ferrisscottr's review against another edition
5.0
I chose to listen to this on audiobook as Miles was the narrator and I love when the writer is also the narrator - I would highly recommend reading this book via audio, it's really good.
I had to separate my thoughts here into two paths.
1.) My thoughts on Miles Davis
2.) My thoughts on the actual book
The book was amazing. It had a nice balance of personal history and background pitted up against the details about the music and musicians that made up his life (Background: I'm a DJ on a jazz radio station so I was very interested in the music and musicians). I talk about and play the music from the people in this book constantly and it was great to hear the stories behind all those great songs and great albums.
As a person there have been a ton of stories about Miles Davis - the temper, the violence, the drugs, the drinking, the domestic abuse. He addresses all of it. I think what is the truth is somewhere in the middle of his version and the stories that have been spread.
Regardless of him as a person - he is without a doubt a musical genius (and in my opinion that term is thrown around wayyyyyyy too loosely). One of the most important people in the history of music and it could be argued that he is the most important person in the history of jazz.
Another background segway - I live in the United States and the only two art forms that the U.S. has created are comics and jazz and you just can't talk about jazz without talking about Miles Davis.
Highly highly highly recommended.
I had to separate my thoughts here into two paths.
1.) My thoughts on Miles Davis
2.) My thoughts on the actual book
The book was amazing. It had a nice balance of personal history and background pitted up against the details about the music and musicians that made up his life (Background: I'm a DJ on a jazz radio station so I was very interested in the music and musicians). I talk about and play the music from the people in this book constantly and it was great to hear the stories behind all those great songs and great albums.
As a person there have been a ton of stories about Miles Davis - the temper, the violence, the drugs, the drinking, the domestic abuse. He addresses all of it. I think what is the truth is somewhere in the middle of his version and the stories that have been spread.
Regardless of him as a person - he is without a doubt a musical genius (and in my opinion that term is thrown around wayyyyyyy too loosely). One of the most important people in the history of music and it could be argued that he is the most important person in the history of jazz.
Another background segway - I live in the United States and the only two art forms that the U.S. has created are comics and jazz and you just can't talk about jazz without talking about Miles Davis.
Highly highly highly recommended.
duffypratt's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book a lot, and it gave me some insight into Miles as a person, and into how he approached his music. He is ferociously smart, intuitive, and comes across as being mostly honest. He certainly does not try to sugarcoat many of his failings, especially when it came to drugs and women. But even with drugs, I've read other things which suggest that he had not fully quite heroin at points where the book claims he had.
There are some things here that bother me in his opinions. He thinks there is something wrong or even evil about white people having appropriated black people's music and made money off of it. Thus, he says bad things about Chet Baker, for example, because Baker "stole" from Miles. At the same time, as a young musician, Miles did everything he could to be around Bird and Dizzy, so he could learn what they were doing. He was "stealing" their music, which is what all young musicians do. But somehow it was wrong for the young white guys to love, and want to play, like the black musicians they admired. And of course, Miles didn't pay any attention to his own attitude when he made his own bands. If Bill Evans, or Gerry Mulligan, or John McLaughlin could play like a motherfucker, then they were in, and race had nothing to do with it. And certainly nothing stopped him from collaborating with Gil Evans.
For the most part, Miles has little bad to say about anyone in this book. I think he mostly went out of his way to say good things about other musicians when he could. And real dirt or poor opinions are mostly reserved for people who he genuinely admired and loved. Thus, there are some really bad things said about Bird here, or about Bud Powell, for example, and he thought they were the best. On the other hand, I don't remember a mention of Steve Miller, whom Miles disliked so much that, as the opening act, he showed up so late that Miller had to go on first.
Davis gets some bonus points from me for his kind mention of Jerry Garcia, and his acknowledgement that the DeadHeads (he doesn't use that word) would come back to listen to him in San Francisico when he played there again. Miles knew everyone and had a hand in inventing basically every form of modern jazz. There was probably no better talent scout in the history of music. And he doesn't often praise others. So when he says good things about Garcia, or Santana, or Hendrix, or Prince, it's worthwhile to pay attention.
There are some things here that bother me in his opinions. He thinks there is something wrong or even evil about white people having appropriated black people's music and made money off of it. Thus, he says bad things about Chet Baker, for example, because Baker "stole" from Miles. At the same time, as a young musician, Miles did everything he could to be around Bird and Dizzy, so he could learn what they were doing. He was "stealing" their music, which is what all young musicians do. But somehow it was wrong for the young white guys to love, and want to play, like the black musicians they admired. And of course, Miles didn't pay any attention to his own attitude when he made his own bands. If Bill Evans, or Gerry Mulligan, or John McLaughlin could play like a motherfucker, then they were in, and race had nothing to do with it. And certainly nothing stopped him from collaborating with Gil Evans.
For the most part, Miles has little bad to say about anyone in this book. I think he mostly went out of his way to say good things about other musicians when he could. And real dirt or poor opinions are mostly reserved for people who he genuinely admired and loved. Thus, there are some really bad things said about Bird here, or about Bud Powell, for example, and he thought they were the best. On the other hand, I don't remember a mention of Steve Miller, whom Miles disliked so much that, as the opening act, he showed up so late that Miller had to go on first.
Davis gets some bonus points from me for his kind mention of Jerry Garcia, and his acknowledgement that the DeadHeads (he doesn't use that word) would come back to listen to him in San Francisico when he played there again. Miles knew everyone and had a hand in inventing basically every form of modern jazz. There was probably no better talent scout in the history of music. And he doesn't often praise others. So when he says good things about Garcia, or Santana, or Hendrix, or Prince, it's worthwhile to pay attention.
ryanfyan's review against another edition
4.0
Conversational, confessional writing done very well and to the extreme. Miles talks very candidly in his autobiography, rarely caring whose feelings or reputation will be affected, his own included. He comes across as a pretty big asshole at times (and seems more aware of it at some points than others) but it’s hard to argue with the completeness of the book as a portrait of Miles Davis for better or worse.
Everything that is said about the music itself is superb. Even the dozens of paragraphs that are just lists of personnel for certain lineups are somehow interesting to read. The way Miles thought about music is evergreen and applicable to any musician, or, hell, any person on Earth who considers themself to be even one percent creative. His golden rules: stand up for yourself, keep up with the times, and place style at the center of everything you do.
Everything that is said about the music itself is superb. Even the dozens of paragraphs that are just lists of personnel for certain lineups are somehow interesting to read. The way Miles thought about music is evergreen and applicable to any musician, or, hell, any person on Earth who considers themself to be even one percent creative. His golden rules: stand up for yourself, keep up with the times, and place style at the center of everything you do.
casualblasphemy's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting read, especially for it's style. That said, Miles doesn't paint an especially flattering portrait of himself. He admits to virtually every sin he was ever accused of and makes it very clear he's not apologizing for any of them. He also doesn't go into a great deal of detail about his creative process or the recording sessions for many of his albums. I suppose this isn't a huge surprise, though it does make for a slightly disappointing read.
cainwaogu's review against another edition
4.0
Still processing. Don't know how what to say right now other than Miles was a working genius and was utter TRASH when it came to women.
brianresch's review against another edition
4.0
Never read an auto/biography about an artist you like. They inevitably end up being huge assholes :(
shawn_brommer's review against another edition
5.0
Not only did this book teach me how to creatively swear and talk tough, it also helped me discover other great biographies of jazz musicians