“Few cultural historians can match Gene Sculatti’s small-c catholic tastes that have established him over a half-century as the small-p pope of pop. MOJO readers will understand his obsessive-compulsive attitude towards discovering and purchasing music—the thrill of first hearing the sounds that change one’s life. The ‘pop music lifer’ is a Boomer and his experience reflects that, bemoaning the passage of ‘60s rock ‘when newness seemed to rain down almost weekly’ and he praises punk’s effect as a ‘defibrillator’ on a patient dying of corporate overdose. Yet he’s not imprisoned by counterculture, digging MOR (the Baja Marimba Band gets a shout-out) and he waxes enthusiastic about Freestyle dance-pop (he calls ‘em ‘Madonna-be’s’) and Barenaked Ladies. Filled with playful asides (an exaggerated response to a Beach Boys album is ‘fan overboard’), Sculatti’s modus operandi is to keep open ears and keep having fun.” — MICHAEL SIMMONS, Mojo magazine, June 2022 "Gene Sculatti's memoir through the prism of his record collection is personal history as revealed within musical fascination. His journey through genre and the succession of eras charts pop music's evolution as well as a coming-of-ageless tale that will delight aficionados everywhere." — LENNY KAYE, guitarist, Nuggets curator In For the Records , one of the nation’s first rock critics recounts his experiences with the music that has moved him, from early childhood up through the past year, illuminated by personal recollections and cultural observations. Some records, he writes, “are full-blown temblors that rearranged all the furniture in my mind-house. Others are latent flare-ups that smoldered years before igniting.” Casual or committed music fans will be reminded of their own musical epiphanies in these celebrations. Growing up in California’s Napa Valley, partaking in San Francisco’s psychedelic scene and later making a career in the music industry in Los Angeles, he recounts a life enriched by records. Notable among those who made them are the usual suspects (Elvis, Beatles, Beach Boys, Stones, Dylan), but also overlooked 50s doowoppers, Deep Soul singers of the 60s, 70s country artists and 80s Freestyle gals. Drop the needle down anywhere and let it play.