HOLLYWOOD GODFATHER: THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF BILLY WILKERSON
By W.R. Wilkerson III
Chicago Review Press; $15.99 on Kindle at Amazon.
Billy Wilkerson was the founder of the Hollywood Reporter, a movie trade publication based in Los Angeles.
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Lindsey Buckingham smiled wistfully as he stroked Stevie Nicks’ right breast. Ahh, sweet youth, he might have been thinking as he gazed at Stevie’s innocent doe-eyed visage.
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Wayne Kramer enjoyed a bit of a career renaissance in the mid-1990s, recording three solo albums in as many years. I saw the intrepid punk rocker and political activist five times during this period, all at small Los Angeles venues that are long gone.
Read moreI’m not sure if it’s been reported widely before, but Pete Townshend recently revealed that he used to bump into Mick Jagger’s dad around London and that Joe Jagger suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
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Steve Cropper celebrates his 82nd birthday next month with a little help from his friends. Translation: The beloved Booker T. & the MGs guitarist’s first solo album, 1969’s With A Little Help From My Friends, is being reissued with bonus tracks on October 13.
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Rolling Stones fans will be thrilled by a fascinating subset of items in the upcoming Charlie Watts auction of books and jazz ephemera at Christie’s. Among the 475 lots are eight that were gifts from the late drummer’s bandmates Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN SONG
By Bob Dylan
Simon & Schuster, $45 list; or $22.50 at Target and on Amazon at review date.
The new Bob Dylan book looks great and smells better.
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LIKE A ROLLING STONE
A Memoir
By Jann S. Wenner
Little, Brown & Co. $35 list; $17.50 at Target and on Amazon at review date.
I just had to be the center of attention during Social Distortion’s recent run at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles.
I jest, of course. When I accidentally found myself in frontman Mike Ness’ sights, I froze in a mix of terror and pride as the punctilious punk poet complimented my hitherto perfect attendance.
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In December 2005, my boss asked me to write a story on the upcoming 25th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. I protested, as I always did when given an assignment, arguing that it was not news, that every day is a rock ‘n’ roll anniversary, and everything that can be said about Lennon has already been said a million different times.
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