stanley booth's 'true adventures' is definitely the best stones book, but i read any of them i could get my hands on when i was 19. bill wyman's book is dry as dust; he even manages to make banging groupies sound boring. tony sanchez's book is trashy fun. a. e. hotchner's oral history 'blown away' is a pretty half-assed book but it does have some great interviews with ian stewart and marianne faithfull -- worth skipping around in, at least.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 23:55 (1 year ago) Permalink
Jah Wobble - Memoirs Of A Geezer (2009)
Have tried to start this twice and run aground both times. Needs more of a ghost-writer, maybe, but I'm hoping it'll pick up once he joins some bands.
Andrew Loog Oldham - Stoned (2000)
This is a delight, he has such fun writing in a snotty up-himself persona ahead of accuracy or objectivity, and all for the better. As noted upthread, they allow enough dissenting views from contemporaries to allay the qualms of fact-sticklers and to add to the amusement by undercutting Oldham's grandiosity.
2Stoned feels very different, as he relates a decade or so of trying to let that persona carry him in the real world when he doesn't actually have anything going on to justify it. Still a good read, but there's almost certainly not enough activity in the rest of his life to warrant a third book.
Oh, and The Fallen about all the ex-members of The Fall is pretty good in a few places, but really should have been a blog as there's not enough meat to make a full book...
It was expanded from a weekend newspaper article.
― all cats are gay (sic), Thursday, 2 June 2011 01:59 (1 year ago) Permalink
xpost It's a tough call with Keith. On one hand I believe him when he says he uses no effects, etc. On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if he was so far past the point of pawning that stuff off to underlings that he really believes he uses no effects. Like Neil Young and "Old Black," which has been repaired or replaces several times, as best as his tech can manage.
Anyone read Bob Mould's book? Is it out yet?
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 2 June 2011 02:18 (1 year ago) Permalink
Steven Tyler's new autobiography sounds kinda lol/kinda amazing:
So it’s oddly touching that despite everything, through all the chaos, Tyler’s ego remains unkillable. “I wanted dreamy nubile girls to listen to my voice and cry,” he muses. “A thousand years after my death I fantasized that there’d be people in the outer galaxies listening to ‘Dream On’ and saying in hushed tones, ‘It’s him, the strange Immortal One!’ ” If the love of his life is his own voice, nobody can say the man hasn’t been faithful.
― rob, Monday, 27 June 2011 16:56 (1 year ago) Permalink
just flipping through it at the boookstore, i could see that steven likes USING CAPS FOR EMPHASIS! which is always a good thing.
― tylerw, Monday, 27 June 2011 16:58 (1 year ago) Permalink
― henry s, Monday, 27 June 2011 17:03 (1 year ago) Permalink
that is a great book! what happened to bob greene? did he get horrible?
anyone read the new neil strauss collection of interviews? I need a good long airplane book next week
― brio, Monday, 27 June 2011 17:36 (1 year ago) Permalink
I need that alice cooper book.
― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Monday, 27 June 2011 20:34 (1 year ago) Permalink
In the interviews in the Bob Greene book, Alice clearly has his sights set well beyond the band, forseeing a future in acting, producing musicals, etc. He, of course, did go Hollywood, but it's odd to think that he's done everything in Tinseltown (hung out with Groucho & Helen Hayes, raised funds for the Hollywood sign, Tonight show/Hollywood Squares appearances, etc.) except appear in films (cameos in Sgt. Pepper and Roadie aside). I always thought he would have been a great Harry Dean Stanton-esque character actor, if nothing else.
― henry s, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 01:35 (1 year ago) Permalink
One of the most famous journalists in the country who turned into a scumbag and was brought down a few years by scandal growing out of his seducing and screwing an underage girl. When it broke, the woman was much older. She had written about the affair to Greene's newspaper because she had contacted him and he had, in return, sicced the FBI on her on unfounded blackmail charges. He resigned from the Chicago Tribune and since then his career has been over.
There's a long story in Chicago Mag here with all the details:
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/March-2003/The-Sad-Saga-of-Bob-Greene/index.php?cparticle=8&siarticle=7#artanc
He made a small fortune in journalism.
― Gorge, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 02:11 (1 year ago) Permalink
Been reading the Barry Miles McCartney interview/autobio "Many Years From Now". Once Macca gets into talking about the Swinging part of the Sixties it turns fun.
― Vendo Caramelos A Veces Sin Dinero (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 02:22 (1 year ago) Permalink
Of course, there's the annoying " That (Famous Beatles Song) was John's song. He did it all. I mean, I might've done something on the bridge or verses..." on just about EVERY song whose sole author he didn't claim to be.
― Vendo Caramelos A Veces Sin Dinero (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 02:25 (1 year ago) Permalink
Just finished the latest Led Zep bio--it's excellent, especially if all you knew before was Hammer of the Gods― Iago Galdston, Tuesday, May 31, 2011 8:22 PM (10 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Iago Galdston, Tuesday, May 31, 2011 8:22 PM (10 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
There are so many Zeppelin bios. Which one was this? Wh
― fruitsbs (beachville), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 11:44 (1 year ago) Permalink
Almost certainly When Giants Walked The Earth by Mick Wall.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:04 (1 year ago) Permalink
David Buckley's Strange Fascination, boasting thorough interviews with Nile Rodgers, Carlos Alomar, Visconti, and every Bowie principal, trumps any published subsequently.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:06 (1 year ago) Permalink
I've only read one Pink Floyd bio, Pigs Might Fly by Mark Blake, which is great – feels like the definitive history of the band.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:08 (1 year ago) Permalink
Which notable bands/artists have not had their biography written? I've always had the feeling that publishers might be willing to take a punt on rock bios, they seem like relatively easy sells to me. Of course writing them would be much harder.
For example, there should really be a Swans book.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:41 (1 year ago) Permalink
Get in the Van
― Lap loth, Sunday, September 5, 2004 2:44 PM (7 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
NO WAY get in the van rules!!!! #theshed
― l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:05 (1 year ago) Permalink
I found Keith Richards' book fairly disappointing, much to my surprise.
Just read Stevie Chick's book on Black Flag, and loved it. Great job, Stevie!
Bob Mould's autobiography was really gross and self-serving. Would not recommend.
― Poliopolice, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:47 (1 year ago) Permalink
I read a new book on Paul Simon, and it was really fucking bad. Can't remember the author right now.
― Poliopolice, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 18:02 (1 year ago) Permalink
some pretty lousy Kurt Cobain ones out there iirc
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 22:10 (1 year ago) Permalink
A ton of them came out in 1994 to capitalize on his death. Those definitely sucked shit.
By the way, if anyone's curious how gross Bob Mould's autobiography is, there's a few pages devoted to the very specific finances of his production royalties on Husker Du's two Warner Brothers records, and how due to a legal settlement, Greg Norton received a portion of that money, when IT WAS BOB MOULD WHO TRULY DESERVED THAT $11,551
― Poliopolice, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 01:07 (1 year ago) Permalink
eesh, sounds reallllly entertaining. get in the van is great, for real. still need to read that black flag bio stevie wrote. i've been re-reading a bunch of joe carducci stuff lately, so i'm in the mood. also want to read kristin hersh's recent bio. sort of thought it would show up at my local library, but i guess i'll have to buy it. mentioned on a james brown thread but the new bio, the one, is really good so far.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 01:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
It's not a bio but I'm halfway through Making Rumours, Ken Caillat's new memoir of the making of Rumours. It will be way too light on the dirt for most readers, I think (though there is dirt). But he is very thorough about describing just about everything they did in the studio to make the record.
― til the sound of my voice will haint u (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 16:16 (1 year ago) Permalink
that sounds pretty dope actually. lots of rock bios are light on production, unless it involves snorting coke off a mixing board.
― fruitsbs (beachville), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 16:23 (1 year ago) Permalink
Haven't seen any mention of John Einarson who's done some pretty great ones notably the Arthur Lee Forever Changes co-write of his posthumous.ly released memoirs. Also the Mr Tambourine Man Gene Clark one I'm currently reading. I read his Buffalo Springfield one a couple of years back and enjoyed that too.
Jefrey Lee pierce's Go Tell the Mountain is entertaining but not necessarily reliable.
enjoyed Long Strange Trip and Searching For the Sound on the Grateful Dead too.
Rick Brown & Mike Stax's Like, Misunderstood was an interesting read though it spends much more time on his life in India post draft-dodging than on the band. the 3 part history of the band in the Ugly Things mag is very good too.
think I'll think of others later
― Stevolende, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 16:57 (1 year ago) Permalink
oh cool, that arthur lee thing is good? will have to seek it out.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 17:05 (1 year ago) Permalink
Think it was one of the better books I've read. Really fills in a lot of details. Einarson's expansion helps matters greatly.
They were a band with a lot of rumours circulating and not much published on. So reading this was marvellous.
Wish I'd picked up the Castle compilation I saw in I think Dublin Tower years ago though it could have been London somewhere. & I think it was a compilation not just an issue. Seemed large booksize.
― Stevolende, Thursday, 26 April 2012 16:12 (1 year ago) Permalink
Almost certainly When Giants Walked The Earth by Mick Wall.― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Yup...that's the one.
― Iago Galdston, Thursday, 26 April 2012 20:52 (1 year ago) Permalink
Anyone read the Mick Fleetwood autobio? It's OOP.
― Johnny Hotcox, Friday, 27 April 2012 20:21 (1 year ago) Permalink
i read a good chunk of it over the course of an hour or two in a library once. It's good light reading. some cool stories. not too in-depth, if i recall correctly.
― frogsclovetofu (beachville), Friday, 27 April 2012 20:59 (1 year ago) Permalink
What abt the tell-all by ex-gf of Lindsey?
― bit.ly sno cone maker (Jon Lewis), Friday, 27 April 2012 21:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
Whats the best Kinks Bio?
― Hinklepicker, Friday, 27 April 2012 22:02 (1 year ago) Permalink
Dave Davies' one is not too bad. At one point he talks about how he was having sex and he damaged his penis.
― Poliopolice, Friday, 27 April 2012 22:11 (1 year ago) Permalink
Remembered Colin Harper's Dazzling Stranger which is mainly the Bert Jansch bio but also covers the Edinburgh & London folk scenes.
Also really enjoyed Rob Young's Electric Eden which has a lot of great stuff on the 60s Britfolk stuff as well as the earlier folk revival.
Grit, Noise and Revolution by David A. Carson was pretty great on various Detroit acts. Does give several bios of people while covering the area's scene from the mid 50s to mid 70s.
― Stevolende, Friday, 27 April 2012 22:12 (1 year ago) Permalink
jon savage's OOP authorized kinks bio is really good.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Friday, 27 April 2012 22:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
Jon Savage did a great Kinks book in the mid 80s think its called The Official biography. not sure if it's still remotely available.
Reminds me I really enjoyed Paolo Hewitt's the Young Mod's Forgotten Story on The Small Faces. Took me about 10 years to manage to get hold of it.
Thinking of books that took me forever to get the Einsturzende Neubauten history Hor Mit Schmorzen was greta, MAy also be long gone & I think there's been a new official one since.
― Stevolende, Friday, 27 April 2012 22:20 (1 year ago) Permalink
Just finished The Fallen and yes, it does feel like a blog-to-book conversion but it's a damn good book on The Fall.
Anyone else read Kristin Hersh's Rat Girl? Really liking it so far.
― Reality Check Cashing Services (Elvis Telecom), Saturday, 28 April 2012 00:35 (1 year ago) Permalink
xp The Jon Savage Kinks bio is really well done, but maybe could use a little distance, being officially authorized and all. On the other end of the spectrum, however, is John Mendelsohn's embarrassing The Kinks Kronikles which features transcriptions of heated phone conversations between John and a former Kinks manager on the subject of whether the latter would like to be interviewed for the book.
― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Saturday, 28 April 2012 00:44 (1 year ago) Permalink
Reading Ray and Dave Davies' autobios back-to-back is amusing for the ways in which they're very differently nutty.
Have had Hersh's under the Parodoxical Undressing title for a year or so but not gotten to it.
― ┗|∵|┓ (sic), Saturday, 28 April 2012 01:01 (1 year ago) Permalink
So it doesn't really seem like their is a definitive Kinks bio currently in print. A bit odd.
― Hinklepicker, Saturday, 28 April 2012 07:42 (1 year ago) Permalink
There's a day by day Kinks chronology thing, if that's any use. I picked mine up very cheaply which might mean it was going out of print though.
― Stevolende, Saturday, 28 April 2012 09:43 (1 year ago) Permalink
I did find one released last year by Nick Hasted called You Really Got Me but still for such a major band there is a bit of a dearth. I wonder if thats cos the Davies bros are difficult - no one seems to have much good to say about Ray. Maybe I'll have to read his and Daves books.
― Hinklepicker, Saturday, 28 April 2012 11:04 (1 year ago) Permalink
Was thinking there was one just released, thought I saw reviews of one in the UK monthlies recently. must be that Hasted one then?
― Stevolende, Saturday, 28 April 2012 13:21 (1 year ago) Permalink
A few lovely anecdotes about drinking champagne during the Tusk sessions and doing coke with Stevie in the car.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 28 April 2012 13:32 (1 year ago) Permalink
I started reading the Zeppelin one today. Every time I come across the name "Mickie Most" I want to throw that shit out the window.
― how's life, Wednesday, 2 May 2012 13:05 (1 year ago) Permalink
Just finished one that's so boring (reviewed under embargo so can't name it) that it makes me wonder if I ever want to read a single-artist bio, as opposed to a memoir, again.
― And I have been called "The Appetite" (DL), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 13:53 (1 year ago) Permalink
Smoothed: The Epic of Rob Thomas
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 2 May 2012 14:31 (1 year ago) Permalink
Puttin' On Duritz: The Counting Crows Story
― tylerw, Wednesday, 2 May 2012 14:38 (1 year ago) Permalink
Okay I can't top that.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 2 May 2012 14:39 (1 year ago) Permalink