Sly: The Lives of Sylvester Stewart and Sly Stone

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Sly: The Lives of Sylvester Stewart and Sly Stone

by Eddie Santiago

4.50 · rating details · 2 ratings · 1 review

THE MAN. THE MUSIC. THE BAND. THE HITS. THE RIOTS. THE CONTROVERSY. THE STRUGGLE. THE DOWNFALL. THE LOST YEARS. THE LEGEND. THE STORY OF THE MAN BEHIND THE HITS: "Dance to the Music," "Stand," "I Want to Take You Higher," "Everyday People," "Sing a Simple Song," "You Can Make It If You Try," "Hot Fun in the S...more

Paperback, 260 pages

Published February 21st 2008 by Lulu.com

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Apr 24, 2009

3Ralph Lemar rated it

A year ago I read a book that gave me an in-depth look at one of my most favorite singer/rock star Sly Stone. The book was titled Sly: The Lives Of Sylvester Stewart And Sly Stone written by Eddie Santiago. In the book he talks about how Sylvester Stewart transformed into Sly Stone, and how their the same person but different compelling lives. My main focus is to identify things within the book, facts about Sly Stone, also what made me want to read the book. ...more A year ago I read a book that gave me an in-depth look at one of my most favorite singer/rock star Sly Stone. The book was titled Sly: The Lives Of Sylvester Stewart And Sly Stone written by Eddie Santiago. In the book he talks about how Sylvester Stewart transformed into Sly Stone, and how their the same person but different compelling lives. My main focus is to identify things within the book, facts about Sly Stone, also what made me want to read the book.

After reading this book I can honestly say that I loved it and rated it a 5 all the way. I like how the author depicts aspects of Sylvester’s life from how he went from a disc jockey in San Francisco to topping the Billboard charts in 1969 with his fourth album Stand!. Sly Stone has made great albums such as Stand!, Fresh, and There’s A Riot Goin’ On. Eddie Santiago describes how when Sly was growing up that he was in several interracial bands and Sly could play several instruments. In his twenties Sly his brother Freddie and sister Rose forms the group Sly & The Family Stone with four other friends Larry Graham on bass guitar, Greg Errico on drums, Cynthia Robinson on trumpet and Jerry Martini on the saxophone. The group stayed together until 1973 the album Fresh was the last album that the Family stone did together. Due to Sly’s drug issues his talent for writing good songs began to fade away, and nobody really wanted to book him also due to the fact he would show up several hours late for his concerts. The author Eddie Santiago wrote this book to point out the ups and downs in Sly Stone life and music career. Santiago says “ The best album by Sly when the Family Stone was together will always be Stand!.” Another thing Santiago wanted to point out was Sly’s drug addiction and how it affected his music during the 1970’s cocaine and marijuana was the most popular drug around. Sly became dangerously hooked on cocaine and was even arrested a few times for possession of cocaine and marijuana. In 1975 Sly’s wife Kathleen Silva divorced him after their pit bull gun attacked their son Sylvester Bubba Ali Stewart Jr. Eddie also talks about how Sly Stone began falling into debt almost having to file for chapter 11. In 1989 Sly makes a solo album called Back On The Right Track where if you listen closely he is owning up to his mistakes. It was said in the book that the people knew Sly was taking a leave of absence from the messages in his earlier album Fresh. Santiago explains how the songs If You Want Me To Stay, Skin I’m In, and Que Sara even says he will leave. In the first verse of If You Want Me To Stay he clearly says “ if you want me to stay I’ll be around today to be available for you to see for I’m about to go and then you’ll know for me to stay here I got to be me.” Santiago states “if nobody picked up on those lyrics then they must have been blind thinking Sly would stay around forever.”

Honestly the reason I read this book is Sly Stone has always been my favorite singer/rock star. I have many of his albums and favorites from each. My favorite Sly Stone songs are Spaced Cowboy, Que Sara, Family Affair, If You Want Me To Stay, and Skin I’m In. I feel that even though Sly Stone lost his way he slowly came back to climb up to the top. Sly Stone reminds me of a lot of musicians Donald Byrd, James Brown, Roy Ayers, Jimi Hendrix. In life we all lose our way but the main thing is to get back on the right track. Sly Stone is the symbol for proud black Americans during the time of the Vietnam war ending also the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. This indeed is a book I strongly recommend if you like to read biographies about musicians. This book was well written the storyline is phenomenal especially the details of how Sly Stone grew up became a rock star then a junkie who lost his way. This is a book that I would definitely read over and over because it was that great. (less)

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