Product Description

The marvellously witty memoir by Britain's most popular pianist and bandleader. Jools Holland has had a fascinating life. From playing on bomb sites as a boy in South East London, to skiving off school and then rocketing to international success with Squeeze, the first twenty years of his life were eventful, chaotic and colourful. Then came The Tube, the seminal live music programme of the Eighties. Along with fellow icon, Paula Yates, Jools Holland's provocative and irreverent style of presenting broke the mould of music shows on British television. It was an exhilarating and exciting time. He made further shows in America and England, and in 1992, began broadcasting Later with Jools Holland, one of the BBC's most successful music shows of all time, which has given countless television debuts to now world famous bands. From playing pubs as a teenager greaser in the East End docks, to leading his rhythm and blues orchestra and selling millions of records in this century, it is his passion for music that has made Jools Holland into a doyen of the music scene and which suffuses the pages of this fascinating and delightful autobiography. This memoir is packed with hilarious anecdotes and unusual memories. It provides an inside look into the world of music as well a wonderful insight into the debonair gentleman and national institution that is Jools Holland.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85401 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 368 pages

About the Author
Jools Holland OBE DL, is a composer, pianist, bandleader and broadcaster. He is married with four children and lives in a world of his own.

Customer Reviews

Couldn't put it down
This book was wonderful, an honest and touching story of a gifted lad from a humble background who survived excesses of the pop industry and who has grown to be a pillar of the musical establishment. He's got a 'live and let live' attitude and is rarely critical of others, seeing good in many. His insights of the great and good of music are fascinating and his fondness for Paula Yates stands out. He heaps praise on many, including Bono, Bob Geldof and George Harrison. It was a great read.

Sticking up for Jools
Dear Pyewakt,
You are not really qualified to review the book because it is obvious that you have not read it and just listened to one of the short extracts on Radio 4. You describe Jools Holland as "the pianist turned presenter" but if you had even bothered to read the synopsis you would know that he has never given-up the piano, and far from having a "limited talent" he is undoubtedly one of the most skilled Pianists alive today. The great BB King once said: "I didn't think anybody could play like that. Jools has got that left hand that never stops. When the likes of Pete Johnson died, I wondered if I'd ever see that kind of playing again." And I for one thoroughly enjoy his music,
The book is pretty good too, and really does not deserve the savage attack that you have given it.

I am not a psychologist but from what you have written below it sounds like maybe you are bitter that you were never part of his "scene" when he was on the tube.

No real boasts
Some great anecdotes here, including the time he first met Bob Dylan at George Harrison's house.

Jools' humble manner is such that he drops names like Dylan and Harrison with the same love and affection that he recalls pub landlords, and friends and neighbours.

As a great fan of his music, I loved his insights on the music, and those he has worked with throughout the years.

One (small) gripe is the way that the last 15 or so years are crammed into about 20 pages, (possibly) leaving scope for a second half of the memoirs?

You get an overall sense of the honesty, and humble upbringing of Jools throughout, and I found it very hard to put this one down.