This is a must read for any music lover! I used it all the time as a reference point when reading about the industry.

This is a fascinating book that traces the life of one of the most controversial and influential people in the history of Rock and Roll. Accounts from his early years by himself as well as his friends provide insight into how he became the fiery rock impressario that he was.

It is, however, the accounts from the later years and the tales from his famous and infamous Fillmore Auditoriums from insiders such as Jerry Garcia and Eric Clapton that really make this book come alive. They make feel like you were there (or at least wish you were) for many of the most crucial events in the history of Rock and Roll- Altamont, Woodstock, etc... Fantastic for the unabashed music fan!

Coming from an age group that barely remembers the days of Sun Studio's most talented performers and songwriters, this book drives home the importance and impact of the many talents that emerged from this Memphis-based shrine.

This is a must read for anone who loves rock-n-roll, blues, jazz, or just wants to learn more about the hardships, the triumphs and the many lessons learned in the music industry.

Many top idols are present, but what makes the book such a worthwhile reading are the writings on those less known. My hats off to a true tribute for the sounds and artists of the south!

Have you heard the news? Good Rockin' Tonight is the encyclopedia for all fans of Sam C. Phillips' groundbreaking Memphis Recording Service and Sun/Phillips International labels. Colin Escott and Martin Hawkins, whose expert commentaries appear in the liner notes of many Sun CD reissue packages, deliver thorough accounts of the players and events in the Sun story. Full chapters are devoted to Sun's best-known players (Sam Phillips, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley) and the landmark events (the recording of Rocket 88, the arrival of Howlin' Wolf, and the birth of Rockabilly), but the real highlight is the attention to the lesser-known players like Joe Hill Louis, Scotty Moore, Sonny Burgess, Billy Riley, and Roland Janes. They didn't top the charts, but were as important to the creation of the "Sun Sound" as Perkins, Lewis, Cash and Presley were to its export outside the Memphis city limits, and in Good Rockin' Tonight they receive the recognition they deserve. Escott and Hawkins round out the Sun story with a complete discography of all the Sun and Phillips International singles, EPs and LPs released while both labels were active.

Sun was the first powerhouse independent record label of Rock & Roll music. It's catalogue, performed by rough-edged musicians who turned out consistently innovative material and a Top Ten hit here and there, has been exhaustively reissued over the past ten years, much to the delight of Sun connoisseurs. Sadly, the same can't be said of material written about Sun: most of the books (several also written by Escott and Hawkins) are now out of print. Good Rockin' Tonight stands alone as the most comprehensive work dedicated to Sam Phillips and the record label whose influence on popular culture deserves much more.

Tons of beautiful tracings of prehistoric art and some beautiful photographs. The tracings are just as exciting as the photographs. I've barely glanced at the text, but it's an art book - who reads em?

With 185 black-and-white figures and 36 color photographs, this book is a treasure trove of ancient art. Since I bought this book mostly for the graphics, I was well pleased. 176 pages total

If you enjoy the Dead you'll enjoy the stories behind the songs. There is nothing superficial about what Peter's writes. You'll thoroughly enjoy this book.

Pete Townsend of The Who, after playing on the same bill with the Dead at a two-day festival, made an observation that partially sums up the very existence of those known as "Deadheads". He said "They played two 3-hour sets and didn't repeat a song; we played the same set we've been doing for the last 6 years". The Dead had a hefty catalog of songs (of course,they also performed excellent cover versions of others' tunes). This book is a fan's dream because it is a compilation of original songs with historical/anecdotal/interpretive background information on each selection. As any appreciator of the band knows, Jerry Garcia collaborated with poet/songwriter Robert Hunter on the majority of Dead originals; Hunter keeps company with the likes of Bob Dylan in anybody's list of great American rock pen-wielders.Dead guitarist Bob Weir wrote many songs performed by the band with long-time friend and cyber-genius John Barlowe. The beauty of Grateful Dead songs is their double-edged nature; yes, "Casey Jones" is based on a real train conductor and a real train wreck (Americana!), but the writers weave their own experience and ambiguous view of life into the song.Simply stated, the songs are deceptively DEEP - deep in meaning and deep in the soil of the American experience. Don't look for this book to explain what every song meant (that's for you to ponder, Hunter would say). However, there is invaluable and often just fun background (i.e.the Altamont tragedy and "New Speedway Boogie"; the staccato rhythmn of "The Greatest Story Ever Told" being loosely based on the sound made by a pump on Mickey Hart's ranch). Pick this book up, even if you only have a few minutes, turn to any page, and be enlightened and entertained.

Guy, age 67 climbed his favorite mountain ridge near his home in Vermont,one last time. A forthcoming collection of their writings,some of which supplement this book, will be published soon.

"Yankee Rock & Ice" is the best climbing history I have ever read for any region or era. The authors went to great lengths to get the history from primary sources. Straight from the horse's mouth as it were. They talked to dozens of old-time climbers to record their memories before they pasted-on. Sadly, many have, but their reminiscences are recorded here. This is a history in the true sense of the word. Many climbing histories give simple narratives of when, by whom, and how climbs were done. "Camp 4" by Steve Roper and "Defying Gravity" by Gary Arce are two that come to mind. The authors of "Yankee Rock & Ice" don't simply give a account of when classic climbs were done, they also scrutinize the history according to the times. They examine the past by the current customs, techniques and technology available. But, this isn't a stuffy history text you read in school, the stories are lively and extremely funny. I was laughing as loud as when I read John Long's stuff.

This was a very well written, very well researched biography. It was an interesting read and the authors obviously knew exactly what they were talking about. They interviewed a vast range of sources, had all sorts of good quotes, anecdotes and pictures. I felt like I was getting the real deal. This is the best Bowie biography I've read. (In case you're wondering, I've read five. I'm doing a report for my arts class.) This answers most of my questions about Bowie, my only regrets being that it was published in the mid-eighties, so I don't get any info on what he's doing now....

This book is a very well crafted historical review of popular music frequently referred to as Rock and Roll. From its early roots to its latest manifestations, this book covers the gamut. As such it is a companion piece to the Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle, and if you can't get to Seattle, this book would at least give you a flavor of what awaits you there. Well written, with beautiful art and photos from electric music roots in 1935 through today. It succeeds in connecting the lineage in words and pictures. Highly recommended.

My son is in first grade and an avid reader. He selected this book from his school library and reading two chapters a night, we finished it in less than a week. Even thought it looks complex, the text and the illustrations in the book are wonderful. It's very well written and easy to read. My son knows most of the words in the book, and there is a glossary in the back for specific terminology. It's very engaging and stimulating even for an adult. I love reading it to him!

An epic thriller of unmatched profundity! The debris-slope has never been so slippery, the carbonate never so fine grained! While Sheehan more than "deposits" his prose, we would be truly remiss to ignore the writing contributions of the eclecticly-minded "et al," who makes us question our very basic assumptions about the Devonian Age, especially undermining our generally held beilef about the so-called "Antelope Peak." After reading this work you'll be looking forward to enjoying the best days of the antelope, disabused of your notions that the antelopes better days had passed.

As for the climactic ending, I won't spoil the surprise, suffice it to say that Isolated Carbonated Bodies do not stay isolated forvever, especially those composed of stacked debris-flow!

Local DJ captures THE defining era of rock&roll history--the 1950s through the 1990s.. Reading the book is like spending a few hours at an old Irish bar, listening to great stories that are more intriguing than fiction because they are REAL. It's a great trip down memory lane, or a way to vicariously live the life you WISH you'd lived.