Comments on: Good music

By: Susanna

Susanna — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 13:37:27 +0000

Great topic. I’ve been discussing a related topic with an online friend — she’s writing a novel about a female musician, I’m writing a memoir about boys and music — why so few books about music’s impact on women? So my world really slants this direction, but there’s all of Nick Hornby except perhaps FEVER PITCH, and music-themed fiction such as GOON SQUAD and TEN THOUSAND SAINTS. it would take rave reviews to get me excited about a band bio, though, given the size of my reading stack.

By: Annie

Annie — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 04:45:52 +0000

As a former actor/singer who did a lot of kids’ theatre, I remember how completely terrifying it could be. Making them laugh was the trick; they’d love anything you did if you made them laugh before you played or sang the gig.

As for music books, both my parents were classical musicians, yet neither one read any music books with the exception of biographies of musicians – KISS or Bowie or The Beatles.. aging celebrity rockers all. I think I’d rather just go hear great music.. with apologies to the genre. How about Oliver Saks on music? It’s fascinating stuff…

By: Shandy Lawson

Shandy Lawson — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 02:13:26 +0000

My very favorite is “Gimme Something Better,” by Jack Boulware… It’s an oral history of Bay-area punk, from the earliest roots to the Green Day explosion. So many amazing characters, and stories about and by everyone from Black Flag, the Kennedys, Op Ivy… all the bands I grew up with.

By: Simone

Simone — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 22:39:54 +0000

Good luck with the gig! Just be enthusiastic. I don’t know how it sold but I love “Songbook” by Nick Hornby, and would like to read more like that: eloquent authors describing their favorite music and what it means to them.

http://www.nickhornbyofficial.com/books/31-songs/

Other than that, I also enjoyed “Please Kill Me”, which you mention didn’t do well.