I Wish I Was Me: Pete Waterman - The Autobiography: Amazon.co.uk: Pete Waterman: Books

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"Kylie Minogue's in reception and she's on her way back to the airport in a couple of hours!"
I told him I was sorry I'd messed up but we'd just have to drop the whole project.
"We can't," he said. "She's expecting to do something with us, now!"
"She should be so lucky," I said.
"What did you say?"
"She should be so lucky."
"Great, " he said. "That'll do. 'I Should be So Lucky'. Can we write some lyrics?"

And so one of Pete Waterman's most infamous creations was born and Kylie was launched onto a startling solo music career. It's gems like this that make I Wish I Was Me such a fabulous read and the pages are literally packed to the rafters with sparkling anecdotes from the King of Camp Pop as he sets the record straight on his extraordinary career as one of pop music's most successful producers. Waterman has been responsible for some of the cheesiest, but most popular chart acts of the last 10 years: Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Rick Astley, Mel and Kim, Bananarama to name but a small few. Along with his writing and producing partners, Matt Aitken and Mike Stock, Waterman virtually defined the 1980s pop scene with some of the most infamous songs ever put to vinyl: "You Spin Me Right Round", "I Should be So Lucky", "Venus". In fact, it was a rare week in the 1980s when SAW (Stock Aitken and Waterman) didn't dominate the top 20 and no matter how hip you think your record collection is now, chances are there are a few of their 7 inches lurking in there somewhere. His SAW years are chronicled in a laid-back, colloquial fashion and Waterman's no nonsense voice shines through, albeit often peppered with bad language. He talks candidly about the early days and of the unfortunate court case which bought the lucrative SAW team to an end. At times, Waterman seems a little too full of his own self-importance but the man has every right to be. After reading this account, it is obvious he has worked long and hard to reach the top of his game, and his success is precisely because he believed so much in what he was doing. He knew, and still does, that no amount of hype or image can disguise a bad song. But with Pete Waterman what you see is what you get, and what you get here is one of the best insights into the music business to be published in recent years. --Jonathan Weir. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Pete Waterman is without doubt one of the most important and interesting figures in British pop music. Last year, saw him celebrating 25 years of producing hit records and he entered the new Millennium at the peak of his powers with huge hits from Steps and Westlife. For most people in the music business, Pete Waterman IS pop and yet until now, no one has had the chance to hear his remarkable story in his own words. 'I Wish I Was Me' sets the record straight. His grim childhood in the Midlands, his years as an influential disco DJ, his time working as a plugger in a record company, as a television presenter with 'The Hitman and Her' and of course the sensational run of success with his then partners Mike Stock and Matt Aitken in the 80's all add to the fascination of this unique autobiography. Stock, Aitken and Waterman aka 'the Hit Factory' were a hitmaking triumverate whose astonishing run of successes defined the sound of the Eighties, Way before the Spice Girls, Bananarama became the biggest girl group in the world. Add in Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Jason Donovan and many others and it is easy to see how they became the most prolific songwriting and production team the world has ever seen, with over 200 hits to their credit. Now for the first time in paperback, Pete Waterman tells us why the trio split and how he fought his way to a major personal comeback in 1999. 'I Wish I Was Me' is an essential insider's account of just how the British music industry works and how it has changed over the last thirty years. Pete Waterman is smart, engaging and has more stories than there are stars in the sky. Or the charts.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Music Buffs Only 1 April 2002

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

If you're looking for a book which gives you the ins and outs and all the dark secrets of Pete's personal life then this ain't the book for you! If you want to know how the music industry has developed through his eyes then this is your newly found bible. A lot of people think he has only produced cheesey pop songs but reading this book, you'll find there's a lot more he's done away from the pop world and it's quite an eye opener. It's written in quite an arrogant form but you can't fault him for that when he is so good at what he does in such a competetive market.

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Couldn't put it down, a must for the 80's kid 23 Sep 2000

Format:Hardcover

The book is a must for anybody who remembers the 80's cos they'll know Stock Aikten Waterman. The book goes back to the child hood of Pete and maps out a unsatisfied characters life with bottle and a real positive attitude. Reading his life shows what positive attitude can do for anybody willing to live life to the full whilsts taking risks. Pete's life sure has been colourful and I enjoyed every word with chuckles, laughter, scorn and enlightenment. This book surely is Pete's best work yet, buy it now and start getting it!

READ THIS!!!! 2 Jan 2012

By Damien McArdle

Let me start by saying i'm into hard rock heavy metal but i have always admired Pete and his work, he found a gap in the market and boy did he blast it wide apart, this is a must read, those that think all pete's done is with SAW will be very surprised. The thing that comes across most of all is Pete's attitude and his refusal to accept defeat in anything he's done, whether it's the people who run record labels or the breakdown of SAW the man just got back up and started again.
Pete's view of the people who run the industry is spot on, they think they know it all (sadly they don't) but Pete was/is a fan first and foremost and it shines through, anybody who wants to know how the music industry has changed over the years should pick this up asap.
The only disappoint for me was i was looking forward to Pete's take on working with Judas Priest but it never gets a mention (you will have to read Neil Daniel' book on JP for that) but he does mention that he had the chance of working with the tygers of pan tang (still one of my fave bands) and i would have loved to see how that would have come out.
I was going to say if your a fan of 80s pop you should get this, but even more so if your a fan of music, any music you should get this.