Book Review: The Pocket DJ - Guide to Building the Best Music Library
Are you looking to lose those extra pounds and want the perfect playlist to psych yourself up? Your friend’s dad just came out of the closet and you need a playlist to celebrate the occasion? To help you select the perfect playlist for those occasions check out The Pocket DJ, Ultragrrrl’s Guide to Building the Best Music Library, by Sarah Lewitinn.
Inside you will find over 190 playlists conveniently divided into categories like: “Essential Genres”, Essential Artists”, “Celebrity Playlists”, and “Other Playlists”. The book is filled with interesting facts and a good dose of humor, as well as steps to becoming a DJ for any occasion and recommended download sites.
So what is on the “Sorry Your Dad is Gay” playlist? Or how about the list of songs to get spanked to?
The first thing I did when I picked up The Pocket DJ was flip through the genre playlists and I stumbled upon “80’s Dance Songs”. It’s lame, I know - but who doesn’t love A-Ha’s “Take On Me” or Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” ?! By the way - did you know that that song is about masturbation? I didn’t either… Thanks, Ultragrrrl- that song will never be the same.
Did you ever wish your favorite musician would release a “Best of” CD? Well now they don’t have to. The “Essential Artists” range from 2Pac to The Ramones and everyone in between, and each artist’s playlist is filled with the best of their collections and not just their played-out radio hits. And just in case you like artist “A” but want something else, each playlist has “…if you like artist “A”, then try artists “B”, “C”, and “D”” section.
If you’re curious about your favorite artists and want to know what music they’re listening to, then check out the “Celebrity Playlists”. When you look at lists from, say, The Killers, it’s easy to see where they get their sound. Their playlist includes tracks from David Bowie, U2, Elvis and The Cure, among others.
But, if it is variety you want, then check out the “Other Playlists” section. In my opinion, this is the best part of the book, because who would have guessed that “Pooping Songs” included Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” and Jay-Z’s “99 Problems”? Are you still curious to know what to listen to while you’re working off those extra pounds? On that list you will find Blur’s “Song 2” or Linkin Park’s “One Step Closer”. What about that thing about your friend’s dad being gay? Surprising or not Peter Gabriel’s “Shock The Monkey” and Bloodhound Gang’s “I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks” reside on that list.
No matter the reason or occasion, The Pocket DJ has something for everyone. And who knows- you might learn something too.
You can pick up this jem for about ten bucks at Amazon
Comments
tinfoil on December 12, 2005 8:52 AM
I would have thought that building the best music library would be highly subjective. After all, only you know what music you like?
Besides, it's soooo wrong about pooping songs. Linkin Park. Anytime I hear them I need to drop a load. Ugh.
Still, for a ten-spot, that's not bad. I'll have to pick it up only for amusment purposes. And for that list of songs to get spanked to.
-tinfoil.music
KenNIN on January 12, 2006 2:18 AM
i wonder if Nine Inch Nails Closer is in the spank list as well....or Devo's Whip it
KB on January 23, 2006 8:37 PM
I think a good way to find out your best tunes are to have you as much music you have on your pc converted to your Sony Walkman ( i only have the A1000)
and use it over a few weeks while it builds up your fav music that you listen to or like it works for, me i didnt know what tunes i liked so much now i shows me what songs i like the best out of the ones i put on it its mink i then make a playlist of it then after a month or so your find that its changed cuz you listen to newer tunes more now and bang you have a new play list of your best tunes... its mint
Nicole on May 11, 2006 10:56 PM
I am proud to say that my taste in music is mine and mine alone, which was why I was disgusted when I first saw this book. I thought, "Oh, let me guess, a book filled with mainstream music." But when I flipped through the book, I was really surprised! It had really great music in it! Like... universally good stuff, stuff that, even if you don't like the genre, 90% of the stuff will be your guilty pleasure songs. I didn't buy this book, but now that I'm trying to fill up the library on my Dell Pocket DJ, I really wish I had! I definitely plan on going back to the book store and looking through it again. Also, like the review on top points out, the playlists they have set up are wonderful! And I do remember Nine Inch Nail's "Closer" to be on the list of songs to have sex to, or something along those lines. I think that anyone with an mp3 player should at least flip through the book next time they're at a bookstore!
john on June 4, 2006 12:53 AM
next thing you know, your dad is gonna be rollin to 2pac. books like this are weak