Customer Reviews

The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I wish I saw the previous review before I bought this book, because let me tell you, it is 100% accurate. This book is a piece of trash; it's completely worthless. The whole point of this book is to show off this beautiful art and how can you do that on a 4 inch page? While paging through this book I pratically felt sick for spending the money on it, and also because of the disgrace it makes of the original. Please, don't make the same mistake I did; Don't waist your money on this book. Seek out an original in a used book store. It will probably cost quite a bit, but it's worth it.

The Art of Rock (or AOR to rock concert poster enthisiasts) is a classic work that every collector must have. The hard-cover, now out of print, is a much-sought-after reference book with wonderful illustrations.

In contrast, the paperback "reprint" is tiny in size and almost useless except for generating revenue for a publisher that misleads buyers into thinking that this is a faithful reproduction of the original. It isn't. Don't waste your money on the paperback. Search used-book sources for the original hardcover. The time it tales you to find it is well rewarded with superb illustrations of classic graphic artists of rock concerts in the 60's and 70's.

This is absolutely the most comprehensive collection of poster art celebrating rock n' roll. Whether thumbing thru and glancing at the artwork, or carefully reading the history behind each piece, it is a thoroughly enjoyable book. DON'T buy the paperback version of the book, as the images are a great deal smaller, and not near as magnificent as the hardcover edition.

I was unaware this "book" is only 4x5 inches.Kind of defeats the purpose of looking at posters.
Man, what a rip off. The type on some of the "posters" is so small,that you will need a magnifying glass to read what band it is for.
Don't waste your money

When this book came out in the 80s, it made a huge splash and it was the first book of its kind. It was a bestseller despite its size and expense and everybody had to have it. But I felt cheated by the subtitle (From Presley to Punk) because it's probably more than 75% Bill Graham-era psychedelic 60s posters. The earlier and later stuff felt tacked-on, with limited examples and little perspective. The author should have stuck to his strengths, or done more research. As it is, this book is obviously fantastic if you're interested in the west coast 60s music scene, but kind of a disappointment if you're looking for an overall history of the rock poster.

(this is a review of the original hardcover version, the paperback might be different)

This is a great book showing the evolution of art in the rock & roll world from the 50's on.Obviously this was a painstaking task,putting all these together and it was worth it.It's a must have for the S.F. Fillmore era poster art alone.

I bought this book when it was first published in the late eighties. At that time I had been collecting posters for about ten years. I was familiar with most of the Fillmoe and Avalon series, but this book opened my eyes to posters from many other venues I hadn't seen before. It's true what the other reviewers are saying about the concentration on 60's west coast posters, but that's where the best psychedelic artists were working. If you are a collector or are just thinking about buying a poster or two to dress up your walls, this is the first book to buy.(Make sure it's the full size version.) My only complaint is they don't show the whole Avalon series. But I think that's because of some copyright issues. All in all anyone interested in posters, the sixties or art in general will appreciate this book.