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Musicians' Tell-Alls Give Book Publishers Something to Talk About
By SARAH WEINMAN
Posted 9:00 AM 10/28/10

At a time when most of the attention in publishing is focused on e-books -- whose explosive growth still accounts for only single-digit overall market share -- book publishers are always looking for good news.

No wonder that publishers have been eager to sign up what they view as known commodities -- i.e. famous people -- to book deals. And if you're a musician ready and willing to reveal a great deal about yourself, the chances are very good those deals will pay off handsomely.

Tell-alls about musicians are nothing new, from former groupie Pamela des Barres's I'm With the Band to the salacious (and often mendacious) biographies of John Lennon and Elvis Presley by the late Albert Goldman. but as The Wrap pointed out, the glut of musicians turning the mirror onto themselves -- with a little help from a ghostwriter's polish -- is a relatively recent phenomenon, due in large part to the success of Motley Crue's The Dirt, published in 2001.

"I think it worked because it appealed to people who weren't even Motley Crue fans," said Neil Strauss, who helped write The Dirt and knows more than a thing or two about ghostwriting rock memoirs, to The Wrap. The book sold more than 233,000 copies in hardcover and several hundred thousand more in paperback.

Even a National Book Award Nominee

Since then, other successful musician memoirs sprang forth from the likes of Bob Dylan, Grandmaster Flash, Slash, Eric Clapton and 50 Cent. This year alone, musicians like Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield and Rosanne Cash have had their say in book form, with varying degrees of commercial success. And Patti Smith moved a step further with Just Kids, her 2009 memoir of her early years in New York's punk scene and her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe: The book was nominated for the National Book Award in nonfiction (the winners will be announced on Nov. 17).

With the holidays just around the corner, the book world is betting big on two musician memoirs in particular:Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards' (pictured) autobiography Life, published on Oct. 26 by Little Brown , and Jay-Z's Decoded, a hybrid mix of memoir and lyrics out from Spiegel & Grau on Nov. 16. The latter comes with a splashy, outside-of-the-box marketing plan with Clear Channel and Bing as partners. The former arrives with a rave review from New York Times lead book critic Michiko Kakutani, who dubbed it "electrifying" and "an eye-opening all-nighter in the studio with a master craftsman disclosing the alchemical secrets of his art."

Two other veteran British rockers, however, are traveling a more expensive publishing route this fall. According to the Telegraph, Former Sex Pistols lead singer John Lydon will publish just 750 copies of Mr. Rotten's Scrapbook, a coffee-table book with hundreds of previously unreleased photos, "for the fans." More like for the well-heeled fans, who are being asked to pay £379 (nearly $600) if they pre-order the book, and as much as £449 (just over $700) at its full retail price from Dec. 1 onwards.

And as for Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, the Toronto Sun reported that his own limited-edition photo biography -- bound in leather, wrapped in silk -- has sold out of 2,500 copies prior to its official release, despite carrying a price tag of $740.


So why are musician memoirs so popular? The opportunity to live vicariously through musicians' lives, which tend to unfold on a more outsize plane than regular folks', for one. For another, the chance, however slim, to find out new details -- the more gossip-laden, the better -- about favorite rock and pop stars. Generally, memoirs are a way for musicians looking to stoke a deeper connection with their fans, now that owning albums has given way in large part to piecemeal music downloads and video viewings on YouTube.

That's also why the parade of musicians looking to tell all in book form won't end anytime soon. After all, both David Bowie's and Billy Idol's books racked up big domestic and foreign rights deals during the Frankfurt Book Fair. Others with memoirs due out in the next year or two include country star Shania Twain and rock 'n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis. This may seem like a crowded bandwagon, but evidently there's still plenty of room for other talkative musicians to climb aboard.



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-11-03 17:22 by SwayStones.

I hope there will not be Mick Jagger's memoir. I'd want to read his book - I like his way with words - but not the autobiography.
Mick said once that if he ever would write it will be devastating

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proudmary
I hope there will not be Mick Jagger's memoir. I'd want to read his book - I like his way with words - but not the autobiography.
Mick said once that if he ever would write it will be devastating

He also said he'd never sing "Satisfaction" after the age of 40.

proudmary,I edited the title of my thread because I just saw your answer to it today

The question of Jagger writting is aubiography is a good one

I have serious doubts about Jagger writing his autobiography one day .
First of all, there were already many " unauthorized biographies" -Clayson ,Anderson etc .
Then imo,Jagger is a secret man,I mean he reveals only what he wants the public to know .
" Being Jagger" is the perfect example .

At last,didn't he say his life was so tedious that he bored himself trying to write his autobiography ?
You're right,Cocaïne Eyes,he also said he would never sing Satisfaction after the age of 40 .
But if <I remember well,he also said -was it in Scaduto's book ? -that he "could see himself on stage at the age of 90 ,with a stick ",didn't he say that ?I bet many publishers offered him a large sum of money in the past for writting an autobiography .

<<'I'd love to find another form to do it in. A book form, but not in the accepted showbiz memoir<<
When did he say this ?



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

Jagger already signed to do his autobiography several years ago, then abandoned the project.

He has to now, Keith left him no choice.
No necessarily an autobiography but something that shows what a gifted and inspiring man he is.

I don't think Jagger needs to write books to prove something.
Saying that I'd like to read his book, he has the stories to tell. I find his remarks about creative process very interesting and relevant, this is real insight into artistic mind, which is always intriguing

Disagreed Proudmary


I would like to read it, beside LIFE it could be a very good thing.
I want to know the other side of The ROLLING STONES from the other Glimmer Twin.
Yeah of course, I won't expect nothing really new in it , but a bit of this , a bit of that here and there, that no one knows will make my day.

Too early now, I think, but possible in the forthcomin' years, I hope so.
If not a piece of the Puzzle will miss...

HMN

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Honestman
Disagreed Proudmary


I would like to read it, beside LIFE it could be a very good thing.
I want to know the other side of The ROLLING STONES from the other Glimmer Twin.
Yeah of course, I won't expect nothing really new in it , but a bit of this , a bit of that here and there, that no one knows will make my day.

Too early now, I think, but possible in the forthcomin' years, I hope so.
If not a piece of the Puzzle will miss...

I just can't imagine Jagger doing such obvious thing. He is much more sophisticated person. If he'll write some book, it will not be the Rolling Stones history book.

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proudmary
...
I just can't imagine Jagger doing such obvious thing. He is much more sophisticated person. If he'll write some book, it will not be the Rolling Stones history book.

One never knows with the Big Business Machine...

HMN

He'll never do it. It would either be all lies or the "can't really remember.." BS.
With Jagger, I always suspected the more personal the subject is, the more smokescreens he puts up, to keep his real feelings to himself.
Not because he's not an honest person, but because he's too private. Not all people need to bare their soul. I think its admirable.
Aretha Franklin is the same way. She is notoriously secretive about her personal relationships and life. In her "autobiography", she spent more time writing about cooking chitlins than on her recording sessions in Muscle Shoals or her relationships with her family, marriages etc....the book was over 400 pages and I still know very little about the woman. That's a Jagger "memoir" would be.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2010-11-03 21:22 by stupidguy2.

stupidguy2 ()
Not all people need to bare their soul. I think its admirable.


Mick bares his soul in his lyrics. For me that's enough. And I don't buy this bs about Jagger's lyrics are not personal, especially in late period.

Quote
stupidguy2
With Jagger, I always suspected the more personal the subject is, the more smokescreens he puts up, to keep his real feelings to himself.
Not because he's not an honest person, but because he's too private. Not all people need to bare their soul. I think its admirable..

stupidguy,that's what I meant when I wrote <<"Jagger is a secret man,I mean he reveals only what he wants the public to know .
" Being Jagger" is the perfect example .<<

<<Not because he's not an honest person, but because he's too private. Not all people need to bare their soul. I think its admirable<<

MTE !!!!



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

Quote
proudmary
stupidguy2 ()
Not all people need to bare their soul. I think its admirable.


Mick bares his soul in his lyrics. For me that's enough. And I don't buy this bs about Jagger's lyrics are not personal, especially in late period.

I agree. He always says, "Oh, that song isn't really about anything in particular...."
Bullshit,
I think Jagger is the most autobiographical songwriter in rock and roll. At least, the great songs. They're great because they have an element of conviction to them. When Jagger is faking it, its obvioius (most of the 80s). His voice loses its weight. He's a horrible actor.

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SwayStones
proudmary,I edited the title of my thread because I just saw your answer to it today

The question of Jagger writting is aubiography is a good one

O,thank you. Humm, so it's peace?

Quote
proudmary

Quote
SwayStones
proudmary,I edited the title of my thread because I just saw your answer to it today

The question of Jagger writting is aubiography is a good one

O,thank you. Humm, so it's peace?

Why,was it war ?



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

He's a horrible actor.

stupidguy2, it's a tough one.

I remember when I saw Ned Kelly in the 70's .I couldn't help myself to search for the Stones lead singer behind this funny beard he had in the movie.
He didn't play well on this one,did he ?



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

I mean that when Mick is on stage performing he is the best of actors.
Jagger in the movies it's another story. I personally only like Performance.
But his take on Keith in SNL and last one with J. Fallon - pointing and random claps - are brilliant.