The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock: Trouble Girls
Somewhere it must be written that women could play tambourine, acoustic guitar, or keyboards and sing vocals, but could not--yea, verily, couldnot--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 inTrouble Girlsturn 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.