Hard to Handle

The Life and Death of the Black Crowes - A Memoir

By: Steve Gorman, Steven Hyden

Narrated by: Steve Gorman

Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins

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

Critic Reviews

"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)

Please just narrate.

I love The Black Crowes and this is a pretty good insight into who they were. I just wish Steve Gorman would stop yelling and screaming his narration.

This is one of the good ones!

What an excellent book! I've been a casual fan of these guys for years now and have been lucky enough to see them three times, two good shows, and one that was just ok. I had no idea that they had such a tumultuous history, no details are spared. I would rank this among the top five books that I've ever read / listened to. I loved this book from start to finish! Start listening, you won't be disappointed!

Hard to Handle or F This and F That

Being an avid reader of all varieties and genres, it’s always a major disappointment when the writer can find no other word to express the mood/atmosphere other than using the F-word. I get it, it’s rock, and sometimes the F-word sums up everything, but when the entire story is ladened with that one word it just shows the writer has a limited vocabulary and has no other creative resources to pull from, just expletives. The sad reality is, they think they are relating to the audience by using this word to show how cool they are or how rebellious they are when in fact they are diluting the story and doing a great disservice to their audience. Overall, a great band, an interesting story, but a disappointing read. I wish I could get my money back.

Fucking Amazing

I friggin’ loved this! Steve Gorman gives the listener a highly entertaining personal account of the tremendous story of one of Rock music’s best bands of the late 20th century. Full of incredible and hilarious drama. His narration is so on point it’s like riding an emotional roller coaster through the 1990’s rock scene and beyond. It may appeal especially to rock musicians and most definitely to Black Crowes fans. Hilarious and jaw dropping. I highly recommend it!

A must if you are a fan.

A lot of insight into what most of us fans regretfully suspected. Awesome job Steve.

Telling it like it was....

Sounds like a good time. Anytime you're trying to make a living in a band all those personalities snowball into the unknown realm of egos, addictions, temptations, feast, or fathom. If you survive and have some money left in your pocket, and have a soul still, that's a victory in its self...

Awesome and Unfiltered

I always had a hunch that Steve Gorman was the coolest guy in TBC and that the brothers were complete d-bags....this book confirms it! Steve lays it all out there in a honest and thoughtful way. If you are a fan of TBC, get this book now. It’s fantastic!

awesome audiobook. nice work. thank you!

loved the book. great by any standard. through it all, well done. well done. may God bless ya!

Absolutely brilliant!

A riveting memoir, well written and read by the author, a great drummer from one of the all time great American rock n roll bands.
I’ve listened to a lot of music bios the last few years and for me this is up there with Keith Richards and Springsteen’s book.
Five stars all the way.

must read for a Black Crowes fan

if you're a Black Crowes fan it's a pretty hard listen, but worth it