Street Player: My Chicago Story by Danny Seraphine

Next to the Beach Boys, Chicago is the top selling American rock group with well over 100 million albums sold worldwide.  While a couple of books have been written about them over the years, many of those books had to pass the muster of the band and thus the portrayal of the band's history was rose-colored at best and revisionist at worst.  Depending on what history you've read of this band and when the roles of different band members were either substantial or inconsequential.  Finally having a book written by a founding former member, a disgruntled one at that, is long overdue and something many fans have been waiting for!

I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Seraphine via e-mail about 13 years ago.  At the time he was living a self-imposed exile in Colorado after his acrimonious split from the band in 1990.  He struck me as still smarting from the wounds of his departure from the band, understandably so, and it's only been within the past four years or so that he's returned to the music scene with his new band, California Transit Authority.

Chicago was featured in a VH1 Behind the Music special in 2000 that focused primarily on the untimely accidental death of guitarist Terry Kath and the departure of Peter Cetera.  Danny was included in that special and his comments regarding his former bandmates more than hinted at his continued hostility.

That being said, I'm really looking forward to this book as it touches on a lot of the behind the scenes stories about Terry's death, rubbing elbows with rock greats like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, rumors of the band's ties to the mob, and even the story behind Seraphine's own acrimonious departure from the band.

If you're looking for a good rock and roll autobiography to add to your Christmas Wish List this may be it!

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