I got this idea from another thread.
I am still an old school reader by having a physical copy.
I have read plenty of biography's/autobiography's and books on music over my life. Just looking for some new and different ones.
A few I recommend
Currently reading Martin Popoffs book on Zeppelins catalog where he breaks down each release and all the songs individually. Before that I finished Brad Tolinski's book "Light and Shade" conversations with Jimmy Page.
In the wings I have a book on Pete Way and at some point read Steve Gormans.
This Wheels On Fire- Levon Helm and The Story of The Band
Louis Armstrong-cant remember the exact title, but it was a THICK book!
Shakey Neil Young's Biography
Clapton The Autobiography
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
All the ABB ones, from the 1976 Nolan bio to Galadrielle’s 2014 bio & all in between are great, & there are more since then too 
Each & every one is special - Johnny Sandlin’s & Galadrielle’s the most-so for me
Two Sides of the Moon, an off-the-wall read just like Keith himself
Would like to pick up Ox’a forthcoming bio too
In addition to one of their albums, Rocks is also the title of Joe Perry’s autobiog - another xclnt read w/a beautiful sepia tone family portrait at his Vermont farm that looks like it was taken in the 1920s
[Edited on 4/21/2020 by Stephen]
In addition to one of their albums, Rocks is also the title of Joe Perry’s autobiog - another xclnt read w/a beautiful sepia tone family portrait at his Vermont farm that looks like it was taken in the 1920s
That would be interesting to read about Perry. I have heard a few podcast interviews with him. It was a difficult listen. I am sure the book would be insightful. Thanks for the heads up!!
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
I liked Clapton's bio very much - especially the early years & he does mention Duane.
I read autobiographies rather than bios because I want to hear the stories from the musicians even if "told to" someone else. Others are:
Chuck Leavell's Between A Rock & A Home Place w/a hilarious account of the drive to his 1st meeting w/the Stones. It's heavier on the Stones than the ABB. It seems more sincere than most celebrity bios, especially when he talks about his tree farming & family.
Keith Richard's Life - the early parts of how the band came together & how committed they were to the music
Any autobiography by early to mid country music stars whether I can even name one of their songs. Most of them are triumphs of music over poverty & the stories of how strong the music was inside that it had to get out no matter what are passionate.
Two Sides of the Moon, an off-the-wall read just like Keith himself
Would like to pick up Ox’a forthcoming bio too
Those would be good I am sure. Years ago there was talk about a Keith Moon movie with Mike Myers(SNL) playing him. Not sure where that went.
I remember reading somewhere on line ast year where Townshend made some remarks on how it was to play with both of those guys.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer’s Life in Music
This would be pretty interesting read I am sure. I like to hear and see others outisde of the band, but worked with them in a close manner, their prospective.
This autobiography (as told to Greg Renoff) recounts Templeman’s remarkable life from child jazz phenom in Santa Cruz, California, in the 1950s to Grammy-winning music executive during the ’70s and ’80s. Along the way, Ted details his late ’60s stint as an unlikely star with the sunshine pop outfit Harpers Bizarre and his grind-it-out days as a Warner Bros. tape listener, including the life-altering moment that launched his career as a producer: his discovery of the Doobie Brothers.
Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer’s Life in Music takes us into the studio sessions of No. 1 hits like “Black Water” by the Doobie Brothers and “Jump” by Van Halen, as Ted recounts memories and the behind-the-scene dramas that engulfed both massively successful acts. Throughout, Ted also reveals the inner workings of his professional and personal relationships with some of the most talented and successful recording artists in history, including Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Lowell George, Sammy Hagar, Linda Ronstadt, David Lee Roth, and Carly Simon.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Over at vhlinks.com there's a thread about Ted's autobiography and of course some of the Van Halen related content. A few posters have received and read the book and it would seem they all agree it's a good read.
Gregg Renoff himself even posted a few comments there. Mostly explaining that the VH store will eventually have autographed copies by both he and Ted available for purchase. Evidently there were plans to have a number of book signings around the LA area prior to the Covid 19 lock-down.
Anyway, Ted's life sounds pretty interesting and I'm sure it's a good read. I believe it's available now on Amazon and in paperback only.
https://www.eruptioninthecanyon.com/product-page/eruption-in-the-canyon-coffee-table-photo-book
Eruption in the Canyon: 212 Days and Nights with the Genius of Eddie Van Halen
"I was asleep one night in 2004 when my phone rang, and it was Eddie Van Halen. An hour later we were at 5150 sharing a bottle of wine." So begins the opening chapter of director Andrew Bennett’s incredible new book, "Eruption in the Canyon".
This coffee table photo book chronicles Andrew's days and nights with the greatest guitar player of all time.
Andrew had documented and filmed Deftones and Katy Perry before Van Halen, and also directed music videos for The Dresden Dolls, Jonas Brothers, Nickelback and many other artists. He ended up being a daily presence at 5150, Eddie’s home studio, for nearly a year from 2006-2007, documenting the band’s reunion on film, audio and in stunning and rare photographs.
Both the photos and stories are exceptionally rare.
Remember the Frankenstein guitar which was recently exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Andrew often had to move that and other priceless guitars off the couch to sleep, or pick them up off the floor!
From Sammy to Dave, from Mike to Wolf, from swords to gunplay…
this book has jaw-dropping Van Halen inside stories you will never read elsewhere, while paying respect to the legend of Eddie Van Halen, the greatest guitarist in history.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Life - Keith Richards
The Road to Woodstock - Michael Lang
Live at the Fillmore East & West - John Glatt
FM - The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio - Richard Neer
Live at the Fillmore East: A Photographic Memoir, by Amalie R. Rothschild, 1999 - foreword by Mickey Hart
Southbound: An Illustrated History of Southern Rock, by Scott B. Bomar, 2014 - foreword by Doug Gray
Fillmore book appendix lists all shows played there from 3/8/68 to 6/27/71 - Hendrix/Sly 5/10/68 - steppenwolf/Buddy Rich 11/8/68
Triple bill of Zeppelin, Woody Herman & His Orchestra, & Delaney & Bonnie, 5/29/69......
bomb, & so is the southern rock book, everyone gets a mention, great graphics, well written
Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain's Visionary Music - Rob Young
Essential background for followers of British folk&rock, highlights Pentangle to Fairport to Traffic to Tull, high flying recon of the entire 20th century Brit music phenomenon - a magical book
Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards - Al Kooper
Brutal and HILARIOUS namedropper from Kooper, who was everywhere - from Dylan to Stones to Skynyrd and all points in between, the local express down the rabbit hole of the 60s-70s pop music industry - hands down the best pop autobiography I have ever come across.
One Way Out - Al Paul
If you are headed for a desert island and can only take one book from your Allmans collection, pack this one!
Armageddon Rag - George R.R. Martin
Obscure gem of a novel. Learned of it here, from LesPaulSunburst. Fiction. Astonishing thriller set in the late 60s rock world, centered around a band called the Nazgûl. Early work from the author of Game of Thrones, who said this book nearly killed his career. Colorful and visual book, captures the vibe of that era, a time trip. "The best novel concerning the American pop music culture of the sixties I’ve ever read.”—Stephen King
And . . . for seasoned fringe-dwellers only, some highly entertaining deep L.A. 60s musical mondo weirdness here, from the Byrds to Beelzy, the X-Files of rock music: Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon: THE STRANGE BUT MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF LAUREL CANYON AND THE BIRTH OF THE HIPPIE GENERATION by Dave McGowan, kept online for free by his daughter since his death in 2015 - scroll down for chapter select - have a nice trip! :
http://centerforaninformedamerica.com/laurelcanyon/
[Edited on 4/21/2020 by BrerRabbit]
Howard Kaylan - Shell Shocked great read, funny as hell
Johnny Winter - Raisin' Cain
Willie Nelson - It's a Long Story, My Life
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (Probably the best of these)
Looking to pick this up for my birthday next month:
[Edited on 4/22/2020 by PhotoRon286]
Re-reading some of Don Felder's "Heaven And Hell: My Time With The Eagles". Enjoyed it the first time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven_and_Hell:_My_Life_in_the_Eagles_(1974–2001)
I am re-reading Dave Lory’s biography of Jeff Buckley. Some of the best books I have read include:
Peter Gualnick books on Elvis
Anything written by Robert Gordon
Alan Paul’s books on Allmans and Stevie Ray Vaughn
Ken Sharp book on early career of Kiss
Bruce Springsteen autobiography
Walk This Way which is an oral history of Aerosmith by Stephen Davis
Johnny Cash biography by Robert Hilburn
My favorite might be Hitless Wonder:A Life in Minor League Rock and Roll by Joe Oestreich which I think everyone here would enjoy.
Phil Lesh - Searchin for the Sound
Life - Keith
One Way Out - Alan Paul
Bill Graham - My Life Inside Rock and Out
Herbie Hancock - Possibilities
Miles Davis- Miles
Skydog
[Edited on 4/22/2020 by stormyrider]
Thanks to those who mentioned my books. I actually get asked about this pretty often, so I made an Amazon list a while back, which I had forgotten about. Thanks for the prompt. I aded a few more just looking at it. Sure I'm missing more, but >> http://a.co/gh7e25a
@alpaul - xlnt list thx, got it bookmarked as a reference source. Due to attention span issues I only scrolled for a hundred or so . Never heard of Daisy Jones & the Six , intriguing title and cover, tracking it down right now
[Edited on 4/22/2020 by BrerRabbit]
Please Be With Me by Galadrielle Allman. Great read.
Thanks to those who mentioned my books. I actually get asked about this pretty often, so I made an Amazon list a while back, which I had forgotten about. Thanks for the prompt. I aded a few more just looking at it. Sure I'm missing more, but >> http://a.co/gh7e25a
Sorry I didn't mention the SRV book but I'm only halfway into the first chapter.
I've told you before I loved Big In China, my unofficial brother in law will be getting it next Christmas, he got the SRV this year.
The Miles Davis autobiography is amazing. I'll try to avoid repetition of titles above.
Bob Mehr's "Trouble Boys: The Story of the Replacements" is really great. Very thorough but readable, not a textbook.
Chuck Klosterman's "Fargo Rock City" is my favorite book about music. It is not traditional music biography style but lots of thoughtful, insightful ideas about certain bands and about being a fan and a listener. It is also one of the funniest books on the planet. I generally consider it the best music-related book I have ever read. It helps if you are a hard rock fan.
I will also add "Touched By Magic: The Tommy Bolin Story" by Greg Prato. It is like Alan Paul's "One Way Out" in terms of being a very intelligently curated chronological telling of a story via interviews.
I have read physical copies of the following over the last few months...
Bernie Marsden...Wheres my guitar.
Micky Moody...Snakes and ladders.
Dave Hill (Slade)...So here it is.
Don Powell ( Slade)...Look wot I dun.
Bruce Dickinson...What does this button do. A great read even though I am not a fan of the band.
Pete Way...A fast ride out of here.
Bruce Springsteen...Born to run.
Roger Daltrey...Thank you Mr. Kibblewhite.
Janis Joplin...On the road with.
Chinaberry Sidewalks by Rodney Crowell.
If you are from the south or imagined what the dirt poor families of the south were like growing up, this is the one to read. Really just an incredible upbringing described in a way you can't help but feel like you are there. Of course in develops into his music career (great Johnny Cash stories) but his childhood and his life with his mother and father are just fascinating reading. And then when they pass his reflections, man, just great reading. Much more than a music related book. The front cover image of his parents on their porch sets the tone for the images that come as you are reading it. Highly recommended. The kindle version is less than $10.
I have read physical copies of the following over the last few months...
Bernie Marsden...Wheres my guitar.
Micky Moody...Snakes and ladders.
Dave Hill (Slade)...So here it is.
Don Powell ( Slade)...Look wot I dun.
Bruce Dickinson...What does this button do. A great read even though I am not a fan of the band.
Pete Way...A fast ride out of here.
Bruce Springsteen...Born to run.
Roger Daltrey...Thank you Mr. Kibblewhite.
Janis Joplin...On the road with.
How is the Bernie Marsden book? I have been thinking about picking it up.
I have got the Pete Wat, hopefully soon will be digging into that.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass sounds pretty cool.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Thanks. The list is ongoing and I keep adding things I think of. Please Call Home won't load here and I don't know why because it's certainly available on Amazon. Daisy Jones and the Six is a novel about a fictional rock band, written as an oral history and at time almost a parody of One Way Out, at least in my mind. I enjoyed it a lot.
Forgot to include
Hit Men: Power Brokers & Fast Money Inside the Music Business by Fredric Dannen
I have read physical copies of the following over the last few months...
Bernie Marsden...Wheres my guitar.
Micky Moody...Snakes and ladders.
Dave Hill (Slade)...So here it is.
Don Powell ( Slade)...Look wot I dun.
Bruce Dickinson...What does this button do. A great read even though I am not a fan of the band.
Pete Way...A fast ride out of here.
Bruce Springsteen...Born to run.
Roger Daltrey...Thank you Mr. Kibblewhite.
Janis Joplin...On the road with.How is the Bernie Marsden book? I have been thinking about picking it up.
I have got the Pete Wat, hopefully soon will be digging into that.
Its a superb read. A very insightful book very much in the same way that Micky Moodys book is. They are almost like they wrote them in the same room. Micky Moodys is also very funny, especially if you have a dry sense of humour. Both worth a read.
Sweet Soul Music by Peter Guralnick, great book on rhythm and blues and soul in the south, Stax records, Otis, James, Fame and Muscle Shoals, etc...
John Coltrane - His Life and Music by Lewis Porter. The best Coltrane bio out there, really way more than just a bio.
A Love Supreme by Ashley Kahn. The making of Coltrane's album, just incredible detail and images throughout the book. Highly recommended.
The House That Trane Built - The Story of Impulse Records by Ashley Kahn. If you love jazz on the Impulse label, this one is hard to put down. Again, details throughout the book that make it fascinating to read. Great little sidebars throughout the book too. Ashley is a heck of a writer, a real jazz scholar.
Petty: The Biography.
Great book by Warren Zanes. Outstanding.
