This is an awe-inspiring work of scholarship, drawing together previously published work, fresh interviews, newspaper and magazine reports, television and radio archives. Just thinking about the amount of material Hjort accumulated leads to somewhat distressing mental images of him in his Oslo flat, surrounded by yellowing clippings and perhaps a cat or two.
Far from being just a long list of who-what-where-when, this book is cleverly structured, with the daily round-ups interspersed with highly insightful commentary. The introductory section, which charts the pre-flyte careers of McGuinn, Clark, Hillman and Crosby (plus Skip Battin and Clarence White), is a masterpiece of succinct but compelling summary.
Though this appears to be a book to dip into and out of, the level of detail is astonishing; it’s actually very easy to get drawn into a long reading session. So You Want To Be A Rock’n’Roll Star charts a scene that will never happen again; a boiling hot world of live music that bred and honed young musicians in a way that seems impossible now. If you want to know what made the 60s special, as well as learning all about one of the greatest bands of that era, Hjort’s your man.
