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Fri 6 Jul, 2007 10:34 pm
What are some of the best rock star/band biographies you've read?
One that comes to mind for me is "Up and Down with the Rolling Stones," by Tony Sanchez. Sanchez was a friend of the Stones, so it's written from an insider's point of view. But he also gives you some back story about the group's inception. (And how Brian Jones actually started the group. Yes, Brian Jones, who was not the greatest guy in many ways, but was a musical genius. He started the Stones -- not Jagger, for gawd's sake!)
I've also read several books about the Beatles, including the controversial "The Lives of John Lennon," by Albert Goldman. (If anyone here has read that one, what did you think?)
I'd also recommend, "The Love You Make," by Peter Brown, another insider.
Hmmm.....let's see.....I also remember reading a bio about Keith Moon, the crazed drummer of The Who. Can't remember the title of it, though. But if you want to read about the life of a wild and crazy rock 'n roller, Keith Moon's your guy.
Any others?
"Elvis: What Happened" by his boys Red West and Sonny. It came out in 1977 and I bought it on a humbug and then, lo' and behold, on Aug. 16 (or something like that) Elvis died and I started the book that night. I'd never heard anything about his drug abuse or any the other madness until then and, reading about it all, I was stunned and stayed up all night and into the next day until I finished it.
Another that comes to mind is the Marvin Gaye bio "Divided Soul".
Oh! I also read "Dream Girl," by Mary Wilson, which was pretty interesting. What an egomaniac Diana Ross was! heh..
According to Mary Wilson...
Actually, I read "Dreamgirl" also. And Randi Tamborelli's "Call Her Miss Ross" and his Michael Jackson tell-all too. I've read quite a few, come to think of it. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix. Another Michael Jackson bio "Moonwalker". I've been reading "According to The Rolling Stones" for years. Lots of celebrity bios, movies, music, entertainment.
I read the biography of Bruce Springsteen, but I can't remember the title of the book, it was a thick book. His career is very interesting and the book talked a lot about the E-Street band also. The book covers the period from the beginning till the reunion in 1999-2000 for the New York shows.
I also read many biographies of Elvis. A good one is the book written recently by his friend Jerry Schilling and is called "A Guy Named Elvis and Me". It is well written and gives many insider info on Elvis. It shows him as the human person that he was.
I read Motley Crue's "Dirt." They were some crazy fockers.
I'll bet. From what I've heard, it sounds like Tommy Lee has an ego as big -- or maybe even bigger -- than Mick Jagger's.......which is saying a lot!
Quote:I also read many biographies of Elvis. A good one is the book written recently by his friend Jerry Schilling and is called "A Guy Named Elvis and Me". It is well written and gives many insider info on Elvis. It shows him as the human person that he was.
I have to admit, most of what I know about Elvis, I've gotten off the internet or on TV. But I'd like to read a book about him. There are so many great stories there. He has to be one the last international superstars who really lived life large -- and yet, without a lot of the viciousness of some of the later rock stars.
I have read biographies of many stars, and I can tell you that Elvis is the only artist that the more I read about, the more I like. I have read probably 15 books on him and he comes out as a very simple, humble, generous and polite person, despite some negative sides, which I think came up due to his use of drugs. But then his weaknesses only show how human he was.
As far as I know, he treated his fans very kindly and had never pushed back a fan, even though they could be overbearing sometime. Maybe that is why he is still remembered fondly today.
Tina Turners "What's love got to do with it"
The best rock bio I ever read was "No One Here Gets Out Alive." About the Doors.
I'll bet that was a good one, Roberta.
I can't believe I forgot to mention the book, "Buried Alive," about Janis Joplin. She was always an outsider growing up in her small hometown in Texas, a bohemian ahead of her time -- and yet, there was a very sensitive person underneath the hellraiser. Her life was sad in many respects, but still, she was a legend without a doubt. What a voice! Her whole life was in her voice.
I know I started this thread about books -- but -- I also saw the film "Sid & Nancy," about Sid Vicious and his girlfriend. It chronicled the short, flash-in-the-pan career that he and Johnny Rotten had with their group The Sex Pistols.
Morons. I guess, because they were doing something "different," everyone assumed they must have something interesting to say. They didn't.
eoe wrote:"Elvis: What Happened" by his boys Red West and Sonny. It came out in 1977 and I bought it on a humbug and then, lo' and behold, on Aug. 16 (or something like that) Elvis died and I started the book that night. I'd never heard anything about his drug abuse or any the other madness until then and, reading about it all, I was stunned and stayed up all night and into the next day until I finished it.
Another that comes to mind is the Marvin Gaye bio "Divided Soul".
Hell yeah to "Elvis: What Happened."
That was my first pick.
My sophomore year in high school I had an obsession with bios about anyone who died overdosing. There's an urgency to this book since it was written as a plea to Elvis to lay off the pills.
Roberta wrote:The best rock bio I ever read was "No One Here Gets Out Alive." About the Doors.
Oh yeah. That sent me into my obligatory teenage Jim Morrison Worship tailspin. I didn't recover for years.
Thank got I eventually did though.
"Be My Baby" Ronnie Spector (Ronnie and the Ronnettes) was interesting - particularly in light of recent events. According to her, Phil's jealousy was such that he had a life-sized doll, made-up to look like him, installed in the passenger seat of her car.
Wow! I first became aware of Phil Spector from reading some of the Beatles bios. He's always been a "character" -- firing a gun in the recording studio "just to get everyone's attention."
I've actually taped some of the trial proceedings in LA, so I could watch it. Personally, I'm convinced he shot and killed the poor woman who was in his house that night. It'll be interesting to see if he actually gets convicted.
Leonard Cohen said that Phil once held a gun to his head in a recording studio, saying "I love you, Len."
To which Len replied: "I hope you do, Phil. I really hope you do."
lmur wrote:Leonard Cohen said that Phil once held a gun to his head in a recording studio, saying "I love you, Len."
To which Len replied: "I hope you do, Phil. I really hope you do."
He held the Ramones hostage for an entire evening during the recording of their 5th album. I forget the title. End of the Century?
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