Rhino Reading Room: Nik Turner, Glen Matlock, and Hugh Cornwell
It’s time to step back into the Rhino Reading Room and remind you of three artists from the Rhino catalog who are celebrating birthdays this month and have written memoirs. You don’t necessarily have to be a big fan of all of these artists to keep reading, but if you enjoy getting immersed in the life stories of musicians, then you might just want to read about all three of them!
• Nik Turner, The Spirit of Hawkwind: 1969-1976
From Amazon:
The definitive account of the most crucial years in the life of legendary space rock band Hawkwind as seen through the eyes of co-founder Nik Turner and told to music historian Dave Thompson! Turner, whose outlandish costumes and general wild man persona became iconic representations of the band, gives us the ultimate insider's guide to Hawkwind, sharing his personal recollections both hilarious and horrifying! This gorgeous, hardcover book contains 300 pages featuring many rare and never-before-seen photos as well as a comprehensive discography, gigography, and Nik s 1975 US tour diary.
• Glen Matlock, I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol
From Amazon:
Glen Matlock was a founding member of the Sex Pistols and co-wrote most of their iconic songs. His story of the Pistols' rise to global infamy is an honest, insightful account of a group of intelligent malcontents, determined to change the music business and to attack hypocrisy and stale conventions in society at large. Glen brilliantly captures the flavour of seventies Britain and reveals the complexities and personality clashes that made the Pistols so explosive at that time. Also includes true tales of the Pistols reunion tours of 1996 and 2002. Never mind the other bollocks-filled books about the Sex Pistols, here's the truth.
• Hugh Cornwell, A Multitude of Sins: Golden Brown, The Stranglers & Strange Little Girls
From Amazon:
A leading figure of the punk era, Hugh was lead singer, guitarist, and main songwriter with The Stranglers, and now brings his unique style, humor, and insight to describe the story of his life. Beginning with Hugh's decision to leave The Stranglers in 1990, the book explores, in full and frank detail, why this key moment in punk history has never been fully explained. The book also covers the heady days of early punk in London, described by someone who was at its epicenter, right there with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Damned. Throughout this time Hugh encountered a host of other extraordinary people—Malcolm McClaren, Joe Strummer, Kate Bush, and Debbie Harry, to name a few, and he recounts the outrageous times he lived through with them, as well as providing an inside take on the other members of The Stranglers.
