The Burpster Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Well folks, my annual trip to sunny places for 2 weeks for sun and a major chill with the 'ole lady looms....... Things not allowed are bass and guns (obvious reasons) for me, and anything Hockey related for Sal, so we have to spend time with each other.... Actually it really does you good, no work pressure or time constriants because of time consuming pastimes. It does give us time to read, which is something that will extremely pleasent where we are going..... so ....... [b]What bass or muso related books can you recommend? [/b] No theory please, have plenty of them! Done lots of repair theory and practice! Do enjoy music history (but not heavy theory based stuff!) Do enjoy lighthearted suff too! Still got 4 weeks before we go so have time to get stuff from the US if you know of a 'must have!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodster Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 [quote name='The Burpster' post='85273' date='Nov 8 2007, 09:46 AM']Well folks, my annual trip to sunny places for 2 weeks for sun and a major chill with the 'ole lady looms....... Things not allowed are bass and guns (obvious reasons) for me, and anything Hockey related for Sal, so we have to spend time with each other.... Actually it really does you good, no work pressure or time constriants because of time consuming pastimes. It does give us time to read, which is something that will extremely pleasent where we are going..... so ....... [b]What bass or muso related books can you recommend? [/b] No theory please, have plenty of them! Done lots of repair theory and practice! Do enjoy music history (but not heavy theory based stuff!) Do enjoy lighthearted suff too! Still got 4 weeks before we go so have time to get stuff from the US if you know of a 'must have!"[/quote] Ska'd For Life by The Special's bassist, Horace Panter, was a great read.. Documenting his time with the band for their first gigs through to the acrimonious final split. Full of nostalgia from the late 70's and early 80's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_the_bass Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 I read a book by some bloke whose name escapes me, but he writes or wrote for the music mags - colin irwin i think his name was. Called "In Search Of The Craic" - it's supposed to be a pub crawl through irish music with a bit of music history chucked in, but it doesn't go back very far. It was alright I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Rhinos Winos & lunatics by Deke Leonard. But as I'm his pal, I would say that! Amazon review below... During the 1970's Deke Leonard was guitarist and vocalists with classic Welsh space-rockers Man. For those of you who ain't never heard no Man, it's a bit like Grateful Dead without the boring bits. They are still around now. You can stumble upon them in small workingmen's clubs in Wales or 5,000 seater halls in Germany. It is like encountering someone engaged in a craft that was thought lost to humanity. Imagine of Kurt Vonnegut Junior had written a "Diary Of A Rock'n'Roll Star" type book and you will come somewhere close to imagining the way Deke Leonard writes. Tales of bizarre rock'n'roll excess-not the usual room smashing,far from it. Bassplayer Martin Ace's antics have a gentle Zen surrealist aspect. Leonard ably brings these events to life with his excellent and funny descriptive writing. He fleshes out the trials and tribulations of a 70s rock band by philosophising on the human condition,insulting or complimenting well-known personalities of the day, and lecturing at us on politics and history like the old-fashioned Welsh valleys lefty he most probably is. The part where Man encounter legendary Welsh comedian Tommy Cooper is quite simply one of the most moving and funny things I have ever read. Thoroughly recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 [quote name='The Burpster' post='85273' date='Nov 8 2007, 09:46 AM']Well folks, my annual trip to sunny places for 2 weeks for sun and a major chill with the 'ole lady looms....... Things not allowed are bass and guns (obvious reasons) for me, and anything Hockey related for Sal, so we have to spend time with each other.... Actually it really does you good, no work pressure or time constriants because of time consuming pastimes. It does give us time to read, which is something that will extremely pleasent where we are going..... so ....... [b]What bass or muso related books can you recommend? [/b] No theory please, have plenty of them! Done lots of repair theory and practice! Do enjoy music history (but not heavy theory based stuff!) Do enjoy lighthearted suff too! Still got 4 weeks before we go so have time to get stuff from the US if you know of a 'must have!"[/quote] Iain Banks' Espedair Street is good 'beach fiction', about a seventies superstar band that I suspect might have been inspired by the Who. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywalker Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 I'm just about to start Clapton's autobiography - it's a big book. Should keep you out of mischief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_the_bass Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 [quote name='bremen' post='85289' date='Nov 8 2007, 10:03 AM']Iain Banks' Espedair Street is good 'beach fiction', about a seventies superstar band that I suspect might have been inspired by the Who.[/quote] oh yeah, I've read that - it was quite good. The book I like very much and is possibly contender for my favourite book ever, was Swing Hammer Swing by Jeff Torrington. That's a good read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aido43 Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 That Deke Leonard book is great--he also has another one called"I Should have Stayed in Bed"--equally funny. I believe he has a radio show in Wales---one of my favourite bands. The Guy Pratt book is also worth a read--great story about Michael Jackson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo63 Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 [quote name='skywalker' post='85299' date='Nov 8 2007, 10:12 AM']I'm just about to start Clapton's autobiography - it's a big book. Should keep you out of mischief.[/quote] I've read Claptons book and it's a very good read - he pulls no punches - enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16Again Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 The Guy Pratt book is good. Lemmys autobiography is a good read as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 [quote name='john_the_bass' post='85305' date='Nov 8 2007, 10:25 AM']oh yeah, I've read that - it was quite good. The book I like very much and is possibly contender for my favourite book ever, was Swing Hammer Swing by Jeff Torrington. That's a good read.[/quote] Haha, yes! I fell off my chair laughing at bits of that. Snackpipe! If you like that you'll like Bruce Robinson's (as in Withail and I) The Unusual Memories of Thomas Penman. And Paranoia in the Laundrette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted November 8, 2007 Author Share Posted November 8, 2007 Great suggestions so far..... Keep 'em coming..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 [quote name='The Burpster' post='85640' date='Nov 8 2007, 08:05 PM']Great suggestions so far..... Keep 'em coming.....[/quote] I've pretty much stopped looking into muso biographies now... you lose respect for them very quickly and the magic of the music dies! I cannot listen to Paul Simon track anymore without thinking 'what an ar*ehole'. Bruce Thomas? What a sad fella lost in his own universe. Art Pepper? Sicko or what....etc etc etc Best muso bio I've ever read is "To be or not to Bop" - Dizzy G. He tried to run for president in the 60s --- Phyllis Diller was to be vice president, Miles Davis - head of CIA. Secretary for Agriculture? Louis Armstrong ! ..."cos he KNOWS about dem cotton fields.." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass_In_Yer_Face Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 I am reading 'Stand & Deliver', the Adam Ant autobiography. It goes into great detail about the London punk scene of the seventies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnt Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Tony Levin's [i]Beyond The Bass Clef[/i] is excellent - funny and wise, the only theory-type stuff is a speech he gave on note placement against the beat. My copy is currently on loan to another BassChatter - no, I haven't forgotten! - so once he's finished it, it can do the rounds by post. Send me a PM, if you fancy a read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Motley Crue - The Dirt Nikki Sixx - The Heroin Diaries Dvid Lee Roth - Crazy From The Heat Ian Christie - Everybody Wants Some (the Van Halen Saga) Chris Salewicz - Redemption Song (Joe Strummer bio) Giles Smith - Lost In Music Caroline Sullivan - Bye Bye Baby Seb Hunter - Hell Bent For Leather Chuck Klosterman - Fargo Rock City Stuart Maconie - Cider With Roadies There's a fantastic bio of Aerosmith called 'Walk This Way' Ian Hunter - Diary Of A Rock'n'Roll Star Not at all musically related. Michael J Fox - Lucky Man - this is an amazing read Pete Brown - Three Sheets To the Wind - one man's quest for the perfect pint Jasper Fforde - The Eyre Affair Jenna Jameson/Neil Strauss - How To Make Love Like A Porn Star Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted November 9, 2007 Author Share Posted November 9, 2007 [quote name='NancyJohnson' post='86183' date='Nov 9 2007, 07:48 PM']Jenna Jameson/Neil Strauss - How To Make Love Like A Porn Star[/quote] P, Jeeeeaaaysus, is that for real? does it have pics? Some breat suggestions bud, "Walk this way" is on the short list, as is "beyond the bass clef" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 [quote name='The Burpster' post='86196' date='Nov 9 2007, 07:55 PM']P, Jeeeeaaaysus, is that for real? does it have pics? Some breat suggestions bud, "Walk this way" is on the short list, as is "beyond the bass clef" [/quote] A couple of years back I bought a few books at Gatwick just before flying out to Skiathos for a week - the JJ book was one of them. It was so quiet I was literally bored shitless. I read a book a day and the JJ one twice. Yes, there's pictures. That said, The Dirt is the best music bio I've ever read. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakfast Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Hammer Of The Gods by Steven Davis converted me from someone who didn't like Led Zeppelin particularly to someone who really does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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