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Scars Of Sweet Paradise

The Life and Times of Janis Joplin
  • Author
    • Alice Echols
Format
Regular price £12.99
Regular price Sale price £12.99
The undisputed queen of sex, drugs and rock n' roll was also the voice of a generation who, when she overdosed on heroin at the age of twenty-seven in October 1970; became the posthumous icon of bad girl femininity for millions around the world.
Drawing on hundreds of interviews Echols renders Joplin in all her complexity, revealing how this sweet-voiced girl from Texas recreated herself, first as a gravely-voiced bluesy folksinger, and then as rock n' roll's first female superstar. Echols examines the roots of her musicianship and her efforts to probe the outer limits of life; declaring herself the first white-black person and pursuing sex with men and women alike.
Moving from the electric ballrooms of San Francisco to the mud-soaked fields of Woodstock, Joplin's story is also a chronicle of the revolutions of the sixties - a generation's experiment with high-risk living and the exacting price they ultimately paid for this. Written in a captivating novel-like style this is a deeply affecting biography of one of America's most talented, tormented and enduring stars.

Not available for shipping to the following countries:

  • ASM
  • CAN
  • GUM
  • MNP
  • UMI
  • FSM
  • MHL
  • PHL
  • PRI
  • USA
  • VIR
  • Published: Jun 07 2001
  • Pages: 432
  • 198 x 126mm
  • ISBN: 9781860497292
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Press Reviews

  • Joan Osborne
    Finally a biography that doesn't downplay Janis's intelligence and deep knowledge of traditional American music ... how refreshing
  • JON WIENER, author of COME TOGETHER: JOHN LENNON AND HIS TIME
    Fascinating and insightful ... Alice Echols analyzes Joplin's place in the sixties with skill and brings her rebellion and pain vividly to life
  • IRISH TIMES
    Forget everything you've ever read, heard or seen about Janis Joplin- Alice Echold has wirtten the definitve account of rock's first female superstar... enjoy it.
  • THE TIMES
    After reading this, the next time you hear the raw, emotional pain in Janis Joplin's voice, you will understand where it all comes from.