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Revolutionary Spirit

A Post-Punk Exorcism: The Teardrop Explodes, Care, The Wild Swans, And Beyond
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( 94 ratings, 12 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Revolutionary Spirit is a captivating blend of memoir and social history, tracing the turbulent yet inspiring journey of Liverpool musician Paul Simpson. From the vibrant beginnings at the legendary Eric's club alongside future stars like Julian Cope and Ian McCulloch, to forming cult bands like The Teardrop Explodes and The Wild Swans, the book reveals Simpson's struggle for artistic validation amid personal challenges. It chronicles encounters with notable figures, unexpected fame in the Philippines, and a steadfast commitment to artistic integrity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$6100

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will appeal to readers interested in music history, particularly the indie and neo-psychedelic scenes of 1970s and 1980s Liverpool. Fans of memoirs that explore artistic journeys and cultural movements will find this an engaging and insightful read.

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Part memoir, part social history, Revolutionary Spirit is the poignant, often hilarious story of a cult Liverpool musician s scenic route to fame and artistic validation.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Part memoir, part social history, Revolutionary Spirit is the poignant, often hilarious story of a cult Liverpool musician's scenic route to fame and artistic validation. If Morrissey was the Oscar Wilde of the 1980s indie scene, Simpson was its William Blake, a self-destructive genius so lost in mystical visions of a new Arcadia that he couldn't meet the rent.

Simpson's career begins alongside fellow Liverpool luminaries Julian Cope, Ian McCulloch, Bill Drummond, Ian Broudie, Will Sergeant, Pete Wylie, Pete Burns, and Pete de Freitas at the infamous Eric's club, where, in 1976, he finds himself at the birth of the city's second great musical explosion. Along the way, he co-founds and christens the neo-psychedelic pop group The Teardrop Explodes, shares a flat with a teenage Courtney Love, and forms The Wild Swans, the indie band of choice for literary-minded teens in the early 1980s, who burn bright and brief, in the process recording one of the all-time great cult hit singles, 'Revolutionary Spirit'.

Marriage, fatherhood, and tropical illness follow, interspersed with artistic collaborations with Bill Drummond and members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, among others. Following an onstage reunion with Cope at the Royal Festival Hall, Simpson discovers that seven thousand miles away, in the Philippines, he is considered a musical god. Presidential suites, armed guards, police escorts - you couldn't make it up, and, incredibly, he doesn't need to.

Revolutionary Spirit marks the arrival of an original literary voice. It is the story of a musician driven by an unerring belief that artistic integrity will bring its own rewards - and an elliptical elegy to the ways it does.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781911036838

Publisher: Outline Press Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 December 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Jawbone

Illustration: 20 Black and White and Colour

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 150.0mm

Height: 215.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 296

About the Author

Paul Simpson is a musician and artist. Across four decades in music, he has released critically acclaimed singles and albums with The Teardrop Explodes, Care, and The Wild Swans. In 2000, he completed a Visiting Fellowship at Liverpool School of Art and Design at John Moores University, where he worked on the spoken-word project The Dream Diaries. Today, Paul paints and creates collages from his home in Glasgow. He is currently working on a novel.

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