My Life in Dire Straits
The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
John Illsley
-
By:
-
John Illsley
About this listen
The first, and only, inside story of one of the greatest bands in rock history - Dire Straits - as told by founding member and bassist John Illsley
One of the most successful music acts of all time, Dire Straits filled stadiums around the world. Their albums sold hundreds of millions of copies and their music - classics like “Sultans of Swing”, “Romeo and Juliet", “Money for Nothing”, and “Brothers in Arms” - is still played on every continent today. There was, quite simply, no bigger band on the planet throughout the '80s.
In this powerful and entertaining memoir, founding member John Illsley gives the inside track on the most successful rock band of their time. From playing gigs in the spit-and-sawdust pubs of south London to hanging out with Bob Dylan in LA, Illsley tells the story of the band with searching honesty, soulful reflection, and wry humor. Starting with his own unlikely beginnings in Middle England, he recounts the band’s rise from humble origins to the best-known venues in the world, the working man’s clubs to Madison Square Garden, sharing gigs with wild punk bands to rocking the Live Aid stage at Wembley. And woven throughout is an intimate portrait and tribute to his great friend Mark Knopfler, the band's lead singer, songwriter, and remarkable guitarist.
Tracing an idea that created a phenomenal musical legacy, an extraordinary journey of joy and pain, companionship and surprises, this is John Illsley’s life in Dire Straits.
©2021 John Illsley (P)2021 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
Long Train Runnin'
- Our Story of the Doobie Brothers
- By: Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Chris Epting - contributor
- Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey, Graham Winton, T. Ryder Smith, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Only a very few rock bands that have had the longevity, success, and drama of The Doobie Brothers. Born out of late 1960s NoCal, they stood alongside their contemporaries The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, and many others as an iconic American rock band. The train was rolling along, hits were flowing like wine, and arenas were packed with fans who wanted to see them live...then Tom Johnston, the band’s front man and lead guitarist, almost died.
-
-
Fans of the band will enjoy
- By JIM HOWELL on 01-24-23
By: Pat Simmons, and others
-
Nightfly
- The Life of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen
- By: Peter Jones
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The smooth veneer of the duo's songs made Steely Dan popular and famous in the 1970s, but the polish glossed over the underlying layers of anger, disappointment, sleaze, and often downright weirdness lurking just beneath the surface. The elliptical lyrics—were—and continue to be-an endless source of fascination. What kind of person was capable of writing such songs? Donald Fagen has always kept his true self hidden behind walls of irony, confounding most journalistic enquiries. Nightfly cracks open the door to reveal the life behind the lyrics.
-
-
Didn’t want it to end
- By Michael P. Mcclain on 02-20-23
By: Peter Jones
-
The Real Frank Zappa Book
- By: Frank Zappa, Peter Occhiogrosso - with
- Narrated by: Ahmet Zappa
- Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary Frank Zappa, one of the most influential, innovative and controversial musical artists for the past 20 years, takes us on a wild, funny trip through his life and times. Along the way, Zappa offers his inimitable views on many things such as art, politics, and beer.
-
-
Some good parts, some not...
- By Ian Currie on 09-20-23
By: Frank Zappa, and others
-
My Effin' Life
- By: Geddy Lee
- Narrated by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Cliff Burnstein
- Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Geddy Lee is one of rock and roll's most respected bassists. For nearly five decades, his playing and work as co-writer, vocalist and keyboardist has been an essential part of the success story of Canadian progressive rock trio Rush. Here for the first time is his account of life inside and outside the band.
-
-
Lee's Narration Will Captivate You.
- By Nanooka on 11-14-23
By: Geddy Lee
-
Leon Russell
- The Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock & Roll History
- By: Bill Janovitz
- Narrated by: Bill Janovitz, Jason Culp
- Length: 24 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leon Russell is an icon, but somehow is still an underappreciated artist. He is spoken of in tones reserved not just for the most talented musicians, but also for the most complex and fascinating. His career is like a roadmap of music history, often intersecting with rock royalty like Bob Dylan, the Stones, and the Beatles.
-
-
A dream come true for Leon Russell fans!!
- By William Straten on 03-15-23
By: Bill Janovitz
-
Blues from Laurel Canyon
- My Life as a Bluesman
- By: John Mayall
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Mayall has played with them all: Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jack Bruce, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Andy Fraser, and the list goes on. Now in his 80s, John continues to tour all over the world and perform to sold-out crowds. With an incredible blues career spanning over 50 years, rightly earning him the title the "Godfather of British Blues", John shares his experiences and encounters in what will be a must-listen autobiography for any true blues fans.
-
-
Worth The Read For Sure But A Little Bizarre
- By A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. on 09-08-22
By: John Mayall
-
Long Train Runnin'
- Our Story of the Doobie Brothers
- By: Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Chris Epting - contributor
- Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey, Graham Winton, T. Ryder Smith, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Only a very few rock bands that have had the longevity, success, and drama of The Doobie Brothers. Born out of late 1960s NoCal, they stood alongside their contemporaries The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, and many others as an iconic American rock band. The train was rolling along, hits were flowing like wine, and arenas were packed with fans who wanted to see them live...then Tom Johnston, the band’s front man and lead guitarist, almost died.
-
-
Fans of the band will enjoy
- By JIM HOWELL on 01-24-23
By: Pat Simmons, and others
-
Nightfly
- The Life of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen
- By: Peter Jones
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The smooth veneer of the duo's songs made Steely Dan popular and famous in the 1970s, but the polish glossed over the underlying layers of anger, disappointment, sleaze, and often downright weirdness lurking just beneath the surface. The elliptical lyrics—were—and continue to be-an endless source of fascination. What kind of person was capable of writing such songs? Donald Fagen has always kept his true self hidden behind walls of irony, confounding most journalistic enquiries. Nightfly cracks open the door to reveal the life behind the lyrics.
-
-
Didn’t want it to end
- By Michael P. Mcclain on 02-20-23
By: Peter Jones
-
The Real Frank Zappa Book
- By: Frank Zappa, Peter Occhiogrosso - with
- Narrated by: Ahmet Zappa
- Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary Frank Zappa, one of the most influential, innovative and controversial musical artists for the past 20 years, takes us on a wild, funny trip through his life and times. Along the way, Zappa offers his inimitable views on many things such as art, politics, and beer.
-
-
Some good parts, some not...
- By Ian Currie on 09-20-23
By: Frank Zappa, and others
-
My Effin' Life
- By: Geddy Lee
- Narrated by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Cliff Burnstein
- Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Geddy Lee is one of rock and roll's most respected bassists. For nearly five decades, his playing and work as co-writer, vocalist and keyboardist has been an essential part of the success story of Canadian progressive rock trio Rush. Here for the first time is his account of life inside and outside the band.
-
-
Lee's Narration Will Captivate You.
- By Nanooka on 11-14-23
By: Geddy Lee
-
Leon Russell
- The Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock & Roll History
- By: Bill Janovitz
- Narrated by: Bill Janovitz, Jason Culp
- Length: 24 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leon Russell is an icon, but somehow is still an underappreciated artist. He is spoken of in tones reserved not just for the most talented musicians, but also for the most complex and fascinating. His career is like a roadmap of music history, often intersecting with rock royalty like Bob Dylan, the Stones, and the Beatles.
-
-
A dream come true for Leon Russell fans!!
- By William Straten on 03-15-23
By: Bill Janovitz
-
Blues from Laurel Canyon
- My Life as a Bluesman
- By: John Mayall
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Mayall has played with them all: Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jack Bruce, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Andy Fraser, and the list goes on. Now in his 80s, John continues to tour all over the world and perform to sold-out crowds. With an incredible blues career spanning over 50 years, rightly earning him the title the "Godfather of British Blues", John shares his experiences and encounters in what will be a must-listen autobiography for any true blues fans.
-
-
Worth The Read For Sure But A Little Bizarre
- By A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. on 09-08-22
By: John Mayall
-
The Lives of Brian
- A Memoir
- By: Brian Johnson
- Narrated by: Brian Johnson
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brian Johnson’s memoir from growing up in a small town to starting his own band to ultimately replacing Bon Scott, the lead singer of one of the world biggest rock acts, AC/DC. They would record their first album together, the iconic Back in Black, which would become the biggest selling rock album of all time.
-
-
Brian’s accent Rocks!
- By CCFitz on 10-29-22
By: Brian Johnson
-
Set the Night on Fire
- Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar with the Doors
- By: Robby Krieger, Jeff Alulis
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few bands are as shrouded in the murky haze of rock mythology as The Doors, and parsing fact from fiction has been a virtually impossible task. But now, after 50 years, The Doors’ notoriously quiet guitarist is finally breaking his silence to set the record straight. Set the Night on Fire is packed with never-before-told stories from The Doors’ most vital years, and offers a fresh perspective on the most infamous moments of the band’s career.
-
-
Robby Krieger says it best!
- By Michael Gokey on 12-07-22
By: Robby Krieger, and others
-
Still Alright
- A Memoir
- By: Kenny Loggins, Jason Turbow - contributor
- Narrated by: Kenny Loggins
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Still Alright, Kenny Loggins gives fans a candid and entertaining perspective on his life and career as one of the most noteworthy musicians of the 1970s and ’80s. He provides an abundance of compelling, insightful, and terrifically amusing behind-the-scenes tales. Loggins draws listeners back to the musical eras they’ve loved, as well as addressing the challenges and obstacles of his life and work.
-
-
Getting to know Kenny
- By slmskrs on 06-19-22
By: Kenny Loggins, and others
-
Heaven and Hell
- My Life in the Eagles
- By: Don Felder
- Narrated by: Charlie Thurston
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Eagles are the best-selling, and arguably the tightest-lipped, American group ever. Now band member and guitarist Don Felder finally breaks the Eagles’ years of public silence to take fans behind the scenes. He shares every part of the band’s wild ride, from the pressure-packed recording studios and trashed hotel rooms to the tension-filled courtrooms and from the joy of writing powerful new songs to the magic of performing in huge arenas packed with roaring fans.
-
-
The "Real" Story Behind The Eagles
- By Peter on 05-27-21
By: Don Felder
-
The Gospel According to Luke
- By: Steve Lukather
- Narrated by: Steve Lukather
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this incisive memoir, Steve Lukather tells the complete Toto story. He also lifts the lid on what went on behind the closed studio doors, shedding light on the unique creative processes of some of the most legendary names in music: from Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, and Elton John to Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, and Aretha Franklin. Lukather’s extraordinary tale also encompasses the dark side of stardom and the American Dream. Frank, engaging, and often hilarious, The Gospel According to Luke is no ordinary rock memoir.
-
-
Wow Best Rock Biography Ever
- By Hercules on 09-29-18
By: Steve Lukather
-
The Islander
- My Life in Music and Beyond
- By: Chris Blackwell
- Narrated by: Bill Nighy
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since its founding in 1959, Island Records has been home to legendary artists representing wildly divergent musical styles, yet who share the same maverick, outsider spirit of its founder, Chris Blackwell. Time and again, Blackwell and his Island cohorts identified and nurtured musicians overlooked by other labels, including Bob Marley, U2, Cat Stevens, Grace Jones, Roxy Music, Traffic, Nick Drake, Tom Waits, Robert Palmer, Free, the B-52’s, John Martyn, and Jimmy Cliff.
-
-
A Record Label Boss in Flip Flops Tells His Story
- By Ann Arbor on 12-15-22
By: Chris Blackwell
-
Scattershot
- Life, Music, Elton, and Me
- By: Bernie Taupin
- Narrated by: John Lee, Bernie Taupin
- Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even John's own autobiography, Me. But Taupin, a private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now.
-
-
Not Boring, A Relaxing Listen
- By jipickin on 09-14-23
By: Bernie Taupin
-
Who I Am
- By: Pete Townshend
- Narrated by: Pete Townshend
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the voice of a generation: the most highly anticipated autobiography of the year, and the story of a man who wanted The Who to be called The Hair; wanted to be a sculptor, a journalist, a dancer and a graphic designer; became a musician, composer, librettist, fiction writer, literary editor, sailor; drank too much and nearly died; detached from his body in an airplane, on LSD, and nearly died; planned to write his memoir when he was 21; and published this book at 67.
-
-
Glad To Meet You
- By Mel on 10-12-12
By: Pete Townshend
-
Me
- Elton John Official Autobiography
- By: Elton John
- Narrated by: Elton John, Taron Egerton
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life, from his roller-coaster lifestyle as shown in the film Rocketman, to becoming a living legend.
-
-
A Book as Extraordinary as Elton
- By Tracey Brown on 10-17-19
By: Elton John
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
Chairman at the Board
- Recording the Soundtrack of a Generation
- By: Bill Schnee
- Narrated by: Bill Schnee
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With over 125 gold and platinum records, and two Grammys for Steely Dan's Aja and Gaucho, Schnee has been called a living legend - recognized and respected in the industry as the consummate music man with an incomparable career that he lovingly shares with listeners in humorous detail.
-
-
Worst narration ever!
- By Anonymous User on 01-26-23
By: Bill Schnee
-
Love & Pain
- The epic times and crooked lines of life inside and outside Silverchair
- By: Ben Gillies, Chris Joannou
- Narrated by: Ben Gillies, Chris Joannou
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the powerful, untold story of two of the three members of Silverchair, Australia's most awarded musical act. From their beginnings in Ben Gillies' garage, this trio of high school kids from Newcastle, New South Wales, became famous with their smash-hit single 'Tomorrow', setting them on a path to domination of the Australian charts, worldwide touring and fame. So much has been written about Silverchair over the years but very little has been said by the band's members.
-
-
Good book
- By pleased customer! on 11-19-24
By: Ben Gillies, and others
Related to this topic
-
Rainbow in the Dark
- The Autobiography
- By: Ronnie James Dio, Mick Wall - contributor, Wendy Dio - contributor
- Narrated by: Daniel Thomas May
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Prior to his tragic death in 2010, Ronnie James Dio had been writing his autobiography, looking back on the remarkable life that led him from his hometown in upstate New York to the biggest stages in the world, including the arena that represented the pinnacle of success to him - Madison Square Garden, where this book begins and ends.
-
-
Horns up!
- By Big Daddy on 02-10-22
By: Ronnie James Dio, and others
-
Elton John
- The Biography
- By: David Buckley
- Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
- Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Elton John is as much loved for his outrageous personality and witty outspokenness as for his music. Such shamelessness and sheer silliness rivals anything uttered by punk rockers, yet it is so typically Elton: honest and intemperate. Tragedy and heartbreak have played a large part in his life. Behind the parties, the hedonism, the lavish stage costumes, and silly glasses lies a more somber story. Between disputes with managers, legal wranglings, public breakups, and divorce, John has been faced with serious health problems and drug addictions.
-
-
Trite!
- By michael mckone on 08-04-22
By: David Buckley
-
My Bass and Other Animals
- By: Guy Pratt
- Narrated by: Guy Pratt
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Guy Pratt came of age just as bass playing became sexy. Having dallied with punk legend Sylvain Sylvain, Pratt suddenly found himself on Top of the Pops and supporting David Bowie with smooth Australian outfit Icehouse. He became bass player to the stars, crawling from studio to bar and hotel to stadium Portakabin with the likes of Pink Floyd, Robert Palmer, Womack &Womack and Bryan Ferry. Guy has recorded with everyone from Madonna and Michael Jackson to McFly.
-
-
Best book on Audible by a bass player!
- By Fjolnir on 03-12-12
By: Guy Pratt
-
Iggy Pop
- Open Up and Bleed
- By: Paul Trynka
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Iggy Pop's legendary career has been tumultuous, reaching great heights with mega-hits and then hitting rock-bottom lows in jail and mental institutions. Along the way, he's become a cult-rock hero, an inspiration for dozens of other famous rockers, and has had a pretty good time of it, too. But the image of Iggy Pop versus the man behind that image, James Newell Osterberg, Jr., is surprisingly contradictory.
-
-
Banal and Boring
- By Michael on 12-03-08
By: Paul Trynka
-
Who I Am
- By: Pete Townshend
- Narrated by: Pete Townshend
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the voice of a generation: the most highly anticipated autobiography of the year, and the story of a man who wanted The Who to be called The Hair; wanted to be a sculptor, a journalist, a dancer and a graphic designer; became a musician, composer, librettist, fiction writer, literary editor, sailor; drank too much and nearly died; detached from his body in an airplane, on LSD, and nearly died; planned to write his memoir when he was 21; and published this book at 67.
-
-
Glad To Meet You
- By Mel on 10-12-12
By: Pete Townshend
-
Oasis the Truth
- My Life as Oasis's Drummer
- By: Tony McCarroll
- Narrated by: Stephen Ballantyne
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1991, five wannabe Mancunian musicians came together and cracked the spark that ignited the explosion which became Oasis. The band went from obscurity to a global phenomenon in the space of a year, achieving world-wide recognition and selling over 70 million records. What started out as five young lads with a common dream of becoming rock stars eventually disintegrated into in-fighting, clashes of egos, and financial disputes.
-
-
Insider's view of a rollicking band
- By Scott on 11-15-13
By: Tony McCarroll
-
Rainbow in the Dark
- The Autobiography
- By: Ronnie James Dio, Mick Wall - contributor, Wendy Dio - contributor
- Narrated by: Daniel Thomas May
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Prior to his tragic death in 2010, Ronnie James Dio had been writing his autobiography, looking back on the remarkable life that led him from his hometown in upstate New York to the biggest stages in the world, including the arena that represented the pinnacle of success to him - Madison Square Garden, where this book begins and ends.
-
-
Horns up!
- By Big Daddy on 02-10-22
By: Ronnie James Dio, and others
-
Elton John
- The Biography
- By: David Buckley
- Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
- Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Elton John is as much loved for his outrageous personality and witty outspokenness as for his music. Such shamelessness and sheer silliness rivals anything uttered by punk rockers, yet it is so typically Elton: honest and intemperate. Tragedy and heartbreak have played a large part in his life. Behind the parties, the hedonism, the lavish stage costumes, and silly glasses lies a more somber story. Between disputes with managers, legal wranglings, public breakups, and divorce, John has been faced with serious health problems and drug addictions.
-
-
Trite!
- By michael mckone on 08-04-22
By: David Buckley
-
My Bass and Other Animals
- By: Guy Pratt
- Narrated by: Guy Pratt
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Guy Pratt came of age just as bass playing became sexy. Having dallied with punk legend Sylvain Sylvain, Pratt suddenly found himself on Top of the Pops and supporting David Bowie with smooth Australian outfit Icehouse. He became bass player to the stars, crawling from studio to bar and hotel to stadium Portakabin with the likes of Pink Floyd, Robert Palmer, Womack &Womack and Bryan Ferry. Guy has recorded with everyone from Madonna and Michael Jackson to McFly.
-
-
Best book on Audible by a bass player!
- By Fjolnir on 03-12-12
By: Guy Pratt
-
Iggy Pop
- Open Up and Bleed
- By: Paul Trynka
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Iggy Pop's legendary career has been tumultuous, reaching great heights with mega-hits and then hitting rock-bottom lows in jail and mental institutions. Along the way, he's become a cult-rock hero, an inspiration for dozens of other famous rockers, and has had a pretty good time of it, too. But the image of Iggy Pop versus the man behind that image, James Newell Osterberg, Jr., is surprisingly contradictory.
-
-
Banal and Boring
- By Michael on 12-03-08
By: Paul Trynka
-
Who I Am
- By: Pete Townshend
- Narrated by: Pete Townshend
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the voice of a generation: the most highly anticipated autobiography of the year, and the story of a man who wanted The Who to be called The Hair; wanted to be a sculptor, a journalist, a dancer and a graphic designer; became a musician, composer, librettist, fiction writer, literary editor, sailor; drank too much and nearly died; detached from his body in an airplane, on LSD, and nearly died; planned to write his memoir when he was 21; and published this book at 67.
-
-
Glad To Meet You
- By Mel on 10-12-12
By: Pete Townshend
-
Oasis the Truth
- My Life as Oasis's Drummer
- By: Tony McCarroll
- Narrated by: Stephen Ballantyne
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1991, five wannabe Mancunian musicians came together and cracked the spark that ignited the explosion which became Oasis. The band went from obscurity to a global phenomenon in the space of a year, achieving world-wide recognition and selling over 70 million records. What started out as five young lads with a common dream of becoming rock stars eventually disintegrated into in-fighting, clashes of egos, and financial disputes.
-
-
Insider's view of a rollicking band
- By Scott on 11-15-13
By: Tony McCarroll
-
Down the Highway
- The Life of Bob Dylan
- By: Howard Sounes
- Narrated by: Peter Markinker
- Length: 20 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Down the Highway is an essential biography for Bob Dylan fans and all music enthusiasts, delivering the full, fascinating story of the life and work of this great artist. Author Howard Sounes interviewed more than 250 key people in Dylan’s circle, and gained access to previously unseen documents, to create a fresh and compelling book that takes the reader on a journey from Dylan’s childhood in a Minnesota mining town, through his rise to fame in the 1960s, to his current status as the senior figure in popular music.
-
-
I'm a little late to the party
- By BrassHat on 06-05-17
By: Howard Sounes
-
Wild Tales
- A Rock & Roll Life
- By: Graham Nash
- Narrated by: Graham Nash
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Graham Nash - the legendary musician and founding member of the iconic bands Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Hollies - comes a candid and riveting autobiography that belongs on the reading list of every classic rock fan.
-
-
The Best of the Recent Rock Biographies
- By Steven Schuster on 10-28-13
By: Graham Nash
-
Small Town Talk
- Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Friends in the Wild Years of Woodstock
- By: Barney Hoskyns
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When musicians in the New York folk scene of the 1960s grew tired of city life, they decided to "get it together in the country". They headed for Woodstock - not to the site of the infamous music festival of 1969 but to the Catskills, to Bearsville, to Woodstock proper. Counterculture revolutionaries like Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, and Paul Butterfield got "back to the land", turning the once sleepy hollow into a funky Shangri-La.
-
-
Captured the era - too many mistakes
- By Frank Canino on 04-17-16
By: Barney Hoskyns
-
When Giants Walked the Earth
- A Biography of Led Zeppelin
- By: Mick Wall
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They were the last great band of the '60s and the first great band of the '70s. They rose, somewhat unpromisingly, from the ashes of the Yardbirds to become one of the biggest-selling rock bands of all time - and eventually paid the price for it, with disaster, drug addiction, and death.
-
-
Very annoying but tolerable for serious fans.
- By M. Allen on 08-14-19
By: Mick Wall
-
Deal
- My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs with the Grateful Dead
- By: Bill Kreutzmann, Benjy Eisen
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On their 50th anniversary comes a groundbreaking rock-and-roll memoir by one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead. The Grateful Dead are perhaps the most legendary American rock band of all time. For 30 years, beginning in the hippie scene of San Francisco in 1965, they were a musical institution, the original jam band that broke new ground in so many ways.
-
-
Decent but not great
- By Monty S on 03-02-16
By: Bill Kreutzmann, and others
-
Paul McCartney
- A Life
- By: Peter Ames Carlin
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 13 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best-selling author of the definitive biography of former Beach Boy Brian Wilson offers new insight into the life and music of Paul McCartney, one of the world's most popular and influential musicians. Informed by new, exclusive interviews with friends, bandmates, and collaborators, the book describes McCartney's many triumphs as well as his failures, from the Beatles era through his decade with Wings and his subsequent solo career.
-
-
Great...But
- By Diego on 05-02-10
-
Swimming with the Blowfish
- Hootie, Healing, and One Hell of a Ride
- By: Jim Sonefeld
- Narrated by: Jim Sonefeld
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The ultimate front-row seat to the rise, fall, and rebirth of a band that was - for a time - the biggest in the world, Hootie & the Blowfish, and Jim Sonefeld’s shattering and redeeming spiritual path from addiction to recovery and a more fruitful life.
-
-
An Honest Reflection
- By Rob M. on 08-11-24
By: Jim Sonefeld
-
Never Look at the Empty Seats
- A Memoir
- By: Charlie Daniels
- Narrated by: Charlie Daniels
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few artists have left a more indelible mark on America's musical landscape than Charlie Daniels. Listeners will experience a soft, personal side of Charlie Daniels that has never before been documented. In his own words, he presents the path from his post-Depression childhood to performing for millions as one of the most successful country acts of all time and what he has learned along the way.
-
-
Like a Rocking Chair on Charlie's Front porch.
- By BassetMomma on 11-07-17
By: Charlie Daniels
-
The Wrecking Crew
- The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret
- By: Kent Hartman
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you were a fan of popular music in the 1960s and early '70s, you were a fan of the Wrecking Crew - whether you knew it or not. On hit record after hit record by everyone from the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Monkees to the Grass Roots, the 5th Dimension, Sonny & Cher, and Simon & Garfunkel, this collection of West Coast studio musicians from diverse backgrounds established themselves as the driving sound of pop music - sometimes over the objection of actual band members....
-
-
Left Guessing
- By Patrick King on 04-29-14
By: Kent Hartman
-
Skydog
- The Duane Allman Story
- By: Randy Poe, Billy F. Gibbons - foreword
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Revised and expanded, with a new afterword by the author, this is the definitive biography of Duane Allman, one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. Skydog reveals the complete story of the legendary guitarist: his childhood and musical awakening; his struggling first bands; his hard-won mastery of the slide guitar; his emergence as a successful session musician; his creation of the Allman Brothers Band; his tragic death at age 24; and his thriving musical legacy.
-
-
duane was the best great story
- By OBIE on 08-08-23
By: Randy Poe, and others
-
Punk Rock Blitzkrieg
- My Life as a Ramone
- By: Rich Herschlag, Marky Ramone
- Narrated by: Corey M. Snow
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Having outlived his bandmates, Marky is the only person who can share the secrets and stories of the Ramones' improbable rise from obtuse beginnings to induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But it wasn't all good times and hit songs, and Marky doesn't shy away from discussing his own struggles.
-
-
Dedicated Punk Fans Must Read
- By Leostriple on 03-26-15
By: Rich Herschlag, and others
-
So Many Roads
- The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead
- By: David Browne
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No longer dismissed as relics of the hippie era, a new generation has lionized the Dead for creating a culture that paved the way for social networking, free music swapping, and the uncompromising anticorporate attitude of indie rock. Now, fifty years after the band first began changing rock 'n' roll both sonically and psychically, So Many Roads paints the most vivid portrait yet of the Grateful Dead, one of the most enduring institutions in American music and culture.
-
-
Great first book on the Dead
- By robert on 10-30-15
By: David Browne
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Long Train Runnin'
- Our Story of the Doobie Brothers
- By: Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Chris Epting - contributor
- Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey, Graham Winton, T. Ryder Smith, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Only a very few rock bands that have had the longevity, success, and drama of The Doobie Brothers. Born out of late 1960s NoCal, they stood alongside their contemporaries The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, and many others as an iconic American rock band. The train was rolling along, hits were flowing like wine, and arenas were packed with fans who wanted to see them live...then Tom Johnston, the band’s front man and lead guitarist, almost died.
-
-
Fans of the band will enjoy
- By JIM HOWELL on 01-24-23
By: Pat Simmons, and others
-
All Things Must Pass Away
- Harrison, Clapton, and Other Assorted Love Songs
- By: Kenneth Womack, Jason Kruppa
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
George Harrison and Eric Clapton shared a legendary and tumultuous friendship that shaped not only their respective lives and careers, but the shifting face of rock itself in the early 1970s. All Things Must Pass Away traces that friendship from its earliest roots in 1964, when Beatles-averse blues-rocker Eric met George backstage at the Hammersmith Odeon, through the messy trials of Clapton's affair with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, to the turn of the century, as the two elder statesmen of rock traded honors during Harrison's final days.
-
-
I know some but not all…
- By Rick R. on 08-25-21
By: Kenneth Womack, and others
-
Unchained
- The Eddie Van Halen Story
- By: Paul Brannigan
- Narrated by: Mike Lenz
- Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the moment their hugely influential 1978 debut landed, Van Halen set a high bar for the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, creating an entirely new style of post-'60s hard rock and becoming the quintessential rock band of the 1980s. But the high-flying success was fraught with difficulty, as Eddie struggled with alcohol and drug addiction while simultaneously battling David Lee Roth over the musical direction of the band, eventually taking the band in an entirely new direction with Sammy Hagar and scaling new heights, before that iteration of Van Halen disintegrated.
-
-
Please don't read other audible books
- By Mike on 02-01-22
By: Paul Brannigan
-
Nightfly
- The Life of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen
- By: Peter Jones
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The smooth veneer of the duo's songs made Steely Dan popular and famous in the 1970s, but the polish glossed over the underlying layers of anger, disappointment, sleaze, and often downright weirdness lurking just beneath the surface. The elliptical lyrics—were—and continue to be-an endless source of fascination. What kind of person was capable of writing such songs? Donald Fagen has always kept his true self hidden behind walls of irony, confounding most journalistic enquiries. Nightfly cracks open the door to reveal the life behind the lyrics.
-
-
Didn’t want it to end
- By Michael P. Mcclain on 02-20-23
By: Peter Jones
-
Skydog
- The Duane Allman Story
- By: Randy Poe, Billy F. Gibbons - foreword
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Revised and expanded, with a new afterword by the author, this is the definitive biography of Duane Allman, one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. Skydog reveals the complete story of the legendary guitarist: his childhood and musical awakening; his struggling first bands; his hard-won mastery of the slide guitar; his emergence as a successful session musician; his creation of the Allman Brothers Band; his tragic death at age 24; and his thriving musical legacy.
-
-
duane was the best great story
- By OBIE on 08-08-23
By: Randy Poe, and others
-
Ringo
- With a Little Help
- By: Michael Seth Starr
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book traces the entire arc of Ringo's remarkable life and career, from his sickly childhood to his life as the world's most famous drummer to his triumphs, addictions, and emotional battles following the breakup of the Beatles. Born in 1940 as Richard Starkey in the Dingle, one of Liverpool's most gritty, rough-and-tumble neighborhoods, he rose from a hardscrabble childhood marked by serious illnesses, long hospital stays, and little schooling to emerge, against all odds, as a renowned drummer.
-
-
A Starr Turn
- By tru britty on 02-17-16
-
Long Train Runnin'
- Our Story of the Doobie Brothers
- By: Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Chris Epting - contributor
- Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey, Graham Winton, T. Ryder Smith, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Only a very few rock bands that have had the longevity, success, and drama of The Doobie Brothers. Born out of late 1960s NoCal, they stood alongside their contemporaries The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, and many others as an iconic American rock band. The train was rolling along, hits were flowing like wine, and arenas were packed with fans who wanted to see them live...then Tom Johnston, the band’s front man and lead guitarist, almost died.
-
-
Fans of the band will enjoy
- By JIM HOWELL on 01-24-23
By: Pat Simmons, and others
-
All Things Must Pass Away
- Harrison, Clapton, and Other Assorted Love Songs
- By: Kenneth Womack, Jason Kruppa
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
George Harrison and Eric Clapton shared a legendary and tumultuous friendship that shaped not only their respective lives and careers, but the shifting face of rock itself in the early 1970s. All Things Must Pass Away traces that friendship from its earliest roots in 1964, when Beatles-averse blues-rocker Eric met George backstage at the Hammersmith Odeon, through the messy trials of Clapton's affair with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, to the turn of the century, as the two elder statesmen of rock traded honors during Harrison's final days.
-
-
I know some but not all…
- By Rick R. on 08-25-21
By: Kenneth Womack, and others
-
Unchained
- The Eddie Van Halen Story
- By: Paul Brannigan
- Narrated by: Mike Lenz
- Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the moment their hugely influential 1978 debut landed, Van Halen set a high bar for the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, creating an entirely new style of post-'60s hard rock and becoming the quintessential rock band of the 1980s. But the high-flying success was fraught with difficulty, as Eddie struggled with alcohol and drug addiction while simultaneously battling David Lee Roth over the musical direction of the band, eventually taking the band in an entirely new direction with Sammy Hagar and scaling new heights, before that iteration of Van Halen disintegrated.
-
-
Please don't read other audible books
- By Mike on 02-01-22
By: Paul Brannigan
-
Nightfly
- The Life of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen
- By: Peter Jones
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The smooth veneer of the duo's songs made Steely Dan popular and famous in the 1970s, but the polish glossed over the underlying layers of anger, disappointment, sleaze, and often downright weirdness lurking just beneath the surface. The elliptical lyrics—were—and continue to be-an endless source of fascination. What kind of person was capable of writing such songs? Donald Fagen has always kept his true self hidden behind walls of irony, confounding most journalistic enquiries. Nightfly cracks open the door to reveal the life behind the lyrics.
-
-
Didn’t want it to end
- By Michael P. Mcclain on 02-20-23
By: Peter Jones
-
Skydog
- The Duane Allman Story
- By: Randy Poe, Billy F. Gibbons - foreword
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Revised and expanded, with a new afterword by the author, this is the definitive biography of Duane Allman, one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. Skydog reveals the complete story of the legendary guitarist: his childhood and musical awakening; his struggling first bands; his hard-won mastery of the slide guitar; his emergence as a successful session musician; his creation of the Allman Brothers Band; his tragic death at age 24; and his thriving musical legacy.
-
-
duane was the best great story
- By OBIE on 08-08-23
By: Randy Poe, and others
-
Ringo
- With a Little Help
- By: Michael Seth Starr
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book traces the entire arc of Ringo's remarkable life and career, from his sickly childhood to his life as the world's most famous drummer to his triumphs, addictions, and emotional battles following the breakup of the Beatles. Born in 1940 as Richard Starkey in the Dingle, one of Liverpool's most gritty, rough-and-tumble neighborhoods, he rose from a hardscrabble childhood marked by serious illnesses, long hospital stays, and little schooling to emerge, against all odds, as a renowned drummer.
-
-
A Starr Turn
- By tru britty on 02-17-16
-
Gold Dust Woman
- The Biography of Stevie Nicks
- By: Stephen Davis
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gold Dust Woman gives "the gold standard of rock biographers" (the Boston Globe) his ideal topic: Nicks' work and life are equally sexy and interesting, and Davis delves deeply into each, unearthing fresh details from new, intimate interviews and interpreting them to present a rich new portrait of the star. Just as Nicks (and Lindsay Buckingham) gave Fleetwood Mac the "shot of adrenaline" they needed to become real rock stars - according to Christine McVie - Gold Dust Woman is vibrant with stories and with a life lived large and hard.
-
-
Disappointed
- By Amazon Customer on 12-22-17
By: Stephen Davis
-
Freak Out!
- My Life with Frank Zappa
- By: Pauline Butcher
- Narrated by: Emma Gregory
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1967, 21-year-old Pauline Butcher was working for a London secretarial agency when a call came through from a Mr Frank Zappa asking for a typist. The assignment would change her life forever. For three years, Pauline served as Zappa's PA, moving with him, his family and the Mothers of Invention to a log cabin in the Hollywood Hills, where the straight young English girl mixed with Oscar winners and rock royalty.
-
-
love this book, you will too
- By fmarz on 12-01-23
By: Pauline Butcher
-
You Never Give Me Your Money
- The Beatles After the Breakup
- By: Peter Doggett
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed journalist Peter Doggett recounts the previously untold story of the dramatic final chapter in the lives, loves, and legal battles of John, Paul, George, and Ringo - a.k.a. The Beatles - from their breakup in 1969 to the present day. Called "refreshingly straightforward and highly readable" by the Daily Telegraph (London), You Never Give Me Your Money is the dramatic and intimate story of the breakup and aftermath of The Fab Four as it's never been told before.
-
-
Four human beings
- By Tad Davis on 10-02-20
By: Peter Doggett
-
Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Remembering the Free Birds of Southern Rock
- By: Gene Odom, Frank Dorman - contributor
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the summer of 1964 Jacksonville, Florida teenager Ronnie Van Zant and some of his friends hatched the idea of forming a band to play covers of the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Yardbirds, and the country and blues-rock music they had grown to love. Naming their band after Leonard Skinner, the gym teacher at Robert E. Lee Senior High School who constantly badgered the long-haired aspiring musicians to get haircuts, they were soon playing gigs at parties, and bars throughout the South.
-
-
A tragic sorry, but honestly told
- By Mark D. Schnittman on 09-27-21
By: Gene Odom, and others
-
Levon
- From Down in the Delta to the Birth of The Band and Beyond
- By: Sandra B. Tooze
- Narrated by: Rosemary Benson
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Levon is the dazzling, epic biography of Levon Helm - the beloved, legendary drummer and singer of The Band.
-
-
Shoot the producer!
- By Vince Pienaar on 08-08-21
By: Sandra B. Tooze
-
Killing Yourself to Live
- 85% of a True Story
- By: Chuck Klosterman
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 6,557 miles, Chuck Klosterman thought about dying. He drove a rental car from New York to Rhode Island to Georgia to Mississippi to Iowa to Minneapolis to Fargo to Seattle, and he chased death and rock 'n' roll all the way. Within the span of 21 days, Chuck had three relationships end, one by choice, one by chance, and one by exhaustion. He snorted cocaine in a graveyard. He walked a half-mile through a bean field.
-
-
Good, But Not What I Expected
- By Lori on 11-29-06
By: Chuck Klosterman
-
Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger
- By: Dan Matovina
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 16 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A thoroughly engaging biography of an incredible band who was so impressive they became favorably compared to the Beatles. Ironically, they were discovered by the same Fab Four’s roadie, Mal Evans, then mentored by Paul McCartney. Subsequently they were hired to session for all four Beatles members. Ultimately, they were controlled in release by the entire Apple Corps Ltd. empire. The group even started to surpass commercially the Fab Four’s solo successes with their major worldwide hits such as “Come And Get It,” “No Matter What,” “Day After Day,” “Baby Blue” and a ...
-
-
The Story that needs to be told
- By HMToro on 10-21-24
By: Dan Matovina
-
Fire and Rain
- The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY and the Lost Story of 1970
- By: David Browne
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
January 1970: the Beatles assemble one more time to put the finishing touches on Let It Be; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are wrapping up Déjà Vu; Simon and Garfunkel are unveiling Bridge Over Troubled Water; James Taylor is an upstart singer-songwriter who's just completed Sweet Baby James. Over the course of the next twelve months, their lives---and the world around them---will change irrevocably.
-
-
Fascinating information, easy to listen
- By NCKitkat on 07-28-11
By: David Browne
-
1965
- The Most Revolutionary Year in Music
- By: Andrew Grant Jackson
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During 12 unforgettable months in the middle of the turbulent '60s, America saw the rise of innovative new sounds that would change popular music as we knew it. In 1965: The Most Revolutionary Year in Music, music historian Andrew Grant Jackson (Still the Greatest: The Essential Songs of The Beatles' Solo Careers) chronicles a groundbreaking year of creativity fueled by rivalries between musicians and continents, sweeping social changes, and technological breakthroughs.
-
-
Seems like a good overview
- By wylie smith on 01-12-23
-
The Wrecking Crew
- The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret
- By: Kent Hartman
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you were a fan of popular music in the 1960s and early '70s, you were a fan of the Wrecking Crew - whether you knew it or not. On hit record after hit record by everyone from the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Monkees to the Grass Roots, the 5th Dimension, Sonny & Cher, and Simon & Garfunkel, this collection of West Coast studio musicians from diverse backgrounds established themselves as the driving sound of pop music - sometimes over the objection of actual band members....
-
-
Left Guessing
- By Patrick King on 04-29-14
By: Kent Hartman
-
Hollywood Eden
- Electric Guitars, Fast Cars, and the Myth of the California Paradise
- By: Joel Selvin
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From surf music to hot-rod records to the sunny pop of the Beach Boys and the Mamas & the Papas, Hollywood Eden captures the fresh blossom of a young generation who came together in the epic spring of the 1960s to invent the myth of the California Paradise. Central to the story is a group of sun-kissed teens from the University High School class of 1959 - a class that included Jan & Dean, Nancy Sinatra, and future members of the Beach Boys - who came of age in Los Angeles at the dawn of a new golden era when anything seemed possible.
-
-
Contains proven falsehoods
- By Daniel Rogers on 04-20-21
By: Joel Selvin
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
What listeners say about My Life in Dire Straits
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chris Baker
- 05-22-23
Great book
Being a musician and lover of music I enjoy listening to this type of book
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Laguirre
- 06-25-24
An excellent autobiography about a wonderful time in music. I highly recommend it.
Whether you're just a casual fan or a die hard fan of dIRE STRAITS, I highly recommend this book. John Illsley's description of his early life and the early days of the sTRAITS leading into their global success in the 1980s is fantastic, thoughtful and very entertaining.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Curtis Carpenter
- 11-15-24
Big fan of the band.
Story was wonderful but the reading was mediocre. It was nice to hear the author's own take on it though.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Basher
- 01-02-23
Impressively real, laid-back, contemplative, and dignified
Satisfyingly nuanced for us fans of the band and fans of Mark’s art. No dirt. John Illsley reads his sincere memoir beautifully. It's no surprise that Mark wrote and reads a supportive forward to this fine recording.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Donita
- 11-13-21
John Illsley & Mark Knopfler are class acts!
I was looking forward to this book & it did not disappoint. John Illsley doesn’t portray himself as a saint, but his decency is apparent. I enjoy books that let me peek into the lives of talented people, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced any of them giving such praise to the roadies & others who are responsible to “put the show on the road” & he gives them ENORMOUS credit. Refreshing & admirable! Another add-on to this review is that my husband & I were quite fortunate to score great seats at a Mark Knopfler small venue concert in Dallas before COVID-19. (I count it as kind of a lifetime achievement concert!) Mark was gracious & friendly, telling bits of history of how the songs originated & performing them to perfection. He gave credit to the musicians with him (they were great) and it is easy to see how these two talented yet humble artists have maintained a friendship that spans so many years. Thanks for a terrific book that spotlights that talent nurtured by dedication & hard work can result in success beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mark
- 08-06-23
Great book
John thank you for this book. I’ve listened to you guys since the beginning. Still do. The best band ever existed. It was great to hear your story and thank you for telling it !!! Love❤️❤️❤️
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 12-11-21
fantastically written
Dire Straits is my favorite band so getting this inside scoop from John was incredible. It's a wonderfully crafted and humble story. it confirms my suspicions that the members are all stand up guys with tremendous talents.
you'll love this book whether you are a DS fan or not. it's really a cool time machine back to the days where records were sold, getting a demo tape meant going to a studio and getting a song on the radio was the only way to get a chance.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- LizSD
- 11-13-21
Masterfully crafted
Illsley gives a unique insight on the many facets of his experience as a member of Dire Straits that even many diehard fans were unaware of thorough vivid imagery and wonderful anecdotes.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tom Hockman
- 08-10-22
Interesting for fans but with some caveats
My Life in Dire Straits is written and narrated by John Illsley, a guitar sideman for the entire run of Dire Straits from 1977 to 1994 (when On Every Street tour ended). John is not as gifted a narrator as he is a musician, so the reading is stilted. His accent can also cause misunderstanding if you don't listen to his pronunciations closely.
As for the content of the book, it's a 9 hour listen and John doesn't get to the time with Dire Straits until 3 hours into the book. I have to say I was totally not interested in his life experience growing up in post-war England as it's a story I've heard before in books such as Life, Keith Richards autobiography. If you're really, really an Illsley fan, then you would find his life experiences interesting, but to my way of thinking it just didn't entertain me. Maybe if this was Mark Knopfler's autobiography I would have been more interested. I was more eager about the Dire Straits years.
Mark K. does offer a brief intro praising John's book and says he did a great job remembering all the key details of the growth of the band and trials and tribulations of personnel changes and the grinding impact of world tours.
I did learn that Dire Straits managed to develop a very strong following around the world, not just the US. They were popular in all over Europe, including Germany, Spain the Netherlands, and even Eastern Europe, as well as North America and Australia. In fact, in places like Australia they were something of a super group to the Aussies and New Zealanders. I doubt many bands had the breadth of fandom on nearly every continent clamoring for their latest music and concerts. Dire Straits was literally trying to please the entire world with each and every album and tour.
The descriptions of the world tours help clarify just how brutal long tours can be on people physically, mentally, and in terms of relationships. John and Mark K both lost relationships over their tours for the sake of fans. I think John's stories about being away from his children is the most heartbreaking aspect of the cost of touring.
I was not happy that Dire Straits took 6 years to follow up Brothers in Arms and then quit once and for all after On Every Street, but now I at least understand why the size and onerous burden of touring drove them to dissolve the band. I have admired Mark's diverse talents on his solo albums, but miss the Rock & Roll side of his music he left behind with Dire Straits.
I don't think Mark has any plans to write a bio on his life or the band, so this is probably the only definitive document we will ever get about this popular band.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!