I'm looking for some new ones to read. These things are notoriously hit and miss, but some of my favorites are Across the Great Divide by Barney Hoskins, The Old Weird America by Greil Marcus (a genius), Bowie in Berlin by Jerome Seabrook, and Thelonious Monk by Robin Kelley. And as far as autobiography/memoir, which I'm usually wary of, Just Kids by Patti Smith and Cash: The Autobiography seem really straightforward, honest, and well written. I'm wanting to get around to This Wheel's on Fire by Levon Helm, but haven't been able to find it. Chronicles: Volume One by Dylan isn't bad either, if a bit erratic. I've yet to read a decent bio of Dylan or Bowie's entire career (Behind the Shades Revisited isn't terrible, though), and all of Tom Waits's suck as far as I know. I just bought the Mozipedia: Morrissey and the Smiths and Pearl Jam: Twenty, and they're both much better than I thought they were going to be.

Okay, your turn. I'm especially looking for some good bios on Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Nick Cave, Gram Parson, Townes Van Zandt, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Hank Williams, but basically anybody/anything you think is worth checking out! Looking for recommendations here...

Twenty Thousand Roads is one of the best musician bios I've read.

Jimmy McDonough's Shakey is one of my favorites.

I started reading Keith's book about 6 months ago, but I still haven't finished it. It just doesn't seem to do it for me.

Hmm...particularly good reviews on that one, thanks. I'll look for it.

Yeah! I've heard good things.

I didn't think the Keith Richards bio was too bad, but like I said, I'm not big on autobiographies.

I just wish there was a fucking decent book about Tom Waits. It's waiting to be written for sure...

shakey's awesome.

Apparently Charles Mingus has a very entertaining autobiography called "Beneath the Underdog."