New book from Bruce Thomas , March 2017

Pretty self-explanatory
johnfoyle
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New book from Bruce Thomas , March 2017

Post by johnfoyle »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/books/dp/150891 ... as+dancing

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Rough Notes: dancing about architecture

30 Jul 2015
by Bruce Thomas

412 pages

Bruce Thomas was prompted to write Rough Notes when a friend told him: ‘There’s only one history of rock …and pop and you were there!’ It follows his career from the paper-round he did to buy his first guitar and see the Beatles — all the way through to his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 …and beyond. He recalls his time as bass player with Elvis Costello and the Attractions — setting the record straight on the so-called feud between him and the singer — and includes accounts of working with Paul McCartney, touring on Elton John’s private jet, a day at Johnny Cash’s ranch and dinner with Yoko Ono — as well as encounters with Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Abba, Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, the Who, Freddie Mercury, Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, John Belushi, Michael Hutchence …and a certain Jimmy Savile. Yet Rough Notes is far more than a personal memoir or catalogue of trivia. It traces the entire story of rock and pop from its beginnings in the 1950s, right through to the present day — despite the fact it’s been said that …’writing about music is like dancing about architecture’.
Last edited by johnfoyle on Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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migdd
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by migdd »

Uh oh . . . 8)
erey
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by erey »

This appears to be self-published. Uh oh, indeed.
erey
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by erey »

Apparently, Bruce also goes by "John Cooper". :wink:
johnfoyle
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

It's now on Bruce's site -


http://www.brucethomas.co.uk/?page_id=84


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I was prompted to write Rough Notes, finally, when a friend remarked: ‘There’s only one history of rock and pop …and you were there!’

It follows my career from the paper-round I did to buy my first guitar, and see the Beatles — all the way through to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame …and beyond.

Obviously a major part of the book recalls my time as an Attraction. There are the background stories to all the albums we made — which answer a lot of the questions I’ve been asked on here over the years — and there’s even a wee bit about bass playing for those who want to know about that. And, I hope, it finally sets the record straight about the so-called ‘feud’ between me and ‘the Singer’.

There are also accounts of working with Paul McCartney, traveling on Elton John’s private jet, spending a day at Johnny Cash’s ranch, having dinner with Yoko Ono — as well as my brief encounters with the likes of Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Abba, Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, the Who, Freddie Mercury, Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, John Belushi, Michael Hutchence …and a certain Jimmy Savile.

But Rough Notes is far more than a personal memoir or catalogue of trivia — it also traces the entire story of rock and pop from its very beginning, right through to the present …despite the fact it’s sometimes been said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture.

Yes, there is only one history of rock and pop …but we were all there.

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Bruce has responded to my e-mail regarding a signed copy. I've replied looking for a clarification. Rather then go in to detail or give an impression that I've any way of guaranteeing any such transaction I suggest anyone interested in getting the same should contact Bruce , like I did , via the contact link on his site. Buyer beware etc.
erey
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by erey »

Somewhere in the Greater New York/New Jersey area right now, there's a man in an expensive straw hat looking at his smartphone and chuckling...
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

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Neil.
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by Neil. »

Talk about stealing Elvis's (literary) thunder! Who saw this coming? This man is such a thorn in the side! That said, Elvis has the Penguin deal and presumably some sort of advance. Bruce has to self-publish. Of course, I ordered it instantly. Hope it's better than the pretentious The Big Wheel.
Last edited by Neil. on Sun Aug 02, 2015 3:10 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by Neil. »

P.s. Despite being a thorn in Elvis's side, he was (and presumably still is) a fantastic bass player!
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verbal gymnastics
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by verbal gymnastics »

It's hardly stolen Elvis' thunder.

To paraphrase Rick Buckler and Bruce Foxton "There were three of us in The Jam and two of them weren't Pail Weller".

There were three Attractions. I doubt we'll see autobiographies from Steve and Pete but Bruce is entitled to tell his story. I doubt it'll find many buyers outside of us Elvis fans.
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
erey
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by erey »

verbal gymnastics wrote: I doubt it'll find many buyers outside of us Elvis fans.
I doubt it will find many buyers "inside" us Elvis fans. Raise your hand if paying twenty bucks for BT's unedited ramblings -- in the form of a cheap, perfect-bound book -- is at the top of your to-do list.

I doubt it will find ANY buyers outside of us Elvis fans, disgruntled or otherwise. Who else has even heard of Bruce Thomas?
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by sulky lad »

I'm going to defend Brice a bit here !
There were passages in The Big Wheel that would have wounded Elvis and seemed spiteful at the least but the way The Attractions were treated at the end of 1985 and early 1986 would have exacted greater retribution from other people . It's obvious that Steve in particular was pretty upset at that time and you can imagine the old coves in The Attractions being protective of the young innocent. Having said that, it was 30 years ago. I'll buy it if only because I'm also a bass player and any details about techniques will grab my attention. It won't sells thousands of copies compared to Elvis' but then Van Gogh didn't sell much on his lifetime , or Elvis didn't sell many copies of National Ransom :roll:
erey
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by erey »

I guess Sulky will be saving this one in his closet in case it turns out to be worth as much as a Van Gogh someday.
johnfoyle
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Another of Bruce's books - perfect bedtime reading - one , maybe two lines & I'm fast asleep!

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sulky lad
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by sulky lad »

Brilliant, Erey, it might be the best place for it !! I do like it when Bruce tries to deflate the pomposity he sees in EC though maybe he forgets the good times they must have had.
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by sheeptotheslaughter »

Lets hope its better than 'on the road again' which was very strange.
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verbal gymnastics
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by verbal gymnastics »

sheeptotheslaughter wrote:Lets hope its better than 'on the road again' which was very strange.
I agree - The Big Wheel had its funny moments but On the Road Again was a strange one indeed.
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
johnfoyle
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Making room..

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sulky lad
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by sulky lad »

2 copies of The Big Wheel , John oh no that's a bit too much !!! And no , I don't have the reprised version (yet ) :oops:
johnfoyle
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Well , your in luck , I have a extra copy of the reprised version - only a quid in a sale....
sulky lad
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by sulky lad »

:shock: there goes my theory of priceless unknown literary gems !!
erey
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by erey »

I guess I can scoop everybody -- even John -- because, by some misfire of Amazon's "Look Inside the Book" feature, I was able to read, or at least skim, most of the first half of this book this morning, before it crapped out.

It looks like we've got a straight chronology of BT's life-in-showbiz this time around. No fancy literary devices. A quarter of the book is over before BT even phones the Stiff offices. After that, I didn't seen anything particularly dishy or even that strikingly new. Probably some more detail on some things than we've seen before.

On the whole, not awful, but not great, either. About what you'd expect from someone's "self-published memoirs". Or, as they were in a previous era, unpublished memoirs.
Last edited by erey on Tue Aug 04, 2015 12:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
sulky lad
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by sulky lad »

Or indeed unread memoirs !
johnfoyle
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

From a September '14 interview with Steve Nieve -


http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-3221 ... nieve.html


Let me ask you about what might be a more unpleasant subject, going back to the Attractions. Do you have a book review of bassist Bruce Thomas' book, The Big Wheel?

Well, no, i don't, but it's funny you should bring that up, because I just finished my book. But it's not based on just what [the Attractions] were doing, but it's about a guy who's obsessed with the number twelve, and so, contained in the book are twelve almost-true stories that he has put in his notebook. Because he's actually doing the job that you're doing, he's a rock 'n' roll journalist, and most of the time he's trying to interview Steve Nieve. So these twelve almost-true stories are in the book, as are twelve love letters between him and his loved one. When it's coming out is a good question, but it's at the publishers.
erey
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Re: New autobiography from Bruce Thomas ! July 2015

Post by erey »

BT just said there will be a e-reader version of his book eventually:

Joe positive says:
August 6, 2015 at 4:32 am
Will there be a kindle version?

Bruce says:
August 6, 2015 at 11:28 am
In due course, not sure when.
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