Rock Chronicles: Every Legend, Every Line-up, Every Look
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Music
Rock Chronicles: Every Legend, Every Line-up, Every Look Details
Review [Review for previous edition:] More than 250 legendary rock 'n' roll bands (and more than 1,750 individual musicians) are profiled in this unique book... One- or two-page entries feature color-coded charts showing the core members of each band, their roles, and the time periods they were active... Readers can use this book to identify who was in what band, when, as well as find out who played on various studio albums. Fifty top bands (such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Who) get an additional two-page spread of color photographs. Numerous cross-references abound, and an index lists all of the performers noted in the book. An absolute must for any rock-music fan, this book would make an excellent addition to circulating collections. (Rebecca Vnuk Booklist 2013-02-01)[Review for previous edition:] Well-written and up-to-date ...this book will be a welcome and heavily used addition to any rock 'n' roll buff's library. (Brett Rohlwing, Milwaukee Public Library Library Journal 2012-12-01)[Review for previous edition:] For the music aficionado on your holiday shopping list, Rock Chronicles might fit the stocking. (Kevin Amorim Long Island Newsday 2012-11-14)[Review for previous edition:] An encyclopedia for the rock music fanatic. (Louisville Courier-Journal 2012-12-22)[Review for previous edition:] For music lovers who are fascinated by details, this extensive collection will certainly appeal. (Terry Peters North Shore News 2012-12-09)[Review for previous edition:] The subtitle aptly describes the scope of this encyclopedic survey of 250 rock acts. Find out who won what award, who played on what release and how every band broke up--or stayed together. Plus, excellent graphs that condense key info, and, of course, a ton of pics. (NOW Magazine 2015-12-23)[Review for previous edition:] The year-in, year-out grind of rock stardom is meticulously mapped in this prosaic encyclopedia of notable bands. The AC/DC-to-ZZ Top selection includes 250 groups from the classic rock era and later...comprising all the familiar names along with influential obscurities... Colorful graphics detail album releases, sales figures, and shifting rosters of bandmates... Casual data-mining reveals striking patterns: rock music is almost as male-dominated as pro baseball; bands are such onerous workplaces that their members can't wait to quit; and they always come back for sexagenarian reunion tours.... Will introduce browsers to music they hadn't realized they would like. (Publishers Weekly 2012-03-12)[Review for previous edition:] This alphabetically arranged encyclopedia offers opportunities for quick reference and casual browsing. (John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant School Library Journal 2012-12-01)[Review for previous edition:] A must-have if you love music. (Shelf Life)[Review for previous edition:] Rock Chronicles will fascinate any fan of music trivia. (Francois Marchand Vancouver Sun 2012-12-15) Read more About the Author David Roberts has edited more than 20 music reference book projects at Guinness World Records including British Hit Singles and Albums and Rockopedia. He is also the author of Rock Atlas: 650 Great Music Locations and the Fascinating Stories Behind Them. Read more
Reviews
Rock Chronicles is a very attractive book: thick, high quality paper, lots of pictures and interesting tidbits about the history of many famous bands. Clearly, it's thoughtfully assembled, and the introduction acknowledges that fans will debate which groups and artists were included and which were excluded. Certainly, the biggest bands you can think of are all represented, from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and solo artists like David Bowie. It's a fun book to pick up occasionally or have as a coffee table book to spark conversation.Still, there are a few aspects that really hold this book back. For one thing, it's immediately out of date. In the age of the internet, it seems odd to have a printed book when the information is ever-changing. Even the example page of Fleetwood Mac was out of date when I received this, as the always-feuding group kicked Lindsey Buckingham out recently. Interestingly, the sample page is out of sync with the band's actual entry in the book. It leads me to think, shouldn't this book be a website so it could update at any time?I also find myself hung up on some of the choices for who to include. I can understand the Roxette is not there, as there's a good argument that they are more "pop" than "rock," but another group that absolutely deserves to be there is Collective Soul, a group that's been making excellent music for 25 years and has had some important line-up changes. Their omission sticks in my craw, I must say. And yet Nickelback is included? Barf.I do enjoy this for what it is, and I'm surprised it got produced in the digital age as a printed work. It has started a few interesting conversations around my home, and any book that gets you thinking or curious to learn more about just about anything is pretty cool to have around.
