A Rocket in my Pocket is the story of rockabilly music, the primal 50s
howl of rockin' rage that helped start it all. 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.
Max Décharné has previously written "Straight from the fridge, Dad" and other books.
Pre-order the book A Rocket in My Pocket: The Hipster's Guide to Rockabilly Music from Amazon