder nach ein wenig Inspiration dafür sucht, ist mit diesem Buch sehr gut beraten.

Awesome reading.

There are many great stories from these interviews with some of the most succesful songwriters through time, and as an aspiring songwriter myself I found this book both useful and entertaining.For example, I had experienced what is commonly called "writing block" for quite some time, and I kept telling myself it was just because really, I had nothing to say. Then I read what one songwriter had said about writer's block: That it's just a mind blockage, because you don't want to face what you have on your mind, so therefore you keep telling yourself "I have nothing to say". When I realized that I actually had lots of things to write about (I just didn't want to face it) I broke out of the writer's block and wrote one of the best songs I've ever written. This book is INSPIRING!There's some advice to find directed at young and aspiring songwriters, as well as some interesting and funny stories about songwriters and the songs they've written. Sammy Cahn for example, said that he wrote with a cowriter "Let it snow" when it was really hot outside (which I found quite amusing). Instead of going out to swim, his partner said: Let's stay in and write a song about the winter.Realizing that all of these amazingly talented and glorified songwriters are actually people just like us, made of flesh and blood, that made me feel closer to ALL songwriters. One of the interviewed said that "All songwriters are links in a chain". That's how this book made me feel, and that's why I bought it: Because I have no serious songwriters that are so utterly devoted to their craft as these are around me, and this book made me feel as if I had a group of old teachers who just happened to be some of the world's greatest songwriters.