"My Bass And Other Animals" - Guy Pratt |
Written by Matt | |
Friday, 03 August 2007 | |
With an almost alarming disregard for sparing his own blushes, Guy takes us through a potted history of his life in music. From his childhood days, and his quest for a guitar from his parents, through his early bands and concerts, moving from band to band taking fairly hefty steps up the showbiz ladder, right up to the present day, the level of detail (various substances permitting - alcohol and otherwise) is impressive, and contributes to a rich atmosphere.
He has a clear love and respect for many of those he has worked with - some of which are sadly no longer with us (such as Robert Palmer and Joe Strummer). Pretty much everyone though has fun poked at them: Michael Jackson hiding behind a mixing desk, Jimmy Page and his long-haul flight tactics, what to wear in Lake Tahoe, and what to say to David Gilmour when he springs a surprise song on you in front of a large audience! For those who have seen his live, stand-up show, the material you saw him present was a mere hint of a nibbly taster, compared to the banquet of stories and anecdotes he relates within the pages of his book. The live material does appear, but it forms a tiny part of the full content, and indeed he has the luxury of space allowing the stories to breathe and more detail to be revealed. Sure, many Floyd fans will head straight for the extensive sections on his work over the past twenty years with David Gilmour, the Floyd themselves, and his Live8 experiences, but that would be missing out on the incredibly rich seam of stories from throughout his life and musical career. Having said that, the Floyd-related chapters are a particular joy. He takes us from his somewhat unexpected hiring (despite his best efforts to make the auditions as tough as possible), through to his experiences in the studio and on the road. With tours as extensive as the Floyd played over the period, Guy has a very rich seam of stories to tell. Find out, for example, why David got a soaking as he went through baggage in a hotel reception, what happened when the tour bus crossed the border from the US to Canada, what an “ambience coordinator” did, and even Steve O’Rourke’s reaction to Guy’s request for travel expenses.
You'll be hard-pressed to find a more entertaining book - at turns laugh-out-loud hilarious, jaw dropping, or illuminating - and one that any music fan will love. What makes it even more compelling is the feeling that none of the material is exaggerated. Indeed, at times it feels like he has even toned down a number of incidents, perhaps to protect the innocent (and the not-so innocent). His writing style is lively, with a conversational edge, and eminently readable. Guy also shares with us a healthy assortment of black and white pictures throughout the book, many of which being private pictures taken over the years. Let's hope this book marks the first stage in his literary career. A Bill Bryson for the world of music? Perhaps. An essential addition to your bookshelves? Definitely! ORDERING DETAILS: To order a copy of the hardback version of "My Bass & Other Animals" book, you can use the following special links: Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon Germany, or Amazon France. The paperback version of this excellent book was published on March 6th, 2008, and it can be ordered from: Amazon UK, Amazon.com (US/international), Amazon Canada, Amazon Germany, or Amazon France, or from the Brain Damage bookstore. Please note that all the Amazon stores will ship the book worldwide. Also, using our Amazon links (or the BD bookstore) helps with the running costs of the site, doesn't affect the price you pay, and we really appreciate it! |