Eric Clapton: The Autobiography
'Clapton
is God' may have read the grafitti, but the tone of Eric Clapton's first
autobiography is shy, matter-of-fact, flat. This may disappoint some but
to me it made it all the more real...this is, after all, just how we
expect Eric to communicate: his music is sublime, but his personality
understated, introverted, filled for much of his life with the fear yet
the encouragement of rejection that contributed to his alcoholism and
heroin addiction.
Nothing is left out. He is unsparing about himself, his honesty, even
understated, shining through on every page. His life, after all, has been
very full and included plenty of demons. His account of his feelings
following the accidental death of his son is almost too painful to read.
His passion for helping other addicts, however, is warm and heartfelt.
Also evident is his generosity to other musicians he admires. Comparing
him to Hedrix is now a standard pub conversation and he has nothing but
praise for him. He compliments musician after musician. For him it really
does seem to be 'all about the music'. The other stuff is there too: the
affair with George Harrison's wife; the fact that his parents hid his
illigitimacy from him; the entertaining anecdotes such as the difficulty
of having a slash on the White House lawn. But, despite the fact that he
rarely does much more than name song titles and musicians, it is the music
that shines through: you want to run to those CDs and listen to them all
over again.
Clapton is a remarkable guitarist and this is a remarkable account of a
life filled with real sadness and happiness. Thank God there are still a
few older people writing autobiographies these days!
Stand and Deliver: The Autobiography
I
have to be honest that when Adam Ant was big in the early 1980s I was
aware of him, but being a toddler wasn't really a fan, that was more my
twin brother who would sing Stand and Deliver, had a poster of his idol
and even bought his late 1980s albums as well as his greatest hits, other
than the video with Diana Dors the only other knowledge I had of Mr Ant is
the unfortunate episode with the gun a couple of years back and I did know
that his real name was Stuart Goddard.
Upon reading this book the first thing that hits you is the brutal honesty
of Adam's tale. He doesn't hold back relating his difficult childhood, his
all encompassing love for his mother, his many relationships and of course
the music. There isn't an ounce of self pity despite Adam's problems with
his medical condition and its presence is keenly felt throughout this
book.
I love reading biographies and have read memoirs as varied as Gandhi to
Rik Mayall but this really is one of the most astonishing pieces of work I
have ever read. Adam Ant is truly a remarkable man and regardless of
whether you are an ant fan or not you cannot but be touched by his amazing
story and the dignity of the man.
Pigs Might Fly: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd
Pink
Floyd are my favorite band, have been since 1974 and always will be
although Rachmaninov wrote my favorite piece of music. I had to read this
book (read the reviews on here) and was not disappointed. It is, as others
have written here, a very well researched and well written piece giving an
unbiased (I think) view of what Pink Floyd are/were about.
I think Nick Mason is quoted (ish) as saying that were their children to
behave like the members of the band then they would be very upset with
them.
Childishness abounds, sniping, rising to the bait, pissing competitions
(my gig's bigger than yours) but taking a step back it's just human nature
really and I see this around me all the time - I am often involved!
What makes it slightly different for me is that these guys didn't want for
anything in the end and still they bitched, very acidly, about each other.
You see money isn't everything..............apart from the song that
is................. and talking of that, I find it incredible (anorak mode
on) that when I saw them live in 1994 the video to Money showed an HS125
(executive jet) rather than a Lear Jet - given Mason and Gilmour's
aviation knowledge and (as mentioned in the book) the attention to detail
I am surprised they missed that one.
No
One Here Gets Out Alive: The Biography of Jim Morrison
No
one here gets out alive is an in-depth look at one of the most
controversial and compelling bands of the late twentieth century. The book
focuses on rock legend jim morrisons life with the doors and how he coped
with the pressure of stardom. It follows his decent from a rock idol to
millions of fans, to a world lined with drugs and alcohol which led to an
untimely death at the tender age of 27. The world will never know what he
had left to offer. Rest in peace James Douglas Morrison. The book is a
rollercoaster ride which is a thrilling read and if you start this book
you will find it very difficult to stop.
Genesis:
Chapter And Verse: Chapter and Verse
I
think I must have most of the books written about Genesis so I wasn't
going to miss out on this one too. Previous works have detailed the
history of the band from a third-party perspective and so it was good to
have a book where the text has come from the band members themselves along
with their producers and managers. Anyone reading about Genesis for the
first time may need to refer to other material as well for a full history,
but I guess if you buy it you're already familiar with the band.
Obviously some of the photos have appeared before but there are numerous
new ones and it is good that this book also captures the latest tour.
It is worth noting that the hardback version is very well put together,
with thick glossy pages; a quality feel, befitting its RRP.
Just waiting for the DVD now - I was at the Manchester gig so can't wait
to re-live the set (I've bought the CD of the Manchester concert which is
another great buy).
White Line Fever: Lemmy - The Autobiography
Lemmy
is the kind of rock star that makes you proud to be British. He doesn't
take himself too seriously, he just wants to play in a rock and roll band
and get laid after the show. In this book (called an autobiography, but it
reads like an interview) he recounts his long career in rock, powered by
amphetamines and bourbon, and it is a risible ride indeed. Stories of
drink-and-drug-induced foolishness abound, along with interesting pen
sketches of his fellow band members over the years. I laughed out loud a
lot whilst reading this book, you know you're always going to have a good
time, all the time, with Motorhead.
Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon
"Dear
Boy" is many kinds of a book. Whilst it is of course a rock
biography, it is also by turns a comedy, a romance, psychoanalysis and
probably most of all, a tragedy.
Since first hearing the Who as a Mod in the 1980s during the death of the youth cult's revival that began in 1979, I have been fascinated with the life of the band that have been important for so many followers of music, mod and rocker alike. "Dear Boy" is the greatest insight into Keith - and in fact The Who - since Barnes' "Before I Get Old".
In "Dear Boy", Fletcher begins with Keith's childhood, where even then it was wondered if he suffered with some form of hyperactivity. Insights range from his life at home with his mild-mannered parents, divided from them by a curtain spanning the living-room behind which he played his drums; to his practical jokes on the streets which were the forerunner of some of his later, more famous antics.
The book follows his musical career from the Beachcombers (apparently the happiest time of his life) to The Who. It reveals the complex relationships he shared with the other band members. His practical joking he shared with John Entwistle (they bought a car together containing hidden speakers so they could alarm the public with their announcements), his destructiveness he shared with Pete Townshend (jointly responsible for the hotel smashing escapades but always happy to leave Keith with all the credit), and his see-saw relationship with Roger Daltrey, who was once almost thrown out of the band for beating Keith up whilst on tour.
But the true tragedy of his life is revealed through his friends and family. Keith, desperate to be wanted and loved, tried to be liked by everyone. As his fame grew so did his bizarre behavior - fuelled by an increasing alcohol and drug habit - in an attempt to become even more popular. All the time however there was a frustrated and depressed man underneath it. Plagued by the death of his one-time minder for which he held himself personally responsible, the break up of his first marriage and his addiction to mind-altering substances, Keith often tried many things to rid himself of his demons - from medication to drying-out clinics and even to an unusual form of exorcism.
Fletcher writes with a genuine love and sympathy for Keith, but also with boldness and honesty, refusing to shy away from the darker side of his nature, usually manifesting itself at home. No stone is left unturned (and no hotel, it seems, is left unsmashed) as he tries hard to get inside the mind of the world's most famous drummer and to the root of his problems - in fact in my opinion trying harder than many of the quacks Keith asked help from during his life.
Fletcher adds an extra dimensions to the things commonly known. For example, I knew Keith had trashed hotels; but I had no idea of the scale of it, the sheer level of destruction that was caused. I've seen photos of Keith often dressed up as Hitler or a Jester - but I had no idea he would actually take on this persona, driving his family crazy by remaining in costume and in character for days on end.
It's a huge book; however due to its well-written and easy style, it didn't take me long to get through it. Very much recommended.
