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Best Music Books

pjfan85pjfan85 Posts: 124
edited April 2008 in Other Music
What are some of the best books about rock? I've just started readig Clapton's biography and I plan on getting Anthony Kiedis' soon. What are some others?
Post edited by Unknown User on

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  • hendrix78hendrix78 Posts: 507
    Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad is a great book about the late 80's indie rock scene. Each chapter covers a different band. There are chapters on Black Flag, the Minutemen, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr., and many others.
    If you're into jazz at all, Miles Davis' autobiography is a great read.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    I just bought Johnny Cash's autobiography. Beautifully written.
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • urbanhippieurbanhippie Posts: 3,007
    Halfway through the Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx

    Ker-razy shit... thats all I'm saying.
    A human being that was given to fly.

    Wembley 18/06/07

    If there was a reason, it was you.

    O2 Arena 18/09/09
  • thunderDANthunderDAN Posts: 2,094
    Chuck Klosterman's Killing Yourself to Live

    Jacob Slitcher- So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star?



    the two best IMO
  • Joe2TheRevengeJoe2TheRevenge Posts: 904
    Dave Navarro's "Don't Try This At Home"

    It's amazing how much heroin that guy managed to inject without dying.
    You can't spell "dumb" without DMB
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    Catch A Fire
    http://www.amazon.com/Catch-Fire-Life-Bob-Marley/dp/080506009X

    Get in the Van
    http://www.21361.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=27
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,494
    the next book you read should be


    no one here gets out alive


    jim morrison bio
    and I think one of the better rock bios
  • markymark550markymark550 Columbia, SC Posts: 5,179
    thunderDAN wrote:
    Chuck Klosterman's Killing Yourself to Live
    I've seen that one and have wondered if it's worth reading. Might just have to pick it next time I go to the bookstore.




    I liked Jim DeRogatis' "Milk It!: Collected Musings on the Alternative Music Explosion of the '90s" book as well....although I don't agree with some of his views.....
  • pjfan85pjfan85 Posts: 124
    Thanks!
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    Hold the phone! I found the best music book.

    http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/065826/details.html
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • mrwalkerbmrwalkerb Posts: 1,015
    hendrix78 wrote:
    Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad is a great book about the late 80's indie rock scene. Each chapter covers a different band. There are chapters on Black Flag, the Minutemen, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr., and many others.
    If you're into jazz at all, Miles Davis' autobiography is a great read.

    This is a gooder but I would sya the best one ever is Please Kill Me an oral history of punk, not only the best rock book but one of the best books period I've ever read, it was like a one sitting marathon
    "I'm not suicidal, except when I drink. That's why we don't all drink at the same time, there'd be no-one alive to drive home..."
    Chris Cornell

    http://www.myspace.com/mrwalkerb
  • stargirl69stargirl69 Posts: 6,387
    Cash by Johnny Cash,an amazing read
    Hammer of the Gods
    Dirt,I loathe Motley Crue but I got this for £3 and couldnt put it down
    Walk This Way
    I'm with the Band
    Never Mind The Bollocks,Women Rewrite Rock
    Woman,Sex,Drugs and Rock and Roll:Womens Roles in Rock
    Hell Bent For Leather
    Five Against One
    “There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen”
  • Todd76Todd76 Posts: 1,469
    the best music books I have read are both by Dave Bidini (guitarist and vocalist with the Rheostatics - the greatest/most under-appreciated band EVER to come out of Canada)

    "On A Cold Road: Tales Of Adventure in Canadian Rock" (based on a diary he kept during the Rheostatics tour across Canada with the Tragically Hip in 1996)

    and

    "Around the World in 57 1/2 Gigs" (based on Bidini's solo tour following the Rheostatics break up....Bidini decided to go on a very long road trip, playing solo and finding out about the state of rock 'n' roll around the world)

    he is and AMAZING writer....both books are incredible

    (and for hockey fans, his book "The Best Game You Can Name" is a MUST read)
    In my world everyone is a pony,
    and they all eat rainbows and pooh butterflies!
  • joejohnjoejohn Posts: 30
    Dance With the Devil (Rolling Stones)-by Stanley Booth is great
    Shakey (biography of Neil Young)
    Slash
    http://www.tapetrader.com/weagle
  • boxwine_in_hellboxwine_in_hell Posts: 1,263
    hendrix78 wrote:
    Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad is a great book about the late 80's indie rock scene. Each chapter covers a different band. There are chapters on Black Flag, the Minutemen, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr., and many others.
    If you're into jazz at all, Miles Davis' autobiography is a great read.

    I second this.
    one foot in the door
    the other foot in the gutter
    sweet smell that they adore
    I think I'd rather smother
    -The Replacements-
  • One Song GloryOne Song Glory Posts: 710
    There is an excellent book on the grunge movement that came out last summer called "Accidental Revolution", by one of the writers at I believe Spin Magazine. Very humourous and light, but still gets at all the important stuff. He seems to have Pearl Jam in high regard, but is still a bit more critical of them than I'd like. Lots of stuff on Green River and Mother Love Bone, almost a whole chapter dedicated to "Singles", a lot of background. In general, a very good read.
    2003: Toronto
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    2006: Toronto 1 & 2
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    2009: Toronto/Philadelphia 3 & 4
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    2011: Montreal/Toronto 1 & 2/Hamilton
    2013: London/Buffalo/Vancouver/Seattle
    2016: Toronto 1 & 2
    2022: Hamilton/Toronto
    2023: EV Seattle 1&2
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    hendrix78 wrote:
    Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad is a great book about the late 80's indie rock scene. Each chapter covers a different band. There are chapters on Black Flag, the Minutemen, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr., and many others.

    I love that book! Other good ones I've read:

    Cash- Johnny Cash
    The Many Lives of Tom Waits- Patrick Humphries
    Around the World in 57 1/2 Gigs- Dave Bidini
    On a Cold Road: Tales of Adventure in Canadian Rock- Dave Bidini
    Shakey: Neil Young's Biography- Jimmy McDonough
    Riders on the Storm- John Densmore
    Beds Are Burning, Midnight Oil: The Journey- Mark Dodshon
    Have Not Been the Same: The CanRock Renaissance- Michael Barclay
    Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain- Charles R. Cross
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    Todd76 wrote:
    the best music books I have read are both by Dave Bidini (guitarist and vocalist with the Rheostatics - the greatest/most under-appreciated band EVER to come out of Canada)

    "On A Cold Road: Tales Of Adventure in Canadian Rock" (based on a diary he kept during the Rheostatics tour across Canada with the Tragically Hip in 1996)

    and

    "Around the World in 57 1/2 Gigs" (based on Bidini's solo tour following the Rheostatics break up....Bidini decided to go on a very long road trip, playing solo and finding out about the state of rock 'n' roll around the world)

    he is and AMAZING writer....both books are incredible

    (and for hockey fans, his book "The Best Game You Can Name" is a MUST read)


    Bidini is probably my favorite non-fiction writer. His account of the Rheos' final show at Massey Hall is absolutely heartbreaking. I was almost in tears while reading it.


    "This is for the Rheostatics. We're all richer for having seen them tonight."

    -Gord Downie, Detroit, 1996.
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • Todd76Todd76 Posts: 1,469
    direwolf74 wrote:
    Bidini is probably my favorite non-fiction writer. His account of the Rheos' final show at Massey Hall is absolutely heartbreaking. I was almost in tears while reading it.

    "This is for the Rheostatics. We're all richer for having seen them tonight."

    -Gord Downie, Detroit, 1996.

    That last chapter was a hard read......it definitely got me all choked up.

    I always saw happiness in the Rheostatics music and live shows, so it was kind of upsetting reading about the bands inner turmoil and conflict....the comment about Tim not thanking him and Martin in the liner notes of his recent solo album made me sad - it greatly altered my vision of one of my favorite bands sailing happily off into band heaven
    In my world everyone is a pony,
    and they all eat rainbows and pooh butterflies!
  • WobbieWobbie Posts: 30,632
    joejohn wrote:
    Shakey (biography of Neil Young)

    I second this. Very "innaresting," as Neil would say :D
    If I had known then what I know now...

    Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
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  • azwyldcatsazwyldcats Posts: 710
    the dirt
    And I'm not living this life without you, I'm selfish and clear
    And you're not leaving here without me, I don't wanna be without
    My best... friend. Wake up, to see you could have it all
  • E.BloomE.Bloom Posts: 188
    A book about Frank Sinatra named "Sinatra" by Robyn Swan and Anthony Hamilton. Sinatras life is just amazing, and this book is really great. Not afraid to comment the bad things about Sinatra, but it also covers his good sides, which are many.
    Great book about a great life and a great artist
    we were but stones,your light made us stars

    Dublin 06
    London 07
  • merkinballmerkinball Posts: 2,262
    Johnny Rottens Biography - Rotten: No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs is a great read.

    http://www.amazon.com/Rotten-No-Irish-Blacks-Dogs/dp/031211883X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207458851&sr=1-1

    I'd also recommend Bill Graham Presents, Bill Grahams biography.

    http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Graham-Presents-Life-Inside/dp/0306813491/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207458741&sr=8-1
    "You're no help," he told the lime. This was unfair. It was only a lime; there was nothing special about it at all. It was doing the best it could.

    http://www.last.fm/user/merkinball/
    spotify:user:merkinball
  • T-CaseT-Case Posts: 186
    Heavier than Heaven, the biography of Kurt Cobain, was a really good book
    PJ at MSG in 2008! Mission Accomplished

    The band all knows. We're too afraid to mention.
    Don't want to be part of Frank's luncheon.
    Lose weight. Be safe. Where's Mike McCready?
    My god he's been ate!
  • laudenumlaudenum Posts: 405
    a book called "dylan" is great
    a book called"wonderland avenue"(i think) by danny sugerman is great. him hanging out with morrison,hilarious stories about iggy pop,lots of excesses.
    barefoot in babylon is a great read about the guys putting woodstock together.
    "shes stoned said the swede, and the
    mooncalf agreed" THe BANd
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