The British Invasion: From the First Wave to the New Wave

This Excellent Book tries to Sum-Up in the Course of 316 Pages the Effect of British Rock/Pop Music on The World over 20 Years (1962-1982}. From Fashion to Magazines to Film, the Change to the Culture of this Planet has been Altered by Groups such as: The Beatles, The Who and The Pink Floyd. Seven of the Biggest Bands and Artists from the Sixties and Seventies have their own Chapters herein; The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Pink Floyd, T-Rex and David Bowie. "The British Hot 100" sums up the "Best of the Rest" from: "Adam & the Ants" thro to: "The Zombies". From The Beat Groups of the 1960's thro to The New Romantics of the Early 1980's, this Book is a Valuable Guide to the Music and Culture of Anglo-Rock. I have read other Books about this Topic that are out there, and this Book: "The British Invasion", is the very Best of Em' all. It is so useful in it's Insight and with ton's of Photographs and Cool Graphics, it is a Feast for the Eyes. This Book is well worth the search...seek this One out and grab it up. Four Stars !!!

I've read and re-read my copy of Nicholas Schaffner's "British Invasion" so many times that my original is in tatters. As stated in a previous review, it is an invaluable resource for music between the years 1962 to 1982. It is a guide I've found myself referencing time and again for details on the premier bands from the UK between those dates.In this book you get the bands that made an impact in the UK -- those bands being, The Kinks, The Beatles, The Who, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and T. Rex. I originally picked up this book because I wanted more information on Marc Bolan and T. Rex, and I couldn't have found a better resource.While there are more complete books on each of these artists, this book provides the best summaries, hitting the high and low points in each band's career through 1982. There is also a smaller section in the back of the book devoted to 50 additional hot UK bands. While not as in depth as the bands mentioned above, each band has a really good summary and detailed chart positions.It'd be nice to see an updated version of this text, but sadly, Schaffner passed away in the early 1990's. But don't let the text's age deter you -- it's still a valuable resource. Heck, I still refer to it from time to time, as it provides a wealth of information on these bands.If you have an interest in British bands from the 60's, 70's and early 80's, this is THE book to get. You'll get more than complete summaries on the groups' histories and chart positions, as well as some good black & white photos. If you have furter interest in any of these groups, there are plenty of books that will help you, but if you're looking for a place to start, you've found it!

The late Nicholas Schaffner packed tons of detail into "The British Invasion," with the first section devoted to the major artists of the 60s (the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, The Who, David Bowie, Marc Bolan and T-Rex, and Pink Floyd), followed by short vignettes of the numerous groups who also inhabit the pop music firmament - nearly everyone who recorded from 1962 to 1982, from the Small Faces to the Police and from Yes to Siouxie and the Banshees.The quality of the writing is what makes this book so enjoyable. Schaffner dispels myths, clarifies histories, and lays out credible evidence that each of the major acts has made an indelible mark on rock music (although some may wonder why such greats as Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin were relegated to the second section).In the second section, Schaffner is joined by other music writers for a thorough review of British pop, and though the year at which the book ends (`82) truncates the careers of folks like Elvis Costello, it's still a fascinating read. Also included are each band's hit records, dates of release and chart positions.For a book with so few pictures (and black and white at that), it is a must for anyone interested in pop music history. One subjective criticism: much as T-Rex may have predated Bowie's glam-rock, I don't think that Marc Bolan really deserves a spot in the Top Eight. Although it may be a hard-to-find book, it's worth it.