What a gift to the world of Doors and rock fans this book was! Ray Manzarek had fun with this story, but it was also a healing process for him. The stWhat a gift to the world of Doors and rock fans this book was! Ray Manzarek had fun with this story, but it was also a healing process for him. The story really tested the what if theories and formed an alternative narrative that brought much of the grief to closure. Sure, it's just a novel. If anyone knew J, it was Ray. Most fun I've had reading a book in a long time!!...more
So I'm not a huge fan of Megadeth or anything, but I remember a few good tunes back in the day, and I remembered his connections to early Metallica anSo I'm not a huge fan of Megadeth or anything, but I remember a few good tunes back in the day, and I remembered his connections to early Metallica and figured I'd give this a try. It was a quick interesting read; nothing too dark or depressing. Mustaine shows a bit of learning and gratitude, which I don't detect in a lot of musician autobiographies. It was decently written and really seems like an honest recollection of events. His humble roots, falling into the shadow of Metallica and the role of an underdog, along with his appreciation for family, all made me glad he pulled through. There were a few spots of opinions on people I could've done without. ...more
This was an enjoyable read. You get a very honest sense from Rudy Sarzo. There doesn't seem to be any reason to exaggerate anything here. The only thiThis was an enjoyable read. You get a very honest sense from Rudy Sarzo. There doesn't seem to be any reason to exaggerate anything here. The only thing that bugs me about most rock memoirs is the overdone pages on partying. I could've done without so many pages of the same old Ozzy debauchery stories. How many times can we hear these same stories? This loses a star for me. And Ozzy doesn't really gain anything from this book. It's just another less than flattering account of his early days of madness.
Rudy's story was great though. And he provides excellent insight into Randy Rhoads. It made me cringe even more at the loss of such a great musician who had so much ahead of him, all gone not due to partying & drugs like so many other young rock stars, but gone with a simple bad decision to get on a small airplane for a joyride. Rhoads didn't like flying; he should've kept with his instinct and said no. Rudy writes of Randy's plans after one final album with Ozzy and it was just devastating to read this. This alone is what catapulted the book right back to five stars for me.
This book celebrates Randy and really captures an exact point in music history. ...more
This is not the best written memoir only because it's not really a memoir. This is a collection of Freddy Mercury interviews very carefully spliced toThis is not the best written memoir only because it's not really a memoir. This is a collection of Freddy Mercury interviews very carefully spliced together. It's done masterfully with tedious research and is the closest thing to reading the mind and words of the great Freddy Mercury. ...more
Greg Renoff and ECW Press strike gold again with another music title. I always valued the work of a producer and know how much of a difference they maGreg Renoff and ECW Press strike gold again with another music title. I always valued the work of a producer and know how much of a difference they make in the final product, but this book really brought the man behind the scenes to life. I've loved his album work through the years, but this book helped me gain an appreciation for Templeman and his accomplishments. He's got quite a life to celebrate. The chapters "Ain't talkin' bout love" and "Back to 5150" were my favorite. Templeman couldn't have picked a better narrator and "translator" as Renoff. You'll never forget the horse scene! ...more
This is as bad as the Motley Crue Netflix film. I’m not sure why these old rock stars put all their crap out there and why they think we should celebrThis is as bad as the Motley Crue Netflix film. I’m not sure why these old rock stars put all their crap out there and why they think we should celebrate their lifestyle; maybe some do. I know they’re rock stars, or were rock stars, but I’d like a little more depth of intellect or at least some emotional intelligence from artists. This book barely has complete sentences, so it appears Bach did write it. He needed an editor to be honest and to tell him that this book does nothing for his legacy in a positive way, but he probably doesn’t care either way. This is just the story of an old rock star who talks badly about others and blames everyone else for their mess. The opening pages had promise and you are fooled into thinking that this guy is going to share some emotional remorse for hitting an audience member in the face. The only thing that saves this book from one star is his standing up to Ted Nugent's racism. That alone was a 4 star moment. My Kindle copy was a draft with editor's notes and all....more
Excellent historical documentation of the origins of one of the world's biggest rock bands. The author Greg Renoff is a historian, so the quality of tExcellent historical documentation of the origins of one of the world's biggest rock bands. The author Greg Renoff is a historian, so the quality of this book is far better than most music biographies. Details and citations are meticulous, but most of all, Renoff really tells their story in an interesting way. This book had a lot of surprises in it for me, and the narrative of their work ethic made them more likable and human. Roth's early days were fun to read about and the Van Halen brothers musical upbringing was fascinating to read (for me as a father). The importance of Michael Anthony's contributions were certainly not glossed over here either.
One of the best parts of the book for me was when we learn of a strange perhaps fateful vision involving one future member. From the parties they played to the clubs to the demos, this book takes you through all the hard work they put in to overcome the obstacles of a hard rock band getting signed in the middle of the disco era. Van Halen Rising is a must read for any rock/metal music lover....more
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