The Guardian's music coverage, thanks to writers like Richard Williams and Robin Denselow, has always been both distinguished and innovative. But in recent years its coverage, liberated by a separate section every Friday, has set new standards for brilliant, quirky music journalism, from profiles to travelogues, incendiary reviews to pensive columns. Now the very best of the Guardian's rock 'n' roll writing is collected into a scintillating anthology. Here is Dave Simpson on all the people who've been in the Fall; an opera cast and a heavy metal band going on each other's tours; Dorian Lynskey meeting psychedelic pioneer Roky Erikson, Geraldine Bedell trying to make sense of Ozzy Osbourne, and Simon Hattenstone discovering the gourmet cooking served up to Status Quo on the road. Tim de Lisle ponders the demise of the gig ticket, and Nick Kent meets the Killers There are fascinating archive news reports on the original Isle of Wight pop festival and the death of Elvis Presley, and great pieces from top writers like John Harris, Laura Barton, Caroline Sullivan and Alexis Petridis. Michael Hann is Film and Music Editor at the Guardian.