The Book of Rock - Tapa dura

At the beginning of the 21st Century, The Book of Rock pays tribute to those artists whose music has provided a soundtrack for the growing pains of three generations. The Book of Rock is a gallery of 500 saints, sinners and martyrs of rock history. Here democracy is everything: guitar heroes rub shoulders with tortured geniuses, and the flamboyant masters of showmanship receive the same treatment as reclusive poets. Together they provide a fresh, provocative guide to the icons of rock, the most influential singers and musicians from around the globe. The 500 artists are presented in an accessible A-Z format, each musician or group portrayed by a single definitive image that sums up their essential qualities, accompanied by a short, sharp summary, which has no hesitation in puncturing myths and self-importance. This text highlights their achievements and their influence, along with essential biographical information and critical, often pointed, comments from the artists themselves or fellow musicians. Each entry is supported by a list of key members, dates of recording career and an original, inspirational discography of essential sounds. What the 500 artists featured in The Book of Rock all have in common is that they imposed an indelible mark on the half-century of musical extravaganza we call rock 'n roll.

The author Philip Dodd is a writer and publishing consultant specialising in music and popular culture. As a publisher with Octopus and Virgin, he concentrated on books on rock 'n roll and pop, working directly with acts ranging from U2 to the Rolling Stones, and Take That to Pink Floyd. He compiled the recent Virgin book on the Rolling Stones. He lives in London.