Sesso, droga, calci in bocca. Storie del rock maledetto. L’integrale

This book, which can be defined the most serious and comprehensive essay ever published on the dark side of rock, is an incredible mix of entertainment, historic research, understatement and sound rock-journalism. In the sixty-plus years of its history, rock music stole to blues the reputation of “devil’s music”, with an endless series of murky stories, and lives devoted to recklessness, excess and madness. This book is a selection of 40 terrifying and disturbing stories, brilliantly told by the author: Keith Moon and Iggy Pop’s crazy deeds; Hank Williams’ and Sid Vicious’ desperate death; Syd Barrett, Peter Green and Brian Wilson losing their mind; the sagas of depravation by the Led Zeppelin; AJ Weberman, the man who wanted to free Dylan from himself; and Charles Manson, who was an ambitious singer before becoming a ruthless murderer.
Here there is no place for urban legends: all stories are based on a serious investigation built on hundreds of books and articles. “Sex, drugs and rock and roll” may be a rather unfair simplification, but it sure is a truthful one. At one point in its history, rock stole the title of “Devil’s music” right from blues music’s hands. This accomplishment was achieved thanks to an incredibly long series of shady stories (fishy sex affairs and the like), reckless lives, excess and madness – all thanks to their heroes. This is in fact a collection of forty stories that are at the same time terrible, disturbing and exciting. From Elvis and Iggy Pop’s insanities to Oasis’ violent fights, from Ozzy Osbourne’s depravity to Roky Erickson’s lunacy, from the many transgressions of The Rolling Stones (whose importance is indisputable) to Bob Dylan and Lou Reed’s dark side – this book is about them all. These uncensored stories are about resourceful girls and fragile, narcissistic men. An example? The one time Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison got together, but with different plans in mind: Jimi had sex with Janis, Jim tried it as well, but with the only result of getting a bottle thrown at him.