If you're a fan of Phil Ochs, the quintessential singer-songwriter of the 1960's, you need this book!

In an obvious labor of love, David Cohen has assembled a complete bibliography of writings by Phil Ochs, writings about Phil, a complete discography of Phil's recordings, a detailed listing of all known audio tapes of Phil's performances, a listing of all of Phil's known concert performances, a detailed listing of all of Phil's known television appearances, and a comprehensive listing of all of Phil's known songs (including covers of Phil's songs performed by other artists), etc. Cohen had access to the personal archives of Phil's family in preparing this book.

The icing on the cake is Cohen's brief biographical sketch of Phil's life.

When I heard that this book was released, I was eager to read it as a long time Phil Ochs fan. I was disappointed to discover that Schumacher's book provides little new information or insight beyond Marc Eliot's Death of a Rebel.

Too often, Schumacher skims over important periods in Ochs' life, with people and events popping up without adequate explanation. For example, while Schumacher talks about Ochs' travels with Victor Jara and the effect Jara had on him, later in the book Schumacher mentions Jara's death only in passing, with no effort to explain its effect on Ochs. Schumacher also makes a few factual errors, including a claim that Gunfight at Carnegie Hall was never released in the United States. I purchased it on CD nearly 10 years ago.

Sadly, this excellent biography of one of the sixties generation's great topical songwriters is out of print. Michael Schumacher writes a moving account of Ochs, who was haunted by his own personal demons and political enemies, such as the FBI, a federal agency sworn to protect us. Ochs' songs, including "Crucifixtion" - among the greatest songs of the Vietnam War era - are the heart and soul of a tremendous creative talent. Ochs' descent into mental illness is sad, yet Schumacher's account of it leaves us with meaning and encouragement to follow Ochs' social and political conscience.

A well-documented biography of one of the greatest topical song writers and singers ever. Easy-to-read account of Phil Ochs life. Includes background information on the circle of people that lived, travelled and performed with Phil Ochs. Also provides a look at the troubled era when Phil was at his peak. Chronicles the hipocrasy and ineptness with which certain parts of our own government tracked and harrassed people with contrary views.

If this book does not become a classic, I will be shocked and appalled. The murder of political rock musicians has long been a subject of speculation. Wish I had a nickel for every time the death of Morrison or Lennon was brought up, followed by the refrain "I'll bet the government did it." Constantine not only lays out the killing program and operations in detail, he provides the intelligence community documents in which the deaths of outspoken musicians were mandated. Who can doubt it when the CIA's own files contain orders to kill? Some programmed zombies out there subject to media manipulation will have a hard time with the many epiphonies that Covert War offers, but reality is often hard to take, even many years after the fact. This is a dispiriting, and as Constantine keeps reminding us, fascist culture, but much needed reforms will never come about until people who have become complacent and satisfied with the status quo gather as much courage as writers like Constantine possesses in his little finger.The debunkers can eat cake - I'll take this feast of buried truths any day over the pablum the media turns out to quell the national conscience and turn us all into mindless ultraconformists. This is the dark side of the air-conditioned nightmare that is Amerika. A fine book, recommended to everyone who loves rock music.

I have never picked up a book on rock n' roll deaths quite like this one. Each chapter is a gold mine of information, teeming with fresh insights on the deaths of John Lennon, Tupac Shakur, etc. There are many who would like to silence Constantine, and so some reviews will no doubt appear here criticizing the book erroneously. David Goldberg's review, for instance (above) makes false claims. This IS Alex Constantine's best work to date, and that is saying a great deal, because he is the most articulate anti-fascist researcher around. This book is long overdue, and yet it is far ahead of its time. Bravo, Alex, on an excellent read.

The revolution will not be televised, Alex Constantine is a writer who is exposing the right wing fasict (terrorist) intelligence agencies of the USA. Read this and you will be enlightened. And to those who call it Conspiracy theories??? These people are brainwashed by the corporate-owned media. ...

Phil Ochs was a great artist, Marc Eliot has a lot of nerve to call himself a friend, he did all he could to destroy Phil's lasting image by overemphasizing his tragedies in the most distasteful and vulgar fashion imaginable. Ochs was indeed an artist, rebel. His life was an inspiration, his death a great tragedy. Eliot's book is painful to read, and understandably angered the Ochs' family. This is exploitation and sensationalism at its very worst. Do yourself a favor, skip this garbage and find a copy of Michael Schumacher's more restrained and honest account, "There but for Fortune".

as super-"och'sfan", i collect everything i can on my favorite singer. i found this book about a year & a half ago in a used bookstore in calgary. well written by an old friend of phil och's it is a sympathetic, loving, look back on a very remarkable life. i felt much the same as when i first heard my first och's song, cruxifiction, when i was 23. hearing this stunning peice about the inevitability of fate, i was stunned, overwhelmed, and ultimatley uplifted. it made me want to collect every album (i know, i know, that dates me.) & any literary info on this man. i would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants understand their world, & to those who remember when music mattered.

I've always had a lot of mixed feelings about the career of Phil Ochs; he always seemed to fall just short enough of the mark enough times as a performer that you had to remember that there were several times when he hit the mark dead center and then some. From the information Marc Eliot gives forth in this very well-written, powerful book, Phil Ochs was a man whose fantasies were so intergrated with his realities that when reality won out, he had nowhere else to go. There's not much more to say---you can "what if" the poor man's choices 'til kingdom come and, in the end, what's left is a very talented guy whose life lacked enough that he chose to end it. How tragic.