I've recently decided that I should read more about musicians/rappers in depth, so was wondering if anyone on OKP had any recommendations as to extremely good musician biographies. In particular I was wondering if anyone had read any of the biographies available on Sly Stone, but I'm still looking for recs for other artists/genres. My taste is very okayplayery for whatever that's worth so just throw out whatever you think is good. I know I could just google this - and I will, but still want to get ya'lls input

thanks in advance

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https://93millionmilesabove.blogspot.com/
https://rateyourmusic.com/~Kosa12

I haven't read many, but I did enjoy Divided Soul about Marvin Gaye. And also Miles Davis auto-biography (think it was called Miles).

There is a recently released biography about Curtis Mayfield. Written
by his Son. I want to read that soon, but I just know it's gonna destroy the mythology I've built up in my head about him, from idolising his songs.

Lurk everyday.. Post once a month..

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Must read.
Very well done.
Been meaning to read Ritz's book on Ray Charles as well.

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>Been meaning to read Ritz's book on Ray Charles as well.

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Erykah Badu: The First Lady of Neo Soul by Joel McIver

this is written very well with a lot of quotes from interviews and the writer is just good and summing things up and giving the right amount of attention to various different aspects of Badu's life.


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Nile Rodgers -Le freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny


Nile is very good at writing and his life has a lot of interesting details.


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The One: the life and music of James Brown by RJ Smith

the author just picks various aspects of James' life and knows how to paint a picture that really makes it very intense.


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Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard On You?: A Memoir - George Clinton and Ben Greenman

not as good as it could be but George is great at telling stories. It's just he is going from memory so he is just saying what he wants rather than another author who would be more about certain details that George probably didn't think were important (of course, I think stuff he left out is important).

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Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis and Larry Sloman

Really good Red hot chili Peppers frontman autobiography.

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The Last holiday - by Gil Scott-Heron

Like George Clinton's book, certain details Gil felt weren't important so he doesn't get into them. But, like George Clinton, how Gil does tell what he tells makes for a good book.

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One day it'll all make sense - Common and Adam Bradley

Common does a good job at telling his story. Good window to the neo-soul era.

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Questlove's book "Mo-meta blues: The world according to Questlove" is very good

fantastic read, just finished it, now I think I'm going to read the Marvin Gaye book

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https://93millionmilesabove.blogspot.com/
https://rateyourmusic.com/~Kosa12

death of Marvin Gaye" by Steve Turner

that book really satisfied me as far as info on Marvin is concerned. I liked that book a lot.

Haven't stumbled across it.

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It's just that I was listening to There's A Riot the other day and was thinking about Sly/The Band and realized how little I know about Sly as a person, outside his music, and how that relates to his music

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https://93millionmilesabove.blogspot.com/
https://rateyourmusic.com/~Kosa12

https://www.amazon.com/Record-Sly-Family-Stone/dp/0380793776/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=B7N12YZJP6EJ66NGXZP9

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mistamonotone - taboo
http://mistamonotone.bandcamp.com/album/taboo

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https://digife.com

I've had it for years and still haven't read no more than a few pages, I'm not sure what's making me not pick it back up though.

https://tinyurl.com/y4ba6hog

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"We in here talking about later career Prince records
& your fool ass is cruising around in a time machine
trying to collect props for a couple of sociopathic degenerates" - s.blak

Covers the beginning of his career all the way until Lovesexy (I think).
Very very very good.

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okp never fails with this kind of stuff

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https://93millionmilesabove.blogspot.com/
https://rateyourmusic.com/~Kosa12

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latest mixtape:
https://www.mixcloud.com/mistamonotone/music-to-smack-motherfckers-to/

mistamonotone - taboo
http://mistamonotone.bandcamp.com/album/taboo

@mistamonotone
IG: mistamonotone

dude was strung out at the height of their fame and somehow managed to keep a diary
He OD's twice, was pronounced dead once, turned down copious amounts of groupie snatch to go to his room to shoot up, the stress, paranoia, not caring about platinum records and sold out stadiums, dude was insane
My favorite part were the disses against Whitesnake, Iron Maiden, MTV, and the Japanese tour stories
it's sad and hilarious at the same time, glad he's sober now

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I'm sure that it is completely unreliable and full of lies....but it is absolutely hilarious and beautifully poetic.

can't wait to read it.

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I thought that was a cool bio.

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i know you're a fellow spanish speaking bro but there is a translation of this book called le grand tango: the life and music of astor piazzolla by maria susana azzi

Music hasn't given us as many *classic* memoirs/ABs as you'd think, but here are a few that are great reads and have held up well:

Duke Ellington - Music is My Mistress
Nina Simone - I Put a Spell On You
Dylan - Chronicles
Miles - Miles
Woody Guthrie - Bound for Glory (seminal)

I *just* finished James McBride's "Kill Em and Leave" about James Brown. McBride is one of my favorite writers working today (his novel The Good Lord Bird is brilliant brilliant brilliant), and he really does justice to Brown. He's a jazz player himself and he brings that knowledge to bear: he's invested in the story he's telling, but he keeps the focus on Brown's life and music and influence.

A few other bios I've liked over the last several years:
Sylvie Simmons - I'm Your Man (Leonard Cohen bio - too long, but worth it)
Robin DG Kelly - Thelonious Monk
David Hajdu - Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn

I have the recent Springsteen and Costello autobiographies on the shelf. Both are such compelling writers that I *know* they'll be good (and wordy --- both are long), but haven't cracked them yet. They've received great reviews though. If you're looking for something different, Patti Smith's books (M Street and Just Kids) are beautifully written.

I've read a fair amount on Bowie but haven't found *that* book yet, the one that balances critique with appreciation and analysis while just being a good read, too. Same with the Prince books. Some are better than other, but few are worthwhile as literature. (I'm picky in my music reading...)

Oh, one more suggestion: a while back they published a collection of Ralph Ellison's writings on music under the title Living With Music. It was a revelation to me about what good music writing could really do, and much of it offers interesting impressions of jazz and gospel music circa mid-century. The essays are shorter, too, which makes it easy to dip into here and there.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

GREAT book.

Someone on here years ago compared him to the Forrest Gump of music, he always happened to be present at important moments in music.

See ya, JAK
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def going to bookmark this post!

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https://93millionmilesabove.blogspot.com/
https://rateyourmusic.com/~Kosa12

“So back we go to these questions — friendship, character… ethics.”

maurice white book

Steely dan book

Rick James self title book and also with david ritz

Bobby Womack the worlds greatest soul singer is crazy wild

the death of Rhythm and Blues Nelson George

BB King David Ritz

Luther vandross Book

mistermaxxx R.Kelly, Michael Jackson,Stevie wonder,Rick James,Marvin Gaye,El Debarge, Barry WHite Lionel RIchie,Isleys EWF,Lady T.,Kid creole and coconuts,the crusaders,kc sunshine band,bee gees,jW,sd,NE,JB

Miami Heat, New York Yankees,buffalo bills

although I think about 90% of it is bullshit.

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what do you mean bullshit? do you think the stories are made up? i read it a long time ago so i don't really remember but it was a lot of crazy stories in it.

>what do you mean bullshit? do you think the stories are made
>up? i read it a long time ago so i don't really remember but
>it was a lot of crazy stories in it.


but like the story of him smashing, like 20 women in a whorehouse in one night? That's gotta be embellished, right?

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haha! i don't know man. those was some crazy times it seems. have you seen the documentary where, if i remember correctly, he shoots with a gun inside an apartment and is going all crazy in there?

One of my favorite vintage documentaries. As for Underdog, I too think it is better read as personal fiction than anything else. Ace book though!

>haha! i don't know man. those was some crazy times it seems.
>have you seen the documentary where, if i remember correctly,
>he shoots with a gun inside an apartment and is going all
>crazy in there?

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http://ugly-things.com/swim-through-the-darkness-my-search-for-craig-smith-the-mystery-of-maitreya-kali/

Yes, TOTALLY irrelevant artist but I\m looking forward to reading this shit anyway!!! Looks interesting...
EDIT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Vincent_Smith

EDIT2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D5EgTkQF3s

...in addition to perry's interesting life the book gives a pretty good history of Jamaican music

My copy is missing which is a shame/what I particularily dug about this book was that he reviewed&described virtually every reknown and relevant Perry/tune in the 70\s. Dorky as hell but also the type of stuff that made you go hunting, I like the nerdstuff more than stories honestly because it relates directly to music whereas stories might give you additional appreciation of the music and stuff but it is still more of a bonus. I consider myself not so much interested or a fan of the artists as I am a fan of the music they make...

thanks.

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I co-sign the Miles book by Troupe, good read

Great read including a quick history on Miami.

http://amzn.to/2hoz5MH

See ya, JAK
http://www.staugustinepics.com/

Winner of OKP Second Photo Kontest
Pic #6 http://www.tha-renaissance.com/effstop/kontest2