books on the history of rock an pop
Posted by: Jon Moxon on 30 April 2002
Does anyone know of any good books on the history and development of rock?
Anything from glossy picture books to academic studies that try to put its development within a cultural and historical context.
TIA
Jon
Jon
Anything from glossy picture books to academic studies that try to put its development within a cultural and historical context.
TIA
Jon
Jon
Posted on: 30 April 2002 by Simon Crosland
The BBC did a good series on music history a while back called "Dancing In The Street - A Rock And Roll History". The book of the series is listed on www.beeb.com, ISBN 0563369965, author "Murray, Charles Shaar". There are also videos of the series available individually or as a boxed set.
Posted on: 30 April 2002 by ejl
This was a favorite of a few years back:
Lipstick Traces
An excerpt from the beginning of Chapter 1:
"In 1975 a teenager who would be called Johnny Rotten turned himself into a living poster and paraded down London's King's Road to World's End -- the end of the street -- with "I HATE" scrawled above the printed logo of a Pink Floyd t-shirt."
And so forth.
[This message was edited by ejl on TUESDAY 30 April 2002 at 17:24.]
Lipstick Traces
An excerpt from the beginning of Chapter 1:
"In 1975 a teenager who would be called Johnny Rotten turned himself into a living poster and paraded down London's King's Road to World's End -- the end of the street -- with "I HATE" scrawled above the printed logo of a Pink Floyd t-shirt."
And so forth.
[This message was edited by ejl on TUESDAY 30 April 2002 at 17:24.]
Posted on: 30 April 2002 by Lo Fi Si
By Jo(h)n Savage is a good history of (mainly UK) punk.
Simon
Simon
Posted on: 05 May 2002 by JeremyB
The Great Rock Discography by Martin Strong is an (almost) complete listing of every recording made by every band, contains some history esp for individual musicians and is a really useful reference IMO.
Jeremy
Jeremy
Posted on: 06 May 2002 by Gunnar Jansson
Hi!
I really liked David Sheff´s "last intervue" with John Lennon. I think it is on playboy press or similar.
Gunnar
I really liked David Sheff´s "last intervue" with John Lennon. I think it is on playboy press or similar.
Gunnar
Posted on: 07 May 2002 by bdnyc
I have enjoyed all of the following books on rock and popular musics.
1) Timothy White- "Rock Lives"- great biographical sketches of a large cross section of popular artists from the 60's forward. It really underscores the psychology of performance. Many of the artists that made it to the "top" exhibit a huge, unquenchable need to please, often a distant parent figure in their early lives.
2) Robert Cristgau- "Grown Up all Wrong"- This is a collection from the senior critic from the New York Area Village Voice. He starts in the pre-rock era, and covers many stops along the way with detours for African pop, dance, rap and a few others, but mostly he returns again and again, thoughtfully, to rock.
3) Peter Guralnick-"The Last Train To Memphis" and "Careless Love". These two volumes are widely regarded as both representing the definitive Elvis Presley biographies, and perhaps the finest writing on popular music available. He has also written lovingly of soul, blues and R&B in his other fine books such as "Sweet Soul Music" and others. Outstanding writer.
4) The Mojo Collection- "The Greatest Albums of All Time" Most of these overviews, and there are now many available, are too pithy to say much, and often just communicate what was a big seller for an artist, and when did they fire the drummer...I find this better than most, and there are useful little nuggets of trivia that lend a greater appreciation to many of these fine albums.
5) Bill Graham and Robert Greenfield- "Bill Graham Presents". This pivotal figure in American rock from the 60's through to his death in the early nineties has many inside insights and stories to relate, particularly about the San Francisco 60's scene.
6) Blair Jackson- "Garcia: An American Life"
This is the best book to date on the Grateful Dead and their enigmatic, but brillant leader Jerry Garcia.
7) Ralph J. Gleason- "Celebrating The Duke"
Jazz writing by the brillant Bay Area elder statesman who was the patron saint of Rolling Stone in their early days.
8) Greil Marcus- "Invisible Republic: Bob Dylan's Basement Tapes". Passionate, even overwrought commentary on Dylan as the repository of a pre industrial, soulful folk music. Certainly a contentious premise, but interesting if you enjoy Dylan and the Band and the larger aspects of cultural commentary.
Good reading...
1) Timothy White- "Rock Lives"- great biographical sketches of a large cross section of popular artists from the 60's forward. It really underscores the psychology of performance. Many of the artists that made it to the "top" exhibit a huge, unquenchable need to please, often a distant parent figure in their early lives.
2) Robert Cristgau- "Grown Up all Wrong"- This is a collection from the senior critic from the New York Area Village Voice. He starts in the pre-rock era, and covers many stops along the way with detours for African pop, dance, rap and a few others, but mostly he returns again and again, thoughtfully, to rock.
3) Peter Guralnick-"The Last Train To Memphis" and "Careless Love". These two volumes are widely regarded as both representing the definitive Elvis Presley biographies, and perhaps the finest writing on popular music available. He has also written lovingly of soul, blues and R&B in his other fine books such as "Sweet Soul Music" and others. Outstanding writer.
4) The Mojo Collection- "The Greatest Albums of All Time" Most of these overviews, and there are now many available, are too pithy to say much, and often just communicate what was a big seller for an artist, and when did they fire the drummer...I find this better than most, and there are useful little nuggets of trivia that lend a greater appreciation to many of these fine albums.
5) Bill Graham and Robert Greenfield- "Bill Graham Presents". This pivotal figure in American rock from the 60's through to his death in the early nineties has many inside insights and stories to relate, particularly about the San Francisco 60's scene.
6) Blair Jackson- "Garcia: An American Life"
This is the best book to date on the Grateful Dead and their enigmatic, but brillant leader Jerry Garcia.
7) Ralph J. Gleason- "Celebrating The Duke"
Jazz writing by the brillant Bay Area elder statesman who was the patron saint of Rolling Stone in their early days.
8) Greil Marcus- "Invisible Republic: Bob Dylan's Basement Tapes". Passionate, even overwrought commentary on Dylan as the repository of a pre industrial, soulful folk music. Certainly a contentious premise, but interesting if you enjoy Dylan and the Band and the larger aspects of cultural commentary.
Good reading...