Facts on Tracks
Stories Behind 100 Rock Classics
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Greg Prato
-
By:
-
Greg Prato
About this listen
Who doesn’t like to learn about the stories behind our favorite rock songs from throughout the years? We all do! And now, author/journalist Greg Prato is prepared to guide listeners through 100 bona fide classic songs from a multitude of rock genres - heavy metal, punk rock, grunge, hair metal, funk, instrumental, classic rock, arena rock, power ballads, new wave, prog rock, soft rock, yacht rock, power pop, thrash metal, hardcore, southern rock, rap, alternative, etc. - with each listing containing background info plus insight from someone closely associated with the track.
Black Sabbath, Eagles, Soundgarden, Rick Springfield, Toto, Kiss, Sepultura, MC5, Billy Joel, Police, Whitesnake, Dead Kennedys, Ramones, Funkadelic, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, King Crimson, Run DMC, Primus, Pantera, Agnostic Front, Hall & Oates, Steely Dan, Metallica, Sex Pistols, Rush, Bauhaus, Cheap Trick, Nirvana, plus a foreword by Keith Roth (host of Ozzy’s Boneyard and Hair Nation on Sirius Radio, plus the Electric Ballroom radio show)...they’re all included in Facts on Tracks!
©2019 Greg Prato Writer, Corp. (P)2021 Greg Prato Writer, Corp.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other
- The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon
- By: Greg Prato
- Narrated by: Greg Prato
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most tragic stories of the 1990s rock world was that of singer Shannon Hoon and his band, Blind Melon. Despite scoring one of the decade’s most enduring singles and videos, “No Rain”, and a quadruple-platinum hit with their 1992 self-titled debut album (in addition to touring alongside rock’s biggest names), Hoon could not overcome a dangerous drug addiction.
-
-
Good but beware
- By Curtis on 10-26-21
By: Greg Prato
-
Verse, Chorus, Monster!
- By: Graham Coxon
- Narrated by: Graham Coxon
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Among the noise and clamour of the Britpop era, Blur co-founder Graham Coxon managed to carve out a niche to become one of the most innovative and respected guitarists of his generation—but it wasn't always easy. Graham grew up as an Army kid, moving frequently in his early years from West Germany to Derbyshire and Winchester before settling in Colchester, Essex. A shy child, he had a thing for eating soil and drawing intense visions; his anxiety was tempered by painting and a growing love of music. These twin passions grew into obsessions.
-
-
Left Feeling Why?
- By marie on 01-09-23
By: Graham Coxon
-
The Music of The Statler Brothers: An Anthology
- By: Don Reid
- Narrated by: Don Reid
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Music of The Statler Brothers is an in-depth look at the musical career of The Statler Brothers's 40-year reign as country music's premier group. Lead singer, Don Reid, writes about each song ever recorded by the Grammy Award-winning foursome and gives backstage insight to the writings and the selections of each composition. A songwriter with 250 recordings of music by his own hand and a member of both the Country Music and Gospel Music Halls of Fame, Reid gives meaningful and often humorous insight into the day-to-day workings and trials of the music industry.
-
-
A Very Entertaining, Excellent Book
- By William Kandoll on 11-01-21
By: Don Reid
-
Beaumonster
- A Memoir
- By: Jesse Dayton
- Narrated by: Jesse Dayton
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jesse Dayton’s story comes across like a who’s who of American music. In his debut memoir, Beaumonster, Dayton reveals the stranger-than-fiction encounters and outlandish experiences that have ensued across his wide-ranging career. After sneaking into night clubs to play gigs in his youth, 18-year-old Dayton and his trio began packing clubs and theaters across Houston, Dallas, and Austin. His first solo record, which featured great luminaries like Doug Sahm, Flaco Jiménez, and Johnny Gimble, hit number one on the Americana radio charts, and then he was off to the races.
-
-
Enthralling
- By Brad hutton on 05-26-23
By: Jesse Dayton
-
Under the Big Black Sun
- A Personal History of L.A. Punk
- By: John Doe, Tom Desavia
- Narrated by: Exene Cervenka, Henry Rollins, full cast
- Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Under the Big Black Sun explores the nascent Los Angeles punk rock movement and its evolution to hardcore punk as it's never been told before. Authors John Doe and Tom DeSavia have woven together an enthralling story of the legendary West Coast scene from 1977 to 1982 by enlisting the voices of people who were there. The book shares chapter-length tales from the authors along with personal essays from famous (and infamous) players in the scene.
-
-
A love song to the early punk days in LA.
- By Brenda on 07-09-16
By: John Doe, and others
-
Led Zeppelin
- The Biography
- By: Bob Spitz
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 21 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the author of the definitive New York Times best-selling history of the Beatles comes the authoritative account of the group many call the greatest rock band of all time, arguably the most successful, and certainly one of the most notorious.
-
-
Sex & Drugs & Rock-n-Roll.... in that order.
- By Joe on 01-03-22
By: Bob Spitz
-
A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other
- The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon
- By: Greg Prato
- Narrated by: Greg Prato
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most tragic stories of the 1990s rock world was that of singer Shannon Hoon and his band, Blind Melon. Despite scoring one of the decade’s most enduring singles and videos, “No Rain”, and a quadruple-platinum hit with their 1992 self-titled debut album (in addition to touring alongside rock’s biggest names), Hoon could not overcome a dangerous drug addiction.
-
-
Good but beware
- By Curtis on 10-26-21
By: Greg Prato
-
Verse, Chorus, Monster!
- By: Graham Coxon
- Narrated by: Graham Coxon
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Among the noise and clamour of the Britpop era, Blur co-founder Graham Coxon managed to carve out a niche to become one of the most innovative and respected guitarists of his generation—but it wasn't always easy. Graham grew up as an Army kid, moving frequently in his early years from West Germany to Derbyshire and Winchester before settling in Colchester, Essex. A shy child, he had a thing for eating soil and drawing intense visions; his anxiety was tempered by painting and a growing love of music. These twin passions grew into obsessions.
-
-
Left Feeling Why?
- By marie on 01-09-23
By: Graham Coxon
-
The Music of The Statler Brothers: An Anthology
- By: Don Reid
- Narrated by: Don Reid
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Music of The Statler Brothers is an in-depth look at the musical career of The Statler Brothers's 40-year reign as country music's premier group. Lead singer, Don Reid, writes about each song ever recorded by the Grammy Award-winning foursome and gives backstage insight to the writings and the selections of each composition. A songwriter with 250 recordings of music by his own hand and a member of both the Country Music and Gospel Music Halls of Fame, Reid gives meaningful and often humorous insight into the day-to-day workings and trials of the music industry.
-
-
A Very Entertaining, Excellent Book
- By William Kandoll on 11-01-21
By: Don Reid
-
Beaumonster
- A Memoir
- By: Jesse Dayton
- Narrated by: Jesse Dayton
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jesse Dayton’s story comes across like a who’s who of American music. In his debut memoir, Beaumonster, Dayton reveals the stranger-than-fiction encounters and outlandish experiences that have ensued across his wide-ranging career. After sneaking into night clubs to play gigs in his youth, 18-year-old Dayton and his trio began packing clubs and theaters across Houston, Dallas, and Austin. His first solo record, which featured great luminaries like Doug Sahm, Flaco Jiménez, and Johnny Gimble, hit number one on the Americana radio charts, and then he was off to the races.
-
-
Enthralling
- By Brad hutton on 05-26-23
By: Jesse Dayton
-
Under the Big Black Sun
- A Personal History of L.A. Punk
- By: John Doe, Tom Desavia
- Narrated by: Exene Cervenka, Henry Rollins, full cast
- Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Under the Big Black Sun explores the nascent Los Angeles punk rock movement and its evolution to hardcore punk as it's never been told before. Authors John Doe and Tom DeSavia have woven together an enthralling story of the legendary West Coast scene from 1977 to 1982 by enlisting the voices of people who were there. The book shares chapter-length tales from the authors along with personal essays from famous (and infamous) players in the scene.
-
-
A love song to the early punk days in LA.
- By Brenda on 07-09-16
By: John Doe, and others
-
Led Zeppelin
- The Biography
- By: Bob Spitz
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 21 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the author of the definitive New York Times best-selling history of the Beatles comes the authoritative account of the group many call the greatest rock band of all time, arguably the most successful, and certainly one of the most notorious.
-
-
Sex & Drugs & Rock-n-Roll.... in that order.
- By Joe on 01-03-22
By: Bob Spitz
-
Texas Flood
- The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan
- By: Alan Paul, Andy Aledort, Jimmie Vaughan - epilogue
- Narrated by: Alan Paul, Andy Aledort, full cast
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Texas Flood provides the unadulterated truth about Stevie Ray Vaughan from those who knew him best: his brother Jimmie, his Double Trouble bandmates Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton and Reese Wynans, and many other close friends, family members, girlfriends, fellow musicians, managers and crew members.
-
-
Powerful oral biography
- By Shirley Muhleisen on 08-15-19
By: Alan Paul, and others
-
Man in the Music
- The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson
- By: Joseph Vogel
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 16 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first book dedicated solely to exploring his creative work, Man in the Music guides us through an unparalleled analysis of Jackson’s recordings, album by album, from his trailblazing work with Quincy Jones to his later collaborations with Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Rodney Jerkins. Drawing on rare archival material and on dozens of original interviews with many who helped bring the artist’s music into the world, Jackson expert and acclaimed cultural critic Joseph Vogel reveals what gave rise to an immortal body of work.
-
-
Full of inaccuracies, hearsay and sensationalism
- By Carl on 07-14-20
By: Joseph Vogel
-
Prince and the Parade and Sign O' the Times Era Studio Sessions
- 1985 and 1986
- By: Duane Tudahl, Sir Elton John - foreword
- Narrated by: Ron Butler
- Length: 23 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Prince's superstardom to studio seclusion, this second book in the award-winning Prince Studio Sessions series spotlights how Prince, the biggest rock star on the planet at the time, risked everything to create some of the most introspective music of his four-decade career. Duane Tudahl takes us on an emotional and intimate journey of love, loss, rivalry, and renewal revealed through unprecedented access to dozens of musicians, singers, studio engineers, and others who worked with him and knew him best.
-
-
My favorite era broken down perfectly
- By DeAnna & Brandon on 07-01-22
By: Duane Tudahl, and others
-
Biblical
- Rob Halford's Heavy Metal Scriptures
- By: Rob Halford
- Narrated by: Rob Halford
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rob Halford has long been known for his legendary voice. As the front man of Judas Priest, his vocals have been tremendous, and tremendously influential. In 2020, he brought his voice to the page with a glorious autobiography. Fans, readers, and listeners loved Halford’s frank and open narrative, as well as his terrific insight and sense of humor. In an ideal follow-up, Halford runs his lively eye over all facets of the hard rock history and the heavy metal world. Biblical is an encyclopedia and manifesto.
-
-
Rob Halford is my big gay superhero kids!!
- By Jeff Williams on 11-07-22
By: Rob Halford
-
Skydog
- The Duane Allman Story
- By: Randy Poe, Billy F. Gibbons - foreword
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Revised and expanded, with a new afterword by the author, this is the definitive biography of Duane Allman, one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. Skydog reveals the complete story of the legendary guitarist: his childhood and musical awakening; his struggling first bands; his hard-won mastery of the slide guitar; his emergence as a successful session musician; his creation of the Allman Brothers Band; his tragic death at age 24; and his thriving musical legacy.
-
-
duane was the best great story
- By OBIE on 08-08-23
By: Randy Poe, and others
-
Nöthin' but a Good Time
- The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion
- By: Tom Beaujour, Richard Bienstock
- Narrated by: Amy McFadden, Gary Furlong, Richard Bienstock, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the do-or-die early days of self-financed recordings and D.I.Y. concert productions that were as flashy as they were foolhardy, to the multi-platinum, MTV-powered glory years of stadium-shaking anthems and chart-topping power ballads, to the ultimate crash when grunge bands like Nirvana forever altered the entire climate of the business, Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock's Nothin' But a Good Time captures the energy and excess of the hair metal years in the words of the musicians and industry insiders who lived it.
-
-
Nothin but a Good Time/Yes it Was
- By Anonymous User on 04-06-21
By: Tom Beaujour, and others
-
This Is All a Dream We Dreamed
- An Oral History of the Grateful Dead
- By: Blair Jackson, David Gans
- Narrated by: Holter Graham, Fred Berman, Oliver Wyman, and others
- Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In This Is All a Dream We Dreamed, two of the most well-respected chroniclers of the Dead, Blair Jackson and David Gans, reveal the band's story through the words of its members, their creative collaborators and peers, and a number of diverse fans, stitching together a multitude of voices into a seamless oral tapestry. Capturing the ebullient spirit at the group's core, Jackson and Gans weave together a musical saga that examines the music and subculture that developed into its own economy, touching fans from all walks of life.
-
-
Really Good. Gave me a new appreciation for band.
- By Headhunter on 01-08-16
By: Blair Jackson, and others
-
Anthem: Rush in the 1970s
- Rush Across the Decades, Book 1
- By: Martin Popoff
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With extensive, first-hand reflections from Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart, as well as from family, friends, and fellow musicians, Anthem: Rush in the '70s is a detailed portrait of Canada's greatest rock ambassadors. The first of three volumes, Anthem puts the band's catalog, from their self-titled debut to 1978's Hemispheres (the next volume resumes with the release of Permanent Waves) into both Canadian and general pop culture context.
-
-
What a Biography Should Be!
- By Deborah Bessette on 05-30-20
By: Martin Popoff
-
Conversations with Tom Petty (Expanded Edition)
- By: Paul Zollo
- Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
- Length: 16 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tom Petty has long been considered one of the great songwriters of American rock 'n' roll, as well as one of the key standard bearers of integrity in the music business.
-
-
Good, but unnecessarily repetitive
- By Greg Jahnke on 10-22-21
By: Paul Zollo
-
Total F*cking Godhead
- The Biography of Chris Cornell
- By: Corbin Reiff
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Total F*cking Godhead is the complete story of the complex and enigmatic artist, Chris Cornell. It's the riveting account of a blue collar, high-school dropout emerging from Seattle, Washington, to become one of the greatest singer-songwriters and voices of his generation. With input from people who knew and worked with him - together with Cornell's own words - the book recounts in great detail the rise of his immortal band Soundgarden as they emerged from the 1980s post-punk underground to dominate popular culture in the '90s alongside other Seattle bands like Pearl Jam.
-
-
UltraMegaJustOK
- By Matt S. Lewis on 07-31-20
By: Corbin Reiff
-
Leon Russell
- The Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock & Roll History
- By: Bill Janovitz
- Narrated by: Bill Janovitz, Jason Culp
- Length: 24 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leon Russell is an icon, but somehow is still an underappreciated artist. He is spoken of in tones reserved not just for the most talented musicians, but also for the most complex and fascinating. His career is like a roadmap of music history, often intersecting with rock royalty like Bob Dylan, the Stones, and the Beatles.
-
-
A dream come true for Leon Russell fans!!
- By William Straten on 03-15-23
By: Bill Janovitz
-
Sex, Drums, Rock 'n' Roll!
- The Hardest Hitting Man in Show Business
- By: Kenny Aronoff, Neil Peart - Foreword by
- Narrated by: Kenny Aronoff
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Talent, energy, dedication, discipline, passion, innovation, education, drive, mind, body, spirit, vision, honor, truth, and drums make the man: Kenny Aronoff. Voted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest drummers of all time, Aronoff is arguably the most sought-after recording and touring beat master ever.
-
-
Great stories, narration could be better
- By Dry Toast Fan on 10-24-21
By: Kenny Aronoff, and others
Related to this topic
-
Skydog
- The Duane Allman Story
- By: Randy Poe, Billy F. Gibbons - foreword
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Revised and expanded, with a new afterword by the author, this is the definitive biography of Duane Allman, one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. Skydog reveals the complete story of the legendary guitarist: his childhood and musical awakening; his struggling first bands; his hard-won mastery of the slide guitar; his emergence as a successful session musician; his creation of the Allman Brothers Band; his tragic death at age 24; and his thriving musical legacy.
-
-
duane was the best great story
- By OBIE on 08-08-23
By: Randy Poe, and others
-
Chairman at the Board
- Recording the Soundtrack of a Generation
- By: Bill Schnee
- Narrated by: Bill Schnee
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With over 125 gold and platinum records, and two Grammys for Steely Dan's Aja and Gaucho, Schnee has been called a living legend - recognized and respected in the industry as the consummate music man with an incomparable career that he lovingly shares with listeners in humorous detail.
-
-
Worst narration ever!
- By Anonymous User on 01-26-23
By: Bill Schnee
-
Relentless
- The Memoir
- By: Yngwie J. Malmsteen
- Narrated by: Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Fred Berman
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Yngwie Malmsteen's revolutionary guitar style - combining elements of classical music with the speed and volume of heavy metal - made him a staple of the 80s rock scene. Decades later, he's still a legend among guitarists, having sold 11 million albums and influenced generations of rockers since. In Relentless, Malmsteen shares his personal story, from the moment he burst onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere in the early 80s to become a household name in the annals of heavy metal.
-
-
Bloviations
- By David A. Kaplowitz on 12-29-19
-
Elton John
- The Biography
- By: David Buckley
- Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
- Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Elton John is as much loved for his outrageous personality and witty outspokenness as for his music. Such shamelessness and sheer silliness rivals anything uttered by punk rockers, yet it is so typically Elton: honest and intemperate. Tragedy and heartbreak have played a large part in his life. Behind the parties, the hedonism, the lavish stage costumes, and silly glasses lies a more somber story. Between disputes with managers, legal wranglings, public breakups, and divorce, John has been faced with serious health problems and drug addictions.
-
-
Trite!
- By michael mckone on 08-04-22
By: David Buckley
-
Light & Shade
- Conversations with Jimmy Page
- By: Brad Tolinski
- Narrated by: Robert Fass, John Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
More than 30 years after disbanding in 1980, Led Zeppelin continues to be celebrated for its artistic achievements, broad musical influence, and commercial success. The band's notorious exploits have been chronicled in bestselling books; yet none of the individual members of the band has penned a memoir nor cooperated to any degree with the press or a biographer.
-
-
Production History, FY!
- By Amy Peacock on 02-21-17
By: Brad Tolinski
-
Your Song Changed My Life
- From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It
- By: Bob Boilen
- Narrated by: Bob Boilen
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the beloved host and creator of NPR's All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts comes an essential oral history of modern music, told in the voices of iconic and up-and-coming musicians, including Dave Grohl, Jimmy Page, Michael Stipe, Carrie Brownstein, Smokey Robinson, and Jeff Tweedy, among others - published in association with NPR Music.
-
-
Cool if you know all interviewed artists
- By Farfield on 12-05-16
By: Bob Boilen
-
Skydog
- The Duane Allman Story
- By: Randy Poe, Billy F. Gibbons - foreword
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Revised and expanded, with a new afterword by the author, this is the definitive biography of Duane Allman, one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. Skydog reveals the complete story of the legendary guitarist: his childhood and musical awakening; his struggling first bands; his hard-won mastery of the slide guitar; his emergence as a successful session musician; his creation of the Allman Brothers Band; his tragic death at age 24; and his thriving musical legacy.
-
-
duane was the best great story
- By OBIE on 08-08-23
By: Randy Poe, and others
-
Chairman at the Board
- Recording the Soundtrack of a Generation
- By: Bill Schnee
- Narrated by: Bill Schnee
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With over 125 gold and platinum records, and two Grammys for Steely Dan's Aja and Gaucho, Schnee has been called a living legend - recognized and respected in the industry as the consummate music man with an incomparable career that he lovingly shares with listeners in humorous detail.
-
-
Worst narration ever!
- By Anonymous User on 01-26-23
By: Bill Schnee
-
Relentless
- The Memoir
- By: Yngwie J. Malmsteen
- Narrated by: Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Fred Berman
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Yngwie Malmsteen's revolutionary guitar style - combining elements of classical music with the speed and volume of heavy metal - made him a staple of the 80s rock scene. Decades later, he's still a legend among guitarists, having sold 11 million albums and influenced generations of rockers since. In Relentless, Malmsteen shares his personal story, from the moment he burst onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere in the early 80s to become a household name in the annals of heavy metal.
-
-
Bloviations
- By David A. Kaplowitz on 12-29-19
-
Elton John
- The Biography
- By: David Buckley
- Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
- Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Elton John is as much loved for his outrageous personality and witty outspokenness as for his music. Such shamelessness and sheer silliness rivals anything uttered by punk rockers, yet it is so typically Elton: honest and intemperate. Tragedy and heartbreak have played a large part in his life. Behind the parties, the hedonism, the lavish stage costumes, and silly glasses lies a more somber story. Between disputes with managers, legal wranglings, public breakups, and divorce, John has been faced with serious health problems and drug addictions.
-
-
Trite!
- By michael mckone on 08-04-22
By: David Buckley
-
Light & Shade
- Conversations with Jimmy Page
- By: Brad Tolinski
- Narrated by: Robert Fass, John Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
More than 30 years after disbanding in 1980, Led Zeppelin continues to be celebrated for its artistic achievements, broad musical influence, and commercial success. The band's notorious exploits have been chronicled in bestselling books; yet none of the individual members of the band has penned a memoir nor cooperated to any degree with the press or a biographer.
-
-
Production History, FY!
- By Amy Peacock on 02-21-17
By: Brad Tolinski
-
Your Song Changed My Life
- From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It
- By: Bob Boilen
- Narrated by: Bob Boilen
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the beloved host and creator of NPR's All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts comes an essential oral history of modern music, told in the voices of iconic and up-and-coming musicians, including Dave Grohl, Jimmy Page, Michael Stipe, Carrie Brownstein, Smokey Robinson, and Jeff Tweedy, among others - published in association with NPR Music.
-
-
Cool if you know all interviewed artists
- By Farfield on 12-05-16
By: Bob Boilen
-
Rainbow in the Dark
- The Autobiography
- By: Ronnie James Dio, Mick Wall - contributor, Wendy Dio - contributor
- Narrated by: Daniel Thomas May
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Prior to his tragic death in 2010, Ronnie James Dio had been writing his autobiography, looking back on the remarkable life that led him from his hometown in upstate New York to the biggest stages in the world, including the arena that represented the pinnacle of success to him - Madison Square Garden, where this book begins and ends.
-
-
Horns up!
- By Big Daddy on 02-10-22
By: Ronnie James Dio, and others
-
All These Things That I've Done
- My Insane, Improbable Rock Life
- By: Matt Pinfield, Mitchell Cohen
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Matt Pinfield is the ultimate music fan. He's the guy who knows every song, artist, and musical riff ever recorded, down to the most obscure band's B-side single on its vinyl-only EP import. As a child, music helped Pinfield make sense of the world. Later he would approach his music idols after concerts and explain why he loved their music. As an adult, rock music inspired his career, fueled relationships, and, at times, became a life raft.
-
-
great listen
- By nilda v. on 08-28-20
By: Matt Pinfield, and others
-
The History of Rock & Roll
- Volume 1: 1920-1963
- By: Ed Ward
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ed Ward covers the first half of the history of rock & roll in this sweeping and definitive narrative - from the 1920s, when the music of rambling medicine shows mingled with the songs of vaudeville and minstrel acts to create the very early sounds of country and rhythm and blues, to the rise of the first independent record labels post-World War II, and concluding in December 1963, just as an immense change in the airwaves took hold and the Beatles prepared for their first American tour.
-
-
Author's blindspots mar this book
- By Mark Clark on 03-28-17
By: Ed Ward
-
The Never-Ending Present
- The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip
- By: Michael Barclay
- Narrated by: George Stroumboulopoulos
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From our talent-rich neighbor to the north comes this biography of one of the most successful Canadian rock bands, The Tragically Hip, which announced a year-long tour after sharing the news of lead singer Gord Downie’s inoperable cancer. Now available to US listeners, The Never-Ending Present details what led up to the memorable night when music fans all over the world watched Downie’s heroic final performance.
-
-
Hometown Heroes
- By Tommy Garou on 12-13-18
By: Michael Barclay
-
Let’s Go Crazy
- Prince and the Making of Purple Rain
- By: Alan Light
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Purple Rain is a song, an album, and a film - each one a commercial success and cultural milestone. How did this semiautobiographical musical masterpiece that blurred R&B, pop, dance, and rock sounds come to alter the recording landscape and become an enduring touchstone for successive generations of fans?
-
-
A Must-Read For Any PRINCE Fan
- By Bryan K. Chavez on 05-06-16
By: Alan Light
-
Walk This Way
- Run-DMC, Aerosmith, and the Song That Changed American Music Forever
- By: Geoff Edgers
- Narrated by: Geoff Edgers
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Washington Post staff writer Geoff Edgers takes a deep dive into the story behind "Walk This Way", Aerosmith and Run-DMC's legendary, groundbreaking mashup that forever changed music.
-
-
A MUST LISTEN/READ
- By Aron Teo Lee on 05-17-19
By: Geoff Edgers
-
Down the Highway
- The Life of Bob Dylan
- By: Howard Sounes
- Narrated by: Peter Markinker
- Length: 20 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Down the Highway is an essential biography for Bob Dylan fans and all music enthusiasts, delivering the full, fascinating story of the life and work of this great artist. Author Howard Sounes interviewed more than 250 key people in Dylan’s circle, and gained access to previously unseen documents, to create a fresh and compelling book that takes the reader on a journey from Dylan’s childhood in a Minnesota mining town, through his rise to fame in the 1960s, to his current status as the senior figure in popular music.
-
-
I'm a little late to the party
- By BrassHat on 06-05-17
By: Howard Sounes
-
Fornication
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers Story
- By: Jeff Apter
- Narrated by: Adrian Mulraney
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Despite an epic reputation for exhibitionism, drug taking, and drunkenness, through it all the Chili Peppers have continued to produce records that shock, challenge, and intrigue their fans. Jeff Apter tells the complete Red Hot Chili Peppers story, from their first meeting at a Los Angeles high school to the creation of such career-defining albums as BloodSugarSexMagik, Californication and By The Way.
-
-
Cabron
- By Amazon Customer on 10-02-19
By: Jeff Apter
-
Dreaming the Beatles
- A Love Story of One Band and the Whole World
- By: Rob Sheffield
- Narrated by: Rob Sheffield
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dreaming the Beatles is not another biography of the Beatles or a song-by-song analysis of the best of John and Paul. It isn't another exposé about how they broke up. It isn't a history of their gigs or their gear. It is a collection of essays telling the story of what this ubiquitous band means to a generation who grew up with the Beatles' music on their parents' stereos and their faces on T-shirts. What do the Beatles mean today? Why are they more famous and beloved now than ever? Find out.
-
-
Wonderful ramble
- By Tad Davis on 05-18-17
By: Rob Sheffield
-
The Gospel According to Luke
- By: Steve Lukather
- Narrated by: Steve Lukather
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this incisive memoir, Steve Lukather tells the complete Toto story. He also lifts the lid on what went on behind the closed studio doors, shedding light on the unique creative processes of some of the most legendary names in music: from Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, and Elton John to Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, and Aretha Franklin. Lukather’s extraordinary tale also encompasses the dark side of stardom and the American Dream. Frank, engaging, and often hilarious, The Gospel According to Luke is no ordinary rock memoir.
-
-
Wow Best Rock Biography Ever
- By Hercules on 09-29-18
By: Steve Lukather
-
Goodnight, L.A.
- Untold Tales from Inside Classic Rock’s Legendary Recording Studios
- By: Kent Hartman
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From behind the walls of a handful of well-hidden, unlikely recording studios in the Los Angeles area, legends-in-waiting created masterpiece albums. It was a time of astonishing creativity and unprecedented fame and fortune. It was also a time of unfettered excess that threatened to unravel everything along the way. With access that only a longtime music business insider can provide, Kent Hartman packs Goodnight, L.A. with never-before-told stories about the most prolific time and iconic place in rock 'n' roll history.
-
-
great stories and insight into a miraculous time
- By RWM on 05-27-22
By: Kent Hartman
-
The Wrecking Crew
- The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret
- By: Kent Hartman
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you were a fan of popular music in the 1960s and early '70s, you were a fan of the Wrecking Crew - whether you knew it or not. On hit record after hit record by everyone from the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Monkees to the Grass Roots, the 5th Dimension, Sonny & Cher, and Simon & Garfunkel, this collection of West Coast studio musicians from diverse backgrounds established themselves as the driving sound of pop music - sometimes over the objection of actual band members....
-
-
Left Guessing
- By Patrick King on 04-29-14
By: Kent Hartman
What listeners say about Facts on Tracks
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Steven Gerweck
- 05-01-24
Interesting tidbits
"I wish I was in Tijuana, eating barbecued iguana," sang the 80's group Wall of Voodoo. And as you will learn in "Facts on Tracks," the one hit wonder band did make it to Tijuana, to film their memorable music video. Greg Prato shares notes from his interviews with the band members and songwriters that delivered hit tunes for the likes of Rush, Judas Priest, The Police, The Eagles, Billy Joel, Alice Cooper, Kiss, and Metallica.
Did you know that the 1970 rock classic "American Woman" by The Guess Who is actually an anti-war song? The American Woman referred to in the song is the Statue of Liberty. You will learn how the song was conceived. Similarly, where did the lyrics for The Ramone's "Blitzkrieg Pop" come from? A track that has become a favorite for arena rock fanatics. Was Toto's "Roseanna" actually written for actress Rosanna Arquette?
In "Facts on Tracks," you learn the backstories for classic hits such as Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl," Europe's "The Final Countdown," another arena rock staple song, "I'm Alright" by Kenny Loggins for the hilarious "Caddyshack" movie, Asia's "Heat of the Moment," "Eye of the Tiger," a song written by Survivor for Rocky III, "Maneater" by Daryl Hall and John Oates, and many more!
I appreciate the author wrapping notes around the music videos produced for many of the hit songs described in the book. Saga's "On the Loose," was filmed in Toronto, featuring the lead singer breaking out of the jail. Prato reveals the story of the behind Quiet Riot's entertaining video for "Metal Health," a favorite that aired regularly on MTV.
I recommend "Facts on Tracks," as I promise you will learn interesting facts you didn't already know about your favorite songs. Here is to hoping for another volumes!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lisa G
- 08-17-21
Terrible narration
I can’t finish this book. Although I find the subject matter interesting, the narration is the worst. First of all, it's obvious he's reading. Good narrators sound as though they're telling a story - not this guy.
The inflections of his voice don't match the words he's reading. I’m so distracted by the "nerdiness" of his voice while reading quotes from rock stars that I have to give up. He'd be better suited to reading a science textbook. I’m out!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!