Finished this the other week per Marky's request on filling in some missing sessionography details.
It's a good read, I don't know if it's essential though. It is sorta chronological with various sub-articles. Kinda like Chris Knowles' book, but more linear. Not a lot of new info beyond just a little more studio info and details on gear that I don't think I had read before. Probably the most engaging is the authors notes on the shows he saw. He saw something like 25 show in the US and UK and I felt that was the most engaging part of the book.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.
I really liked Johnny Green’s book as well! Bought it a few weeks into my Clash fandom and it made me appreciate Mick so much more than I had before. I’m also halfway through Passion is a Fashion right now and very much enjoying that one as well.
Going to look into buying some of the other suggestions here too!
Finished this the other week per Marky's request on filling in some missing sessionography details.
It's a good read, I don't know if it's essential though. It is sorta chronological with various sub-articles. Kinda like Chris Knowles' book, but more linear. Not a lot of new info beyond just a little more studio info and details on gear that I don't think I had read before. Probably the most engaging is the authors notes on the shows he saw. He saw something like 25 show in the US and UK and I felt that was the most engaging part of the book.
Just finished reading this over the past weekend, really enjoyed it. Having read a few Clash books, I'm always interested in seeing what another authors take on things is and looking for similarities in the stories that have been told in order to sort out what the true story really was.
God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
I have just read We Are The Clash - Reagan, Thatcher and The Last stand of a band that mattered. It is basically from the moment they sack Mick to the end. Its pretty good but as its years since I have read a Clash book and I had forgot all the stories about how Bernie Rhodes took over Cut The Crap. I went back and listened to it this week and still like This Is England and Dirty Punk but the rest are rubbish and even if they had the bones of good songs Rhodes ruined them with drum machines and synthesizers.
Joe obviously admitted what a disaster Cut The Crap era was. Has Rhodes ever taken any of the blame as he comes across in this book from interviews with Sheppard, White and Howard as a total dick
While he always seems happy enough to rake over the past, I've never got the impression from Mick that a memoir is something that would pique his interest. Really hope I'm wrong, though. I think the best chance lies with Topper, assuming the likely memory gaps wouldn't put the kybosh on it from the start!
While he always seems happy enough to rake over the past, I've never got the impression from Mick that a memoir is something that would pique his interest. Really hope I'm wrong, though. I think the best chance lies with Topper, assuming the likely memory gaps wouldn't put the kybosh on it from the start!
I get the same impression sadly. I remember reading an interview with him once where he was asked about it and said he considered it before but only when he was in a spot where he really could have used the money (paraphrasing but that was the gist of his answer). Maybe he’ll change his mind one day because a Mick memoir is probably #1 on my list of clash-related wishes.
