Short time lurker, first time poster, so soz if this has been discussed previously.
Having just finished the most excellent Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne, does the massive have any recommendations for other good reads by musicians? I’m thinking specifically not biogs or heavily music related.
Hi @countottoblack
I’ve heard good things about the David Byrne book – will investigate.
My recommendations are A Year with Swollen Appendices by Brian Eno (another diary), Head-On and Repossessed by Julian Cope and Bad Vibes by Luke Haines.
I guess the last three books are memoirs – don’t know if they would be excluded by your comment about biogs.
I recall reading Ralph McTell’s ‘Angel Laughter’ some years back, about his childhood in Croydon, which stops around age 16, just before he becomes a musician. It’s social history, really – well written. I see he produced a second volume (early days in music, ‘Summer Lightning’ in 2013, though this is now £256 even second hand – whereas Angel laughter can be had for 1p on amazon uk. weird…)
Ben Watt from Everything but the girl has written two memoirs, neither of which I’ve read but which have been very well received. Patient, about his struggle with Churg-Strauss Syndrome and Romany and Tom about his parents.
Donald Fagen’s Eminent Hipsters is largely about music but it’s a very enjoyable read,
I can recommend both Ben Watt books, and both by Tracey Thorn (although I think Bedsit Disco Queen is much better than the one about singing)
Romany and Tom is superbly written book about his Mum and Dad. I hope Ben Watt’s continues to write, he really is an excellent writer……I also enjoyed Tracey’s Bedsit Disco Queen
I enjoyed Nick Caves …And the Ass Saw the Angel – a great slice of swampy Southern Gothic. I was less keen on the Death of Bunny Munro – which was a bit sub Martin Amis.
@badartdog – recently watched and gave up on the Cave-penned film The Proposition about 30 mins in, Ray Winstone and Emily Watson all over the shop…we watched 99 Homes instead which was great.
‘How To Achieve Vociferous Self Induced Climax In A Public Area’ – JS Bach
Haven’t got around to reading any of them yet, but Louise Wener (formerly of second-division – but I still loved ’em – Britpoppers Sleeper) has written four novels in addition to her autobiography.
Turns out I’ve read two or three of those. Worth a penny, for sure.
‘A Spaniard in the Works’ and ‘In his own Rite’. Loved them.
Out Of Me Head? A Cellarful Of Goys?
“I sat belonely down a tree, humbled fat and small.”
Gear.
I can recommend Patti Smith’s “Just Kids”.
Another up for Bicycle Diaries.
Haven’t read them but I’ve heard some good things about Willie Vlautin’s novels; that’s yer man out of Richmond Fontaine
I’ve read his books and can really recommend them.
Just read his latest one “The Free”.
His stories are very much a piece with the music of Richmond Fontaine dealing with those scraping an existence on the edges.
Writing full of heart.
Seconded – I thought The Free in particular was excellent
David Byrne’s books are ace – Bicycle Diaries and How Music Works. He’s both the same as you expect (properly clever, eternally curious, restless) and different (warmer).
Julian Cope (mentioned above) is also author of The Modern Antiquarian, the first ever exploration of every British megalithic site. Books had been written about individual sites and about tribes who built them, but Copey was the first to travel the length and breadth of these isles and visit every one.
It’s mostly excellent.
Thee is also a continental follow up, but I don’t have that one.
I have both and very good they are.
Charles Mingus wrote a small book on toilet training your cat:
http://mingusmingusmingus.com/mingus/cat-traning-program
I got John Darnels’ “Wolf in White Van” during a period of Mountain Goats immersion…not sure if I would have selected it without being interested in the author – but it was….interesting.
I didn’t exactly “enjoy” Bunny Munroe but it was quite compulsive.
If Lloyd Cole wrote a book I’d buy it…sadly this isn’t by him – or is it?
ww.amazon.co.uk/Lloyd-Cole-Concise-Dictionary-Quotations/dp/1874052239/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459965779&sr=1-12&keywords=lloyd+cole
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41R2r%2BxcGxL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Bruce Dickinson – The Adventures of Lord Iffy Boatrace
To be honest, it is a pretty good read (in a sub-Tom Sharpe with additional smut type way).
Worth a read, but is a “Read once, but probably not again book” (I’m not really selling this am I?).
The sequel The Missionary Position: the Further Advances of Lord Iffy Boatrace, is worth a look too
Recommendation: They were OK, but not exactly earth-shattering works of literature
I like how Rigid’s confidence on how good the books are gradually decreases from line to line in the comment.
Rush drummer Neil Peart’s books are always interesting – particularly recommend Masked Rider, about cycling across Africa, and Ghost Rider about dealing with the loss of his wife and daughter.
I recall “Doghouse Roses” by Steve Earle as a very impressive set of short stories, although it was a good few years back that I read it.
According to Amazon he’s written a few books. DR is the only one I’ve read.
Mention of Lloyd Cole reminds me that one of the Commotions – Lawrence Donegan – has written a couple of books at least. “Four Iron in the Soul” is about his year caddying on the European PGA golf tour (he was also golf correspondent for the Guardian IIRC) and No News at Throat Lake about his time on a small-town Irish newspaper. I read and enjoyed both of them – although neither are earth-shattering they’re well written and self-deprecatory as you’d expect of a colleague of Mr Cole.
Yes, good call Walkster – Mrs H is from the next village to Throat Lake (the one where Donegan’s paper is actually based). She found it hilarious. And knew most of the people involved.
At times like this I always recommend Bill Bruford’s memoir. Even if you are not a prog fan it gives a real insight into what it’s like to be a professional musician. Very well written too, not ghosted as far as I know.
Well, musicians writing books is definitely better than authors making records…as this man proved without a doubt (stick with it, it gets worse!):
(video is Swedish author Björn Ranelid trying out for the ESC)
I’m sorry, Locust, but the wilful or deliberate posting of any video depicting an image of Björn Ranelid is strictly prohibited on the Afterword, pursuant to Afterword Regulation 38, Section 4, Sub-section 2.
I’m sure the Moderators will join me in invoking a cease-and-desist order on all Ranelid videos forthwith.
And no Loa Falkman either!
While you’re at it, go ahead and ban Christer Sjögren as well, please!
James Yorkston’s debut novel “Three Craws” is published today!
I’ll probably read it at some point, because I’m a huge Yorkston fan.
Has anyone read, like, a pre-release copy or something? Is it any good?
Can I recommend Jethro Tull’s
Horse-hoeing Husbandry: Or, An Essay on the Principles of Vegetation and Tillage. Designed to Introduce a New Method of Culture; Whereby the Produce of Land Will be Increased, and the Usual Expence Lessened. Together with Accurate Descriptions and Cuts of the Instruments Employed in it.
Man I’ve always loved his more seed-drill-related work.
Carp Fishing On Valium, a book of short stories by Graham Parker is worth a look.
Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen is harder work but rewarding.
And of course there is always the Bobness’ Tarantula. ‘experimental prose poetry”.
I can say it is significantly harder work than Laughing Len. ie I have read the liner notes on the back of Highway 61 and thought ‘that’s enough of that then’.
Patti Smith/Robert Mapplethorpe associate Jim Carroll of the then Jim Carroll Band penned the truly excellent Basketball Diaries – source for a less than excellent film starring Leonardo di Caprio.
Charlie Watts’ book on Charlie Parker is quite good.
A certain TCOGB hitmaker has a fair few books out on the subject of astronomy and astro-physics.
A late crime fiction-reading friend of mine said Kinky Friedman’s books were pretty good.
The couple I read (of which I can only remember Elvis, Jesus and Coca-Cola) were ok. Sorry – it was a long time ago (20 years?) and can’t remember anything apart from the overall impression.
From Western Australia, Dave Warner (former of Pus and From The Suburbs) has written some very fine crime novels, similar to George Pelecanos and Elmore Leonard in style.
Big Bad Blood was the one I remember, set in Sydney in the 60’s.
He was very popular Down Under in the late 70’s.
Despite loving Lee Hazlewood, his novel, ‘The Pope’s Daughter’, is a bit too cute for my tastes. Plus there’s a dreadful typo on the cover.