Turn! Turn! Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution

by Richie Unterberger

Setting the scene with America's traditional folk of the early '60s, this book describes the sea of change that began in 1964 when the social consciousness of folk met the energy of rock. It concentrates on 1964-66, when the best, most popular, and most controversial folk-rock was created. The book explores the dizzyingly fast cross-fertilization of such giants as The Beatles, The Byrds, and Dylan; the passionate conflicts between folk devotees and folk-rockers; the sudden frenzy of the media; and the unforgettable music that was born. Turn! Turn! Turn! also examines how folk-rock continued to influence late '60s psychedelic rock, country-rock and the British scene, as well as its gradual, partial transformation into the singer-songwriter movement. Based on first-hand interviews with such visionaries as Roger McGuinn, Judy Collins, Donovan, John Sebastian, Arlo Guthrie, Janis Ian and dozens of others.

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction, Rock N Roll

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

About the author

Richie Unterberger's book "The Unreleased Beatles: Music and Film" details the incredible wealth of music the Beatles recorded that they did not release, as well as musical footage of the group that hasn't been made commercially available. His other books include "Unknown Legends of Rock'n'Roll," the two-volume 1960s folk-rock history "Turn! Turn! Turn!"/"Eight Miles High," and "The Rough Guide to Shopping with a Conscience." He's also a frequent contributor to the All Music Guide and MOJO magazine, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area."

Reviews

[Eclectic Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm impressed with the amount of historical research that went into this book. Unterberger's book is a concise summary of the folk rock era.

[John Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Well-written, thoroughly researched, packed w/ information about the whole scene. Definitely has me listening to plenty of folk-rock, and I have already ordered the sequel 8 Miles High.

[Matthew G. Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book about rock ,it's development through folk strands,it's maturing,yet youthful bursts of political and social energy. Without which we wouldn't have a clue today.

[Trace Reddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent historical, cultural, biographical, and at times critical treatment of the genesis and initial flourishing of '60's folk-rock. The density of the book's content is amplified by the density of the font, which literally packs a lot of text into a line and on a page, making the book feel like slow-going at times and much longer than 320 pages. But Unterberger is a wonderful writer, with a great command of and love for his subject matter. I enjoyed revisiting stories I've heard and read many times before by others, as well as getting introduced to musicians who'd only been on the periphery of my attention before, as well as several I'd never heard of or listened to. Great read, highly recommended, and I'm already well into the "Eight Miles High" follow-up, which is even better than this volume!

[Dan Steere · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides a comprehensive review and discussion of the merger of folk and rock music. As someone who lives through that time, it was an interesting opportunity to revisit those events and the strong opinions and controversies that arose. I found the sections on the Byrds to be the most interesting, but then again I always loved that music. My major recommendation for this book would be to include section headings throughout each chapter. Without appendices, the book is 267 pages long and divided into only six chapters. So, chapters are long and can seem rambling at times; subsections with headings would help.

[Peter Klein]

Very academic writing style.

Good information about a lot of the singers I listened to in the 60s.

[James Spina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So it's not all about downloading and iTunes and mytunes and tune-me-out. Music is about an evolution of styles and a revolution of popular culture that seems to have come to a grinding Tech-No-Cultural halt. I weep for the new generation, dead to witnessing a phenom like that evolution of folk rock in the early 60s. A few choice folkies started listening to Brit invasion beat bands and realizing there was a world of electricitry and four part harmony out there. Dylan donned a strat and Roger McGuinn divvied up the harmonies to byrd band mates Clark, Hillman, Crosby and Clark. The sound was ether-real and soon said beats (as in Beatles) were recopping the Byrds. Dylan growled and gained legendary status. Music turned and turned and turned and for a few fab minutes folk rock reigned.
This book leads you down that path. Follow it. I'm looking forward to his followup of Eight Miles High.

[Crowey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable "prequel" to 8 Miles High, this book traverses the beginning of the folk-rock era - particularly around 1964-65. Shows how the Byrds, channeling Dylan were the premier folk-rock band, but more importantly, the book goes into great detail showing that they were far from the only ones and that it went much wider and further than certainly I realised. Well worth the effort, and would be very much in place in any decent music historian's library

[Garrett Cash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unterberger's well-researched work on the monumentally important folk rock boom of the mid-60's may be a bit dense as a cover to cover read, but it is an excellent history of a complicated genre that fans shouldn't miss out on.

[Ed Wagemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really think Richie Unterberger did a job on this 1st of 2 books on 1960s' folk-rock. Well-written, balanced, intelligent, critical but enthusiastic -- his whole tome tells the story from Greenwich Village/The Beatles all the way to 1969 Woodstock Festival.

[Donald]

deals with folk rock and the many bands under its banner