Books In Review

Books in Review
by Adrienne Petterson © 2004

Autobiography / Biography Travel / Places Cooking / Food Other / General

Howling At The Moon
by Walter Yetnikoff with David Ritz
Broadway Books
ISBN 0-7679-1536-4
Published March 2004 - Hardcover - 305 pages - $24.95

Becoming president of the CBS Record Group had not only gone to Walter Yetnikoff's head, it deepened the pit he found himself in. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York and graduating from Columbia with a law degree, getting a job in the music business, all helped shape the man he was to become. Being a powerful music executive and working with pop legends of the sixties and seventies, his life easily got out of control. Being an adulterous husband didn't help either. In order to "fit" in with the stars of the day, Yetnikoff started drinking and smoking more and having more affairs. His first signing? The Jackson 5. Others he worked with include Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Marvin Gaye, and Barbra Streisand. He's written quite extensively on Michael Jackson. With initially almost bottomless pockets of cash, Yetnikoff helped guide the CBS ship to huge successes. All this crazy and exciting stuff was not without its toll, however. He and his wife were seeing less of each other because of the jetset life he was now a part of, which now included cocaine on top of the excessive alcohol abuse and his sex addiction. This is a candid look at one powerful and influential man's rise to the pinnacle of his profession and his rapid decline to being fired and his search for a fresh start. Huge music recording artists are named in this book, not all scandalous, but neverthelss snippets here and there.
Conclusion - Very interesting and absorbing.

Review copy not supplied by publisher - library copy reviewed.

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