smoe.org mailing lists
ivan@stellysee.de
| From | "Will Harris" <NonStopPop@cox.net> |
| Subject | Re: Rock/pop books |
| Date | Wed, 7 Feb 2007 09:38:05 -0500 |
[Part 1 text/plain US-ASCII (2.4 kilobytes)]
(View Text in a separate window)
>I've just finished Jacob Slichter's excellent tome "So You
>Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star" (big thanks to whoever mentioned it on the
>list!) and aim to get the Jeff Murphy book too. Any other lesser known
>books that might appeal to me and others on this list? Just getting my
>summer holiday books ready...
I know some of these have been mentioned already, but I figured there's no
harm in seconding or thirding someone's recommendation...
* Jen Trynin, "Everything I'm Cracked Up To Be": at least as good a take -
and possibly even better - on the whole
having-your-music-career-ruined-by-the-major-label-machine experience.
* Neil McCormick, "Killing Bono": the true story of what happens when
you're trying to become a famous rock star and your local rival is Bono.
* Chuck Klosterman, "Fargo Rock City": I like the guy, but these
reminiscences of growing up as an unabashed heavy metal fan in the '80s is
the only one of his books I can recommend unreservedly.
* Chris Heath, "The Pet Shop Boys, Literally" / "The Pet Shop Boys Versus
America": whether you like the Boys or not, these books are an absolutely
enthralling read...though it might help the cause if anyone else can second
them.
* Motley Crue and Neil Strauss, "The Dirt": not for the faint of heart, but,
like the PSB books, you don't have to like the Crue to fall in love with
their autobiography.
* Geoff Emerick, "Here, There, and Everywhere": I'm neither a musician nor a
producer, but this autobiography by the Beatles' longtime engineer manages
to be educational without ever getting bogged down in technical details.
And a non-music book that I bought on the recommendation of Mark
"NewsFromMe.com" Evanier and enjoyed thoroughly:
* Paul Winchell, "Winch": it's the autobiography of the man who gave voice
to Jerry Mahoney, Knucklehead Smith, Tigger, Gargamel, Dick Dastardly,
and...to make this very, VERY tangentially pop-related...Fleagle of the
Banana Splits, but you may be fascinated to learn that he also worked in
hypnotherapy and was the original patent holder on the artificial heart.
It's darker than you'd think - Winchell battled psychological issues
throughout his life, and he followed the classic scenario of abused children
becoming abusers themselves - and you may flinch at some of the passages,
but it's a fascinating story nonetheless.
Best,
WILL
For assistance, please contact
the smoe.org administrators.