Read any good Rock Musician Biography's?

Aussie Player · Dec 3, 2022

Someone on here recently recommended Bill Wyman's biography called "Stone Alone".
Another reader responded that he'd read that and Keith Richards bio and though it better.
I bought both for about $12 total and found both a great and interesting read though for me, Keith's was less focused on the bands beginning and heavily into the recording aspects of where and when, where Bill's was extremely articulate and detailed on every aspect of the bands evolution including the details on when and where they played and for what amount paid, playing conditions etc.

As for personalities, they differ immensely where Keith only even mentions Bill a couple of times in the book at barely a sentence a piece and seldom praised Brian at all, whereas Bill makes deliberate and detailed mentions of Brian especially and his contribution to the Stones as well as the importance of all the other members to the makeup of the Stones.

Because these are cheap books these days, I recommend both but what else is out there that is being enjoyed?

E2942 · Dec 3, 2022

Biography is alright, but I prefer autobiographies.

jerry · Dec 3, 2022

If your a Stones fan the Bobby Keys and Chuck Level books are good, also, both cats played with everybody. What bands/musicians do you dig?

Michedelic · Dec 3, 2022

Aussie Player said: ↑

Someone on here recently recommended Bill Wyman's biography called "Stone Alone".
Another reader responded that he'd read that and Keith Richards bio and though it better.
I bought both for about $12 total and found both a great and interesting read though for me, Keith's was less focused on the bands beginning and heavily into the recording aspects of where and when, where Bill's was extremely articulate and detailed on every aspect of the bands evolution including the details on when and where they played and for what amount paid, playing conditions etc.

As for personalities, they differ immensely where Keith only even mentions Bill a couple of times in the book at barely a sentence a piece and seldom praised Brian at all, whereas Bill makes deliberate and detailed mentions of Brian especially and his contribution to the Stones as well as the importance of all the other members to the makeup of the Stones.

Because these are cheap books these days, I recommend both but what else is out there that is being enjoyed?
Click to expand...

The word is ‘biographies’, and yes, I recommend the one on Jack Bruce, “Composing Himself”, as well as autobiographies from Ian McLagen(Small Faces/Faces/Rolling Stones), Fito de la Parra, drummer for Canned Heat, and “Lonely Boy”, by Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. Then there are ones on entire bands, The Yardbirds, The Creation, The Velvet Underground(anything written by Richie Unterberger is recommended).

jchrisk1 · Dec 3, 2022

Not exactly, but Queen Unseen by Peter Hince (Freddie and John's tech/roadie) is pretty good.

wysiwyg248 · Dec 3, 2022

Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius

Killing Floor · Dec 3, 2022

No.

But Our Band Could Be Your Life is a good bio read.

2112 · Dec 3, 2022

Both the Chicago stories that came out in 2016 were reasonably solid:

Now More Than Ever

The Terry Kath Experience

The Rush stories that have come out over the past several year have been decent too:

Beyond the Lighted Stage (2010)

Time Stand Still (2016)

EDIT: Whoops... just noticed this said "read". Oh well... they're good stories anyhow. Lol.

boombloom · Dec 3, 2022

I took Patti Smith's book Just Kids out of the library this morning. I've heard good things.....

stingray78 · Dec 3, 2022

I really enjoyed “The gospel according to Luke” by Steve Lukather and “My bass and other animals” by Guy Pratt.

kevmac · Dec 3, 2022

Aussie Player said: ↑

Someone on here recently recommended Bill Wyman's biography called "Stone Alone".
Another reader responded that he'd read that and Keith Richards bio and though it better.
I bought both for about $12 total and found both a great and interesting read though for me, Keith's was less focused on the bands beginning and heavily into the recording aspects of where and when, where Bill's was extremely articulate and detailed on every aspect of the bands evolution including the details on when and where they played and for what amount paid, playing conditions etc.

As for personalities, they differ immensely where Keith only even mentions Bill a couple of times in the book at barely a sentence a piece and seldom praised Brian at all, whereas Bill makes deliberate and detailed mentions of Brian especially and his contribution to the Stones as well as the importance of all the other members to the makeup of the Stones.

Because these are cheap books these days, I recommend both but what else is out there that is being enjoyed?
Click to expand...

I quite enjoyed "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" which I believe is an authorized bio on Warren Zevon, Crystal his former wife is listed as the author. Either way it was filled with stories about this wild and crazy guy that happened to be one of the best songwriters of his generation.

Jeff Hughes · Dec 3, 2022

Lou Reed: A Life (focuses on his life and career album by album)
Jack Bruce: Composing Himself
Who I am: A Memoir (Pete Townshend)

devnulljp · Dec 3, 2022

You're a bass player, go read Guy Pratt's My Bass and Other Animals. He's a great bass player, fun guy, and tells a good story.

Rocket Queen · Dec 3, 2022

Phil Lesh, Searching for the Sound
Duff McKagan, It's So Easy: and Other Lies
Jacob Slichter, So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful Of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer's Life

leegreenman · Dec 3, 2022

I like Lemmy’s autobiography a lot.

pbassjbass · Dec 3, 2022

Harvey Brooks - "View from the bottom, 50 years of bass playing with Bob Dylan, The Doors, Miles Davis and Everybody Else". I really enjoyed this.
https://www.amazon.com/View-Bottom-Years-Playing-Everybody/dp/1733457925

Danny O Danny · Dec 3, 2022

I enjoy reading autobiographies by musicians (biographies, not so much). Here are some that I've particularly enjoyed (in no particular order):

Life - Keith Richards
It's a Long Story: My Life - Willie Nelson
My Life and Adventures in Fleetwood Mac - Mick Fleetwood
Kicking and Dreaming - Ann Wilson (Heart)
Remain in Love - Chris Frantz (Talking Heads)
Let's Go (So We Can Get Back) - Jeff Tweedy
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
My Life in Dire Straits - John Illsley
Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink - Elvis Costello
Chronicles: Volume One - Bob Dylan
Broken Music - Sting
Conversations with Tom Petty - Paul Zollo
Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir - Linda Ronstadt
The Storyteller - Dave Grohl
Fortunate Son - John Fogerty
Rainbow in the Dark - Ronnie James Dio
This Wheel's on Fire - Levon Helm (The Band)
Confess - Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
The Speed of Sound - Thomas Dolby
Broken Horses - Brandi Carlile
See a Little Light - Bob Mould (Husker Du)
Acid for the Children - Flea
Waging Heavy Peace - Neil Young
In the Pleasure Groove - John Taylor (Duran Duran)
Blues All Around Me - B.B. King
Beeswing - Richard Thompson
All I Ever Wanted - Kathy Valentine (Go-Go's)
A Memoir - Peter Frampton
Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of the Black Crowes - Steve Gorman
A Cure for Gravity - Joe Jackson
Heaven and Hell - Don Felder
Tom Waits on Tom Waits: Interviews and Encounters
Face the Music: A Life Exposed - Paul Stanley
Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead - Phil Lesh
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon - Crystal Zevon (not an autobiography but an account by those closest to Zevon)

ComicBass · Dec 3, 2022

I forget the title, but I enjoyed Eric Clapton's autobiography.

Dincrest · Dec 3, 2022

Motley Crue's The Dirt is an incredible roller-coaster of a read.

Rick_Bass · Dec 3, 2022

'SCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THE SKY Life of Jimi Hendrix
I read it 20 or so years ago. It is a very good biography. Actually I think I'm going to pick up an old copy and read it again. It has some "Crazy" stories in there.

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