The Hitmen: The Shocking True Story of a Family of Killers for Hire

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mixes the skills of an investigative journalist with the gifts of an expert storyteller in an expose that will intrigue and appall readers with its disclosures. The book examines a system in which contract killings have become the norm, looking at who arranges hits, where to find a hitman, and even what it is like to be a hitman – or woman. The book has a large cast of colorful characters (too large, to be honest), and everyone from thuggish bodyguards to pampered label execs gets a vivid portrait.

A legendary book, I suppose, and the first half or so lives up to it--yeasty, contentious, endlessly quotable shtick from a legion of record execs, all variously self-justifying, crap-talking, defending themselves, lying, and constantly deploying abundant traditional Yiddish invective to explain why the opponent at hand is a goniff, shlemiel, causes shpilkes, etc.

I wanted to like this account of corruption in the music industry more; the subject matter is really interesting.

Stephen Breen (Author) Stephen Breen is currently crime editor of the Irish Sun and has made regular appearances on Irish TV to discuss crime issues.But in 2017, Alan and Luke were both jailed over a ­Kinahan plot to murder Hutch figure Gary Hanley. An update explain the wrecking ball effect that Napster had and why nobody shed any tears for the large companies. Unsavory revealing of strongarm bullies controlling what got played on the radio (not inc college radio) through bribery paid to " promotion" men which explains why the same ten songs got played til they sounded like nauseating shit for a decade or two and thousands of great songs , which couldve been hits ,did not. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH). Dannen reserves his sharpest barbs for ’80s CBS Records head Irving Azoff, who here seems like the ultimate gladhanding sleazebag.

Fredric Dannen's Hit Men chronicles the music business in America from the invention of the phonograph all the way to the introduction of the CD. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. Indeed, reading this made me realize that Sean Parker, in his role as the inventor of Napster, is truly one of the most consequential figure in the history of recorded music.Repeated scandals over payola or related promotional practices ultimately came to little, legally, but tied up the industry in knots until they played out. The end of the book highlights some court cases that were beginning to be filed against independent promoters for payola charges. Then they veered off into the Disco fad, and when that suddenly went bust, it was a real financial hit. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Institutional Investor, Rolling Stone, and Barron's. Dannen casts a wide net in detailing the shady practice of goosing record airplay and sales — going back to the payola scandal of the ’50s and earlier — but mostly the book focuses on a ring of sleazy 'independent promoters' who racked up millions in the freewheeling late ’70s and early ’80s.

No 1 bestselling authors Stephen Breen and Owen Conlon have written an extraordinary account of a family business like no other. Dannen’s triumph is his ability to reduce the complicated problems and issues of the music industry to precise, personal situations. amazing' Pat Kenny, Newstalk 'Riveting' Irish TimesMeet the Wilsons - the deadliest family in crimeBrothers Eric, Keith and John Wilson, their cousin Alan, and nephew Luke shared a trade - assassination. Though not everything is right; Dannen gets wrong the date of the Beach Boys' signing with Columbia, for instance.Publisher Sandycove yesterday said: “We’re delighted with the early success of The Hitmen and we’re sure it’s going to go on and be a massive seller for us. An entertaining collection of anecdotes about an uproariously unsavory subculture of egomaniacs, sybarites, goniffs, and music lovers. Personally I think the Mergers and Acquisitions craze did more to damage the American music recording industry than anything else. As author Mark Shaw reveals in this highly original and informative book, the ‘upper world’ sails perilously close to the underworld.