Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #73412 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 95 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The lowly third position of musical pursuits in the familiar cry of "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" suggests what Simon Napier-Bell's book Black Vinyl White Powder makes all too clear: from it's mid-1950s beginnings: pop music has always been intrinsically linked not only with sex, but with all manner of illegal substances. Indeed, it is an often-repeated fact that success in the music business will frequently be accompanied by more than mere musical activity. "Drugs are sometimes as important as talent," explains Napier-Bell in this entertaining and often compelling read, and it is from this angle that he presents his gripping 50-year history of pop.

The author's previous memoir, the often-hilarious You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, detailed his career in the pop industry from his esteemed position as joint-roller for the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra to his later role as manager of huge acts such as Japan and Wham! With such a career behind him, his range of contacts and experiences result in an often breathtaking sprint through the history of pop, incorporating major icons such as Elvis and the Beatles to leading figures from numerous late 90s dance movements. In Black Vinyl he diligently notes the particular pharmaceuticals used in order to satisfy the creative and, more often, hedonistic needs of the artists in question. Fascinating anecdotes abound, from the amusing, (such as the report of keyboard player Graham Bond's frequently heard airport custom's cry, "If you want the drugs I've got them up my arse"), to the tragic, (as figures from Syd Barrett to Kurt Cobain fall by the wayside, their drug habits supported, if not actively encouraged by an industry where such behaviour is the norm).

If a fault can be aimed at this mostly enjoyable read, it is that Napier-Bell's insistence on maintaining the link between drug-taking and the music it frequently accompanies often results in a sensationalist tabloid feel which steers him away from the more revealing anecdotal style that proved so enjoyable in his earlier book. However, his droll approach is always entertaining and Black Vinyl White Powder is recommended to anyone interested in an industry where, according to one interviewee, half of those involved are left with "scrambled eggs for brains". --Steve Price

Q magazine
'Rewarding, titilating...a genuine insight into hhow things really work behind the scenes'

Sunday Times
'Funny, entertaining and shrewd'

Customer Reviews

One of the great music books
Fabulous book. I picked it up in the library but will certainly buy a couple of copies to give as presents. It's full up with mad little anecdotes from start to finish. An original page-turner which seems to cover every event, trend and star in the history of British pop music - and to connect each of them with their own drug. It all makes sense when you read it anyway. The constant reminders of the gay influence over the British pop industry of the last 50 years is quite hilarious at times, and Simon Napier Bell's own memories are full of wit and no regret. Recommended completely.

An excellent guide to the British music business
I enjoyed every word of this wonderful account of the British music business. I was born in 1960 and found that this was a reminder of the soundtrack of my life, from Dusty Springfield, through the days of Marc Bolan and Ziggy Stardust to the greed of the eighties.

The way in which Napier-Bell links the sounds of each era with the most popular drug could have been a bit of a cheap gimmick, but it works beautifully and is never less than totally convincing.

Anyone who's interested in popular music should read it.

A great read between the white lines
This is the most readable and thought-provoking history of the music business that I've read. Although you might be forgiven for thinking that gay sex was just as influential as drugs, the book is a shrewd and honest insight into a business which has had a major influence on youth, and now adult, culture for the past 50 years. It may have taken 3 years to write - and if drugs is so influential then it's hardly surprising - but Black Vinvyl White powder was well worth waiting for.