From songwriting to band politics, from rehearsals to touring, and from recording to making money, the Michael W. Dean book $30 MUSIC SCHOOL is superb, succinct and often subversively funny. Scott G thinks it’s worth about a hundred times what you pay for it.

$30 MUSIC SCHOOL is an invaluable book by Michael W. Dean. The paperback (from Thomson Course Technology, ISBN: 1-59200-171-8) offers you 500 pages that are jam-packed with insights and practical tips about the full range of issues you’ll face in this industry called music. Everything seems designed to demonstrate how you can achieve more success in the music business through a DIY (do it yourself) approach.

As the director of the movie “DIY Or Die” and the author of the “$30 Writing School” and “$30 Film School,” Dean is the ideal person to talk about getting things done on a limited budget, as well as how to triumph when it appears the odds are stacked against you. And as a lifelong musician who has been successful in the music business on both major and indie labels, he is perfectly positioned to talk about DIY in music.

Some of the book is quite humorous, like the quotes from Frank Zappa or the Bomb and Mojo Nixon touring-and-driving tips (avoid cop hassles by putting a country music bumper sticker or Elvis vanity plates on your van), but mostly this is straight-ahead good advice from someone who’s not only been there and done that, but who is still there and still doing it.

There is a great deal of extra material on an included CD-ROM, including interesting interviews from Henry Rollins, Joan Jett, Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros), Jonathan Richman, Dave Brockie (Gwar), and the great Janis Tanaka (Pink, L7).

Best of all are Dean’s philosophical musings that consistently uplift the creative spirit. Reading this book, you totally BELIEVE that your music can make a difference and create a response from people.

What else is in the book? Sheesh, what isn’t in it!? Just about everything is discussed in one way or another, from how to select a guitar to songwriting ideas, from recording on a budget to booking your own tour, from Internet etiquette to writing a band contract.

The tone is conversational, almost as if Dean dropped by and started answering your questions. There are about 300 photos and illustrations, mostly with extra explanations in the captions.

The $30 Music School is simply outstanding, one of the best music books out there and worth more than a hundred times the price. More info at http://www.30dollarmusicschool.com or on the usual places like Amazon.

[tags]G-Man, Scott G, Music Critics Must Die, Michael Dean, Music School[/tags]