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I Am the Warrior: My Crazy Life Writing the Hits and Rocking the MTV Eighties
Holly Knight’s singular music career included crafting a good part of the soundtrack to the MTV eighties with mega-hits for Tina Turner (“The Best”), Pat Benatar (“Love Is A Battlefield”), and Patty Smyth (“The Warrior”)—songs that celebrated female empowerment and shaped pop and rock for years to come.
“Holly Knight wrote some of the best and toughest songs for female artists. Her songs helped pave the way for women in rock. Not to mention a few dudes.” —Patty Smyth
As a writer and musician, Holly Knight worked hard and played hard with the likes of KISS, Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and Heart. She showed the boys how it was done when many women were still struggling to get a foot in the door. Starting in the late 1970s in post-punk New York, Knight, a gifted keyboardist, joined the band Spider—which quickly ascended to buzzworthy status before things began to disintegrate. Fortunately, her song “Better Be Good to Me” found its way to Tina Turner and became the second single on her landmark solo album, Private Dancer , launching Holly into rarified air. Soon she was being sought out to write for other artists in search of the big hit or their lead single. Coinciding with the birth of MTV, Knight’s powerful lyrics, hooks, and melodies became a staple on the channel as it exploded into a cultural force.
“People who grew up in the eighties tell me that MTV was the soundtrack to their lives. Holly Knight deserves much of the credit. Few songwriters have written such a diverse collection of songs for such a broad range of superstars.” —Alan Hunter
But it was an often lonely journey to success. Not only was Holly a woman in a male-dominated industry that didn’t welcome women warmly into the inner sanctum, she carried with her the baggage of a difficult childhood and a fraught relationship with her mother, the substance of which informed the themes that made her songs so anthemic. I Am the Warrior is a story of survival, perseverance, and triumph laced with ample amounts of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Backstage, onstage, in the studio, and on the road, this book is a revealing, bang-bang tale that welcomes you along for a look back at one of the most adventurous and colorful periods in music history.
“ I Am the Warrior takes readers on a wild ride through the eighties world of rock ’n’ roll from a strong female’s perspective. Songwriters Hall of Fame-inductee Holly Knight delivers the goods and stands out as a creative, gutsy woman who made her way through a field dominated by men, ultimately coming out on top. If you love music like I do, this is a must-read!” —Cassandra Peterson (AKA Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)
“Holly Knight wrote some of the best and toughest songs for female artists. Her songs helped pave the way for women in rock. Not to mention a few dudes.” —Patty Smyth
As a writer and musician, Holly Knight worked hard and played hard with the likes of KISS, Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and Heart. She showed the boys how it was done when many women were still struggling to get a foot in the door. Starting in the late 1970s in post-punk New York, Knight, a gifted keyboardist, joined the band Spider—which quickly ascended to buzzworthy status before things began to disintegrate. Fortunately, her song “Better Be Good to Me” found its way to Tina Turner and became the second single on her landmark solo album, Private Dancer , launching Holly into rarified air. Soon she was being sought out to write for other artists in search of the big hit or their lead single. Coinciding with the birth of MTV, Knight’s powerful lyrics, hooks, and melodies became a staple on the channel as it exploded into a cultural force.
“People who grew up in the eighties tell me that MTV was the soundtrack to their lives. Holly Knight deserves much of the credit. Few songwriters have written such a diverse collection of songs for such a broad range of superstars.” —Alan Hunter
But it was an often lonely journey to success. Not only was Holly a woman in a male-dominated industry that didn’t welcome women warmly into the inner sanctum, she carried with her the baggage of a difficult childhood and a fraught relationship with her mother, the substance of which informed the themes that made her songs so anthemic. I Am the Warrior is a story of survival, perseverance, and triumph laced with ample amounts of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Backstage, onstage, in the studio, and on the road, this book is a revealing, bang-bang tale that welcomes you along for a look back at one of the most adventurous and colorful periods in music history.
“ I Am the Warrior takes readers on a wild ride through the eighties world of rock ’n’ roll from a strong female’s perspective. Songwriters Hall of Fame-inductee Holly Knight delivers the goods and stands out as a creative, gutsy woman who made her way through a field dominated by men, ultimately coming out on top. If you love music like I do, this is a must-read!” —Cassandra Peterson (AKA Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)
272 pages, Hardcover
Published November 29, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 22, 2023
I want to knit pick this one as the author does have a lot of conflicting statements having to do with her female experience which is typical of “feminists” they want to blame men for all problems but then get excited when a man takes charge. Anyway, I won’t do that because this was a lot of fun. What I really like in a rock and roll memoir is details of the songs behind the scene and since Holly is a song writer, there was a huge amount of that. If you love the 80s and the music, this is a good one.
January 7, 2023
It was spring of 1986. I was 13. I was watching Martha Quinn on MTV talk about a woman named Holly Knight, who had written several hits I've enjoyed on the video channel over the years. "Change," "Better Be Good to Me," and "Love is a Battlefield," to name a few. Martha was introducing the debut of Device's "Hanging on a Heart Attack," the new band with Holly. I loved it.
Fast forward a few months and I was shopping in a Howard Brothers discount department store that was going out of business. Everything had to go! And little did I know, that would be the day I purchased my first Holly Knight cassette, getting 22B3 for only a few bucks. Again, I absolutely loved it. I played it until it fell apart.
A few years later I'd be the afternoon drive rock station DJ and the music director at my college radio station. I was a student of music of all types. Before the internet. So much so that I drove from Louisiana to Toronto Canada in 1992 to see Tangerine Dream. While visiting Cleveland and Toronto, I visited local Sam Goody music stores, thumbing through all the discount CDs where I stumbled upon Holly Knights solo disc. I had to buy it. I played it over and over for years.
I continued following Holly through the years through "Raise Your Glasses" on KISS' Psycho Circus album and "You're the One" from Rev Theory. She's a master of melody and pop song structure. She's in my top 5 favorite songwriters. I just adore her talent and career.
When this biography was released, I got an autographed copy as I'd left radio years ago and it was pretty impossible for me to actually meet her. I'd read so much about her over the years, interacted with her on Twitter and had obtained Device and Spider CDs to add to my collection. I was so curious if this book would shed some light on things I'd never heard before.
It didn't disappoint.
Holly is so immensely interesting, I wish I'd met her back in my radio days. I think we would have been great friends. I've spent so much time in the studio playing around, that I completely related to her description of spending 12 hours in the studio and feeling like 12 minutes.
She's had as amazing of a life as I'd imagined. Her willingness to be so honest about her experiences, exploits and journey to legendary status was consumed in just a couple of days. I couldn't put it down.
The one thing I'll disagree with her about is in regard to her solo CD. I was astounded to read how much she hated it, how much she couldn't see herself as a lead singer and how she wishes she could buy up every copy and destroy them. I loved the album. It was a gem of a find in my trip to Canada. "Baby Me," "Howling at the Moon," even "Sexy Boy" were fantastic pop songs. And I, for one, am glad she didn't give "Heart Don't Fail Me Now" to Darryl Hall.
But I love that she realizes that 22B3 was a masterpiece. It is. End to end. Still to this day, it holds up. And she's right, fans appreciate Paul's vocals much more than she gives credit. I can't speak for his personality or stage presence, but aside from the sheer 80s aspect of the album, Paul's voice helped complete just how good 22B3 is.
For a Holly Knight fan, this is a must read.
Fast forward a few months and I was shopping in a Howard Brothers discount department store that was going out of business. Everything had to go! And little did I know, that would be the day I purchased my first Holly Knight cassette, getting 22B3 for only a few bucks. Again, I absolutely loved it. I played it until it fell apart.
A few years later I'd be the afternoon drive rock station DJ and the music director at my college radio station. I was a student of music of all types. Before the internet. So much so that I drove from Louisiana to Toronto Canada in 1992 to see Tangerine Dream. While visiting Cleveland and Toronto, I visited local Sam Goody music stores, thumbing through all the discount CDs where I stumbled upon Holly Knights solo disc. I had to buy it. I played it over and over for years.
I continued following Holly through the years through "Raise Your Glasses" on KISS' Psycho Circus album and "You're the One" from Rev Theory. She's a master of melody and pop song structure. She's in my top 5 favorite songwriters. I just adore her talent and career.
When this biography was released, I got an autographed copy as I'd left radio years ago and it was pretty impossible for me to actually meet her. I'd read so much about her over the years, interacted with her on Twitter and had obtained Device and Spider CDs to add to my collection. I was so curious if this book would shed some light on things I'd never heard before.
It didn't disappoint.
Holly is so immensely interesting, I wish I'd met her back in my radio days. I think we would have been great friends. I've spent so much time in the studio playing around, that I completely related to her description of spending 12 hours in the studio and feeling like 12 minutes.
She's had as amazing of a life as I'd imagined. Her willingness to be so honest about her experiences, exploits and journey to legendary status was consumed in just a couple of days. I couldn't put it down.
The one thing I'll disagree with her about is in regard to her solo CD. I was astounded to read how much she hated it, how much she couldn't see herself as a lead singer and how she wishes she could buy up every copy and destroy them. I loved the album. It was a gem of a find in my trip to Canada. "Baby Me," "Howling at the Moon," even "Sexy Boy" were fantastic pop songs. And I, for one, am glad she didn't give "Heart Don't Fail Me Now" to Darryl Hall.
But I love that she realizes that 22B3 was a masterpiece. It is. End to end. Still to this day, it holds up. And she's right, fans appreciate Paul's vocals much more than she gives credit. I can't speak for his personality or stage presence, but aside from the sheer 80s aspect of the album, Paul's voice helped complete just how good 22B3 is.
For a Holly Knight fan, this is a must read.
December 12, 2022
I love everything about this book. What an amazing story that was insightful on so many levels. It touched all my 80’s memories, it gave me a great glimpse into the struggles i of a woman in a male dominated industry, the lives of rock stars, and much much more. My only real complaint is I want MORE!!!
Bravo Holly!!!
Bravo Holly!!!
January 10, 2023
Reliving my childhood..
Learning that Holly Knight was involved as much as she was in youth, is absolutely amazing. Her gift of lyrics is well worth the accolades she earned. Great read for those fans of the eighties, not just pop, there is rock also. A very quick read, wish there was more, sequel?
Learning that Holly Knight was involved as much as she was in youth, is absolutely amazing. Her gift of lyrics is well worth the accolades she earned. Great read for those fans of the eighties, not just pop, there is rock also. A very quick read, wish there was more, sequel?
December 26, 2022
An inspiring romp through the 80’s
When I learned the songwriter behind some of my favorite 80’s songs had come out with a memoir, it went straight to the top of my reading list. The book is a fun and wonderful read that will appeal to and be enjoyed by a variety of people, but if you are a reader who was a female musician or otherwise involved in the music scene in that era, you should particularly take note! It was an interesting and groundbreaking time for women in music, and Knight broke a lot of barriers for women. Any musician will also enjoy Knight’s references to some of the gear she used. For example, while music fans will note all the famous artists, musicians will take note of things like the Fairlight CMI references. I was happy to see such details included. The book certainly brought back some fond memories of my own from that time. Grab this book, enjoy a romp through 80’s music, and be inspired. You won’t regret it.
When I learned the songwriter behind some of my favorite 80’s songs had come out with a memoir, it went straight to the top of my reading list. The book is a fun and wonderful read that will appeal to and be enjoyed by a variety of people, but if you are a reader who was a female musician or otherwise involved in the music scene in that era, you should particularly take note! It was an interesting and groundbreaking time for women in music, and Knight broke a lot of barriers for women. Any musician will also enjoy Knight’s references to some of the gear she used. For example, while music fans will note all the famous artists, musicians will take note of things like the Fairlight CMI references. I was happy to see such details included. The book certainly brought back some fond memories of my own from that time. Grab this book, enjoy a romp through 80’s music, and be inspired. You won’t regret it.
November 2, 2023
A straightforward memoir from one of the biggest songwriters of the 1980s. The book’s greatest strength and weakness is its concision. That concision is great because she focuses almost exclusively on the height of her career as you might expect from the book’s subtitle: “My Crazy Life Writing the Hits and Rocking the MTV Eighties”. But it is also an issue because more than 30 years have past since the end of the 1980s. I really wanted to know what Knight was up to during those years, especially since her success wasn’t as non-stop.
March 19, 2023
My friend Aubry clued me in to this surprisingly interesting memoir by Hall of Fame songwriter Holly Knight. She penned (or co-wrote) some of my favorite hits of the 80s, and writes about her successes and difficulties in the very male-dominated rock music business.
Full of sex and drugs and so much fun name-dropping, this is a breezy, readable look at an era that simultaneously seems distant and not that long ago. The name dropping isn't terribly gratuitous, in that there really were so many connections among people in the industry, and she clearly explains her relationships to them and each other. Her relationship to three members of KISS was of particular note!
I appreciated her direct, conversational writing, and it's a bit of a pity that the cover and jacket flap design do not match the quality of the text inside. I also would have liked the author to return to the story of her family as a bit of a coda, not so much because I'm nosy, but that they were so strongly portrayed at the beginning of the book that piques a curiosity about what became of them and her current relationship to them. Still, a great read that pleasantly took me back to my formative years of music and MTV.
Full of sex and drugs and so much fun name-dropping, this is a breezy, readable look at an era that simultaneously seems distant and not that long ago. The name dropping isn't terribly gratuitous, in that there really were so many connections among people in the industry, and she clearly explains her relationships to them and each other. Her relationship to three members of KISS was of particular note!
I appreciated her direct, conversational writing, and it's a bit of a pity that the cover and jacket flap design do not match the quality of the text inside. I also would have liked the author to return to the story of her family as a bit of a coda, not so much because I'm nosy, but that they were so strongly portrayed at the beginning of the book that piques a curiosity about what became of them and her current relationship to them. Still, a great read that pleasantly took me back to my formative years of music and MTV.
January 18, 2023
I've been a lifelong fan of the music written by Holly Knight so I was extremely excited about reading her long awaited memoir! It wasn't just about her life and times in the male dominated work of rock and roll ...but also about the 1980s which is a magical time for music, entertainment, etc.
I considered myself one of the foremost authorities about Holly Knight's music but I was pleasantly surprised by all of the new information I learned about her personal life as well as the little details that inspired many of her most iconic songs. It was truly a fun read which is why I was able to finish the book in a couple of days. I was so sad when I finished it which is always a good sign of a great book.
I loved how she constructed the book too --almost as if it were one of her songs. It had all of the elements such as a good intro, excellent lyrics (the words) and the build up and crescendos that are all hallmarks of HollySongs.
Some memoirs dwell too long on unnecessary parts of the subject's lives but Holly never meanders too long in any section of her life. She gets right to the point about her youth, her difficult relationship with her mother which must have played a part in forging the force she would become and all of the personal relationships that she had too. I enjoyed reading about her personal life and escapades as a woman as well, because I think it's critical to understanding the mind and heart of the composer of the most powerful and anthemic songs of empowerment and independence for women. Songs such as The Warrior (title of her book), Invincible, Better Be Good to Me, (Simply) The Best, Never, and so many others! I personally enjoyed seeing this side of the artist. She is, after all, human.
I loved the book and I highly recommend the audiobook if you get the chance because there are extra touches you will not get with the regular book. For example, you get to hear Holly herself and she's a great narrator... and I loved how she included never before released demo tracks of her biggest songs that she discusses at the end of chapters!
As a bonus, I also enjoyed her chapter about the top 10 (ok 13!) songs she wished she had written! I consider this book a must read for fans but also anyone who wants to become a songwriter or music artist for that matter. You get to see a side of the industry you never see otherwise. The good the bad and the ugly.
April 16, 2023
A fun, quick read. I've been a big fan of Holly's songwriting for a long time. I'm also a huge Mike Chapman fan (her songwriting partner for a time and one of my favorite music producers).
The inside dish was...dishy and fun. Rod Stewart is lazy and will throw you under the bus? Honey he lives in Palm Beach, we all know that! It's hard to be woman in the music industry in any capacity, I think we all know that. One could say Holly makes too big a deal of meeting other famous musicians and not being introduced as an A-list songwriter by whatever man she's with. However, I think ANY woman will know that some men (especially in the cutthroat entertainment industry) are threatened by a woman's success. Gee, in any other industry as well.
The most interesting part was her chapter on Device, her second band. The lead singer was a bad fit, but he was a Mormon who went on to become a multi-level marketer. I can't make this shit up. I checked his Instagram out and laws...I hate to say I could have told you so, so I won't!
The inside dish was...dishy and fun. Rod Stewart is lazy and will throw you under the bus? Honey he lives in Palm Beach, we all know that! It's hard to be woman in the music industry in any capacity, I think we all know that. One could say Holly makes too big a deal of meeting other famous musicians and not being introduced as an A-list songwriter by whatever man she's with. However, I think ANY woman will know that some men (especially in the cutthroat entertainment industry) are threatened by a woman's success. Gee, in any other industry as well.
The most interesting part was her chapter on Device, her second band. The lead singer was a bad fit, but he was a Mormon who went on to become a multi-level marketer. I can't make this shit up. I checked his Instagram out and laws...I hate to say I could have told you so, so I won't!
October 31, 2023
Loved this! Holly Knight wrote some of the bangers of the '80s: "Love Is a Battlefield," "The Best," and so many more. I loved hearing her stories of how she got together with the artists and different songwriters and how the magic was made. I took off one star because I became really invested in her life but she didn't really talk about her 3 marriages or 2 kids until one brief mention at the end. But such a super fun book. And I'm glad her professional opinion agrees with mine, that the '80s were a magical time in music.
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May 9, 2023Travel back to the 1980s, back to the big hair, even bigger shoulder pads and the great music of that era with I AM THE WARRIOR: MY CRAZY LIFE WRITING THE HITS AND ROCKING THE MTV EIGHTIES by Holly Knight.
Read the full review on BookTrib.com
Read the full review on BookTrib.com
January 16, 2023
Knight was in the thick of it in 80s and created iconic songs for the decade. Her stories are as diverse as her songs. Great read.
December 13, 2022
Heart’s “Never,” Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield,” Scandal’s “The Warrior,” Rod Stewart’s “Love Touch,’ Spider’s “Better Be Good to Me,” and Tina Turner’s “One of the Living”—one songwriter created these hits: the one and only Holly Knight. Her name became recognizable to me when I read song credits and noticed how many of these great songs were by her. And when the video for Device’s “Hanging on a Heart Attack” debuted on MTV, I recognized her to my delight.
This memoir from one of the top songwriters of the 1980s details Holly Knight’s early life in New York, her connection with Blondie producer Mike Chapman, her brief membership in the group Spider, where she wrote “Better Be Good To Me,” and her reputation as a hitmaker. There are fond remembrances of her collaboration with Mike Chapman, meetings with Heart, Jon Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart, Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, and Paul Young, but she waxes the fondest of Kathy Valentine, Go-Gos bassist, and Tina Turner, who covered “Better Be Good To Me” and “The Best”—Bonnie Tyler sung it before her. The process of songwriting and the reactions to the finalized versions of the songs are of interest here.
What strikes me is the humble tone and apparent joy as she rises to the ranks of ace songwriter. Despite the 1980s being seen as a decade of decadence, Holly Knight keeps the reader focused not only on her songwriting collaborations and meetings with artists, but her own life beyond that. The book does not have a braggadocio tone of someone who relished the decadence of the 1980s, neither is it negative.
An account of one of my songwriting heroes that's well-worth reading!
This memoir from one of the top songwriters of the 1980s details Holly Knight’s early life in New York, her connection with Blondie producer Mike Chapman, her brief membership in the group Spider, where she wrote “Better Be Good To Me,” and her reputation as a hitmaker. There are fond remembrances of her collaboration with Mike Chapman, meetings with Heart, Jon Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart, Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, and Paul Young, but she waxes the fondest of Kathy Valentine, Go-Gos bassist, and Tina Turner, who covered “Better Be Good To Me” and “The Best”—Bonnie Tyler sung it before her. The process of songwriting and the reactions to the finalized versions of the songs are of interest here.
What strikes me is the humble tone and apparent joy as she rises to the ranks of ace songwriter. Despite the 1980s being seen as a decade of decadence, Holly Knight keeps the reader focused not only on her songwriting collaborations and meetings with artists, but her own life beyond that. The book does not have a braggadocio tone of someone who relished the decadence of the 1980s, neither is it negative.
An account of one of my songwriting heroes that's well-worth reading!
March 20, 2023
Read by the author, I Am The Warrior, takes you on a wild ride from an apartment in New York City to the canyons in LA and leaves no stone unturned and no story untold in the journey of arguably the most successful female songwriter in the MTV 80’s. A must read for anyone interested in the music business and especially American Pop Music of that era.
Holly Harris worked with (and slept with) some of the biggest stars and made it to the top on her own terms at a time when women were not invited to the boys club party that was the music industry.
Made me nostalgic for the days when MTV was about music and was really relevant as a taste maker. Completely fascinating listening, although I can’t help but feel envious of Hollys liaisons and her respect and success. As someone who’s worked her entire life in the music business I appreciate her candor and the way she let nothing and no one stand in her way. Kudos.
Holly Harris worked with (and slept with) some of the biggest stars and made it to the top on her own terms at a time when women were not invited to the boys club party that was the music industry.
Made me nostalgic for the days when MTV was about music and was really relevant as a taste maker. Completely fascinating listening, although I can’t help but feel envious of Hollys liaisons and her respect and success. As someone who’s worked her entire life in the music business I appreciate her candor and the way she let nothing and no one stand in her way. Kudos.
December 11, 2022
Holly Knight’s self titled project is one of my all-time favorite albums so I was looking forward to hearing a bit about it. I was surprised to read that: “If I could find every copy and burn it to the ground I would”. Wow!
Good quick read if you have a connection to any of the songs she’s written. Especially, probably, if you lived through the era in which they were released (I did not). Otherwise it’s still an interesting account of living through the 80’s and making a career writing music for some of the most popular musicians at the the time.
Cool!
Good quick read if you have a connection to any of the songs she’s written. Especially, probably, if you lived through the era in which they were released (I did not). Otherwise it’s still an interesting account of living through the 80’s and making a career writing music for some of the most popular musicians at the the time.
Cool!
August 16, 2023
I was a very young girl in the east bay of the San Francisco Bay area; on the border between Piedmont and Oakland. I was in Berkeley at either Leopold’s or. The original Rasputin‘s records, or possibly Tower? I can’t remember but when I heard Spider “New Romance” I never forgot it! Holly Knight beautifully articulates the phenomenon of about times changing and times would change very radically for me and the Bay Area but I could always go and listen to that one track and BE RIGHT BACK THERE!. I still can today. It’s such a beautiful musical reflection of being a woman falling in love and it’s that great rock sound that you can’t pin into any one genre. A little new wave, a little punk and little hard rock. Just the perfect combo . I had put off reading this for about a year and finally got around to it! Such a wonderful memoir! It’s nice to know that one of the most important, female singer songwriters/musicians has such a close affinity and connectedness to rock and hard rock. There’s some thing about pop music thats…while not completely bad just usually derivative especially after the year 2005. Holly really gives the reader a new found respect for the craft of the classic rock song. All rockers need to read this book! This is really great memoir! I just finished and will add more to this in a few days to make this a lengthier review! I remember seeing her in Device in loving the video with the dancing Death goth man! Pure genius. Again it’s late but I had to leave a review and I will come back and finish it this week. THANK YOU HOLLY!
October 14, 2023
I was a huge fan of Holly Knight's first band, Spider, where she cut her songwriting chops with songs like Change (later made famous by John Waite) and Better be Good to Me (later made massive by Tina Turner). The first few chapters of Knight's book do focus on her career with Spider, which only last two albums, and ended rather poorly, yet it launched the keyboard player into a highly successful career as a hit songwriter for rock icons such as the afore-mentioned Turner, as well as Pat Benatar, Heart, Aerosmith, Hall & Oates, Kiss and many, many more.
Knight's songs were synonymous with the 80's and the excesses of MTV. In her memoir, Knight's writing focuses on just those aspects of her career -- excesses, hits, and starfucking... maybe a bit too much of the latter. I really didn't need to know about all the rock stars that she slept with, but she seemed bound to share that with her reading audience. The book was a quick, easy read, and there were certainly some fun moments, but overall, it's pretty slight, and like the 80's filled with nostalgia of a time gone by.
Knight's songs were synonymous with the 80's and the excesses of MTV. In her memoir, Knight's writing focuses on just those aspects of her career -- excesses, hits, and starfucking... maybe a bit too much of the latter. I really didn't need to know about all the rock stars that she slept with, but she seemed bound to share that with her reading audience. The book was a quick, easy read, and there were certainly some fun moments, but overall, it's pretty slight, and like the 80's filled with nostalgia of a time gone by.
May 23, 2023
If you are a fan of music, especially the Eighties, you will love this book. I normally am not a big auto/bio fan but I didn't want this book to end. Holly Knight wrote this like she writes songs, it was to the point, powerful and engaging. The stories of the relationships she had, the songs she wrote and her path to get her to being a Hall of Fame songwriter kept me wanting more. She made herself what she is using her given talent and guts. She does it without regret and doesn't apologize for doing things the way that she wanted to, which too many people don't admit. Many biographies can be wordy and stuffy, too much information but this book left me wishing that I could meet Holly Knight and just sit and listen to her talk for hours. I am a fan of her music, having never known it was her songs until I heard her on a podcast. Having the talent to write a song to me is a wonderful gift, she has that and isn't afraid to share that gift.
June 3, 2024
I stumbled upon this book after listening to “Change,” performed by John Waite, which is such a great song, and I found myself googling to learn more about the song. I soon learned that its author, Holly Knight, had authored a slew of other absolutely wonderful songs that I have known for many years. Songs by Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, Aerosmith, Heart and so much more. When I saw this memoir available, I quickly downloaded it. I loved hearing the stories behind all these terrific songs, and about the musicians I grew up listening to. Holly’s story is inspiring and impressive. A bonus to the Audible version: demos at the end of the chapters about that song. Great, fun book!
A couple of quotes I took note of from the book:
“Adversity is not the enemy. It’s a gift.if you want something bad enough, you have to show the world that you’re not screwing around.”
“Love and creativity contain the same energy; they are one and the same.”
A couple of quotes I took note of from the book:
“Adversity is not the enemy. It’s a gift.if you want something bad enough, you have to show the world that you’re not screwing around.”
“Love and creativity contain the same energy; they are one and the same.”
December 10, 2024
I'm a songwriter, and this book was utterly inspiring for that, even more so since it was written by such a successful woman in the business. What a tremendous wealth of songs she's written, and great stories about how the songs got written! But I ultimately was glad to be done with the book and at the end pushed myself to finish reading it, since I couldn't take much more of "I wrote a song with this guy, and then I slept with him." With one musician, she even admitted that she had two goals: to write a song with him and to sleep with him. Utterly indiscreet and apparently indiscriminate: at one point I think she slept with three different members of the same band (Kiss). Ew. I'd rather hear about the music. (When male musicians sleep around, I don't want to hear about that, either.) It was refreshing when she wrote with and for women, like Tina Turner and Nancy and Ann Wilson. Because she didn't bat for that team, I didn't have to read about her sleeping with them, too.
May 10, 2023
Brilliant escape into the 1980s in the Music Business from someone who clearly had been in the vortex of it all. A woman. A brilliant songwriter. Holly was often ignored, maligned and cast aside by the male hierarchy. But the women, those gals had her back. From her song, "The Best" for Tina Tuner. To "Pleasure and Pain" for the Divinyls. To cowriting with the Wilson sisters for Heart. To the epic anthems for Pat Benatar and others, to KISS and Aerosmith. I had to force myself to only read one chapter a day to savor the depth and breadth of her historical remembrance. Truly a must read for anyone who wants to know how it really was back in the day. From John Kolodner to Charlie Sexton, this book really takes you on a tour of the music business (for better and for worse). HIGHLY recommend it. Did NOT want it to end.
June 12, 2023
I’m a child of the 80’s so hearing about how some of the classic songs of that time were written and pitched was so interesting. Holly Knight wrote so many great songs! She penned Change (John Waite), The Best (Tina Turner), Ragdoll (Aerosmith), Love is a Battlefield (Pat Benatar), The Warrior (Scandal) and so many other great songs. Being a songwriter does not always get the recognition it deserves, but what an unsung talent to come up songs that conveys both emotions and feelings with just words. Such a good book of real life, honest stories of the music industry and working directly with musicians. Loved this book!
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October 9, 2024A quick read and total brain candy as I knew every single song she talked about. Holly can seriously write music and damn good music but just cannot write a book. She talked about (almost whined) about how women were (and still are) treated in the music industry. Yeah, we know this but it got exhaustive. Her name-dropping of famous people she had sex with totally cheapened her story. At times, she came across as a very unhappy person who could never get enough accolades for her talent. It was interesting to hear about her song writing experiences and forming her own band (Device, fricking love that band!). Everything else was drivel.
December 18, 2023
This book didn't provide the amount of emotional engagement I need to really enjoy a memoir. It felt very logistical and covered mostly details that pertained specifically to Knight's song-writing career. There wasn't much introspection or reflection on Knight's part. I've read memoirs by others in the music industry around the same time (e.g., Ozzy, Billy Idol) and found that those authors were more vulnerable in their retellings. Knight didn't shy away from telling her readers who she slept with, but she comes off as very removed from the experience.
September 17, 2025
If you were a fan of MTV back in the day then you are familiar with the work of Holly Knight as she wrote some of the biggest hits of that era- "Love is a Batterfield," "The Best," "Love Touch" etc. In this book she devotes a chapter to each of her hit songs going into dishy detail about the writing of each one. This is a fast, breezy read with plenty of name dropping and while not particularly insightful it is a fun read that captures the excitement and the craziness of the '80s music biz.
January 22, 2025
This woman has stories for days!! And to top it all off, she shares them with you as if you were her best friend sitting on her couch. Such a fun read, I can't recommend it enough. One of my favorite albums of all time is Devices 22b3 album, it was great to hear the behind the scenes tea. I won't say any more, but her journey through the 80's is such a wild ride...I wish I could of been a fly on the wall during some of those sessions!!
January 11, 2023
Holly's open and honest retelling of her life's path and rise to success is both engrossing and uplifting. It's also a great read for music lovers because she shares many music-making tips and song craftsmanship. She's the real deal and tells it like it was, like it is in the music world and business.
February 19, 2023
Hard rock history
Great book with so much classic rock history, breezed through it in a day just couldn’t put it down superb!
Great book with so much classic rock history, breezed through it in a day just couldn’t put it down superb!
March 14, 2023
Great read and excellent trip down the MTV Eighties yellow brick road and what a journey it is. Must read for any fan of Eighties Music.
May 6, 2023
Rating 4.5
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