Scar Tissue (2004)

Author: Anthony Kiedis, Larry Sloman | Page Count: 465

"I was still high out of my mind and trying not to lose an eyeball or tuft of hair, so I started running through the halls. Jennifer chased me. For some reason, I had a bag of cookies, so I started throwing the cookies at her, to keep her far enough away that she couldn't connect with any of her punches."

Scar Tissue chronicles the life of Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, from his birth and childhood in Michigan to his adolescence in Southern California to the formation of the band and his trials and tribulations with fame, love, and drug addiction all the way to his sober present while living a life that was totally untethered and impulsive.

The text reads as if Keidis is telling the story right to the reader which is pretty much how it was written since it was transcribed by Sloman as it was told to him with surprising recollection and detail by Keidis. The window it opens into the world of music and fame is fascinating as well as the change in culture that would allow a prepubescent kid to skateboard around a city unmonitored just exploring and experiencing. That isn't unheard of nowadays, but parents are sometimes arrested for that lack of chaperoning. Keidis' own personal journey is a running theme throughout from his self described egomania to his much healthier and calmer "life of service" which is equally fascinating. There are also several photos presented offering a visual look into his life that are interesting. An absorbing read punctuated with some insights and peeks into the hollywood behind-the-scenes.

4 Nothing drops the panties faster than music out of 5

John Lydon: Stories of Johnny - A Compendium of Thoughts on the Icon of an Era (2006)

Editor: Rob Johnstone | Page Count: 318

"[H]e has proved time and again that a big anti-establishment Fuck You can and should be something that any individual is free to choose."

The correct ratio of arrogance and enthusiasm can be a positive thing. John Lydon has spent his entire life making himself a visible target for the socially repressed and political ideologists to attack, and in so doing he exposes the attacker's own prejudices and fears. Love him or hate him, the world needs Lydon. Truth needs Lydon. He admits the things he says can seem contradictory and that his opinion will change from day to day but it always reflects how he feels at that time, and the core values that underline his philosophy never change.

I've labelled this a 'biography' but it only slightly fits that category. It's similar to the kind of critical studies you find on every academic reading list at school, the kind of thing that collects together essays offering different perspectives on a chosen topic. By assimilating the separate elements it helps build up a picture of a man; whether or not it's an accurate picture is open to debate. Nevertheless, it's a fun undertaking and the constantly shifting topics keep it interesting.  

One chapter focuses on the rise of punk, one on the reaction of the media, and another on the nuances of Lydon's unique vocal delivery, etc. You don't need to start at the beginning and work your way through to the end, you can jump in anywhere. It's focussed primarily on the Sex Pistols era but there are enough Public image Ltd anecdotes to please fans of both sides.

Black and white photos are scattered haphazardly across the pages. They're obvious filler, sometimes bearing no relation to the text whatsoever.

The entry by Kris Needs and the essay by Judy Nylon are essential reading.

3 "originality always offends" out of 5

Contributors: GREIL MARCUS; LEGS McNEILL; CLINTON HEYLIN; KRIS NEEDS; PAT GILBERT; JUDY NYLON; NIGEL WILLIAMSON; ALAN CLAYSON; BARB JUNGR; ALAN McGEE.

Touching From a Distance (1995)

Author: Deborah Curtis | Page Count: 212

"...he was reading Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche, Jean Paul Sarte, Hermann Hesse and J. G. Ballard. ...It struck me that all Ian's spare time was spent reading and thinking about human suffering."

Ian Curtis found a way to say the things that the post-punk generation were so badly in need of. It doesn't mean he was a hero. He was as much an asshole as the rest of us. This book tells his tale from his wife’s point of view. It also tells her tale, and it’s one that for me was worth reading. It strives to find a balance between the emotional stance of a wife and mother deifying her husband out of love and duty, and the equally emotional dejectedness of a devoted partner left out in the cold during her husband’s greatest triumph. Mostly it succeeds.

While Ian tried to hold himself together after a medical diagnosis that threw his life into a maelstrom of uncertainty, Deborah tried to hold everything else together, house, home and family. She never succumbs to the ‘pity me’ attitude (in fact, that seems to have been exorcised quite intentionally). Even though the book is about Ian Curtis, it reveals a lot about the author in the process. I applaud her strength of character in exposing herself so openly. It’s neither sensationalist nor cashing in on a tragedy; it simply is what it is: an honest and often heartbreaking piece of prose. It’s the work of someone wanting to give the truth of a situation, truth being something that she herself was denied at the time.

The end of the book reproduces Ian’s lyrics, some previously unseen, half finished or abandoned. The cynic in you may think this an easy way to fill out page count, but Ian’s words are worthy of inclusion. Having them here is the perfect way to end the story. He was a real poet that touched upon things someone so young shouldn't have had such a deep understanding of; luckily for us, if we learn by example, he left us enough instruction so that we don't have to.

3 band-mates who were blind to the truth out of 5

Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and His Films (2008)

Author: Joseph Lanza | Page Count: 384

“When every second counts, it is often necessary to say two things at once; which is why I frequently introduce symbolism into scenes of reality.” –Russell.

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the lover of kitsch and vaudeville imagery Ken Russell but were unable to ask.  It functions as a biography of his early years (although hurries quickly over one of the most traumatic events in his early life, I put this down to a show of respect for Russell) which helps shed light on the reasons for some of his adulthood fixations.  Later, it dissects and gives some juicy behind the scenes info on all his films.  Film fans will find this latter part of most interest.  Personally, I loved both parts.  Although, I had to selectively skip some paragraphs because I've not had the pleasure of viewing certain films yet.  Take note: spoilers aplenty in this book.

The biography part charts Ken’s (slow) rise from his days quietly challenging the uptight poker-in-the-ass BBC TV system, through his enfant terrible days, and finally to his New Forest films.  The book is arranged mostly chronologically which helps understand the progression and reasons for his changing beliefs, and how he integrated them into his filmic works.  Whether you find him offensive or seductive is unimportant, you can't deny his auteur status.

Author Lanza rightly identifies that one of Russell’s “…strongest metaphors is nature, both its majestic and hidden sides.”  Watch any of his films and you’ll come to the same conclusion.  That affinity for nature defines Russell just as much as the religious / sexual imagery that he flaunts.  Together, they form something both glorious and vulgar.  Like the man himself.

Sadly, Ken Russell died in November 2011 (aged 84).

4 masturbating nuns and a dog named poopass out of 5