Sinister: Reading Rock '88 [NBSC]

[Hopkins, Tim]

Here are some more rock book recommendations:

'Unwelcome Home: the strange tale of Peters and Lee' by Mrs Evander Mitchell
This details the descent of the once-great 1970s light entertainment duo from pop stardom into a
seedy life of accountancy and ventriloquism. As a tale of everyday madness, this one is hard to
beat.

'Post-Hegelian Homesick Blues: The List Song in Postmodernity' by Steffan Hosen
Here's what it says on the back: 
'Fascinating study (adapted from an acclamed doctoral thesis) which puts the list song at the
epicentre of postmodernity, as the apotheosis of one-dimensional fractal culture, referencing,
re-referencing and self-referencing out of control, nowhere and everywhere, forever. It
demonstrates that, even more than 'machine music' like hip hop, the list song has ruthlessly
exposed the modernist myth of the creative subconscious, and locates postmodern creativity in
the act of turning on the television, the only purposeful act which remains available to us.' 
Quite how the author managed to do this much research into list songs without once mentioning
Ian Dury's 'Reasons To Be Cheerful Pt 3' is beyond me, but a scintillating read nevertheless.

Sarah Records 40: A Celebration

This large format, glossy book tells the amazing tale of how Sarah Records was founded 40 years
ago on the tiny Caribbean island of Bristol, and through amazing luck, great judgement and a
sense of adventure, has grown and prospered through 40 years and across the whole spectrum of
popular music. Guest star forewords are contributed by Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson and Andrew
Dean.

The Strange Tale of Litres of Pee: Indiepop Babylon, by Roberto Carro

Amazing expose of the darker side of the indiepop world. You wouldn't believe some of the things
those indiepopsters get up to. Read about how Bjork destabilised the molecular structure of the
other Sugarcubes'  brains, using worrying glares she'd bought from Tricky.
Read how the size of Brett Anderson's head is directly proportional to the popularity of his
band, and how he now wears hats stolen from Lego figures. 
Read how Belle And Sebastian's Stevie Jackson was spotted by Dave Lee Roth while filling in on
guitar for the BMX Bandits in LA. He accepted a job in Roth's band, but was thrown out after
just twenty minutes for throwing a meat pie at Seymour Stein, esteemed head of Sire Records. It
missed. Stevie wrote a song about the whole incident. It's a great song.
And it's a fantastic book, you should try to get hold of it.

Take the book back off the shelf,

Tim

P.S. Peter Miller wrote:

> PS: T!mothy Hopk!ns, you can't pull the wool over my eyes. At least not for
> more than a couple of scary seconds. What a memory you have!
> 
I'm not sure what this means, but it's worrying me. Wool? Eyes? Leave me alone.
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