The Birth of Rock n' Roll

The Birth of Rock n' Roll: The Illustrated Story of Sun Records and the 70 Recordings that Changed the World by Peter Guralnick and Colin Escott, 255 pgs. 

Coffee table books get a bad rap. Most of the time people don't want to carry them around due to their large size, but organized well, they can be works of art unto themselves. This collection focusing on the story of Sun Records in Memphis Tennessee is both alluring for music enthusiasts and historians alike. The authors dive into the very beginnings of the historic studio, with Sam Philips sussing out interesting talent in his hometown, eschewing traditional white sounds for more African-American and rhythm and blues fare. Filled with great, full-page color photos of artists, labels, and insider information, this collection is a great way to flip through and find new (albeit, old) tunes you may not have heard before. A fascinating story offered here is one of what is considered far and wide to be the first rock n' roll song titled Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston (backed by an up and coming guitarist named Ike Turner). When the group arrived at Sun to record the song, Turner realized the speaker cone in his amplifier had a hole in it, resulting in a distorted, fuzzy, broken-up sound. Turner panicked, thinking they needed to find another amp, but Phillips actually liked the sound the broken speaker cone created. It was different than any other sound he had heard before, so they went ahead and recorded it as is. That distorted sound became a benchmark for every rock n' roll song that would come after. It's a testament to Sam Phillips and his remarkable ear for modernity and the book highlights the studios many offerings to rock n' roll.