Street Player: My Chicago Story [Hardcover]

Danny Seraphine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 2010

The inside story of Chicago, one of the most successful and enduring rock bands ever

With their distinctive blending of soulful rock and horn-infused urban jazz, Chicago has thrilled music fans for more than forty years with their lyrical brilliance. In this no-holds-barred memoir, legendary rocker Danny Seraphine shares his dramatic—and often shocking—experiences as the popular supergroup's cofounder and longtime drummer. He reveals behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Chicago’s beginnings as the house band at Los Angeles's legendary Whisky A Go Go, where they were discovered by music icons Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, and personal insights about the group’s many comebacks and reinventions over the years.

• Offers a lively inside account of the music and history of the perennially popular band Chicago, one of the most successful American bands ever with over 122 million albums sold, by the band’s cofounder and longtime drummer Danny Seraphine
• Includes riveting tales and rare photographs from Seraphine's time on the road touring with performers including Dennis and Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Bruce Springsteen
• Candidly tackles many rumors about Chicago, including Mafia ties, accounting and payola scandals, and major drug abuse
• Discusses the mysterious circumstances surrounding Seraphine's 1990 firing from the band as well as his comeback with his critically acclaimed new band, California Transit Authority

Whether you're a diehard Chicago fan or just love a well-told rock-and-roll memoir, Street Player will entertain and surprise you.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Drummer Seraphine, a founding member of Chicago, claims the band "always let the music do the talking." But now it's Seraphine's turn to blab. In his brutally honest memoir (the first by any Chicago member), Seraphine gives a lively insider's account of the music and history of a band that has sold more than 122 million albums. His stories-from the controversial departure of Peter Cetera; the band's multiple comebacks; and the hairpiece that saved his life one night in Nebraska, to the 1978 Russian roulette death of founding guitarist Terry Kath and Seraphine's own sacking by the band in 1990-will satisfy longtime fans of the band, whose famous logo often revealed more personality than its members. Despite an overreliance on cliché, Seraphine is a natural storyteller, recalling the early support Chicago received from Jimi Hendrix, how he almost came to blows with Janis Joplin, and the serious cocaine problem that gripped the band ("I considered coke a ninth member of our group"). He also covers his tumultuous childhood in a street gang and a tenuous connection to the Chicago Mafia, often naming names, and it's obvious that the wounds inflicted by his former band mates have yet to completely heal.
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From the Inside Flap

In Street Player, legendary drummer Danny Seraphine, a founding member of the iconic band Chicago, tells the dramatic story of his rise from the very mean streets of Chicago to the pinnacle of rock fame and fortune in the 1960s, a watershed period in music history. In this riveting book, Seraphine offers vivid portraits of his fellow band members and reveals how Chicago differs from all other bands and why they have captured the hearts of millions of fans worldwide.

This lively inside story is filled with fascinating and colorful tales from Seraphine's time on the road. He recalls how his first meeting with Janis Joplin nearly turned into a fist fight (and how she sweetly apologized afterward), why Jimi Hendrix invited Chicago to tour with him, and how Hendrix, a former paratrooper, calmly reassured him during a very turbulent flight. He talks about touring with the Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, and other music legends. Seraphine's tales of learning and perfecting his craft, and of how he pushed his and the band's art to their limits and beyond, are told with an unforgettable passion and urgency.

Seraphine shares moving and heartfelt stories of his life. For example, in the winter of 1965, as a high school dropout, he stood alone in his mother's kitchen wondering what had happened to his dream. He had thought he would be a professional drummer by then, basking in the roar of applause and well on his way to a brilliant career. Instead, he could hear only echoes of the shotgun blast that nearly took his life the night before. He imagined a pointless future of street fights and felonies in which the best he could hope for was a low-level position in the Chicago Mafia. Knowing there was no way out, he was close to despair. Then the phone rang; the rest is music history.

And in this book, for the first time, Seraphine tells the painful story, from the heart, of close friend and cofounder Terry Kath's death and of Seraphine's traumatic 1990 firing from the band and the pain that he has only recently overcome.

Complete with dozens of photos from Chicago's early years, Street Player is an uncommonly powerful rock memoir that is easy to pick up and very hard to put down.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470416831
• ISBN-13: 978-0470416839
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In 1967, Danny Seraphine was one of the architects of the band Chicago Transit Authority, which soon came to be known as Chicago. As the original drummer for the group, Seraphine performed and contributed his songwriting talents for over 22 years until he left the band in 1990. During his tenure, Chicago was the leading singles-charting group of the 1970s. Collectively, the band generated sales over 130 million units in the U.S. with 22 gold, 18 platinum, and 8 multi-platinum albums. During the course of their career, they charted five No. 1 albums and 21 top ten hits. Chicago is historically one of the longest-running and most successful American pop/rock and roll groups--second only to the Beach Boys in terms of singles and albums. Recognized as one of the world's most highly respected and influential jazz-rock/rock drummers of all time, Danny Seraphine was named by the legendary Buddy Rich as one of his favorite young drummers; he also was named as one of Rolling Stone's All-time Top Drummers. Following his departure from Chicago, he went on to produce recording artists, Broadway and off-Broadway shows, and an independent movie and soundtrack. In 2006, Danny Seraphine formed his new band CTA (California Transit Authority) which he continues to tour and record with today while he carries on the jazz/rock legacy Chicago Transit Authority started in 1969.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Street Player My Chicago Story Solves Super Group's Mysteries, October 27, 2010

By 

Eddie Walker, Jr. - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Street Player: My Chicago Story (Hardcover)

I'd always hoped that someone in the faceless supergroup Chicago, would write a book. Danny Seraphine, Chicago's original- incredible drummer, finally has made this 40 year hope, a reality. What is also amazing is his storytelling ability. Describing himself as a street corner guy throughout the book, Danny has been through it all. From super highs, to nomad-unbelievable lows, it is all here. Rare pictures of Chicago too, and some great stories "behind the scenes". From Terry's shadow Lee Loughnane, to Terry's pranks of burping in Danny's face; to Walter's rubber duck; to Jim Guercio's complete hands-on control; and Jimmy Pankow's "Cheeky-Sweets"; the scheming of Jason & Bill; Robert's genius in the early years; Peter Cetera tells Danny, "I was forced out"; and Playboy bunnies @ Caribou Ranch-now there's something I never would have expected! In my humble opinion, Chicago are probably the greatest band of all-time. Just listen to Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago II and Chicago III. The music speaks for itself. So does Danny's saga. "My Chicago Story" is a great read. You won't put it down once you start reading. Upon finishing the "My Chicago Story" experience, I thought for awhile, then realized this: These guys had more music to give, accomplished maybe 20 or 25 percent of what could have been delivered. Drugs, pride, selfishness, ego, all got in the way. But lets relish what they did deliver on. Danny's story is another celebration of this joy, known as the music of Chicago. I highly recommend this book. I wish for Danny Seraphine all the best and continued success.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars solid autobiography, October 3, 2010

By 

J. Johnson "Allman Brothers obsessive" (Manassas, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Street Player: My Chicago Story (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Rock and roll autobiographies tend to have some common threads. rough and tumble beginnings, stupid teenage years, an Aha! moment and eventual hard work and success. Danny Seraphine's book Street Player is no exception. What makes it unique is that first he is a great storyteller, secondly he has a clear point of view, and finally, there is enough internal drama within the band Chicago to move the story at a fast clip.

The book opens with his arrival at the scene of Chicago guitarist Terry Kath's accidental suicide. He spins the Chicago story out from that event. Most of the book revolves around his growing up years, and the time leading up to Terry Kath's death. He gives us a clear picture of the twisted business dealings of the group and paints himself as the band member interested in the business side. The second phase of the book, the post Kath period was a time where the band developed along a new direction with a much less horn oriented sound, more of an MOR direction. Call this the David Foster era. This era ended with Seraphine being fired by the band in 1990. His continued bitterness is evident. The last 20 years are largely summed up in little more than an epilogue.

This is an entertaining book that attempts to lay bare the soul and story of one of America's most famous, successful and beloved musical institutions. I recommend the book. Great read

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally, A Book On CHICAGO For Grown-Ups, October 22, 2010

By 

Bill Fleck (Wurtsboro, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Street Player: My Chicago Story (Hardcover)

If you're reading this, my guess is you already know who Danny Seraphine is and what he's done. So I'll get straight to his book.

I enjoyed "Street Player: My Chicago Story." I've liked Chicago's music since I was a kid in junior high and, being a brass player myself, I've kept up with the group over the years. Chicago's image has always been more about the logo than the band members themselves, so unlike, say, the Eagles or Lynyrd Skynyrd, the details of their hard-partying days haven't really been front n' center before. Nor have the details regarding the inevitable band politics and jealousies. Sure, fans who followed the band more closely could pick up on the signs over the years: Terry Kath's death, for example, the departure of Peter Cetera back in 1985, and Danny's own firing in 1990. But for the most part, these types of things about Chicago haven't been discussed openly in a public forum.

Danny changes that in his book. He's not vicious, but he tells it as he sees it. In so doing, a lot of the polish that Chicago has applied to their image over the years is eroded. What's left is a far more human--and far more compelling--story than that which is told, say, on the band's official website.

Danny doesn't try to whitewash his story with the "poor mes," either. He's very candid about his near-thuggish youth, his fiery temper, his child out of wedlock, his series of extramarital affairs, his drug use, his desire to seem connected to the Mob, and the loss of confidence he experienced about his drumming in the 1980s. He also tells the story of Terry Kath's death in a way that I believe is much closer to the truth than is any previous account, the newspapers included.

Those who may think that Danny takes unwarranted potshots at his former band-mates are in for a surprise: most of them come off as rather positive in his book, though their foibles (as Danny sees them) aren't spared. The portrait of Kath is particularly warm; in fact, there seems to be only one band-mate that Seraphine doesn't really care for whom he portrays in a very negative light.

Of course, Chicago's story--like almost any other band's--is a blueprint for an MTV: Behind the Music episode (Chicago was indeed featured on that show about 10 years ago): talented band struggles, hits it big, parties hard, faces lean times/tragedy, then makes a redemptive comeback with a mostly clean-n'-sober line-up. If I have a problem with the book at all, it's in the style; Danny writes in what we used to call in school the "passive voice," so in some sections, very dramatic real-life events are stylistically deflated. But that's a small complaint of mine and it probably won't bother you.

All in all, it's very nice to have a book for adults about Danny and the band. It's a quick, interesting, entertaining read, and I hope Seraphine has much success with it.