Ron Serge Denisoff - Solid gold : the popular record industry

Inside MTV

Risky Business
(with William D. Romanowski)

Solid Gold

Tarnished Gold

True Disbelievers
(with George Plasketes)

If they make it through, thats why we pay them so much money, the odds against achieving all of that, of turning on that audience consistently enough, so that people love you and want to buy and are thrilled by your voice, are so against it happening that when you finally make it, if you do, that they pay you hundreds of thousands of dollars everybody knows how hard it is.

Roy Silver, agent

Consider the awful fact that of every hundred records produced, only six really catch on leaving ninety-four nasty smells around the place.

Mickey Most, producer

A group faces odds, 1,000 to 1 of making it.

Bill Graham, promotor

why one artist succeeds in a medium where another with similar talent does not has always been an impenetrable mystery.

Mark Stern, publicist

Out of the many so-called rock books published in recent years, there have been few as thoroughly analytical as Solid Gold. It is unconventional in the sense that it does not follow the usual course of such books, stating that rock began as a form of teenage innocence in the fifties and then showing how, through greater self-awareness, rock musicians made great creations.

This book covers all aspects of rock as a form of pop music. Here, pop is used in the sense of a cultural denominator of the masses, particularly American youth. All people involved in the creation of rock have influence in creating or altering the shape of pop culture, be it the musicians themselves, producers, the record-company hierarchy, radio stations, the press, various political factions or the fan. The book contains a few weaknesses; often it does not take a strong enough stand against the commercializers and sometimes it goes somewhat overboard in categorizing the various forms of pop. However, these are minor objections. The authors analysis of the rock scene is so complete, especially in terms of the record companies frame of reference, that even the most knowledgeable student of the music scene cannot help but profit from it. By using direct quotes from innumerable individuals the reader is able to get a first-person view of exactly what goes on in the music industry. The author employs quotes more than any other book of its kind that I have read.

The key to understanding popular music is the idea of commercialization. We live in an economic society where competition for the consumer dollar is intense. Obviously, the goal to strive for is a quality product that maximizes ones profit. The music industry is no exception to this rule. When one speaks of commercialized music he literally speaks of music that is commercially orientated. However, this definition has an important connotation. In order to maximize ones profit one must achieve the greatest possible consumer buying force. Since a wide mass audience consists not of intelligent aficionados of music and does not grasp the various cultural dynamics behind music, it simply will not buy music which is too emotionally inaccessible for them. Various record companies, musicians and radio stations are painfully aware of this fact and subsequently try to orientate their product so as maximize profit. Often this means dilution of the musical quality.

Economic success with artistic integritythis is the ultimate goal of musicians. I feel, for this reason, that this book will be of greatest value to unknown, aspiring rock musicians. These people have musical ability but too often are unaware of the countless pitfalls which stand between the music itself and the musicians ultimate dream fantasyto be a rock and roll star. Just to examine the obstacles facing an unknown band on the verge of getting a recording contract can boggle the mind. Before reaching that magical state of stardom the musicians must pass through the taks of finding an honest, reliable manager, having money for various equipment, finding a record label willing to promote them properly, knowing the stipulations of a recording contract, finding the right producer who will maximize the groups strength while not imposing ideas of his own on them, pleasing the biggies at a press conference, getting radio airplay on both AM and FM, attaining approval from the keen ears of the critics, surviving criticismsoften hystericalfrom both extreme Right and Left political elements and pleasing the audience who buys records. All of these tasks are vital links in fulfilling the dream of the rock and roll star. If any of these obstacles or factors is mishandled or ignored, it can often mean a failure of the dream.