Rock Music Books

[bono_man]

Hello,

Can anyone recommend a good rock music book I can read on the train? Im in need for something new to fill my mornings with!

I already have all the U2 ones, I want something else. Maybe like a history of rock and roll novel or something. Or something on one of the great bands/artists of our time.

Ideas?

 

[financeguy]

I recommend:-

(1) Espedair Street by Iain Bank (fictional)

(2) Mystery Train by Greil Marcus (history of rock and roll)

 

[NumbMacphisto]

I'm currently reading Chuck Klosterman's new book "Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story" where he visits the sites of famous deaths in rock and roll, like the Chelsea Hotel with the whole Sid & Nancy mystery, the field where Buddy Holly's plane crashed, and the Rhode Island nightclub that burned down. He's one of my favorite writers, he also writes for Spin, and has got a very unique and hilarious writing style. I'd also recommend his last book "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs."

 

[I'm Ready]

the kids are alright-the who

rolling with the stones-(by bill wyman)

according to the rolling stones-(by other members of band)

chronicles volume 1-bob dylan

 

[annabelle]

Music titles I have enjoyed:

"Stoned" and "2stoned" Andrew Loog Oldham - great insight into the Rolling Sones and the sixties etc etc etc...

"Shakey" biography of Neil Young

...and I just finished "The Traveller" by John Twelve Hawks. A great fantasy/adventure/grand conspiracy theory tale, set in the present that just might be true...?

 

[00Kevin]

I'm reading a book called meet the beatles, which is interesting

 

[alia612]

Right now I'm reading "Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991" by Michael Azerrad. It's basically chapters on 15 American underground bands and their careers - Black Flag, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, Minor Threat, etc.

 

[DeadMansParty]

I loved " scar tissue" The Anthony Keidis biography. He goes into alot of stuff about his life on heroin, the peppers, its REALLY graphic, but an amazing book.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

I'm thinking of Anthony Kiedis' Scar Tissue and Johnny Cash's Cash: The Autobiography of Johnny Cash. I think reading Motley Crue or Tommy Lee's would be pretty amusing if nothing else, as well.

 

[hiphop]

Hitmen by Fredric Dannen is a very interesting book about the cons and cons of the rock music business .. mostly late 80s, but also flashbacks into the 50s and 70s disco era.

 

[WinnieThePoo]

Pink Floyd Inside Out by Nicky Mason
bout some pretty good olde band by playboy drummer himself

lives of john lennon by albert goldman

-truth , rock'n'roll and the beatles

Saucerful of Secrets : The Pink Floyd Odyssey
by Nicholas Schaffner

best book there is about da band

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

No One Here Gets Out Alive-it's about Jim Morrison

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

It's not about rock music, but one of the best music books I've read recently is Rip It Up and Start Again by Simon Reynolds. If you're at all interested in post-punk music (Joy Division, The Fall, PiL etc) I definitely recommend this book.

 

[Dutch Partygirl]

The Dirt - Motley Crue biography
Black vinyl, white powder (it's called something like that, I'm not quite sure) is a pretty good book about the music industry...

 

[dsmith2904]

No One Here Gets Out Alive-it's about Jim Morrison

If you're going to read about The Doors I'd recommed "Riders on the Storm" by John Densmore or "Strange Days" by Patricia Kennealy-Morrison. Neil McCormick's "I Was Bono's Doppelganger" is completely fantastic. Dave Navarro's memoir is good but really sad in parts. "Dark Horse" about George Harrison is a short, interesting read.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I need to get my hands on the Motley Crue/Tommy Lee books. Those would be beyond entertaining.

 

[bono_man]

Thank everyone. Im thinking of finding a book on Freddie Mercury too...I think it could be an interesting one.

Also, any ideas about books just on general music history? About where it came from, who influenced who, who shagged who, who snorted what, etc, etc...

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

who shagged who

for that a good one is I'm With The Band, by Pamela Des Barres

she slept w/ a bunch of famous rock stars from the 60's, I think Jim Morrison and plenty of others

 

[Dutch Partygirl]

Thank everyone. Im thinking of finding a book on Freddie Mercury too...I think it could be an interesting one.

Mercury & Me, written by his long-time boyfriend is okay. A good group biography is Queen: As it Began by Jackie Gunn and some other guy...

 

[financeguy]

Mercury & Me, written by his long-time boyfriend is okay

Freddie was......gay????

 

[WinnieThePoo]

Thank everyone. Im thinking of finding a book on Freddie Mercury too...I think it could be an interesting one.

Also, any ideas about books just on general music history? About where it came from, who influenced who, who shagged who, who snorted what, etc, etc...

Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man Who Knew Him Best - by Peter Freestone with David Evans

alright reading