Roy Buchanan: American Axe

‘I want to be the best guitar player in the world’, says Leroy Buchanan, at the age of of 16, already well on the way to fulfilling this dream. And, although it’s almost sacrilegious to rank anyone above Jimi Hendrix, in my opinion he does just that.This is a terrific book. It does exactly what a rock biography should do: it tells us about Roy’s life, about his development as a musician, about him as a person (a pretty weird guy, but a musical genius); it tells us how his albums came into being, and why they never quite captured the brilliance of his live shows, the best of which were always in small venues, where Roy fed off the atmosphere and the reaction of his fans.Carson writes well. My only complaint about this edition is a relatively minor one, concerning the printing rather than the writing; the type is too small and there are too many words crammed onto each page. I suppose it keeps the cost down.

Bought for my husband who has only just started reading it. He is a fan of Roy Buchanan, so he will love it I'm sure.

Good book. Well worth a read.

I love this book, I'm obviously a Roy fan but also a professional musician myself, so reading about the way things used to be for my compadres "way back when" is really cool too, gigs were easier to get for sure but the conditions and pay weren't so great. The book is packed full of quotes and interviews with Roy's band mates and friends and seems to be extremely well researched (unlike the slightly dubious SRV bio), leaving you in no doubt as to the frustrations, inner turmoil and contradictions of not just Roy but almost anyone who's ever strapped on a guitar and been out on the road, although Roy more than most because of the magnitude of his gift. Anyone with even just a passing interest in Roy, Guitar players or the inner workings of one of the most difficult paths in life should check this out.

A really in-depth look at one man's life as it is shaped by the birth and growth of rock and roll. A great read, unsentimental, no hyperbole and beautfully balanced. Read this, and you'll want to listen to the records straight away.