Rating: Summary: Love Alice in Chains, but the book is elementary. Review: I bought this book because I've been an Alice in Chain fan for years - and even met Mike Starr back in the day. And I must suggest the book for any die-hard Alice in Chains fan. BUT - the book could have been written by a 12-year-old. The type is that of a children's book. It was obvious the type was made large so the book would appear longer, but why not make the book longer by adding more meat, maybe going further into his past. The reading is definately remedial. However, it's a book about Alice in Chains, and so it's a must-buy for the fans out there. Hopefully something with more depth will one day be written about the band.
Rating: Summary: For The Alice In Chains Fan/General Reader Review: I got seriously involved in Alice In Chains when I turned that specific age in my life where nothin matters, I think it's called "Adolescence", but now, having owned almost every type of memorobilia about the band, I anxiously awaited the release of this book. I felt it would be an overview of only Mike, but you can tell from reading that it is so much more than just that. It tells of the other members, including both bassists, and how it has changed the members' lives in the road paved by the band. But what will shock you about this book is the recurring references to the drug called "heroin". Some, in reading, have called it incomplete and disorganized, and in some senses, it is. But if you read the book with an open mind and try to understand what is being said, you will find it is much more than just a story about a classic "time-bomb band". It is a story of a musician's rise and fall in a band, long story short. The book's layout is not "bad", it's just very complicated and often hard to understand. This book can be read in one of those long rainy evenings (seemingly how it is supposed to be read), but it can be one of those books to read a little and think about. The other reviews on amazon help to better judge the purchase of the book, but I recommend getting it. It's not a five-star book in my opinion, but it is a very intimiate and internal view of the band from a member's standpoint.
Rating: Summary: For The Alice In Chains Fan/General Reader Review: I got seriously involved in Alice In Chains when I turned that specific age in my life where nothin matters, I think it's called "Adolescence", but now, having owned almost every type of memorobilia about the band, I anxiously awaited the release of this book. I felt it would be an overview of only Mike, but you can tell from reading that it is so much more than just that. It tells of the other members, including both bassists, and how it has changed the members' lives in the road paved by the band. But what will shock you about this book is the recurring references to the drug called "heroin". Some, in reading, have called it incomplete and disorganized, and in some senses, it is. But if you read the book with an open mind and try to understand what is being said, you will find it is much more than just a story about a classic "time-bomb band". It is a story of a musician's rise and fall in a band, long story short. The book's layout is not "bad", it's just very complicated and often hard to understand. This book can be read in one of those long rainy evenings (seemingly how it is supposed to be read), but it can be one of those books to read a little and think about. The other reviews on amazon help to better judge the purchase of the book, but I recommend getting it. It's not a five-star book in my opinion, but it is a very intimiate and internal view of the band from a member's standpoint.
Rating: Summary: An Embarrassment Review: I hate writing this review because it a confession that I bought this. This book is so amateurish and poorly put together that it is an embarrassment. I am adding my two cents only to spare others the humiliation of admitting they shelled out their hard earned based only on the purient interest of the subject matter. It is badly researched, badly written, badly presented and all around just BAD. This biography is written with permission and yet there is not a single picture of the subject. Just a variety of silly "simulated" photos. A 5th grader could have written this thing on a home computer. However curious you may be about the subject matter DO NOT bother to buy this book. Save yourself the embarrassment and the cash.
Rating: Summary: An awesome book about a hasbeen, only good for AIC stories!! Review: I have been a fan of alice in chains since they first came out 12 years ago. It's a shame Michael Starr really blew it so badly...but thank God he was replaced by an even better bass player. All in all, this book is definitely worth reading. I found out what really happened to Layne Staley (the book predicted his death, meanwhile I couldn't get the truth about his real drug addiction anywhere, from anyone) and Jerry Cantrell (I hear he's now with Roadrunner Records...who in the world are they? and why was he shut out of Sony?) but who really cares about Michael STarr. It is definitely inside, and seemingly quite accurate, and if you're a serious fan I recommend it *****...
Rating: Summary: An awesome book about a hasbeen, only good for AIC stories!! Review: I have been a fan of alice in chains since they first came out 12 years ago. It's a shame Michael Starr really blew it so badly...but thank God he was replaced by an even better bass player. All in all, this book is definitely worth reading. I found out what really happened to Layne Staley (the book predicted his death, meanwhile I couldn't get the truth about his real drug addiction anywhere, from anyone) and Jerry Cantrell (I hear he's now with Roadrunner Records...who in the world are they? and why was he shut out of Sony?) but who really cares about Michael STarr. It is definitely inside, and seemingly quite accurate, and if you're a serious fan I recommend it *****...
Rating: Summary: A great book about a hasbeen, only good for AIC stories!!!!! Review: I have been a fan of Alice In Chains since they first came out. It's a shame Michael Starr really blew it so badly...but thank God he was replaced by a real bass player. All in all, this book is definitely worth reading. I found out what really happened to Layne Staley (the book predicted his death) and Jerry Cantrell (I hear he's now with Roadrunner Records...who in the world are they? and why was he shut out of Sony?) but who really cares about Michael Starr. It is definitely inside and accurate and if you're a serious fan I recommend it...otherwise, go read about Jim Morrison or Motley Crue. I'm glad someone published this. It looks sort of half-ass...coming from a serious drug addict and a tv news reporter but I'm sure it was difficult to pull out of Starr and his messed up mind and get it so convincingly. Where is Starr now...in some gutter somewhere?
Rating: Summary: Unchained Rocked Review: I honestly never read an entire book from start to finish but I read with great interest John Brandon's "Unchained. The story of Mike Starr and his rise and fall in Alice in Chains." Great book. From the moment I started reading, I did not set the book down until I was finished. I was extremely into learning the life of an outstanding bass player addicted to heroin and how it can destroy anyone. The final chapter was a great addition to fully understand the dead end road to heroin as described by Dr. Irving Schwartz. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: Summary: Crappy Review: I love Alice In Chains. But this book was a joke.
Could Mike Starr be favoured any more???
Again, I love AIC, but this book does NOT shed light into anything significant. Poorly written/researched.
Rating: Summary: The Unchained Truth. Review: I often wondered, what happened to Alice In Chains? Now I know. I recieved a copy of Unchained, and found it very easy to read. The book tells a harsh reality of abuse of many "Things". After I read the book, I really began pulling for Starr to overcome his problems. I also got a little taste of what it is like to be in a band from the get. Rough road, at least for these guys. In closing, with a lot of luck, maybe this book is just what AiC needed. Wake up guys, your not dead yet!
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