bor and ing
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Look, I dig Elvis Costello & the Attractions but why the hell did they fire this guy after he wrote this? There's nothing really in here that is all that shocking or scandalous. The book reads like someone's diary and as a sort of rock travel essay put me to sleep. It's all the same--disconnected observations on nothingness. Some hit the right tone but others are just there and make you go "So what's the big deal?" Compare this to some other books of this genre and this does not even hold a candle to many of the New Wave era.
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Well written, but lighten up, Bruce!
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I echo the sentiments of other reviews.. Bruce Thomas, former Attractions Bassist, can turn a phrase with almost the degree of virtuosity that he displays in his mastery of the electric bass guitar... no small feat. As a fan of Elvis Costello, I read the book, perhaps a bit defensively, knowing of the falling out this book reportedly caused between EC and Bruce. I readied myself to hear the worst about Elvis and the boys. I did not find Bruce's anecdotes particularly inflammatory or derogatory to "The Singer", "The Drummer" or "The Keyboard Player" (Thomas' Wodehouse-esque thinly-veiled psuedonyms for his bandmates.) No, it all seemed refreshingly frank, and having had just a small taste of life on the road in a band, it was nice to see the monotony so well chronicled. I enjoyed Bruce's irony and word play and found his style to be not unlike the wit and intelligence of Elvis Costello's own writing. I also appreciated Bruce's willingness to turn a critical eye to his own thoughts, motivations and behaviors. Unfortunately, the overiding tone of the book is essentially joyless and bleak. Obviously The Road was a source of monotony and introspection, but surely there were more than a few moments where Bruce must have found the journey worth the taking. At no point is there any acknowledgement that he was having any fun or finding any personal joy and fulfillment in making a living playing music for adoring fans. Obviously it can't all be sex, drugs and rock n roll party fun, but this books makes the journey out to be nothing but dreary skies, shabby truck stops, and hangovers. The book seems dominated by an overriding sense of Bruce saying with a condescending tone 'oh why can't everyone be as observant and cynical as me?' The chronicle does manage to end with a slight glimmer of hope, and hints that Bruce may be at peace with himself, but it came across to me as an almost obligatory afterthought to round it out. Too little too late. Still, a good read, I just kept wanting to find the chapter, or even a paragraph in which he says "wow, how lucky am I to be playing in a band, and seeing the world and making a living doing it?!." You chronicled the downside, Bruce. Now count your blessings.
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Way To Go, Bruce!!
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Bruce had a lot of b*lls to tell it like it was and is. It is about time someone, other than Mr. Costello, painted an accurate portrait of the man, the myth and the legend in his own mind. Elvis Costello is a great musician but like many "rock stars" not a very good teller of the truth. Thank you, Mr. Thomas for confirming what I suspected all along. Elvis Costello acts like an a** too.
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Life on the road
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I am so pleased to see this book back in print! Bruce Thomas was the bass player with Elvis Costello and the Attractions and this "fictional" work featuring characters such as The Singer, The Keyboard Player and The Drummer, contributed largely to the eventual split between Elvis and Bruce (and the disintegration of the band) when it was first published over 10 years ago. Whilst Elvis may not have approved, the book comes across to me as an honest memoir of life in a band - not always full of glamour and hot women! It's not always flattering, either to the author or to his bandmates, but real life isn't. The anecdotes in the book are sometimes amusing, sometimes poingnant, but always interesting, especially if you are a fan of the music. It largely focuses on Bruce's life in the Attractions, but there are chapters about his childhood, his family, and his work with US band Quiver amongst others. It's a little thin, and won't take you long to work through, but is a highly enjoyable read.
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Life on the road
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I am so pleased to see this book back in print! Bruce Thomas was the bass player with Elvis Costello and the Attractions and this "fictional" work featuring characters such as The Singer, The Keyboard Player and The Drummer, contributed largely to the eventual split between Elvis and Bruce (and the disintegration of the band) when it was first published over 10 years ago. Whilst Elvis may not have approved, the book comes across to me as an honest memoir of life in a band - not always full of glamour and hot women! It's not always flattering, either to the author or to his bandmates, but real life isn't. The anecdotes in the book are sometimes amusing, sometimes poingnant, but always interesting, especially if you are a fan of the music. It largely focuses on Bruce's life in the Attractions, but there are chapters about his childhood, his family, and his work with US band Quiver amongst others. It's a little thin, and won't take you long to work through, but is a highly enjoyable read.
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