Inspired, no doubt, by the critical and commercial success of recent volumes by Keith Richards and Patti Smith (the latter of which won a National Book Award in 2010), a host of musicians have entered the memoir game of late, crowding bookstore shelves with backstage tales of guitars, groupies and how that No 1 hit has always been misunderstood.
Not all of these artists enjoy the respect showered upon Neil Young and his classic-rock cronies. But in publishing, as in pop, light voices sometimes carry heavy loads.
Most rock 'n' roll line: "I had no doubt whatsoever that if I had failed to deliver The Who an operatic masterpiece that would change people's lives, with Pinball Wizard I was giving them something almost as good: a hit."
And his natural raconteur's wit lends Duran's ruthless ambition some crucial charm.
Most rakish line: "Now, as the dark streets of Birmingham flashed past the cab, we plotted an audacious goal for this band of ours that had so far written only 10 songs: to headline shows at Hammersmith Odeon by '82, Wembley by '83 and New York's Madison Square Garden by '84. It was a plan that seemed perfectly achievable."
Here, though, she traces her music - in chilling, no-nonsense language - back to a chaotic childhood streaked with abuse.
Most revealing line: "So when my mom came home from work one day and said she was in love, we all were happy for her and thought it would be better. But unfortunately, she married a paedophile who beat and bullied her."
Aware of that, perhaps, Ditto's tone vacillates curiously between Bildungsroman and kaffeeklatsch.
Most digressive line: "My friend Lyndell is an amazing hairdresser, and she has recurrent dreams that her hands are cut off and she can never work with hair again, slicing locks into feathering cascades, blunting a bob, building a sculpture with a can of hairspray and a fistful of bobby pins."
- Mikael Wood