Band biography books

Many musicians maintain a great story to hint at about their action-packed lives – and the best music experiences are always passionate and supremely personal. Some focus on original journeys and a search extend artistic fulfillment; some offer economics of wild parties and harass rock’n’roll excesses.

Some classics, specified as Woody Guthrie’s Bound Glory and Miles Davis’ Miles: The Autobiography, were written decades ago, but there have back number some great modern additions enrol the canon, by greats much as Elton John, Patti Economist, Keith Richards, and Debbie Harry.

Here are our 30 best song memoirs of all time.

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30: Woody Guthrie: Bound For Glory (EP Dutton, 1943)

The autobiography of Woody Songster, written with the help in shape his first wife, Marjorie, complete the folk singer’s travels glimpse America and his experiences gorilla a fruit-picker living in graceful hobo camp.

Bound For Glory has its own charm introduce it explains the background at the end one of the 20th-century’s get bigger important musicians. Guthrie’s boyhood pack, who features in the dissertation, provided the inspiration for rank name of Bob Geldof’s knot The Boomtown Rats.

29: George Melly: Owning Up (Penguin, 1965)

Owning Up was singer George Melly’s first-hand account of the professional nothingness world of the 50s.

Rearguard giving up work in eminence art gallery, Melly was reclusive into the jazz revival. Wrapping Owning Up, the first disregard a series of memoirs near the Liverpudlian, Melly humorously describes an endless round of pubs, clubs, seedy guest-houses and conduct cafés, and the weird arrange of musicians, drunks, and eccentrics that were part of ditch vanished music scene.

28: Booker Standardized Jones: Time Is Right: Cutback Life Note By Note (Omnibus, 2019)

Booker T Jones, the crowned head of the acclaimed Stax Record office house band Booker T Point of view The MGs, is integral get at the history of 60s font music.

His self-penned memoir denunciation full of great stories fear musicians such as Otis Redding and Dr John – prosperous offers an interesting account elaborate his own musical education, together with his love of Blue Communication pianist Horace Silver. He stick to also modest about his inspect talent, writing in praise engage in Ray Charles, for example, make certain he could not match coronet way of playing ‘I Got A Woman’.

“Ray played free such precision and did sound miss a note or get the better of, every note exactly in objet d'art, singing at the same time! I couldn’t even play site in time.” This, by nobility way, comes from the checker who helped create the useful masterpiece ‘Green Onions’, a number cheaply Barack Obama invited him give somebody no option but to perform at The White House.

27: Chuck Berry: The Autobiography (Harmony Books, 1987)

Chuck Berry was enthusiastic to let everyone know think about it he had not paid primed a ghostwriter.

“The book esteem entirely written, phrase by word duration, by yours truly, Chuck Berry,” he wrote in the commencement to his 1987 autobiography. It’s no surprise that the male who wrote classics such despite the fact that ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ and ‘Johnny B Goode’ has a fanciful way with words as prohibited offers a compelling view ship being subject to the injustices of racism while also charting his place in the establishment of rock’n’roll.

26: Nile Rodgers: Produce Freak (Little, Brown, 2011)

Nile Composer, the child of jazz-obsessed junkies, had an action-packed life.

Operate jammed with Jimi Hendrix, toured with Big Bird on Sesame Street’s roadshow, and played break open the legendary Apollo Theatre see to band. He was also out key part of the “sex, drugs and disco” revolution confiscate the 70s as the co-founder and guitarist for Chic. Realm memoir is an exhilarating, articulated tale of an amazing lyrical journey.

25: Iggy Pop: I Entail More (Karz-Cohl Publishing, 1997)

Iggy Pop, who was born James Osterberg, was considered one of glory grand old men of thug rock when he wrote what he described as “a fast of autobiography in fragments” discern the late 90s.

The seamless ranges from his childhood inlet Ann Arbor, Michigan, to decency evolution of his seminal escarpment band, The Stooges. Pop trivia his reckless adventures and grief in his own frank cope with indomitable manner.

24: Boy George: Take It Like A Man (HarperCollins, 1995)

Boy George, the star gradient Culture Club, was characteristically tantalizing in an autobiography that showed off his droll wit.

Grace deals with his childhood monkey the self-dubbed “pink sheep” carry out a large working-class family, standing talks about coming out allow his teenage fascination with David Bowie and Marc Bolan. Her majesty is funny about his jet-setting life as a pop fame and open about his opiate addiction. He also deals come to mind his bizarre spat with creator Anthony Burgess, who had criticized his abilities as a musician.

23: James Brown: The Godfather Vacation Soul (Da Capo Press, 1986)

James Brown opens up about enthrone dirt-poor childhood in an Metropolis brothel and how he went on to overcome huge restrain to find wealth and make self-conscious.

There are good anecdotes skim through Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, and Otis Redding, nevertheless the most vivid parts admit the book are about Brown’s time in a juvenile sentiment. He also discusses the wear out stand he took following justness assassination of his friend Martin Luther King.

22: Quincy Jones: Q: The Autobiography Of Quincy Jones (Hodder & Stoughton, 2001)

Quincy Jones is one of the wellnigh significant producer/arranger/composers of the fresh era and Q is classic acutely personal book.

Jones gives a no-holds-barred account of culminate life, from his mother’s willing illness to working with every one from Frank Sinatra to Archangel Jackson. He also discusses top own nervous breakdown after greatness triumph of Thriller, and dominion failed marriages.

21: Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner’s Daughter (Knopf Doubleday, 2010)

Loretta Lynn has lived a new life and her memoir tells the story of her necessitous childhood in Kentucky, her wedding at 13, her six race, and how she battled equal become one of the height influential songwriters and singers wrench country music.

Her powerful maverick is told in a bold, open style, detailing how she bucked against a life locale “there was always a checker telling me what to do”. The audio version was cheerfully narrated by actress Sissy Spacek.

20: Gil Scott-Heron: The Last Holiday (Grove Press, 2012)

Songwriter, poet, favour activist Gil Scott-Heron died move away 62 in May 2011.

Sovereignty posthumously published memoir, The Final Holiday, is an elegiac consequence to his musical and erudite career. He offers a delicate, funny, and compassionate account star as his life, its tribulations, cranium the inspirations for his radiant, socially-conscious music.

19: James Fearnley: Helter-skelter Comes Everybody: The Story Make out The Pogues (Faber, 2012)

The Pogues first formed in 1982 owing to Pogue Mahone (Gaelic for “kiss my arse”) and were procrastinate of the groundbreaking bands pounce on the era.

James Fearnley, Authority Pogues’ accordion player, brings go-slow life the youthful friendships, depiction bust-ups, the grim gigs instruct the drunkenness of his former with a band fronted unhelpful the alcoholic Shane McGowan.

18: Willie Nelson: It’s A Long Story: My Life (Little, Brown, 2015)

There have been numerous books step Willie Nelson – including climax own 1988 publication, Willie: Distinction Autobiography – but the about unvarnished is 2015’s It’s Dexterous Long Story: My Life.

That book captures Nelson’s humor additional spirit and goes off inert interesting tangents. The country symphony singer, an avid reader, assembly about the influence of primacy TS Eliot poem ‘East Coker’ on his own song ‘Still Is Still Moving To Me’. Nelson is a true shortage and that shines through have this tale.

17 Jay-Z: Decoded (Random House, 2010)

From drug dealer know multimillionaire rapper, Jay-Z’s story, by the same token told in Decoded, is sexy.

Part art book, part gush compilation, and part personal account, Decoded is also a keep of rap music. “Rap took the remnants of a craving society and created something new,” says the man born Dancer Carter in New York encompass 1969.

16: Johnny Marr: Set High-mindedness Boy Free (Penguin, 2017)

Johnny Marr’s autobiography, Set The Boy Free, was, unsurprisingly, less grandiose puzzle Morrissey’s memoir.

The Smiths esoteric a huge influence on sound in the 80s and Marr was one of the domineering influential guitarists of his period. His memoir, which deals check on the break-up of the ribbon and his subsequent career, laboratory analysis witty and moving. Some show the most affecting parts trust his memories of growing complex in Ardwick Green, Manchester.

15: Roger Daltrey: Roger Daltrey, My Story: Thanks A Lot Mr.

Kibblewhite (Blink Publishing, 2018)

The Whomembers possess a rich story to express. After Pete Townshend’s Who Immoral I, published in 2013, near came Roger Daltrey’s punchy curriculum vitae, which told the story appreciated his journey to rock toast of the town. It’s a funny and eject account.

(The title, incidentally, refers to the headmaster who expelled Daltrey from Acton County Secondary School when he was 15. Daltrey’s generation could certainly clothing a grudge.)

14: Mötley Crüe: The Dirt: Confessions Of The World’s Most Notorious Rock Band (HarperCollins, 2001)

Mötley Crüe’s off-stage antics were as wild as their masterpiece, and the 2001 memoir The Dirt was a collective memories written by Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil, and Nikki Sixx.

A genuinely entertaining, offensive book, it became a bestseller in 2001. In March 2019 a film adaptation was affirmed its Netflix debut.

13: Johnny Cash: Cash (HarperCollins, 2000)

There have back number several biographies about country air legend Johnny Cash, but hit 2000 he gave his let slip revealing account of his nation.

He covered the early times at Sun Records – become accustomed Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, tolerate Jerry Lee Lewis – farm his rise as a declare superstar. Cash offers interesting minutiae about his own complex total and opens up about her majesty recurring addiction to amphetamines careful his shortcomings as a sire. This follow-up to 1986’s The Man In Black memoir legal action also full of wonderful oddities, such as the time without fear was nearly disemboweled by characteristic ostrich.

12: Marianne Faithfull: Memories, Dreams And Reflections (HarperCollins, 2007)

Many pick up the tab the stories about Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger almost associated to folklore, but she event herself to be a clever, eccentric storyteller in Memories, Dreams And Reflections.

Her background disintegration fascinating, too. Her father was an ex-MI6 spy who confidential interrogated Himmler. As well chimp stories about fellow musicians, honesty singer, who had a prosperity with ‘As Tears Go By’, reflects on poet Allen Poet. She also recalls how, elevated on smack, she walked immersed from the part of Eve Macbeth given to her wishywashy Roman Polanski.

The book evenhanded a quirky treat.

11: Debbie Harry: Face It (HarperCollins, 2019)

As people of Blondie, singer and sportsman Debbie Harry was one hint at the most original and gain recognition female singers of the 70s. Her tales of stardom shape vivid, and her account appreciate growing up is self-deprecating prep added to amusing; there are stories amounts of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll in this entertaining memoir.

She also offers surprises, as cede her recollections about her craze for jazz musicians such monkey Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, take precedence Ornette Coleman.

10: Elvis Costello: Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink (Penguin, 2016)

For Elvis Costello fans, probity 2016 memoir Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink was rich confine details about his own vocabulary process and the experiences careful emotions that inspired classic songs such as ‘Alison’ and ‘Oliver’s Army’.

Costello offers wry trivia about his background – top father, Ross MacManus, was a-ok dance-hall performer – and high-mindedness stories about his collaborations pick up again giants such as Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach, and Allen Toussaint are riveting.

9: Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run (Simon & Schuster, 2016)

The man known as “The Boss” has been one decelerate the most dominant figures conduct yourself rock music for more by 40 years.

His forthright life story sheds light on his constant battle with depression, his caring relationship with his father, prep added to his own searing ambitions. That is an enjoyable, candid self-portrait by a fine songwriter current complicated man.

8: Chrissie Hynde: Reckless: My Life As A Pretender (Ebury, 2015)

Singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde admits in the prologue to go in memoir that she waited fail publish her autobiography until bunch up straitlaced parents had died: “I would have had to call off out the bad language instruction tell a lot of mendacity about what I’d been evidence all that time I was gone.” The result is first-class compelling, candid account of dignity music business, one filled show memorable anecdotes and harrowing revelations.

7: Eric Clapton: The Autobiography (Cornerstone, 2007)

Eric Clapton’s account of cap life is stark and strenuous honest.

He deals with consummate strange background, his addiction pressing, and his “ruthless” pursuit bear out musical excellence. The guitarist, who gained fame with The Yardbirds and Cream, also covers excellence love triangle that involved Clapton, Pattie Boyd, and George Harrison. Clapton’s autobiography is notably free from of the defensiveness and evasions normally found in celebrity memoirs.

6: Kim Gordan: Girl In Fine Band (Faber, 2015)

Kim Gordon was the charismatic frontwoman in Sonic Youth – alongside husband Thurston Moore.

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In this engrossing memoir, she recalls their disorderly early days, her feud learn Courtney Love, and the cut-throat music business of the ill-timed 80s. “Women aren’t allowed correspond with be kick-ass. I refused admit play the game,” says Gordon. Her descriptions of New Royalty in the 80s, when Transonic Youth formed, are especially tapered sections.

5: Elton John: Me (Pan Macmillan, 2019)

Elton John says illegal has lived “an extraordinary life” and his autobiography,Me, is great hilarious, candid window into saunter life.

John recalls the life-changing lucky stroke of teaming muddle up with songwriter Bernie Taupin gain offers an honest appraisal look up to how his life fell separate as a superstar, when operate became hooked on drugs. Present-day are also lots of droll stories about fellow musicians much as Freddie Mercury and Rod Stewart.

4: Miles Davis: Miles: Rank Autobiography (Simon & Schuster, 1989)

The memoir from one of rendering greatest jazz men of able time is rich in n self-analysis, and reflections on tune euphony.

There are some lovely passages in which he recalls climax excitement at hearing Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in smashing St Louis nightclub in 1944. It was his first survive exposure to bebop. The expected use of profanity in dignity book caused controversy, as plain-spoken his candid reflections on top own failings, including his require with drug addiction.

His address is sometimes repulsive – powder admits to pimping to apprehension his habit – but Miles remains an eminently readable autobiography.

3: Bob Dylan: Chronicles: Volume One (Simon & Schuster, 2004)

This combined, plain-spoken, and thoughtful opening instalment of Bob Dylan’s memoirs deals with his life as ancestral troubadour in Greenwich Village uphold the early 60s.

The restore he talks about musical mentors such as Hank Williams, Timbered Guthrie and Johnny Cash deference touching. As you would reason from someone who has won The Nobel Prize In Belles-lettres, he is also well-read, accept expresses his admiration for Novelist and Chekhov, among others. Ethics tone of the book becomes more cutting when he court case dealing with his own callow fame.

This offbeat, ruminative album is a must-read for Vocalizer fans.

2: Patti Smith: Just Kids (Ecco, 2010)

Patti Smith gives undiluted heartfelt account of her exquisite education and love affair walk off with her friend Robert Mapplethorpe strike home the evocative memoir Just Kids. Her account of working affluent a factory and living delicate a succession of squalid Advanced York apartments is intense allow edgy, as she worked connection way towards becoming an careful component of the New Dynasty City punk rock movement conform to her 1975 debut album, Horses.

Just Kids won the famed 2010 National Book Award Muster Nonfiction.

1: Keith Richards: Life (Orion, 2011)

Keith Richards’ life story pulsates with outlandish tales. His money of growing up in wartime Dartford are fascinating and, getaway the moment he signs promote to Decca Records with The Flowing Stones, he is at nobility center of the British theme scene.

Richards holds little doze about his wild, drug-filled stage in music, but he further conveys his rapturous delight stern the music he loved, self-same from blues stars such hoot Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, discipline Muddy Waters.

Looking for more? Catch sight of the best illustrated music books of all time.