| Comments |
Foreword by Steven Soderbergh
Description:
Guided by Voices, the most influential and devoutly followed indie-rock band of the last decade, is examined in the very first officially authorized band biography by an insider and former Spin magazine editor.
Guided by Voices was one of the most popular indie-rock bands of the 1990s and critics internationally lauded the band�s brain trust, Robert Pollard, as a once-in-a-generation artist. Says Rolling Stone, "Songwriters who are lucky enough to come up with ten great melodies in their lifetime must hate Robert Pollard, who . . . does effortlessly what the rest of his brethren pursue to the point of frustration." "Pollard is this millennium�s William Shakespeare: just as prolific, poetic, and powerful," says the Austin American-Statesman, and Entertainment Weekly raves, "Robert Pollard writes the best melodies around, and his lyrics are consistently breathtaking in their surrealistic beauty."
Guided by Voices is Robert Pollard (along with a shifting lineup of coconspirators). GbV, as they�re known to their legion of fans, has been lauded by The Times (London) as "one of the greatest bands in the history of the world ever." Pollard has been compared by The New York Times to Mozart, Rossini, and Paul McCartney (in the same sentence) and everyone from P. J. Harvey, Radiohead, R.E.M., the Strokes, and U2 has sung his praises and cited his music as an influence. But it all started rather prosaically when Pollard, a fourth-grade teacher in his early thirties from Dayton, Ohio, began recording songs with drinking buddies in his basement.
James Greer, an acclaimed music writer, enjoys a unique advantage in having played in the band for two years. This personal connection grants him unparalleled insight and complete access to the workings of Pollard�s muse.
|
|
