Cool auto/biographies of bass players - are there any?

[andy400]

Looking for a gift for a friend who is an accomplished bass player, and thought maybe a biography of a famous/really good/really good & famous bass player might be a good idea. Anyone read any good ones at all?

Anyone got any other gift ideas for a semi-professional bass player whilst we're at it?

Thanks.

[Bill Carr]

Not quite what you asked for, but I know there is a "coffee-table" style book which features John Entwistle's basses. Lots of glossy pictures etc etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Culture-Entwistle-Col...

Might be a nice gift.

[andy400]

Bill Carr said:

Not quite what you asked for, but I know there is a "coffee-table" style book which features John Entwistle's basses. Lots of glossy pictures etc etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Culture-Entwistle-Col...

Might be a nice gift.

Looks pretty good, thanks for that!

[chevy-stu]

I'm sure I once saw a book that covered all the basses Leo Fender designed from early Precision, thru the stingray to G&L..

Just found these Fender bass books..
http://www.amazon.com/How-Fender-Bass-Changed-Worl...
http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Bass-Klaus-Blasquiz/d...

[bigbadbikercats]

Alex James - Bit of a blur.

I'm not saying he's a great bass player but he's certainly famous, it's a cracking good read, and an excellent chronicle of (relatively) contempory Rock'n'Roll excess :-)

--
JG

[minimatt1967]

HO w about a nice bit of Jaco Pastorius...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jaco-Extraordinary-Tragic-...

[Ecurie Ecosse]

Many Years From Now by Miles on Paul McCartney and his years in the Beatles is a fantastic book, and really captures the spirit of the 60s (although I wasn't alive then).

Some many good bits, like when one of McCartney's hippy pals takes Paul's DB4 for a high speed drive. When he returns he proclaims it to be a "DB - Far Out Man"!

[andy400]

Thanks all! Some good ideas there.

[paulmurr]

Lemmy's autobiography is brilliant

White Line Fever

[Slikk]

"My Bass and Other Animals" by Guy Pratt is a pretty good read.

[bigbadbikercats]

Another thought, if you'll accept a fictional protagonist Iain Banks' Espedair Street tells the story of the Bassist and principal songwriter in a band which follows a Floyd/Zeppelin/Who/Stones trajectory through the Golden Age of Rock'n'Roll excess and is a damned fine read too!

--
JG

[Forthright MC]

chevy-stu said:

I'm sure I once saw a book that covered all the basses Leo Fender designed from early Precision, thru the stingray to G&L..

Just found these Fender bass books..
http://www.amazon.com/How-Fender-Bass-Changed-Worl...
http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Bass-Klaus-Blasquiz/d...

they look great (would love a proper P Bass) cheers for posting the links, i'll remember them

i have "The Bass Book" which chronicles the very first electric bass right up to todays models, a very good and informative read, well worth Amazon'ing it IMO

[elster]

Alex James from Blur.

"Bit of A Blur"

Not read it, but it is meant to be a good read.

[garycat]

Slikk said:

"My Bass and Other Animals" by Guy Pratt is a pretty good read.

+1 and if you can see him do the live show, that's even better.