Review
A rollicking read --Jake Riviera
Product Description
Sean Tyla has always had a reputation for being, to put it mildly, plain speaking. In his autobiography he brings this attitude to his writing in a book that tell the story of the life of a musician trying to make a living in the 1970s. The story starts with his entry into the business in 1970 as a jobbing songwriter for Lionel Bart, through to the formation of ace pub rockers Ducks Deluxe and onto The Tyla Gang. Tyla himself made the cover of Le Monde, who dubbed him Le nouveau Christ, and received a gold disc in Germany. In a sense the book is about what might have been. Show Tyla a golden opportunity and he will blow it! This is the man who turned down an offer to join Motorhead, passed on producing the Sex Pistols and signed for Stiff Records rather than Warner Bros. This is partly what makes the story so fascinating. There are plenty of books about 1970s excess - of chauffeur-driven limos, soulless stadiums and endless supplies of cocaine. For Tyla it was mainly unreliable tour vans, smoky pubs and amphetamine sulphate, plus occasional glimpses of the promised land to keep him going. Given his lifestyle back then, it is amazing that he is still alive to promote this book. In fact, he has reformed both the Tyla Gang and Ducks Deluxe and is embarking on tours that would daunt a man half his age. The glowing foreword from Will Birch will only enhance the appeal of a story that deserves to be read. Comes complete with black and white photos.
