Rock 'n' Roll Myths: The True Stories Behind the Most Infamous Legends [Paperback]

Gary Graff (Author), Daniel Durchholz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2012

It's perhaps the relative modernity of rock 'n' roll that makes the genre a minefield of myths and legends accepted as truth. History hasn't had time to dissect the bunk. Until now.

Discover the real stories behind rock's biggest crocks, how they came to be but why they have persisted. Did Cass Elliott really asphyxiate herself with a ham sandwich? Did the Beatles spark a spliff in Buckingham? Did Willie Nelson do the same in the White House? Did Keith Richards get a complete "oil change" at a Swiss clinic in 1973 to pass a drug test necessary to embark on an American tour with the Stones?

 

Then there's the freaky (did Michael Jackson own the remains of the Elephant Man?), the quasi-medical (Rod Stewart and that stomach pump?), the culinary (did Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne really do all those things to bats, chickens, etc. onstage?), and the apocryphal (did Robert Johnson sell his soul to the Prince of Darkness in exchange for mastery of the blues?).

 

In all, more than 50 enduring lies are examined, explained, and debunked.

 

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

“If you’re a rock fan, a gossip lover, or a head banger from way back, Rock ‘n’ Roll Myths will hit the right note.” - Terri Schlichenmeyer’s syndicated book reviews

“The book is surprising deep in coverage, tackling more than 50 myths, urban legends and stories over a cross section of genres, everything from Kiss and Donna Summers to the Ohio Players and Sid Vicious.” - Blurt magazine

“The book is filled with fun facts and the debunking of rumors. If you think you already know everything there was to know about your favorite bands, just read this.” - CurledUp.com

From the Back Cover

Beginning with the apocryphal tale of Robert Johnson selling his soul at the crossroads, veteran music journalists Gary Graff and Daniel Durchholz take on the real stories behind rock’s biggest crocks, half-truths, and too-strange-to-be-false myths and legends, examining how and why these tales came to be in the first place and how they have persisted through the years. Of course there’s sex (Did members of Led Zeppelin pleasure a groupie with a mud shark in a Holiday Inn bathtub?), drugs (Did the Beatles spark a spliff in Buckingham?), and rock ’n’ roll (Does The Wall sync up to The Wizard of Oz?). But there’s also the quasi-medical (Rod Stewart and that stomach pump, Marilyn Manson’s spare rib), the culinary (Alice Cooper and chickens, Ozzy Osbourne and bats, Frank Zappa and . . . well, never mind), the downright silly (McCartney dead? Morrison, Elvis, and Tupac alive?), and even a few doozies that appear to have at least a kernel of truth to them (Keith Richards taking a bump of his dearly departed father’s ashes, Van Halen and those M&Ms, and blood in the ink of the 1977 KISS comic book). In all, the authors examine 57 enduring yarns, in the process revealing the machinations of myth-making in the fast and loose world of rock, country, and pop.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Voyageur Press; First edition (June 12, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076034230X
• ISBN-13: 978-0760342305
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #911,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Quite Enjoyable July 25, 2012

By Steve 1967

Format:Paperback

I enjoyed reading this book. I'm a big music fan and thought I knew most of the stories about most of the bands and artists - but I learned a lot! Several of the myths - and stories behind the myths - were new to me and really interesting ("Love Rollercoaster" by the Ohio Players to name one). A good read - perfect for your airport or airplane reading, especially!

4.0 out of 5 stars Rock On March 11, 2013

By maria deluca

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this as a gift for my husband.
He liked this book. Most of it he already knew.
It is a quick read.

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the truth! February 10, 2013

By Joseph L. Williams

Format:Paperback

Dan Durchholz and Gary Graff know this subject matter from top to bottom. "Rock 'n' Roll Myths" is a rollicking ride, yet it finds a middle path between sensationalism and serious journalism. I have been reading these guys' articles for years (as well as their book on Neil Young), and this compulsively readable book has the same high level of journalistic integrity. It's too bad that so many of our favorite "myths" turn out to be pipe dreams--alas, Mama Cass died from something less amusing than a ham sandwich--but in the immortal words of Shaun Cassidy, "That's rock 'n' roll."