Whilst the Mitchell/French debate is well and good, and French missing the whole point and Mitchell spot-on-the-nail, they are not telling you what an exempliary book this is.
Pete Frame had this brilliant idea of mapping out how and where and with whom in the line-ups from the year dot to the then present day of just about every band worth their salt in the style of The Family Tree. And the fans loved it, and still do, despite the 'Trees' now being somewhat out-of-date; (so what was Pete supposed to do, spend his life updating them? Then everyone would be moaning about the never-ending re-publications of this book - ya can't please everyone!)
At the time, we rock fans idolised and adored Pete's superb caligraphic swirls of the Rotring pen, and those of us who have the nonce (like Mr. Mitchell but not Mrs. French), and who can see the wood for the trees, thoroughly enjoy these fine 'Histories Of The Rock Bands In A Totally Unique Format' for what they are; and in their day were very informative, historic, interesting, and indeed, many of the facts Pete pulled out by interviewing the individual members of each of the band's concerned, were previously unknow to the fans of the bands or artistes concerned. Yes, Pete Frame placed something extremely valid on the music scene with his 'Rock Family Trees,' and will be remembered for this fabulous tome for quite some millennia into the future, out-of-date as it most certainly is.