Just finished - Desmond Child's Book - Livin' On A Prayer: Big Songs Big Life

[gtrjay]

Just finished the audio book on Spotify, as I have been working on a project at home and could listen easier.

Overall, I think this is a 8/10
There are some great stories on working with Jovi, Aerosmith, KISS, and others. Including a deep history of crafting Ricky Martin's breakthrough from Spanish to English.
Some great war stories on the music biz as well. I knew the Southgang/Butch Walker stories wouldn't make it, as they were a blip and his Ratt story was about 60 seconds.

I was hoping for a little more Sludge here and there and realized half way through the book and from previous podcasts with Demond. He is pretty professional and wouldn't burn a bridge.

Worth a listen for sure.

[Rocker4Real]

Does he mention the Bon Jovi camp trying to pay him off to keep his name off the credits?

[Indy_Rob]

Does he mention the Bon Jovi camp trying to pay him off to keep his name off the credits?

Yes.

[Indy_Rob]

I knew the Southgang/Butch Walker stories wouldn't make it, as they were a blip and his Ratt story was about 60 seconds.

I read the book and I think he spent less than a page on Ratt. It was almost shoehorned in and felt like an obligation.

It was an "ok" book to me but he was too long winded on his upbringing and personal life and too sparing on his songwriting and studio work. Like, he really skimped on the details of writing I Was Made For Loving You.

[HueyRamone]

I knew the Southgang/Butch Walker stories wouldn't make it, as they were a blip and his Ratt story was about 60 seconds.

I read the book and I think he spent less than a page on Ratt. It was almost shoehorned in and felt like an obligation.

It was an "ok" book to me but he was too long winded on his upbringing and personal life and too sparing on his songwriting and studio work. Like, he really skimped on the details of writing I Was Made For Loving You.

Man, that is a lot of books by rock people. They talk all about their 3rd grade class, and then do a single paragraph for a full tour in their heyday.

[gtrjay]

I knew the Southgang/Butch Walker stories wouldn't make it, as they were a blip and his Ratt story was about 60 seconds.

I read the book and I think he spent less than a page on Ratt. It was almost shoehorned in and felt like an obligation.

It was an "ok" book to me but he was too long winded on his upbringing and personal life and too sparing on his songwriting and studio work. Like, he really skimped on the details of writing I Was Made For Loving You.

Yes. I agree.
I would have liked some songwriting examples

We wrote it in the key E and then came up with this melody first and changed it to that.

[Indy_Rob]

I knew the Southgang/Butch Walker stories wouldn't make it, as they were a blip and his Ratt story was about 60 seconds.

I read the book and I think he spent less than a page on Ratt. It was almost shoehorned in and felt like an obligation.

It was an "ok" book to me but he was too long winded on his upbringing and personal life and too sparing on his songwriting and studio work. Like, he really skimped on the details of writing I Was Made For Loving You.

Man, that is a lot of books by rock people. They talk all about their 3rd grade class, and then do a single paragraph for a full tour in their heyday.

You ain't kidding! I read a lot of rock autobiographies and most of them follow the same formula. It takes several chapters to get to the stuff we really wanna know. And then they glaze over the details.

[Zinny]

Read it a while ago and thought it was a boring read.
Too much about his crazy mom and too few stories about the artists he’s worked with.

[Hatchets Molly]

Read it a while ago and thought it was a boring read.
Too much about his crazy mom and too few stories about the artists he’s worked with.

Is he a top or is Paul the top?

[DangerZone]

does he say who wrote all the classic lines in Ratt’s “heads I win?”

[Rocker4Real]

I used an audible credit to hear the audiobook. I ended up skipping most of the chapters since I don't care about his lovers and time in cults.

[windycitycane]

Desmond is my favorite songwriter of all time.

However, I thought the book wasn’t very good. Too much about his personal life and not enough about how all these songs and collaborations came together. That’s what I, and a lot of people, would have been more interested in IMO.

[Indy_Rob]

His family upbringing was interesting but there's a limit to the amount of detail to include. It was just too much. As we've mentioned in this thread, he glossed over so much that he should've taken a deep dive into (the actual music and songwriting). Wasted potential for a good read.

[windycitycane]

What he could do is write another book and stick strictly to how each song came about, what it was like working with each artist, etc.

His catalog is so vast, I think it would be a good read.

[Zinny]

Read it a while ago and thought it was a boring read.
Too much about his crazy mom and too few stories about the artists he’s worked with.

Is he a top or is Paul the top?

The stories about his crazy mom didn’t tell.

[Wednesday 13 Fan]

You can't say you've finished a book and it was only an audiobook.

[Kid-Wicked]

boring. massive letdown. wanted relevant stories to his work not aboot growing up gay.

[DonJuanDeMarco]

I haven’t read the book but here is a great interview that he did with Decibel Geek where he dives into the songs and the “code” Kiss had for their lyrics.

https://youtu.be/-n9rVKUSZNE

Also, I recommend his live album for cool different versions of songs like Prayer and Angel.

[Love_Industry]

Man, that is a lot of books by rock people. They talk all about their 3rd grade class, and then do a single paragraph for a full tour in their heyday.

Keith Richards may be the worst offender, it felt like it took half the book until Stones made it. And he comes across as a pretty boring guy who happens to play in a band and does drugs.

David Lee Roth also didn't write much about the music and recording but at least his stories were not boring.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Man, that is a lot of books by rock people. They talk all about their 3rd grade class, and then do a single paragraph for a full tour in their heyday.

Keith Richards may be the worst offender, it felt like it took half the book until Stones made it.