A BUSINESSMAN INVOLVED IN MUSIC

CLIVE

INSIDE THE RECORD BUSINESS

"It was the end of 1970 and suddenly- after three years of stunning- a serious crisis loomed."

"Suddenly, in less than one year's time, all this threatened to become ashes. Janis Joplin dies. Simon & Garfunkel announced that they were splitting up. Andy Williams, Johnny Cash and Jim Nabors all came off television at the same time in a bloodletting of variety shows. Blood, Sweat & Tears were threatening a breakup. Dylan was not prolific. Sly had a highly publicized drug problem."(p.133)

Having seen music mogul Clive Davis speak a couple of years ago and coming away with bits of obscure trivial music knowledge and not much else, I wasn't sure what to expect when I recently picked up an old dusty copy of his 1974 autobiography CLIVE: INSIDE THE RECORD BUSINESS. Although I felt that Davis was a little overly diplomatic (yeah kettle that's right... I'm calling you black) in this autobiography, in all fairness I had to remind myself that he had just been ousted from Columbia and had not yet decided what his next career step would be (we all now know he went on to become Founder/Pres. of Arista and J Records and more recently Chairman/CEO of the BMG Music Group) so my guess is he was trying to keep his options open.

In the book there are many history making events touched upon such as Mike Curb's decision to drop all artists from the MGM roster that had anything to do with drugs which in turn made all of the other labels follow suit (a la Tipper Gore's Parental Advisory campaign of the 80's), among tales of band breakups, and contract negotiations.

As well as mentions of his dealings and interactions with the major artists of the day including his first glimpse of Janis Joplin (still with Big Brother & the Holding Company) at the Monterey Pop Festival. "She was electrifying. She strutted up and down the stage banging a tambourine, and as the audience got turned on, she got more turned on, almost childlike in her exhilaration. For me it was spine-tingling...awesome...hypnotic." (p.77) Davis goes on to speak about Joplin often (by the time I saw him speak he seemed to have replaced Joplin with Whitney Houston).


Overall the book is worth reading if not for more than to gain a better understanding of the evolution of the music industry from 30 years ago to nowadays from someone who has been present throughout all of the constant re-building and re-structuring that has since become common place.