Cowboys and Indies (eBook)

An all encompassing history of not only what might be termed the hardware of popular music from Thomas Edison's cylinders to the MP3 downloads of today, but the machinations, artistic high jinks and public scams that accompanied it

Entertaining ... comprehensive ... an illuminating history that throws new light on familiar landmarks ... excellent.

Extremely readable ... A fascinating fare about an intriguing industry and Murphy's Cowboys and Indies pans out as the most rewarding book of its kind to date. One suspects there are plenty more tales for another volume.

A fascinating account of the way recorded music has evolved, touched people and helped shape popular culture as we know it today.

A fascinating read. Murphy has written an almost immaculate account of the rollercoaster that is the industry, and how the recording industry developed from its beginnings at the end of the nineteenth century. It will surely be an eye-opener for anybody who has ever purchased one of its artefacts, whether on a seven-inch single, a CD or a download, and wondered how and where the whole process started.

Enjoyable ... colourful ... Murphy paints lively portraits

If this book was a group, I would definitely sign them. It is that good.

This passionate compendium ... is the tale of the moguls who have twisted the melons of musicians, profited from them, created them, ripped the gullets from plenty. Often these days - with musicologies, Wikipedia and Discogs doing it faster - books can take too long, but this book busts through the platinum disc-plated houses with interviews from the megalords of the industry ... Strangely mirroring the music industry perfectly, this tale of Cowboys and Indies is thorough on each glorious era of debauchery and blag.

Greed, ambition, genius and idealism coalesce to create a vibrant and compelling narrative - a must for music fans and culture vultures alike

An entertaining glimpse behind the scenes, and an informative overview of how the industry has evolved

A fascinating trawl through music industry history ... thoroughly researched

Compendious and tantalising ... The research is solid ... His original interviews - with Elektra's Jac Holzman, Def Jam/American impresario and super-producer Rick Rubin, Sire boss Seymour Stein, and Virgin's Simon Draper among many - are candid and insightful.