Tales from the Rock 'n' Roll Highway (Paperback)

~ (Author) "In "Midnight Rider," Gregg Allman sings that the road goes on forever..." (more)
Key Phrases: solo artist, photo collection, New York, South Africa, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Tales from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway takes readers backstage, behind the scenes, into the studio, on the road, into the minds, and out on the street with anecdotes revealing what really goes on in living the rock and roll life.

Included are some of the most famous names in popular music, among them Gram Parsons, The Doors, David Crosby, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Sex Pistols, Three Dog Night, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, the Allman Brothers Band, and many, many more.

Tales told by musicians at all levels of experience, their roadies, radio personalities, music journalists, tour managers, and fans offer fascinating accounts of what really goes on during road trips and tours, as well as pranks, diversions, and outlandish behavior experienced through attempts at overcoming the tedium and loneliness of the rock and roll life. In their own words, artists tell their side of the story about their daily lives, the drawbacks to touring, the opportunities they are afforded, and how it all shakes out and what it all means to them.

Divided into chapters, with sections within each introduced by the author's narration, the book includes stories about studio experiences, record company interaction, macabre behavior, surprising encounters, groupies, drug and alcohol excesses, performances, bus tales, fan encounters, concert promoters, once-in-a-lifetime shows, and off-hand evaluations of other rockers.

Warning: Readers of this book may learn more than they ever cared to know about their favorite, or least favorite, artists.

From the Author

Many artists have participated in this project by offering first-person accounts including members of The Firm, Anthrax, Iron Butterfly, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Country Joe and the Fish, Meat Puppets, The Tubes, The Motels, Steppenwolf, Golden Earring, Wishbone Ash, Insane Clown Posse, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Herman's Hermits, Poco, Lynyrd Skynyrd, World Classic Rockers, Strawberry Alarm Clock, MC5, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sha Na Na, Orleans, Metal Shop, Big Country, Taste of Honey, America, Analog Pussy, Street Survivor, Blake Babies, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Big Head Todd, Chambawamba, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Marshall Tucker Band, Zak Daniels and the One-Eyed Monsters and solo artists including Dick Dale, Al Kooper, Graham Parker, Martha Reeves, Gloria Gaynor, Rick Rose, Rory Block, Nigel Olsson, Andrew Gold, Carol Kaye, Janis Ian, Gary Wright, Donna Frost, Johnny Chester, Kayt E. Wolf, Bobby Berge, Lee Underwood, Mel Carter, Frankie Ford, Neal Casal, Nick Gilder and others.

In addition to stories told about themselves or their bands, tales are told about Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Tim Buckley, Bay City Rollers, Harry Chapin, Jefferson Airplane, John and Yoko, Blondie, Kiss, Phil Spector, Roberta Flack, Donna Summer, Aerosmith, Marilyn Manson, Howard Stern, Metallica, Carl Perkins, Stephen Stills, Led Zeppelin, Keith Moon, The Eagles, The Damned, Motley Crue, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, Nine Inch Nails, Joan Baez, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Mick Ronson, Roger Daltry, and many others.

There are over 30 photographs from the artists' private collections.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Billboard Books (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082308437X
• ISBN-13: 978-0823084371
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #277,577 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blues had his baby breech, November 16, 2004

By	GA Roadie - See all my reviews

This was a great read ! Anyone who thinks the industry is all about the big names is misguided. It is all about those who stay true to their music and lifestyles. Speaking of blues, for everyone who made it big, how many are playing away in the clubs that no one really heard of but listen to every chance they get.

This book is great and it looks at the real rocker. If you want stories on the elite fringe of the 1% get Kitty Kelly to write it. I want the skinny on the people who make up the masses of rock.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Roadies Rule !, July 14, 2004

By	roadiegirl "roadiegirl" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

I will admit I am partial to biographies and rock 'n roll, so this latest offer from Brant held the promise of being a good read. What I found was a great variety of personal stories which ranged from "hooting 'n hollaring" to reflective and even soulful. I've read many music books and most of them talk about "The Road." This book lets the artists, roadies and fans take you right into this integral part of their lives. It's a great book and I strongly recommend it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Great Book!, June 30, 2004

By A Customer

These are great stories, I felt that I was right there as I read them. I liked the fact that while sex and drugs were represented, most of the artist's tales were about the really bizarre things that happen when musicians are on the road and when people are involved in the music business. Marley Brant makes the book even better by narrating and explaining the circumstances that surround these experiences, and frequently gives her own hilarious perspective on the story. There is more to Rock and Roll than what happens on the stage.