A highly subjective Generation Jones reading list:
If it’s Tuesday, it must be Walla Walla, by Dave Scott Schwartzman
This is on our “to read” list because he talks about the infamous Kraut show at Irving Plaza that we mention in Chapter two, “Flipper is not a dolphin.” Dave Scott Schwartzman’s comprehensive, 300-plus page history of one of New Jersey’s most beloved bands is packed with tour stories, photos, flyers, and a lot of laughs. For the first time, the story of Adrenalin O.D. is told through the eyes of its drummer and co-founder. Features never-published photos, a complete A.O.D. discography, and heckling both The Clash and the cast of “Happy Days.” FOR MORE CLICK HERE
On the Street I Met a Dog, by Greg Prevost
The Chesterfield Kings were the quintessential live band for us in the eighties. One of the shows we went to is described in the chapter we call, “When they were Kings.” Finally, Chesterfield Kings’ Greg Prevost, has written his biography. Our review is pending if we ever get a copy. It’s available from an online store in London. FOR MORE CLICK HERE
Eye Mind: The Saga of Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators, The Pioneers of Psychedelic Sound, by Paul Drummond
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators are our favorite band that we knew next to nothing about. The documentary “You’re Gonna Miss Me” helped to fill in some of the history but there was still much to know. For starters, they were nowhere near as obscure in their heyday as you thought and rivalled bands like the Jefferson Airplane or Big Brother. This is the most comprehensive telling of the story to date. FOR MORE CLICK HERE
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon and the Hunt for the Fugitive King of LSD, by Bill Minutaglio
Among other things, relive the golden age of aviation because, with the advances in airport security and surveillance, it is a sure bet that nothing even remotely close to this could happen today. This is quite possibly the craziest true story ever told. And it is surprising that the details were unknown to us because the paparazzi were present at almost every stop on this long strange trip (pun intended). FOR MORE CLICK HERE
Sick On You: The Disastrous Story of The Hollywood Brats, the Greatest Band You’ve Never Heard Of, by Andrew Mattheson
Matheson arrived in London from Canada with only one goal: to do something about all the horrible music currently on the charts (like “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep”). His template was simple, “Two guitars, a bass, drums, and singer, that’s it. Think the Beatles, Kinks, and Who for four, Stones for five….and no facial hair.” What sets this apart is the writing style. It’s like the movie Withnail and I, if it was about music and not actors. FOR MORE CLICK HERE
Bye, Bye, Baby: My Tragic Love Affair with The Bay City Rollers, by Caroline Sullivan
This book made us laugh hysterically. Then again, we lived for music and have sat in a beanbag chair in a wood-paneled rec room. Not only that, the Wombles and Drew University are mentioned in the first thirty pages. While we could never imagine being as gonzo about the Bay City Rollers as these fans, the chutzpah and detective work with which they tracked their idols was worthy of J. Edgar Hoover. And it is the literary equivalent of the movie Spirit of 76 in that every fad is name-checked (“Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific”) FOR MORE CLICK HERE