Best Rock Memoirs (2026): 5 Compared and Ranked

The best rock memoirs are the ones that read like a backstage pass: all five of these are rock memoirs from guitarists, singers and frontmen. We compared five memoirs by what each Amazon listing states: pages, publication date and artist, so you can pick the right one for your shelf.

ShelfAnswers earns a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Slash	9.8/10	Buy
2	Dancing with Myself	9.8/10	Buy
3	White Line Fever	9.7/10	Buy
4	I'm with the Band	9.7/10	Buy
5	Not Dead & Not for Sale	9.7/10	Buy

1

Slash

Slash·9.8/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Slash memoir, 480 pages, 2008.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• 480 pages stated
• 2008 edition stated
• Slash stated

Cons

• Reprint
• Guns N' Roses focus
• Dey Street

2

Dancing with Myself

Billy Idol·9.8/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Billy Idol memoir, 336 pages, 2015.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• 336 pages stated
• 2015 edition stated
• Billy Idol stated

Cons

• Reprint
• Punk focus
• Touchstone

3

White Line Fever

Janiss Garza·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Lemmy autobiography, 320 pages, 2021.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• 320 pages stated
• 2021 edition stated
• Lemmy stated

Cons

• Motörhead focus
• Citadel
• Janiss Garza

4

I'm with the Band

Pamela Des Barres·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A groupie memoir, 352 pages, 2005.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• 352 pages stated
• 2005 edition stated
• Pamela Des Barres stated

Cons

• Groupie focus
• Revised edition
• Chicago Review Press

5

Not Dead & Not for Sale

Scott Weiland·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Scott Weiland memoir, 288 pages, 2012.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• 288 pages stated
• 2012 edition stated
• Scott Weiland stated

Cons

• Reprint
• STP focus
• Scribner

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

More picks to compare

• Room Full of MirrorsSuits readers wanting a Hendrix biography, 400 pages.Check on Amazon
• Devil on My ShoulderSuits readers wanting an Alice Cooper memoir, 464 pages.Check on Amazon
• Memoirs of a HeadbangerSuits readers wanting a rock novel, 426 pages.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Listing details as published, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs rock fit, story, depth, safety and warranty. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best rock memoirs

Artist

Artists run from Slash to Billy Idol, Lemmy, Pamela Des Barres and Scott Weiland. See our history biography books for more nonfiction.

Pages

Pages run from 288 (Not Dead & Not for Sale) to 480 (Slash), with 320, 336 and 352 in between. Pick the length that fits your shelf.

Edition

Editions run from 2005 (I’m with the Band) to 2021 (White Line Fever), with reprints and a revised edition. Pick the edition you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is Slash?

Slash.

Which is Billy Idol?

Dancing with Myself.

Which is Lemmy?

White Line Fever: The Autobiography.

Which is the groupie memoir?

I’m with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie.

Still deciding? Our top pickSlash

Check price on Amazon

Related lists

See every fiction list and all reading guides.

More lists: memoirs sports, uplifting memoirs and underrated memoirs.