Books get you a ways down the road, but listening is essential, too. Before we get down to authors, subjects, bindings and jackets, let me offer a little personal history. Rock history book was a radio short that we created in the mideighties. The term rhythm and blues came to define an era of contemporary blues in the 1950s. You would think that american bluesbased rock bands would take most of their influence from american blues, but the case is that most of these bands were very influenced by the british bands of the 1960s. Kid rock history of rock guitar tab books licklibrary. With the great migration of black workers that began around that time the blues spread around the south and the rest of. An unruly history robert palmerthe historian, not the pop artist known for being addicted to lovetells the story of rock and roll as if it were a fiction novel. The list starts with general books of the blues essential reading, followed by blues artists in alphabetical order, interjected with blues books on particular themes. Every book ive ever read about the history of rock and roll has been either frivolous or idiotic. Deep blues robert palmer robert palmers book focuses on the deltachicago connection, loaded with fascinating stories and profiles about people and places. However, the poetic and musical form of the blues first crystallized around 1910 and gained popularity through the publication of handys memphis blues 1912 and st. Oliver is one of the most respected and prolific writers on blues history and this is a very readable overview of the origins and evolution of blues in the 20th century.
There are many fine books on the blues, so i thought i would share with you my recommendations. The author deftly traces the evolution of the blues from the work songs of slaves. Guralnick is a music writer who is held in high esteem by both the academic world and the popular press writing for rolling stone on occasion. This is an odd variation, as its not a reissue or updated version of that book, but something of a bestof of that volume, taking some of the best stories. The tapestry of delights british music 19631976 bordeline, 1996 by vernon joynson miller, jim.
Id say, study stevie, eric and jimi but spend time listening to the 3 kings and their competitors, too. The books, a duo nick zammuto willsher and dutchamerican cellist paul dejong based in new york, concocted a fusion of folk, electronica, vocal samples and found sounds. Gioia, the author of three books on jazz and two books on music as. This passion led to being schooled mercilessly by serious fans of the clash and the sex pistols to whom green day were mere poseurs. An ebookonly release by graham, who wrote a quickie if pretty decent paperback bio of the band in the late 1970s fleetwood mac. A history of blues, country, cabaret, ragtime, soul, gospel, european, latin, jamaican, african, arab, indian popular music of the 20th century that complements the history of rock music and the history of jazz music written by the same author. Bob stanleys 10 best music histories from the frantic birth of rocknroll to the rages of punk, these books capture the excitement of popular music. Paul fowles, guitarist, teacher and writer, has created a fascinating guide to a musical phenomenon which has captured the imagination of young people throughout the. Drama, betrayal, sex, alcohol, drugs, and deathits all in there. Blues is a fantastic style of music to play and listen to but its also a. Bob stanleys 10 best music histories books the guardian.
It was hosted by journalist steve burgess and syndicated a. Released in 2000, the album consists of rerecorded versions of songs from the album the polyfuze method, remixed versions of songs from the album early mornin stoned pimp, demos and unreleased songs, including the single american bad ass. This book, by contrast, may be an overcomplication, an informed fans dizzyingly comprehensive account of the intricate and reciprocal relationships of the two musical genres, coalescing during and after the blues revival of the 1960s. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The history of rock is a compilation album by kid rock. May 14, 2019 every book ive ever read about the history of rock and roll has been either frivolous or idiotic. He is the author of the acclaimed books outcats and history of the blues and a biography of john coltrane knopf. However, blues rock soon distinguished itself from hard rock and acts continued to play or rewrite blues standards, as well as write their own songs in the same idiom. A beast of a book, some 700 pages in length, louder than hell grandly bills itself as the definitive oral history of metal, and very nearly lives up to this lofty claim. The classic history from rolling stone that brings to life the evolution of a dynamic, revolutionary art form. Which is the best book to understand the history of rock. An unruly history is the companion guide to pbss tenpart series on rock that aired in september. Motivated by arrogance, entitlement and a desire to prove that largehearted boy wasnt the only internet journalist that reads, i felt perfectly comfortable in proclaiming a finite set of books as the elite strata of rock and roll journalism. Spanning five decades, with chapters focussing on protometal, the nwobhm, thrash, numetal, black metal, etc.
A musical and cultural history of the mississippi delta by robert palmer, escaping the delta. Zammuto had already released on cdroms an electronic trilogy titled solutiore of stareau, recorded between 1998 and 2000, the third being reissued as willsher apt b, 2000. In this extraordinary musical and social history, robert palmer traces the odyssey of the blues from its rural beginnings, to the steamy bars of chicagos south side, to international popularity, recognition, and imitation. About half of the new grove gospel, blues and jazz is an excellent max harrison survey of 20thcentury jazz.
Albert king king of the blues guitar this collection comprises al. Rap rocker kid rock shot to fame in 1998 with his fourth full length album devil without a cause, which he released in 1998. Both are blues archivists and know their blues history. I went through that class freshman year two years ago without the textbook with no problems. The blues, jazz, rock n roll, punk, country and hip hop are all looked at in detail with the selected books on this page and will give the reader a better. My older daughter wenona turned me on to green day, who became my gateway to punk rock. Tanakh the ancient prophetic hebrew scriptures contain a message so important that the author embedded it into the very letters that compose the words.
By 1920, the african american community started to become a market in itself for recorded music. The blues form was first popularized about 191114 by the black composer w. The rolling stone illustrated history of rock and roll. Blues rock albums most rock guitarists owe their technique to playing styles that have developed directly out of the blues. Rock history book radio free internet radio tunein. Dec 18, 20 bob stanleys 10 best music histories from the frantic birth of rock nroll to the rages of punk, these books capture the excitement of popular music. I could ramble on but a little research probing this vast wasteland of cyber space and a true quest of rock s history is somewhat void without exploring a few of these elements. Taking the title of an old yardbirds song, this book views the british music scene from above, from below and from all sides, it makes for a compelling read, and at last you can hear, first hand, some of rock musics eternal myths and facts either confirmed or quashed, by the people who were actually there when they happened. Blues is the cornerstone of american popular music, the bedrock of rock and roll. As more and more african americans migrated across the country and instruments were amplified, a more mainstream form of blues was heard all over america. Blues legend muddy waters said that blues had a baby, and they called it rock n roll. Buy a cheap copy of dick clark and the history of rock n.
A musical and cultural history of the mississippi delta. His white trash image was styled to perfection by the time the rap rock resurgence took place and he rode the crest of this wave, with hits like 3 sheets to the wind and fk that. History of rock in the 1970s by uncut cheap music books at. The simple but expressive forms of the blues became by the 1960s one of the most important influences on the development of popular music throughout the united states. The core blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, bass guitar and drums. May 14, 20 close to seven years ago, i wrote a piece for earvolution entitled the ten greatest books about rock and roll. Francis daviss the history of the blues is a groundbreaki. The electric guitar is usually amplified through a tube guitar amplifier or using an overdrive effect.
Beginning with rocks roots in blues, jazz and gospel, here are eyeopening portraits and critical assessments of elvis presley and chuck berry, the beatles and the rolling stones, james brown and bob dylan, and more, all the way up to bruce springsteen, madonna, u2, prince, public. How american blues had to be exported to england before it came back to america to influence american bluesbased rock, via tonights history of rock and roll class. Blues rock is a fusion genre combining elements of blues and rock. List of books and articles about blues music online. Rock history book radio there are no slow songs on rock history book. I hear a lot of albert when i hear srv, i hear tons of freddie in ec, and i hear a lot of bb in more people than i can list. In the 1980s and 1990s, blues rock was more rootsoriented than in the 1960s and 1970s, even when artists such as the fabulous thunderbirds and stevie ray vaughan flirted with. The rolling stone illustrated history of rock and roll random house, 1980.
A history of the events and people who defined the mississippi blues. This book, intended for the general public, music students, and enthusiasts of all ages, explores the entire history of rock music, from its origins up to the twentyfirst century. It is mostly an electric ensemblestyle music with instrumentation similar to electric blues and rock. Blues, secular folk music created by african americans in the early 20th century, originally in the south. Not a single title of my humble assemblage of around 100 books on rock and rolls history is mentioned here. By all means check out paul olivers books including savannah syncopaters, in which he speculates on the possible african sources of blues. The book is more remarkable, however, as an incredible pictorial and documentary history of the blues with more than 300 illustrations including recording.
History books, famous historians, historical biographies, nonfiction,buy history books, famous biographies, learning about the past, history books for purchase, biographies. I could ramble on but a little research probing this vast wasteland of cyber space and a true quest of rocks history is somewhat void without exploring a few of these elements. Close to seven years ago, i wrote a piece for earvolution entitled the ten greatest books about rock and roll. Check out our apps 3d hebrew companion rock island books presents the 3d hebrew companion as a quickreference guide for commonly used words in the hebrew language in the old testament or. If they didnt know everything written about the blues before beginning on this book, they certainly do now. Taking the title of an old yardbirds song, this book views the british music scene from above, from below and from all sides, it makes for a compelling read, and at last you can hear, first hand, some of rock musics eternal myths and facts either confirmed or quashed. One day in 1960, i walked into a record shop and heard a wonderful sound, something id never heard before. It was initially a folk music popular among former slaves living in the mississippi delta, the flat plain between the yazoo and mississippi rivers. The story of the blues began in northwestern mississippi in the late 1800s.