Finally, after waiting for the book to cycle thru other readers, we got it from the library. It's written in a very matter of fact narrative, as if he's sitting across a table from you and just talking about his life and music. And being the age where I was, in fact, 19, and heard all of these songs when they were first played on AM radio really hits home for me. We played the Green River album constantly. Why?, because you could actually strum the songs, hit the licks, teach them to our garage band, and then play at the next pool party on Friday night.(Remember those?)
Chapter 6?...I was draft age and he describes EXACTLY what was happening at the time. Pages 157 and 158 describes how "Proud Mary" was 'gifted' to him, not sure of any other way to put it; the recording of the song is another story. And all the business with Fantasy Records is told in extreme and horrible detail over many, many years. Summary: He was stabbed in the back, repeatedly. Period.
Here's a rig rundown done May 2015. What's interesting is that the guitar tech has the story about the Black Les Paul completely wrong. It was used on 'Bad Moon Rising'
As John tells it on page 171, he was going to use a Gibson 175 and a Tremolux amp but they were both stolen, from the backseat of his car right in front of the Fantasy Records building. He had to record, so he drove to Jimmy Luttrell's in Albany(Bay Area of California) walked in, wanted a sunburst, saw the black custom($500), plugged it into a Twin Reverb, tuned it down to "D", played one chord, bought both, and the rest is history, as they say.
We've read our fair share of bio's(I've been keeping a list over the last several years) but this one is near the top. Right up there with 'Go Cat Go'/Carl Perkins.
He's playing right now at The Venetian in Las Vegas this month.
Very Highly recommended.
I read a fair share of bio's/auto bio's' andthis was one of my favorites as well. Extremely well written, enlightening and entertaining.
