Summer Reading

[rory]

Afternoon All,  

 

I'm after some recommendations for a decent bass related read while I'm sat by the pool (having been dragged away reluctantly by my wife to the med for a week). Previous years have seen me enjoying Geezer Butler and Geddy Lee's autobiographies. The Bastard Instrument was also great.

 

Basically (all puns intended) anything bass/rock related to keep me sane while I'm not able to plug my bass in and play along to what ever I'm listening to. 

 

Any suggestions please folks??

[christhammer666]

rex brown and Lemmys autos where both quite good

[fretmeister]

Guy Pratt's "My Bass and Other Animals" is very amusing.

 

EDIT: If you prefer audiobooks, then he reads that one himself and does a great job. Quite nice to hear it in his voice when a particular anecdote brings back happy memories.

Edited Tuesday at 14:50 by fretmeister

[bassbiscuits]

I’ve got Elton John’s biog somewhere. Need to dig that out before my hols.
 

Can recommend Duff McKagan’s biog, Flea’s excellent “Acid for the Children” and Johnny Marr’s “Set the boy free.”

 

[Cliff Edge]

4 hours ago, rory said:

Afternoon All,  

 

I'm after some recommendations for a decent bass related read while I'm sat by the pool (having been dragged away reluctantly by my wife to the med for a week). Previous years have seen me enjoying Geezer Butler and Geddy Lee's autobiographies. The Bastard Instrument was also great.

 

Basically (all puns intended) anything bass/rock related to keep me sane while I'm not able to plug my bass in and play along to what ever I'm listening to. 

 

Any suggestions please folks??

Not bass related, but Keefs “Life” is excellent. 

[Lozz196]

Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go’s) - All I Ever Wanted

 

Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) - Triggers 

 

Sami Yaffa (Hanoi Rocks) - The Road Bends

[miles'tone]

The Music Lesson - Victor Wooten. 

A bit like The Way Of The Peaceful Warrior but about music/bass. I really enjoyed it when I read it on my hols.

[pete.young]

Nile Rogers autobiography Le Freak is a good read.

 

I've just finished reading Just Backdated by Chris Charlesworth, an account of his years working for Melody Maker in the early '70s. An excellent account if like me you were at an impressionable age at the time. I think I got it from @Mickeyboro

[tauzero]

Complementary to Guy Pratt's book is Nick Mason's book Inside Out, if you happen to like Pink Floyd.

[police squad]

believe it or not

The Francis Rossi/Rick Parfitt one is good

Bananarama also interesting

and I've read Andrew Ridgley's one

again all very interesting

not really bass related but still good reads

[JottoSW1]

Playing the bass with 3 left hands - Will Carruthers

[Burns-bass]

12 minutes ago, JottoSW1 said:

Playing the bass with 3 left hands - Will Carruthers

This is a great book and a thoroughly excellent recommendation. 

[jonno1981]

This is a good read. Wine journalist moves to Cuba to learn the double bass. It’s as much a study of the music and culture as it is the bass. 
 

https://amzn.eu/d/0dP0zXY

[AlexDelores]

Geddy Lee - My ‘Effin Life is a good read 👍

[dudewheresmybass]

the cliff burton biog is an interesting read, as is the aforementioned Lemmy, Geddy, flea, duff, and Nile

Tony Visconti's book (bowie and the Brooklyn boy is close to the title lol) is really good

John Taylor's and Alex James' first book as well as Ronnie James Dio's are all worth reading IMO

also I was a teenage sex pistol by Glen Matlock was interesting especially after reading lonely boy by Steve Jones

Gene Simmons kiss and make up is well, Gene but I found it interesting

that might give you some ideas lol

[fretmeister]

18 hours ago, miles'tone said:

The Music Lesson - Victor Wooten. 

A bit like The Way Of The Peaceful Warrior but about music/bass. I really enjoyed it when I read it on my hols.

 

That was quite unusual. I stopped and started again with a different mindset as my first attempt just made me think Vic is a bit of an old hippy!

 

 

[dudewheresmybass]

13 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

 

That was quite unusual. I stopped and started again with a different mindset as my first attempt just made me think Vic is a bit of an old hippy!

 

 

this is a great book - well written and thought provoking 

[JottoSW1]

On 06/08/2025 at 08:44, Burns-bass said:

This is a great book and a thoroughly excellent recommendation. 

Some uncomfortably reminiscent descriptions tho I'm not a great one for hallucinogens.

[Piers_Williamson]

Better written than most of the Bass Books I've read (with the exception of Guy Pratt'a aforementioned tome): Bunnyman by Will Sergeant (the guitarist of Echo and the Bunnymen).  If you are of a certain age and liked 80s Liverpool Bands it is a really good read.  I am taking the sequel: Echoes on my hollibobs.