In the other parts of our 2024 holiday gift guide, we looked at the best of the year’s Christmas music albums followed by the most notable reissues, boxed sets and historical collections, and the best new albums from classic rock artists.
For this third part, we put on our reading glasses and dug into the year’s best books for fans of classic rock and related music. The first segment of our survey is devoted to memoirs and biographies (arranged alphabetically by subject), including important new books on (or by) Elton John, Van Halen, Randy Newman, Cher, Michael McDonald and others. The second part features a couple of new books on various music-related topics, arranged by title. And then, at the end, we’ve listed other assorted new releases of 2024 that may interest you.
There are no rankings for these titles because they’re all worthy. Click on the links in the titles for more information on a specific book. All of these titles are available as physical books; many are also downloadable digitally.
Bios, Memoirs and Artist-Related (Alphabetical by Subject Name)
The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic—by Daniel de Visé—Judy Belushi Pisano, John Belushi’s widow, described the book as “a riveting examination of this remarkable band, its compelling characters and the music they cherish. Equally importantly, de Visé seems to have managed to embrace the humor, humanity, love and tragedy that makes the story of the Blues Brothers a worthwhile tale.” [Available here.]
Cher: The Memoir Part One—by Cher—From the book announcement: “The extraordinary life of Cher can be told by only one person…Cher herself. After more than seventy years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail, in a two-part memoir.” The book “traces how this diamond in the rough succeeded with no plan and little confidence to become the trailblazing superstar the world has been unable to ignore for more than half a century.” [Available here.]
My Mama, Cass—by Owen Elliot-Kugell—This is the “long-awaited, myth-busting, and deeply affecting memoir by the daughter of legendary rock star ‘Mama’ Cass Elliot,” according to the book publicity. In My Mama, Cass, “the author pulls back the curtains of her mother’s life from the sold-out theaters and behind the closed doors of her infamous California abode.” [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
Washita Love Child: The Rise of Indigenous Rock Star Jesse Ed Davis—by Douglas K. Miller—One of the most sought-after guitarists of the late ’60s and ’70s is also one of the least known. The Native American performed on sessions for a Who’s Who of classic rock (Lennon, Clapton, Dylan, Browne, Faces) and played at the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (with Taj Mahal) and at the Concert For Bangladesh. Drugs got the best of him at just 43. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
The Life and Writings of Ralph J. Gleason: Dispatches from the Front—by Don Armstrong—The new bio of the influential and respected jazz and rock music journalist also includes numerous examples of his writing. “Ralph Gleason changed what it meant to be a music journalist,” author Armstrong told BCB. “He wrote from the mid-1930s to the mid-1970s, a critical period in the development of popular music. Gleason impacted the careers of prominent musicians, from John Coltrane to Jefferson Airplane. He co-founded Rolling Stone magazine and protested its early turn to celebrity journalism. His type of dissident music journalism is sorely needed today.” [Available here.]
Drums & Demons: The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon—by Joel Selvin—The late drummer’s story unfolds like a thriller in this page-turner bio. Balancing Gordon’s immense musical contributions with the harrowing details of his murder of his own mother, and emphasizing the role that Gordon’s illness played in his shocking story, author Selvin avoids sensationalism and digs deep into the background of the man, who mostly shied away from the spotlight during his career until that no longer became possible. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
Farewell Yellow Brick Road: Memories of My Life on Tour—by Elton John—The book, says an announcement, is “a full-color celebration of Elton John‘s record-breaking, globe-spanning farewell tour—from Allentown to Auckland, from Sydney to San Francisco…Elton reaches back in time to reflect on key moments from his life on the road and to reminisce about the beginning of his career while sharing never-before-seen images and memorabilia.” [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
Watch Elton John perform “Bennie and the Jets” from his final show in the U.S. in 2022
Forever Changes: The Authorized Biography of Arthur Lee and Love—by John Einarson—Einarson’s book, wrote our reviewer, “vividly details the ups and downs of Lee’s career and the milieu in which he and his band operated. It also offers smart commentary on the albums and singles in [Love’s] discography and includes lots of insights into the group’s frequently abstruse lyrics.” [Available here.]
John, Yoko & Me—by Elliot Mintz—Through personal and revealing chapters full of intriguing details, Mintz transports book readers from his first interview with Yoko in 1971, through the years that he supported Lennon and Ono both personally and professionally through creative highs, relationship and private challenges, fascinating interactions with the other former Beatles, and the happiest moments of their lives together, Sean Lennon’s birth and childhood. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
Only You Know and I Know—by Dave Mason—From the book promo: “The first time a member of Traffic has penned a memoir…Mason shares captivating tales from his remarkable rock ’n’ roll journey, recounting the many extraordinary situations he found himself in throughout his illustrious career, from recording sessions with legendary acts such as the Rolling Stones on ‘Street Fighting Man’ and Paul McCartney on the #1 single, ‘Listen to What the Man Said,’ to his time spent in Fleetwood Mac and beyond.” [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
The McCartney Legacy, Volume 2—by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair—Picking up immediately after its predecessor, which covered 1969-1973, Kozinn and Sinclair have brought the same exhaustive research ethos to volume 2 that made the first volume a critical success, following McCartney the man, establishing himself as a musician beyond Beatlemania and his legacy throughout the 20th century through the present day. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
What a Fool Believes—by Michael McDonald—Says the book announcement: “Interwoven with unforgettable tales from his storied career and a cast of music greats including James Taylor, Ray Charles, Carly Simon and Quincy Jones, What a Fool Believes finds the singer-songwriter, five-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee reckoning with the unshakable insecurities that drove him and the highs and lows of fame and popularity.” [Available here.]
Songbird: An Intimate Biography of Christine McVie—by Lesley-Ann Jones—“Songbird offers a true insider’s view into the late Fleetwood Mac mainstay, and deep psychological insight into its subject as a both a woman and a musician—the first, the only, the ultimate picture of a rock legend and a national treasure,” says the book’s promo material. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
A Few Words in Defense of Our Country: The Biography of Randy Newman—by Robert Hilburn—In addition to exploring Newman’s prolific career and the evolution of his songwriting, A Few Words in Defense of Our Country also dives into Newman’s childhood and early influences, his musical family that ruled Hollywood movie scores for decades, the relationships that have provided inspiration for his songs, and so much more. [Available here.]
Under a Rock—by Chris Stein—Under a Rock, says the book’s announcement, is the Blondie co-founder’s “nothing-spared autobiography. It’s about the founding of the band, ascending to the heights of pop success, and the hazards of fortune…Famous names march through these pages―Warhol, Bowie, Jean-Michel Basquiat and more—but you can get famous names anywhere. What you can’t get anywhere else is a plunge into the moments that made a giant 1980s artistic sensation. Stein takes us there in this revelatory, propulsive, distinctive memoir.” [Available in the U.K. here and in the U.S. here.]
Brothers—by Alex Van Halen—Told with acclaimed New Yorker writer Ariel Levy, Brothers is “seventy-year-old drummer Alex Van Halen’s love letter to his younger brother, Edward (maybe ‘Ed,’ but never ‘Eddie’), written while still mourning his untimely death…He writes about the brothers’ childhood…musical politics, infighting, and plenty of bad-boy behavior. But mostly his is a story of brotherhood, music, and enduring love.” [Available here.]
Watch Alex Van Halen and author Ariel Levy talk about Brothers in L.A.
Non-Artist-Related (Alphabetical by Title)
Down on the Corner: Adventures in Busking and Street Music—by Cary Baker—The first book by the acclaimed music journalist tells the story of music performed on the streets, in subways, in parks, in schoolyards, on the back of flatbed trucks and beyond, from the 1920s to the present day. It features interviews with Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg, Violent Femmes, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Mary Lou Lord, Peter Case, Poi Dog Pondering, Madeleine Peyroux, Old Crow Medicine Show, Mojo Nixon, Satan & Adam, and more. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
Watch Blind Arvella Gray performing on Chicago’s Maxwell Street
Talkin’ Greenwich Village—by David Browne—Veteran author and music journalist David Browne chronicles the history of the New York City neighborhood that has given a home, over several decades, to countless important musicians working within myriad genres. Browne conducted more than 150 new interviews with artists whose careers flourished in the Village—from singer-songwriters like Suzanne Vega, John Sebastian, Shawn Colvin, Suzzy and Terre Roche, Arlo Guthrie and Eric Andersen to members of classic rock bands like the Blues Project—and took a deep dive into the history of the many venues that hosted these artists. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
And Don’t Forget These (Alphabetical by Author)… (Click the book’s title for our earlier coverage, including ordering links.)
The Greatest Record Ever Made, Vol. 1—by Carl Cafarelli
Weighted Down—The Complicated Life of Skip Spence—by Cam Cobb
I Don’t Want to Go Home: The Oral History of The Stone Pony—by Nick Corasaniti
Teenage Wasteland: The Who at Winterland, 1968 and 1976—by Edoardo Genzolini
Jukebox: Photographs 1967-2023—by Michael Goldberg
Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell—by Ann Powers
From Here to the Great Unknown—by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
Zip It Up! The Best of Trouser Press Magazine 1974-1984—Edited and annotated by Ira A. Robbins
Backstage & Beyond Complete: 45 Years of Rock Chats & Rants—by Jim Sullivan
American Standard—Cheap Trick from the Bars to the Budokan and Beyond—by Ross Warner
Fifty Years of the Concept Album in Popular Music: From the Beatles to Beyoncé—by Eric Wolfson
Conversations with Tom Petty (Expanded Edition)—by Paul Zollo
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1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationMy Greenwich VillageBob, Dave and Me. By Terri Thal
( it is rude and a serious omission not to include Terri Thal’s book My Greenwich Village Bob,Dave and Me. Terri was Dave Van Ronk’s wife and manager. Also she was Bob Dylan’s first manager among other Greenwich Village musicians …