The Rock 'n' Roll Age: The Music, the Culture, the Generation

This illustrated look at life, politics and culture during rock 'n' roll's golden age, defined here as the period between 1945 and 1965, begins with big bands and bikinis and ends with the Civil Rights Act and the Beatles' psychedelic fall from innocence. While Evans (Elvis: A Celebration) offers details that may be new to some readers (Bo Diddley's excursion into surf music, Elvis wannabe Ral Donner's Top 20 breakthrough), much of the information here has been recycled numerous times already (the birth of Motown, the emergence of the Beatniks); Evans covers virtually every development in mainstream popular culture, addressing America's overseas conflicts and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as well as the first frozen TV dinner and the opening of the original McDonald's. Though handsomely presented, glorious full-bleed images leave little text space for style or obscure detail; considering Evans was a musician on the Liverpool rock scene during the Beatles era, it's surprising his insights aren't more personal or revealing. The book scores a much bigger hit with scads of archival photographs, iconic album covers, film stills and vintage book covers. Particularly compelling are images of white children in the South observing a cross burning, a candid moment on the set of American Bandstand, various product advertisements and numerous Photoplay magazine covers. Four-color and b&w photos throughout.