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One of New Wave's original "angry young men," Joe Jackson highlights his journey from Portsmouth, England to the Royal Academy of Music to pop star in this lively musical memoir. Jackson, who emerged in the late '70s as a contemporary of Elvis Costello and Graham Parker, and went on to score pop success with such songs as "Is She Really Going Out With Him?," "Steppin' Out," "Breaking Us in Two," "Jumping Jive," and "I'm the Man," has proven to be one of rock's most enigmatic performers. In fact, he's often been accused of being confrontational and pretentious. The latter trait is evidenced early in A Cure for Gravity, and often slows down the flow of the book, as Jackson eschews the linear autobiographical route for sometimes lengthy digressions into a form of music criticism (on subjects that range from Steely Dan, whom he calls one of his biggest influences, to Beethoven). It's not that his views aren't interesting, as he clearly knows his material; it's that they disrupt what is a sometimes comical, dead-on portrayal of coming of age as a musical outcast. Growing up in a portside town as a young asthmatic, Jackson was gawky and unathletic, a deadly combination that often attracted what he calls the "hardnuts" (bullies who ostracized him for being different). However, by the time he was a teenager, he'd discovered his musical gilt, first playing solos in local pubs (despite being underage), then looking for bands to showcase his talents. His tales of the horrible gigs he had to take early on, as in a Greek restaurant where his group backed up a screaming singer and a belly dancer, are often as hilarious as those in The Commitments. Jackson has a remarkable recollection of his days as a struggling musician, and those anecdotes not only entertain, they make Jackson remarkably human, a characteristic not even his fans have always seen. A Cure for Gravity should be required reading for anyone who's ever attempted to start a band, either for fun or to make it as a professional musician. And even those who've only thought about it as a passing fancy will find much delight in this touching musical journey. (Kirkus Reviews)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Since the release of his first best-selling album Look Sharp in 1979, Joe Jackson has forged a singular career in music through his originality as a composer and his notoriously independent stance toward music-business fashion. He has also been a famously private person, whose lack of interest in his own celebrity has been interpreted by some as aloofness. That reputation is shattered by A Cure for Gravity, Jackson's enormously funny and revealing memoir of growing up musical, from a culturally impoverished childhood in a rough English port town to the Royal Academy of Music, through London's Punk and New Wave scenes, up to the brink of pop stardom. Jackson describes his life as a teenage Beethoven fanatic; his early piano gigs for audiences of glass-throwing skinheads; and his days on the road with long-forgotten club bands. Far from a standard-issue celebrity autobiography, A Cure for Gravity is a smart, passionate book about music, the creative process, and coming of age as an artist.
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I WAS BORN in August 1954 in Burton-on-Trent and spent the first year of my life nearby in a place called Swadlincote, on the border of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
I WAS BORN in August 1954 in Burton-on-Trent and spent the first year of my life nearby in a place called Swadlincote, on the border of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As I have recently discovered Joe Jackson I thought this would be an interesting insight into the man and his music as I get to know his work. It is, but it is so much more in addition. Interspersed with Joe's self-effacing tale of his journey from a sickly, bullied child (albeit one with an almost prodigious talent) from a council flat in Portsmouth to studying at the Royal Academy of Music and then struggling to become a professional musician and songwriter (and do 'the only thing he was good at') is a sprawling essay on music- how and why it affects people in the way it does, class and its connections (or lack of) to different types of music, and the musician's dilemma of choosing popularity and possible chart success over making less commercial music. Anecdotes about years of gigging around pubs and clubs whilst trying to make enough money to go into the recording studio seem almost quaint given the more recent state of the music industry, but give a real insight into the work that went into 'making it', albeit only 35 years ago. All in all, a touching, funny, fascinating and well written book which will appeal to anyone who loves music.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was bought as a present for a close friend. It was needed at short notice. Delivered on time and in excellent condition. I have read my own copy of the book three times and found it enjoyable and enlightening.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
24 reviews
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
A rewarding literary journey for any fan of music
29 Oct 1999
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a devoted fan of Joe Jackson, A Cure for Gravity was something I HAD to read, just as the purchase of each of his musical releases is mandatory. But this book isn't just for JJ fans. It's for anyone who's tried to come to terms with that most enigmatic of subjects -- why are we so drawn to and rewarded by this thing called music?
It's a tricky subject to tackle for anyone, and the fact that a (some would say) faded pop star has taken a whack is probably doomed to failure. The book, however, reveals much about what makes an artist just that, and also why so many of us find ourselves touched by music in a way nothing else can move us.
That all sounds very serious, perhaps a bit maudlin to some, and the book does address some heady philosophical subjects. It also made me laugh out loud often as Joe weaves some highly entertaining tales about gigs gone bad, singular characters in the music world, and aspects of his own, often misunderstood character.
It's a great musical memoir in its classic "rise to the top" storytelling, and those parts of the book will appeal to any reader. Damn, if the man isn't as skilled with the computer keyboard as he is with the piano. His lengthy discussions on the nature of music's appeal, though, might turn off the casual reader, but end up being the essential central theme of the book for those of us who are caught under the spell of music.
First, read this book, then start listening to Joe's musical releases over the last 10 years and you'll begin to understand exactly what he's trying to uncover with this ambitious, and successful work.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Way better than I thought it was going to be
3 April 2001
Format:Paperback
Even if you're not a fan of Joe Jackson, you'll find this book a fascinating read. Most celebrity autobiographies are a litany of sex, drugs, and self-serving anecdotes, but this book focuses on the journey of becoming a true musician. It is self-effacing, funny, and filled with wonderful philosophical observations. It's one of the best books I've read all year.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Essential Reading for Joe Jackson Fans
10 Dec 1999
Format:Hardcover
Joe Jackson defined music for many fans, particularly in the 30-45 age group. We developed with him from the early pop days into more introspective, searching concepts and, ultimately, into experimentation with grander musical explorations. In this book, he drops his guard and finally invites us to share the development of his musical identity. As in his music, his searches through uncharted territory don't always work perfectly, but the results are funny, engaging, and consistently readable. Very highly recommended for anyone who has enjoyed the music.
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