Michael Becker RECORD REVIEW REAT GIFT ideas abound in this fol- lowing Christmas hit list of books addressing the culture of popular music. Hit Men, by Fredric Dannen An essential book for anyone who has ever wondered why most recording artists make so little money and why recorded music output is so entirely dominated by a handful of mega-corporations. Along the way, Dannen supplies an account of the indie-proino business, the guys who push the buttons of the people who shape radio play But the real interest is the way Hit Men reveals the career clash of record executive egos like Frank Dileo, a former bookie and CBS promo exec who became Michael Jackson’s manager; Warner Bros.’ Mo Ostin; and CBS Records’ Walter Yetnikoff, David Geffen; and disco king Neil Bogart. I's a fascinating story of high boardroom drama and bottem-line notions of music as product. The Brazilian Sound, by Chris McGowan aad Ricardo Pessanha Brazil’s bewildering mix of race, culture and religion, the meeting of Portuguese, African and Indian influences, is explored in musical terms in this generously illustrated guide. The book looks at styles, in- struments, key performers and their impact on musicians beyond South America. The Brazilian Sound reaches broadly to discuss samba as it de- veloped on the streets of Rio dur- ing Carnaval; bossa nova, ‘‘the music for off-key singers’ as in- troduced in 1958 by Joao Gilberto, its North American jazz linkages through players like Stan Getz; the northeastern folk sound as it de- veloped in isolation and maintain- ed its medieval Moorish heritage; the eclectic group of composers who in the late 1960s and early 1970s defined MPB (musica popu- lar brasileira) and so-called tropical rock, MPB with an angrier edge. Most of us. if we are at all open-eared about musical genres, have at one time been astounded by particular Brazilian artists. In my Case it was recordings by Milton Nascimento, Flora Purim and Caetano Veloso. This book offers further entry to this intoxicating musical world with a wide-ranging overview. The discography, although detailed, focuses primarily on music from the 1980s. Dead Elvis, by Greii Marcus The author of Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock ‘n’ Roll Music and Lipstick Traces offers a telling tale of bizarre obsession. Elvis the white trash cliche, the swaggering, snarling Christ figure, the simple messenger of desire, runs posthumous riot in this wil entertaining romp through the cul- tural debris found within the King’s greater realm beyond the gates of Graceland. England’s Dreaming, Sex Pistals and Punk Rock, Jon Savage Savage wrote tor Sounds and Melody Maker throughout the Ray Stevenson PANTHEON OF punk: The Sex Pistols’ brief history forms the basis for Jon Savage’s England's Dreaming. The punk assault on the tradi- tional power structures of the time are chronicled within the framework of an account of the calculated rise and apocalyptic fall of the Sex Pistols. We meet popcull guru Maicolm McLaren, his difficult chiid John (lohnny Rotten) Lydon, and an odd cast of hundreds — nocturnal creatures sprung from a cauldron of discontent, sexual fetish, urban decay and extremist fancies. Savage gives the reader loads of intimate detail, yet he also has the smarts to step back and spell out the broader social context of the chaos at the heart of punk. England's Dreaming closes with a bibliography. ere torcuch protinee aad tervitery and bE Aureate dollar fe preetinig the COUMETY US a ithe The 1992 Commemorative Silver Dollar Vistording sifiver tribute te Canada's carly travellers Proof 33°" Uneireulated 477° The 1992 Proof Set 49D 75 A complete discography starts with punk influences from 1954 on through to the first Velvet Un- derground album, The Stooges, MCS5, the CBGB groups through to the Sex Pistols and finally to “Post-House Dance Music,” wherein punk is sampled by a new generation. — a, You might be stranded only wearing Tilleys. So they musn’t fall apas:. at Pemi gue 1-800-387-0110 1 4 CLOTHING’ Give With Confidence “Hf it’s from The Lion's Mark it will be a Merry Clirisernas” sonatas 2 $12.00 0200: Say yes hy giving a gift of lasting value from our Canadian heritage. The Royal Canadian Mint presents the Canada 125 Coin Series commemorating Our Natio 's 125th anniversary. J&M 125 SERIES SET Available hard plast P presenlion fulder or @ with sold stampiiys THE PERFECT GIFT SET! fach set cone card fe ens s with an enhancement custment value, PROOF SILVER SET A Royal blue collection case houses this mem Also: COINS AT OFFICIAL MINT ISSUE: PRICE The 1992 Specimen Set 1875 J&Hi COIN, STAMP & JEWELLERY Vancouver 106 W.Broadway + 876-7181 Metrotown Centre 439-075 Pacific Centre 684-9559 fe series in proof finish. ble individually. The 1992 Uncirculaied Set og”