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Your favorite music books/bios?

brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
edited May 2013 in Other Music
What are your favorite music books/music biographies? (I'm limiting myself to ten for the major challenge of doing so and because I tend to get carried away with these lists. :lol: But do list as many books as you want that are favorites.)

My favorites (so far):

Michael Azerrad; Our Band Could Be Your Life
Greil Marcus; Ranters & Crowd Pleasers
Willie Nelson; The Tao of Willie (actaully more philosophy than music, but it's Willie!)
Neil Young; Waging Heavy Peace
Keith Richards; Life
Patti Smith; Just Kids
John Densmore; Riders on the Storm
Henry Rollins; Smile, Your Traveling
Steve Kurutz; Like a Rolling Stone
Laurie Lindeen; Petal Pushe, A Rock and Roll Cinderella Story
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













Post edited by Unknown User on
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  • STAYSEASTAYSEA Posts: 3,814
    Come As You Are, Michael Azerrad
    Screaming Life, Charles Peterson
    Cash, Johnny Cash
    5 against 1, Kim Neely
    Fargo Rock City, Chuck Klosterman
    Touch Me I'm Sick, Charles Peterson

    I never realized Azerrad wrote more stuff. I need to look into that....

    Thanks B. Hide the Q-tips.
    image
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    STAYSEA wrote:
    Come As You Are, Michael Azerrad
    Screaming Life, Charles Peterson
    Cash, Johnny Cash
    5 against 1, Kim Neely
    Fargo Rock City, Chuck Klosterman
    Touch Me I'm Sick, Charles Peterson

    I never realized Azerrad wrote more stuff. I need to look into that....

    Thanks B. Hide the Q-tips.

    Azerrad, Our Band... YES! You'll like it, S., for sure!

    This message brought to you by: Save the Q-tips Foundation. :lol:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • red mosred mos Posts: 4,953
    5 against 1- Kim Neely
    PJ: 10/14/00 06/09/03 10/4/09 11/15/13 11/16/13 10/08/14
    EV Solo: 7/11/11 11/12/12 11/13/12
  • STAYSEASTAYSEA Posts: 3,814
    brianlux wrote:
    STAYSEA wrote:
    Come As You Are, Michael Azerrad
    Screaming Life, Charles Peterson
    Cash, Johnny Cash
    5 against 1, Kim Neely
    Fargo Rock City, Chuck Klosterman
    Touch Me I'm Sick, Charles Peterson

    I never realized Azerrad wrote more stuff. I need to look into that....

    Thanks B. Hide the Q-tips.

    Azerrad, Our Band... YES! You'll like it, S., for sure!

    This message brought to you by: Save the Q-tips Foundation. :lol:

    I save mine, I keep them locked up!

    Where is the movement? :lol:

    I gotta go by the library this week, so I'll snag a copy. He is a great writer.
    image
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    STAYSEA wrote:
    brianlux wrote:
    STAYSEA wrote:
    Come As You Are, Michael Azerrad
    Screaming Life, Charles Peterson
    Cash, Johnny Cash
    5 against 1, Kim Neely
    Fargo Rock City, Chuck Klosterman
    Touch Me I'm Sick, Charles Peterson

    I never realized Azerrad wrote more stuff. I need to look into that....

    Thanks B. Hide the Q-tips.

    Azerrad, Our Band... YES! You'll like it, S., for sure!

    This message brought to you by: Save the Q-tips Foundation. :lol:

    I save mine, I keep them locked up!

    Where is the movement? :lol:

    I gotta go by the library this week, so I'll snag a copy. He is a great writer.

    Cool!

    The movement? I think I hear movement coming from the bathroom where the Q-tips are stored.

    Annie? Annie? Kitty, kitty?

    Ah oh, gotta run! :lol:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • reesdogreesdog Posts: 1,981
    Some I've read and enjoyed, not sure about authors sorry...

    Heavier Than Heaven - Kurt Cobain/Nirvana
    Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis/RHCP
    This Is A Call - Dave Grohl
    Bad Seed - Nick Cave
    Hammer of the Gods - Led Zeppelin
    No One Here Gets Out Alive - The Doors
    Passion Is a Fashion - The Clash

    Am going to read next....Life - Keith Richards.
    A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom.
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    reesdog wrote:
    Some I've read and enjoyed, not sure about authors sorry...

    Heavier Than Heaven - Kurt Cobain/Nirvana
    Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis/RHCP
    This Is A Call - Dave Grohl
    Bad Seed - Nick Cave
    Hammer of the Gods - Led Zeppelin
    No One Here Gets Out Alive - The Doors
    Passion Is a Fashion - The Clash

    Am going to read next....Life - Keith Richards.

    Heavier Than Heaven and Scar Tissue were great books.

    Hammer was a classic as was No One Here.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    Question: when will the great Pearl Jam book be written? Or do you believe Five Against One or PJ 20 is it?
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • SatansFutonSatansFuton Posts: 5,399
    brianlux wrote:
    Keith Richards; Life

    I think "Heroin" would have been a more appropriate title, as that's the main subject of the book it seems. Not in a glorified way or anything, just talking about how much of a junkie he was, all the cold turkeys he went through and all the crap he had to go through just to survive tours. I don't think "Life" is a very good place to start for people looking to read a book about the Stones though. I think Keith wrote it under the assumption that most readers would have a pretty good working knowledge of the Stones, and he wrote his book to fill in the gaps and give his own personal anecdotes and feelings about what he was up to (mostly drugs) during those times. Lots of interesting stuff, but not a good "Stones Starter Book" or anything. It's hilarious the way he builds Mick up only to tear him down in pretty much every chapter though.
    "See a broad to get dat booty yak 'em, leg 'er down, a smack 'em yak 'em!"
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    SatansFuton wrote:
    brianlux wrote:
    Keith Richards; Life

    I think "Heroin" would have been a more appropriate title, as that's the main subject of the book it seems. Not in a glorified way or anything, just talking about how much of a junkie he was, all the cold turkeys he went through and all the crap he had to go through just to survive tours. I don't think "Life" is a very good place to start for people looking to read a book about the Stones though. I think Keith wrote it under the assumption that most readers would have a pretty good working knowledge of the Stones, and he wrote his book to fill in the gaps and give his own personal anecdotes and feelings about what he was up to (mostly drugs) during those times. Lots of interesting stuff, but not a good "Stones Starter Book" or anything. It's hilarious the way he builds Mick up only to tear him down in pretty much every chapter though.

    That's pretty much been the relationship for decades now. They've been like an old couple nagging and bitching at each other from early on. :lol:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • Spoony CSpoony C Posts: 278
    I tend to like the oral histories, like PJ20, U2 by U2, According to the Rolling Stonesand Everybody Loves Our Town, but other books have really worked for me. As a Who fan, I loved Dave Marsh's Before I Get Old, which really captured the emotions of things like Keith Moon's death.

    One oddball recommendation, if you can find it: Everything I'm Cracked Up to Be by Jennifer Trynin. Trynin was a Boston-area musician in the mid-nineties who had a couple of minor radio tracks in the "alternative" boom. The book traces her near-rise and semi-fall as her demo gets spread around and she's wooed by several record companies during the post-grunge "gold rush" where artists who could be packaged as "alternative" in any way got snatched up with big advances and spit out by the machine by the time Hanson and the Spice Girls were making pop explode again. Trynin finds herself signed by Warner Bros (I think), only to find that the labels' subsidiary, Madonna's imprint Maverick Records, has lightning in a bottle in a new female artist from Canada with an angry song about her ex-boyfriend as calling card, and before you can say "Isn't it ironic?" (incorrectly, of course), the label is no longer giving Trynin the push, as they've only got room to get behind one female rock artist at a time. Meanwhile, she's going crazy on the road, playing small clubs and getting closer to her bass player, despite the boyfriend back home. It's an interesting read about an artist whose songs were basically footnotes to the summer of '95. Makes me nostalgic, at least.
  • Indifference71Indifference71 Posts: 14,844
    Clapton's autobiography is great. I also just finished Rod Stewart's book which was pretty good as well.
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    I Am Ozzy was hilarious. A very enjoyable read.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • Citizen ZackCitizen Zack Posts: 1,763
    Wasn't previously familiar with Everybody Loves Our Town so I was checking it out on Amazon. At the bottom, they show recommendations based on the current selection, and this was available -

    http://www.amazon.com/The-Strangest-Tribe-Seattle-Invented/dp/1570617430/ref=pd_sim_b_3

    Nice title choice. Probably coincidental, but perhaps a nod to Stone's song? Anyone familiar with this book?
    "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." - Thoreau

    No time to be void, or save up on life, you've got to spend it all
  • reesdogreesdog Posts: 1,981
    Even though I can't stand the band, but, The Dirt - The Motley Crue story was areally good read, those guys were so fucking out of control and excessive! Probably still are...
    A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom.
  • reesdogreesdog Posts: 1,981
    This is a good read...
    2zxmlg1.jpg
    A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom.
  • Nevermind90Nevermind90 Posts: 722
    reesdog wrote:
    This is a good read...
    2zxmlg1.jpg

    oh, I have totally forgot to read that.. I should be ashamed of myself...
    ~ Enjoy The Struggle
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    Henry Rollins: Fanatic. This book compiles the song lists notes and updated notes for Henry's "The Harmony in My Head Radio Show". A whole book of notes for a radio show? Sounds really boring, right? No way! Henry's the man. His encyclopedic knowledge of music, the stories he liberally tosses in, the description and history of the music- it all adds up to a fast moving and (well, for me at least) totally engrossing music read. Big thumbs up!

    image

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,168
    image
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
  • drlovemonkeydrlovemonkey Posts: 394
    reesdog said:

    Even though I can't stand the band, but, The Dirt - The Motley Crue story was areally good read, those guys were so fucking out of control and excessive! Probably still are...

    Agree 100% - figured it wouldn't be too popular on this board, but I LOVE that book.

  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    Recently on another music site someone asked, "What is your favorite book about The Rolling Stones". I posted something a little off-topic by mentioning Steve Kurutz' book, Like a Rolling Stone which is a book about Glen Carroll and his Stones tribute band Sticky Finger. Another poster wrote back and mentioned he plays in that band from time to time. Cool!

    Any other recent music book favorite finds out there?
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • InHiding80InHiding80 Posts: 7,623
    Just purchased the new Tom Petty book on iTunes.

    Red by Sammy Hagar
    Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis
    Who I Am by Pete Townshend
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    InHiding80 said:

    Just purchased the new Tom Petty book on iTunes.

    Red by Sammy Hagar
    Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis
    Who I Am by Pete Townshend

    I picked up Red recently as well. Not a huge Hagar fan but it looks interesting. A little browsing gives me the sense he's a pretty good guy. Haven't gotten around to the Kiedis or Townshend yet either but I hear they are both quite good.

    Others anyone?
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,513
    The Basketball Diaries - Jim Carroll

  • DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    Here, There, Everywhere (My Life Recording The Beatles)
    Geoff Emerick
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • samjamsamjam Posts: 9,283
    I devoured Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis. Holy crap that man has lived one hell of a life. Great read. Probably my favorite music auto-bio/bio I've read.
    "Sometimes you find yourself having to put all your faith in no faith."
    ~not a dude~
    2010: MSGx2
    2012: Made In America
    2013: Pittsburgh, Brooklynx2, Hartford, Baltimore
    2014: Leeds, Milton Keynes, Detroit
    2015: Global Citizen Festival
    2016: Phillyx2, MSGx2, Fenwayx2
    2018: Barcelona, Wrigleyx2
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    edited February 28
    I just finished reading Kim Gordon's (of Sonic Youth, et al) memoir, Girl in a Band.  First rate!  I love it.  Great stories about her growing up days in L.A./ So Cal, and later years in NYC and Massachusetts, and (of course) here years with Sonic Youth.  Great reading!

    Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon Goodreads


    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • CarryTheZeroCarryTheZero Posts: 2,893
    edited March 1


    I can’t say enough about this book. Both a wonderful history of the South (which is not always good), but a stellar biography of an amazing band, connecting the history of cities in the South and how they played into the creation of the band and their songs. Great stuff on Muscle Shoals and the fantastic recording history there as well.
    Post edited by CarryTheZero on
  • GB281198GB281198 Posts: 461
    Recently read Geddy Lee's book My Effin' Life and a biography of Tom Petty. Both very good. They were an interesting contrast of a band that got along very well (Rush) and one that didn't at times( the Heartbreaker's).  Currently reading Wayne Kramer's book The Hard Stuff.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,027
    GB281198 said:
    Recently read Geddy Lee's book My Effin' Life and a biography of Tom Petty. Both very good. They were an interesting contrast of a band that got along very well (Rush) and one that didn't at times( the Heartbreaker's).  Currently reading Wayne Kramer's book The Hard Stuff.

    Warren Zanes' Petty is one of my favorite music biographies!
    I didn't know Wayne Kramer had a memoir- might have to check it out!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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