Emily P. (mizparker) reviewed Rock Star Babylon: Outrageous Rumors, Legends, and Raucous True Tales of Rock and Roll Icons on + 87 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Ha! I'm a fan of tales of rock and roll debauchery, and I thought I'd heard them all until I bought this book. Instead of the urban legend type rumors that float around about bands and artists, it's some outrageous, some so mundane and silly that they're hysterical in their accessibility (Black Sabbath buying frilly pink curtains for a female reporter to make her feel more comfortable on their tour bus, for example), and Jon Holmes (not the porn star, I shall assume) has a very unique writing style. He uses a lot of footnotes. A LOT of footnotes, most of which contain snarky asides rather than information, but I found it very funny. He does, however, write in a very British style and uses all of that slang and many references to British pop culture and personalities I was unfamiliar with as an ignorant American. I still loved it. A fan of this genre will find this book engaging and funny. A British fan of the genre (and my British husband will attest to this) will find it absolutely hysterical.
