Rockonomics: The Money Behind the Music

Eliot, who has written biographies of Phil Ochs and Burt Reynolds, sets out to show that commercialism, greed and corruption rule the popular music industry. Arguing that the industry reaps huge profits by exploitation, he examines the careers of well-known performers, disc jockeys, managers and agents from the early days of broadcasting to the present. He presents especially lengthy accounts of the Beatles' endless litigation with managers and record companies, and the rise and fall of notorious deejay Alan Freed in a payola scandal. Unfortunately, the point is smothered under the weight of too much material awkwardly delivered. With its many dreary accounts of callous people looking out for their own interests, Eliot's book is less an expose of corporate villainy than an indictment of exploiters and exploited alike. Photos not seen by PW. 35,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo. (May)