Drummer biography books

[DrumTransit]

Years ago, I read Riders on the Storm by John Densmore, and it gave a nice look into his style of playing and his time with The Doors, and it was also the basis for a lot of Oliver Stone’s movie.

I’m curious what other biographies have been written by or about drummers.

 

[hsosdrum]

"Best Seat in the House", by Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley is a great read. "Stick It", by Carmine Appice is also pretty good. And of course the Buddy Rich biography "Traps, the Drum Wonder", by Mel Torme is a must-read.

However, "Hellraiser" (Ginger Baker's autobiography) is kind of a waste of time, as it really doesn't go very deep. If you want to learn about Ginger watch the documentary "Beware of Mr. Baker" by Jay Bulger.

 

[BennyK]

Let the Good Times Roll -My life in the Small Faces - Kenney Jones

BackBeat - Earl Palmer's Story - Tony Sherman

Remembering Bix - Ralph Berton - autobio of a youngster tagging along on the road with brother Vic, Bix Biederbeck's legendary drummer . I guess similar in some ways to the fil " Almost Famous " .

 

[HalldorL]

“Not Dead Yet” Phil Collins and “The Autobiography……” by Bill Bruford. Great reads.

 

[Houndog]

Not dead yet , made me dislike Phil ….

 

[Mayan]

Not dead yet , made me dislike Phil ….

Well that is interesting especially as it is an autobiography. I mean, he wrote it himself, so your impression is not based on anyone else’s stories or opinions. I like his music but am not a big enough fan to read a biography, but now I’m intrigued.

 

[cribbon]

1. Life in Double Time by Mike Lankford is the most honest and readable book I've ever read about/by any drummer. Lankford is like a lot of us who aspire to become professional drummers, and this autobiographical book charts his drumming life from his beginning infatuation with drums through his drumming career all the way to the end when he gives it up to opt for a "normal" life (wherein he becomes a teacher) and his subsequent return to playing. As far as I'm concerned this is a minor masterpiece of American literature filled with insight and humor. I believe it's out of print but can still be found if you search around.

Life in Double Time: Confessions of an American Drummer: Lankford, Mike: 9780811806831: Amazon.com: Books

Life in Double Time: Confessions of an American Drummer [Lankford, Mike] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Life in Double Time: Confessions of an American Drummer

www.amazon.com

2. The two volumes of Drummin' Men by Kurt Korall are full of short bios/histories of significant jazz drummers of the swing and bebop eras and are must-haves. Korall was a drummer in his younger years and gave it up for a writing career but kept alive his fire for drumming in his writing.

3. You'd be well served to read anything by Whitney Balliett (American Musicians I and II, The Sound of Surprise, Such Sweet Thunder, Goodbyes and Other Messages, etc.) who, IMO, is the greatest writer on the subject of jazz that I've ever read. These books are not exclusively about jazz drummers but consist of pieces on a wide variety of jazz musicians and/or events, but they are all well worth reading.
Balliett's superb writing, insight and love of jazz and sharp focus on drummers is unequaled. He wrote for the New Yorker for years and was considered by many at the magazine as their most talented writer, although most of them thought that writing about jazz was a waste of his exceptional talent (even his mother thought so). He was a hobby drummer in his youth and so when he writes about jazz drummers, he knows whereof he speaks. Many of his books (used editions) are also available inexpensively on places like Amazon.

4. Other books not exclusively on drummers contain a lot of interesting information about drummers in bands, groups or musical eras that those books cover: In a Silent Way, Elegant People, No Beethovan, Bathed in Lightning, Playing the Band, Jack Bruce Composing Himself, Blowing the Blues, In the Court of King Crimson, Drumming at the Edge of Magic, Planet Drum.

Lots of stuff out there - go get it!

 

[afwdrums]

Bernard Purdie has an autobiography called "Let the Drums Speak"...I ordered it from Amazon a few years back and was pleasantly surprised to see that the man himself actually personalized and autographed it himself before sending it out, not sure if he still does that or not

Tony Allen also has an autobiography called "An Autobiography of the Master Drummer of Afrobeat"

it's not written by or specifically about a drummer, but the best musician autobiography I've read is the one by Charles Mingus called "Beneath the Underdog", highly recommended...Miles Davis' book "Miles, the Autobiography" is also quite entertaining

 

[Squirrel Man]

Dave Grohl The Storyteller.

I have the hardback on my nightstand but have yet to pick it up. I will soon.

 

[Vicey]

Hard to Handle by Steve Gorman is a favorite of mine. I'm sure that the Robinson brothers have different takes on the events, but Gorman's book is well written and funny, if frustrating. I also enjoyed So You Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star by Jacob Slichter, who drummed for Semisonic during their 15 minutes of fame. It's a very clear and entertaining snapshot of the waning days of alt-rock and the state of the music business during the CD era. There's not too much about drumming for drummers in these, but they're good examples of the genre of the general interest rock autobiography.

Bill Bruford's autobiography, of course. It's idiosyncratically organized and non-gossipy, but it's a great glimpse into major talent and an era.

 

[VintageUSA]

I like the book Nick Mason wrote on Pink Floyd.
I also enjoyed Peart's motorcycle road trip.

 

[rkingston]

I’m not a particularly big fan of Kenny Aronoff’s drumming (which is not to say I don’t like it! I just don’t seek out music he’s played on like I might other players), but his autobiography “Sex, Drums, and Rock & Roll” (I’ll bet the overprotective forum filters will censor that title — it wasn’t me, I swear) is absolutely fantastic. He’s got an interesting backstory about how he got to where is now, from his early interests in music, through recording and touring in the rock scene of the 80s and 90s, through his sort of “rebranding”, for lack of a better word. He’s quite the storyteller. Highly recommend.

 

[owr]

Levon has a couple written about him. Ive enjoyed them all. Sometimes musician biographies reveal a bit too much and ruin the image we have in our head. Not the case for Levon.

 

[bigbonzo]

Not dead yet , made me dislike Phil ….

If he knew who you are, he wouldn't like you either.

 

[rkingston]

While we’re on this topic, have any of you read the Bonzo bio “Beast”? I haven’t yet. John Bonham is a longtime favorite of mine, yet I’m reluctant to jump in to this book. Care to share your thoughts?

 

[Houndog]

If he knew who you are, he wouldn't like you either.

Eh , I’m gonna say 50/50 on that …..

 

[mebeatee]

bt

 

[bigbonzo]

While we’re on this topic, have any of you read the Bonzo bio “Beast”? I haven’t yet. John Bonham is a longtime favorite of mine, yet I’m reluctant to jump in to this book. Care to share your thoughts?

John Bonham - The Beast - Book Review

https://www.houstonpress.com/music/review-beast-john-bonham-and-the-rise-of-led-zeppelin-11962736 Thoughts? Comments?

www.drumforum.org

 

[rkingston]

John Bonham - The Beast - Book Review

https://www.houstonpress.com/music/review-beast-john-bonham-and-the-rise-of-led-zeppelin-11962736 Thoughts? Comments?

www.drumforum.org

Thanks, @bigbonzo, that thread's pretty enlightening! Yet, as VB pointed out:

It’s amazing how many comments there’s been on a book no one admits to actually reading!

Aside from a couple contextless quotes (cringey ones indeed), I still haven't gotten any forum members' opinions about the book as a whole.

As the saying goes, never learn about your heroes. That's the only thing that's keeping me from reading it to develop my own opinions — I do that with plenty of books! I just don't want to hear his drumming and be like, "ugh, so good, but that supposedly true thing that I read about him..."

Maybe this is one of those very rare instances that I'll embrace the idea that ignorance is bliss...

 

[LarryJ]

"Moon" by Tony Fletcher. Long and a rather laborious read, but worth it. Such a sad life.