Best MUSIC books read

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GlueGuitar
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by GlueGuitar »

For the last 14 years at the top of my list:

Victor L. Wooten: The Music Lesson - A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music

A great book by a brilliant musician.
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Boody »

Pete Jones - call me joyless. Really well written and amusing and sad in just the right proportion. Bit of a downbeat ending when ****spoiler alert*** he admits he never really enjoyed playing live.
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Jake »

Last music book I read was Debbie Harry - Face it, I liked it, it was pretty quirky, some complained it offers them no new insights, but I had no complaints. My current reading is that stranglers 1977 book, but more on that later.

As far as best music books, I’d have to say David Buckley’s No Mercy is up there, together with his David Bowie biography, Strange Fascination. I like a good music biography, but most whilst perfectly readable are hardly literary classics.
Palais81
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Palais81 »

Good reads are:

Lemmy by Mick Wall - because his life was a one off, never compromising and I rubbed shoulders with him at the old Marquee watching Dumpys Rusty Nuts.

A Pretty Smart Way to Catch a Lobster (the Alice in Wonderland Years) by Christian Paris - because I used to frequent the night club and go to the associated gigs.

Rip It Up and Start Again Post Punk 1978-1984 -by Simon Reynolds. I don't agree with his viewpoint on everything but it reminds me of groups I have seen e.g. Psychic TV and has got me listening to stuff that I should have listened to years ago e.g. Gang of Four.

There is a good biography about Acdc but I can't think of its title. I prefer the stories of the bands when they are up and coming rather than when they are famous.

Oh let's not forget No One Gets Out of Here Alive by Jerry Hopkins - about Jim Morrison, enough said!

Enjoy reading...
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Bear Cage »

Last couple of music biographies I read, both really enjoyable reads in totally different ways, are:
  • Viv Albertine: Clothes, Music, Boys.
  • Richard Serle & Stephen Ritchie: The Memoirs of Damage & Vom.
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Bear Cage »

Palais81 wrote: 13 Jan 2022, 20:13
A Pretty Smart Way to Catch a Lobster (the Alice in Wonderland Years) by Christian Paris - because I used to frequent the night club and go to the associated gigs.
I went a couple of times, plus quite a few gigs.
Enjoyed the book and have played the record regularly over the last ~35 years
Have you read “The Misadventures of Damage and Vom”? a very lighthearted and enjoyable read.
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Palais81 »

Cheers Bear Cage. Didn't no it existed. Just ordered it. I wonder if it mentions the fight between Vom and Scabies on stage at the Town and Country 5 year anniversary Medics' gig. It was amusing with Lemmy splitting the 2 up. Who did you see live at Alice in Wonderland?

Yeah the live album is good especially the Medics and the Damned (The Spooks).

Did you go to Acid Daze with the Medics, Pop Will Eat Itself, Gaye Bykers and of course Hawkwind? I remember chatting to Steve Macguire before the Medics played and the doctor getting in trouble with Wendy for doing a Jim Morrison and getting his todger out on stage!
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

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Palais81 wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 19:20 Cheers Bear Cage. Didn't no it existed. Just ordered it. I wonder if it mentions the fight between Vom and Scabies on stage at the Town and Country 5 year anniversary Medics' gig. It was amusing with Lemmy splitting the 2 up. Who did you see live at Alice in Wonderland?

Yeah the live album is good especially the Medics and the Damned (The Spooks).

Did you go to Acid Daze with the Medics, Pop Will Eat Itself, Gaye Bykers and of course Hawkwind? I remember chatting to Steve Macguire before the Medics played and the doctor getting in trouble with Wendy for doing a Jim Morrison and getting his todger out on stage!
Saw a couple I can’t remember the name of (one I think with Roman Juggs brother as singer), Medics obviously and Flesh for Lulu, used to do a lot of London gigs then so it’s a bit of a blur. I think I saw 20 flight Rockers there, and Dumpy’s, but I might be getting confused.
Also went on the magical mystery tour (caught a train from Bromley to London, to then sit on a coach back to Chislehurst Caves, just up the road from where I set off from).
Then I got tired of counting all of these blessings, and then I just got tired.
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Palais81 »

Bear Cage wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 21:02
Palais81 wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 19:20 Cheers Bear Cage. Didn't no it existed. Just ordered it. I wonder if it mentions the fight between Vom and Scabies on stage at the Town and Country 5 year anniversary Medics' gig. It was amusing with Lemmy splitting the 2 up. Who did you see live at Alice in Wonderland?

Yeah the live album is good especially the Medics and the Damned (The Spooks).

Did you go to Acid Daze with the Medics, Pop Will Eat Itself, Gaye Bykers and of course Hawkwind? I remember chatting to Steve Macguire before the Medics played and the doctor getting in trouble with Wendy for doing a Jim Morrison and getting his todger out on stage!
Saw a couple I can’t remember the name of (one I think with Roman Juggs brother as singer), Medics obviously and Flesh for Lulu, used to do a lot of London gigs then so it’s a bit of a blur. I think I saw 20 flight Rockers there, and Dumpy’s, but I might be getting confused.
Also went on the magical mystery tour (caught a train from Bromley to London, to then sit on a coach back to Chislehurst Caves, just up the road from where I set off from).
I never did a magical mystery tour but my mate did. Thanks for the reference to 20 Flight Rockers. For years I have been trying to remember the name of that band. I saw them supporting the Medics in 85. They played 4 songs and then had a punch up with each other and stormed off. Thankfully the Medics were great that night.
Those days were great for gigs. I was still seeing the Stranglers on every tour with Hugh but the brass had come in and so they had lost a bit of their edge live. I still considered them my favourite band (and still do), but I was getting to see some great psychedelic, goth and grebo (remember that phrase?) In small venues. I lived for music in those days. I need to force myself to make a list of all the bands I have seen before I forget. At least I now know it was 20 Flight Rockers! Cheers.
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Niki Wu »

I haven't read anything in years...some shit on eric clapton and Ronnie wood..a book with lots of of pictures by some guy called Robert palmer on the rolling stones. After that a book on Lauren bacall followed by one on marilyn. Some Thomas Hardy ...not sure if that counts in this collection of clichés
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by porkymeat »

I just got one on Peter Grant. Haven't read it yet.
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Palais81
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Re: Best MUSIC books read

Post by Palais81 »

Bear Cage wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 00:49
Palais81 wrote: 13 Jan 2022, 20:13
A Pretty Smart Way to Catch a Lobster (the Alice in Wonderland Years) by Christian Paris - because I used to frequent the night club and go to the associated gigs.
I went a couple of times, plus quite a few gigs.
Enjoyed the book and have played the record regularly over the last ~35 years
Have you read “The Misadventures of Damage and Vom”? a very lighthearted and enjoyable read.
Just finished the Misadventures book. Very funny and it mentioned a few gigs I attended. Cheers for suggestion. There is a similar Zodiac Mindwarp book written in the same style that I would recommend. Weren't the Medics and Zodiac great live bands?
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