Rock music has been the principal outlet of youth rebellion for more
than half a century, and though rock rebels have been idolized and
profiled extensively, their humor has not been at the center of
attention. In Rebels Wit Attitude, music writer Iain Ellis throws a
spotlight on the history of humor in rock music, and its use as a weapon
of anti-establishment rebellion. The performers who are the subjects of
Ellis' study are not merely musicians or comedians--they are artists
whose works exude defiance and resistance. Discussing the work of iconic
figures as diverse as Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, the Beastie
Boys, and Madonna, Ellis reveals how issues of politics, ethics, race,
and gender, among others, have energized their expressions of rock (and)
humor. Rebels Wit Attitude is an entertaining look at some of the
greatest rebels in American rock culture and a fascinating history of
humor and dissent.