Music is a passion, my having spent decades selling it and crowding up endless brain cells with Casey Kasem-like trivia. I am drawn to music bios-- eager to get the lowdown on the lives of the artists. All too often, like Charlie Brown trusting Lucy's football hold, I am left disappointed by the experience. For every exceptional memoir like Keith Richards', there are lackluster ones from artists like Donovan or even the recent Doobie Brothers' that leave me unimpressed and ready to nod off.
The early sections of "Under a Rock" by Blondie's Chris Stein are very well-written and avoid the pitfall of being mere filler. His observations of the pre-Blondie years are entertaining and relatable, not always the case with celebrity bios, where the desire is to skim along until the career is taking off. Like the recent Ricki Lee Jones biography, Stein's book conjures up a nostalgic chord when hitting the landmarks of the past.
Debbie Harry is on the cover. She writes the forward. She is beautiful and charismatic and, really, the focal point of the group. This is not a Blondie bio, but rather the story of Chris Stein. As partners they led the group and enjoyed a long-term relationship, but-- while her star-quality was continually an issue-- her presence does not overshadow Stein's narrative.
Stein's portrayal of New York City life is a major element of the story. There was the pervasive crime scene, including a passage where Debbie was raped at knifepoint during a robbery while Stein was tied up. There is the rise of Punk and New Wave and clubs like CBGB's. Later there is even Chris's first-hand account of the 9/11 attack.
The stars and the glitter are all here. There are encounters with Warhol, Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Hendrix, Phil Spector, and Mick Jagger, among others. Blondie's rise, fall and resurrection in the late 1990's is all covered. Stein says he never felt the group rose as high as it could have, yet the reverence it inspires and its induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would tend to challenge that assessment.
Following the pizzazz of the show biz chapters, we have the completion of the man's life. Recreational drugs, followed by hardcore addictions and serious medical challenges-- including a diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris--; all took their toll. In the epilogue Stein states, "There's a tendency to present tales of personal addiction as colorful 'war stories,' art produced by pain and being hooked." He assumed he always presented these experiences to his kids in a "negative light." Tragically, he lost his nineteen-year-old daughter, Akira, to an accidental overdose.
In 1999, after a seventeen-year layoff, Blondie returned with "No Exit" and a tour that I was lucky enough to catch at a music convention. There was some skepticism as to whether or not they could still bring it. They were awesome. The group is back in the studio and planning an album release in the spring of 2025. While Stein remains a member of the group, he no longer tours due to a heart condition.
"Under a Rock" is an intelligent and clever rock biography that successfully combines glitz, glamour, and name dropping with a compelling narrative. It is an impressive example of the genre.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The early sections of "Under a Rock" by Blondie's Chris Stein are very well-written and avoid the pitfall of being mere filler. His observations of the pre-Blondie years are entertaining and relatable, not always the case with celebrity bios, where the desire is to skim along until the career is taking off. Like the recent Ricki Lee Jones biography, Stein's book conjures up a nostalgic chord when hitting the landmarks of the past.
Debbie Harry is on the cover. She writes the forward. She is beautiful and charismatic and, really, the focal point of the group. This is not a Blondie bio, but rather the story of Chris Stein. As partners they led the group and enjoyed a long-term relationship, but-- while her star-quality was continually an issue-- her presence does not overshadow Stein's narrative.
Stein's portrayal of New York City life is a major element of the story. There was the pervasive crime scene, including a passage where Debbie was raped at knifepoint during a robbery while Stein was tied up. There is the rise of Punk and New Wave and clubs like CBGB's. Later there is even Chris's first-hand account of the 9/11 attack.
The stars and the glitter are all here. There are encounters with Warhol, Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Hendrix, Phil Spector, and Mick Jagger, among others. Blondie's rise, fall and resurrection in the late 1990's is all covered. Stein says he never felt the group rose as high as it could have, yet the reverence it inspires and its induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would tend to challenge that assessment.
Following the pizzazz of the show biz chapters, we have the completion of the man's life. Recreational drugs, followed by hardcore addictions and serious medical challenges-- including a diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris--; all took their toll. In the epilogue Stein states, "There's a tendency to present tales of personal addiction as colorful 'war stories,' art produced by pain and being hooked." He assumed he always presented these experiences to his kids in a "negative light." Tragically, he lost his nineteen-year-old daughter, Akira, to an accidental overdose.
In 1999, after a seventeen-year layoff, Blondie returned with "No Exit" and a tour that I was lucky enough to catch at a music convention. There was some skepticism as to whether or not they could still bring it. They were awesome. The group is back in the studio and planning an album release in the spring of 2025. While Stein remains a member of the group, he no longer tours due to a heart condition.
"Under a Rock" is an intelligent and clever rock biography that successfully combines glitz, glamour, and name dropping with a compelling narrative. It is an impressive example of the genre.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
