Scars Of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin

Description

For many, the undisputed queen of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, Janis Joplin was also the voice of a generation who, when she overdosed on heroin at the age of 27, became the posthumous icon of bad girl femininity for millions around the world. Drawing on hundreds of interviews this biography aims to render Joplin in all her complexity, revealing how this sweet-voiced girl from Texas recreated herself, first as a gravelly-voiced bluesy folksinger, and then as rock 'n' roll's first female superstar. Alice Echols examines the roots of Joplin's musicianship and her efforts to probe the outer limits of life; declaring herself the first white-black person and pursuing sex with men and women alike. Moving from the electric ballrooms of San Francisco to the mud-soaked fields of Woodstock, Joplin's story is also a chronicle of the revolutions of the 1960s - a generation's experiment with high-risk living and the exacting price they ultimately paid for this.

Alice Echols is a cultural critic and a historian of the sixties. She has taught at UCLA, USC and Occidental College and has written about rock music for the NATION and L.A. WEEKLY. She lives in Los Angeles.

'Finally a biography that doesn't downplay Janis's intelligence and deep knowledge of traditional American music ... how refreshing' Joan Osborne 'Fascinating and insightful ... Alice Echols analyzes Joplin's place in the sixties with skill and brings her rebellion and pain vividly to life' JON WIENER, author of COME TOGETHER: JOHN LENNON AND HIS TIME 'Forget everything you've ever read, heard or seen about Janis Joplin- Alice Echold has wirtten the definitve account of rock's first female superstar... enjoy it.' IRISH TIMES 'After reading this, the next time you hear the raw, emotional pain in Janis Joplin's voice, you will understand where it all comes from.' THE TIMES