8 Great Rock Drummer Books

From British Invasion to punk, glam to grunge

Rock drummers don’t always get the respect they deserve, but plenty of great biographies have been written by and about them. These selections only represent a small sample of the many drummer books available (Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music is next on my to-be-read list), but it’s hard to beat these eight titles when it comes to tell all tales about legendary bands as told from behind the drum kit.

Sympathy for the Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters

By Mike Edison

The swinging yin to Keith Richards’ swaggering yang, Watts was an anti-rock star who always played in service of the song. His deep grooves and inimitable fills gave the Rolling Stones the perfect foundation for their musical masterpieces. The exact right drummer for “the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world.” More info.

Hit So Hard: A Memoir

by Patty Schemel

Seattle’s late ‘80s/early ’90s grunge scene produced some unbelievably good music, but often at a steep cost. Like…