"Oasis: Revealed" Came Out In 1996. Written By Lee Henshaw And Published By Parragon, It Covered Their Crowning Achievements As A Band.

This was the first book in English that I ever bought. That was fitting enough, as the first album I ever purchased was “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?”. And the second one? “Be Here Now”. I had quite a story with the Gallagher boys and their gang when I was a teenager. I eventually disowned them, but good albums are good albums and deserve their share of praise. And as always, if you get to know the story behind the words and the music then the ties can become more endurable.

This book certainly made me feel an increased love for the band, even when it was (and will always be) a modest effort. It is not that revealing, to be brutally frank. It covers the story up until the band rocked Maine Road. That means it reaches up to 1996. Only “Definitely Maybe” and “Morning Glory” are covered as a result. You get a good glimpse on the band’s formative days, and all the obvious events and incidents (the fight on the ferry during their first European tour that resulted in the “Wibbling Rivalry” CD, the run-in with Blur, Knebworth…) are covered.

The obvious comparison is Paolo Hewitt’s “Getting High – The Adventures Of Oasis”. It covers the same period, but it is the “official” account. It is a far lengthier book, and you even learn about mother Peggy Gallagher and how he met Thomas, not to mention having a minute overview of the boys’ teenage years. In terms of content, it wins hand down.

However, “Oasis: Revealed” gives it a run for its money when it comes to pictures. Henshaw’s title is presented in A4 format, there is at least one photograph per page, and full page spreads are the norm. “Getting High – The Adventures Of Oasis” has got just a flimsy black and white section in the middle of the book.

“Getting High” has stood the test of time best if only because it provided information that you could find nowhere else. “Revealed” is mostly a cut and paste affair, offering no real surprises. But it gets the facts right, and that should be mentioned. There are no inaccuracies, and some myths (like the gig in which they were discovered by Alan McGee) are put in perspective.

At the end of the day, the book is striking in terms or presentation and the content (while not groundbreaking) is accurate. It won’t illuminate you, but it will give you all the vital facts about the years the guys truly “were there then”.

This Unofficial Biography Of Paul Weller Was Published In 1996 By Virgin Books. The Biographer Is Steve Malins.

Written by Steve Malins (best known for being the biographer of Depeche Mode) and published by Virgin Books in 1996, this book chronicles Paul’s entire career until the release of the “Stanley Road” album in 1995. You also have a good overview of his early years, and the ever-present figure of his father (who was to remain Paul’s manager right until he passed away in April, 2009). That was something I really liked about the book – the way the (quite unique) partnerships in music of a father and a son that lasted for more than 30 years can be seen as it was forming, consolidating itself and then when it was tested by commercial apathy only to stand stronger than ever.

The book has 9 chapters which map out Paul’s life and career clearly enough, with the Jam having the most extensive ones as it is only suitable (pardon the pun). The Style Council’s years receive the right amount of pages, too, and the flow is very convincing – how the band lost its edge gradually, and how Paul became isolated in his own (and misguided) artistic sense. The final segment touches upon his tentative steps as a solo artist (“The Paul Weller Movement”) and the subsequent successes of “Wild Wood” and “Stanley Road”.

I did spot a couple of inaccuracies, yet these are not the kind that could lower the appeal of the book that much. For example, Pete Meaden is said to define Mod as “Clean living under difficult circumstances” in the sleeve of Quadrophenia. He did not. That quote came from an interview. As I said, that is nothing grave but it can irk you if it catches you with your guard down.

Still, the book does make clear why Weller was and will always be a salient figure in the history of British music. I don’t necessarily think the book will make people who are adverse to his music rush out and buy his albums (his music and his life were always the same, in the end) but the ones that have always connected with him will find the link revitalized for sure.

"The Kids Are Alright" Was Directed By Super-fan Jeff Stein. Its Theatrical Release Was In 1979.

The music of The Who came from them being one of the truly unique ensembles in the history of music. If there was ever a band with a million tales to tell, it was them. The way those guys were together and constantly at odds was something that their music did not necessarily convey, until one (correctly) interpreted the outrageous volume as a telltale of bottled emotions and anger. But there was also enormous love and belief lying at the heart of it all. And that was something which just had to be told.

“The Kids Are Alright” (1979) was assembled with that objective in mind. The idea was to show what made the band so distinctive, and why it was that their fans were so loyal. The movie itself (directed by a then-young Jeff Stein, and released shortly after Keith Moon died) achieved that aim, but only in a certain sense: it captured their offstage irreverence in full flight by the inclusion of interviews and specials that were shot through the years.

However, it did fail to fully deliver in terms of performances. Of course, nobody said as much back then – when the movie was released, it featured clips such as the infamous “exploding drums” performance at the Smother Brothers’s Comedy Hour (1967), “A Quick One” at the Rolling Stones Rock & Roll Circus (a never-before seen performance back then), and clips from the Monterey Pop Festival. Likewise, it included four “Tommy” selections from Woodstock.

But when the “30 Years Of Maximum R & B Live” VHS was released in 1994, fans were frankly amazed at the clips that had been previously neglected – why wasn’t footage from Charlton used? Why weren’t clips from the Isle Of Wight performance included?

Such omissions are a bit hard to stomach, frankly. But as far as capturing the sass of the band and the lunacy/greatness of Keith Moon outside the recording studio went, the movie received an A+ from everybody. Leaving aside a quite pathetic pre-staged hotel demolition during his decadent years in LA, you get to see clips of him such as an interview by Ringo Starr in which the ex-Beatle asks Keith how he joined the band. They both are completely past it, and Keith’s response is witty yet heartbreaking. There are also “true” clips of debauchery recorded through the years, the “Rolls Royce In The Pond” picture is shown briefly, and near the end Keith has the chance to dress as his childhood hero Long John Silver once and for all.

It would be unthinkable not to recommend this movie to newcomers and true fans of the band. The one thing to bear in mind is that there is another video that documents their live shows better. But if you want to see where all that musical edge did come from, this is certainly the most revealing piece you can get your hands on. A classic is a classic, even if later releases highlight some deficiencies.

The Cover Of The Book. The Picture Comes From The "Nonsuch" Photo Shot.

Named after one of Andy’s most ethereal compositions, this book (first released in 1992) stands as a moving portrait of a band that is incredibly cerebral, and yet has the ability to tug at your heartstrings like few bands in history. That contradiction comes as no surprise. The story of XTC involves the clash between ideals and reality, and that is something that comes across very vividly on this book.

The book has 188 pages. It includes 10 chapters, two sections of black & white photographs and a discography at the end. It begins out of chronological order (the first chapter deals with Andy’s breakdown) and then the story properly starts and it is run without detours or digressions. It is also an “authorized” biography – the book was compiled from interviews with the band members and their families. And most key figures like Todd Rundgren and Steve Lillywhite are also among the interviewees.

Every chapter is named after a song. Only the one starting the book is accompanied by a quote (from Andy). I wish more quotes had been included, but that is a minor niggle.

I must also tell you that a revised edition was published in June, 2002. It has 256 pages and it goes beyond the “Nonsuch” album (the point where the first edition ended) to the years of legal disputes and Dave’s departure from XTC.

As a biography, “Chalkhills & Children” is a very balanced book: equal time is devoted to the different phases of the band, and the young lives of the main musicians are covered in good detail. Barry Andrews receives a little less space than his comrades, but that is only understandable and also fair if we bear in mind the number of albums he was involved in.

With XTC, there is just no middle ground. You either adore them or can’t stand the mere mention of the band’s name. If the latter is true I dare say you have not listened to the right records in their catalog and need to reconsider. It also doesn’t help that one of their most popular songs (Dear God) can cause too strong an opinion on first listens, either because of the subject matter or because Andy’s voice (which is an acquired taste) is particularly self-possessed there. Of course, not everybody has an obligation to adore a band. But I feel everybody has an obligation to give each band a comprehensive enough listen. And I know virtually no bands to deserve the time you could devote to XTC.

In the preceding paragraph I somehow gave away one of the main themes of this biography: XTC’s journey through the industry in search of recognition. No, “recognition” is not the right word. Far from it. Led by Andy, they have looked for a space. That space has changed over time, it has become wider, taller, smaller, but it never has become less enticing, and it never has failed to show those who follow the band that the “outside world” is indeed a flawed place. But a flawed place where dreams have their own weight, and that even as they become a true burden it is best to carry them around. Because they start disintegrating and their pieces fall to the ground. Others can pick these pieces of dreams, and to them they will not be a burden but something like gems. And that is what XTC stood for all this time. And I doubt any person who reads “Chalkhills and Children” will arrive at a different conclusion.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best biographies I have ever set my eyes on. This edition was first published in 1999 by Spike. The enthusiasm and integrity of biographer Tony Fletcher drives the book along its 40 chapters, and he takes upon himself to demolish a myriad of myths and legends along the way.

The Beachcombers were not a surf band. Keith’s audition did not take place as we were always told. His 21^st birthday party was exaggerated. But Fletcher has a deft way of bringing some much needed light into a life that was to be incredibly aggrandized, explaining how these fabrications are really secondary to Keith Moon as a man and as a musician like no other.

I did spot only one mistake – the date of death of Steve Marriot. Other than that, the 600–page tome seemed quite a reliable source to me. I just wish a filmography had been appended at the end – Fletcher claims he sees no reasons why to add yet more pages to a lengthy book, and I guess he is right to a certain extent.

The Book Is Also Know As “Dear Boy: The Life of Keith Moon”. This Is The Alternate Cover.

In terms of photographs, three sections of black and white pictures are featured, and every single facet of Keith is covered. You have him as a baby, as a toddler, drumming with the Beachcombers, as drummer of The ‘Oo, dressing up, and smashing the drum kit up. And it is very disheartening to see the shape he was in at the end – not that dissimilar to Elvis Presley.

The book reminds me a little of the film “United 93”. You know how it is ending, but as the climax is approaching you think that maybe, somehow, the story will have a different twist and tragedy will not strike. You feel as if human life were something so precious that a miracle will happen. And to be frank, in the case of “Moon: The Life And Death Of A Rock Legend” a sort of miracle does happen. His life is not saved, but after you have read the book and sit through a Who record again you realize what went into his playing. It was not madness, it was not pills, it was not alcoholic mayhem. It was a pure and vibrant heart that wanted to reach out to others. And I wish he only could know how many are listening to him – now, and forever.

The Front Cover Of The Book

Compiled by Susan Black, this book was released by Omnibus Press in England in the year 1993. As in other “In Their Own Words” titles it gathers assorted quotes from all through the years and mashes them together by theme. I used the verb “mash” deliberately, as the book could use some editing – there are quotes that appear multiple times under different headings, and such a thing can turn out to be certainly annoying.

Some of the featured chapters include “Songwriting”, “”Money & Possessions” and (of course) “Clothes & Accessories”. The most comprehensive section is thankfully the one named “The Records”, and we can see facets of Elton that are not necessarily palpable through his music in the chapters “Sports” and “Politics”.

Believe it or not, the true star of the book end up being not the quotes which are featured but rather the pictures that decorate its pages from front to back. There are some double-page spreads that are terrific, including one of Elton jumping while playing that I tried to find online to include on the general introduction to no avail, although I could find a similar picture. Other highlights (or low points, according to your perspective) include a picture of Elton with KISS poking out his tongue (!), Elton as a Victorian Lady (!!) and Elton as Tina Turner (!!!!!). These quite frankly are what make the book worth its price, and if you find it used (like I did) that price is going to be absolutely negligible. Other than that, there is nothing here to get too excited about.

The Original Cover

Published in 1983, this book covers the story of The Who from the very inception of the band to their farewell tour of 1982. It is a lengthy book (it has 546 pages), and many criticisms were leveled at it owing to that – it was claimed the story was not balanced, since the book has 36 chapters and only one deals with the post-Moon Who. The Kenny Jones albums barely get a paragraph each, whereas the “classic” Who records are covered from every angle to the point that the descriptions become too exhaustive (and even exhausting) for some people.

That was the way the book was perceived for a long time. Now, flash forward to the present date. A biopic was released in the year 2007, and it was named “Amazing Journey”. If you place it side by side with this book, the exact structure is employed: the emphasis is on the band with Moon sitting on the drum stool. What happened afterwards is more or less rushed through. And there are good reasons for that. The musicianship still remained, but the fire was gone. The band found some cinders eventually that produced the “Endless Wire” album in 2006, but the plain truth is that The Who without Moon were not simply “not as funny as we used to be” as Daltrey put it once – they were nowhere as inspiring or motivating as they were before. So if those two albums are barely mentioned, so be it. I prefer a 20-page study of “Quadrophenia” and a paragraph about “It’s Hard” than 10 pages regarding the famous opera and 10 pages devoted to their final album with Kenney. I would have loved a little more coverage as regards Face Dances because I love it, but the same analogy applies. There was no reason to make a lengthy book even longer, and if it would have meant curtailing any of the previous episodes then the choice Marsh made was the correct one.

Marsh did a colossal research and he gives Who fans new and old all the facts – how the music was confected, how it was perceived, why the band connected so deeply with fans, and all the minor and major events that eventually cracked it beyond repair. The life of every single person who played a part in the story of The Who is detailed – from those who performed managerial duties (like Helmut Gorden, Pete Meaden, Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert) to mega-fans (like Irish Jack) and associates (including session hands and producers), it is all here.

The "New" Cover. Terrific!

Some fans take umbrage at the criticism Marsh piles upon certain albums. When it comes to “Sell Out” I feel he is completely right. The same goes for “A Quick One”. However, he focuses too much on the despondency of “By Numbers” and makes thing stand darker than they actually are (quite a feat if you ask me).

I believe the book has stood the test of time admirably, and I dare say that knowing the order of events as we know them now, and what happened to The Who, one can but admire Marsh’s fine eye and understanding of the band.

In finishing, this book is a must for any person who likes The Who, as knowing where that music came from and where it intended to take listeners to is the key for becoming an eternal lover of the band and not just a fan. The book shows them as flawed diamonds that shone even in the darkest circumstances, illuminating the lives of so many. It showcases them as people who were able to turn their faults into valuable experience for every single person within hearing range. That is The Who I will always remember.