THE BOOK OF ROCK

In The Book of Rock guitar heroes rub shoulders with tortured geniuses, and the flamboyant masters of showmanship receive the same treatment as reclusive poets. Showcasing a gallery of 500 saints, sinners, and martyrs of rock history, The Book of Rock provides a fresh, provocative guide to the world's most influential singers and musicians. Each artist is given equal deference--500 pages, 500 defining photographs, 500 defining quotes, with text that highlights their achievements and their influence, along with essential biographical information, critical comments from the artists themselves or fellow musicians, and a selected discography. The Book of Rock pays tribute to the artists that imposed an indelible mark on the half-century of musical extravaganza we call rock `n' roll. Selections include Aerosmith, Beastie Boys, Eric Clapton, Dead Kennedys, Eurythmics, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Gabriel, Buddy Holly, INXS, Judas Priest, Kinks, Little Richard, Midnight Oil, Nirvana, Sinead O'Connor, Pavement, Queen, Ramones, SoundGarden, Ten Thousand Maniacs, U2, The Verve, The Who, X, Yardbirds, and ZZ Top.

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.