American Music Club / Mark Eitzel...

FYI: the book was written before Love Songs for Patriots, so it has nothing on the reunion period.

 

I picked up a used copy of Mercury at Bull Moose for $3 a couple of years ago with the intention of checking them out but it got filed and forgotten. Thanks to this thread I just dug it out for tomorrow's commute. It's all rainy and gloomy here in Boston, maybe this will be the
perfect soundtrack for a nor'easter.

 

San Francisco was my introduction to this wonderful band. It remains my favorite as well. Bizarre to me that anyone, who's a fan of AMC, would deride it.

Ordered! Found a used copy for $7.99 shipping included. Can't wait to read it.

 

Add me to the list of fans that thinks San Francisco is a classic. A seriously cathartic album for me back then.

 

I do love San Francisco, but I personally can't put it quite on the level of the incredible California/Everclear/Mercury triumvirate.

 

I have California on vinyl. And it is superb

 

I've heard AMC being compared to the Red House Painters in this regard, i.e., Sadcore. I'm not at all familiar with RHP. Is it a far comparison in terms of quality or is the similarity more superficial?

 

I like mark Kozelek, but feel his misery is less authentic than AMC by a thousand tears.....

 

Finished the book the other day. Terrific read. Probably the most informative biography of a rock band I've read. Credit the author's effort to dig up a huge trove of details and turn it into a readable narrative. Also credit the band's candor and generosity with their time. The author was obviously a huge AMC/Mark Eitzel fan, but not a sycophant. I appreciate that he wasn't afraid to offer a critical assessment of the band's music and career moves.

Of for sure! The anecdote about Eitzel turning down Bob Dylan's request - Bob Dylan FFS! - to appear on stage with AMC, is a perfect example of Eitzel shooting himself in the foot. In hindsight AMC would have been better off signing with someone like Matador, rather than with a major label. They just weren't a band built to appeal to the masses.