Rock Dreams (Paperback)

~ Nik Cohn (Author), Kathrin Muir (Editor), (Illustrator)

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."

Product Description

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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Product Details Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Taschen (December 1, 2003) Language: English ISBN-10: 382282612X ISBN-13: 978-3822826126 Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #636,748 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 15 of 15 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly brilliant, May 14, 2000 By A Customer This review is from: Rock Dreams (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. 10 of 10 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Best ever commentary on this dubious artform., July 31, 1999 By A Customer This review is from: Rock Dreams (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! 10 of 10 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Dreaming of Rock N Roll, November 9, 1998 By A Customer This review is from: Rock Dreams (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.		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 382282612X
• ISBN-13: 978-3822826126
• Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #636,748 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly brilliant, May 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock Dreams (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.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best ever commentary on this dubious artform., July 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock Dreams (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!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dreaming of Rock N Roll, November 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock Dreams (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.