BoomerGirl Diary

I have always loved reading autobiographies, but I especially enjoy reading them by rock musicians. I just finished reading a fantastic book by Andy Summers, guitar player for the Police, called "One Train Later."

I always thought Sting was the intellect in that group since he was an English teacher before he hit the big time. I read his memoir; "Broken Music," when it came out several years ago and thought it was very moving and honest. But I think I enjoyed Andy’s even more. In Sting’s book I cried, in Andy’s book I laughed. Andy’s writing is witty, dry, smart, and incredibly funny. What’s interesting is that they both speak about the same era and how they ultimately come together in the same band. Andy is now in his 60’s and Sting is in his 50s. And I’m sure you know they are now back together again and on tour as the Police after 25 years.

I have read some other very good memoirs written by musicians in the last couple of years, as well. "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Donovan Leitch is especially captivating. I was a big fan of Donovan in the '60s and found his book fascinating when I read so many parallels with my own teenage years. Bob Dylan's book, "Chronicles Volume I," is amazingly well written and also discusses a lot of the same events and people. All four men talk about the same general era from their own personal perspectives.

Nick Mason, drummer for Pink Floyd, has written a very large almost coffeetable-like book with many colorful pictures, called "Inside Out." Mason speaks cleverly and with intelligence about forming Floyd, along with Roger Waters and original founding member, Syd Barrett, who later was asked to leave the band because of his mental illness. Eric Burdon's (of the Animals) bio, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," was personally interesting to me because I met the Animals when I was 16 and became good friends with their road manager for many years.

If you want to read about being in the music business from a woman's point of view there is Tori Amos' book, "Piece by Piece." She discusses her childhood being raised by a Cherokee grandfather, who taught her the medicine ways of the native people to the Christian indoctrination of her father and paternal grandparents, who were all ordained ministers. This particular combination of influences gives you a good idea of why Tori’s music is so unique. Towards the end of the book she warns you of the pitfalls of the recording industry and offers sound advice for those attempting to enter it.

I am now waiting for my next book choice to arrive in the mail. Perhaps you’ve heard of Pattie Boyd? She was a beautiful blond English supermodel in the '60s, often gracing the cover of fashion magazines like Vogue. She did ads for Yardley, a popular line of beauty products of that period and she also wrote a column for 16 Magazine, that I avidly read as a teenager. In 1966, she married George Harrison, after meeting him on the set of "A Hard Day’s Night," where she had a small speaking role. She divorced Harrison in ’77 and then married Eric Clapton, who had been in love with her for years, in ’79. She was the muse for many songs written by both men, including "Something" by Harrison and "Layla" by Clapton. Her bio is called, "Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me," the name of another song written by Clapton. I have been curious about this love triangle forever and look forward to getting my hands on the book.

Until next time, rock on and be excellent to each other… Penny