A series taking you through rock n' roll literature.
For as long as musicians have been creating rock music, people have been writing about it — whether they're telling their own story themselves, or if they're a supporter telling it as they saw it behind the stage. This series will introduce you to some of my favorite rock n' roll books, such as biographies, memoirs, and more.
Disclaimer: I haven't read every rock n' roll book, just a little bit over 50 of them, so this list isn't definitive.
Starting off with a biography about the band whose song my name came from, The Runaways.
1) Queens of Noise: The Real Story of the Runaways by Evelyn McDonnell
SUMMARY: This book is a biography about one of the first all-female rock n' roll bands, The Runaways. They faced sexism on stage and off stage, however even so, they prevailed and were one of the most iconic rock bands of all time, despite their brief journey.
REVIEW: This book was one of the very first that I read when I first became obsessed with rock music. It's raw and as real as it gets, it digs deep into the reality that these women faced, women who were just teens at the start of their musical career. This book is a must-read. The Runaways paved the way for other hard rock, all-female bands.
2) Reckless Road: Guns N' Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction by Jason Porath and Marc Canter
SUMMARY: Reckless Road is half a photography book, half a memoir. It's full of pictures taken by Marc Canter, who set out to photograph his friend's rise to fame - that friend being Saul Hudson, or better known as Slash, the guitarist of Guns N' Roses.
REVIEW: This book is a great place to start learning about Guns N' Roses. It offers pictures of them throughout their early years. It's up-close and wild, a great read if you're already a fan of GNR or not.
3) Shout!: The True Story of the Beatles by Philip Norman
SUMMARY: The story of The Beatles, from their childhoods to the end.
REVIEW: It's a heavily detailed, serious, biography on The Beatles - from their childhoods, their rise to fame, the middle of it, and to the end of the band. It's not light reading, but definitely worth it if you want to learn about one of the biggest rock bands of all time.
4) Hammer of the Gods by Stephen Davis
SUMMARY: An unauthorized biography of Led Zeppelin, one of the biggest, legendary rock bands.
REVIEW: It's not the most accurate or true, but, it's at least entertaining. The surviving members of Led Zeppelin have criticized it heavily, so take the stories in this book with a grain of salt.
5) Babes in Toyland: The Making and Selling of a Rock and Roll Band by Neal Karlen
SUMMARY: A look into the story of Babes In Toyland - an all-female, rock band of the 90s, about what made them.
REVIEW: I love this book. If I had to chose a favorite from this list, it would definitely be this one. It's so real, so vibrant. It makes you feel like you're right along with the band, touring with them.
6) Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana by Michael Azerrad
SUMMARY: A biography about Nirvana, one of the biggest rock bands of the early 90s, from their childhoods to the middle of their stardom.
REVIEW: Required reading for any Nirvana fan or just any grunge, 90s rock fan. An accurate, honest insight on the band, with interviews included.
7) Beatles Vs. Stones by John McMillian
SUMMARY: A look at what made The Beatles and The Rolling Stones become so well-loved.
REVIEW: It's almost like two biographies in one. Decades ago, "Beatles or the Stones?" was a common question among rock music fans, and this book makes you get to know both bands for who they really were off the stage, and what made them so attractive onstage.
8) Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors by John Densmore
SUMMARY: A biography on The Doors' life as a band.
REVIEW: This book is not only informative, but is a platonic love letter to Jim Morrison, who had passed at age 27 prior to the writing of this book. A heartbreaking and enthralling story.
9) The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band by Motley Crue
SUMMARY: An autobiography by Motley Crue, a hard rock band of the 80s.
REVIEW: This is the worst book on this list. It's terrible, it's gross, it's shocking, it's really horrible. It's filled with stories that are more fiction than otherwise. But, it's worth reading if you like Motley Crue - however it's definitely not recommended for those under 17. There's a Netflix film adaptation of this book as well, which is much better, way easier to swallow than this book, so if you want to skip this one and head straight to the movie, I'd support that 100%.
10) So Many Roads: The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead by David Browne
SUMMARY: A biography on the Grateful Dead.
REVIEW: There's so many books on the Grateful Dead - a hippie, rock band formed in 1965 who amassed a cult following, known as Deadheads who are still devoted to this day. So Many Roads is a great start on your journey of learning about this well-loved band. This band is also where "A Long & Strange Trip" part of this series' title comes from.
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