The History of Rock & Roll, Volume 1: 1920-1963 Hardcover – November 15, 2016

“The History of Rock & Roll, Volume One: 1920 – 1963” is a worthy book on an unwieldy and multifaceted subject.A book this far-reaching cannot, and does not, pretend to be comprehensive; the author invites the reader to use YouTube and other media to explore the subjects further. As such, this volume is an excellent reference for those interested in the subject.I give the book five stars for the concept and the overall effort; I must finally give it four stars only because a book that wishes to be the final say on this subject ultimately comes up short. I do not mean this as a criticism – it is more a recognition that important people and music will fall through the cracks, be under-represented or not put in sufficient context. In the spirit of honoring the intent of the author, I would suggest to readers further research of the following:Sister Rosetta Tharp is mentioned twice in the book, but is missing in the section devoted to the impact of gospel music in R&R. I would suggest “Strange Things Happening Every Day” as an excellent example of gospel pointing the way to the new form.Aaron “T-Bone” Walker is mentioned four times in the book, but offers no suggestions of his music to show the enormous influence he had on Chuck Berry – and through Mr. Berry, his enormous influence on every rock & roll guitarist to come. Some of Chuck Berry’s most iconic riffs are direct copies of those found in T-Bone Walker’s jump-blues numbers; those who have only heard “Stormy Monday” have no idea of Mr. Walker’s larger influence. Start with “That’s Better For Me” and “Alimony Blues”.Nat “King” Cole is briefly mentioned, nearly dismissively, as a purveyor of “sophisticated jazz” in counterpoint to the rougher sounds of Chicago’s Bluebird crowd. However, the early trio recordings like “Straighten Up and Fly Right” and “Route 66” possessed a hipper vibe than will be found on his later ballads, and that had its own influence on later rock and roll performers. An echo can be found in Dion and the Belmonts’ “Ruby Baby” and similar songs.Some of the most seminal series of events are explained on pages 132 – 133, but the description did not – for me – capture the importance of these events in rock & roll history. Although Elvis Presley’s performances on the Milton Berle and Steve Allen shows are mentioned, the rendition of “Hound Dog” on Mr. Berle’s show was so scandalous to 1950’s America that the situation needed to be defused for his career to survive.In the performance, Elvis slowed down the extended coda and positively grinded his way through it. The performance is impressive to watch today; in its time, it must have vaporized eyeballs in more staid audience households. The performance inspired the nickname “Elvis the Pelvis” and gave credence to naming him the “King of Rock & Roll”. It also inspired the powerful backlash against this music from the then current guardians of public virtue.Elvis was frozen off the Ed Sullivan Show. But as noted in the book, Steve Allen had no problem poking fun at what he considered ludicrous music. Perhaps sensing that he could defuse the power of R&R by parodying it with its highest-profile performer, he gave Elvis the necessary platform to “play the clown” and keep him safe for television. This required him to poke fun at himself in an utterly mortifying manner, singing “Hound Dog” in formal tails directly to a Bassett Hound that wore a top hat. It was so painful for Elvis that he rushed off the stage the second the song was over (both performances can be found on YouTube, and are must-see for anyone interested in R&R). This performance opened the door to Ed Sullivan (although Mr. Sullivan insisted that Elvis could only be filmed from the waist up), but the original Milton Berle performance was seared into the memory of a generation. Elvis was King and, to paraphrase Danny and the Juniors, Rock & Roll [was] Here To Stay.The above are mere addendums to a treasure trove of information found in “The History of Rock & Roll, Volume One: 1920 – 1963”. The book is an excellent addition to the reference materials of anyone interested in Rock & Roll.

Very interesting and nostalgic for those of us who are "Boomers"...I did sort of skim or skip the early days, but picked it up in the early to mid 50s. Lots of detail and inside info...B-U-U-U-U-T...the author tried to cram WAY too much info as he went along. He gives short shrift to a lot of important groups/songs, but mentions an awful lot of groups that were nobodies...that did nothing...made no contribution...but still get several lines as he moves along. It's almost as if he wants to show off how much info he has...he could have covered some artists a bit more and got away from the trivial stuff....but still a worthwhile read for rock fans!!!

I've always been a fan of Ed Ward's segments on NPR. Just finished both volumes back to back and I'm slightly disappointed.Positives:Mr. Ward clearly loves fringe bands (I.e. Moby Grape in Volume 2), so it was enjoyable to learn new things about bands I had a passing knowledge of and to take the time to listen to them on Apple Music.The book(s) mentions many bands and artists many of which were new to me (especially Volume 1).Excellent bibliography! A deeper dive into many of those books is recommended.NegativesVery few photos in either volume. Although the only artist photos in Volume 2 are of Iggy Pop, Led Zeppelin, and the New York Dolls, they are great photos.Mr. Ward is so dismissive of many of the musicians in Volume 2, it makes me wonder if he really likes anything after 1962.Although he spends time on fringe bands, certain critical bands are dismissed as unimportant with only a sentence or two (i.e. the Doors), only one passing mention of the Association and the Turtles for example, and no mention of many bands (i.e. the Flaming Groovies).The books are somewhat chronological and as a result jump around quite a bit. I think a better format would have dedicated each chapter to a genre of music, covering all the predecessors and successors.

Thoroughly enjoyed both Vol 1 (1900 - 1963) and Vol 2 (1963 - 1977). Ward has a very conversational tone as he deftly elates many important details from the huge mass of material which rock and roll has left us. Vol 1 was of particular interest to me because, though I knew some of the pioneers, Ward gives a very much fleshed-out lineage of the period. I learned, more than just a little as I assumed, the artistic and business aspects of talent emerging, getting a record deal, making a record, and the resultant public response emerged at full speed from the very beginning of recorded music (and hasn't slowed down much since). Plus, he also relates many of the colorful interactions of personalities involved.One deft aspect of Ward's style which I enjoyed is his method of sequence. A segment may begin with an artist long before public acclaim, a (relatively) clueless entrepreneur struggling to create a label, life on the road of performing musicians, and, of course, the joy of an unexpected hit (paired often with a flop, even with high expectations).Ward artfully weaves the rather complex array of dynamics which are the substance of music recording, always managing to tie together many facts into the essence of an artist, a label, a producer, public acclaim, or the shape of an era in the genre.Steve.

A superbly written account of the early development the most exciting popular music genre in history up to its heyday period of the mid 50s the early 60s.Written with humour, great knowledge and a great deal of passion for the subject . Highly recommended.

Very poorly written in places making a difficult and often unnecessarily tedious read. He also under plays some key figures including Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I am sure he knows his stuff but a better editor would have produced a better read. Needs photos!

Excellent!

Awesome work for those who love rock and roll and want to know the beginning of all this marvellous world of rock. Great in detail and stunning references to unknown artists for a general public. This book makes you feel the real taste of the humble origin of rock!

Nothing much new here that hasn't been covered before in more detail, except maybe the British/Beatles section.