http://www.joevitaleondrums.com
http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02370.htm

Drummer Joe Vitale has a book out about his career in rock. There are also autographed copies available through eBay - Joe's selling them there.

Alan

---

Product Description
Get a Backstage Pass for all the craziness of rock 'n' roll! After years of hearing the comment, "You should write a book," world renowned drummer Joe Vitale finally takes you backstage for a rare and intimate look behind the scenes, as told to his wife of thirty-five years, Susie Vitale. This book includes Joe's all-time favorite stories and over a hundred pages of his personal photographs. "Backstage Pass" is a very personal, humorous, and nostalgic history-in-stories from on the road and in the studio, spanning over forty years of his rock n roll drumming career. His stories, dating right up to 2008, include experiences with legendary performers such as Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent, Joe Walsh, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood, Carl Wilson, Rick Derringer, Van Morrison and many more. Vitale's many songwriting credentials include the classic 'Rocky Mountain Way' from "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" album by Joe Walsh and 'Pretty Maids All In A Row' from The Eagles album "Hotel California." Vitale has two solo albums and is releasing his third, "Speaking In Drums," the summer of 2008. His son, Joe Vitale Jr.'s album, which Joe Sr. produced called, "Dancing With Shadows" will also be simultaneously released. Joe continues to tour, record, write, produce, and has no plans for slowing down. The foreword for "Backstage Pass" is written by David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/098167190X/?tag=imwan-20

i picked this up at a half-priced books.

very interesting read if you were into the 70's music scene.

it won't win any pulitzers for writing, but he does make it fun.

Unlike books by others such as Don Felder and Dallas Taylor, Joe takes the high road and does not turn this into a "hatchet job" job on his subjects. It's nice to read a book that does not provide dirt that you could find in other places but emphasizes life on the road and performing with such exceptional musicians as Dan Fogelberg, Peter Frampton and others. Considering that Joe and Mike Finnigan were fired prior to the CSNY tour (allegedly by Graham Nash on the orders of Neil Young), Vitale could have used this book as pay-back. He chose NOT to do so, which; which speaks volumes of the character of the man. The story of Fogelberg going to a television interview, which turned out to be a childrens show, is hysterical.

i remember that firing well. vitale and finnigan were already announced as players on the tour and neil decided that he didn't want the "CSN sound" and demanded booker t. jones and duck dunn and jimmy keltner instead.

what neil wants, neil gets.