The award-winning music journalist and critic Joel Selvin discusses his new book Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars, and the Myth of the California Paradise (House of Anansi Press, 2021), with Joseph Planta.

Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars, and the Myth of the California Paradise by Joel Selvin (House of Anansi Press, 2021). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Hollywood Eden

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

One of the more delightful reads of the season is the new book from the journalist and music critic Joel Selvin, Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars, and the Myth of the California Paradise. It’s an exciting book, because he begins with a group of California teens, the class of 1959 from University High School. There are two kids who ended up becoming Jan and Dean, Nancy Sinatra, and some of the members of the Beach Boys. They’re all going into adulthood as it were into a new decade, and they would through their respective music come to evoke the spirit of modern California that remains today. It was fun, sunny, young, and though the brightness of the era would dim with events like the assassination of John Kennedy, race riots, and increasing involvement in Vietnam, the music endures today. Incidentally, Joel has put together a great playlist capturing the spirit of his book on Spotify; it’s fun listening to it as you’re reading the book. Joel Selvin is an award-winning journalist and music critic who covered pop music for the San Francisco Chronicle for over thirty-five years. His writing has appeared in sundry publications like Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, and Billboard. He’s also been noted for contributing liner notes to dozens of albums. He’s written over a dozen books, many of them bestsellers. Visit www.joelselvin.com for more. This new book is published by House of Anansi Press. He joined me from San Francisco ten days ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Joel Selvin; Mr. Selvin, good morning.

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