What’s In Store?
Hello everyone,
I created this blog in 2010 to keep people apprised of progress regarding my (then) impending book, TeenBeat Mayhem! (aka TBM)*.
It was ultimately published via my own imprint and made available for
purchase during the fall of 2012. The book has since sold out, as did
Beyond TeenBeat Mayhem!, a smaller, softcover supplement published in
2015. Neither book will be reprinted.
As for the
TeenBeat Mayhem blog, it became dormant, deleted from the web not long after
the supplement was published.
So......What will be the focus of this revitalized blog?
It will host the download link (coming September) for the long awaited U.S. 45 rpm discography update.
The pdf update contains:
the A thru Z 45rpm discography,
the A to Z song
title / rating vote tally result list,
the numeric ranking comprised of
18,300+ songs, depicted in order from #1 to #18,300+.
The
unwieldy size and scope of the pdf document file makes it difficult to print
out as a hardcopy file, for the page layout exceeds most traditional paper
print sizes.
Since the publication of TBM, improvements have been made to the A thru Z
U.S. discography:
Inclusion of songs that did not appear in either book (new additions, newly
discovered 45s, unreleased acetates, unissued, tape-source only songs,
etc.)…
Larger page layout size to allow more information per page. The pdf format
includes two handy options: a search function, albeit in limited form, and
the ability to increase the zoom/visual size of each page,
thereby making it
much easier and enjoyable for those who may be visually challenged…
Song ratings are displayed in decimal format (8.6 5.5 3.2) replacing the single digit rating
in TBM of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest). Decimal ratings
render a sharper depiction of its MIF (musical impact factor)
as voted upon
by the rating committee aka the TBM cabinet membership…
Color text added (group names) to counter the bland, black & gray ink
visual combo in both printed books (hopefully most will approve of the color
upgrade). Digital and offset color printing is hideously expensive,
but
cost-free when it comes to doing a project for on-line and downloads.
The selected colors try to match the group/performer record label(s) color,
if you ponder the reasoning…
Slight changes in the font
selection (I find it much improved, as compared to the books)…
Please remember - this discography is a perpetual "work in progress".
You will find missing details, descriptions, etc. I will continue to
input data (add missing info, ratings, include new additions, etc).
Rather than waiting indefinitely, I've opted to place the current
document, as-is, for downloading.
Whenever a new update
becomes available, announced via this blog,
simply download the new version,
and delete the previous one. Viola! Much easier, and avoids the substantial
cash outlay now required for printing a physical book
for every subsequent
update.
The best news - the downloads are provided FREE of charge. This is to honor
my benevolent friend Jim, who passed away in 2017.
The pdf Dedications'N' Kudos provides a full explanation, in addition to public kudos citing all who
contributed time and effort toward project
TBM over the decades. In tribute to Jim, and to purchasers of the books, this free download is my
way of expressing thanks.
However, if anyone would be inclined to offer a
small monetary donation, please feel free to contact me.
In the future, I
will set up a donations link on the blog.
The blog
is free, operating TeenBeat Mayhem radio is not.
And speaking of TeenBeat Mayhem Radio!
You can hear the vast majority of songs documented in the books/pdf update file here:
www.live365.com/station/TeenBeat-Mayhem-Radio-a16370
Bookmark our Live 365 webpage, or request through your alexa, siri, or
on-line source (Play Live65….TeenBeat Mayhem Radio).
We're currently streaming these songs, every weekend, Saturday morning through Sunday night.
Lastly, addition to the download links, the TBM blog will host related
features: group/performer interviews, sidebar topics not included in either book, and (hopefully) reader feedback,
a place where you can offer comments and thoughts on our subject. I'll do my best to keep
things flowing, as time permits.
Mike Markesich
* For anyone who did not purchase a copy of the book, or if you are unaware of it, TeenBeat Mayhem! is a 400 page, twenty years in the making hardcover book depicting the musical era of the teenage rock & roll combo explosion that proliferated throughout the United States during the 1960s. Namely, the period commencing just before the start of 1964, and running thru the end of the decade. Included within the book is a massive selected discography, listing 45rpm releases and recordings made by thousands of groups (combos). If you were, or knew of a teenager in your school or neighborhood who played as a member of a local rock & roll combo and they recorded at some point during the 1960s, chances are good their group is documented in the books. This discography section is compiled and oriented toward the musical tastes of most modern day, worldwide fanatics who fixate on listening to and/or collecting these sought-after 45rpm artifacts from the time period.