The Art Of Rock

The best-selling visual history of the rock concert poster, now available at an irresistible price Electric, outrageous, erotic, rebellious—rock concert posters are the visual equivalent of the music they advertise. The Art of Rock traces the history of this energizing art form from the bold letterpress posters advertising Elvis’s early shows, through the multicolored fantasies of the psychedelic era, to the avant-garde collages of new wave and punk. More than 1,500 posters and other graphics—tickets, backstage passes, buttons, handbills—are presented in their original blazing color (or their stark black and white, as the case may be). The text features dozens of exclusive interviews with musicians, concert promoters, and the poster artists themselves, including legends like Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley, or Wes Wilson—who also designed the cover of this book. A visual journey through thirty years of rock and roll, as well as a valuable reference, The Art of Rock is an essential volume for every music lover (and art lover).

Filled with classic modern poster art from the original volume plus loads of new material, this is the perfect book for rock fans, art and design aficionados and poster collectors Australia-wide.

This book analyzes compositions using an easy chart style that shows the evolution of rock from 1949-1990. The author discusses the basic historical and cultural changes in each decade from the 50's through the 80's, and offers a representative selection of listening assignments in each chapter to reinforce the topics covered. Coverage includes: elements of rock, sources of rock, early rock-pre Bill Haley, Elvis Presley and Memphis rockabilly, soul/motown, the Beatles, jazz-rock, funk and disco, heavy metal, punk, new wave, and alternative music. Additional third edition highlights: expands the coverage of heavy metal to include thrash, speed, and death metal styles; includes coverage of rap, MTV, and dance music.

For forty years, collector Rob Roth has gathered rare examples of rock tour posters, advertising posters, rock memorabilia, original artwork and items of merchandise. His spectacular collection is so vast that it has never all been put on public display, but when visitors to his spacious New York loft apartment—visitors like Elton John and Alice Cooper—caught a glimpse of some of the material Roth has collected over the years, they were amazed and urged him to let rock fans see the dazzling array of artifacts. When designer John Varvatos saw the collection, he was so stunned by it that he begged Roth to lend him pieces for his new store in Las Vegas. More of Roth's pieces will be on display in the Varvatos Soho store and other upcoming locations in the fall of 2010. Varvatos has even offered to host a launch party in the Soho store for the book at its time of publication. For many, the items lovingly cataloged in the pages of The Art of Classic Rock will evoke nostalgic memories of their youth—of blazing lights, drifting smoke and of the all-pervading power of their favorite rock concerts. Unlike anything else on the market, The Art of Classic Rock is a lavishly produced presentation of the most vivid and exciting artwork from the rock world, as well as a guide to understanding the the most influential rock banks of our time. Each section of The Art of Classic Rock focuses on a well-known band, covering its defining tours and albums to show how the band's iconic designs and graphic styles changed, and to provide an overview of rock history from the period. An introduction to each section puts the images in context, outlining the stage the band and its acts had reached in their development when the particular images and designs displayed were used, and discussing the art and artists behind the work. Each piece of art also features a caption describing exactly what it is, while items with a particular story are accompanied by longer, more detailed text. The Rob Roth collection has been meticulously photographed specifically for this book by photographer Richard Marot who spent hundreds of hours working with a team of technicians to ensure that the images appearing in The Art of Classic Rock are a sumptuous and accurate representation of the truly stunning Rob Roth Collection.

From the authors of the popular Indie Rock Coloring Book, this poster book is a colorful celebration of indie rock music and art. Showcasing original artwork by thirty of today's cutting-edge illustrators—including Mike Perry, Deanne Cheuk, Jeremyville, Andy J. Miller, and more—this poster collection is inspired by classic indie rock songs of each artist's choosing. Featuring such favorite indie rock acts as the Bon Iver, Devendra Banhart, and Iron & Wine, this book is a must-have for indie art and music fans. Plus, it's all for a good cause: royalties go to the host of admirable charities supported by Yellow Bird Project.

Die Not hat ein Ende The Swiss Art of Rock ("Need Comes To an End-The Swiss Art of Rock") is Lurker Grand's third and most recent book project in a trilogy published by Edition Patrick Frey. Here the focus is not so much on a musical era and its protagonists as on the visualization of the subcultures. Designers, graphic designers, musicians, and photographers from across Switzerland visualize the last 50 years of local rock and pop music history through their album covers, concert posters, flyers, fanzines, comics, and photographs. Die Not hat ein Ende The Swiss Art of Rock is not just another colorful book about music, but instead an impressive historical document of an era. It is a fulsome work that pays tribute to the aesthetics of this anar-chic artistic avant-garde from its beginnings to the present day. In addition to visualizing the music, a lot of space is devoted to the history of the music itself. Music journalist, collector, and curator Samuel Mumenthaler, coauthor of this book, describes the development of rock music in Switzerland chronologically and very precisely, but without getting lost in the details. Roland Fischbacher, Director of the Visual Communications program at the Bern School for the Arts, and Robert Lzicar, Design researcher and designer, discuss the evolution of the visual appearance of rock culture from its beginnings to the present day. This is a pioneering work that no one in Switzerland has undertaken to date. The book also recounts anecdotes that have made it from Switzerland into the annals of international rock history.

Todd Slater is one of the world's leading contemporary artists for rock poster art, with every new release selling out in a matter of minutes. This book will give you loads of his stunning art bestowed in a luxury tome.