The Virgin Encyclopedia of Seventies Music (Virgin Encyclopedias of Popular Music Series) - Softcover

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9780753501542: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Seventies Music (Virgin Encyclopedias of Popular Music Series)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0753501546 ISBN 13: 9780753501542

Publisher: Virgin Pub, 1998

The aim of this book is to provide a complete handbook of information and opinion about the history of the music of the 1970s. There are over 1000 entries on the bands, musicians, songwriters, producers and record labels of this decade, everyone who had any significant impact on the development of rock and pop music. From the stars who, unlike Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison, survived the sixties only to be dudded as dinosaurs, to the angry reactions of punk and the new wave and the sounds of glam rock and disco, this encylopaedia aims to answer any query about any aspect of seventies music. As well as the giants of the decade, such as Queen, Abba and Fleetwood Mac, the book also includes those artists who only flourished briefly.

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Review:

Organizing a series of music encyclopedias by decade has its benefits and pitfalls. Dream up some pop-music figure associated with the decade that gave us Charlie's Angels, Jimmy Carter, and the hustle and you're rewarded with a reasonably thorough bio and discography faster than you can say "Gilbert O'Sullivan." There are nearly 1,000 entries included in the 512-page book, many of them admirably opinionated, which is a big plus if you decide to make use of the discography ratings next time you shop for CDs. Unlike too many rate-and-review guides, the writers here aren't afraid to attach one- and two-star grades to subpar LPs. Songwriter and frequent Love Boat guest Paul Williams, for one, doesn't get anything but two stars. On the downside though, certain major performers who transcend the decade are excluded from the book. Elvis Presley died in 1977, but he's nowhere to be found. Bless Billy Swan, but is his impact on '70s music really worth a full-page assessment when Presley doesn't merit a word? --Steven Stolder

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