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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 2:11 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:33 pm
Posts: 177
Location: New York City
The thing that initially got to me about this...and it reads like science fiction, is that Difford was brought on board as "lyric doctor"?

Aren't BF's lyrics some of the best? Did something change in that regard? :shock:


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:50 am 
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 7:23 pm
Posts: 1568
DCJ wrote:
Sadly, I agree that BF will not write an "AutoBio" that would truly be interesting to read, because it would require him to expose too much that he has worked hard to keep out of the public eye for the past 30+ years.


Philosophical Philanderers,

W2 has been reflecting on DCJ's point and is not sure that he is correct.

Windswept thinks that with a good wind it will get done. Our hero is strong on legacy. You see that in the relationship that he had with his parents and his feelings towards the NE.

Probably a key issue is the 'Kiss & Tell' aspect and publishers do push this. It often dictates the size of the advance.

That said, it's entirely possible to handle these things in a tasteful way and the real story is the music. W2 can't think of anybody alive who's worked with more names and in more styles. It would be fascinating.

W2 thinks it will happen.

Salutations,

Windswept (with strings)


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 4:14 pm 
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Posts: 1029
W2:
Maybe you're right and some kind of "BF Autobio" will be forthcoming in the years ahead. But exactly how much he wants to reveal of himself and his past adventures remains highly problematic IMNSHO.

Of course potential publishers would be interested in his love life over the years, but I would imagine that BF would prefer not to delve very deeply into his relationship with Jerry Hall, his life with Lucy H (and its demise) and his recent short second marriage. And the legal terms of separation in the latter two instances might well preclude any detailed discussion of these relationships...

So then the story becomes one of a working class lad (whose dad handles pit ponies!) who climbs the steep ladder and somehow becomes the symbol of British Country Life. This is a remarkable story, but does he truly want to lay bare exactly how it all came about. It certainly didn't occur by happenstance; my sense is that he could only have succeeded because of an intense (ruthless?) ambition that, in more than a few instances, left some onetime friends and colleagues in the dust...

If he really wants to engage in a no-holds barred description of how he navigated the the perilous world of 1960/70s London and went from struggling art school grad from the north country to a major Pop Star and style icon of Posh Britain it would be a great book. But is that something he really wants to do? My sense is no, but that's just my opinion...


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 8:45 pm 
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Posts: 122
So who are the most famous people in music never to have written an autobiography then? Think I'm right in thinking that Bowie never did. I'd almost put my house on it that Ferry won't and even if he does then it's unlikely to be as entertaining as it could be. Plus the autobiography seems to have gone out of fashion a bit these days in light of everyone who is nobody writing one, which makes it even less likely IMHO.


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 3:58 pm 
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Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:10 am
Posts: 32
Given that Bryan Ferry once endangered a Roxy Music tour by throwing his passport in the bin because he had taken a dislike to the photograph, I imagine any autobiography would be torture for the ghostwriter.
Having ghostwritten two (non music) autobiographies, you need the subject to be very open, to want to write it and not to be afraid of giving offence. I can't imagine Bryan falling into any of these categories.
The best bet might be an 'authorised biography' in which he allows unfettered access to his friends and archive. Michael Bracewell would probably fulfill all of Windswept's expectations, if he were given the task.
As for how long an autobiography takes to write; Elton John announced he was starting work on one last year. You won't be able to read his thoughts until 2019.
When Mick Jagger began his, he had return the enormous advance to Weidenfeld and Nicholson, his publishers, because he could remember so very little. It wasn't the 60s that troubled Mick. He had virtually no recollection of the 1980s, a decade of continual touring in identical venues, staying in identical hotels. Given Jagger's notorious attraction to cash, giving the money back must have hurt him greatly.

Hope this helps,

Jesmond


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 4:40 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:44 am
Posts: 1177
I seem to recall and interview where Bryan was asked about doing an autobiography and his reply was that he didn't think he was interesting enough!

8-)

My bid for the title would be........."Strictly Confidential". ;)


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:40 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 7:23 pm
Posts: 1568
Roxy wrote:

My bid for the title would be........."Strictly Confidential". ;)


Cher Roxy,
Brilliant title - this is why you should be Senior Vice President Marketing for Jesmond Dene !
Salutations,
W2


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:12 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:13 pm
Posts: 553
Sorry guys, the last thing we need is a Ferry autobio.
We have the music. Its enough.


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:27 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 7:23 pm
Posts: 1568
jesmond wrote:
Given that Bryan Ferry once endangered a Roxy Music tour by throwing his passport in the bin because he had taken a dislike to the photograph, I imagine any autobiography would be torture for the ghostwriter.
Having ghostwritten two (non music) autobiographies, you need the subject to be very open, to want to write it and not to be afraid of giving offence. I can't imagine Bryan falling into any of these categories.
The best bet might be an 'authorised biography' in which he allows unfettered access to his friends and archive. Michael Bracewell would probably fulfill all of Windswept's expectations, if he were given the task.
As for how long an autobiography takes to write; Elton John announced he was starting work on one last year. You won't be able to read his thoughts until 2019.
When Mick Jagger began his, he had return the enormous advance to Weidenfeld and Nicholson, his publishers, because he could remember so very little. It wasn't the 60s that troubled Mick. He had virtually no recollection of the 1980s, a decade of continual touring in identical venues, staying in identical hotels. Given Jagger's notorious attraction to cash, giving the money back must have hurt him greatly.

Hope this helps,

Jesmond


Hipsters,

W2 thinks Jesmond (great handle) makes some good points.

Of course, many creative geniuses are capable of casting their rattles far from the pram and it is certainly true that the Mickster gave his wonga back. Wether this was due to his supposed memory lapse or the fact that Keith beat him to publication, casting aspersions on the size of Mick's appendage in the process will probably remain an open question.

Albeit given his love of the greenback, the return of the advance won't have sat well with him. On that, W2 is very sure that Jesmond is correct.

Hopefully non of this will stand in the way of our hero putting pen to paper. Sylvie Simmons portrayal of Cohen is a solid testimony to how good these things can be.

Not all of them land well, that's for sure. W2 was really looking forward to Jools Holland's and what a missed opportunity that was.

But Windswept thinks there is so much story in Ferry's music it good be a real winner.


Salutations,
W2


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 Post subject: Re: Chris Difford
PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:23 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:58 pm
Posts: 1029
Methinks that for Mick J to give back his advance for an AutoBio it had to involve much more than supposed sketchy memories...

I think MJ finally realized that, while he remembered plenty about his life, he didn't really want delve into all the details no matter how big The Check (if I remember correctly bandmate Keith got an $8 million advance for his book). A case in point on this topic would be the documentary of the Stones '72 Tour ("C@#ksuckers Blues" that Mick and the gang battled long and hard to keep from ever being seen because it offered a less than savory view of the Stones and their lifestyle. The wikipedia entry on the rarely screened film (it can only be shown publicly four times a year and the director of the film must be present while it is being shown) is short but informative...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocksucker_Blues

I think that MJ finally realized that if he tried to sanitize his AutoBio it would be widely panned as a whitewash, but the alternative of really pulling back the curtain was something he didn't want to do. So in the end he sent The Check back and let all those sleeping dogs lie...


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