I admit I struggled to get through this. I was really excited to pick it up, as I love seeing the way entertainment developed, the history of a particular aspect of it and the society around it that helped it grow. But Memphis Mayhem feels disjointed, lacks depth, and is a very dry read. Large sections read as a series of names, and aspects of Memphis’ history are tackled in thematic sections, in which there is a lot of overlap, meaning much of the information becomes repetitive.

It felt like too much of a cursory glance through Memphis’ musical history. There are sections of historical information, but again, the dry tone prevents these from being as engaging as they could be. There’s nothing here but facts, really, with the occasional author’s perspective creeping in. To me, it could have done with a bit more of a personal touch, and where we do get some of this, it really works.

The names of musicians fill the pages sometimes with little reference to who they are or which band they’re linked to, and sometimes it feels rushed through certain parts. It’s a little bit of a mess, and it feels like there was almost too much information to cram in here, whereas a narrower focus – allowing for quality over quantity – might have been more effective.

Lass’ journalistic skills are apparent, but there’s a constant sense of the reader being kept at arm’s length – we get to see very little of what life was life, and are instead told a lot. There’s a lot of history crammed in here, but little expanding on points where it would have been interesting to do so.

The book is at its strongest when dealing with personal accounts and interview snippets.

If you have interest enough to recognise many of the names, but not so deep a knowledge you know a lot of this information already, the book could be fairly informative. But if your interest is more basic and you’re not already familiar with a lot of the musicians mentioned in these pages, it’s a bit of a struggle to keep up with them all.

A book that I think the author was trying to show the importance of Memphis musically and historically as well. Music from the blues with B.B King then Elvis and the others who would be at Sun records. The history of the music in Memphis as far back as W.C. Handy who wrote the “Memphis Blues”. From the early 1900s through the fifties then into the 60s and the birth of Stax records but also the place where Martin Luther King was shot and killed, this book is a time capsule of history with music also thrown in there. A good book.

A fascinating read about Memphis and the start of rock and roll music, I found this really easy to read and hard to put down.

As a memphian myself, I was beyond excited to be given the opportunity to review this book! I felt it was a very in-depth review of memphis culture (racially, musically, and socially), and the important events that brought our beloved city to where it is today. This book is a must-read for any Memphian, as well as music-lovers everywhere!

“Memphis Mayhem” by David A. Less is an informative overview of the Memphis, Tennessee music history that overlaps with the history of race relations and its effect on the Memphis music genre. For those that are interested in the subject matter the book succeeds. One learns about music legends including B.B. King, Al Green, Jerry Lee Lewis, and, of course, Elvis! David Less is a great writer and for those of us who spent time living in Memphis and its environs I appreciated the deep dive into the how the music and the local culture intermingled to make music that will stand the test of time.
Thanks to NetGalley for delivering to my e-reader an Advanced Readers Copy of “Memphis Mayhem” in exchange for my review.

An informative review of Memphis music, race relations, and how the history of Memphis influenced a new and important genre of music. There is a great appreciation for Memphis and the music throughout the book.

A meticulous dive into the world of Memphis' music scene. Less chronicles the racial and social inequalities that led to the birth of one of America's greatest art forms. 5 Stars! A must-have for any music lover's book shelf!