The Art of British Rock by Mike Evans, Frances Lincoln Publishers, 212 pages, $32.
Fifty years of British rock art are celebrated in this colourful collection. Mike Evans presents a look at how concert posters, album covers and posters evolved into a unique art form.
Early rock 'n' roll shows were promoted in the same manner as any other events of the day with blocky type and bright colours to catch your eye. As the '60s went along and the impact of pop culture grew the art began to have a bigger role in how the bands were presented.
The medium now reflected the message and art was now an important factor in the design. Album covers became a vehicle to display art that made a statement about the musicians and a number of the prominent artists are identified. Roger Dean who created the otherworldly images for the Yes albums and Storm Thorgerson who formed Hipgnosis that produced one of the most recognizable album covers ever for Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon are just two of the noteworthy designers.
The punk era burst onto the music scene full of raw energy and the artwork was wildly varied but defiantly presenting with a do it yourself style that rejected a more polished approach.
Evans follows through to hip hop and techno then onto a selection artwork from recent festivals that show the current work being done.
REVIEWS
Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff. First Second
Publishers, 167 pages, $18.50.
She is a swashbuckling adventurer with little fear and a pair of sharp swords. Delilah Dirk storms across the pages with confidence and daring in Tony Cliff's first graphic novel. The Vancouver native presents an exciting tale set in 1807, which makes his heroine even more unusual.
When Dirk rescues the mild mannered Lieutenant Erdemoglu Selim after being the cause of his intended execution a bigger adventure is set in motion.
Beautifully illustrated in rich vibrant colours the tale moves along at breakneck pace with an exciting finish that paves the way for the next installment.
