Show biz memoir at its name-dropping; bridge-burning; profane best: the music industryrsquo;s most outspoken; outrageous; and phenomenally successful executive delivers a rollicking memoir of pop musicrsquo;s heyday.During the 1970s and 80s the music business was dominated by a few major labels and artists such as Michael Jackson; Bruce Springsteen; the Rolling Stones; Bob Dylan; Billy Joel; Paul Simon; Barbra Streisand and James Taylor. They were all under contract to CBS Records; making it the most successful label of the era. And; as the companyrsquo;s president; Walter Yetnikoff was the ruling monarch. He was also the most flamboyant; volatile and controversial personality to emerge from an industry and era defined by sex; drugs and debauchery. Having risen from working-class Brooklyn and the legal department of CBS; Yetnikoff; who freely admitted to being tone deaf; was an unlikely label head. But he had an uncanny knack for fostering talent and intimidating rivals with his appalling behaviormdash;usually fueled by an explosive combination of cocaine and alcohol. His tantrums; appetite for mind-altering substances and sexual exploits were legendary. In Japan to meet the Sony executives who acquired CBS during his tenure; Walter was assigned a minder who confined him to a hotel room. True to form; Walter raided the minibar; got blasted and; seeing no other means of escape; opened a hotel window and vented his rage by literally howling at the moon. In Howling at the Moon; Yetnikoff traces his journey as he climbed the corporate mountain; danced on its summit and crashed and burned. We see how Walter became the father-confessor to Michael Jackson as the King of Pop reconstructed his face and agonized over his image while constructing Thriller (and how; after it won seven Grammies; Jackson made the preposterous demand that Walter take producer Quincy Jonesrsquo;s name off the album); we see Walter; in maniacal pursuit of a contract; chase the Rolling Stones around the world and nearly come to blows with Mick Jagger in the process; we get the tale of how Walter and Marvin Gayemdash;fresh from the success of ldquo;Sexual Healingrdquo;mdash;share the same woman; and of how Walter bonds with Bob Dylan because of their mutual Jewishness. At the same time we witness Yetnikoffrsquo;s clashes with Barry Diller; David Geffen; Tommy Mottola; Allen Grubman and a host of others. Seemingly; the more Yetnikoff feeds his cravings for power; sex; liquor and cocaine; the more profitable CBS becomesmdash;from $485 million to well over $2 billionmdash;until he finally succumbs; ironically; not to substances; but to a corporate coup. Reflecting on the sinister cycle that left his career in tatters and CBS flush with cash; Yetnikoff emerges with a hunger for redemption and a new reverence for his working-class Brooklyn roots.Ruthlessly candid; uproariously hilarious and compulsively readable; Howling at the Moon is a blistering Yoursquo;ll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again of the music industry.
#634678 in eBooks 2004-03-02 2004-03-02File Name: B000FC1B4W
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. great book; great voices: a very personal; compelling storyBy Han-shanThis is a great story. Its about two young people falling in love while testing their own and each others limits; researching and writing "The Exonerated;" an excellent (and very influential) play about the fascinating; tragic; and ordinary people exonerated and released from death row. Erik and Jessica dont stumble down the rabbit-hole of the American criminal justice system. They climb down it step by step; confessing their fear and confusion; and insecurity that they have no idea what theyre doing; and probably have no business doing it anyway. The book takes the reader along for the cross-country trip visiting with and interviewing the people whose stories became The Exonerated. Theres lots of captivating background on the subjects of the play; and the authors write passionatley; but also honestly and insightfully; about the politics of the death penalty in America.2 of 4 people found the following review helpful. To Live Or Die; That Is The Question!By Betty BurksThis memoir (loosely-termed as such) is an account of an adventure in 2000 when these two young actors left Manhattan in a rented car to travel across the United States on a quest. They drove from Chicago to Florida and stopped at places in between; from Oregon to L. A. to interview some of those exonerated of murder charges.Jessica had been in a movie for Court TV called The Exonerated about prisoners falsely accused and who spent time on death row in prisons. It is the result of her friend; Erik Jensen from Minnessota;who agreed to make the trip and they nose dived into the darker side of our justice (or injustice) system and were told stories of gross conditions which were repulsive and overwhelming to the victims; before they could win their freedom after such a long interval between being accussed and released."The desire for revenge is powerful" on all levels. Ive been against the death penalty for many years now because of the innocent "criminals" who are due to die for some crime someone else perpetrated. They discovered that 74% of Americans support capital punishment. If it doesnt happen here in East Tennessee; some decide to take matters in their own hands.This book entails the creation of the play they wrote using actual cases they uncovered. It is a fascinating chronicle of political consciousness. Instead of dwelling on statistics and legalese; they put a human face on stage so every person in the audience could can and understand what was at stake. This is the story of real people who had lost so much; they used the interviews they did with those abused by the inequities of the system to make a social comment in the form of a play. It took them three years to work through and it changed them forever. They called it a "crazy journey" but in the end discovered a common bonding. Involved in off-Broadway theater; they were drawn together by a chance meeting in a bar.It is foolish to think that the system (any government service) functions in reality the way it does on paper. It is the propoganda and self praise on forms which win the awards; not what happens in real life. They discovered what Ive known now for a long time (from personal experience) that mayors; lawyers; judges and the police are all human and make mistakes; act carelessly; and think of self first and foremost.Its not enough to pray that the leaders will do whats right and fair to all; we have to take action and speak up; ask questions and seek the truth. Relationships now prove to be more trouble than usual; but dont let this prevent you from staying emotionally present. Even if you are somewhat uncomfortable with holding your ground today; remember that this is truly one of your strengths. The source of your uneasiness may be guilt that is stirred up; whether or not it applies to the current situation. Speak the truth gently and be open to the possibility of positive transformation.Mainly the leaders in whatever capacity should act ethically. Freedom isnt something which occurs simply because our leaders promise it; they will promise the sky if you foolishly believe them. Politicians never keep promises; but some younger ones will listen. Reach out to them.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Edgy Brilliance; Gritty Passion!By MSHagleA fierce; brilliant account of a political; artistic and personal quest: two young people in search of truth and justice end up finding love and adventure and the harsh realities of Americas dark side. Blanks searing intelligence and total conviction for her cause make this book incredibly hard to put down; even as the truths it reveals are often hard to take. If you have seen "The Exonerated;" you will love reading the stories behind the stories on stage or film. But even if you havent seen it; there is much to glean here about the kind of guts required to make a difference as an artist or an activist in the world today.