Three Dog Nightmare : The Chuck Negron Story

Rating:
Summary: Incredible, readable, captivating
Review: What a story of the drug era this is! I was only a child in that era but of course knew of the stars like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix who died of drug overdoses. I actually came across this book while looking for another and decided to give it a whirl.

This held my interest so well I had trouble getting other things done for a few days while I was reading it. It reads like a good novel. Chuck Negron tells the story of his shockingly bad childhood and years in the music business. While many autobiographies are self-serving and highly slanted, I did not get that impression here. Negron is very even-handed with all of the material, careful not to unduly blame others but also revealing the truth when it's right there.

He started in the early 1960s in the music business, but of course, did not have success till the late 1960s. It was interesting to see the many slips and falls of getting to the top. Many rock books skip over that long climb, always making it seem like overnight success. Then the famous years were shocking. Just when I think, "Okay, this is the point where he gives up drugs because he's at his lowest," he reaches yet another low. It truly is remarkable, as others have said here, that he lived through it to tell this story.

He does mention the many battles with other former band members Cory and Danny over the right to use the band's name, etc. It's ironic, but it seems they used him. Almost everyone recognizes Chuck Negron as the lead singer of Three Dog Night and wouldn't even know Cory and Danny if they saw their photos. In fact, many people think Negron sang the lead on all the songs. I did until I read this book!

Sharing rusty needles, staggering around doped-up and filthy, driving his car into light poles--it's all so juicy that if someone wrote this stuff as a fiction book, it would be said that the story "went overboard" or that it's "too much." Negron almost ruined the lives of his ex-wives and children, spent millions upon millions of dollars over the years in heroin, and to see his recovery his both astonishing and heroic.

I recommended this book to a friend who never cared about Three Dog Night but who wanted something captivating to read, and he liked it.

Rating:
Summary: So glad I read it...
Review: Wow. As a huge TDN fan and a fellow drug lover of the '70s, I see how very LITTLE I knew about drugs. I loved white crosses and Black Beauty's and staying up for days. I never liked the downers or hallucinegens that Chuck grew so fond of. Thank goodness. I saw them in concert and remember how impressive their harmonies were. There was absolutlely NO evidence of anyone using. They were professionals that day.
Next month, I will be seeing Chuck perform in Deadwood, and I cannot wait. I recommend this book to everyone...

Rating:
Summary: A VIRTUAL AWAKENING.....A MUST FOR FANS
Review: This is an incredible story equalled by few similar novels...if you are a fan you MUST read this book. Chuck went from the height of worldwide fame and success, to the depths of delusion, despair and almost death. From TDN's beginnings through the evolution of groupies, drugs abuse, drug dealers attempts at murder, self abuse....it is a compelling, and often times a disturbing story. For TDN fans, the information offered about the TDN's songs, concerts and the rock and roll industry in the 70's is enough to keep one thoroughly immersed. Even if you are not a TDN fan, the portrayal of the "psychology" (so to speak) of a herion addict is sickening, sad, captivating and an awakening in and of itself. Read this book! p.s. when you read it, you will also realize that there can be no doubt that Chuck Negron was the essence of TDN.