Book Description

"Rozz was an artistic genius who wasn't afraid to take chances in life through his music and art. He was one of the pioneering artists in the musical sub-genre known as 'Death Rock', and he used that as a springboard to strike out in a multitude of directions: electronic music, spoken word, visual arts, and hard rock. His impact on the musical scene was far-reaching, and his influence can be seen adn heard in the work of many young artists."- Peter Heur ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Rozz
This book was very interesting. It really gave me a different viewpoint on Rozz. I recommend this book to any Rozz fan out there.

This pretty much includes it all!
This is an excellent and comprehensive collection of Rozz's art-both written and visual. A DEFINITE must for all fans. The only complaint is that my book fell apart after the first thumb-through-the binding is of very poor quality. However, I am thankful that this book was made as a tribute to Rozz.
My only request for future editions (if that ever happens) is to include the lyrics to Spectre.

The Book of Rozz
This book is an excellent source for anyone who wants to remember Rozz Williams, to learn more about this pioneering artist, or to understand the origins of Christian Death. The book has sections on each of Rozz's musical projects and includes pictures, lyrics, and brief background information for each era, as well as poems, mixed-media collages, and a pretty good discography that includes many imports and singles.

The Amazing Art of Rozz.
This book is truly an asset for every Rozz Williams admirer. Page to page will send you on a visual (and often surreal) trip through Rozz's mind and out through his eyes, voice and hands. The art is amazing, and there are plenty of pretty'n'twisted collages to feast your eyes onto. This.is.a.VERY.good.book.

In his world...
This book is just awesome. It shows his whole musical history, great poetry, and pictures from all his CD eras. Just pick it up, if you're a fan. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Detailed story of The Stones up to 1969
Bill Wyman's "Stone Alone" is an excellent biography of The Rolling Stones, with the perspective of an insider but not the one at center stage.
As the bass player and one of the founding members of The Stones, Bill Wyman was also the band's historian, keeping detailed journals about the band, and this contributes to making fleshed out anecdotes about the band from the early days until the death of Brian Jones and their free concert at Hyde Park in July 1969.
As a bio-piece, there is the usual growing up poor in post-war Britain saga. Wyman engages readers with vivid images and a keen memory that bring this period to life, and he also builds brief pieces for the other founding members of the Stones, Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts.
Having always been a casual fan of TRS, I learned a lot from this book. The major parts are fairly common knowledge in rock music lore, but here are some of the main points:
*Brian Jones was the key influence in the early days, having a genius level aptitude for learning instruments, and possessing a charisma on par with Mick Jagger's. He was also a very screwed up guy with a number of physical ailments and emotional instability.
*Ian Stewart was a key contributor, as a pianist, then road manager after his "relegation" by Andrew Oldham.
*While Andrew Oldham profoundly influenced their growth, he also screwed them over, as did manager Allen Klein. What happened to all of that money?
*Wyman was a shameless philanderer who detailed his many road conquests, but was also a doting father to his son, Stephen.
Wyman also had a lot of bitterness toward Jagger and Richards, for their egos, their controlling of the band and ignoring contributions of other band members and reaping a greater share of songwriting royalties. Wyman details how his own projects were shunted to the side. The Jagger/Richards/Oldham "unholy trinity" also led to Brian Jones becoming a sideman, never blossoming as a songwriter, and eventual ouster from the band. Well, actually, Jones own self-destructive behavior contributed greatly to these three things.
Wyman provides amazing details about each show, from the number of attendees, the gross receipts and what happened. It was also interesting to note his bank balance at various junctures, as the public believed these guys were millionaires when they were basically broke because of the mismanagement of their accounts by Klein.

Some critiques: The book is pretty long, and the anecdotes of concert, riots and screaming girls in the early years get pretty repetitive.
I would have liked to have learned more about the music itself and how the songs came together. This book is many about the performances and personal escapades of the band members.
Still, the information presented provides a great glimpse into the Stones early lives and music from 1963-69. Having read this book, I'm eager to find the next "chapter" and delve further into The Stones music catalog from the blues/R&B period as well as songs beyond the obvious hits.

Informative: A must for the true Stones fan!
This book covers the original Rolling Stones from their early beginings the way that only an insider can tell it. This is one of the few books that gives the late Brain Jones the credit he deserves regarding his vision for the group he formed and led! Much insight on the inner workings and behavior of the five young men from London who 's goal it was to sell the blues to their young English audiance and ultimately the world. What got in the way was personalities and ambitions. According to Wyman the original Rollin' Stones was a blues band headed by purist Brian Jones. Their early selections were those of Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Howlin Wolf and, the man who's song Rollin' Stone Blues they derived their name from, Muddy Waters. Although much of the book talks about Wyman's many many on the road affairs with groupies, too much in my opinion, it is a treasure chest of information about the early years and beginings of the world's greatest rock and roll band.

Thanks Bill....Nice Job!
Written in 1990, this is a very well written inside look at how the Stones developed. Wyman has kept good notes and uses them to full advantage to give you a rationale look at the music, business, and lifestyle of the band from 64 though 90. There are details that have not previously been revealed about the early shows, the American tours, Brian, the drug busts in London, it goes on and on.....extremely interesting to anyone a bit fanatical about the Stones (but who else would be reading this review?).....this one is original material, not a fan ripoff and definitely worth your money......

A Journey Into a Wild and Exciting time
Bill Wyman's solid and detailed recollection of the birth and rise of the Rolling Stones paints a poignant yet triumphant picture of the how the Stones managed to captivate the youth of the day despite terrible predjudices based merely on their appearance as well as their image. This is a story of a bunch of hopefuls, misfits and straight men who together became the most lasting and formidable rock acts of all time. A group whose early entanglements with the establishment and whose vigorous stage persona paved the way for hundreds of acts that followed in their stead.

Wyman's account is honest, humorous and entertaining. His insights on music are fascinating, his recollections of Brian Jones, the genius behind the band's original concept and the rising stars of Jagger/Richards make the story an epic one worthy of a full length film. Then there's enough information on other important personas in the Stones entourage who were never credited but deserved to share in the band's success.

Also, there's the drugs, the scandals, the groupies, the wild riots and the thousands of mad fans accross the many venues where the Stones rocked on. All in all a great book for any lover of rock music.

1963 to 1969: 7 Magical Years of Music & Madness!
... 1963 to 1969: 7 Magical Years of Music & Madness! ... That's what this book is: about the first seven years of the life of The Rolling Stones - and it's INTENSE! (Would you expect otherwise from a Scorpio?). ... This book begins with a chapter called FLASH FORWARD that talks about more recent events, as an overview of their whole carreer, in the life of The Rolling Stones. It ends with the story of the free concert the Stones gave in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969 in memory of Brian Jones, who had "died" just 3 days before! ... In between those two poles in time, Bill Wyman fills-in the cracks - from HIS point of view, which is very detailed. One comes away with the feeling that The Stones should have ditched Andrew Loog Oldham at the start, NEVER hired Allen Klein, kept Eric Easton as their main manager, and paid Bill Wyman an extra salary to look after their monetary affairs. He would have done a better job! ... Yeah, Brian Jones should have NEVER given-in to the pressure of Oldham, Jagger & Richards to boot Ian "Stu" Stewart out of the performing line-up of the band; but in the same light, ALL of them should never have allowed Oldham to hire Allen Klein. BIG MISTAKE! (How in their right minds could they then have even recommended him to John Lennon to manage The Beatles, too ... unless it was competitive sabotage tactics?). One comes away with the feeling from reading this book that - other than his blatant marriage infidelities - Bill Wyman is a very decent human being and a much more talented musician than most people realise. Also, he has a sincere affection, and respect, for Brian Jones, which shines through clearly. (On this, I totally agree with the reviewer from Montgomey, Alabama.) Page 307 alone will convince anyone who has any doubts about the matter that Brian Jones was being persecuted by both people in and out of the band (as well as by the law, and even by Anita Von Pallenberg). They knew his weaknesses, and they used it against him to their advantage. ... The one line in the book that hits home more than any other are Brian's words themselves, on page 289: "Ghosts of the morning can be seen on the skyline, if you watch intently enough..." - Brian Jones, Cork, Ireland, January, 1965. ... All in all, this book reads like a diary of one of the greatest acts of all time. I'm waiting for parts 2 and 3 to come out one day, so we will finally find out what really went on in the seventies and eighties as well! Because, if Bill Wyman kept notes until the very end of his watch in 1989 with the end of the Steel Wheels tour (I was there in Foxboro!), then those next two books covering those two decades should be just as interesting, if not as fascinating - for, after all, without Brian Jones, The Stones were never the same. ... Thank you, Bill Wyman, for an excellent expose from the inside on the working dynamics of the greatest Rock 'n' Roll band in the world! ... - The Aeolian Kid. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Class "A" - Best Book Yet!
Hi to everyone reading this review. You are either here to see how good or bad this book is or to see if its worth buying. Well I hope I can answer your questions.

First of all, I am not a big Elvis fan. I dont have hundreds of books in my collection; I have several which I thought were decent. But I do know a good book when I see one; and this is a GREAT book! This Jim Curtin has turned someone like me into an Elvis fan just through this one book! By far this is the best book I have read in any genre.

This book is just perfect for everyone! Whether you are a die-hard Elvis fan or someone who casually likes Elvis. But its a must to have! I liked the style the book was written in. I like the feeling that comes through the writing and the photos just accent this prize even more.

This book is class "A" from start to finish! Beginning with the cover - which is classy, asthetic and mesmerizing; going into the center you find biting and captivating stories that wuld impress even Elvis himself!; then you are left with the story of all stories - how the author made a beautiful guitar for the King and how that meeting happened. I mean CLASSIC!!!!

Jim Curtin shows that he is ... a) a big Elvis fan ... b) a true friend of Elvis' ... c)someone who has class and doesnt resort to hype and lies to sell his book d)someone I would like to say "THANK YOU" to!

And to Celebrity Books: You've got a winner on your hands!

The best book on market. One of best by Jim Curtin
I have been colletor of Elvis Presley for 15 years and collect almost all made on him.

I have started to buy books 4 years ago, and read all on Elvis. I will say that many books are bad, some good, and only few that are great. Jim Curtin is the best books.

He tells everything in truth and very thorough detail. I am very happy with this book, and his others

Unseen Elvis ..... Candids of King ..... Elvis and Stars ..... Unknown Stories ..... Christmas with Elvis ..... The Early Elvis

I say this man is very dedicated in preserving the best on Elvis; and he does wonderfully. Thanks you

My Elvis Bible
This book is what I will call from now on: MY ELVIS BIBLE

Definitely the world's best Elvis "reader book".
Well written, easy to read, easily enjoyed whenever.

I am patiently waiting for the other Volumes of this series.
If they are anywhere near as good as this volume, Jim Curtin will the world's best Elvis books on the market! (well he kind of does already).

I am so happy I found his books online.
My first exposure to Curtin was through his Unseen Elvis book (definitely the best photo book on ELvis to date).
I did not know he authored more books, till one of my friends bought me his Christmas With Elvis book, and from there on, I became a Jim Curtin / Renata Ginter fan!

With as much enthusiasm as I had reading this book, I can honestly attest that anyone who buys it, will love it just as much. I can guarantee it (if my word even means anything to anyone).

I am just a fan who enjoys reading quality material on Elvis and who LOVES to see rare photos on him as well.

So if you want my recommendation as to what kind of books to buy or get on Elvis .... stick with Jim Curtin (the true Elvis expert and friend)

Very interesting indeed
I won't be too long in my review here, so here it is:

This is a very well informative book.
ok there may be some stories that didn't interest me much, but that is quite a small percentage (5% maybe); but I think there are fans out there, who want to know everything.

What I did enjoy (and even learned) were the stories that told the "behind the scenes story" of a particular event (ei: Dorsey Brothers payoff, Parker's business tactics, recording session goings-on, things that showed Elvis wasn't exactly the perfect date)

great reading and I would have to say: a must have reader!

My only problem with this book was some of the photos.
not exactly "unseen" *(because I have seen many before)* but I think they matched Curtin's "chapter themes" (if you want to call them that).

Ok so far Curtin is NOT A MEMBER OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR!
5 more Curtin books to go

My thoughts about this tremendous book
I have never written a review before on anything, so please don't mind if I rattle here and there. I will try to my best ability explain what I liked about this book.

#1- This book dispells the Elvis myths that have for some reason been printed all wrong! ... Jim makes true sense of many of these myths and explains in detail the real truth behind certain things: .... [EX: That the Dorsey Brothers who hosted "The Stage Show" did not like nor want ELvis on their show and only allowed him a few appearances when Colonel Parker paid them $5,000 under the table!!]

#2- Has touching stories about the sad times in his life: his mother's death - breakups with his girlfriends - breakup with his wife - etc.

#3- Has funny stories about how Elvis too had his moments of embarrassment, accidents and just plain ole funny situations .... [EX: In the 1970s, Linda Thompson talked Elvis into going to the local Memphis McDonald's and there he was approached by a man who thought Elvis was an impersonator and told him how sad he was to be someone else! Linda simply went along with the man and said to Elvis, "Cut the crap Bob!" ]

#4- Has wonderful behind the scenes stories during Elvis' movie filming ...... [EX: How on the set of Roustabout, Elvis was accidentally kicked in the head by costar and as a result had to have stitches to sew up the wound. The director incorporated a scene in the movie, where in a fight Elvis' character suffers an injury to his head! ]

#5 - Has great stories about the women he dated and what happened during some of the dates! hehe ....... {EX: How Elvis dated Yvonne Craig and he invited her to his CA rented home, while trying to leave, she activated his alarm which in turn called the local police and swat team. She was almost arrested for breaking and entering by them, if Elvis hadn't been woken up to explain why she was there!]

#6- Also has fantastic business stories of some of the deals he and Colonel Parker were offered and turned down. .... [EX: They were offered $1 million to perform one show in England]

#7- Heartwarming family stories about his parents, Priscilla and Lisa Marie ....... [EX: How Lisa Marie, at age five, would play Elvis' records on her own personal record player and memorize the words - and then go to Elvis and "perform" the songs for him - complete with all of Elvis' stage moves!]

These are just 7 reasons why this book is so great. It is so heart touching it should be retitled to: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE ELVIS SOUL

So fellow readers, if you want a book that you can laugh, smile, cry and be amazed with, this is it! You do not need to be an Elvis fan to read it ... all you need is an open mind, a hot cup of tea of chocolate, a comfortable chair with blanket and this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Who on the planet doesn't know that Elvis Presley gave electrifying performances and enthralled millions? Who doesn't know that he was the King of Rock 'n' Roll? But who knows that the King himself lived in the thrall of one dominant person?

This was Gladys Smith Presley, his protective, indulgent, beloved mother.

Elvis and Gladys, one of the best researched and most acclaimed books on Elvis's early life, reconstructs the extraordinary role Gladys played in her son's formative years.

Uncovering facts not seen by other biographers, Elvis and Gladys reconstructs for the first time the history of the mother and son?s devoted relationship and reveals new information about Elvis---his Cherokee ancestry, his boyhood obsession with comic books, and his early compulsion to rescue his family from poverty.

Coming to life in the compelling narrative is the poignant story of a unique boy and the maternal tie that bound him. It is at once an intimate psychological portrait of a tragic relationship and a mesmerizing tale of the early years of an international idol.

"For once, a legend is presented to us by the mind and heart of a literate, careful biographer who cares," wrote Liz Smith in the New York Daily News when Elvis and Gladys was originally published in 1985. This is the book, Smith says, "for any Elvis lover who wants to know more about what made Presley the man he was and the mama's boy he became."

The Boston Globe called this thoughtful, informative biography of one of popular music's most enduring stars "nothing less than the best Elvis book yet." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The "mama's boy" who would be king!
The definitive story of a loving mother and son. Of all the horrible things written about this loving and decent man, the most horrific has been the allegations written by his disgruntled stepmother and perpetuated by the media, that Gladys sexually molested Elvis. If you use your own eyes, you could see how false this is. Children who are sexually abused by a parent, will go to great lengths never to be seen exchanging touches and kisses in public. It would be as if outsiders would know their shame and therefore they keep their distance. No matter who or how many people were around, Elvis unabashedly and unashamedly hung all over Gladys, like a doting, loving son, even with the cameras were rolling. If Vernon didn't like having his son in the bed with him and his wife, he should've worked harder to provide better accomodations for his family. Mama wasn't going to have her boy sleeping on no floor. Incredibly well researched, it is a warm historical account of what a mother's love can do for a shy insecure boy.

Absorbing, informative, worthy of its subjects
The relationship between Gladys Presley and her son Elvis is lovingly detailed in this excellent book. Both people were larger than life and this book explores their profoundly deep kinship, their effect on one another and how he would have to go on without her. Definately worth reading, even if you are not a disciple of the King; by the way, if you're not, why aren't you? ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

A lot of jealousy, drug use and entertaining candor
After finishing this book in the wee hours of this morning I've come to the conclusion that Cale must be appreciated for his solitary genius in the fields of art and expression but also must be taken with a grain of salt. The entire book seems to be a thinly veiled attack at Lou Reed whom Cale seems overwhelmingly jealous of (thou others would tend to disgree) Plus it shows him as a very difficult individual to get along with (ie his many wives, his broken colaborative relationships with Reed and Brian Eno) I also found it amusing how he brought it other commentators only to attack Reed and make Cale out to be a saint. Overall this is a very well written book filled with sardonic wit and dry humor with an excellent view into the VU, The Factory days, and the progression of one man's struggles through himself and art. Cale is not blameless in his trangressions but I think he sees this...

Cale can be so funny
I just recently bought this book. I love it. Great stories, and nice pictures. Sometimes it is painfull honest. It is so nice to read about the start of the Velvet Underground.

Also the pictures are wonderful.

Bettina

INSPIRING TALE OF MY FAVOURITE MUSICIAN
I devoured this book about my top music hero and pronounce it good! It's not perfect though, I would have liked more background on some of the albums (people involved in the recording, events etc) especially his work with e.g. Nick Drake, and the editing is really sloppy: in one place early in the text, the title of a newspaper has just been left out, and Cale's collaboration with Bob Neuwerth is called Last NIGHT On Earth (it is DAY). It provides valuable insights into his personal life and artistic development, and early reflections on Andy Warhol and The Factory. Great photographs and illustrations too make for a very pleasing design. Certainly worthy of the man and his achievements.

EXCELLENT! A MUST BUY Now!
John Cale is one of my musical idols. I'm in the process of producing my own concert of his & my compositions. He has a great deal of range stylistic. I highly recommend you purchase this amazing life of an amazing artist! I actually bought the cardboard bonded first edition from the U.K. when it was first published. Very finely book. BUY IT & enjoy!

The Artists Formerly Known As The Velvet Underground
This is a great read. John Cale has long been an underappreciated genius, and hopefully this book will amend that somewhat. The ancedotal nature is facinating, particularly the insight into how John developed his unique sound which he then applied to the Velvets.

But what impressed me the most was his personal candor and his willingness to treat his own life as an ongoing work in progress. He makes grandiose statements about the nature of his art, yes, but has the scars to back them up.

The layout of the book shows the same willingness to explore; it reminded me of a great Graphic Novel from the minds of Marvel Comics, starring the honest, misunderstood champion of Cale versus the flamboyant, angry, aggressive dark lord, Louis Reed.

Read this book, and know that the reason the Velvets became one of the most influential bands of all time is that they made Art that was greater than the sum of it's parts, for better or worse...and what wisdom that granted Cale is still being unraveled today. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique, best-selling series features quotes gathered over the years from family, friends, and the artists themselves giving the reader a personal insight into their music and world. Fully illustrated throughout with black and white photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

Over three years after cofounder Jerry Garcia's death, the Grateful Dead continues to be one of the world's most popular rock bands. While much has been written about the group over the last three decades, the tales behind the Grateful Dead's songs have never been fully examined. This book takes a song-by-song look at this legendary band. Find out what historical incidents and characters led to such classics as "New Speedway Boogie," "Truckin'," and "Casey Jones." Because not all Grateful Dead tunes appeared on their studio albums, this volume also includes a chapter with fan favorites the band played but never officially released, including "Looks Like Rain," "Lazy Lightning," and "Mexicali Blues." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful
If you enjoy the Dead you'll enjoy the stories behind the songs. There is nothing superficial about what Peter's writes. You'll thoroughly enjoy this book.

The Grateful Dead's Menu of Songs: Deep Roots
Pete Townsend of The Who, after playing on the same bill with the Dead at a two-day festival, made an observation that partially sums up the very existence of those known as "Deadheads". He said "They played two 3-hour sets and didn't repeat a song; we played the same set we've been doing for the last 6 years". The Dead had a hefty catalog of songs (of course,they also performed excellent cover versions of others' tunes). This book is a fan's dream because it is a compilation of original songs with historical/anecdotal/interpretive background information on each selection. As any appreciator of the band knows, Jerry Garcia collaborated with poet/songwriter Robert Hunter on the majority of Dead originals; Hunter keeps company with the likes of Bob Dylan in anybody's list of great American rock pen-wielders.Dead guitarist Bob Weir wrote many songs performed by the band with long-time friend and cyber-genius John Barlowe. The beauty of Grateful Dead songs is their double-edged nature; yes, "Casey Jones" is based on a real train conductor and a real train wreck (Americana!), but the writers weave their own experience and ambiguous view of life into the song.Simply stated, the songs are deceptively DEEP - deep in meaning and deep in the soil of the American experience. Don't look for this book to explain what every song meant (that's for you to ponder, Hunter would say). However, there is invaluable and often just fun background (i.e.the Altamont tragedy and "New Speedway Boogie"; the staccato rhythmn of "The Greatest Story Ever Told" being loosely based on the sound made by a pump on Mickey Hart's ranch). Pick this book up, even if you only have a few minutes, turn to any page, and be enlightened and entertained. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

what is cleveland waiting for ?
kooper's career as told in this book takes the reader everywhere in the rock world as it evolved in the late '50's& into the '60's& 70's he was there making,creating & finding the music of the times. kooper the artist,innovator,personality is on full view and i enjoyed the ride.until al kooper is inducted in the rock & roll hall of fame it remains hollow & illegitimate as each year passes and more phonies & plagerizers enter.

Mesmerizing Memoir by a Masterful Musician
Candid, honest, revealing, and funny, Al Kooper takes readers on a rock and roll rollercoaster filled with classic sessions with legends like Dylan and the Stones, groundbreaking work with The Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears, and the master's touch that brought Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Tubes to prominence. Writing in a fluid, friendly style that feels like he's sitting right next to you pulling out albums from his own collection and telling you what turns him on, Kooper dishes the surprisingly-sour-grapes-free dirt on the nastiness and selfishness of the music industry and how it made him decide to leave the business and do the things he wants to do (such as teaching at Berklee and playing occasional gigs with superstars from late-night-TV-show bands) on his own terms. Amazing photos, incredible puns, and a promise to sign your book if you bring it to one of his shows are just some of unusual things that make this book a must for anyone who digs rock and roll, the blues, the 60s, or just a good story well told.

Just a Great Book!
This is a terrific book by a great artist! I have been a fan of Al's since the late 60's-I must have listened to Super Session over a hundred times. This book is very funny, revealing, and candid. Al pulls no punches and tells it like he saw it.

Always at the right place at the right time-or as he said it he had to be at every right place, every time! Whether it was sittin' in with Bob Dylan when Al was not even supposed to be in the studio or discovering Lynyrd Skynyrd; Al was there and made it happen.

A great book about Al, the record business, and gives great insight into some of the key musical events/artists of our times.

Thanks Al for all the great music and for this book that gives us all a glimpse into your eclectic, amazing career.

Who Knew?
I didn't know much about Al Kooper. I just like to read biographies. Who knew that this rock star had the rare ability to write an extraordinarily absorbing biography? Oh, and the trivia! Besides that now classic "Like a Rolling Stone" story, this guy had the gonads to play French Horn on "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Being a Horn player myself, that's practically impossible to imagine. Living vicariously through Al as he took risk after risk, freely admitting his failures along with his successes, was an inspiration to me. The only bummer is that the book had to end, but now I get to go discover more of this guy's music.

What a great read...again and again
I must have read this book 4 or 5 times now and it's gotten to the point where I just leave it lying around the house, occasionally opening it to any page and reading from that point on. It's a cleverly written, hysterically funny account of Al's music biz shenanigans covering his entire career, a good 40 years. The bulk of the book deals with the first 15 years, up to 1972. Not just one story, more like several anecdotes strung together about name after familiar music artist name and what brought him together with these people, who ultimately come off as not too different from you or me from a human standpoint. The portions discussing crashing the fateful Bob Dylan session where they recorded "Like a Rolling Stone" is worth the price of the book alone. This is hands down my favorite rock and roll based book, regardless of writer or particular subject. It helps if you don't mind "hippie lingo" (and that's a pretty loose term; I didn't consider the lingo unusual until someone else picked up the book after me and mentioned it), but safe to say if you're a rock musician, you'll probably love it. I imagine anyone playing in a Boston band probably would love it. ... Read more

Book Description

The Pixies were a shock to the system. Emerging from their first rehearsals, conducted in a squalid Boston basement, they were soon the toast of the U.K. and Europe—the new saviors of rock 'n' roll. Forerunners of grunge, they made a virtue out of eccentricity with their seriously weird songs. then when megastardom threatened, Pixies' songwriter and singer Charles Thompson, a.k.a. Black Francis, ditched the band, rechristened himself Frank Black, and insisted he hated the group..until deciding to reform it for a sell-out tour in 2004! John Mendelssohn's definitive biography of the legendary group also examines how Charles Thomson's music forever changed the lives of Pixies' fans. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Gigantic : the story of the author's ego (0 stars)
This is the worst biography ever published. The author is not clever or witty as i'm sure he believes himself to be. (he refers to himself as "Gigantic" in the 3rd person; what else needs to be said?) Clever if you consider that he's probably making money from the sale of this book on the strength of a great subject (pixies) and a cool cover. In addition to having no interviews with the band that weren't lifted from other sources, half of the book isn't even about the pixies. Every other chapter of this book is a short fictional work about a fan who becomes obsessed with Charles Thompson (Frank Black). This is just a cheap bait & switch to increase the thickness of the book and make it appear as if the author actually has something worth saying.Trust me no pixie fan, no matter how huge, could possibly find anything of value in this book.

Garbage (0 stars)
I agree with the others.This ranks as one of the worst and most disappointing books I have ever read.Read the Spin cover article from 2004.

horrible. pass this one, stick with the Spin cover article
I've read a lot of biographies in my day, a number of which being music related. Up until today, the worst I've ever read was Mick Middles' excuse of a bio about The Smiths back when they were still a band. And then I came across John Mendelssohn's "Gigantic"and I'm pondering how best to discard this worthless excuse for a tome without violating several laws.

This book is poorly researched, needlessly snarky, and lacks a decent sense of humor that the author was hoping to put across. Naturally, the lack of research is really the most important aspect: a good biography is well-researched; a good band biography will go into some depth about each member of the band and their background. Was it really to hard to include how Kim's dad wanted to learn guitar but when he saw his daughter play he gave up?

Half the book is filled with chapters of fiction, and after reading the first of these chapters, about a teenage girl who is unattractive but wholy attracted to using the word "like" as much as possible, I gave up and skipped these chapters. Much like I gave up on the book with only a handful of chapters to go.

One word: unnecessary. This is an unnecessary book that's only benefit is looking at the cool pictures to keep yourself from throwing it upon a fire. Omnibus Press should be wholly ashamed to have put an unattributed quote touting the book as "the most in-depth accoun of the Pixies carrer ever published." [...]
I wonder if my local library would take this as a donation. Probably not.

Sloppy, Snide, Sarcastic.
I wanted to like this book. I'm speaking as a fan of the Pixies, I am speaking as a person who wanted tales of the band and how the grew. Instead I got an author who has little information and is determined to hide that fact from his readers.

Mr. Mendelsohn, well, let's just say he likes himself a lot. He feels his writing is very clever and has to remind you of how clever he is every few sentences. Unfortunately, he is not so much clever as he is mean. Add to this snideness and utter contempt for the Pixies (as well as his grudging respect he has to have drilled out of him like a root canal). Adding to this misery is the fact that 1/3 of the book is devoted to a story that has nothing to do with the Pixies. Yes, you heard me. This is the author trying to be oh-so-ever-clever, and failing badly.

There are few revelations in this book. If you know almost nothing about the Pixies you might learn a thing or two from it. Its only redeeming value is some interesting pics (again, with wanna-be clever comments.)

Someone please tell me that this is not the only book on the Pixies that will be written. they deserve better than this.

Disgust
This book has to be the worst music-bio ever penned.I naively thought this would be a nice quick read to get some insight into one of the most creative and unique bands of all time.Sucker!
The author's nauseating narrative smacks of an 11 year-old's first attempt at creative writing.The background research appears to have consisted of a brief internet search combined with copius plagiarism.Worst of all, the author seems to have great (and unarticulated) disdain for his subject(s).He even results to fat jokes.
For the love of all that's holy, do not buy this waste of trees. ... Read more

Book Description

Marianne Faithfull singer, dope addict and lover of Mick Jagger and other rich and famous people tells us her story, in a frank, revealing autobiography. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Faithfull...The Sixty's All Over
Just finished reading Marianne Faithfull's autobiography which I found at a half-price book store (guess it's out of print). Having spent my teen years in the sixties, I found the book transporting me back to those earlier days when I collected photos from "Sixteen Magazine" and kept a scapbook on the Byrds. While Marianne's life does not come even close to what I experienced in those days, I recall reading a lot of news items on her and how people were fascinated with her entanglement with Mick Jagger. I also lived with the fact that my first romantic interest was enamoured of her and how it made me wish I were blonde, complete with her full lips and chest. However, after reading about her life, I can only feel pity and remorse for such a once-beautiful songstress with the voice of an angel. Little did I know then how tragic her life really was. We were insulated by the media, learning only a fraction of what really happened in her life. Marianne does not attempt to evoke sympathy here; on the contrary, she sounds almost triumphant in recounting her past. She has slain many demons and has not emerged unscathed. I had to read this in smaller increments, because the details left me feeling morose, almost unable to go on to the next chapter. It dredged up dark images of the sixties and those who were enmeshed in the rock n' roll scene. You can't get much closer to how it really was. It's dark, depressing and almost disgusting. But it's a page turner cause you'll keep hoping that she'll learn. Maybe the next chapter, she'll learn! Like all souls she was on her path to enlightnment and found more than a few obstacles. This is a worthwhile read, but don't read it just before sleep.

A beautiful book by a fascinating woman
I dont quite know what to write. I want to say the right thing because I've always found Marianne Faithfull intriguing and beautiful and I want to do her book justice. It was a wonderful read which is surprising for me because i usually don't read autobiographys but when I saw it was hers I just had to read it.Mariannes story was wonderful,it could have been a novel.I was so pleased to find that it was beautiful and truthful and not at all spiteful or trashy.I have a CD of her music and it is so gorgous. Her voice is world weary but romantic,I think she must be the most romantic woman of all time.I saw her in Hamlet and she was so wonderful in it, everytime I read the play she becomes Ophelia. I know it was a bad time in her life but i loved reading about her romance with Mick Jagger and her description of "swinging London." Although Iam guilty of idealizing her one of the things I like best about her is that she is someone you can relate to and she doesnt try to hide behind a mask. Another thing I really like about her is that she has excellent taste in books. Oscar Wilde is also my favorite author.This is a lovely book and its a shame that its out of print. Faithful is an intriguing,fascinating woman with a wonderful sense of humor.

Sliding through life on charm
She was the quintessential rock girlfriend in the 60s, the young woman envied by everyone -- men wanted her, and women wanted to be her. Now Marianne Faithfull offers her own side of the story of during and after that time, with dry wit and fractured nostalgia. If you ever heard the stories about Marianne, then hear what she has to say.

Marianne Faithfull was born the daughter of an idealistic British gentleman and a haughty countess, and schooled in a convent that sheltered her from the outside world. All that went out the window when she came into contact with the blossoming rock'n'roll scene, and was recruited by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Oldham into recording pop song "As Tears Go By." Soon afterwards, Marianne was wooed by rock star Mick Jagger, and left her husband to live with Jagger.

At first, it seemed fantastic; Marianne lived in a haze of drugs, music and glamour with Jagger, the doomed Brian Jones, darkly intriguing Keith Richards, and the fascinating Anita Pallenberg. It was a time of rebellion, shifting sexuality, drugs and general strangeness. But criminal trials, addictions and Jagger's dalliances caused cracks in their relationship. After Marianne and Jagger broke up, she descended into heroin addiction, and her son was taken away. But she pulled herself up out of her addiction and released a new kind of music -- music that reflected her past, in all its darkness.

Marianne's memoir is refreshingly just and honest -- she gives people like Jagger their due, only speaking badly when it's called for. She not only speaks out on the sexism of the press toward her (and their revolting, idiotic Mars bar story), but also about the hideous consequences it almost had for her mother Eva. Looking back on the fur rug and the handling of Marianne's presence, it's hard to believe that such ghastly mishandling of the facts could take place and actually be believed for so long. When the press turned on the Stones, they also turned on Marianne.

And she's the first to admit (many times) that she's made mistakes; if anything, she seems harder on herself than anyone else, recognizing when she should have done better, spoken up, acted differently. (Such as when she blasted Jagger during an emotional moment) What's more, she offers greater insight into Richards, Jagger, Pallenberg, Bob Dylan and others -- not just about them, but the effect they had on people around them. (Richards' Byronic presence, Jones' tormented baby pictures, Pallenberg's hypnotic effect -- all these are amazing insights) And she doesn't pretend that her post-junkie life and romantic relationships were idyllic -- there are low points and high points, stumbles and falls. But it's inspiring to see her releasing new music and overcoming her past problems.

The writing is wonderfully vivid, reading almost like a novel at times; Faithfull intersperses her rockspeak with literary and mythologic references (the Lady of Shalott is mentioned multiple times) that give "Faithfull" added sophistication. She also doesn't glorify the drug use that almost killed her; it's pretty horrifying for awhile there despite her initial romantic ideas about it. Faithfull also demonstrates a dry sense of humor that made me chuckle. (Lacking a true finale, she ends the book with cooking tips)

A weaker woman than Marianne Faithfull might have been killed by all she's gone through. But her rise again is an inspiring and honest one, and "Faithfull" is a must-read for fans of rock and roll.

Salacious But Entertaining
I never knew about the existence of this book until I inadvertently read a brief excerpt on a Stones site. It's probably one of the most revealing books written about Mick Jagger. More specifically, a specific aspect of the relationship between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Highly recommended for Stones fans, though the more close-minded might want to avoid it. If you love tabloid trash, you will enjoy it, though you'll never look at Jagger and Richards the same after reading it. It also, of course, details Marianne's relationships with Mick, with Keith, with Brian, with Anita Pallenberg, and many men and women she spent some "quality time" with in the '60s. But the portrayal of the sublimated (or possibly not-so-sublimated) relationship between Jagger and Richards is what stays in the mind. I've never read of this elsewhere, and it Marianne makes it seem very poignant.

Fascinating like a train wreck
What struck me most about Ms. Faithfull's memoir is her apparent belief that everyone surrounding her was absurd. According to this text, at the age of 17, she survived her early pop music touring years by formulating "sociological studies" of her tourmates. This, while filling the detached and sophisticated position of mattress to the stars.

It was an engaging read, but Marianne Faithfull appears to have had an axe to grind towards everyone she encountered during her early, baffling rise to fame. Her personal talent seems to have been ethereal beauty and its incumbent charisma, but she made no artistic impression and even admits her persona was the fakest of the fake. Of course, this does not prevent her from forming scathing assessments of the character vs. image of all others.

The irony is that she seems to feel she was above them, judging everyone from a sort of astrally-projected position somewhere near the ceiling. That, and the Old-World-European-Blueblood riff that she clings to, seem to have entitled Marianne (to hear her tell it) to look down on her betters.

If charisma alone made gifted men fools for her, at least they were gifted. Her cold, arrogant and occasionally cruel pronouncements about genuinely talented people who never harmed her are not admirable... ... Read more

Amazon.com

When You Oughta Know and the other singles from Jagged Little Pill first came blaring out of radios in 1995, their raunchy, confessional lyrics and hard-driving music suggested the arrival of another angst-ridden rock diva--no doubt with history of psychic dysfunction and substance abuse fueling her art. On the contrary, Canadian music journalist Paul Cantin's respectful biography tells us, Alanis Morissette is a consummate professional who wrote her first song at age nine and released a chart-topping Canadian pop album at 16 (in 1991). She had a happy childhood in a close-knit family, growing up in Ottawa, Canada's famously wholesome and dull capital.

Instead of yet another saga of individual excesses vented into a microphone, the real story here proves to be the more interesting drama of a serious, dedicated artist working to make her music more personally meaningful with the same discipline and drive that made her early commercial success possible. Detailed accounts of her collaborations with a slew of songwriters and producers show a maturing Morissette learning to trust her own instincts and stop trying so hard to please her mentors. The result, ironically, was a platinum-selling CD (Jagged Little Pill) that pleased almost everyone. Cantin's circumspect text doesn't offer much for gossip junkies, but his close focus on the creative process is ultimately more satisfying ... though I still want to find out who inspired the jealousy-crazed "You Oughta Know." --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Paul Cantin's Alanis Bio is FANTASTIC
First I'd like to say it's a mystery to me why this book's been around in Australia for a few months but is only just coming out in America. Anyway, the biography of Alanis Morissette by Paul Cantin is VERY well researched and accurate. The best part is that it's an authorised bio so it has direct quotes from Alanis about her experiences. This book is totally uncensored (maybe a bit biased) - does not pretend to hide anything.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE
Hello, this is Nadinia of Alanis Zone. This is the best bio on Alanis in the universe. It is interesting and has tons of facts and pictures. However, it is essential that I forewarn all potential purchasers of this fantastic book that the text of this bio is EXACTLY the same as the text in the books Alanis Morissette: You Oughta Know and Jagged. You see, Paul Cantin has only written 1 book, but it has been published by different people under different names. In other words, they are all identical except for the covers and Alanis Morissette: A biography has a condensed version of pictures. For the latest news on Alanis, please visit Alanis Zone.

Best Alanis bio!
... I've read a few Alanis Morissette biographies but this one takes the cake! Paul Cantin gives us an indepth look into Alanis's life in a professional and wonderfully written way, unlike that so-called bio "Ironic: The Story of Alanis Morissette". If you're interested in an Alanis bio, get this one!

a must for all Alanis fans!
I deeply enjoyed it. very informative. you get her whole life story written in a very enjoyable way. I loved it. I bought it and recommended to all her fans.

interesting
she had a very interesting life she could have been what ever she wanted to and she chose to be a singer...good for us! ... Read more

Book Description

In 1991 Clinton Heylin published what was considered the most definitive biography of Bob Dylan available. In 2001 he completely revised and reworked this hugely acclaimed book, adding new sections, substantially reworking text, and bringing the story up-to-date with Dylan's explosive career in 2000.

Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited follows the story of Dylan from his humble beginnings in Minnesota to his arrival in New York in 1961, his subsequent rise in the folk pantheon of Greenwich Village in the early '60s, and his cataclysmic folk-rock metamorphosis at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. In the succeeding eighteen months, Dylan released Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde, and embarked on the legendary 1966 World Tour that culminated with an unforgettable concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Heylin details it all, along with the true story of Dylan's motorcycle accident, his remarkable reemergence in the mid-'70s, the only exacting account of his controversial conversion to born-again Christianity, the Neverending Tour, and yet another incredible Dylan resurgence with his 1997 Grammy Album of the Year Award-winning Time Out of Mind.

Deemed by The New Yorker as "the most readable and reliable" of all Dylan biographies, this book will give fans what they have always wanted -- a chance to get to know the man behind the shades.

Reviews (23)

Cold and condescending. What about the music?
I read this biography not just because I'm a big and longstanding fan of Bob Dylan, but also because of the strength of many of the accolades the book has received, both in Amazon and elsewhere. I couldn't have been more disappointed. The biography is clearly well-researched, despite Heylin's proud but unconvincing defence of the fact that he has never met Dylan. However, the biography lacks any warmth or feel for Dylan and the huge and deep contribution his music has made to modern culture. The book comes down with detail, but much of it is incidental and irrelevant. Moreover, Heylin manages to be condescending and irritatingly opinionated, especially and unnecessarily so about other biographers. His constant use of direct quotes merely breaks the flow of the text and rarely adds much. Normally, when one reads a biography of a musician and songwriter who has played such an important part in one's own life, and especially when the author admits to being fan, one would expect to be driven back to the music with renewed vigour and interest. In the case of Heylin's biography this didn't happen. I can still recall the huge impact that some of Dylan's albums had on my life, and music more generally, but this does not come across in Heylin's often flat and at times self-important writing style. While there is plenty of gossip around Dylan's fondness for women, drugs and drink, few original insights are offered about his music. Indeed, Dylan's music is hardly assessed at all, apart from occasional references to the views of other critics. Dylan's life and music deserve a lot more.

Good... if you want an encyclopedia
This book is well researched.

It is written in a good language.

It is rather objective.

It has nothing to do with who Bob Dylan is.

Here you will find every single detail the author has ever found out about Bob Dylan. It doesn't matter whether it's important or not. This makes this book something akin to an encyclopedia - and, for me, there is a big difference between a biography and an encyclopedia. I read the former to get at least a bit closer to the essence of a fascinating personality. I've never read one of the latter from cover to cover.

If you want information, and lots of dry, even though well-presented, facts, you will find them here. All of them. A year-by-year, day-by-day account of Dylan's life.

I think Dylan is something more.

As Objective and Thorough as a Biography can be.
In Behind the Shades Revisted, Heylin presents his findings with the astute, detached eye of a detective. Some reviewers are skeptical of an unauthorized biography, but Heylin effectively defends his approach: With authorized biographies, the subject has ultimate approval of the finished product. Consequently, the results are unavoidably subjective and incomplete. Heylin culls from a multitude diverse sources (interviews with musicians Dylan has worked with, friends, former girlfriends, ex-wives, to name just a few), presenting many different sides of his subject. Heylin has never interviewed or even met Dylan, and while this makes Behind the Shades feel somewhat detached, it offers more potential for objectivity. [Dylan is notoriously disingenous with reporters, so the value of first-hand interviews is probably negligible.]

Heylin describes Dylan's childhood and adolescence in northern Minnesota. Dylan's origins (both personal and musical) are described; Dylan has been enthusiastic about music at least since his early teens. Heylin provides detailed analysis of Dylan's early influences (mostly American pop icons like Little Richard) and follows his evolution during his early 20s, when he discovered folk and blues. He then proceeds to describe Dylan's artistic heyday during the mid-60's, his late 60s-early 70s hiatus, and his mid-70s resurgence.

One of the most impressive aspects of Heylin's writing is his willingness to discuss Dylan's largely derided work during the 80s-early 90s. While Dylan's work during this era has been understandably ridiculed (though Heylin's interpretation of much from this period is a little more positive than most other critics), his analysis provides essential insight into his subject.

Whether intentionally or not, Heylin creates a dichotomous portrait of Dylan. The younger Dylan (ca 1960-68) is a vibrant, often affable personality with unwavering idealism. As the story progresses, the pressures of fame and the demanding nature of celebrity begin to take there toll to the extent that it seems to impact Dylan's work. By the time Behind the Shades concludes, Dylan is presented as a weary, slightly confused and misanthropic curmudgeon no longer capable of producing new material that is inspired or surprising. This is the only arguable flaw with Behind the Shades. This conclusion might have seemed perfectly reasonable in 1999 (when the edition I read was published), but the release of Love and Theft in 2001 somewhat discredits Heylin's conclusion. Heylin can hardly be blamed for this; Love and Theft, Dylan's most inspired work in fifteen years (and his most extroverted since the 60s), was a completely unexpected triumph, but it does make the last chapter seem a little dated.

Despite it's slight flaws in the last chapter or two (hardly his fault) Heylin has created a rich, multi-faceted portrait. By interspersing numerous quotes from Dylan's associates within his own writing, Heylin creates a book of many voices. Heylin definitely has strong views, but tries to be fair and accurate, and makes every effort to present contrary perspectives. Despite it's seemingly intimidating length (700+ pages), Behind the Shades is compellingly readable; his approach is always well-defined, and often clever (he subtly reference Dylan's lyrics on numerous occasions). Behind the Shades is a critical, objective portrait of pop music's greatest (and most psychologically elusive) songwriter.

Tiresome
I find it surprising that so many reviewers seem so delighted with Mr. Heylin's book. While I did enjoy learning bits about the origins of songs and Dylan's studio methods, I found that for the most part Mr.Heylin was falling over himself to express just how much he dislikes everyone in Dylan's life with the exception of the man himself.

For most of the book, Heylin treats Dylan like a talented golden boy, whose personal habits he finds highly distasteful, but is willing to overlook. But by the end of the book, I think maybe he has spent just a little bit too much time in his room thinking about Bob Dylan, and is clearly quite tired of him.

800 pages of humorless crankiness makes for a very tiresome read.

My recommendation is to just listen to the albums and let old Bob keep his personal life to himself.

Academic in style, but doesn't capture the essence
Yeah, well, by and large I pretty much agree with the judgement of the reader from Belfast, Ireland. Personally I don't mind the use of direct quotes that break up the flow of the text as many of the anecdotes - especially Dylan's - are quite fascinating, and the author writes well so he has to be given credit for that. Otherwise, to concur with the reader from Ireland, I find Heylin to write with a rather patronising and almost condescending academic-style truculence which bears no spirit to Dylan's music or the times he lived through. There's a faintly professorial smug sense of self-satisfaction that runs through this text, as if the author is "above it all" and is in total self-belief in having the one-and-only arcane rite to being the "Dylan authority". On the whole, he's cold, patronising, especially to those around Dylan, and he makes some appalling statements about the Beatles. Heylin is too self-important to allow a bit of funtime folklore such as the shared spiff on first meeting of BD & the mop tops in NYC in '64 to be just what it is and has to pontificate on the event with a detached, gravely authoritarianism. The closing sentence to the chapter which heralds the making of Highway 61 is appaling, something like "...while the opposition were tuning their Rickenbackers and wondering where to hide their love away, Dylan was off inventing his wild mercury sound..." - this totally discredits the true merit of both Dylan & the Beatles. He's horribly dismissive about Sergeant Pepper....sure, to be objective it is not the Beatles strongest set of songs but it's a very fine album nonetheless. It's also bizarre, and flatly irrelevant I think, that the author spends much word space in his preface to compare Dylan the genius, to Orson Welles, the genius. Most of us music fans may not know or couldn't care less about Orson Welles, we know he's some film guy, so what? Wouldn't it be more relevant to compare BD to Stravinsky, the medium is closer - and then one comes to realise that comparisons are meaningless anyway.
To Heylin's credit, he portrays Dylan as a human being with a linear life and steers clear of iconoclasm, but somehow it doesn't fit. Heylin hasn't fully conveyed the essence of the man's extraordinary songwriting, instead focusing on an overly academic-style objectivity which fails to capture the spirit of the subject matter, instead rendering it at times, a frustrating and irritating read. ... Read more

Book Description

Wrestler turned rock manager, the late Peter Grant made his name as the manager of Led Zeppelin, helping to turn them into rock’s biggest attraction by the mid Seventies. The book reveals the facts about his suspended prison sentence, his dispute with the group over unpaid royalties and his retiring from the music industry , and his rumoured heroin addiction.Written with the full co-operation of Grant’s family and friends to give a unique access into the most fabled and feared man in the music business. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Much filler, still fries the bacon
I liked this well enough. It held me all the way through. But it really seemed as though it should have been an extended magazine article or part of another, more detailed book. I walked away feeling that I did not have a better understanding of G than when I came, and THAT'S a problem.

Another great book...
...by Chris Welch, and this time on the heavy-hitting mananger behind Led Zeppelin: Peter Grant. Despite a few glaring factual errors, such as the story behind Swan Song's (Zeppelin's vanity 70's record label)logo, and a few typos this is another good Welch-penned Zeppelin effort. Being a big fan of the band I was very surprised on the chapters devoted to the group's film Song Remains The Same, and their devastating 1977 US tour. These chapters alone are worth your time and money. This book, S. Davis'Hammer Of The Gods, and Richard Cole's Stairway To Heaven, read back to back will tell you all you'll need to know about the best hard rock band the world has ever known: Led Zeppelin!

Answers a Whooooole Lotta Nagging Questions
Much insight on the band on and off stage. And Peter Grant, this brilliant and threataning manager is brought out from behind the shadows and emerges as a pivotal individual in rock history.

Simply a fascinating man, who was just as human as you or I. If he made any errors, the worst in his life were hiring John Bindon onto his security staff, and marrying a woman who was not a "single man woman.". I also now understand why he was referred to as the "fifth member of the Band".

The Book is very informative and thorough. The only problem I had with the book is that Welch even considered using Richard Cole as a source of information. That cost him one star. I also don't like the photographs of Peter giving us the finger. That almost cost him another star.

Good book
I really appreciated this book. Chris Welsh has been one of the greatest insiders of Led Zeppelin and provides numberless details about Peter and his relation with the band. I liked very much the info that came from interviews with people related, like Mickie Most, Allan Callan, Ed Bricknell and Warren Grant, among others.
The book also has the merit of being original on a very worn out subject. Indeed a very good buy for both Zep die-hards and neophites.

He Got the Led Out.
He was big. He was intimidating. He was a godsend to an industry dominated by the promoters and not the artists who were grossly expoited by them. Peter Grant was to Led Zep what a great driver is to a race car: the difference between winning or hitting the wall in turn four. Good management is essential for any artistic endeavor; otherwise it spins out of control under the weight of the artists' emotional involvement. Peter Grant allowed the musicians to make musical decisions without his interference while he tended to the important matters of the bottom line. He bullied and cajoled, but the objects of his abuse were overdue...But his hubris came with a price: his own comeuppence at the hands of Billy Graham's organization.

Not a particularly well-written piece, but well worth the look behind the tawdry curtain of a fledgling music industry. One does not have to be a diehard Zep fan to enjoy this, as I am not but did enjoy it immensely. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than thirty years, Jerry Garcia was the musical and spiritual center of the Grateful Dead, one of the most popular rock bands of all time.In Dark Star, the first biography of Garcia published since his death, Garcia is remembered by those who knew him best.Together, they explore his remarkable life: his childhood in San Francisco, the formation of his musical identity, the Dead's road to rock stardom, and his final, crushing addiction to heroin.Interviews with Jerry's wives and lovers, family members, close friends, musical partners, and cultural cohorts create a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a rock and roll icon and the price of fame. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A must-have for Deadheads...
...and anyone who wants to know about Jerry Garcia, actually. Like the title says, it's an oral biography: Jerry's friends, bandmates, ex-lovers, and siblings talking about their memories of him. Their words portray Jerry as half musical genius demigod, half womanizing drug addict. It's one of the most interesting biographies I've ever read, and I go through a lot of rock bios so that is saying something. It isn't exactly intellectual reading, since lots of the talk is mainly dishing dirt and gossiping, but it's straightforward. If you're interested in Jerry's life and want to find out both facts and opinions from the people he associated with, this is the perfect book for it.

An appropriate way to do a biography of Garcia
This is really a good book, though it left me a little depressed after I finished it. The book begins with a haunting, faded picture of a young Jerry Garcia concentrating intently on his banjo and then proceeds to words by Garcia's brother, Tiff, on how Jerry lost part of one of his fingers and the death of their father. Greenfield lets the people who lived around or with Garcia tell the tale...and what a powerful story it is. The sorry part of it is that it seems like the last 10 years of Garcia's life was like a slow suicide. The center of Garcia's life was music and people who adored him, though it seems he had a great deal of trouble making lasting, emotional bonds to those who loved him. The ones he did make are just sweet. The highlight of the book, for me, is the tale of Garcia's recovery from his mid-80s coma and how instrumental Merl Saunders was in helping Jerry back to life and back to music.

Garcia was a