Musicians autobiography recommendations?

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  • Motley Crue: The Dirt
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  • Jimbro66Jimbro66 Frets: 2418
    Wilco Johnson’s autobiography: From the obligatory ‘first guitar’ memories to anecdotes about life pre, post and with Dr Feelgood all told with the expected humour and irreverence. It paints a colourful picture of the music scene at that time emanating from Canvey Island and other Essex/East London locations, including dubious encounters with Ian Dury and his Blockheads. A section of the book also deals with Wilko’s successful battle with cancer. It’s an entertaining and at times moving book.
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  • Get In The Van - Henry Rollins is great. Warts and all account of being in a heavily touring punk/hardcore band.

    Maybe not quite what you’re looking for but Our Band Could Be Your life is superb and covers loads of great bands.
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  • The Butthole Surfers section of Our Band Could Be Your Life is worth the cover price alone.

    Duff McKagans book is a really good read as well
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  • Caffeine_VampireCaffeine_Vampire Frets: 3479
    edited February 2019
    Not quite what you asked for but I loved every word of ‘Rhythm and the Blues’ - Jerry Wexler. Lousy connection here so I can’t read the rest of this thread but you’re doing yourself a disservice if you haven’t read Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love. 
    'Vot eva happened to the Transylvanian Tvist?'
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  • ColsCols Frets: 6953
    White Line Fever by Lemmy.  Utterly hilarious.
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  • zepp76zepp76 Frets: 2534
    Cols said:
    White Line Fever by Lemmy.  Utterly hilarious.
    Yes I've got that, it's a cracking read.
    Tomorrow will be a good day.
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  • I've read a few; I remember the BB King and Chuck Berry autobiographies fondly. 
    Clothes Clothes Clothes Music Music Music Boys Boys Boys by Viv Albertine was a fantastic read although her times as a musician only part of it. 
    I have read a bunch of the 2 Tone ones: Pauline Black's autobiography ( lot of focus on racial identity), Neville Staple's ( brief and racy, not that much about being in a band) and Horace Panter's ( maybe it wouldn't win any prizes for literature but it is almost all about being in bands). 
    Must be a few others I've read over the years - I remember liking Martin Kemp's, Johnny Marr's was fine ( I suspect if you are a fan it's more than that but as a bystander it's just an okay book). I've read a bunch of biography's and history's but they generally aren't very exciting to read.   
    Autobiographies are funny things - I remember reading Pele's and his various marriages and children get a paragraph whereas he could take half a chapter to describe an important football match. I think Chuck Berry's bore so little relationship to the truth it should probably be in the Fiction section.    
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • steven70steven70 Frets: 1262
    edited March 2020
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  • steven70steven70 Frets: 1262
    edited March 2020
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    One of the funniest is Donovan's.
    If he's to be believed, he more or less created the Universe.
    Hilarious stuff from a mind blowing level of egotism.
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Colin Allen recently launched one - a good read. If you don't know who he is ... was an aircraft engineer who became a drummer ..



    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • BradBrad Frets: 658
    I should add the Nile Rogers one. A great life story and it made me a little emotional at the end too!
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  • HAL9000HAL9000 Frets: 9551
    Brad said:
    I should add the Nile Rogers one. A great life story and it made me a little emotional at the end too!
    Oh yes. Had forgotten this one, but another superb read.
    I play guitar because I enjoy it rather than because I’m any good at it
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  • liked the Miles Davis one. Yes, he comes across as a bit of a bellend, but I've never heard one man make "motherfucker" mean so many things, and he has some crazy stories- the one where he shares a cab with Charlie Parker while he eats fried chicken and white women is bizarre..

    Bill Bruford's was interesting and insightful.

    Charles Shaar Murray's Hendrix book, "Crosstown Traffic" isn't really a straight biography, but is well worth a read.

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

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  • LodiousLodious Frets: 1942
    Miles Davis calling people motherfuckers is a lot more convincing than Keith Richards calling people motherfuckers (or even worse 'cats'). 


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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516

    I'm not a big fan of biographies and I'm not really a big fan of either of these people, but I liked Keith Richards' Life and Guy Pratt's My Bass and Other Animals.

    Both are interesting, well-written books as opposed to just strings of facts and anecdotes.

    I also liked the Frank Zappa book and Neil Peart's Ghost Rider.

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  • SimonCSimonC Frets: 1391
    Waging Heavy Peace would be my recommendation, It’s really well written and, amongst the craziness, it gives a sometimes very touching insight into Neil Young’s mind.
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  • ICBM said:
    John Taylor (Duran Duran) - In The Pleasure Groove. Well worth reading even if you don't like/can't stand Duran Duran - it's a great story about someone driven to succeed who ended up battling the other things that come with success, including drugs - and his eventual recovery.

    I'm currently reading Mark Kermode's (the TV film pundit) How Does It Feel? which is about his varied musical adventures. I didn't know anything about that before I started, but it explains the way he dresses, and it's not a reference to 50s cinema staff... or only accidentally!
    @ICBM Didn't know there was a Kermode book. I’ll try and find a copy. His band, The Dodge Brothers, are an excellent night out.
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  • StefBStefB Frets: 2331
    Dave Mustaine's is excellent, but a passing interest in Megadeth makes it a more satisfying read.
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