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Long Train Runnin': Our Story of The Doobie Brothers
For the first time, the incredible true story of the legendary band, the Doobie Brothers, written by founding members Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston.
Only a very few rock bands have had the longevity, success, and drama of the Doobie Brothers. Born out of late 1960s NorCal, and led by Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston, they stood alongside their contemporaries the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, and many others as an iconic American rock band. The train was rolling along, hits were flowing like wine, and arenas were packed with fans who wanted to see them live...then Tom Johnston, the band’s front man and lead guitarist, became ill and had to leave.
The Doobies' train came to a screeching halt. All of a sudden the band started contemplating the end of the road only seven years into their career, just as things were taking off. But Pat Simmons made sure they were far from the end and began the process of keeping the band together through most of the next decade.
A soul-steeped backup singer for Steely Dan named Michael McDonald took a shot at singing some of the Doobies' songs on tour, and just like that a new chapter in the Doobie Brothers' story began. The band expanded their sound and had even more hits with their new front addition. Tom recovered from his health issues, but the band had moved on. When it came time for a reunion concert in the ’80s, Tom got the call and was back in the mix. Led once again by Pat and Tom, the Doobie Brothers have been touring ever since and maintain a massive fan base the world over.
Never before have Pat and Tom shared their story, in their own words. In Long Train Runnin’ they’ll change that.
Only a very few rock bands have had the longevity, success, and drama of the Doobie Brothers. Born out of late 1960s NorCal, and led by Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston, they stood alongside their contemporaries the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, and many others as an iconic American rock band. The train was rolling along, hits were flowing like wine, and arenas were packed with fans who wanted to see them live...then Tom Johnston, the band’s front man and lead guitarist, became ill and had to leave.
The Doobies' train came to a screeching halt. All of a sudden the band started contemplating the end of the road only seven years into their career, just as things were taking off. But Pat Simmons made sure they were far from the end and began the process of keeping the band together through most of the next decade.
A soul-steeped backup singer for Steely Dan named Michael McDonald took a shot at singing some of the Doobies' songs on tour, and just like that a new chapter in the Doobie Brothers' story began. The band expanded their sound and had even more hits with their new front addition. Tom recovered from his health issues, but the band had moved on. When it came time for a reunion concert in the ’80s, Tom got the call and was back in the mix. Led once again by Pat and Tom, the Doobie Brothers have been touring ever since and maintain a massive fan base the world over.
Never before have Pat and Tom shared their story, in their own words. In Long Train Runnin’ they’ll change that.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published May 10, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
May 10, 2022
It Keeps You Readin...
The Doobie Brothers began as a great boogie band in the early 70's before song after song emerged to sweeten the airwaves... tunes that had you crank up the car radio and sing along. Fresh sounding cuts like "Listen to the Music", "Jesus is Just Alright", "China Grove", "Long Train Runnin'", and "Black Water" were served up in a steady flow. You'd see them on The Midnight Special or the Don Kirshner Rock Concert and they were still cool, even if their success was sometimes held against them. Then, just as the band was peaking, front man Tom Johnston was sidelined with some severe health issues. Enter Michael McDonald, known mostly as a background singer for Steely Dan. With McDonald the band's sound gravitated toward a more soulful range, culminating in the monstrously successful "What a Fool Believes" and "Minute by Minute" album.
Chapters are written by various band members, along with contributions by producer Ted Templeman and members of the crew. The emphasis is on the Doobie family and how everyone's contributions were valued. It feels like the history wants to steer clear of the confrontations and accentuate the brotherhood. While some of the tensions and bruised egos may be glossed over, the group has reunited a number of times. This never seemed to be the fatal animosity we saw poison peers like Creedence Clearwater or Pink Floyd.
The one thing that absolutely KILLS many rock music autobiographies is the bragging, self-congratulatory pomp that can rear its ugly head. Luckily, this is not an issue here, maybe because of the split narratives. Both Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons come off as very amiable guys who both navigated the rock star trip as well as could be expected. "Long Train Runnin'" is an enjoyable read, providing the background on a very visible group.
Disclaimer: Yes, God, if I could have anyone's voice in the world, it would be Michael McDonald's.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Doobie Brothers began as a great boogie band in the early 70's before song after song emerged to sweeten the airwaves... tunes that had you crank up the car radio and sing along. Fresh sounding cuts like "Listen to the Music", "Jesus is Just Alright", "China Grove", "Long Train Runnin'", and "Black Water" were served up in a steady flow. You'd see them on The Midnight Special or the Don Kirshner Rock Concert and they were still cool, even if their success was sometimes held against them. Then, just as the band was peaking, front man Tom Johnston was sidelined with some severe health issues. Enter Michael McDonald, known mostly as a background singer for Steely Dan. With McDonald the band's sound gravitated toward a more soulful range, culminating in the monstrously successful "What a Fool Believes" and "Minute by Minute" album.
Chapters are written by various band members, along with contributions by producer Ted Templeman and members of the crew. The emphasis is on the Doobie family and how everyone's contributions were valued. It feels like the history wants to steer clear of the confrontations and accentuate the brotherhood. While some of the tensions and bruised egos may be glossed over, the group has reunited a number of times. This never seemed to be the fatal animosity we saw poison peers like Creedence Clearwater or Pink Floyd.
The one thing that absolutely KILLS many rock music autobiographies is the bragging, self-congratulatory pomp that can rear its ugly head. Luckily, this is not an issue here, maybe because of the split narratives. Both Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons come off as very amiable guys who both navigated the rock star trip as well as could be expected. "Long Train Runnin'" is an enjoyable read, providing the background on a very visible group.
Disclaimer: Yes, God, if I could have anyone's voice in the world, it would be Michael McDonald's.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2022
"It was cool. We loved doing what we did, and we didn't have any huge expectations." -- founding 'brother' / guitarist / singer-songwriter Patrick Simmons, on page 93
There is good and bad with Doobie Brothers founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons (plus excerpts from various other musicians in the rotating / evolving line-up) holding the reins of Long Train Runnin' - of course they possess much first-hand knowledge and memories of the band's experiences, but I also have to wonder if a subjective third-party would've been a better choice for the narrative. With the exception of a few paragraphs about the end of guitarist Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter's tenure, the tone of the book was largely upbeat and fairly sanitized with the included information. Now, I don't necessarily require a complete sleaze-fest of a rock memoir, but since this group had its sales and touring golden years in the glorious 70's - alongside other quasi-similar U.S. acts like the Eagles, the Allman Brothers Band, and more - there has to be some really funny, raunchy or startling stories out there . . . but they're not really included here. Also, I could've used many more segments on the genesis of their popular songs, to wit: their reason for covering the gospel-rock 'Jesus is Just Alright' (they did not compose it, but their take on it arguably remains the definitive version) has a good and probably little-known backstory which I heard in a radio interview years ago, but the tune barely rates a more than a mention or two. So I guess I also needed more focus on their music, because these guys have a discography with a number of great rock/R&B-flavored songs.
There is good and bad with Doobie Brothers founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons (plus excerpts from various other musicians in the rotating / evolving line-up) holding the reins of Long Train Runnin' - of course they possess much first-hand knowledge and memories of the band's experiences, but I also have to wonder if a subjective third-party would've been a better choice for the narrative. With the exception of a few paragraphs about the end of guitarist Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter's tenure, the tone of the book was largely upbeat and fairly sanitized with the included information. Now, I don't necessarily require a complete sleaze-fest of a rock memoir, but since this group had its sales and touring golden years in the glorious 70's - alongside other quasi-similar U.S. acts like the Eagles, the Allman Brothers Band, and more - there has to be some really funny, raunchy or startling stories out there . . . but they're not really included here. Also, I could've used many more segments on the genesis of their popular songs, to wit: their reason for covering the gospel-rock 'Jesus is Just Alright' (they did not compose it, but their take on it arguably remains the definitive version) has a good and probably little-known backstory which I heard in a radio interview years ago, but the tune barely rates a more than a mention or two. So I guess I also needed more focus on their music, because these guys have a discography with a number of great rock/R&B-flavored songs.
April 22, 2022
I love to watch the series "The Big Interview with Dan Rather" and recently saw him interview the three primary members of The Doobie Brothers: Pat Simmons (wrote "Black Water") , Tom Johnston (wrote "Listen to the Music") and John McFee. It reminded me of how much I love this musical group. I was born in the sixties and became a music lover in the seventies, and this band was a big part of it. I never bought one of their albums, but loved listening to their hits on the radio. I know I have "Long Train Runnin'" on one of my many 70s compilation albums or CDs.
I think they decided to get this together during the Covid 19 pandemic because it interrupted their 50th Anniversary Tour. The two primary original band members, Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston trade off chapters throughout the Doobie Brothers entire history. It's written in a very natural and free-flowing style as if they are just talking to you. I really liked this personal touch of telling their story, almost like an oral history format. Here and there some other players in the story got chapters such as their longtime bassist Tiran Porter, keyboardist, songwriter and vocalist Michael McDonald, and record producer Ted Tempelman. Both Pat and Tom told a little about their childhoods at the beginning amounting to about the first 10% of the book. There is a lot of detail about how songs were written and recorded, including how the album cover photos were taken. There were also a lot of band personnel changes during the history of the band, the most interesting how the now famous (but back then obscure) Michael McDonald joined the band and wound up changing the Doobie Brothers' sound (think "What a Fool Believes", "Minute by Minute" and "Takin' it to the Streets"). And they got their first Grammy as a result!
This was a well-written, enjoyable memoir encompassing the entire Doobie Brothers' career- ever more special for being written by Pat and Tom.
Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
I think they decided to get this together during the Covid 19 pandemic because it interrupted their 50th Anniversary Tour. The two primary original band members, Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston trade off chapters throughout the Doobie Brothers entire history. It's written in a very natural and free-flowing style as if they are just talking to you. I really liked this personal touch of telling their story, almost like an oral history format. Here and there some other players in the story got chapters such as their longtime bassist Tiran Porter, keyboardist, songwriter and vocalist Michael McDonald, and record producer Ted Tempelman. Both Pat and Tom told a little about their childhoods at the beginning amounting to about the first 10% of the book. There is a lot of detail about how songs were written and recorded, including how the album cover photos were taken. There were also a lot of band personnel changes during the history of the band, the most interesting how the now famous (but back then obscure) Michael McDonald joined the band and wound up changing the Doobie Brothers' sound (think "What a Fool Believes", "Minute by Minute" and "Takin' it to the Streets"). And they got their first Grammy as a result!
This was a well-written, enjoyable memoir encompassing the entire Doobie Brothers' career- ever more special for being written by Pat and Tom.
Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
March 9, 2022
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A history of the Doobie Brothers band, mostly from the point of view of two of the founding members, but many others get their voices heard as well.
The first time I heard of the Doobie Brothers, was watching their appearance on a rerun of What's Happening. I wasn't entirely sure they weren't a fictional band, like The Archies or The Banana Splits. The second time was watching Romancing the Stone, several years after it came out, where Michael Douglas reads a headline in a magazine, The Doobie Brothers Split Up. Guess they were real all along.
It's a pretty good history, with lots of different view points, but also a through line. If you like the band, read it. I liked how loyal they were to Norcal. One of the reason they split up was that they didn't want to be based in LA>
A history of the Doobie Brothers band, mostly from the point of view of two of the founding members, but many others get their voices heard as well.
The first time I heard of the Doobie Brothers, was watching their appearance on a rerun of What's Happening. I wasn't entirely sure they weren't a fictional band, like The Archies or The Banana Splits. The second time was watching Romancing the Stone, several years after it came out, where Michael Douglas reads a headline in a magazine, The Doobie Brothers Split Up. Guess they were real all along.
It's a pretty good history, with lots of different view points, but also a through line. If you like the band, read it. I liked how loyal they were to Norcal. One of the reason they split up was that they didn't want to be based in LA>
April 28, 2022
My favorite 70’s band. I followed the Doobie Brothers religiously and was thrilled Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons decided to share the band's no holds barred memoir, opening the door wide of good and bad. I found the early days of their discovery of music fascinating and how they connected with each other. I hope some day they will join our annual 70’s rock & romance cruise so I can meet them in person! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 21, 2022
Long Train Runnin': Our Story of The Doobie Brothers is scheduled to be published on May 10 of 2022. The publisher St. Martin's Press provided me an early galley in exchange for an honest review.
I have been a fan of the Doobie Brothers for over forty years. I have all of their albums from their debut in 1971 through the 80's as well as their most recent release. I knew their musical legacy, but I have never known their background story until reading this book.
I really enjoyed the narrative style used here, which is mostly a back and forth between Pat and Tom as they tell the band's story (with the interjections of other key folks as needed). Their approach is comfortable, jovial and familiar - like old friends recalling memories over a few beers. Like the title, it takes this "narrative train" awhile to get us to the band's formation - about one fifth of the way through the book, but this is all about the journey. The background on getting to the formation is interesting as it explains to the reader all about the members' roots and musical influences. This gave me more classic bands (like Moby Grape) to look into.
Of course, I had to smile when I read how the band got its name as it was exactly what I always mused of where it came from. Also, as a 70's kid, I was super pleased to see a short chapter talking about the band's appearance on a two-part episode of the ABC sitcom What's Happening, a show I regularly watched. If someone smiles when I say "Which Doobie you be?", I know they are part of my tribe.
The book rolls through recording sessions and tours at a fairly steady rhythm. If you ever wanted to know details about a particular song in their catalog, there is almost a one hundred percent chance the guys talk about it in the book. Everything is in chronological order with chapters often taking their titles from songs in their discography.
This is a must-read for true fans, but it is also enjoyable for the more casual of followers of the group.
I have been a fan of the Doobie Brothers for over forty years. I have all of their albums from their debut in 1971 through the 80's as well as their most recent release. I knew their musical legacy, but I have never known their background story until reading this book.
I really enjoyed the narrative style used here, which is mostly a back and forth between Pat and Tom as they tell the band's story (with the interjections of other key folks as needed). Their approach is comfortable, jovial and familiar - like old friends recalling memories over a few beers. Like the title, it takes this "narrative train" awhile to get us to the band's formation - about one fifth of the way through the book, but this is all about the journey. The background on getting to the formation is interesting as it explains to the reader all about the members' roots and musical influences. This gave me more classic bands (like Moby Grape) to look into.
Of course, I had to smile when I read how the band got its name as it was exactly what I always mused of where it came from. Also, as a 70's kid, I was super pleased to see a short chapter talking about the band's appearance on a two-part episode of the ABC sitcom What's Happening, a show I regularly watched. If someone smiles when I say "Which Doobie you be?", I know they are part of my tribe.
The book rolls through recording sessions and tours at a fairly steady rhythm. If you ever wanted to know details about a particular song in their catalog, there is almost a one hundred percent chance the guys talk about it in the book. Everything is in chronological order with chapters often taking their titles from songs in their discography.
This is a must-read for true fans, but it is also enjoyable for the more casual of followers of the group.
June 16, 2022
Much like their music, this book is breezy, upbeat, and easy-reading. Unlike their music, it is also quite shallow, narrow, and unsatisfying.
The book is told via multiple narratives, overwhelmingly via Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons but also with some (but not nearly enough) contributions from Tiran Porter, producer Ted Templeman, Michael McDonald, John McFee and one or two others. This format leads to a very conversational style of the prose, which genuinely makes you feel like you're listening to the individual speakers. Though unusual, there is precedent for this as Aerosmith's Walk This Way autobiography was similarly structured, and as such makes for a good comparison.
The first quarter or so of Long Train Runnin' consists of Tom and Pat telling us a bit about their upbringing, and the events which led to their meeting and forming the Doobie Brothers. The childhood sections of rockstar biographies often drag, but this section is about as detailed as it needs to be. The largest chunk of the book is then devoted to the 1971-1975 Tom/Pat-led period. The 1976-1983 Pat/Mike period is given second-billing, and is comparatively brief. The period from the 1987 reunion to the present day is laughably and unjustifiably crammed into about 50 pages at the end.
Do I know more about the Doobie's after reading this book? A bit, but not much. Ultimately, this book is lacking in detail and specifics about almost everything. Tom gives an overview of almost every song they wrote in the 1971-75 period, but rarely does he divulge anything of genuine interest, often sounding like he's just reeling off the personnel involved and mini reviews "great tune", "great rocker" etc. In fact, though Tom dominates the narrative for much of the first half of the book, he seems extremely unwilling to let the readers in. Perhaps naming and shaming is against their nature, and I don't think we all wanted to hear about the Doobie's in full The Dirt style, but oblique references to "some" band members doing "some drugs" or getting into unspecified hijinks obscures more than it reveals. Pat seems slightly more willing to talk about the underside of rockstardom, and seems quite happy to talk about his own cocaine and cannabis use, but it then reads as an incomplete, lopsided story.
The book allows for the different narrators to have different recollections, which is an effective use of the format, but it also goes out of its way to ignore conflict. How did Tom feel when he returned to the band after being out for a while with health problems, only to find Michael McDonald influencing the band in a more soulful direction? A bit disappointed, but largely pleased for them, apparently. Really? Tiran's exit later on is dealt with in a sentence by Pat. Why wasn't Tiran's own views as to his leaving included? Michael McDonald's view of the Doobie's carrying on post-reunion without him? No idea. There's more throughout, but it amounts to a feeling of sanitising the history so that everyone stays friends. John McFee may as well have been left out, as he only turns up for about 3 pages to say how he joined the band and how much he likes it. All of which doesn't make for a hugely compelling book.
The Doobie Brothers have an incredible catalogue of music, and their post 1990-albums are all worthy of a listen. Dangerous is the best rock song they have ever recorded (check out the version from The Wildlife Concert), and World Gone Crazy is as good an album as anything they released in the 70s. But 30 years of Doobie history are skipped over at lightning pace. Tom gets married and has kids, Pat gets married and has a kid, suddenly it's 2010 and there's only 20 pages of book left. Then Pat spends the last 6 or so pages thanking several roadies and guitar techs he's worked with over the years - like, ok, sure, but it's a weird way to end.
Ultimately, I enjoyed reading this book, but it constantly left me wanting more. This was a missed opportunity. At about 330 pages of very large type with gaps every time it switches narrator, it is very light in content. Compared to Aerosmith's Walk This Way which is over 500 pages of small, close text, it feels light despite its physically large size. Also compared to Walk This Way, it feels unwilling to let fans in and find out about the 'real' band. Clearly, the 'split narratives' can work when there is enough time and space, and the narrators are willing to divulge. But not here. Oh well, a disappointing book still takes nothing away from their music though.
The book is told via multiple narratives, overwhelmingly via Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons but also with some (but not nearly enough) contributions from Tiran Porter, producer Ted Templeman, Michael McDonald, John McFee and one or two others. This format leads to a very conversational style of the prose, which genuinely makes you feel like you're listening to the individual speakers. Though unusual, there is precedent for this as Aerosmith's Walk This Way autobiography was similarly structured, and as such makes for a good comparison.
The first quarter or so of Long Train Runnin' consists of Tom and Pat telling us a bit about their upbringing, and the events which led to their meeting and forming the Doobie Brothers. The childhood sections of rockstar biographies often drag, but this section is about as detailed as it needs to be. The largest chunk of the book is then devoted to the 1971-1975 Tom/Pat-led period. The 1976-1983 Pat/Mike period is given second-billing, and is comparatively brief. The period from the 1987 reunion to the present day is laughably and unjustifiably crammed into about 50 pages at the end.
Do I know more about the Doobie's after reading this book? A bit, but not much. Ultimately, this book is lacking in detail and specifics about almost everything. Tom gives an overview of almost every song they wrote in the 1971-75 period, but rarely does he divulge anything of genuine interest, often sounding like he's just reeling off the personnel involved and mini reviews "great tune", "great rocker" etc. In fact, though Tom dominates the narrative for much of the first half of the book, he seems extremely unwilling to let the readers in. Perhaps naming and shaming is against their nature, and I don't think we all wanted to hear about the Doobie's in full The Dirt style, but oblique references to "some" band members doing "some drugs" or getting into unspecified hijinks obscures more than it reveals. Pat seems slightly more willing to talk about the underside of rockstardom, and seems quite happy to talk about his own cocaine and cannabis use, but it then reads as an incomplete, lopsided story.
The book allows for the different narrators to have different recollections, which is an effective use of the format, but it also goes out of its way to ignore conflict. How did Tom feel when he returned to the band after being out for a while with health problems, only to find Michael McDonald influencing the band in a more soulful direction? A bit disappointed, but largely pleased for them, apparently. Really? Tiran's exit later on is dealt with in a sentence by Pat. Why wasn't Tiran's own views as to his leaving included? Michael McDonald's view of the Doobie's carrying on post-reunion without him? No idea. There's more throughout, but it amounts to a feeling of sanitising the history so that everyone stays friends. John McFee may as well have been left out, as he only turns up for about 3 pages to say how he joined the band and how much he likes it. All of which doesn't make for a hugely compelling book.
The Doobie Brothers have an incredible catalogue of music, and their post 1990-albums are all worthy of a listen. Dangerous is the best rock song they have ever recorded (check out the version from The Wildlife Concert), and World Gone Crazy is as good an album as anything they released in the 70s. But 30 years of Doobie history are skipped over at lightning pace. Tom gets married and has kids, Pat gets married and has a kid, suddenly it's 2010 and there's only 20 pages of book left. Then Pat spends the last 6 or so pages thanking several roadies and guitar techs he's worked with over the years - like, ok, sure, but it's a weird way to end.
Ultimately, I enjoyed reading this book, but it constantly left me wanting more. This was a missed opportunity. At about 330 pages of very large type with gaps every time it switches narrator, it is very light in content. Compared to Aerosmith's Walk This Way which is over 500 pages of small, close text, it feels light despite its physically large size. Also compared to Walk This Way, it feels unwilling to let fans in and find out about the 'real' band. Clearly, the 'split narratives' can work when there is enough time and space, and the narrators are willing to divulge. But not here. Oh well, a disappointing book still takes nothing away from their music though.
September 21, 2022
2 stars, it was OK! but I think if you love the band you will enjoy it more! I'm slightly too young for the generation that really remembers and loves these 60's/70's bands - but I love a lot of their songs and always love a good musician/actor audio! This one was just kind of basic, not special.
This book had several band member perspectives... and I think voices to the narration, so that was a plus. I also am not familiar with any of the members and apparently there were SO MANY that came in and out of the band over the years, so that element was a little lost on me. I didn't realize this band really started in the central valley of California...a place I know well - so that was interesting. Otherwise it was the run of the mill - rockstars, making it big on the streets and clubs of SF, celeb treatment, drugs, girls, private planes and all the same old stories! But like I said - if you are familiar with the band it might be more interesting!!
This book had several band member perspectives... and I think voices to the narration, so that was a plus. I also am not familiar with any of the members and apparently there were SO MANY that came in and out of the band over the years, so that element was a little lost on me. I didn't realize this band really started in the central valley of California...a place I know well - so that was interesting. Otherwise it was the run of the mill - rockstars, making it big on the streets and clubs of SF, celeb treatment, drugs, girls, private planes and all the same old stories! But like I said - if you are familiar with the band it might be more interesting!!
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May 14, 2023Long Train Runnin’: Our Story of The Doobie Brothers is an oral history of the first band I saw in concert with my friends back in 1974. Told mostly in the words of founders Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons, Long Train Runnin’ covers the band’s long history, evolution, and personnel changes, including the dramatic shift in sound after Michael McDonald took over as lead singer when Johnston became ill. In addition to Johnston and Simmons, the book includes narratives from McDonald, long-time bassist Tiran Porter, producer Ted Templeman, and others central to the band’s success. Through it all, the Doobies focused on building each song artistically regardless of its inherent style. Some songs became anthems, others “merely” hits, but the integrity of the creative process never varied. Long Train Runnin’: Our Story of The Doobie Brothers is a better-than-average rock book. Johnston and Simmons are sincere storytellers, and while the tales of rock-star excess are here, there isn’t really any scandal, just a lot of intentional music-making, at home, in the studio, and on the never-ending road.
August 6, 2024
This is a pretty comprehensive book detailing the formative years of the Doobie Brothers, and their subsequent long-lasting career. A casual fan may get impatient with the loaded details, but I found it extremely informative. Looking forward to seeing them!
September 18, 2023
This is my dad's favorite band. I have seem them live 6 times. So when my dad gave me this book to read, I was super excited. It did not disappoint. Not your typical autobiography with a ghost writer. A lot of history with contributions from Michael McDonald, long time producer Ted Templeman, Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and even some sections with bassist Tiran Porter and John McFee. Truly a whole band effort to write. Lot of fun anecdotes and stories I'd never heard before.
If you like the Johnston era or the Michael McDonald era or both, this is must read.
If you like the Johnston era or the Michael McDonald era or both, this is must read.
May 18, 2022
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
This is set up very much like an interview of the founding members/principles of the band Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons. There are other small interviews from various individuals: Michael McDonald, Ted Templeton, Tiran Porter, etc. but for the most part, it is Pat and Tom's show. Each give their memories/recollections and the ghost writer wisely kept in conflicting recollections. The overall theme is one of being very laid back and egalitarian - a true brotherhood where music, not egos, was the key trait of the band.The book is set up chronologically and for the most part, is Tom and Pat (though it felt like more Tom than Pat in the beginning and then more Pat than Tom in the end). Their youth, meeting in Northern California, and starting up the band when so much was occurring in the San Francisco/Marin County area in the 1970s takes up a good chunk of the first half. After that it's about touring anecdotes and eventually Tom's health issues (that would cause him to leave the band).
The Michael McDonald years don't really come up until the last 1/4 of the book - and even then, are glossed over pretty quickly. McDonald has a few short pages where he debunks anyone saying that he was solely responsible for/took over the band's sound at the time. But it was honestly mystifying that the time when the band had the greatest success was glossed over very quickly (almost as a nod to Tom).
At its heart, this is a story of really nice, laid back guys who weren't into drama. As such, there is little in the way of troubles discussed and even when bandmates had to be let go because of personality issues, it was almost apologetic and quickly glossed over. As an example, Tiran's experiences being an African American in a hugely successful band are not discussed. As such, those looking for an insightful biography of the band likely won't find it here. It's more a collection of memories that time has greatly softened.
The read is easy and the authors friendly and approachable. You feel like you are siting in a room and they are telling you about themselves and the band directly. It'll leave you with a feel good impression though perhaps it can be a bit lacking in depth and drama. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
December 16, 2022
I listened to the audiobook of Long Train Runnin' narrated by an ensemble of four voice actors. That was my first disappointment. The book is written by Tom Johnson and Pat Simmons and began with their early life in the music business. As the founding members of The Doobie Brothers, this was interesting, but not necessarily what I was looking for. I have read other memoirs about bands and musicians, and there has been a lot of debauchery, especially during the 70s, but not in this book. Was it really all rosy? The reader learns about the various members of the group, the other groups they worked with and how their careers revived, more than once. I'm not sure if it was just me, but I found this book a bit boring. The reciting of facts, not even an interesting narrative. So, I learned some things about the group, but really wasn't entertained. Others seemed to like this more than I did, so if you are interested in the Doobie Brothers, then give it a try, it might be more to your liking.
August 11, 2024
I finally finished reading my book, a DETAILED chronological history of the development of the band (both times), the musicians, crew, and people who helped make them successful, the albums, the songs, etc. and told in a collaborative way.
l almost thought we (readers) were getting too much information, but then I came upon a paragraph:
"When you listen to a Doobie Brothers record, you have to listen to everything that's going on, not just the lead vocal. These are seriously talented players, and in the studio the collaboration was always there. It was hard for some people to understand that when they just heard my voice. But every Doobie Brothers record was a sum of its parts. I knew that. They knew that. And I really didn't like it when anybody suggested otherwise." - Michael McDonald
THIS quote epitomizes this book!
On a side note, I put this on my To Read list when I first heard that is was going to be published, because when I was in college, I was in the Ohio University Marching Band aka the Ohio University Marching 110, and one our classics that we always play is, "Long Train Runnin'.” | will always feel a connection with the Doobie Brothers, the creators / performers of my favorite of "the classics." I was destined to read this book.
l almost thought we (readers) were getting too much information, but then I came upon a paragraph:
"When you listen to a Doobie Brothers record, you have to listen to everything that's going on, not just the lead vocal. These are seriously talented players, and in the studio the collaboration was always there. It was hard for some people to understand that when they just heard my voice. But every Doobie Brothers record was a sum of its parts. I knew that. They knew that. And I really didn't like it when anybody suggested otherwise." - Michael McDonald
THIS quote epitomizes this book!
On a side note, I put this on my To Read list when I first heard that is was going to be published, because when I was in college, I was in the Ohio University Marching Band aka the Ohio University Marching 110, and one our classics that we always play is, "Long Train Runnin'.” | will always feel a connection with the Doobie Brothers, the creators / performers of my favorite of "the classics." I was destined to read this book.
December 1, 2023
I saw The Doobie Brothers in concert when I was 26 and thought they put on a great show. All these years later their music still holds up. This is a fascinating oral history of the band from the perspective mainly of Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons. Their stories really gave me insight into how a band comes together and how it grows but still maintains their excellence. I like that their was very little backbiting, jealousies or resentment from everyone as the years progressed and members came and went. I thought that after Tom left the band became less a rock band and leaned more towards pop. I wasn't real crazy about Michael McDonald becoming the lead singer, but I have softened my view after reading this book when I found out how well liked he was and how modest and soft-spoken he was as well. A first-rate look at a band that was deservedly elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
October 10, 2022
2 stars
Long Train Running was a bit of a train wreck for me. Told mostly by Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons with short bits from a host of other band members and acquaintances, etc.
I loved the Doobie Brothers music in the late 1970s. I must have listened to their songs hundreds of times. Unfortunately I didn’t care for this book.
Long lists throughout of people they met.
A lot of drug use.
Songs they sang at such and such a venue.
Irresponsible behavior that they found hilarious.
Probably meaningful to the various band members or their close friends but quite boring for outsiders. I read the first 2/3 of it and then just started skimming the last 1/3 .
Long Train Running was a bit of a train wreck for me. Told mostly by Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons with short bits from a host of other band members and acquaintances, etc.
I loved the Doobie Brothers music in the late 1970s. I must have listened to their songs hundreds of times. Unfortunately I didn’t care for this book.
Long lists throughout of people they met.
A lot of drug use.
Songs they sang at such and such a venue.
Irresponsible behavior that they found hilarious.
Probably meaningful to the various band members or their close friends but quite boring for outsiders. I read the first 2/3 of it and then just started skimming the last 1/3 .
January 17, 2023
The Doobie Brothers have always been one of my favorite bands and Black Water is a favorite song, one I want played at my funeral. We recently watched a documentary on the band and this book was a good addition to that. The Doobies deserve credit for rolling with the punches over the long decades and embracing new bandmates and sounds as the years went by. A true example of how to remain creative and relevant. However, it's amazing that any of them are still around to tell the tale - or that they can even remember their history to tell! Haha, the curse of being a band during the 60s and 70s!
February 24, 2025
Long Train Runnin' is unique among the many music autobiographies I have read. Decades after forming, these musicians still respect and care about one another. They do not have endless stories of being ripped off by management or record labels. Sure, there are tales off excess, conflict, and lineup changes. And, the Doobies do have the rare experience, positive and challenging, of being a band that lost it's most recognizable voice, Tom Johnston, to be replaced by one of the most popular voices of the era, Michael McDonald. Still, they carried on.
A fun book for rock music fans.
A fun book for rock music fans.
July 7, 2022
5 stars from a musician who has rehearsed and performed on a much smaller scale than the Doobies .The average reader may not appreciate this book. I love how Tom and Pat alternated stories.
The details about the energy and emotions belonging to the musicians were well characterized. Those feelings were sandwiched in between details of an exhausting lifestyle. Bravo Doobies! You have come full circle with great artistry and maturity!
The details about the energy and emotions belonging to the musicians were well characterized. Those feelings were sandwiched in between details of an exhausting lifestyle. Bravo Doobies! You have come full circle with great artistry and maturity!
September 2, 2024
FANFUCKINGTASTIC! I liked it more than Scar Tissue.
May 21, 2022
A great, first-person narrative of how one of the best bands of the 70s and 80s got together and stayed together through drug use, musical differences, and a touring schedule that no (I think) has ever done before and no one today would have the nerve to try it now.
Let's keep this short.
FIND IT! BUY IT! READ IT!
Let's keep this short.
FIND IT! BUY IT! READ IT!
July 26, 2022
Sort of a homage to all the musicians who played with the band over the decades. Sounds like a nice group of guys. I have always liked them, but then went back and listened to some of the less well known stuff and did find a new appreciation for their musicianship. And props to the "suits" at early Warner Brothers Records, when artistic integrity was more important than profits.
July 25, 2022
It was ok. I learned a bit about the band but I just didn't get the nostalgia I was hoping for...
May 28, 2023
This review first appeared in the Washington Independent Review of Books.
By Daniel de Visé
“Goddammit, man,” says Michael Douglas’ character in the Robert Zemeckis film “Romancing the Stone” as he catches up on the news from America. “The Doobie Brothers broke up.”
The Doobie Brothers occupy a sweetly nostalgic place in American pop-culture history. They set out at the close of the Woodstock era, part of a second generation of San Francisco bands that transformed the acid rock of Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead into the slick, monetized stadium rock of Jefferson Starship and Journey.
But the Doobies always seemed a little more real than the rest. They rode with the Hell’s Angels, took their name from weed culture, and radiated a desperado lawlessness that honored their Haight-Ashbury forebears. “China Grove” and “Long Train Runnin’” were hit songs, but they were also hard-edged rock ‘n’ roll, the sort of music an easy rider might blast over the roar of a hog.
In Long Train Runnin’: Our Story of the Doobie Brothers, founding Doobies Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons deliver an affable oral history, their tag-team account leavened with other voices from across their half-century run. Read this book and you’ll feel like you spent an evening backstage with the band, passing a joint and hearing three or four competing versions of how it all went down. The stories might get repetitive, and the guys might disagree on who wrote the chorus to “Listen to the Music,” but that’s rock 'n' roll.
Johnston, the singer and songwriter behind most of the Doobies’ early hits, grew up in Visalia, in central California’s dusty interior. “My early inspirations were Little Richard, Jimmy Reed, and Bo Diddley,” he says. A few pages later, he adds, “My life changed when I saw James Brown and the Famous Flames.” That context helps explain the infectious rhythms that animate many Doobie Brothers songs.
He hung out at San Francisco’s famed Fillmore, watching the Electric Flag and Frank Zappa and Paul Butterfield and Cream. No less than legendary concert promoter Bill Graham busted him for smoking a joint, an episode that would inspire much mirth in later years. Around the same time, Graham busted Simmons, the Doobies’ eventual second singer and songwriter, for sneaking onstage at a Grateful Dead show. Clearly, the men were kindred spirits.
But the Doobies drew their greatest inspiration from Moby Grape, the brilliant, doomed San Francisco band that formed in 1966 as an offshoot of the Airplane. Anchored by Skip Spence, the original Airplane drummer, Moby Grape featured five musicians who wrote songs and sang, and three intertwined guitars. The Doobies modeled their sound on Moby Grape’s eponymous masterpiece album, a recording that probably resonated more with the band than with its fans.
“The way they blended harmonies, the way they blended acoustic and electric guitars — little did I know how much that would influence what ended up being the Doobie Brothers,” Johnston says.
The Doobies formed in 1970 and played raucous gigs in biker bars in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Major labels scouted them. Warner Brothers producer Ted Templeman signed them after hearing early versions of “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Long Train Runnin’,” and “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” all future classics. The night of their meeting, Ted recalls, “Tommy and Pat were basically sharing cans of beans for dinner.”
The first record sold 10,000 copies. Things turned around with the second LP, Toulouse Street, which nearly cracked the Top 20 on the strength of Johnston’s joyous “Listen to the Music.” The next one, the Captain and Me, went double platinum, buoyed by “Long Train Runnin’” and “China Grove.” Soon, the Doobies traveled on their own jet. The band nearly died in that plane at least twice, first in a storm, and later when the pilot injudiciously handed the controls to Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, their mercurial guitarist.
After that first brace of hits and a lot of partying, Johnston ran out of steam. He failed to pen another monster hit on album number four, the aptly named What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, an effort rescued by Simmons via his fingerpicked gem, “Black Water,” the band’s first number-one hit. Album number five, the excellent Stampede, scored its biggest hit with a Motown cover, “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me).”
Vexed by stomach problems, Johnston eased out of the band. And here’s where the Doobie Brothers story gets really interesting. Michael McDonald, a Steely Dan backup singer in his early 20s, joined the Doobies and revealed not just a rich and soulful tenor but serious R&B songwriting chops. He played one of his songs for a dubious Templeman.
“After a brief intro, he started singing, ‘You don’t know me but I’m your brother,’” Simmons writes. “Over Michael’s shoulder, so he could not see, Ted looked at me and mouthed the words, ‘Oh my God.’”
Two of McDonald’s songs charted big on his Doobie Brothers debut album, Takin’ It to the Streets. The title cut, a jazzy, gospel-inflected piano song, redefined the Doobies as a funky pop band even as it tugged the pop-music landscape in the direction of watery synth chords and warm sax solos. That song and McDonald’s other hit, “It Keeps You Runnin’,” sounded like the work of a very different band than the one that had recorded “China Grove.” Apart from the continued presence of Simmons, perhaps the only common thread was an ongoing aversion to the letter G.
The Doobie Brothers became a bigger act with McDonald than it had ever been with Johnston. Its magnum opus was “What a Fool Believes,” a mammoth 1979 hit penned by McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The song completed the band’s transformation into masters of smooth, danceable, rhythmic pop. A beautiful song delivering four minutes of sweet relief amid an aural onslaught of disco, “What a Fool Believes” perfected a syncopated style of electric piano and splashy synth that would adorn hundreds of lesser songs.
Johnston talks gamely of his alienation as McDonald’s lighter fare swept in to supplant his biker-bar rock. And McDonald speaks poignantly of his awkwardness in singing his own songs with a band he had worshipped from afar, until Takin’ It to the Streets came out and sold 300,000 copies on the first day.
Debate would rage for years on the relative merits of the old Doobie Brothers and the new one. Three decades on, most critics and fans seem to embrace both eras. “China Grove” and “Listen to the Music” are probably the definitive Doobies songs, but “What a Fool Believes” is a landmark late-1970s recording, and goodness knows what the Doobie Brothers might have become without Michael McDonald. The industry paid them the ultimate compliment in 2020, inducting them into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Pretty good for a band named after reefer.
Daniel de Visé is the author, most recently, of King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King.
By Daniel de Visé
“Goddammit, man,” says Michael Douglas’ character in the Robert Zemeckis film “Romancing the Stone” as he catches up on the news from America. “The Doobie Brothers broke up.”
The Doobie Brothers occupy a sweetly nostalgic place in American pop-culture history. They set out at the close of the Woodstock era, part of a second generation of San Francisco bands that transformed the acid rock of Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead into the slick, monetized stadium rock of Jefferson Starship and Journey.
But the Doobies always seemed a little more real than the rest. They rode with the Hell’s Angels, took their name from weed culture, and radiated a desperado lawlessness that honored their Haight-Ashbury forebears. “China Grove” and “Long Train Runnin’” were hit songs, but they were also hard-edged rock ‘n’ roll, the sort of music an easy rider might blast over the roar of a hog.
In Long Train Runnin’: Our Story of the Doobie Brothers, founding Doobies Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons deliver an affable oral history, their tag-team account leavened with other voices from across their half-century run. Read this book and you’ll feel like you spent an evening backstage with the band, passing a joint and hearing three or four competing versions of how it all went down. The stories might get repetitive, and the guys might disagree on who wrote the chorus to “Listen to the Music,” but that’s rock 'n' roll.
Johnston, the singer and songwriter behind most of the Doobies’ early hits, grew up in Visalia, in central California’s dusty interior. “My early inspirations were Little Richard, Jimmy Reed, and Bo Diddley,” he says. A few pages later, he adds, “My life changed when I saw James Brown and the Famous Flames.” That context helps explain the infectious rhythms that animate many Doobie Brothers songs.
He hung out at San Francisco’s famed Fillmore, watching the Electric Flag and Frank Zappa and Paul Butterfield and Cream. No less than legendary concert promoter Bill Graham busted him for smoking a joint, an episode that would inspire much mirth in later years. Around the same time, Graham busted Simmons, the Doobies’ eventual second singer and songwriter, for sneaking onstage at a Grateful Dead show. Clearly, the men were kindred spirits.
But the Doobies drew their greatest inspiration from Moby Grape, the brilliant, doomed San Francisco band that formed in 1966 as an offshoot of the Airplane. Anchored by Skip Spence, the original Airplane drummer, Moby Grape featured five musicians who wrote songs and sang, and three intertwined guitars. The Doobies modeled their sound on Moby Grape’s eponymous masterpiece album, a recording that probably resonated more with the band than with its fans.
“The way they blended harmonies, the way they blended acoustic and electric guitars — little did I know how much that would influence what ended up being the Doobie Brothers,” Johnston says.
The Doobies formed in 1970 and played raucous gigs in biker bars in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Major labels scouted them. Warner Brothers producer Ted Templeman signed them after hearing early versions of “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Long Train Runnin’,” and “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” all future classics. The night of their meeting, Ted recalls, “Tommy and Pat were basically sharing cans of beans for dinner.”
The first record sold 10,000 copies. Things turned around with the second LP, Toulouse Street, which nearly cracked the Top 20 on the strength of Johnston’s joyous “Listen to the Music.” The next one, the Captain and Me, went double platinum, buoyed by “Long Train Runnin’” and “China Grove.” Soon, the Doobies traveled on their own jet. The band nearly died in that plane at least twice, first in a storm, and later when the pilot injudiciously handed the controls to Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, their mercurial guitarist.
After that first brace of hits and a lot of partying, Johnston ran out of steam. He failed to pen another monster hit on album number four, the aptly named What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, an effort rescued by Simmons via his fingerpicked gem, “Black Water,” the band’s first number-one hit. Album number five, the excellent Stampede, scored its biggest hit with a Motown cover, “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me).”
Vexed by stomach problems, Johnston eased out of the band. And here’s where the Doobie Brothers story gets really interesting. Michael McDonald, a Steely Dan backup singer in his early 20s, joined the Doobies and revealed not just a rich and soulful tenor but serious R&B songwriting chops. He played one of his songs for a dubious Templeman.
“After a brief intro, he started singing, ‘You don’t know me but I’m your brother,’” Simmons writes. “Over Michael’s shoulder, so he could not see, Ted looked at me and mouthed the words, ‘Oh my God.’”
Two of McDonald’s songs charted big on his Doobie Brothers debut album, Takin’ It to the Streets. The title cut, a jazzy, gospel-inflected piano song, redefined the Doobies as a funky pop band even as it tugged the pop-music landscape in the direction of watery synth chords and warm sax solos. That song and McDonald’s other hit, “It Keeps You Runnin’,” sounded like the work of a very different band than the one that had recorded “China Grove.” Apart from the continued presence of Simmons, perhaps the only common thread was an ongoing aversion to the letter G.
The Doobie Brothers became a bigger act with McDonald than it had ever been with Johnston. Its magnum opus was “What a Fool Believes,” a mammoth 1979 hit penned by McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The song completed the band’s transformation into masters of smooth, danceable, rhythmic pop. A beautiful song delivering four minutes of sweet relief amid an aural onslaught of disco, “What a Fool Believes” perfected a syncopated style of electric piano and splashy synth that would adorn hundreds of lesser songs.
Johnston talks gamely of his alienation as McDonald’s lighter fare swept in to supplant his biker-bar rock. And McDonald speaks poignantly of his awkwardness in singing his own songs with a band he had worshipped from afar, until Takin’ It to the Streets came out and sold 300,000 copies on the first day.
Debate would rage for years on the relative merits of the old Doobie Brothers and the new one. Three decades on, most critics and fans seem to embrace both eras. “China Grove” and “Listen to the Music” are probably the definitive Doobies songs, but “What a Fool Believes” is a landmark late-1970s recording, and goodness knows what the Doobie Brothers might have become without Michael McDonald. The industry paid them the ultimate compliment in 2020, inducting them into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Pretty good for a band named after reefer.
Daniel de Visé is the author, most recently, of King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King.
November 3, 2022
When I turned 16 in 1974, I had a job at WMMH, a 500-watt AM radio station in Marshall, NC. Music was already a significant part of my life, so I convinced my parents to co-sign for a $600 loan so that I could by a stereo system--Harman Kardon amp/receiver, Advent Speakers--from an audio shop that was on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville, NC. Once I had the system home and hooked up--actually hooked up, as my aunt Julie had made macrame hangers for the speakers, which I hung from hooks I put in the ceiling--the first song I played was "Listen to the Music."
In bands over the years, I've played "China Grove" and "Jesus Is Just Alright with Me." And I just learned "Listen to the Music" for a solo gig I have upcoming.
I was a Doobie Brothers fan in the 1970s, and I'm still a fan. I enjoyed reading their story.
In bands over the years, I've played "China Grove" and "Jesus Is Just Alright with Me." And I just learned "Listen to the Music" for a solo gig I have upcoming.
I was a Doobie Brothers fan in the 1970s, and I'm still a fan. I enjoyed reading their story.
June 25, 2022
Long Train Runnin’: Our Story of the Doobie Brothers by Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons is a 2022 St. Martin’s Press publication.
I liked that this rock memoir was a joint effort. Tom and Pat are our main narrative voices, but we hear from many others involved in the band too- Michael McDonald, Tiran Porter, and producer Terry Templeton, for example.
I liked this approach and found it to be refreshing. Because memory can be so subjective at times, it is good to hear different perspectives, but I also found that, despite some differences of opinion here and there, more often than not, they were all in agreement about how events transpired. Unfortunately, this occasionally led to some redundancy. The atmosphere of the book is laid back, and casual, full of interesting history, and nostalgic reminiscing.
The group members walk readers through the band’s history, the albums, songs, and live performances through the seventies, then chronicle the immense changes that took the band in an entirely new direction in the eighties.
For the most part, they stay on topic- making the band the primary subject. Personal lives outside of the band isn’t a big part of the book- with wives, children, and grandchildren coming into play late in the last parts of the book. Naturally, the band was like most other bands in the seventies and eighties- they lived on the road and indulged in the temptations and coping mechanisms of that way of life. This is briefly alluded to, but without too many specifics. Frankly, it was a relief not to have to hear about all the frictions and addictions, crazy antics, and egocentric whining.
Despite the multiple POVs, the book stays on track chronologically, and is organized- despite some stream of consciousness moments- but the format is also kept very plain and simple, avoiding minutia, hitting the higher notes, sharing favorite memories, and poignant milestones in the band’s history. It works, in my opinion. It’s not a juicy, gossipy tell-all- and again, I found this refreshing.
I enjoyed the trip down memory lane, learning about the band’s history, how it transformed over time, and why. The band went on to become Grammy winners and were eventually inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame-
They are still out there, albeit in different incarnations, despite Covid setbacks, etc., and I think they have resumed touring now.
Overall, while this is a low-key memoir, it reminds one of the many musical contributions of The Doobie Brothers over the years. I'm happy to see they are still going strong.
Naturally, fans of the band will want to check this book out- as well as any musical history buff, and pop culture enthusiasts.
3.5 stars
I liked that this rock memoir was a joint effort. Tom and Pat are our main narrative voices, but we hear from many others involved in the band too- Michael McDonald, Tiran Porter, and producer Terry Templeton, for example.
I liked this approach and found it to be refreshing. Because memory can be so subjective at times, it is good to hear different perspectives, but I also found that, despite some differences of opinion here and there, more often than not, they were all in agreement about how events transpired. Unfortunately, this occasionally led to some redundancy. The atmosphere of the book is laid back, and casual, full of interesting history, and nostalgic reminiscing.
The group members walk readers through the band’s history, the albums, songs, and live performances through the seventies, then chronicle the immense changes that took the band in an entirely new direction in the eighties.
For the most part, they stay on topic- making the band the primary subject. Personal lives outside of the band isn’t a big part of the book- with wives, children, and grandchildren coming into play late in the last parts of the book. Naturally, the band was like most other bands in the seventies and eighties- they lived on the road and indulged in the temptations and coping mechanisms of that way of life. This is briefly alluded to, but without too many specifics. Frankly, it was a relief not to have to hear about all the frictions and addictions, crazy antics, and egocentric whining.
Despite the multiple POVs, the book stays on track chronologically, and is organized- despite some stream of consciousness moments- but the format is also kept very plain and simple, avoiding minutia, hitting the higher notes, sharing favorite memories, and poignant milestones in the band’s history. It works, in my opinion. It’s not a juicy, gossipy tell-all- and again, I found this refreshing.
I enjoyed the trip down memory lane, learning about the band’s history, how it transformed over time, and why. The band went on to become Grammy winners and were eventually inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame-
They are still out there, albeit in different incarnations, despite Covid setbacks, etc., and I think they have resumed touring now.
Overall, while this is a low-key memoir, it reminds one of the many musical contributions of The Doobie Brothers over the years. I'm happy to see they are still going strong.
Naturally, fans of the band will want to check this book out- as well as any musical history buff, and pop culture enthusiasts.
3.5 stars
May 14, 2022
Subtitled: Our Story of the Doobie Brothers
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
For me, the Doobie Brothers are one of those bands that at first glance I didn’t realize the sheer number of hits they created during their long and productive career. When I was in my teens, I had 45rpm records of ‘Black Water’ and ‘Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)’ that I practically wore out on the portable turntable we had way back then. Those are still my favorite Doobie Brothers songs, along with ‘Jesus Is Just Alright With Me.’ The book is the story of the band, told primarily from the point of view of founding members and lead singers during the band’s early years, Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons.
As lead singers for a major rock and roll band, I was surprised that I’d never heard of either of the these guys before, but in addition to their vocal skills both men had fantastic musical skills with styles that complemented each other while also providing a leadership style for the band that encouraged experimentation and adaptation to take full advantage of the skills the individual band members brought to the group.
The Doobie Brothers were formed out of the thriving 1960s San Francisco music scene and emerged as hit-makers in the early years of the 70s. While several band members left, in several instances they also returned later on, proving that the leadership approach of Johnston and Simmons inspired loyalty and appreciation among the musicians. This was never more true that when Johnston himself stepped aside during the later portion of the 1970s for health reasons and was replaced by Michael McDonald, who gave the band a different sound while continuing the band’s uninterrupted success.
After an early 1980s breakup, the Doobie Brothers had reformed by 1990 with Johnston and Simmons again providing lead vocals, and they continue touring (with a break due to Covid) and making albums to the day.
I gave Long Train Runnin’ five stars on Goodreads. I enjoy reading success stories, the the Doobie’s had a ton of success while producing a string of hit albums and singles through the years. I already had my favorite Doobie Brothers song in my digital collection, but this book reminded me of so many others that I need to get to work on adding.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
For me, the Doobie Brothers are one of those bands that at first glance I didn’t realize the sheer number of hits they created during their long and productive career. When I was in my teens, I had 45rpm records of ‘Black Water’ and ‘Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)’ that I practically wore out on the portable turntable we had way back then. Those are still my favorite Doobie Brothers songs, along with ‘Jesus Is Just Alright With Me.’ The book is the story of the band, told primarily from the point of view of founding members and lead singers during the band’s early years, Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons.
As lead singers for a major rock and roll band, I was surprised that I’d never heard of either of the these guys before, but in addition to their vocal skills both men had fantastic musical skills with styles that complemented each other while also providing a leadership style for the band that encouraged experimentation and adaptation to take full advantage of the skills the individual band members brought to the group.
The Doobie Brothers were formed out of the thriving 1960s San Francisco music scene and emerged as hit-makers in the early years of the 70s. While several band members left, in several instances they also returned later on, proving that the leadership approach of Johnston and Simmons inspired loyalty and appreciation among the musicians. This was never more true that when Johnston himself stepped aside during the later portion of the 1970s for health reasons and was replaced by Michael McDonald, who gave the band a different sound while continuing the band’s uninterrupted success.
After an early 1980s breakup, the Doobie Brothers had reformed by 1990 with Johnston and Simmons again providing lead vocals, and they continue touring (with a break due to Covid) and making albums to the day.
I gave Long Train Runnin’ five stars on Goodreads. I enjoy reading success stories, the the Doobie’s had a ton of success while producing a string of hit albums and singles through the years. I already had my favorite Doobie Brothers song in my digital collection, but this book reminded me of so many others that I need to get to work on adding.
September 14, 2022
Back in the late sixties and throughout the seventies (what's now considered the "Golden Age" of rock), the lifespan of a touring rock group was thought to be about four years. You cut an album in the first two months of the year, then went out on the road for nine months, promoting the album and playing various venues, and then you went home with a few weeks to "relax". It was a grueling lifestyle, and some folks never adjusted. The booze, the drugs, living and working on top of each other for months at a time, dealing with often abrasive personalities, meant that burnout came very fast for some. If you've ever seen the movie Almost Famous, you'll understand. The Beatles lasted for seven years, but they quit touring after six, and were barely speaking to each other by that point. Which brings us to the Doobie Brothers. Long Train Runnin' starts with the two founders of the group, Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons, describing how the group came together and how they continued touring for over fifty years. But there were various incarnations of the band over that length of time; how could there not be? In 1975 Tom had a bleeding ulcer that he neglected for almost a year, almost died, and was out of the band for seven years. (He was replaced by Michael McDonald, a keyboardist/vocalist with Steely Dan, a group who had recently decided to stop touring because they hated it so much.) In 1987, management wanted the group to relocate from the Bay Area to Southern California, something Pat absolutely refused to do. They broke up, but ultimately got back together. This is their story, and if you're a rock fan you'll find it interesting indeed. Here's an example of the writing: "I think what we learned watching him (Marc Bolan) was that if you really wanted to endear yourself to an audience, then you had to be a little bigger than life. You had to dress the part and you had to act the part. Watching him, I started thinking to myself, wow, I need to change the way I dress. I needed to have a more rock and roll attitude. And I think everybody in our band was thinking along similar lines. John Hartman for sure was into it. John was always very influenced by the Who, so he liked big theatrics and explosions and things, and I think watching T-Rex got him thinking. Pretty soon, he would start having ideas for our stage show." Rock on!
September 1, 2024
What a wonderful story. I went to see my first ever Doobie Brothers concert a few weeks ago. I had not realized all the wonderful songs that I love and often sing along with were Doobie hits. I also am a Michael McDonald fan. So, after attending a concert that was great in so many ways and seeing just how well a 50 year old band can play and sing together, I decided to do the audiobook. Very happy to have listened in which is in part narrated by the two leading founders of the band Johnston and Simmons. They took me through a tail of time with their starts in the Northern California music scene to the international stage (especially enjoyed the story about playing in post Cold War Russia). Although this is the story of the Doobie Brothers, you learn a little bit more about the history of Rock n Roll as they discuss their early influences and ongoing admiration of other bands, i.e. Moby Grape, Steely Dan, Little Feat, Bonnie Rait. They discuss the conflict of the leaving of Johnston for health problems and the addition to Michael McDonald where they had their greatest commercial success but temporarily lost Johnston over it. However, their ability to to engage in democratic decision making and allowing all band members to contribute to songs made them the band they are today with so many different sounds. Overall, even though these guys led the Rock n Roll lifestyle, they managed to stay friends, resolve their conflicts and continue to tour. Their genuine niceness and loyalty to their fans made me a bit teary eyed at times. Their 2020 to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is much, much deserved (if not a little late, of course we know the last thing the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame wants to do is put a Rock n Roll band in - but I digress). I encourage you to do the audio version of the book if possible, of course though I may have missed out on the pictures!
March 6, 2023
Long Train Running: Our Story of the Doobie Brothers by Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons (St. Martin’s Press 2022) (780.92) (3729).
There are two specific things about this book that set it apart from the usual and typical band backstory book.
The first is the fact that this is not a “tell-all” book filled with axe-grinding tales printed for revenge. These guys - Tom, Pat, and all the other players - really seem to like each other personally and to respect each other as musicians.
The second thing that sets this book apart is that it is filled from start to finish ONLY with stories and information about the band. There is almost zero mention of the authors’ families. I’ve never read a memoir / biography with less mention of the members’ family lives. Is that a plus? I don’t know, but I do know that it is unusual. I personally would have enjoyed learning more about the members’ familial relationships outside of the context of the group.
The Doobies were a great band. My principal takeaway from this volume is how much the band Moby Grape influenced the Doobies. Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons loved Moby Grape’s music. According to the authors, the Doobie Brothers’ style and sound were patterned upon Moby Grape’s unusual three lead guitarist formation and the fact that every member of Moby Grape took a turn singing lead vocals during performances rather than having only one or two lead singers.
Both Johnston and Simmons were also very gracious and appreciative of what Michael McDonald brought to the band during the years when Tom Johnston was absent from the band from illness and later by choice.
Fans of the band’s music will really enjoy this one.
My rating: 7/10, finished 3/1/23 (3729).
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