hestan Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 (edited) (biographies.... sp!) Hi guys, I've done a top 5 of my favourite musician biographies on my blog, mainly in the hope of spreading the word to some new readers that might love to discover some of these. But i'm also interested to hear of any that I might have missed... [url="http://www.johnnycopland.com/my-top-5-musician-biographies/"]http://www.johnnycop...an-biographies/[/url] Some that didn't make the top 5, but are great Miles Davis Keith Jarrett (Ian Carr) John Coltrane - Chasing The Trane Let me know what you think Johnny Edited March 22, 2013 by hestan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_lindsay Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Andy Summers' biography "One Train Later" is a great book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Ozzy Osbourne's is hilarious too if you haven't read it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 thanks Johnny great site BTW, just added the video lessons to my bookmarks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W11ATO Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I read Keith Richards and Slash's bio's last year and I'm not sure I believed a word of either :-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blamelouis Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 [quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1363928589' post='2019668'] Andy Summers' biography "One Train Later" is a great book. [/quote] +1 great book. As is Miles Davis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Dirty Life and Times - Warren Zevon Shakey - Nell Young Even if you're not a fan of either, the books are riveting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I enjoyed Noddy Holders self penned job - lightweight though it is -and Fleetwood Mac's 'Behind the Mask' because it's such a 'human' story though it's telling ( by original bass player Bob Brunning) is a bit gushing. I've read a few and I always said when I write the story of my own life I'd title it ' Chapter 4 ? '. Rock biogs start just the same as my own life and early gigging experiences etc etc then they get famous at the end of chapter 3. I didn't - hence the question mark for chapter4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 For me, it has to be 'Beneath the Underdog' by Mingus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbaby Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Bird lives by Ross Russell, great bio of Charlie Parker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Cash by Johnny Cash. Pulls no punches, especially about his pill popping years. And yes, it was High Fidelity that turned me onto the book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1363947972' post='2019878'] Cash by Johnny Cash. And yes, it was High Fidelity that turned me onto the book [/quote] Yep me too.... great read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 No mention of "Dear Boy" by Tony Fletcher? Biography of Keith Moon - very well written and supposedly an enjoyable read even if you're not as obsessive a fan of The Who as I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulpirie8 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1363947972' post='2019878'] Cash by Johnny Cash. Pulls no punches, especially about his pill popping years. And yes, it was High Fidelity that turned me onto the book [/quote] +1 Beat me to it! A good mix of inspiring wisdom and daft stories! Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Crazy from the Heat by Roth is a good read too.... good insight into his childhood rather than VH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 i read bb kings auto biography, found that to be rather honest and interesting, the same with eric clapton's ozzy osbournes is great, as is slash's, but given the amount of consumed drugs its hard to tell whats real and what isn't, but good reads none the less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 The single best music bio I've read is "Things The Grandchildren Should Know" by Mark Oliver Everett ("E" from Eels). Astoundingly good. The second best music bio I've read is "Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco and Destiny" by Nile Rodgers. Also astoundingly good. Another brilliant music book which is [i]almost[/i] a biography is 45 by Bill Drummond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 My favorite is undoubtedly 'Truly Blessed', the autobiography of the late, great, Teddy Pendergrass. What a man. He went through hell, and the book is so humbling. I challenge anyone not to shed a tear whilst reading it, and not to in some way re-evaluate their life once finishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Declaring an interest as I am his pal and put the money up to publish it, Deke Leonard's [b]Rhinos Winos and Lunatics[/b]. It turned him from a guitarist (with Welsh band Man) to an author, and he's since written two more. He has a Facebook page for his latest effort, [b]The Twang Dynasty[/b] - [url="http://www.facebook.com/twangdynastybook"]http://www.facebook.com/twangdynastybook[/url]. In terms of mixing music, info and humour I really think he's in a class of his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I enjoyed Peter Criss' book (Ex-Kiss drummer) purely because he is such an idiot and doesn't realise it. The same with ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley except he is an idiot who totally realises it. Gene Simmons was just boring. Duff McKagan's book had a decent uplifting tragedy to success story that I liked. Bobby Womack's book (available on Kindle) is a total car crash as is soul legend Bettye Lavette's which starts from her being dangled out a building by her ankles by per pimp before picking UP the pace - essential stuff! Makes those bad boy rockers look like The Waltons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_skezz Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Lemmy's autobiography - some great tales in there and all told with a great sense of humour, you've got to admire the man's no-nonsense attitude. Though I lost count of the number of times he says '**** 'em and the horse they rode in on'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Charles Shaar Murray - Crosstown Traffic: Hendrix / Boogie Man: John Lee Hooker Stephen Davis - Hammer of The Gods - Led Zep Stanley Booth - The True Adventures of The Rolling Stones Dave Marsh - Before I Get Old - The Story Of The Who Dee Dee Ramone - Poison Heart: Surviving the Ramones Mo Foster - Play Like Elvis [color="#000000"]Legs McNeil[/color], Gillian McCain - The Uncensored Oral History of Punk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1363981266' post='2020602'] Charles Shaar Murray - Crosstown Traffic: Hendrix / Boogie Man: John Lee Hooker Stephen Davis - Hammer of The Gods - Led Zep Stanley Booth - The True Adventures of The Rolling Stones Dave Marsh - Before I Get Old - The Story Of The Who Dee Dee Ramone - Poison Heart: Surviving the Ramones Mo Foster - Play Like Elvis [color=#000000]Legs McNeil[/color], Gillian McCain - The Uncensored Oral History of Punk [/quote] Bit surprised you haven't included:- Tony Goggle - Standing in the Shadows of Neasden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busccini Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 quincy is numer one forever good choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu-khag Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 (edited) [quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1363951733' post='2019978'] The single best music bio I've read is "Things The Grandchildren Should Know" by Mark Oliver Everett ("E" from Eels). Astoundingly good. The second best music bio I've read is "Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco and Destiny" by Nile Rodgers. Also astoundingly good. Another brilliant music book which is [i]almost[/i] a biography is 45 by Bill Drummond. [/quote] I refer to your post: 1.Been meaning to get Mr E's book for years! Glad its worth getting. 2.http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p016r4vs 3. Absolutely love Bill Drummonds book [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p016r4vs"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/p016r4vs[/url] Edited March 22, 2013 by Stu-khag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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