From the roots of rock in the 1950s to the music of such contemporary favourites as Coldplay, Green day, Foo Fighters, Amy Winehouse and Muse, this spectacular celebration of rock-and-roll traces the history and highlights of this most enduring and most controversial of music. From beatniks to punks, and from hippies to grunge rockers, rock has experienced and encouraged countless social and cultural transformations. This book recounts the stories and the cities, instruments, fashions, and personalities that have made this music great. Organised chronologically, this encyclopaedic volume spotlights such pioneers as Elvis Presley, beloved storytellers like Bob Dylan, classic favourites including the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and the Who, punk rockers like Patti Smith and the Sex Pistols, grunge rockers including nirvana and Pearl Jam, as well as icons Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, and many more. Throughout the book, portraits and vibrant pictures of the performers in concert as well as images of the greatest albums of all time supplement the entertaining text. With its great photographs and wealth of fun facts and rock-and-roll tidbits, this book will be irresistible to Baby Boomers and teens alike. AUTHOR: Ernesto Assante has worked as a music critic for close to 30 years. He contributes to numerous publications including Rolling Stone. He has worked as a radio broadcaster and as a television writer and has written several books on music and musicians. 463 colour photographs
