Customer Reviews

Straight Whisky

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I read this book cover-to-cover in just a few days, and there isn't a dull page in it. Whether you're a serious rock and roll historian or just love hearing the kind of insane tales they tell on VH-1's "Behind the Music,"(except totally uncensored here) then this book is for you.

"Straight Whisky" goes inside the most legendary rock clubs on L.A.'s Sunset Strip: the Whisky, the Roxy and the Rainbow. It's packed with juicy stories, and the authors aren't afraid to treat the subject matter with as much creative energy as the musicians they are writing about. I guess some critics have had a problem with this inventive approach, but I thought it made the book that much cooler. I mean, this isn't a doctoral dissertation on world hunger--it's a book about rock stars getting loaded, getting laid, and making history.

The stories are just amazing: Jim Morrison pulling a date-rape move on Janis Joplin and getting a bottle broken over his head in return. . . Roger Daltrey enjoying a backstage mini-orgy with the Plastercasters. . . Led Zeppelin absolutely ripping it up in Rainbow Bar and Grill. . . David Bowie getting brutally assaulted by an obsessed fan who happened to be a black belt. . . the Germs causing a riot at the Whisky and setting the stage on fire. . . One wild story after another, told in an intense narrative style. Plus there's a great amount of interesting information about the clubs and how they affected the history of rock and roll in America.

Overall, a great read, highly entertaining and informative. With 32 pages of killer photos, almost none of which I've seen before, "Straight Whisky" totally delivers the goods. Read it.

I found this book to be a great read. It's got lots of wild stories about some of my favorite rock stars, and a ton of interesting historical facts. I went to the Whisky one time and always wanted to know what kind of crazy things happened there over the years. This book answered all my questions in a very readable, entertaining style. If you enjoy reading about sex, drugs and rock and roll, this book is absolutely for you.

Having hung out on the Sunset Strip in the late 70's/early 80's, I was REALLY excited about this book. The moment I got my hands on it I flipped thru the photos and saw...

7 pages of historical posters for great Whisky shows such as the Doors, Hendrix, Led Zep, etc. Except these posters didn't exist prior to 1999 when they were created for this book. You have to read the teeny-tiny print on the bottom to realise this. That's the first example of "Straight Whisky"'s lack of veracity.

More examples abound. On page 54 is recreated a conversation between the Doors & Whisky manager Mario Maglieri where Mario says "John Lennon's sitting down there with a .... tampon on his head". Except this incident actually occured in 1974 at the TROUBADOUR so not only could Mario have not said this, he certainly didn't say it to the Doors (Jim Morrison was already dead in 74).

Later,(pg 58) in the authors bio of Mario Maglieri, they state that he was born in 1924 & at the age of 16 drove bootleg beer for Al Capone. Simple math skills show that Mario would have been 16 in 1940. Simple Google skills show that Al Capone was a retired man in 1940, that beer was no longer bootlegged, and that wherever this bit of folklore came from, someone should have fact-checked it before it was published.

Errors & absence of fact checking abound on almost every page of this book, which makes it hard to believe anything within it's pages. While Straight Whisky may be an entertaining read for those who weren't there during the glory years of the Sunset Strip, the reader should be warned this book is a work of fantasy & not non-fiction.

It's the music of course, live and on my headphones, but it's also the scene and the lifestyle and the stories. Straight Whiskey captures what's gone on "behind the music," back in the dressing room, out in the street and even under the tables at the coolest rock clubs of all time. (Guys, the next time G&R's school bus comes to town, try to get a good seat!) Reading this book, I learned a lot and laughed more than I have since I read the great Motley Crue memoir The Dirt, which this book reminded me of. Made me want to go to L.A. and try again to ride my axe to glory, or at least a really good time. I'm old and (mostly) straight now so the best I can do to imagine what it's really like--and why I love it--is it put on No Sleep At All, [open] a Bud and re-read my favorite chapters of this great book.

Without a doubt, this book reveals many interesting and detailed stories about the L.A. rock scene. Mario, one of the key owners, proves to be a fascinating storyteller, as well as a genuine person. Having met him in the 90's - at his helm, the door of the Rainbow - I never knew by his wonderful disposition, the many crazy things he has seen. Maybe all he has lived though keeps his forever calm demeanor. I only wish he had or was able to contribute more to the book! He definitely seemed to be at the forefront of many significant happenings. I also was somewhat disappointed of the many limited stories of bands mentioned and NO mentions of bands who made a name for themselves on the strip, such as Van Halen. Overall a great read, maybe a sequel?

I've read the great books about rock & roll of recent years ("The Dirt," "No One Here Gets Out Alive," Old Gods Almost Dead," etc.) and this book ranks right up there with the best. Compelling all the way through, often very funny, and full of facts I didn't know about the history of rock in Los Angeles. Highly recommended.

I think anyone interested in this portion of American culture will enjoy this book. A great gift for any rock n roll fan.

It's the music of course, live and on my headphones, but it's also the scene and the lifestyle and the stories. Straight Whiskey captures what's gone on "behind the music," back in the dressing room, out in the street and even under the tables at the coolest rock clubs of all time. (Guys, the next time G&R's school bus comes to town, try to get a good seat!) Reading this book, I learned a lot and laughed more than I have since I read the great Motley Crue memoir The Dirt, which this book reminded me of. Made me want to go to L.A. and try again to ride my axe to glory, or at least a really good time. I'm old and (mostly) straight now so the best I can do to imagine what it's really like--and why I love it--is it put on No Sleep At All, [open] a Bud and re-read my favorite chapters of this great book.

This is not the usual dreck you get when you buy a book that's about "rock'n'roll." Straight Whisky is both narrative and history that's beyond the standard party stories you've heard from your friends a million times. It evokes not just an era, but a progression of eras that snake through the 20th century like the Sunset Strip snakes through Hollywood. This is the story of a few miles of road that run through the heart of wealth and debauchery and all the rogues that union will breed.

Pour yourself a drink and enjoy.

If you love rock and roll, you will enjoy this book. Its a well written and an easy to read book, which gives the reader a tonn of insight to the world of the Whisky A Go Go. One of the best things about this book, it doesnt stop too long on one decade, keeping you wanting more. It equally shares stories and information about most everything that went on at the Whisky. If your looking for rock history with a side of Americana, read it.