Customer Reviews

Three Dog Nightmare: The Chuck Negron Story

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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you, as I, harbored any wistful, romantic teenaged fantasies about the California music scene of that era, this book will dispell any illusions about the perceived innocence of the stars you idolized or sighed over, such as Chuck Negron. It is hard to fathom anyone living so high dropping so low in life until you read this. The text between Chuck's first sentence - "I should be dead" - and the phrase, 300+ pages later, "I missed my life" - broke my heart. Brutal in its content yet occasionally tongue-in-cheek, it was a tough book to put down although I at times cringed. It certainly gave life to the line "Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll." Chuck throws around a lot of big names and does not pull any punches. Nor does he point fingers or play the victim. He takes responsibility for his self-destructive choices. I was left hoping his 'long road back' doesn't have any more potholes in its pavement.

The sad story of rock and roll excess, the life of Chuck Negron, former lead singer of Three Dog Night is a must read for rock and roll fans everywhere. Three Dog Night burst on the music scene in the late 60's, when I was 9 years old, and I remember listening to their albums late at night, and loving the vocals. I did not know the names of the singers, but even at that young age, I knew how talented they were. I sometimes wondered what happened to Three Dog Night and this books tells it all. Negron spares no details in detailing his rise to stardom and the horrible fall after becoming addicted to drugs. Sometimes it was a difficult read, his descriptions of his abuse of drugs, and the toll it took on his body, friends, and family was heartbreaking, yet at the same time when he finally gets clean and sober, it is very uplifting. It makes you realize that the will to survive, love of a good woman, and God are all we need in life. Not money, not fame. I have immense respect for Chuck Negron, and wish him continued good health and success. Read this and try to remain unmoved.

What a story of the drug era this is! I was only a child in that era but of course knew of the stars like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix who died of drug overdoses. I actually came across this book while looking for another and decided to give it a whirl.

This held my interest so well I had trouble getting other things done for a few days while I was reading it. It reads like a good novel. Chuck Negron tells the story of his shockingly bad childhood and years in the music business. While many autobiographies are self-serving and highly slanted, I did not get that impression here. Negron is very even-handed with all of the material, careful not to unduly blame others but also revealing the truth when it's right there.

He started in the early 1960s in the music business, but of course, did not have success till the late 1960s. It was interesting to see the many slips and falls of getting to the top. Many rock books skip over that long climb, always making it seem like overnight success. Then the famous years were shocking. Just when I think, "Okay, this is the point where he gives up drugs because he's at his lowest," he reaches yet another low. It truly is remarkable, as others have said here, that he lived through it to tell this story.

He does mention the many battles with other former band members Cory and Danny over the right to use the band's name, etc. It's ironic, but it seems they used him. Almost everyone recognizes Chuck Negron as the lead singer of Three Dog Night and wouldn't even know Cory and Danny if they saw their photos. In fact, many people think Negron sang the lead on all the songs. I did until I read this book!

Sharing rusty needles, staggering around doped-up and filthy, driving his car into light poles--it's all so juicy that if someone wrote this stuff as a fiction book, it would be said that the story "went overboard" or that it's "too much." Negron almost ruined the lives of his ex-wives and children, spent millions upon millions of dollars over the years in heroin, and to see his recovery his both astonishing and heroic.

I recommended this book to a friend who never cared about Three Dog Night but who wanted something captivating to read, and he liked it.

I have been involved in law enforcement for over 25 years. I even worked in undercover narcotics. No one has ever shared their life story in this fashion. This was the first time I have been able to hear the true story from someone who has been there with no strings attached. Mr. Negron doesn't pull any punches. If anyone ever wanted to know what heroin does to a person this is the book to read. I find myself using stories from this book in the Substance Abuse class I teach at a local college. Many thanks to Mr Blatchford and Mr Negron. All the best

More visible than ever these days, Chuck Negron takes a brutal look at himself in this uncomfortable yet riveting autobiography.

Three Dog Night lovers have had very little printed matter on the band in recent years (only keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon's book made the shelves, and then vanished quickly). This book covers not only Negron's harrowing experiences as a heroin junkie, but also a behind-the-scenes look at one of American pop music's most successful post-Beatles bands. Drugs and sex tales abound, at times almost continually, and though some might argue that Negron's past drug addiction history has caused him to misremember events as they actually happened, he comes off as being a forgiving and optimistic man. He gingerly avoids dishing too much dirt on his two lead singing partners, Cory Wells and Danny Hutton, who have toured since 1981 without Negron, and he even offers an olive branch towards the conclusion, hoping to make amends with the others, whose fortunes (and places in pop music history) would only benefit from regrouping with Negron.

Whether or not the original band comes together once more for an album and/or tour, one thing's for sure: Chuck Negron is clean, determined, and for the first time in his life, happy to be alive. Read the book to find out why.

I like this book a lot, as I used to like Three Dog Night's (TDN) music when I was in high school. It is a very thorough, gutsy, honest expose' by Chuck Negron, one of the original singers in the band, and the lead on the unforgettable "Joy to the World." The book depicts the author's life from birth through an incredible life of basketball, then rock music, stardom, during which he became addicted to sundry drugs. The whole sordid tale of Negron's life as a washed up heroin junkie is laid bare here with total candor. His drug problems cost him several marriages, millions of dollars, his sanity, and many others things detailed in the book. Negron's ability to "come clean" with all the ups and downs of his life (and the lives of others he hurt, even ruined) is extraordinary.

However, one negative side of the book to me is Negron's seeming compulsion/addiction to tell it like it is/was, at times tactlessly. For example, I think he could have lessened some of the harser criticisms of the other 2 singers in TDN.

Negron's story of being redeemed by God, as he names It seems miraculous, and the singer has certainly tried hard to make amends for his past sins.

I just finished the book at the end of June. I had a very difficult time putting this book down. I actually finished it in three days. I have always been a fan of Three Dog Night.

It amazes me that Chuck is still with us after all that he has been through. It seems as if he was always dodging death (Wonderland, etc.), and somehow managed to get through. Amazing!

The story is a first hand account of how destructive drugs can be. This book does not hold anything back. It is reflective, remorseful and even humorous at points.

I think that anyone who is battling any type of addiction would find this book uplifting. I will definitely be sharing this book with two drug abusers who are in my life.

I had the recent benefit of seeing Chuck in concert twice. He looks and sounds great. When you see him in person it is hard to believe that this man was a heavy drug user for so many years. What a triumphant comeback!

Three Dog Night was the first band I called "my favorite" and I collected their albums and singles. The music means a lot to me. I read Jimmy Greenspoon's book recently and now Chuck's. There is enough overlap to feel the basic story of the band is true.

Chuck arguably had the best voice and picked the best songs. I saw him in concert last year and he was fabulous. He and Jimmy talk about the incredible ovations of their first fans and I fully believe it -- I wish I could go back in time and be there.

As a dyed-in-the-wool Three Dog Night fan, I loved getting the inside scoop. It really is a must-read. But a few days after finishing it (in one day), there are disturbing parts to the writing. Clearly, Chuck wants to assassinate Cory Wells' character (and Danny's to a lesser extent) while appearing "above the fray", clean, sober, etc. It's a tricky job but for many readers, he probably achieves it. But, according to Chuck, who for years bailed on their gigs and created chaos in all the band members' lives -- for years on end -- it's really Cory's fault... It goes on and on if you think about it.

Maybe some of it is true -- but in the end, I cannot reconcile the reborn drug-free fresh-air-smelling thankful Chuck of 1998, and the author who set out to smear his former bandmates who put up with years of Chuck's unreliability and finally had to move on.

There are a lot of stories out there of band members who got kicked out -- in this case the reasons were pretty valid, don't you think?

Three Dog Night was a great musical group at the height of their career. I still enjoy listening to their music today. The book displays the wild and crazy life of Chuck Negron and 3 Dog Night in their heyday and beyond. With all of the drugs, drinking and women these guys did I'm surprised that they're ALL not already dead. Although it's evident that their elder years are no picnic at this time. Chuck Negron's story is perfect proof that when you mix all of that talent with narcotics, alcohol and sex - you get nothing but stupid, and then you get broke. Most of Chuck's story made me so sad for the people around him, especially his son. For old fans like me of 3 Dog Night I would love to see them perform together again. Because, as one previous reviewer said 3 Dog Night IS NOT 3 Dog Night without Chuck Negron. As Chuck Negron alone is not 3 Dog Night. Here's hoping that eventually they can put enough of their disturbing pasts behind them and get together as sober performing professionals again.

I've just finished reading this book for the third time. I read it about once a year and it never seems to get old. I have always been a huge fan of Three Dog Night. Of course Chuck Negron was my favorite vocalist from the group. Without him it seems unlikely that Three Dog Night would have been as popular as they were and still are. It's an excellent read. I really don't understand some of the other comments, especially that he blamed Danny and Cory for everything that went wrong. Not so! Chuck Negron places the blame squarely on his own shoulders. He laments the horrible life his children suffered. Only after recovering from addiction could he begin to understand the misery he put others through, including his children and friends and family.

I think he's right that,after all is said and done, he was a huge part of TDN's success and he should be touring with them. I would go see TDN perform now, even after all these years. But, not without Chuck Negron.

All in all it's a story that few people can tell. Even fewer people would want to tell such a thing. My hat is off to a person who can admit his mistakes, confess to the world, and move on.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read books.