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Joe Cocker: The Authorised Biography
The first and only fully authorized biography of the innovative white blues singer with a fine soul voice. The book traces Cocker's life from early success in the UK to the pivotal Mad Dogs & Englishmen US tour, the hell raising that followed and his continuing renaissance in recent years. Few rock biographies are as open, revealing and honest as this one.
- GenresMusicBiographyNonfiction
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 20, 2011
I may well be going slightly over the top with four stars here. Much in the genre of 'poptastic' biography I find to be somewhat wearisome at times. Julian Bean's authorised biog of Joe Cocker,
published first in 1990 and then updated in 2003, as it's subject approached his sixtieth year, manages to avoid the usual tedium while at the same time documents Cocker's forty year career in 'rocks' helter skelter. J.P. Bean delivers with balance and 'warts and all' honesty, and there are some warts! Way back to the early sixties in Sheffield venues J.C. was swilling pints of beer and singing the blues. Once he hit with a little help from his Grease Band copious amounts of narcotics were added to the alcohol. Without the constitution of an ox, Cocker shouln't have lasted much beyond Woodstock. However, through the highs and lows of world tours, drug busts, band splits and management contract tangles, John Robert Cocker is alive and well in the twenty first century. Fully recovered from his drug and alcohol hang ups, happily married and living on his Colorado ranch, Cocker's career is still on the road, up where he belongs.
I did see Joe Cocker and the Grease Band back in the sixties but haven't particularly followed his musical endeavours over the past forty years, this book is a good catch up with a long journey that doesn't end in the all too familiar depressing overdosed anti-climax.
published first in 1990 and then updated in 2003, as it's subject approached his sixtieth year, manages to avoid the usual tedium while at the same time documents Cocker's forty year career in 'rocks' helter skelter. J.P. Bean delivers with balance and 'warts and all' honesty, and there are some warts! Way back to the early sixties in Sheffield venues J.C. was swilling pints of beer and singing the blues. Once he hit with a little help from his Grease Band copious amounts of narcotics were added to the alcohol. Without the constitution of an ox, Cocker shouln't have lasted much beyond Woodstock. However, through the highs and lows of world tours, drug busts, band splits and management contract tangles, John Robert Cocker is alive and well in the twenty first century. Fully recovered from his drug and alcohol hang ups, happily married and living on his Colorado ranch, Cocker's career is still on the road, up where he belongs.
I did see Joe Cocker and the Grease Band back in the sixties but haven't particularly followed his musical endeavours over the past forty years, this book is a good catch up with a long journey that doesn't end in the all too familiar depressing overdosed anti-climax.
August 28, 2024
I’ve been a Joe Cocker fan ever since purchasing a 45 of “The Letter” and especially after seeing “Mad Dogs & Englishmen” as a teenager at the midnight show. I loved his unique, gritty, ballsy, soulful voice & delivery.
J. P. Bean’s book ably and thoroughly covers Cocker’s life, career, albums, and tours. He also delves into singers such as Lonnie Donnegan and especially Ray Charles, who had a major influence on Cocker’s style. The myriad personnel changes within Joe’s bands are described, sometimes to excess, but conversely it’s also nice to see the supporting sidemen & women receive recognition.
Joe Cocker was a mixed bag: extremely talented but inconsistent, humble but often inconsiderate of his band, managers & audience and at times ambitious but at others letting his reputation go down the drain. Like so many classic rock stars, most of these flaws and missteps can be attributed to his drug and outrageous alcohol abuse. He would run hours late for concerts and/or pass out and/or throw up on stage routinely. During the 70s and early 80s he couldn’t retain a manager or get any concert dates. It was Michael Lang of Woodstock fame who brought Cocker back from the brink & helped restore his reputation and career-then Joe fired him by letter, not even in person, just because he felt ready for a change. This was typical of his emotional impulsiveness, yet everyone who knew him speak about what a sweet and genuine person Joe Cocker was. I saw him live three times and he was most definitely a hell of a blues singer!
J. P. Bean’s book ably and thoroughly covers Cocker’s life, career, albums, and tours. He also delves into singers such as Lonnie Donnegan and especially Ray Charles, who had a major influence on Cocker’s style. The myriad personnel changes within Joe’s bands are described, sometimes to excess, but conversely it’s also nice to see the supporting sidemen & women receive recognition.
Joe Cocker was a mixed bag: extremely talented but inconsistent, humble but often inconsiderate of his band, managers & audience and at times ambitious but at others letting his reputation go down the drain. Like so many classic rock stars, most of these flaws and missteps can be attributed to his drug and outrageous alcohol abuse. He would run hours late for concerts and/or pass out and/or throw up on stage routinely. During the 70s and early 80s he couldn’t retain a manager or get any concert dates. It was Michael Lang of Woodstock fame who brought Cocker back from the brink & helped restore his reputation and career-then Joe fired him by letter, not even in person, just because he felt ready for a change. This was typical of his emotional impulsiveness, yet everyone who knew him speak about what a sweet and genuine person Joe Cocker was. I saw him live three times and he was most definitely a hell of a blues singer!
September 10, 2017
This book was a gift and it is such a wonderful read. I fully intend to re-read at the earliest opportunity.
November 5, 2020
A great book about a great guy with a ton of rock and roll cred.
January 28, 2025
Fantastic book a real insight into the man. All I wanted to do is go back and play his albums all over again.
June 3, 2020
Cocker always flew below the radar and had an uneventful life, or maybe this book would have you believe that. His days in Australia and with the mad dogs and Englishmen tour were exciting but joe was a side note to what was happening around him, according to this book. Doesn’t pay tribute to one of the greatest rock voices.
June 17, 2021
A biography of someone I knew little about beforehand, but I always admired his singing. It is an absorbing and interesting account of Joe Cocker’s highs and lows - and like many a pop star he had plenty enough of them, particularly the 'highs'. But somehow I was a bit let down by the author, as I didn't feel I got to know the real Joe Cocker.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews