Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The ShondellsNow in paperback, after five hardcover printings, Tommy James’s wild and entertaining true story of his career—part rock & roll fairytale, part valentine to a bygone era, and part mob epic—that “reads like a music-industry version of Goodfellas” (The Denver Post). Everyone knows the hits: “Hanky Panky,” “Mony Mony,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” All of these songs, which epitomize great pop music of the late 1960s, are now widely used in television and film and have been covered by a diverse group of artists from Billy Idol to Tiffany to R.E.M. Just as compelling as the music itself is the life Tommy James lived while making it. James tells the incredible story, revealing his complex and sometimes terrifying relationship with Roulette Records and Morris Levy, the legendary Godfather of the music business. Me, the Mob, and the Music is a fascinating portrait of this swaggering, wildly creative era of rock ’n’ roll, when the hits kept coming and payola and the strong-arm tactics of the Mob were the norm, and what it was like, for better or worse, to be in the middle of it. |
Other editions - View all
Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells Tommy James Limited preview - 2010 |
Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells Tommy James No preview available - 2011 |
Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells Tommy James No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
acts airplay Alan Freed album asked band bass Beatles became called Chicago club couple Cowsills crazy Crimson and Clover crowd Crystal Blue Persuasion cutout Diane Dickie Douglas drums Ed Sullivan Show everything felt friends fuckin fucking Gene Pitney Genovese George Goldner going gold records grabbed guitar guys Hanky Panky head heard hell Humphrey Jimmy Karen knew label Larry Coverdale later Lenny Stogel listened looked loved Lynda Mack manager Mike Mony Mony Morris Levy Morris's office never night Niles Pete pills Pittsburgh played player radio Red Schwartz released Ritchie rock and roll Ronnie Roulette Rubin screaming Shondells single song sound Spin-It stage started stayed stop studio talk tape thing thought told Tommy Eboli Tommy James took tour walked wanted week weekend York