Biographies Needed!!!!

In case any of the esteemed authors lurking around this board (cough - Erik - cough) are looking for topics for their next tomes, here are a few people who I think would probably make for fascinating biographies, but as near as I can tell have never been the subject of a decent one:

Tom Wilson - the guy got his start producing Sun Ra, went on to produce Dylan's classic early albums, produced "The Sounds of Silence," was the real producer of The Velvet Underground and Nico, allowed White Light White Heat to happen, produced the Mothers of Invention, the Soft Machine and others, and is credited with nudging Dylan from folk towards rock. How is there not an in-depth biography of this guy in libraries? (At least none that I could find.)

Sonny Bono - This is a guy who is a much more important cultural figure than anyone gives him credit for. Phil Spector henchman, songwriter, pop star, tv star, politician, actor... He wrote "Needles and Pins," worked with John Waters, was half of a tv super-couple that once rivaled Lucy & Ricky and Ozzie & Harriet in popularity, then somehow became part of the Contract with America. And was Anthony Kiedis' godfather. Honestly, where the hell is a biography on this guy? He wrote an autobiography, but not one that's taken particularly seriously. A good biography is desperately needed.

Martin Hannett - He doesn't need me vouching for his bonafides on this board. There seems to be a sort of biography of him out there, but is apparently by one of his old drug buddies and of dubious merit. A true biography of a guy whose work continues shaping the sound of music three decades after his peak is needed.

Kirstie MacColl - Criminally under-appreciated in life, a good biography would go a ways towards raising her profile. And there's a wealth of story there - daughter of folk music stalwarts, so any biographer would have a field day digging into the story of the English folk revival. Signs to Stiff Records, so lots of great material there to bring into the story. Pens a huge hit for a tv comedian. Marries one of the great producers of the post-punk era and works with a lot of the greats - Smiths, Talking Heads, Pogues, etc. Gets a strong career second (or third) wind going while being a single mother, just in time to be murdered by a fucking millionaire in a speedboat, who is never punished. That's a book screaming to be written, but oddly no one has.

Who else is anyone on this board dying to read a good book about?

I had a proposal for a Link Wray book get to the final review stages before they (a good music publisher) decided it wouldn't be marketable enough. If someone writes that book, I'd read it. Marketability is always an issue with these labors of love, especially with the economics of publishing being up-ended.

Has anyone read Morrissey's book?



Post Edited (12-12-13 21:54)

Quote

I had a proposal for a Link Wray book get to the final review stages before they (a good music publisher) decided it wouldn't be marketable enough.

Ah, man! I would've bought that book!

Kristy MacColl has apparently been taken care of.

It appears to be a reprint of a 2004 book, as well.

And her albums (barring Tropical Brainstorm) have gotten deluxe reissues as well.



Post Edited (12-13-13 08:41)

Ah! That's cool. I looked to see if any such book existed, but alas, must've been undone by my insistence on misspelling "Kirsty."

I always mistakenly use the Kirstie Alley spelling.

Reading my copy of KIRSTY MACCOLL: THE ONE AND ONLY now. I'm enjoying it broadly but it's not earthshaking, just a competent, well-researched and capably written biography. But I'm happy to read it while playing KITE at home.

Getting Kirsty book ..... now.

Kim Fowley
Rodney (KROQ)
Alice Cooper

The underrated and overlooked Katie Jane Garside (Daisy Chainsaw) who, unfortunately, was lost in the shadow of the overrated Nirvana.

Olivia Newton John - with a slew of full color pictures, please.

How 'bout Alan Vega/Suicide? I'd like some graphic details of his out of hand concerts.

hoip, check out "Suicide: No Compromise"

There's a few books about Alice Cooper e.g.: "No More Mr Nice Guy: The Inside Story of the Alice Cooper Group." The most recent one is "'Welcome to My Nightmare: The Alice Cooper Story."

There was the Rodney bio-doc movie "The Mayor of Sunset Strip," but a book would be an improvement if it actually discusses his radio show - y'know, the thing that actually made him great.

I didn't know about that Suicide bio - that should be a fascinating read. Thanks!

Hmmm. I was a big fan of Daisy Chainsaw at the time but a recent re-listen convinced me to flip "Eleventeen" and the "Hope Your Dreams Come true" single. The "Love's Sick Pleasure" EP still works for me, though. I have lost my taste for incoherent abrasion.



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