Music Memoirs

Looking for books that are both entertaining and straight forward? Music memoirs are a fun way to learn about the events behind your favorite performer's career. The story lines are often similar (though that's part of the fun) – a tale of a dreamer, who kept working at his/her craft, either with or against his/her parent’s wishes, proved everyone wrong, went through periods of darkness and doubt, often formed a substance abuse disorder, but rose above and conquered the world, then perhaps (depending on how career-expansive the memoir is) was humbled once again when the new band line-up proved less popular with fans, or they had a drug relapse, then they eventually found spirituality…or something like that. Here are a couple I’ve read recently that I have really enjoyed and below is a link to more of the library’s music memoirs in print and digital formats. Although the print formats may not currently be available while the library is closed, you can add them to your reading list!


Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins


The drummer and lead-singer of Genesis, and solo-artist, shares about his working class upbringing (in contrast to his British public school bandmates), how the drum set he received at the age of three formed who he would become, his early beginnings playing with bands in the swinging 60s clubs of London, and his struggles balancing work and fame with family life (admittedly, not well).  I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Collins himself. Collins is a good storyteller and hearing him talk about his life is a treat. You can tell he’s a very reflective person and tries to be as honest and candid as possible. Although he does share some of the darker aspects of his life, specifically his affair that led to his third wife, and his period of heavy alcohol abuse in the early 2000s, I often had the feeling that he wasn't sharing everything, or that he was making sure not to hurt his "nice-guy" persona, but hey, you can only degrade yourself so much. Overall, Collins is very likable and tells his story with wit and grace. The only downside of the audiobook is you don’t get to see the photographs from Collins' life that are included in the print version.


Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) by Jeff Tweedy

Chicago-based alt-country/rock musician and leader of the influential band, Wilco, Jeff Tweedy writes with his kids in mind. You can tell family means a lot to Tweedy (a similar theme that went through Collin’s book) as he reflects on his upbringing, his closeness to his mother and (to a lesser extent) his distant alcoholic father, and how his wife, Susie, helped him through many of the dark points in his life. In fact his love for his wife and kids are some of the most endearing parts of the book. It’s also hard not to get caught up in his excitement about some of his first gigs and meeting some of his idols in the early chapters. Tweedy's unique personality shines throughout. He's a humble, quiet guy, who can joke about his anxiety and neurotic quirks. Although, like the Collins book, it feels like sometimes Tweedy glosses over some of the darker sides of his life—the depths of his pain-killer addiction, feuds with former bandmate, etc. He does write about them often, but maybe it's that he doesn't feel proud of himself. I can't say that about the authors of the next book.


The Dirt by Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Tommy Lee, and edited by Neil Strauss

This may be one of the sleaziest of memoirs (although I haven’t read Stephen Pearcy from Ratt's book, Sex, Drugs, Ratt Roll, which I heard may take the cake). Readers who shy away from reading about glorified tales of debauchery should avoid this one. This one is completely over-the-top. Any terrible thing you could think of somebody doing, probably happened in this book. Like me, you’ll likely find yourself disgusted and in awe, often simultaneously. This one is quite the opposite of the previous two memoirs. Instead of glossing over the darkness, the guys in Mötley Crüe revel in it; brag about it. Alternating between perspectives of each band member, it’s a behind the scenes glimpse of the excess of 80s rock star culture. It's often laugh out loud funny when one band members' story contradicts another, leaving one to wonder how things really played out. Through all the sleaze, there are tragedies in each band members life that force them to grow - for example; Nikki Sixx's several heroin overdoses, or the death of Vince Neil's 4-year old daughter Skylar to cancer. You don't have to find the band likable to find this sociologically fascinating! Note: The Netflix film of the same name does a pretty good job condensing and capturing the tone of the book.

What's Next?

One book I'm looking forward to read is Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon because I'm a big Sonic Youth fan and I'd like to read about her perspective on the grunge scene of the 90s (a genre their band is often thrown in with, but predated) and playing in a mostly male-dominated profession. I also have The Beautiful Ones by Prince in my to-be-read pile because the movie Purple Rain only gave me a small taste of what the performer's life, and the Minneapolis music scene of the 80s, was like.


Click here for music memoirs in print and CD audiobook


Click here for digital music memoirs


What music memoirs have you really enjoyed? Share in the comments.