Never a Dull Moment

"[An] expansive overview of the high-water mark of rock's album-oriented maturity . . . [Hepworth is] sharp and zingy . . . his mix of garrulousness and dry wit makes Never a Dull Moment a zip to read."—NPR

“[Never a Dull Moment is] laced with a wisdom gathered over many years as a journalist and industry insider, and with an enthusiasm for the music and an understanding of the economics driving the evolution of popular culture…a highly readable reassessment and a convincing argument for the importance of a year in which the culture of rock began to be aware that it was living out its good old days."—The New Statesman

“Hepworth brings rare perspicacity into the business machinations of the era, whose movers and shakers were, as he points out, often from a previous, less starry-eyed generation . . . Never a Dull Moment lives up to its title.”—The Guardian (UK)

“One of the many strengths of Hepworth’s book is that it combines both perspectives: emphasising how much a part of 21st-century life these albums remain, while also reminding us that, back when they were made, what most people took for granted was pop’s lack of a shelf life . . . Near the beginning of this richly enjoyable book, Hepworth argues that 1971 saw the pop era giving way to rock. Even so, his own approach is much more like the best pop: never taking itself too seriously, essentially out to entertain but also an awful lot smarter than its absence of solemnity might lead you to think.”—The Spectator (UK)

“Cleverly crafted chapters form a glittery, boisterous month-by-month calendar of the ‘annus mirabilis . . . the busiest, most creative, most innovative, most interesting, and longest-resounding year’ of an era that produced music we are still listening to.”—Elle Magazine

“[An] entertaining exploration of the year in music that was 1971 . . . [Hepworth] painstakingly recounts the album releases, Top of the Pops performances, and endless touring dates that defined the year . . . [His] chronicle of the year is loaded with gossipy anecdotes, adroit criticism, and earnest affection for the musicians, record executives, and technicians who defined it. An exuberant tour through a pivotal year in the development of popular music and culture.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Fascinating cultural history . . . Vivid, irreverent prose and analytic insight distinguish the book from the legion of Boomer nostalgia titles. Alongside the requisite gossip, Hepworth's magisterial overview notes the exploitation of nostalgia, the rise of the singer/songwriter, the elevation of rock stars into louche aristocrats, and the transformation of FM radio to an album-oriented rock format. Hepworth also details the openness of record labels to new talent and experimental recording techniques that laid the groundwork for punk, indie, and electronica.”—Publishers Weekly