"At any one time in the United Kingdom, there are approximately 2,042,677 so-called ‘unsigned’ bands writing, recording, mixing, designing or promoting their new demo, or talking about really-seriously-getting-some-stuff-together-this-year; the chances are that you haven’t heard of any of them. Hello, I’m in one of those bands, and we are called Songs from the Blue House." Shane Kirk follows up his account of what it's really like to be in a pub band ("Do You Do Any Wings?") with a series of stories from life below the record company radar in the company of Our Glorious Leader James, The Fragrant and Charming Helen Mulley, Gibbon, Fiddly Richard (all the way from Thorndon), Turny Winn, and an ever-revolving* cast of hundreds.
*Somewhere between 'evolving' and 'revolting'.
Packed with war stories and infused with the author's trademark acid wit, yet this book carries a rare warmth about it which makes it my feelgood hit of the year. In the very best sense, it's a grown-up's book. There's nothing here for dullards.
