In general, I'm not fond of celeb or band or sports biogs. "We did this; then we went there where that happened; and then he said something; and we went to somewhere else." - for 300 pages, spiced only by the odd caustic remark or tale of illicit sex or drugs. And to some extent, this story of The Pogues, inevitably, has the same flavour.But...But Fearnley can really write. Sitting a little uncomfortably alongside the narrative are some lyrical descriptive passages, especially when describing aspects of the music. These lift this biog above the ordinary.And...And somehow never quite centre stage, never quite in focus, there is the ever-present, looming, lurking, haunting figure of Shane MacGowen. He lifts this biog into the realms of great tragi-comedy. And...And the other good thing about reading this biog is it reminds you to listen to the albums all over again. Fearnley was the accordionist for the Pogues. Twenty some years later, he has written a book about their heyday. He has done an excellent job, coveying the urgent and the ridiculous and the sublime. I love the Pogues. They are a touchstone for me. And perhaps that makes me a bit biased, as I was eager to embrace the story of their rise and to cringe at some of the awful moments on their way down. Shane MacGowan is one of the true characters of my generation, and Fearnley has the perfect vantage point, close but not too close, to tell Shane's tale. Intuitive genius or self-destructive drunk, he can make you feel both about the man. There are moments in this book when Fearnley focuses a little too much on the fate of the rest of the band, as if the audience really cares about whether Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. But that is a quibble. Fearnley pretty much understands who the star of his story is, and he tells his story well.
What do You think about Here Comes Everybody (2012)?
What impresses most is the quality of the writing. Absorbing, intelligent and informative.
—Steen
Well written story of the Pogues by a man who was there from the beginning!
—cloez2000
