Stephen Calt's biography of Skip James

Subject: RE: Stephen Calf's biography of Skip James
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Aug 17 - 08:33 AM

well i was aware of Skip as a songwriter. i knew the Cream's I'm so glad. I knew Joanna Kelly's version of Hard Time Killing Floor.

i've never really got Son House - although Mick Stewart, Coventry blues singer said he was the best he'd ever seen.

I think I got into blues from an anglicised direction - albeit American anglicanisation - THe Blues Project album was my bible!

Subject: RE: Stephen Calf's biography of Skip James
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 27 Aug 17 - 08:20 AM

Patton was far too over the top for me.
I know that he was Bob Brozman's favourite, and that makes sense because, vocally, Bob was over the top, as well.
Skip and Son are my two favourites.
I love Son's barely controlled intensity and Skip is just so amazingly different and any other blues singer.

Subject: RE: Stephen Calf's biography of Skip James
From: gillymor
Date: 27 Aug 17 - 07:53 AM

In his biography of Charley Patton (written with Gayle Dean Wardlow) Stephen Cal(t) and Wardlow constantly dissed blues artists and Patton contemporaries Willie Brown (the one who did Future Blues and M&O Blues) and Son House in an attempt to elevate Patton, I suppose. Patton is my favorite Delta Bluesman but this seemed odd coming from what you hoped would be at least a fairly objective biography. With all that I immensely enjoyed the book and go back to it now and then.
I'm looking forward to reading the Skip James bio, thanks for the heads-up.

Subject: RE: Stephen Calf's biography of Skip James
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 27 Aug 17 - 07:09 AM

Big Al, only recently got in to Skip? That's amazing!
I thought anybody who was aware of Robert Johnson and Son House would have been aware of the amazing Skip James since his "rediscovery" in the 60s. ( if you go back that far!)

Subject: RE: Stephen Calt's biography of Skip James
From: GUEST,jackaroodave
Date: 27 Aug 17 - 04:36 AM

As I recall, he did have some good words for Snooks Eaglin, by way of sneering at B B King. Otherwise, I'd agree with both those evaluations.

Subject: Stephen Calt's biography of Skip James
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Aug 17 - 03:42 AM

Only recently I've got into the singing and guitar playing of Skip James.

Naturally I started looking for a biography of this amazing artist.

Stephen Calt's biography is universally acknowledged as the best researched.

However many of the people who have read and reviewed it on Amazon, describe Calt as a spiteful, malicious man with no good word to say for anyone.
Has anyone read this book and formed an opinion?