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  • Hard to Handle

  • The Life and Death of the Black Crowes - A Memoir
  • Written by: Steve Gorman, Steven Hyden
  • Narrated by: Steve Gorman
  • Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (62 ratings)

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Hard to Handle cover art

Hard to Handle

Written by: Steve Gorman, Steven Hyden
Narrated by: Steve Gorman
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Publisher's Summary

Black Crowes drummer and cofounder Steve Gorman shares the band's inside story in this behind-the-scenes biography, from their supernova stardom in the '90s to exhilarating encounters with industry legends.

"This book is literally the Angela's Ashes of rock memoirs.... I absolutely loved this book." (Bill Burr, comedian)

"I couldn't put the book down-absolutely unbelievable read!" (John McEnroe, New York Times best-selling author of But Seriously and You Cannot Be Serious)

"I honestly couldn't put [this book] down. Made me nostalgic, sad, and happy too." (Chris Shiflett, lead guitarist of Foo Fighters)

"Essential reading for rock fans everywhere." (Brian Koppelman, co-creator and showrunner of Billions)

For more than two decades, The Black Crowes topped the charts, graced the cover of Rolling Stone, and reigned supreme over MTV and radio waves alike with hits like "Hard to Handle", "She Talks to Angels", and "Remedy". But as the old cliché goes, stardom can be fleeting, and the group's success slowly dwindled as the band members got caught up in the rock-star world and lost sight of their musical ambition. On any given night, they could be the best band you ever saw - or the most combative. Then, one last rift in 2013 proved insurmountable for the band to survive. After that, The Black Crowes would fly no more. Founding member Steve Gorman was there for all of it - the coke- and weed-fueled tours; the tumultuous recording sessions; the incessant fighting between brothers Chris and Rich Robinson; the backstage hangs with legends like Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and the Rolling Stones. As the band's drummer and voice of reason, he tried to keep The Black Crowes together musically and emotionally. In Hard to Handle - the first account of this great American rock band's beginning, middle, and end - Gorman explains just how impossible that job was with great insight, candor, and humor. They don't make bands like The Black Crowes anymore: crazy, brilliant, self-destructive, inspiring, and, ultimately, not built to last. But, man, what a ride it was while it lasted.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Steve Gorman and Steven Hyden (P)2019 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"Hard to Handle is an amazing and a lot of times uncomfortably candid account of Steve's time in the Black Crowes. The opportunities presented and then lost. The ups and downs. The fights. The fuck ups. This book is literally the Angela's Ashes of rock memoirs. Every time things seem to be looking up for the band an insane decision, comment or substance seems to drive the band right into a ditch, only to see them somehow use that negative momentum to then attain a new level of success. I absolutely loved this book. Can't wait for the movie!" (Bill Burr, comedian)

"Reading this book brought me back to a time that rock and roll mattered to me more than almost anything else. I was at some of the early Black Crowes gigs depicted here, and the book is so well drawn, that I could not only hear the music again, but smell the sweat coming off the band and crowd as clearly as I did back then. This is Almost Famous, told by the guy behind the drums, who remembers every chord change, every fight, every song's journey from demo to record to live performance. Essential reading for rock fans everywhere." (Brian Koppelman, co-creator and showrunner of Billions)

"Bands are beautiful fragile toxic things - always one wrong glance or argument away from falling apart. Steve manages to tell the tale of the internal turmoil of the Black Crowes, in all its sordid detail, without ever getting finger-pointy about it. I honestly couldn't put it down. Made me nostalgic, sad, and happy too." (Chris Shiflett, lead guitarist of Foo Fighters)

What listeners say about Hard to Handle

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Crowes fan from Montreal

As a long time(lifetime) Crowes fan it's a must,real cool to hear it strait from Mr.Gorman's voice. A+ job👌

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Great Listen

I really enjoyed this audio book. I always wondered why The Black Crowes never hit it huge. I seen them live, they could have been another stadium rock band.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well done

A must for any black Crowes fan. Really sheds light on all the infighting in the band. Especially between the brothers. All the stuff that we vaguely heard but never got the details on. Also exposes CR and all the other members as what they truly are...staunch capitalists.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome!!

I've been a fan since the start. I am so pleased he wrote this book. An honest portrayal of one of the greatest bands of the time. i still love them....even if Chris has completely lost his mind. Thanks for the work.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

Gorman captures his tumultuous experience in this world-class band with passionate delivery combined with a sense of humour to make this book a must read for Crowes fans.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

exceptional

great book through and through even to the casual fan. I would recommend listening. do it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Finally

As a lifelong fan I was completely riveted by this book. Steve Gorman is a natural.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Barn Burner !

Incredibly entertaining. Hard to put down. Huge fan of the band. Learned so much, I kinda wish I didn't learn. Very sad.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Helluva Listen

A nice, sometimes a little shocking incite into one of my fave bands from back in the day, that coulda, shoulda, woulda been huge

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • J9
  • 2022-09-21

Bit of a dick lol

This is an entertaining story, no doubt. Obviously, the salacious, behind- the- scenes dirt on the Robinson brothers could ONLY be entertaining. Steve Gorman is a bit hard to handle himself though. He's a bit of a dick, but not so bad that you can't get through it or anything. Not narcissistic like Joe Perry or anything that drastic lol. Overall, it's a good book.

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