I'm midway through the audiobook, and am enjoying his narration (RIP). It's gripping stuff and wholly unromantic. He really had a shitty life. I'll cop to liking a lot of ST's early psych stuff, so I disagree with him that Gary Lee Connor solely wrote crap.

Finished the audio book version today. It really encapsulates the hellishness of addiction. It’s crazy, with all of his notoriety, he chose to live in the dregs, among junkies and dealers. As mentioned before, there is nothing romanticized. Brutal levels of self-hate.

I didn’t know that Donna Dresch was in Screaming Trees for awhile. I would totally read a Donna Dresch memoir.

Not a fan of ST or his solo stuff, but he knocked it out of the park with this book. Not crap.

"Entertaining" book that I read at my ibrary in one sitting though I got pretty pissed off at his dismissal of Screaming Trees early records. Personally, I really like "Invisible lantern" in particular which manages to sound garage psych without sounding overtly "paisley shirt"-retro; no, there's enough flannel in the sound to put it in the late 80s SST or Sub Pop era without falling into the grunge/"heavy alternative" trap. I'll take records like that over the dull "singer/songwriter" stuff he did later any day of the week. Anyway, if he hated the music so much yet continued to sing for the band, he hds no reason to complain even if he was motivated by the drug-money or whatever... It really annoyed me when I read the book. Still, it's worth reading of course though I feel kind of guilty being entrtained by that type of sleaze (LOTS of nasty anecdotes...)

This thread piqued my interest so I grabbed a copy and started it yesterday. Same thoughts on him shitting on the early stuff... those are the only albums I really like of theirs. I feel for the guy for having such a bleak life but my god, I may need to read this in small doses. My tolerance for tales of drug fueled self-destruction is a bit lower after reading Jack Grisham from TSOL's insane ass book recently.

I had no idea that Van had passed a couple of years back! That's sad.

mrcancelled wrote: I had no idea that Van had passed a couple of years back! That's sad.

It was on the same day as David Crosby, that talentless hack overshadowing better musicians even in death. I've only discovered the Gardener album Van made with the guy from Seaweed this July. Mad love to Van Conner, he was the sweetheart of the Trees.

I adore Mark Lanegan's body of work up to his comeback album in 2012, maybe a bit too slow and gospel-y with songs about archangels and death-as-a-lover thereafter. Whiskey for the Holy Ghost is a desert island kinda album. He was my favorite flavor in Queens of the Stone Age, who were basically gods to me when I was a teen. That said, his stone-faced anti-popularity in the 00's fit his voice and artistry well. It was weird watching him open up in his last few years, his interview with Conan gave off stepdad vibes.

I suppose this book is a part of that. "A pandora's box of shitty memories," iirc, was his selling point.

I, too, am a fan of the Trees' SST output, but Mark had been massively critical of the band that brought him to the game for his entire life. There was always anecdotes about Gary Lee writing songs imagining acid trips while being too anxious to actually drop, meanwhile Mark was selling it on the side. That sorta thing. I do think a reunion was possible, Mark would play "Bed of Roses" live and "Beehive" from one of his later albums was a clear callback. He played shows in small Washington towns - with Mark Pickerel opening - prior to the pandemic. It looked good, y'know?

I only met him one time and was surprised to meet a frail ex-junkie instead of some burly cowboy figure, I knew the reputation of course but it was a jolt after watching him control a stage without moving a foot. I've microdosed the book thru YouTube anecdotes. Blackie Dammett run-ins, Traci Lords porn collections, Australian groupies, nearly losing his arm in Montreal - harrowing stuff. I can only take so much praise for Alice in Chains though.

Probably Not Crap even if the writing style needs some editing. It seems like a story that should have a light shown on it, especially since drugs ruined A LOT of people from that scene. I understand anyone who says "who need this tale of junkie self-destruction," but I think the perception that the 90's were "real" is a dangerous lil bubble that needs to be popped. Might as well get it from the source.

mrcancelled wrote: Tue Dec 16, 2025 12:13 pm My tolerance for tales of drug fueled self-destruction is a bit lower after reading Jack Grisham from TSOL's insane ass book recently.

That's a corrosive book. Closest thing I've read that comes to Hubert Selby Jr territory (a honour only previously bestowed on Permanent Midnight by Jerry Stahl).

I had a moment in my life when Whiskey for the Holy Ghost was a go-to; but I read this sober and burned out on the banality of opiates, just like the author. I think it's a good push back to the "romance" of the grunge / heroin chic / Layne Staley myth that ensnared many lost people.

N.C

M.H wrote: Wed Dec 17, 2025 7:38 amI think it's a good push back to the "romance" of the grunge / heroin chic / Layne Staley myth that ensnared many lost people.

Good summary