From The Library: The Rolling Stones - 365 Days by Simon Wells

Y'all know that mama loves her some Rolling Stones. So it stands to reason that there are one or two (or more) books on those same Rolling Stones around the old homestead. Of all the Stones books I have, this one is a particular favorite.

From the very opening (and ending) of this book, a two-page homage to those luscious Jagger lips, Simon Wells gives the people what they want - 365 fabulous fabulous and foxy photos of the Stones from the archives of Getty Images. The photos lead chronologically from the beginning (photo #1 being of Mick Jagger's father, Basil), through to the 2000s, and many are accompanied by choice quotes from the members of the band and important related figures (such as former manager/svengali Andrew Loog Oldham and music rags like NME).

As you gaze upon classic image after classic image, you can softly chuckle to yourself when reading Mick's humble words, "I'm just an ordinary English bloke, same as everyone else," or concur completely with Oldham's proclamation that, "The Rolling Stones are more than just a group - they're a way of life." You'll just plain enjoy this splendid collection of Stones shots and all those nuggest of Stonesian trivia. So get off of my cloud and get your own dang copy of The Rolling Stones - 365 Days.

mp3: Tumbling Dice (The Rolling Stones from Exile On Main Street) (Nice choice, Those Who Dig!)

From The Library: Bit of a Blur by Alex James

As I've no doubt mentioned here plenty of times, one of my fondest rock&roll memories involves Mister Alex James, bassist for that beloved bastion of Britpop, Blur. It was a crowded, sweaty night at the old Black Cat, and Blur was putting on one heck of a show. It was the height of the glory days of Britpop, and all the scenester kids were there. But what I will always remember above all else was Alex, glorious indifference coursing through his lanky body, head cocked to the side and trademark ciggie dangling from his slightly sneering lips. It was beautiful. Years later I would hear a rumor that James had spent over a million pounds on champagne over the years, a nod of sorts to the excesses brought on by worldwide success (and the desire to become an "alcoholic genius"). And naturally, who better to write an autobiography than a man who has a millionaire liver?

Bit of a Blur was even better than I could have hoped. Over the course of two days I only put it down to go to work and go to sleep (and fell asleep while reading). James proves a charming, captivating host, clever as you like and engaging as can be. His words are light, but earnest. I immediately was struck at how perfect it was to have such an enthusiastic musician write such an enthusiastic tribute to life as a rock star. In a sense, James is like a kid on Christmas morning while writing about his life with Blur, and it's endearing beyond belief.

Events happen chronologically, and most of the book is, as you would expect, devoted to the Blur years. Along the way you'll pick up many an unexpected nugget of James trivia (unless of course you're a total superfan, in which case you'll already know everything) such as where he met ace Blur axeman Graham Coxon, his most debaucherous, excessively scandalous evening (hint: it involves five ladies and some champers), and the fact that James has been known to fly a plane every now and again. That whole messy feud with Oasis? James barely acknowledges it, glossing over it with a scant mention hither and thither, which for some reason makes me like him even more. Prone to moments of insightful reflection, don't be surprised to come across a thought-provoking sentiment or two, though of course one is always sure that James has his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.

James is a terribly good spinner of yarns, and gives his recollections with a carefree panache. Even while describing the darker side of success, he remains always likeable, always the hero. Bit of a Blur is, without question, one of the best things I've read in quite a long time. There is so much good to be had within the pages of this book, I can't recommend it enough.

mp3: Country House (Blur from The Great Escape)

From The Library: The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes by Willie Nelson

We’re not just about listening to music around these parts. Oh no. We also love to read about it, because we’re just nerdy like that. I’m particularly fond of biographies and autobiographies, because I’m a wee bit nosy. So it was that after steamrolling through several British murder mysteries, I found myself in need of something a little lighter, a little more down home, a little more amusing. Naturally, then, I reached for my (first edition, of course) copy of Willie Nelson’s pseudo-autobiography, amusingly entitled The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes.

I knew this was a good decision pretty much right away. Holding the book in my hands, I was confronted with a current (as of 2002) photo of Willie on the front cover, and a youthful, mischievous scamp of a Willie on the back cover. The naughty twinkle in his eyes is still there, and that augured well for the contents within. Willie writes in a casual, free flowing style not that far removed from the late great Johnny Cash. There’s no real rhyme or reason to Willie’s ramblings, and as far as I’m concerned that’s a good thing. The man is not only a musical legend, but a font of wisdom (and dirty jokes) as well. Even the introductory paragraph is worth a giggle, as Willie warns preteens to “read every third word” only, given the amount of bad words and somewhat scandalous jokes.

The book, which according to Willie is “one-part song lyrics, one-part photographs, and ten-parts bullshit,” is totally engrossing. I couldn’t put it down, not even to keep an eye on my beloved Nationals as they took on Willie’s hometown’s local(ish) team, the Houston Astros. Much like his gift for spinning a yarn with his lyrics, so too can Willie keep your attention with the pen as well. His tales are interspersed with plenty of song lyrics and a cache of family photos to give you plenty of Nelson for your buck. From childhood in small town Texas to the first song he learned to life on the road to what to do when a bee stings you, you’ll get a little bit of everything.

Willie’s tome is without question the funniest read I’ve had in quite some time, and it’s a great insight into the mind of one of country’s best musicians and songsmiths. If you’re hankering for a good, quick, hilarious piece of literature, you could do a lot worse. Highly (no pun intended) recommended.

mp3: On The Road Again (Willie Nelson from Honeysuckle Rose)

From the Library: 21 Nights/Indigo Nights

I'm an unabashed Prince fan and have been since I saw my first concert featuring the pint-sized genius. My parents, not having a clue who the guy was at the time, got me tickets to the Purple Rain tour for my ninth birthday and I haven't looked back since. Somewhere along the way, I made a promise to myself that whatever His Royal Badness put out for consumption, I'd buy, especially if it was music. With this in mind, I went out and bought 21 Nights, a coffee table book of pictures taken during his recent stint in London over, you guessed it, 21 nights. I happened to read an interview with the Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince in USA Today last week, and my interest was piqued. Paraphrasing greatly, he said this book was going to give the first true documentation of his career, albeit a very slim portion of it. To be honest, I wouldn't have really cared, as the real reason to buy it for me was the accompanying CD, Indigo Nights, made up of various tracks from the shows. Regardless, I was pumped, and using a variety of coupons and my discount card, I picked it up for 60 percent off the cover price, so I figured I was stylin' on this one.

Sadly, this book doesn't quite live up to the expectations I had (and being the major fan I am, my expectations were pretty wide open in the first place). First off, there is no "story" here at all. I was thinking there would be some biographical angle, but the only written words are lyrics from various songs. (As a side note, there was a time when I could name any Prince song if you read me just one line of lyrics. Damn, I didn't recognize a quarter of these songs. And for a guy that's seen every U.S. Prince tour since Purple Rain except one and owns every album, that's saying something, and it ain't something good.) While the pictures are gorgeous and lush, it seems like a whole lot of filler to me. Here's the band. There's Prince looking better-dressed trying to pick out his outfit for the day than I did on my wedding day. Quite frankly, it feels like a way overextended tour program. But hey, I didn't buy this for the book, right? I bought if for the music, so everything else should just be gravy.

Here's the thing I simply do not understand. I go to roughly 25-50 concerts a year and have for the past decade or so. I've seen everyone from Kenny Loggins to Big Daddy Kane, from to Broken Social Scene to Dolly Parton, and damn near every genre in-between. The case of the matter is NO ONE puts on a show quite like Prince. He's got the tightest band, plays like a man possessed every time and, quite frankly, is just too damn funky for his own good. So why in Winnie-the-Pooh's name can't the man put out a decent live album? Sure, he's done a few incredible live tracks on studio albums ("Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" ranks as one of the best live tracks I've ever heard by any artist), but full live albums don't come close to capturing the man's performance capabilities. One Nite Alone...Live was a letdown and I'm afraid Indigo Nights isn't a whole hell of a lot better. Sure, the selection is far more interesting and quite a bit funkier, and there are a few new tracks here, but this one probably is for the die hards like myself. And this makes me sad.

Things kick off with "3121," which intros with "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and segues in and out of "DMSR". For those of you keeping score, Prince has dropped all profanity from his shows since going Jehovah's Witness, so the lyrics are altered slightly for "DMSR". Things then pump into "Girls & Boys," one of my all-time favorite deep purple concord jams, but this is not a great version. While having the audience sing parts of a song might be great for an actual live performance, hearing the crowd instead of the singer on CD seems kind of wasteful. Of all things, a nearly unrecognizable from the original "Song of the Heart" pops up next, followed by a decent "Delirious" and then a monologue bemoaning paparazzi and claiming Prince is just an average Joe Six Pack (c'mon, guy, who are we kidding here?) Next, The Purple One does start to hit his stride with a blues suite consisting of "Satisfied" and the new "Beggin' Woman Blues". Inconceivably, he seems to be about a half beat ahead of the band on the latter track. And then the true high points arrive in the likes of some of the funkiest jams you're likely to hear this year. Interestingly enough, he turns over the vocal duties for a lot of the rest of the show, proving that his taste in throaty Sistah singers is uncannily amazing. "Rock Steady" could be the highpoint of the album, which turns into an instrumental version of Zep's "Whole Lotta Love". "Alphabet Street" makes an appearance before the titular track provides a damn spicy salsa beat. From there, it's a bit of filler to my ears, though the "The One/The Question of U/Fallin'" suite is pretty damn impressive.

I'm not quite sure how to rectify that the best stuff here is not Prince material and often not even Prince singing, but what can you do? It's undeniably funky in places, soulfully perfect in others, but still not something I think will energize the masses.

Do you still need to see this genius the next time he comes to town? Yes, even if you have to sell your comic book collection to do so. Should you be ashamed of yourself if you don't have a copy of Sign O' The Times? Not only should you be ashamed, you probably should start doing penance right now. Do you need to rush out and buy the book? Regretfully, probably not.