Rating: 
Summary: Loud and Proud
Review: This is THE book to buy for fans of hard rock before it became the big hair, MTV 80s music identified with Bon Jovi, Warrant etc. This book reviews the early roots of this musical genre and brings to light its evolution from psychedelic fuzz and distortion. Martin Popoff provides insight into some totally obscure and impossible to find (or at least afford) rarities such as Leaf Hound and Euclid. One may not agree with his reviews always, or his heaviness/overall ratings, but the author definitely succeeds in dispelling myths but more importantly, identifying some excellent and obscure music for us to seek.
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Summary: Nice try, but it comes up short
Review: This is the definitive guide on the 70's Heavy Metal scene. Popoff's reviews (altough you might not agree) are well written with an excellent sense of humor & sarcasm, as well as expert knowledge of the genre. If you are a collector, this is a excellent reference book listing original release dates as well as the original record label for all the albums. Throw in a free 12 track cd featuring some ot the obscure 70's metal bands Popoff reviews and you have a can't miss affair. All killer, no filler.
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Summary: The Book Of Genesis For The Heavy Metal Fan....
Review: This is the definitive guide on the 70's Heavy Metal scene. Popoff's reviews (altough you might not agree) are well written with an excellent sense of humor & sarcasm, as well as expert knowledge of the genre. If you are a collector, this is a excellent reference book too. All killer, no filler.
Rating:
Summary: The Book Of Genesis For The Heavy Metal Fan....
Review: This is the definitive guide on the 70's Heavy Metal scene. Popoff's reviews (altough you might not agree) are well written with an excellent sense of humor & sarcasm, as well as expert knowledge of the genre. If you are a collector, this is a excellent reference book too. Killer.
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Summary: Canadian metal king steps back in time
Review: Well, Martin was the man who made me (and countless other schmucks, no doubt) want to become a music journalist, so I always get excited when a new book hits the shelves. This '70s edition of his ludicrous scheme ('80s and '90s to follow; then a nervous breakdown from Martin, no doubt) is a lot of fun, even for youngin's (?) like me who only saw three years of the '70s and can't really remember much about them. It's a fun look back at where the whole metal thing started, so for those who obsess over metal, it's a great read. One complaint is something that's only gonna be natural, given the concept at hand; lots of this stuff is so far removed from what us kids growing up on Deicide, or even Motley Crue, would consider metal. So keep the context in mind when slogging through some of the noodly psych records. It's all in there for a reason. As always, Martin's writing is a lot of fun to read; if only all music journalists actually created a mood in their writing like this guy does. Hell, he could write a book on fluffy pop of the new millenium and I'd read it (actually, I'd love that). The '80s and '90s editions will be even better, but that's just me and my age bias talking. Get this book, it's an essential look at where all this stuff we like to obsess over began.
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Summary: The definitive guide to seventies hard rock
Review: What can be said? Martin Popoff has written not only the greatest and most comprehensive guide to seventies hard rock, but also one of the greatest and most comprehensive record guides in any genre period. There have been a handful of books in recent years published about the history of metal (Ian Christe's, for one) and after the superficial research and lack of knowledge about metal's early days which characterize those tomes, it is refreshing to have a work like this.
I am a huge Uriah Heep fan, and so I was pleased to see that Popoff finally gives them the credit they deserve as being one of metal's most important founders along with Purple, Sabbath and Zeppelin.
The most impressive thing about this book is the scope. It has everything - and I mean everything. There probably wasn't a hard-rock record released during the period that isn't covered here. I was pleased to see the inclusion of such Heep-related rarities and unknowns such as The Gods, Toe Fat, and even-the ultra-rare Weed album Ken Hensley did under a pseudonym (the Weed album even has a photograph of the cover image - wow!) Even Hensley's solo albums, which are extrememly mellow and cannot be considered metal by any stretch of the definition, are included.
Another of my favorite unknown bands Popoff covers is Stray. I was suprised to hear that he didn't review the first Stray album because he couldn't find a copy. I was amazed by this because Stray's debut is the ONLY Stray album I've been able to find a copy of, seeing as how it was released as a bonus disc to an anthology which was availible a couple of years ago. I would have loaned Popoff my copy for free.
Yes, there are indeed albums and bands included in here that are so rare and obscure their very existence borders on the mythical. I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised to see a review for Spinal Tap's "Brainhammer" or "Intravenus De Milo" here.
Although I disagree with some of Martin's assesments of certain albums (for one thing, I think he is far too rough in his treatment of the post '73 Heep catalog and there are a couple of albums I consider classics of the era which he treats lightly) these are small, minor, quibbling points. I bow to his knowledge of the era and genre like Wayne before Aerosmith. This guy knows his stuff.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK - HORRIBLE AUTHOR
Review: Yes an awesome list of 70's Hard Rock bands but the bottom line is - Martin Popoff is totally clueless about talent and always sounds pompous in his reviews. Nobody cares what this guy's own opinion is of a release so stick to the facts. A great book for reference but forget the "reviews" - this guy shouldn't review menus let alone great hard rock albums. I mean here's a guy who gives a band like Nirvana 10 out of 10 and Triumph 1 out of 10. CLUELESS OR WHAT?
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