Category Archives: BOOK REVIEWS

Book review: JIM McCARTY with DAVE THOMPSON – Nobody Told Me: My Life With The Yardbirds, Renaissance and Other Stories

Posted on May 18, 2018 by petefeenstra

http://www.jamesmccarty.com/ 305 pages paperback ISBN 978-0-244-96650-8 [Publication date: May 2018] ‘Nobody Told Me’ is a suitably titled autobiography that documents the life and times of Jim McCarty, The Yardbirds founder member, drummer and rock and roll hall of fame inductee. … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged blues, book, Box of Frogs, British Invasion All Stars, Chas McDevitt, Chris Dreja, Cream, Dave Thompson, Eric Clapton, Georgio Gomelski, Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Reed, New Age Music, Nobody Told Me, Peter Grant, psychedelic, R&B, Renaissance, review, Robert Plant, rock, Rolling Stones, Ruthless Blues, Simon Napier Bell, The Country Gentleman, The Yardbirds, Top Topham | Leave a comment

Book review: GORDY MARSHALL – Postcards From A Rock & Roll Tour

Posted on February 28, 2018 by petefeenstra

Splendid Books Limited – 251 pages paperback [Publication date: December 2012] ‘Postcards From A Rock & Roll Tour’ is: “a series of personal daily journals,” or as the Moody Blues co-drummer and author Gordy Marshall further elucidates: “more like extended … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, Gordy Marshall, Graeme Edge, memoirs, Moody Blues, Postcards From A Rock & Roll Tour, review, rock, Tour | Leave a comment

Book review: JACKIE MCAULEY – I, SIDEMAN: The Story Of Me In The 60′s & 70′s

Posted on January 22, 2018 by petefeenstra

www.jackiemcauley.com – 253 pages paperback [Publication date: December 2017] Jackie McAuley’s ‘I Sideman: The Story Of Me In The 60′s and 70′s’ is an eloquently written, partial biography by a multi instrumentalist and vocalist who takes three quarters of the … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged acoustic, Bonzo Dog Band, book, Brendan Bonass, Celtic rock, Charlie Watts, folk, Frank McCourt, Gene Vincent, Henry McCullough, I Sideman, Irish, Jackie McAuley, Jimi Hendrix, JOE COCKER, John Peel, Judy Dyble, Kim Fowley, Lonnie Donegan, Marvin Rainwater, Miami Show band, Paul Brady, Paul McCartney, Pete Brown, review, Royal Showband, The Kult, Them, Trader Horne, Van Morrison, Vangelis, Viv Stanshall | Leave a comment

Book review: SO HERE IT IS by Dave Hill

Posted on December 18, 2017 by jason

Unbound Books [Published date 16.11.17] Noddy Holder has written a couple of books and drummer Don Powell has published his memoir, now it is the turn of guitarist Dave Hill. Dave Hill was born in a castle in Devon, the … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, classic rock, Dave Hill, Don Powell, Jim Lea, Noddy Holder, review, rock, Slade, Slade II, So Here It Is | Leave a comment

Book review: THE MEANEY OF LIFE – Sean Meaney

Posted on December 6, 2017 by petefeenstra

Cunas Music & Publishing – 329 pages paperback [Publication date: 28.07.2017] ‘The Meaney of Life’ is an autobiographical journey though the life and times of a proud Irishman Sean Meaney. He’s a passionate music fan who rises above what the … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged Albert Collins, Belouis Some, book, Brendan O'Carroll, Brian Downey, Brian May, Brian Robertson, Brush Shiels, Dana Gillespeie, Dickie Rock, Dizzy Lizzy, Eric Bell, Gary Moore, Hunter S. Thompson, Irish World, Jonathan Noyce, Limehouse Lizzy, Man, Phil Lynnott, Philomena Lynnott, Polly Brown, Real Music magazine, review, Rory Gallagher, Roy Harper, Ry Cooder, Scott Gorham, Sean Meaney, The Meaney Of Life, The Mustard Seeds, Walter Trout, ZZ Top | Leave a comment

Book review: PINK FLOYD: SONG BY SONG – Andrew Wild

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Davoski

Fonthill Media [Publication date: 28.07.2017] There is a whole library-worth of books already penned about Pink Floyd, the third-best selling band in the history of popular music. So why, you may wonder, does the world need another? Well, having delved … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged Andrew Wild, book, Dave Gilmour, Pink Floyd, review, Roger Waters, Song By Song | 1 Comment

Book review: Overkill The Untold Story of Motörhead by Joel McIver

Posted on October 9, 2017 by jason

Omnibus Press [Publication date 21.08.17] The original book was published in 2011, however since Lemmy’s death back in December 2015 the book has been re-issued as an enhanced eBook. Basically it adds a newly written chapter covering Motörhead from 2011 to … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, Eddie Clarke, Joel McIver, Lemmy, Mikkey Dee, Motorhead, Omnibus Press, Overkill The Untold Story of Motörhead, Phil Campbell, review, rock 'n' roll | Leave a comment

Book review: Some Fantastic Place by Chris Difford

Posted on September 14, 2017 by jason

W&N [Publication date 31.08.17] Chris Difford is the lyricist to Glen Tilbrook’s music and arranging in Squeeze, a band who have split up twice and now since reforming again in 2007 seem to be enjoying a purple patch both in terms … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, Chris Difford, Glen Tilbrook, memoir, pop, pop rock, review, Some Fantastic Place, Squeeze, W&N | Leave a comment

Book review: Smashing it Up: A Decade of Chaos with the Damned by Kieron Tyler

Posted on September 3, 2017 by jason

Omnibus Press The book focuses on their formation and subsequent first decade, where along with the Clash and the Sex Pistols, were one of the first punk bands. The influence of the band stretches far and wide, be it them … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged alternative, book, Brian James, Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian, Kieron Tyler, Omnibus Press, punk, Rat Scabies, review, rock, Smashing It Up, The Damned | Leave a comment

Book review: Some Weird Sin – On Tour with Iggy Pop by Alvin Gibbs

Posted on August 31, 2017 by jason

Extradition Publishing [Publication date 25.08.17] UK Subs bass player Alvin Gibbs and I share a birthday. I was born on his 16th birthday and as I celebrated my own 16th birthday he was playing the last of 230 nights over … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged Alvin Gibbs, book, Hanoi Rocks, Iggy Pop, punk, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Some Weird Sin - On Tour with Iggy Pop, UK Subs | Leave a comment

Book review: Metal Guru – The Life and Music of Marc Bolan by Paul Roland

Posted on August 21, 2017 by jason

Extraction Publishing [Publication date 04.09.17] Paul Roland has already written four biographies on Marc Bolan and this latest one is published just before the 40th anniversary of Bolan’s death. There is one spooky part about Marc Bolan in that he knew … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, fol, glam, Marc Bolan, Metal Guru - The Life and Music of Marc Bolan, Paul Roland, punk, review, rock, T.Rex, Tony Visconti | Leave a comment

Book review: PETE WAY – Fast Ride Out of Here: Confessions of Rock’s Most Dangerous Man

Posted on July 22, 2017 by Davoski

Constable Books [Publication date 11.05.17] It is about time that someone wrote a book that gives the life and times of UFO an objective and entertaining airing from the inside. For about two-thirds of Pete Way’s autobiography, I was bemoaning … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged autobiography, book, Fast Ride Out of Here, Pete Way, review, UFO, Waysted | Leave a comment

Book review: THOMAS DOLBY – The Speed of Sound

Posted on May 31, 2017 by jason

Icon Books www.iconbooks.co.uk [Published 08.06.17] Thomas Morgan Robertson become Thomas Dolby after his friends named him after the famous Dolby noise reduction device found on many 70′s and 80′s sound systems. Most will know the name for his early 80′s … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, David Bowie, Foreigner, memoir, Michael Jackson, Mick Jones, music, pop, Prefab Sprout, review, technology, The Speed of Sound, Thomas Dolby | Leave a comment

Book review: MARTIN HANNETT – His Equipment And Strawberry Studios by Chris Hewitt

Posted on April 17, 2017 by petefeenstra

Dandelion Records & Books [Publication date 07.04.17] Given the fact that the author Chris Hewitt has already released the exhaustive DVD ‘Martin Hannett – He Wasn’t Just The Fifth Member Of Joy Division’ and the book ‘The Pleasures Of The … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged A Certain Ratio, book, Chris Hewitt, Chris Sieve, Durutti Column, Factory records, Frank Zappa, Happy Mondays, His Equipment And Strawberry Studios, John Cooper Clark, Joy Division, Magazine, Martin Hannett, New Order, OMD, Peter Hook, Phil Spector, producer, Reabid records, review, Rob Gretton, Strawberry studios, The Buzzcocks, The Psychedelic Furs, the Stone Roses, Tony Wilson, U2 | Leave a comment

Book review: Somebody to Love: The Life, Death & Legacy of Freddie Mercury

Posted on February 15, 2017 by jason

Matt Richards & Mark Langthorne Blink Publishing There have been many books published on both Queen and Freddie Mercury, so why another one and what is its hook? Well the two authors here have included the usual Queen story of … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged Blink, book, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Mark Langthorne, Matt Richards, Queen, review, Roger Taylor, Somebody to Love, The Life Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury | Leave a comment

Book review: GEORGE HARRISON – I Me Mine (The Extended Edition)

Posted on February 8, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Genesis Publications [Publication date 21.02.17] It’s probably not a book you would want to take on holiday, fearing that Ryan Air would charge excess baggage. Similarly it may break your coffee table. But ‘I Me Mine – The Extended Edition’ … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged autobiography, book, Derek Taylor, Genesis Publications, George Harrison, guitar, guitarist, I Me Mine, review, The Beatles, The Extended Edition | Leave a comment

Book review: TOM RUSSELL – The Godfather of Rock by Martin Kielty

Posted on January 4, 2017 by david.wilson

Published by Beard Books Tom Russell will be a familiar name to many, he has been a leading figure in the Scottish rock scene for many years and has broadcast on radio across the UK on occasion. It is in … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged beard of doom, book, Download Festival, Glasgow, Glasgow Apollo, Godfather Of Rock, Jimi Hendrix, Martin Kielty, metal, Nazareth, Newcastle, Pallas, Radio Clyde, review, Ritchie Blackmore, rock, Rock Radio, Tom Russell, Tommy Vance | Leave a comment

Book review: AC/DC In Full Flight – by Alan Perry

Posted on October 8, 2016 by GRTR! HQ

Wymer Publishing [Publication date: November 2016] www.wymeruk.co.uk This 128 page, A4-landscape coffee table tome documents the Aussie rockers during the years 1978-82. Photographed by Alan Perry – and with his own comments putting the gigs in context – this becomes … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged 1978-1982, AC/DC, Alan Perry, book, gigs, In Full Flight, memorabilia, photographs, review, rock, Tour, Wymer Publishing | Leave a comment

Book review: Live to Win – A Casual Guide to The Music of KISS Frontman Paul Stanley by Neil Daniels

Posted on September 6, 2015 by jason

www.neildanielsbooks.com KISS frontman Paul Stanley only recently released his autobiography and so you may be thinking that the release of this new “Live to Win” book is untimely. Forget that, whilst “Face the Music” was the man’s life story, this … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged author, book, classic rock, Kiss, Live to Win- A Casual Guide to The Music of KISS Frontman Paul Stanley, Neil Daniels, Paul Stanley, review | Leave a comment

Book review: THE HISTORY OF CANADIAN ROCK ‘N’ ROLL by BOB MERSEREAU

Posted on July 19, 2015 by jason

Backbeat Books [Published 22.05.15] RRP £16.50 A quick word of advice: this book covers rock ‘n’ roll in its broadest terms, heck even Celine Dion gets mentioned and Triumph get a one page mention, so don’t go expecting any Maple … Continue reading →