Punk Throwback issue no. 9 Winter 2003

A Dysfunctional Success The Wreckless Eric Manual (written by the author)

It's difficult to know where to start so I think I'll begin at the beginning and see how I get on...
I always read the first few lines of a book and the last few, to see if I'm gonna like it or not. Eric has a dry, downbeat wit and a great way with a story. He writes in a simple, concise, yet somehow rambling way, conversational and self-deprecating. You have to have heard him speak I think to appreciate his narrative style. This book, his first, is his biography, from birth to stardom to debt and alcoholism. It's a brilliantly told story of one man's adversity and the odd triumph, plus a peak into his record collection. It's a really, really great book; thoroughly enjoyable, funny, sad, a bit depressing but also hugely inspiring in that it proves there's a fine line between being a songwriting genius and an ordinary bloke down the pub who gets a bit lairy when he's had one too many.

You don't have to be a big fan of Eric and his music to enjoy this book - I'm not, I actually much prefer his later Hitsville House Band stuff to the '77 Stiff stuff - but it probably helps if you know the odd song, even if it is only Whole Wide World...

You meet quite a few characters along the way in Eric's journey and not just famous ones like Ian Dury and Huey Lewis (tea boy at Stiff Records office the day Eric wandered in). The succession of boring jobs and dodgy bedsits are described a meticulously drolly as the glory years are in typical understated fashion. There is a lot of boring music-biz detail left out of the book in favour of Eric unburdoning himself about what a wanker he was once successful and when pissed. A pissed-up car accident/incident with Clash acolyte Johnny Green is particularly funny, but this is a book full of 'smile humour'...

I won't spoil the story ... let's just say, if you love music and tales from the bar-room floor, you'll love this book. ...and it's a million times better than Nick Hornby's 31 Songs - what a pile of shite that was.