new rock and roll biographies

From Madonna to Barbra Streisand, it was the year music took over books

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Maybe it was the continued rude health of indie bookstores in 2023, or perhaps a millennial fascination with the pop antiquities of the pre-smartphone era. Or maybe it’s just Mom and Dad Rockers desperate to reel in the years with the gods of their youth . For whatever reason, this year has turned out to be a banner publishing moment for musical giants who until now have not been graced with the full-dress books they deserve — some rigorously researched deep dives, other chatty memoirs or anthologies, many of them illuminations of life and art in urban milieus with all their messy interactions.

Our critics and reporters select their favorite TV shows, movies, albums, songs, books, theater, art shows and video games of the year.

Among the ill-served icons getting their propers in print this year is Lou Reed : New York’s leather prince, the street poet who launched at least three musical genres with his band the Velvet Underground , a lodestar for gender fluidity long before anyone else bothered to write songs about LBGTQ+ and the subculture that nurtured it. Before Will Hermes’ riveting biography “ Lou Reed: The King of New York ,” the artist’s biographers have tended to be either mean-spirited or bone-dry, glossing over the rough magic of Reed’s inner life.

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Hermes, a veteran music critic, has written what will surely be the definitive Reed biography for years to come, a complete portrait of this inconstant, erratic genius, the most eloquent voice of the marginalized during the Nixon era. An elegant prose stylist with a sharp critical eye, Hermes appears to have scared up everyone alive whose life intersected with his subject. And he embraces the contradictions of a musical empath who could be heartless and malicious, tender and vulnerable to friends and lovers — a great bully poet much like Reed’s literary hero and mentor, Delmore Schwartz .

Hermes skillfully twines together the many strands of Reed’s singular life — a benumbing suburban childhood, electroshock therapy, heroin addiction and artistic flowering at the feet of Schwartz and the Beats. Providing fresh stories at every turn, he is particularly adept at conjuring the meth-enabled swirl of Andy Warhol’s Factory universe and Reed’s attachment to the Pop artist, his beloved mentor and bête noir. This is the best biography of a composer since Alex Ross’ 2020 book “ Wagnerism .”

One of Reed’s most talented acolytes graced us with a memoir this year. Thurston Moore hit New York as a 14-year-old Reed fanatic in the late ‘70s, right before his idol’s old, weird downtown was forever lost and Wall Street money moved in. Into this liminal space emerged the squalling, post-punk deconstructions of the No Wave movement : saxophonist James Chance and his Contortions, singer-poet Lydia Lunch and, most crucially for Moore, composer Glenn Branca , whose ear-bleed guitar symphonies alerted the Connecticut native to the beauty of Loud. He would harness that volume with his avant-rock band Sonic Youth for 30 years. Moore has a lot of great stories to tell, and he does so engagingly in “ Sonic Life ,” the tale of a record collector geek made good, a seeker after new sounds who in turn became a key architect of experimental rock in the two decades that followed.

In “Sonic Life” Moore, a suburban outcast like Reed, becomes a pilgrim in search of transcendence through noise and muscles his way into an East Village tempest of brash risk-taking. He meets future bandmates Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo . Sonic Youth pulls the throttle all the way out: Moore threads drumsticks into his guitar strings, Ranaldo utilizes an electric drill onstage, Gordon barks out her bold feminist anthems on the seductions of consumer-driven desire. Moore has set it all down, and his book is an engaging memory piece through a golden era of busted toilets and secondhand smoke that now seems as distant as Montparnasse in the 1920s. If you’re looking for juicy bits about Moore and his ex-wife Gordon , you mercifully won’t find it here. He keeps that part of his private life to himself.

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While Sonic Youth was cultivating a following on the margins, another downtown scenester was hitting dance clubs like Paradise Garage and Danceteria with designs on something bigger. As a young Michigan exile, Madonna Ciccone found her people in these spaces, and when she insisted DJs spin her record “Everybody,” the fuse was lit. Mary Gabriel’s comprehensive biography “ Madonna: A Rebel Life ” can be read as the uptown analogue to “Sonic Life,” as this force of nature quickly outgrows New York clubland and in a few short years enters the pop icon pantheon.

Gabriel has done her homework, giving equal weight to Madonna’s private and public selves in a sprawling survey that offers a strong argument for Madonna as a sound-and-vision innovator every bit as crucial as David Bowie . But you have to really care about her relationships with Sean Penn and Warren Beatty to get there.

Decades before Madonna lit up the New York night, Ella Fitzgerald had audiences standing on their seats at the Savoy Ballroom as the singer for Chick Webb’s swing band, a powerhouse vocalist who had to overcome her “pretty plain looks” before she became the 20th century’s tower of song. In her excellent biography “ Becoming Ella Fitzgerald ,” Judith Tick makes a compelling case for Fitzgerald as a modernist innovator. Promoters and managers told her to stick to one marketable sound, but that wasn’t an option, as Fitzgerald contained multitudes: novelty songs (her self-penned 1938 hit “A Tisket-a-tasket” put her on the map); classic recordings of the Great American Songbook; and the expertly knotty ululations of her scat singing in the bebop era — a genre in which Fitzgerald became the acknowledged master.

Twenty-eight years after Fitzgerald recorded her 1945 hit “ Flying Home ,” a record that placed scat singing front and center in popular music, Sly Stone was recording his own half-whispered version of scat live in a Sausalito studio. It would become the vamp-out to 1973’s “If You Want Me to Stay,” the last big hit for Sly and his band, the Family Stone.

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Stone fans have been waiting a long time for the reclusive singer to finally break his silence about his life and career. While his memoir “ Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) ” offers up its share of gonzo tales involving drugs, guns and pet baboons, the erstwhile superstar, 80, provides only tantalizing crumbs of real insight into his messy life. Still, there are some ripping anecdotes (baboons!), and origin stories behind “Stand!,” “Everyday People” and Stone’s other funky one-world anthems.

Perhaps Stone surmised that it’s best to keep his mystique alive, as opposed to expounding on his life at great length in the fashion of Barbra Streisand ’s “ My Name is Barbra .” Alas, no one has ever told this to the countless fanboys (yes, they are almost always boys) and academics who continue to write books about Bob Dylan , coming at the Nobel laureate from every conceivable angle. And yet, somehow, this year has brought something entirely new: A lavish, glossy scrapbook with material provided by Dylan himself.

“ Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine ” is a stunning visual trip through the artist’s life and art as revealed via Dylan’s own ephemera and Zimmerman-adjacent mementos from friends and musicians. Published in conjunction with the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Okla., this immaculately designed coffee-table confection also features a collection of informative essays from Lucy Sante , Greil Marcus , Ed Ruscha and others. They provide context for what we’re seeing, which is quite a bit — grade school class photos, Dylan’s notebooks, manuscripts and legal pads and, yes, even photos that this Dylan freak has never seen before.

18 best nonfiction books for fans of Madonna, memoirs or cultural histories

2023 is the year of the star-studded gift book, with memoirs and biographies covering rockers, auteurs, poets, controversial executives and, yes, Julia Fox.

Nov. 1, 2023

Which reinforces a couple of valuable lessons from this year’s joyful glut of music tell-alls. First: While they’re no substitute for the brilliantly written, category-killing, milieu-rich biography, no format is inherently better or worse at delivering the goods. And second: There’s always something new under the sun.

Weingarten is the author of “Thirsty: William Mulholland, California Water, and The Real Chinatown.”

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9 New Music Memoirs and Biographies for Rock and Blues Fans

Get the inside stories on b.b. king, led zeppelin, stevie van zandt and other legends.

Some of the most exciting releases for music lovers this fall aren’t new albums but in-depth biographies and revealing memoirs from their favorite artists and bands. Whether you worship at the altar of the blues, know every guitar riff in the Led Zeppelin catalogue, or have seen The Boss countless times, these books have you covered. 

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Find out how much you could save in a year with a membership.  Learn more.

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

“Though I have never been one to collect ‘stuff,’ I do collect moments,” writes the Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman, 52, in the introduction to his entertaining new memoir that’s a must for rock fans. Here Grohl details the many moments that led a punk-loving kid in the Virginia suburbs (with a “Wonder Bread existence”) to his current status as a rock elder statesman with 16 Grammys under his belt — with all the ups and downs in between, including heading out on tour for the first time at 18 and his heartbreak over Kurt Cobain’s 1994 suicide. Grohl’s now on his way to a second Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, this time for his work with Foo Fighters (the first was for his role in Nirvana) later this month.

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King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King by Daniel de Visé

As Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Daniel de Visé tells it, the biography of B.B. King isn’t just the story of a genre-defining musician, it’s a full-blown hero’s journey — the tale of one man’s triumphs over every obstacle (economic, racial, societal) the world threw in his way. “In those forty-five years, Riley B. King had risen from penniless sharecropper to sidewalk busker to Memphis deejay to chart-topping singer to King of the Blues,” de Visé writes, describing the music legend as “the first guitar hero.” Filled with interviews with King’s relatives, band members and managers, the resulting biography feels at once intimate and encyclopedic, offering a full picture of the man behind the myth.​

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Led Zeppelin: The Biography by Bob Spitz

How do you encapsulate the musical legacy of one of the greatest bands in rock history? If you’re Bob Spitz, the best-selling author of books on the Beatles and Julia Child, you start talking — to everyone. For this definitive biography, Spitz conducted more than 150 interviews with friends, record executives and even groupies, and he offers insight into not only their artistic genius but also the controversies brought about by what he calls their “heedless hedonism.” At nearly 700 pages, the exhaustively researched tome is clearly pitched toward superfans, but Spitz fills the book with enough debauchery and trashed hotel rooms and bad decision-making that even a casual Led Zeppelin listener won't be able to look away. Spitz, it turns out, knows a thing or two about the music business: Before turning to book writing, he managed Bruce Springsteen and Elton John. (Nov. 9)

Eruption: Conversations With Eddie Van Halen by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill

Guitar god Eddie Van Halen died of cancer last October, but he left behind more than 50 hours of unreleased interviews with rock journalists Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill. Need proof that you’re in good hands? Tolinski and Gill are the former editors of Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado , respectively. While the book of course covers Van Halen’s rise to fame and his nearly unparalleled skill as a technical musician, the authors also dive deep into his complicated backstory. The musician has shared, for instance, that his childhood as a Dutch immigrant who couldn’t speak English led to decades of social anxiety and substance abuse. As you might expect from these writers, the book is also filled with obsessive details about Eddie’s guitars, his custom modifications, and the unusual and rare instruments he played throughout his career.

Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir by Stevie Van Zandt

You probably know the bandana-wearing Little Steven , 70, from his decades as a charismatic member of the E Street Band or his role as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos . But his new memoir illustrates just how seminal he’s been in the past five decades of American popular music. An anti-apartheid activist who wrote the protest song “Sun City,” he’s spent years celebrating and advocating for rock ’n’ roll as an art form: He hosts a weekly syndicated radio show focused on garage rock, created two music channels on SiriusXM, founded an indie record label, and even helped develop an arts education initiative that incorporates music history — from classical to reggae — into K-12 curricula. While some rock stars hide behind a veil of detached coolness, Van Zandt is a man marked by genuine enthusiasm, and his memoir reads like a love letter to the people and places and music that made him, with a healthy dose of nostalgia and good-natured humor.

Mellencamp by Paul Rees

Veteran journalist Paul Rees covers all the greatest hits of the Indiana rocker’s life, including his youth in the heartland with a father who was “a tyrant,” in Mellencamp’s words; his rise to fame in the 1980s; his cofounding of Farm Aid; and his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But what really makes this biography sing is how far it takes us inside John Mellencamp (he dropped the Cougar long ago), 69: his inspirations, motivations, struggles, obsessions and fears. He comes across as a complicated artist, who says in the book — which was written with the musician’s cooperation — “I like being the underdog. I’m like Sisyphus. I like rolling the rock up the hill.”  

Also of Note

Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar With the Doors  by Robby Krieger.  The Doors guitarist describes the band’s wild existence with Jim Morrison at the helm. (Oct. 12) 

My Life in Dire Straits: The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History  by John Illsley.  The bassist and founding member of Dire Straits tells all about the the band behind “Sultans of Swing.” (Nov. 9)

Rock Concert: An Oral History as Told by the Artists, Backstage Insiders, and Fans Who Were There  by Marc Myers.  Myers takes readers back to the heyday of live rock with stories from Alice Cooper, Joan Baez and many more. (Nov. 9)​

Nicholas DeRenzo is a contributing writer who covers entertainment and travel. Previously he was executive editor of United Airlines Hemispheres magazine , and his work has appeared in The New York Times , Condé Nast Traveler , Travel & Leisure , Sunset and New York magazin e .

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The 10 Best Music Books of 2023

By Pitchfork

Every year there are countless books released about music—2023 alone included dishy memoirs from Britney Spears, Barbra Streisand, and Sly Stone, plus a big-deal, authorized bio on Tupac. In our estimation, the best works tend to give the reader new ears with which to listen. What follows is a list of personal favorites from this year, as picked by Pitchfork staffers and contributors. Happy reading!

Check out all of Pitchfork’s 2023 wrap-up coverage here .

60 Songs That Explain the ’90s

In 2020, as the pandemic forced everyone who didn’t live on a megayacht to upend their entire lives, retreating into the nostalgia of one’s youth became an all-but-necessary coping mechanism. Veteran music writer Rob Harvilla felt that same urge. But instead of merely staring into the middle distance while washing dishes to Gin Blossoms’ “Hey Jealousy,” he put his musical memories to work and made an essayistic podcast called 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s . And now that very funny and startlingly insightful show—which has grown to cover more than 100 songs—has its own very funny and startlingly insightful book. (Full disclosure: I once lost money to Harvilla in a basement poker game in 2010, and recently guested on the 60 Songs podcast.)

The entire endeavor succeeds because Harvilla is so good at conveying his teenage excitement (he’s unafraid to use the descriptor “rad,” repeatedly) while also offering the wisdom of a fortysomething dad who’s been writing about music for much of his adult life. For every loving one-liner (listening to Celine Dion sing is “like drinking rosé from a fire hose”) or list of the 20 Worst Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles (don’t worry, “Party on Your Pussy” makes the Top 10), there are sober reflections on Courtney Love reading Kurt Cobain’s suicide note, or how white rap fans (like him, like me) would be smart to understand that they’re eavesdropping when they listen to a song like Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day.” Earnest, empathetic, and admirably goofy, Harvilla is an ideal guide to the most random decade in pop history. –Ryan Dombal

All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Black Punk Now

When James Spooner first logged on in 2001, he immediately Googled “Black punk.” A blank screen stared back at him: There were zero links. Spooner knew this was inaccurate—he had countless Black punk friends and collaborators—but the experience underscored that if no one else was going to document his culture, then it was up to him. This is what motivated Spooner to create the Afropunk documentary and festival, as well as compile this new anthology of writing alongside Black Card author Chris L. Terry.

Black Punk Now uses a multi-genre approach, from fiction to graphics to screenplays, to showcase the ways Black punks move through the world. In “The Princess and the Pit,” Mariah Stovall explores the racialized beauty standards of punk shows via a feminist fairytale. The script for comedian Kash Abdulmalik’s short film, Let Me Be Understood , meditates on one musician’s desire to have an honest relationship with his father.

The collection’s greatest strength is how it captures the pure joy felt by its contributors while living on the fringes, the integrity they’ve gained from being misunderstood by the white establishment. (As contributor Bobby Hackney Jr. puts it, what is more punk than challenging what people think “Black” is supposed to be?) Taken together, these works show readers that “punk” is a commitment to liberation from the tedium of mainstream culture, and a way to demand much more. –Mary Retta

The Golden Voice: The Ballad of Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen

One of the best graphic novels of the year is a riveting portrait of an undersung musical hero and an intense document of wartime Cambodia. Gregory Cahill tells the story of Ros Serey Sothea, the prolific ’60s and ’70s Cambodian rock singer who seemed to rocket from rice farmer to national treasure overnight. It’s an underdog story told through the lens of the Cambodian Civil War’s propaganda machine.

Scenes of Cambodian rock’n’roll club nights and studio recording sessions are depicted in a blissful sunrise palette of deep reds and oranges, with sheet music floating translucently into the ether. Music is central to the experience of enjoying the book; there’s an accompanying playlist, and each page has track cues, so the sound of Sothea’s music is never abstract. But the book is also full of darkness: A constant military presence hangs over Golden Voice , and it closes with the Khmer Rouge seizing power and burning Sothea’s records. It’s a tragedy with heart-wrenching illustrations and a solid history lesson, soundtracked by incredible vintage Cambodian records. –Evan Minsker

Goth: A History

Despite its totemic title, Goth: A History is neither a sociology textbook nor a definitive document of the subculture. Instead, Lol Tolhurst—a core member of the Cure across its gothiest period—has written a memoir and social history of his years in the scene’s cobwebbed trenches. Structured more like the florid chaos of the Cure’s Pornography than the linear minimalism of their Seventeen Seconds , the book wends its way from capsule meditations on the genre’s influences (Nico, Bowie, Camus, Sartre) into diaristic recollections from the Cure’s gloomy golden era; he wraps up with mini-profiles on fellow travelers like Cocteau Twins and Nine Inch Nails. But many of the book’s most revealing passages are its most personal, like running into Depeche Mode’s Andy Fletcher while in rehab, or discovering that his buttoned-up IRS agent was also a secret member of the sect.

Situating goth at the intersection of punk and Sylvia Plath, Tolhurst describes the movement as a necessary reaction to the bleakness of post-WWII England. Yet, as he considers its decades-long endurance and 21st-century mainstreaming, he also notes the universality of its message: “It can get lonely being the only weirdo in town. We all want a tribe to belong to.” At Portland’s Powell’s Books, I bought my own copy of Goth along with an armload of children’s books. “It looks like I’m trying to turn my daughter into a goth,” I said to the woman behind the register. Without so much as a smile, she replied, “We all get there eventually.” –Philip Sherburne

Hachette Books

Kleenex/LiLiPUT

In the raw rapture of their shredded shrieks and destabilized noise, O.G. punks Kleenex made the Sex Pistols sound like the Rolling Stones. Though the Swiss group broke up in 1983—changing their name to LiLiPUT in 1979 after a threat from the tissue company—it’s taken 40 years for English-language fans to fully access the primary document of this crucial all-woman band: the diaries of guitarist Marlene Marder, who died in 2016.

Originally published in German in 1986, the diary was also a scrapbook capturing “the detritus that comes with playing in a band,” as described by editor Grace Ambrose, who instigated this English translation for the inaugural book on her Kansas City, Missouri-based punk label, Thrilling Living, which has released music by the likes of Special Interest and Girlsperm.

Supplemented by zine clippings, photos, and visual ephemera—including relics of Kleenex’s 1979 UK tour with the Raincoats—the collage-like Kleenex/LiLiPUT book creates its own paradigm for punk storytelling by imposing no definitive Kleenex narrative, instead replicating the ever-in-process nature of the unruly music. Legendary rock critic Greil Marcus’ original introduction to Marder’s diary is included along with another of his enlightening columns on the band, in which he writes, “Punk had good taste in ancestors.” He was talking about the Kleenex-Dada connection, but the same rings true of punks today, who see themselves in this history still. –Jenn Pelly

Thrilling Living

Lou Reed: The King of New York

Several strong Lou Reed bios were already out there by the time Will Hermes published The King of New York this fall. Victor Bockris’ Transformer: The Complete Lou Reed Story is a compelling document of the New York underground of the ’60s and early ’70s, while Anthony DeCurtis’ Lou Reed: A Life has first-person intimacy while situating the singer’s work among his rock contemporaries. But Hermes tells the best story, finding the ideal mix of big-picture narrative sweep and intriguing details.

The book frames Reed’s life in a way that speaks to our current cultural moment, revealing how the fluidness of sexuality and gender in Reed’s milieu hinted at the world to come, and it deepens your appreciation of his hugely varied recorded output. Hermes’ previous book, Love Goes to Buildings on Fire , was a personal examination of New York’s influential downtown music scene in the ’70s, and the city is just as influential here, growing and changing alongside Reed while forever informing his art. This shifting contextual backdrop makes Hermes especially fun to read on the Velvet Underground frontman’s notoriously spotty solo albums. Few artists risked failure like Reed did, and this book will have you digging for records you once ignored, from his wispy debut to the shocking power of Lulu ’s “ Junior Dad .” –Mark Richardson

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse

When writer Howard Fishman first heard Connie Converse’s beautifully melancholic folk music at a party in 2010, he became consumed by a quest to find out what became of the obscure mid-century singer. Thirteen years and 550 pages later, the New Yorker contributor has turned in the definitive history of Converse’s life. With To Anyone Who Ever Asks , he traces her story, from her tragedy-marred early years in small-town New England, to an escape to New York in the 1940s and ’50s and eventual retreat to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Converse eventually disappeared in 1974, speeding off in her Volkswagen and writing to loved ones asking them not to look for her.

Fishman uncovers not the shy wallflower that her songs suggest, but a binge-drinking, heavy-smoking bohemian widely ahead of her time, who performed for Walter Cronkite, composed operas, and championed civil rights. He occasionally falls into fanboy tendencies, glorifying every artistic move by Converse with uncritical praise. But for anyone who has ever wondered about the person behind these lost songs, or just what it means to make art that no one will fully appreciate until decades later, To Anyone Who Ever Asks provides as much of a proper answer as we’ll ever get. –David Glickman

Testigos del fin del mundo

In his debut book, Bolivian music critic and professor Javier A. Rodríguez-Camacho chronicles the untold history of 2010s Ibero-American indie music. The book includes artists from Latin America, the United States, and Spain—an editorial choice that illustrates how multiple genres and geographical locations of the Spanish-speaking world have always been in conversation with each other. Instead of presenting a definitive canon, Rodríguez-Camacho traces an incomplete but dynamic map of the era’s scenes and sounds through 120 albums, spanning everything from the Chilean indie pop explosion to the Mexican ruidosón movement.

It’s an archival endeavor structured through individual album reviews, each of which transcends mere formal description. The chapters are meticulously contextualized, immersing readers into the musical and sociopolitical milieu from which these albums sprouted. But they also explore how these artists speak to shared experiences across the Spanish-speaking diaspora—regardless of the “zip code of their residence, their accents, or their stylistic influences.” The book is packed with delightful easter eggs, too, like playlist recommendations from guest contributors. Its creative direction is vividly inspired by the blogs and streaming platforms that revolutionized the decade, with tracklists, sidebars, and credits surrounding each review as though you can click on them. Whether you’re reading up on culture-shifting artists like Arca, or discovering Puerto Rican trap pioneers like Füete Billëte, Testigos del fin del mundo is an illuminating compendium that documents scenes and sounds that have lived in the shadows for too long. —Isabelia Herrera

Rey Naranjo Editores

Wayward: Just Another Life to Live

Those drawn to Vashti Bunyan ’s memoir likely know her story already: a ’70s British singer-songwriter whose freak-folk debut Just Another Diamond Day developed a cult following—thanks in part to fans like Animal Collective and Devendra Banhart—that inspired her to return in the 2000s with a long-awaited follow-up. Originally released in the UK last year, Wayward delivers far more than that familiar redemption arc.

Bunyan’s life story is one of striking defiance and quiet beauty, the combination of which moves the heart in unexpected ways. She recounts wearing the fragile shellac of her father’s 78s so thin that her parents removed the needle as punishment; skipping class to play guitar and fraternize with soon-to-be Monty Python co-founders Michael Palin and Terry Jones; and recording her debut single with Jimmy Page while Mick Jagger facetiously imitated her voice. “I was quietly delighting in being a small part of the big fuck-you,” she writes.

Perpetually drawn to the outdoors, from searching for bones amid post-WW2 rubble as a kid, to voyaging to Donovan ’s Scottish commune by horse and carriage in her 20s, Bunyan long rooted her music’s roving spirit in a desire for physicality that’s muddy and crestfallen. For a figure that’s been upheld as fragile and innocent, the true story of Bunyan the musician is that of a woman-turned-nomad fueled by an awareness that the more people and places you meet, the more your perception of the world grows. –Nina Corcoran

White Rabbit

World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music

Jeff Tweedy admits in the introduction to his third book, World Within a Song , that he would have started here, with brief love letters to important songs throughout his life, had he been more confident as a writer. Instead, the Wilco frontman felt the pressure to pen a more conventional memoir in 2018’s Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) , then followed that up with How to Write One Song , his down-to-earth approach to the guru-littered gutters of the “creativity guide” genre. Both books are excellent—warm, funny, unflinchingly honest, and clearly the work of a true music fan. But World Within a Song allows Tweedy to go full nerd, not as a tangent to a story but as the story itself. The effect is something like a book-length version of Pitchfork’s own 5-10-15-20 interview series , where stray memories become reflexively intertwined with certain lyrics or melodies.

Tweedy writes like he talks—direct, enthusiastic, relatable, self-aware when he’s corny—and it’s a quick and enjoyable read even when he opines on well-worn hits like “Smoke on the Water.” The best parts are when he focuses on specific moments with family members that shifted his view of things: his mom connecting to Lene Lovich’s “Lucky Number” while watching the “New Wave” episode of The Midnight Special with him, her own “you live alone, you die alone” worldview reflected back; discovering, after many years of assuming otherwise, that his cousin did not write Bachman–Turner Overdrive’s “Takin’ Care of Business.” It’s not all classic rock and vintage alternative, though—I gotta hand it to Tweedy, I didn’t expect to be so moved by his take on Rosalía’s “Bizcochito.” He writes, upon Googling lyric translations and realizing he’d understood the emotion even though he doesn’t speak Spanish, “I could actually hear the look on her face. I could see the man she was singing to—pinpoint the heartache to a specific moment in her life.” –Jill Mapes

By Nina Corcoran

By Matthew Strauss

• Barbra Streisand
• Jeff Tweedy

5 Must-Read Music Memoirs and Biographies Arriving In November 2023

by Lorie Liebig October 30, 2023, 9:22 pm

The year is quickly coming to a close, but bookworms have plenty of new releases to enjoy before 2024 arrives. We’ve curated a list of highly anticipated music memoirs and biographies that will hit bookshelves and digital stores this November.

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1. my name is barbra.

Multi-talented artist and performer Barbra Streisand delivers her first memoir this month. Set for release on November 7, My Name Is Barbra transports readers through the decades. Fans will get firsthand accounts of Streisand’s experiences as she proved her talents in film, theater, and music.

2. The Upcycled Self: The Story of Tariq Trotter, Who Would Become Black Thought, Co-founder of the Roots  

Tariq Trotter, co-founding member of The Roots and celebrated creative, takes a deep dive into what shapes us in his upcoming book. Arriving on November 14, The Upcycled Self finds the award-winning rapper examining the people and experiences who led him to take his own path to success.

3. My Effin’ Life  

Rush bassist Geddy Lee looks back on his evolution from a music-loving teen to a rock and roll star in his revealing memoir, due out on November 14. My Effin’ Life is a must-read for any longtime fan of the famed prog-rock group, offering a personal and powerful retrospective on their decades-long career.

4. World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music

Wilco ‘s Jeff Tweedy returns to the role of author for a third time with his latest work, set for release on November 7. World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music finds the acclaimed singer/songwriter examining the tracks that left a lasting impact on his life.

5. Living   the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans

On November 14, author Kenneth Womack delivers an in-depth look at the man who helped steer The Beatles to superstardom. Living   the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans lifts the veil on the often overlooked figure who saw the band’s potential from the very beginning.

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30 Great Rock Memoirs

Many legendary musicians have taken literary guitar solos off-stage by penning great rock memoirs. Music fans adore delving into their favorite artists’ juicy, tell-all autobiographies. Rock memoirs allow average Joes to experience the scandalous debauchery of the rock and roll lifestyle. From hit records and red carpets to drug addiction and sleazy groupies, these memoirs take readers on the rollercoaster ride of stardom. Whether written in 1960 or today, rock memoirs capture the drama of music heroes journeying towards their big dreams.

However, rock memoirs aren’t always the fascinating, soul-baring reads you’d expect. The genre has plenty of autobiographies filled with fluff already well-known on the Internet. Rock memoirs can also become garbled, indecipherable accounts by musicians who are more accustomed to writing notes than paragraphs. The best memoirs avoid the usual road-worn clichés and plots to eloquently share unhindered truths about rock stars.

Below we’ll recognize 30 great rock memoirs that deserve a sacred space on your bookshelf or Kindle library.

#1 – I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir

Brian wilson.

Releasing in October 2016, this much-anticipated memoir tells the story of Brian Wilson, the co-founder of the Beach Boys. Starting with his turbulent childhood with an abusive father, Wilson relays the mental illness, drugs, and sorrow that plagued his early life. He also offers glimpses into the songwriting process for hits like “Good Vibrations.” Readers witness his never-ending climb to survive the industry and remain one of music’s most revered figures.

#2 – Walk This Way

Divided in two,  Walk This Way  chronicles the history of the legendary hard rock band Aerosmith. Members Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, and Brad Whitford take turns sharing recollections never publicly released. Book One focuses on the early years after their album  Toys in the Attic  debuted. Book Two takes place after their 1980s downfall and resurgence. Candid stories of concerts, drugs, partying, and women abound.

#3 – The Dirt

Motley crue.

Perhaps the world’s most notorious rock band, Motley Crue collaborated to publish  The Dirt  in 2001. Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil, and Nikki Sixx detail their 30-year career without holding back. Fans journey beyond their immortal music to learn about backstage scandals, love affairs, and addictions after their rise to fame. Over 100 photographs are included to depict the pleasures and perils of decadent rock star lifestyles.

#4 – Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir

Carrie brownstein.

Named a  New York Times  Notable Book of 2015, Carrie Brownstein’s novel allows a deeply personal look into how she redefined gender limitations in rock. From her childhood in the Pacific Northwest, Brownstein depicts the search for her true calling. The exuberant guitarist details her rise to prominence with Sleater-Kinney in the growing feminist punk rock movement. She also shares the experiences that spawned the TV hit  Portlandia.

#5 – Born to Run

Bruce springsteen.

After his Super Bowl halftime show, “The Boss” himself began writing an extraordinary autobiography detailing his life from a childhood in Freehold, New Jersey. Set for release in September 2016,  Born to Run  vividly recounts Springsteen’s relentless drive for music. Readers watch as his career progresses from playing bar bands to headlining the E Street Band. Bruce Springsteen details the light and darkness of his experiences with raw honesty.

#6 – Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts and Madness

Ronnie spector.

Ronnie Spector published this 384-page tell-all novel about her time as lead singer for the Ronettes, the hit 1960s “girl band.” Although there are glimpses into the glamour of rock stardom, much of the memoir centers on her rocky relationship with Phil Spector. She details how her powerful producer husband turned cruel and reclusive. Follow her inspiring battle to break free, overcome alcoholism, and recreate a life worth living.

#7 – Crazy From The Heat

David lee roth.

Van Halen lead vocalist David Lee Roth produced the ultimate rock memoir with  Crazy From The Heat  in 1998. The archetypal rock star shares his life’s narrative in guerrilla style with plenty of expletives. With candor, Roth depicts the backstage life for the Guinness Book’s highest paid American rock group of the ’80s. David Lee Roth also shares his recording experiences as a solo artist and several unpublished poems.

#8 – Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs

Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, wrote this unique rock memoir about his time with the ’70s punk band. The “God Save the Queen” singer depicts how the Pistols were working-class rockers with families, friends, and financial woes. Lydon is unabashedly spiteful in shedding light on the British class system and the music industry. John Lydon also adds perspectives on his band mates, including the notorious Sid Vicious.

#9 – Long Hard Road Out of Hell

Marilyn manson.

America’s most controversial rock idol Marilyn Manson published a shocking memoir titled  Long Hard Road Out of Hell.  Born as Brian Hugh Warner, Manson discusses his unstable childhood, including his grandfather’s sexual fetishes. Its pages go in-depth on how the Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids formed and recorded the infamous “Antichrist Superstar.” Like other rock memoirs, the book references bitter breakups and dysfunctional relationships.

#10 – Many Years From Now

Paul mccartney.

With author Barry Miles, Paul McCartney wrote  Many Years From Now  to disprove that the late John Lennon was the Beatles’ only creative leader. The 650-plus memoir centers on the duo’s 50-50 songwriting partnership through hits like “I Feel Fine” and “A Hard Day’s Night.” From Beatlemania on, McCartney reminiscences on the genesis for every song penned with Lennon while taking credit for the band’s immersion into the avant-garde.

#11 – Moonage Daydream: The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust

David bowie.

David Bowie’s debut novel gives unprecedented insight into his intriguing, sexually ambivalent stage persona Ziggy Stardust. Photographer Mick Rock assists in chronicling imagery from Ziggy’s stratospheric two-year stardom. Vast albums of images compile to detail the onstage performances and backstage scandals through his blockbuster retirement. It’s among the finest rock memoirs that beautifully immortalizes the late icon in high-definition.

#12 – Chronicles: Volume One

Through his own eyes,  Chronicles: Volume One  details the critical crossroads in Bob Dylan’s early life to begin the planned three-volume memoir. The National Book Critics Circle Award finalist shows Dylan’s first arrival in magical Manhattan. The story poignantly shares details about his 1960s breakthrough album. From nightlong parties to fleeting loves, readers witness Bob Dylan’s rise into fame as the “spokesman of a generation.”

Johnny Cash

Having sold over 90 million records globally, Johnny Cash is deemed one of the most influential musicians for songs like “Ring of Fire” and “Man in Black.” Cash’s deep baritone voice crossed lines from country and blues to rock and roll. From his boyhood in Arkansas to super-stardom in Nashville,  Cash  reminiscences on the legend’s lifetime. The autobiography highlights his 40-year career, including his marriage to June Carter, with wry humor.

#14 – Scar Tissue

Anthony kiedis.

Released five years after  Californication,  this rock memoir follows the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ lead vocalist through his drug addiction battle. Son of Blackie Dammett, Anthony Kiedis first experienced drugs with his father at 11. When the band formed in the ’80s, Kiedis had a hardcore addiction. He details the effect of Slovak’s overdose death on his downward spiral. Audiences witness his fight against relapses to restart a productive, happy life.

#15 – Just Kids

Patti smith.

Chosen for  Publishers Weekly’s  top 10 best books, Patti Smith’s memoir provides the same lyrical quality as her influential album  Horses.  Beginning in 1967, the book portrays Smith’s early career homeless and hungry in Brooklyn. That’s when she encounters Robert Mapplethorpe, a young photographer, and her life forever changes. Patti Smith tells their inseparable friendship’s moving story during the halcyon days of the Hotel Chelsea.

#16 – My Damage: The Story of a Punk Rock Survivor

Keith morris.

Hardcore punk icon Keith Morris chronicles his revolutionary 40-year career as one of music’s hardest working men. Beginning with his childhood in Los Angeles’ South Bay, the book provides a lens into Morris’ development to legend status. From leading the Circle Jerks to appearing in cult films like  Repo Man,  Keith Morris shares interesting perspectives on the entertainment industry and his battle with diabetes.

#17 – The Beatles Anthology

The beatles.

Released with the documentary series in 2000,  The Beatles Anthology  is a large-format hardcover book infused with photographic artwork. Archived interviews with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr as well as producer George Martin are combined into one epic rock memoir. Every page is brimming with recollections from their early days in Liverpool to their ultimate breakup, including Lennon’s marriage to Yoko Ono.

#18 – I, Tina

Tina turner.

Adapted to the film  What’s Love Got to Do with It  with Angela Bassett in 1993, Tina Turner’s rock memoir retells her life from growing up as Anna Mae Bullock. The best-seller transports readers from her meager beginnings in Tennessee to her volatile relationship with blues musician Ike Turner. Her superstar account shares the pain and abuse that sparked one of rock music’s greatest comebacks.

#19 – Slash

Legendary Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash opens up to share his own experiences with the sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle. The notoriously private musician pens a jaw-dropping memoir detailing the factors leading to the band’s demise. Beyond wild parties, groupies, drugs, and never-ending tours, Slash depicts the dictatorship rule of Axl Rose. He explains how Axl’s determination to change the band’s sound with synthesizers ripped them apart.

#20 – I Am Ozzy

Ozzy osbourne.

Prized for its laugh-out-loud humor,  I Am Ozzy  provides a rambling memoir of the Black Sabbath frontman’s life. Born John Osbourne, he grew up within an impoverished British family in Aston and seemed destined for manual labor. On a trip to prison, Ozzy became enamored with the darker side of rock and roll. Life spirals out of control with recording, drinking, drugs, and women. But the unpolished autobiography then shares the satanic rocker’s rebirth.

#21 – Clapton

Eric clapton.

Clapton  portrays the rock star’s life in an unseen light starting with his debut in Cream and their untimely breakup two years later. Eric Clapton shares his experiences working with Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and long-time friend George Harrison. Here readers discover his love for George’s wife, Pattie Boyd. His heartbreak leads to heroin, despair, and hit songs like “Wonderful Tonight.” Life seemingly improves as he wins Pattie’s affection, until the devastating death of their four-year-old son.

#22 – Amy, My Daughter

Mitch winehouse.

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse’s memoir was written in 2013 by her closest advisor and friend, her father Mitch. The intimate account separates fact from fiction by detailing the true events that shaped her music career. Mitch doesn’t shy away from discussing her drug addiction that inspired the hit song “Rehab.” Audiences witness what happened behind-the-scenes in the months leading to the talented musician’s tragic death.

#23 – I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp

Richard hell.

Since retiring from the music industry in 1984, Richard Hell has published countless books, including his own rock memoirs. This novel renders his shift from a bucolic childhood in Kentucky to New York City’s punk rock movement. Known for co-founding bands like The Heartbreakers and working with artists like Patti Smith, Hell forever cemented CBGB as the epicenter for punk. The memoir celebrates his passion while warning of its implicit risks.

#24 – Journals

Kurt cobain.

Originally contained in over 20 notebooks,  Journals  presents a collection of Kurt Cobain’s handwritten notes and drawings. From a kid in Aberdeen, Washington, to a morbid punk rocker, the entries depict Corbain’s unlikely rise to fame. Readers glimpse his innermost thoughts as Cobain signs with Sub Pop, forms Nirvana, and writes “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” But entries turn darker as coping with the fame ultimately leads to heroin addiction and suicide.

#25 – Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout

Laura jane grace.

Laura Jane Grace, the lead singer for Against Me!, will offer this vivid memoir of her tumultuous search for self-identity in November 2016. Born Thomas James Gabel, Laura shares how she grappled with feeling detached from her body.  Tranny  shares her struggles with gender transition, sex, failed relationships, and drug addiction while becoming a punk rock icon.

Keith Richards

As winner of the 2011 Norman Mailer Prize, Keith Richards’ memoir  Life  was written with journalist James Fox to chronicle the Rolling Stones guitarist’s rousing stardom. Richards delivers an unfettered story of his career from small gigs to sold-out stadiums. Rock fans are entranced with firsthand accounts on his love for Patti Hansen, rocky relationship with Mick Jagger, tax exile in France, and more. His journey becomes immortalized like the riffs of “Satisfaction.”

#27 – The Autobiography

Chuck berry.

Pioneering rock and roll guitarist Chuck Berry’s memoir not only shares his own past, but also uncovers dark truths about race in America. Growing up in a poor, segregated St. Louis neighborhood, Berry discusses his family roots and his feeling “black.” From performing with Johnnie Johnson’s trio to signing with Chess Records, he recounts his galloping success redefining rhythm and blues to the distinctive rock sound.  The Autobiography  also includes a discography of his musical masterpieces.

#28 – Don’t Try This at Home: A Year in the Life of Dave Navarro

Dave navarro.

After messy breakups with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction, guitarist Dave Navarro partnered with writer Neil Strauss to chronicle 12 months of his life. He purchased a photo booth to record every celebrity, dealer, and hooker who stopped by his house. The resulting 57 chapters speak to the quasi-glamorous rock and roll lifestyle. However, readers eventually witness Navarro’s sobriety as his career and marriage restarts.

#29 – Girl in a Band

Published in 2015,  Girl in a Band  shares the autobiographical story of Sonic Youth’s bass guitarist and fashion icon Kim Gordon. The memoir’s vivid pages open several chapters of her life for inspection from California to New York City. She visually details her music and passion for taking women into the unchartered territory in the Alternative revolution. Gordon also describes her personal life, marriage, and relationship with her daughter, Coco.

#30 – Take It Like a Man

Boy George strutted into rock stardom in the early ’80s with “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” His platinum Culture Club hits, avant-garde style, and captivating melodies fueled media’s obsession with the English singer. That’s until his life took a downward spiral. Boy George’s relationship with Jon Moss disintegrated, Culture Club collapsed, and drug addiction wreaked havoc.  Take It Like a Man  retells his highest highs and most desperate lows in mesmerizing detail.

Search for these 30 great rock memoirs to read profound, inspiring recollections from one-of-a-kind music icons who’ve experienced successes and downturns in the public eye.

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Best rock star biographies and memoirs: it's pure debauchery

We're talking sex, drugs and bloody good stories

Rock stars of yesteryear had all the fun. The best rock star biographies shed light on those glory days, answering questions you didn’t know you wanted answering.

From tales of debauchery to gritty insights into life on the road, the best biographies share the low points as well as the highs. Teasing details about their lives, many of these access-all-areas biographies allow you to be a fly on the wall for some of the most dramatic moments in musical history.

UPDATE: We've added a couple more key picks from the world of rock autobiographies. Elton John's Me makes the cut for the sheer style of its retelling of one of the iconic careers in rock music. And for those after a less classic biopic-style approach should check out Viv Albertine's 2014 memoir Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys. It's a top read.

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Here we’ve picked out a selection of the very best rockstar memoirs. They feature some of rock’s most prominent figures… as well as some who we’re glad we’ve been able to find out even more about.

Upvote your favourite read, and suggest any we've missed at the bottom.

Best rock star biographies

1 . Keith Richards – Life

No list of rockstar memoirs would be complete without a mention of the Rolling Stones guitarist and rock stalwart Keith Richards. Life spans several decades of music, drugs and life on the road – from the more glamorous elements to the hard reality of some of what he went through. As with all the best memoirs, Life shows a new side of its subject while retaining the kind of honesty and vulnerability which was often hidden from those who only saw his public persona.

2 . Mötley Crüe - The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band

Known for their extreme antics and tales of debauchery, Mötley Crüe has become synonymous with a life of excess that accompanies rock music. A culmination of 30 years worth of jaw-dropping material involving Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Mick Mars , the book features scandalous celebrity love affairs and dark stories involving extreme drug addiction. The book has also since been made into a Netflix Original Movie starring Machine Gun Kelly and Douglas Booth.

3 . Slash — Slash: The Autobiography

Few rock stars of the 80s and 90s are as instantly identifiable as Slash, and the Guns N’ Roses guitarist lived a proper rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle during his time with the band. This is documented in detail in his 2007 autobiography, with covers ups, downs, excess and near-death in the kind of detail you can only get from someone who lived through it all… and almost died in the process.

4 . Anthony Kiedis – Scar Tissue

The Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman is a 21st-century rocker you’d expect to have plenty of revealing stories, and Scar Tissue is certainly a revealing read.

Kiedis’s drug use has hardly been a secret throughout his career, but this is an at-times-sensitive look at his early exposure to substances and how it shaped his life and experiences as his band enjoyed a rapid rise and ultimately grew into one of the world’s biggest.

5 . Lemmy – White Line Fever

The title of Lemmy’s autobiography gives a bit of a clue to what to expect, but there’s more to it than just drugs and excess. It’s not just about Motörhead, either, although the band does have a big role to play. White Line Fever is often conversational in tone, and that gives you an idea of Lemmy’s real, authentic voice – it’s the sort of thing which not every memoir needs, but the feeling of him being right there with you certainly helps in this case.

6 . Patti Smith – Just Kids

Smith’s memoir isn’t just about music or even just about her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, but rather a poignant look back at a very specific version of New York which we will surely never see again. Published in 2010, Just Kids captures a time, a place and the people united by both to make for a fascinating memoir, and we’re grateful to Smith for bringing it all back to life with such honesty.

7 . Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

'Writing about yourself is a funny business…But in a project like this, the writer has made one promise, to show the reader his mind. In these pages, I’ve tried to do this.' — notes Bruce Springsteen, from the pages of his autobiography, Born to Run . The concept for the book spawned from his 2009 Superbowl half time show, which Springsteen noted as being so exhilarating, the experience simply had to be documented. From his Catholic upbringing in Freehold, New Jersey , to the traumatizing events which shaped some of his greatest lyrical work, this is a delightfully gritty tale depicting a rock 'n' roll great

8 . Nikki Sixx – The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star

Some of the most eye-catching rock memoirs aren’t even really about the music, and this work from the Mötley Crüe man is a case in point. The bassist presents a no holds barred depiction of life on tour, in the studio and on heroin, all presented in diary form, during a period where addiction to the drug almost killed him. Throw in retrospectives from Sixx and his bandmates and it makes for compelling reading.

9 . Kim Gordon – Girl in a Band: A Memoir

Girl in a Band takes us back to the 1980s heyday of Sonic Youth through the words of founding member Kim Gordon. The memoir looks back at Gordon’s childhood before exploring her career in music, her marriage to bandmate Thurston Moore, and the eventual unravelling of that relationship. The portrait of Gordon’s life in Rochester and LA is honest and exploratory without ever being performative, while painting a picture of plenty of her contemporaries from Sonic Youth’s rise to prominence.

10 . Mark Lanegan - Sing Backwards and Weep

Coming from Seattle in the 80s, Mark Lanegan saw everything grunge had to offer and managed to get out the other side. This frank autobiography does not paint an idolised life of a rockstar, but one that has knocks, scrapes and near misses. It's packed with the lowest of lows and the highs are all, well, something else. You need to read this and it's even more poignant after his passing.

11 . Elton John - Me

This autobiography covers Elton John's pre-fame years, his early career and most riotously depraved years. It's hilarious, touching and, as far as we can tell, pretty honest given how often John is not depicted as a flawless hero character. This biography was written in collaboration with music critic Alexis Petridis, who captures John's voice perfectly while delivering thoroughly well-written prose.

12 . Viv Albertine - Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys.

Slits guitarist Viv Albertine's 2014 autobiography made an impact that went far beyond punk fans interested in her band. It's a feminist work that looks at the realities of being a woman in the 70s and 80s, amped up by being a pivotal part of the punk scene. The book also covers her work after the Slits, who disbanded in 1982.

13 . Laura Jane Grace - Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout

Grace, the vocalist for punk band Against Me!, has a unique story to tell. And she tells it brilliantly in Tranny. The singer and guitarist came out as transgender in 2012, and her memoir – written with journalist Dan Ozzi and published four years later – is a brutally honest look at her experiences with gender dysphoria alongside her breakthrough into the punk scene. As well as shedding light on Grace’s past, it allows us a look at Butch Vig and Bruce Springsteen through fresh eyes.

14 . Mark Oliver Everett – Things the Grandchildren Should Know

Everett, better known as E, has enjoyed a strong following with his band Eels without ever attaining worldwide superstar status. Everett’s emotional depth has always come through in his songwriting, so it’s no surprise to see him eloquently and sensitively detail the role of others’ deaths in his own life after losing both parents and his sister before turning 35. There isn’t the excess of other memories, but it’s just as emotionally affecting, if not more so.

15 . John Lydon – Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs

Lydon, known as Johnny Rotten during his time with the Sex Pistols, had front-row seats to the birth of punk in the UK. As you can guess, this makes for great memoir fodder. The Londoner tears in to anyone and everyone you can imagine from the “boring” society infiltrated by his band. As the man himself says: “A lot of people feel the Sex Pistols were just negative. I agree, and what the fuck is wrong with that?”

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The 14 fall 2023 pop culture memoirs and biographies we're most excited to read

From Barbra to Peloton instructors, there's no shortage of great pop culture reads this fall.

Here at EW, we're pop culture junkies.

If there's a behind-the-scenes story or a personal hot take from a celeb, we are here for it. Chances are, if you're reading this you are too. And this fall, there is no shortage of engrossing, juicy new memoirs and biographies shedding light on all corners of the entertainment industry.

From Old Hollywood (Charlie Chaplin, Lena Horne, Greta Grabo) to the music industry (Barbra Streisand, Britney Spears, Geddy Lee) to the virtual gym (Cody Rigsby), pop culture figures across the gamut are telling their stories (or receiving new evaluation) in a slew of new titles hitting shelves this season.

Here are the 14 pop culture memoirs and biographies we're most excited about in fall 2023.

Ideal Beauty: The Life and Times of Greta Garbo by Lois W. Banner

Historian and biographer Lois Banner ( Marilyn: The Passion and The Paradox ) takes one of Hollywood's most enigmatic figures as her latest subject. Drawing on over a decade of research in archives across ​​Sweden, Germany, France, and the United States, Banner examines the shadowy personal life of the woman most famous for stating, "I want to be alone." While Garbo captivated audiences with her beauty and mysterious persona, this book offers an insightful portrait of her private life, interrogating her feminism, sexuality, mental health, and more. Garbo rose to fame on the silent screen, but this new biography gives voice to her life in unparalleled fashion. (Sept. 5) — Maureen Lee Lenker

XOXO, Cody by Cody Rigsby

With XOXO Cody , the beloved Peloton instructor shows he has range. His memoir aims to make readers laugh and tear up in equal measure. He delivers his hot takes and humorous advice about living life right while also diving into the difficult moments in his life that shaped the adult he is. As he delves into growing up gay and his issues with his parents, Rigsby provides an opportunity for folks to get to know him better. XOXO Cody is inspiring and raw, but also a great reminder that laughing our way through something is a solid option. (Sept. 12) — Alamin Yohannes

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

Saturday Night Live alum Leslie Jones is known for her disarming frankness, and in her new memoir, Leslie F*cking Jones , the comic invites readers even deeper inside her brutally honest thoughts. Jones' sense of humor is intact even as she opens up about her experiences with childhood sexual abuse, abortion, and family tragedy, as well as the racism and sexism she's fought in stand-up comedy and from online trolls who made her life hell after she was cast in the women-led Ghostbusters . SNL fans will be especially interested in her tales from the show, including who she did and did not get along with, and hilarious details of an unaired sketch about killing Whoopi Goldberg . (Sept. 19) —Jillian Sederholm

Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy by Stephen M. Silverman

Stephen Sondheim may have died in 2021, but his spirit lives on among the Broadway faithful. This month alone marks the premiere of the third Sondheim revival since his passing, as well as the premiere of Here We Are , a posthumous presentation of the Luis Buñuel-inspired musical he was working on until the end. Somewhere between a biography and a coffee-table book, Stephen M. Silverman's new title makes a perfect companion to our current age of Sondheim remembrance. The master of the modern musical is chronicled with textual highlights of his life story (with Sondheim's sardonic wit on display in frequent direct quotes), but also helpfully accompanied by many, many photos of his legendary Broadway career — and the actors, artists, and celebrities he crossed paths with along the way. (Sept. 19) — Christian Holub

Thicker Than Water by Kerry Washington

In her memoir, Kerry Washington bares it all. After a long-kept family secret is revealed, the actress and producer looks back at her life to share what she has overcome and learned over the years. From past traumas to wisdom she's received through her roles, Washington is bringing fans into her world like never before. Through these stories, she tells readers of her fight to redevelop her own understanding of family as she started her own. Thicker Than Water is a poignant and captivating exploration of how she became the woman she is today. (Sept. 26) — A.Y.

Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith

Though Jada Pinkett Smith has spent the last couple of years peeling back the layers on Red Table Talk , she still feels like people misunderstand her. In Worthy, she attempts to tell her story, her way. From Baltimore to Hollywood, and through suicidal ideation to self-acceptance and healing, Pinkett Smith recounts her journey to reflection and healing. (Oct. 4) — Yolanda Machado

Thank You: Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin by Sly Stone

In the late '60s, Sly Stone was the embodiment of cool, an impossibly stylish funk master and preternatural hitmaker. He was also a man who carted around a violin case filled with cocaine wherever he'd go. If his drug use could conjure magic in the studio, it also destroyed the Sly and the Family Stone frontman's relationships, wiped out his earnings, and made him a recluse. Now 80 years old and sober, the living legend is finally releasing his memoir, a cautionary tale and the story of one of rock's true great visionaries. (Oct. 17) — Jason Lamphier

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Britney Spears is finally ready to tell her story the way she's never been able to before. One of the world's biggest and most misunderstood pop icons is releasing her memoir, The Woman In Me , a little over two years after revealing harrowing details in open court about how her life wasn't her own under the conservatorship of her father for over 13 years. Now that the court-ordered conservatorship has been dissolved, Spears' chronicles her "brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope," allowing her fans to finally see the woman behind the music. (Oct. 24) — Sydney Bucksbaum

Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond by Henry Winkler

The guy who played one of the coolest characters ever on-screen is also known as one of the nicest ever off it. So how exactly did mild mannered Henry Winkler transform himself into the Fonz? The Emmy-winning actor takes us inside his original Happy Days audition as part of a memoir that goes through Winkler's entire career — from The Lords of Flatbush through Barry . And yes, he explains in full detail why in the world he jumped that damn shark. (Oct. 31) —Dalton Ross

Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed by Donald Bogle

Donald Bogle, revered historian of Black Hollywood, tackles one of the most iconic Black Golden Age stars — Lena Horne. Using a combination of interviews, press accounts, studio archives, and historical research, Bogle offers up a lush portrait of Horne, from her professional triumphs and bitter disappointments to her activism and role in breaking barriers for Black performers and Black women throughout her career. Bogle tells Horne's story accompanied by stunning photographs in this coffee table-style book that allows for never-before-published images of Horne to shine. (Oct. 31) — M.L.L.

Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided by Scott Eyman

While Charlie Chaplin's life has been chronicled many times, biographer Scott Eyman ( John Wayne: The Life and Legend; Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise ) drills down on Chaplin's fall from grace and exile from America in the back half of the Little Tramp's career. In the wake of the Red Scare and Chaplin's own sexual scandals, he was denied re-entry into the United States in 1952 following a trip to Europe. Eyman examines the events leading to this exile, the political turmoil at play, and Chaplin's years making his final two films in London. It's both a fascinating historical study and a cautionary tale about the perils of hysteria and extremism pervading government practices. (Oct. 31) — M.L.L.

My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand

For years now, Barbra Streisand has spoken of her long-gestating memoir, and it's finally here. In her inimitable way, Streisand tells the story of her life, from her childhood in Brooklyn to her legendary Broadway breakout in Funny Girl to her success in Hollywood as an actress and director. Full of her signature frankness and dry humor, the memoir gives fans an unprecedented look at Streisand's life, from her personal struggles to her professional triumphs, all with a reminder that through the decades, nobody was going to rain on her parade. (Nov. 7) — M.L.L.

My Effin' Life by Geddy Lee

Living in the limelight may be the universal dream for some, but for Rush frontman Geddy Lee, it's simply another chapter in his effin' excellent life. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer — who played bass, keyboards, and sang on the progressive rock band's biggest hits — holds nothing back in his highly-anticipated memoir. From being named after his grandfather who was murdered during the Holocaust to sharing intimate tales of life on the road with bandmates Alex Lifeson and the late Neil Peart, Lee puts aside the alienation and gets on with the fascination surrounding his extraordinary life in an honest, hilarious, and heartfelt way all his own. (Nov. 14) — Emlyn Travis

The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story by Sam Wasson

If he had only made The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola would already be remembered as one of the most successful American directors of all time. But his ambitions always went far beyond that, and the filmmaker promises he has one more masterpiece on the way in the form of the mysterious utopian magnum opus Megalopolis . This new book by Sam Wasson (who already proved himself one of the great modern chroniclers of the New Hollywood era with the Chinatown making-of story The Big Goodbye ) chronicles the road to heaven Coppola trod after descending to Hell with Apocalypse Now. The Vietnam War epic is already the subject of much reporting, but Wasson boasts unprecedented access to Coppola's personal archive — as well as a first-hand look at the making of a movie we can't wait to see. (Nov. 28) — C.H.

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The 20 greatest rock and roll memoirs of all time

Rock and roll memoirs are a tricky thing to get right. More often than not, the act of writing about the excruciating highs and terrifying lows of being in a rock band can feel like an ugly batch of self-aggrandising tripe, boiled and brewed up only for the most diehard of fans to devour without gagging. It usually begins like a ‘rags to riches’ story but one where, more often than not, you’re wishing for a return to rags or, at the very least, a spectacular loss of riches.

Sometimes though, the words and thoughts of your favourite artist can not only shed some light on their lives and creative careers but also reveal the humanity that connects us all. The attainable moments of lie fans, artists and otherwise all face at one point or another. Other times they are just fantastic books. Here, we’ve got 20 of the greatest rock memoirs ever written by some of our favourite musical legends.

There are countless rock autobiographies out there, and all of them offer something for the diehard fan of said star. That said, some books have a way of reaching a hand over any generational barriers, fandom blockades or genre borders to provide a deeper understanding of the author and the world they see and live in. Sometimes they can even offer up a reflective moment for the reader too.

In the books listed below, we can see the very best of this perfect crossover. The perfect mix of vulnerability, honesty and rock ‘n’ roll debauchery is often too heady a mix to ignore, so why not dive right into these classic rock memoirs.

Naturally, they’re not quite what you were expecting.

20 greatest rock memoirs of all time:

20. scar tissue – anthony kiedis.

Few lives have been as varied and wild as that of frontman Anthony Kiedis. The Red Hot Chili Peppers singer proved himself to be a generational voice long ago, but within Scar Tissue, we are given a glimpse into the trauma that provided him with the impetus to achieve such a spot in the history books.

Ravaged by drugs and as malleable, bruised and valuable as the titular organic matter, Kiedis provides a no-holds-barred look at his long and storied life. This isn’t for the faint-hearted but will provide you with a keen insight into Kiedis’ world.

19. Ghost Rider – Neil Peart

Most of the entries on our list are flecked with the kind of wild nights and crazy days that we’ve all dreamt of while professing ourselves to be the next rock star extraordinaire. However, in Rush drummer Neil Peart’s 2002 memoirs, things are a little sadder yet a little stronger. Following the tragic death of his daughter Selena in 1997, and then his wife Jackie just a year later, Peart took himself and his motorbike on a reflective journey of discovery.

Discovering how to deal with grief, how to walk around a new world and perhaps some of Peart’s most personal writing, Ghost Rider is a perfect accompaniment to any journey.

18. High Scool – Tegan and Sara

The 2019 memoirs from twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin have now been turned into a trendy new TV serie s which probably tells you all you need to know about this book. Gilded with the kind of frustration only teenage girls can really attest to have endured, the book also sheds light on how the pop duo broke out of their community in Alberta, Canada and became musical sensations.

Capturing high school, heartbreak and the beginnings of the higher echelons of pop they would reach, the book is written in alternating chapters, allowing both Sara and Tegan to put across their own views.

17. I Am Brian Wilson – Brian Wilson

A musical genius and one of music’s finest minds, the memoirs of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys are worth celebrating for two reasons. Firstly, to be given a glimpse into the mind that oversaw the spellbinding Pet Sounds is something we should all be chomping at the bit to experience. Secondly, there was a time when such a book seemed like an impossible dream.

Following his difficulty and struggles with his mental health, these words are cherishable. “Songs are out there all the time, but they can’t be made without people,” he says within the pages of his mercurial book. “You have to do your job and help songs come into existence.”

16. Girl in a Band – Kim Gordon

Few people are as neatly placed to comment on rock and roll in the modern age as Kim Gordon. Having escaped Southern California for the dizzying arty districts of New York City, Gordon would become a pivotal member of the no wave scene that proliferated those dirty streets. As an equally vital member of Sonic Youth, Gordon defies expectations and defines a generation.

These heady days among the city’s vibrant vaults of starving artists is where the majority of focus for Girl in a Band lay. It means all the guts of the grunge scene can be splattered across every page. Perfect reading for those hoping to get a view of the topsoil helping today’s rock plants bloom.

15. I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp – Richard Hell

Richard Hell is arguably the greatest rock star to ever live, who most people have never heard of. A poet at heart, the memoir focuses on his journey from somewhat goofy Kentucky kid, to New York poet to iconic rock and roller and every dirty turn in between. That journey is one of immeasurable value to music as a whole and any reader who picks up this book.

However, the memoir’s greatest payoff comes at the end when Hell meets a certain Tom Verlaine for the first time in years, only to sadly realise their immense difference and closeness, “We were like two monsters confiding.”

14. Many Years From Now – Paul McCartney

There was a lot of conferring about whether this book should be allowed in our list of the best rock memoirs of all time. After all, this is, technically, “an authorised biography”, meaning McCartney rarely put his own pen to paper. However, considering McCartney is one of the busiest men in rock and roll, we’ll let him off and include the Barry Miles-written Many Years From Now in our top 20 list.

The main reason is that within the book’s spines, McCartney provides some of the most succinct and crystalline visions of his time with The Beatles, including many insider notes to the conception and origination of their best songs.

13. The Autobiography – Chuck Berry

If you thought that emerging in the 1950s as one of the wildest and most wonderful Black pop stars, let alone perhaps the first of real rebellious merit, would lead to a storied life, then you’d be right. That’s exactly what we learn about in Chuck Berry’s 1987 memoir. But while there could be movie scripts written about his rise, this book details the racism and ranging hatred he experienced too.

Berry spent the 1960s in a jail cell while being beloved by the artists of the day, who had turned his style into a money-spinning monopoly on pop. It’s just one facet of the many threads of love and hate that make up Chuck Berry — the granddaddy of rock and roll.

12. Mo Meta Blues – Questlove

Some are moulded by music, and others are simply born to do it. Questlove is certainly the latter. Born into a family of touring musicians within the confines of Mo Meta Blues , we get to hear of how his love for music both drove him into his profession and almost crushed him when it nearly didn’t come together.

As well as brushes with pop royalty such as KISS, Prince and a host more, one of the pivotal moments in Questlove’s life is also perfectly captured — the moment he heard ‘Rapper’s Delight’ for the first time alongside his sister: “The two of us stared at the radio the entire time it was happening; it was our equivalent of the old radio drama The War of the Worlds. All the black kids in Philadelphia who were listening to the radio that day have the same story.”

11. Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl – Carrie Brownstein

Seattle is bristling with historical figures from the world of rock. Whether it is Soundgarden, Nirvana or Jimi Hendrix, the city is swirling with artistic intent. This could be a daunting prospect for some, but for Sleater-Kinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein, it was simply a match with which to light the fuse of her explosive life.

Within Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl we hear her tale of trauma, the difficulty of living with a closeted dad and a mum who suffered from eating disorders and how the band, the riot grrrl scene, and essentially any other way she could make some serious noise, would alleviate Brownstein from her reality and allow her to forge her own path.

10. Face It – Debbie Harry

Memoirs tend to mature with time, as the stories, many as there are in Debbie Harry’s new-classic Face It , begin to fully unfold into the public consciousness. However, as soon as Face It landed in 2019, it grabbed attention and became an instant classic for both fans and non-fans alike.

Harry not only deliciously plays with her perception on the title of her book, no doubt a keen reference to the continued focus on her looks rather than her talent, but also delivers a razor-sharp recollection of being one of rock music’s ultimate icons. From the pits of CBGB to the top of the hill and back again, Harry has always fought for her crown, and she’s tough as nails here too.

“My Blondie character was an inflatable doll, but with a dark, provocative, aggressive side. I was playing it up, yet I was very serious.” In the book, Harry describes her journey, and we’re all happy to be along for the ride with her as our bodyguard.

9. Moonage Day Dream – David Bowie

Of course, David Bowie was never going to write a straightforward memoir as the world expected. The singer put so much of his evolving life in his music that to reveal anything more would feel a little over the top, perhaps even a little vulgar.

Therefore the singer fittingly used his famed persona Ziggy Stardust to help tell his story in 2002 with Moonage Daydream: The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust —an extensive arthouse coffee table book full of images from Mick Rock. While the images are as striking and captivating as ever, it is the revelatory words from the Starman that really hit home.

The book has all the tidbits but with the added extra of his incredible posing. Really, what more could you want from David Bowie?

8. Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness – Ronnie Spector

Arguably one of the most potent voices of rock and roll’s early moments, Ronnie Spector was the lynchpin of The Ronettes and the ultimate 1960s powerhouse performer. As well as being a bright light of Motown, the late, great Spector was also trapped in one of the darkest marriages in music.

Famously married to the infamous record producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector, Ronnie was virtually held captive by the crazed producer for years. However, in this memoir, Ronnie is neither pitiful or ashamed, she is strong, bolshy and sharp as a tack.

Released in 1989, it’s one of the more personal and revealing memoirs on the list and shows off the shocking reality of being in an abusive relationship.

7. Le Freak – Nile Rodgers

If you ever wanted to chart the roots of modern pop music, then you should count Nile Rodgers’ autobiography Le Freak on your essential reading list. One of the most influential musicians of his generation, Rodgers, shares his account of the “sex, drugs and disco” of the seventies.

In the book, Rodgers takes a deep dive into the world of disco, unashamedly celebrating it at every turn, “We shared Afrobromantic dreams of what it would be like to have real artistic freedom,” he writes.

It’s one of the most descriptive and desirable visions of disco we’ve ever read.

6. Slash – Slash

If you wanted a whiskey-soaked retelling of one of the quickest rises to worldwide fame you’ve ever heard of, then Slash’s autobiography is about as good as it gets. The pages are dripping with Sunset Strip sleaze but that doesn’t stop the guitarist from offering some rather more reflective moments up for his audience too.

The book features some of the wrenching lows that accompanied Slash’s countless musical highs, like the time he nearly overdosed and was rushed to hospital with doctors having to restart his heart. What’s quite refreshing in this book is how open and lighthearted Slash is about his decadence .

“I had no remorse whatsoever about my overdose — but I was pissed off at myself for having died. The whole hospital excursion really ate into my day off.”

5. Clothes Clothes Clothes Music Music Music Boys Boys Boys – Viv Albertine

“Anyone who writes an autobiography is either a twat or broke. I’m a bit of both,” begins the perfect memoir from Viv Albertine.

If anybody ever has a line similar to this in their book, then you can be guaranteed a good read. The fact that the book came from Viv Albertine, one of the most heinously overlooked and wonderfully influential figures of music, means it is going to be bloody fantastic. In Clothes Clothes Clothes Music Music Music Boys Boys Boys , Albertine tells her tale of rock ‘n’ roll revelry in a man’s world.

It sees Albertine as a member of the Slits, her influential passage in the history of punk and her ultimate downfall to normality. While working as an aerobics instructor, Albertine experience motherhood, battles cancer, goes through a divorce and eventually circles back to her trusted friend — her guitar.

It’s visceral and voracious writing, enacted with the utmost care, creativity and good humour.

4. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen

When The Boss, Bruce Springsteen delivered a previously-unannounced memoir in 2016, his fans flocked to book shops to grab a copy as soon as they could. When they started reading, they got a warm and friendly conversation with two friends — you and Bruce.

Springsteen not only uses humour throughout his book but often relies on it to illuminate the darker moments. The singer also manages to avoid the classic stories you’ve heard repeatedly in favour of the little-known facts that drive fans nuts.

There are versions of his tales involving Disneyland, Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan (not all at the same time) and they all ring out like a proud man spilling his guts at the bar. Jovial and joyous, it’s The Boss on a break and shooting the breeze.

3. Life – Keith Richards

When considering anything in the rock ‘n’ roll world, Keith Richards usually does it bigger and better. Whether it is riffs or rails of cocaine, the chances are good old Keef has done it way before you. In Life , Richards broke the seal and opened up a treasure trove of incredible stories from his time on the road.

The book is full of revelations that would give certain stars an entire career, while for Richards, they act as funny tidbits. Like the time he and John Lennon took an LSD road trip to Lyme Regis or when he once became the live-in nanny of a young child while on tour in Australia. It really is all in here.

Richards does offer a little on the bands and artists that inspired him, as well as how he met Mick Jagger for the first time. But aside from that, the personal revelations are a little thin on the ground. What it lacks in vulnerability, it makes up for in head-over-heels debaucherous tales from the glory days of rock.

2. Chronicles, Vol. 1 – Bob Dylan

When you think of Bob Dylan, the first thing that comes to mind is words. The singer-songwriter was more famed for his lyrics than his singing voice when he came onto the scene in the 1960s, and not much has really changed since. Yet nobody could have predicted such an impressive book from the freewheelin’ troubadour.

The rambling man does his best to keep on track but often recollections of his career jump from fragment to fragment, offering visions of his Minnesota boyhood to his dark moments in the eighties, we’re happy to jump around with Mr Dylan.

Perhaps the most integral moments in the book are the remembered moments of his early forays into music. Taking on the folk scene of New York was no mean feat, and he did so with aplomb going on to get his unwanted moniker of “the voice of his generation,” about which he says: “I was more a cowpuncher than a Pied Piper.”

1. Just Kids – Patti Smith

It just so happens that the greatest rock and roll memoir of all time is one of the more unusual you’ll ever read. Not because the author, the punk poet Patti Smith, leaves anything out but because she focuses on one relationship. The love she shared with the late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

Through her relationship with Mapplethorpe, we are treated to everything a good rock memoir should have; the origin of their creativity, the way they discovered their expression, the struggles to be heard and the satisfaction of achieving your dream . The real victory for the reader, though is how none of these really matter without the love and understanding of one another.

In the book, Smith offers up the purity of finding your soul mate and that despite their very similar interest in men, she and Mapplethorpe negotiate their dreams always thinking of each other and hoping that their love will remain. Smith is warm, friendly, open, honest and ultimately thankful for her time with Mapplethorpe.

It not only works as a fantastic memoir but as a fantastic book, full stop. If you love Keith Richards, then Life is a dream. If you love The Boss, then Born To Run will be everything you ever wanted. But you need to have zero love for Patti Smith or Robert Mapplethorpe to think this may be one of the greatest rock memoirs ever written.

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Related posts, more in features.

100 Must-Read Musician Memoirs and Biographies

Ashley Holstrom

Ashley Holstrom helps make books at Sourcebooks. She lives near Chicago with her cat named after Hemingway and her bookshelves organized by color. Newsletter: Crooked Reads . Twitter: @alholstrom .

View All posts by Ashley Holstrom

At least, that’s how I ended up obsessed with Guns N’ Roses. And The Doors. And Motley Crue. And Aerosmith. And, in the future, many more that I’m holding on to for just the right moment.

Here are 100 musician memoirs and biographies, sorted by the music’s genre (loosely defined), to get you rockin’ and rollin’ and movin’ and groovin’.

Country/Folk

My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman

Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie

Rat Girl by Kristin Hersh

Love, Janis by Laura Joplin

Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn, George Vecsey

Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography by Jimmy McDonough

Reba: My Story by Reba McEntire, Tom Carter

It’s a Long Story: My Life by Willie Nelson

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Remembering the Free Birds of Southern Rock by Gene Odom, Frank Dorman

Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt

The 50th Law by 50 Cent, Robert Greene

Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm by Percy Carey, Ronald Wimberly

Fight the Power: Rap, Race, and Reality by Chuck D, Yusuf Jah

The Way I Am by Eminem

Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood by Ice-T, Douglas Century

Unashamed by Lecrae Moore

The Tao of Wu by The RZA

The Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac Shakur

How to Ruin Everything: Essays by George Watsky

Gone ‘Til November by Lil Wayne

The Good Life by Tony Bennett

The Godfather of Soul: An Autobiography by James Brown

Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker by Stanley Crouch

Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis

Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon

Blues All Around Me: The Autobiography of B.B. King by B.B. King, David Ritz

John Coltrane: His Life and Music by Lewis Porter

Jazz Cleopatra: Josephine Baker in Her Time by Phyllis Rose

Now and Then… by Gil Scott-Heron

Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout

Pop/Punk/Reggae/Ska

Catch a Fire: The Autobiography by Melanie B.

Black By Design: A 2-Tone Memoir by Pauline Black

Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of the Clash by Pat Gilbert

Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout by Laura Jane Grace

If Only by Geri Halliwell

Herbie Hancock: Possibilities by Herbie Hancock, Lisa Dickey

Reckless: My Life as a Pretender by Chrissie Hynde

Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs by John Lydon

I’ll Never Write My Memoirs by Grace Jones, Paul Morley

A Natural Woman: A Memoir by Carole King

Army of She: Icelandic, Iconoclastic, Irrepressible Björk by Evelyn McDonnell

Lobotomy: Surviving the Ramones by Dee Dee Ramone

Get in the Van: On the Road With Black Flag by Henry Rollins

Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life As a Fabulous Ronette by Ronnie Spector, Vince Waldron

Rod: The Autobiography by Rod Stewart

Diana Ross: A Biography by J. Randy Taraborrelli

In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death, and Duran Duran by Nigel John Taylor

I, Tina by Tina Turner, Kurt Loder

Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley by Timothy White

Pharrell: Places and Spaces I’ve Been by Pharrell Williams

Rock ‘n’ Roll

Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys by Viv Albertine

Between a Heart and a Rock Place: A Memoir by Pat Benatar

Chuck Berry: The Autobiography by Chuck Berry

Moonage Daydream: The Life & Times of Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein

Lips Unsealed: A Memoir by Belinda Carlisle

Cash by Johnny Cash

Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton

Journals by Kurt Cobain

Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello

  Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Cross

Neon Angel by Cherie Currie

Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division by Deborah Curtis

Hammer of the Gods by Stephen Davis

Things The Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett

Fleetwood: My Life and Adventures in Fleetwood Mac by Mick Fleetwood, Stephen Davis

Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star by Ian Hunter

Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol

Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury by Lesley-Ann Jones

Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis

White Line Fever by Lemmy Kilmister

The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band by Tommy Lee

Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead by Phil Lesh

Dirty Blonde: The Diaries of Courtney Love by Courtney Love

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by Marilyn Manson

Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd by Nick Mason, Philip Dodd

It’s So Easy: And Other Lies by Duff McKagan

Autobiography by Morrissey

Joan Jett by Todd Oldham, Joan Jett

I Am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne

Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith by Joe Perry

Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley

Life by Keith Richards

Crazy from the Heat by David Lee Roth

Bird Lives!: The High Life & Hard Times of Charlie (Yardbird) Parker by Ross Russell

Slash by Slash, Anthony Bozza

Somebody to Love?: A Rock-and-Roll Memoir by Grace Slick, Andrea Cagan

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Face the Music: A Life Exposed by Paul Stanley

Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument Between Born Bad and Damaged Good by Corey Taylor

Who I Am by Pete Townshend

The Real Frank Zappa Book by Frank Zappa, Peter Occhiogrosso

Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke by Peter Guralnick

Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday, William Dufty

Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye by David Ritz

Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues by Elijah Wald

Hit Me, Fred: Recollections of a Sideman by Fred Wesley

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Passionate and highly personal accounts of extraordinary lives, the best music memoirs offer everything from creative insights to rock’n’roll excess.

Published on

Many musicians have a great story to tell about their action-packed lives – and the best music memoirs are always passionate and highly personal. Some focus on creative journeys and a search for artistic fulfillment; some offer accounts of wild parties and other rock’n’roll excesses. Some classics, such as Woody Guthrie’s Bound For Glory and Miles Davis ’ Miles: The Autobiography , were written decades ago, but there have been some great modern additions to the canon, by greats such as Elton John , Patti Smith, Keith Richards , and Debbie Harry.

Here are our 30 best music memoirs of all time. Think we’ve missed one of yours? Let us know in the comments section, below.

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

The autobiography of Woody Guthrie, written with the help of his first wife, Marjorie, detailed the folk singer’s travels across America and his experiences as a fruit-picker living in a hobo camp. Bound For Glory has its own charm as it explains the background behind one of the 20th-century’s most important musicians. Guthrie’s boyhood gang, who features in the memoir, provided the inspiration for the name of Bob Geldof’s band The Boomtown Rats.

‘The Game’: When Queen Broke All The Rules

How the beatles’ movies influenced the future of cinema, 29: george melly: owning up (penguin, 1965).

Owning Up was singer George Melly’s first-hand account of the professional jazz world of the 50s. After giving up work in an art gallery, Melly was drawn into the jazz revival. In Owning Up , the first of a series of memoirs by the Liverpudlian, Melly humorously describes an endless round of pubs, clubs, seedy guest-houses and transport cafés, and the weird array of musicians, drunks, and eccentrics that were part of that vanished music scene.

28: Booker T Jones: Time Is Right: My Life Note By Note (Omnibus, 2019)

Booker T Jones , the leader of the acclaimed Stax Records house band Booker T And The MGs, is integral to the history of 60s soul music. His self-penned memoir is full of great stories about musicians such as Otis Redding and Dr John – and offers an interesting account of his own musical education, including his love of Blue Note pianist Horace Silver . He is also modest about his own talent, writing in praise of Ray Charles , for example, that he could not match his way of playing ‘I Got A Woman’. “Ray played with such precision and did not miss a note or beat, every note exactly in place, singing at the same time! I couldn’t even play it in time.” This, by the way, comes from the man who helped create the instrumental masterpiece ‘Green Onions’ , a song Barack Obama invited him to perform at The White House.

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

Chuck Berry was keen to let everyone know that he had not paid for a ghostwriter. “The book is entirely written, phrase by phrase, by yours truly, Chuck Berry,” he wrote in the introduction to his 1987 autobiography. It’s no surprise that the man who wrote classics such as ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ and ‘Johnny B Goode’ has a clever way with words as he offers a compelling view of being subject to the injustices of racism while also charting his place in the founding of rock’n’roll.

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

Nile Rodgers, the child of jazz-obsessed junkies, had an action-packed life. He jammed with Jimi Hendrix , toured with Big Bird on Sesame Street ’s roadshow, and played in the legendary Apollo Theatre house band. He was also a key part of the “sex, drugs and disco ” revolution of the 70s as the co-founder and guitarist for Chic. His memoir is an exhilarating, blunt tale of an amazing musical journey.

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

Iggy Pop , who was born James Osterberg, was considered one of the grand old men of punk rock when he wrote what he described as “a kind of autobiography in fragments” in the late 90s. The book ranges from his childhood in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to the evolution of his seminal rock band, The Stooges. Pop details his reckless adventures and troubles in his own frank and indomitable manner.

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

Boy George, the star of Culture Club , was characteristically provocative in an autobiography that showed off his droll wit. He deals with his childhood as the self-dubbed “pink sheep” of a large working-class family, and talks about coming out and his teenage fascination with David Bowie and Marc Bolan . His is funny about his jet-setting life as a pop celebrity and open about his heroin addiction. He also deals with his bizarre spat with author Anthony Burgess, who had criticized his abilities as a musician.

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

James Brown opens up about his dirt-poor childhood in an Augusta brothel and how he went on to overcome huge obstacles to find wealth and fame. There are good anecdotes about Little Richard , Elvis Presley , Tina Turner, and Otis Redding , but the most vivid parts of the book are about Brown’s time in a juvenile center. He also discusses the brave stand he took following the 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 most significant producer/arranger/composers of the modern era and Q is an acutely personal book. Jones gives a no-holds-barred account of his life, from his mother’s mental illness to working with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson . He also discusses his own nervous breakdown after the triumph of Thriller , and his failed marriages.

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

Loretta Lynn has lived a remarkable life and her memoir tells the story of her impoverished childhood in Kentucky, her marriage at 13, her six children, and how she battled to become one of the most influential songwriters and singers in country music. Her powerful story is told in a feisty, open style, detailing how she bucked against a life where “there was always a man telling me what to do”. The audio version was brilliantly narrated by actress Sissy Spacek.

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

Songwriter, poet, and activist Gil Scott-Heron died at 62 in May 2011. His posthumously published memoir, The Last Holiday , is an elegiac finale to his musical and literary career. He offers a perceptive, funny, and compassionate account of his life, its tribulations, and the inspirations for his brilliant, socially-conscious music.

19: James Fearnley: Here Comes Everybody: The Story Of The Pogues (Faber, 2012)

The Pogues first formed in 1982 as Pogue Mahone (Gaelic for “kiss my arse”) and were one of the groundbreaking bands of the era. James Fearnley, The Pogues’ accordion player, brings to life the youthful friendships, the bust-ups, the grim gigs and the drunkenness of his times with a band fronted by the alcoholic Shane McGowan.

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

There have been numerous books about Willie Nelson – including his own 1988 publication, Willie: An Autobiography – but the most unvarnished is 2015’s It’s A Long Story: My Life . This book captures Nelson’s humor and spirit and goes off at interesting tangents. The country music singer, an avid reader, talks about the influence of the TS Eliot poem ‘East Coker’ on his own song ‘Still Is Still Moving To Me’. Nelson is a true one-off and that shines through in this tale.

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

From drug dealer to multimillionaire rapper, Jay-Z ’s story, as told in Decoded , is gripping. Part art book, part lyrical compilation, and part personal narrative, Decoded is also a defense of rap music. “Rap took the remnants of a dying society and created something new,” says the man born Shawn Carter in New York in 1969.

16: Johnny Marr: Set The Boy Free (Penguin, 2017)

Johnny Marr’s autobiography, Set The Boy Free , was, unsurprisingly, less grandiose than Morrissey ’s memoir. The Smiths had a huge influence on music in the 80s and Marr was one of the most influential guitarists of his generation. His memoir, which deals with the break-up of the band and his subsequent career, is witty and moving. Some of the most affecting parts are his memories of growing up in Ardwick Green, Manchester.

15: Roger Daltrey: Roger Daltrey, My Story: Thanks A Lot Mr. Kibblewhite (Blink Publishing, 2018)

The Who members have a rich story to tell. After Pete Townshend ’s Who Am I , published in 2013, there came Roger Daltrey’s punchy memoir, which told the story of his journey to rock stardom. It’s a funny and open account. (The title, incidentally, refers to the headmaster who expelled Daltrey from Acton County Grammar School when he was 15. Daltrey’s generation could certainly hold 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 music, and the 2001 memoir The Dirt was a collective autobiography written by Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil, and Nikki Sixx. A genuinely entertaining, shocking book, it became a bestseller in 2001. In March 2019 a film adaptation was given its Netflix debut.

13: Johnny Cash: Cash (HarperCollins, 2000)

There have been several biographies about country music legend Johnny Cash , but in 2000 he gave his own revealing account of his life. He covered the early days at Sun Records – with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis – to his rise as a country superstar. Cash offers interesting details about his own complex character and opens up about his recurring addiction to amphetamines and his shortcomings as a father. This follow-up to 1986’s The Man In Black memoir is also full of wonderful oddities, such as the time he was nearly disemboweled by an ostrich.

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

Many of the stories about Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger almost belong to folklore, but she proves herself to be a witty, eccentric storyteller in Memories, Dreams And Reflections . Her background is fascinating, too. Her father was an ex-MI6 spy who had interrogated Himmler. As well as stories about fellow musicians, the singer, who had a hit with ‘As Tears Go By’, reflects on poet Allen Ginsberg. She also recalls how, high on smack, she walked away from the part of Lady Macbeth given to her by Roman Polanski. The book is a quirky treat.

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

As part of Blondie , singer and actress Debbie Harry was one of the most original and successful female singers of the 70s. Her tales of stardom are vivid, and her account of growing up is self-deprecating and amusing; there are stories galore of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll in this entertaining memoir. She also offers surprises, as with her recollections about her passion for jazz musicians such as Billie Holiday , Dizzy Gillespie, and Ornette Coleman.

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

For Elvis Costello fans, the 2016 memoir Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink was rich in details about his own writing process and the experiences and emotions that inspired classic songs such as ‘Alison’ and ‘Oliver’s Army’. Costello offers wry details about his background – his father, Ross MacManus, was a dance-hall performer – and the stories about his collaborations with 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 of the most dominant figures in rock music for more than 40 years. His forthright memoir sheds light on his long-standing battle with depression, his troubled relationship with his father, and his own searing ambitions. This is an enjoyable, candid self-portrait by a fine songwriter and complicated man.

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

Singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde admits in the prologue to her memoir that she waited to publish her autobiography until her straitlaced parents had died: “I would have had to leave out the bad language and tell a lot of lies about what I’d been doing all that time I was gone.” The result is a compelling, candid account of the music business, one filled with memorable anecdotes and harrowing revelations.

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

Eric Clapton’s account of his life is stark and painfully honest. He deals with his strange background, his addiction problems, and his “ruthless” pursuit of musical excellence. The guitarist, who gained fame with The Yardbirds and Cream , also covers the love triangle that involved Clapton, Pattie Boyd, and George Harrison . Clapton’s autobiography is notably devoid of the defensiveness and evasions normally found in celebrity memoirs.

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

Kim Gordon was the charismatic frontwoman in Sonic Youth – alongside husband Thurston Moore. In this fascinating memoir, she recalls their shambolic early days, her feud with Courtney Love, and the cut-throat music business of the early 80s. “Women aren’t allowed to be kick-ass. I refused to play the game,” says Gordon. Her descriptions of New York in the 80s, when Sonic Youth formed, are especially fine sections.

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

Elton John says he has lived “an extraordinary life” and his autobiography, Me , is a hilarious, candid window into that life. John recalls the life-changing lucky stroke of teaming up with songwriter Bernie Taupin and offers an honest appraisal of how his life fell apart as a superstar, when he became hooked on drugs. There are also lots of funny stories about fellow musicians such as Freddie Mercury and Rod Stewart .

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

The memoir from one of the greatest jazz men of all time is rich in stories, self-analysis, and reflections on music. There are some lovely passages in which he recalls his excitement at hearing Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in a St Louis nightclub in 1944. It was his first live exposure to bebop . The constant use of profanity in the book caused controversy, as did his candid reflections on his own failings, including his problems with drug addiction. His behavior is sometimes repulsive – he admits to pimping to support his habit – but Miles remains an eminently readable autobiography.

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

This modest, plain-spoken, and thoughtful opening installment of Bob Dylan’s memoirs deals with his life as folk troubadour in Greenwich Village in the early 60s. The way he talks about musical mentors such as Hank Williams , Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash is touching. As you would expect from someone who has won The Nobel Prize In Literature, he is also well-read, and expresses his admiration for Balzac and Chekhov, among others. The tone of the book becomes more cutting when he is dealing with his own growing fame. This offbeat, ruminative book is a must-read for Dylan fans.

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

Patti Smith gives a heartfelt account of her artistic education and love affair with her friend Robert Mapplethorpe in the evocative memoir Just Kids . Her account of working in a factory and living in a succession of squalid New York apartments is intense and edgy, as she worked her way towards becoming an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album, Horses . Just Kids won the prestigious 2010 National Book Award For Nonfiction.

1: Keith Richards: Life (Orion, 2011)

Keith Richards ’ life story pulsates with outlandish tales. His accounts of growing up in wartime Dartford are fascinating and, from the moment he signs to Decca Records with The Rolling Stones , he is at the center of the British music scene. Richards holds little back about his wild, drug-filled days in music, but he also conveys his rapturous delight at the music he loved, especially from blues stars such as Howlin’ Wolf , Little Walter , and Muddy Waters .

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

January 29, 2020 at 10:41 pm

Another excellent read is ‘Is That It?’ by Bob Geldof, a straightforward, tell it like it is autobiography.

Malcolm McLean

May 11, 2020 at 2:32 pm

A great list there! I also loved Jake Shears’s memoir ‘Boys Keep Swinging’, Tracey Thorn’s ‘Bedsit Disco Queen’ and Viv Albertine’s ‘Clothes, Music. Boys.’ Anyone interested in music fan memoirs could check out the one I recently wrote and released, from a pop superfan’s perspective – ‘Freak Like Me: Confessions of a 90s pop groupie’. It’s a pretty lighthearted book, full of 90s and early 2000s pop nostalgia, a collection of my memories as a teenage pop hanger-on, attending Top of the Pops week in, week out, and watching the changing chart music landscape, all whilst finding my place in the world. Check it out if it sounds up anyone’s street!

Nicholas Curcio

June 5, 2021 at 2:38 pm

Raise Up Off Me: A Portrait of Hampton Hawes

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• Cover Story

13 books every rock fan needs to read

These indispensable books should take pride of place on every discerning rock fan's shelves.

Chock full of colourful characters, constantly adrift on a sea of international adventure and not shy of a plot-twist or 25, the rock world feels predestined to generate some of the most horrifying, inspiring and downright incredible stories imaginable. We’ve stopped short of naming the 'top 13' rock biographies – simply because there are literally hundreds out there more than worth your time. Instead we have listed thirteen of the best rock music books you should read right now.

The Dirt: Confessions Of The World’s Most Notorious Rock Band (Mötley Crüe with Neil Strauss, 2001)

The classic. A title that’s become synonymous with the bad-boy rock biography, The Dirt feels like the ultimate chronicle of the genre’s ’80s excess. Looking back now, the idea that Mötley Crüe classics like Wild Side and Girls, Girls, Girls only scratched the surface of their unshackled debauchery seems almost unbelievable. A kaleidoscopic odyssey of booze, drugs, groupies, dealers, cops, tour buses, strip-clubs and car-wrecks, both figurative and literal, it’s a tale that needs to be read to be believed. If you only pick up one rock bio today, probably best to make it this one. Devotees should be sure to grab Nikki Sixx’s bleaker but equally essential 2007 follow-up, The Heroin Diaries, too.

Tranny: Confessions Of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout (Laura Jane Grace, 2016)

Known, during writing, as Killing Me Loudly, the autobiography from Against Me! ’s Laura Jane Grace draws extensively from the journals she had been compiling since third grade. Its eventual title ‘Tranny’ is a term the singer hates, but its appropriation here is symbolic of her taking ownership of a personal struggle through which she noted the supposedly accepting punk community were “more closed-minded than the church”. Illuminating. Poignant. Inspiring. It’s equally essential reading for individuals struggling to come to terms with themselves and those same closed-minds struggling to understand.

White Line Fever: The Autobiography (Lemmy Kilmister, 2002)

Possessed of a godlike air like few others, Lemmy always seemed like something of an unapproachable icon even for those of us fortunate to make his acquaintance. As such, this exceptionally grounded autobiography – charting the life of Ian Fraser Kilmister, son of an RAF chaplain from Stoke-On-Trent – brought us brilliantly closer to the man behind the myth. Of course, from his early musical exploits with Jimi Hendrix and Hawkwind to decades-long scene leadership at the helm of Motörhead , the man led a life that most of us could even imagine. “It’s a fallacy to say I taught him how to drink,” the legend writes at one point, remembering a young Lars Ulrich. “I actually taught him to throw up, and that’s what he did, all over himself. That’s what he got for trying to keep up with older people’s habits…”

Girl In A Band (Kim Gordon, 2015)

Sonic Youth were never a band to shy away from unpleasantries in their dogged pursuit of beauty and authenticity. Fittingly, bassist Kim Gordon’s chronicle of her break-up with guitarist Thurston Moore and the dissolution of their seminal indie-rock outfit isn’t just a tale of heartbreak; it’s one of the sporadic mundanity, unpredictability and seat-of-your-pants adventure of holding a prime seat on the alt.rock roundabout for the best part of three decades. Girl In A Band proves itself essential reading for anyone with even a passing interest in the New York noiseniks – or the scene they helped define.

Hammer Of The Gods (Stephen Davis, 1985)

Another of the classics. It’s probably not that difficult to write a rollicking recount of one band’s tumultuous journey when that band is Led bloody Zeppelin . From quaaludes to bathtubs full of baked beans to the extremely questionable use of one taxidermied shark, many of the anecdotes here have slipped into rock’n’roll folklore, but that takes little from the experience of finding them compiled into this singular volume. It's best not to spoil them too much further here. Let’s just say this is another must-read addition, for rockers or anyone else with a heartbeat…

This Is A Call: The Life And Times Of Dave Grohl (Paul Brannigan, 2011)

It can be difficult, at times, to get a real sense of what goes on under the surface with The Nicest Man In Rock™. K!’s own Paul Brannigan charts his fascinating story with a dextrous grip on the evolving scenes through which Dave Grohl has endured and a spectacular sense of the adventure he’s experienced along the way. From the kid from the D.C. suburbs who dropped out of school to go on tour with Scream, to the sticksman catapulted to superstardom with Nirvana , to the iconic Foo Fighters frontman called upon to play for the Obamas on the White House lawn, few lives share the rollercoaster momentum of Dave’s.

Slash (Slash, 2007)

Most rock bios are about the gritty build and the glitzy payoff. Safe to say, the Slash bio is virtually all payoff. Born Saul Hudson in England in 1965 to a white British graphic artist father and a black American costume designer mother, Slash’s story was never going to be that of your garden variety guitarist. Growing up in Los Angeles’ ’70s bohemia, his mum dated David Bowie, hung out with Joni Mitchell and taught the youngster that “being a rock star is [about finding] the intersection between who you are and who you want to be”. As the story of Guns N’ Roses’ meteoric rise and incendiary fall-out (their latter-day reconciliation is not part of this 2007 volume) unfold, they seem like simply the logical narrative developments of one of music’s most dramatic life stories.

Lords Of Chaos (Michael Moynihan, 1998)

Before you see the movie, read the book. As feels inevitable for any volume skewering the adolescent, corpse-painted pomposity of the ’90s Norwegian black metal scene – and laying bare the narcissistic inhumanity of the suicide, church burnings and murders that followed in its wake – the accuracy of Michael Moynihan’s Lords Of Chaos has been called into question by many of those involved at the time. Regardless, this is a fascinating trip into metal’s most evil sub-genre, and a chilling reminder of what can happen when the lines blur between trve cvlt theatre and stark reality. Special mention to Dayal Patterson’s Evolution Of The Cult (2013) and The Cult Never Dies (2015) for further deconstructing the scene’s horrifically compelling progression, too.

Heavier Than Heaven (Charles R. Cross, 2001)

Much (perhaps too much ) has been written about the life and death of Kurt Cobain . This first (arguably definitive) long-form retelling of his life story does spectacularly well to disperse the rumour that hangs around an individual who was, at his core, a musically prodigious slacker from the lower-middle-class of North Seattle. Even better, it charts Nirvana’s explosion of incredible cross-cultural success – one that, we should remember, lasted a fleeting three years – with a remarkable blend of cool analysis and awe. It’s in a chilling final forensic analysis of Kurt’s self-destructive streak, though, that Heavier Than Heaven comes into its own: daring the reader to put aside music and mythos to pass judgement on the individual in the harsh light of the bare facts.

Smash: Green Day, The Offspring, Bad Religion, NOFX And The ’90s Punk Explosion (Ian Winwood, 2018)

It’s strange how the story of ’90s skate-punk has been distorted through the retrospective lens of the last two-and-a-bit decades: its lineage conflated and confused with that of the pop-punk genre it helped inspire. Veteran K! contributor Ian Winwood’s book shatters those perceptions, transporting us back to the poverty, addiction and unhinged chaos of the era that spawned so many of our favourite bands. Finding The Offspring guitarist Noodles working as a janitor, Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong living in a Salvation army shelter and Green Day maestro Billie Joe Armstrong infested with body lice during a debut European tour, it’s a fascinating look at the underground grit and shit before the platinum-rated sheen that followed.

Get In The Van: On The Road With Black Flag (Henry Rollins, 1994)

Something of a gritty yin to The Dirt’s glamorous yang, Get In The Van is a superb, zero-bullshit diary of life on the road with LA hardcore legends Black Flag . Fronting the band between 1981 and 1986, punk’s storyteller supreme Henry Rollins had a drivers-seat view of the violence, squalor and sheer chaos of hardcore’s early days. From roadies forced into eating dog food to hard-nut cops to borderline psychotic fans, it’s a dirt-beneath-the-fingernails classic unafraid to show the bleak underbelly of life in a touring band – albeit one with an ultimately triumphant arc. Any fledgling rock star wannabes out for fame and fortune should really stop to read this first…

Dark Days: A Memoir (D. Randall Blythe, 2015)

On May 4, 2010, in the Abaton club in Prague, during a concert by Virginian metal legends Lamb Of God , 19-year-old fan Daniel Nosek sustained injuries to his head. Over the weeks that followed, he would slip into a coma and pass away. Although, following his initial release on bail, legal counsel advised against returning to the Czech Republic to face trial, frontman Randy Blythe insisted he "could not run away from this problem while the grieving family of a dead young man searched hopelessly for answers that he might help provide". Those events provide the tragic backdrop for the singer’s stunningly frank account of the dark days (and months) that followed his indictment on manslaughter charges and incarceration in a Czech prison. Even years since Randy’s release, it’s a story that delivers gut-churning jailhouse anecdotes, tales of galvanising camaraderie and an ultimate redemption that even the most optimistic dramatist might’ve struggled to conjure up.

Metallica: Enter Night (Mick Wall, 2010)

It’d be unreasonable to compile a list of great rock biographies without including at least one on the biggest metal band in the world . Tracking a path from the thrash kings’ spandex-clad genesis to their coronation as globe-straddling, genre-transcending megastars, this packs in all the drugs, booze and drama any self-respecting fan would expect. From early acrimony with Dave Mustaine through the devastating loss of Cliff Burton to the callous early treatment and furious departure of Jason Newstead, all the personal drama is captured. As are the band’s mid-’90s creative swerves, the (ever-more hilariously redundant) Napster fiasco and the cringing in-studio therapy that formed the basis of seminal rock-doc Some Kind Of Monster. Crucially, though, Enter Night perfectly charts the band’s place in the rock and metal scene forever evolving around them.

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Best Music Autobiographies: 20 Memoirs From Legendary Rockers

Exploring the life and times of rock’n’roll’s most iconic stars, the best music autobiographies give us an insider’s look at stardom.

Providing a unique opportunity to glimpse into the minds of rock’n’roll’s most legendary figures, the best music autobiographies serve as a reminder of just how much these icons have shaped popular culture. From blues-rock journeyman Eric Clapton to genre-shaping visionary David Bowie , these memoirs delve deep into their authors’ psyches, going beyond their stage-based antics to explore their upbringing and give us a behind-the-scenes insight into their experiences of fame and stardom. Here, then, are the best music autobiographies – books that provide an intimate look at the lives and careers of some of the industry’s most legendary figures.

Listen to our Rock Classics playlist here , and check out the best music autobiographies, below.

20: chrissie hynde: ‘reckless: my life as a pretender’ (2015).

Reckless: My Life As A Pretender , by Chrissie Hynde, is a humorous and frank account of the new wave era songwriter’s life story. Known for her incomparable voice, style and attitude, Hynde weaves a witty and colourful narrative that follows her career journey from Akron, Ohio, to London in the 70s, where she formed Pretenders . Hynde candidly describes her harrowing experiences with grief following the deaths of bandmates James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon, and reveals intimate details about her exploration of music, love and identity. Full of vivid storytelling, Reckless is a sharp-witted and eye-opening read among the best music autobiographies.

19: John Densmore: ‘Riders On The Storm: My Life With Jim Morrison And The Doors’ (1990)

Taking readers on a journey through his experiences as a founding member of The Doors , drummer John Densmore’s memoir, Riders On The Storm: My Life With Jim Morrison And The Doors , preceded the release of Oliver Stone’s 1991 Doors biopic, starring Val Kilmer. Given that Densmore acted as a consultant for that film, it’s hardly a surprise to discover that his memoir is just as compelling, recalling the time he spent making music with one of the best rock frontmen of all time , Jim Morrison , along with bandmates Ray Manzarek (keyboards) and Robby Krieger (guitar). The drummer guides readers through the wild ride of The Doors’ Los Angeles origins and on to their ascent as classic rock’s warrior kings. Readers will be fascinated by Densmore’s candid revelations about living in the eye of the storm that was the 60s counterculture, replete with details about all aspects of his life during that era, as well as reflecting upon how it shaped who he is today.

18: Debbie Harry: ‘Face It: A Memoir’ (2019)

Covering everything from her CBGB-era punk beginnings in the 70s, as the frontwoman for Blondie, to her various side projects as an actress and solo artist, Debbie Harry’s memoir, Face It , is a typically provocative account of her rise to frame. Unafraid to share secrets and embarrassing moments from her life – from details about her wild romantic relationships to discussing her struggles with heroin addiction, Harry’s frankness makes Face It a truly eye-opening read. Offering a window into her deep insights into how she fought bouts of depression, the book is a truly self-reflective primer on how to maintain a sense of confidence while navigating the darker aspects of fame.

17: Neil Young: ‘Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream’ (2012)

A gold rush of memories, Neil Young ’s memoir Waging Heavy Peace is an idiosyncratic and non-linear retelling of the singer-songwriter’s life. One of the best music autobiographies of recent years, it details the ups and downs of Young’s career, from his days as a folk-rock pioneer to becoming one of the best songwriters of all time . Through this book, readers get to see how the Canadian rocker has infused his music with personal stories and emotions that transcend generations. Speaking candidly about his passion for recording music and writing songs that have become evergreen classics, Young reflects on both his successes and failures, offering valuable lessons on how to be creative without compromising your values or goals. His words will inspire any budding creative.

16: Rod Stewart: ‘Rod: The Autobiography’ (2012)

Rod Stewart’s memoir, Rod: The Autobiography , is an entertaining and amusing story that goes beyond handbags and gladrags to follow Stewart’s career path from London mod to world-renowned rock star. The former Faces frontman and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? hitmaker recounts his rollicking journey with impish humour, his natural charisma shining through every page as he reflects on the struggles and successes he has experienced during his long career. Throughout it all, while recounting stories about early influences such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, Stewart remains self-deprecating and witty while never forgetting to mention those who have helped him along the way.

15: Eric Clapton: ‘Clapton: The Autobiography’ (2007)

The music industry is filled with legends, but few have had as big an impact as Eric Clapton. With a career spanning almost six decades, Clapton’s influence on popular music has been profound and enduring, so it’s hardly a surprise that his autobiography is also remarkable. Already known for his virtuoso guitar talents, Clapton’s writing style is accessible and heart-rending, containing stories such as the tragic death of his four-year-old son and his personal triumph of overcoming alcoholism. By candidly detailing his difficult upbringing, his childhood struggles with abandonment and identity, and the romantic relationships that defined different stages of his life, this is a must-read among the best music autobiographies.

14: Bob Dylan: ‘Chronicles: Volume One’ (2004)

Bob Dylan, the era-defining songwriter, caused a cultural earthquake when he released Chronicles: Volume One . Often cryptic and mysterious in his lyrics, nobody expected Dylan to reflect upon his life and career as eruditely as he does here, running as he does through a series of honest and introspective stories and recollections. From his early days as an up-and-coming folk musician in New York City’s Greenwich Village to his rise to global stardom and the subsequent demands of living with the baggage of the “voice of his generation” tag, Dylan offers an intimate look at how his journey has shaped him both as an artist and a human being. An enlightening entry among the best music autobiographies, Chronicles: Volume One has a raw honesty that captures the essence of Dylan’s unique voice, providing readers with an insight into the mind of one of a truly world-changing artist.

13: Keith Richards: ‘Life’ (2010)

It goes without saying that Keith Richards is the ultimate rock’n’roll survivor. Giving us a first-hand look at the wild world of The Rolling Stones, the legendary guitarist’s biography, Life , chronicles his life from childhood to adulthood and everything in between, including his humble beginnings growing up in Dartford, England, and international fame as the spiritual figurehead of one of the British Invasion’s most notorious rock bands. An intimate portrait of Richards’ personal journey through celebrity, Life features stories about Richards’ escapades with Mick Jagger, as well as his headline-grabbing experiences with drugs. In addition to humorous anecdotes about life on the road, the guitarist talks candidly about how he was able to emerge from addiction intact and how music has been a source of solace throughout his life.

12: Phil Collins: ‘Not Dead Yet: The Autobiography’ (2016)

Phil Collins ’ autobiography, Not Dead Yet , is an honest recount of his life and career. From the start, Collins speaks openly about his upbringing – he was drawn to music from an early age, taking up the drums at five years old and eventually becoming the drummer for prog-rock band Genesis. Written with great humility, the book moves between periods in Collins’ life, discussing his experiences with divorce as well as his professional successes, such as recording with Genesis and launching a successful solo career. Whether speaking about recording sessions or touring experiences, it becomes clear that Collins has lived an extraordinary life full of unique moments that have helped shape him into the star we know today.

11: Peter Hook: ‘Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division’ (2012)

As the bassist for Joy Division – one of the most influential post-punk bands of the late 70s – Peter Hook provides an intimate look at the band’s rise to prominence in Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division . Through a series of personal reflections, he takes readers behind the scenes to explore how Joy Division created its foreboding sound. Revealing unknown details about life on tour and what it was like working alongside frontman Ian Curtis , who committed suicide at age 23, the book offers captivating accounts of the band’s turbulent history. Through Hook’s words, we come to understand why Joy Division was so special – they were able to take dark themes such as death and despair and turn them into something beautiful through their music. Having penned one of the best music biographies of all time, Hook then went and did it all over again with a follow-up. Substance: Inside New Order , which continues the story of his game-changing career.

10: David Bowie with Mick Rock: ‘Moonage Daydream: The Life And Times Of Ziggy Stardust’ (2002)

Moonage Daydream: The Life And Times Of Ziggy Stardust is a captivating visual biography documenting the incredible rise to fame of one of music’s most influential figures. Alongside extraordinary photographs by Mick Rock, the ever mysterious David Bowie himself recounts his creative journey from glam-rock provocateur to art-rock Renaissance man, providing an insightful look into his genius and offering a rare glimpse into the work he created in the 70s. Capturing the energy and spirit of Ziggy Stardust’s artistic inception, Moonage Daydream truly highlights how Bowie’s contributions to popular culture profoundly affected music for generations to come.

9: Johnny Marr: ‘Set The Boy Free: The Autobiography’ (2016)

Set The Boy Free , the autobiography of The Smiths ’ guitarist Johnny Marr , serves as an incredible and honest look at the indie sensation’s life. Following Marr from his childhood in Manchester, England, to becoming one of the best guitarists of all time , the book vividly recounts his experience teaming up with Morrissey to form The Smiths, and how the pair revolutionised the 80s indie-rock scene. Weaving together tales from throughout his life – growing up as a working-class kid on a council estate; falling in love with the guitar – Marr’s autobiography offers a definitive take on how he did the unthinkable and made guitar music cool again.

8: Nile Rodgers: ‘Le Freak: An Upside Down Story Of Family, Disco And Destiny’ (2011)

Le Freak: An Upside Down Story Of Family, Disco And Destiny invites readers to learn more about the life of one of the world’s most influential musicians – the guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers . From his early days as a session musician to becoming a gatekeeper of funk and disco as the guitarist for Chic , Rodgers tells a rich and captivating story, drawing from his unconventional upbringing as well as his personal accounts of mental-health issues, and substance abuse. An intimate look at how the genre-defying artist found success despite life’s many roadblocks (he would go on to produce records for David Bowie, Duran Duran and Madonna , and collaborate with Daft Punk on the globe-straddling hit Get Lucky), Rodgers strings together anecdotes that are both funny and heartbreaking, and his free-spirited energy sees him faithfully recapture moments of joy and sorrow through vivid accounts of his career highs and lows.

7: Stephen Morris: ‘Record Play Pause: Confessions Of A Post-Punk Percussionist’ (2019)

Much like his bandmate Peter Hook, drummer Stephen Morris’ memoir Record Play Pause is an account of Joy Division’s early punk and post-punk days in 70s Britain. Through his personal recollections, readers gain an inside view into what it was like for Morris to be part of the musical revolution Joy Division engendered, as the drummer offers a glimpse into his childhood in Macclesfield, as well as his teenage years spent largely discovering music and exploring the sounds that would define him for years to come. From getting his first drum set at 14, through to recording with Joy Division, this memoir provides a candid look at how post-punk began. Record Play Pause also has a sequel, Fast Forward , which takes the story into the New Order era and also deserves a mention among the best music autobiographies.

6: Rob Halford: ‘Confess: The Autobiography’ (2020)

Rob Halford, the lead singer of the heavy metal band Judas Priest, gave fans a raw and honest look at his life in his autobiography, Confess . As he reflects on his career, personal struggles and relationships, it’s easy to see why Halford has become an icon for heavy metal music over the years, so diehard fans of Judas Priest will definitely want to pick up this book and read more about the man behind some of their favourite songs. Confess offers an in-depth look into Halford’s surprisingly multi-faceted life, with plenty of stories about his time in Judas Priest, touring the world, coming out as a pioneering LGBTQ+ icon and dealing with addiction issues. Halford also talks candidly about how it felt to be a rock star in a genre that wasn’t always accepted by mainstream society. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of heavy metal, this book is an insightful entry among the best music biographies.

5: Ozzy Osbourne: ‘I Am Ozzy’ (2009)

As the “Godfather Of Heavy Metal”, Ozzy Osbourne uses I Am Ozzy as a chance to run through his thrilling and tumultuous career, allowing fans to get a deeper look at his life as he recounts all his ups and downs in an honest and often humorous way. Written in a conversational style that feels as though you’re sitting with a long-lost friend, I Am Ozzy gives readers insight into what it was like growing up in post-war England, becoming the frontman for hard-rock giants Black Sabbath, dealing with drug addiction and depression, and finding success again with solo hits such as Crazy Train. Osbourne also dives into his latter years, discussing his family and how his wife, Sharon, is responsible for putting him on the path to sobriety.

4: Nick Mason: ‘Inside Out: A Personal History Of Pink Floyd’ (2004)

Inside Out: A Personal History Of Pink Floyd , by drummer Nick Mason, is a must-read for any fan of the iconic band. In this first-hand account of the group’s history, Mason recounts Pink Floyd’s incredible journey, from their early psychedelic-rock days to their massive prog-rock successes in the 70s and 80s. With vivid detail, Mason takes readers through every major moment in the group’s history, including the stories behind their first hit single, Arnold Layne, and their ambitious concept album The Wall. Throughout, Mason paints an evocative picture of life inside one of Britain’s most renowned bands, not only addressing the creative process but also shedding light on moments of joy and camaraderie, when his bandmates supported each other during some of the toughest times. It’s an engaging and fascinating read.

3: Bruce Springsteen: ‘Born To Run’ (2016)

Born To Run is a testament to Bruce Springsteen’s personal resilience and his unwavering commitment to the spirit of rock’n’roll. Chronicling The Boss’ early days growing up in New Jersey, as well as his rise to fame as the lead songwriter in The E Street Band, it’s an emotional journey from the man’s own viewpoint, filled with both joy and sorrow. As well as Springsteen’s recollections of life on tour, we also get honest accounts of his long-standing relationships with family members. From tales of personal struggles and career triumphs to reflections on the power of music in our lives, Born To Run is one of the best music autobiographies out there, regardless of whether you’re a Springsteen fan or not.

2: Elton John: ‘Me’ (2019)

Elton John’s Me is a witty and self-effacing autobiography that traces the life of one of Britain’s greatest songwriters. Covering decades of John’s emotional ups and downs, the book offers revealing accounts of his drug addiction, his troubled love life and his struggle to come to terms with his sexuality, as well as his career as a celebrated singer-songwriter. With behind-the-scenes stories about how some of his best-loved songs were written, John speaks most profoundly about the impact fame has had on him, and Me explores themes such as loneliness and depression to great effect. A companion piece to the 2019 biopic Rocketman , starring Taron Egerton, Me does wonders in capturing the essence of Elton John.

1: Anthony Kiedis: ‘Scar Tissue’ (2004)

Anthony Kiedis’ memoir, Scar Tissue , is a revealing and no-holds-barred account of the Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman’s life. Following Kiedis through both tremendous career success and deep personal pain, readers will discover the highs and lows of a life lived on the edge – expect rampant substance abuse, wild sexual escapades, broken relationships and many other extreme experiences. Kiedis writes candidly about his struggles with addiction as well as his spiritual journey to sobriety while balancing his personal life with the demands of being in one of the best 90s bands . Kiedis also shares stories from his unconventional childhood growing up in Los Angeles, where fame was always nearby – he even recounts once being babysat by Sonny And Cher. In the end, Scar Tissue is a heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting read, as Kiedis eventually finds peace through self-acceptance and redemption. And that’s why it tops our list of the best rock autobiographies.

Now check out the best music biographies .

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A&E Rocks with Hard Rock Legends in New 'Biography®' Specials Beginning Sunday, June 16 at 9/8c

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Year published.

https://www.aetv.com/news/ae-rocks-with-hard-rock-legends-in-new-biography-specials-beginning-sunday-june-16-at-9-8c

Access Date

June 30, 2024

A+E Networks

A&E ROCKS WITH SOME OF HARD ROCK’S GREATEST LEGENDS IN NEW “BIOGRAPHY ®” SPECIALS FEATURING  BRET MICHAELS, DEE SNIDER, ALICE COOPER, SAMMY HAGAR, AND SEBASTIAN BACH

BEGINNING SUNDAY, JUNE 16 AT 9PM ET EACH SPECIAL OFFERS A BACKSTAGE PASS INTO THE ICONS’ LIVES  AND THEIR CELEBRATED MUSIC LIKE NEVER BEFORE

New York, NY – May 7, 2024  – A&E offers viewers a backstage pass to the celebrated careers of some of hard rock’s greatest legends with new specials celebrating rock icons  Bret Michaels , Twisted Sister’s  Dee Snider ,  Alice Cooper ,  Sammy  Hagar,  and  Sebastian Bach . Produced by Banger Films in association with A+E Factual Studios™ group under the award-winning “ Biography ® ” banner, the specials will feature exclusive interviews with each of the artists and those closest to them. Beginning  Sunday, June 16 at 9pm ET,  the nostalgia inducing specials will go behind-the-scenes to the artists’ journeys to fame, legendary careers, and iconic music that defined the genre then and now.

“Biography: Dee Snider” Premiering Sunday, June 23 at 9pm ET, “Biography: Dee Snider”  shares the untold story of how Snider went from a high school choir boy to one of the most recognized faces in hard rock. The special depicts the disappointment of record label rejection and how this rejection ultimately led him to write the hit song, “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”   Viewers are taken on a whirlwind adventure as they find out just how far success would fuel Snider’s ego before things started to go wrong.

“Biography: Alice Cooper” Premiering Sunday, June 23 at 10pm ET, “Biography: Alice Cooper”  explores the highs and lows of an incredible journey and genre defining artist. Shock rock, hard rock, amazing rock—Alice Cooper and his pioneering group have been described as the founders of it all. From a kid with asthma in Detroit who had an obsession with art and performance to one of the most celebrated characters in music history as the frontman of the groundbreaking Alice Cooper Group to the challenges of addiction that turned the man into a character with the desire to offend, the special delves into the incredible career and legacy of a rock icon and his legendary band.

“Biography: Sammy Hagar” Premiering Sunday, June 30 at 9pm ET, “Biography: Sammy Hagar”  traces Hagar’s path to fame, beginning as a poverty-stricken child, to the lead singer of the band Montrose, to  launching a successful solo career, and ultimately  joining Van Halen. The special explores how Hagar helped Van Halen get their first ever number one hit, uncovers what led a band that was on the top of world to suddenly split apart, and how Hagar has continued to leave his mark on the hard rock genre.

“Biography Sebastian Bach” Premiering Sunday, June 30 at 10pm ET,  “Biography: Sebastian Bach”  outlines how a small-town kid from Canada became the ultimate bad boy of hard rock. From a job offer as a rock front man at age 14 to a last-minute wedding invitation that led to him meeting the Bon Jovi family and joining Skid Row ,  the special explores the highs and lows of Bach’s incredible career.

*Join the conversation by following @AETV

All specials will be available on demand and to stream on the A&E App and aetv.com

The hard rock legend “Biography” specials are produced for A&E by Banger Films in association with A+E Factual Studios group. Co-directors are Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli. Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen serve as executive producers for Banger Films. Rick Krim is an executive producer. Stephen Mintz is an executive producer for A+E Factual Studios group. Executive Producers for A&E Network are  Elaine Frontain Bryant and Brad Abramson.

About Banger Films Banger Films is an award-winning global leader in music and documentary storytelling, founded by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn in 2004. Banger’s catalogue includes critically acclaimed documentary series, feature docs, live concerts and kids’ programs featuring the biggest names in pop culture and entertainment. Past projects include the Emmy- and Peabody-winning series   Hip-Hop Evolution , Grammy-nominated films   Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage   and   ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas , Tribeca audience choice award winner   Super Duper Alice Cooper , and the breakthrough heavy metal film   Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey .

About A+E Factual Studios™ A division of A+E Networks ® , A+E Factual Studios™, through its holdings, specializes in the development and production of premium, multiplatform unscripted series and specials for the A+E Networks ®  portfolio and the global marketplace. A+E Factual Studios™ brands, Category 6 Media™ and Six West Media™, span an array of genres including true crime, lifestyle, history, biography, premium documentaries, limited series, quick turn specials, and podcasts. For more information, please visit  https://www.aefactualstudios.com/ .

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What Paul McCartney said about Steven Van Zandt and other 'Disciple' HBO doc revelations

Steven Van Zandt is smiling. He's between gigs, on a respite from performing on his longtime pal Bruce Springsteen 's European tour and, at this moment, happily anchored to a poolside chaise lounge – sunscreen-slathered, hat askew – at Barcelona's Hotel Arts in Spain.

"It's nice to get a break," he says.

Van Zandt may be the picture of stationary bliss at the moment, but as an artist he is virtually impossible to pin down.

Consider that his last name is Dutch, but he's actually Italian; Malafronte was the surname before his mother remarried. He's a musician, sure, a longtime member of Springsteen's E Street Band , but also a political agitator whose efforts helped lead to the freeing of Nelson Mandela . He's a man who insists he doesn't like the spotlight, and yet he made a household name for himself as a first-time actor playing Silvio Dante in "The Sopranos."

All of that, plus his exploits as a songwriter, producer, radio show host, rock music educator and pirate-fashion pioneer, help explain why Bill Teck's new HBO documentary, " Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple " (airing on HBO at 8 p.m. EDT June 22 and streaming on Max), is 147 minutes long. It could have been longer.

"I could do a second doc, too," Teck says with a laugh. "If you’re a fan, there are many Stevies to cover. There’s Miami Steve, Little Steven, Frank the Fixer and Silvio Dante. And then you've got to explain that Silvio Dante helped free Nelson Mandela. It’s a lot."

Among the highlights of Teck's "Disciple" doc:

Who is Southside Johnny and what does he have to do with Steven Van Zandt?

Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Van Zandt both had rocking bands as teenagers roaming the various clubs on the New Jersey shore in the late '60s. Their friendship has never wavered, even though Van Zandt left his buddy's side for about a decade starting in 1984.

But Van Zandt's earliest success was actually writing songs for and performing with another Jersey Shore legend, Southside Johnny Lyon, whose 1970s hits with Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes included Van Zandt's " I Don't Wanna Go Home ." For fans who only know Van Zandt as the Boss's faithful "consigliere," the new doc provides insights into just how hard Van Zandt worked to learn the craft of writing timeless rock songs.

"Bill spent a good amount of time on that early era, and he was right to do that," Van Zandt says. "People sort of know about the origins of that Jersey thing, but they don’t know all the details."

What is Steven Van Zandt most proud of?

In "Disciple," Van Zandt explains that a trip to South Africa in the '80s, one partly inspired by Peter Gabriel's song "Biko" about slain African civil rights leader Stephen Biko , opened his eyes to the need to lend his voice to the struggle.

His celeb-packed 1985 song and video "Sun City" challenged Western musicians to turn down invitations from South Africa's apartheid regime to play lucrative gigs at the resort while Black Africans living nearby had no rights. The ensuing personal and corporate boycotts eventually created such financial havoc that it – along with other efforts – forced a regime change that included the freeing of future South African President Nelson Mandela.

"In terms of what I am most proud of in my life, I'd say the most obvious thing was the work in South Africa," he says. "It was a wonderful moment, to realize an actual victory. When you’re in international liberation politics, you don’t have clear victories, you move ahead one inch here then get knocked back. But this was a rare clear-cut and complete victory."

Why did Stevie Van Zandt leave the E Street Band in order to go solo as a musician with a political agenda?

In "Disciple," Springsteen says on camera that in their early days together, Van Zandt didn't want to mix music with politics. But when that sentiment changed, "he went all in." Eventually, his activism would also include Native American rights issues.

So where did that sense of righteous indignation come from? "I don’t know really," Van Zandt says. But then he thinks about it, and the answers come easily, rooted, as it is in many cases, in childhood.

"I suppose there were series of circumstances that must have played upon my natural instinct for justice, and recognizing injustice, and being uncomfortable with injustice," he says. "I always hated bullies really. I was bullied as a kid in high school, maybe it starts there, I don't know. Early on in my career, I really didn’t have any ambition, I had no desire to be in the spotlight, I still don’t. But when I went solo I started reading these books, and I decided my identity would be talking about politics."

Stevie Van Zandt was sure home movies of his 1982 wedding were lost until an HBO producer found the videocassette

One revelatory scene in "Disciple" showcases Van Zandt's 1982 wedding to his wife, actress Maureen Santoro. Bruce Springsteen is the best man, and none other than Little Richard is the presiding official. Percy Sledge is belting out his 1966 hit "When A Man Loves A Woman."

"And I'm pretty sure (blues ace) Little Milton was there as well, somewhere," says Teck, as Van Zandt just nods at the memory. But the footage was considered lost. But an intrepid producer on the documentary dug through countless plastic containers and eventually found the videocassette of those nuptials.

"It was way in the back of this warehouse, like where they put the ark at the end of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,'" says Teck. "We found footage of Stevie and Nelson Mandela, too, which Stevie didn’t have. So there are these rock treasures that would have been lost. It is a trip to present them to the world."

Why Paul McCartney's compliment made Stevie Van Zandt twist and shout

As Teck was assembling his documentary, Van Zandt, ever busy, saw only snippets. Two such snippets were all the musician had to see to know he had lived his life right.

One features Paul McCartney explaining that while he considers himself knowledgeable about rock 'n' roll and its history, "this guy knows more." And the other is a tribute from Mike Stoller, he of the fabled hitmaking duo Leiber and Stoller, complimenting Van Zandt's songwriting.

"When Bill showed me that, I was like I don’t care what else is in this movie," he says, laughing. "I told him, the rest of the movie can be a Bugs Bunny cartoon for all I care. I got Paul McCartney and Mike Stoller giving me compliments? Forget about it, unbelievable."

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Huey Lewis Tears Up at Closing Performance of Broadway Musical The Heart of Rock and Roll : 'A Very Sad Thing for Me'

"I'm still looking for the 'sweet' in 'bittersweet' because that's what this is, bittersweet," the Grammy winner said

Dave Quinn is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE. He has been working at the brand since 2016, and is the author of the No. 1 New York Times best-selling book, Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of the Real Housewives from the People Who Lived It.

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Huey Lewis knows the power of Broadway .

The '80s rock legend got emotional on Sunday, June 23, as he took the stage after the closing performance of The Heart of Rock and Roll , the musical he produced inspired by the songs of his band, Huey Lewis and The News.

PEOPLE was in the audience at the James Earl Jones Theatre in New York City for the occasion. Greeting the crowd, and the cast and crew gathered around him, Lewis admitted that he was sad to see the show leave the boards.

"I'm still looking for the 'sweet' in 'bittersweet,' " the Grammy winner, 73, said, "because that's what this is: bittersweet."

"I have thought about this show every day, almost constantly ... for almost 8 months now. And tomorrow, that's going to stop. And that's a very sad thing for me," he admitted, holding back tears.

The Heart of Rock and Roll opened to rave reviews back in April, but struggled to find box office success with no awards season love. Set in the '80s, the musical uses Huey Lewis and The News hits like "Do You Believe in Love," "Hip to Be Square," "The Power of Love" and "If This Is It" to tell an original story of a wannabe rocker who gets a second chance at his dreams.

Lewis, who acted on Broadway in Chicago . has seen his music on stage before in the theatrical adaptations of both American Psycho and Back to the Future . But The Heart of Rock and Roll was a particularly pivotal experience for him, its development coming around the time he was  diagnosed in 2018 with Meniere’s disease .

The condition, a disorder of the inner ear, has caused Lewis to experience  hearing loss so bad, he's had to walk away from his career. "I can't sing or perform anymore, but I can do this," he told PEOPLE on Sunday. "So it's been a salvation for me in so many ways. And I'm going to miss it. I've got to find a way to get back to Broadway in some way because it's really been so gratifying."

Matthew Murphy 

In his comments at closing, Lewis mentioned his hearing issues as he addressed the The Heart of Rock and Roll company , led by principal stars Corey Cott, McKenzie Kurtz, Josh Breckenridge, F. Michael Haynie, Zoe Jensen, Tamika Lawrence, Raymond J. Lee, John-Michael Lyles, Orville Mendoza, Billy Harrigan Tighe and John Dossett.

"I can't perform and sing anymore, but I love the stage," Lewis said. "That kind of explains why I hang out in the dressing rooms, why I watch rehearsal when I have nothing to offer, all the high-fives backstage — I'm really just trying to get on the stage again."

He extended his thanks to everyone, including the full ensemble: Mike Baerga, TyNia René Brandon, Olivia Cece, Taylor Marie Daniel, Autumn Guzzardi, Lindsay Joan ,  Ross Lekites, Robin Masella, Joe Moeller, Jennifer Noble, Fredric Rodriguez Odgaard, Michael Olaribigbe, Kevin Pariseau, Robert Pendilla, Leah Read and  Big Brother  star Tommy Bracco.

"It's been so amazing to watch you guys do your thing," remarked Lewis. "I've always said, 'It's not enough to be good in a show; you have to be good and make others better.' Every one of you actors up here are not only great, you make others great. The company is just a happy ship that way. And we are so proud of this show and it is all due to you guys."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Lewis praised director Gordon Greenberg for "captaining our ship" and expressed his gratitude towards Jonathan A. Abrams, who penned the musical's book from a story he crafted with Tyler Mitchell.

"John wrote an amazing book here," Lewis said about Abrams, who was on stage along with Greenberg. "It's funny and it's fun and it wouldn't work if it wasn't meaningful and heartfelt and there's a real story there. The Heart of Rock and Roll is really about the power of love, and John captured that so beautifully."

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Other kind words were shared towards choreographer Lorin Latarro, orchestrator Brian Usifer, other members of the creative team, as well as every musician in the band, whom Lewis thanked by name from heart.

"I'm not going to say goodbye, Broadway," Lewis said at the end. "I'm just going to say like we say in musical theatre: 'til we meet next time."

The Heart of Rock and Roll 's original cast album is out now. A National tour and a London production are in the works.

The Best Music Books of 2021

This year, many of the books we loved most used music as a lens through which to examine broader issues of politics, history, and identity — whether it was the story of capitalist circulation as heard by Joshua Clover in the Modern Lovers’ “Roadrunner,” Hanif Abdurraqib riffing on everything from Soul Train to 1920s dance crazes in his panoramic A Little Devil in America, or Eric Harvey exploring depictions of African American life in Eighties pop culture. Also included in our list of staff favorites (which is unranked and in alphabetical order by author) you’ll see some great, revealing musician memoirs from the worlds of rock, indie pop, rap, and country, as well as fascinating new works that deal with the vagaries of the music business, the story of Latin music, the history of women in hip-hop, and more.

Hanif Abdurraqib, ‘A Little Devil in America’

Poet, critic, author (and  Rolling Stone   contributor ) Hanif Abdurraqib weaves together music criticism, American history, emotional memoir, and performance analysis in this genre- and decade-spanning masterwork. Part of the thrill of this National Book Award finalist is observing Abdurraqib’s connective imagination at work, as he writes  about everything from  Merry Clayton and Josephine Baker to Soul Train , the card game spades, and 1920s dance marathons. Abdurraqib sums up his own book best, when writing about the Aretha Franklin concert film Amazing Grace : “There is something valuable about wanting the small world around you to know how richly you are being moved,” he writes, “So that maybe some total stranger might encounter your stomp, your clap, your shout, and find themselves moved in return.” — J.B.

Betto Arcos, ‘Music Stories From the Cosmic Barrio’

The journalist and radio producer Betto Arcos has crisscrossed the world a few times over, interviewing musicians in far-flung places to try to understand a central question: What inspires people to make music? In Music Stories from the Cosmic Barrio , he collects about 150 stories that he’s written over the years, focusing primarily on Latin America, and organizes them by themes such as power, identity, and more. He shapes careful, nuanced profiles of musicians such as the Cuban composer Leo Brouwer, and always dives deep under the surface of musical traditions, resulting in a book that makes a reader want to see more, hear more, and understand more with each chapter. —J.L.

Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock, ‘Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the ’80s Hard Rock Explosion’

From stories about how Gene Simmons asked Van Halen to change their name to Daddy Long Legs (blech!) to Skid Row realizing the jig was up after Nirvana broke, Rolling Stone contributors Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock present a fun and often funny account of the rise and fall of hair metal during the Decade of Decadence in Nöthin’ But a Good Time . Even better, they present everything in an oral-history format, allowing Mötley Crüe, Poison, Cinderella, and countless others to tell their own occasionally cringe-inducing, always fascinating stories. (Check out this GN’R excerpt for a sample.) It don’t get better than this. — K.G.

Regina N. Bradley, ‘Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South’

This treatise from leading Southern hip-hop scholar Regina N. Bradley is a revelatory collection of essays — part literary criticism, part sonic analysis, part personal memoir — that serves as an overdue and thrilling intervention on the NYC/L.A.-centric canon of hip-hop criticism. Bradley uses the conceptual framework established by the music of Outkast (“the founding theoreticians of the hip-hop South,” as she writes) as a way of discussing everything from the trap grief of fellow Atlanta rapper T.I. to the groundbreaking Mississippi novels of Jesmyn Ward and Kiese Laymon to the soundtrack to Django Unchained . It’s a masterful work of criticism that uses Outkast’s music as “a point of departure,” Bradley writes, “for understanding how post-civil rights Southerners excavate spaces of imagination, possibility, and cultural influences as they fold onto each other in a complex present.” — J.B.

Daphne Brooks, ‘Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound’

Yale professor Daphne Brooks takes on a wide-ranging study of Black female artists, from elders like Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters to Beyoncé and Janelle Monáe. But she reaches far beyond music, exploring writers like Zora Neale Hurston and Pauline Hopkins; there’s a chapter about an early interview between the playwright Lorraine Hansberry and the rock critic Ellen Willis. Liner Notes is a secret history in the spirit of Greil Marcus, connecting the sonic worlds of Black female mythmakers and truth-tellers. One of the most touching moments: Brooks’ mother recalls record shopping as a spiritual refuge in the Jim Crow South of the 1940s. — R.S.

Joshua Clover, ‘Roadrunner’

Jonathan Richman’s proto-punk classic “Roadrunner” is one of the greatest songs ever about the freeing power of rock & roll and the open road. (It’s 77th on our list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.) Poet and critic Joshua Clover’s book-length exploration of “Roadrunner” stays true to Richman’s “faster miles an hour” gospel, thrillingly pursuing connections backward and forward, from Chuck Berry to Cornershop to M.I.A. Clover also takes his story well beyond rock history, connecting a song about the circular freedom of driving around suburban Boston to the “transnational flow of culture,” and the global circulation of capital and human beings. Even if you’ve heard “Roadunner” a million times, this book will make it sound newly present and alive. — J.D.

Stephen Deusner, ‘Where the Devil Don’t Stay: Traveling the South With the Drive-By Truckers’

The most brilliant decision veteran music journalist Stephen Deusner made for this book — the first definitive history of Drive-By Truckers — was to structure his portrait of the band geographically, from Muscle Shoals to Memphis to Athens to Deusner’s home region, McNairy County, Tennessee. Band members past and present (including, yes, Jason Isbell) gave exhaustive interviews for the book, which offers as much cultural criticism and post-civil-rights Southern history as straightforward autobiography. “The Truckers understand that our notion of place is informed by its history, by its politics, by economic forces … by the music … and the food,” he writes. Where the Devil Don’t Stay approaches its subject with the same context and care as the band it portrays. —J.B.

Warren Ellis, ‘Nina Simone’s Gum: A Memoir of Things Lost and Found’

At a 1999 festival gig, Warren Ellis — the Dirty Three violinist and Nick Cave’s red-right-hand man — plucked a gob of Nina Simone’s A.B.C. gum off a piano, wrapped it in her stage towel, and stored it like treasure in a Tower Records bag. His first book, filled with photos of Simone and her gum, recounts how the singer’s garbage became a relic to him. “Nina Simone’s fingers were the last to touch [the gum],” he wrote. “Her mouth and teeth and tongue. Her spirit existed in the space between the gum and the towel. That concert was in the gum. That transcendence.” Alongside digressions about Alice Coltrane and Beethoven, the lovably quirky, easy-to-read volume explains how Simone’s transcendence became Ellis’ beacon. — K.G.

Mary Gauthier, ‘Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting’

In her debut memoir, Americana songwriter Mary Gauthier leaves nothing hiding in the shadows: She shares that she’s a recovering addict and alcoholic who got busted for DUI in the very first chapter. Like the plain-spoken songs she’s written — the alcoholic’s confession “I Drink,” the desperate plea “Mercy Now” — Saved by a Song  is stunningly personal. She writes in sharp but warm prose about coming out as a gay woman, her difficult search for her birth mother, and how she learned to love herself, providing a handbook for compassion and self-care along the way. But  Saved by a Song also pulls back the curtain on the magic of songwriting. Watching her dissect “I Drink,” crossing out lyrics that didn’t fit and streamlining her way to the finished product, is like sitting in on a class taught by a master. — J.H.

Dave Grohl, ‘The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music’

Stuck during Covid lockdown with nothing to do, the ever-restless Grohl started writing Instagram stories about his life and career that eventually turned into this memoir. Raised by a single mom he remains very close with , Grohl bailed on high school to hit the road with Washington, D.C., hardcore band Scream and never looked back . Grohl deals in revealing detail with the rise of Nirvana and the loss of Kurt Cobain. At 25, he wondered if his career was over. Instead, after finding his footing with the Foo Fighters, he goes on to amiably wander a self-made path of punk-rock conviviality, marked by run-ins with everyone from Little Richard to Madeleine Albright, remaining infectiously upbeat at every turn. — J.D. 

Eric Harvey, ‘Who Got the Camera? A History of Rap and Reality’

Touching on everything from Cops to A Current Affair to Kendrick Lamar and “Fuck tha Police,” Eric Harvey’s Who Got the Camera? draws a connecting line between post-Reagan reality TV and hip-hop — or, as he puts it in his approachably erudite prose, “a recombinant medium with designs on social relevance that came of age in the early 1980s, rap had much in common with television’s entertaining realism.” Harvey, a professor at Michigan’s Grand Valley State University, zooms in on N.W.A, Public Enemy, Tupac, the Rodney King beating, and hip-hop misogyny, among other topics, and the result is a rich, readable history that underscores all the ways in which hip-hop served essential documentary function — there’s a reason Ice T, among others, used to refer to his profession as “reality rap.” — C.H.

Clover Hope, ‘The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop’

Clover Hope’s The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop is a treasury of insightful anecdotes and juicy war stories. Hope, a seasoned journalist, has curated an impressive catalog of legendary ladies, from Seventies pioneer Sha-Rock to social media sovereign Cardi B. Filled with personal testimonies — on how the music shaped her as a lifelong fan — The Motherlode brims with authenticity: A profile on Roxanne Shante, who was slighted early on for her skills, gives way to some thoughts on how Hope herself gets second-guessed in a male-dominated industry. This is a crucial chronicle of the culture that you don’t want to stop reading. — W.D.

Rickie Lee Jones, ‘Last Chance Texaco: Chronicles of an America Troubadour’

In the late Seventies, singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones brought her Southwest boho mysticism to the L.A. rock scene and became a star. There’s some entertaining and revealing stuff in her memoir about her quick rise to success and hedonistic heyday, including a dishy aside about her early boyfriend Tom Waits (“In bed, he was the greatest performing lion in the world,” she writes). Jones is candid about her battles with drugs and the ups and downs of her career. The best parts of the book focus on her difficult childhood on the tattered margins of 1950s America, and her relationship with her alcoholic parents, whose stories are rendered with a rare realist tenderness. — J.D.

Alan Licht, ‘Common Tones: Selected Interviews with Artists and Musicians 1995-2020’

Alan Licht is a legendary guitarist in New York’s experimental scene. That means he’s got music perspective, but it also means he’s got hands-on experience in dealing with prima-donna cranks — that’s got to be part of why he’s so sharp as an interviewer. Common Tones has provocative discussions with artists across the map: rock pioneers like Lou Reed, Tom Verlaine, and Karl Precoda, avant-garde composers like Tony Conrad, Glenn Branca, and Rhys Chatham. For anyone mourning the late, great Greg Tate, don’t miss his essential comments here on the dance between words and music. —R.S.

The Lunachicks (with Jeanne Fury), ‘Fallopian Rhapsody: The Story of the Lunachicks’

The Lunachicks — brightly mascaraed New York punk mainstays throughout the Nineties — became a cult sensation, influencing a generation of feminist nonconformists, without a major-label deal or a radio hit. Their revealing, always-entertaining memoir, co-written with punk authority Jeanne Fury, is as fun and colorful as their costumes, as they recount highs (opening for Sonic Youth at CBGB), lows (bassist Squid’s drug addictions), and their regrets (drummer Becky Wreck wishing she’d accepted L7’s job offer after seeing they toured on a bus while Lunachicks drove a van). But they keep their sense of humor throughout: “We were in a tent getting ready, and I was wearing a pink curly wig,” frontwoman Theo Kogan writes of their 1992 Reading Festival appearance. “I was like, ‘This is it; we are clowns.’ … I’d always dreamed of this.” K.G.

Paul McCartney, ‘The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present’

Macca has been on a creative frenzy lately: a hit album, his Rick Rubin docuseries, and oh, yeah, Get Back . But he crowns his triumphant 2021 with this astonishing book. Despite the title, The Lyrics isn’t just 154 of his favorite songs — it’s the story of his life, in two lavish volumes; he shares unseen photos, untold stories, and witty insights on the music (who knew “Hi, Hi, Hi” was inspired by both absurdist playwright Alfred Jarry and bluesman Robert Johnson?) as well as the complex, driven, elusive genius who wrote it. He also recalls singing “Her Majesty” to the Queen. “I don’t know how to break this to you, but she didn’t have a lot to say.” — R.S.

Franz Nicolay, ‘Someone Should Pay You for Your Pain’

Finally, the great indie-rock novel. Franz Nicolay is best known as the keyboardist in the Hold Steady, and author of the Euro-punk travelogue The Humorless Ladies of Border Control . But his fiction debut is the agonizingly funny, savagely honest tale of a troubadour on the road, getting old and bitter in bar after bar. His life is hangovers and drug deals and motels with names like Canadas Best Value Inn. (“Four words, three lies.”) But he gets his shot at redemption via a teenage runaway who happens to be his niece. A heart-bruising story — like Dostoevsky in a DIY punk space. — R.S.

Dan Ozzi, ‘Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994-2007)’

Scruffy punks being wined and dined by big-spending label execs, self-righteous zines exiling bands who even entertained the idea of jumping from an indie to a major, frenzied bidding wars, sudden breakups — the events former Noisey editor Dan Ozzi chronicles in Sellout seem like scenes from some distant, mythical rock past. But, as he lays out across 11 chapters, each chronicling the major-label debut of a prominent underground band — from Green Day and My Chemical Romance to At the Drive-In and the Donnas — in the Nineties and early 2000s, the question of “to sign or not to sign” once felt like a battle for the soul of American culture. While there are just as many tales of implosion here as triumph, Sellout  is ultimately an inspiring read, a monument to a time when punk and its various offshoots still felt like folk music, sparking fierce loyalty and even fiercer debate. — H.S.

Raekwon (with Anthony Bozza), ‘From Staircase to Stage: The Story of Raekwon and the Wu-Tang Clan’

The Wu-Tang Clan’s most searingly descriptive MC brings the same vivid storytelling power to his first memoir. The Wu saga has been told and retold many times over the years. But even superfans will want to get Raekwon’s often contentious side of the story, told with the help of author and frequent Rolling Stone contributor Anthony Bozza. The Chef gets inside the recording of the group’s Nineties classics, while also offering grippingly honest recollections on his early days in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood and on Staten Island. “As a fan, hip-hop was my escape from reality,” he writes. — J.D. 

Richard Thompson (Scott Timberg), ‘Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice 1967-1975’

Stevie Van Zandt, ‘Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir’

According to longtime Bruce Springsteen lore, Stevie Van Zandt earned his place in the E Street Band the instant he came up with the horn arrangement for “10th Avenue Freeze-Out” during the making of Born to Run. But is that really what clinched it for him? “Who knows?” he writes in his new book, Unrequited Infatuations . “We’re all making up half of this shit anyway.” It’s a refreshing admission that half-century-old memories aren’t always reliable, though he spends the rest of the book laying out the story of his life in incredible detail, including his early teenage years with Springsteen, his decision to quit the E Street Band in 1984, and his time on the Sopranos as mob consigliere Silvio Dante. Even if he inadvertently made up “half of this shit,” it’s still a gripping read and the perfect companion to Springsteen’s 2016 memoir, Born to Run. — A.G.

Michelle Zauner, ‘Crying in H Mart’

We waited three years for Zauner’s memoir to arrive, patiently holding onto the 2018 New Yorker essay it stemmed from, in which she wrote, “Am I even Korean anymore if there’s no one left in my life to call and ask which brand of seaweed we used to buy?” Crying in H Mart answers that question and then some, as Zauner details the devastating loss of her mother, exploring their relationship through a lifetime of shared meals. The book was released to wide acclaim, coinciding with the arrival of her great indie-pop band Japanese Breakfast’s excellent album Jubilee, in which Zauner touched on similarly intense themes with equally powerful results. — A.M.

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The group had a blast a bar, and Bunnie captured the sweet moment on TikTok.

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Eagles' don henley files lawsuit for return of handwritten 'hotel california' lyrics.

“The sweetest widdle family,” Bunnie captioned the video.

@xomgitsbunnie The sweetest widdle family #jellyandbunnie #mgk #modsun ♬ original sound – Bunnie Xo 🪄

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Meanwhile, Bunnie XO also shared a snippet from the podcast on  her social media , adding in the caption, “God willing–Baby DeFord 2026,” and revealing that the couple is undergoing their own IVF journey.

Bunnie XO added, “Papa Bear dropped a surprise on this pod today. We had planned on doing this privately, but decided our IVF journey needed to be shared because we’ve always been so open. And w/ all odds stacked against us, it’s already been hard and we have only just begun. We have been meeting with IVF doctors & exploring all our options to add to our family.”

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Eagles singer Don Henley sues for return of handwritten 'Hotel California' lyrics

NEW YORK -- Eagles singer Don Henley filed a lawsuit in New York on Friday seeking the return of his handwritten notes and song lyrics from the band's hit "Hotel California" album.

The civil complaint filed in Manhattan federal court comes after prosecutors in March abruptly dropped criminal charges midway through a trial against three collectibles experts accused of scheming to sell the documents.

The Eagles co-founder has maintained the pages were stolen and had vowed to pursue a lawsuit when the criminal case was dropped against rare books dealer Glenn Horowitz, former Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi and rock memorabilia seller Edward Kosinski.

"Hotel California," released by the Eagles in 1977, is the third-biggest selling album of all time in the U.S.

"These 100 pages of personal lyric sheets belong to Mr. Henley and his family, and he has never authorized defendants or anyone else to peddle them for profit," Daniel Petrocelli, Henley's lawyer, said in an emailed statement Friday.

According to the lawsuit, the handwritten pages remain in the custody of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, which declined to comment Friday on the litigation.

Lawyers for Kosinski and Inciardi dismissed the legal action as baseless, noting the criminal case was dropped after it was determined that Henley misled prosecutors by withholding critical information.

"Don Henley is desperate to rewrite history," Shawn Crowley, Kosinski's lawyer, said in an emailed statement. "We look forward to litigating this case and bringing a lawsuit against Henley to hold him accountable for his repeated lies and misuse of the justice system."

Inciardi's lawyer, Stacey Richman, said in a separate statement that the lawsuit attempts to "bully" and "perpetuate a false narrative."

A lawyer for Horowitz, who isn't named as a defendant as he doesn't claim ownership of the materials, didn't respond to an email seeking comment.

During the trial, the men's lawyers argued that Henley gave the lyrics pages decades ago to a writer who worked on a never-published Eagles biography and later sold the handwritten sheets to Horowitz. He, in turn, sold them to Inciardi and Kosinski, who started putting some of the pages up for auction in 2012.

The criminal case was abruptly dropped after prosecutors agreed that defense lawyers had essentially been blindsided by 6,000 pages of communications involving Henley and his attorneys and associates.

Prosecutors and the defense said they received the material only after Henley and his lawyers made a last-minute decision to waive their attorney-client privilege shielding legal discussions.

Judge Curtis Farber, who presided over the nonjury trial that opened in late February, said witnesses and their lawyers used attorney-client privilege "to obfuscate and hide information that they believed would be damaging" and that prosecutors "were apparently manipulated."

Associated Press reporter Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this report.

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"He politicized rock and roll": Five fascinating facts from HBO's "Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple"

Tracing the career trajectory of the bruce springsteen and the e street band guitarist, by nardos haile.

Steven Van Zandt is a rock and roll legend but one who has flown under the radar for decades.

You may mostly know him for his hilariously wise and sometimes obtuse " Sopranos " character Silvio Dante who was known on the show for his Michael Corleone impression. Outside of his infamous role, the rocker has made countless contributions to rock and roll, established in HBO's documentary "Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple." Directed by Bill Teck, the film takes audiences through the humble origins of Van Zandt to the heights of his career as a rock and roll star, producer and hitmaker.

Despite all of his different interests in music that led him to being a longtime member of close friend Bruce Springsteen 's band the E Street Band, throughout the documentary, Van Zandt is also shown to be a person deeply connected to activism and human rights. His massive contributions to activism in the mid-'80s to protest apartheid South Africa helped tangibly globalize the conflict through his gift of music.

The musician, actor and overall renaissance man received his flowers in "Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple." Here are some of the most fascinating facts about Van Zandt's life experiences:

"Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple" is now available to stream on Max. 

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Nardos Haile is a staff writer at Salon covering culture. She’s previously covered all things entertainment, music, fashion and celebrity culture at The Associated Press. She resides in Brooklyn, NY.

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• Updated: Jun. 27, 2024, 4:06 p.m. |
• Published: Jun. 27, 2024, 11:01 a.m.

Ted Nugent in 2024 (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP), Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks in 1982 (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon) and Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil in 1984. (AP Photo/Corey Struller) AP/Rob Grabowski/Invision/Lennox McLendon/Corey Struller

• Matt Wake | [email protected]

Rock and roll can be dirty work. Occupational hazards include -- to quote AC/DC singer Bon Scott -- getting robbed, stoned, beat up, old, ripped off and sold.

Over the decades, Alabama’s had its share of infamous rock and roll moments. Below are five of them.

FLEETWOOD MAC CONCERT STABBING, SKIMMING FROM VAN HALEN AND JOURNEY

In the first half of the ‘80s, Mobile Municipal Auditorium landed in the kind of headlines no venue wants part of.

At a 1980 Fleetwood Mac concert at Municipal Auditorium supporting the band’s hit album “Tusk,” tragedy struck. During the band’s set, a fight erupted in the second-floor lobby. A teenager from Bayou la Batre was stabbed to death by a 17-year-old Mobile resident. According to an Associated Press report from back then, the fight was related to a conflict between the two teens earlier. The Mobile youth was charged with murder.

In 1984, Municipal Auditorium was rocked by a scandal accusing venue management of skimming from proceeds of 1981 and 1982 concerts by acts like Van Halen and Journey. The scandal resulted in the conviction of Mobile City Commissioner Gary A. Greenough on 14 counts of fraud, extortion and conspiracy. Greenough was sentenced to 25 years, was out on parole after about six years and never admitted guilt. He died in early 2024.

AL.com’s Lawrence Specker says, “There’s a whole school of thought, to which I don’t subscribe, that this [scandal] got Mobile blackballed by the concert promotion industry for decades. The Mobile Municipal Auditorium got everybody in the ‘70s, then things dried up in the ‘80s. Some people have a hard time accepting that’s because of other factors.”

MÖTLEY CRÜE ON TRIAL

During Mötley Crüe’s 1985 concert at Huntsville’s Von Braun Civic Center arena, Robby Miller, a 13-year-old from nearby Athens, sustained an injury that left him blind in his right eye. The incident occurred during Mötley’s pyro-filled performance of metal anthem “Shout at the Devil.”

In 1988, a $1.3 million lawsuit on behalf of Miller and another young fan injured at the concert, Grant’s David Wright, was brought against Mötley Crüe at the Limestone County Courthouse in Athens. Mötley bassist and principal songwriter Nikki Sixx would testify and otherwise represent the band at the trial.

The courthouse was a madhouse during the seven-day trial. A few hundred young metalheads mobbed the place. The trial lasted seven-days.

Miller testified he’d heard a big boom at Mötley Crüe’s concert, before an object struck him in the eye. Wright, 19 at the time of trial, testified he was “positive” he’d been struck by dry ice, used to create smoke effects, propelled from the stage by the band’s pyro. Defense witnesses included a special effects tech for films including “Raiders of the Los Ark” and “Star Wars.”

Sixx, then age 29, testified while the band was concerned about fan safety, he didn’t believe the band’s pyro caused Miller’s and Wright’s injuries. The defense lawyers believed the youths’ injuries were because they’d been hit by glass shards of a bottle others had snuck into the concert.

After the jury was unable to reach a decision based on evidence presented, the judge declared a mistrial. Mötley Crüe later reached an out-of-court financial settlement with Miller and Wright.

RELATED: Mötley Crüe ‘s infamous 1988 trial in Alabama

LYNYRD SKYNYRD AND FANS RAISE HELL

As AL.com’s Mary Colurso recounted in her retrospective on Rickwood Field concerts , Lynyrd Skynyrd played at Birmingham’s iconic baseball stadium in 1975, 1975 and 1976.

The vibe at Skynyrd’s July 4 ‘75 Rickwood show, “seemed like a war zone with fireworks flying everywhere. At least 25 people tried to jump the stage during the concert and were knocked backward into the crowd by gigantic stage bouncers,” according to a fan who responded to an AL.com story about Alabama’s greatest concerts ever.

According to a 1975 letter from Birmingham Hyatt House to promoter Peace Concerts, shared decades later with AL.com, the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd trashed their hotel rooms during their stay.

According to a post on website thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard , during the ‘76 Rickwood concert, “Lynyrd Skynyrd was the closing act and didn’t make it on stage until around 10:30. Unknown to any of us at the concert, all concerts at Rickwood Field were required to end by 11:00 since it was located in a neighborhood. The concert promoter came on stage at 11:00 and told the band they had to quit playing. Much to their credit they ignored him and kept playing.

“Things escalated and the promoter ended up turning off the power to the band’s amps midway through ‘Free Bird.’ The audience went apeshit, and things quickly got out of hand. it was one of those situations where you start to fear for your life. As I was trying to get back to my car, the limo carrying the band was trying to drive through the crowd and ended up getting pelted with bottles and cans even though none of the situation was their fault.”

ALLMAN BROTHERS BUSTED

A little more than a month before the release of the live album that made the Allman Brothers Band stars after years of grinding, the Southern rockers were arrested in Jackson, Alabama.

The Allman’s 1971 double-LP “At Fillmore East” was recorded during two March shows that year at that New York rock mecca, where Jimi Hendrix’s epic concert LP “Band of Gypsys” had previously been recorded.

Ten days later, the Allman Brothers, the Macon, Georgia via Jacksonville, Florida band then known for songs like “Dreams” and “Midnight Rider,” were on their way to play shows in New Orleans, Montevallo and Tuscaloosa. That’s when singer Gregg Allman, guitarists Duane Allman and Dickey Betts, bassist Berry Oakley, drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe Johanson and their road crew were braced by a police officer at a Jackson truck stop.

As told by author Scott Freeman in his 1996 Allmans biography “Midnight Riders,” and recounted in 2016 by Ultimate Classic Rock , “His instincts were good; the guys were a walking drugstore. They were charged with possession of heroin, marijuana and phencyclidine, the animal tranquilizer better known as PCP. Duane, Gregg, Jaimoe, Dickey, Butch, Berry [and roadies] Willie Perkins, Joe Dan Petty and David ‘Tuffy’ Philips were all arrested and charged with possession.”

According to Freeman, “Gregg had paranoid fear of jail cells and went crazy, climbing the bars and screaming before Duane made him shut up.”

The Allmans and roadies spent a night in jail before posting bond. Facing prison sentences if convicted, the band reaching a plea deal that involved paying around four grand in fines and court costs.

THE NUGE GETS CANCELED

In the ‘70s, Ted Nugent was known for arena-shaking songs like “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Free-For-All.” Along with Kiss’ Ace Frehley and a couple years later Eddie Van Halen, Nugent was a huge influence on budding young guitarists back then. In the early ‘90s, Nugent reached the MTV generation via gleaming hits like “High Enough” and “Coming of Age” by Damn Yankees, his supergroup with Night Ranger’s Jack Blades and Styx’s Tommy Shaw.

In recent years though, in the mainstream Nugent isn’t known for music but for his outspoken far-right politics.

In 2023, Nugent’s radical beliefs got a concert of his at Birmingham’s Avondale Brewery canceled. Alabama isn’t exactly a Blue State politically. Yet after a stop on Nugent’s farewell tour was announced for Avondale, the venue’s Facebook page was snowed under with a thousand or so comments.

Most of those comments weren’t smiley-face-emojis. As AL.com’s Mary Colurso reported , “They slammed the rocker as homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, an intolerant hate-monger and more.”

A few days later, a day before tickets were set to go on sale, Avondale announced Nugent’s concert was canceled. A venue in Brandon, Mississippi picked up the date on Nugent’s tour.

As Colurso reported , Nugent gloated in a social media video, “You see that smile on my face? You can’t cancel me.” He also addressed the Birmingham kerfuffle , labeling those who protested the show “lunatic fringe.”

That same month, I interviewed Derek St. Holmes , who sang lead vocals on many classic Nugent tracks like “Stranglehold” and “Hey Baby,” to advance a St. Holmes show in Huntsville.

Asked if Nugent’s politics have diminished his guitar legacy, St. Holmes said, “The answer to your question is yes, I do. I want to go to a concert and have a good time — I don’t want anybody to bring the six o’clock news by me again, especially over a loud mic. Should we [the classic Nugent band] be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Oh, yeah. But we won’t be because of politics and rhetoric. But maybe one day they’ll pull their heads from underneath their armpits.”

Stories by Matt Wake

• New elevated barbecue restaurant in Huntsville is a family affair
• ‘American Idol’ winner talks ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Lauryn Hill’s postponed Alabama concert has been rescheduled

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‘Biography: Rock Legends’: Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider Gets Candid About Toxic Relationships with Bandmates & Wife

A&E Biography has your backstage pass to stories behind the biggest icons who have transcended the genre. Next up in the “Rock Legends” series is Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider , who started as a high school choir boy before truly finding his voice and becoming one of the larger-than-life figures of the 1980s.

The show-stopping performer’s success was born out of rejection from record companies and naysayers including his own dad. Snider turned frustration into inspiration. It fueled the band’s anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” The hit song turned glam metal on its ear during the early days of MTV . Twisted Sister was launched into superstardom thanks to its best-selling record Stay Hungry, which also included “I Wanna Rock.” With big hair, spandex, colorful makeup, and platform shoes, Snider, founder Jay Jay French, and the rest of the group blazed a trail all their own.

The band was so big in this era that Metallica was opening for them on tour. They even had a cameo in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure . Of course, the Biography installment doesn’t just tap into Snider’s highs but lows too. He hit rock bottom at one point declaring bankruptcy and answering phones at an office job. There were also history-making moments like speaking out against censorship during the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) Senate hearing and rocking sold-out crowds. The proud New Yorker has been through it all.

Ahead of the premiere, Snider opens up about his journey.

What does it mean for not only you but also your peers to get the spotlight through Biography ? 

Dee Snider: It’s great to have a light shined on what we do as hard rock legends. Hard rockers and heavy metal guys, we’re down and dirty. We have some tales to tell. It’s nice A&E tipping the hat, showing respect, and appreciating the tens of millions of records we’ve sold and tens of millions of people we’ve performed for in our careers.

You’ve been around a long time, but in the doc, you’re sitting in a rather empty garage with just a couple of boxes. Was that your house they filmed you in? 

You know what? You’re focusing on the wrong thing [laughs]. I’m impressed you noticed that. We made the big move about 10 years ago from the house where we raised our family, which meant getting rid of stuff. We had just moved into that house. We’re moving again because we’re always moving. It’s very organized. Plus, I’ve had so many reality shows, not full biographies like this one, but things where they wanted to see memorabilia, growing up Twisted. I had to go through it and be more organized. It’s weird because here I am in this big beautiful house and they have me on a folding chair in the garage. They could’ve filmed me in my dungeon! It would have been so much better.

Along with yourself, we also see others like bandmate Jay Jay French featured. You and he go back to some hard moments the band faced. What was it like revisiting some of those dark periods? 

I hope the bio reflects how manicly driven I was. The more rejection I got, the angrier and more intense, more focused,  I became. I also became a very difficult person to deal with. Looking back, I know how awful I was to my bandmates. I was just an angry miserable person because I felt like the world was against me. I’m having success, but that was what drove me. It wasn’t about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It was about you can’t stop us. I wrote every song. I was mad at the world. When I finally broke through, I was mad they didn’t let me through sooner.

I was a real a-hole in the ‘80s, and I lost everything, I got humbled I came back and went into different fields of radio, TV, movies, acting, Broadway, and writing books. I had some self-realization and reunited with the band. It was 9/11, which was a really good reason to reunite. It wasn’t money. It was just what can we do to help as New Yorkers. That was the only reason we got together. It got us past their hatred of me, and I was past my hatred of them, but they didn’t know I had grown and matured. It took them a while to see Dee was not the same guy he was. That was the reason I wanted to reunite. I told the guys that when you tell the stories to be honest. I was not a nice guy. I made their lives miserable. I wanted them to speak freely about that because I deserved that. I worked hard to get my excrement together and be a better person. Suzette, my wife of 48 years, helped get me there.

Suzette is featured in the doc. I love the story she tells of how you met. 

She was at a bar with seven people in it. She got a phony proof ID when she was 15. She came to see the girl group. And it was us.

What’s the secret of how you made your relationship work for so long? 

In 48 years, we’ve had our share of problems. I was an a-hole in the 1980s. We’ve been to marriage counseling and thank God we made it through. When we met with the marriage counselor for the first time on the first day, he said, “The only difference between couples that stay together and couples that divorce is couples that stay together don’t accept divorce as an option.” We already had kids. We wanted to figure this out. The two of us weren’t accepting divorce as an option. Once you take divorce off the table, you have to work it out. Thank God we did. Relationships have ups and downs, but 48 years later she is my partner in crime, my best friend. She is amazing. We’re amazing together.

There are many cautionary tales of your counterparts falling into drugs and alcohol. That never was you. How did you escape all that? 

Thank God I never did drugs or drank. My poison, drug of choice is caffeine. I drink a lot of coffee. So much so, and this is true, Twisted Sister threatened to fire me from the band for being too caffeinated. These were guys where one had cocaine up their nose while the other guy had a beer in his hand at 10 in the morning. I said, “Wait a second. You alcoholics and drug attics have a problem with my coffee driving?” They were like, “Yeah man, you’re driving us crazy.” Suzette comes from a family that has suffered from drug addiction. She never drank or did drugs. The two of us had that in common. We were the oddballs that didn’t participate in that stuff. It takes that issue off the table. That’s not to say there weren’t other problems like an ego so big that it destroyed the band. I became a megalomaniac.

After so many years of being told no, once people started saying yes, I was consumed by the power of it all. It’s power baby. The one person who didn’t say yes to me all the time? Suzette, which is why we nearly broke up. It becomes a drug. Power is a drug. It killed my career. By the early 1990s, I had lost everything whereas in the 2000s I was back in action.

This comes out after “We’re Not Gonna Take It” just turned 40. It’s amazing how the song still resonates. How is it for you to see its staying power? 

It wasn’t by design. I wrote the song myself and was very sure not to make it specific. I wanted people to put their situations into the song. I remember there was a review in the Village Voice . “Twisted Sister, “We’re Not Going to Take It Anymore” from Atlantic Records. What from whom?” Then they left a big blank space before the next review just to make a point that they were dismissing the song. I was screaming at the paper, “That’s the point!” It’s your what for your who. The song has become more than I ever thought. It has become internationally known. I agree with some of the causes it supports and other times I don’t. That is free speech and the design of the song. For people to put their frustration into the song. I wish QAnon didn’t use it as their go-to, but I’m not going to censor them on that because I’m a First Amendment guy. I fought censorship.

There was a point where you were everywhere. I still look back at seeing you on Pee-wee’s Big Adventure . How was it being on set for that and working with the late Paul Reubens ? 

Doing Pee-wee’s Big Adventure was a life changer for me and not for the reasons you would think. I met Paul at an MTV New Year’s Eve party. We saw each other backstage. We had mutual admiration. This was when Paul was a college circuit comedy club guy. He asked us to do a cameo. Being on that set, with Tim Burton by the way. That was his first major picture. Watching insanity come to life. Having just done the Twisted Sister music videos, which were insanity brought to life, I got thinking I wanted to write movies and screenplays.

I started to learn how to write. I’ve written screenplays, shows, and theatrical shows. My new company Defiant Artists will soon be making a major announcement. I’m teaming up with a major Hollywood studio to do three to five movies a year starting next year. It all started on that set. That day watching Pee-wee being chased by Santa and Godzilla I believe and going, “Man I can think of anything and someone can bring it to life.”

What do you think the legacy of Twisted Sister will be? 

The world reduces everything to one sentence…Twisted Sister is we’re not gonna take it. They didn’t take it. That will be on the tombstone. You’re lucky you’re remembered for anything. What I like about the Biography is that it shows that I was a frontman, first and foremost. You get to see me in action. Being a frontman is different than being a singer. Different jobs. The frontman is a guy who engages the audience, connects the audience, and makes adjustments to bring the audience in. One of the things they show in the Biography is me challenging 35,000 people to a fight. The audience was stunned because they could see on my face I was serious. They started laughing and thought, “This Yank is crazy. We like crazy.” This was in England. It was a game-changer. That was me being a frontman, doing what needed to be done to listen to the band.

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What is the state of rock today? 

Guys out there who shall remain nameless… Gene Simmons . Gene, leave your mansion and go out to a club, festival, or theater with younger bands. Not the 1980s old band festivals. My kids have dragged me out to these places. There is passion, talent, and heart. Audiences know every word. You know what? These musicians have very little hope of making a living doing it. They are doing it purely for the love. I wanted to be rich and famous. That’s why I wanted to be a rock star. I did. Most won’t become rich or famous but have a love and passion to do it. Heavy metal, rock-and-roll, is alive and well. You’re not maybe seeing it like you used to, but there are some great bands out there.

Biography: Rock Legends , Sundays, 9/8c, A&E

Biography: Dee Snider

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