By Jessica Hopper
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Published June 2009 (Paperback) Workman Publishing
I can’t even sing Happy Birthday in public, so I have no idea what attracted me to The Girls’ Guide to Rocking: How to Start a Band, Book Gigs, and Get Rolling to Rock Stardom.
If you’ve got stars in your eyes, no matter what your age, this book by Jessica Hopper covers every possible aspect – from how to buy good used musical instruments, to how to pick a name and what names to avoid, to female solo artists you should check out on YouTube. There are inspiring quotes — actually, the whole book is inspiring. Chrissie Hynde says “The only thing you have to learn to be a rock singer is to just sound like yourself.”
Writing lyrics? Advice for that, too. I’m a writer, not a singer, but I’ve found that every time I take a bath, I sing, and the instantly-created lyrics seem to work. Hey, the worst you get with a tip like that is clean. I’m not the expert here, just curious. Jessica Hopper talks practicing, recording, booking shows. She’s been in bands since she was fifteen.
When I was fifteen, my mom was telling me she hated my voice, so singing was really out of the question. It took years for me to speak up — that was a message I got from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright while interviewing her — for women to speak up. As for singing out, I’ve tentatively sung a few bars now and then — while illustrating my conversational points in the company of friends — and I’ve been stunned when they have said I have a pretty voice. Really. Now, I’m curious.
That’s what inspired me to read The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, and since the book is all-positive, rock out!
