The best books about rock musicians
World history rock music culture has many legendary performers who have made a huge contribution to the development of this musical genre. However, all the most interesting moments not only about the creative activity of the musicians, but even more so the details about their personal lives often remain somewhere behind the scenes, inaccessible to the gaze of curious fans. Top 10 most interesting and exciting biographical and autobiographical books about legendary rock artists will help fans lift the veil of this attractive mystery, penetrate the world of rock art even deeper, open new horizons and expand their knowledge of rock culture:
1. "The Beatles: The only authorized biography in the world"
There is only one biography of the great Beatles in the world that successfully describes the phenomenon of the most popular rock band of all time.
"Look" into the inner world of the "Beatles" and try to understand their philosophy has now become available to all concerned thanks to the writer and journalist Hunter Daviswho had a chance to spend a whole year hand in hand with the musicians. The end of the 60s was at the peak of the creative path of The Beatles. Watching John, Paul, George and Ringo at the height of their fame, as well as closely interacting with their circle of close friends, relatives and stage colleagues, the official biographer of the group managed to fill his book with truly amazing and unique material.
2. “I am Ozzy. All I can remember"
Ozzy Osbourne himself calls his autobiographical offspring a real "devilry". In it, "Great" and "Terrible" writes not only about the musical component of life, but looks inside himself, remembering the "dark" childhood and adolescence.
A particularly difficult and tremulous stage in the work on the book for the rocker was the chapter on youth. About a difficult teenager who is in an eternal search for either work or his own self, getting into criminal stories, but always remaining true to his cherished desire to break onto the big stage. Ozzy presents his thorny path to fame to the reader with humor, of course, black and skillfully dilutes dramatic moments with rich comedy.
His book is incredibly exciting and energetic: a lively narrative can replace a detailed description of events, causing a slight sadness after uncontrollable laughter. The autobiographical book "I am Ozzy" is a story of true friendship with rock music, described competently and in many ways instructive.
3. "Marilyn Manson: The Long, Hard Way Out of Hell"
Marilyn Manson is one of the most controversial and outrageous figures on the world rock and metal scene. You can understand the gothic shock-rock idol by plunging headlong into his crazy world full of madness and trash. Which is described in detail and penetratingly in the autobiographical book of the great musician.
Already in adolescence, young Brian had to endure much more than a typical American boy could imagine. Manson filled the pages of his memoirs with a surprisingly candid account of how a small and frightened Christian schoolboy grew into one of the world's most revered super-rock stars. All heartfelt and shocking stories in the book are illustrated with exclusive photographs from the personal archive of Marilyn Manson.
4. “Freddie Mercury. Life in his words
Biographical Freddie Mercury book is a collection of interviews of the musician, collected over two decades of his career in the band Queen.
Everything Freddie talks about is the creative path, the process of creating music and songs, working on solo projects, shooting videos, the influence of fame, as well as relationships with friends and family: he always presents all this to madness frankly and sincerely, but always with a share good irony. The book about the life of Freddie Mercury also includes numerous interesting and rare photographs, the first pages of the publication are opened by a touching preface written by the musician's mother - Jer Bulsara.
5. “David Bowie. Biography in comics»
David Bowie is rightfully considered one of the most iconic figures in the world of rock music. He created not just legendary things, but skillfully presented himself to the public, mystifying, enveloping his image in mystery, thereby arousing even more passionate interest in his person in fans.
The unexpected death of Bowie really shocked the fans, who could not "decipher" the secret of his work. Many authors have spent a huge amount of time and effort in trying to explore the life and musical activities of a rock artist. The result of this painstaking work was a novel-biography "in comics" about David Bowie - a book that can shed light on little-known facts from the musician's life, help get into his head and understand how he did it and what true meaning he laid in his songs.
The narration itself in the biographical novel seems to be led by Bowie himself, but in the form of some alien creature that arrived on Earth with a bright flash of light, which later left the planet. An important component in the book is given, of course, to illustrations that excite the imagination and, thereby, enliven the text.
6. The Rolling Stones. View from the inside»
What TOP books about rock musicians can be complete without the legendary band The Rolling Stones?
Biographical edition of the lives of the greats Rolling Stones as if it was written in order to be the perfect gift for the most devoted fans of the rock band. After all, everything that the musicians created has become a valuable contribution to the history of rock music, and their songs have become real “classics”. Rolling Stones book provides a unique chance to get behind the scenes of the life and career of the band members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watson and Ronnie Wood, as well as to see Dominique Lamblin, who was lucky enough to spend decades with the legendary musicians, as if in reality.
The pages of this biography will take the reader to Olympia, where real rock madness was going on, and to the famous decadence-style tour of the crazy 70s. Fans will finally be able to see with their own eyes all the photos that have never been published in magazines before. Get acquainted with the stories from the personal life of the Rollings, hitherto not yet told publicly, visit the hotel rooms where the musicians stayed during their tours and look into the pubs where they had fun and just hung out in their free time. The narrative of the book is presented in an easy manner, creating for the reader an atmosphere of relaxed and friendly conversation - as if old comrades gossip about adventurous adventures and antics at concerts. The Rolling Stones biography was recognized as the most anticipated book of the year, the release of which was coveted by hundreds and thousands of fans around the world.
7. Depeche Mode: Naked to the Bone
Depeche Mode biography book tells about the formation and development of cult British pop rockers as one of the most influential musicians in the world.
Their contribution to rock and pop culture is detailed in this biographical edition, with an accurate account of all the chronological moments and details of the creative path of the dispatches to the status of superstars: from top chart summaries to listing of won awards. Throughout the story, the reader will come across a lot of interesting and spicy quotes from the band members from various interviews. Such a scrupulous approach to understanding the work of Depeche Mode will definitely expand and replenish the treasury of knowledge about the legendary DM.
8. “Nautilus Pompilius. We entered this water once."
One of the most famous domestic rock bands was not in vain named after a beautiful sea creature with an incredibly beautiful shell. The dizzying popularity fell on the heads of still very young nautilos and has not subsided to this day.
The first part of the biography of the legendary band was compiled by music journalist Dmitry Karasyuk, which tells about the history of the rocker club in Sverdlovsk. The second half of the book reveals aspects of the personal life of the author of the lyrics of "Nautilus Pompilius". It includes memoirs and notes of the outstanding poet, thinker and public figure Ilya Kormiltsev, diligently recorded by screenwriter Leonid Porokhnya. To some readers, the text of the biographical edition may seem somewhat “dry”, where details about the life of the musicians themselves deserve more attention.
However, the main ideaWe entered this water once"- to tell the fans about the period of the group's work, when the Nautilus was at the peak of its glory. It was in the 80s that the ensemble's work entered the history of Russian musical rock culture as the brightest and most talented phenomenon.
9. AC/DC: The Young Brothers
The Voice of Jesse Fink biographical book about AC/DC rock legend the history of the formation of the group is told with the disclosure of some personal and creative secrets of the members of the team.
The reader here is given a curious opportunity to look at the events in the life of rock stars, both well-known and behind the scenes, from different angles. It is also interesting that the author of the book, a devoted fan of AC / DC, does not hesitate to talk about the Youngs in a rather unsightly way, presenting all reality on the pages of the biography exactly as it was, without any embellishment. Fink pays special attention to one song, which once helped him cope with a depressive state and literally return to a full life.
10. "Led Zeppelin: The story behind every song"
Credits to Led Zeppelin owns a huge number of songs and musical works that have become not just "classics" in the heyday of blues-rock, but truly cult, sacred for fans around the world.
In "stories behind every song” describes in detail the entire creative path of rock musicians: about sources of inspiration and heroic muses, the secrets of studio recordings, personal stories behind which writing legendary songs stands.
I hope you found our top books about rock music and musicians interesting and useful. Read more articles in our section magazine.
