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Street Player: My Chicago Story
The inside story of Chicago, one of the most successful and enduring rock bands ever With their distinctive blending of soulful rock and horn-infused urban jazz, Chicago has thrilled music fans for more than forty years with their lyrical brilliance. In this no-holds-barred memoir, legendary rocker Danny Seraphine shares his dramatic—and often shocking—experiences as the popular supergroup's cofounder and longtime drummer. He reveals behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Chicago’s beginnings as the house band at Los Angeles's legendary Whisky A Go Go, where they were discovered by music icons Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, and personal insights about the group’s many comebacks and reinventions over the years. Whether you're a diehard Chicago fan or just love a well-told rock-and-roll memoir, Street Player will entertain and surprise you.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 23, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 19, 2017
Growing up in the 60s, 70s and 80s, I enjoyed the music of Chicago passively, primarily being a Beatles fan. I remember buying the 45 record single of "If You Leave Me Now" and also "You're the Inspiration" and "Hard Habit to Break". I also purchased a boxed set of Chicago CDs for my husband one Christmas.
However, my interest in Chicago was piqued during their recent induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I had never realized such tragedy and drama swirled around their history until I watched their acceptance speeches. I found out that their original lead guitarist Terry Kath had died and his daughter was onstage accepting in his place. I also learned that legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix had stated that Terry Kath was a better guitarist than he was. The other acceptance speech that really lured me in, though, was from Chicago's original drummer Danny Seraphine. He said that he hadn't played with the band in 25 years, and was very emotional about it. He couldn't wait to play with his band members again after the speeches were over. Danny also dropped a couple of F bombs and griped about the off stage prompts to wrap up his speech. I wondered what actually had killed the lead guitarist Terry Kath, and why wasn't Danny Seraphine Chicago's drummer anymore? The furtive glances the other band members gave Danny as he spoke were very provocative and I wanted to find out more. I saw that Danny had written his own book, so was eager to delve into it.
The book starts off literally with a bang with the shocking and heartbreaking self-inflicted accidental gunshot death of Chicago's guitarist, Terry Kath. Once the body bag (too short for the very tall Terry Kath...his ever present cowboy boots are sticking out of the end) is driven away, the story rewinds to Danny's birth and youth. Danny describes his "street" credentials as he gravitated towards the mob, never truly inside it but always dancing at its edges. As a youngster the one thing that kept him out of trouble was sitting on the floor playing with pots and pans for drums. These became his outlet and salvation as he eventually procured real drums and drumming situations.
Danny takes you through the building of the band Chicago (which started out as CTA...Chicago Transit Authority) and all its albums and lineups through the decades. The final lineup change for him was his own exit from the band which resulted following a band vote. There were two main reasons why he was voted out of the band, but I'll leave that a mystery for the reader to unfold. Danny married and had kids several times. He also considered himself the business mind of the band, a mantle he took over when the band was screwed over in its first contract. His life and the story of Chicago the band was an interesting read.
However, my interest in Chicago was piqued during their recent induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I had never realized such tragedy and drama swirled around their history until I watched their acceptance speeches. I found out that their original lead guitarist Terry Kath had died and his daughter was onstage accepting in his place. I also learned that legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix had stated that Terry Kath was a better guitarist than he was. The other acceptance speech that really lured me in, though, was from Chicago's original drummer Danny Seraphine. He said that he hadn't played with the band in 25 years, and was very emotional about it. He couldn't wait to play with his band members again after the speeches were over. Danny also dropped a couple of F bombs and griped about the off stage prompts to wrap up his speech. I wondered what actually had killed the lead guitarist Terry Kath, and why wasn't Danny Seraphine Chicago's drummer anymore? The furtive glances the other band members gave Danny as he spoke were very provocative and I wanted to find out more. I saw that Danny had written his own book, so was eager to delve into it.
The book starts off literally with a bang with the shocking and heartbreaking self-inflicted accidental gunshot death of Chicago's guitarist, Terry Kath. Once the body bag (too short for the very tall Terry Kath...his ever present cowboy boots are sticking out of the end) is driven away, the story rewinds to Danny's birth and youth. Danny describes his "street" credentials as he gravitated towards the mob, never truly inside it but always dancing at its edges. As a youngster the one thing that kept him out of trouble was sitting on the floor playing with pots and pans for drums. These became his outlet and salvation as he eventually procured real drums and drumming situations.
Danny takes you through the building of the band Chicago (which started out as CTA...Chicago Transit Authority) and all its albums and lineups through the decades. The final lineup change for him was his own exit from the band which resulted following a band vote. There were two main reasons why he was voted out of the band, but I'll leave that a mystery for the reader to unfold. Danny married and had kids several times. He also considered himself the business mind of the band, a mantle he took over when the band was screwed over in its first contract. His life and the story of Chicago the band was an interesting read.
November 18, 2022
When I was a teenager in the 1980’s, Chicago wasn’t cool. At least not in the circle of hard rock and heavy metal fans I identified with. They were known for soft rock at the time. Everyone understood that they had some rocking tunes from the old days, but it was horn music, and that wasn’t really cool either. They were all over mainstream radio, which was another strike against them as my tastes evolved to Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits and other things non-commercial. Then I was on to jazz, and with so much of that to explore, I spent the next thirty years being bored and impatient with most rock and roll.
Then one day, at the tender age of 51, I tuned in to FM radio and landed on a song I’d always liked, but hadn’t heard in ages: “Make Me Smile” by Chicago. I was in a good mood at the time, and the song hit me just right. I cranked up the volume, sang along with the chorus, and realized with some amazement that this had to be one of the greatest songs I’d ever heard. I knew it was Chicago, that faceless band with no famous members, but I was dying to know: “Who is the black guy singing, and who is the badass drummer?
My research led me to Terry Kath, a white guy who was the greatest guitar hero I’d never heard of, and Danny Seraphine, who sounded more like Buddy Rich than most jazz drummers. I learned that Chicago’s rightful place in popular music was more alongside Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa then Ambrosia and Christopher Cross. That night, my wife and I binged on Chicago and had a blast discovering and rediscovering all this incredible music. We knew so many of these songs from hearing them countless times on the air, but it was the first time we’d ever truly appreciated them. Even the soft rock from the 80’s had its charms. I was smitten, so when I found out Danny Seraphine had an autobiography, I ordered it right away.
My biggest surprise was how authentically Windy City Danny is. Chicago moved to Los Angeles early in their career, and their sophisticated arrangements and refined talents had me thinking they were cut from the same cloth as Toto: kids from prosperous families of professional musicians. Danny, though, was an Italian kid from a low-income, working-class family in inner-city Chicago. He dropped out of high school, joined a hardcore street gang, and became a father at age 16. He was a street corner guy and self-taught drummer who seemed more destined for a career with the Chicago Outfit than as a professional musician. Such authenticity matters, because it finds its way into the music: Johnny Cash wouldn’t sound like Johnny Cash if he hadn’t grown up as a hardscrabble sharecropper in Arkansas; Dolly Parton would come off as a phony if she weren’t actually one of 10 kids from a backwoods holler in Appalachia; Billie Holiday could move people to tears because she actually lived the blues. Many musicians make wonderful music without being “authentic” in this sense, but listeners can detect authenticity, and it adds gravitas to the music. Danny Seraphine’s background is firmly rooted in the gritty streets of Chicago, and the angst and intensity and authenticity of his lived experience merged with his drumming and musicianship to both anchor and propel Chicago’s music.
Danny’s jazz bona fides set him apart from most rock musicians. He actually studied with Papa Joe Jones, and his reverence for jazz music and jazz musicians was key in shaping and maintaining Chicago’s unique sound. There’s a photo in the book of a drum clinic that Danny presented alongside Grady Tate, yet there’s no mention of it in the narrative. I found other examples of Danny’s jazz experiences online that were sadly missing from the book. This is too bad, because jazz is an important factor in what makes Danny significant and unique. My guess is that his co-author and publisher reigned him in for the sake of popular demand. “Give us more Janis Joplin and less Cozy Cole, Danny.”
I thought I had read just about everything that had been written about Tony “The Ant” Spilotro, so I was astonished to learn about Danny’s experiences with the notorious mobster from Danny’s old neighborhood. I won’t add any spoilers; get the book and treat yourself to these fascinating details.
Chicago was foolish to fire Danny. Fans love original members. When we buy tickets to a show, we want to know that the band we’re paying for is as close to possible as same band we’ve come to love over the years. Even if (theoretically) Danny’s replacement had more chops or better time, the vast majority of fans wouldn’t care; we want authenticity, and if an original member is still capable, that’s who we want. When they fired Danny, they also lost their living link to the streets of the very town they named themselves after. Besides, if I’m not mistaken, nobody who’s played with Chicago since Danny is as highly regarded among drummers as he is.
I don’t blame Danny for holding onto his pain about being kicked out of the band. He had been playing with these guys since he was 16, and Chicago was his life and his identity. He was completely devoted to the band that he helped found, shape, and flourish. It was his life’s work, and it was pulled out from under him. But Danny is fair and kind to his bandmates, whom he seems to still love. He doesn’t throw cheap shots or dig up dirt, and readers see the best in all of them.
Danny’s book is self-reflective; he owns up to his faults and mistakes and he comes off as utterly human. It’s incredibly humbling when he goes from living in exquisite homes to a pop-up trailer. This is a story about a rock star who is also an ordinary and relatable man.
I’m very happy to know that Danny is flourishing with his “new” band, California Transit Authority, and I hope to catch them live the next time I’m in L.A.
Then one day, at the tender age of 51, I tuned in to FM radio and landed on a song I’d always liked, but hadn’t heard in ages: “Make Me Smile” by Chicago. I was in a good mood at the time, and the song hit me just right. I cranked up the volume, sang along with the chorus, and realized with some amazement that this had to be one of the greatest songs I’d ever heard. I knew it was Chicago, that faceless band with no famous members, but I was dying to know: “Who is the black guy singing, and who is the badass drummer?
My research led me to Terry Kath, a white guy who was the greatest guitar hero I’d never heard of, and Danny Seraphine, who sounded more like Buddy Rich than most jazz drummers. I learned that Chicago’s rightful place in popular music was more alongside Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa then Ambrosia and Christopher Cross. That night, my wife and I binged on Chicago and had a blast discovering and rediscovering all this incredible music. We knew so many of these songs from hearing them countless times on the air, but it was the first time we’d ever truly appreciated them. Even the soft rock from the 80’s had its charms. I was smitten, so when I found out Danny Seraphine had an autobiography, I ordered it right away.
My biggest surprise was how authentically Windy City Danny is. Chicago moved to Los Angeles early in their career, and their sophisticated arrangements and refined talents had me thinking they were cut from the same cloth as Toto: kids from prosperous families of professional musicians. Danny, though, was an Italian kid from a low-income, working-class family in inner-city Chicago. He dropped out of high school, joined a hardcore street gang, and became a father at age 16. He was a street corner guy and self-taught drummer who seemed more destined for a career with the Chicago Outfit than as a professional musician. Such authenticity matters, because it finds its way into the music: Johnny Cash wouldn’t sound like Johnny Cash if he hadn’t grown up as a hardscrabble sharecropper in Arkansas; Dolly Parton would come off as a phony if she weren’t actually one of 10 kids from a backwoods holler in Appalachia; Billie Holiday could move people to tears because she actually lived the blues. Many musicians make wonderful music without being “authentic” in this sense, but listeners can detect authenticity, and it adds gravitas to the music. Danny Seraphine’s background is firmly rooted in the gritty streets of Chicago, and the angst and intensity and authenticity of his lived experience merged with his drumming and musicianship to both anchor and propel Chicago’s music.
Danny’s jazz bona fides set him apart from most rock musicians. He actually studied with Papa Joe Jones, and his reverence for jazz music and jazz musicians was key in shaping and maintaining Chicago’s unique sound. There’s a photo in the book of a drum clinic that Danny presented alongside Grady Tate, yet there’s no mention of it in the narrative. I found other examples of Danny’s jazz experiences online that were sadly missing from the book. This is too bad, because jazz is an important factor in what makes Danny significant and unique. My guess is that his co-author and publisher reigned him in for the sake of popular demand. “Give us more Janis Joplin and less Cozy Cole, Danny.”
I thought I had read just about everything that had been written about Tony “The Ant” Spilotro, so I was astonished to learn about Danny’s experiences with the notorious mobster from Danny’s old neighborhood. I won’t add any spoilers; get the book and treat yourself to these fascinating details.
Chicago was foolish to fire Danny. Fans love original members. When we buy tickets to a show, we want to know that the band we’re paying for is as close to possible as same band we’ve come to love over the years. Even if (theoretically) Danny’s replacement had more chops or better time, the vast majority of fans wouldn’t care; we want authenticity, and if an original member is still capable, that’s who we want. When they fired Danny, they also lost their living link to the streets of the very town they named themselves after. Besides, if I’m not mistaken, nobody who’s played with Chicago since Danny is as highly regarded among drummers as he is.
I don’t blame Danny for holding onto his pain about being kicked out of the band. He had been playing with these guys since he was 16, and Chicago was his life and his identity. He was completely devoted to the band that he helped found, shape, and flourish. It was his life’s work, and it was pulled out from under him. But Danny is fair and kind to his bandmates, whom he seems to still love. He doesn’t throw cheap shots or dig up dirt, and readers see the best in all of them.
Danny’s book is self-reflective; he owns up to his faults and mistakes and he comes off as utterly human. It’s incredibly humbling when he goes from living in exquisite homes to a pop-up trailer. This is a story about a rock star who is also an ordinary and relatable man.
I’m very happy to know that Danny is flourishing with his “new” band, California Transit Authority, and I hope to catch them live the next time I’m in L.A.
March 14, 2012
Well . . ok, look, you're likely to get from this book whatever you'd expect from it. It's lightning fast, full of tasty tales of pop superstardom of the 70's and 80's and all the standard accoutrements of such tales, groupies, lots and lots of coke, betrayal, suicide, shady record execs, etc. I have to admit that i ate it up, i really did. I'm not the biggest Chicago fan, but then again i'm not the biggest Dolly Parton or Waylon Jennings fan either, and i devoured their autobiographies too, as i'm a complete music biography junkie (Dolly's, in particular, is totally recommendable).
Ultimately i feel like i have to knock a couple of stars off for the absolute wealth of eyerollers. If you took all of the colloquial cliches out of this book it'd struggle to make 100 pages. So, you know, not really an abundance of decent writing here. Did i enjoy it? Clearly. One doesn't fly through a book (ANY book) in only a few hours if it's not truly captivating and enjoyable in a very real sense. Recommended? Conditionally. YES, QUITE, IF you're as into reading these types of memoirs as i am. And of course, if you happen to be a fan of Chicago, i would go so far as to say Highly Recommended. All in all, i dug it, and it ended up being a lovely surprise christmas gift.
Ultimately i feel like i have to knock a couple of stars off for the absolute wealth of eyerollers. If you took all of the colloquial cliches out of this book it'd struggle to make 100 pages. So, you know, not really an abundance of decent writing here. Did i enjoy it? Clearly. One doesn't fly through a book (ANY book) in only a few hours if it's not truly captivating and enjoyable in a very real sense. Recommended? Conditionally. YES, QUITE, IF you're as into reading these types of memoirs as i am. And of course, if you happen to be a fan of Chicago, i would go so far as to say Highly Recommended. All in all, i dug it, and it ended up being a lovely surprise christmas gift.
February 23, 2019
It has been no secret for the last five or so years that I'm a fan of Chicago, though I've been listening to their music for at least the last 30 years. Since seeing them in concert in 2015, my interest in them only piqued, and I've obtained their albums, watched their concerts (thanks YouTube), and am even going to see them for a second time this coming April. Anything I can find to watch, listen to, or read, I've tried to do.
In early 2017, I saw the documentary Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago, and heard the story from humble beginnings to stardom, tragedy, struggles, infighting, and re-emerging back into fame. Quite a story for two hours, let me tell you. But it was their story. After seeing it, I found out that Danny Seraphine (Chicago's original drummer/founding member) had written a book about his life and times as Chicago's drummer, a spot he held from 1967 until 1990, when he was unceremoniously kicked out of the group. Of course, I was interested, but it was two years (and a backlog of books) before I could get to this one.
Street Player: My Chicago Story is Seraphine's story - from beginnings in New Little Italy to getting his start drumming, his colorful teenage life, and leaving behind an uncertain future created as a teenager to join several bands, all leading up to the one that became his life's work, and beyond that life, into the present.
It's quite a story, and Danny's telling of it is quite interesting. He's done a few things he is clearly not proud of, but what he is proud of is the legacy he helped pave as one of the founding members of Chicago. His story takes quite a few turns, but it never wavers in how interesting it is.
I loved Danny Seraphine's storytelling - he is quite colorful in his language and descriptions of his life and times. He doesn't hold anything back, and it makes for an interesting - and at times, intense - story of a man's rise from practicing drums in the basement to making a career out of drumming. His recent successes in business came out of his willingness to protect Chicago after what turned out to be years of exploitation by their early management (that story wasn't new to me - he talked about it in the documentary).
I highly recommend Street Player: My Chicago Story (the title is the infamous bomb of a song Seraphine wrote right at the death throes of disco) if you like music history, or are a fan of Chicago. This is a fun read.
Now, if Seraphine were to ever allow movie rights for his story, I'd be all for seeing that...
In early 2017, I saw the documentary Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago, and heard the story from humble beginnings to stardom, tragedy, struggles, infighting, and re-emerging back into fame. Quite a story for two hours, let me tell you. But it was their story. After seeing it, I found out that Danny Seraphine (Chicago's original drummer/founding member) had written a book about his life and times as Chicago's drummer, a spot he held from 1967 until 1990, when he was unceremoniously kicked out of the group. Of course, I was interested, but it was two years (and a backlog of books) before I could get to this one.
Street Player: My Chicago Story is Seraphine's story - from beginnings in New Little Italy to getting his start drumming, his colorful teenage life, and leaving behind an uncertain future created as a teenager to join several bands, all leading up to the one that became his life's work, and beyond that life, into the present.
It's quite a story, and Danny's telling of it is quite interesting. He's done a few things he is clearly not proud of, but what he is proud of is the legacy he helped pave as one of the founding members of Chicago. His story takes quite a few turns, but it never wavers in how interesting it is.
I loved Danny Seraphine's storytelling - he is quite colorful in his language and descriptions of his life and times. He doesn't hold anything back, and it makes for an interesting - and at times, intense - story of a man's rise from practicing drums in the basement to making a career out of drumming. His recent successes in business came out of his willingness to protect Chicago after what turned out to be years of exploitation by their early management (that story wasn't new to me - he talked about it in the documentary).
I highly recommend Street Player: My Chicago Story (the title is the infamous bomb of a song Seraphine wrote right at the death throes of disco) if you like music history, or are a fan of Chicago. This is a fun read.
Now, if Seraphine were to ever allow movie rights for his story, I'd be all for seeing that...
February 12, 2011
Drummer Danny Seraphine is the first member of Chicago to pen an autobiography, and he tells plenty in this brutally honest memoir. As a long-time fan of the band who owns every album Chicago released, I savored "Street Player" and hope other former or current members write their own autobiography. It would be intriguing to see if their stories mesh with Seraphine's version of how things went down -- especially Seraphine's sacking from the band he helped found.
December 7, 2017
If you are a fan of CTA/Chicago/California Transit Authority or of pop music in general, you will enjoy this read. Ultimately, it is the rise/fall/rise story of Chicago's incredible drummer and founding member, Danny Seraphine. His personal journey, still in progress, puts him in a good place but the ride has been bumpy and bitterly dark in spots. I was repeatedly impressed with the depth of emotion shared as this high-strung, tempestuous kid off the streets of Chicago has been saved by his music multiple times over his life.
In 1990, Seraphine was fired from the group he helped form in 1969, and helped propel to astonishing popular and critical acclaim. Chicago was a self-described “faceless” band composed of seven very musical individuals, and it was this tightly bound brotherhood that would create fresh new music for many years. Sadly in 1978, the death of their brilliant guitarist/writer/vocalist/onstage leader, Terry Kath, irreparably changed the group’s direction, drive and dynamics. Like other bands with loss, Chicago would carry on and over the years continue to morph into a new band with many new personnel, achieving varying levels of success and relevancy. Still, Seraphine’s exit meant cutting ties with arguably the finest jazz rock drummer of our time. No doubt things must have gotten bad. From Seraphine’s perspective, he describes the complex breakdown of the original brotherhood and the myriad issues that caused it all to change, but more importantly how it completely turned over his life, even forcing him out of his beloved music for a few years, as he had to take stock of things without his Chicago brothers and band. That there was a deep personal rejection from them and cowardice with the firing puts it mildly.
Finally, we are taken to the present, to see how Seraphine has rebuilt and put his life back together, how he started playing again, and how the love of his family, fans and followers have brought public support for his newer projects. It is an impressive return. He seems to be in a good place at press time and I’m sure the writing process was therapeutic.
In 1990, Seraphine was fired from the group he helped form in 1969, and helped propel to astonishing popular and critical acclaim. Chicago was a self-described “faceless” band composed of seven very musical individuals, and it was this tightly bound brotherhood that would create fresh new music for many years. Sadly in 1978, the death of their brilliant guitarist/writer/vocalist/onstage leader, Terry Kath, irreparably changed the group’s direction, drive and dynamics. Like other bands with loss, Chicago would carry on and over the years continue to morph into a new band with many new personnel, achieving varying levels of success and relevancy. Still, Seraphine’s exit meant cutting ties with arguably the finest jazz rock drummer of our time. No doubt things must have gotten bad. From Seraphine’s perspective, he describes the complex breakdown of the original brotherhood and the myriad issues that caused it all to change, but more importantly how it completely turned over his life, even forcing him out of his beloved music for a few years, as he had to take stock of things without his Chicago brothers and band. That there was a deep personal rejection from them and cowardice with the firing puts it mildly.
Finally, we are taken to the present, to see how Seraphine has rebuilt and put his life back together, how he started playing again, and how the love of his family, fans and followers have brought public support for his newer projects. It is an impressive return. He seems to be in a good place at press time and I’m sure the writing process was therapeutic.
April 26, 2019
as written by one of its founders. Danny Seraphine grew up in the streets of Little Italy in Chicago, only son of Italian-American parents. A child with unbounded energy, his mother bought him a practice pad when she found him banging on kitchen pots-and-pans. That early practice pad evolved into a real set of drums, and young Danny had found his purpose in life. He practiced his drums, while making connections with other neighborhood musicians, and after he left school at 16, he began to make a living at playing the drums. Small garage bands grew into larger ones until finally he was asked to leave Chicago (the city, not the band) and move to Los Angeles to try his hand at the musical "big time".
By the 1960's he found himself enmeshed in the musical scene in LA and formed a band, that after a series of names, finally touched on "Chicago" as its identity. And the band "took off"; the music the six members produced was timely, lyrical, and beautiful. "Chicago" was world-famous and performed at venues world-wide. But, as the 1970's went on, Seraphine was trapped by the by-products of rock music success; women, drugs, drink, and band in-fighting. I suspect that all bands go through stages in their existence and most end the way "Chicago" ended. Seraphine was "voted" out of the band in the 1980's - this after band memberz Terry Kath had died and Peter Cetera went off as a "single" - and the band "Chicago" lost most of its identity. Seraphine has since put a smaller band together.
Most auto-biographies are, by nature, self-edited. I suspect Danny Seraphine is fairly upfront with the reader about the events of his life, which included four or five children by three different women, "connections" with Chicago mob-leaders, and his drug-taking. He's now in his early 60's and if what he writes is fairly true, he's lived quite a life. His autobiography is interesting and well-written.
By the 1960's he found himself enmeshed in the musical scene in LA and formed a band, that after a series of names, finally touched on "Chicago" as its identity. And the band "took off"; the music the six members produced was timely, lyrical, and beautiful. "Chicago" was world-famous and performed at venues world-wide. But, as the 1970's went on, Seraphine was trapped by the by-products of rock music success; women, drugs, drink, and band in-fighting. I suspect that all bands go through stages in their existence and most end the way "Chicago" ended. Seraphine was "voted" out of the band in the 1980's - this after band memberz Terry Kath had died and Peter Cetera went off as a "single" - and the band "Chicago" lost most of its identity. Seraphine has since put a smaller band together.
Most auto-biographies are, by nature, self-edited. I suspect Danny Seraphine is fairly upfront with the reader about the events of his life, which included four or five children by three different women, "connections" with Chicago mob-leaders, and his drug-taking. He's now in his early 60's and if what he writes is fairly true, he's lived quite a life. His autobiography is interesting and well-written.
June 14, 2023
“Street Player – My Chicago Story” by original drummer, Danny Seraphine, goes down as one of my favorite rock music autobiographies. Part of the reason is because I am a huge Chicago fan – particularly of their 1970’s era – but also because despite Chicago being a legendary rock band (with horns), Seraphine doesn’t engage in a bragfest the way many authors of music autobiographies do. Chicago’s stellar musicianship (consisting of invigorating live performances and top notch songwriting) speaks for itself, and it was refreshing to read a musician’s biography in which the author wasn’t trying to drill their band’s iconic status into my mind. Instead, Seraphine takes the reader on a journey of what it was like to be a founding member of Chicago. He recounts how he and all the members matured over time as they struggled to deal with fame. He writes in a clear, relatable voice, and he tries not to point fingers of blame at others while still having the guts to tell the whole story as he remembers it. Seraphine’s chapters on original guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, Terry Kath’s, death are so emotional, they are the stuff literary novels are made of. Throughout the book, instead of readers getting smooth-talked by one of the greatest drummers of all time, Seraphine writes with openness, honesty, and sensitivity. He’s human, just like all of us, and this comes across, which is what makes “Street Player” such a compelling read and one that anyone would enjoy, even if they aren’t familiar with the band.
August 25, 2018
An incredible read into the birth and development of Chicago through the eyes of the innovator of the group, the greatest drummer Danny Seraphine.
This book sheds the protective layer that has always surrounded the group and lays bare the insights from initial beginnings through the unexpected changes of personnel that made up Chicago over the years.
I strongly recommend reading this book to learn about the high and low points of the greatest rock band ever. Full of surprises, and especially the unexpected battle with labels reducing the band to a cover group of their own works.
My biggest unanswered question is why there was such a long spell of new original songs from the members. Too many solo releases? Record label hinderances?
Today, the members change so quickly with the group I can’t keep up.
This book sheds the protective layer that has always surrounded the group and lays bare the insights from initial beginnings through the unexpected changes of personnel that made up Chicago over the years.
I strongly recommend reading this book to learn about the high and low points of the greatest rock band ever. Full of surprises, and especially the unexpected battle with labels reducing the band to a cover group of their own works.
My biggest unanswered question is why there was such a long spell of new original songs from the members. Too many solo releases? Record label hinderances?
Today, the members change so quickly with the group I can’t keep up.
May 27, 2023
Danny has interesting stories to tell, especially about the early years of the band. But boy does he have an axe to grind and scores to settle. Also, it's annoying when musicians and other authors convince us over and over that they are just regular, normal down-to-earth people (and in Danny's case an apparent tough guy from the streets) who are never awed or taken in by celebrity status... and then proceed to name drop celebrity encounters throughout their story. Danny's story also makes it clear that money, popularity, and status became the number 1 driver in Chicago's existence. Screw the quality of the lyrics or songcraft, or their credibility as musicians and artists. It was more important to sell out to the trends of the day and the wishes of record company execs. An ugly story, overall.
January 9, 2019
This book is for fans of the rock band Chicago. You've all heard some of the stories. But Danny gives us the insider's look we've always wanted, along with his personal journey from literal 'street' player to founder of one of the most successful rock bands of the 70's and 80's. Chicago, the band, was his way out of Chicago, the city.
It's a fast read, full of sex and drugs and rock-and-roll (obviously). It's also filled with street brawls, mob connections and shady record executives. Danny doesn't hold anything back. He freely admits he hasn't always been the nicest person or easy to get along with. Based on his recollections, it's a wonder that anyone in the band is still alive. But he is. And they are. And life goes on.
It's a fast read, full of sex and drugs and rock-and-roll (obviously). It's also filled with street brawls, mob connections and shady record executives. Danny doesn't hold anything back. He freely admits he hasn't always been the nicest person or easy to get along with. Based on his recollections, it's a wonder that anyone in the band is still alive. But he is. And they are. And life goes on.
January 16, 2020
A band so great they named a city after them. In early 1967, 6 musicians from Chicago agreed to form a band where the focus was the music, not the personalities. Danny Seraphane, the original drummer for the band that would become Chicago tells his story about the origins and the rise to fame of one of the 1970s and 80s greatest rock bands. Obviously the stories are from Seraphane's prospective and may not necessarily jive with the recollections of other band members. Nevertheless, Seraphane seems to be honest about his own mistakes and weaknesses. This is a fast read with lots of great stories and some great photos as well. If you have any interest in the band, you have to read this book.
September 26, 2020
I am a HUGE Chicago fan, and have been seeing them in concert since 1976, so I was interested to see what Danny had to say about the group. I was disappointed, because a lot of the stuff he mentioned, I have read in numerous other publications a different version such as what happened during Terry Kath's death. Some of the insights were great, but all it was was "I started the band, I did this, I brought in this person," with no credit given to the other members and what they contributed. This was not what I expected at all, as I've read quite a few autobiographies of musicians, and this one I think is the worst one, which is sad, as I was sorry to hear when he left the band.
April 9, 2020
This was an excellent bio of the band Chicago through the eyes of the drummer/founding member Danny Seraphine. Enjoyable and very interesting cover to cover.
Can I just say, after reading the bios over over 40 famous musicians and Rock bands over the last few years, NEVER marry a successful musician and expect your marriage to last. Another take away from all those bios? There are no true friends that won't turn against you when it really comes down to it. You can really only trust yourself, and sometimes not even then.
Can I just say, after reading the bios over over 40 famous musicians and Rock bands over the last few years, NEVER marry a successful musician and expect your marriage to last. Another take away from all those bios? There are no true friends that won't turn against you when it really comes down to it. You can really only trust yourself, and sometimes not even then.
October 2, 2020
After watching Chicago's documentary and then seeing their Hall of Fame induction speeches I had to get this book. I had never realized there was so much drama with this band. I was never totally into their music but I gave them their due. This has everything, sex, drugs and rock and roll, bad business deals, in-fighting, clashes of egos, etc. Danny Seraphine (original drummer and one of the bands founders) tells everything (at least from his point-of-view) from the early band beginnings, band success, the accidental death of Terry Kath (their lead guitar player), the problems with his personal life, the departure of Peter Cetera, and finally his own dismissal from the band. While he seems to be brutally honest about why he was let go, I still think there is something he isn't telling us. He does admit to being somewhat of a jerk. But after watching the Chicago documentary I counted a few other jerks in the band.
He has been out of the band now since 1990. He was hoping to put everything in past and reunite as friends with some of the founding members. (He is enjoying success with his own band now - CTA). They at least let him play at the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sadly, after it was over they all shunned him again. Still a good read whatever the truth may be.
He has been out of the band now since 1990. He was hoping to put everything in past and reunite as friends with some of the founding members. (He is enjoying success with his own band now - CTA). They at least let him play at the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sadly, after it was over they all shunned him again. Still a good read whatever the truth may be.
June 23, 2022
As a massive, lifelong fan of Chicago, and also a fan of “band books”, this really was enjoyable. Danny Seraphine was/is one of the world’s best drummers in rock music, and reading his life’s story was wonderful. Loved his perspective on the rise of the band, and his falling out with them. The book is a little old at this point, and much has taken place since it’s release, but I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys Chicago, or a good story about a band. The book read very quickly, and is very easy to get lost in. I very much enjoyed it!
December 23, 2021
Solid rock bio from a criminally underrated drummer. Danny wrote two of my favorite Chicago songs (Take Me Back to Chicago and Little One), so there was a natural interest in his perspective. The Now More Than Ever documentary (awesome, but I preferred The Terry Kath Experience) had also left me wanting more behind-the-scenes information. Danny comes across as sincere and levelheaded, and while taking a few shots at his former associates and bandmates, he owns up to his own shortcomings.
August 3, 2017
I'm not sure how interesting this book will be to non-fans of Chicago but it held my interest being the only autobiography written by anyone from the band. Nothing too revelatory and I know most of the stories. Definitely wanted to re-listen to all the albums. And I would love if Pankow or Robert Lamm would ever write anything like it.
October 23, 2024
His Chicago Story!
Really enjoyed the stories of how the band Chicago got started & how the different band members joined! The journey the band took to be successful multiple times over the years was both enlightening & interesting!! While I appreciate Danny's struggles after the band dropped him it kind of sounded like sour grapes which he all but admitted at the end!!!
Really enjoyed the stories of how the band Chicago got started & how the different band members joined! The journey the band took to be successful multiple times over the years was both enlightening & interesting!! While I appreciate Danny's struggles after the band dropped him it kind of sounded like sour grapes which he all but admitted at the end!!!
January 14, 2025
A must read for Chicago fans
Chicago always seemed like a closed system, a band that largely traveled in its own orbit. Here Danny Seraphine tells the story his own journey, from his early life through the Chicago glory years and the aftermath of his dismissal from the band in 1990.
Chicago always seemed like a closed system, a band that largely traveled in its own orbit. Here Danny Seraphine tells the story his own journey, from his early life through the Chicago glory years and the aftermath of his dismissal from the band in 1990.
April 23, 2018
This might be one of the wildest rock biographies I've ever read, and it's about...Chicago? The jazz-rock/'80s cheese ball guys? Drummer Danny Seraphine dishes like a gossip columnist in this compulsively readable book.
September 13, 2021
I am so glad that Danny Seraphine wrote this book, giving us a glimpse inside the world of drugs, sex, and rock and roll as experienced by the group Chicago. It took me back to glory days I cherish, and let me see how they were experiencing theirs.
March 19, 2019
Street Player: My Chicago Story
Riveting read. Can only wish for more background on the early days of the band before Terry Kath’s death and the end of their most fertile years.
Riveting read. Can only wish for more background on the early days of the band before Terry Kath’s death and the end of their most fertile years.
September 2, 2020
Melodramatic, cliche-ridden prose, but the insight into the band is interesting and unequaled by anything else I've read.
January 11, 2021
Great read. I recommend it for all Chicago fans.
September 20, 2021
Certainly this isn't the whole story, but good to have one account, biased as it may be. Not enough discussion of the actual music.
January 4, 2022
Seems like a very candid accounting of his years with Chicago.
June 3, 2023
Rated 4.5
November 24, 2010
Full disclosure: Chicago is my favorite rock band. Also, I have met Danny Seraphine on two different occasions. Doesn't matter, I'd read the book anyway.
When I saw that Danny Seraphine had written a book, STREET PLAYER: My Chicago Story (Wiley), about his life, I was excited and nervous. Excited because I wanted to know the inside stories of the workings of the band known as Chicago. Nervous because I was afraid of what I might learn about the workings of the band known as Chicago.
Any follower of the band has endured the death of one member and the dismissal of others. Danny's book opens with his arrival at the scene of founding guitarist Terry Kath's shooting death. Rumors have swirled since his death in 1978 that the death was suicide and that is was fueled by drug abuse. Danny sets the record straight with this and many other "rumors" that fans of the band will finally be able to put to rest.
There were a few surprises in the book: I didn't know that Seraphine was such a vocal leader of the band, especially in the early days. Also, I never would have guessed that he was such a "tough guy" and had the temper he did. The book chronicles his childhood, his interest in playing the drums, his bands before Chicago, and finally the serendipitous forming of the band.
All the womanizing, drug abuse and inner squabbles of the group are not ignored. This is a book for Chicago fans who want to confirm which rumors to believe.
Seraphine ends the book with a wish shared by many of us: "Hopefully, one day my former bandmates and I will be able to reconcile and put our differences behind us."
If that reunion involves Peter Cetera, Bill Champlin and Danny Seraphine, please sign me up for front row seats.
When I saw that Danny Seraphine had written a book, STREET PLAYER: My Chicago Story (Wiley), about his life, I was excited and nervous. Excited because I wanted to know the inside stories of the workings of the band known as Chicago. Nervous because I was afraid of what I might learn about the workings of the band known as Chicago.
Any follower of the band has endured the death of one member and the dismissal of others. Danny's book opens with his arrival at the scene of founding guitarist Terry Kath's shooting death. Rumors have swirled since his death in 1978 that the death was suicide and that is was fueled by drug abuse. Danny sets the record straight with this and many other "rumors" that fans of the band will finally be able to put to rest.
There were a few surprises in the book: I didn't know that Seraphine was such a vocal leader of the band, especially in the early days. Also, I never would have guessed that he was such a "tough guy" and had the temper he did. The book chronicles his childhood, his interest in playing the drums, his bands before Chicago, and finally the serendipitous forming of the band.
All the womanizing, drug abuse and inner squabbles of the group are not ignored. This is a book for Chicago fans who want to confirm which rumors to believe.
Seraphine ends the book with a wish shared by many of us: "Hopefully, one day my former bandmates and I will be able to reconcile and put our differences behind us."
If that reunion involves Peter Cetera, Bill Champlin and Danny Seraphine, please sign me up for front row seats.
May 4, 2014
Danny Seraphine is the original drummer for Chicago. He was bounced from the band in 1990. And this book is his story.
While there are lots of Chicago tales, the book really is Danny Seraphine's story, not Chicago's. His account feels very honest. Man, this dude is a jumble: hyper, paranoid, insecure, and full of excuses. He was basically tossed out of Chicago for being annoying, it seems. That's the feeling I get reading between the lines of Seraphine's account.
Two surprising things:
+ I didn't know that the members of Chicago were such druggies. Of course, Terry Kath was completely wasted when he killed himself, but it sounds like they all pretty much had problems over the years.
+ According to Seraphine, when Pete Cetera really dominated the group, his demands of Chicago were minuscule: an extra share of the loot and some scheduling flexibility to so some solo stuff. And they don't him to sod off. That's insane.
On Chicago's profuse drug use, this QOTD sums it up pretty well.
QOTD
Seraphine is now leading a band called California Transit Authority. (Yeah, pretty weird.) They re-arranged a bunch of Chicago tunes. I think all the horns are done on synthesizer. Whatev. Website: http://www.ctatheband.com
A good read.
While there are lots of Chicago tales, the book really is Danny Seraphine's story, not Chicago's. His account feels very honest. Man, this dude is a jumble: hyper, paranoid, insecure, and full of excuses. He was basically tossed out of Chicago for being annoying, it seems. That's the feeling I get reading between the lines of Seraphine's account.
Two surprising things:
+ I didn't know that the members of Chicago were such druggies. Of course, Terry Kath was completely wasted when he killed himself, but it sounds like they all pretty much had problems over the years.
+ According to Seraphine, when Pete Cetera really dominated the group, his demands of Chicago were minuscule: an extra share of the loot and some scheduling flexibility to so some solo stuff. And they don't him to sod off. That's insane.
On Chicago's profuse drug use, this QOTD sums it up pretty well.
QOTD
After the ceremony, there was a get-together back at Bobby's gorgeous home in Bel Air. I glared at people making trips to the bathroom over the course of the afternoon. It was no secret what they were doing in there. Who did they think they were fooling? We had just lost one of our dear friends to the darkness of drugs, and here these people were doing blow on the day of Terry's funeral. It made me sick.
- Danny Seraphine, on Chicago getting high after Terry Kath's funeral
Seraphine is now leading a band called California Transit Authority. (Yeah, pretty weird.) They re-arranged a bunch of Chicago tunes. I think all the horns are done on synthesizer. Whatev. Website: http://www.ctatheband.com
A good read.
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