What is the Last Music Bio Book You've Read?

[DuranDuran]

The Beautiful Music All Around Us: Field Recordings And The American Experience {2014}

 

[DuranDuran]

I Am Charlie Wilson {2015}

 

[Goddess4Real]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

Life With My Sister by Christopher Ciccone (2008). His tell-all about Madonna and boy did he really hate Guy Ritchie ?

 

[DuranDuran]

Fortunate Son {2015}

I just finished reading this earlier. I've always liked Creedence Clearwater Revival, so this autobiography was interesting to me. I already knew John had problems with Fantasy Records and his former bandmates, but it was worse than I thought.

 

[DuranDuran]

Ringo: With a Little Help {2015}

 

[mjprince1976]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

Let's go crazy by Alan Light.

The book deals with the production of and cultural impact of the whole Purple Rain phenomenon, that made Prince the biggest thing since
Thriller for a few months. The book deals with the songs, album, movie and the effects of it. The author also speaks of his own journey with it all
and given Thriller was the rival and the benchmark, Michael Jackson comes up a lot in this book.
After all, many of the kids turned on to Michael Jackson through Thriller's songs and videos, did the same for Purple Rain, which annihilated the charts
in 1984/85 and the movie made Prince a cultural phenomenon. Also the book mentions that 1984/85 crowned a new star in Prince and also Madonna to join
Michael in that pantheon of the 80s megastar.

 

[kamo_kaz]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

Jaco Pastorius,Jimi Hendrix

 

[DuranDuran]

Before You Judge Me {2016}

This book is kinda weird. It seems like a historical fiction type of novel than a straight biography.

 

[barbee0715]

Re: Before You Judge Me {2016}

This book is kinda weird. It seems like a historical fiction type of novel than a straight biography.

That's pretty much what the reviews have said. And even Smiley-he more or less tried to "get into Michael's head" and IMAGINE what those last days were like-rather than knowing it as fact. I found that rather strange-what did you think of it?

 

[DuranDuran]

Re: Before You Judge Me {2016}

That's pretty much what the reviews have said. And even Smiley-he more or less tried to "get into Michael's head" and IMAGINE what those last days were like-rather than knowing it as fact. I found that rather strange-what did you think of it?

It talks about some things that happened preparing for the O2 shows and then the book will randomly go into stuff like Mike all of a sudden daydreaming about when he met Shirley Temple and thinking about Dr. Suess & Elvis Presley. According to the book, it seems like Mike spent more time getting Botox (supposedly to prevent a lot of sweating during the concerts) and shopping than rehearsing in the beginning. Also mentions Mike agreeing to do a Jacksons reunion concert and then changing his mind the next day and avoiding Papa Joe's phone calls afterwards.

 

[DuranDuran]

 

[barbee0715]

^^Have you read this yet?? Is it any good? I picture the Chitlin' Circuit as old theatres in big cities (like the Orpheum Circuit)-not shacks-is this the origins of it and how it started?? I'd like to know the history.

(This cover reminds me of two stores in two towns in Oklahoma that we used to walk to when I was really little-we just called them "the little store"-I don't remember any whiskey or beer signs, but it's what we used as a convenience store and we got popsicles there.)

 

[DuranDuran]

^^Have you read this yet?? Is it any good? I picture the Chitlin' Circuit as old theatres in big cities (like the Orpheum Circuit)-not shacks-is this the origins of it and how it started?? I'd like to know the history.

(This cover reminds me of two stores in two towns in Oklahoma that we used to walk to when I was really little-we just called them "the little store"-I don't remember any whiskey or beer signs, but it's what we used as a convenience store and we got popsicles there.)

It was both. But the juke joints (in which some were shacks and some were called "hole in the wall", etc.) were primarily in southern USA. The halls tended to be in the north, like the Apollo Theater in NYC. I don't know if you heard the story of how B.B. King named his guitar Lucille, he was playing in one of those juke joints in Twist Arkansas and some guys started fighting and they turned over a barrel that contained kerosene (or some kind of gas) that they has fire in to heat the building. The place caught on fire and everybody ran out. B.B. realized he forgot his guitar (he didn't have much money at the time) and ran back in the burning building to get it. He almost lost his life and later found out the 2 guys were fighting over a lady named Lucille that worked in the place. So he called his guitar that to remind himself to never do something like that again.

As far as the book goes, it's pretty good, and talks about the guy who is credited with creating the Chitlin' Circuit named Denver Ferguson. It starts out in the Duke Ellington big band era and the book mentions a few performers, but mainly talks about people behind the scenes. One thing mentioned is that Little Richard started out doing a drag act before doing any recording and that crossdressing acts (usually dancers) were fairly common on the chitlin' circuit (if you've read Mike's book, he mentions a drag performer he saw when the J5 were performing in clubs). But Richard later lost interest in doing drag and wanted to perform as himself. Blues singers and the early R&B star Louis Jordan are mentioned too in the book too.

 

[DuranDuran]

 

[DuranDuran]

Powerhouse: The Untold Story of Hollywood's Creative Artists Agency {2016}

 

[mjprince1976]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

Just bought a new Prince bio by some one called Mick Wall. So far it is pretty trashy focussing on his drug addiction. Plus the photos are very incorrectly dated with a "Lovesexy (1988)" era shot being dated as 2001 ! and a clear Parade era (1986) shot being labelled as 1990. Oh I love it when people don't bother to research their subject and just write what they "Think" happened. The bibliography reveals mostly post 2010 books of various quality being quoted and even one about Rick James, 7 books! Ideally there should be at least 50 references in a good book. I want my $29.90 back!

Then again, there has been a rash of books about Michael Jackson which have come out sicne his death, which are mostly poorly researched and filled up with lies, gossip and rubbish. Veracity needs to come back to musical journalism. Like Prince said on his 1996 album Chaos and Disorder - Welcome to Mendacity - sign your name.

 

[MJFanusus]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

 

[DuranDuran]

This Bird Has Flown: The Enduring Beauty Of Rubber Soul Fifty Years On {2015}

 

[DuranDuran]

Not Dead Yet {2016}

 

[DuranDuran]

Shining Star: Braving The Elements Of Earth, Wind & Fire (2014)

 

[innuendo141]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

Diana Ross A Biography-by J. Randy Taraborrelli

Im almost finished this. Seems ok but pinch of salt stuff. Much better than his MJ book

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[ChrisC]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

 

[Tony R]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

^ How was it?

 

[ChrisC]

Re: what last music bio book have you read?...

I'm reading it now actually.

I'm a huge fan of his so I'm loving it. I'm not too far in. I'll give a better review when I finish.

 

[DuranDuran]

Legends Of The Blues (2013)