9780670916740
Category Name : Biography
Author Name : Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith
Publisher Name : In the thirty years that The Fall has been extant the portrayal in the music press of lead singer Mark E. Smith has never ventured very far away from a cynical, caustic and curmudgeonly caricature. The few attempts at biography have done little to dislodge the`narky Mark' image. Take Simon Ford's well-intentioned, well-researched Hip Priest: The Story Of Mark E Smith and The Fall [2003]. Ultimately, it fails because of Smith's unwillingness to disclose anything to Ford; instead, he relies upon the many interviews Smith has conducted over the years. Therefore, Renegade should be hitting the reader with fresh, undiscovered material. Sadly, it presents very few surprises to those who have found out about his personality through those interviews. Smith, like his fellow Mancunian Morrissey, has been remarkably forthright and engaging in those meetings with journalists. He has always provided good copy because he has never hidden his light under a bushel. Clearly, he is aware of this, as he acknowledges ("I've always looked at interviews as being an important part of the game"). Ergo, Renegade often evokes a sense of déjà vu. So, I was unsurprised when he disses musicians ("I've never met a guitarist I like really") and did not raise an eyebrow when he proclaims that he is always dissatisfied with the way in which things in life work themselves out (before adding "That's what keeps me going"). Renegade's text appears to be the result of conversations between Smith and his ghost-writer (Austin Collings). This has given the book a loose, conversational feel; it is similar in style and tone to Shane McGowan and Victoria Clarke's A Drink With Shane MacGowan. That manifests itself in the way that the narrative drifts from discussing studio albums, gigs, line-ups and record company troubles into a variety of unexpected topics, including: the disappearance of Manchester's Victorian architecture, William Burroughs' motivations for writing or the drinking habits of Alex Higgins and George Best. It gives the autobiography the feel of an extended magazine feature, rather than a concerted attempt to tell Smith's story accurately and authoritatively. Throughout the book is marked by Smith's candour. However, this honesty is not in the confessional spirit of the reformed alcoholic/drug/sex addict rock star attempting to atone or repent for his or her sins. To accusations of self-centredness he pleads guilty, but, points out that "It's as if I am the only one who's ever thought of themselves as the centre of this blue and green ball". The fate of ex-band members who have left, or have been sacked, is a matter of indifference to him ("They came, they saw... and now I no longer see them").The leitmotif of Renegade, if there is one, is surely `Je ne regrette rien'. In the nice, polite world of alternative/'indie' rock Smith's fractious, unorthodox views can (occasionally) be refreshing. He is willing to be open and honest in his opinions about anything and everything, even if that offends. Speaking of The Fall's greatest champion, the late John Peel, he observes that he was "never a huge fan" of the DJ's radio shows, and "preferred it in the early 1970s". His criticisms of the The Clash's late front man Joe Strummer also highlight this plain-speaking. He argues, quite effectively, that "his politics were all over the place, bluster over substance". These and many other examples scattered through the book point to Smith's contrary spirit. As he observes in a moment of self-awareness, he is "trouble"; he is not "a fellow who can be reined in, given enough coercing". Perhaps this explains the dichotomy in the way he is received: he is perceived either as a misanthropic, reactionary drunk or as a national treasure. Smith's hope with this autobiography was that it "turns out like Mein Kampf for the Hollyoaks generation". It fails in that grandiose aim. However, it is a diverting read which gives a number of interesting insights in to the psychology and philosophy of the man who was once humorously described by Echo and the Bunnymen's Ian McCulloch as "the most balanced person in the world - he's got a chip on both shoulders'.
Minimum Price : £ 12.48
Category Name : Biography
Author Name : Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith
Publisher Name : In the thirty years that The Fall has been extant the portrayal in the music press of lead singer Mark E. Smith has never ventured very far away from a cynical, caustic and curmudgeonly caricature. The few attempts at biography have done little to dislodge the`narky Mark' image. Take Simon Ford's well-intentioned, well-researched Hip Priest: The Story Of Mark E Smith and The Fall [2003]. Ultimately, it fails because of Smith's unwillingness to disclose anything to Ford; instead, he relies upon the many interviews Smith has conducted over the years. Therefore, Renegade should be hitting the reader with fresh, undiscovered material. Sadly, it presents very few surprises to those who have found out about his personality through those interviews. Smith, like his fellow Mancunian Morrissey, has been remarkably forthright and engaging in those meetings with journalists. He has always provided good copy because he has never hidden his light under a bushel. Clearly, he is aware of this, as he acknowledges ("I've always looked at interviews as being an important part of the game"). Ergo, Renegade often evokes a sense of déjà vu. So, I was unsurprised when he disses musicians ("I've never met a guitarist I like really") and did not raise an eyebrow when he proclaims that he is always dissatisfied with the way in which things in life work themselves out (before adding "That's what keeps me going"). Renegade's text appears to be the result of conversations between Smith and his ghost-writer (Austin Collings). This has given the book a loose, conversational feel; it is similar in style and tone to Shane McGowan and Victoria Clarke's A Drink With Shane MacGowan. That manifests itself in the way that the narrative drifts from discussing studio albums, gigs, line-ups and record company troubles into a variety of unexpected topics, including: the disappearance of Manchester's Victorian architecture, William Burroughs' motivations for writing or the drinking habits of Alex Higgins and George Best. It gives the autobiography the feel of an extended magazine feature, rather than a concerted attempt to tell Smith's story accurately and authoritatively. Throughout the book is marked by Smith's candour. However, this honesty is not in the confessional spirit of the reformed alcoholic/drug/sex addict rock star attempting to atone or repent for his or her sins. To accusations of self-centredness he pleads guilty, but, points out that "It's as if I am the only one who's ever thought of themselves as the centre of this blue and green ball". The fate of ex-band members who have left, or have been sacked, is a matter of indifference to him ("They came, they saw... and now I no longer see them").The leitmotif of Renegade, if there is one, is surely `Je ne regrette rien'. In the nice, polite world of alternative/'indie' rock Smith's fractious, unorthodox views can (occasionally) be refreshing. He is willing to be open and honest in his opinions about anything and everything, even if that offends. Speaking of The Fall's greatest champion, the late John Peel, he observes that he was "never a huge fan" of the DJ's radio shows, and "preferred it in the early 1970s". His criticisms of the The Clash's late front man Joe Strummer also highlight this plain-speaking. He argues, quite effectively, that "his politics were all over the place, bluster over substance". These and many other examples scattered through the book point to Smith's contrary spirit. As he observes in a moment of self-awareness, he is "trouble"; he is not "a fellow who can be reined in, given enough coercing". Perhaps this explains the dichotomy in the way he is received: he is perceived either as a misanthropic, reactionary drunk or as a national treasure. Smith's hope with this autobiography was that it "turns out like Mein Kampf for the Hollyoaks generation". It fails in that grandiose aim. However, it is a diverting read which gives a number of interesting insights in to the psychology and philosophy of the man who was once humorously described by Echo and the Bunnymen's Ian McCulloch as "the most balanced person in the world - he's got a chip on both shoulders'.
Minimum Price : £ 12.48
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