Books About Popular Musicians, Music Industry, etc.
 

What stories by/about musicians do you folks read?

I don't sit and read a lot, but I plow through audiobooks 1-4 hours/day while doing chores, running errands, etc. I like history, mystery, adventure, humor, political, classics, self-help, science, horror, etc., etc.

Some of my favorites have been about the musicians I enjoy. Autobiographies (a few narrated by the actual musicians), and stories by journalists, producers, promoters, etc. Most of those penned by the stars themselves are surprisingly self-deprecating, largely avoiding some of the super ego-trips one might expect.

Some seem to offer excuses and explanations for controversial decisions/events, leading me to draw distinct (good and bad) conclusions that I won't belabor here. And a couple have led me to despise some artists who are far more talented than they are decent.

Just a few of those that I found fascinating were about groups or individual members of:
- Rolling Stones
- Beatles
- Dylan
- The Who
- Greg Allman
- Rod Stewart
- Heart
- Stevie Nicks
- Acts recorded at Bearsville Studios
- The Wrecking Crew
- Tommy James
- Aerosmith
- Jerry Garcia
- Van Halen
- Donald Fagen
and more

I'd love to see some names/titles pop up here in this thread because I just can't get enough. As a self-taught guitarist, I've only played bar band cover tunes with no delusional dreams of ever making it big. Reading/hearing about the adventures of others who did make the leap has provided plenty of vicarious musical adventures for me.

I recently read and really enjoyed Jessica Hopper's collection of articles The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic: https://us.macmillan.com/books/97803...malerockcritic

I've been reading Hopper for decades now, and primarily when she was writing for Punk Planet back in the late '90s/early 2000s. She's not big on the folk/bluegrass scene (she grew up on punk), but she's just a really great writer, enough that I nearly always enjoy her articles even on subjects I normally wouldn't be interested in.

For this AGF crowd, of particular interest among this collection might be her writing on Kacey Musgraves, on the Nirvana and on the Joni Mitchell box sets, on 'syncs' (or use of songs on commercials), etc. Loved it.

'The Mansion on the Hill' by Fred Goodman is a good one about the business behind the music. Albert Grossman, Jon Landau, David Geffen, et al. Eye opening in lots of ways.


https://www.amazon.com/Mansion-Hill-...ps%2C66&sr=8-3

Motley Crue - "The Dirt" and Robert Plant's autobiography "A Life" come to mind rather quickly. Since you mentioned bands/artists and not Titles I hesitate to mention any others.

Grateful Dead Gear by Blair jackson.

I am not a fan of the Dead but this book was very fascinating, about a whole lot more than just gear, about the times, the people, the scene, etc.

Highly recommended.

Be careful who you sign that contract with:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/boo.../9781439172889

I don’t know if it is available as an audiobook, but “Say No To The Devil” (about Rev Gary Davis) is a good one.

“Guitar Man” is also a fun and informative read, even though it isn’t about a star.

Books that I have read and recommend are:

Fortunate Son by John Fogerty
Comin' Right At Ya by Ray Benson
Street Player by Danny Seraphine (from the band Chicago)
Heaven and Hell by Don Felder
Maximum Volume by George Martin
Guitar Lessons by Bob Taylor
Wild Tales by Graham Nash
Simple Dream by Linda Ronstadt
On the Bus with Bill Monroe by Mark Hembree
Kentucky Traveler by Ricky Skaggs

My collection of books about musicians and the industry takes up a shelf and a half in my office.

The best of the lot is "Composed" by Rosanne Cash. She is one smart lady.

Attachment 77964

Some of my favourite music books and biographies:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5f08fbb4_h.jpg

Missing from here are Richie Unterberger's 'Urban Spacemen & Wayfaring Strangers: Overlooked Innovators and Eccentric Visionaries of '60s Rock', which is pretty much essential for fans of psychedelia and less mainstream music, Rob Chapman's 'Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head' and Rick Wakeman's GORS Book 2.

Fair 'nuff. Best I can do off the top of my head. Don't hesitate. More is always better. Thanks.

Mick Jagger - Phillip Norman
Wild Tales - Graham Nash
The Beatles From A to Z - Peter Asher
Ted Templeman (platinum producer) - Ted Templeman
Last Chance Texaco - Rickie Lee Jones
Nobody Ever Asked Me About the Girls - Lisa Robinson
Me, The Mob and the Music - Tommy James/Martin FItzpatrick
150 Glimpses of the Beatles - Craig Brown
Me and Sister Bobbie - Willie Nelson
Eminent Hipsters - Donald Fagen
Jerry on Jerry - Jerry Garcia/Dennis McNally
Who I Am - Pete Townshend
Kicking and Dreaming - Ann Wilson
Tune In (Beatles) Mark Lewisohn
Me - Elton John
Why Bob Dylan Matters - Richard F. Thomas
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - David Browne
The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones - Stanley Booth
Uncommon People (various musicians) - David Hepworth
Fire and Rain (various artists) David Brown
Runnin' with the Devil - Noel Monk
Musicophilia - Oliver Sacks
Meet Me in the Bathroom - Lizzy Goodman
Walk This Way - Geoff Edgers
How Music Works - John Powell
Sticky Fingers (about Rolling Stone Magazine) - Joe Hagan
Roger Daltry: Thanks a Lot Mr. Kibblewhite - Roger Daltrey
Life - Keith Richards
Gold Dust Woman - Stevie Nicks
Rod - Rod Stewart
1960-1969 (Beatles) - Joanna Bourke
Altamont - Joel Selvin
My Cross to Bear - Greg Allman
Chronicles, Volume 1 - Bob Dylan
Small Town Talk (Bearsville Studios) - Barry Hoskins
The Show That Never Ends (rise and fall of prog rock) - David Weigel

None, never, and never will.

Not only do I not care who Bob Dylan (for example) was

[Edit] hanging out with [end edit]

when he wrote a particular song,

I actually think it's kind of creepy to care.

How interesting. Mark was a friend and schoolmate. I saw him once after high school when he played with Bill. I ordered the book.

Red - Sammy Hagar
Despite the goofy, party-rocker stage persona, he actually comes off as a very smart guy.

Also, My Cross to Bear by Greg Allman is a good read.

I wasn't expecting it to be interesting, but I enjoyed Bruce Springsteen's auto-bio