A Dysfunctional Success

"It's difficult to know where to start, so I think I'll begin at the beginning and see how I get on..." This is definitely not another one of those usual rock autobiographies. It's the story of one man's bewilderment with life and his desent into alcoholism and near-redemption. with a music backdrop. Eric Goulden does have an excellent music background but that's actually a bonus and not essential to the book. After pursuing an art career and working at several menial jobs, Wreckless Eric first found fame in the mid-1970s when he signed to the emergent Stiff Records with such label-mates as Ian Dury (who played drums in Eric's band), Elvis Costello, and Nick Lowe and the Damned. His eccentric single. "Whole Wide World"/"Semaphore Signals." is one of the minor classics of the punk era. After he left Stiff in 1981 he continued to work as a musician, songwriter--his songs have been recorded by The Monkees, Marianne Faithful, and Cliff Richard--and recording artist. This is a witty. entertaining, and insightful foray into the crazy world of British music in the 70s and 80s.