Book Signings

Author Derek Shelmerdine‘s events for signing copies of his book Rock’n’Roll Unravelled. Previous book signings and events in the diary…

Through its unique three-part structure, Rock’n’Roll Unravelled tells the story of rock’n’roll from its roots through to mid-1970s punk. Not just the music but also the social events which influenced it, such as the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights struggle.

UPCOMING BOOK SIGNINGS
21 October: Harrogate Record Fair

PREVIOUS BOOK SIGNINGS

2023

21 October: Harrogate Record Fair
3 June: Harrogate Record Fair
18 February: Harrogate Record Fair

2022

3 December: Harrogate Record Fair
3 September: Harrogate Record Fair
30 April: Murphy’s Distillery – Liverpool

2021

none

2020

8 February: Leeds Record Fair

2019 – Book signings

Leeds Record Fair

14 December: Leeds Record Fair
9 November: Leeds Record Fair
12 October: Leeds Record Fair
14 September: Leeds Record Fair
10 August: Leeds Record Fair
13 July: Leeds Record Fair
8 June: Leeds Record Fair
11 May: Leeds Record Fair
13 April: Leeds Record Fair
28 March: Leeds University Union
9 February: Leeds Record Fair

2018

21 December: The Bookshop – East Grinstead
8 December: Leeds Record Fair
17 November: Durham Record Fair
11 November: Skipton Record Fair
10 November: Leeds Record Fair
13 October: Leeds Record Fair
30 September: Skipton Record Fair
8 September: Leeds Record Fair
11 August: Leeds Record Fair
14 July: Leeds Record Fair
9 June: Leeds Record Fair
12 May: Leeds Record Fair
14 April: Leeds Record Fair

TO BUY Rock’n’Roll Unravelled

About Rock’n’Roll Unravelled

Rock’n’Roll Unravelled tells the story of rock’n’roll from its roots in gospel, blues, R&B, jazz, folk, rockabilly and country music, up until it turned full circle with punk rock in the mid-1970s. Punk emerged and took the music back to simple songs, played by non-virtuoso musicians in small, intimate venues.

As well as the stories of the artists and bands, Rock’n’Roll Unravelled looks at the external events that influenced the music, such as the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights struggle and the Cold War, and much, much more.

Rock’n’Roll emerged in the mid-1950s and continued to develop across the 1960s and ’70s. By the mid-1970s not all of rock’n’roll’s diversity was welcomed by the fans. Prog-rock bands were turning out albums with a single track taking up a whole side and delivering live guitar solos that went on for twenty minutes or more. Major corporations were taking over the industry and popular bands were playing in bigger and bigger venues. This all combined to herald rock’n’roll’s counter-revolution – punk rock.

The Sex Pistols were the poster boys for the genre and epitomised punk’s cynical and anarchic philosophy. Hence, their last concert is taken as my end-point for introducing new artists into Rock’n’Roll Unravelled. Events are listed after that date but only for people and bands that were active before the Pistols’ swan song on 14 January 1978. In fact, in true Sex Pistols style, at the end of the set singer Johnny Rotten had a message for his final audience. His parting comment, “Ha, ha, ha – ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? Goodnight?”

Book Signings