Books
Excited to say my new book Soho Days, Camden Nights will be published through Omnibus Press in July. They are also re-issuing my first effort Anoint My Head, with a fancy pants new cover. Find out more below plus some short stories to read…
Soho Days, Camden Nights
The Chronicles of a Failed Indie Rockstar
90s MUSIC MEMOIR — PUBLISHED JULY 16 ON OMNIBUS PRESS
It’s the summer of 1996, and Andy (aka Horace) is stuck in a dead-end admin job at a Soho picture library. His dreams of becoming an indie rockstar are over — but luckily, he’s found the Next Big Thing through promoting gigs in Camden: a Norwegian three-piece who sound like ABBA meets Nirvana.
Plan B is simple — live the dream vicariously by managing them. And when a record company shows interest, a door opens into an exciting new world. The only things standing in his way are a total lack of music industry know-how — and his scary boss at work, who disapproves of his extracurricular activities.
Soho Days, Camden Nights is a coming-of-age — or perhaps coming-to-your-senses — story that takes the reader back to the heyday of 90s London, charting the rise of some of the biggest bands and comedians of the era. Along the way, it explores that eternal question: does the cream really rise to the top, or is success mostly down to luck? And more importantly — is it ever too late to pick up the plectrum and try again?
A funny, bittersweet tale about ambition, identity, and learning when to change the record.
Anoint My Head
How I Failed to Make it as a Britpop Indie Rockstar
90s MUSIC MEMOIR — REISSUED JULY 16 ON OMNIBUS PRESS
It’s 1992 and Horace dreams of becoming a rockstar with his band the Pointy Birds. The only problem is that his day-job (mis)filing vinyl in a Soho record store is stealing all his time and energy, plus rival bands like Suede, Blur, Pulp and Radiohead are moving on to bigger and better things.
But then someone called Ricky offers his services as a band manager and at last the dream can start.
Anoint My Head is the tale of a band who didn’t become rich, or famous but had a manager who did. It is also the story of a musical era, and documents the rise of some of the biggest British Britpop bands of the nineties, plus a comedian who went on to write quite a successful sitcom about a paper merchants in Slough.
A coming-of-age story about pursuing your dreams and what happens when reality gets in the way.
Perfect for fans of Caitlin Moran, Nicky Hornby & Ricky Gervais.
Made-up True Short Stories
Available as free PDF or pay-what-you-want ebook. Click on the snazzy book covers below to find out more/read sample/buy….
A Night in Dieppe
36 pages | 7000 words
A wannabe pop star, a sharp-suited businessman and a revolutionary communist are brought together at a ferry terminal and lock horns over life’s big unanswerable questions until they have to put their money where their mouths are. For anyone who has ever missed the last ferry home.
The Quilt
26 pages | 5735 words
Dave Quilty is a builder who loves playing his guitar. The trouble is that no one wants to listen, and he can’t get a gig anywhere. But when, unexpectedly, he finds a captive audience, he has a final chance to prove the doubters wrong. And maybe reveal a hidden side too.
