It's not dog-eat-dog around here...it's dog-gang-rapes-dog-then-tortures-him-for-five-days-before-burying-him-alive-and-taking-out-every-motherfucker-the-dog-has-ever-known. Meet Steven Stelfox. London 1997: New Labour is sweeping into power and Britpop is at its zenith. Twenty-seven-year-old A&R man Stelfox is slashing and burning his way through the music industry, a world where 'no one knows anything' and where careers are made and broken by chance and the fickle tastes of the general public - 'Yeah, those animals'. Fuelled by greed and inhuman quantities of cocaine Stelfox blithely criss-crosses the globe ('New York, Cologne, Texas, Miami, Cannes: you shout at waiters and sign credit card slips and all that really changes is the quality of the porn') searching for the next hit record amid a relentless orgy of self-gratification. But as the hits dry up and the industry begins to change, Stelfox must take the notion of cutthroat business practices to murderous new levels in a desperate attempt to salvage his career. Kill Your Friends is a dark, satirical and hysterically funny evisceration of the record business, a place populated by frauds, charlatans and bluffers, where ambition is a higher currency than talent, and where it seems anything can be achieved - as long as you want it badly enough.
Kill Your Friends
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Brilliant ... Hilariously scabrous ... Niven's mix of truth and fiction means Kill Your Friends might just be the best book ever written about the music industry. I say might because I've not read them all, but I've read an awful lot and his is the most savage, the most unforgiving, the funniest and the cruellest.' -- Rob Fitzpatrick, Word Magazine
`A rollicking tale of record company excess ... Hysterical ... Niven worked in the UK music industry for 10 years and his insider knowledge pays off...This is truly an account of a lost era, a brilliant description of the last decadent blow-out.' -- Matt Thorne, Independent on Sunday
`Anyone working in or trying to get into the music industry should read this book. Niven grotesquely portrays the short term disposability of this world with a great eye for detail and a stockpile of hilarious insults. Throw in some murder and major brand obsession and you have an indie American Psycho.' -- James Brown
`Brilliant. It made me ill with laughter. The filthiest, blackest, most shocking, most hilarious debut novel I've read in years.' -- India Knight
`John Niven's Kill Your Friends might just be the most exciting British novel since Trainspotting ... Although the tone - a mixture of breathtakingly black-hearted cynicism, hyperbolically dark comedy and liberal sprinklings of violence - will invite comparisons with American Psycho and Bright Lights Big City, Niven brings a uniquely vibrant tone to the page with take-no-prisoners language that manages to be equal parts comic and shocking.' -- John Naughton, Word Magazine
`Kill Your Friends gladly hammers the final and needed nail into the coffin of self-serving and undignified spin that was "Cool Britannia". It exposes a world that seethes alongside us and in which we all collude but whose nasty little machinery is rarely glimpsed. The novel is furiously, filthily funny, and, I imagine, tragically true.' -- Niall Griffiths
`One of the evilest, most vicious, despicable characters ever. I couldn't put it down.'
-- James Dean Bradfield, the Manic Street Preachers
`The anti-hero of John Niven's Kill Your Friends is magnificently eloquent in an utterly sewer-minded way ... A vicious, black-hearted howl of a book ... A realistic portrait of the music industry, doing for it what The Player did for Hollywood. Having spent ten years in the business [Niven's] insider knowledge, coupled with the kind of headlong, febrile prose that would have Hunter S. Thomson happily emptying both barrels into the sky, results in a novel that is cripplingly funny in the way that only the very darkest comedy can be.' -- Chris Power, The Times
`A rollicking tale of record company excess ... Hysterical ... Niven worked in the UK music industry for 10 years and his insider knowledge pays off...This is truly an account of a lost era, a brilliant description of the last decadent blow-out.' -- Matt Thorne, Independent on Sunday
`Anyone working in or trying to get into the music industry should read this book. Niven grotesquely portrays the short term disposability of this world with a great eye for detail and a stockpile of hilarious insults. Throw in some murder and major brand obsession and you have an indie American Psycho.' -- James Brown
`Brilliant. It made me ill with laughter. The filthiest, blackest, most shocking, most hilarious debut novel I've read in years.' -- India Knight
`John Niven's Kill Your Friends might just be the most exciting British novel since Trainspotting ... Although the tone - a mixture of breathtakingly black-hearted cynicism, hyperbolically dark comedy and liberal sprinklings of violence - will invite comparisons with American Psycho and Bright Lights Big City, Niven brings a uniquely vibrant tone to the page with take-no-prisoners language that manages to be equal parts comic and shocking.' -- John Naughton, Word Magazine
`Kill Your Friends gladly hammers the final and needed nail into the coffin of self-serving and undignified spin that was "Cool Britannia". It exposes a world that seethes alongside us and in which we all collude but whose nasty little machinery is rarely glimpsed. The novel is furiously, filthily funny, and, I imagine, tragically true.' -- Niall Griffiths
`One of the evilest, most vicious, despicable characters ever. I couldn't put it down.'
-- James Dean Bradfield, the Manic Street Preachers
`The anti-hero of John Niven's Kill Your Friends is magnificently eloquent in an utterly sewer-minded way ... A vicious, black-hearted howl of a book ... A realistic portrait of the music industry, doing for it what The Player did for Hollywood. Having spent ten years in the business [Niven's] insider knowledge, coupled with the kind of headlong, febrile prose that would have Hunter S. Thomson happily emptying both barrels into the sky, results in a novel that is cripplingly funny in the way that only the very darkest comedy can be.' -- Chris Power, The Times
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"Dark, twisted... and also laugh-out-loud funny"
--This text refers to an alternate
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Hardeep
Format:Paperback
I'm not sure I should be spending time actually reviewing this, as getting down on my knees and praying for the salvation of humanity might be a better use of my time. Don't get me wrong, in my opinion, it was a very good novel. However, I thought the protagonist was simply the worst humanity has to offer, the personification of Satan on earth. The depths that "Steven Stelfox" sinks to make you feel violated in a way that only a shower with brillo pads could expunge. Truly a character to sully the soul.
Paradoxically, I couldn't put the damn thing down. It is incredibly well written, as is any novel with a character that has a strong emotional effect. The author is talented, and hilarious.
Nivens depictions of Stelfox's thought process are side-splitting as well as repellent. He seems to have turned the curse ridden one-liner into an art form. Which is a relief because without the exquisite humour, the novel wouldn't work, as it would be so debauched that I would have thrown in on the fire. The humour keeps it just light enough to engage with a very real, if evil, character, the likes of which I have never seen before - and hope I never have any close dealings with.
The story covers one year in the music business, and in much the same way as "City Boy" by Geraint Anderson reveals the dark underbelly of the finance industry, this does the same for record labels. The difference being that it is hard to see any upside, or how anyone could stand up to so much alcohol and drug abuse, while still being able to utter a coherent sentence.
Murder, drugs, pornography, booze and more booze are the staple diet of Stelfox. The dark humoured look into his twisted mind lifts the lid on the ruinous side to this industry and the intoxicating lure of fame and adoration. Finally evolving itself to a basic drive to be intoxicated with almost anything that destroys brain cells and morality
It was recommended to me that I read "American psycho" as a follow up, but I'm not sure I could take it at the moment; the torment from this novel has addled my brain.
Stelfox is horrible, but it is rubbernecked fiction at its best. As I said before, Niven's style of written humour is simply exceptional. If you're easily offended don't bother. If you enjoy being offended maybe you should be in the book. If you're curious and don't mind being slightly sickened, in exchange for being made to laugh then read it. I'm confused now so I'm going to stop.
Paradoxically, I couldn't put the damn thing down. It is incredibly well written, as is any novel with a character that has a strong emotional effect. The author is talented, and hilarious.
Nivens depictions of Stelfox's thought process are side-splitting as well as repellent. He seems to have turned the curse ridden one-liner into an art form. Which is a relief because without the exquisite humour, the novel wouldn't work, as it would be so debauched that I would have thrown in on the fire. The humour keeps it just light enough to engage with a very real, if evil, character, the likes of which I have never seen before - and hope I never have any close dealings with.
The story covers one year in the music business, and in much the same way as "City Boy" by Geraint Anderson reveals the dark underbelly of the finance industry, this does the same for record labels. The difference being that it is hard to see any upside, or how anyone could stand up to so much alcohol and drug abuse, while still being able to utter a coherent sentence.
Murder, drugs, pornography, booze and more booze are the staple diet of Stelfox. The dark humoured look into his twisted mind lifts the lid on the ruinous side to this industry and the intoxicating lure of fame and adoration. Finally evolving itself to a basic drive to be intoxicated with almost anything that destroys brain cells and morality
It was recommended to me that I read "American psycho" as a follow up, but I'm not sure I could take it at the moment; the torment from this novel has addled my brain.
Stelfox is horrible, but it is rubbernecked fiction at its best. As I said before, Niven's style of written humour is simply exceptional. If you're easily offended don't bother. If you enjoy being offended maybe you should be in the book. If you're curious and don't mind being slightly sickened, in exchange for being made to laugh then read it. I'm confused now so I'm going to stop.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Matty
Format:Paperback
Kill Your Friends is a sharp, witty and disturbing read. The lead character Steven who works in the music industry is a quite horrible individual. He's sexist, racist, ageist, you name it, but most of the time he's only guilty of admitting openly to thoughts that a lot of people have but don't admit to. He's then even more guilty of actually acting upon those thoughts.
This is to put it politely a "re-imagining" of American Psycho, but where I found AP quite heavy going KYF is funny and it's loaded up with great pop culture references from its setting in the mid 90's.
I enjoyed the fact that the narrator was such an unpleasant individual. It makes a refreshing change to have a lead character who isn't heroic and isn't looking to become a better person.
A good read, but not for the easily offended.
This is to put it politely a "re-imagining" of American Psycho, but where I found AP quite heavy going KYF is funny and it's loaded up with great pop culture references from its setting in the mid 90's.
I enjoyed the fact that the narrator was such an unpleasant individual. It makes a refreshing change to have a lead character who isn't heroic and isn't looking to become a better person.
A good read, but not for the easily offended.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Oh my God, I was not ready for this. Not at all. I absolutely bloody loved it. It's utterly jaw dropping stuff. But sweet Jesus! John Niven you sick, depraved genius.
I've been in two minds telling people about this book. On the one hand it's one of the best books I've ever read. On the other it a debouched, misogynistic, horrifically violent, ugly snarling beast. It's hard to recommend a book called `Kill your Friends' to well.... your friends; what are they going to think of me? Are they going to get it? Are they going to think that I identify with the characters, that this is something I aspire to? God I hope not but like I said, I loved this book. I read disbelieving, like staring at a train wreck or a grisly internet video.
The story concerns the music industry during Brit Pop's heyday. Steven Stelfox is our Protagonist and what a creation he is. A lazier man than me would describe him as a Patrick Bateman for the Music Industry, there are definite parallels: The money, the life of privilege and excess, a predilection for prostitutes, murder and doing anything to get ahead but Steven Stelfox is not Patrick Bateman. Bateman was a Sociopath, Stelfox definitely isn't, he's an unbelievably nasty piece of work, but he is very much a complete person with the full gambit of human emotions. it's just that they're buried deep under layers of greed, ambition Rage and lust. Niven is also not Easton-Ellis, American Psycho was cold, clinical, emotionless and bloody hard going. Kill Your Friends is an absolute riot. Niven has a way with words that will make your eyes water and in Stelfox he has the chance to voice every None PC, hateful and `you know it's wrong but...' thought that has ever entered his head. There are some awesome rants to be had, withering tirades against Wannabe Bands, fat ugly women and the industry types he works along side. When he writes about the Music business Niven speaks with absolute authority, remorselessly exposing the jet black heart of an industry where image is everything and no one knows anything. We witness the reaction to Radiohead's OK Computer, industry types claiming they'd lost it, an arty mess, no obvious hits, the first single Paranoid Android; rambling, dreary and utterly un-commercial. That is until we find Steven off his face watching Radiohead define an era, Thom York singing `rain down on me' as the heavens open over an adoring awestruck Glastonbury crowd. Easy in hindsight isn't it but would you have seen that coming? All this means Stelfox is permanently on the verge of massive success or epic failure, debts to dealers, brothels and designer boutiques spiralling out of control. Manipulating, cheating and stealing from those around him, going to any lengths to get ahead, get a hit record and somehow keep his head above water. Owning clubs, inhaling inhuman quantities of cocaine, destroying restaurants and eastern European prostitutes when he's on the up. Breaking down in week long fits of tears and masturbation when he's down. Yes, I felt like I needed a shower and a good scrub down after spending time with him, but damn is he good company.
I think it's worth pointing out, if you haven't guessed already, that this book will not be for everyone. There's some pretty explicit subject matter and some points of view which should come with a health warning but it's so funny, so audacious, so utterly, brilliantly written that if any of the above sounds remotely in the vicinity of `your thing' then run out and buy it
I've been in two minds telling people about this book. On the one hand it's one of the best books I've ever read. On the other it a debouched, misogynistic, horrifically violent, ugly snarling beast. It's hard to recommend a book called `Kill your Friends' to well.... your friends; what are they going to think of me? Are they going to get it? Are they going to think that I identify with the characters, that this is something I aspire to? God I hope not but like I said, I loved this book. I read disbelieving, like staring at a train wreck or a grisly internet video.
The story concerns the music industry during Brit Pop's heyday. Steven Stelfox is our Protagonist and what a creation he is. A lazier man than me would describe him as a Patrick Bateman for the Music Industry, there are definite parallels: The money, the life of privilege and excess, a predilection for prostitutes, murder and doing anything to get ahead but Steven Stelfox is not Patrick Bateman. Bateman was a Sociopath, Stelfox definitely isn't, he's an unbelievably nasty piece of work, but he is very much a complete person with the full gambit of human emotions. it's just that they're buried deep under layers of greed, ambition Rage and lust. Niven is also not Easton-Ellis, American Psycho was cold, clinical, emotionless and bloody hard going. Kill Your Friends is an absolute riot. Niven has a way with words that will make your eyes water and in Stelfox he has the chance to voice every None PC, hateful and `you know it's wrong but...' thought that has ever entered his head. There are some awesome rants to be had, withering tirades against Wannabe Bands, fat ugly women and the industry types he works along side. When he writes about the Music business Niven speaks with absolute authority, remorselessly exposing the jet black heart of an industry where image is everything and no one knows anything. We witness the reaction to Radiohead's OK Computer, industry types claiming they'd lost it, an arty mess, no obvious hits, the first single Paranoid Android; rambling, dreary and utterly un-commercial. That is until we find Steven off his face watching Radiohead define an era, Thom York singing `rain down on me' as the heavens open over an adoring awestruck Glastonbury crowd. Easy in hindsight isn't it but would you have seen that coming? All this means Stelfox is permanently on the verge of massive success or epic failure, debts to dealers, brothels and designer boutiques spiralling out of control. Manipulating, cheating and stealing from those around him, going to any lengths to get ahead, get a hit record and somehow keep his head above water. Owning clubs, inhaling inhuman quantities of cocaine, destroying restaurants and eastern European prostitutes when he's on the up. Breaking down in week long fits of tears and masturbation when he's down. Yes, I felt like I needed a shower and a good scrub down after spending time with him, but damn is he good company.
I think it's worth pointing out, if you haven't guessed already, that this book will not be for everyone. There's some pretty explicit subject matter and some points of view which should come with a health warning but it's so funny, so audacious, so utterly, brilliantly written that if any of the above sounds remotely in the vicinity of `your thing' then run out and buy it
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funny and engaging
I found this to be a great read, comparisons to American psyco in other reviews seem a bit lazy, I didn't find any real comparisons other than at a very basic level. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Pen Name
1.0 out of 5 stars
Tedious, unoriginal imitation prose
I'd held off buying Kill Your Friends because I'd heard so many uneven reviews of the book. On finally buying it, Niven's writing style is so flat that you can instantly pick out... Read more
Published 23 days ago by Private
5.0 out of 5 stars
best book ever written about the music industry
This is brilliant. Best book i'd read in ages and would recommend it to... well almost anyone. The main character is amazingly full on and there are some american psycho-esque... Read more
Published 24 days ago by Che Roulante
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kill your friends
As with all eBooks, this was easy to download. v vThe book itself is very John Niven but not for the weak stomached.
Published 1 month ago by Barry Besnard
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious
One of the most despicable characters ever invented, yet you can't help but sort if like him.
Laugh out loud funny - truly an absolute hoot.
Laugh out loud funny - truly an absolute hoot.
Published 1 month ago by Simon Barclay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wickedly Funny!
Hot on the heels of The Amateurs by the same author I bought and read Kill Your Friends. If you ever wondered what the music business is REALLY like read this! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Neil Wright
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny but Depressing
You can see the talent the author has, but the story was too (cartoon) violent and depressing for me. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ransen Owen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent read
This really is quite simply an awesome book. John Niven creates characters that, whilst you wouldn't necessarily like them as people, are engaging and (mostly) realistic. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars
The darkest funniest book I've read in ages
And I mean dark like a cross between wall street and american psycho, a quick read with some great references to bands of the nineties. Highly recommend.
Published 2 months ago by Marc Munier
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funniest book I've read in a long time
The humour is extremely dark and if you are easily offended avoid at all costs. Steven Stelfox is possibly the most nasty, vindictive character I've ever come across but you can't... Read more
Published 2 months ago by R J Miles
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