The Virgin Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1852279877 ISBN 13: 9781852279875

Publisher: Virgin Books, 2002

Synopsis

Cut through the haze of rock reference with the updated second edition of this illustrated encyclopedia. There are over 1800 entries on the stars who have shaped rock history, whether they were destined to become icons or bygones, influential or infamous. Each entry provides essential facts and opinion on songwriters, musicians and producers and includes a sidebar of star-rated recommended albums. There are over 600 images to complement the text and a full album listing for each act at the back of the book. A selection of the new entries for this editionm include: Badly Drawn Boy, Atomic Kitten, Eva Cassidy, Dandy Warhols, Dixie Chicks, Missy Elliott, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Alicia Keys, Korn, Morcheeba, Mark Morrison, Beth Orton, Roots Manuva, Savage Garden, S Club 7, Vonda Sheperd, Jon Secada, the Strokes, Sugar Ray, Sparklehorse, White Stripes, Vanessa Williams and many more.

About this title

Review:

Whether you're looking to broaden your knowledge of rock history or simply expand your CD collection without having to suffer condescending comments from the staff at your local record store, The Virgin Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock may be your ticket. This coffee-table reference book filled with insightful commentary and beautiful colour photographs provides an A-Z look at the artists and bands that have come together to comprise the rock genre.

With over 1,800 entries drawn from The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Virgin has put together the most comprehensive rock guide to date. The entries span everyone from the left-handed genius who graces the book's cover to the one-hit wonders of the 1980s and 1990s. Each entry contains a brief look at the history of the artist and a through-the-keyhole glance into their role in the evolution of rock culture. For the music collector, an index of albums complete with a five-star rating system is included at the end of the book. A truly scrutinising eye may notice some minor errors in the album index, and there also seem to be some inconsistencies in Virgin's choice of artists to feature independently as opposed to in the context of their bands. On the whole, however, this is a thorough and informative reference that prompts one to either run home to their CD player or out to the music store. -- Rene Henery

Review:

'A work of almost frightening completeness' The Times

About this edition

• Publisher: Virgin Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1852279877
• ISBN 13: 9781852279875
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 400
• Editor: Larkin Colin