Rating: 
Summary: Those were the days
Review: "Temples of Sound" is an interesting and inspiring look at some popular American recording studios, mostly from the late 1950s and early 60s, but with a few nods to the later sixties and early 70s. (Sorry, no British studios. Abbey Road, Olympic, and Trident spring to mind - anyone want to write one?) Each chapter picks a particular studio (Sun, Chess, Motown, Western, Columbia, etc.) and gives a brief overview of its history (down to the present day; alas many of the studios no longer exist), its features, and the people who made it special, both artists and engineers. Indeed, the authors have interviewed a number of studio owners and engineers, which adds much to the text. The book certainly succeeds in being evocative - these were the days when echo chambers could be someone's bathroom, when everything was recorded on glorious analog tape, when most basic tracks were done live all in the same room with sonic leakage, and cigarette smoking in the studio was glamorous. Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane, the Doors, and other greats make walk-on appearances, and there are good photographs of many of them at work. (Actually, I could have used even more photos.) The book also rescues from relative obscurity one Bill Putnam, who apparently designed many of the sweetest-sounding rooms in the country. Often there are anecdotes about the history of studio owners and their labels, which are interesting, though one might hope for even more anecdotes about the artists and recording sessions. I found myself wishing for a little bit more technical information too, about how each room was set up and what specific gear they had, though some of this is mentioned briefly. And, of course, they can't cram every studio in here - for instance, there is no chapter on Muscle Shoals. However, the book ends with a nice discography of tracks to hunt down and listen to, each associated with one of the studios, and all of which I want to listen to after reading about these places' heydays. I find this book fascinating for what it does tell us, and inspiring in its depiction of an era when artistic talent, engineering skill, and human warmth made sometimes low-tech rooms into hallowed cathedrals of sound. A good gift for anyone interested in recording, or in the 50s-60s period.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast and loose...
Review: Fab, energetic, genuine.. Cogan and Clark have revived the days of soul making music from music making souls, and their agents, and cohorts in this faithful rendering of what truly makes music continue to move us today.
Rating:
Summary: Fast and loose...
Review: Fab, energetic, genuine.. Cogan and Clark have revived the days of soul making music from music making souls, their agents, and cohorts in this faithful rendering of what truly makes music continue to move us today.
Rating:
Summary: Really interesting!
Review: Great book, especially after recently seeing the movie, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown." A must-read for any musicologist, especially one who grew up with all of these tunes blasting from the car radio on WKNR, WXYZ and CKLW back in the 60's. And I was AMAZED by the Rudy Van Gelder story, being a fan of traditional jazz (Coltrane, et al.)Even you fans who weren't yet born when some of these stars had already begun passing away will appreciate the "inside stories" behind much of the music you still hear today.
Rating: 
Summary: It's OK, not great
Review: I just can't muster the enthusiasm of other reviewers for this book. Perhaps most interesting and informative are the stories of how some of the best recordings of the golden days of analog were made on a shoe string, over garages on third hand equipment. There are some insights into what made some of the studios sound unique. The early chapters dwell lovingly on some details of the lives of the produces, engineers and some of the artists. But by the end the facts are marshaled and rushed past, leaving the reader with the distinct impression that they were included so as not to offend some egos or just to drop some names. In some cases the fact that the producers were flat out ignorant of music, rather unlikable individuals and driven by the Wall-Street motives of fear and greed are all too clear, but left between the lines. All in all the book it left me with more questions than answers about the recording process. A decent compendium of facts about who did what when and where with a smattering of favorite artists and a few pictures to keep pop audiences happy. The authors are weakest when the crass business of the music industry intrudes into their picture of the studio as a crucible of pop art. I'd rather have more detail (even if it hurts) about a few studios or a focus on just a few top engineers and specific recording sessions.
Rating:
Summary: It's OK, not great
Review: I just can't muster the enthusiasm of other reviewers for this book. Perhaps most interesting and informative are the stories of how some of the best recordings of the golden days of analog were made on a shoe string, over garages on third hand equipment. There are some insights into what made some of the studios sound unique. The early chapters dwell lovingly on some details of the lives of the produces, engineers and some of the artists. But by the end the facts are marshaled and rushed past, leaving the reader with the distinct impression that they were included so as not to offend some egos or just to drop some names. In some cases the fact that the producers were flat out ignorant of music, rather unlikable individuals and driven by the Wall-Street motives of fear and greed are all too clear, but left between the lines. All in all the book it left me with more questions than answers about the recording process. A decent compendium of facts about who did what when and where with a smattering of favorite artists and a few pictures to keep pop audiences happy. The authors are weakest when the crass business of the music industry intrudes into their picture of the studio as a crucible of pop art. I'd rather have more detail (even if it hurts) about a few studios or a focus on just a few top engineers and specific recording sessions.
Rating:
Summary: This Ain't No Disco, This Ain't No Temple
Review: This ain't no temple, this ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin' around-it's just a rockin' good read, and one of the best books ever on the recording industry. If possible, put on one of your favorite records when you read Temples of Sound. There are stories about the Beach Boys, Muddy Waters, The Doors, Frank Sinatra, Chubby Checker, lots of others. It's an amazing mix of music and eras, to use a term engineers might appreciate. Hearing the music while you read is a fresh way to hear the tunes. For me, knowing how some of my all-time favorite records were made, and finding out how the artists and engineers really worked behind-the-scenes is truly cool...Maybe that's why this book is called Temples of Sound. This book covers a lot of ground, a lot of sound, from the days of swing and early pop, Nat King Cole, Aretha, and Motown. The guys who wrote it-Jim Kogan and Bob Clark-talked to primary sources, the people who were really there, and got some great first hand stories. It covers lots of great studios, from Capitol to Stax. It is about and for people who love music. It is cool to hear Keith Richards say is appalled to see Muddy Waters working outside of music, painting a ceiling in the studio. This is a man he revered. It is cool to hear the engineer who did the best Doors records say he wouldn't want to remix their albums. They are what they are. It is cool to learn that part of the beat in Dancin' in the Street is accented by a tire chain being banged on the floor. I dig this stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Music buffs will love this book!
Review: This book tells the behind the scenes stories of some of your favorite music from the 40s to the 70s. Whether your favorite music is rock, soul, pop, or jazz--it'a all here. There are also some amazing photographs of the studios and the legendary artist who performed the music. And what's really cool is the list of essential recordings from each of the studios featured in the book. After reading the book, you want to listen to all those tracks again armed with new insight about how they came to be. Great stuff.
Rating:
Summary: If you have ever played, studied or enjoyed good music......
Review: Ths book was a real pleasure to read. I'm not a musician or recording engineer....I'm just a finance geek who likes good music. Nevertheless, this book was written in such an understandable way that even us non-musical types can follow along with the recording processes. I knew about the book from a friend. As I started to read it I expected that I would enjoy learning about how music was made in various recording studios around the country. What I did not expect (and was very pleased to experience) were the concise and very diverse stories of the people. Stories of the owners, artists and engineers that made the recording studio and the corresponding musical output a reality coming out of the radio or CD player. As I read each studio chapter and looked at the corresponding pictures (FABULOUS!) images were painted of some of the dynamic processes, individuals and cultural influences that culminated in songs that became the soundtrack to our American lives. This book truly captured the sweat, soul and drive that went into producing our American soundtrack. A pleasure from the first page to the last. A must read for anyone who plays music, who is in the music industry or who (like many of my fellow corporate souls) simply enjoys good music. From the Stones to Dean Martin to Patsy Cline...it all comes alive. Buy the book.
Rating: 
Summary: A Dissenting Review
Review: While I have enjoyed reading the book, I would not
have purcased it had I known how little it actually
contains about the rooms. As someone interested in
audio engineering, I was hoping it would have a lot of
information about the rooms themselves, with dimensions,
acoutic treatments, unusual equipment used, etc. Instead,
the book tells the story of the studio mostly around
which artists recorded there. I don't really need to
see a list of who recorded for Sun Records, I want to know what Sam Phillips did to make the room sound the way
it did. I want details of the famous Capitol echo chambers.
This book does not provide the sort of information
the title implies.
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