Reviews
"A Dead Boy's Tale is a fascinating read, not just revealing about the author's life but also informative about the music industry in general and this genre in particular. While there have been great books - especially the oral histories - describing the advent of punk music this memoir provides a fascinating more personal approach and it works well." - BlogCritics.org "Xmas Gifts That Don't Suck" "...a wild, and at times poignant, ride that fans of American music history and reckless behavior will treasure." - My Old Kentucky Blog, October 6, 2010 "The Dead Boys have always been the Rodney Dangerfield of punk rock. They had the chops, but never really got the respect or credit they deserved for their role serving on the front lines of the New York punk scene in the late 70's...[In Cheetah Chrome] The Dead Boys are finally getting some of the credit they deserve." - Examiner.com, September 30, 2010 From the day I received this book every open opportunity I had, I buried my face in its pages! This book combines some of my favorite things in books, autobiographies, punk rock, and graphic detail of life wrecking adventures. The book starts with an endearing forward written by Legs McNeil leading to Cheetah Chrome's brutally honest assessment of his life and it's affects on others. Like many people in the world of punk rock, I look at the name Cheetah Chrome as a piece of MY history. His name ranks up there with the immortals of punk rock such as The Ramones (All of them), Iggy Pop, Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, Johnny Thunders, Stiv Bator, etc... This book not only mentions those legends of punk, but also great personal stories and interactions Cheetah had with each. When the cliché, sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll I normally roll my eyes and groan. However, in this situation that is truly the only way to label Cheetah Chromes life, but particularly in that order. Cheetah has lived a life that many have tried, but not many have succeeded to live as long as he has. Never in a book have I felt so connected to a character, let alone a true to life person who wrote an autobiography! I would recommend this book to not only the Punk Rock historians & punk rock enthusiasts, but to anyone who roots for the underdog. - Punk Rock Review, September 21, 2010, "A Dead Boy's Tale is a fascinating read, not just revealing about the author's life but also informative about the music industry in general and this genre in particular. While there have been great books - especially the oral histories - describing the advent of punk music this memoir provides a fascinating more personal approach and it works well." - BlogCritics.org "Xmas Gifts That Don't Suck" "…a wild, and at times poignant, ride that fans of American music history and reckless behavior will treasure." - My Old Kentucky Blog, October 6, 2010 "The Dead Boys have always been the Rodney Dangerfield of punk rock. They had the chops, but never really got the respect or credit they deserved for their role serving on the front lines of the New York punk scene in the late 70's…[In Cheetah Chrome] The Dead Boys are finally getting some of the credit they deserve." - Examiner.com, September 30, 2010 From the day I received this book every open opportunity I had, I buried my face in its pages! This book combines some of my favorite things in books, autobiographies, punk rock, and graphic detail of life wrecking adventures. The book starts with an endearing forward written by Legs McNeil leading to Cheetah Chrome's brutally honest assessment of his life and it's affects on others. Like many people in the world of punk rock, I look at the name Cheetah Chrome as a piece of MY history. His name ranks up there with the immortals of punk rock such as The Ramones (All of them), Iggy Pop, Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, Johnny Thunders, Stiv Bator, etc… This book not only mentions those legends of punk, but also great personal stories and interactions Cheetah had with each. When the cliché, sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll I normally roll my eyes and groan. However, in this situation that is truly the only way to label Cheetah Chromes life, but particularly in that order. Cheetah has lived a life that many have tried, but not many have succeeded to live as long as he has. Never in a book have I felt so connected to a character, let alone a true to life person who wrote an autobiography! I would recommend this book to not only the Punk Rock historians & punk rock enthusiasts, but to anyone who roots for the underdog. - Punk Rock Review, September 21, 2010, "A Dead Boy's Tale is a fascinating read, not just revealing about the author's life but also informative about the music industry in general and this genre in particular. While there have been great books - especially the oral histories - describing the advent of punk music this memoir provides a fascinating more personal approach and it works well." -BlogCritics.org "Xmas Gifts That Don't Suck" "…a wild, and at times poignant, ride that fans of American music history and reckless behavior will treasure." -My Old Kentucky Blog, October 6, 2010 "The Dead Boys have always been the Rodney Dangerfield of punk rock. They had the chops, but never really got the respect or credit they deserved for their role serving on the front lines of the New York punk scene in the late 70's…[In Cheetah Chrome] The Dead Boys are finally getting some of the credit they deserve." -Examiner.com, September 30, 2010 From the day I received this book every open opportunity I had, I buried my face in its pages! This book combines some of my favorite things in books, autobiographies, punk rock, and graphic detail of life wrecking adventures. The book starts with an endearing forward written by Legs McNeil leading to Cheetah Chrome's brutally honest assessment of his life and it's affects on others. Like many people in the world of punk rock, I look at the name Cheetah Chrome as a piece of MY history. His name ranks up there with the immortals of punk rock such as The Ramones (All of them), Iggy Pop, Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, Johnny Thunders, Stiv Bator, etc… This book not only mentions those legends of punk, but also great personal stories and interactions Cheetah had with each. When the clichÉ, sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll I normally roll my eyes and groan. However, in this situation that is truly the only way to label Cheetah Chromes life, but particularly in that order. Cheetah has lived a life that many have tried, but not many have succeeded to live as long as he has. Never in a book have I felt so connected to a character, let alone a true to life person who wrote an autobiography! I would recommend this book to not only the Punk Rock historians & punk rock enthusiasts, but to anyone who roots for the underdog. -Punk Rock Review, September 21, 2010, "A Dead Boy's Tale is a highly entertaining account of Chrome's experiences, and you can practically smell the stale beer and vomit along the way...an invaluable trip through some of punk's most important years." - Under the Radar , July 2010, "A Dead Boy's Tale is a fascinating read, not just revealing about the author's life but also informative about the music industry in general and this genre in particular. While there have been great books - especially the oral histories - describing the advent of punk music this memoir provides a fascinating more personal approach and it works well." - BlogCritics.org "Xmas Gifts That Don't Suck" "...a wild, and at times poignant, ride that fans of American music history and reckless behavior will treasure." - My Old Kentucky Blog, October 6, 2010 "The Dead Boys have always been the Rodney Dangerfield of punk rock. They had the chops, but never really got the respect or credit they deserved for their role serving on the front lines of the New York punk scene in the late 70's...[In Cheetah Chrome] The Dead Boys are finally getting some of the credit they deserve." - Examiner.com, September 30, 2010 From the day I received this book every open opportunity I had, I buried my face in its pages! This book combines some of my favorite things in books, autobiographies, punk rock, and graphic detail of life wrecking adventures. The book starts with an endearing forward written by Legs McNeil leading to Cheetah Chrome's brutally honest assessment of his life and it's affects on others. Like many people in the world of punk rock, I look at the name Cheetah Chrome as a piece of MY history. His name ranks up there with the immortals of punk rock such as The Ramones (All of them), Iggy Pop, Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, Johnny Thunders, Stiv Bator, etc... This book not only mentions those legends of punk, but also great personal stories and interactions Cheetah had with each. When the cliché, sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll I normally roll my eyes and groan. However, in this situation that is truly the only way to label Cheetah Chromes life, but particularly in that order. Cheetah has lived a life that many have tried, but not many have succeeded to live as long as he has. Never in a book have I felt so connected to a character, let alone a true to life person who wrote an autobiography! I would recommend this book to not only the Punk Rock historians & punk rock enthusiasts, but to anyone who roots for the underdog. - Punk Rock Review, September 21, 2010, A Dead Boy's Tale is a highly entertaining account of Chromes experiences, and you can practically smell the stale beer and vomit along the way...an invaluable trip through some of punk's most important years. -Under the Radar, July 2010
Synopsis
Here is the autobiography of Cheetah Chrome, lead guitarist of the Dead Boys, one of the greatest punk bands ever. It's a tale of success--and excess: great music, drugs (he overdosed and was pronounced dead three times), and resurrection. The Dead Boys, with roots in the band Rocket from the Tombs, came out of Cleveland to dominate the NYC punk scene in the mid-1970s. Their hit "Sonic Reducer" soon became a punk anthem. Now, for the first time, Cheetah dishes on the people he's known onstage and off, including the Dead Boys' legendary singer Stiv Bators, Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls, the Ramones, the Clash, Pere Ubu, and the Ghetto Dogs, as well as life at CBGBs, a year with Nico, and more. Straight from the man, these are the backstage stories that every punk fan will want to hear. Never mind the Sex Pistols, here's Cheetah Chrome, Here is the autobiography of Cheetah Chrome, lead guitarist of the Dead Boys, one of the greatest punk bands ever. It's a tale of success--and excess: great music, drugs (he overdosed and was pronounced dead three times), and resurrection. The Dead Boys, with roots in the band Rocket from the Tombs, came out of Cleveland to dominate the NYC punk scene in the mid-1970s. Their hit "Sonic Reducer" soon became a punk anthem. Now, for the first time, Cheetah dishes on the people he's known onstage and off, including the Dead Boys' legendary singer Stiv Bators, Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls, the Ramones, the Clash, Pere Ubu, and the Ghetto Dogs, as well as life at CBGBs, a year with Nico, and more. Straight from the man, these are the backstage stories that every punk fan will want to hear. Never mind the Sex Pistols, here's Cheetah Chrome!, This autobiography of Cheetah Chrome, lead guitarist of the Dead Boys, is a tale of success--and excess: great music, drugs and resurrection.
