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| Straight Whisky Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin’s very brief, very strange encounter. Charles Manson’s run-in with the Whisky A Go Go’s no-nonsense owner Mario Maglieri just days before the Benedict Canyon murders. David Bowie getting beat up by “Karate Kurt, ” a deranged fan. Led Zeppelin holding court in their reserved booth at the Rainbow. Darby Crash and The Germs setting fire to the Whisky's stage in '79 and being permanently banned from ever playing the club again. With the publication of Straight Whisky: A Living History of Sex, Drugs, and ’n’ Roll on the Sunset Strip , by Austin Williams and Erik Quisling, rock ’n’ roll lovers can revel in the heretofore-untold tales of the playground of rock gods. Straight Whisky chronicles all the music, magic, and mayhem of the Sunset Strip. From 60s pioneers such as The Doors to 70s icons like Led Zeppelin to 80s superstars like Gun ’n’ Roses, anyone who’s anyone in the music business over the last forty years has played or at least visited at one (or all…) of the three legendary clubs: the Whisky A Go Go, the Roxy, and the Rainbow Bar and Grill. They all played here, partied here, made history here, and sometimes died here. Authors Erik Quisling and Austin Williams have created a fascinating account that is unlike any other rock book. With its sweeping historical analysis and down-and-dirty details, Straight Whisky gives an in depth, meticulous portrayal that reveals all of the decadence, excess, and fun, not to mention the music, of this famous rock oasis. Quisling draws upon extensive research to chronicle the ways in which music on the Sunset Strip has both shaped and reflected the American experience since 1964. Williams details sixteen of the most memorable events from the period and develops them into dramatic narratives that offer an intensely intimate view of this incredible story. Chock full of rare color photos, including one-of-a-kind prints of concert posters from all three venues, and original interviews with the rock stars who were there when it all happened, these perspectives provide a comprehensive look at the famed “rock block” of Sunset Boulevard. Here are the stories that have been whispered about for decades. Now they can be told out loud for the first time. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Austin Williams earned a degree in critical writing from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television before learning that the ability to write is not essential to success as a Hollywood screenwriter. Setting aside that career ambition, he spent many, many months hanging out in rock ’n’ roll clubs along the Sunset Strip, garnering a deep understanding of the people, the places, and the history of that infamous thoroughfare. Though grueling at times, the experiences gained during Austin’s tour of duty proved essential to the writing of Straight Whisky , his first book. Raised in Modesto, California, Erik Quisling was part of the graduating class of 1993 from UCLA as well as the graduating class of 1994 from the National Bartender’s School (the latter of which has made him a far greater sum of money). Besides being a prolific writer and acclaimed satirist, Quisling is a documentary filmmaker and accomplished musician. He currently resides less than a block from the Sunset Strip and can often be heard performing his trademark “introspective-rock” in its many legendary clubs. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |