12.31.2010

CANYON OF DREAMS: THE HISTORY OF LAUREL CANYON CA.


 
The Doors

Last year I received this huge book in the mail for Christmas from my pal Heather Harris. She sends me the absolute coolest stuff!

This year I was in a reading jag and pulled this giant book off the shelf and read every word in it. Canyon of Dreams by Harvey Kubernik, looks like a "coffee table book" but it is not! It is packed full of stories on the life and times of Laurel Canyon from the 1920s until present. This book was addictive. After reading one story I just moved to the next one and so on. Fascinating behind the scenes look at Hollywood and the music business. So interesting I give it 5 stars!

Laurel Canyon was a huge foundation of art and music. Just like the famous sounds coming out of Detroit, Philadelphia, and New York, Laurel Canyon was a very unique enclave tucked up in the hills around Los Angeles where the biggest party started.

Canyon of Dreams

So many bands lived, partied and created legendary music from Laurel Canyon. Groups like The Doors, The Turtles, Canned Heat, Monkees, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Eagles, Sonny & Cher and Carole King all cultivated their phenominal music in this L.A.-based musical celebrity community.

Just like the amazing collaboration between musicians from my favorite Detroit bands, the Laurel Canyon bands interacted with each other, joining, quitting and rejoining each other's bands. All of course with high drama and lots of party favors to boot.

Canyon of Dreams is a fantastically illustrated inside look at over 75 years of music and the unbelievable culture of Laurel Canyon, California.

The Monkees

Written by Harvey Kubernik the ultimate insider who knows them all, Canyon of Dreams traces the history of the canyon and its enduring legacy.

The only thing I would like to add to Harvey's book is a dvd tour of Laurel Canyon. Wouldn't that be fun? This video below shows Laurel Canyon but I would love a guided tour.

2 comments:

Clark Pardee said...

this is an awesome book - it was a gift from dear friends.

Heather Harris said...

VERY cool book touching upon so much bypassed by the other tomes, super photos

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