-
Kicking and Dreaming
- A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll
- Narrated by: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Music
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $28.51
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Dancing with Myself
- By: Billy Idol
- Narrated by: Billy Idol
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An early architect of punk rock's sound, style, and fury, whose lip-curling sneer and fist-pumping persona vaulted him into pop's mainstream as one of MTV's first megastars, Billy Idol remains, to this day, a true rock 'n' roll icon. Now, in his long-awaited autobiography, Dancing with Myself, Idol delivers an electric, searingly honest account of his journey to fame - from his early days as front man of the pioneering UK punk band Generation X to the decadent life atop the dance-rock kingdom he ruled.
-
-
Brutally Honest
- By Katana Rogue on 01-25-16
By: Billy Idol
-
Life
- By: Keith Richards, James Fox
- Narrated by: Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley
- Length: 23 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Now at last Keith Richards pauses to tell his story in the most anticipated autobiography in decades. And what a story! Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records in a coldwater flat with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, building a sound and a band out of music they loved. Finding fame and success as a bad-boy band, only to find themselves challenged by authorities everywhere....
-
-
Ins and outs
- By Jesse on 11-07-10
By: Keith Richards, and others
-
Face the Music
- A Life Exposed
- By: Paul Stanley
- Narrated by: Paul Stanley
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Face the Music, Paul Stanley - the co-founder and famous "Starchild" frontman of KISS - reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize. Stanley mixes compelling personal revelations and gripping, gritty war stories that will surprise even the most steadfast member of the KISS Army.
-
-
Part 6 Could Stand Strongly on Its Own Content
- By J. York on 04-27-14
By: Paul Stanley
-
The Storyteller
- Tales of Life and Music
- By: Dave Grohl
- Narrated by: Dave Grohl
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities ("It's a piece of cake! Just do four hours of interviews, find someone else to write it, put your face on the cover, and voila!") I have decided to tell these stories just as I have always done, in my own voice.
-
-
Written and performed masterfully, just like all Dave Gohl’s music!
- By Michael Rickard on 10-05-21
By: Dave Grohl
-
Gold Dust Woman
- The Biography of Stevie Nicks
- By: Stephen Davis
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gold Dust Woman gives "the gold standard of rock biographers" (the Boston Globe) his ideal topic: Nicks' work and life are equally sexy and interesting, and Davis delves deeply into each, unearthing fresh details from new, intimate interviews and interpreting them to present a rich new portrait of the star. Just as Nicks (and Lindsay Buckingham) gave Fleetwood Mac the "shot of adrenaline" they needed to become real rock stars - according to Christine McVie - Gold Dust Woman is vibrant with stories and with a life lived large and hard.
-
-
Excruciating to listen to
- By KRC on 01-23-19
By: Stephen Davis
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
-
One of the best biographies ever
- By James on 12-29-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
Dancing with Myself
- By: Billy Idol
- Narrated by: Billy Idol
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An early architect of punk rock's sound, style, and fury, whose lip-curling sneer and fist-pumping persona vaulted him into pop's mainstream as one of MTV's first megastars, Billy Idol remains, to this day, a true rock 'n' roll icon. Now, in his long-awaited autobiography, Dancing with Myself, Idol delivers an electric, searingly honest account of his journey to fame - from his early days as front man of the pioneering UK punk band Generation X to the decadent life atop the dance-rock kingdom he ruled.
-
-
Brutally Honest
- By Katana Rogue on 01-25-16
By: Billy Idol
-
Life
- By: Keith Richards, James Fox
- Narrated by: Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley
- Length: 23 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Now at last Keith Richards pauses to tell his story in the most anticipated autobiography in decades. And what a story! Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records in a coldwater flat with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, building a sound and a band out of music they loved. Finding fame and success as a bad-boy band, only to find themselves challenged by authorities everywhere....
-
-
Ins and outs
- By Jesse on 11-07-10
By: Keith Richards, and others
-
Face the Music
- A Life Exposed
- By: Paul Stanley
- Narrated by: Paul Stanley
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Face the Music, Paul Stanley - the co-founder and famous "Starchild" frontman of KISS - reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize. Stanley mixes compelling personal revelations and gripping, gritty war stories that will surprise even the most steadfast member of the KISS Army.
-
-
Part 6 Could Stand Strongly on Its Own Content
- By J. York on 04-27-14
By: Paul Stanley
-
The Storyteller
- Tales of Life and Music
- By: Dave Grohl
- Narrated by: Dave Grohl
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities ("It's a piece of cake! Just do four hours of interviews, find someone else to write it, put your face on the cover, and voila!") I have decided to tell these stories just as I have always done, in my own voice.
-
-
Written and performed masterfully, just like all Dave Gohl’s music!
- By Michael Rickard on 10-05-21
By: Dave Grohl
-
Gold Dust Woman
- The Biography of Stevie Nicks
- By: Stephen Davis
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gold Dust Woman gives "the gold standard of rock biographers" (the Boston Globe) his ideal topic: Nicks' work and life are equally sexy and interesting, and Davis delves deeply into each, unearthing fresh details from new, intimate interviews and interpreting them to present a rich new portrait of the star. Just as Nicks (and Lindsay Buckingham) gave Fleetwood Mac the "shot of adrenaline" they needed to become real rock stars - according to Christine McVie - Gold Dust Woman is vibrant with stories and with a life lived large and hard.
-
-
Excruciating to listen to
- By KRC on 01-23-19
By: Stephen Davis
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
-
One of the best biographies ever
- By James on 12-29-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
Reckless
- My Life as a Pretender
- By: Chrissie Hynde
- Narrated by: Rosanna Arquette, Chrissie Hynde
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chrissie Hynde, the songwriter and front woman of The Pretenders in its various incarnations, has for 35 years been one of the most admired and adored and imitated figures in rock. This long-awaited memoir tells her life story in full and utterly fascinating detail, from her all-American Ohio '50s childhood to her classic baby-boomer seduction by the rock of the '60s to her sojourn in the crucible of punk that was '70s London to her instant emergence with her band, The Pretenders, in 1980 into stardom as a frontwoman and songwriter.
-
-
Too long to get to The Pretenders...
- By Greg on 04-20-16
By: Chrissie Hynde
-
Rocks
- My Life in and out of Aerosmith
- By: Joe Perry, David Ritz
- Narrated by: Joe Perry
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Rocks, Joe Perry exposes his unrepentant, unbridled life as the lead guitarist of Aerosmith. He delves deep into his volatile, profound, and enduring relationship with singer Steve Tyler and reveals the real people behind the larger-than-life rock gods onstage. The nearly five-decade saga of Aerosmith is epic, at once a study in brotherhood and solitude that plays out on the killing fields of rock and roll.
-
-
Discover Your Passion and Love With A Full Heart
- By Royce Phillips on 01-31-15
By: Joe Perry, and others
-
Do You Feel Like I Do?
- A Memoir
- By: Peter Frampton, Alan Light
- Narrated by: Peter Frampton
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do You Feel Like I Do? is the incredible story of Peter Frampton's positively resilient life and career told in his own words for the first time. His monu-mental album Frampton Comes Alive! spawned three top-20 singles and sold eight million copies the year it was released (more than 17 million to date), and it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in January 2020.
-
-
Boring
- By Anonymous User on 12-05-20
By: Peter Frampton, and others
-
Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?
- A Rock 'n' Roll Memoir
- By: Steven Tyler
- Narrated by: Jeremy Davidson
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The son of a classical pianist straight out of the Bronx of old Archie comics, Steven Tyler was born to be a rock star. Weaned on Cole Porter, Nat King Cole, Mick and his beloved Janis Joplin, Tyler began tearing up the streets and the stage as a teenager before finally meeting his "mutant twin" and legendary partner, Joe Perry. In this addictively listenable memoir, Tyler unabashedly recounts the meteoric rise, fall, and rise of Aerosmith over the last three decades and riffs on the music that gives it all meaning.
-
-
Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? A Rock 'n' R
- By kevin on 07-22-11
By: Steven Tyler
-
Red
- My Uncensored Life in Rock
- By: Sammy Hagar
- Narrated by: Scott Shepherd
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Loud rock, fast cars, and Cabo. This is the life of Sammy Hagar. For almost 40 years, Sammy Hagar has been a fixture in rock music. From breaking into the industry with the band Montrose to his multiplatinum solo career to his ride as the front man of Van Halen, Sammy's powerful and unforgettable voice has set the tone for some of the greatest rock anthems ever written - songs like "I Can't Drive 55", "Right Now", and "Why Can't This Be Love".
-
-
RED ROCKER SCORES ANOTHER #1 HIT
- By Bruce on 12-10-13
By: Sammy Hagar
-
Simple Dreams
- A Musical Memoir
- By: Linda Ronstadt
- Narrated by: Linda Ronstadt, Kathe Mazur
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this memoir, iconic singer Linda Ronstadt weaves together a captivating story of her origins in Tucson, Arizona, and her rise to stardom in the Southern California music scene of the 1960s and ‘70s.
-
-
Wonderfully crafted book about her career.
- By Chelsea Burroughs on 03-18-21
By: Linda Ronstadt
-
Born to Run
- By: Bruce Springsteen
- Narrated by: Bruce Springsteen
- Length: 18 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl's halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it. That's how this extraordinary autobiography began. Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to this audio the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs.
-
-
The Boss demonstrates his strong work ethic and dedication to excellence as he tells his story.
- By Tim on 12-21-16
-
Not Dead Yet
- The Memoir
- By: Phil Collins
- Narrated by: Phil Collins
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The long-awaited autobiography from Phil Collins, one of the best-selling music artists of all time. This is the roller-coaster journey from his beginnings as a child actor to his domination of the charts as both a solo artist and part of Genesis. His success is astounding, his music has global reach, and his story is legendary.
-
-
Funny, moving and honest
- By Brian Haworth on 11-03-16
By: Phil Collins
-
Lips Unsealed
- A Memoir
- By: Belinda Carlisle
- Narrated by: Belinda Carlisle
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The women of the iconic '80s band the Go-Go’s will always be remembered as they appeared on the back of their debut record: sunny, smiling, each soaking in her own private bubble bath with chocolates and champagne. The photo is a perfect tribute to the fun, irreverent brand of pop music that the Go-Go’s created, but it also conceals the trials and secret demons that the group—and, in particular, Belinda Carlisle—struggled with.
-
-
LOVED!
- By Kathleen on 04-18-17
By: Belinda Carlisle
-
Don't Stop Believin'
- By: Jonathan Cain
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cain
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this long-awaited memoir, songwriter and keyboardist Jonathan Cain takes us on an odyssey from center stage with Journey when all America was listening to songs like "Don't Stop Believin'", "Faithfully", and "Open Arms", to his hope and faith today. He tells of the thrilling moments when the music came together and offers an inside look at why Steve Perry left and the extraordinary story of their gifted new vocalist, Arnel Pineda. Cain's journey wasn't always easy - and his true arrival in life had more to do with faith than fame.
-
-
Beautifully written. A full image of the Journey.
- By Gwen Roberts on 05-31-18
By: Jonathan Cain
-
It's a Long Story
- My Life
- By: Willie Nelson, David Ritz - contributor
- Narrated by: Christopher Ryan Grant
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"Unvarnished. Funny. Leaving no stone unturned"...So say the publishers about this audiobook I've written. What I say is that this is the story of my life, told as clear as a Texas sky and in the same rhythm that I lived it. It's a story of restlessness and the purity of the moment and living right. Of my childhood in Abbott, Texas, to the Pacific Northwest, from Nashville to Hawaii, and all the way back again. Of selling vacuum cleaners and encyclopedias while hosting radio shows and writing song after song, hoping to strike gold.
-
-
Great doesn't do this justice
- By drlamarca on 06-23-15
By: Willie Nelson, and others
-
Wild Tales
- A Rock & Roll Life
- By: Graham Nash
- Narrated by: Graham Nash
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Graham Nash - the legendary musician and founding member of the iconic bands Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Hollies - comes a candid and riveting autobiography that belongs on the reading list of every classic rock fan.
-
-
The Best of the Recent Rock Biographies
- By Steven Schuster on 10-28-13
By: Graham Nash
Publisher's Summary
Two sisters. Two voices. One Heart.
The mystery of "Magic Man". The wicked riff of "Barracuda". The sadness and beauty of "Alone". The raw energy of "Crazy On You". These songs, and so many more, are part of the fabric of American music. Heart, fronted by Ann and Nancy Wilson, has given fans everywhere classic, raw, and pure badass rock and roll for more than three decades. As the only sisters in rock who write their own music and play their own instruments, Ann and Nancy have always stood apart - certainly from their male counterparts but also from their female peers. By refusing to let themselves and their music be defined by their gender, and by never allowing their sexuality to overshadow their talent, the Wilson sisters have made their mark, and in the process paved the way for many of today's female artists.
In Kicking and Dreaming, Ann and Nancy, with the help of critically acclaimed and best-selling music biographer Charles R. Cross, recount a journey that has taken them from a gypsy-like life as the children of a globe-trotting Marine to the frozen back roads of Vancouver, where they got their start as a band, to the pinnacle of success - and sometimes excess. In these pages, readers will learn the truth about the relationship that inspired "Magic Man" and "Crazy On You", the turmoil of inter-band romances gone awry, the reality of life on the road as single women and then as mothers of small children, and the thrill of performing and in some cases partying with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks, Van Halen, Def Leppard, and other rock legends. It has not always been an easy path. Ann struggled with and triumphed over a childhood stutter, body image, and alcoholism; Nancy suffered the pain and disappointment of fertility issues and a failed marriage but ultimately found love again and happiness as a mom. Through it all, the sisters drew from the strength of a family bond that trumps everything else, as told in this intimate, honest, and uniquely female take on the rock and roll life.
Throughout their career, Ann and Nancy have never found an answer to the question they are most frequently asked: "What is it like to be a woman in rock and roll?" Kicking and Dreaming puts that question to bed, once and for all.
More from the same
Narrator
What listeners say about Kicking and Dreaming
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ms. Nicholas
- 11-04-12
Very Intimate and Enjoyable Autobiography!
What made the experience of listening to Kicking and Dreaming the most enjoyable?
I especially loved listening to the this audible book because Ann and Nancy read and recorded the story themselves. It's like sitting around a fire listening to true tales of their lives from childhood to now. It's a very intimate glimpse into their family life as well as their backstage and touring world. These are not frivolous women, they are as serious as Seattle. They tell of their failures and triumphs both equally and it makes one realize how dreams can come true even if they don't turn out exactly the way we imagined. These two women are sincere and authentic even after years of being pummeled by the things that fame and the entertainment business bring. They have always "had each other's backs" while remaining completely unique individuals. The two of them let us in on their feelings, insecurities and guilty pleasures. The listener time travels with Heart through the years of love and loss, adventure and excitement. I cried with them through some of the emotional experiences and was sad when the book ended.
What other book might you compare Kicking and Dreaming to and why?
It could be slightly compared to Keith Richard's Autobiography because they tell of their parents and family history all the way to present times and give answers to some of the urban legends and mysteries that have surrounded them. They have always been "rock and roll" and were immersed in the life fully whether they wanted to be or not. Keith and the Wilson sisters both always felt that the MUSIC was what mattered and never compromised that.
Have you listened to any of Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I've listened to their music for most of my life. It was interesting to hear the background story.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
The same one used for the book - "The Story of Heart, Soul and Rock and Roll"
Any additional comments?
I think the book is better in audible form than the paper version because the REAL people that lived it are telling the story in real time! It doesn't get better than that if you are an autobiography fan.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 05-30-13
Even better than I'd hoped
I read quite a few of the other reviews before downloading this one; I'm not sure why I was on the fence. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this audiobook, especially as the sisters Wilson took their respective turns at narration. I think they were very candid and open about their own failings and quite generous to others in their history. I gained a much greater appreciation for each of them as musicians, songwriters and captains of their own fates; I've spent the last week on Spotify listening to lots of their music over again.
Another reviewer here on Audible was quite scornful about their passivity during the 1980's - their most financially successful period and the beginning of the uber-focus on Ann Wilson's weight gain - and I have to say that I cannot agree with the other reviewer. I believe they wrote very sincerely about how they lost their way artistically during that time and how they laboriously clawed their way back to themselves through great personal challenges. I have read/heard a fair number of musicians' memoirs/autobiographies/biographies over the last 30 years (at least 40 or more I think) and this was the first one where the heartbreak of infertility was discussed in depth!
The best memoir I've EVER heard is Keith Richard's "Life"; this book is just a notch below that one - but only a notch! Ann & Nancy Wilson are unique in their position as rockers, siblings & women and this book tells so much of that history - I definitely recommend it.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 09-27-12
Really Pleasant and Interesting Listen
Although not a big fan of Heart, I really enjoyed listening to the sisters tell in their own voices about their experiences in starting the band and playing through the years. I found this to be a really solid listen.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kathy
- 11-13-12
Good Behind-The-Scenes Look At "Heart"
I'm not a fan of true life stories, but every now and then I've taken a chance. I read two books when I was in my 20s about The Beach Boys and about The Beatles. It really affected how I felt about them and their music, especially the one about The Beach Boys. To this day I can't stand their songs -- the very ones I used to like and enjoy before I read the book. When I got older I wondered if they were true biographies or just some trash someone wrote.
So I knew I was taking a chance with another rock'n'roll book. Yet this book was told by the people themselves: Ann and Nancy Wilson who I always knew as the sisters of the band Heart. Since I enjoyed the sample listen, I decided to download it and I enjoyed it. Parts of it I didn't care for -- the part that always seems to belong to the lives of those in the rock'n'roll bands, because I don't like hearing about drugs and sex. However, it wasn't lurid details they gave when recounting this part of their lives. It simply was.
As for the rest of the book, I really enjoyed it!! It was interesting to hear it told from both Ann and Nancy, as well as getting to hear memories by other people in their lives. If you were ever a fan of Heart, you know what excellent singers these women are and their reading voices were good, too. At first, even though an announcer tells you which person is speaking, it was difficult to distinguish their voices. Once I caught on, I could picture each woman as I've seen them performing on tv shows and videos throughout the years.
I first fell in love with Heart's music when I was in my late teens, so it was a thrill for me to hear the women tell of how "Magic Man," "Crazy On You," and "Dreamboat Annie" came into being. I followed their career and music for a while, then moved on. I came upon them later in their career and enjoyed "Barracuda" and "These Dreams" as well as others. Once again, I could remember the songs as they described the origin of the words.
I think what I especially liked about hearing the story of Ann and Nancy Wilson in their own words was realizing what I never knew before: they carved a pathway for lead female singers and lead female guitarists in the rock industry!! They really had a tough time dealing with stereotypes in a male dominated profession!! To their credit, they have continued their careers with its various ups and downs throughout these many decades, putting up with what might have broken lesser determined women.
I always dreamed about how that would have been me and my sister on stage, knowing which one of us would be which one of the Wilson sisters. Being so close to my sister, it made my heart happy to know how close they always were and still are!! It also tickled me to see how excited they were, no matter how old they were or how much success they had achieved, whenever they'd meet a rock idol of theirs!!
Any rock'n'roll fan, any fan of Heart, any fan of the Wilson sisters will truly enjoy this book!! They're so real, so down-to-earth, so loving and such gifted and talented artists!!
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephanie
- 10-22-12
Wow, what interesting people - great read!!
Would you listen to Kicking and Dreaming again? Why?
Yes, I am actually on my second listen and really enjoy it. Ann and Nancy do a fantastic job recounting their lives and it's great to hear in in their own voices.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Love them both. I especially liked how they explained how the Beatles inspired them. They sure sounded like interesting, focused kids and I admire their commitment to the music, their family, and themselves.
Which scene was your favorite?
I enjoyed so much, it's hard to decide. That's part of the reason I am listening to it all over again - it's THAT good!
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, definitely. It might have also been nice if the intro and conclusion music would have been a Heart tune instead of something else
Any additional comments?
My only complaint is that i HATED how a narrator introduced each voice with each chapter. One can quickly/easily distinguish between Ann & Nancy's voices, so this "intrusion" is unnecessary and kind of disruptive.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cory
- 04-28-13
A study of integrity vs. responsibility
First, let me start by saying I LOVE HEART. Great records, great songs, great performances, and a wide variety of music - what's not to like? The early history of the band is a great story of finding one's way and overcoming adversity (ie. weight, the perceptions of others, etc.) to carve out a truly great body of work. There's also a very clear sense of exactly how the Wilson sisters ultimately came to holding full control of the band, edging out the founders in the process - and that's actually a compelling and rational part of the story, which doesn't leave a sense of false ownership. Really, the band's appeal was always squarely focused on the sisters (for better or worse), not the various other members. Hats off to Howard Leese, quite frankly, for sticking around as long as he did; he clearly contributed significant amounts to Heart's legacy.
As the story makes its way into the 80's, however, the tone changes from empowerment to embellishment. It is awkward to hear a pair of trail-blazers for women in music (a term they are tired of hearing, I'm sure) describe their 80's-era output of music in such calculating terms - that the outside-written songs were terrible, that their outfits were involuntarily foisted on them, that the image and direction of the band was seemingly out of their hands, etc. It would be easier to respect that period of their career if they took responsibility for the choices that characterized it - and make no mistake: these were choices within their power to direct otherwise, and they instead opted to pursue an adulterated image and made-to-order song selections to maintain their profile and popularity in an ever-changing musical landscape. Others have opted to remain absolutely true to their musical integrity, which has led to bands being dropped, independent recording, and overall downsized fame (or even flame-out) and audience base - but I'll bet the audience that stuck around for those bands were the true believers that recognized authenticity and an unwavering sense of purpose.
The Wilsons will unfortunately probably never know how many of their 80s-era fans were fans of them or of the highly processed pop music they were recording at that time. And, again - I love Heart, and I really love a lot of what was on those Capitol albums (Heart, Bad Animals, Brigade, even Desire Walks On), because a great pop song is a great pop song, and a great performance is priceless. I just wish they were proud enough of that period to take ownership for their part in it, rather than suggesting they were involuntary participants, which seems a bit like having your cake and eating it too (enjoying the popularity, but disdaining the artistic compromises that made it possible). Hell, I'm sure Pat Benatar is sick to death of "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (an outside-written song, itself), but she still retains the pride of where that song took her to continue performing it in concert - a fact that I'm sure Eddie Schwartz (its writer) continues to appreciate.
Bottom line: this audiobook is a great story about a great band, then becomes a not-quite-apology for a period of their career they freely embraced at the time, to significant fame and financial gain. It seems that, if a band doesn't want to forever be defined by a song as mundane (my apologies, Mutt Lange) as "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You", they probably shouldn't have recorded it in the first place. Celebrity and adulation need to be actively pursued - no one has ever been forced to become popular at gunpoint.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Krispian
- 01-14-13
Illuminating
Okay, as a female musician, I may be biased; I think Ann Wilson is one of the greatest singers in rock, and the songs Heart wrote in the 1970s are amazing. I recently saw Heart play live. These sixty-year-old women are still strong musicians and they can ROCK. So, I was prepared to really enjoy this book.
I loved learning about the music industry, and hearing the stories behind my favourite Heart songs -- all narrated by the actual Wilson sisters!
I am not a fan of Heart's 80s music, and it was particularly gratifying to learn that they didn't particularly care for some of those songs either -- it was the coke-fueled 80s 'star maker machinery' that was responsible for that egregious period. I could never correlate the talent that wrote the powerful "Barracuda" with the drivel that is "All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You". Makes sense now.
My only complaint was that I would have liked to have heard more about how the sisters' became musicians in the first place -- because the story begins when they are already in the fledgling incarnation of Heart.
A good listen.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- The Debster
- 08-22-19
The Wonderful Story of Ann and Nancy Wilson
Ann and Nancy: Incredible, inspiring, and loving. They share their struggle and love of music from the beginning. A must read/listen! And thank you both for everything!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John
- 05-17-22
WOW!
The best rock n roll autobiography I've ever experienced ... Hearing this come from their own mouths just bumps this into the stratosphere
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- amy gester
- 04-07-22
Heart’s Kicking and Dreaming Rocks!
Both Ann and Nancy read their story so well, better than most all the other books I’ve listened to so far! I loved and can relate to growing up military and I really enjoyed learning of their personal beliefs as I’m hearing about making their way into Rock and Roll. I’ve loved Heart’s music since the late 80’s so I knew I wanted to listen to this book. Well written and really well read! I’ll always love them!!
-
Overall

- Amazon Customer
- 04-13-13
Fascinating
Great to hear the truth behind all the rumours, the weight battles and personal trials of Ann & Nancy with the added bonus of narration by the ladies themselves and also other people mentioned in the book contribute. From the early days with family memories to the present day. A good length without being too long. Recommended for both Heart fans or those wishing to hear a good biography.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mr. Christopher J. Burchell
- 04-17-21
Honest and rewarding account
I have always been a fan of Heart’s music although less familiar with their more recent material. Really enjoyed finding out the early history of Ann and Nancy and how the band came to be.
I admire their honesty and sharing both the highs and lows of their professional and personal lives.
To be a successful band over such a long period is quite an achievement
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- prefabsproutfan
- 05-18-17
Pure Heart
What did you like most about Kicking and Dreaming?
I loved this book, it was great to hear so many different voices from the actual people discussed in the book. Each telling their view of events from over the decades.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Kicking and Dreaming?
The book was so honest and interesting. I learnt lots about how the sisters were feeling throughout many periods of their fame.
Have you listened to any of Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson ’s other performances? How does this one compare?
Great, warm, humorous, honest and at times sad.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes I did! But completed in a week and wanting more.
Any additional comments?
A must not just for Heart fans, but also anyone interested in songwriting and even family dynamics and pressures of friendship in the face of the spotlight of fame.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- gary Fallon
- 02-14-17
Good insights from two great artists n entertainer
Ann, Nancy and others provide a very personal account of what it is like to follow your dream. then to have wisdom to look back over their success and the many things they pioneered as gifted women in rock. Thank you to both for making the effort to share their wisdom..