Product Description

The official history of rock and roll is the tale of groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, of wildly popular albums, and of almost incalculable sums of money. The secret history of rock and roll is the story of lesser-known artists whose work has shaped modern rock. Investigating 15 separate genres and influences, this book discusses, identifies and annotates the most significant, if not the most celebrated, rock and roll talents of all time.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1184481 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Customer Reviews

A great introduction to some fairly obscure bands.
Eddie Vedder is quoted above saying: "This is the book I wish I had growing up as a kid." Well, I wish that everyone who has been turned on to "alternative" music by bands like Pearl Jam, Green Day, and Nirvana, will take note of this very informative text. Although at first glance some of the names seem gargatuan (Stooges, Nick Drake, Public Image Limited) compared to others (Erik Satie, Serge Gainsbourg, Iceberg Slim), each of the artists chosen are worthy of inclusion. There are over 80 artists covered in the text, and Sarig skillfully subdivides each into one of sixteen genres/chapters. The book is basically an amalgamation of biographies, and it is difficult to tie one chapter to the next, although there is a concerted effort to keep these stories in chronological order (so you won't be reading about Mission of Burma before you've read about DNA-- unless you so choose). Sarig does do a fine job introducing each chapter, which helps defray the otherwise disjointed feel of the book.

Other than the usual "Why wasn't this band Chosen?" or "Why did you include this one?" questions, there are at least two omisions which could have made the text much better. First, although there is a section on Gram Parsons, there is no chapter on alternative country. Given the popularity of bands like Wilco, Son Volt, and Whiskeytown (Sarig uses quotes from these artists throughout the text), it would have been appropriate to add a chapter on this growing genre of music (Jason and the Scorchers and Uncle Tupelo might have been covered).

Second, I personally think the book would have been much better if Sarig had gone out on a limb. He obviously has great taste in music and is still very much in touch with today's indie label scene. The book would have benefited from a chapter documenting a few of the current bands who are doing much in the way of innovation but receiving very little recognition. There is a whole new crop of bands who will influncee future generations of musicians, and Sarig missed his chance to give these indie scene-sters their fifteen minutes of fame. I guess we can always hope for a sequel.

Those two minor discrepencies aside, this is a monumental achievement. Collectors, music enthusiasts, and rock'n'roll fans will all profit from this book. The discographies had me running to the local used record store to see if I could find some of these great albums.

Exhaustive research turns up gems
The Secret History of Rock n Roll is no longer a secret. Roni Sarig plunges into the ever-less obcscure worlds of music and spills them onto the page surrounded by context and care. As more and more contemporary artists begin to acknowledge their roots, many in the post-Nirvana generation can look to this book to help nurture more creative listening habits. To say that modern radio is the death of creativity is an understsatement...this book will help lure thousands of listeners out of mindless, inactive "alternative" nonsense, and into an active, historical approach to listening to music. Just ask Teenage Fanclub about the importance of Big Star, or Sleater-Kinney about the energy of X-Ray Spex. Their answers, which can be heard with one listen to each artist, ought to give you an idea about the significance of Sarig's exhaustive efforts, which thankfully include contemporary artist's comments and inspirational musings. Art is forever reinterpreting the past through modern means and individual experiences, not mimicking the indistinguishable band-of-the-day whitebread guitar-chorus-guitar-histrionics that plague todays radio stations. Turn off the radio and have a good read.

DEFINITIVE REFERENCE WORK
In the introduction, the author observes that the most original rock musicians of the 1990s -- for example Sonic Youth and Nirvana -- were defined and distinguished by the influence of obscure artists from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. In this instance, the aforementioned bands credited Glenn Branca, Can, Half Japanese and Wire for their inspiration. Likewise, R.E.M., Beastie Boys, Butthole Surfers and Nine Inch Nails spread the word about their particular heroes and inspirations so that the influence of the "unknowns" has increased exponentially amongst the most creative young artists.

These innovators from the preceding decades may be considered the "musicians' musicians" as opposed to commercial giants like the Beatles, the Stones, Led Zep, the Police and Springsteen who were embraced by millions and may therefore be called the "people's musicians." Thus Sarig shows that there are two histories of rock, that of the mainstream and that of the little-known but heavily influential which represents the secret history of the title.

The book pays tribute to the bands, composers and performers whose enduring influence outweighs their popularity by far. Sarig interviewed numerous notable and successful 1990s musicians and in some cases drew on previous interviews in order to identify their favorite artists from earlier eras. The final list in Secret History was determined by 4 factors, the (a) ratio of influence to obscurity (b) popularity of the bands influenced (c) balance of genres and chapters (d) quality of the responses.

The result is a delightful sojourn through the most innovative and creative sounds of the 20th century. Modern classical composers like Erik Satie, John Cage, LaMonte Young, The Dream Syndicate, Philip Glass and Glenn Branca fill the first chapter. Then follows what Sarig terms the 'international pop underground' where names like Scott Walker, Big Star and Serge Gainsbourg stand out. The Stooges, MC5, Syd Barrett and Roky Erickson reside under 'garage rock' whilst Captain Beefheart, The Residents and Pere Ubu are classified as 'absurdists and eccentrics.'

Chapter 6: Frayed Roots includes singer-songwriters Gram Parsons and Nick Drake. The author's choice of Krautrock masters encompasses Can, Faust, Kraftwerk and Neu!. Brian Eno, the Jamaican Lee "Scratch" Perry and Adrian Sherwood are amongst those designated as 'sound sculptors.' Sarig's most influential 'New York rockers' include Swans, DNA, The Feelies, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Television and Suicide. He populates 'the post-industrial wasteland' with inter alia Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten and The Birthday Party.

Public Image Limited, Wire, Buzzcocks, The Fall, Gang of Four and Swell Maps receive the honors for 'British post-punk' while riot moms and angry women' include Lydia Lunch, X-Ray Spex, The Raincoats and The Slits. Other chapters are devoted to genres titled 'original rappers' (Gil Scott-Heron), 'minimalist funk,' (Liquid Liquid), 'American hardcore' (Dead Kennedys) and 'avant punk USA' (Mission of Burma).

A brief introduction to the genre opens each chapter, followed by Sarig's historical overview of a representative band/individual which is interrupted by quotes from their 90s admirers and concludes with a discography of the act. For example, Swans is the final group in chapter 10: New York Rockers. Their entry opens with a quote by David Yew. Sarig's essay on the band's history and significance is interspersed by quotes from Thurston Moore, Mark Robinson of Unrest/Air Miami, Ryan Adams of Whiskeytown and Lou Barlow of Sebadoh. It concludes with a discography arranged chronologically from Filth (1983) to Swans Are Dead (1997).

Although some narratives lack cohesion and many are rendered rather messy by the disruptive quotes, I award the work 5 stars because of my favorite artists that receive recognition here: John Cale, Captain Beefheart, The Residents, Nick Drake, Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, Suicide, Richard Hell, Throbbing Gristle, Lydia Lunch & X-Ray Spex. The Secret History of Rock is a valuable reference source, an eye-opener to the serious rock fan and in small doses ought to be entertaining to the casual reader. The book concludes with a bibliography and extensive index.