The Sound and The Fury 40 years of Classic Rock Journalism

 The Sound and The Fury 40 years of Classic Rock Journalism

 Edited by Barney Hoskyns 





Fans of classic rock and roll are more than familiar with compilation albums. Greatest hits collections are compilations usually from a single band. Then there was the  “K-TEL” version of compilation albums in the 70s. “The Sound and the Fury” is exactly like the “K-TEL” version of a compilation album.


“K-TEL” always released inferior versions of songs and the   vinyl was always of the lowest quality. The packaging was cheap and was designed to fall apart. Well, much the same holds true for this book. Both the paper and the cover are cheap mass market stuff and it feels like the glue will come done any time now.


Barney Hoskyns has collected articles from a number of popular music writers. These articles span 33 years - hence the sub-title “40 Years of Classic Rock Journalism”. 


The problem with “The Sound and The Fury” is the same problem with other compilations. There are always duds. Dead spots that just don’t interest you but get anyway as part of the deal. There are some of these dead spots here too but only a few.


I suppose it would be nitpicky to say that the 40 years aspect is not quite true. It has articles from 1964 to 1997. I am no mathematician but this is much closer to 30 years than 40 but who am I to argue? Maybe Mr. Hoskyns is a mathematician, who knows?


Each article appears as it would have back in the day but there is more. Each article includes a brief bit of context from each of the original authors. This is a nice addition and helps set the time and place for each of the articles.


1964, as we all know, was a grand year for music and Beatlemania was sweeping the world. Journalist Al Aronowitz writes a short introduction to the Beatles in The Saturday Evening Post. Aronowitz breaks down who is who in the band and we read all the usual comic nonsense about the quiet Beatle etc.


It was fun to learn that those watching at home were informed that John was married. Oh, the disappointment many a young girl must have felt as they cried themselves to sleep that night. Today those same girls are older women who look back wistfully upon those Beatlemania days, or should that be daze?


The Beatles were just starting to make waves in America and the editors at the Saturday Evening Post were amused by this long-haired rock and roll stuff. So they decided to send someone out to cover their arrival in America. This brief sets the scene and makes it easier for today’s reader to get a grasp of what was happening at the time.


I was turned off by the chapter on Andy Warhol. Sure Warhol was important in the art world. Yes, there is always crossover between the two but Warhol is simply not classic rock. Is he a great artist? Absolutely and he had a massive effect on society. But he was not rock and roll. A rock and roll circus followed him but he was not rock and roll so his inclusion is one of those dead spots I spoke of earlier.


The real question is should you read it? Your time is valuable and your reading time is valuable. Should you read it? The problem is that “The Sound and The Fury” is not essential reading for anyone. It’s a fine read but unless you happen to have a particular interest in classic rock journalism it will likely bore you.


It’s a quick read but your time would likely be better spent with your family or another biography.

 

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