can anyone recommend a musical biography?

[SenoraPostrophe]

bro's birthday coming up - he is v keen musician and reader. was toying with the idea of buying 45 by Bill Drummond, but suspect he's too young (he's 25 I think. but he does really like the beatles and the smiths). considered buying a libertines book, but refuse to buy one with a title like "how the libertines changed the face of music".

so has anyone read any good ones? I have read nothing lately.

\link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/057121570X/ref=br_lf_b_0/026-3945080-0277214\Not a biography as such but looks good - keep meaning to buy it myself}

Or the John Peel one?

Or, the best music biog ever (imho) Head On/Repossessed by Julian Cope? Hilarious, brilliantly written, well worth a read even if he's not a fan - it's marvellous.

\link{http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0306810018/104-1386580-0646307?v=glance&n=283155\A Cure for Gravity by Joe Jackson} is superb. It's as much about music and getting to grips with it as it is about Joe Jackson, and he is a very intelligent, articulate writer.

really - I looked at the jc biography too, but thought that a) bro is too young and b) cope is too weird. you think he might like it?

WWB, you must have read Head On, surely?

There's also \link{http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0722538820/104-1386580-0646307?v=glance&n=283155\Head On/Repossessed by Julian Cope; I loved them but it depends on what sort of stuff he's into - and Julian Cope is maybe not everyone's cup of tea.

Honestly, SP, the Cope one is excellent. I read it when I was your bro's age and not a huge JC fan (then), and loved it.

Missed that, snafu

If not, there's always The Severed Alliance, which is the classic Smiths biog.

The new Anthony Kiedis/Chili Peppers one has had good reviews, too.

oh I don't know now...

I'm assuming he's read the severed alliance.

the joe jackson one looks really good. might buy that for him and the cope one for me and then i'll give it to him if I think he';ll like it.

maybe not everyone's cup of tea. you're right there!

...and shamed beyond socrates... to penetrate the diamond, the pituitry gland gets torn on its axis and frees(?).

The John Peel one, definitely, if he's not read it already.
I once read a fantastic book about a jazz musician called Art Pepper. I hadn't got a clue who he was but I read it because Bono name-checked it in an interview when I was an impressionable 15, but it was a harrowing account of his (Art's, not Bono's obviously) heroin addiction and life in jazz. Sounds bizarre but that book's always stayed with me for some reason.
Or the Bono Conversations book, if that's his bag?

Straight Life, it's called, by Art and Laurie Pepper. Amazon have it \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1841950645/qid=1148852972/sr=8-3/ref=pd_ka_3/202-2601890-4011819\here}. I might just buy it as my copy eventually had to go back to the library, having been in my possession for approximately 6 years past it's due date. Thank god for book amnesties is all I can say.

The bob dylan one.... the name eludes me at the moment but v good!

Love is the Drug by John Aizlewood is a great book as its lots of short stories about which groups they loved written by music journalists/musos, its a really good read.

Head on/Repossessed is brill read loads, and Long Time Gone by David Crosby is excellent.

There really are so many music biogs, my other half has tons of them.

John Peel one - it's really good

thanks all. now I have another question - what's with these 1p books on amazon marketplace? is it legit?