Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

An Autobiography Written By a Woman in Rock 'n' Roll

Uh. Wow. I like this prompt, but I have no idea of a book to fulfill it! I discovered a few lists on the internet, but this is the only one that was limited to Rockstars!

The Best Female Musician Rock Memoirs by Joyce Raskin: https://shepherd.com/best-books/femal...

Nonfiction lovers are rejoicing!

Listopia is HERE

I keep getting hung up on autobiography vs memoir….

But I’m thinking of fudging a little bit and using Britney Spears’ The Woman In Me based solely on her performance of “I Love Rock n Roll” in the 2002 film Crossroads 😁 IYKYK

I'm probably going to go a little different route. I'm going to include biography, autobiography, memoir, and maybe some general books on the topic because there really aren't that many artists I listen to.

I found this book which sounded good:

Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution in Music

Thinking of going with Dolly Parton, Storyteller. She was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame so yeah :)

I have read quite a few memoirs by rock-n-roll women! And ... I have not liked most of them.

Books I've read that were so-so at best:
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein - I LOVE Sleater-Kinney, but this book was ridiculous. Brownstein majored in socio-linguistics in college, which tells you everything you need to know about how you will feel about this book.
Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon - Gordon had a lot of issues she needed to work out and she should have done it in therapy instead of in a book.
Just Kids by Patti Smith - it's just me, I know, because this book won awards, but omg what a SNOOZEFEST. So many lists full of boring details! If you want to know exactly how Patti & Robert divided up a hot dog from a hot dog cart, read this book.

And one book I really liked:
Violence Girl: East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, a Chicana Punk Story by Alice Bag


Books I have on my TBR:
Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys by Viv Albertine
Faithfull by Marianne Faithfull
Horror Stories: A Memoir by Liz Phair
I'm Not Holding Your Coat: My Bruises-and-All Memoir of Punk Rock Rebellion by Nancy Barile
Boys in the Trees by Carly Simon
Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna
Rememberings by Sinéad O'Connor

Not all of these women were musicians, some (like Barile in particular) were fans, but that still counts as "in rock and roll" to me.

Oh wow, Brent, who is not a member of our group, added 75 titles to our Listopia! I guess this is a subject near and dear to his heart, whoever he is!!

HAHAHA Nadine--

Nadine in NY wrote: "Oh wow, Brent, who is not a member of our group, added 75 titles to our Listopia! I guess this is a subject near and dear to his heart, whoever he is!!"

Wow

Erin wrote: "Thinking of going with Dolly Parton, Storyteller. She was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame so yeah :)"
I really want to read her book but didn't realize she was technically included in the Rock 'n' Roll genre! Thanks for this!!

Does it have to be strictly rock and roll? Like really rock-rock? Because I'm not finding anyone I'm interested in. Would be easier with a male rocker. In this case, I'll read about Tina Turner, Janet Jackson or even Brtiney Spears before I read about Patti Smith...

Tina Turner was known as The Queen of Rock and Roll, so I'd say SHE definitely counts!

I have had Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll by Ann Wilson of Heart on my TBR FOREVER. Definitely getting to it in 2024!

Nice, I hadn't even considered the Britney Spears memoir even though I have it. I already have my book picked out, but there's always room for more so I'll add The Woman in Me as well.

Laura wrote: "Does it have to be strictly rock and roll? Like really rock-rock? Because I'm not finding anyone I'm interested in. Would be easier with a male rocker. In this case, I'll read about Tina Turner, Ja..."




I think "rock n roll" is a HUGE musical umbrella and it includes so many different sub-genres of music, going back to the 1950s, including classic rock n roll, doowop, rockabilly, R&B, folk rock, prog rock, pop, ska, reggae, punk, metal, new wave, grunge, etc. It's ALL rock.

One COULD argue that since R&B is the origin of rock, it came first and so it is not within the rock-n-roll umbrella.

Gray areas would be rap, reggae, country, and jazz. Jazz is kind of its own thing, so I think greats like Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday are excluded here. But country, reggae, and rap have blended with rock in so many ways to form so many sub-genres of music that you can count them without worrying. Judy Collins, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn all count, in my mind.

So I don't understand why I'm seeing agita about, say, Britney Spears. In my mind, OF COURSE she counts. All pop music IS rock music.

And yes, definitely TINA TURNER counts!

Gonna definitely read the Alice Bag book! Thanks for that suggestion.

I am deciding between these 3:

-Reckless: My Life as a Pretender By: Chrissie Hynde

- Kicking and Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll By: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson

-Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage By: Tori Amos

I don't much like autobiographies or music books so this one is tough. I might cheat and read about a woman in geology. I imagine someone studying volcanoes might come across rocks rolling down the mountains... I have Adventures in Volcanoland: What Volcanoes Tell Us About the World and Ourselves on my wishlist for next year.

Ellie wrote: "I don't much like autobiographies or music books so this one is tough. I might cheat and read about a woman in geology. I imagine someone studying volcanoes might come across rocks rolling down the mountains ..."




LOL that's a clever work-around!!!

Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business is another book by Dolly Parton that would fit. It's from the 1990's, so keep that in mind if you want something more recent.

I've had Just Kids since it came out, so maybe I'll finally get to it next year.

Rememberings by Sinéad O'Connor is high on my list. I recently watched the documentary on her Nothing Compares, and I'd like to learn more. I'd known about the backlash after the pope picture, but I hadn't realized how outspoken she'd been throughout her career.

I have to second Nadine's opinion on Hunger Makes me a Modern Girl and Girl in the Band- two of my least favorite memoirs, and I really thought I'd love them both

I might read From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars by Virginia Hanlon Grohl. I think a lot of people here (me included!) have read The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, so a book by Dave’s mother could be a fun follow-up!

She talks about her own experience of seeing her son become a rock star, and interviews other mothers too: Verna Griffin, Dr. Dre's mother; Marianne Stipe, Michael Stipe of REM's mother; Janis Winehouse, Amy Winehouse's mother; Patsy Noah, Adam Levine's mother; Donna Haim, mother of the Haim sisters; Hester Diamond, Mike D of The Beastie Boys' mother.

Rachel wrote: "I might read From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars by Virginia Hanlon Grohl. I think a lot of people here (me included!) ..."

I read From Cradle to Stage a year or so ago and had a lot of fun with it! We watched the documentary as a follow-up and that was excellent too :)

Anyone have any good fiction books for this?

Kayla wrote: "Anyone have any good fiction books for this?"

It would be a stretch I think but I would recommend The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, particularly the audiobook.

Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout

Kathleen Hanna from Bikini Kill has a memoir coming out in May. Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk It should be a good one for feminist punk fans.

Nadine in NY wrote: "I have read quite a few memoirs by rock-n-roll women! And ... I have not liked most of them.

Books I've read that were so-so at best:
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by [author:Carr..."

Viv Albertine’s autobiography is absolutely fantastic imo, would suggest to anyone even if you know nothing about punk. She just had an interesting life and is a really good writer!

For my first book in January I am certainly starting with Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution in Music .

I'm a 90s kid so I thought this would be a fun way to kickstart 2024.

I reallly do not read autobiographies of music personalities, but that said, I have a couple by my idol Dolly Parton and I can recommend highly Bette Midler's Bette Midler: A View From a Broad.

Also, I read and LOVED A Natural Woman: A Memoir by Carole King - the opening chapter was first published in The New Yorker and it hooked me so I rushed out and got the book. It was also the basis for a great musical on Broadway - Beautiful, the Carole King Musical - another prompt.

Olivia Newton-John. Don't Stop Believin by Newton John Olivia

I had a thought, how about the female VJs from MTV? A quick search got me a book written by Kennedy. It's a decade old, but given that it's about musicians from the 90s, I don't think that should matter too much.
The Kennedy Chronicles: The Golden Age of MTV Through Rose-Colored Glasses

Jennifer W wrote: "I had a thought, how about the female VJs from MTV? A quick search got me a book written by Kennedy. It's a decade old, but given that it's about musicians from the 90s, I don't think that should m..."



Interesting thought! The way this category is worded, yes I'd say any prominent VJ or DJ or show organizer or maybe even music journalist would count, they are all "in" rock n roll. It doesn't say she has to be a singer or musician!!

I grew up listening to NYC radio stations, and Carol Miller was a big personality on WPLJ back then. She had such a great radio voice!!! Up All Night: My Life and Times in Rock Radio would work! I mean, it even says "in rock" in the title!!!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "I had a thought, how about the female VJs from MTV?

they are all "in" rock n roll. It doesn't say she has to be a singer or musician!!..."

That's how I was reading it! I still plan to read Ann Wilson's book, but maybe this would give some others some wiggle room.

Though Kennedy's book may have to go on my TBR, too. The blurb says she was the inspiration for the Goo Goo Doll's song "Name", and now I'm curious...

Jennifer W wrote: "Though Kennedy's book may have to go on my TBR, too...."




Yeah I just added Carol Millers autobiography to my TBR - I didn't even know she'd written one until you asked your question and I thought of her as a DJ and looked her up. I might not use it for this challenge, but I'll read it eventually.

Jennifer W wrote: "I had a thought, how about the female VJs from MTV? A quick search got me a book written by Kennedy. It's a decade old, but given that it's about musicians from the 90s, I don't think that should m..."

Oh brilliant, I actually have a radio DJ's memoir on my TBR, Till the Cows Come Home by Sara Cox, which is about her rural upbringing rather than her career. But considering I was happy to read about geologists, that's close enough for me.

So I’m not a big memoir person so what could you recommend for this prompt?

Tori Amos has a memoir? I'm all over that!!! Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage is my book

I read Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage by Tori Amos.

I hope you like the book, Denise!

So ... I hate this prompt. I hate reading books written by celebrities. Their lives are so bizarre, and I rarely connect with them. I think this was the best book I could have found for this prompt. Tori's life is extraordinary, but despite the sometimes literal (?) conversations with the Muses, she seems like a pretty grounded person with a lot of truly important things to say.

I wish there were artists I actually liked, artists I really listened to, so this is a bit of a difficult prompt for me. I might see if there's books that talk about women in rock n' roll, but I'm not holding out hope.

The closest I can come to is High School , and while it's a cool book, this is one I'm not sure I'm up for a re-read for.

******

Update:

Sweet, I found one!

Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters

I've loved her song 'Nothing Compares To You' like most people do. This book gets into the depths of her life from her personal life, to her politics and her fights against injustice.

Definitely something along the lines I would like. So glad I checked my bookstore because they had a copy so I reserved it. Beats having to wait a week for it's arrival through online ordering.

Ron wrote: "Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters

I've loved her song 'Nothing Compares To You' like most people do. This book gets into the depths of her life from her personal life, to her politics and her fights against injustice ..."



Why not read her autobiography instead?

Hadn't thought of that.

Update:

Looked everywhere at the bookstore, but they did not have the autobiography by Sinead. That's okay, because they had the one I wanted which they had on hold for me so I was able to easily pick it up.

I've decided I'm going to read Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick and if you tell me the Trolls movies and Pitch Perfect don't count as Rock & Roll I will say "what even is rock and roll and also LISTEN TO THESE SOUNDTRACKS"
Thank you

Erin wrote: "Thinking of going with Dolly Parton, Storyteller. She was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame so yeah :)"

That's what I'm using!

Elizabeth wrote: "I've decided I'm going to read Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick and if you tell me the Trolls movies and Pitch Perfect don't count as Rock & Roll I will say "..."




LOL I applaud your reasoning!

Crying in H Mart has been on my TBR for a while. I honestly had no idea whether Michelle Zauner's music could be classed as rock, but she's on the Listopia so...It was a very moving and honest account of her relationship with her mother.

Michelle Zauner – Crying in H Mart.

Her roots are emo and she continues to perform other 'alternate' genres, which is close enough to rock music for old-as-dirt me.

Thanks!

Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good by Tina Turner

I read Don't Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You: A Memoir by Lucinda Williams

I'm going to read Hit So Hard: A Memoir by Patty Schmel, who was a drummer in Hole.