Shakey: Neil Young's Biography: C or D

inneresting "interview" with mcdonough here. relevant to this thread:
Shakey’s more of a shotgun blast of buckshot fired by a blind man. With Tourette’s. Take the word “fuck” out of that book and it would be 96 pages. My books really come together in the final weeks of copyediting — I change everything right until the last minute. I was unable to do really that with Shakey because of constrictions, so it’s way more of a sloppy rough sketch. Befitting of its subject, I guess. I’m glad people like that book, but I can’t relate. Originally I had planned on rewriting Shakey every five years from a different point of view — the CSNY fanatic, the Springfield fanatic, etc. Well, THAT ain’t gonna happen. (Coughs blood.) Among other things, that book is biography as mental illness. If you don’t want to strangle the author with your bare hands by page 738 then I haven’t done my job. As Mr. Young might say, “You can be too into it.”

I got a book out of it. Listen, I had a great time with Neil and I wish him the best. Lotsa laughs, never a dull moment. It turned into a fucking nightmare, but that’s life. In order for me to spill my guts on this subject, Jonathan, you would have to fly me to Brando’s island. And once there provide unlimited amounts of Xanax, Coke in the green glass bottle and White Castle hamburgers — not to mention 10 showgirls carrying glittering gold letters that spell out my 3D alias “Jimmy Vapor.” And as the sun set on our desert isle, we’d take the pills, guzzle the cola, and chow down on burgers. Fireworks blasting over the ocean, we’d ogle our scantily clad troupe of beauties as they perform a supercharged Busby Berkeley-inspired number in honor of Me. Then and only then could I tell you the story of Shakey. Afterwards, unfortunately, I’d have to plant an axe in your skull. David Briggs, his longtime producer, warned me Mr. Young would do exactly what he did. Nothing lasts forever, OK?

it's true, i did kind of want to strangle him by the end. amazing book though.

http://lareviewofbooks.org/post/6859167227/ball-of-fire