Chuck Berry

by John Collis

Book Overview

It's no exaggeration to say that, with songs like Rock 'n' Roll Music, Roll Over Beethoven, and Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry invented rock 'n' roll. However, his career has been overshadowed, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1854108735
• ISBN13: 9781854108739
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Aurum Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.2" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

A true rock'n'roll innovator despite being an unlikable person

Written by a UK fan from when he first saw Chuck Berry on tour in Bristol in the 1960s, Collis avoids many of the problems in such lifetime fan tomes by covering the many dislikable personal and business aspects of Berry's character alongside a career history of the man's many momentous recording achievements. The start of the book after a short bio over view is background on why St Louis is an under rated music centre versus Chicago and Memphis in US history, identifying the key influences on Berry's music alongside Chuck's key early life history. The main meat of the book is its central chapters with a lengthy coverage of Berry's recording history and live performances across the critical 50s and 60s. Collis's detailed comments on the mixed bag approach of Berry to recording and highlighting those gems which have all stood the test of time thankfully avoids it all becoming a tedious listing of sessions data. The later chapters given Berry's lack of real recording activity and consistently lack lustre live shows since the early 1970s (a feature I have sadly personally experienced several times) make a valiant effort covering such key events as his trial for tax evasion and the 60th birthday bash organised by Keith Richards. The sad conclusion is that early setbacks and bad experiences (both racist and financial), especially his imprisonment in the early 1960s on sex charges, resulted in Berry having an ongoing lack of trust of anyone and a penny pinching and control freak approach to his career, whatever the consequences. His own lack of personal vision meant he never would look to a powerful manager or record producer who could have helped him apply a greater business acumen and discipline around recording and live shows. Two examples epitomise this quandary- the inability to turn his country club Berry Park into a successful venture probably owes more to his failing to add golfing facilities than the claimed police harassment and if he had made the investment in a good permanent live backing band (such as Fats Domino did), the man would have probably cleaned up on the financial rewards from world tours. Collis has clearly had no major direct contact with Berry though given the man's approach to interviews documented in the book this is no great loss it seems. He is thus reliant on using all other sources available including interviews with some key associates notably the much abused pianist Johnnie Johnston to fill out the story. The overall result is a pretty balanced account and while many such as Keith Richards may have ended up hating the guy, Collis does a pretty good job of creating the overall historical context while not seeking to justify the resulting behaviour of one of rock'n'roll's true innovators. One finishes the book aware that since it was written in 2002 Berry has continued as before so nothing it seems will change at this late stage in the man's life. Indeed, one is left feeling that Berry is in many ways a rerun of

life of chuck

chuck writes well here in this book that goes till the late 80's. he may need tow riter another that takes him further on down the road. the photos are week in the book and could have been edited a bit better but overall this is a pleasant read.