Reviews
"Call it The Battle of the Band, Mick Wall''s Life in the Fast Lane captures the conflicts and conflagrations that fueled the incredible rise--and endless farewells--of the Eagles, America''s best-selling rock band. Hip, wise and witty, Wall knows these beatniks out to make it rich for who they were and spares nobody in his bare knuckles account, a sordid only-in-Hollywood tale that could have come from James Ellroy." --Joel Selvin, author of Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock''s Darkest Day "Mick Wall treats us to a savvy, authoritative chronicle of the flight of the Eagles, immersing us in the heady world of the Topanga Canyon scene and the other aspiring musicians who would rise to fame together. The Eagles persevered through obscurity and management and recording challenges to finally realize their dream, but the brilliance of their songwriting and musicianship was juxtaposed with the menacing tide of cocaine abuse, a broken brotherhood, and too much money. Life in the Fast Lane is a comprehensive history of a band that burned so bright, yet finally succumbed to the heat." --Sandra B. Tooze, author of Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of the Band and Beyond When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin A Sunday Times "Music Book of the Year" "Sensational."-- New York Times "Entertaining, thoughtful."-- Los Angeles Times "His access and attention to detail make this a definitive work...an essential source for anyone eager to learn about the era when rock stars ruled the world."-- Publishers Weekly "Wall does well to shine light on the myths and music magic of Led Zep--rendering what could have been cartoonish real and sincere."-- TimeOut Chicago "The definitive final word on this planet-bestriding behemoth from the veteran writer.'' --The Telegraph "This is the only Led Zeppelin biography I allow in the house. Mick absolutely nailed it." --Jason Bonham, son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who replaced his father in the band after his death in 1980 Lou Reed: The Life "The Lou Reed we find here is straight off the album covers -- shades, leather jacket, bisexual, smart-talking, rude to journalists, cruising the streets of Manhattan on his motorbike, doping himself senseless and beating up his first wife - and Wall does it extremely well."-- Sunday Times Last of the Giants: The True Story of Guns N'' Roses "Wall reminds us how Guns N'' Roses was a necessary tonic to fatuous acts like Bon Jovi; and as singer W Axl Rose descends into racist, homophobic screeds like ''One in a Million'', Wall doesn''t excuse his subject, or the music industry that enabled Rose''s bile."-- New York Times Two Riders Were Approaching: The Life & Death of Jimi Hendrix " Two Riders Were Approaching is a fittingly psychedelic and kaleidoscopic exploration of the life and death of Jimi Hendrix. Eschewing the traditional rock-biography format, it is a journey into the dark heart of the sixties, burned in the fire and blood of the Vietnam War, the assassination of Martin Luther King and the election of President Richard Nixon."-- London Review of Books, "A witty and informative deep dive into the (many) highs and lows of the legendary ''70s band that continues to rock to this day. . . . Wall takes readers out on the road with the Eagles and paints a vivid, no holds barred portrait of the trials and tribulations that the country-rockers faced as they soared their way to the very top." -- Entertainment Weekly , "The 27 Best New Books to Take on Your 2023 Summer Vacation" "Call it The Battle of the Band, Mick Wall''s Life in the Fast Lane captures the conflicts and conflagrations that fueled the incredible rise--and endless farewells--of the Eagles, America''s best-selling rock band. Hip, wise and witty, Wall knows these beatniks out to make it rich for who they were and spares nobody in his bare knuckles account, a sordid only-in-Hollywood tale that could have come from James Ellroy." --Joel Selvin, author of Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock''s Darkest Day "Mick Wall treats us to a savvy, authoritative chronicle of the flight of the Eagles, immersing us in the heady world of the Topanga Canyon scene and the other aspiring musicians who would rise to fame together. The Eagles persevered through obscurity and management and recording challenges to finally realize their dream, but the brilliance of their songwriting and musicianship was juxtaposed with the menacing tide of cocaine abuse, a broken brotherhood, and too much money. Life in the Fast Lane is a comprehensive history of a band that burned so bright, yet finally succumbed to the heat." --Sandra B. Tooze, author of Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of the Band and Beyond "Entertaining and often edgy. . . . Wall captures the spirit of that era''s ''fast lane'' in a manner reminiscent of a highly caffeinated Tom Wolfe, treating the band in the manner that Wolfe did Phil Spector or the Merry Pranksters. . . . [A] rock bio in which nobody, including the author, takes it easy." --Kirkus Reviews For When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin "Music Book of the Year." --A Sunday Times "Sensational." -- New York Times "Entertaining, thoughtful." -- Los Angeles Times "His access and attention to detail make this a definitive work...an essential source for anyone eager to learn about the era when rock stars ruled the world."-- Publishers Weekly "Wall does well to shine light on the myths and music magic of Led Zep--rendering what could have been cartoonish real and sincere." -- TimeOut Chicago "The definitive final word on this planet-bestriding behemoth from the veteran writer. " --The Telegraph "This is the only Led Zeppelin biography I allow in the house. Mick absolutely nailed it." --Jason Bonham, son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who replaced his father in the band after his death in 1980 For Lou Reed: The Life "The Lou Reed we find here is straight off the album covers -- shades, leather jacket, bisexual, smart-talking, rude to journalists, cruising the streets of Manhattan on his motorbike, doping himself senseless and beating up his first wife - and Wall does it extremely well." -- Sunday Times For Last of the Giants: The True Story of Guns N'' Roses "Wall reminds us how Guns N'' Roses was a necessary tonic to fatuous acts like Bon Jovi; and as singer W Axl Rose descends into racist, homophobic screeds like ''One in a Million'', Wall doesn''t excuse his subject, or the music industry that enabled Rose''s bile." -- New York Times For Two Riders Were Approaching: The Life & Death of Jimi Hendrix " Two Riders Were Approaching is a fittingly psychedelic and kaleidoscopic exploration of the life and death of Jimi Hendrix. Eschewing the traditional rock-biography format, it is a journey into the dark heart of the sixties, burned in the fire and blood of the Vietnam War, the assassination of Martin Luther King and the election of President Richard Nixon." -- London Review of Books, "Call it The Battle of the Band, Mick Wall''s Life in the Fast Lane captures the conflicts and conflagrations that fueled the incredible rise--and endless farewells--of the Eagles, America''s best-selling rock band. Hip, wise and witty, Wall knows these beatniks out to make it rich for who they were and spares nobody in his bare knuckles account, a sordid only-in-Hollywood tale that could have come from James Ellroy." --Joel Selvin, author of Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock''s Darkest Day "Mick Wall treats us to a savvy, authoritative chronicle of the flight of the Eagles, immersing us in the heady world of the Topanga Canyon scene and the other aspiring musicians who would rise to fame together. The Eagles persevered through obscurity and management and recording challenges to finally realize their dream, but the brilliance of their songwriting and musicianship was juxtaposed with the menacing tide of cocaine abuse, a broken brotherhood, and too much money. Life in the Fast Lane is a comprehensive history of a band that burned so bright, yet finally succumbed to the heat." --Sandra B. Tooze, author of Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of the Band and Beyond "Entertaining and often edgy. . . . Wall captures the spirit of that era''s ''fast lane'' in a manner reminiscent of a highly caffeinated Tom Wolfe, treating the band in the manner that Wolfe did Phil Spector or the Merry Pranksters. . . . [A] rock bio in which nobody, including the author, takes it easy." --Kirkus Reviews For When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin "Music Book of the Year." --A Sunday Times "Sensational." -- New York Times "Entertaining, thoughtful." -- Los Angeles Times "His access and attention to detail make this a definitive work...an essential source for anyone eager to learn about the era when rock stars ruled the world."-- Publishers Weekly "Wall does well to shine light on the myths and music magic of Led Zep--rendering what could have been cartoonish real and sincere." -- TimeOut Chicago "The definitive final word on this planet-bestriding behemoth from the veteran writer. " --The Telegraph "This is the only Led Zeppelin biography I allow in the house. Mick absolutely nailed it." --Jason Bonham, son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who replaced his father in the band after his death in 1980 For Lou Reed: The Life "The Lou Reed we find here is straight off the album covers -- shades, leather jacket, bisexual, smart-talking, rude to journalists, cruising the streets of Manhattan on his motorbike, doping himself senseless and beating up his first wife - and Wall does it extremely well." -- Sunday Times For Last of the Giants: The True Story of Guns N'' Roses "Wall reminds us how Guns N'' Roses was a necessary tonic to fatuous acts like Bon Jovi; and as singer W Axl Rose descends into racist, homophobic screeds like ''One in a Million'', Wall doesn''t excuse his subject, or the music industry that enabled Rose''s bile." -- New York Times For Two Riders Were Approaching: The Life & Death of Jimi Hendrix " Two Riders Were Approaching is a fittingly psychedelic and kaleidoscopic exploration of the life and death of Jimi Hendrix. Eschewing the traditional rock-biography format, it is a journey into the dark heart of the sixties, burned in the fire and blood of the Vietnam War, the assassination of Martin Luther King and the election of President Richard Nixon." -- London Review of Books, When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin A Sunday Times "Music Book of the Year" "Sensational."-- New York Times "Entertaining, thoughtful."-- Los Angeles Times "His access and attention to detail make this a definitive work...an essential source for anyone eager to learn about the era when rock stars ruled the world."-- Publishers Weekly "Wall does well to shine light on the myths and music magic of Led Zep--rendering what could have been cartoonish real and sincere."-- TimeOut Chicago "The definitive final word on this planet-bestriding behemoth from the veteran writer.' --The Telegraph "This is the only Led Zeppelin biography I allow in the house. Mick absolutely nailed it." --Jason Bonham, son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who replaced his father in the band after his death in 1980 Lou Reed: The Life "The Lou Reed we find here is straight off the album covers -- shades, leather jacket, bisexual, smart-talking, rude to journalists, cruising the streets of Manhattan on his motorbike, doping himself senseless and beating up his first wife - and Wall does it extremely well."-- Sunday Times Last of the Giants: The True Story of Guns N' Roses "Wall reminds us how Guns N' Roses was a necessary tonic to fatuous acts like Bon Jovi; and as singer W Axl Rose descends into racist, homophobic screeds like 'One in a Million', Wall doesn't excuse his subject, or the music industry that enabled Rose's bile."-- New York Times Two Riders Were Approaching: The Life & Death of Jimi Hendrix " Two Riders Were Approaching is a fittingly psychedelic and kaleidoscopic exploration of the life and death of Jimi Hendrix. Eschewing the traditional rock-biography format, it is a journey into the dark heart of the sixties, burned in the fire and blood of the Vietnam War, the assassination of Martin Luther King and the election of President Richard Nixon."-- London Review of Books
Synopsis
So, the Eagles warn us about the outrageous and ruthless lifestyle of the ambitious rock 'n' roller. In fact, Don Henley could barely listen to "Life in the Fast Lane" when they were recording it. He was so high that it made him sick. The band that embodied the American dream with globe-straddling success, impossibly luxurious lives, and almost supernatural talent also descended into nightmare with bloodletting betrayal, hate-filled hubris, discarded lovers, and former bandmates left unburied on the road behind them. The Eagles' story is a truly gothic American fable told here with definitive insight by legendary rock journalist Mick Wall., From iconic rock journalist Mick Wall comes the definitive account of America's best-selling band of all time--who have sold more records than Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones combined--exploring the hedonistic days of the '70s music scene in LA, their ruthless, meteoric rise to fame, and the dark truths beneath their musical façade of peaceful, easy feelings., From iconic rock journalist Mick Wall comes the definitive account of America's best-selling band of all time--who have sold more records than Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones combined--exploring the hedonistic days of the '70s music scene in LA, their ruthless, meteoric rise to fame, and the dark truths beneath their musical façade of peaceful, easy feelings. "Surely make you lose your mind..." So the Eagles warn us about the outrageous and ruthless lifestyle of the ambitious rock-n-roller. In fact, Don Henley could barely listen to the track "Life in the Fast Lane" when they were recording it. He was so high that it made him sick. The band that embodied the American dream with globe-straddling success, impossibly luxurious lives, and almost supernatural talent also descended into nightmare with bloodletting betrayal, hate-filled hubris, the skeletons of perceived enemies, brutally discarded lovers and former band mates left unburied in the road behind them. The Eagles' story is a truly gothic American fable: one of ultimate power and rivers of money; of sex and drugs at a time when both were the lingua-franca of sophisticated So-Cal living; of a band who sang of peaceful easy feelings in public while threatening to kill each other in private. Now, legendary rock journalist Mick Wall delivers definitive insight into America's best-selling band of all time, a band that has sold more records than Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones combined, exploring their meteoric rise to fame and the hedonistic days of the 70s music scene in LA, when American music was taking over the world.
