• Street Player

  • My Chicago Story
  • By: Danny Seraphine
  • Narrated by: Rick Zieff
  • Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (61 ratings)

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Street Player  By  cover art

Street Player

By: Danny Seraphine
Narrated by: Rick Zieff
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Publisher's summary

The inside story of Chicago, one of the most successful and enduring rock bands ever.

With their distinctive blending of soulful rock and horn-infused urban jazz, Chicago has thrilled music fans for more than forty years with their lyrical brilliance. In this no-holds-barred memoir, legendary rocker Danny Seraphine shares his dramatic - and often shocking - experiences as the popular supergroup's cofounder and longtime drummer. He reveals behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Chicagos beginnings as the house band at Los Angeles's legendary Whisky A Go Go, where they were discovered by music icons Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, and personal insights about the groups many comebacks and reinventions over the years.

Offers a lively inside account of the music and history of the perennially popular band Chicago, one of the most successful American bands ever with over 122 million albums sold, by the bands cofounder and longtime drummer Danny Seraphine.

Includes riveting tales and rare photographs from Seraphine's time on the road touring with performers including Dennis and Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Bruce Springsteen.

Candidly tackles many rumors about Chicago, including Mafia ties, accounting and payola scandals, and major drug abuse.

Discusses the mysterious circumstances surrounding Seraphine's 1990 firing from the band as well as his comeback with his critically acclaimed new band, California Transit Authority.

Whether you're a diehard Chicago fan or just love a well-told rock-and-roll memoir, Street Player will entertain and surprise you.

©2011 Danny Seraphine (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

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

A Story of "Chicago" worth reading...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Anyone who grew up listening to Chicago, particularly the seminal CTA and Chicago II and III (and, of course, the unforgettable Chicago IV Live at Carnegie Hall) would appreciate this perspective of Danny Seraphine, the uniquely talented drummer who gave the band its distinctive rhythm. The title, "Street Player" doesn't have the cachet to describe Seraphine's extraordinary and intelligent drumming/

What did you like best about this story?

Learning, for the first time, just how important Terry Kath was to the foundation of the band's sound; as much as I loved the brass arrangements (having played in a Chicago/BS &T cover band during the early '70s), Seraphine is generous in the credit he gives to Kath's gifts as a lead guitarist.

What does Rick Zieff bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Zieff's performance (excuse the pun) hits all the right notes. It's easy to forget that it isn't the author speaking directly to the listener/reader.

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3 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

9 hours of excuses, 9 hours I will never get back

Interesting that Danny mentions "dabbling" in drugs and alcohol a bit but then nothing more. However, everyone around him was having serious substance abuse problems. He kept having children although he was never with them. He was a serial cheater in his marriages and talks about what lengths groupies would go to in order to sleep with one or all of the band members, only to whine about wondering whether girls were interested in him or just wanted to be with him because he was in the band. Danny liked the notoriety of hanging out with guys from his neighborhood who had mob ties and used these friendships to impress and/or intimidate. Then when those friends come under FBI scrutiny he sings a different tune. His drumming skills falter but no reason given as to why...except for that he was spending too much time working on "band business". sounds like he was trying to exert more control over the band than his one vote got him. And the women in his life didn't fare any better than his kids. His version of the truth holds up about as well as the tape on his old hairpiece. Whatever gets you through the night, Danny.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Finally . The story comes out.

Refreshingly honest. No victims or villains. Just people being people. Great historical context. Highly recommend for any fan a a truly great , extremely underrated band !

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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His Honesty

What it’s like to be in a touring band The true story of a young man who was doomed to be a zero. When he joined a rock band with horns. His life went from rags to riches to rags and back to riches being the ultimate success story without the Rock Star life without the use of drugs. One of the greatest drummers ever!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Street Player

Any Chicago aficionado will enjoy the book. A good listen. Would recommend this book if you like Rock culture.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great Chicago backstory; Strange writing style

Clearly written by somebody else, with too many carefully worded phrases. I imagine Serphine recorded his story first, then Mitchell went through, bit by bit, substituting words and every-so-slightly spinning events in Serphine's favor. Great history of Chicago but, as a diehard Chicago fan, am still waiting for one of the original members to write his own honest account, warts and all.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The Story Of One Of The Greatest Bands In History

Danny Seraphine is an amazingly narcissistic person. Listening to the story for eight hours and 38 minutes is equal parts joy at the discovery of the story, and agony at having to watch his selfishness devolve into the ultimate chaos and devastation. For about 8 or 9 years, these guys were as good as it gets in Rock & Roll. A shame they couldn't keep it together for the music...

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EXCELLENT!!

As a fan of Chicago since their first release and up to the point when they decided to focus on the sappy ballads, I have always considered Danny Seraphine one of my favorite rock drummers. Still do. And to get to hear his insight and honesty in telling the story of the band's musical journey was a special treat. What a great book this was, and Rick Zieff's reading was perfection!

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

An outstanding telling of this story.

As a big Chicago fan, and having grown up with that music this story was wonderful to hear. it gave so much insight into the growth and workings of Danny and the band. I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been to write it all down. it left me more anxious than ever to hear more of Danny's music and to hear more of and about Chicago.

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1 of those books I couldn't put down

just an unbelievable amount of emotions up down sideways anger frustration depression happiness. I think they did him wrong although I understand both sides apparently they got scared of him and that's why they pushed him out of the band, I also have a rough City attitude so I understand

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