'The Secret History Of Rock 'N' Roll' Book Available

Is rock 'n' roll a modern phenomenon or simply the most recent incarnation of an artform whose roots can be traced back to the Stone Age? Did the ancient world have its own rock stars, its own guitar heroes, even its own heavy metal headbangers?

Some sociologists saw the birth of a new religion when THE BEATLES filled giant outdoor stadiums with tens of thousands of hysterical teenagers. But was it really anything new? The ancient world had its own rock 'n' roll: the Mystery cults of Egypt, Greece and Rome. All of the trappings of rock 'n’ roll were in place — sex, drugs, makeup, wild costumes, even light shows. Ancient divas were worshipped as the "harem of the gods." Some of the greatest stars would even become gods themselves.

"The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll: The Mysterious Roots of Modern Music" explores the hidden history of a culture that kicked off a revolution in 20th Century America. It reveals how the Mysteries spread to the furthest corners of the Old World and were eventually reborn on the plantations of the New World after a thousand-year exile. "The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll" traces the development of rock's most popular genres such as punk and heavy metal and shows how many of rock's most legendary artists like Jim Morrison, Tina Turner and David Bowie tapped into the sacred archetypes of the ancient world. It will change the way you think about rock ‘n’ roll forever.

About the author: Christopher Knowles is the author of the Eagle Award-winning book "Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes, Clash City Showdown: The Music, Meaning and Legacy of the Clash", and co-author of "The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies". He was an associate editor and columnist for the five-time Eisner Award-winning Comic Book Artist magazine, as well as a writer and reviewer for the U.K. monthly Classic Rock. Knowles writes about pop culture on his Secret Sun and Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll blogs. He lives with his family in New Jersey.