Just finished this one. I've always been fascinated (and a little jealous) of Crowe's incredible life and the amazing stories that go along with it. He brilliantly captures all of that in this memoir and provides background to his most famous Rolling Stone cover stories, books and movies. His writing style makes this an easy read full of vivid imagery. I particularly loved the parts about the Allman Brothers and his interactions with Greg...
Show in STL tonight was an absolute delight. I smiled the whole time. Full band including horns.
1st set was all Apollo 18 (except Working Undercover for the Man). 2nd Set was a mix.
Man, I swear the year just flew by, but looking back at my reading list, I guess I've managed to put a decent dent in the stack of books waiting for me. Between worrying about DoD RIFs, seeing Phish, and trying to keep up with Patty, finding time to just sit down and get lost in a story is important, ya know?
Here's a look at the dozen books I've ripped through so far this year, from the music bios that scratch that itch to the historical epics that keep me up late.
I guess the musical theme really stuck with me this year. It was nice to dive deep into the scenes that shaped me.
The Name of This Band Is R.E.M. by Peter Ames Carlin
This biography is fantastic—an in-depth look at how four eccentric college friends from Athens, Georgia, became the voices of a generation. It’s a great cultural history of the late 80s and 90s rock scene and how the guys stuck together, even when things got nuts. Really made me appreciate their whole journey.
Your Song Changed My Life: From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent... by Bob Boilen
NPR's Bob Boilen (from All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts) interviews 35 artists about the *one* song that flipped a switch and made them grab an instrument. It was a cool blend of musical memoir and deep interviews. It reminds you how much power a simple tune can have when you're 13 or 14.
This Has All Been Wonderful: A Travel Monologue from Summer 1994, the Year Phish Became Phish by David Steinberg
If you're into the Phish scene, this is an essential read. It’s a road diary from the pivotal summer of '94, right before the band went from small theaters to arenas. Steinberg captured that pre-cell phone, pre-ubiquitous internet energy of following a band across the country. Reminded me of my own time on the road.
Sharing in the Groove: The Untold Story of the '90s Jam Band Explosion and the Scene That Followed by Mike Ayers
An oral history, straight from the source, about the rise of **Phish**, Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, and the whole crew. It really nails how these bands built a successful DIY counterculture that totally flew under the mainstream radar, keeping that Grateful Dead ethos alive and setting the stage for things like Bonnaroo.
My brain always needs a good dose of the weird and wonderful. These definitely delivered.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
Adams proves once again he's a genius. **Dirk Gently** is a detective who solves crimes based on the "fundamental interconnectedness of all things." It's got everything: a ghost, time travel, a ridiculously stuck sofa, and an Electric Monk who thinks the world is pink. Utterly absurd and brilliant—though I admit, the ending was a little *too* holistic for my taste.
Anima Rising by Christopher Moore
Moore is my go-to for hilarious chaos. This one is set in 1911 Vienna where painter **Gustav Klimt** finds a mysterious nude woman (who might be the Bride of Frankenstein) floating in the Danube. He seeks help from Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung as she recalls her arctic past and being chased. It's as wild and funny as it sounds.
Aurelia by Stephen R. Lawhead
A solid piece of historical fantasy, setting the stage for the King Arthur legend. It follows **Aurelia** in the time when the Romans bailed on Britain, leaving chaos behind. She has to raise her sons, Aurelius and Uther (yep, *Uther*), with help from Merlin, to figure out what kind of world comes next. Lawhead always brings the depth.
A Darkness Returns by Raymond E. Feist
The first book in his new Dragonwar Saga, this is classic Feist and a huge crossover, connecting his Firemane Saga with the original Riftwar Cycle. The main character, Hatu, is dragged to Midkemia and has to get serious about his magic because there are dark forces—like the Church of the One and literal beings from the Void—coming for everyone. Great, sprawling epic fantasy.
Sometimes you need a story that grapples with real-world issues, past or future.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
This book was a gut punch. Set during the Dust Bowl in 1934 Texas, it tells the story of **Elsa Martinelli**, a woman who has to choose between fighting for her dying land or taking her family west to California, becoming an "Okie." It's a raw, emotional look at the depths of the Great Depression and one woman’s incredible resolve.
The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma by Mustafa Suleyman
A serious and frankly, a bit unsettling, look at where **AI and synthetic biology** are taking us. Suleyman, who co-founded DeepMind, lays out the "containment problem"—how do we keep control over these insanely powerful technologies? It's a must-read if you want to understand the next 10 years, and it definitely had my inner security professional glued to the pages.
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
The latest **Robert Langdon** novel. You know the drill: symbology, history, ancient conspiracies, and a frantic race across an old European city—this time, Prague. Langdon has to find his colleague, Katherine Solomon, who disappeared right before publishing a book that would disrupt everything we think we know about human consciousness. Fast-paced, as always.
Circle of Days by Ken Follett
I'm just getting into this one, and I'm already hooked. Follett always delivers on the sweeping historical scale, and this book tackles one of the greatest mysteries: **Stonehenge**. It’s set during the time the monument was being built, following a flint miner and a priestess who share the vision for the great stone circle. Seems like it's going to be a classic Follett epic about humanity, war, and engineering against a dramatic historical backdrop. Looking forward to losing myself in this one over the next few weeks.
Well, that's what's been running through my brain lately. Next up, maybe something lighter, but hey, you never know where the reading list will take you.
more later,
EZ
Morning listening...love Wilco, but Jeff's solo stuff just suits me a little better...
