Janis Lyn Joplin’s journey from a middle-class girl in the conservative city of Port Arthur, Texas to the very embodiment of the 60s counterculture is wonderfully well chronicled by seasoned biographer Holly George-Warren. As a youngster, Joplin was bullied for being different to the other girls, but as she got older those differences were celebrated, especially in San Francisco, where she was adopted as the city’s unofficial queen.
Joplin’s vocal talent was extraordinary, and she is heralded as one of the most impassioned vocalists in the history of rock ’n’ roll.
She is also remembered for the uncompromising way she lived her life (Janis was photographed so often with a bottle of Southern Comfort in her hand that the company bought her a fur coat as a reward). Based on unprecedented access to Janis’ family, friends, lovers, former bandmates and personal archives, George-Warren has gone a long way towards making her version of the Janis Joplin story as close to definitive as she can possibly get it.
9/10
Gary Tipp