Songwriters on Songwriting

This is a revised and expanded collection of interviews with some of the greatest songwriters, featuring ten new interviews with the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Alanis Morrissette, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana Rickie Lee Jones, Robbie Robertson and k.d. lang.In these 62 interviews, the songwriters go straight to the source of the magic of songwriting by offering their thoughts, feelings and opinion on their art. Representing almost every genre of popular music, from blues to pop to rock, these are figures who have shaped music as we know it. They share their secrets and personal methods for converting inspiration into song: both Robbie Robertson of The Band and Tom Petty talk about working with Bob Dylan; Dylan himself, in one of his rare in-depth interviews, says the world doesn't need any new songs; R.E.M. name their favourite R.E.M. songs; Madonna describes collaborating with Prince; and Sammy Cahn talks about writing standards for Frank Sinatra's indelible stamp.