Tuesday Review: STREET PLAYER by Danny Seraphine

Full disclosure: Chicago is my favorite rock band. Also, I have met Danny Seraphine on two different occasions. Doesn't matter, I'd read the book anyway.

When I saw that Danny Seraphine had written a book, STREET PLAYER: My Chicago Story (Wiley), about his life, I was excited and nervous. Excited because I wanted to know the inside stories of the workings of the band known as Chicago. Nervous because I was afraid of what I might learn about the workings of the band known as Chicago.

Any follower of the band has endured the death of one member and the dismissal of others. Danny's book opens with his arrival at the scene of founding guitarist Terry Kath's shooting death. Rumors have swirled since his death in 1978 that the death was suicide and that is was fueled by drug abuse. Danny sets the record straight with this and many other "rumors" that fans of the band will finally be able to put to rest.

There were a few surprises in the book: I didn't know that Seraphine was such a vocal leader of the band, especially in the early days. Also, I never would have guessed that he was such a "tough guy" and had the temper he did. The book chronicles his childhood, his interest in playing the drums, his bands before Chicago, and finally the serendipitous forming of the band.

All the womanizing, drug abuse and inner squabbles of the group are not ignored. This is a book for Chicago fans who want to confirm which rumors to believe.

Seraphine ends the book with a wish shared by many of us: "Hopefully, one day my former bandmates and I will be able to reconcile and put our differences behind us."

If that reunion involves Peter Cetera, Bill Champlin and Danny Seraphine, please sign me up for front row seats.

Book website

Danny Seraphine wikipedia page

@dannyseraphine



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