Read any good books on guitar players lately?

For folks in the Northern Hemisphere, Summer is rapidly creeping up on us. (finally!)
For me, it means sitting out in the Gazebo in shorts, barefoot, with an hallucinogenic beverage, and a good book.

I try to keep up with a number of interests including guitar player/singers that have played the soundtrack of my life.

Neil Young is one of those people. The guy just turns out so much stuff you can never keep up. Just when you think you've heard all he has to say, out comes something else, either by him or by someone else about him. Waging Heavy Peace was the last book of his. A nice easy read on a Summer's day, and I understand there's a followup volume with emphasis on the cars he's owned. Something different.

Just this week I finished Don Felder's biography, Heaven and Hell, My life in the Eagles. Another really good read, especially if you're an Eagles fan. Or maybe more so if you're not. Glen Frey and Don Henley come off in the end as totally A-holes, extremely talented, but A-holes nonetheless. I always wondered what happened to Felder, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner. I considered them integral to the Eagles sound so it was a mystery why they disappeared.

What book spines are you cracking right now?

I was on jury service earlier in the year so plenty of public transport and sitting around, while I was there one of the half dozen books I read was Unknown Pleasures:inside Joy Division by Peter Hook, it was a good read despite knowing the tragic outcome, interesting too how some of the things you think of as integral to the Joy Division and later New Order sound seem to have been happy accidents or facilitated by necessity rather than initial design
If your a fan it makes a nice accompaniment to Touching From A Distance by Deborah Curtis, as they the show 2 different sides to Ian Curtis


I've also got Set The Boy Free by Johnny Marr sitting in my to read pile, just didn't want to over Manchester in the 80's myself in one go

Ha! I not long ago re-read Felder's "Heaven & hell" and enjoyed it as much the second time; you're right - Henley and Frey come across as royal douchebags!!
Black Knight by Jerry Bloom is one I've waited for, for ages - Ritchie Blackmore's story; he's another that comes across as a arsehole of monumental proportions....  but what a talent!!
1000 guitars you must play before you die is on my bookshelf, as are Richie Fleiglers amp and guitar maintenance books. However, I would recomend MOST heartily a pair of books, the first of which is "The strat in the attic" and second being "The Strat in the attic 2" by Deke Dickerson, no mean picker himself!! These books make our GAS affiction look positively benign, and are very, very good reads....

the most recent book i've read is called Skydog - The Duane Allman Story by Randy Poe, an excellent and very detailed review of Duane's life, not just his all too short musical career. the book gives the backstory of the development of his extraordinary talent, his unquenchable desire to play, and his unique musical vision.
i finished reading it only days before his brother Gregg passed away.

bittersweet memories abound

sometimes i feel like i'm tied to the whippin post!

Brilliant playing and singing.
Sometimes I miss the 70's, real players, in real time, playing real music. Compare this to majority of the acts on any recent Music Award programs, or (God forbid) "Boy Bands".

I have read the following books over the past year among other non-music books.

A Bit of a Blur- Alex James

Life- Keith Richard

A Multitude of Sins- Hugh Cornwell

I have these four that I picked up in one visit to a local charity bookshop



I have also read Madcap about Syd Barrett, Through Gypsy Eyes, by Kathy Etchingham, and the other book about Keef by Victor Bockris.

Some good stuff there Sollo. I think the Roy Buchanan book should be interesting.

Barry wrote:Some good stuff there Sollo. I think the Roy Buchanan book should be interesting.

Trouble is. most books have to be accompanied by a soundtrack, not always possible either

Barry wrote:For folks in the Northern Hemisphere, Summer is rapidly creeping up on us. (finally!)
For me, it means sitting out in the Gazebo in shorts, barefoot, with an hallucinogenic beverage, and a good book.

What the H-E-hockeysticks(squared) kind of tea are you brewing up there now, dude?!?!!  

Oh, and as books go I picked this one up due to the obvious local connection, as well as having seen them on a few occasions...

http://www.replacementsbook.com/

There is also a biography out there on the life & career of Harpo Slim which was recently recommended to me that I am going to check out.

I'm buying Michael's Sweet's book, "Honesty", about his life and Stryper.  He (and they) have been a huge success over the years, hard rock/metal.  

I was just thinking about good biographies to buy, thanks for the ideas!