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The 27 Club #1-7
Dead Gods: The 27 Club
Robert Johnson. Brian Jones. Jimi Hendrix. Janis Joplin. Jim Morrison. Kurt Cobain. Amy Winehouse.
They were inspirational, controversial, talismanic and innovative. They leadlives full ofmyth, scandal, sex, drugs and some of the most glorious music that has ever heard. Thougheach of their lives were cut tragically short at the age of 27, they would all leave the world having changed it irrevocably.
Chris Salewicz tells, in intimate detail, the stories behind these compelling figures. From Robert Johnson and his legendary deal with the devil, to Jimi Hendrix appearing like a psychedelic comet on the London scene, through to Amy Winehouse's blazing talent and her savage appetite for self-destruction."
They were inspirational, controversial, talismanic and innovative. They leadlives full ofmyth, scandal, sex, drugs and some of the most glorious music that has ever heard. Thougheach of their lives were cut tragically short at the age of 27, they would all leave the world having changed it irrevocably.
Chris Salewicz tells, in intimate detail, the stories behind these compelling figures. From Robert Johnson and his legendary deal with the devil, to Jimi Hendrix appearing like a psychedelic comet on the London scene, through to Amy Winehouse's blazing talent and her savage appetite for self-destruction."
- GenresMusicNonfictionBiography
320 pages, ebook
First published July 16, 2015
8 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Chris Salewicz
47 books35 followersChris Salewicz's writing on music and popular culture has appeared in publications around the globe. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer."
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 2, 2024
Amy Winehouse. Kurt Cobain. Brian Jones. Janis Joplin. Jimi Hendrix. Jim Morrison. Robert Johnson. - We all may know their names and their music. They have been awarded God-like statuses and live on amongst every fan of their music, both new and old. Generations will be discovering them for decades to come.
All of these greats of the music industry died at the age of 27, after living life in the fast lane - they were sex, drugs, and rock & roll personified.
Dead Gods: The 27 Club primarily focuses mostly on their musical careers, touching on their personal lives, struggles, and inner demons. It’s quite refreshing that the Author doesn’t go into any grizzly details of their deaths. It feels very respectful and is honouring these lives that were tragically all cut short. It really does make you wonder is there some sort of spiritual link between some of the brightest stars who
ever existed being snubbed out far too soon, all at that same age.
Robert Johnson was the name here who I knew the least about. Rather than accidental death or suicide, he was murdered for having an affair with another man’s wife. He seemed like such an influential figure for future musicians, especially in the blues genre. It felt as though I was learning about an important part of Black American history here.
I’ll always be a huge fan of Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain especially, I’ve been a fan of them both pretty much all my life as I grew up listening to them. I remember where I was when I found out the news that Amy had died, so tragic. And I’m sure many people could say the same about these other legends, but I wasn’t even born when they passed away! It is a weird notion, reading this at the age of 28, and realising that every single one of these legends died at a younger age than I am now. It’s incredible actually what they all achieved in what was such a short life-time.
It shows that music transcends time and is one of the main, closest, ways of ‘immortality’. Music has the power to unite the world, but is often created by those with darkness in their lives. Maybe we can all relate to these struggles in some way.
4 Stars
All of these greats of the music industry died at the age of 27, after living life in the fast lane - they were sex, drugs, and rock & roll personified.
Dead Gods: The 27 Club primarily focuses mostly on their musical careers, touching on their personal lives, struggles, and inner demons. It’s quite refreshing that the Author doesn’t go into any grizzly details of their deaths. It feels very respectful and is honouring these lives that were tragically all cut short. It really does make you wonder is there some sort of spiritual link between some of the brightest stars who
ever existed being snubbed out far too soon, all at that same age.
Robert Johnson was the name here who I knew the least about. Rather than accidental death or suicide, he was murdered for having an affair with another man’s wife. He seemed like such an influential figure for future musicians, especially in the blues genre. It felt as though I was learning about an important part of Black American history here.
I’ll always be a huge fan of Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain especially, I’ve been a fan of them both pretty much all my life as I grew up listening to them. I remember where I was when I found out the news that Amy had died, so tragic. And I’m sure many people could say the same about these other legends, but I wasn’t even born when they passed away! It is a weird notion, reading this at the age of 28, and realising that every single one of these legends died at a younger age than I am now. It’s incredible actually what they all achieved in what was such a short life-time.
It shows that music transcends time and is one of the main, closest, ways of ‘immortality’. Music has the power to unite the world, but is often created by those with darkness in their lives. Maybe we can all relate to these struggles in some way.
4 Stars
April 20, 2019
An excellent series of minibiographies of seven famous musicians who all died age 27.
May 21, 2016
Robert Johnson. Brian Jones. Jimi Hendrix. Janis Joplin. Jim Morrison. Kurt Cobain. Amy Winehouse.
They were inspirational, controversial, talismanic and innovative. They lead lives full of myth, scandal, sex, drugs and some of the most glorious music that has ever heard. Though each of their lives were cut tragically short at the age of 27, they would all leave the world having changed it irrevocably.
Chris Salewicz tells, in intimate detail, the stories behind these compelling figures. From Robert Johnson and his legendary deal with the devil, to Jimi Hendrix appearing like a psychedelic comet on the London scene, through to Amy Winehouse's blazing talent and her savage appetite for self-destruction.
An entertaining read. Obviously on the dark side of life. But these people were real artists, and the pressure on them was unreal. Some artists came through this and deal with it. Future artists should read this!!
Thought provoking without a doubt.
They were inspirational, controversial, talismanic and innovative. They lead lives full of myth, scandal, sex, drugs and some of the most glorious music that has ever heard. Though each of their lives were cut tragically short at the age of 27, they would all leave the world having changed it irrevocably.
Chris Salewicz tells, in intimate detail, the stories behind these compelling figures. From Robert Johnson and his legendary deal with the devil, to Jimi Hendrix appearing like a psychedelic comet on the London scene, through to Amy Winehouse's blazing talent and her savage appetite for self-destruction.
An entertaining read. Obviously on the dark side of life. But these people were real artists, and the pressure on them was unreal. Some artists came through this and deal with it. Future artists should read this!!
Thought provoking without a doubt.
August 24, 2018
Gifted to me for my birthday due to them making up a large part of my record collection, Dead Gods takes a look at some of the more famous members of the 27 Club – Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones and Robert Johnson – all extremely talented musicians who passed away in their 27th year.
Despite nominally being about the 27 Club, aside from a couple of paragraphs in the introduction, there’s no real effort to talk about that particular coincidence (probably wisely, as other than pointing out said coincidence there’s probably not a huge amount to be said about it) and it’s instead used as a theme in which to rattle through the short lives and careers of those named.
As I was already a pretty big fan of and had widely read about most of those featured, there wasn’t a huge amount of new information that was imparted – only the Amy Winehouse and Robert Johnson chapters told me anything I didn’t already know – and so I was left to nitpick instead writing that was, at times, distinctly dodgy – whether it be moments that were well and truly overwritten (his waffling on about the “watery end for the Piscean [Brian Jones], who for years had been slowly evaporating through the fire of the Leonine Mick Jagger and the Sagittarean Keith Richards” nearly made me roll my eyes out of my head) or just plain forgetting what had already been written a page ago (on Janis Joplin, he writes that Big Brother and the Holding Company had become the house band at The Avalon, before writing on the very next that at The Avalon, they “had almost become the house band’), all things I’d have probably overlooked if I wasn’t being sung the same old tunes.
There was nothing within Dead Gods that really attempted to show anything other than the tabloid versions of who these people really were, and I gathered more insight by simply listening to their music while reading each of their chapters. Unless you know nothing about any of the people listed on its cover, and only want the bare bones of their lives, I’d probably skip Dead Gods and just listen to their albums instead.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 10**
Despite nominally being about the 27 Club, aside from a couple of paragraphs in the introduction, there’s no real effort to talk about that particular coincidence (probably wisely, as other than pointing out said coincidence there’s probably not a huge amount to be said about it) and it’s instead used as a theme in which to rattle through the short lives and careers of those named.
As I was already a pretty big fan of and had widely read about most of those featured, there wasn’t a huge amount of new information that was imparted – only the Amy Winehouse and Robert Johnson chapters told me anything I didn’t already know – and so I was left to nitpick instead writing that was, at times, distinctly dodgy – whether it be moments that were well and truly overwritten (his waffling on about the “watery end for the Piscean [Brian Jones], who for years had been slowly evaporating through the fire of the Leonine Mick Jagger and the Sagittarean Keith Richards” nearly made me roll my eyes out of my head) or just plain forgetting what had already been written a page ago (on Janis Joplin, he writes that Big Brother and the Holding Company had become the house band at The Avalon, before writing on the very next that at The Avalon, they “had almost become the house band’), all things I’d have probably overlooked if I wasn’t being sung the same old tunes.
There was nothing within Dead Gods that really attempted to show anything other than the tabloid versions of who these people really were, and I gathered more insight by simply listening to their music while reading each of their chapters. Unless you know nothing about any of the people listed on its cover, and only want the bare bones of their lives, I’d probably skip Dead Gods and just listen to their albums instead.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 10**
August 10, 2015
Very good read
January 4, 2016
Fine read. Although this is essentially a biography of Amy Winehouse---Winehouse's story frames the whole book---there is interesting material found here on Brian Jones, the founder of the Rolling Stones, as well. I'm pretty well versed in the sad tales of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain. So nothing this author wrote about these folks impressed me, really. But it's all thoroughly researched and professionally written. No Wikipedia cut-and-paste job, this.
I was impressed, though, with how the author, through objective examination of known facts, blew away the clouds of "conspiracy" hazing these late artists' stories. Brian Jones had an enlarged heart, was drunk and narcotized the night he drowned in his swimming pool. Amy Winehouse's blood-alcohol content was five times the legal limit the night she died; the booze simply suppressed her system to the point that she stopped breathing. Morrison was drunk, coked up and fiddling with heroin---either purposefully or unknowingly---the night he died. I've long been frankly bored with all the conspiracy theories surrounding these artists' deaths. I credit and laud Salewicz with cutting through the bullshit and getting to the plain truth, as much as we will ever be able to know it.
The only real eye-opener for me was Amy Winehouse's tragic last days. I really think the woman was done with fame and all its attendant trappings. While she didn't leave a note, a la Cobain, her death was as much a suicide as his was.
Salewicz treats his subjects honestly, but not without sympathy. If you're a fan of any of these artists or a total newcomer, you'll find much food for thought in Chris Salewicz's considerate examination of a sad phenomenon.
I was impressed, though, with how the author, through objective examination of known facts, blew away the clouds of "conspiracy" hazing these late artists' stories. Brian Jones had an enlarged heart, was drunk and narcotized the night he drowned in his swimming pool. Amy Winehouse's blood-alcohol content was five times the legal limit the night she died; the booze simply suppressed her system to the point that she stopped breathing. Morrison was drunk, coked up and fiddling with heroin---either purposefully or unknowingly---the night he died. I've long been frankly bored with all the conspiracy theories surrounding these artists' deaths. I credit and laud Salewicz with cutting through the bullshit and getting to the plain truth, as much as we will ever be able to know it.
The only real eye-opener for me was Amy Winehouse's tragic last days. I really think the woman was done with fame and all its attendant trappings. While she didn't leave a note, a la Cobain, her death was as much a suicide as his was.
Salewicz treats his subjects honestly, but not without sympathy. If you're a fan of any of these artists or a total newcomer, you'll find much food for thought in Chris Salewicz's considerate examination of a sad phenomenon.
January 10, 2017
Not a bad read if you are genuinely interested in the artists. Not so much a bio as it is a collection of chronological 'news bits' wrapped into one. Still decent though.
June 27, 2020
Great idea, but not really a "book". More like a collage of paragraphs, where every piece of information has the same weight. Lots of research, but not a lot of ideas.
November 13, 2020
Firstly, I bought this book about 4 years ago with the intent to use it in my dissertation about wether fame after death heightens reputation. After changing my topic, I never picked up the book and it’s laid dormant on my shelf since.
However, picking this book up and reading it this year has been a highlight of 2020.
I knew of the 27 club and it’s members but didn’t know their stories or backgrounds more than what is public knowledge. Chris does an incredible job at summarising each individuals life, accolades and their troubles all leading to untimely deaths of musical legends.
This book is packed with insightful snippets of the members lives from cradle to casket and I’ve loved every minute of taking the time to really understand how these people were effected by the dark side of the limelight. I’ve deep dived into YouTube videos and music after reading each of the chapters and have found fantastic music that I’ll listen to for the rest of my life and a new found respect for the artists behind the lyrics and instruments.
For me, the most notable chapters were Brian Jones and Jim Morrison. Their stories were borderline tragic and I feel Chris was respectful and factual about their lives.
I would absolutely recommend that this is a book all music lovers and anyone fascinated by celebrity culture should read.
However, picking this book up and reading it this year has been a highlight of 2020.
I knew of the 27 club and it’s members but didn’t know their stories or backgrounds more than what is public knowledge. Chris does an incredible job at summarising each individuals life, accolades and their troubles all leading to untimely deaths of musical legends.
This book is packed with insightful snippets of the members lives from cradle to casket and I’ve loved every minute of taking the time to really understand how these people were effected by the dark side of the limelight. I’ve deep dived into YouTube videos and music after reading each of the chapters and have found fantastic music that I’ll listen to for the rest of my life and a new found respect for the artists behind the lyrics and instruments.
For me, the most notable chapters were Brian Jones and Jim Morrison. Their stories were borderline tragic and I feel Chris was respectful and factual about their lives.
I would absolutely recommend that this is a book all music lovers and anyone fascinated by celebrity culture should read.
August 6, 2023
A really interesting, informative read that has only renewed my morbid curiosity in the 27 Club. I really loved the introduction, I hadn't known about astrological theories, numerological theories,and various other symbolic theories behind the idea of the club. It was very interesting and I would have liked more of it. I could have read a whole book just looking into it! I found the rest of the book heartbreaking, it was actually horrible to read about these musicians and how their lives spiraled out of control. I learnt so much both about the musicians in the context of their career (very eye opening to the way the music industry worked) and how their personal lives were affected by the issues plaguing them. It was a very well written book overall.
May 24, 2023
The legendary 27 club. What is it all about? Why is everybody afraid of being part of it? Chris Salewicz concentrates on the most iconic musicians here and tells their stories full of dark romance and seedy glamour. Here you'll learn the story of Amy Winehouse, Kurt Kobain, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Robert Johnson. Their final days and the music they made. I especially liked the part on Robert Johnson, his shadowy nature and the question if he sold his soul to the devil. The author has a fluent style and comes up with all the known facts. Very readable stuff, highly recommended!
September 6, 2023
Was decent. Maybe I’m just not into non-fiction, but I thought it was a bit of a chore to get through. Despite having an interest in the biographies of musicians, it was a pretty by-the-numbers account of the lives of these doomed artists, and doesn’t really add anything new or interesting that I didn’t know. I also noticed some information was incorrect, although forgive me as I can’t remember quite what info was wrong - it’s been a few weeks since I finished this.
Despite this, it was enjoyable enough; pretty miserable reading about Amy Winehouse and Janis Joplin though. They had really sad lives.
Despite this, it was enjoyable enough; pretty miserable reading about Amy Winehouse and Janis Joplin though. They had really sad lives.
January 12, 2021
Back story on a number of rock and pop stars who rushed to join the 27 club (i.e. died at the tender age of 27).
Mostly down to excessive drug use, primarily from the rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
Each of the mini-bios lists the rise and end, with enough detail to be interesting but keeping it pretty summarised.
Mostly down to excessive drug use, primarily from the rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
Each of the mini-bios lists the rise and end, with enough detail to be interesting but keeping it pretty summarised.
October 1, 2023
It was nice to learn about the artists, but I don’t think Salewicz actually accomplished his goal of “illuminating the phenomenon of these inspirational figures who seemed to unwittingly sacrifice themselves for the sake of their art.” It just felt like bios, and besides the three who passed within a few months of each other, there wasn’t a lot of thematic sacrifice connecting them.
August 22, 2024
This book did not live up to the hype I expected. Granted, in hindsight I can’t really say I knew what to expect.
Definitely interesting parts. But god did it get dragged out. So much pointless details and a lot of speculation from the author I found cringy. Yet I learned a lot and that was near for sure.
Definitely interesting parts. But god did it get dragged out. So much pointless details and a lot of speculation from the author I found cringy. Yet I learned a lot and that was near for sure.
January 8, 2026
Used this for my final year choreography research at Uni. Informative but fiction-like in the way it reads.
If you’re interested in these eras of music but find straight facts and names tough to retain, this is a great book for you!
Kurt’s chapter was pretty devastating, I mean they all are. Amy Amy Amy. Just want to give you a big squeeze my girl.
If you’re interested in these eras of music but find straight facts and names tough to retain, this is a great book for you!
Kurt’s chapter was pretty devastating, I mean they all are. Amy Amy Amy. Just want to give you a big squeeze my girl.
September 8, 2019
Skipped Winehouse and Cobain who simply don’t much interest me. The others are pretty much tales of talented people who behaved like asses.
February 12, 2023
Was this a school project? Not great.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews