I hope everyone is well, keeping busy, and staying safe! I've had a lot more time on my hands, so I've been reading! Check out some recommendations and reviews below of music-related books.
(For fans of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, SoCal 90s scene)
Part journal entry style musings, part sensitive ruminations, RHCP bassist Flea takes readers down memory lane as he retells pivotal moments of his upbringing. A softer side to his seemingly wild exterior, this memoir gets deep into Flea’s head and heart about the experiences that shaped him leading up to the creation of the band with friend Anthony Kedis.
(For fans of British punk and riot grrrl era bands)
An incredibly raw and vulnerable story, The Slits’ guitarist Viv Albertine gives a gripping retelling of her experiences in the riot grrrl movement. Brushing shoulders with artists like The Clash and Siouxsie Sioux, Albertine recounts the struggles of teaching herself guitar, navigating leading a female lineup in a male-dominated industry, and ultimately finding herself on her path to success time and time again.
“DAISY JONES & THE SIX” - TAYLOR JENKINS REID
(For fans of Fleetwood Mac and 60s/70s rock bands)
All the sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll glamour of the sixties/seventies music scene explode in the tale of Daisy Jones & The Six. An oral history of the band as told by its members and entourage; the story is so whimsically told that you’d swear the band was actually real and not just a fictional homage to classic rock stars in their Hollywood heyday.
(For fans of LCD Soundsystem, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
Music journalist Lizzie Goodman weaves stories from 2000s era bands to paint a picture of the scene that put indie rock on the map. Gossip-fueled stories from musicians, record label owners, journalists, and more give a candid look into not just the music scene but the actual relationships between those involved.
(For fans of larger than life personalities such as Hunter S. Thompson, Kurt Cobain, & John Lennon)
Cultural icons, rock gods, and artists alike come together in this collection of interviews pulled from the years of Rolling Stone magazine. Secrets of their art, scandalous tales of their scene, and personal insight are laid out on the pages of interviews with everyone from Eminem to The Dalai Lama.