Customer Reviews

Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A disappointing rock-n-roll- speed kills- quick thrills about Rock using the same format as Hollywood Babylon. Apart from a couple of shocking revelations ( to be found elsewhere if you are really that interested ) about Chuck Berry I found it the usual re-churned prose about Hendrix, Moon, Joplin - who deserve better... The photo of Sid Vicious used is a still from the awful film 'Sid and Nancy' and is actually Gary Oldman!

I found this to be a fascinating book and so did my girlfriend who borrowed it and enjoyed it so much she didn't want to give it back. It is so accurate and full of detail - real rock and rock history. The photos and the way it is written really evoked memories for me.. A powerful book worth reading.

This is a very well-written book on the sleazy and tragic stories in rock & roll history, but many of the stories told in this book reveal nothing new to those knowledgeable of rock history.

There are obligatory chapters on Jimi Hendrix, Keith Moon, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Sid Vicious, John Bonham, and Kurt Cobain. Some of the stories are better-written than others.

The author should be commended for including stories slightly off the beaten path by not focusing only on the super-famous. There are chapters on people like Gram Parsons and Johnny Thunders, who would've easily been omitted from other books of the same nature.

Each chapter in "Rock Bottom" is a quick read with straightforward writing, and everything appears well-researched. Descriptions of the author's personal encounters with some of the subjects add an appealing, unique touch.

This is a must-read for anyone who believes in the myth that rock & roll excess is very glamorous.

I enjoyed her other 2 Books so this one was next on the List!
A great collection of different Rockstar's & Group's tales and escapades in the Great world of Sex, Drugs, & Rock'n'Roll. Pamela writes in a very Friendly insider's style that is neither preachy nor snobbish. She has Plenty of Firsthand experiences, but it doesn't hinder the scope. I Do Not like Led Zeppelin's Music but that chapter had my Mouth Open, Chin on the Floor! WOW!
I also liked the Johnny Thunders' one a whole lot, It was handled as the tragic Mystery that it is.
Have some Fun, Stay in school, and [pop] open the books!

I really enjoyed this well written book. Even though I'm not a fan of half the rockers Pamela wrote about, the book drew me in. The chapter on Chuck Berry was the best. This is definitely the sort of stuff Chuck left out in his own autobiography! The stuff on Gram Parsons brought tears to my eyes. I'm looking forward to any future books by Miss Des Barres, but for now I'll have to be content reading her column for E! entertainment online.

A huge chunk of history of the 1960s would have been lost if Pamela des Barres hadn't written about her exploits in her two previous books. "Rock Bottom : Dark Moments in Music Babylon" isn't a sequel to her autobiographies, however; it's a series of mini-biographies of some of our dearly departed musicians. Pamela manages to bring a personal aspect to the interviews -- while maintaining her true image as a friendly face and not a hanger-on. The book is well-written and witty at times, even though the deaths are heartbreaking. It's incredibly apropos that I received the book as a gift from a dear friend who owns a record store! My only slightly negative comment is that Pamela des Barres has never written about the Grateful Dead in her books. Her love of music isn't confined to any one genre, and she was in the same area of the country at the same time... I believe that Jerry's death was well before publication of this book. I'm looking forward to another history by Pamela des Barres. She brings history to life, and makes it more fun than any of my high school teachers ever did (no offense!) even when the stories are sad. Thanks for writing the book :) Cordially, Rebekah Sue Harris

(resubmitted; my name was deleted)

March 24, 1999

A huge chunk of history of the 1960s would have been lost if Pamela des Barres hadn't written about her exploits in her two previous books. "Rock Bottom : Dark Moments in Music Babylon" isn't a sequel to her autobiographies, however; it's a series of mini-biographies of some of our dearly departed musicians. Pamela manages to bring a personal aspect to the interviews -- while maintaining her true image as a friendly face and not a hanger-on. The book is well-written and witty at times, even though the deaths are heartbreaking. It's incredibly apropos that I received the book as a gift from a dear friend who owns a record store! My only slightly negative comment is that Pamela des Barres has never written about the Grateful Dead in her books. Her love of music isn't confined to any one genre, and she was in the same area of the country at the same time... I believe that Jerry's death was well before publication of this book. I'm looking forward to another history by Pamela des Barres. She brings history to life, and makes it more fun than any of my high school teachers ever did (no offense!) even when the stories are sad. Thanks for writing the book :) Cordially, Rebekah Sue Harris