Book Description

Now in paperback, Journals includes never-before-seen material that will keep everyone talking.

Kurt Cobain filled dozens of notebooks with lyrics, drawings, and writings about his plans for Nirvana and his thoughts about fame, the state of music, and the people who bought and sold him and his music. His journals reveal an artist who loved music, who knew the history of rock, and who was determined to define his place in that history. Here is a mesmerizing, incomparable portrait of the most influential musician of his time. ... Read more

Reviews (144)

You know you want to read it
Yes, there's the moral corundum of disrespecting a dead man's wishes and invading his privacy to make an easy buck off him, but Journals is an interesting read. I'm not a huge Nirvana fan, but I did get a voyeuristic kick out of perusing his handwritten rants, unsent letters, drafted lyrics, rambling diary entries, and assorted scribbles and doodles.

That is not say Journals is essential in understanding Kurt - his music was just as effective in that regard. There's nothing in this book to shed any new light on his complicated personality, though time will tell if that's just a result of Courtney Love's selectivity.

Journals is put together nicely and works as a really morbid coffee table book. But to ease your guilt of exploiting Kurt's death to make Courtney's wallet thicker, while still satiating your curiosity, I would recommend simply borrowing it from a library.

review
Some of you people need to calm down and get a grip, dont be all like " well I dont think Kurt Cobain would like this, and its Courtneys scheme" so be it. If you despise it so much dont buy it.

I will admit i was to young to remember his suicide, but after reading a book on him I found he was a simple and amazing man who had a passion for what he did. I love every one of his songs. Im not saying im better at guitar than him, but he was a kinda crappy guitarist, but an amazing and inspiring song writer. I like to this man is my hero. BUY JOURNALS BUY JOURNALS BUY JOURNALS BUY JOURNALS!

Grow up and read this book if you're so inclined to do so!
The problem with the people who give Journals a negative review is the fact they haven't read Journals. And the kicker is that these so-called "fans" are so terrified of reading it and somehow "desecrating" Kurt Cobain's soul in the process that they dare not read it. These tpes of people don't even belong here reviewing something they haven't even read let alone opened with their own hands. It's not like Kurt's going to come back from the dead to haunt any of you people; None of you are even worth it. Anyway, Journals is a good read for anyone interested in the documentation of an every-man's life because it's such a rare thing to see someone's letters of any profession, word-for-word (the airbrushing was a rumor... or not!), in their own handwriting. To the naysayers: Go naysay your heads off, and don't come back 'til you read Journals.

...
I HATE how people are saying it's "disgusting" reading Kurt's Journals...If you don't think it's right, then don't read it.Make a choice for yourself.Kurt's gone and his privacy should be respected, however, people are going to buy Journals no matter what you say. I only flipped through it in the book store the other day. Interesting to say the least. And I'm going to buy it. Despite all the bashing I've read about it. Despite the fact that it's repeating facts I already know [he was a druggie, suicidal, such and such]. Despite the fact that buying it will help Courtney more than anyone else. When I die, if I'm a recognized celebrity I would want my journals to be published. It's a way for fans to see more about the person they idolize.I'm not saying I idolize Kurt and thats why I'm buying. I'm just saying there is people like that.

These one-star reviewers haven't read Journals! Ignore them!
Kurt documented his drug abuse, suicide attempts, and other problems in this Journals compilation so that the entries could be read after he killed himself. That's the ONLY reason somebody like him would do that. His entries aren't even numbered or marked with dates because he just wanted to keep track of his daily rants, whines, and problems for future reading. Who they were meant for exactly is obviously a mystery, but he kept them for SOMEONE. The "fans" who say that selling Kurt's Journals is "disgusting" need to actually read the journal entries before making judgments, because there's isn't anything in there that Kurt hasn't mentioned in interviews or Azzerad's CAYA. I hate preachy fans of any band, but that stands double for supposed "morally-upright" Nirvana fans. They practically worship Kurt Cobain when he was the most self-absorbed, self-indulgent druggie ever to grace he music world. They're such hypocrites. He deserved the "tragic" ending to his life that he gave himself. Wanna talk about somebody's greediness? Then talk about Kurt's daily $400 a day heroin binges... and how he killed himself and took hemself out of his daughter's life forever. Kurt allowed Courtney to get her hands on his journal entries by killing himself, so it's his fault if he didn't want them released. All in all, Journals was an interesting read. Ignore the born-again Christian Nirvana reviewers who gave this book one star, and see for yourself if you like it. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The man behind the music
I have been a long time fan of Freddie's and when someone bought this for me I was thrilled and yet scared. Scared because I have tried on Many occasions to read biographies and failed miserably. Luckily this book was really well done and the topic was close to my heart.

The biography is written by a man who obviously loved Freddie and was very close to him in life and affected immenly by his personality. The book covers who Freddie really was to his friends, family and fans. It covers several albums and inspiration behind the music. It also covers his very sad sickness and I must admit I cried quite a bit.

I only have one qualm about this book and this is the time line as it jumps around quite a bit. But it is still followable and you can piece it together.

However in the end I was left feeling like I really did know Freddie and it gave me a warm feeling inside. Now when I listen to his music it brings back parts of the book to me and helps me build a better picture of the artist that Freddie really was.

Pleasant Memories of Freddie Mercury...
I truely enjoyed reading this book. I have, for many years been a Freddie Mercury fan and great admirer of his music. I was very apprehensive about buying this book, as most often books as such are rarely kind to the individual whom they are written about. But I felt that this book characterized Freddie Mercury more as a "person" rather than this huge "rock star" (which he was) and gave some delightful and colorfull insight into his daily life. The book is filled with many stories and incidents that depict his life style more in terms of his love of music, the band, his friends, his home and his cats. There are stories demonstrating his sensitive character, as well as his over all kindness and generousity. The fact that he was gay is secondary in this book, but it was not ignored either. If you are a Freddie Mercury fan I know you will enjoy this book very much. The photo section in the book is good...but for Freddie Mercury fans there are never enough pictures.

I myself have reread my book several times and enjoy it just as much each time, sometimes reading something I missed before. Peter Freestone remembered his friend kindly.

Diamond in the rough? Not likely!
I am searching high and low, for a book that wasn't as badly written as this one. I have been a fan of Queen and Freddie for over ten years and from time to time I get into my collecting bug. For example, tapes, cd's obviously, very rarely would I be able to find a book! Back in the day when the internet wasn't as fast, as commonly used, or for that matter things were as easy to find..I would be on it constantly looking for bits and pieces of information about my favorite, although somewhat defunct Queen. Now, with this plethora of information I have now, etc., I was still surprised to find this book at my local bookstores, not once but twice! Go figure, not taking any chance at all, I bought it. I was a little hesitant at first, being that because of all the information I didn't know about Freddie, personally I mean, he didn't give many interviews, etc. would this shatter my naivte about his personal life? Would it effect the way I viewed him? Well, the answer to that my friends is no. I will tell you why, because this book went into depth about nothing. From here to there it was a list of Freddie's friends and lovers, nor does it disspell so many rumors at all, they're was maybe a page about that.. until this choppy, "safely written" memoir, basically goes on about the bars, clubs and people they frequented all over the world. It doesn't go into much about really freddie at all. It seems that this book is a bit superficial, at the end is probably the most infomation you'll get out of it.. well, perhaps the beginning as well, but as for the middle, i say, read the first twenty, then the last twenty pages you just about have the book summed up.

An Intimate and UNabriged Memoir
This book could easily have been condensed to 1/4 of the pages. Each event or memory written about goes on and on, and on... - impatient readers beware.

While the author does a great job of providing every little detail, it is amazing to believe that he could remember everything in this much living colour, and doubtful that at the time he carried around a notebook to record everything happening around him.

Generally the writing is poor to midland at best and it is obvious the author is not a professional writer. The book also could have been organised a bit better, for it is not chronological, nor are chapter headings or topics given.

The reader will sense that the author wrote this book out of memory for his friend, Freddie Mercury, rather than out of primary interest in the royalties. Overall, this book is for only the most fanatical of Queen fans and for those supremely interested in Freddie Mercury.

The Last Twelve Years -- 1979-2001
I will say, on the one hand, I am not a "die-hard" Queen fan, nor am I a "die-hard" Freddie Mercury fan. On the other hand, I do enjoy Queen's music.
The intent on buying this book, as in any biography, is to learn about the birth, career, and so on of the person in which the biography is based. That is not the case for this book.

At first, I was a bit dissapointed to discover that I would not learn about Freddie's birth, childhood, his early carrer, the founding of Queen as a band, as well as the birth of Queen's successes.

The book opens in 1979. That is when the author, Peter Freestone, began working for Queen; his original job was to make all the costume changes ready, during Queen's concert performances. His job descriptions, and responsibilities increased as time went on, and he began working solely for Freddie, himself.
'I was Freddie's chief cook and bottle washer, waiter, butler, secretary, cleaner..and agony aunt',writes Peter Freestone (quoting from the back cover, to give an insight as to the various responsibilities he had while employed by Mercury.)
'I travelled the world with him, I was with him at the highs and came through the lows...I acted as his bodyguard when needed and in the end, of course, I was one of his nurses.'

This is, indeed as the title states, an intimate look at the man who is Freddie Mercury, written by someone who became one of Freddie's closest, most trusted friends.
But, it only covers the 12 years that Freestone knew, and worked for him.
The last 2 chapters are especially touching. Peter Freestone was there when Freddie passed away, in 1991, and he shares a very personal account of the goings on before, during, and after his death.

What I learned, and appreciated about this intimate memoir, was how generous, and giving Freddie was. He was a loyal friend. He treated those who worked for him as close friends.

This book was excellent reading, for what it was; and what it was, was an intimate portrait, getting to know Freddie Mercury on a personal level (kinda like getting a backstage pass, so to speak), learning things that would be, otherwise private. ... Read more

Book Description

In less than a year, Neil Peart lost both his 19-year-old daughter, Selena, and his wife, Jackie. Faced with overwhelming sadness and isolated from the world in his home on the lake, Peart was left without direction. This memoir tells of the sense of loss and directionlessness that led him on a 55,000-mile journey by motorcycle across much of North America, down through Mexico to Belize, and back again. He had needed to get away, but had not really needed a destination. His travel adventures chronicle his personal odyssey and include stories of reuniting with friends and family, grieving, thinking, and reminiscing as he rode until he encountered the miracle that allowed him to find peace. ... Read more

Reviews (119)

Why does Neil Peart think he's "better" than us?
I'm not a Rush fan, and I'd never heard of Neil Peart before another motorcyclist cleared out his library and I got hold of Ghost Rider. I'm not impressed with celebrity motorcyclists, having met Malcolm Forbes, Peter Fonda, Jay Leno, et al. None of those guys think that they are "better" than us, on the contrary, they revel in the camaraderie and the egalitarianism of the 2-wheeled brotherhood. But Peart comes off as a parvenu
moto-snob, and he shuns Americans as being overweight and declasse. Who did he think was going to read his book on motorcycle touring, anyway, people who were working their way through their own grief? And he doesn't begin to understand his own personality type, and why he thinks that he loved his wife, while actually he was still a boy at heart, out having fun with his friends, while his wife sat at home. There was very little about his wife and daughter in the book, and lots about his attempts to run away from his own self, which he didn't like very much, and there was nothing of the guilt that he should have felt about not being there for his wife before the accident
where his daughter died. And, while he may have suffered from the loss of his immediate family, his other family and friends were still there for him and he didn't lose his career while he went off running away from responsibility. On the positive side, I did enjoy reading the travelogue parts and found his imagery of natural phenomena and scenery to be enchanting. Too bad he had to dwell so much on his grief. Oh, Peart did accomplish what
a writer needs to accomplish: he gained sufficient empathy with the reader (even though I though he was an a$$hole half the time)
to make me hope for a happy outcome for him. So I flipped to the back of the book to look at the denouement (a sure sign that the author is wearying the reader). I was amazed. He married a girl, instead of marrying Brutus, whom he loved more intimately than he could ever love another woman!

Far more than just an insight into Neil Peart's life...
Just like many of the reviewers here at amazon.com had done, I purchased this book primarily because I am an avid Rush fan. It is true that Neil Peart has kept his private life very guarded from his fans and is very defensive about his privacy (see lyrics to "Limelight" by Peart). However...

The more I read this book, the less I was aware that the man on this "Healing Road" is the drummer of a legendary Canadian progressive rock power trio. I became totally immersed in the mind of a man who is on an intense journey of personal re-discovery. Further to that, I became thoroughly engrossed with Peart's simple yet amazingly effective description of life on the road (on two wheels). Peart had made me forget "who" he was and instead made me want to read about who he is becoming -- a man in the wake of devastating tragedy, born of a fragile, healing "baby soul."

My hat's off to Peart. This book is an excellent read.

I feel the soft ground under my feet; and I am moved.
"Living in a fisheye lens, caught in the camera eye,
I have no heart to lie,
I can't pretend a stranger is a long-awaited friend."
-- Limelight

And who can blame you? Who will judge you? Lost your life, your family, your love, your child, your spirit ! O cruel world ! You turned in your ambition for a cold dark hostile ride through infinite space and endless pavement. But you do have love. You do have light. You gave so much to the world in your youth. You were our only voice. You taught us all a philosophy that we knew before we became wealthy and learned in philosophy. You were our only philosopher; the greatest of all philosophers. Your gift was not only the gift of words of enlightenment, but was the gift of energy: adrenalin flowing. You gave the world truth: the rarest of all precious stones. Thank you. You are loved by millions. And many more will be born to discover your genius. Music is timeless. Perhaps we are all strangers to you, but you should know that we, your audience, all hold you close to our hearts. And in this that we all share, we are not strangers, but very close friends.

"Ghost Rider" takes us into the soul of Neil Peart, percussionist, composer, and lyricist and poet of the combined genius known as Rush. It is a mystery why he opened his soul in this text, but he did. It's true: we cannot know another unless we walk in their shoes. But we can share it all with each other. Neil pours it out. How you see it, how it affects you, is all up to you, the reader.

MR

Only for the dedicated
As a fan of Rush and Neil Peart for 20+ years, I was hoping this book would reveal more about Neil's human side and the tragedies he faced and overcame. It did, but not the way I expected. I was about 100 pages in when I realized the book is written for Neil himself, not for the reader. The author often seems not to know or care that a reader exists and wants to understand and empathize with his journey. He logs hundreds of pages of detail of his aimless wanderings, often interspersed with his own feelings of grief, but the few real insights are fragmented without any real coherence. In fact, some of them are probably unintentional; he seems as unaware of his own disdain towards most other people he meets, as he is of the reader himself. This becomes painfully obvious in the "Letters to Brutus" section, pages upon pages of correspondence that, while surely significant to Neil and his close friends, are mostly fragmented and irrelevant to anyone else. After 450 pages of material, through which we desperately want Neil to overcome his pain, the story of his recovery is tacked on in literally a single sentence, followed by 6 pages of epilogue.

My sense is that this book was written not for the reader, but for Neil to bring closure to his own grieving process, which is understandable given the terrible tragedies that the author experienced. The reader should approach it in that context, understanding that the process of grief necessarily makes a person very focused on the self to the exclusion of almost all else.

I'd recommend the book only to dedicated fans of Neil's work, with the caveat that this particular work is really written for Neil himself. All the band members have consistently said they feel they owe their followers their best possible performance in exchange for the CD price or ticket charge; for the $20 price of this book, this is the first work I've seen by any of them that falls far short of that standard.

This road gets a little long...
As a long time Rush/Neil Peart fan I may not be the most objective reviewer of this book as I tore through its pages with the mindset of a fan and not as a casual reader. Being a Rush fan and a motorcyclist, I'm probably as captive a reader as any author could hope for, so perhaps I grant this book some liberties where others may feel it falls a little short.

The passing of Peart's daughter and wife starts the book on it's haunting footing as the author takes you on a two wheel ride over miles and miles of road while simultaneously allowing you to feel his pain, recount his memories, think his thoughts, and bask in his ultimate healing. All while the odometer keeps clicking away.

What is immediately striking is the author's raw emotional openness - as though his motorcycle were the couch and the reader the psychologist listening to him poor it all out. The down side of this is that in his honesty you see him as not always being the most sympathetic of characters - often he comes across being uptight, anal, and often self indulged. Rather than recounting memories of his lost loved ones, allowing his devastation to be more concrete and real for the reader he regales in story after story of past motorcycle trips with his best friend Brutus. By the end of the book you know more about Brutus than the loved ones he lost.

The beauty of this book is experiencing the world as viewed through the eyes of a well-read, thoughtful artist. He has such a poetic sensibility about the world that the sights, sounds and smells of the passing countryside take on a fresh life. Throughout the book he is searching, but never out of control - he grieves as you would expect, but not driven by his emotions - instead he rides and thinks. ... Read more

Book Description

Elvis Costello is undoubtedly one of the most important and challenging musicians of the last thirty years. Complicated Shadows paints a detailed portrait of an intensely private, complex, and creatively restless individual. It draws on a wealth of new research, including exclusive interviews with people from all stages of Costello's life and career: classmates, friends, members of his early bands, former lovers, members of the Attractions, producers, and various collaborators. Complicated Shadows reveals the circumstances surrounding his marriages to ex-Pogues bassist Cait O'Riordan and jazz singer Diana Krall, and the bitter breakup of his long-term backing band, the Attractions. Costello's "coiled tight" personality and penchant for outrageous candor set the tone for a frenetic, and aesthetically inventive, independent band. Their independence is epitomized by their infamous 1977 Saturday Night Live appearance (replacing the Sex Pistols, who dropped out) when Costello cut short the scheduled song, "Less Than Zero," then directed the band to play the as-of-yet unreleased "Radio Radio." Costello didn't appear on live U.S. television again until the 1980s. Complicated Shadows contains a full examination and analysis of the entirety of Costello's vast and varied musical output, both in the studio and on the stage. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (17)

Know Who Eno Is?
I have had a difficult time explaining this one to acquaintances and co-workers. It is very hard to explain the subtlety, humor and freshness of Eno's mind to people whose idea of complexity and innovation is the latest game show spin-off on network television. "Brian Eno," they ask, "who's that?" Standard answer: "Musician, artist and producer. You've heard of U2 and Talking Heads? Well, he produced them." And then their eyes glaze over and you get that blank stare along with the inevitable, "Oh." But since you, dear reader, are here purposefully looking at reviews of a diary written by the aforementioned gentleman, let me assume I do not need to introduce you to Eno. Let me also suggest two things: 1) that you read this diary, and 2) when the next person asks who Brian Eno is, tell them only, "He is a professional craftsman of ideas." For that is the absolute beauty of Eno; if there are two answers to a question, Eno will come up with the third. And I suppose that's not news to you or me but it is not until you have lived a year in his shoes, mind and studio that the depth of this beauty settles in your mind. What you find in these pages is not only the Eno you've always suspected existed--the innovator, the artist and thinker--but also a gentle, humble, loving, honest, sassy and self-doubting man with whom it is a joy to spend time. You'll also discover the secret to Eno's seemingly charmed life (he married his manager) and some pretty good dirt about the boys of U2 (well, at least that Bono is a terror behind the wheel). Expect also to find a real person: a father, a friend, a businessman, a showman, a teacher, a joker, some lyrics from Miss Shapiro and a few new words for your vocabulary (re-commode-ification indeed!). This is not brilliant literature--hey, it's a diary for crying out loud!--but as such it makes a perfect book to read in small doses (bedtime, commuting, etc.--I read it almost entirely while waiting to be seated at restaurants and it almost made me wish the lines were longer). It's packed full of interesting anecdotes and insights into the working and thinking habits of one of this century's (yes, the new millennium really does start in 2001--that's why Kubrick used it in the movie title, duh) most important and blessed professional craftsmen of ideas.

A must-read for all musicians, artists & producers
An fascinating insight into the mind of one of pop music's most creatively influential movers and shakers - follow the inner workings of Eno's mind as he wrestles with producing Bowie and James, criticising the Turner Art Prize, collaborating with U2, clowning with his infant daughters, lusting after pssing women, making bread at 3am, and pondering humanitarian catastrophies in the Balkans as he pours time, tears and creative energies into his War Child charity work... if you work in the music business and find this book dull , email me and I'll buy it off you for the same price you paid - it's that good. It should be compulsory reading for anyone involved in contemporary music and the arts - candid, sad, funny, revealing, opinionated, flawed... in short, human. Brian Eno's perceived public image is a million miles removed from the private and creative reality and this book goes some way towards redressing the balance for anyone interested in his work. The one-liners are priceless and acute ("An arrangement is when somebody stops playing"). The swollen appendages are a bit overblown and dull, but the diary is so densely written and full of insights that it repays frequent re-reading.

Not for everybody - great book for producers
If you are a record producer or a musician interested in production you are certainly familiar with Eno's work. Have you ever wondered what his routine is like? Well, I did. The book gave me an idea of how he works on a project, how ideas are created in his studio and how he works with musicians.

The book is his diary of 1995 and it is focused on his work, not so much his personal life. There are no juicy gossips and no confessions. It is mostly cold and impersonal. Steps were clearly taken to preserve his personal life. And you have to ignore some of the obvious embelishing (c'mon, Brian, if you are such a good cook, shouldn't you own a restaurant instead?).

But if you are involved in music you will get a glimpse into the tools and processes that make this man one of the great creative minds in contemporary music. And also understand where some of his shortcomings come from.

It is the closest thing to being a guest in his studio for a week.

Apart from the diary there are some texts at the end packed with original ideas.

Brian's EGO
I kept this book by my bedside and read it for a week or so. It was amusing at first and then, it became a void. It went nowhere and inspired nothing. This may very well be Eno's intention, but would he read it?

He defends Linda McCartney
This is just a review written by a gearhead scientist with no background in art and literature, so be forewarned that I am not an expert on literature. I thought I would write this just in case anyone out there is looking for a change of pace, no matter your musical tastes or political views.

Hey -- give this book a shot. It's worth it. I read this book a little at a time over a few months. I still have it sitting around as a kind of jump-starter . . . it inspires me and makes me feel more positive.

I bought this book because it sounded intriguing and because some Amazon reviewers gave it a thumbs up. Plus, I was a fan of Brian Eno's 70's music in the 80's. If he was really popular back then, I would not have known it from the teenagers around me. So here I was, 17 years old and hearing "No One Receiving" and "Baby's On Fire" for the first time and my little teeny brain was turned inside-out. And then, like the guy who finally figures out how to view a Magic Eye picture, I started seeing Eno everywhere I looked: Talking Heads, U2, even the background music for a Nike commercial.

This guy does a little of everything. No, make that "a little of everything that I don't understand." Oblique strategies, Music for Airports, you name it. It's so ironic that this guy has done everything from Roxy Music to ambient to producing pop bands -- he's always changing, at the cutting edge, exploring -- and yet I was struck by just one phase of his career. ( I bought several of those Laraaji-type records in college -- it didn't swing for me.) So, I guess that's the big reason I liked this book . . . I admire this man of many talents, tastes, and wide-ranging interests.

Brian Eno may just be everything that I am not. I guess I have to admit that I am a political conservative on a lot of issues, including ones that were important when Eno wrote this diary (1995?). But I love to hear what he has to say. His takes on so many issues are so much more tilted towards big, activist government than mine are. But he establishes his credibility by having reasoned arguments, and just writes really lucidly and intelligently. I REALLY WISH THERE EXISTED IN AMERICA A LIBERAL PUNDIT OR TALK-SHOW HOST LIKE BRIAN ENO. Most of his pointed criticism of Bosnia policy, military build-up, state vs. free enterprise, etc. is aimed DIRECTLY at people just like me. But I didn't throw the book across the room when what he had to say made me look like an idiot or ...cold-hearted... It actually intrigued me, because for some reason it made me think. I respect the author, so I respect his arguments. I wish there were more pop culture figures who could be so funny, concise, and devoid of polemics. Julia Roberts and Alec Baldwin, take note.

Well, would this book have any interest for someone who doesn't have "Here Come The Warm Jets" in his or her CD player right now? Well, I think it might. The tone and demeanor of the book are refreshing. Take notice of the fact that he does not write about his life as though he were "The Man." This is an accomplishment, because the book has him jetting here and there, talking with Bono and chatting with Dolores O'Riordan. He admits to working so that he can make money to keep his family going, he recounts his long hours of work that sometimes frustrate him and yield no results, admits to being occasionally nervous, grumpy, misanthropic, biased, unfair, and other things. He's faithful to his wife and loves his little girl but admits his occasional frustration with both. He's frank about some "female butt" issues and computer distortions -- 'nuff said here. His bit about Linda McCartney and her Lindaburger donations really put me in my place -- I was one of those who got half the story and ran with it, making fun of a serious problem and one person's effort to help out a little bit (which is more that I did).

But the book isn't all serious and heavy. I won't spoil it (any more?) here, but you will find lots of interesting tidbits. I'll bet the footnotes and appendices thing bugged the heck out of some people, but I loved it! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (54)

"Truth or Lies".....you decide....
I started this book and I have to admitt, I read it in one day....It was very intersting however I don't think it was very factual....If you get this book be sure and get "Child Bride" as well, and compare....It is entertaining that's for sure! I love Elvis Presley...My mom was at his concert when she started having contractions with me...He is a heart throb and a very intersting man. This book I am sure has some truth to the legend, Elvis Presley's life and the things that went on during his time here, but lil Mrs. Priscilla is not as innocent as she tries to say in her book...Just look at her past reviews, the "seductive" pictures she has posed oh so many times in...She is a good story teller though. She tells it like she is a victim. You will see reading this book that in her own words she was very into Elvis, and VERY controlling and jealous....I say read this book...but get "Child Bride" as well...

"I will never write a book about me and Elvis"
Those were the famous words of Priscilla Presley after the death of Elvis. I knew it was only a matter of time before she caved in and righted all the wrongs which were quoted in the many books written about her and Elvis preceding her own. It took ten years but she finally wrote this book, Elvis and Me. I was waiting so earnestly for this book because I felt that Priscilla was probably the only one close enough to the 'real' Elvis to tell us the true background details of day to day life and I was right in my opinion. I felt this book was raw! Priscilla didn't mince words or try to coat the truth. She told it as it happened, in true detail. Priscilla starts her book by telling us where she was when the news of her ex-husbands death reached her. Her book then goes back to the beginning. Her first meeting with Elvis in Germany. How Elvis wanted to "see her again" and even ended up visiting her parents to make this happen. Although the book is filled with the many tender moments she spent with Elvis, it's also a shocker when you learn of his drug dependency. A pill to sleep and a pill to wake up! His many 'hanger-on's' who were constantly at his side whenever he was awake. His free spending ways towards friends and family to the almost abusive way he took over Priscilla's mind and body. She lied constantly to her parents we find out. Especially when she was visiting Elvis for vacations. Elvis thought nothing of telling Priscilla's parents one thing then totally doing the opposite. Then there's the fact that he refused to have sex with her until their marriage night and how it completely stopped after Lisa Marie's birth. Just reading inbetween the lines of this book, you can tell how frustrated Priscilla was. She had everything yet her life reached a point of such emptiness and dispair with Elvis that she left him. Priscilla doesn't leave anything out which surprised me a little. She tells of his numerous affairs during their relationship, his strange habits, and just when you think there couldn't possibly be anything else to talk about, she shocks you with yet another revelation. Do I think you should buy this book? Yes! Do I believe everything in the book? No! Either way, I think this book is the closest we will ever get to the true Elvis. Priscilla was the closest to Elvis we will ever get so if you're an Elvis fan, this book should definitely be part of your Elvis library. I think you'll be quite shocked at some of the things you learn. I was!

So first of all best book
Ok so this is such an interseting book for any true elvis fan.I can not believe how gay some of you people are.I think its cool how this bookgoes into as you people call 'a darker side' even thought its not,because shes letting his fans know another side of him,and you get to know more about elvis.Priscilla loved him with all her heart,anbd she isnot negative at all towards him.Maybe you people are just used to'are ytou lonseome tonight' well as far as im concerned that book is complete and total fiction.She doesnbt sayd anything bad about elvis,because its her fantasyu and she tries to make it like everything went well for them,excpet thqt they coulkdnt be together.First of all EVERY relationship hasd problmes.There is not certain thing as a problem free relationship,that author needs a fducking reality check,.Priscilla knows what really went on seeing as she was his wife,and with him for numeral amounts of yeatrs so stop being homos.

Elvis gets chewed up and spit out!
Was Priscilla Presley mad at Elvis when she wrote this book? I think so. She comes off as an angel and makes him look like the devil himself. How could you be married to Elvis Presley and write a book telling the most private things about your marriage? Did we need to know he took pictures of her naked? That he made her and her girlfriend appear to be lesbian lovers as he watched? Wait a minute - which is it? Does she go both ways? What a dishonor to the King of Rock and Roll! This book cannot possibly be the real truth - if you want to read a good book about Elvis & Priscilla - read Child Bride. The ex-Mrs. Presley is not as perfect as her book would have you believe. Poor Elvis!

You'll get hooked..
I am 16, I love Elvis, and this is a very interesting and great look from Pri's perspective of him. I have not finished the book yet but I will soon because I cannot but it down hardly. One thing I dispize about it is, Elvis held his love making as a very high vurtue, she was always angry with him, but yet she realised how right he was to wait, but didnt give him any credit, I love that about Elvis, that he had high morals and wanted to wait, plus she was young, he wanted the best for her, but she was a young teen wanting to explore and she didnt like to be held back.. To alot of people this book makes them see a "drug addict/dark side" of The King, but to me it just makes me care for him and love him more, and dislike Pri might I add.. Yes she had hard times with him but everyone has problems, even Elvis, and I believe she should have not pressured him so, but thats just my opinion.. Anyways, its a good book, if you love Elvis, and it's written really well... I'll just have to finish it and see how I feel then...

If it does nothing else for you, it's sure to give you chills and a throbbing heart each time he touches Pri holds her tight. Heh.. If it doesnt, your nuts heh.. JK ... Read more

Book Description

The softcover edition examines the turbulent relationship between legendary Doors frontman Jim Morrison and his common-law wife, Pamela Courson, tracing the lives of Courson and Morrison before their fateful meeting in 1965, their lives together until Morrison's death in 1971, and Coursin's life without Morrison, including her fight to gain the rights to his estate until her death from a heroin overdose on April 25, 1974. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

The best book about Morrison to date..
After reading "No One Here Gets Out Alive" in 1980, a book that(with my recollection)falsely lead people to believe that Jim Morrison could possibly be "alive and well and living in Africa", and John Densmore's book "Riders on The Storm", a book that I found to be depressing, I found Patricia Butler's obviously well researched book to be wonderfully written. She captures the funny, emotional, and tender side of both Jim and Pamela with the help of friends, family, and collegues of both subjects. The stories that Jim's college buddies told her about him while he was a college student are absolutely hillarious. As a Doors fan, I was tired of hearing "horrible" Jim stories. Everyone has a bad and a good side to them. Although the author does portray a little bit of their drug, alcohol use etc., it is not focused entirely on those issues, which to me, is a welcome breath of fresh air. If any of you reading this has been to Patricia Kennealy's web site, this book does not trash Jim. I think PK is upset because the book was not about her. I recommend this book highly.

Extensive research and genuine heart makes this a keeper.
If the fact that Patricia Butler spent hundreds of hours researching ANGELS DANCE AND ANGELS DIE does not impress you, if the fact that she endured a swell of death threats and hate mail doesn't intrigue you, if the thought of the ill-fated romance of Doors front man Jim Morrison and his "cosmic mate" Pamela Courson doesn't at least make you curious, breeze by this deftly written work.

If those three elements send your mind drifting towards a craving for nostalgic discovery, you'll consider the $27.00 cover price money well invested.

Butler not only explores the obvious --- how ego and illegal substances can really put a kink in your romantic radar --- she delves into the how and why behind the excess, shattering some myths, laying new ground work for others.

Morrison fans will love or hate ANGELS DANCE AND ANGELS DIE. But they'll be well fed, no matter how the toss of the Doors dice lands. And either way, it's a book not to be missed.

A Satisfying Read
I have read many books on Jim Morrison, some better then others. I always found most of these books lacking in their depth of his most intimate and profound relationship, Pamela. For this I found the story very satisfying and seemed to ring true. Patricia Butler does a excellent job of collecting hard evidence to support the story she tells with all its craziness and romanticism thrown in for good measure. I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures too.

Worth a look....mostly for the pictures!
The research in this book is mostly impressive. Everyone she interviews is listed, and there are many! I'll give the book three stars for that. However, the book falls flat because it doesn't have enough on the relationship of Jim and Pamela, which is supposed to be the whole point (I thought). What you do read about their relationship is really no surprise. Everyone knew Pamela was Jim's #1 squeeze, even though he fooled around with other gals. Everyone knew they fought and made up. You get more insight into their relationship looking at all the lovely pictures than you do reading this book. The fact Jim was photographed so many times with Pamela tells you something about Pamela vs. "other gals", more than this book will tell you. Pamela was "Queen of the Highway", but there's not enough of her here. It's still worth a read, just not what it could have been.

a poet & his muse
at first i wasn't too impressed with this book because i felt it was poorly written & found it difficult to read... but i chose to continue & am glad i did. finally, some justice for pamela. & to those upset that it didn't mention jim's other lovers, or patricia... have you forgotten this book clearly states ON THE COVER it's about the two of them? ... Read more

Book Description

Presented in a handsome slipcase, Lennon Legend is both an illustrated and an interactive biography of the creative genius - songwriter, artist, social activist - who changed his times. Created with the cooperation of Yoko Ono Lennon, who has opened her archives for this project, the book offers insightful details about every era of John's life, from his early days at art school to the height of Beatlemania to "Imagine." A live recording of that song is included, along with several interviews of John talking about his life and art, on the audio CD contained in this package. Throughout, the book features archival photographs and reproductions of John's handwritten song lyrics, drawings, memorabilia, and personal papers. In all, 40 removable facsimiles can be enjoyed by the reader, several previously unpublished, including an intimate self-portrait in pen and ink and a plea for world peace. It's been said that John Lennon's was the voice of a generation. Lennon Legend celebrates that voice's power to resonate across the generations. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

"Breathe" - Experience John Lennon
Imagine - you are visiting an exhibition about an important artist. An exhibition guide is describing anecdote-rich in short chapters all creative periods of this artist.

Imagine - you are buying the catalog, covering all the things you saw and heard before. Again ...

Imagine - you are taking with you some of the so admired exhibits (ok, only as reproductions, but ... anyway).

James Henke let with his book "Lennon Legend: An illustrated Life of John Lennon" this dream become true. Because provided with large expenditure, a worthy book is published, which resembles rather a fan collection in form of a photo album as a classical biography. The "Clou" - the book contains high-quality reproductions: handwritten letters and Songtexte, historical documents and further 40 removable memorabilia as well as an interview CD, on which also a rare live recording of "Imagine" is to be heard from the year 1972.

Henke avoides dry academical essay and "letter deserts" to the reader. As a curator he knows obviously, how history can be lastingly and affectionately address. Facts become literally "illustrative" and "handable". Therefore you should pull the art cart with Yokos handwritten request "breathe" from page 26 and in thoughts experience , how it could have been, when John met for the first time Yoko.

The author succeeds with this approach to show, almost the entire work of Lennon as a musician, author, painter, performance artist and as an actor. But the book is not a detailed exposition with the John's contradictions. Rather Henke concentrates to point the view of the reader of the strengths and talents of this outstanding artist.

Nevertheless in my opinion this book let the answer to question open, which let John Lennon become a legend. This to mediate clearly, succeeds only in few places in this book: "in somewhat more than three years... they (the Beatles) had revolutionized the music and the fashion, and at the cultural and social changes... they were considerably involved."

Also John never understood itself as legend. In its last interview (contained in cutouts also on that CD) he says: "my role in society is trying to express, what we all feel and not to tell the people how to feel - not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all, and it's like that the job of the artists in society."

All in all, this book is remarkable, than many biographies about John Lennon before - Henke lets the "legend become touchable":

Imagine - you are opening the book and the Lennon exhibition come to you home.

Already because of this conception that book earned at least four of five stars.

Absolutely fab!
Everything Henke publishes is always a high quality, well-researched effort and this is no exception. It's not hyperbole to say that this book contains virtually everything you ever wanted to know about Lennon memorabilia; the details are prodigious. It's an almost encyclopedic chronicle of Lennon's life from 1940 until his tragic death in 1980. Casual fans might suffocate under the weight of all this info, but for Lennon fanatics, like me, this is nirvana.

The book is divided between personal material about John, his relationships, marriages, divorce, and two sons, and his professional career. His partnership with Paul is explored in fascinating detail and no discernible bias can be seen. The index is easy to follow and cross-referenced so you can easily find what you're looking for. The highlights are the color photos of John memorabilia: report cards, Quarrymen stuff, lyric sheets... it'll blow your mind.

If you are a serious fan of John Lennon, this is an indispensible guide to his songwriting, personality and his life. If only he had been allowed more than 40 years on earth, how many more classic songs would he have written? Sadly, we will never know, but this celebration of his life is as good as it gets.

IN JOHN'S LIFE
This is an outstanding biography of John Lennon.

This is a high caliber, comprehensive work that follows John Lennon's early years in Liverpool and the formation of the rock bands he founded until its final evolution as the Beatles. There are a plethora of good photographs and material that will captivate readers from Beatle experts to lay persons. This author has clearly done an excellent job of researching his material.

Yoko's input is invaluable and helps to make a good work all the more effective. Imagine owning this masterpiece - you will be so glad that you do. As for the Beatles, in my life, I love them more. This book will certainly spark an even keener interest in the Beatles and the man known as the Chief Beatle, John Lennon.

All I'm Saying is give this book a chance
John - my second favorite Beatle, and my favorite solo ex-Beatle (come on, is there really any competition between 'Imagine' and 'Silly Love Songs'?) So you can IMAGINE my giddy excitement when I saw this one on the shelves. A must read. I loved it. For any obsessive Beatle fan (like me) or anyone just looking for a way to pass the days away.

"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace."
John Lennon

If everyone read this book, there'd be peace. Or at least a very satisfied reader.

Entertaining
If you love John Lennon then you will love this book. I don't own it, but i saw it in a book store and sat on the floor for about 20 minutes just going through all the little pull-outs it has. Great book to have...i highly recommend it! ... Read more

Book Description

After cutting his teeth as a drummer with the musical misfits of his high school, Jacob Slichter formed a bond with two other friends that would eventually grow into the band Semisonic.Who could forget the smash single "Closing Time," a runaway hit in 1998 that thrust Jacob and his band into the international spotlight and helped them sell over two million albums?But with instant fame came instant musical and personal chaos, during which Jacob Slichter had to learn several essential things: how to pose for the mandatory "in front of brick wall" photo shoot, how to look angry and unapproachable for the A&R guys, how to answer a German radio interview question, and how to deal with the feudal system that is the backstage tour hierarchy.

So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star is a hysterical and witty look at what happens just before and during one's fifteen minutes of fame.Jacob Slichter takes readers on a step-by-step journey of his evolution from fledgling drummer toworldwide performer and proves to be the perfect guide—feisty and humbled — to the inner workings of the music industry and instant celebrity.So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star speaks to all of us who dream again and again of rock superstardom and shows how one kid can go from picking up a pair of drumsticks to picking up a platinum record.

Reviews (13)

Hilarious, fascinating, and heartfelt
I loved this book!! Slichter draws you right in to his life, and you feel like you are with him every step of the way on his rise from dead-end day jobs and musical dreams to rock stardom. He exposes the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of the music and radio industries and how they *really* work, something most people don't know (I didn't). Most importantly, though, he weaves his tale both with deliciously sly humor that will make you laugh out loud and with a self-effacing style that makes you feel connected to him. When I read this book, Slichter made me feel as though I were right there in the action; it could easily have been me in his place, I felt, just because he comes across as being so human, like you or me. There is no rock-star preening in this book. You feel the thrills and the disappointments that Slichter feels. You share his astonishment at the byzantine workings of the system. And from cover to cover, you will laugh uproariously as he takes you on the roller coaster ride of rock and roll. I highly recommend this book!

***** (5 stars)

tremendous book
I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes popular music and great writing. Jacob Slichter takes you backstage in huge arenas full of screaming fans, lets you watch as his band picks a manager, negotiates with record executives, endures photo shoots and slogs through endless promotional appearances. Slichter's writing is brisk, with a great eye for the telling detail and an absolutely devastating deadpan, self-deprecating wit. It was fascinating to learn that, with all the success that Semisonic had, they never really broke into secure stardom and in fact struggled with radio play, album sales, and plain old irrelevancy their entire career. Slichter leads the reader through the somewhat byzantine world of program directors, Soundscanning, "shipped but not sold", and the "Clearmountain pause" and does so with clarity, humility, intelligence and tons and tons of humor. I really appreciate that Slichter is a smart and normal guy who can write a book about being a rock star without boasting about tooting coke, going to jail, bar brawling, shagging strippers, and wrecking expensive cars. That kind of thing gets old so fast. This book is an absolute pleasure to read. I'm going to read it again and then start loaning it to friends.

a joy to read
Slichter's wit comes through with a wonderful self-deprecating style. Imagine a mix of a little Bill Bryson and some PJ O'Rourke. Few books are laugh-out-loud funny. This one is.

The book is so good that you can't wait until he writes something else--whatever the subject, you know it'll be good.

I didn't want to get to "closing time"
Like most music fans, I knew "Closing Time" but not any other Semisonic songs. Having read this book, I now understand why. Slichter's clear explanations of the machinations of the music industry (percentage points, independent promoters, Soundscan A&R guys) gave me great insight into what actually goes on behind the scenes of our favorite songs. He chronicles the signing process, the video making process, and what it's like to go on tour (even down to a detailed explanation of the tour bus) and why some songs "hit" and some miss. The book is neither gossipy (he meets Prince but doesn't give lots of details) or boring - Slichter is a Harvard graduate and writes very well. I wish he had given us an epilogue, telling what he and his bandmates are doing now, and what happened to Coco. It also would have been fun to see a "money count" detailing just how much was spent on the band and how much they actually made back. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in going into the music business.

so funny
This book is hilarious, but also fascinating. I thought I knew a lot about the stranglehold of media, but I really didn't know the extent of how bad it was. I hope everyone reads this book and goes out and supports local bands. You will laugh your butt off. Jacob Slichter is so smart and so wryly funny. ... Read more

Book Description

The Band, who backed Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965 and then turned out a half-dozen albums of beautifully crafted, image-rich songs, is now regarded as one of the most influential rock groups of the '60s. But while their music evoked a Southern mythology, only their Arkansawyer drummer, Levon Helm, was the genuine article. From the cotton fields to Woodstock, from seeing Sonny Boy Williamson and Elvis Presley to playing for President Clinton, This Wheel's on Fire replays the tumultuous history of our times in Levon's own unforgettable folksy drawl. This edition is expanded with a new afterword by the authors. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

If You're A Fan of The BAND, There's No Doubt...
...you must read this book.

Levon's down-home personality floods every page, and makes you wish you'd known him and his family growing up. Honestly, I probably enjoyed the chapters about his childhood as much or more than the chapters about being in one of my favorite groups--The Band.

There are some self-serving moments, but hey, they're illuminating too! Check out how casually Levon dismisses his own drug addiction in the early 70s, and completely ignores the fact that THAT might have contributed to the rift between the rest of them and Robbie (Rick and Richard were addicts too). He blames the rift primarily on Robbie's receiving most of the writing credits, but if everybody else was strung-out, SOMEBODY needed to write the songs!!! Oh yeah, and Levon devotes a few paragraphs too many to an incident in which Ronnie Hawkins claimed that Levon had a large genital appendage...not really the sort of information I was looking for... Apparently these guys were knee-deep in the hedonistic lifestyle too, but Levon doesn't much go into that...which is probably for the best.

And oh boy, there are shades to the relationship between Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm that go far beyond what I previously realized...after reading this, you'll NEVER watch "The Last Waltz" the same way again. Man, oh man! Robbie comes off as less than likable, to put it kindly. And I gotta say, this isn't just a one-sided account, because Rick is quoted extensively too. Seems like money and fame can really wreck the best of friendships. Here's how.

If you'd prefer to think of the Band as a bunch of kindly guys who simply had fun recording good albums, you might want to stay away from this book! But if you'd like to see what sort of stuff was going on behind the scenes, and what fuels the continuing bitterness between the surviving members, or if you want to know more about Richard Manuel's untimely death, this book is your best source.

True American Folk Artist
I loved this book! Levon Helm is truly a classic American musical figure. So deeply rooted in tradition and yet part of such a ground breaking musical group. Amazing stories for fans of The Band and Rock and Roll in general. Too bad about so much bad blood between Robbie Robertson and Levon. They both complement each other so well, musically. A fascinating read!

The grand realization of what was under Neil Young's nose
Let's get one thing straight: I don't have anything against drug-taking rock stars (are there any other kind?), but the degree to which Levon Helm matter-of-factly celebrates his and his band mates' absolutely industry-record-setting pace of cocaine and heroin abuse is hardly worth my time reading this book. And it's not just the drug admissions that get me, but the crumby admissions of how the band disintegrated partly because they couldn't collectively figure out what to do with all of their real-estate investment profits. The claim that Helm makes about wanting to "disengage" from the group because they decided not to invest in vacant land in Arkansas that now houses a Holiday Inn is hilariously embarassing. I mean, stripped of the veneer, yeah, it's a dose of reality, but that doesn't mean I have to actually like the result of Helm's iconoclastic prose. I mean, anyone who calls Levon Helm "homespun", "down home" and "laid back country" after reading this book must not have been paying attention. If Levon Helm wasn't a rock musician, he'd be Ivan Boesky, or another typical money-drugs-greed obsessed footnote in American cultural history. Oh wait, he is.

Honestly, I started this book with "Stage Fright" and "Music From Big Pink" being among the sacrosanct albums I owned, and left the book wondering just what the fuss was all about. Totally turned off by now, I don't care to ever read it again, and my distaste for these creeps is so huge I honestly doubt I'll ever think of these guys the same way again. After Rick Danko's death, I'd like to ask Levon Helm what he feels the entire "business" of being in a band really is. Sad, really sad.

Laughed out loud!!!!
Although Levon Helm's anger very apparent this is one of the funniest books I've read. His story telling is great.

the book of the band
i would have liked to have seen a contribution by robbie included and some reflection from richard. levon's time away is moved thru too quickly when he was away. i would have liked to have read more detail of his life away from music. i enjoyed the criticism of neil diamond which everyone always had of his appearance in the last waltz. ... Read more

Download Description

"Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some have greatness thrust upon them. And some have the misfortune to go to school with Bono. Everyone wants to be famous. But as a young punk in Dublin in the 1970s, Neil McCormick's ambitions went way beyond mere pop stardom. It was his destiny to be a veritable Rock God. He had it all worked out: the albums, the concerts, the quest for world peace. There was only one thing he hadn't counted on. The boy sitting on the other side of the classroom had plans of his own. Killing Bono is a story of divergent lives. As Bono and his band U2 ascended to global superstardom, his school friend Neil scorched a burning path in quite the opposite direction. Bad drugs, weird sex, bizarre haircuts: Neil experienced it all in his elusive quest for fame. But sometimes it is life's losers who have the most interesting tales to tell. Featuring guest appearances by the Pope, Bob Dylan, and a galaxy of stars, Killing Bono offers an extremely funny, startlingly candid, and strangely moving account of a life lived in the shadows of superstardom. ""The problem with knowing you is that you've done everything I ever wanted to,"" Neil once complained to his famous friend. ""I'm your doppelganger,"" Bono replied. ""If you want your life back, you'll have to kill me."" Now there was a thought..." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

From Blues ToDo Monthly, June 2004
I was sitting with Hubert Sumlin in the Green Room of Jazz Alley last week, when Mark Hoffman peeked through the doorway. The customary mischievous twinkle in his eye was augmented by an excited sense of urgency. In his hands he held a book; not just any book, but one he had written himself. This particular copy was a gift for Hubert, because Hubert had provided a critical link in the book's research. How could anyone write the definitive biography of Howlin' Wolf without consulting the man who'd been Wolf's guitarist for 25 years?

Hubert grinned, Mark bubbled with appreciation. Crisp new pages and a freshly-pressed sepia close-up of a cigarette-puffing Howlin' Wolf on the cover. Someone set the finished product down on the table; that's when I grabbed it and started leafing through. It was impossible to resist.

Moanin' at Midnight, The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf, finally gives the blues world back its missing link. When Howlin' Wolf left this earth in January 1976, he took with him his stories, his imposing presence and his immensely powerful voice. Fortunately, he left behind his recordings, which, for a generation now, are all we've had by which to remember him. Fortunately also, Wolf had many friends and associates who refused to let go of his memory, and were willing to share their recollections with co-authors Hoffman and James Segrest.

Throughout the book, Hoffman and Segrest use words like gargantuan, ferocious and primal to describe Wolf's persona. If you ever were lucky enough to see Wolf perform, you know why. But even the surviving videos are enough to get the point across. It was not only the man's size that was intimidating, it was the way he wrapped his huge and startling voice around a song. It was his big hands dwarfing a guitar neck or reducing a harmonica to relative invisibility. As the equally legendary record producer Sam Phillips remarked the first time he heard Wolf on the radio in 1951, "This is where the soul of man never dies."

Moanin' at Midnight is as thorough as a biography can be, but to Hoffman and Segrest the project was clearly a labor of love. A dozen years, hundreds of hours of interviews, cross-country commutes to glean insights into a personal hero, the relentless pursuit of detail...the devotion is unmistakable, and it shows.

What Hoffman and Segrest have accomplished with their book is nothing short of magnificent. What they have given us, at long last, is the big picture of Chester Arthur Burnett, aka Howlin' Wolf . At 6'3" (some say 6'6") and nearly 300 pounds, Burnett demands a big picture. Wolf was not only a bluesman's bluesman, he really was larger than life.

If you have any doubts, ask Hubert Sumlin.

An excellent biography
For any fan of Howlin' Wolf, this book is a must. It sheds a lot of light on a man that was as complex as he was talented. Wolf learned his craft from blues legends, like Charley Patton, and took the blues he heard when he was a child and molded it into his own sound. With a voice that was truly unique and actually quite flexible, he put everything he had into a song.

It tells the heroic story of a man born in the south in the first decade of the 20th century amid grinding poverty, extreme racial prejudice, and an unhappy childhood, that found his freedom and his place in the world of the traveling blues man. His early life scarred him both physically and emotionally, and it can be heard in his music.

The musical structure of his music could be very simple sometimes, but he put so much heart, so much emotion into it that the music is never boring, never trite. His childhood and life were hard, but his music is not merely a reflection of hard times. It also can reflect the joy he took in his talent and sharing it with people. A totally unique performer and voice in all of music, not just the blues. And a truly unique man.

The book is well written and is easy to read, with many bluesmen telling about their encounters with 'The Wolf'.

Highly recommended!

immerses you in the world of the wolf and the blues
In a word: spectacular. These writers have filled in what was, until now, the blank slate of Wolf's childhood and early life. They also describe every facet of his long career in detail, all the way from when he first started playing with Charlie Patton in the 1920s up to his last big show in Chicago in the 1970s. All the major players are in here: Willie Johnson, Hubert Sumlin, Sam Lay, Jody Williams, Eddie Shaw, Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boys I and II, Little Walter, and on and on. So are an amazing number of fists, knives, bullets, and other instruments of mayhem-a lot more than you'd expect any human could survive in one lifetime. This is the big book about the big man that every blues fan's been waiting for for many years. It'll probably be the definitive biography and maybe the only one needed about the Wolf. Blues biographies don't get any better than this. ... Read more

Book Description

I am Tommy Lee, born Thomas Lee Bass in Athens, Greece, on October 3, 1962, and raised in a suburb of California by an American father and a Greek mother. At seventeen, I joined Mötley Crüe and we became one of the baddest-ass rock bands in history. We sold over 40 million albums, we wreaked havoc, we scared parents, and we titillated too many fathers' daughters. I've been married three times: once for just a few days to a Penthouse Pet, for seven years to Heather Locklear, and then for five years to Pamela Anderson, with whom I have two beautiful sons. I've gotten into a lot of fights and I've been to jail a few times.

But this book isn't your typical journey in a straight line from day one to day now. I'm more interested in revealing what's most important about my life, like how I cook my steaks; what I think of the tabloids, the truth, my ex-wives, my ex-band, my music; and what an innocent observer might find hanging around my house any given Sunday. You'll get plenty of facts and I'll tell you a story, but my real mission here is to paint you a picture of my life. I want to show you how my memories smell.

I'd like to get into it now, so please take your seats. I advise you to keep your arms and legs inside the car at all times. If you have a pacemaker, a heart condition, or if you are pregnant or too damn short to reach the safety bar, I ask that you turn back immediately. Those with weak stomachs, strict morals, or chronic indigestion should put the book down now. For the rest of you, there's one truth that's real across the board: What you send out is what you get back. Send out the good, people, and it will come back to you. There's another thing I've learned over the years, in court, in fights, and in arguments with people I love: There isn't one truth, there are many. This book is my truth. ... Read more

Book Description

The Beatles are always in the news and in our hearts. February 2004 marks the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' first trip to America, an historic event that was captured by the young photojournalist Harry Benson.

Benson was commissioned to accompany the Beatles to Paris in January 1964, where he took his famous photograph of the pillow fight the night they learned that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had climbed to number one on the U.S. pop charts. He was with them on February 7, when they stepped out of their plane in New York and into the pandemonium of Beatlemania, American-style. In Miami, he introduced the Beatles to Muhammad Ali, and later that year he covered the filming of A Hard Day's Night. He was with them in Chicago in 1966, when John Lennon was quoted as saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, and covered their last tour as a band. He documented the eye of the hurricane: four guys in their twenties at the center of the known universe. This handsome, large-format book is a record of those amazing times. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

PHOTOGRAPHS
This is a delightful book replete with exceptional photographs of the Beatles during their early years performing. The majority of the photographs are taken in 1964, the year the Beatles came to America.

What makes this book such a treat is that there are some cute anecdotes about some of the photographs and I like the way an index print (or contact sheet) is included in a photo series of the Beatles, in February 1964 horsing around in their hotel room. They were like big children, natural and full of fun and the photographs do a good job of capturing that.

I love this book. Although there is very little in the way of new information, if any, it is still guaranteed to bring smiles to the faces of all who read it. I give it a hearty recommendation and a resounding, "YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!"

The Beatles forever
It grieves me to give any Beatles photograph book only four stars, but I have to say these photos have almost all been published previously. If you're new to the Fabs or don't have many photograph compilations of them, then this will be a magnificent book. But if you've collected on them for years and own Benson's previous book, then many of the pictures will be recycled ones to you.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter, any book featuring the boys is always a treat, even if the information has been read a thousand ti