Today's gonna be books, not songs...
People say the strangest things about you when you're in a band... I know because my hobby is reading biographies on my own favorite bands... I recommend these, by the way...
1. Conversations with Tom Petty
2. Scar Tissue - about Anthony Kiedis.
3. Redemption Song - about Joe Strummer
But the one I just finished, and I read this one in three days, including time off to have dental surgery, still finished in three days... was Kim Neely's book on Pearl Jam called 5 Against 1.
It's amazing.
Now I read biographies because they show the people in a new light in my eyes. You find out more insight into the whole person rather than in a magazine article, which is hard to do with 500 words, so it's not really a fair comparison.
So what I thought was especially great about Neely's style of writing, is that she told it well. She didn't show the band in a perfect light, she showed their flaws, but not in a trivial way that you find a lot with some writers where they pick like someone displeased with a meal they've received. She, instead, showed the weaknesses of the people from a reporting standpoint, as if I said to you... "you're shirt's on backwards." She also showed the triumph of a band defining a generation, all while the members were barely defined to themselves. It's pretty amazing.
I think one day I'm gonna do a reporter blog... where I write about writers... and they things they ask us. Maybe I should do that on this tour, we leave tonight for Canada and we have
a lot of interviews to do... maybe that's gonna be my new blog topic for tour... we could call it "the old switch-a-r00" who doesn't like that?
I'll take my notebook with me to interviews... It'll be good. Then we can compare notes when the articles come out.
Oh, boy... there's gonna be some people who don't like this idea...
today, there's a great song from Pearl Jam called "Smile" check it out.
"I miss you already, I miss you always... this is how I feel."
I think you should go for that blog about reporters. Crap, even a blog about bloggers would probably be worth it.
ReplyDeleteI left you this on a previous entry, and I am sure you get a ton of requests like this all the time. But as you can see, you guys were kind of there at the start, so it would be fitting.
from my previous comment...
Mr. Fallon.
The July 27th show in Chicago is marking my girlfriend's last night in Chicago before her job is moving her out east to Baltimore. We met you once, in person, on the street in Milwaukee in 2009 and I helped you hold the trailer door open. That chilly day in Milwaukee was one of my first real dates with her. We both LOVE your band and your music. It is fitting that your show will be her last night here. It would mean the world to me if you could wish her "Good Luck" or something at that show on the 27th.
I am a huge fan, you can email me off of my profile on here or off my blog.
Thank you sir.
As Chuck Ragan would say, "bless your heart, it means the world to me, absolutely"
The last few weeks, it looks like everything came together in some strange way.
ReplyDeleteBefore I started to listen to TGA, I was already into The Clash. But thanks to you Brian, I also got interested in mr. Strummer's own records. Today, I'm absolutely addicted to Streetcore!
When I read on your twitter, that you were writing a blog, I immediately started to follow it. You introduced really nice music to me and I like to read what you have to say about The Stones, Clapton, Pearl Jam, etc.
I saw you guys play at the Rock Werchter festival. It was my second Gaslight show, it was amazingly hot, but it was great, just wonderful. The new songs were perfect, just as the older ones. I had the time of my life and it was one of the best shows I've seen.
The rest of the festival didn't really matter anymore. Of course, I went to see Pearl Jam play, you can't miss these guys, even if you only know a couple of their songs. But then it happened, a miracle, no, a divine intervention, they just played 4 or 5 songs I guess, than Eddie started talking about his influences. About his influences who've passed away, about Joe, especially about Joe. And I could see what his was saying, I could see it perfectly. Just as you can as well, I guess Brian. To honor this great man, they were going to play one of his songs. In the meantime, I remembered the cover you once played of 'Lost in the Supermarket' (my favorite Clash song). Pearl Jam was going to play one of his songs, one of those little miracles Joe made. Because that's what his songs are, miracles, piece by piece, minute by minute, chord by chord. Arms Aloft, they played Arms Aloft.
To other people it might not look that strange, it might not even look like a coincidence or anything. But to me, to me it’s special. It’s one week later, but I still get a nice smile when I think about the festival.
I might have to check out the Strummer one myself.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any favorite fiction books or are you strictly a biography guy?
Redemption Song is chock full of great stories about Strummer, but I don't think the book is written well overall persay. Salewicz does a killer job on Joe's childhood and showing the difference in going from Woody to Joe Strummer, but the author's journalistic background sneaks into the writing a little too much.
ReplyDeleteBut then again I don't know anything.
I Highly recommend Miles Davis' autobiography. Best I've read by far!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for these great book recommendations. I too LOVE books about musical artists. Going to read these soon.
ReplyDeleteShawn
Mr. Fallon...
ReplyDeleteWhen you put your boots on - July 21 you and the boys will be in L.A. the same day my daughter Madeleine turns 20. Wish her a happy birthday - If not we still love the way you smile. And really guys nobody does it better than you do...
I had dental surgery too!
ReplyDeleteBrian:
ReplyDeleteI would recommend Dance of Days by Mark Anderson about the D.C. music scene and This Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerrad. Both are great. Chances are you have probably already read them.
Michael
Chicago, IL
if you're into more heavy rock, slash is a great one. i also just finished a book about pearl jam's "enemies' nirvana by everett true and it was a great one too.
ReplyDeleteAmazing.
ReplyDeleteBrian speak about Pearl Jam, my fav.band.
Thanks mister.
Smile is an ALL TIME FAVORITE. You get chills when he hits the notes in "AL-REAAAA-DAAAAY".
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the LA show on Wednesday!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh, and should have added that it's very interesting you mention PJ. Was thinking the other day (in thinking of Eddie's lyrics) that you guys are the first band in a very long while that has truly remarkable and poignant, poetic lyrics...Oh, and seeing the acoustic show at the Troubadour was geniunely one of the best music experiences I've had. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey Brian, you have to check out
ReplyDeleteLowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits by Barney Hoskyns. Kind regards. Pat
Banned for Life (2010) by DR Haney.
ReplyDeleteX-Ray by Ray Davies
Hey Brian!!Great top 3 books.Maybe you should read too ''Iggy Pop-Open And Up Bleed''By Paul Trinka.Amazing!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNo Dogs, No Black, No Irish about John Lydon is pretty cool. mostly told in interviews with him and his friends
ReplyDeleteDylan's Chronicles is strange and a bit awesome
i've got a nicely illustrated graphic novel biography about Hendrix
Ed Vedder, at Hyde Park 06/25/2010, dedicated STATE OF LOVE AND TRUST at Brian Fallon.
ReplyDeleteCheers man.
Speaking as a reporter, I'd love that. I am always wondering what the artist is really thinking when I'm asking them questions.
ReplyDeleteDude, choice books right there!
ReplyDeleteI love Scar Tissue, don't really dig RHCP all that much, but it's a rad book written well.
I would have thought that if you worte about books 'Eric Clapton' would get a mention. It's the best. Also 'Joe Strummer and the Legend of the Clash' is a great read (I havent read your Strummer recommendation yet).
Anyway, cool blog.
Peace
I second what Lorraine said. I'm also a writer and it's always interesting to see what the interviewee thinks. Music is a tricky subject; should the interview be about the music, the artist or a "the-artist-was-here" piece.
ReplyDeleteAnd in all human communication, what one person says isn't always what the other person hears.
Yup, Conversations with Tom Petty is a pretty good read, especially for the long time fans. It's as close as you'll come to an autobiography.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Shakey now, Neil Young's biography.
If you like Grotesque, strange and fucked up, The Manson autobiography is a must read.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the Kiedis one, makes it seem like a miracle that guy is alive today.