B-side: A Flipsided History of Pop

First off, I can't believe no-one has done this before. So it's an idea that is well overdue, and needed to be nailed first time. Happily, Cowan has done exactly that. We've all got favourite B-sides, and most of us know some of those that should have been A-sides. But this book takes us really deep down this particular rabbit hole.For every B-side you've heard of, there's 5 you haven't. This had me scrambling to Spotify and then to Youtube to search some of them out, such is the strength of the case Cowan makes for them. It's a true music enthusiast's book, that stretches from Public Enemy to The Smiths all the way to artists you've never heard of. If I had to choose a favourite feature of this dip-in, dip-out book, it would be the great B-sides that we've come to take for granted, which were actually just a chance for the producers and group to experiment, often with the label's disapproval. A gem.

I thought I knew a lot about pop music until I read this book.Recommended by a workmate, it’s a wonderful trawl through some of the greatest B-sides of all time. There’s a few that I already, but many, many more I had missed. Packed with great facts, each entry is written in a light and chatty style. I rushed through it in a couple of nights but you can just as easily dip in and out when you feel like it.The book includes a link to YouTube playlists, so you can listen along as you read. A great bonus. I will be recommending to all my music-loving friends.Thanks Andy C

Well , here it is , the book I didn’t know I needed !This wonderful effort is here to shine a light on the B Side , those lesser known and under-valued gems that artists have in their back catalogue , tucked away on the flip side of the 7 or 12” , included as a bonus track on the CD single etc .It’s a brilliant read , putting each track into perspective , giving you a bit of info on the artists and , most importantly of course , highlighting some absolutely wonderful tracks which you may have missed .There’s much to take in here and I’ll be digging into it , while discovering new favourite tracks and listening online of course , for a long time yet I predict .Highly recommended .

I really fancied the idea behind this book. As an avid music fan since the late 60s, I'm always keen to read other people's views, and learn from their knowledge. Sadly, this book didn't live up to my hopes for it.The inescapable impression I get from reading this is that Cowan isn't writing to tell us what he knows about these song and artists; rather he's writing to let us know what he's found out about them, when researching the book.There is little personal in the writing, instead a constant stream of facts, some well known, some more obscure, many pretty banal, presented in a rather convoluted and affected prose style.I've got no problem with the selection of b-sides. Everyone would have chosen different tracks, and these are the ones Cowan has decided to go with (whether or not he chose them himself). I would rather have read a book like this written by a better writer, with more obvious knowledge/experience of his subject matter; a labour of love if you like, rather than a bland exhibition of Cowan's wiki-fact-gathering skills.Could have been so much better; a good idea, poorly executed.

Fantastic book, fun and informative. Some epic tracks in here I’d forgotten about, adding to my playlist now. Great to know the stories behind the songs too. Going to pass this on to my dad who collects 45’s/vinyls, he will love it. Bring the B-sides back!