The Rock Memoir

So, it's official, the world of publishing is on the scramble to sign rock stars to book deals. I took a look at four of the great musical lyricists who are becoming first time novelists, while The Observer ran a feature on the publishing scramble for the big five stars without book deals.

Have just finished reading the excellent, if not a little disturbing, Cutey and the Sofaguard. The novel, from the exciting young mind of Chris Wade, claims: "It's a strange world, unlike any other you've chanced upon. This unique story is an experiment in challenging conventional storytelling, twisting the English language into unnatural positions, deforming characters into twitching wrecks. A surreal mindbender with a shocking twist." A link to my review will follow in my next posting.

Almost completed Nina De La Mer's tale of club culture going tits up. 4.a.m. is her first novel and she writes with the assured voice of someone who's in it for the long haul.

Also delighted that Going Underground by Suzie Tullett is next to read and review: "Three men on two scooters (a vintage Lambretta and Vespa) heading down the country to Brighton... three women and a heavily pregnant woman in hot pursuit - all squashed into a classic, Union Jack roofed mini... and an off duty Police Officer bring up the rear... and with musically themed chapters it even has its own soundtrack."

Phil Daniels may be typecast as Jimmy The Mod from Quadrophenia, but as his autobiography, Class Actor, shows there's a lot more to the man than just that one performance. Check out the review here ..