beatles and dylan biographies

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I read Jim Mcdonough's Neil Young bio Shakey a while back, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Seems the market on Beatles and Bob Dylan bios is kinda saturated, though. I'm looking for something comprehensive and I'm not sure where to start. Any suggestions?

― spock, Wednesday, 10 May 2006 14:53 (twenty years ago)

For Beatles songs, Revolution in the Head by Ian McDonald. Not a biography as such, but one of the best Beatles books I've read. It's a dipper.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:01 (twenty years ago)

Fifteen years ago when I was reading such things, "No Direction Home" was the standard Dylan book. I don't remember reading any Beatles biog that was all that interesting -- you might as well just watch that extended "Anthology" video set. But my favorite Beatles-related book was the inordinately geeky "Beatlesongs", which divvied up who wrote how much of which Beatles songs (along with notes on instru mentation, history, inspiration, etc.) in order to decide which Beatle really wrote the bulk of the Beatles' oeuvre. (Hint: He's dead. Further hint: It's not George.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:09 (twenty years ago)

There's something to be said for reading a biography of a band / singer etc and listening to their music simultaneously.

Like Chris above, I read less of these now, but try Dylan's Chronicles for a first hand account. It didn't do a great deal for me, but others raved.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:20 (twenty years ago)

In the same way that Anthology is a great way to look at the Beatles, the No Direction Home DVD is equally as good for Dylan.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:21 (twenty years ago)

that brand new beatles biography was supposed to be really good. and very comprehensive. um, i think it was called The Beatles. can't remember the author though.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:26 (twenty years ago)

this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316803529/qid=1147278639/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-9507300-3251853?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

it's in paperback now too.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:33 (twenty years ago)

Mr. Jaq had some not good things to say about that new Beatles' book. Like - lots of reporting of third hand rumor as if it were fact, that kind of thing. Also, he was playing Spot the Egregious Error in it, quite a bit it seemed to me as a disinterested observer. I'll have to see if I can get him in here to speak for himself though.

― Jaq (Jaq), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:41 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I can't get around the negative reviews I read on the daytrippin web site. Of that and the Geoff Emerick book.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:43 (twenty years ago)

In the same way that Anthology is a great way to look at the Beatles, the No Direction Home DVD is equally as good for Dylan.

Yeah, the No Direction Home dvd is pretty awesome; I just wish it went through the 80s or something. I never knew he was such an opportunist. And his ability to slip into roles in order to detach himself personally from a situation is incredibly enviable.

I'll plan on checking out the Anthology next. I almost bought the new Beatles bio this past weekend, but wasn't sure what the critical reception of it was. That's kind of what generated this thread.

Thanks for all the great suggestions, and I certainly welcome more.

― spock, Wednesday, 10 May 2006 16:17 (twenty years ago)

i think marcus's 'invisible republic' helped clear up dylan for me in a way a "straight" bio wouldnae; i have a straight bio, called 'behind the shades', but i never managed to get as far as well his actual fame. marcus's 'like a rolling stone' book is worth a borrow, maybe worth a workthrough of the discography if you're an obsessive-compulsive type, wouldn't pay for it though. (my solution was buying it as a gift, oh dear.)

'revolution in the head' is very good, despite how frequently bad it is.

― tom west (thomp), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 18:27 (twenty years ago)

I don't remember Invisible Republic as being all that much about Dylan after all, but it had some OK stuff in it. I really don't like Greil Marcus in general, though.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 22:48 (twenty years ago)

i like anthony scaduto's book, though it only goes up to about 1970. i've flipped through clinton heylin's book a few times and it seems comprehensive but to be honest heylin's sheer obnoxiousness kind of puts me off. "no direction home" is a bit on the long side (and again only goes up to about '70) but pretty thorough and readable for what it does.

stay FAR away from bob spitz's dylan book! i'm sure his beatles book is much better if only because i find it very hard to imagine a biography worse than that one.

dylan's own book is great but nothing close to a straight bio.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 23:34 (twenty years ago)

I detest Revolution In The Head for trying to tell me that Martha My Dear is a) not very good, and b) about a big white fluffy dog.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 11 May 2006 13:21 (twenty years ago)

It is also dismissive of Across the Universe, oddly. Avoid (like the plague) Like a Rolling Stone by Greil Marcus.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 11 May 2006 13:52 (twenty years ago)

What's wrong with Martha My Dear being about his dog? "Hold your hand out, you silly girl, see what you've done!" becomes significantly less offensive then.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 11 May 2006 16:57 (twenty years ago)

Nothing wrong with it, bit ignorance was bliss.

I am, even as we speak, subtitling Macca talking about Martha - "a lovely dog".

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 12 May 2006 10:38 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

sp@m

― sp@m, Tuesday, 6 June 2006 00:42 (twenty years ago)

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beatles and dylan biographies - where to start?