Review – Sam Marzden’s History of Rock’n’Roll (1962-1989)

Sam Marzden likes his rock big and stupid, but he likes it with some edge. And with his History of Rock’n’Roll (1962-1989) he gives us no less. From the illicit excesses of Keith Moon to the scatological horror that was GG Allin (do not Google him), Sam lists and ranks the best and worst moments in rock history.

This sort of show can easily go bad in the hands of an enthusiast who can’t tell the difference between mundane trivia and the shocking, weird, stupefying and libellous. Fortunately, History of Rock’n’Roll keeps a sharp focus and there isn’t a scrap of tedium to be found in its fifty minutes. Sam Marzden has a confident stage presence, an authoritative command of his topic, a knack for improvisation and an eye for the entertaining anecdote.