Award-winning broadcaster Danny Baker’s first novel is a stroll down his own personal memory lane. Now an award-winning radio presenter, his back catalogue covers the glam rock scene, the birth of Punk rock, the heyday of music journalism, and the start of ‘yoof’ TV. It’s a flavour of his part in it all, and like a late 70’s Zelig he bares witness to the events.
This is not so much a book it's a bloke down the pub after a sinking a few and regaling you with a few choice tales from his early years.
It's a book with a voice, you here Bakers cockney drawl in every line. And doesn't he tell a good story.
He is no pub bore at the back end of the night crying into his beer and saying where did it all go wrong. No this is Baker after a few liveners casting back his memory and saying, 'Remember this..... Good times'
Now an award winning radio presenter his back catalogue covers the glam rock scene the birth of Punk rock the heyday of Music Journalism and the start of 'yoof' TV Its a flavour of his part in it all and like a late 70's Zelig he bares whiteness to it all
Bakers had that rarest of things for a successful life story a happy childhood. I'm sure it's not what the publishers wanted I bet they put up with the first few chapters, thinking it'll all go wrong in the end. We can wait, and wait , and wait.....and they'll still be waiting because in this story Baker has managed to create page after page of what was a happy family life with a standout dad who is a lager than life character drawn out so well you just want to know more about.
If Your looking for a hard luck story filled with tales of my struggle, my dysfunctional family and life filled with misery and pain. Then this is not the book for you.
This a book filled with warmth love and a celebration of life, luck and opportunities.
He is the much envied lucky man, and he doesn't pull no punches on celebrating that achievement He celebrates being in the right place at the right time and and is firmly of the opinion he has a cup that has always been half full.
I can imagine its a book he wrote with a smile on his face as every episode has that gentle glow of a happy life. Even the bad times and yes he had a few are doused out in a few lines. Why dwell on those awkward hitches along the way when their is so much to be thankful for.
Born in Bermondsey in the late 50's. Not quite a child of the sixties but of an age to appreciate its significance particularly in the chosen love of his life music.
Through chance and opportunity his first job was in a record store in the West End, the then musical heartland of the early 70s glam music scene dropping names such as Elton John and Marc Bolan and an early encounter with a newly signed Queen introduced us to his musical heritage.
Thie late 70's were a time of great musical change and again through good fortune he found himself at the heart of the Punk New Wave explosion and began mixing with such bands as The Sex Pistols and The Clash.
All these early encounters and anecdotes paint a full and interesting life. And he was still only in his early 20' And so it goes on his experiences as journalist with the NME his first forays into Television his first failed marriage. Nothing is over analysed or tinged with regret it's all presented as a statement of fact.
If your looking a flaw it's this lack of depth, self analysis or angst. It would appear he doesn't regret a thing. He's taken the hand he was dealt and as skillfull as any poker player has mastered the bluff.
What comes through in this book is a man filled with confidence and whit and player who knows how to use that cockney charm to its full effect you can take the boy out of Bermondsey. But the skill is to never stop being the Bermondsey boy.
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