A Rocket in My Pocket: The Hipster's Guide to Rockabilly Music

Rockabilly had its roots in country, blues, folk, hillbilly, R&B, boogie-woogie and most other indigenous Deep South forms of popular song that you could strum three chords along to or howl down a cheap microphone. It was young people's music, made almost entirely by the first wave of teenagers, despised by adults in general and the country music establishment in particular. Its pioneer exponent, Elvis, eventually become respectable in the eyes of straight society but he was the exception. 1950s rockabilly was a spontaneous outburst of spirited three-chord songs, tiny record labels, primitive studios, fiercely partisan audiences and wild-eyed, driven performers who weren't even sure that their musical careers would last the week. The book charts the rise (and fall) of the original 50s wave of rockabillies. It will also follow the progress of the music, in clubs, on radio, TV and film, pinpointing the key record labels and important regional centres, showing how fashions eventually changed and left rockabilly high and dry, far too wild and primitive in an era of smoother sounds. Décharné traces the music to its Memphis roots.

About the Author :
Max Décharné is a writer and musician. He has written about music regularly for Mojo magazine since 1998, where he is their chief authority on the subject of rockabilly music, which he has followed and played since the 1970s. His work has also appeared in the Sunday Times Colour Magazine, the TLS and Bizarre, among others. He is the author of six books, the most recent of which, King's Road - The Rise & Fall of the Hippest Street in the World, was published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in November 2005.

Review :
A read as rip-roaring and exciting as the records and singers he eulogises. -- Lois Wilson Mojo The definitive book on rockabilly... tells you all you need to know -- Andrew Weatherall BBC 6 Music If Rocket in My Pocket doesn't make you want to go out, get drunk, listen to Charlie Feathers and get into a fight, then you have no soul. -- Janine and Lee Bullman Loud and Quiet An immaculately researched and evangelically passionate tome... a pretty much definitive guide to this short-lived but sprawling genre. -- Andrzej Lukowski Metro This is a great book... the most concise history of all things rockabilly that I've come across so far... informative and objective... Decharne writes well and has a great turn of phrase... a well-written and much-needed book. -- Trevor Cajiao Now Dig This Magisterial -- Peter Curran BBC Radio 4 Loose Ends Decharne sets down his case with liveliness and enthusiasm... There's no doubt that his passion for and knowledge of his subject are impressive, but his memories of the scene are priceless and worth a book on their own. -- Gerry Ranson Rock'n'Reel