Favourite Rock books.

[unbroken69]

With Christmas vastly coming all over us (matron!), would anyone like to reccomend some books as presents. Specifically from the music biography genre. Although it is a genre much maligned there is some special gems out there. Here´s five of my faves.

Head On / Repossessed..................................................................Julian Cope

Bad Vibes (Brit Pop, My Part In It´s Downfall)..........................................Luke Haines

Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith ........................................Mark E. Smith

Alan McGee and the Story of Creation Records: The Ecstasy Romance Cannot Last.......... Alan McGee and Paolo Hewitt

The Stranglers, Song by Song..................................................................Hugh Cornwell and Jim Drury.

Five titles that would grace any a fine book shelf. Any other suggestions?

[The Nosferatu]

i was a robot

[unbroken69]

i was a robot

Strange you should mention that one, as I bought that for a Christmas present the other day. If you liked I was a Robot try krautrock sampler by Julian Cope, a good introduction and reference to many great German bands. Be careful though as the German edition is on sale on the net, so read the reviews first.

[theraven1979]

For once I agree with you. Head On is a great book especially the Cope on acid.


Jim

[Alias]

Agreed re: Head On/Repossessed.

One that I read and re-read as a schoolkid was No One Here Get's Out Alive,
it became a bit of a bible for me for a while.

[unbroken69]

Agreed re: Head On/Repossessed.

One that I read and re-read as a schoolkid was No One Here Get's Out Alive,
it became a bit of a bible for me for a while.

Certainly one of the better efforts written about the Doors and the only one that I have read that I would reccomend.

Ref. Julian Cope I heard recently that he has a third ´Head On` volumn coming out next year. His books on Megalithic Britain and Europe are also fantastic and worth referencing if you want to do a road trip with a difference.

[Alias]

Agreed re: Head On/Repossessed.

One that I read and re-read as a schoolkid was No One Here Get's Out Alive,
it became a bit of a bible for me for a while.

Certainly one of the better efforts written about the Doors and the only one that I have read that I would reccomend.

Ref. Julian Cope I heard recently that he has a third ´Head On` volumn coming out next year. His books on Megalithic Britain and Europe are also fantastic and worth referencing if you want to do a road trip with a difference.

I remember asking him years back, when he was promoting Interpreter, if another instalment of the autobiography was due. He didn't seem too interested, think he was working on the first of his megalithic books at the time, and he mentioned
that if he had to do another volume then it would cover his Dad's death, which he couldn't face writing about at the time.
The Modern Antiquarian is good, the Euro one a wee bit overkill, I thought. Never been able to get my hands on the Krautrock Sampler though.

[gizzard]

White Line Fever - Lemmy

Scar Tissue - Anthony Keidis

Punk Rock An Oral History - John Robb

A Drink With Shane Macgowan - Victoria Mary Clarke & Shane Macgowan

Harmony In my Head - Steve Diggle

Ska'd For Life - Horace Panter

No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs - John Lydon

Sid Vicious No One Is Innocent - Alan Parker

77 Sulphate Strip - Barry Cain

Redemption Song The Definite Biography Of Joe Strummer - Chris Salewicz

All are bloody excellent books and sit proudly in my bookcase.

[Alias]

What's Wadey's one called again?

[fourth horseman]

White Line Fever - Lemmy

Scar Tissue - Anthony Keidis

Punk Rock An Oral History - John Robb

A Drink With Shane Macgowan - Victoria Mary Clarke & Shane Macgowan

Harmony In my Head - Steve Diggle

Ska'd For Life - Horace Panter

No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs - John Lydon

Sid Vicious No One Is Innocent - Alan Parker

77 Sulphate Strip - Barry Cain

Redemption Song The Definite Biography Of Joe Strummer - Chris Salewicz

All are bloody excellent books and sit proudly in my bookcase.

Harmony In My Head is a great book. 'Trout Mask Replica' (the book) is a good read by Kevin Courrier. Just finished it, and it tells the story of the recording of the album Trout Mask Replica by Captain beefheart, and let me tell you, if you think The stranglers were doing some weird things during the recording of MIB, then the stuff Beefheart and his Magic band were doing during that album can only be described as cult like! Very interesting book

[unbroken69]

White Line Fever - Lemmy

Scar Tissue - Anthony Keidis

Punk Rock An Oral History - John Robb

A Drink With Shane Macgowan - Victoria Mary Clarke & Shane Macgowan

Harmony In my Head - Steve Diggle

Ska'd For Life - Horace Panter

No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs - John Lydon

Sid Vicious No One Is Innocent - Alan Parker

77 Sulphate Strip - Barry Cain

Redemption Song The Definite Biography Of Joe Strummer - Chris Salewicz

All are bloody excellent books and sit proudly in my bookcase.

Harmony In My Head is a great book. 'Trout Mask Replica' (the book) is a good read by Kevin Courrier. Just finished it, and it tells the story of the recording of the album Trout Mask Replica by Captain beefheart, and let me tell you, if you think The stranglers were doing some weird things during the recording of MIB, then the stuff Beefheart and his Magic band were doing during that album can only be described as cult like! Very interesting book

Have just ordered `Trout Mask Replica' off Amazon (quite cheap to), i´ve read the Mike Barnes biog of Captain Beefheart and found it a very good read.

[MULLY]

Can't believe I'm recommending it, but....

Kickin Up A Racket - The Story of Stiff Little Fingers 1977-1983 by Roland Link.

Ain't finished reading it yet, but so far, so good.

Also.....

IT MAKES YOU WANT TO SPIT. Check out the Myspace site and buy the book