Cass Elliot Community Forum

Out of all the biographies-autobiographies known out there, which do you consider to be the best overall ?

I think the Cass Elliot one by Eddi Fiegel is the best Cass one.
Michelle's book is runner up, followed by the oral history one.

These are my thoughts, what are yours ?

Hi CassFan,

get yourself a copy of PAPA JOHN, it's one hell of a read!! It's interesting when you've read EVERYTHING & start comparing different opnions/recollections of a situation/event. I wish Denny had written a book, yet there is a lot on the web about his one man show "dream a Little Dream, the nearly true story..."

I'm big on music biographies & you can't go past Eddi Fiegels Bio, that's my #1.

Cheers,
Adam.

Hi Guys,

I've read all the biographies of the group including "Papa John", "The Oral History" and Eddi Fiegel's book on Cass but my hands-down favorite is Michelle Phillips autobiography, "California Dreamin'". Her take on the history of the group is honest, funny and very poignant - it details her relationships with John, Denny and Cass and gives a clear insider's view of how the group came together, the short magical ride they took together to the top of the charts and ultimately the group's demise after being together less than 3 years. You get a distinct feel for what it must have been like to live during the 1960's from the beginning of their story - from Greenwich Village to the Virgin Islands and then finding success in Los Angeles. I especially enjoyed Michelle's stories about her friendship with Cass, what it was like to be in the studio creating all those hits, life on the road from the Hollywood Bowl to Carnegie Hall, Monterey and the Summer of Love and their trip to London. And even though the group broke up after a relatively short time together you get the sense that they experienced every thrill and emotion there was to experience as part of the Mamas and the Papas and they were all better for it in the end. Michelle ends the book on a high note - being proud of all the group's accomplishments and knowing that no matter where she would go in life, when she heard those songs she knew what they meant to the all their fans and what the group meant to her as well.

Rob

Hi Rob,
I agree with you, Michelle's autobiography is my favorite for all of the reasons you mentioned. I also liked Matt Greenwald's Go Where You Wanna Go: The Oral History... and the biograohy of Cass Elliot that came out in 1987, I think it was Make Your Cass Own Kind of Music.
Take care,
Nicole

GWYWG for seemingly more accurate information and multiple perspectives on the same events, Papa John for the bizarre tales (however accurate, or not, they may be) that you can't find anywhere else. ; )