Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll

Writing this as I listen to "Fanatic" for the first time (review on that later). This long-awaited look at the trials and tribulations of Heart and the lives of Nancy and Ann Wilson satisfies those of us who are fans and wanted to know more of the details of that journey. This book (I read the ebook) balances personal details against "too much information" nicely. There is enough information to fill in gaps about how certain songs came about (including naming the jerk who spawned "Barracuda"), but not lots of intensely intimate gossip. I loved the look into their family life and their relationship with their parents. The information about some of their battles, like sexism and corruption in the music business (one of the reasons I walked away from it very early), and their battles with body image and weight is very timely and also resonates deeply with the struggles of many people today. I also enjoyed the many stories about the music business and their rise to stardom. I didn't realize they did so much Led Zep cover work. The story of Zep walking into a club just as they were doing a cover of "Stairway to Heaven," was cool, and reminded me of a similar experience a jazz guitarist I know in Portland had with a George Benson song. I've always felt a special resonance with them, partly because I am also a military brat from the Northwest. All the stories in the book about the life of military families and growing up on military bases, traveling, the lack of long-term friendships, and the distance from family exactly mirrored my experiences. And, since I and my older sibling are almost exactly the same ages as Nancy and Ann, the parallels run deep. (More on that would be too personal.) I have to wonder if our paths ever crossed (or nearly so), even though we were in a different service. We were in similar parts of the world in roughly the same times. That kind of synchronicity interests me. I also feel a sense of resonance because I wondered in those early days why there were no female guitarists like Jimi, Pete, Eric, etc. To read that the Wilson sisters also just accepted that women could be hard rocking guitarists/musicians deepened the connection for me. That is one reason why I respond so strongly to Nancy's playing. It is a long held dream of mine to see a woman tear up the strings like she does (which I've mentioned in other reviews of their work). And Ann's voice? What can I say? It sends chills up my spine, it is so powerful. There is a magic to the combination of energies these two spin with each other. They are definitely musical avatars of our generation. This book is a cool look at two people I respect and adore. I love the music they have done, and hope they keep doing it for a long time to come. This world is blessed by their presence, and I am grateful for this glimpse into their lives. This book is a must read for any Heart fan, period. Thank you for sharing with us yet again, Nancy and Ann. Good job.

The book is a first-person narrative of Ann and Nancy's life stories. They start with their childhood and take turns recalling home life, Mom and Dad, Ann's childhood struggles with her weight, and the night they saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, an event that changed their lives. There is Ann's first guitar, the young sisters performing for their teenage friends (Nancy wasn't even twelve), and so on. The book continues in like fashion through more than forty years, all the way to present (2012 is the latest date in the book, I think). If anyone is hoping for titillating Women of Rock debauchery, forget it. It isn't here. The Wilson sisters tell their stories they way anyone would. They recall people and events, and they reflect on how forces sometimes co-mingled and nudged their lives this way and that. They recall decisions they made and the outcomes of those decisions. They recall good times and not so good times. And, they reflect on the way things turned out. I came away from the book thinking of them more as people with a home life who just also happen to perform in a band. So much so, that I was sometimes surprised when some other Rock icon would pop in at one of their homes, which reminded me that these ladies are Rock Royalty!

I like that this book was honest, open, and revealing- even when it didn’t paint the sisters in the best light. It takes guts to open up and reveal parts of your life that you might prefer stay hidden. For that reason, I give it 5 stars. It kept me interested in reading more. I’ve been a fan of Heart for over 50 years. I’ve seen them live dozens of times. I’ve always thought Ann’s voice was one of the best, up there with Steve Perry and Freddie Mercury. I read this book in 2 days. Mostly because tonight I’m going to see them in Loveland, Colorado. Great information in this book including some wonderful behind the scenes insights. Lots of sex, drugs, and rock and roll too. They’ve led quite the life that’s for sure. This book was written before the big rift they had. You’ll have to Google that information in a Rolling Stone article that’s available. My only issue with the book, and it’s a small one, but it did bother me, is that it alternates between Nancy talking and then Ann. Sometimes I’d think I was reading from Ann’s point of view when after a few pages, I’d realize this was Nancy. Overall I really enjoy reading it and I learned more about them.

We had a great past with Ann, Nancy and Heart. Friends of friends and knew them personally but not intimately. Their parents, John and Lou, were amazing people as well. Although we didn't see them often they always greeted us by name and with a great hug (from Lou). This is well written, entertaining, and a good picture into the lives of all of us in the 1970s, 1980s and beyond. The editing, though, is bad (I am a writer and these mistakes always jump out at me). It is very "heartfelt", fun and agonizing. I happened to put it into my Kindle for a brief vacation and could not stop reading the past two days. It is always fun to take a look into the past and try to understand it more. We were all so much younger ... and, thankfully, Ann and Nancy and those surrounding them have emerged today as amazing and caring adults. Their Northwest upbringing OF COURSE has a lot to do with it. I am just a little prejudiced, having grown up in the Seattle area. I recommend it for a nostalgic and insightful read.

Heart was a favorite band in 70s and reading stories on the road, the thrills and demons of being careful what you wish for results. Great read

Both sisters wrote this but, whilst it is insightful, it is not a riveting read.

I loved to read this book and get to know better the Wilson's sisters, since I'm a big fan of them. They are funny, talented, smart and amazing. It was great to read about how they conquered so many obstacles and finally became such famous rockers. It hurt me when I read how Ann suffered shooting those videos and the prejudice about her body. I think that the only thing that bothered me while I was reading was when they talked about Stevie Nicks and the way them "couldn't keep up with Stevie" regarding the amount of substances she did back in the 80s. We all know that people were doing a ton of drugs but the way Nancy wrote us disrespectful. Beside that, I loved to know more about the story behind the songs, such as Barracuda and Mistral Wind - my favorite one. If you love Classic Rock and to know about how great songs were inspired, this is your book!

Pas d'hésitation à avoir quand il s'agit des soeurs Wilson.

Very entertaining, takes me back to the same decades of being a teenager to an adult, and all the fantastic rock and roll. Because Heart began in Vancouver I see them as a Canadian band. Great story and life of two extraordinary woman.

Not long finished reading this and what an absorbing book it was! I don't normally touch biographies, as I can't help feeling there's something a bit voyeuristic about them, but I've been a solid Heart fan since about 1977 and stuck with them through every album, so thought this might prove a good insight. The book is very conversationally written, alternating between short chapters from both sisters (and occasionally other key people), so it's easy to pick up in short bursts of two or three pages, but still be very rewarding. Always honest and never boring, it's not just a history of the band, but of the Wilson family and the wider rock scene. As you would expect after so many years, there's a wealth of annecdotes from life on the road, with some great gems about meetings with other key musical figures. What I hadn't bargained for, was how it shed so much light on so many of their songs that I've begun paying all the albums and hearing them in a completely new light. Fans will love this, but even casual Heart aquaintences will find much to engross them, not least the struggles of being women in the male-dominated world of rock, but being just about the first, and as such (excuse the pun) - basically wrote the book!