Library Pictures: Beyond The Grooves Best Music Books

Since starting this blog, I have done more reading. I am not a complete book worm and I would never claim to be. However it is something I am looking to do more. 

Below is a list of the best books relating to music I have ever read. The tales in these book range from the obscene, to scary, to heart warming. I highly recommend you give them a go.

Johnny Marr- Set the Boy Free

Johnny Marr's 2016 autobiography is quite simply the best book I have ever read. Marr is one of Manchester's most famous sons, and one of Britain's best ever musicians. Set the Boy Free covers everything in Marr's life up until 2016. He takes us on a journey through life, from a small boy being fascinated by a guitar in a shop window, through to The Smiths. Covering The Smiths breakup and then onto him being a guitarist for hire. Playing with Talking Heads, Pretenders, The The etc. 

The best thing about this book though is Marr keeps it simple. It's easy to read. He gives credit where it is due, and doesn't air dirty laundry about the famous break up. Marr's book is not only a journey through his life but a journey through music, ever changing trends and different outlooks. We see him grow as a person and as a musician. I cannot put into words how important this book is to me and just how much I love Johnny Marr. Please give it a read.

Peter Hook- Substance Inside New Order

Substance provides readers with a look behind the scenes of one of Britain's best and most underrated bands, from the perspective of it's bass player, Peter Hook. He talks about it all full details of drugs, groupies and excesses on tour. Detailing New Order's rise from the ashes of Joy Division to a British Pop institution. Hook aims the book to be “the most complete and truthful record of life inside New Order as is humanly possible” 

I'd say he succeeds, covering the bands history, through the songs, albums, the concerts, the nightclubs, the parties, the wives, the kids, it's all in here. There's heartwarming moments, there's scary stories from American tours and there are laugh at loud moments. New Order really did it all. They are as debauched as Led Zeppelin and The Who. 

They just wanted to make the band work, they ultimately didn't make it work. But they had fun trying.

Peter Hook- How Not to Run A Nightclub 

I have spoken about The Hacienda before briefly in this blog,  https://www.beyond-the-grooves.co.uk/blog/you-either-make-money-or-you-make-history

This book however, gives a more in depth analysis in just exactly went wrong, and right. It is a snapshot into history, into a great northern city, into many great northern bands, and into an explosion of youth culture. Hook covers the history of the club in chronological order, delving into every decision New Order and Factory Records made. 

It tells the reader just how bad they were as businessmen but just how revolutionary the club. was. All done by one of the main players in the whole thing, the book is a brilliant and funny tale of naivety, greed and idealism. A place and a time that changed the face of British music forever. Through the highs (excuse the pun) and lows, it covers off the fifteen years perfectly.

Hook's writing can make even the most mundane interesting and funny. You will find yourself laughing and then gasping at just how it all unfolded.

Paolo Hewitt- Getting High-The Adventures of Oasis

Paolo Hewitt spent two years on the road with Oasis from 1994 to 1996, and this book covers what he saw, what he heard and what he was told. Hewitt is a rare and perceptive fly-on-the-wall during the band’s hectic rise to the height of their powers through the releases of Definitley Maybe and What's the Story Morning Glory.

The book starts at the beginning with Peggy Gallagher arriving in Manchester and ends with the band stepping on stage at Knebworth, written with all of the driving forces both in and behind Oasis in mind. Everyone gets their say, because the author was in the room when they were saying it. 

It's a spine tingling read about five lads from Manchester and there mates who took on the world. Stopping just at the very top of the mountain. If Supersonic covers it in a film, Hewitt's book is more like a Netflix series. You get so much more, more of the arguments, more of the insight, more of the stories, more of Tony McCarrol, Guigsy, Bonehead, Alan White, Owen Morris, Mark Coyle, Phil Smith.

If you are an Oasis fan, I can promise you'll find something brilliant and beautiful in this book.

Alex James- Bit of a Blur

This book acts as almost a definitive guide to the 90s, especially in Britain. Champagne and Cocaine were order of the day. England was swinging again, New Labour was arriving. Blur were one of Britain's biggest bands and Alex James was nearly always centre of the party.

It's not all drugs and booze though, James delves deep into his relationships with partners, band mates and friends. He admits he was wrong, on multiple occasions. We learn about Blur too, they were always the shy boys of Britpop I suppose. Oasis crossed over into the tabloids but Blur seemed to try and be the best band they could always evolving and changing. James delves into how the band meet, the recording of some of the best songs of the decade and ultimately how the band drifted apart. 

We see a man who grows up and comes to terms with what he did, and ultimately is happy with who he is now.

Simon Spence- The Stone Roses War & Peace

War & Peace is the definitive story of one of Britain's best bands, bruises and all. Spence interviews those in and around the band to construct this book, creating a chronological biography that covers the whole of the bands career, inclduing the 2012 reunion.

The Stone Roses were one of Britain's most important bands, and this book manages to articulate just what went wrong and why they didn't fufill the potential they had. It also highlights just how brilliant they were when things were going well. Spike Island being the prime example of this.

If you are a Stone Roses fan I recommend you give this a read, as you might learn something. You'll also get a full timeline of one of Britain's most intriguing bands.

Thank you for reading x