Manhattan-born and bred, [Robsinson] remains a relatable, wised-up observer, never more so than when she reports on the women who have made it in pop, making her new book an indispensable document about the feminine journey through a man’s world ... Robinson’s rich archives have brimmed with celebrity pulp since the late 1960s, but her interactions with female artists are where she mines gold ... Clearly, Robinson can be more than just a reporter in those moments when her subjects reflect on their lives ... her ability to ride along and humanize her subjects without prying for gory details is less a technique than a measure of sisterhood and good faith. That’s a rarity in pop rock journalism, and Robinson is a rare resource.
... part music history, part social history and no part minced words ... Robinson is attuned to the different expectations placed on women ... Robinson supplements her interview snippets and blunt opinions with choice autobiographical asides ... She's measured about whether, back in the day, she was remiss in not writing about the exploitation of groupies by rock stars, but she's unequivocal when the music business disappoints her, as it did when it produced what she clearly sees as the twin evils of Madonna and MTV ... there are many more female rock journalists out there now, although it's hard to imagine one as winningly blunt, unpretentious and on-target as Robinson.
... a well-intentioned but slapdash attempt to give equal time to women in popular music. Even the title is defensive — maybe no one asked her, but the girls were certainly there ... Robinson says she’s done over 1,000 interviews with women, and this slim volume can’t possibly do justice to the voices she taped over the years. Instead of the long, funny, carefully observed profiles in There Goes Gravity, we get brief sound bites from women she has interviewed ... Only three chapters, including one on business, suggest these women might be serious artists. Throughout, there’s an unappealing emphasis on physical appearance ... Instead of insights, we get banal observations ... Too bad Lisa Robinson didn’t focus more on how women are shaping music’s future, rather than sifting through the ashes of the past.
What emerges is not a detailed profile of any one woman, though certain women are referenced several times, but rather a collective portrait of how women have navigated the music industry ... Robinson is uniquely situated to write this book ... Robinson herself, like the best critics, emerges as a strong and likable figure with a clear point of view ... Whether you are tuned in to the history of rock or a casual fan, this book has something to offer. The quotes Robinson has gathered over the years are surprising and intimate, bringing figures like Lady Gaga, Alanis Morrisette and Bette Midler to life. Though no one may have asked Robinson about 'the girls,' this reader is glad she found space to write about them anyway.
An intriguing (and occasionally snarky) look at the lives, loves, and off-stage personas of well-known women soloists and band members. With the increased visibility of women in entertainment generally, and music specifically, this title will find an audience in most libraries.
In this fascinating, opinionated, and often insightful look back at her career, Robinson reflects on the deep-seated misogyny, sexism, and ageism in the music industry ... It’s shocking to learn how many famous women were raped or beaten ... It’s not all bleak, though. Robinson finds hope in the #MeToo movement and other cultural shifts.
... passionate, insightful essays ... The blocks of interview quotes sometimes overwhelm the narrative, but Robinson keeps things moving with her sharp takes and witty asides ... This entertaining highlight reel of music interviews crackles with energy.
The premise of the book—that nobody has been interested in stories of stars like Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Beyoncé, Rihanna, or Courtney Love until now—lacks evidence-based support and fails to justify this stitched-together jumble of retreads and outtakes ... Even the stars Robinson admires don’t come off well in these pages ... One might conclude that decades-old gossip isn't that interesting, but Ben Widdicombe's recent stylishly written memoir, Gatecrasher, suggests that isn't the problem ... For devoted Robinson fans only.
