Barenaked Ladies: Public Stunts, Private Stories

Paul Myers

Nov 2007 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

From geeks in short pants to multiplatinum artists, Barenaked Ladies are nothing less than a phenomenon. Now, for the first time in the United States, we can read their astonishing story.
Steven, Ed, Jim, Tyler, and Kevin have two Grammy nominations under their belts, they've appeared on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, and their music is featured in commercials. They've even preempted the Olympics and rocked the vote on The West Wing. Their quirky, bizarre lyrics and unforgettable live performances have secured a rabidly loyal fan base across North America. They are Barenaked Ladies.
Want to know more about this Canadian quintet? It's all here, from the births of five Barenaked babies to the triumph of band member Kevin over leukemia.

• All the stories, from goo-goo to glory
• Photographs of the band, never before seen in the United States, including family photos, baby pictures, and shots from the early days of BNL
• A list of BNL's favorite road games and instructions so you, too, can play
• A detailed list of every musical project the Ladies have recorded or been involved with
• More information on band camp and what gifted Canadian kids do for fun than you ever thought you wanted

Given exclusive access to the band, author Paul Myers gets inside the heads of five guys who drew on their eclectic backgrounds to generate a groundbreaking musical style.
Fun, frank, and sometimes frivolous, this is the naked truth behind Barenaked Ladies.

Ratings and reviews

My disappointment in the book is the slander of the band's former manager, Nigel Best. The fact that he was not interviewed for the book puzzles me. I was a huge fan of the band from the yellow tape onward but I began to lose interest after Born on a Pirate Ship was released. It was the last album I purchased. I find it rather interesting that their management changed at that point. Perhaps they were looking for a scapegoat. What I do know for certain is that this book paints a negative portrait of a manager who changed Canadian music forever. Myers implies that Nigel Best was not doing his job to the best of his ability, but he does not place this in context. Perhaps if Myers had interviewed Best he would have discovered that before they fired him his wife left him with his three young children. Perhaps he would have found out that no band member ever expressed any concern over his performance with Best himself. Myers may have even realized that how the Ladies went about their shift in management was a betrayal given that they were like family. I am not trying to demonize anyone in my little rant here, I do however believe that Nigel Best deserves more credit than this book gives him. He was a huge part of the band's early success. He brought the band to the attention of Seymour Stein and he got their music featured on Friends. I will always love the band. The yellow tape sits proudly on a shelf in my livingroom to this day. However, I am a believer in truth and I do not think that this book gives Nigel Best the credit he deserves.

About the author

Paul Myers is a Canadian musician and writer who first met Barenaked Ladies in the early '90s when they opened for his band, the Gravelberrys.