Burdon lets fans in on bygone days
In his 400-page autobiography «Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood» (Elektra Press), Burdon offers a frank recollection of his experiences over the years amid and around the notorious rock ‘n’ roll circuit. Included are fascinating adventures with music legends, including Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and John Lennon. Recalling an encounter with Nina Simone, Burdon writes: «I noticed a gleam in her eyes as she looked at me and said, ‘You’re that white piece of scum that stole my song [Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood] and turned it into a hit.’ After a short silence, I retaliated on equal terms. ‘If you admit that the songs you sing could belong to the bones of some poor bugger buried without a tombstone at the state prisons of Angola, then I’ll admit that your interpretation was the reason that inspired us to record this song.’»
