The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk (Tiny Folios) [Paperback]

Paul Grushkin (Author), Jon Sievert (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Tiny Folios | Publication Date: August 1993

This work tells the story of rock music, rock culture and rock graphics in 300 posters dating from 1955 to 1987. Based on Abbeville's "Art of Rock", the tiny folio reproduces in a miniature format the history of rock posters from the earliest wood block graphics to the psychedelic designs of the punk era. The posters represent exceptional graphic achievements and create a record of international culture. Rock posters are, arguably, great modern art. Unlike high art forms, these print advertisements are truly popular: they are collected by thousands of people. Once avaliable for less than a pound, now the price of original art-drawings, paintings, and artist mechanicals for these posters can exceed #500. As rock and its fans have aged, the number of rock-art collectors has grown. Now these innovative, electric, and vital images are available in a single volume that chronicles a 30-year visual history not only of the music but of the world that produced it. Author, collector, connoisseur and life-long rock fan Paul Grushkin provides a rollicking tour of 300 beautifully reproduced rock posters designed for legendary artists from Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and the Beatles to Bob Dylan, Jim Morrisson and the Grateful Dead, to Bruce Springsteen, Blondie and the Talking Heads.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This is a miniature edition of the full-sized title. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Pr; First Edition edition (August 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558596062
• ISBN-13: 978-1558596061
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 3.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,994,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The essential guide to rock poster art!, July 1, 2005

By 

W. Creswell "Crackdog" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk (Hardcover)

Bought it several years ago and I can't think of a book that i've refered back to as often as this. The in-depth coverage of the artrock scene is superb. It is epecially in-depth on the psychedelic era of the sixties when posters were in their renaissance.
CAVEAT EMPTOR!: Make sure you get the full size version NOT the pocket sized edition! Pocket size is nice but you will definately want the FULL SIZE version.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I know how good this book is my name is in it, December 9, 2004

By 

Royce Emley "Rawice" (Tequesta, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk (Hardcover)

Back in the 60's I designed a rock poster that is now a collecters item. Very few people ever knew who designed it. I found the poster and my name on page 258 and in the credits he lists me as the artist. This man did his homework. If I'm there then he got the rock art scene covered down to the finest detail. Some of my oldest friends are only now discovering the poster from 1969 and what I created 35 years after the fact. It is my newest history book.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book - but buy the BIG version, December 13, 2004

By 

Keith (TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk (Hardcover)

This is a great book - bought because of a recommendation of a "rock poster society" (trps.org) member. Just be aware that there is a "mini" version that makes a great stocking stuffer, but it's not the full size original. So, if you're paying $10 for a hardcover version online, assume it's the mini, not the $50 version, and you won't be disappointed.