Softback
558 pages
Da Capo Press
Illustrated with discography.
In his own words, Pepper provides a completely honest look at himself as an artist and junkie and at his infatuation with the wild side of life. He chronicles his days on the road with the big bands and describes in candid, often harrowing, detail the heroin addiction that paralleled his rising career, the numerous busts, and his daily survival in prison.
Pepper's own recollections are rounded out with those of his family, friends and such contemporaries as Lee Young, June Christy, Shelly Manne, and Don Menza. Previously published articles on Pepper and reviews of his records and concerts are also included. A classic in Jazz literature.