Loved Shakey as well, really great book, definitely gives ya the full picture, warts and all.

Another one worth checking out is This Wheel's on Fire by Levon Helm (the drummer in the band). The writing is simple but effective and it's very hard to put down, especially in the early chapters which feature Ronnie Hawkins and how the band eventually came together.

"That Albert Goldman book on Lennon - what's the story with that ? I remember when it came out first it was pretty much universally condemned as muck raking sh*te but it seems to have gained some credibility over the years."

Don't really know. A friend of mine just gave it to me a good few years ago. I didn't know anything about the book at the time and pretty much have no interest in John Lennon or the Beatles so I couldn't tell you what parts of it are bulls**t, but it's such a great read.

I've been struggling with David Katz's People Funny Boy, his biography of Lee 'Scratch' Perry. His writing is a little sluggish, but it seems like a fairly authoritative overview of reggae down the years. On the subject of rock biographies, some years ago I read Gary Valentine's New York Rocker, a first-hand account of the author's time playing in the first incarnation of Blondie and later with Iggy Pop-again, it's not especially artful writing, but it is at least illuminating. Finally, if you can track it down, I recommend I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon, which details through a tapesty of interviews conducted with myriad parties, the largely debauched life of the recently deceased songwriting genius.

I recommend I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon, which details through a tapesty of interviews conducted with myriad parties, the largely debauched life of the recently deceased songwriting genius.
Mr Bad Example, i love it, thats a greta recommendation, buying that this avo. cheers

I second 'England's Dreaming' - very well-written, thoughtful and very evocative of what seems to have been a terrifying time and place (England, 1974-77) to have been young and intelligent. On the other hand, I found 'Redemption Song' not so well-written or deeply-researched but still too interesting a story to be messed up.

There's also a reissued 'The Dark Stuff' with extra articles: whatever you think of Nick Kent and his style, it's still a book that music fans should read. Also, flicking through 'In The Fascist Bathroom' by Greil Marcus, who's a big fan of socialist political theory and Elvis Costello.

And I've heard before that Goldman writes really well - must check that out.

I find Greil Marcus can be heavy going. He can go off on ten or fifteen page tangents that sort of feel like he's leading you down a blind alley. I'm thinking particularly of Invisible Republic. I love the subject matter but most of it went over my head. If I was more interested in American history, politics, literature etc., I can see how rewarding a book like that might be. Mystery Train was good though and his book on Like a Rolling Stone was a bit by the numbers for him but a great read for Bob'65 fans.