The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock: Trouble Girls

Essays on the music industry, sexual politics, and more by leading music critics accompany an illustrated biographical compendium of the most important female musicians, with profiles of Bonnie Raitt, Carol King, Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Madonna, and many others. 50,000 first printing.

Somewhere it must be written that women could play tambourine, acoustic guitar, or keyboards and sing vocals, but could not--yea, verily, could not--play lead guitar or drums. From blues artists Memphis Minnie and Sippie Wallace to über-punk Patti Smith and barbed singer/songwriter Liz Phair, many of the women chronicled in Trouble Girls turn that injunction upside down and shake it hard. The roll call is huge and draws representatives from hip-hop, gospel, R&B, country and western, girl groups, folkies, punks, indies, and so on--the list of musical categories alone is exhaustive. No doubt people will quibble about who got left out, but it's a pleasure to read about those who made it onto this ark. Solid photos accompany muscular, energetic text from a strong pool of female rock writers who clearly enjoy their subjects, but don't find it necessary to kowtow.