Jessica Hopper

I vacillated between a 4 and a 5 on this one for a while, but the last section sealed this as a comfortable 5. This collection is smart, compelling, unique. feminist, and insightful cultural criticism through the lens of music. There are great pieces featuring huge artists everyone knows, Kacey Musgraves, Joni Mitchell, Kendrick, Lana Del Ray, Bjork, Fiona Apple, etc. as well as many pieces I love about more niche artists and quite a few entries about people I had never heard of. (Because of show more this I added a ton of songs from Abe Vigoda -- the band, not the actor for whom they are named -- to my Spotify. I am enjoying the heck out of their work, especially stuff off the album Crush. Also getting my groove on to Canadian Socialist feminist artist Mecca Normal. Thanks for these additions, Jessica!) I particularly liked the oral histories of the women who worked at Rolling Stone in the early days and of the making-of Live Through This, an album I love and have been listening to very regularly for over 30 years.

Hopper is clear: as long as we (women, POC, LGBTQ+, and others who simply believe in a more equitable world) keep trying to play by the rules created by White cis-het men, we lose and the patriarchy thrives. I urge people to read this because it matters and because it is extremely good. (Make sure you get the 2021 reissue since there are a couple of pieces here you won't get in the original, including the Samantha Irby intro, and Hopper's bracing epilogue.) show less

4.5 stars. Like all scene books, this might not be relevant to anyone who wasn't there. I sort of was: mostly in DC not Chicago, and I was more bougie and abjectly peripheral while Ms. Hopper seems to have been right in it. I was close enough to appreciate what she does here (everybody's old journal should be this well written) and to mourn the passing of the city as a place for a particular kind of freedom.

I'm really torn over this book. On the one hand, this book is a perfect tonic for all those girls (like the author) who were told or felt that the world of Rock & Roll and all it has to offer is a secret club populated by boys who insist that "Stairway to Heaven" is be-all, end-all in rock. To every girl told that their hands are too small to play bass, or that girl drummers aren't powerful enough, or that girls just don't know how to rock, this books sets out not only to dispel these show more notions but serves as a how-to guide for overcoming all obstacles. Grrl Power! Rawk out!

On the other hand, if I saw a book like this directed to boys I would worry about the viability of Rock & Roll as having any relevance in the world. It's not necessarily a gender thing but a recognition that a particular era in popular music had reached a point where it can be sanitized and taught to tweens and teens in the same way one might package a book on puberty or hygiene or on dealing with peer pressure. It takes some of the spirit out of rock's rebellious nature to say "Here, a step-by-step guide on how to be a rebel! Urgh!"

Hopper gets off on the right foot by focusing on the instruments, with clear nuts-and-bolts information on everything from how to shop for gear to how to achieve specific sounds from the classic instruments. There's a nod to playing what you know, meaning that any instrument (except perhaps the tuba) can rock, and that a good part of what's involved is attitude and experience. It isn't written down in an insulting way, just straightforward here's-what-you-need-to-know-to-get-started.

The next sections cover putting a band together and learning how to gig, how to move on to recording songs, the basics of playing live, and the business end of things including how to book tours. The appendices include a list of influential artists of both genders, movies centered around music, and some basics for using GarageBand software. It's a well-rounded package that could yield some decent results if taken to heart.

My hesitation is two-fold. First, there's no way for me, as an adult male, to actually follow this book and gauge its success. Second, a good deal of what makes Rock & Roll is the drive and desire that cannot be taught. And worse, in today's climate where over-produced, flaccid American Idol-style pop rules the airwaves, when a package deal like Hannah Montana is a role model for girls, it's difficult to believe there are many book-reading girls who might be driven to start something as quaint (they might say 'antiquated') as a Rock band. Besides, why go through all the trouble to pay for equipment and lessons, taking the time to form a band and struggle with that dynamic, spending years to stand in front of an audience to rock out badly when all you need to do is invite a few friends over and have them watch you flail on RockBand? Why spend months, maybe years, learning how to play classic rock at someone's backyard party when you can wail within minutes?

Still, as I remain conflicted, The Girls' Guide to Rocking does provide a solid foundation in the fundamentals and includes a lot of inspirational sidebars about the women of rock who have made their mark over the past 40-plus years. For some girls it might just be the sort of eye-opening they never realized they needed to see beyond the commercially-produced haze of contemporary music. show less

Reviewed by K. Osborn Sullivan for TeensReadToo.com

First of all, THE GIRLS' GUIDE TO ROCKING isn't just for girls. Its target audience might be girls who are interested in starting a band, but there's so much great information in this book that it's a useful tool for anyone who wants to make music. In fact, if you have to buy a gift for a guy who rocks, I'd almost suggest that you get this book and use a piece of electrical tape to cover up the word GIRLS' on the cover. Explain away the duct show more tape by saying the book is punk or distressed or something. The only other way he can tell this book was written for girls is that the rock star quotes are from women, but no one should complain about getting rock career advice from the likes of Patti Smith and Amy Lee.

THE GIRLS' GUIDE TO ROCKING is packed from cover to cover with everything a budding rock star needs to know. It starts with instruments, including which ones are most commonly associated with rock bands, brands available, finding a teacher, and much more. There's a chapter on putting a band together, keeping it together, rehearsals, and even how to come up with a catchy name. Technical information about writing songs and recording music is provided for more advanced readers who are looking to take the next steps in fulfilling their rock dreams.

The book even includes an appendix about how to use the recording software GarageBand. There is also a whole chapter on finding and booking gigs, which includes cheap, creative ideas for making posters and band merchandise.

This comprehensive guide has something to offer a wide variety of musicians, regardless of their goals. Beginners who just want to buy a second-hand guitar and pick out a few chords will get tips for where and how to find decent used equipment. If you want to get some friends together to start a garage band, you will find tips for helping make that a fun process for everyone involved. For those who have their hearts set on full-scale rock stardom, this book can be used as a how-to guide for everything from writing music to signing a contract with a record company.

The book has a funny, down-to-earth tone that makes it easy and enjoyable to read. In addition, its focus on female musicians is empowering to girls who want to break into an industry dominated by men.

I highly recommend THE GIRLS' GUIDE TO ROCKING for both musicians and the people who love them. Girls who are looking for information about making their own music should definitely check out this book. Parents or grandparents have finally found a cool gift for the music-minded girl in their lives. And one of the best things about the book is that even non-musicians can enjoy it. Not being a musician myself, I learned a tremendous amount about instruments, bands, songwriting, and recording.

After reading this book, I was even able to have a rational conversation with my 16-year-old guitar player son about drum kits and the music he was recording. Any book that can help me do that rocks! show less