How to Drink Like a Rock Star: Recipes for the Cocktails and Libations that Inspired 100 Music Legends

by Apollo Publishers

Overview

Pairing history’s 100 greatest rock stars with recipes for their iconic drink of choice, How to Drink Like a Rock Star is the perfect guide to summoning the muse for music fans, rock and roll bartenders, and cocktail enthusiasts.

Have you longed for a taste of the rock and roll lifestyle without the trashed hotel rooms, constrictive leather pants, and weeks lost on a cramped tour bus? Whether you want to know what fueled Ozzy Osbourne’s bat-biting Prince of Darkness persona, quaff a Jack and Coke like Motörhead’s Lemmy, or learn Madonna’s recipe for a perfect dirty martini, How to Drink Like a Rock Star will delight fans of all genres of rock and roll and anyone searching for the perfect cocktail.

From AC/DC to ZZ Top, this lavish illustrated follow-up to How to Drink Like a Writer offers 100 spirited drink recipes, fascinating rock star profiles, a special section dedicated to epic rock clubs to drink, dance, and perform in, and even unusual hangover cures and favorite food pairings, all accompanied by original illustrations of ingredients and finished cocktails, and a wealth of photographs. This remarkable book, the result of a deep dive into interviews, backstage tour riders, and much more, is sure to inspire, impress, and inebriate. Sure, becoming a rock legend takes dedication, connections, and talent, but it also takes vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781954641068
Publisher:	Apollo Publishers
Publication date:	10/11/2022
Series:	How to Drink
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

From the team behind How to Drink Like a Writer, Rock Stars at Home, and Tommy at 50 comes a wide-ranging collection of renowned rock stars and the cocktails they stirred (and were stirred by). No recipes were tested during office hours.

Read an Excerpt

1943–1970

Janis Joplin’s

Southern Nectar

Serves 1

Janis Joplin was the queen of psychedelic soul music—a singer-songwriter whose distinctive, raspy voice fronted the band Big Brother and the Holding Company before she embarked on a solo career. Joplin’s short but brilliant career would produce such hits as “Me and Bobby McGhee” (1971) and stunning covers of “Piece of My Heart” (1968), an Aretha Franklin song, and Ball and Chain (1967), which was originally written and produced by Big Mama Thornton.

Joplin was an unapologetic lover of the whiskey liqueur Southern Comfort. There are many photos of her onstage swigging from a bottle of SoCo, and she regularly spoke about how she enjoyed the drink. One time while inebriated, she smashed a bottle of SoCo into Jim Morrison’s head. Rather than make him angry, this act purportedly made Jim more interested in her. As a way of saying thank-you for all the free publicity, Southern Comfort sent Joplin a full-length lynx fur coat.

While Joplin was known to drink Southern Comfort straight, the Texas-born legend would likely have always enjoyed this sweet nectar as well. Do keep in mind that Janis struggled with addiction and drinking in moderation is always recommended. Just one of these is enough to channel the music legend.

2 ounces Southern Comfort

2 ounces apple juice

2 ounces cranberry juice

Lime wedge for garnishing

Combine all ingredients except garnish in an ice filled collins glass. Garnish with the lime wedge, and enjoy while seated at a window looking at the rain.

 

1958–2016

Prince’s

Purple Rain Sangria

Serves 8

The multitalented rock legend Prince was a singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, and bassist whose mix of up-tempo and soulful tunes made use of his remarkable vocal range and incorporated elements of R&B, funk, and much more. A prolific musician who would produce thirty-nine albums over his career and whose albums have sold more than 150 million copies, Price’s hits include such classics as “Purple Rain” (1984), “When Doves Cry” (1984), and “Let’s Go Crazy” (1984). These three hits all appeared on Prince’s Purple Rain album and the color purple became associated with the star.

Prince’s became a Jehovah’s Witness in 2011 and he embraced the religion’s belief that alcohol should only be consumed in moderation. Reportedly, he occasionally drank red wine but never beer and thought scotch was “disgusting.” To channel Prince enjoy this red wine sangria cocktail in his favorite hue. Keep in mind that Prince’s diet was vegan or vegetarian so avoid indulging in animal products after. The rock god would certainly not approve.

1 cup blackberries, sliced

1 cup blueberries, sliced

1 cup purple grapes, sliced

2 cups purple grape juice

760 milliliter bottle red wine

In a large pitcher combine all ingredients. Stir while being careful not to injure the fruit. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy in red wine glasses, preferably while donning a sequined suit and ruffled blouse. Avoid any participant having sorrow or pain while indulging, everyone should be smiling with the Purple Rain. 

1943

Mick Jagger’s

Tequila Sunrise

Serves 1

One of the most famous rock stars of all time, singer, songwriter, and quintessential party boy Sir Michael “Mick” Jagger is a cofounder and, together with Keith Richards, one of the most iconic members of the Rolling Stones. Among Jagger and the Stones’s most memorable hits are “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965), “Sympathy for the Devil” (1968), and “Gimme Shelter” (1969). The songs were groundbreaking, and their musicians eccentric. In one interview, Jagger reflected on the peak years of his career, noting: “I wasn’t trying to be rebellious in those days. I was just being me.

It’s been said that Jagger could be very strict with his routine—sometimes not drinking at all while on the road so as to be able to be properly prepared—but he was also known for letting loose and letting the libations flow freely. Jagger’s favorite drink is believed to be a Tequila Sunrise and legend has it that Jagger was served his first of these brews during a private party for the Rolling Stones’s 1972 tour. At the time, he’d requested a margarita but the bartender encouraged him to give a Tequila Sunrise a try. Reportedly, Jagger and the Stones loved the concoction so much that the band ended up ordering them at bars throughout the US during their cross-country tour, which is dubbed the “cocaine and Tequila Sunrise tour” in Richards’s autobiography. With the endorsement, the drink’s popularity soured so much that Jose Cuervo began putting a recipe for Tequila Sunrise on its tequila bottles. Enjoy and see if the drink can’t bring that long-coveted satisfaction. We know you try, and you try. . .

1 ounce Jose Cuervo Especial Silver tequila

2 ounces orange juice

1 teaspoon grenadine

1 orange wedge for garnishing

1 maraschino cherry for garnishing

Pour tequila and orange juice into a collins glass filled with ice. Slowly add the grenadine and mix. Add garnishes.

1950

Ann Wilson’s

White Lightning Sangria

Serves 3

Singer-songwriter Ann Wilson and her guitar-playing younger sister, Nancy, are the stars of the band Heart, which is known for its unique blend of hard rock and folk elements. As the faces of the first female fronted rock band, the sisters overcame bias and sexism in a male dominated industry, leading Heart’s rise to fame in the 1970s. Today, they’ve performed for nearly five decades, paved the way for generations of female musicians to follow, sold more than thirty-five million albums, and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Wilson has also had a successful solo career, ignited by her dramatic soprano vocal range, operatic additions, and occasional wild banshee screams produced from a powerful voice designed to be heard and to move listeners. Among Wilson’s hits are such Heart classics as “Magic Man” (1976), “Crazy On You” (1976), and “Barracuda” (1977), and the band rebooted in the eighties, with MTV regularly playing their power ballads “What About Love” (1985) and “Alone” (1987).

Wilson quit drinking in 2009, noting in her memoir, “Over the years, I built up layers of protection around me, and I often built them up with wine.” If you’re looking, however, to channel Wilson from Heart’s peak years, this White Lightning Sangria, inspired by Wilson’s love for wine and Heart’s song “White Lightening and Wine” (1975)—“Oh, the world’s all mine, white lightning and wine—plus a Heart backstage rider’s requirement for more than thirteen types of fresh fruit, will do the trick. Or enjoy the mocktail version that Wilson would be more inclined to drink today.

1 bottle white wine or 1 quart white grape juice

1/2 cup vodka (optional)

1/2 cup sliced grapes

1 green apple, sliced

1/4 cup local* strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup blueberries, sliced

1/2 pineapple, sliced

1/2 cup white sugar (optional; skip if using grape juice instead of wine)

2 cups ginger ale

* “Local strawberries” was a requirement in the Heart backstage tour rider, which also noted—in all caps and underlined—that “FRUIT SHOULD NOT BE UNDER OR OVER RIPE.” We agree, Ann. No argument there.

Combine wine and vodka in a pitcher and shake well. Add sliced fruit, sugar, and ginger ale, and stir. Chill, and then serve cold in a white wine glass with ice.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Bar Tools

Stocking the Cabinet

 

Buddy Holly’s American Pie

Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze

Janis Joplin’s Southern Nectar

Jim Morrison’s Boilermaker

Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s Brown Derby

Elvis Presley’s Banana Peanut Butter Shot

John Lennon’s Brandy Alexander

Bob Marley’s Jamaican Irish Moss

Freddie Mercury’s Bohemian Vodka Tonic

Frank Zappa’s Coffee and Fried Spaghetti

Jerry Garcia’s Rum Screwdriver

The Ramones’s Tanqueray and Tonic

Joe Strummer’s Hard Cider

Johnny Cash’s Dark ’n’ Stormy

Michael Jackson’s Jesus Juice

Simon & Garfunkel’s Vodka Gimlet

Amy Winehouse’s Rickstacy

Whitney Houston’s Champagne

Lemmy Kilmister’s Jack and Coke

David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust Bombay Sapphire Martini

Prince’s Purple Rain Sangria

Chuck Berry’s Orange Blossom

Fats Domino’s Heineken and Red Beans

Aretha Franklin’s Whiskey Ginger

Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti

David Lee Roth’s Schlitz Malt Liquor

Jerry Lee Lewis’s Whiskey Talkin’

Grace Slick’s Mulled Wine

Tina Turner’s Red Wine and Fine Chocolate

Neil Diamond’s Love On the Rocks

Bob Dylan’s Bourbon Served Neat

Carole King’s Champagne Cocktail

Paul McCartney’s Clementine Maccarita

Mick Jagger’s Tequila Sunrise

Roger Waters’s Dark Side of the Moon Beer Cocktail

Joni Mitchell’s Lemon Sake

Keith Richards’s Nuclear Waste

Jimmy Page’s Swig of Jack

Diana Ross’s Coffee with Cognac

Rod Stewart’s Rum and Coke

Eric Clapton’s Vodka Lager

Ritchie Blackmore’s Purple Whiskey

Pete Townshend’s Rémy Old Fashioned

John Fogerty’s Lagerita

Carly Simon’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Debbie Harry’s White Wine Spritzer

Cher’s Strawberry Daiquiri

Jimmy Buffett’s Margarita

Patti Smith’s Americano

Elton John’s Johnnie and Lemon

Don Henley’s Scotini

Ian Anderson’s Screwdriver

Donald Fagen’s Piña Colada

Alice Cooper’s Velvet Hammer and Tuna Fish Malted for Hangovers

Steven Tyler’s Rusty Nail

Stevie Nicks’s Rémy Sidecar

Ozzy Osbourne’s Breakfast Brandy Hangover Helper

Billy Joel’s Soda Highball

Gene Simmons’s Milk and Cereal on the Rocks

Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons’s Kahuna Punch

Billy Gibbons’s The Gibbons

Peter Gabriel’s Red Rain Spritzer

Suzi Quatro’s Château Margaux

Ann Wilson’s  White Lightning Sangria

Chrissie Hynde’s Talk of the Town Tequila

Sting’s Fine Red Wine

John Mellencamp’s Big Red

Pat Benatar’s Strawberry Italian Soda

Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want to Have Organic Wine

David Lee Roth’s Schlitz Malt Liquor

John Lydon’s Red Stripe

Madonna’s Dirty Martini

Belinda Carlisle’s Greyhound

Joan Jett’s Cherry Ale

Susanna Hoffs’s Coffee with Clouds

Morrissey’s Peroni Negroni

Bono’s Jack on the Rocks

The Beach Boys’s Frozen Bahama Mama

Kim Deal’s Gin Fizz

Jon Bon Jovi’s Hampton Water Rosé

Lenny Kravitz’s Dom Pérignon

Courtney Love’s Pétrus

Eddie Vedder’s Pinot Noir

Björk’s All Is Full of Love Spritz

Janet Jackson’s Grapefruit Cosmo

Three Dog Night’s Mighty Fine Wine and Cheese

Chicago’s Saturday Cabernet

 

Epic Rock Clubs to Drink, Dance, and Perform In: CBGB, Whisky A Go Go, and the 100 Club

 

Dave Grohl’s Deer and Beer

Gwen Stefani’s Hugo

Journey’s Orange Creamsicle

AC/DC’s Chocolate Milk Martini

Squeeze’s Brandy Sour

Fergie’s Fergalicious

Shakira’s Green Berry Smoothie

Karen O’s Patrón and Tonic

Pink’s Jameson McCree

Beyoncé’s Armand de Brignac

Metallica’s Crown Royal and Ginger

Guns n’ Roses’s Vodka Cranberry

Lady Gaga’s Jameson Mule

 

Notes

 

Editorial Reviews

A perfect holiday present.” —Liquor.com

Praise for How to Drink Like a Writer:

“There’s something for everyone in this book, no matter what you like to drink or how much time you’re willing to devote to crafting the perfect cocktail.” —Mental Floss

“A witty literary dive into the favored libations of scribblers.” —Wine and Whiskey Globe

“There’s guaranteed to be a soon-to-be favorite drink for you within these pages.” —Woman's Day

“In this book, you will learn everything you need to know about the personal relationship between all-time reputed authors and their liquid courage. . . . Prepare to visit some of the most famous writerly haunts . . . and to become part of this eclectic, phenomenal bunch of misfits every time you fix a cocktail.” —New York for Beginners

“Everyone knows Ernest Hemingway leaves a namesake daiquiri as a legacy but do you know how to make Edgar Allan Poe’s family recipe for eggnog? Or how Jack Kerouac took his margarita? You will after you read this book.” —Forbes

“If you’re ready to break new ground with some of the greatest of all time, and enjoy some delicious cocktails in the process, it’s time to crack open this recipe book and start mixing up the secret ingredient to your next masterpiece.” —SPY.com

“A fun read for those who like books and an occasional sip.” —Cleveland.com

From the Publisher