I Wish I Was Me: Pete Waterman - The Autobiography (Paperback)

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Amazon.co.uk Review

"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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12 Reviews 5 star:  (9) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 4.4 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars Music Buffs Only, 1 April 2002 By A Customer 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. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   3 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars an absorbing read, 22 April 2001 By  whitbyjames@hotmail.com - See all my reviews This review is from: I Wish I Was Me: Pete Waterman - The Autobiography (Hardcover) i'd looked through this book several times before i bought it it looked quite good so when i finally bought it i thought oh no i hope it's worth it i was not dissapointed i read it in just over a week and enjoyed it i grew up listening to people like Bananarama and Mel and kym and their song Respectable was one of my favourites at that time i still ike it Pete Waterman might be a bit hardnosed at times but it struck me he has a softer side as well i.e. his love of railways and his support of the hillsborough disaster now i've read this it wont be the last time i recommend this book highly Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down, a must for the 80's kid, 23 Sep 2000 By A Customer This review is from: I Wish I Was Me: Pete Waterman - The Autobiography (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! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 12 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars I Wish I Was Me: Pete Waterman - The Autobiography by Pete Waterman Bought this book for personal use...Pete was an old friend and I was pleased to be mentioned in the book...not by name but by action.... Read more Published 4 months ago by Mrt Halford 5.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS BOOK I only read factual books and only ones that i think are gonna be interesting and this is one that i had trouble putting down. Read more Published 6 months ago by Ewan J. Smart 5.0 out of 5 stars Love him/hate him I grew up with the music Stock, Aitken, Waterman produced, so for me it was exiting to read about how they did it, and what they wantede to do with music. Read more Published on 12 Dec 2001 by Kristian Rasmussen (krlj@world... 1.0 out of 5 stars Disgusting! Be smart and don't buy or read this book! I was really looking forward reading this book cause I love books about show business. However, this is the worst book I ever read! Read more Published on 9 Jul 2001 5.0 out of 5 stars The Sage of Pop Music gets his two cents in..... ...and that he does. In 259 pages that is. While Peter Waterman strikes me as being flamboyant and very opinionated, he can definately tell a good, fun story. Read more Published on 24 Mar 2001 by middletails 5.0 out of 5 stars A real pag turner I was at home sick one day before Xmas and was listening to the radio. There was an interview with Pete Waterman, I thought 'oh thats the guy who did all the Kylie stuff in the... Read more Published on 22 Jan 2001 4.0 out of 5 stars The Hit Man Returneth... From a country obesessed with class structure, Pete Waterman was, and still is, proud to be considered "working class". Read more Published on 12 Jan 2001 5.0 out of 5 stars From the Heart of The Hitman For anyone who wants to get to know a little about the REAL Pete Waterman this book is a must. You'll get blow by blow accounts of some of the most important points in his life... Read more Published on 5 Oct 2000 5.0 out of 5 stars The Book of a Bright Young Britain The man is a genius and is responsible for the frothiest and most popular tunes of the last two decades. Read more Published on 4 Oct 2000 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 12 customer reviews...

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