Eno - A Year With Swollen Appendages. Lots of theorising about music, about why some records work and some don't, and some interesting art theory too. More interesting than most records he's been involved in, for me.

Art Pepper - Straight Life. The original hell-raiser. Stories of drugs, musical invention & depravity that pre-date Guns'n'Roses by thirty years, and are five times as wildly excessive. One of the great autobiographies, let alone music autobiographies.

Stoned/2 Stoned by Andrew Loog Oldham. Inside view of a funny chancer.

Luke Haines. Very, very funny.

Reminiscences of a session bassist (Pink Floyd and Bryan Ferry, amongst others). Just started reading it yesterday, seems nicely entertaining.

Also, slightly off-topic as it's an autobiography, but Mark Oliver "E from Eels" Everett's "Things The Grandchildren Should Know" is a fantastic read.

..and the daddy of 'em all Ian Hunter's "Diary Of a Rock And Roll Star"
We HAVE done this before, you know.
(Sorry)

Thought as much. Did try a search first....

The Dirt, the Motley Crue book. It's brilliant, it's foul.

...but I like Jools Holland's Barefaced Lies and Boogie-Woogie Boasts: a generously honest account of his life and career interspersed with amusing tales like the day George Harrison tried to turn Bob Dylan onto George Formby.

...is a great read. Probably best if you're interested in Eels of course.

White Bicycles - excellent choice. I saw Joe Boyd do a talk at the Green Man Festival 2006, met him and got a copy signed! Bonus.

made an impression when I read it as teenager. Ill advised shades/beret combo ensued. Not a good look on a 16 year old.

Haven't really read it since - but 20 odd years on - I still remember as it as pretty definitive on the "jazz life" - i.e sex - and lots of it.

He doesn't really talk about the music much - but then he sounded kind of busy.

Head On and Repossessed. If you want to know what it was/is really like being in a band that has some success - it's all here: the drugs, the hanging around doing nothing much for months on end, being divorced from reality, childish self indulgence, trying to work and be creative when no one's interested, or they want you to do something completely different from what you are best at, falling out with everyone. The good, the bad, the ugly and the humiliating. Doesn't hold back.

Diary Of A Rock N Roll Star.

Just read it.

There's been lots of posts about young Mr. Z's recent London concerts and a few people seem disappointed. This book, however, is a tour de force and it almost seems like a lifetime in music was secondary to providing the background to this wonderful book. It's factual, imaginative, literate, funny, earthy, oblique, open: it's a joy to read. I'd opine that it's THE best book ever written by a 'rock star.'

2nd best book ever written by a 'rock star.'

just coming to the end of this and think i know less about the subject than when i went in. some good bits, but i think you'd be as well to flick through it in the shop than shell out for it.

Giles Smith, nuff said

I'd still argue Bruford's book is the best autobiog by a musician I've read - and trust me, you really don't need to be/have been especially interested in any of the bands he's been in nor even to own any of his records to enjoy and appreciate it (actually, after reading it you will feel completely at ease and justified in NOT having to go out and purchase 90% of the stuff he's played on!).

But another goodie - though perhaps less easy to find these days - is the late prog/jazz sax man Dick H-S's two-part memoir, the first part of which is called 'The Safest Place On Earth' (ie the stage), the second part of which - published a few years later - I can't bring to mind at the moment. Both were (re)published in one volume, with free CD, a few years back.

Again, you don't necessarily need much familiarity/devotion to the author's music to appreciate the book - a picture of life in the world of second division 60s/70s British blues and jazz and on into the prog era, and then scaping a living while trying to be true to your muse in the 80s/90s. He's a tad world weary but wry, likeable and honest - not an ego-tripper or chip on shoulder merchant - and a decent anecdotalist. Unlike Mingus's book (apparently he's an untrustworthy/exaggerative chronicler) and, from what's been suggested above, Jools' polished memoir, Dick's story-telling has a definite ring of truth about it. Recommended, if you can find a copy...

Keith Emerson's Pictures of an Exhibitionist. It had it all, sex, drugs, massive amps, pianos that turned upside down, an uninsured barn full of all yer classic gear going up in flames, but was the most dull rock read I've had so far.

and Trilogy is still in my Top 10 All Time Greats

..favourite quote, in ELP's documentary.
"In the end, I think we were just too good"

she's not exactly a musician but I think it's fair to say that she knows musicians pretty intimately. "I'm with the Band" is an easy, entertaining read with incidental insights into the rock life and its luminaries.

"I wish I'd stayed in bed" and "Man - the story of a rock n roll band" are compelling and utterly hilarious. And equally hard to find, it's fair to say.

loads of them, best was Al Kooper's Backstage passes. Worst Ronnie Woods rubbish. Joe Boyd's is excellent as are the XTC & Squeeze ones.
The two volume Stoned by Andrew Loog Oldham is a good read about the sex, drugs & dirty buisiness. Read Diary Of A Rock n Roll star 30 years ago & loved it so might give that another try.

Very disappointing book, total missed opportunity.

Interesting stories are glossed over or skipped through. The audiobook is equally frustrating.

There are, though, some great lines in it, a particular favourite being his account of some activity or other in the household, and his reference to his stepdad: And all the while, Les just sat there snoring like a bastard.

And, particular favourite is the Ants taking to the stage at the Royal Command Performance or something. I am, of course, quoting from memory but it really does skip through along these lines...

We stepped out onto the stage but Kevin Mooney messed about and after the show I decided to sack the entire band. Then I met Princess Margaret, she was a bit of a looker and a couple of months later I had a number one single and then my album came out and I went on tour blah blah blah blah...

etc etc etc

..but Nick Kent's '70s memoirs are out in March next year. I'm just wading into a proof copy I got hold through work - fascinating stuff so far. Should do well round here.