The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll

by Charlie Gillett

Book Overview

This comprehensive study of the rise of rock and roll from 1954 to 1971 has now been expanded with close to 100 illustrations as well as a new introduction, recommended listening section, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306806835
• ISBN13: 9780306806834
• Release Date: March 1996
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 562 Pages
• Weight: 1.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.3" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Sound of the city?

I won't go as far as to say this is the best book ever written about pop-music. It definitely has it good points, especially in the beginning chapter about the different areas of music, styles etc. After that it is more a long list of paragraphs on bands. They fit superbly into the canon of music into the 1970's. There were some interesting facts that I didn't know which really made me enjoy the book (like a Monkee writing 'Different Drum'). In the end of the book is a list of songs, a sort of canonical list that fits neatly into the storyline.

THE BEST I HAVE READ ON THIS SUBJECT BY FAR

This work is comprehensive, well researched and just as importantly, well written. Not only is the music addressed, but the problems this music encountered in the early years, something that is now often forgotten, is throughly examined. The social impact of this music, one of the most important aspects in my way of feeling, is examined in great detail. Of less personal interest to me was the business end, but that is just me, but I feel that many would find this fascinating as well as the rest. This work goes along way in helping understand R & R, our society in general and our culture in particular. I found this to be a well organized, easy read and one that I do recommend for your library.

A must have book

This book by Charlie Gillet has to be the ultimate guide to anyone who has an interest in popular music from the 50's and 60's upwards.I promised myself this book when it first came out, but never got around to purchasing it, until last month. All I can say is it was worth the wait!! I remember the NME in the UK giving it rave reviews whe it was first published, these were not misplaced. Go on, treat yourself and buy it.

The best book on Rock 'n' Roll ever written

As rock 'n' roll recedes into the past, what actually was rock 'n roll becomes less and less clear. The Sound of the City, first written some thirty years ago, remains the best book on the subject. Period. I know. I was there listening to it all as it unfolded.Gillett weaves the various forms together -- vocal group, jump blues, southern pop gospel, urban big band blues, rockabilly -- and constructs a means to understand it as a musical movement. An important strength is the emphasis on location and record label, something few younger critics understand today. We called it all rock 'n' roll then, although as Gillett relates, it all turned into blues for teenagers. The Sound of the City remains the best overall description of the music of the 1946-1964 era.

A essential book for those who want to dig the rock history

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