In a nutshell for me - Had all the stuff first time round and loved it. Then, 76/77 came along, felt a bit embarrassed about it and foolishly hid it all at the back of the pile.
Then had to go on a tour with the Mk2 Damned for a week. Returned with a severe need to listen to a well crafted/played tune once more and normal service was resumed.
That book's a good read, isn't it? (particularly about JD Souther).
Best thing to do is make a compilation of the best bits, (ignore the introspective dirges) and play it in the car on a summer's day. And make sure you get the first CSNY album.

1st Crosby, Stills & Nash album

Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Ladies of the Canyon, Blue, For The Roses, Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns & Hejira - Joni Mitchell (ok, but could you seriously live without them!)

After The Goldrush, Harvest & On The Beach - Neil Young

Pacific Ocean Blue - Dennis Wilson (maybe off topic slightly but still Californian)

If I Could Only Remember My Name - David Crosby

1st Crosby & Nash album (and i can even make a case for Graham Nash's 1st solo album)

1st Manassas album

Buffalo Springfield box-set if only to hear some very well known songs in early form and because Stephen Stills is the forgotten genius of the scene

which leads to his 1st solo album (and the recently released demo's collection)

1st Eagles album before they had the ego/more money than sense problem

Gram Parsons - although he IS over rated

which leads to Pieces of the Sky & Luxury Liner - Emmylou Harris

think i'd better stop, this list could get VERY long.

ENJOY!

You have a rich seam to mine there, my friend.
Haven't heard of this book but Barney's other one about LA rock, Waiting For The Sun, is magnificent.

In a nutshell: Tapestry‘s truly great as is Randy Newman's Sail Away. Ignore all the rock crit bullshit about The Eagles being "bland" (so's Philadelphia cheese spread - it's still ace though). Jackson Browne wrote some great songs. Nasher should never have left The Hollies. Gene Clarke's the best Byrd. Linda Ronstadt is a rotten singer. James Taylor is a great one
Lots to explore and I'm sure you'll enjoy doing so.
(And don't overlook the Beach Boys albums Sunflower & Surf's Up from that era - available on a two-fer I believe - or Jimmy Webb's string of peculiar solo albums (you get the cream of them on a compilation called Archive)

I would recommend the first Stephen Stills album without hesitation. People rave about 'No Other' by Gene Clark, which has been slow to reveal its charms to me personally.

As pop records go, those early 70s California records still stand up remarkably well.

I have no problem in getting evangelical about Little Feat, but with a couple of caveats.

I don't think I've ever read such gushing coverage, before or since, as that which was ladled onto the band in the music press of the seventies, the NME were particular offenders. But hey, plus ca change, as they say in Germany.

And you know that age has crept up without you noticing when you find yourself getting increasingly irritated by all of the drug references on the live album Waiting for Columbus.

Give 'em a go, though. I find that Spanish Moon is a fine accompaniment to cooking up nothing more mind-bending than Sunday lunch.

Fraser, Jackson Browne's first three albums - Jackson Browne (1972), For Everyman (1973) and Late For The Sky (1974) - are things of beauty. Please buy them, take ages for them to grow on you, and then thank me. Whenever you like.

This is as close as I get to really liking Joni Mitchell. Buy the song River and play it over Christmas. Come on, trust me. I was right about An American Trilogy, wasn't I?

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=1...

There was a time when I couldn't stand Jackson Browne, but my wife brought me round. Actually, I think it was agreeing to go and see him live that converted me. As well as the 3 mentioned above The Pretender, Running On Empty and I'm Alive are very good. There are a couple of compilations that are worth investigating simply because they sift the gems from some of the duff albums - eg In The Shape Of A Heart and Lives In The Balance are great songs from the otherwise ordinary LITB album.
Randy Newman has a wonderful canon of work - Good Ol' Boys, Little Criminals and Land Of Dreams are big favourites here. Many people cite Sail Away as his finest; I like it, I don't love it.
Judee Sill's albums are available in a 2 for 1 package which is worth looking out.
I have to disagree with the writer above, I just don't get The Eagles. While my wife converted me to JB I still cannot take more than a few minutes of that absolutely average band.
If you want to investigate Gene Clark, the best way in is through the excellent compilation Flying High.

...marred by a couple of odd remixing tricks. Otherwise perfect.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Very-Best-Jackson-Browne/dp/B0001GOH98/ref=pd_bb...

Thanks for the tips, everyone. It strikes me that someone should compile a Nuggets-style box-set summimg up the period. California for Dummies, that kind of thing.

You've never listened to an Eagles album?
Well done, keep it that way.

I'm a sucker for most of this stuff. You know the bit in "High Fidelity" when Rob writes a top five jobs I would like to have? One of mine would be 'Session Guitarist in LA circa 1966 - 1971'.

There is another good book about this place in time, called "Laurel Canyon", which has more detail about other players of the time such as Frank Zappa. Recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Laurel-Canyon-Rock-Rolls-Neighborhood/dp/057121149...

If anyone wants some help compiling the Nuggets style box-set, just let me know!

The Grateful Dead. Check out "American Beauty" and "Workingman's Dead" which are both utterly wonderful. If you must, go straight to the "Best of" that came out a few years ago with some top music on it.

I fully agree with the comments about Jackson Browne: the first 4 LP's are absolute must have's. I'd also suggest Love's "Forever Changes" (side 1 is brilliant, side 2 tails off a bit) and Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow" which is excellent, especially the song "Comin' Back to Me." And "Red Octupus" by their successors Jefferson Starship, while veering a bit towards AOR, is also worth investigation.

And we haven't mentioned Spirit, Quicksilver Messenger Service or a host of others yet!

John Stewart: "California Bloodlines." Pure, unadulterated joy.