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There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll
From a legendary music journalist with four decades of unprecedented access, an insider's behind-the-scenes look at the major personalities of rock and roll.
Lisa Robinson has interviewed the biggest names in music--including Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Patti Smith, U2, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Jay Z and Kanye West. She visited the teenage Michael Jackson many times at his Encino home. She spent hours talking to John Lennon at his Dakota apartment--and in recording studios just weeks before his murder. She introduced David Bowie to Lou Reed at a private dinner in a Manhattan restaurant, helped the Clash and Elvis Costello get their record deals, was with the Rolling Stones on their jet during a frightening storm, and was mid-flight with Led Zeppelin when their tour manager pulled out a gun. A pioneering female journalist in an exclusive boys' club, Lisa Robinson is a preeminent authority on the personalities and influences that have shaped the music world; she has been recognized as rock jounralism's ultimate insider.
A keenly observed and lovingly recounted look back on years spent with countless musicians backstage, after hours and on the road, There Goes Gravity documents a lifetime of riveting stories, told together here for the first time.
Lisa Robinson has interviewed the biggest names in music--including Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Patti Smith, U2, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Jay Z and Kanye West. She visited the teenage Michael Jackson many times at his Encino home. She spent hours talking to John Lennon at his Dakota apartment--and in recording studios just weeks before his murder. She introduced David Bowie to Lou Reed at a private dinner in a Manhattan restaurant, helped the Clash and Elvis Costello get their record deals, was with the Rolling Stones on their jet during a frightening storm, and was mid-flight with Led Zeppelin when their tour manager pulled out a gun. A pioneering female journalist in an exclusive boys' club, Lisa Robinson is a preeminent authority on the personalities and influences that have shaped the music world; she has been recognized as rock jounralism's ultimate insider.
A keenly observed and lovingly recounted look back on years spent with countless musicians backstage, after hours and on the road, There Goes Gravity documents a lifetime of riveting stories, told together here for the first time.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
December 13, 2017
Lisa Robinson has worked in the music industry since 1969, primarily as a journalist specializing in interviews and imagery. Her focus skews toward the behind-the-scenes dynamics of bands like Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, U2, and individual artists including Patti Smith, John Lennon, Eminem, Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson. An old hand at the rock profile, she draws here from hundreds of interviews she's collected on tape, the notes she's taken, and what she can actually manage to recall - incidents she tells us up front are remembered differently by just about everyone involved. (In other words, don't hold her to any of this.)
Lisa seems to me to be very weary. There's a testy tone to the work that occasionally dips down into genuine resentment, as if someone were holding a gun to her head and forcing her to explain an experience she's certain you had to be there to understand. Now, the whole point of exercises like this is to share the passion, ignite the mojo; to part that curtain and present your reader with your professional life's all-access backstage pass - something, frankly, you'd expect a rock journalist with decades of experience (who is currently working as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair) to be somewhat of an expert at. But Lisa just doesn't want to be here. And there's no getting around that.
If you can ignore the author and stick to the content of the encounters she's transcribing, you will find value in what many of these artists have to say. (And thank the rock gods they're far more generous with their understanding than their interviewer has proven to be.)
Lisa seems to me to be very weary. There's a testy tone to the work that occasionally dips down into genuine resentment, as if someone were holding a gun to her head and forcing her to explain an experience she's certain you had to be there to understand. Now, the whole point of exercises like this is to share the passion, ignite the mojo; to part that curtain and present your reader with your professional life's all-access backstage pass - something, frankly, you'd expect a rock journalist with decades of experience (who is currently working as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair) to be somewhat of an expert at. But Lisa just doesn't want to be here. And there's no getting around that.
If you can ignore the author and stick to the content of the encounters she's transcribing, you will find value in what many of these artists have to say. (And thank the rock gods they're far more generous with their understanding than their interviewer has proven to be.)
May 18, 2014
Boring and not well written.
March 27, 2014
My actual rating: 4.5 of 5 stars.
I was a rock and roll teen in San Francisco in the 70s. I listened to Zeppelin, Beatles, KISS, Bowie, Queen, J. Geils, Blue Oyster Cult, Patti Smith, Foghat, Black Sabbath, and dozens of other bands on vinyl and cassettes. I wore Kiss and Zep belt buckles (though never at the same time), and proclaimed my infatuation with various bands via the reigning social media of that era: T-shirts and posters.
I was also obsessed with New York City. I sported a subway token on a gold chain above my rock T's, and I followed as much of the NYC music scene as I could via the few relevant publications available in SF at the time. Rolling Stone was readily available, but it was filled with pretentious, humorless studies of boring bands. There were a few juicy tidbits here and there, but RS was certainly not my pub of choice; it was a dull read.
What WAS on my radar -- what I lived for -- was the hilarious, goofy, geeky coverage found in Creem, Hit Parader, the photo-spread-heavy Rock Scene, and even (British, hard-to-find except in Haight Street head shops) New Musical Express. These were undeniably "rock and roll" magazines filled to bursting with attitude and humor. Well, NME was a little dry, but it had loads of Bri'ish bands, 'mate! Unlike RS, every one of these mags was FUN to read! They wrote about my favorite bands -- or introduced me to soon-to-become favorite bands. I fell into the articles and the interviews for hours at a crack. I felt the excitement, the rush, the joy of being at shows (here's the tricky bit) without having been at the shows. It felt like I was actually hanging out with these cool musician dudes (and occasional musician chicks), drinking Boy Howdy beer and listening to funny stories about (let's just say) trying to tune a guitar in the filthy bathroom at CBGB's without touching anything. It sounds impossible to make a disgusting dive bar sound like THE place to be, but that was the effect. This was the scene, and these were the players. But it weren't no thang... just rock and roll, baby.
What did all of these magazines have in common? Lisa Robinson. She was a rock journalist back when there were one or two dozen "rock journalists" on the planet. As her press blurb says, she has interviewed everyone from John Lennon to Bono to Patti Smith, Eminem to Lady Gaga to Jay-Z and Kanye West. One factlet in particular helps convey her insider status: At different times during the 70s, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Elton John separately owned (or leased) the same plane for their tours. Robinson was on that plane with each of those bands! ("The plane remains the same.")
Consistently, in her coverage of all of these bands, Robinson brought warmth, humor, insight, and foremost, an obsessive love of music. Mostly rock and roll music (Lisa distinguishes it from "rock 'n roll" in this book -- the "and" has significance). But it's obvious she appreciates -- loves -- all kinds of music. This is what comes through in the writing: her absolute love of music, and her ability to capture in words the ephemeral magic that occurs when certain musicians and bands play, or simply hang out.
What's Robinson's secret to documenting the ups and downs of so many rock stars in such an engaging style? Woman in a man's world? Street-smart NYC sensibility? In the right place(s) at the right time(s)? Laying off the drugs and booze that her subjects snarfed up like Scooby snacks? Yes to all of these -- plus that main ingredient: her obsessive, infectious love of music. She put in the thousands of hours because she wanted to -- she had to. (And as evidence of that obsession: Robinson admits to a tremendous fear of flying, yet she got on planes over and over again to get the stories that could only be discovered "on the inside." There goes gravity, indeed.)
While I'm not a diehard Stones fan, nor a Lou Reed fan, nor a Clash fan, I enjoyed reading about them in this book. As with those articles I fondly remember from adolescence, Robinson convinced me that these bands and their music -- recordings as well as performances -- are worth consideration. Unlike 70s-era Rolling Stone, Robinson doesn't brow-beat readers into worshiping certain bands "because they're good for you." She simply interviews people, relates insightful / harsh / off-putting / funny anecdotes, adds her thoughtful observations about the musicians (as people, if not always as powerful -- or fallen -- rock gods), and moves on. If you like something, dive in and read all about it... and listen to the music, go to the shows, dance your ass off in that sweaty 10th row if you feel like it. And if you don't, so what? There's always next time.
By coincidence, recently I read two other books that described the 1970s downtown New York music scene: Patti Smith's Just Kids and David Byrne's How Music Works. Smith's book succeeds as a poetic encapsulation of her life with -- and without -- Robert Mapplethorpe. The downtown music scene is a vital part of her story. Byrne's book is an entertaining dive into the music business, with the 70s art-rock/punk-rock/rock-rock scene as a crucial formative slice of Byrne's career with Talking Heads.
Smith and Byrne are musicians (and so much more). They told their respective stories with wit and writerly talent; both books are enjoyable. So how is Lisa Robinson's book different? Well, she has the advantage of being able to recount a lifetime filled with scads of musicians, not just a one-musician career. Sure, she touches upon the usual NYC hot spots of the era -- CBGB's, Max's Kansas City, Mercer Arts Center, Mudd Club, Studio 54. She spent many nights at these venues ("you felt like you were missing something important even if you missed a single night"), closing clubs at 4am, sleeping until noon and waking up to plan the next evening's excursion into clubland. She became friends with some of the musicians (like Patti Smith). And as with Smith and Byrne, for Lisa the New York scene ends up being an important part of her story.
But Robinson wrote about much more than just that one "rock scene" -- she went on tour with all those bands, across the US and over to Europe! She saw the shows, and chatted with Mick, Keith, John, Yoko, Elton, Gaga in quiet moments before and after. And somehow, she came up with fresh, revealing things to say about some very unusual people who garnered (or endured) so much media attention. Time and again, she was able to unearth the human-interest story buried beneath legendary excesses, without short-changing the rock and roll. Sure, there's dirt, but so much more.
[Disclosure: I received an Early Reviewers copy of this book via LibraryThing.]
I was a rock and roll teen in San Francisco in the 70s. I listened to Zeppelin, Beatles, KISS, Bowie, Queen, J. Geils, Blue Oyster Cult, Patti Smith, Foghat, Black Sabbath, and dozens of other bands on vinyl and cassettes. I wore Kiss and Zep belt buckles (though never at the same time), and proclaimed my infatuation with various bands via the reigning social media of that era: T-shirts and posters.
I was also obsessed with New York City. I sported a subway token on a gold chain above my rock T's, and I followed as much of the NYC music scene as I could via the few relevant publications available in SF at the time. Rolling Stone was readily available, but it was filled with pretentious, humorless studies of boring bands. There were a few juicy tidbits here and there, but RS was certainly not my pub of choice; it was a dull read.
What WAS on my radar -- what I lived for -- was the hilarious, goofy, geeky coverage found in Creem, Hit Parader, the photo-spread-heavy Rock Scene, and even (British, hard-to-find except in Haight Street head shops) New Musical Express. These were undeniably "rock and roll" magazines filled to bursting with attitude and humor. Well, NME was a little dry, but it had loads of Bri'ish bands, 'mate! Unlike RS, every one of these mags was FUN to read! They wrote about my favorite bands -- or introduced me to soon-to-become favorite bands. I fell into the articles and the interviews for hours at a crack. I felt the excitement, the rush, the joy of being at shows (here's the tricky bit) without having been at the shows. It felt like I was actually hanging out with these cool musician dudes (and occasional musician chicks), drinking Boy Howdy beer and listening to funny stories about (let's just say) trying to tune a guitar in the filthy bathroom at CBGB's without touching anything. It sounds impossible to make a disgusting dive bar sound like THE place to be, but that was the effect. This was the scene, and these were the players. But it weren't no thang... just rock and roll, baby.
What did all of these magazines have in common? Lisa Robinson. She was a rock journalist back when there were one or two dozen "rock journalists" on the planet. As her press blurb says, she has interviewed everyone from John Lennon to Bono to Patti Smith, Eminem to Lady Gaga to Jay-Z and Kanye West. One factlet in particular helps convey her insider status: At different times during the 70s, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Elton John separately owned (or leased) the same plane for their tours. Robinson was on that plane with each of those bands! ("The plane remains the same.")
Consistently, in her coverage of all of these bands, Robinson brought warmth, humor, insight, and foremost, an obsessive love of music. Mostly rock and roll music (Lisa distinguishes it from "rock 'n roll" in this book -- the "and" has significance). But it's obvious she appreciates -- loves -- all kinds of music. This is what comes through in the writing: her absolute love of music, and her ability to capture in words the ephemeral magic that occurs when certain musicians and bands play, or simply hang out.
What's Robinson's secret to documenting the ups and downs of so many rock stars in such an engaging style? Woman in a man's world? Street-smart NYC sensibility? In the right place(s) at the right time(s)? Laying off the drugs and booze that her subjects snarfed up like Scooby snacks? Yes to all of these -- plus that main ingredient: her obsessive, infectious love of music. She put in the thousands of hours because she wanted to -- she had to. (And as evidence of that obsession: Robinson admits to a tremendous fear of flying, yet she got on planes over and over again to get the stories that could only be discovered "on the inside." There goes gravity, indeed.)
While I'm not a diehard Stones fan, nor a Lou Reed fan, nor a Clash fan, I enjoyed reading about them in this book. As with those articles I fondly remember from adolescence, Robinson convinced me that these bands and their music -- recordings as well as performances -- are worth consideration. Unlike 70s-era Rolling Stone, Robinson doesn't brow-beat readers into worshiping certain bands "because they're good for you." She simply interviews people, relates insightful / harsh / off-putting / funny anecdotes, adds her thoughtful observations about the musicians (as people, if not always as powerful -- or fallen -- rock gods), and moves on. If you like something, dive in and read all about it... and listen to the music, go to the shows, dance your ass off in that sweaty 10th row if you feel like it. And if you don't, so what? There's always next time.
By coincidence, recently I read two other books that described the 1970s downtown New York music scene: Patti Smith's Just Kids and David Byrne's How Music Works. Smith's book succeeds as a poetic encapsulation of her life with -- and without -- Robert Mapplethorpe. The downtown music scene is a vital part of her story. Byrne's book is an entertaining dive into the music business, with the 70s art-rock/punk-rock/rock-rock scene as a crucial formative slice of Byrne's career with Talking Heads.
Smith and Byrne are musicians (and so much more). They told their respective stories with wit and writerly talent; both books are enjoyable. So how is Lisa Robinson's book different? Well, she has the advantage of being able to recount a lifetime filled with scads of musicians, not just a one-musician career. Sure, she touches upon the usual NYC hot spots of the era -- CBGB's, Max's Kansas City, Mercer Arts Center, Mudd Club, Studio 54. She spent many nights at these venues ("you felt like you were missing something important even if you missed a single night"), closing clubs at 4am, sleeping until noon and waking up to plan the next evening's excursion into clubland. She became friends with some of the musicians (like Patti Smith). And as with Smith and Byrne, for Lisa the New York scene ends up being an important part of her story.
But Robinson wrote about much more than just that one "rock scene" -- she went on tour with all those bands, across the US and over to Europe! She saw the shows, and chatted with Mick, Keith, John, Yoko, Elton, Gaga in quiet moments before and after. And somehow, she came up with fresh, revealing things to say about some very unusual people who garnered (or endured) so much media attention. Time and again, she was able to unearth the human-interest story buried beneath legendary excesses, without short-changing the rock and roll. Sure, there's dirt, but so much more.
[Disclosure: I received an Early Reviewers copy of this book via LibraryThing.]
May 23, 2014
This was a disappointment. It could have been much more interesting but the writing was just flat. Not much narration, no sense of humor or excitement. Jeez you toured with Led Zep and The Stones. You were hanging out at Max's and CBGB in their heyday. You were even a frequent guest at Studio 54...well ladedah...and all you can do is copy lists from your notes of what you had for brunch that day? I returned this book. Mildly interesting but for the most part boring. Much more entertaining and well written is Pamela Des Barres.
June 25, 2014
I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. I mean, this woman was one of the first rock journalists, and even more she was a woman surrounded by men, during some of the most exciting times in music. You'd think that would lend itself to some unusual insights or perspectives, rather than what this felt like - a long, long recitation of dates and events from a writer who has an encyclopedic memory (or really good diary) for who was wearing what when and names of hotels and venues. There were a few interesting tidbits: I liked reading about Phil Specter (and ha! his snubbing of Scorsese), since he's such an enigma. The description of Michael Jackson's different public and private voice was telling. But there's no narrative thread to bring her experiences together in any coherent way. She barely relates what it was like to see so many of those bands live during their heyday - I'm not even sure that she cared that much. Even the individual chapters, generally written around one musician or band, don't seem to take a particular point of view. Mostly, it appeared that bands (Led Zeppelin, Yoko Ono) let her hang out with them because she wasn't typically overtly critical of them. Robinson views herself as the quiet observer in the corner, rather than someone who comments on the larger meaning of the music or the music/band's effect on the culture, and that's okay -- but why decide to write an entire book? Just to humble-brag (or maybe just brag) that "I was there"?
I was particularly annoyed by some little things -- like she felt the need to insert "[sic]" whenever she was directly quoting something a musician had misspelled in writing (e.g., another musician's first name). Was that really necessary? I really don't see the huge issue with just inserting the correct spelling in that case without the "sic" -- it doesn't change the meaning of what the individual was writing. Instead, it was incredibly distracting and, frankly, condescending. There were also moments where she inserts herself into the narrative in odd ways - for instance, in the U2 chapter, she predicts the future not once but twice by stating that Adam Clayton's relationship with Naomi Campbell would end "in tears" and that the PopMart tour would as well. And come on, it wasn't rocket science to make those calls, but Robinson acts as though she's prescient. Another favorite - John Lennon says he never calls anyone, including his band mates. Robinson's response was to the effect of, "But John, you've called me." It's such an odd way of puffing herself up to prove to the reader that these rock gods think she's special.
Also, I was really mystified by some of the passages for someone who has lived and breathed music for so long... She seemed to suggest that rap and hip hop didn't really emerge into public consciousness (because she didn't take any interest until then) until the late 90's. ??? It made me think that it was more about the scene than anything else.
I was particularly annoyed by some little things -- like she felt the need to insert "[sic]" whenever she was directly quoting something a musician had misspelled in writing (e.g., another musician's first name). Was that really necessary? I really don't see the huge issue with just inserting the correct spelling in that case without the "sic" -- it doesn't change the meaning of what the individual was writing. Instead, it was incredibly distracting and, frankly, condescending. There were also moments where she inserts herself into the narrative in odd ways - for instance, in the U2 chapter, she predicts the future not once but twice by stating that Adam Clayton's relationship with Naomi Campbell would end "in tears" and that the PopMart tour would as well. And come on, it wasn't rocket science to make those calls, but Robinson acts as though she's prescient. Another favorite - John Lennon says he never calls anyone, including his band mates. Robinson's response was to the effect of, "But John, you've called me." It's such an odd way of puffing herself up to prove to the reader that these rock gods think she's special.
Also, I was really mystified by some of the passages for someone who has lived and breathed music for so long... She seemed to suggest that rap and hip hop didn't really emerge into public consciousness (because she didn't take any interest until then) until the late 90's. ??? It made me think that it was more about the scene than anything else.
May 8, 2014
More than anything else, it was music that helped me through the awkward teenage phase of the 1970s. It was a passion. Reading came in at a close second. Reading about music pulled it all together, and I escaped into issues of Creem, Circus, Hit Parade and Rolling Stone. At that time, Lisa Robinson was a journalist in a male dominated profession, and one of the best. I always looked forward to reading her articles. Today I’m ashamed to admit that my passion for music has waned, pushed aside by work, family, a 500 channel satellite dish … Robinson’s memoir has brought it all back.
There Goes Gravity is a fascinating treasury of candid interviews, amusing antidotes and insightful observations on a diverse selection of musicians and the music industry, spanning more than four decades. It feels like a mere glimpse of what she must have witnessed and recorded.
I’m going to drag out my old records from under the basement stairs. The Clash deserve another listen. I might even give Eminem a try. And should I be granted the privilege of hosting that hypothetical, all-star dinner party, Lisa Robinson has an open invitation. I have a litany of questions.
There Goes Gravity is a fascinating treasury of candid interviews, amusing antidotes and insightful observations on a diverse selection of musicians and the music industry, spanning more than four decades. It feels like a mere glimpse of what she must have witnessed and recorded.
I’m going to drag out my old records from under the basement stairs. The Clash deserve another listen. I might even give Eminem a try. And should I be granted the privilege of hosting that hypothetical, all-star dinner party, Lisa Robinson has an open invitation. I have a litany of questions.
November 9, 2014
The reason I loved this book so much is probably because I listened to it on audiobook while driving to and from work. The greatest thing about it is that Lisa Robinson reads it herself, in a world-weary, New York, Marge Simpson on quaaludes delivery that makes every utterance a sheer delight! Just the way she pronounces "Led Zepp-e-lin" and "The RO-lling Stones" (accent on RO), that just sent me into fits of joy every time. You can practically hear her taking a drag on a cigarette in between takes. Her blase recounting of backstage access, private plane trips with wasted bands, hours listening to Mick Jagger, Bono, Patti Smith, Michale Jackson and Lady Gaga pontificate about their importance in music history, and her penchant for early New York punk and art rock is totally endearing. Apparently everyone was her best friend. You go, girl! I love rock n roll gossip, and it doesn't get much better than this. I really want to do a live staged reading of this book, her voice is just the best. Love you, Lisa!
May 5, 2014
YAWN! So Lisa Robinson is a music reporter (seems more like a groupie to me. Led Zepplin this, Led Zepplin that. I was so glad that she moved on to other bands I almost cried. This book is a lot of name dropping, not just entertainers but all kinds or backstage people who (no offense) no one cares about, so you get all these names boggled down in your head.
I am 52, listen to all kinds of music Eagles, Paul Simon ( my favorite Elton John) to Gwen Stefani, Ed Sheeran, Lady Antebellum, Hip-Hop, R &B and Rap and Reggae.
In my opinion, the most touching and interesting part of the whole book is when Eminem lets his guard down, talks about his life, and the price he paid for fame. Eminem is an interesting poet.
Other than that and some minor pieces about the Jacksons, this is just sex, drugs and rock and roll, and it is not as exciting as you would think it would be.
I
I am 52, listen to all kinds of music Eagles, Paul Simon ( my favorite Elton John) to Gwen Stefani, Ed Sheeran, Lady Antebellum, Hip-Hop, R &B and Rap and Reggae.
In my opinion, the most touching and interesting part of the whole book is when Eminem lets his guard down, talks about his life, and the price he paid for fame. Eminem is an interesting poet.
Other than that and some minor pieces about the Jacksons, this is just sex, drugs and rock and roll, and it is not as exciting as you would think it would be.
I
May 19, 2014
Fairly entertaining but mostly a lot of name dropping and fluff.
A lot of describing who she was with and what they wore and where they met, etc. etc.
The length of time and number of musicians she got to know was impressive, but of course, that was her job as a music reporter.
Basically I felt like she was just putting the notes and journals she wrote into one big book to make some money from people like me who want to know details about these musicians.
I feel a little ripped off by it actually.
A lot of describing who she was with and what they wore and where they met, etc. etc.
The length of time and number of musicians she got to know was impressive, but of course, that was her job as a music reporter.
Basically I felt like she was just putting the notes and journals she wrote into one big book to make some money from people like me who want to know details about these musicians.
I feel a little ripped off by it actually.
June 5, 2017
This book was fun to read in part, since the author, one of the first rock'n'roll journalists, traveled, partied, and fraternized with so many famous musicians (for example, the Rolling Stones, the New York Dolls etc), and became close friends with so many of them.
However, after a while one gets the sense of a holding back - the discretion of a friend, perhaps? - in the reporting of all the goings on. She also never discloses much of anything about any indiscretions of her own while doing all this partying and fraternizing, and it seems hard to believe none occurred under the circumstances described. A rigid journalistic integrity perhaps - ? While I didn't want to read a groupie's tale, I found it hard to believe the author was never the recipient of advances, intoxicants and perhaps a few more scandalous happenings than she lets on.
There's also quite a bit of repetition, and she has obvious favourites - if you're NOT particularly interested in the New York Dolls, for example, this book may bore you in large sections. Still, it does trace the 'rise of rock" and of the supergroups.
For my taste, it was indeed interesting - but could have been a lot shorter and/or could have involved more groups and more actual inside info.
However, after a while one gets the sense of a holding back - the discretion of a friend, perhaps? - in the reporting of all the goings on. She also never discloses much of anything about any indiscretions of her own while doing all this partying and fraternizing, and it seems hard to believe none occurred under the circumstances described. A rigid journalistic integrity perhaps - ? While I didn't want to read a groupie's tale, I found it hard to believe the author was never the recipient of advances, intoxicants and perhaps a few more scandalous happenings than she lets on.
There's also quite a bit of repetition, and she has obvious favourites - if you're NOT particularly interested in the New York Dolls, for example, this book may bore you in large sections. Still, it does trace the 'rise of rock" and of the supergroups.
For my taste, it was indeed interesting - but could have been a lot shorter and/or could have involved more groups and more actual inside info.
January 17, 2016
There Goes Gravity by Lisa Robinson is a free Goodreads First Reads advance reader copy of a paperback book I began reading during the late April showers. I chose this book due to what seemed to me to be Almost Famous-style parallels.
Lisa Robinson's writing voice is very much like the physical proximity to the artists she writes about - close, but not intimate. She talks about the what, where and when in a lot of candid, witty detail, but not so much about the who and why. I'm thinking that she wanted to cover viewpoints that she hadn't considered during her articles at the time, but it feels like a cube with 5 sides, instead of 6 (especially during the last few chapters, where multiple people and years are blended together with little attention to form).
Lisa Robinson's writing voice is very much like the physical proximity to the artists she writes about - close, but not intimate. She talks about the what, where and when in a lot of candid, witty detail, but not so much about the who and why. I'm thinking that she wanted to cover viewpoints that she hadn't considered during her articles at the time, but it feels like a cube with 5 sides, instead of 6 (especially during the last few chapters, where multiple people and years are blended together with little attention to form).
December 19, 2018
This was a fun, light memoir. The book is organized loosely chronologically, and loosely a chapter per iconic band or movement. I like the stories Robinson chooses to tell. For the most part she chooses to eschew (or mention in order to refute) the big stories and scandals, in favor of little personal anecdotes. She traveled with the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin and wrote about the Clash and the Ramones and Patti Smith and the Jacksons, but she met with them individually, when their public personas could fall away for a moment -- or in some cases, not. Their love of music -- and hers -- really comes through as a result.
July 23, 2017
Kinda meh. No real insights or interesting gossip shared. At least nothing that floats my boat!
P.S. A major inaccuracy stated in the book, re The Ramones. They did NOT continue touring until Joey's death in 2001. They officially retired in 1996. To add insult to injury this was expressed in a passage making a point about how some bands never stop performing. Lisa, the Ramones stopped while they were still ahead without coming off as pathetic. That one cost you a whole star in my rating book.
P.S. A major inaccuracy stated in the book, re The Ramones. They did NOT continue touring until Joey's death in 2001. They officially retired in 1996. To add insult to injury this was expressed in a passage making a point about how some bands never stop performing. Lisa, the Ramones stopped while they were still ahead without coming off as pathetic. That one cost you a whole star in my rating book.
July 22, 2014
I was excited to see that Lisa Robinson had written a book telling the story of her role in music journalism. As a music lover I had read many of her pieces in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and other magazines and was ready to hear her tell her story in her own words. Sadly, the stories she tells are as much about who she sat in bars with, rode on buses with, shared hotel rooms, airplane flights and social time with as it is about the artists themselves and the music they have given us. If you want to read about what drove the artists she profiles to create the music we love, this is not the book for you.
She devotes each chapter to a performer or group or in some cases a movement, like the rise of Punk in NYC but this is filtered through her perceptions, more as a social commentator than a music reporter.
She is especially weak when she tries to convey the essence of her trip ‘down south’, to connect with the roots of Rock And Roll. We are assured in this book that the term Rock N Roll is incorrect.
This book does have some good features; she obviously knows her artists as people and is able to introduce us to them. It may be that I just misunderstood the purpose of this book. If you like chatty, name dropping, recreations of past times, you will like this book. If you are looking for serious music reporting, not so much.
She devotes each chapter to a performer or group or in some cases a movement, like the rise of Punk in NYC but this is filtered through her perceptions, more as a social commentator than a music reporter.
She is especially weak when she tries to convey the essence of her trip ‘down south’, to connect with the roots of Rock And Roll. We are assured in this book that the term Rock N Roll is incorrect.
This book does have some good features; she obviously knows her artists as people and is able to introduce us to them. It may be that I just misunderstood the purpose of this book. If you like chatty, name dropping, recreations of past times, you will like this book. If you are looking for serious music reporting, not so much.
June 28, 2014
I am not really certain what this book was intending to be. It is not a memoir, as I finished it knowing nothing about the author (other than she likes to name drop). To be honest, what little I learned did not make me like her. It is not a rock history - there is no analysis - and it is not a critique. It is very repetitious (for example, the Keith Richard's line that Mick Jagger is "a great bunch of guys" pops up more than once). The use of commas borders on insane and I would say the same thing to the author as I did to many of my students when I was a university prof - you write like you talk, and that is not inherently a good thing. Her notion of adding "colour" to a piece is simple to describe what her subject is wearing, to the point where even Mick Jagger made fun of her for it.
I am fascinated by rock history and have been a Bowie fan for life, but learned absolutely nothing here. There is no narrative thread, in fact, what little content there is does not appear to be in chronological order. The only thought I had when I put this book down as "how did she get this great job?" She did not appear to have any qualifications, including a deep knowledge of music or the ability to write well.
I am fascinated by rock history and have been a Bowie fan for life, but learned absolutely nothing here. There is no narrative thread, in fact, what little content there is does not appear to be in chronological order. The only thought I had when I put this book down as "how did she get this great job?" She did not appear to have any qualifications, including a deep knowledge of music or the ability to write well.
August 11, 2019
Lisa Robinson started her career as rock and roll's Rona Barrett (yes, I'm dating myself)- writing gossipy tidbits about the New York music scene in various magazines, and morphed into a journalist traveling with the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin during their fuzzy alcohol and drug induced heyday in the 70's. Since then, she was able to gain the trust (for the most part) of rock legends throughout the years: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Michael Jackson, Joe Strummer, David Johanssen, and more. Her memoirs help dispel famous urban legends such as the Led Zeppelin-groupie- red snapper tale ("No one who was there remembers it the same way.") For the true fan of these musicians, nothing in "There Goes Gravity" is a huge surprise, but I enjoyed reading Robinson's experiences, told in "I've seen it all", world-weary New York style. She makes no bones about who she respects (The New York Dolls, The Clash, Lady Gaga) and who she doesn't (Madonna, anyone?) As a woman and a journalist in a male-dominated, chauvinistic (to put it mildly) music industry, she earns my respect for calling it as it is.
July 20, 2014
I cannot believe that I ever thought that I knew about rock music. Lisa Robinson's book is a must-read for anyone who has ever wanted to speak to rock legends, pay respect to them or to set the record straight. Lisa is a great writer and has/had access to some of the biggest bands on the planet: in production, on tours, before and during stardom, after the limelight, and through the years. There are insights in to how the music business works, about paying bills on tour, observation and above all the very real people who we only know as rock stars. Lisa Robinson loves music and seems like a true friend to singers, musicians and managers. The book is not an ego piece or an analysis or search for the meaning of any genre. It is a fantastic chronicle of a life in music.
April 2, 2014
The writings/stories seems a little bit disjointed in the beginning, which is partly why it took me so long to read. However, the more I read the more I saw a vague-ish flow. Though I certainly know who Lisa Robinson is talking about I'm not a huge music buff, so I feel like perhaps some of the details were (sadly) lost on me. I really enjoyed this book. It's very clear that she took precise notes throughout her time on the road and during all her interviews. It's definitely a cool read, but would be far more enjoyed by people with a more intricate knowledge of the various musicians and the people behind them (managers, etc).
May 17, 2014
Some interesting spots but overall I thought I was just one more slant on a bunch of musicians. It's presented like it's the inside scoop and I guess it really is but I would have to say that the majority of what was told was kind of a "who cares". I did think it jumped around and there was a ton of name dropping but enough of it held my interest to keep reading. I did skim some of the chapters on people I have already heard to much about and read the parts on people I knew less about
May 12, 2014
Upcoming Penguin audio galley, read by the author.
Fun, dishy, moving memoir of Rock and Roll writer Lisa Robinson's friendships and experiences over years chronicling Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bono, The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Eminem, and many more.
Fun, dishy, moving memoir of Rock and Roll writer Lisa Robinson's friendships and experiences over years chronicling Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bono, The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Eminem, and many more.
May 12, 2014
Could not stand the biased comments against the South.
September 15, 2014
Once I got past her first few chapters of Led Zeppelin worship, I really enjoyed this book. Her musical and popular culture knowledge come from an insiders' perspective and a passion for the subject.
February 14, 2021
This was an interesting listen. The author has been a renowned music journalist for many decades and in this memoir she documents a number of her most noteworthy encounters. From Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones to Eminem and Michael Jackson, she covers iconic artists with passion and a casual flare that bring her stories to life. I think the audio narration definitely helped, as her voice was very lively whilst relating her tales. However, sometimes I found myself completely uninterested in the details she was relating to me.
I would say there was a lot of name dropping, but then what else would a book like this be about? I can hardly criticize it for that. However, sometimes it felt a little much. I think it was in the way of telling the story. It came across little smug every now and then. She has plenty to be smug about, I would have given an arm and a leg to see/do some of the things she has seen/done (though definitely not all!) and I have no idea why it bothered me, but occasionally it just did. The tone was just a little bit off for me.
Surprisingly I found the later chapters on Eminem and Lady Gaga the most interesting. Maybe because being a long time ‘rock and roll’ fan, I have heard some version of the other stories before.
This was a good listen and very enjoyable in places, but unfortunately it lost me in others and I did not quite love it.
I would say there was a lot of name dropping, but then what else would a book like this be about? I can hardly criticize it for that. However, sometimes it felt a little much. I think it was in the way of telling the story. It came across little smug every now and then. She has plenty to be smug about, I would have given an arm and a leg to see/do some of the things she has seen/done (though definitely not all!) and I have no idea why it bothered me, but occasionally it just did. The tone was just a little bit off for me.
Surprisingly I found the later chapters on Eminem and Lady Gaga the most interesting. Maybe because being a long time ‘rock and roll’ fan, I have heard some version of the other stories before.
This was a good listen and very enjoyable in places, but unfortunately it lost me in others and I did not quite love it.
August 5, 2014
I was so looking forward to reading this. So disappointed after reading it. I think it would work better as individual articles in a magazine than all together in book form. I did read an excerpt in Vanity Fair so I thought I would enjoy reading the whole book. Not so much. I felt it was disjointed and all over the place at times and then a bit boring at other times. I started to think that maybe she forgot she had a book to write and wrote out as much as she could while trying to remember everything off the top of her head and it all got blurred together.
I know it must be exhausting interviewing all those famous people and I'm sure it's hard to remember all the names but you can certainly look the names up or just use the bands name. I'm referring to The Police. She referred to them as "Sting and the other two from the Police". Really? I'll admit the only other one I could recall offhand was Stewart Copeland so I looked up the third member - Andy Summers. See? Not so hard. Didn't even take me a minute.
Maybe a little fact checking wouldn't have hurt either. She wrote about U2 - "not one member has been tossed out of a nightclub or arrested for drugs, gun possession or punching a photographer". That bit about being arrested for drugs? I know it was just marijuana but Adam Clayton was arrested for possessing a small amount of it once. I guess I should give her credit for not referring to U2 as Bono, Edge and the other two.
I know it must be exhausting interviewing all those famous people and I'm sure it's hard to remember all the names but you can certainly look the names up or just use the bands name. I'm referring to The Police. She referred to them as "Sting and the other two from the Police". Really? I'll admit the only other one I could recall offhand was Stewart Copeland so I looked up the third member - Andy Summers. See? Not so hard. Didn't even take me a minute.
Maybe a little fact checking wouldn't have hurt either. She wrote about U2 - "not one member has been tossed out of a nightclub or arrested for drugs, gun possession or punching a photographer". That bit about being arrested for drugs? I know it was just marijuana but Adam Clayton was arrested for possessing a small amount of it once. I guess I should give her credit for not referring to U2 as Bono, Edge and the other two.
May 9, 2014
I was so looking forward to this book after reading about it on The Cut. But I was extremely disappointed.
Lisa is a disjointed writer with lists of "recollections" that go nowhere. She is a rock snob to the nth degree who pretends to care about black music by giving lip service to the fact that she name-checked Thelonius Monk to a bunch of British rock stars. Whatever, lady. You seem to think less than five people are responsible for all the black music of the last 40 years, and none of them are WOMEN. What about funk? Does that not exist to you?
No, just your handful of New York "cool kidz" bands and their British counterparts. And when you glom onto a band you travel exclusively with, you just discount anyone in the band who is of no interest to you because, reasons.
Bottom line, and I can find no other way to say this: Stay away from this book. This woman is nothing but a sad starfucker whose memories are hazy at best. Every thing she drops on you as knowledge is something you have already heard from your friends who knew the people she writes of, or perhaps your own stories.
Oh, and the fact that you're a Lady Giggles fan because she cooked you pasta in platform shoes - spare me, lady.
Lisa is a disjointed writer with lists of "recollections" that go nowhere. She is a rock snob to the nth degree who pretends to care about black music by giving lip service to the fact that she name-checked Thelonius Monk to a bunch of British rock stars. Whatever, lady. You seem to think less than five people are responsible for all the black music of the last 40 years, and none of them are WOMEN. What about funk? Does that not exist to you?
No, just your handful of New York "cool kidz" bands and their British counterparts. And when you glom onto a band you travel exclusively with, you just discount anyone in the band who is of no interest to you because, reasons.
Bottom line, and I can find no other way to say this: Stay away from this book. This woman is nothing but a sad starfucker whose memories are hazy at best. Every thing she drops on you as knowledge is something you have already heard from your friends who knew the people she writes of, or perhaps your own stories.
Oh, and the fact that you're a Lady Giggles fan because she cooked you pasta in platform shoes - spare me, lady.
May 5, 2017
Lisa had the ringside seat in rock and roll ( "don't abbreviate it " says Lisa ) touring with led zeppelin and the Rolling Stones for those famous mega tours of the 70's .
Only Lisa is a down to earth music journalist ( not critic ) married and has a very sensitive bullshit detector .
Which when you read on you certainly needed to survive.
Chapters include extensive essaying on Michael Jackson, U2 , John Lennon, the blues & lady Gaga the only artist to have ever cooked her a meal ! The devil is in the details. A great read reminiscing of rock folklore.
I loved reading about rock scene magazine who Lisa wrote for a small publication coming out of NYC in the 70's that was in huge demand yet they only printed minimal copies on cheap paper . It was like the vogue of rock , rock celebs pictured at parties long before the paparazzi were chasing them .
Only Lisa is a down to earth music journalist ( not critic ) married and has a very sensitive bullshit detector .
Which when you read on you certainly needed to survive.
Chapters include extensive essaying on Michael Jackson, U2 , John Lennon, the blues & lady Gaga the only artist to have ever cooked her a meal ! The devil is in the details. A great read reminiscing of rock folklore.
I loved reading about rock scene magazine who Lisa wrote for a small publication coming out of NYC in the 70's that was in huge demand yet they only printed minimal copies on cheap paper . It was like the vogue of rock , rock celebs pictured at parties long before the paparazzi were chasing them .
July 25, 2021
I didn't know Liza Minnelli sung "Big Spender". I've only listened to Shirley Bassey sing it. No book is worth reading if you don't learn at least one detail. It's admirable that the musicians don't dismiss Lisa Robinson. If you don't earn respect from the men, it can make it even harder to earn it from women. Or am I reading it wrong? She witnessed their excesses and didn't participate. Gonzo journalism? Not only. I would consider Lisa Robinson a combination of gonzo and immersion journalism. Gonzo in the sense that she's not objective and immersion for the fact she spends much time with her subjects. It's not gossip. She received the knowledge directly from the source.
May 31, 2014
You'd think it would be interesting but you'd be wrong. Are rock stars really this boring, or just when they're around the author?
August 24, 2015
Lisa Robinson was there, and she has the names to drop to prove it.
November 26, 2022
Disappointing book by one of the most well-known, New York-based music journalists: Lisa Robinson. Had known of her for years, and used to enjoy Lisa Robinson's music column in the New York Post. Though there are some interesting parts of "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll," and the book is not completely without value, it's just that it (mostly) lacks depth and substance, and reveals very little.
What could have been an excellent biography of a woman enjoying and surviving the tough, male-dominated world of rock and roll, is instead felt like only a glimpse inside the thousands of pages of notes and interviews that Lisa Robinson had lying around in storage boxes somewhere. The reader is entreated to a lot of "I went here, did that, met that person, toured with that band, saw this concert..." (with an incorrect date on at least one of Robinson's celebrated experiences), and then every now and then she throws a hurtful comment or criticism about a specific singer, musician or band...while lauding others that perhaps appealed more to her more independent New York underground jazz and blues and punk taste.
Yet the reader learns very little about the many music superstars mentioned in her book, and less so about Lisa Robinson herself. From I gathered from "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll," Lisa Robinson loves fashion, hates George W. Bush, likes to stay out late with the rockers and drag queens, and had friends everywhere. As to who Lisa Robinson really is, what her marriage to music producer Richard Robinson was really like, or what her life was life outside of concert tours, parties and recording studios...the reader is never informed.
What worked well in "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll" were the stories and interviews with the artists that I did not know Robinson had a connection with, such as John Lennon, Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Michael Jackson, Eminem, The Clash, Patti Smith and U2. The material that SHOULD have been fascinating and instead proved pedestrian were Robinson's thoughts, anecdotes and talks with the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Van Halen.
What it came down to, for me, was that despite whatever good was found within the pages of "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll," the book dragged, and sometimes rambled on and on, to the point where I just wanted to get the book over with. Again, not a horrible work, and perhaps Lisa Robinson DOES have a great, rock and roll book in her, as she appears to have met just about everyone in the music business. This book? It ain't it.
What could have been an excellent biography of a woman enjoying and surviving the tough, male-dominated world of rock and roll, is instead felt like only a glimpse inside the thousands of pages of notes and interviews that Lisa Robinson had lying around in storage boxes somewhere. The reader is entreated to a lot of "I went here, did that, met that person, toured with that band, saw this concert..." (with an incorrect date on at least one of Robinson's celebrated experiences), and then every now and then she throws a hurtful comment or criticism about a specific singer, musician or band...while lauding others that perhaps appealed more to her more independent New York underground jazz and blues and punk taste.
Yet the reader learns very little about the many music superstars mentioned in her book, and less so about Lisa Robinson herself. From I gathered from "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll," Lisa Robinson loves fashion, hates George W. Bush, likes to stay out late with the rockers and drag queens, and had friends everywhere. As to who Lisa Robinson really is, what her marriage to music producer Richard Robinson was really like, or what her life was life outside of concert tours, parties and recording studios...the reader is never informed.
What worked well in "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll" were the stories and interviews with the artists that I did not know Robinson had a connection with, such as John Lennon, Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Michael Jackson, Eminem, The Clash, Patti Smith and U2. The material that SHOULD have been fascinating and instead proved pedestrian were Robinson's thoughts, anecdotes and talks with the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Van Halen.
What it came down to, for me, was that despite whatever good was found within the pages of "There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll," the book dragged, and sometimes rambled on and on, to the point where I just wanted to get the book over with. Again, not a horrible work, and perhaps Lisa Robinson DOES have a great, rock and roll book in her, as she appears to have met just about everyone in the music business. This book? It ain't it.
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