Sunday, April 1, 2018

Interview with Author Harold Bronson



My British Invasion

1. What really inspired you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book?
As a teenager in the 1960s, the Beatles and other artists of the British Invasion sparked my interest in rock music. Records such as the Beatles’ “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “Twist and Shout” were the most exciting records I’d heard. Other records soon followed: The Kinks “You Really Got Me,” the Dave Clark Five’s “Glad All Over,” the Rolling Stones “It’s All Over Now.”  As rock progressed there were great albums. As a rock journalist in the 1970s, and later as a record executive (co-founder of Rhino Records),  I interviewed a number of artists from this period. Years later I came to realize that the interviews I conducted were closer to the events that transpired than ones done by others decades later, and are probably more accurate given the natural decline in memory with age. So, I thought I should share my experience as a music fan as well as provide chapter overviews on prominent artists. I feel I’ve told my subjects’ stories with more veracity, insight, and context than others have done. 

2. What is it about and whom do you believe is your targeted reader?
Most of the chapters are historical overviews of some of the more substantial artists of the day. There are a number of chapters that present time capsules. Often younger writers research an era and write about it. I wanted to capture what I experienced as a passionate music fan.  So, the first proper chapter is My Senior Year. When you hear a title like that, you think it’s about the writer’s senior year in high school, or college. Well, it was my senior year at UCLA, but it had little to do with what was happening on campus. I discuss the records I listened to, the performers I saw in concert, and interviews I did with music makers not featured in their own chapter: Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Asher, Procol Harum and others. My British Invasion is for rock fans who love the music of the period, and for others who want to know more about the era and the performers. reader?

3. What do you hope will be the everlasting  thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them long after putting it down?
Although the book adds to and corrects the history of the artists featured in my chapters, the ultimate realization should be how much great music was created, and inspire the reader to play records that they might not have heard in a while as well as seek out ones that are mentioned that they might not be familiar with.

4. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?
Writing is a great and challenging exercise, from tapping into one’s thoughts and organizing them, to one’s ability for self-expression, to achieve eloquence and creativity. For satisfaction, one should look no further than the composition. If the writer is able to interest an established publisher that’s icing on the cake. 

5. What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
My feeling is that as time goes by people in general, and young people specifically, are appreciating physical books more than they have in recent years.

6. What great challenges did you have in writing your book?
I was focused on writing it, getting the story down and conveying it. I wasn’t thinking so much in how the sections fit together. So, a non-obvious challenge to me, was how to organize and structure the chapters.

7. If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours?
My British Invasion is for rock fans who love the music of the period, and for others who want to know more about the era and the performers. While there have been numerous books on major artists, such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Who, I’ve focused on other more prominent artists who are less examined, like the Yardbirds, the Hollies, the Zombies, the Troggs, the Spencer Davis Group, among others

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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource."





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