ronmail65
04-16-2012, 10:39 AM
I just finished reading this book. For anyone else that has read it, what did you think and is there better reading out there?
First of all, I don't think it was an authorized biography (to my knowledge there isn't one) so it's a patchwork (and a very good one) of research, media interviews, and editorials.
Kevin, the author, was very definitively not a Sammy Hagar fan. I feel he negatively over-editorialized on Sammy and his contributions. I'm not defending Sammy or saying he was better than DLR -- VH was a different band with Sammy. But with Sammy, VH undeniably had greater commercial success than ever before. I think some credit was due, even if you didn't care for Sammy. This theme (which was present through at least half the book) really bugged me and seemed unnecessary. On a related note, I thought the whole Michael Anthony departure was very much glossed over.
Some gear talk, but not a lot of it.
Very open and well documented on EVH's controlling behaviours, addiction issues, and eccentricities. But not very critical and, at times, more sympathetic. Again, a contrast to how the author editorialized about
Sammy. But I guess that's what you get with a "fan authored" book; a compromised subjectivity.
I thought it was a good, well-researched chronicle of EVH's life to date. Just a tad biased. Overall, I enjoyed it.
First of all, I don't think it was an authorized biography (to my knowledge there isn't one) so it's a patchwork (and a very good one) of research, media interviews, and editorials.
Kevin, the author, was very definitively not a Sammy Hagar fan. I feel he negatively over-editorialized on Sammy and his contributions. I'm not defending Sammy or saying he was better than DLR -- VH was a different band with Sammy. But with Sammy, VH undeniably had greater commercial success than ever before. I think some credit was due, even if you didn't care for Sammy. This theme (which was present through at least half the book) really bugged me and seemed unnecessary. On a related note, I thought the whole Michael Anthony departure was very much glossed over.
Some gear talk, but not a lot of it.
Very open and well documented on EVH's controlling behaviours, addiction issues, and eccentricities. But not very critical and, at times, more sympathetic. Again, a contrast to how the author editorialized about
Sammy. But I guess that's what you get with a "fan authored" book; a compromised subjectivity.
I thought it was a good, well-researched chronicle of EVH's life to date. Just a tad biased. Overall, I enjoyed it.