Grrrls : Viva Rock Divas

Rating:
Summary: Deb Harry is the bomb!
Review: Deb Harry's introduction to the book is the best thing about it: short, sharp, sexy. The Courtney Love chapter is more of the same self-indulgent, ego-maniacal drivel you've come to expect. The Bjork chapter is a must read! She's original, & her happy-go-lucky attitude is so refreshing.

Rating:
Summary: Best book on womyn in rock available!
Review: Grrrls: Viva la divas is DEFINATLY the best book I've read so far on the womyn in rock revolution and Riot grrl scenes, or, even rock music in general. The interview with Courtney Love is really awesome, but then so are all of them. This book covers from Kim Gordan to Tanya Donnelly, with fasinating informative interviews and reviews of their work, their lives and their opinions on rock. I don't know of a book more worth buying.

Rating:
Summary: Oh no.. Courtney Love
Review: My admiring words for this book are going to be cut short by the fact that the Courtney Love/Hole chapter focuses more on a self absorbed look at music rather than the larger. However, this peep into women in rock will leave you wanting more. You'll want to go listen to Liz Phair and change your world.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but what it's missing really annoys me.
Review: This book is very good, worth the money and time reading it. But I do wish the author included more bands and solo artists. Amy Raphael went all the way back to The Raincoats and Sonic Youth but LEAVES OUT Patti Smith. PJ Harvey is nowhere to be found in this book. (!!!???) Neither are L7, Babes In Toyland......you get the picture. It's missing a lot of important "rock divas".

Rating:
Summary: This book changed my life
Review: This book showed the reader the real side of today's leading girl groups and girl singers. It's an extrodanary look at the female side of rock. I loved it and hope to find books just like it in the future.

Rating:
Summary: For those interested in feminism in rock n'roll
Review: This book was pretty good. I bought it based on the fact that three of my favorite artists were interviewed in this book (Hole, Veruca Salt, Liz Phair). The Hole interview was disappointing but I really enjoyed the one on Veruca Salt (I'm glad they finally got some recognition). Other interesting interviews were the ones with Bjork, Ellyott Dragon (Sister George), and Tanya Donnelly (Belly). In response to the reviewer below me, no they really did talk about Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, L7, Babes In Toyland, etc they just didn't interview them personally. Which would have been cool though. Buy it if you are interested in women in rock.

Rating:
Summary: A MuSt ReAd
Review: This is a must read book, It is all about what its like to be a woman in the music industry and grrrl power. The Courtney love interview is great and the book also covers from Bjork to Kim Gordon. It is a must read for teenage girls.

Rating:
Summary: Riot Grrrrl Agenda Aside.....
Review: While it is possible to criticize this book on the basis that the women interviewed hold little in common beyond the fact that, whoop-di-doo, they're all women, I found that it was actually this range of personalities that made the book as a whole worthwhile. Although Raphael does have an agenda in hand, to her credit she allows each individual to tell her story in her own words, and regardless of gender I think that any artist would find a source of inspiration in at least one of the women interviewed. The book includes a foreward by Deborah Harry (which alone is worth the price of admission), followed by a introduction by the author. Each interview is between 20-30 pages in length with photo. The following women are interviewed: Courtney Love (Hole), Sonya Aurora Madan & Debbie Smith (Echobelly), Bjork, Nina Gordon & Louise Post (Veruca Salt), Gina Birch (Raincoats), Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), Ellyott Dragon (Sister George), Huggy Bear, Tanya Donelly (Belly), Pam Hogg (Doll), Kristin Hersh, Liz Phair.