I just finished reading Miles Davis' autobiography, and as Miles would say, "it was something else, man". He really had an interesting life. I don't know if I agree with all he says. Of course I was born and grew up in a totally different time and place but still, he seemed to be really tough on white people generally. I don't really know what to think of it. But I can totally understand his point of view, I guess - from what I know, it was (and is propably) really tough to make it as a black musician. And I didn't know how he died, I thought he had pneumonia, but now I read that he had a fight with a doctor at the hospital, had a stroke and fell into a coma, and his family decided to cut off the machines. All through the book he talks about his temper and then he dies like that.

I also read the book "Funk: The Music, the People, and the Rhythm of the One", by Rickey Vincent. That was really interesting, too. Especially how hard he was on disco (basically described as a 'whitened' form of funk), and described hip hop/rap as being the saviour of funk. We now know I guess that it basically killed funk and R'n'B because no one would learn instruments anymore. But still, even back then in the mid-90s you could see that rap was all about sampling and programming. And while the author put so much emphasis on how the bands really PLAYED back then as a group and everything, I wonder why he didn't critize rap more.

Anyway, I'm propably rampling. Can you say anything about these books? Or maybe recommend some other books?
[Edited 3/28/07 19:20pm]

And actually I wanted to ask about other books and autobiographies.

um...

I like Chaka Khan's book
Through The Fire

though it left out alot of
that juice I was expecting
from her wildchild days

Good thread.

Michael Jackson: The Magic & The Madness by J. Randy Taraborrelli (Best book EVER.)


Also the books Michael wrote "Moonwalk" and "Dancing the Dream" are really interesting reads. However, the first book I mentioned is the best out of all 3 IMO.

I love the 33 & 1/3 series, even though I shouldn't anymore.

One of my very favorite music titles:



Turn The Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco, Peter Shapiro

BOLD book. Lots of great history, tidbits, inside info...

Few pop-music genres have so dominated the charts and airwaves as disco at its height; fewer still have subsequently been so reviled. Shapiro considers disco as much more than glitzy dance music with fashion ramifications. Emerging at a time when gay sexuality and rights were exploding and African Americans were entering the "post Civil Rights" era, disco combined elements of the subcultures of both. Shapiro describes how disco grew from roots stretching from World War II, became a worldwide phenomenon, and ended in a homophobic, racist backlash. High points in passing include Shapiro's incisive disquisition on how Saturday Night Fever had "more popular culture impact than any movie since Gone with the Wind." Shapiro cites record producer Nile Rodgers: "Those songs are powerful . . . just as relevant and as valid . . . as when the Sex Pistols . . . Pink Floyd [or] the Beatles are delivering a message." Let the pop-culture wars begin anew, with Shapiro's deeper, more balanced take on disco vitally informing the discussion. Mike Tribby, Booklist.

GangstaFam said:

How come?

And please give it up for my half-decent sentences because I was wasted last night when I wrote it.
Took me some time, though.

JasonStar said:

Charles Mingus: Beneath The Underdog

I thought "Michael Jackson: The Magic & The Madness" by J. Randy Taraborrelli was good but a little too easy going on michael, in regards to plastic surgery/court cases.

Books I like:

DMSR by Per Nillson
Prince: A pop life by Dave Hill
The Dark Stuff - Nick Kent
Divided Soul (Marvin Gaye) - David Ritz
Rip It Up And Start Again: A History of Post Punk - Simon Reynolds
Revolution in the Head (The Beatles) - Ian McDonald
Stand and Deliver - Adam Ant
Hip Priest: The Story of Mark E.Smith and the Fall by Simon Ford
It Crawled from the South: An REM Companion: by Marcus Gray

This was a great read.