Overview

When rock 'n' roll burst into life in the 1950s the shockwaves echoed around the world, amplified by images of untamed youth projected on cinema screens. But for the performers themselves showbusiness remained in control, contriving a series of cash-in movies to exploit the new musical fad. In this riveting cultural history, John Scanlan explores rock's relationship with the moving image over seven decades in cinema, television, music videos, advertising and YouTube. Along the way he shows how rock was exploited, how it inspired film pioneers, and, not least, the transformations it caused over more than half a century. From Elvis Presley to David Bowie, and from Scorpio Rising to the films of Scorsese and DIY documentarists like Don Letts, this is a unique retelling of the story of rock - from birth to old age - through its onscreen life.

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9781789145724

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Reviews

From the sublime to the ridiculous, Scanlan climaxes with Metallica's Some Kind of Monster and The Osbournes. Fascinating stuff. -- Classic Rock Rock 'n' Roll Plays Itself is a huge collection of information on the many connections and feedback loops that music, musicians, and movie culture established and refined over the decades, thereby appreciating the massive input (originally) rock 'n' roll provided. -- popcultureshelf.com In Rock 'n' Roll Plays Itself, Scanlan looks at the history of pop on film, from 'Rock Around The Clock' and Elvis to MTV and YouTube. -- Choice Magazine (UK)

Rock 'n' Roll Plays Itself is a huge collection of information on the many connections and feedback loops that music, musicians and movie culture established and refined over the decades, thereby appreciating the massive input (originally) rock'n'roll provided. -- popcultureshelf.com

Author Information

John Scanlan is a cultural historian and the author of several books for Reaktion including Easy Riders, Rolling Stones: On the Road in America, from Delta Blues to '70s Rock (2015) and Sex Pistols: Poison in the Machine (2016).

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