Review: The Art of British Rock by Mike Evans and Paul Palmer-Edwards

Title: The Art of British Rock: 50 Years Of Rock Posters, Flyers And Handbills
Authors: Mike Evans and Paul Palmer-Edwards
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Publish Date: August 15, 2013
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

• You're an art fan.
• You're a music fan.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Celebrating a half century of design in posters, flyers and advertising ephemera, The Art of British Rock highlights the UK’s distinct contribution to rock’n’roll graphics. From custom designed posters for provincial ballrooms in the late 50s to the computer-generated images of today, rock music illustration has reflected – and influenced – crucial changes in popular visual art. With classic examples (some unseen for many years) of key styles including pop art, psychedelic illustration, punk 'do-it-yourself' and digital imaging, the book documents the stunning visual style of British rock from the era of the Beatles and Rolling Stones to the present-day art of indie guitar bands, cutting edge soloists and contemporary clubland.

Arranged chronologically, The Art of British Rock features more than 350 posters ranging from the work of anonymous artists to internationally acclaimed designers including the Hapshash group in the 60s, Hipgnosis and Barney Bubbles in the 70s, and Malcolm Garrett, Peter Saville and Vaughan Oliver in the 80s and beyond. All are the subject of special features within each chapter. Concluding with the mix of retro and state-of-the-art design that has characterized rock poster illustration in the first decade of the 21st century, this is a unique account of more than 50 years of British rock’n’roll art."

My Two Cents:

Art and music: are there any two things that go together better? This book explores British Rock (one of my personal faves) specifically from about the 1960s to almost present day with a heavy focus on the 60s and 70s. It's a really pretty book, filled with a lot of great pictures. There are also really interesting back stories about some of the artists behind some of the iconic music art. I liked being able to see how some of the art came about. I also thought it was cool to learn how some of the same artists created a whole bunch of really amazing art for various artists. A lot of it was new information

I've always been fascinated by the art of music. I found this collection really interesting. I really liked how the book was broken down by different genres and kinds of art. Some of it is truly amazing. Bands like the Beatles (especially in their later, more experimental years) are linked with their album art or concert poster art. Just think of the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club. If you're a fan of the Beatles, it probably comes to mind right away.

This book would make a fantastic gift for the art or music lover in your life!