The History of Rock & Roll, Volume 2: 1964-1977: The Beatles, the Stones, and the Rise of Classic Rock

Description

Rock historian Ed Ward shares the behind-the-scenes stories of the musicians, DJs, record executives, concert promoters, and producers who were at the forefront of this incredible time in music history. The story begins with the Beatles landing in New York where the NYPD, swarms of fans, and a crowd of 200 journalists await their first American press conference, which opens with the question "Are you going to get a haircut in America?" and ends with a reporter tugging on Paul McCartney's hair in an attempt to remove his nonexistent wig. This is where volume two of The History of Rock & Roll kicks off. Chronicling the years 1964 through 1977, this latest volume covers the most exciting era of rock history which saw a massive outpouring of popular and cutting-edge music. Ward expertly weaves together an engrossing narrative that not only covers the most famous stars like the Beatles, the Stones, Hendrix, and Dylan but also the artists trailblazing new territory in the same era such as Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, Elton John, and more. For all music lovers and rock fans, this sweeping history will reveal how different sounds, harmonies, and trends came together to create the music we all know and love today.

Ed Ward was the rock-and-roll historian on Fresh Air for more than thirty years, reaching fourteen million listeners. Currently he is the cohost of the Let It Roll podcast. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and countless music magazines. He is also the author of The History of Rock & Roll, Volume 1 and author of Michael Bloomfield: The Rise and Fall of an American Guitar Hero. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Praise for The History of Rock & Roll, Volume 1: 1920 - 1963 "Deeply researched, but conversational in tone. [Ward] nerds out just the right amount, moving briskly from hit to hit and craze to craze, slowing down only to impart a few choice anecdotes." --The Washington Post "A dean of rock journalism delivers the first volume of a magnum opus on a subject that never ceases to fascinate...turning up plenty of surprises and fresh insights. A spry study that should inspire listening with new, and newly informed, ears to old tunes." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Ward's vivid anecdotes make the book more fun to read that 98 percent of tomes with 'history' in their title." --Dallas Morning News "A book like this is indispensable. Ward's warm, welcoming voice allows him to both inform and entertain." --Pittsburgh Post-Gazette