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Keith Moon seems to be suffering from Jimi Hendrix Syndrome these days: that is to say, there seems to be this notion running around that he was merely some sort of drug-crazed lunatic making a lot of racket on his chosen instrument. The truth of the matter is that Keith was a musician of extraordinary intelligence and attentiveness. One of the things I like best about Fletcher is his ability to hear what was going on in Moonie's playing and to explain it in a way that the ordinary reader can understand.
Fletcher's not always the greatest prose stylist, and has a tendency to get a bit fannish and/or maudlin at times, but on the whole he's written a thoughful, engaging biography of this outstanding musician. I hope that both fans and nay-sayers will take the time to check it out.
In the skilled hands of British-born music journalist Tony Fletcher, the richly anecdotal Moon is a terrific read. Absorbing, too, is the detailed treatment of the social and cultural scene in 1960s and '70s London.
The author treats his subject reverentially, sometimes dismissing Moon's destructive, manipulative and often thuggish behavior -- he broke his wife's nose three times -- in favor of extended passages analyzing his talent, which Fletcher calls "unique yet impenetrable."
Fletcher interviewed over 100 people in researching the book. A slight flaw, the testimony of outspoken bandmates Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, two indispensable voices, is mysteriously missing.
This recount of Moon's rise and fall casts a riveting glow.
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The book is written in short paragraphs wildly spaced over glossy pages, with some great photos and an useful comprehensive list of the standard releases. It's very easy to read - the short paragraphs keeping you interested chapter after chapter. The book's ideal as a starter for REM information and for people who have a more casual interest, rather than heavier, more indepth books such as 'It crawled From The South'. The faults lie in its generalisations and the way it plays up to the fans, giving us what we want - "hey this book's wonderful - it says REM are great". Its so easy for music books to do that and REMarks is no exception. Sometimes Fletcher does sound artificial, but then again, I still read it over and over.
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The book includes plenty of human interest as well as technical details.
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