Now more than ever aging rockstars are signing on with publishing houses to pen memoirs about their sex, drugs and rock and roll-soaked lives. Last week Gregg Allman’s My Cross To Bear came out and yesterday we found out that Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann has a new tome in the works. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of ten rock autobiographies we’d like to see.
For the purposes of this list, we’re avoiding rock autobiographies that are already in the works. In addition to the aforementioned Billy K. memoir, both Robbie Robertson and Neil Young are preparing volumes on their lives that we can’t wait to read. Alright, enough with the small talk, here we go…
10. Les Claypool
The Primus front man certainly knows how to put a book together as displayed by his 2006 novel South of the Pumphouse. Now we’d like to see him use those skills to reflect on the many incarnations of Primus, his friendship with Kirk Hammett (including his side of the story on why he didn’t replace Cliff Burton in Metallica) and all of the rock n roll debauchery in which he’s partaken.
9. Gene Ween
Since the man born into the world as Aaron Freeman seems to have his shit together these days, let’s get a memoir from the Ween front man about the decades he spent living on the edge. We’re sure he’s got any number of interesting stories to tell about working with the South Park creators, tripping for days at a time in New Hope and his well-known distaste for the jam scene.
8. Jeff Tweedy
Why did Uncle Tupelo breakup? Why did he part ways with longtime collaborator Jay Bennett? How bad did his drug addiction get? What was so bad about his trip on pot brownies that he supposedly gave up the drug ever since? These are just a few of the questions we’d love to see Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy discuss in what we’re sure would be a riveting memoir.
7. Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl is one of the few members of a legendary rock band to leave said group and go on to achieve the same level of success with his solo project. Now that the Foo Fighters have been putting out fantastic albums for over 15 years, and he seems more comfortable discussing his time in Nirvana, the time is right for a Dave Grohl autobiography.
6. Trey Anastasio
We’ve now passed five years since that fateful night in 2006 when Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio was arrested and charged with drug possession after he approached a traffic stop in Whitehall, New York. Ever since his arrest, which led to a stint in rehab and a lengthy probation period, Big Red hasn’t said much about what went down. Hell, he hasn’t said too much of anything as Trey has only sat for a handful of interviews over the past few years and most weren’t focused on Phish. There’s so much Phish fans would love to know about his youth, his unparalleled burst of creativity in the mid ’80s that saw him put together songs that are still considered among the band’s best, Phish’s hiatus and breakup as well as his battle with addiction.
5. Paul Simon
It’s hard to believe over 50 years after starting his illustrious career, Paul Simon has never written an autobiography. From his loving, yet sometimes tenuous, relationship with Art Garfunkel to his marriages to Carrie “Princess Leia” Fisher and Edie “What I Am” Brickell to his trip to South Africa that led to Graceland, there’s plenty of material to pull from. We’d also like to see him address Steve Berlin’s assertion that Simon scumbagged material from Los Lobos.
4. Eddie Van Halen
While Van Halen’s two most famous lead singers have penned memoirs over the years, we’ve never heard from the group’s founder and most important member – Eddie Van Halen. We’d love to hear his take on the band’s discovery by Gene Simmons, his relationship with his brother and the many vocalist changes Van Halen has endured. Speaking of rock n roll debauchery, has anyone been involved in more crazy hi-jinks than Eddie?
3. David Byrne
As fans of the former Talking Heads front man’s journal, we know David Byrne is a fantastic writer who knows how to tell a story. Having a front row seat for the rise of punk and new wave in New York City in the ’70s, Byrne’s take on the early days of those scenes would be fascinating. Not to mention, many music fans want more details about why he felt so uncomfortable working with his Talking Heads band mates that he broke up the band.
2. Bob Weir
Now that Phil Lesh has written a memoir and Bill Kreutzmann just signed a deal to pen one of his own, we want to read what Bobby has to say about the Grateful Dead’s illustrious career and the life he’s led since the passing of Jerry Garcia. Weir was so young when the group formed and he reportedly had a touch-and-go relationship with Jerry at various points. It’d be great if Weir could set the record straight by telling us all about his time with Jerry, his fights with Phil and where we can find the best jean shorts and pink guitars.
1. Axl Rose
In reading the letter Axl Rose sent to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame turning down his induction, we were taken with just how well the GN’R front man’s wackiness comes through in his writing. We want to read a whole book of his crazy ramblings! He clearly feels slighted by his old band mates and is the king of holding grudges. Slash, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler all have written books in the last few years, it’s time for Axl to get in the last word.
Which rocker(s) would you like to see write an autobiography?
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