If Music Could Talk

Nice work Ralph, how are you feeling to be finally done?

Nice work Ralph, how are you feeling to be finally done?

On one level, enormously relieved, given all the logistical issues that go with writing and producing a book -- which especially tend to pile up at the end, as you start dealing with final editing, proofreading, photo clearances, and things of that nature.

On another level, thrilled at seeing a vision finally bearing fruit. As you probably know, this has been a long time in coming, so I feel more than satisfied to have finally closed the circle. That it dragged on so long is, of course, down to the vagaries of the publishing world, which often acts like the Electoral College (in that often filters out stuff that seems worthwhile in favor of pure dross).

But I'm glad it worked out. What ended up happening is better, in many ways, than what I originally wanted to do, when I set out so long on the trail. If nothing else, our book is not standard issue rock bio, one that will (hopefully) inspire folks to live out the ideals of punk rock in general -- and the Clash, in particular. If that happens, in some small fashion, then we'll have done the job, beyond the immediate (obvious) challenge of telling the story.

So those are the basic currents running through my mind at the moment.

When chatting with other people who have gone thru the dissertation process, completion is normally less the "miracle of childbirth" than "get this thing out of me!" On the continuum, are you more the former or latter?

Also, do you have a sense of the price? I contributed to the Kickstarter thingee, so not asking for me precisely, but the last few years I've taught a senior-level university history seminar on using popular music topics as a way of thinking about and writing history. No guarantees whether I'll be allowed to teach it again this year (fingers crossed) but I'm always looking to introduce new readings so I don't get bored, and I recall your initial description of the project was to marry what was happening with the Clash to greater contemporary social, political, and economic contexts. That could fit well with my general approach. But I'm also mindful that students have a limited budget. Still, a hot-off-the-presses book would be neat to do.

When chatting with other people who have gone thru the dissertation process, completion is normally less the "miracle of childbirth" than "get this thing out of me!" On the continuum, are you more the former or latter?

Pretty much as I've outlined in my last post: it's typically a mixture of those things. That deadline seems far away and remote when you're doing the actual interviewing, research and writing, but has an uncanny way of telescoping, once you get closer to the end.

Also, do you have a sense of the price?.

No, not yet. I'll post those details when I know them. I can say that the editing got brutal towards the end, because the publisher wanted to make sure that the book didn't add excess poundage. I believe the consensus among traditional publishers is 80,000 words, or 240 to 280 pp. Anything over that, I'm told, and the production costs and price rise exponentially, making it less likely that a potential buyer, especially one who's not familiar with the subject, will take the plunge. So make of that one what you will.

No guarantees whether I'll be allowed to teach it again this year (fingers crossed) but I'm always looking to introduce new readings so I don't get bored, and I recall your initial description of the project was to marry what was happening with the Clash to greater contemporary social, political, and economic contexts. That could fit well with my general approach. But I'm also mindful that students have a limited budget. Still, a hot-off-the-presses book would be neat to do.

Oh, definitely! I think our approach would probably be a good fit for many college/university courses, which (of course) represents another potential market to explore. Lots more work ahead as the production period closes, and the promotional one begins.

Chairman Ralph wrote: ↑

19 Mar 2018, 10:19pm

I believe the consensus among traditional publishers is 80,000 words, or 240 to 280 pp. Anything over that, I'm told, and the production costs and price rise exponentially, making it less likely that a potential buyer, especially one who's not familiar with the subject, will take the plunge. So make of that one what you will.

Yeah, that sounds about right. (Students also start to whine when books exceed 250 pp because, well, students whine.)

Chairman Ralph wrote: ↑19 Mar 2018, 10:19pm
I believe the consensus among traditional publishers is 80,000 words, or 240 to 280 pp. Anything over that, I'm told, and the production costs and price rise exponentially, making it less likely that a potential buyer, especially one who's not familiar with the subject, will take the plunge. So make of that one what you will.

Yeah, that sounds about right. (Students also start to whine when books exceed 250 pp because, well, students whine.)

Well, that's probably when you'll have to stick your fingers in your ears -- or get out the earmuffs!

I helped in approving the front/back cover design today, so I can now answer your question on the price, based on my proofing -- it's $18.95. So there you go, then.

Chairman Ralph wrote: ↑

21 Mar 2018, 5:56pm

I helped in approving the front/back cover design today, so I can now answer your question on the price, based on my proofing -- it's $18.95. So there you go, then.

Which will probably be around $27 in Canada, but that's still more than manageable. Cool and thanks. You might be bumping my long-time punk book for that class, Ryan Moore's Sells Like Teen Spirit..

You're welcome. One of our publisher's concerns was to keep the price at $20 and under, which required a lot of ruthless editing at the end stages to achieve. But, as you can see, we pulled it off.

Chairman Ralph wrote: ↑

21 Mar 2018, 7:13pm

You're welcome. One of our publisher's concerns was to keep the price at $20 and under, which required a lot of ruthless editing at the end stages to achieve. But, as you can see, we pulled it off.

Looking forward to your cover of “Beyond The Pale” on The Future Was Unwritten companion to Recutting The Crap Vol. 2

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11459

Looking forward to your cover of “Beyond The Pale” on The Future Was Unwritten companion to Recutting The Crap Vol. 2

Thanks! I worked long and hard on that, as well -- I just compiled all the various mixes that Don and I did, onto an archival CD, and I counted 10. No foolin'.

But I chose that song because I've played it before, and I relate to it strongly, on a personal level: my parents came from Germany. They came to the US twice, returned to Germany twice, and on the third time, it stuck. My dad's original choice was Australia, but the strict labor quotas that they had in effect convinced him to shift his efforts here.

So, given that we're still arguing about the whole business some 30-odd years later -- I thought a fitting cover for the Trump era. Hope you enjoy it come Record Store Day.

Congratulations on this, looking forward to getting a copy.

Hi Ralph, what will be the best way to purchase the book? I'm assuming Amazon? My appetite is quite whetted for this now.

Yeah, Heston, Amazon is one route -- or you can direct to the publisher, Akashic Books, right here:

http://www.akashicbooks.com/

Last I checked, release date was July 6...but check your local listings, as they used to say.

Amazon Canada says 3 July. Under product description, it has a blurb from Jon Savage: "The inside story of the last great British punk record." Um, yeah, about last, great, or, arguably, punk …?

Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑

31 May 2018, 8:46am

Amazon Canada says 3 July. Under product description, it has a blurb from Jon Savage: "The inside story of the last great British punk record." Um, yeah, about last, great, or, arguably, punk …?

"Ah. The situationists. Rimbaud." - Jon Savage, playing Fingerpopping in quiet studious solitude.