Rock-and-Roll Woman: The 50 Fiercest Female Rockers

by Meredith Ochs

Celebrate the women who rock, with this fully illustrated tribute to 50 iconic female musicians and bands.
 
Award-winning radio personality Meredith Ochs takes an insightful look at 50 rock icons who indelibly shook up the music scene, whether solo or in a band. Profiling women from the 1950s to today, and from multiple genres, Ochs tells the dramatic stories behind their journeys to success, their music, and their enduring impact. More than 100 photographs make this a rich volume, and the idols include Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Heart, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Joan Jett and the Runaways, the Go-Go’s, Karen O, Sleater-Kinney, Grace Potter, and more.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Rock N Roll, Memoir

224 pages, Hardcover

Published October 23, 2018

About the author

Meredith Ochs is an award-winning broadcast journalist, author, deejay, and commentator for NPR's All Things Considered. Ochs has also worked as a magazine editor, photographer, touring musician, culinary judge, and boat skipper. She has traveled across the USA in a big rig and around the world by other means of transportation.

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was okay. Positives - learned about many artists I never heard of, such as Big Mama Thornton and highlighted deep cuts by these women, not just the hits. Negatives - felt like each chapter was rushed and you didn’t get much of a picture of many of them. Unless you knew their history well, like Imdid for the Wilson sisters and Stevie Nicks, you would be left wanting more. And…how could Joni Mitchell NOT be included in this collection?

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I’m too Old for this book

There seemed to be so many omissions in this book. Where’s Pink, Madonna, and the Shangra Las who influenced so many of these artists? By the last part of the book, other than Amy Winehouse I really had no familiarity with these seemingly interchangeable artists. Perhaps I ignored the word “fiercest “? But for those who pick up their musical preferences after the 80s, you’ll probably enjoy this more than I did.

[Chelsea Berry · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge #18: Subject you are passionate about

So I had a hard time coming up with a subject for this prompt, there are a lot of things I like and a lot of things I enjoy, but nothing I really foam at the mouth and want to get covered in tattoos about - so basically I decided to combine my love for music (especially going to concerts) with my feminist ideals.

For someone who likes music, especially rock n roll, I don't know a lot about it. I listen to the music I like and can sort of sing along, but I don't know many names of band members - or even songs. Many of the women on this list I had heard of (some I hadn't) but I had no idea what their music was. I decided to listen to their songs while I read, which was great and my YouTube favourites expanded to include almost 50 new artists! It didn't help with my recollection of what I was reading though. I probably can't tell you a lot about the women individually. I do know that they women worked hard, stood up against adversity, sexism and other hurdles brought about by being a woman (so many of them left music to have children... becoming a mother is amazing and wonderful, but I wonder how many male stars have had to give up their careers to become fathers?)

As for the book itself, I liked how it gave you lists of who each woman was influenced by and who they influenced, I liked that it referenced so many of the women's auto/biographies so that you could easily delve deeper into their lives if you so desired. Each woman was assigned 6-8 pages and I think that worked, giving you a quick overview of their careers and some other parts of their lives. I read the kindle edition and it had some problems - often words were randomly hyphenated, I assume because they ran over lines in the print version. A number of poignant sentences were repeated throughout the book, but the font didn't change - not even bolded or italicised - I found it a bit disconcerting and didn't get used to it!

Overall I am glad I read about these legends of rock, I look forward to hearing more from them from now on.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The author so eloquently describes the music and voice of each woman or group selected. I was totally unfamiliar with a few of the selections but absorbed much of the narrative from the woman who influenced my life in the sixties and seventies. I have a greater appreciation for all these women who are so much more talented than I had given them credit. Singers, songwriters, actors, musicians and culture influencers. I enjoyed reading about the people who influenced their music as well as those they inspired. I was also unaware of all the collaborations between and among these artists. I am amazed at their dedication to talent and profession. It must be so difficult to spend all the time touring after the grueling work of writing and recording the music and lyrics. Bravo to Meredith Ochs...………………………..

[Dominique King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice collection of essays covering artists from The early days of rock 'n' roll like Sister Rosetta Tharp and Big Mama Thornton through Hayley Williams and Brittany Howard...includes notes on those who influenced these women as they developed their own sound, and those upcoming artists that are benefiting from the women featured and their work. Some interesting notes on their personal lives, too...Exene Cervenka's second husband, Viggo Moetensen? for real??
Lke any such book, there are a few of my favorites that did not make the cut (Kate Pierson? Veruka Salt? Lesley Gore? Darlene Love? ...yea, some mentioned in passing, but not featured).
Fun book that I just ran across on the "new book" shelves at my local library. A quick read, which was nice after a few reads that were a little more obtuse or unsettling lately.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rented the ebook from my library on a whim; I'm now looking forward to picking up my own copy. It's a great sweep + very well-written (in that the tone of the language is matched to the topic, not just clear). The photos woven throughout the book were well-selected too, nice candids/snapshots of character.

*One note: I wonder about a claim made about St. Vincent's signature guitar, that she made the guitar slim in the middle to accentuate her own torso? I'll dig a little but I can't recall seeing anywhere that this was intended deliberately on her part (I'm only extra curious to see some sort of confirmation since I have read + watched interviews/reviews/drooled over the guitar myself, etc). I'd love to see the source for that + will add it here if I track it down.

[Einar Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Rock-and-Roll Woman: The 50 Fiercest Female Rockers because of its sympathetic portrayals of each musician and the musical context in which each performed or performs. I learned about familiar, favorite musicians such as Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, and Alanis Morissette, and encountered new voices among the written pages such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Wanda Jackson, and Brittany Howard. I also like the author’s suggestions about each artist’s or band’s deeper cuts beyond what is played on the radio. If I knew more about rock and its roots I’d probably argue about who didn’t make the list, but from my perch as a listener I am pleased with Meredith Och’s list.

[Gato Negro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent photography and a standard three page primer on each of the 50 women included.
Of course these are the 50 "fiercest" (subjective) according to the author, so some readers will argue that some of the best and most obvious were left out in favor of some of the more obscure but I really liked it and thought the author's formula for this book was quite well conceived.

[Don Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved learning about what the book considered "fringe" inclusions, but only giving each woman four pages and not including Johnette Napolatino, Dolores O'Riordan or Patsy Cline it was hard to take too seriously.

Nice read.

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not familiar with many of the artists, so I was intrigued to find out why they were selected. However, only about four pages are dedicated to each artist, which isn't enough. The amount of backstories, photographs, and album images vary by artist.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nicely written and a great range of rockers over the years.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book cover to cover. Even artists I don’t like! And I found more music to listen too. 😀

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to know some of these women. Have heard of most of them. Somewhat dull in information though.

[Anki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good selection of women in rock and roll history.

[Dorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rock N Roll Woman: The 50 Fiercest Female Rockers
by Meredith Ochs
2018
Stirling
5.0 / 5.0

The author, Meredith Ochs had a hard time settling on just 50 female rockers. As she notes in the introduction, is she included every female rockers she admired, this book would never be published. She picked 50 she thought were influential and inspiring, whose music was original in some way. She did a fantastic job, including a wide diversity of musicians as well as musical styles.
Each of the 50 rockers were given several full pages, includes a full page glossy photo with their birth name, birthday, birth place and also include a section called Deep Cuts. It's an awesome feature that lists the artists they were influenced by, artists that were influenced by them.
Well researched and formatted, this is a beautiful tribute to 50 female rockers that is innovative, interesting and inspiring.