Mike Evans (1) (1941–)

This is one of those books that you can judge by the cover, as the author examines the rise and fall and rise of the poster (mostly) in British rock, with the golden age stretching from the psychedelic-influenced early Seventies through the dadistic and confrontational imagery of the punk explosion and into the cool modernism of the post-punk Eighties. That there has been something of a revival of the poster in the UK is said to be a commentary on the rise and fall of the compact disk show more economy, and how the modern reality is that bands have to get out and tour again if they want to make it.

Apart from the imagery itself, there is also significant commentary from the graphic creators involved in this efflorescence.

One drawback to this focus is that I suspect that the late-Nineties/early-Millennial UK may not have been quite the poster wasteland that the author depicts, as this is a history of rock graphics, not dance-music graphics. show less

The Who: Much Too Much by Mike Evans is a wonderful history of both the band and the music. Combined with excellent photographs this is a great addition to any fan's collection.

I know that many people like to claim they "didn't learn anything new" in books like this, mostly as a form of posturing, or, of course, that reader is the only person in the world with a perfect memory. I have no idea how much of the information here is brand new, nor do I care. I like having this much info in one show more place, well written and organized. Even if I have heard most of the facts before, I have forgotten many of them so having my memory refreshed is, well, refreshing.

The book progresses album by album, covering tours, personal lives, tragedies between the track lists for each. I enjoyed playing each albums I have while I was reading the chapter about it.

I was actually a little surprised at just how much detail there was. I expected, and would have been satisfied with, a simple overview of the band's career and albums along with the pictures. But this includes anecdotes, the usual stories, and some nice commentary as well. Very pleasantly surprised. If you have ever seen The Who, the pictures from the time frame(s) you saw them will bring back memories. I only saw them three times, but twice was in the 70s and those pictures really took me back.

I would highly recommend this to fans of the band as well as anyone interested in the music and youth culture of the 60s and 70s in particular.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

An anthology of over 70 pieces, some contemporary, some retrospective, covering the career and impact of The Beatles. At times it’s a fascinating read, if a little too Lennon-centric on occasions, that’s a mix of biography and social history. Overall an engaging account of the group and their impact. As one of the essays concludes “When you reach the top there is only one way to go, down. But not for The Beatles, they will always be fab.”

The actual facts about Marilyn in this book are pretty well known already. It was so interspersed with photos, some that I have never seen before. As a Marilyn fan, although she is really before my time, I enjoyed the reminder of what a mega-star this woman was