Bit of a Blur
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Review
'Alex James is a witty, engaging guide to the mad goings-on behind the scenes of Britpop. Blur's bassist famously estimates that he blew around GBP1m on champagne and cocaine during the Nineties. Here's how.' INDEPENDENT 'Bright, passionate . . . James writes with wit and flair' TIME OUT *'The definitive guide to Britpop . . . this effervescent memoir emerges as the most fascinating, as well as hilarious, document to date of those times' OBSERVER 'Guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye - in a good way ' ELLE 'A mischievous romp through Nineties excess from the eye of that peaceful decade's most inventive pop band' EVENING STANDARD 'For anyone seeking confirmation that being a pop star is the best job going, dive in' Q 'A dreamy, witty spin on his life as a supremely debauched rock star . . . James's inquisitive nature makes him eminently and continuously likeable' GUARDIAN 'James is more than happy to reveal the nitty-gritty in a surprisingly honest and almost humble way . . . you get a really good sense of what it was like being him, of finally being in the right place at the right time and hell-bent on having a blast' DAILY MIRROR
TIME OUT
'Bright, passionate . . . James writes with wit and flair'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm going to skip the five-in-a-bed coke-fuelled romps and the whirl of Britpop excess and mention the writing instead.
Alex James is a fine writer of spare, elegant prose with a striking vocabulary. A rare things in these times.
OK, the book is also a hoot to read for its tabulation of London life in the 90s and all the fun of being a pop star, but there's lots more than that - particularly the engaging enthusiasm for astronomy, mathematics and planetary exploration. The curious mind is a very attractive thing.
Alex James is a fine writer of spare, elegant prose with a striking vocabulary. A rare things in these times.
OK, the book is also a hoot to read for its tabulation of London life in the 90s and all the fun of being a pop star, but there's lots more than that - particularly the engaging enthusiasm for astronomy, mathematics and planetary exploration. The curious mind is a very attractive thing.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I thought this book was very entertaining and a nice insight, not into Britpop, but into Alex himself and what it was like to grow into and then out of Blur. Obviously, been written by Alex himself, there may have been many stories in the drinking years which he either cannot remember or chooses not to tell ( or only tells you bits of). As you would expect from a self penned book, he paints himself as a lovable rogue rather than the arse he may well have been during his excesses, but at the end of it I was left thinking what a nice bloke, interesting life, good book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you would believe the hyperbolic reviews from the 'proper' newspapers, they would have you believe that is the TRUE story of britpop, romanticised and unflinching, as told by one of its key players.
How disappointed I was with those reviewers who should really know better!
This does none of the above, it's a trawl through the more glamorous parts of Alex James' charmed life but I have to say, it's still a good read. Mr James' way of looking at things is as humorous as it is shallow and his use of purposefully short, clipped sentences is appealing although maddening in their lack of detail. Damon Albarn himself has said he found the book a 'wasted opportunity' and I would have to agree. There is hardly any mention of the Britpop protagonists, hell, even his bandmates get nary a look in as Alex says things like (not a quote!), "When I first met Graham he was eating a banana. I liked Graham".
And that's it, it's back to him! Amusing but annoying.
Overall though, that's what his personality is like so at least the guy is being self-admittedly shallow in his honesty, which saves this book from shoegazing tedium and actually makes it an enjoyable read. If you want to know what it's like being in a famous band, get this!
How disappointed I was with those reviewers who should really know better!
This does none of the above, it's a trawl through the more glamorous parts of Alex James' charmed life but I have to say, it's still a good read. Mr James' way of looking at things is as humorous as it is shallow and his use of purposefully short, clipped sentences is appealing although maddening in their lack of detail. Damon Albarn himself has said he found the book a 'wasted opportunity' and I would have to agree. There is hardly any mention of the Britpop protagonists, hell, even his bandmates get nary a look in as Alex says things like (not a quote!), "When I first met Graham he was eating a banana. I liked Graham".
And that's it, it's back to him! Amusing but annoying.
Overall though, that's what his personality is like so at least the guy is being self-admittedly shallow in his honesty, which saves this book from shoegazing tedium and actually makes it an enjoyable read. If you want to know what it's like being in a famous band, get this!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Champagne & Cheese
Slightly stilted writing style - but what a character. Story jumps from one event to another, then lingers on something else - and then on again. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kevin from Frimley
disappointing
Started well but ended up second rate. How can you trust anything a man says when on one hand he extolls the virtues of artisanal cheesemakers, only to sell out and make 'tomatoe... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Aftiti
He had a bash at writing it himself
Unlike many stars who have ghost writers for their books, Alex wrote this himself. It has an amateur feel to it, but somehow I found it easy to keep on reading. Read more
Published 5 months ago by balvenie
Sliding through life with charm
For those who like to read, this is a great book.
For those who like Blur, this is an excelent book.
A.J. Read more
For those who like Blur, this is an excelent book.
A.J. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Johnny Bravo
Bit of a Blur
I am a big lover of autobiographies and this one was up their as one of my favourites. Well written, fabulous content, didnt want the book to end, highly recommend.
Published 18 months ago by wendyup
Blessed are the cheesemakers
The diary of the accidental rock star. There is little in this that explains the rise of Blur; their music and career are mostly "scenes off", described in passing as the... Read more
Published 18 months ago by HelenGB
A surprisingly good read.....
To be honest I didn't think I'd like this book that much. I've seen Alex James on TV and thought he was not very articulate. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Ms. S. J. Wake
Quite a good read, but not great.
For two-thirds of this book you are carried merrily along with Alex as he details his early life and success with Blur. Read more
Published 20 months ago by GT247
Interesting, very funny at times.
Great amount of tales and life lessons from a true rock star. Couldn't put the book down, something inspiring on each page. Guaranteed enjoyment from each account. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Connor G
Bit of a
This is a fairly entertaining memoir, although it doesn't 'reveal' a great deal. Quite a lot of it is about 'rock star excess' taking place in clubs, bars and hotels around the... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2010 by Dave Gilmour's cat
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