LIFE IS BUT A ROCK 'N' ROLL DREAMTHIRTY YEARS AGO, ARTIST GUY PEELLAERT TEAMED UP WITH AUTHOR NIK COHN TO CREATE THIS FANTASY TRIBUTE TO ROCK 'N' ROLL AND R&B. THROUGH SURREAL TEXTS AND IMAGES, COHN AND PEELAERT PAINT AN IMAGINARY WORLD WHERE THE GREAT GODS OF MID-CENTURY POPULAR MUSIC APPEAR IN THEIR OWN SETTINGS (THE DRIFTERS UNDER THE BOARDWALK, OTIS REDDING ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY, THE BEACH BOYS ON THE BEACH). HERE, ROCK MUSIC IS A "SECRET SOCIETY, AN ENCLOSED TEEN FANTASY" TREATED WITH THE SAME KIND OF PASSION AND OBSESSION FAMOUSLY GENERATED BY THE MOST FANATIC OF LOVESICK, PIMPLY ADOLESCENTS. ALL OF THE FOUNDING HEROES OF ROCK, SOUL, AND POP APPEAR IN PEELLAERT AND COHN'S COLORFUL HALLUCINATIONS, INCLUDING BUDDY HOLLY, ELVIS, RAY CHARLES, SINATRA, BOB DYLAN, JIMI HENDRIX, JAMES BROWN, THE ROLLING STONES, THE BEATLES, THE WHO, TINA TURNER, STEVIE WONDER, AND MANY MORE. TASCHEN's REVIVAL OF THIS UNIQUE BOOK COMES AT A TIME WHEN ROCK IS MAKING A STRONG COMEBACK AND YOUNG MUSICIANS ARE TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THE VERY STARS FEATURED IN ROCK DREAMS.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"ONE CAN SEE IN VISUAL TERMS FROM THIS BOOK WHY ROCK HAS GONE ON AND ON FOR SO LONG: IT REPRESENTS AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF EVERYONE'S UNREALIZED DREAMS."
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
"Rock Dreams" perfectly captures the synapses between fantasy and reality that give R&R its emotional appeal. It is a tribute to the overwhelming power of the music that two non-Americans have so perfectly, obsessively captured the quintessence of R&R and its pull on American and British hearts and minds. Peelaert brilliantly juxtaposes American and British images--for example, putting Gene Vincent in a "teddy boy" bar. In other parts, he uncannily captures American iconography--the teenager's bedroom that accompanies the image of Fabian is absolutely, perfectly 1959. These are just a few examples; the book abounds in others, using contemporary images and photos in creative, dream/reality settings, often with stunning details. Nik Cohn's text is just the right accompaniment, an admixture of fact, supposition and poetry. Unforgettable.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is wonderful. The illustrations and the captions complement each other so well. I loved the depiction of Dylan. Best of all is the description of the brilliant Del Shannon: 'Del Shannon may have looked and sounded like a lumberjack but he cracked like a sodajerk. He was incessantly on thr run, broke and alone and his trueloves all betrayed him. In the naked city there was an eternal thunderstorm and his teardrops mingled with the rain.' Wonderful!
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I found this book in my father's collection back in the 70's before I was even a teenager. Each Icon of rock, soul, pop, country from the 50s to the early 70s is painted perfectly by Guy Peellaert inhabiting their own imaginary world. Such as The Beach Boys on the beach, the Drifters under the boardwalk, Otis, sitting at the dock of the bay, The Beatles being chased down Liverpool backstreets. Nik Cohn adds succint passages that captures the essence of our early rock heroes. Pouring over this book as a kid, kick started a life long love of rock 'n' roll. From Elvis to Oasis it all makes sense now, having attended the Peellaert and Cohn college of rock dreams. Highly recommended for all music and art lovers.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not original cover
Reviewed: A worn, 1973 American reprint but with a different cover than the European. Not a bad thing but was not mentioned in description. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Eric Younghans
5.0 out of 5 stars
Juke Box Heroes
Reading "Rock Dreams" was like a backstage pass to the biggest concert on earth upon its publication in 1973. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ray Erskins
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