She Bop II: The Definitive History of Women in Rock, Pop and Soul (Bayou Press Series) - Softcover

"Illuminating ... She Bop can be enjoyed as a whole or dipped into as an enormously ueful reference work ... Many of the greatest performers, artists and musicians, both past and present, are women and this welcome volume both celebrates and puts them in the perspective of their own time." - Jools Holland "Meticulously researched ... an astute analysis ... this is to be valued as a book written by an enthusiast who has not lost sight of the transformative energy that music can ignite." - The Wire "This updated version features dozens of new interviews and concludes with an extra chapter covering such turn-of-the-millennium phenomena as Britney Spears. Offering a comprehensive overview of the female contributions to all musical genres, O'Brien's tone is both authoritative and anecdotal and casts a non-agressive feminist slant on rock history." - Q Magazine "...everyone from dream babes...to guitar chicks...get a good going-over in true rock 'n' roll style...A fascinating glimpse into the world of female pop." - The Express "Anybody who has shoved a bulging sock down their pants before picking up their 'guitar' should probably read this book. Prick is something that will happen to your finger if you simply practice enough."--Tori Amos "...this tome is more than an encyclopedia; it's well-written, thoroughly researched, and uncompromising in its presentation of women as creators and innovators."-Nina MacLaughlin, The Boston Phoenix, Gift Books sec. 12/6/02 "Lucy O'Brien's everywoman approach makes for easy and absorbing reading....She Bop covers a great deal of pop territory, from blues to punk and from female big bands to Britney Spears."--Willamette Weekly, 1/29/03 "She Bop II is a contemporary classic of its kind, a definitive history of women in the world of popular music. Highly recommended. Don't miss this one, it's a keeper!...She Bop II entertains, and educates!" - Jazzreview.com "She Bop II is an engaging read...[O'Brien's] skill as a matter-of-fact storyteller weaves the book's diverse subjects together and propels the reader through genres and eras...O'Brien treats Bad Girls and sweet-hearts with equal respect..." - BookForum Mentioned by Leonie Cooper in The Observer, 2008. "One of the biggest and best 'women in rock' tomes." * Cosmopolitan * "A must for any serious muso's bookshelf." - Maxim * Mademoiselle * "O'Brien has written a top-notch, impressively thorough history of women in the industry, including not only performers but producers and sound engineers." * Publishers Weekly * "This book is a joy on many levels: as a music journalist, O'Brien enthuses about music and rock stars so elegantly that one immediately has to seek out and listen to the records she describes...her book triumphs over other 'Women in Rock' tomes." * Times *

Popular music grew out of ragtime, vaudeville and the blues to become global mass entertainment. Women like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith were the original pop divas, yet eighty years after they blazed a trail, have their successors achieved the recognition and affirmation they deserve? Or has the only way to success been to slot into saleable images of the cute baby or sexy chanteuse? This is the story of women as creators and innovators, aiming to provide a history of women in rock, pop and soul - on stage, on camera and working behind the scenes in a male-dominated industry. This edition contains an extra chapter and interviews covering trends such as Girlpower.