The Guys Who Wrote 'em

Rating:
Summary: Original and outstanding rock book
Review: Rock books are now numerous. But they are nearly always about individual rock stars, famous groups or musical genres. But no rock star is worth anything without a great melody and memorable lyrics. The men and women who composed the great rock and roll songbook are too often ignored. For many, they're simply a name in brackets after the song title on the record label. That's where Sean Egan's book scores a first. He has interviewed nearly all of the legendary rock composers: Leiber and Stoller (the greatest?), Holland-Dozier-Holland, Greenwich and Barry, and many others, from the dawn of rock to the latest songsmiths. Only the Yanks and the Brits can write great rock, of course; so Sean Egan doesn't forget the Limeys: Graham Gouldman, Nicky Chinn, Stock and Aitken, among others.

It's a book rich in detail and full of anecdotes. For who better to see and record the unknown side of rock stars than the guys and ladies who wrote their songs, worked with them, and, frequently, had to put up with their quirks and tantrums? This is a pretty complete history of rock and pop, but from an original perspective. Sean Egan's book fills a black hole in rock and roll history. But he does it in a delightfully unpretentious way. Egan has no axe to grind; he simply wants to give the songwriters' side of the story. He lets, wherever he can, the songwriters speak for themselves. No good rock and roll library should be without this book. Every time you listen to one of the rock classics, you'll have a new insight into the pain, effort, time and genius that went into its creation. Like me, I'll bet you read it in one go.