Glenn's Autobiography

    David - I've been asked if there are any signed copies of the autobiography available?

    :thumbup:

    'You thought that you could take me for granted, but I couldn't take it no more. Better run if you see me coming ... '

    Quote from Shirl

    David - I've been asked if there are any signed copies of the autobiography available?

    :thumbup:

    Only at certain shows - not from the website... if that's what you mean. When shows that will include signings... it'll be made very clear in their announcement. But for now, the answer is No... although I should reiterate, if any folks were in attendance at the recent Manchester (UK) gig... when Glenn returns there in May, he'll be signing any copies that are brought along... more details on that nearer the time.

    A wonderful read and I can proudly report that I finished it within 2 days (or 2 nights, to be more accurate). I found it really compelling to read about the dark days and how things were going also on a practical side. How Glenn could survive this 20year treadmill is, after reading this book, even a greater miracle to me as it was before.

    Cowards die many times, the valiant never taste the death but once - Caesar

    :cool: i've got mine on Nikolaustag on the point. And the two nights of reading i 've spent were great headcinemashow.
    Thanx to Glenn for this very honestly and selfcritical book, for letting us know all about his life.
    Also a wonderful story about friendship, specielly between Coverdale and Glenn.
    It is so living written that i'll start reading now once more again.
    So all love for Glenn and his people, the new lil dog is sweet!

    regards
    Sigurd :bouncer: :claphands :claphands :thumbup:

    Hi everyone / co-GHCPs,

    It could have been ten times longer, but the book's certainly a fascinating read. A deadly honest one too!

    I would have loved reading track-by-track comments on every single GH-related song, like what we have for the three studio Purple albums. I understand the focus was on the rise, fall & resurrection of Glenn as a human being and of his career but, like in may rock biographies, I would have been delighted to read about musical details, though I know that's necessarily for readers who are neither crazy fans nor musicians.

    At one point, Glenn mentions using specific chords & I found that valuable! Singing "vertically" while playing bass "horizontally" is something he mentioned in the '90s & that's another example of details that wow me! Don't get me wrong, the book is great as it is, & besides Glenn always answers questions by/for music geeks in interviews.

    As for Glenn's opinion on each of his songs or at least albums (most, but not all, at least get a mention in the book itself, i.e. before the discography section), I know we can find that here online but - I'm too demanding I know - I could beg, borrow, or steal for an update!

    With BCC & the upcoming solo album, what I'm about to talk about is definitely part of the past, but wouldn't it be terrific to get an overview by Glenn himself on all his '90s/'00s albums & even a few words on (this is a tiny list!) all his collaborations with Downes or Emerson, on the unreleased Hughes-Thrall songs, on the Warners album, on "Made in Moscow", or on his performances on the tribute albums he worked on?

    Yes, I know Glenn doesn't (seem to) regard some of these as highly as Trapeze, Mk.III/IV or BCC, which is perfectly understandable but if there's another book which is basically a commented discography, I'll be a first-day buyer!

    Cheers.

    *

    A, Down - won't somebody help me?

    Hi Cleanouttasight,

    the lack of info on the solo albums and the lack of inside info on the music/musicians (Uh, JJ Marsh- who's he? ) is my issue with the book as well. I am going to read it again soon, to be completely honest parts of it were riveting, but to me it's more like Clapton's book, not enough of the joy of music and I'm feeling disappointed. I guess there's only one Keith Richards book- that seems to be the best music bio I've read there's enough drugs in that one to kill 100 people yet it still has enough music detail that it makes me want to go play. And only 250 pages is in Sammy Hagar territory I can read books like this in 2 hours.

    The JJ Marsh story's a great one, I don't believe all musicians meet one of their main partners at a wedding every day! The four (six with C&F/the Christmas album, that actually is featured in the book, perhaps more) 1999-2003 solo albums are barely mentioned (a few words on TWII & SITKOR if I'm not mistaken, but nothing on ROCK or BTM, not even Can't Stop the Flood) & I appreciated what Glenn said on HTP, but you're right, it's not only about the songs, it's also about the collaborations!

    ...The stories too; the mystery that surrounds Four on the Floor has always made me wonder what, other than drugs, was going on musically between Play Me Out & Glenn's early Gary Moore adventures.

    Above all, I'd be delighted to read Glenn talk about his experiences as a bass/guitar/keyboard playing singer/songwriter. But I guess the music speaks for itself! I haven't read the Keith bio but, come to think of it, most rock biographies don't focus on music on musicians. Shame. * A

    I have thought a lot about this since I read my copy of the book and, given that at one time way back in the early 90's I actually started collaborating with Glenn on an ultimately aborted biography project, I have what is perhaps a unique perspective on this.

    Let me say that this is not the book I would have written. More to the point, however, it is not a book that I could have written.

    What Glenn has written here is a genuine, personal confessional about his life, spiritual death and ultimate rebirth as a human being, as a soul.

    This story, Glenn's real story, is not a historical review of his music or his career as much as it is about his battles with addiction, about his road to spiritual recovery and, ultimately, about his redemption as a living, breathing human being.

    My take is this: past a certain point, the point at which Glenn really started to shut down as a person with the onset of deep addiction and psychosis, the music became secondary, even tangential.

    It didn't matter anymore, only the drugs mattered.

    I have not discussed this with him since reading the book, (though I hope to), but my sense is that this is the story he needed to tell in order to come full circle as a person.

    Only Glenn himself could have written the narrative that is chronicled here...

    The other story, the definitive history about the bands, the artists, the albums, and the little known side projects, (both those completed and those that were never released - the ones that many have only heard about in passing references in an article here or an interview there), that story still remains to be written in my opinion, and it may just be that Glenn will tackle that one too someday.

    Who knows?

    Like the book that is out now, however, I am sure it will be an interesting read...

    -Marc Fevre
    Napa, CA

    Quote from Marc Fevre



    I have not discussed this with him since reading the book, (though I hope to), but my sense is that this is the story he needed to tell in order to come full circle as a person.

    -Marc Fevre
    Napa, CA

    Thanks, Marc! That is exactly what I've been thinking - and you put it into words :clapper:

    "I might have been born in Liverpool, but I grew up in Hamburg." John Lennon

    :cool: when i read the book, and i'm used to read a lot hardstuff books, i was really shocked in a way that i couldn't realize at first.
    Certainly i wasn't surprised much about the detailes of Glenns darkest times, cause i knew some stories with drugs and also dealers and the Jakartastory and the appearing of the boogeymen and all the paranoia.
    Ok, what was it?
    On one hand an artist who's incredible talented in writing great songs over the decades, singing on the highest level, bassplaying same time, and his bassstyle is unique too. Playing the Fender Rhodes too, that was new for me, a beautiful poet of lyrics not to forget.
    On the other hand a desease of selfdestruction, which seems a lil like a compensation of the huge creator of music.
    In this dualistic world it seems to be impossible to be one human who's so gifted without paying a price for it.
    Don't know if i can explain it right.
    There are great artists on the stages who maybe are healthy without alcohol or drugabuse, or addicted to gambling or spending money ( like Mozart,..Michael Jackson),
    but perhaps they are arrogant assholes, think they sweat and piss champaign .
    Now, i think Glenn is a very humble person still, of course he knows he's a rockstar, no doubt. But when i talked to him i had this feeling deep inside he's still the little boy, who loves football and his dogs and enjoys when everybody enjoys.
    Kind of thoughts of a fan of course, i'm always interested into the psychological view.

    regards
    Sigurd :bouncer:

    Thanks everyone (in particular JohnH & Marc Fevre). Yes we need another book! I do understand where the focus was put on here and why. However, music in itself is dealt with when dealing with Purple but not everywhere else so it's a little unbalanced. Then again, DP is (not the sole but) the main reason why GH became famous so that's understandable!

    So a more musical book would be superb (more importantly, more new solo/BCC music but we know that's coming)! When you read interviews from when GH was promoting say Feel or Fused, there's a fire in Glenn not only because he needed to defend his albums for marketing reasons, but also because he's passionate about the music's essence. Once again, I love reading that!

    I also agree with the comments regarding the book's dark depth, or rather its deep darkness...this is the stuff nightmares are made of & Glenn manages to make the reader suffer. Chilling yet captivating.

    *

    A

    I got the book as a x-mass gift from my wife,and i just can't stop reading.
    I'm digging Glenns career now since 92' saw him about 15 times on stage and now i read his book i admire him even more.

    Thanks Glenn to share your life with us the fans ;)

    Here's an excellent review in the new Classic Rock - Feb 2012 :D :thumbup:

    There is also a free book this month - "A Selection of the world's best rock writing".

    It includes a decent section from Glenn's book along with chapters from the likes of Journey, The Kinks, Beatles, Stones, Cream(Jack Bruce), Motorhead(also by Joel McIver), Ace Frehely & Joan Jett

    Currently listening to Deep Purple - The Battle Rages On

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