Isaac Ryan
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Post by Isaac Ryan on Mar 15, 2019 19:32:55 GMT
I ain't read a book for ages but started this one last night. I am on page 4
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2019 22:58:09 GMT
I’ll perhaps ask for the book as a birthday present, read it later this year. I’m in no rush to get it, I suspect most of it will be same old, same old.
Let me know if I’m wrong and I might pick up a copy sooner, I’m not expecting revelations though. He didn’t always get on with Rick, JC and AL were ‘difficult’, he took a lot of drugs, insecure show off, yadda yadda.
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Post by The Green Telecaster on Mar 17, 2019 18:30:22 GMT
Finished it yesterday. Found it to be a good read - one or 2 chronological mistakes but I enjoyed it. It's not until the end that the FF reunion is fully talked about and even then, only briefly. However, it does offer an explanation for the way things are today and the fact that there were only 2 tours
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Post by snakelady on Mar 18, 2019 12:25:16 GMT
I've read through most of it now. Not in chronological order though - I started with about the last third, as that was what would contain the stuff not included in the previous XSAA double bio, thus what I was interested in the most, as I had suspected that up till the XSAA release the content would be very similar, had to be. But thankfully, apart from the obvious anecdotes contained in both books there are differences.
XSAA is much more detailed in many, mostly personal aspects, while ITTM more focusses on the band and there mainly on Francis (naturally) and his relationship with Rick. Reason given, because Rick had always been the band member he was closest with and because the others can still speak for themselves.
The style is different too. I'd assume that, while the XSAA stories may have been Francis' and Rick's, the words were Mick Wall's mostly, generally speaking. ITTM more comes across as Francis words, the way he'd express his thoughts in written form. It makes for an entertaining read, humorous or ironic at times, and, at least for me, difficult to put down.
At the time I had thought XSAA had been rather open and frank, but in comparison there was still a lot of diplomacy involved. This book is much more open and honest though - as much as anyone's memories can be - especially someone who had been drugged up to his eyeballs and drunk for larger parts of his life. That openness and frankness includes all band members. Francis describes all of them. the characters, behaviour good and bad and the consequences (from his POV, it's Francis' bio, he can only speak for himself), so you'll get good and bad from all. The person he's most critical about by far is himself though.
Additionally to the different perspective when comparing the books, it's obvious Francis has done a lot more thinking in the meantime. So there are things he understands better now, he has changed or further evolved viewpoints and there's probably the attempt to be honest to himself. The others might see or remember some things differently, but that's not the point - that's inevitable.
Francis understanding himself better leads to us understanding him better too. The different focus, on band and music, makes it an interesting read additionally, even when you've read all the other previous bios.
So I'd recommend you give it a chance and get it. Even if you don't like Francis, you'll still learn a bit about the band and how it worked/works.
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Isaac Ryan
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Loz' Deputy
Posts: 1,036
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Post by Isaac Ryan on Mar 18, 2019 12:51:17 GMT
Been a bit busy recently, still on page 4.
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mortified
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Post by mortified on Mar 18, 2019 15:43:14 GMT
I'll almost certainly read it. I'm reading a book just now and I never read two at once. My pathetic concentration span and my dislike of reading generally (although that has mellowed over the years thanks to e-books) means I will pick at it once I start. It'll probably take me weeks. I've never read a book yet - in my entire life - that I couldn't put down I actually started to write one last year but I got fed up with it. But that's a flaw in my character. Nothing to do with the quality of the material. The extract in the new FTMO gives you a flavour. It's very similar to the more recent magazine interviews. He's much more unapologetic but also very self-critical. It should make for a more interesting read than the sanitised stuff we've had up to now. For example, in the recent Classic Rock interview his dislike of Elvis Costello comes across loud and clear In the past he might have refrained. Or been told to refrain or at least be more non-specific.
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Post by craydarr on Mar 18, 2019 18:25:28 GMT
I've read through most of it now. Not in chronological order though - I started with about the last third, as that was what would contain the stuff not included in the previous XSAA double bio, thus what I was interested in the most, as I had suspected that up till the XSAA release the content would be very similar, had to be. But thankfully, apart from the obvious anecdotes contained in both books there are differences. XSAA is much more detailed in many, mostly personal aspects, while ITTM more focusses on the band and there mainly on Francis (naturally) and his relationship with Rick. Reason given, because Rick had always been the band member he was closest with and because the others can still speak for themselves. The style is different too. I'd assume that, while the XSAA stories may have been Francis' and Rick's, the words were Mick Wall's mostly, generally speaking. ITTM more comes across as Francis words, the way he'd express his thoughts in written form. It makes for an entertaining read, humorous or ironic at times, and, at least for me, difficult to put down. At the time I had thought XSAA had been rather open and frank, but in comparison there was still a lot of diplomacy involved. This book is much more open and honest though - as much as anyone's memories can be - especially someone who had been drugged up to his eyeballs and drunk for larger parts of his life. That openness and frankness includes all band members. Francis describes all of them. the characters, behaviour good and bad and the consequences (from his POV, it's Francis' bio, he can only speak for himself), so you'll get good and bad from all. The person he's most critical about by far is himself though. Additionally to the different perspective when comparing the books, it's obvious Francis has done a lot more thinking in the meantime. So there are things he understands better now, he has changed or further evolved viewpoints and there's probably the attempt to be honest to himself. The others might see or remember some things differently, but that's not the point - that's inevitable. Francis understanding himself better leads to us understanding him better too. The different focus, on band and music, makes it an interesting read additionally, even when you've read all the other previous bios. So I'd recommend you give it a chance and get it. Even if you don't like Francis, you'll still learn a bit about the band and how it worked/works. Lovely review snakelady, I enjoyed reading that. I haven't bought the book and was holding off, but I have to admit I may go and get it now. Thanks
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rorry
High Flyer
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Post by rorry on Mar 20, 2019 18:19:08 GMT
I've read through most of it now. Not in chronological order though - I started with about the last third, as that was what would contain the stuff not included in the previous XSAA double bio, thus what I was interested in the most, as I had suspected that up till the XSAA release the content would be very similar, had to be. But thankfully, apart from the obvious anecdotes contained in both books there are differences. XSAA is much more detailed in many, mostly personal aspects, while ITTM more focusses on the band and there mainly on Francis (naturally) and his relationship with Rick. Reason given, because Rick had always been the band member he was closest with and because the others can still speak for themselves. The style is different too. I'd assume that, while the XSAA stories may have been Francis' and Rick's, the words were Mick Wall's mostly, generally speaking. ITTM more comes across as Francis words, the way he'd express his thoughts in written form. It makes for an entertaining read, humorous or ironic at times, and, at least for me, difficult to put down. At the time I had thought XSAA had been rather open and frank, but in comparison there was still a lot of diplomacy involved. This book is much more open and honest though - as much as anyone's memories can be - especially someone who had been drugged up to his eyeballs and drunk for larger parts of his life. That openness and frankness includes all band members. Francis describes all of them. the characters, behaviour good and bad and the consequences (from his POV, it's Francis' bio, he can only speak for himself), so you'll get good and bad from all. The person he's most critical about by far is himself though. Additionally to the different perspective when comparing the books, it's obvious Francis has done a lot more thinking in the meantime. So there are things he understands better now, he has changed or further evolved viewpoints and there's probably the attempt to be honest to himself. The others might see or remember some things differently, but that's not the point - that's inevitable. Francis understanding himself better leads to us understanding him better too. The different focus, on band and music, makes it an interesting read additionally, even when you've read all the other previous bios. So I'd recommend you give it a chance and get it. Even if you don't like Francis, you'll still learn a bit about the band and how it worked/works. Like you I started about two thirds into the book because I wanted to read about the reunion and then Rick's passing. I've now pretty much read the whole thing and have thoroughly enjoyed it, mainly for his honesty. It's strange to think that you watch and listen to a band and think their life must be great and yet it turns out it was a living hell for large parts of it. I had a feeling this book would be the real deal unlike XSAA which Francis described to me as 'bollocks' (and that's what he signed inside the cover). Highly recommended.
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Post by craydarr on Apr 20, 2019 17:13:08 GMT
I got the book for a crisp £10 today in Asda 👍
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Post by snakelady on Apr 21, 2019 6:39:27 GMT
I got the book for a crisp £10 today in Asda 👍 I'm sure you're going to enjoy it. Looking forward to your review
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mortified
Administrator
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Post by mortified on Apr 21, 2019 7:03:20 GMT
I'm still reading another book and I can't cope with two at once. My brain will hurt
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Hello
Wild Horse
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Post by Hello on Apr 23, 2019 0:02:34 GMT
I couldn't put it down. The slog this guy has gone through to prove himself and the band over and over again,people may say he's self serving but no one can deny .. No Rossi no Quo
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Post by craydarr on May 1, 2019 6:40:55 GMT
Well I have finished the book now and a blooming good read it was to.
I do like the way the book opens with the band having just played their “final” gig and then re- starts at the beginning of his story.
As most people have said we know a lot of the story from previous but it does put a different perspective on things as It’s just his story now and he’s not having to share it and a lot of time has passed from previous books and events so he’s had time to digest thins. br] It’s also good that he’s not using the platform to have a massive dig at people, the comments are generally his own thoughts with the criticism in there, but as snakelady has already said he is mostly critical of himself.
He’s a very complex character is Mr Rossi, I get the impression he’s built his routines to protect himself and keep himself on the straight and narrow, he enjoys the life he has now and doesn’t want to slip back into his old ways as he’s got too much to lose. I think that is one of the big reasons for the drifting apart with Rick and the split with the FF, as they want it to be like old times and he can’t deal with that now. The pressure with the characters involved could all to easily push him back down that road again. At the time he still had good relationships with everyone and I also think he wanted it to stay that way. Sadly it wasn’t to be ☹️
I do question some of the facts in there and get the impression that he expands on the truth sometimes to back up the way he feels about something, for instance over the Radio 1 debacle he says it was David Walker who wanted this, but I’m sure he in the ftmo mag at the time they said it was the band who wanted it.
I love the fact he is so open and warm about his relationship with Rick, the poor guy came under so much stick after Rick died and it looks to me like he was just sorting out his own feelings and trying to deal with it in his own way. After all he was the person everyone looked to for a reaction when it happened.
Great read, I would recommend. 👍
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Post by snakelady on May 1, 2019 7:28:47 GMT
Well I have finished the book now and a blooming good read it was to. I do like the way the book opens with the band having just played their “final” gig and then re- starts at the beginning of his story. As most people have said we know a lot of the story from previous but it does put a different perspective on things as It’s just his story now and he’s not having to share it and a lot of time has passed from previous books and events so he’s had time to digest thins. br] It’s also good that he’s not using the platform to have a massive dig at people, the comments are generally his own thoughts with the criticism in there, but as snakelady has already said he is mostly critical of himself. He’s a very complex character is Mr Rossi, I get the impression he’s built his routines to protect himself and keep himself on the straight and narrow, he enjoys the life he has now and doesn’t want to slip back into his old ways as he’s got too much to lose. I think that is one of the big reasons for the drifting apart with Rick and the split with the FF, as they want it to be like old times and he can’t deal with that now. The pressure with the characters involved could all to easily push him back down that road again. At the time he still had good relationships with everyone and I also think he wanted it to stay that way. Sadly it wasn’t to be ☹️ I do question some of the facts in there and get the impression that he expands on the truth sometimes to back up the way he feels about something, for instance over the Radio 1 debacle he says it was David Walker who wanted this, but I’m sure he in the ftmo mag at the time they said it was the band who wanted it.
I love the fact he is so open and warm about his relationship with Rick, the poor guy came under so much stick after Rick died and it looks to me like he was just sorting out his own feelings and trying to deal with it in his own way. After all he was the person everyone looked to for a reaction when it happened. Great read, I would recommend. 👍 I'd say it was rather the other way round, Steve. That back then it was David Walker who told him/them what to say and they'd do it, because they always have done what management has told them to do or say. At the moment there's a 'quote' from Francis on the official site about the talk tour. I've said it before, but never in a million year did he actually say that. Francis just wouldn't express himself like this and wouldn't feel like this about the tour either. I actually think that right now he's much more like 'oh no, what did I let myself get talked into ?!'
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Post by craydarr on May 1, 2019 12:10:26 GMT
Well I have finished the book now and a blooming good read it was to. I do like the way the book opens with the band having just played their “final” gig and then re- starts at the beginning of his story. As most people have said we know a lot of the story from previous but it does put a different perspective on things as It’s just his story now and he’s not having to share it and a lot of time has passed from previous books and events so he’s had time to digest thins. br] It’s also good that he’s not using the platform to have a massive dig at people, the comments are generally his own thoughts with the criticism in there, but as snakelady has already said he is mostly critical of himself. He’s a very complex character is Mr Rossi, I get the impression he’s built his routines to protect himself and keep himself on the straight and narrow, he enjoys the life he has now and doesn’t want to slip back into his old ways as he’s got too much to lose. I think that is one of the big reasons for the drifting apart with Rick and the split with the FF, as they want it to be like old times and he can’t deal with that now. The pressure with the characters involved could all to easily push him back down that road again. At the time he still had good relationships with everyone and I also think he wanted it to stay that way. Sadly it wasn’t to be ☹️ I do question some of the facts in there and get the impression that he expands on the truth sometimes to back up the way he feels about something, for instance over the Radio 1 debacle he says it was David Walker who wanted this, but I’m sure he in the ftmo mag at the time they said it was the band who wanted it.
I love the fact he is so open and warm about his relationship with Rick, the poor guy came under so much stick after Rick died and it looks to me like he was just sorting out his own feelings and trying to deal with it in his own way. After all he was the person everyone looked to for a reaction when it happened. Great read, I would recommend. 👍 I'd say it was rather the other way round, Steve. That back then it was David Walker who told him/them what to say and they'd do it, because they always have done what management has told them to do or say. At the moment there's a 'quote' from Francis on the official site about the talk tour. I've said it before, but never in a million year did he actually say that. Francis just wouldn't express himself like this and wouldn't feel like this about the tour either. I actually think that right now he's much more like 'oh no, what did I let myself get talked into ?!' Yeh I do agree with you regarding statements and “The Band” putting their names against it. The radio 1 thing has bugged me for a while so as I’m off work with time to kill I went and dug the mags out. Please let me say this isn’t to prove you wrong, just to put it to bed for me as it’s bugged me reading it in interviews and I wanted to see if I’d dreamt it. Francis is asked as part of the questions in ftmo mag from Aug 1996, vol 2 no. 4 Where Are Matters With The BBC? Edited answer “We never did this to get played on the BBC, we ain’t gonna get a play out of the BBC again. But if we’ d have got this far and still hadn’t said what we have, successful album or not, then it wouldn’t have been right. The band made a decision, we said to David, we want to do something, we have to do something. Next Question by Mike Hrano So The Action Was Instigated By David ? “No, we pushed him, because we were f@@ked off” As I say, on some awkward questions I think Fran will throw things in there and back up what he is saying and over time I think in his mind an expansion becomes how it was. If he’s repeating something over 100 interviews in the years then it’s easy to see how it happens.
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Post by snakelady on May 3, 2019 7:48:46 GMT
Thanks for looking it up, craydarr. Maybe I'm too cynic, only for me this doesn't prove anything other than that at the time when something is happening (album releases, shows, .. or the lawsuit in this case) they always talk positively about it and pretend it's what they really want. It's the professional attitude Francis and Rick have always had. If something is decided upon to be done, they get behind it, talk positively about it and 'sell' it convincingly. They'd certainly have made great salesmen too -from cars to vacuum cleaners. Doesn't mean you aren't right about how Francis' and everybody else's mind and memory works. Memories aren't set in stone and change constantly, even if we think we remember things exactly the way they were back when .. Even if we have great memories ..
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mortified
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Post by mortified on May 3, 2019 10:30:11 GMT
The Radio 1 thing has always bugged me as well. I found it a little embarrassing - especially the news conference, which made me cringe - but I agreed in principle with what Quo were doing. What Radio 1 were doing was both ageist and elitist. And they still are. Although they're far from alone in that when it comes to radio airplay. Quo were simply one of many casualties when they were 're-evaluating' their programming.
But Quo felt they were also ripped off big time by the station after playing the Party in the Park. BBC allegedly reneged on the deal and that made the issue more underhand.
But the way Quo (and David Walker) went about it didn't do them any favours.
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LOZ
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BEEP BEEP YOU WONT CATCH ME.
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Post by LOZ on May 3, 2019 20:44:38 GMT
I ain't read a book for ages but started this one last night. I am on page 4 have ya made it to page 5 yet?
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LOZ
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Guardian Of The Calendar
BEEP BEEP YOU WONT CATCH ME.
Posts: 3,344
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Post by LOZ on May 3, 2019 20:45:43 GMT
so its 10 smackers in asda….. any advance on that?
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Post by snakelady on May 4, 2019 7:02:29 GMT
so its 10 smackers in asda….. any advance on that? Get it, Loz - you won't be able to put it down, especially when you start half way through and only later get to the old stuff.
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Isaac Ryan
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Loz' Deputy
Posts: 1,036
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Post by Isaac Ryan on May 4, 2019 8:44:35 GMT
I ain't read a book for ages but started this one last night. I am on page 4 have ya made it to page 5 yet? Don't rush me
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Isaac Ryan
Special Forces
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Post by Isaac Ryan on Aug 12, 2019 11:06:03 GMT
I am on about page 30 now, I am going to have to pull my finger out.
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frozenhero
Administrator
Drop-D beautiful
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Post by frozenhero on Aug 14, 2019 19:45:21 GMT
I've now read it. Some interesting observations but I need to organize my thoughts properly, remind me!
I've also read Roland Orzabal's novel shortly afterwards. A lot of reading after not reading any books for a long time...
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Post by snakelady on Aug 15, 2019 8:06:14 GMT
I've now read it. Some interesting observations but I need to organize my thoughts properly, remind me!I've also read Roland Orzabal's novel shortly afterwards. A lot of reading after not reading any books for a long time... We will - how long will it take ?
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frozenhero
Administrator
Drop-D beautiful
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Post by frozenhero on Aug 15, 2019 9:02:10 GMT
Well, depends... I'll probably be online again in one or two weeks. But I don't know whether I'll have the time to do it until then. It's all in my head...
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