Rock N Roll Reads

I enjoy reading memoirs and usually the most fascinating ones are those of rock n roll musicians. Here are some that I have read and my thoughts on the books. With the holidays fast approaching, some of these books would make great gifts for your rock n roll friends.

Black Postcards by Dean Wareham March 2008 Penguin Press. Dean Wareham was the main lead singer and songwriter for bands Galaxie 500 and Luna. I loved this book and found Dean’s memoir quite interesting and insightful about the indie music scene. Luna has been around for over 10 years and broke up in 2005. Luna did not land on the charts with top ten hits, but they did have a successful music career. They had a strong following of fans here in the US and Europe. Wareham gives us insight into the highs and lows of being in an indie band and not making the millions. For super Luna fans, also check out the documentary on the band called Tell Me Do You Miss Me.

Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis October 2005 Hyperion. By far one of the best rock n roll memoirs I have read. After reading his book, a real page turner, you scratch your head and wonder how Anthony is still alive after all the excessive drug use. He tells his story in a very sincere tone from his early child hood dealing with his drug infested father, to the drugs that plagued his life throughout his musical career with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. You can’t help but root for him as you read his intense story of sex, drugs, and rock n roll.

Not Dead & Not For Sale: A Memoir by Scott Weiland July 2012 Scribner.  Scott Weiland, lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, is yet another musician who remains alive after years and years of drug abuse. I was expecting a really fascinating memoir and didn’t get that from this book. It feels like I was just reading snippets of events that occurred in his life. The book does not really run 238 pages long because there are a lot of filler pages with graphics, blank pages and photos. Also, as you read the book, he seems to have a bit of an attitude, he blames others for his debacles in life. I certainly don’t feel like I got the whole picture of his life. I hear his ex-wife, Mary Forsberg memoir is much better.

Does The Noise In My Head Bother You? A Rock N Roll Memoir by Steven Tyler May 2011 ECCO. I am in the midst of finishing this book and it feels like its dragging. Steven is a humorous and spastic storyteller; he loves to talk about himself. He writes candidly about his relationships, Joe Perry, his early childhood, his likeness to Mick Jagger and his love of drugs. If you are an Aerosmith fan, you will laugh along with Steven, if you are not a fan, then you may find him annoying.

Who I Am: A Memoir by Pete Townshend August 2013 Harper Perennial. This book was a good read, learned quite a bit about Pete’s early difficult childhood, his days as a musician before the Who, and then the success of the Who. I was surprised how little he wrote about Keith Moon’s death (he gave more pages to John Entwistle’s death) and how he skirted around the child pornography issue that occurred later in his life. He has a lot to say in those 560 pages, it’s a heavy read.

Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain by Charles R Cross August 2002 Hyperion. This book is captivating, highly recommended for any Kurt Cobain fan. Author Cross digs deep to reveal Kurt Cobain’s life by conducting over 400 interviews with family members, musicians, friends, producers, etc.  I felt like I really got a revealing look at Cobain’s life from this book. This is not the story of Nirvana, it is about Kurt’s difficult life of drugs, mental illness, relationships, music, and sad death. 

Broken Summers by Henry Rollins November 2003 2.13.61 Publishing.  This book is not a memoir, Henry writes his book in journal style entries. Here is the review I have on Amazon.com about Henry’s book: I have read just about all his other books and this one stands out as being the best written. His writing has improved 100 percent. Henry gets very retrospective in his journal entries which I really liked. You get to see a more mature yet still trying to grow up Henry in this book. He is so honest and revealing from his early days in Black Flag, hanging out in DC, all the people around him who have died, surviving in today's music industry, to still trying how to deal with a relationship. If it's been a while since you read a book by Henry or if you never read anything by him, this is the one to get. No, you won't always agree with him and there will be times when he will annoy the hell out of you but that are what Hank is all about. He even admits to disagreeing with himself!

Just Kids by Patti Smith November 2010 Ecco. This book was riveting, so incredibly interesting and a definite must for any Patti Smith fan. This story covers a great deal of her early life growing up in the Midwest before she heads off for a life in New York. She lived a very poor life making ends meet before any stardom came her way. She indulges us with her life with artist Robert Mapplethorpe and how they both struggled to live their lives as artists.

Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible & Fried, My Life As A Revolting Cock by Chris Connelly October 2007 SAF Pub Ltd. Chris Connelly was the singer for several industrial Wax Trax bands like Ministry, Fini Tribe, Pigface, and Revolting Cocks. Chris, a young Scotsman, came to the US and immediately got involved in the Wax Trax scene and Al Jorgensen’s world. These bands never really went mainstream so Chris tirelessly toured with these bands just so he could eat. It’s certainly given me insight into the Wax Trax label and bands and Al Jorgensen’s messed up mind.

We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm: Oral History of Q101 by James Van Osdol October 2012 Haff-Onion. This book is for any music fan that enjoyed listening to Chicago’s alternative radio station Q101. It was the alternative rock station for the 90’s without a doubt. It somehow survived the airwaves for 19 years and folded in July 2011. The station was riddled with a musical identity crisis for years; Osdol does a great job interviewing former on air dj’s and management and gives us insight into the Mancow years as well. It’s a good read for anyone who misses Q101.

Email musical comments and thoughts to radioruta@ameritech.net.

Don’t forget to tune into WXAV (88.3fm or @ www.wxav.com) every Wednesday night from 7pm to 9pm for Alternative Sounds For Your Head with host radioruta. Alternative, indie, new wave, punk, electronic music and more!!