What I Read... February 2017

 

Love at Second Sight - Cathy Hopkins

 

A cute romantic read about teenager Jo's search for the boy she fell in love with in a past life. I loved the London setting, especially the rich imagery of Highgate Cemetery.

 

If you enjoy light-hearted YA, this could be one for you.

 

 

 

Unknown Pleasures - Inside Joy Division - Peter Hook

 

This is a difficult one to review, because although I read the whole thing within 24 hours, I didn't find it easy.

The opening sections were probably my favourite, where he's going to punk gigs and first taking a serious interest in music. These sections also capture a sense of Manchester and the north in the late 1970s and make fascinating reading.

There was a lot of the dry humour I'd expected, and Hooky doesn't hold back with his opinions which makes it feel as though he's sharing his secrets directly with the reader. The stories of Joy Division on the road and in the studio were interesting, and the recollections of individual performances were entertaining and evocative, but the way he writes about the dynamic within the band creates the tension that made this a compulsive (and at times draining) read.

This volume of Peter Hook's memoir was always going to be very much about Ian Curtis and I found myself waiting uncomfortably for the section I knew was coming - Ian's death. I liked how Hooky went to great pains to paint the Ian Curtis he knew - someone who was one of the lads, and at times downright crude. Everyone knows about the epilepsy, the affair, the suicide, the artsy Ian... the way he's been frozen in time by the fans and the media. Hearing what he was actually like from bandmate makes him more 3D somehow, less of a caricature.

I'm definitely going to read the New Order book very soon and imagine that'll be equally as gripping (if not moreso to me personally as that's the music I prefer).

 

 

The Unmumsy Mum - Sarah Turner

 



I'm not sure if part of the reason this didn't speak to me as much as it has some of my friends is because I'm well past the baby stage.

There were definitely scenes from their family life I could relate to, and I did find myself giggling along at the comments about the challenges of parenthood, but personally I feel the short, sharp blog posts have more of an impact than a full-length book.          

 

 

This Beats Perfect - Rebecca Denton

 



Amelie doesn't like boybands. She'd rather be listening to her diverse collection of original vinyl. However, because of her dad's job in the music industry, she finds herself surrounded by the biggest pop band of the moment 'The Keep'.

This is a book I'd been really looking forward to, and it was a quick YA read. The plot wasn't complex, but didn't need to be as it was still very readable.

My main issue was that I didn't always like Amelie and her ways. Yes, she is a teenager, but she came across as a bit brattish at times. However, I really liked the character Maxx and his motivations and story were very believable.

I'd have loved this book in my teens and I'm sure many fangirls will be hooked by this story of romance, the music industry and being true to yourself.

Why Pamper Life's Complexities? - Essays on The Smiths - Ed. Sean Campbell and Colin Coulter

Interesting collection of essays relating to The Smiths and their place in society, politics and musical history.

Some essays were more interesting to me than others, with particular praise going to Joseph Brooker's ' Has the World Changed or Have I Changed?- The Smiths and the Challenge of Thatcherism', Cecelia Mello's 'I Don't Owe You Anything - The Smiths and kitchen-sink cinema' and particularly Karl Maton's 'Last Night We Dreamt that Somebody Loved Us - Smiths fans (and me) in the late 1980s'. This is partly due to the content relating to areas that appeal to my own personal interest, but also because I felt they were most accessible and original.

One area which could have been stronger for me was a wider use of sources - many essays referred to the same key interviews and lyrics which made this book repetitive at times when read as a collection.  



Set the Boy Free - Johnny Marr

I've been waiting a long time for this book.  You can read my 'Hooray!  Johnny's writing an autobiography!' post here.



I love Johnny Marr.

His life story proves that the heady combination of hard work and natural talent pays off.  Set the Boy Free follows Johnny from humble beginnings on inner-city Manchester estates to global fame and acclaim.  It's partly a 'rise of the underdog' tale, but it's also a love story between Marr and music.  As a creative person myself, I couldn't help but be inspired by his drive, his ambition, his self-belief, and also his ability to do things his own way.

I love Johnny Marr.

His total commitment to guitar and continual desire to bettering his playing, writing and producing is obvious through his musical catalogue, and although I'm a huge fan of The Smiths, there is so much more to Johnny Marr's career.  I read a review that complained there was too much music lingo in this book.  Erm ... hello? This is Johnny Fuckin Marr, a man who's dedicated his whole life to music. What did you expect?!

I love Johnny Marr.

His style and the influences he has drawn on in terms of clothes and image fascinate me.  From roll-necks and beaded necklaces to well-chosen knitwear, his style has evolved yet never deviated from something that is totally 'Johnny Marr'. There's something comforting in that.   Familiar.  And the way Johnny talks about clothes and style in the book is highly evocative.

I love Johnny Marr.

He comes across as very introspective and self-aware, constantly reassessing what he wants from not only his career, but also other areas of his life.  Reading Set the Boy Free, particularly the sections about Johnny's lifestyle change to a tee-total, marathon-running vegan, has encouraged me to think about the life I want for myself. 

I love Johnny Marr. 

I've always been fascinated by his relationship with wife Angie.  They are a rarity - a couple who met young, knew they wanted to be together and still are over thirty years on.  I loved the chance to learn more about their relationship, although the romantic in me would have liked to have more of this and also his relationship with Nile and Sonny covered in the book.

I love Johnny Marr.

I love Johnny Marr's autobiography.  It's insightful and easy to read and although I'd heard a lot of the stories before, it was nice to have a chronological version of events from Johnny's viewpoint. 

I love Johnny Marr.

I love Johnny Marr.

And did I mention I love Johnny Marr?!

Johnny Marr's Autobiography To Be Released In 2016

Regular readers of Books with Bunny know I have a bit of an obsession with The Smiths/Morrissey/Johnny Marr, so the news last week that Johnny's autobiography is due for release next year was pretty darn exciting to me. 

Ever since Morrissey's Autobiography in 2013 (you can read my review here) there's been talk of Marr writing his version of events.  Johnny himself has tweeted about it on occasion, but the official statement came last Monday- Marr's autobiography will be released by Century in 2016.

In an interview with 6 Music today Marr said he'd written 'quite a few chapters, probably about a third [of the book]' and that he hopes to produce something 'really good' and 'really authentic'.   He described his life experiences as 'bewildering' and reminded fans that he's done 'a lot of living' since The Smiths went their separate ways in 1987 and not to expect the book to be devoted purely to his time in the band.  Johnny also spoke of wanting to write a screenplay after finishing the book.

So what do I want to see in Johnny's autobiography?  Yes, I'd like to read about Morrissey and The Smiths, particularly how the song writing process worked from his point of view. I'd like to know how it feels to be widely thought of as one of the greatest musical talents of a generation, and I'd like to know his thoughts on why The Smiths are still gaining new fans all the time, how they are now almost a rite of passage for any teenager.

I also really, really hope there's plenty written about his family life.  I'd love to know more about Johnny as a child and his first experiences playing guitar/writing music, but I'm especially keen to read about his relationship with 'childhood sweetheart' Angie.  The pair have been together since they were fourteen and fifteen, and married thirty years this year- an achievement for any couple, let alone one in the public eye.  Surely, however much you love each other that is a challenge-after all, we all change so much as we gain in years and experience?  I'm interested to know how they've made it work so well for so long.

I want to know more about what inspires him.  He has varied taste in music and books, is that partly because he wants fresh influences away from popular culture? 

Also, the question I most want answered- is he sick of his playing being referred to as a 'jangly'?  Sure, it's a vivid and accurate description of one part of his repertoire, but Johnny's music offers so much more than that for anyone who is willing to open their mind and their ears.

Watching him live at the Leadmill in Sheffield ten days ago only confirmed for me how magical Marr is-listening to him play is an almost spiritual experience and I was left craving more.

This book can't come soon enough for me. 

Is it next year yet?!

Johnny Marr's autobiography is due for release by Century in late 2016.

You can listen to Johnny's 6 Music interview here.

On my last visit to Salford Lads Club I had to lean on the same pillar Johnny had- 2012