Guided by Voices: A Brief History: Twenty-One Years of Hunting Accidents in the Forests of Rock and Roll

by James Greer

Book Overview

Guided by Voices was one of the most popular indie-rock bands of the 1990s. Critics internationally have lauded the band's brain trust, Robert Pollard, as a once-in-a-generation artist. Pollard has been compared by The New York Times to Mozart, Rossini, and Paul McCartney (in the same sentence) and everyone from P. J. Harvey, Radiohead, R.E.M., the Strokes, and U2 has sung his praises and cited his music as an influence. But it all started rather...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802170137
• ISBN13: 9780802170132
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Grove Press, Black Cat
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

No better coverage is available.

Guided By Voices' Robert Pollard has been involved in the rock scene for over twenty years, has been compared to Paul McCartney to Rossini, and has staged live rock performances which stand out from the crowd. Written with exclusive cooperation from Pollard, GUIDED BY VOICES: A BRIEF HISTORY delves into his music and the vast circle of rock musicians which have contributed to his development. From the band's many incarnations to Pollard's constantly changing sound, no better coverage is available. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

revelatory

I recently became familiar with the music of Guided by Voices. The band's brilliance enticed me to want to learn more about thier history (Having recently disbanded after 20+ year history of prolific genius.) In spite of their truly innovative sound and masterful lyrics, the band has seemingly had mainly drawn a limited but loyal following. This book is a treasure trove of information on GBV members and music. I have shared much of the details gleaned from the book, with friends who were similarly unfamiliar with the band's story, who have found it revelatory as well. I only regret I did not know more about them sooner.

The Bus Will Get You There Yet

Here it is. One volume with a large enough slice of the trials and tribulations of the indie rocks own musical cornucopia, Robert Pollard. This book traces GBV from first to last, including coverage of the legendary last show (New Year's Eve 2004/Chicago). The book is witty, funny and easy to read. The introduction is written by the director of "Traffic" and is one of the most original and entertaining introductions I have ever read. For those of you that love Bobby & GBV, this is essential. For those of you who don't know them "Come on, come on, the club is open."

GBV ruled!!!...

...and Jim Greer and Kim Deal were never married. They were engaged for a while, but never tied the knot.

Subspace Biographies, indeed

A must-have for the members of various Guided by Voices fanclub/cults such as Postal Blowfish, Disarm The Settlers and Strong Lions. Spouses/significant others who have been amused or abused by the band and their fanatic following will no doubt enjoy as well. And if reading the above paragraph makes no sense, then you Must Buy this book. Compulsive GbV fans of course will HAVE to get a copy, but others should read if they want a glimpse into the story of Wondering Boy Poet Robert Pollard. A great xmas gift for the indie music fan.