The Confessions of Rick James: "Memoirs of a Super Freak"

by Rick James

Overview

This is the true and complete accounting of Rick James' life written by Rick James himself. Beginning with his childhood and into the spotlight of his famous and troubled life. Rick James shares a fascinating account of his rise, fall and rise to his international fame and fortune. The sex is steamier; the crack cocaine more potent; the music more explosive than any of a dozen other celebrities - dead or alive!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780979097638
Publisher:	Amber Communications Group, Inc.
Publication date:	04/20/2007
Pages:	424
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 - August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American-Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in his teenage years. He was in various bands before entering the U.S. Navy Reserve to avoid being drafted into the army. In 1964, James moved to Toronto, Canada, where he formed the rock band the Mynah Birds, who eventually signed a recording deal with Motown Records in 1966. James's career with the group halted after military authorities discovered his whereabouts and eventually convicted him of desertion related charges. He served several months in jail. After being released, James moved to California, where he started a variety of rock and funk groups in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Table of Contents

Dedication     v
Acknowledgment     vii
Preface     ix
Introduction. Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll     1
The Beginning     7
A Child's Heart     9
Welcome to the White World     13
Love Thy Neighbor     15
Time for Some Respect     17
Sports, Gangs     19
Oh Happy Day!     23
Failures Make You Stronger     25
Victory     27
The Change     29
Time to Move on     31
Black and Proud     33
One Bad Habit     37
Funk Uncle Sam     39
Oh, Canada     43
Whole New World     49
The Mynah Bird Days     51
Starting Over     55
Motown, Here we Come     59
I Surrender     61
The Escape     65
California Bound     69
Acid Time     73
Busted     77
After The Fall     81
Going Back to Cali     85
C.S.N.Y.     89
On My Own     93
The New Salt 'n Pepper     97
Papa Rick     101
My First Big Band     105
The Drug Smuggler     107
My Own Record Label     119
My First Single     125
Creating An Image     129
"You and I"-the First Hit     131
The Stone City Band     133
Double Platinum     149
Teena Maria     153
The Magical Funk Tour     159
Me and Prince     165
King of Funk     169
Super Freak     173
Beginning a New Era     189
Throwin' Down     199
Germany     207
MTV and Me     213
A Family Affair     217
Process and the Doo Rags     223
Cold Blooded     227
Reflections     249
Eddie and Me     255
Straight and Sober     263
The End of Motown     275
The Lawsuit Years     283
Love Thy Brother     299
Me and Norma Jean     303
Warner Bros. Records     313
Born Again     317
The Devil Rides Again     323
Witches' Brew     329
Folsom Prison Blues     343
Urban Rhapsody      365
The Next Beginning     367
Epilogue     375
Discography     389
Index     397