Customer Rating:  
Summary: The "personality," not the musician
Comment: As an example of celebrity biography, this book is passible; it, at least, held my interest enough to allow me to finish it. Unfortunately, I had picked the volume up with the hopes of gaining some insight into Steve Earle as a musician and songwriter, not a mass of gossip about a person who happens to be a musician and songwriter.
St. John amply demonstrates the shortcomings of a journalist's approach to biographies: the facts are--these, as noted in other reviews here, not being well checked--presented sans interpretation or insight and there is nothing to be gained from this book that could not be gained by reading sundry articles by other journalists.
The author, again as noted in other reviews here, clearly is a fan and just as clearly does not seem to know much either about music per se or the specific traditions Steve Earle fits into and is in the process of transforming.
Don't throw the book away if someone gives it to you, but don't bother buying it, either.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very good book about a remarkable man.
Comment: Steve Earle is a remarkable man who has led a remarkable life. He has pushed the boundaries of country music making more than half a dozen excellent albums, relentlessly chasing his muse at the expense of his relationships with his family, wives (married six times to five different women) and children, he has overcome a serious drug problem (so serious it nearly killed him), he has been to prison, he has been a political activist fighting against the death penalty.
Apart from the short prologue (which hints at the drug problems to come), the book is written in a strict chronological structure, chronicling his childhood in small town Texas, his song writing apprenticeship at the feet of Townes Van Zandt (a good teacher but a bad influence) and Guy Clark, the creation of his early groundbreaking albums against the background of his serious relationship with heroin and his many marriages, his descent into personal hell under the weight of his drug addiction and his time in prison before he emerges, clean, to re-launch his musical career making even better music, becoming more active in protests against the death penalty, finding love again and starting to try to resolve his relationships with his children.
The biggest problem author, Lauren St John, faced was how to do justice to such a complex character who has led such rich (and difficult) life in a little less than 400 pages. There is so much information to include that it sometimes makes it difficult to paint of picture of the man himself. Within the constraints of the genre, St John has done a very good job indeed. What emerges is an immensely driven and complex man who has led a tempestuous life - he is apparently hugely charismatic and charming but also clearly a difficult man to deal with and at times, self-destructive. This book does not view Earle through rose-tinted glasses it is often brutally honest about his failings and his behaviour (particularly during the darkest days of his drug addiction) - as such it sometimes makes unpleasant and depressing reading. However, in many ways it is a tale of redemption through creativity and as such is optimistic and uplifting. It also helps that Earle has a great talent for the memorable one-liner, some of which had me collapsing in laughter.
There is one caveat: the book is not finished. It finishes with the Guitar Town reunion tour before Jerusalem was released, so the controversy provoked by that album and in particular the John Walker's Blues is not covered. However, this is a minor caveat; this is still an excellent book and well worth reading (particularly if you are a fan of his music).
Customer Rating:
Summary: Tragedy & triumph.
Comment: Great read for a music bio. Tragedy & triumph. Ranks up there with Stevie Ray Vaughn's Bio by Potaski & crawford and other great music bios. Real lives, real drama.
An incredible artist to boot.
Highly recommend it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Survivor's Tale
Comment: I'm buying copies of this book for each of our kids - to show them one path through life they shouldn't even consider walking down. Steve Earle's life story isn't really all that new. Other artists, including numerous musicians have had difficulty with drug addiction following bouts with success in their craft. But Earle's story is nonetheless chilling and at times painful to absorb. The facts come crashing down like broken glass, leaving the reader to ponder just how Mr. Earle managed to survive THAT disaster.
I gave this book four stars and in terms of literary quality, that is a generous rating. I agree with reviewer Dale Miles's conclusion that a skilled editor could have helped significantly with the writing quality. To be more specific, I'd have enjoyed a more in-depth analysis of Earle's music and of the music that inspired him. I'd like to know more about his philosophical and political beliefs - simply put, I'm sure more flesh could have been put on the bones of this story.
Aside from those criticisms, I must admit that I'm hearing Steve Earle's music from a new perspective now. Back in real time, I'd heard of his addictions and of his battles with the music industry, but the numerous hard-luck stories revealed within Hardcore Troubador have a cumulative effect on the reader. Now, when I think about how I reacted to his weathered appearance at the Johnny Cash CMT tribute event, it all makes more sense. Earle's life episodes have certainly given him the blues and folk foundation from which he has drawn to create beautiful art, but I pity the man for what he's lived through in order to produce it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Steve Earle?
Comment: Not really certain what to make of this...personally I was turned off on how much of the book was devoted to Steve Earle's drug use...but that is pretty much Steve Earle's life...so I'm not certain if the author is to be blamed for this or not...writing so much on the subject of drugs...I'm kind of wondering how Steve Earle was able to complete such a body of work...funny I never listen to his drug year cds...i thought they weren't intelligent enough...anyway if you want to know about Steve Earle this is really the only place to do this...no one else has put out a more definitive bio as of right now Sept 24th 2004...however it's a bit of a turn off with all the drug references...also I don't buy everyone loves him because he has a nice heart...although he did display that by offering compassion to ? Walker when everyone hated him he was the 1st to say he's a mixed up kid who made a mistake...it was pretty radical to say at the time but Steve Earle was right i think...so that is proof he does have a caring heart to a point...i would also say he does have artistic integrity on a very high level...of course no one would be here if they weren't interested in Steve Earle and most likely his music
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