STUNT ROCKER

The Many Adventures of Andy Ellison.

This book is one of the best autobiographies I’ve ever read concerning somebody involved in music, it is hilarious in parts, touching in others and just jaw dropping all the way through. Like a British Iggy Pop only more outrageous, the book covering his life story is addictive, you just can’t put it down, you just want to read what happens next.

There is the story of his band John’s Children with Marc Bolan before T-Rex, his time with the band Jet and also his stint with the punkish band Radio Stars. His band John’s Children supported the Who back in the days when Keith Moon was on drums and the Who found them to loud and too violent. ‘Like puppets on pills, they out Who’d the Who’ John Entwistle remarked ‘The bastards! Blood, chains, chairs, feathers, fights…….the crowd went nuts.’

The stunt part of the title referring to Andy’s daredevil stage act which see’s him hospitalized more times than I’ve had hot dinners! The music is great as well, some top tunes appear in his back catalogue including my all time favourite ‘It’s been a long time’ which I first heard back in the sixties on the soundtrack of the film ‘Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush’ starring Barry Evans.

Andy is still going today and still as outrageous as ever and he’ll keep going until the day that he dies, probably falling off the stage into the audience with a smile on his face. One hell of a read, try and get a copy yourself and enjoy.