Top Autobiographies of Female Musicians

Music soothes our soul and it is no wonder that we feel an instant connection with the musicians as they croon melodies that resonate with us. Thus, it is no wonder we wish to know more about our favourite musicians. Their autobiographies provide us with a glimpse into their glamorous lives and vicarious thrills. As 2017 has been a year when women have finally taken back their autonomy and have stood up for themselves, let us look at some autobiographies of female musicians. From the rock-n-roll world to pop numbers, no matter what kind of music you listen to, all these biographies will make for one hell of a ride, a la Hollywood style.

 

Kim Gordon- A Girl in a Band

If grunge is what you love, this is the book for you. The Sonic Youth star’s autobiography starts on a tumultuous tone- describing the band’s tense final gig- amidst the announcement of Kim and husband, Thurston Moore’s divorce, following revelations of the latter’s affair with a younger woman. The book is a tell-all tale of females in rock (“women aren’t allowed to be kick-ass”), Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain (“Courtney told me Kurt Cobain was hot, which made me cringe inside and hope the two would never meet”) and Billy Corgan (“whom nobody liked because he was such a crybaby”), among others.

 

Viv Albertine- Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys

It doesn’t matter if you know The Slit’s or not, this is still one rip-roaring read. On the inside, it highlights her time in the female punk band, which influenced countless female musicians, her fling with Johnny Rotten and relationship with Mick Jones from the Clash. It also details her tough time battling with cancer, thus making it an emotional read.

 

Patti Smith- Just Kids

Just Kids is a moving account of Smith’s formative friendship with a photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe, who died in 1989. Lyrical in its narrative, Smith provides the readers with an indelible portrait of two young artists, surviving in 1970s Manhattan, working to determine a future, together. Full of romanticism, with a touch of time and grief, it is Smith’s tribute to an old friend and an iteration of New York, that is fading from memories to myth.

Loretta Lynn- Coal Miner’s Daughter

A classic, this memoir is not for the faint of heart. Married at the age of 13, with four kids by 18, Loretta Lynn rose to stardom in the most unconventional circumstances.  This memoir is a beautiful portrayal of rural isolation, most of us can never fathom and provide an insight into the mind and heart of country music’s most groundbreaking songwriter.

 

Kristin Hersh- Rat Girl

This account of the world through the eyes of a young broke punk will surely tickle your funny bone, the lacerating memoir is based on Hersh’s diary and details a year after the inception of her band- Throwing Muses. In a nutshell, Rat Girl is a metaphorical depiction of the chaos of late-adolescence, enlivened and humanized by the spectre of mental illness and unexpected motherhood.

 

Zoë Howe- Stevie Nicks: Visions, Dreams & Rumors 

One-fifth of the megaband Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks was a lyrical visionary, an enduring style icon and most definitely an indispensable part of the band. The most recognizable figure in rock ‘n’ roll history, she was in Mick Fleetwood’s words, “Queen Bee”. With gold and quadruple platinum solo albums adorning her crown, Stevie Nicks has tasted immense success as a recording artist. However, this charmed life has come as a result of hard work, self-belief and above all devotion to creativity; after all her journey has been one of intense highs and lows.