- Paperback: 432 pages
- Publisher: Thorsons; (Reissue) edition (14 April 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0722538820
- ISBN-13: 978-0722538821
- Product Dimensions: 23 x 15.4 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 641,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
It's a long time since Julian Cope had his 15 minutes of mainstream fame, fronting the Teardrop Explodes with their brassy, extravagant masterpiece Reward. But over the last two decades he has maintained an impressive cult following, largely due to his mesmerising live performances--and more to the point, maintained an undiminished sense of his own importance, which has led to two, bulky volumes of his autobiography. Head-On: Memoires of the Liverpool Punk Scene and the story of the Teardrop Explodes (1976-82) was published, acclaimed and lost to posterity in 1994; now thankfully it's been republished, back-to-back (literally--this is a book you can finish, turn upside down, and start again) with a sequel: Repossessed: Shamanic Depressions in Tamworth & London (1983-89), which leads us through his 1980s solo career.
As the grandiose subtitles indicate, Cope writes on an epic scale, but his terms of reference are unapologetically personal. Much of Repossessed deals, bizarrely, with Pete De Freitas (the Bunnymen's drummer) weaving his way across America, not chemically unaided--a story which is relayed via transatlantic phone to Cope ensconced in Tamworth, like some postmodern, virtual Kerouac. Non-Cope devotees might find some of this rather allusive, not to say elusive, but there's no doubting the man's power with the pen, and soon enough you'll be there in the front row, throwing your knickers onstage. Or the literary equivalent. --Alan Stewart
Review
Praise for Head-On/Reposessed:
‘Visceral, ballsy, bitchy, brutal, beautifully written.’ The Obersver, Book of the Year
‘An enthralling saga of bitchiness, betrayal and unrepentent debauchery’ Sunday Times, Book of the Year
'Wondrous memoirs of fleeting stardom and LSD-induced psychosis.’ Q, 50 Best Music Books Ever (2001)
'Hilarious, observant and deeply subversive.' i-D
'Considered and self-deprecating…Mighty.' Time Out
'Repossessed…is one of the best books about the 80s ever written and without doubt the best book about toy cars, hermiting, integrity and drug paranoia.' The Guardian
'Cope's passion and intelligence are well served by a vein of self-deprecating wit.' The Telegraph
'Cope's rocking writing at its most infectious, moving and hilarious.' NME
'Compulsive reading…This man is truly a genius.' Loaded
'A wryly rendered masterpiece.' Q Magazine
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book confirmed everything i wanted rockstars to be, fallible, gullible and off their rockers with a healthy splash of genius thrown in. This book is (perhaps almost) on a parr with the late great HST's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Even the reviews are interesting. I just hope he gets around to writing the later parts of his insane tale now hes started touring again.
As an earlier reviewer suggested, you dont have to be a Cope fan to read this book, i leant it to all my friends who hated him but loved the book, two of whom nicked it from me... i have yet to buy a third copy.
Had Sleeping Gas never been the hit it was, we may have had the Bill Hicks of literature on our hands. Anyway, enjoy!
As an earlier reviewer suggested, you dont have to be a Cope fan to read this book, i leant it to all my friends who hated him but loved the book, two of whom nicked it from me... i have yet to buy a third copy.
Had Sleeping Gas never been the hit it was, we may have had the Bill Hicks of literature on our hands. Anyway, enjoy!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I love this book - now reading it for the second time and it's just as enjoyable.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Funny, brilliant, enthusiastic, petty, big-hearted, sad, and full of contradiction. Cope the musical under/over achiever comes across as an undying fan of good music. An insight to the grass roots rock world from the always great Cope. A great read. Then go see him live for musical genius, superb storytelling, and oddball charisma.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
One word - BRILLIANT!
A wonderful read throughout. Cope is a great writer and has a remarkable memory for even the slightest detail. Well worth buying.
Published on 20 Mar 2003 by Guy
It's just so ethereal...
I first read a copy of Head On that a friend had around 1996- now this great book has been issued with the second volume of Cope's memoirs, Repossessed. Read more
Published on 11 Nov 2002 by Jason Parkes
Heads of the world unite
Unfathomable genius. Buy all his books, records and see the man live if you ever have a chance. Genius of the highest order. Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2000 by ace-z-high@usa.net
BOOMSHANKA...
Liverpool in the late 70's early 80's was a funtime merry-go-round of a drug confused time. J.C. captures the time and energy just right. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2000 by mattdoc@lineone.net
Depossessed
How nice that those of us who already have 'Head On' now can have it again, but back to front, and upside down, stuck on the back of Julian's scattier, scarier, newer book. Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2000 by doctor@spong.demon.co.uk
Brilliant book - BUY IT NOW!!
I received this book for a Christmas present and was hooked. It is unputdownable.
Published on 11 Jan 2000
It was worth the wait
For years I've been hearing about this "Head On" book. It had been recommended to me for ages, but my search for it has always left me high and dry. Read more
Published on 9 Dec 1999 by trianglelr@aol.com
I read this in one (long) sitting!
This book is superb. Don't worry if you know nothing about Cope or his music. This is such an honest and funny account of an incredible life. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 1999
A nostalgic read
As a fellow student of Julian's (at the City of Liverpool College of Higher Education), it was interesting to read how he made the trip from drama student to the pin-up pop idol I... Read more
Published on 8 Nov 1999 by dave@mdgl.demon.co.uk
How can people still not have read this brilliant book!!
A fabulous journey from angst ridden teenage punk to acid crazed rock star. Follow Cope as he is handed his opportunity for world domination and blows it all in spectacular... Read more
Published on 29 Oct 1999
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