The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music

Rating:
Summary: It's never going to be perfect, is it?
Review: An endeavour like this is bound to have its benefits and flaws. Some artists who in retrospect proved not as influential or heavy in importance wind up having extensive coverage while others might get no mention at all or very little of it.

It's all more a matter of perspective of course and having read other encyclopedias of the sort i know that this is the case with basically all of them.

With this then intentionally overlooked, this book is pretty darn good for what it offers. It has for the most part extensive histories of the artists it presents and -allthough not thorough-discographies that compliment these presentations. On that particular point comes the real miss, which is the behind the glamorous scenes look at things. The escapade element (and yes, im being ridiculously mild) is mostly absent, which is striking considering that the rock and pop world would not be what it was and is without it. Yes, there are mentions of the drug adventures as well as other "mishaps" but just mere mentions, in some cases these are omitted, and in any case less focus is given to issues as these than there should've been.
Granted, it would probably make the book double its size were it more detailed this way but then it would be more complete.

As a reference book though, or even as a starting point for those who are rediscovering or beginning to explore the 70s it's really, really good. It's perhaps too harsh to subtract a star on this review for what i mentioned above but then again i believe that a complete encyclopaedia is missing badly from the market.

If you're looking to pick one out of the many 70s music books out there you wouldnt be off the mark by choosing this one.




Rating:
Summary: THOROUGH & READABLE
Review: Here one may relive one's youth (or learn some history) from Abba down to singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. Sartorially the decade was one of extremes: compare the tartaned Bay City Rollers to the ridiculous hippieness of Wizzard, Kiss's comic-book style, Amanda Lear's disco leather decadence, Elton John's flamboyance and the austerity of the singer-songwriters. A particular pleasure is finding information on the more obscure hitmakers like R Dean Taylor (a solitary Canadian on Tamla Motown who gave us Indiana Wants Me & Gotta See Jane), UK experimentalists like Curved Air and East Of Eden, punk pioneers like X-Ray Spex and The Adverts. The more one reads, the more addictive this book becomes and the more you realize how rich and diverse the decade was. To think that side by side with the anger of the punk revolution there existed the hedonistic abandon of Disco -- the party of the 70s! Donna Summer, Boney M, MFSB, Sylvester and the P-Funkers are all here. There is also the Woodstock generation in the form of Matthews Southern Comfort, Don McLean, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Melanie. Other folk artists include Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention. Megastars like David Bowie, Neil Diamond and the Bee Gees merit their many pages but it is also heartening to see little-known reggae acts like Bob & Marcia (The Pied Piper) and Dave & Ansil Collins (Double Barrel) getting a mention. By the way, anyone wants to dispute the fact that Bowie produced his best work in this decade? Think of 1975's Young Americans, 1976's Station To Staion and the electronic cycle of Low and Heroes. But the 70s was also the decade of the teenyboper and you'll find them here: The Partridge Family, David Cassidy, The Osmonds nd Leif Garrett. For sheer variety and the essence of pop, the 70s cannot be rivaled. Nmes like Dawn (Knock Three Times)evoke tender childhood memories. The entries are informative and a pleasure to read. Perhaps there could have been more extensive discographies. All in all a fascinating read for nostalgists, the music researcher and music lovers of all ages and persuasions.