'Hanging Around' by Alex Botten

[My First Kev]

Unlike a good many people who post here I don't personally know Alex Botten. I've not been involved in the Dundee indie scene to any real degree, I didn't even live here until 2002, and up until recently I had only heard his music the odd time I saw Lipsick when I first moved here. That said, I have been in bands and known the hassles involved in touring, putting out records, falling out with band members and so on. So it was with the eagerness to read someone else, who's rants I'd enjoyed reading here on UGS, take on these trials and tribulations I decided to buy a copy of 'Hanging Around'.

The book is quite short and printed in quite a large font so it took me only a matter of days to get through. It was only upon scanning back through it to write this review that I realised how much information had been packed into this relatively slender book. The fact that so much is dealt with in a short space benefits the book in some areas but becomes a failing in others. I'll come back to this later.

The first half of the book is light and very entertaining with witty accounts of embryonic bands and the usual failings of young 'wannabe' rock stars. The anecdotes surrounding the band 'Sandhopper' stand out as the band get an unappreciated first review in 'Brum Beat' and make a hopeless jaunt to London "just to say they had played there".

As the bands become more serious so does the tone of the book. This doesn't harm the story though, if anything it makes it all the more interesting to read. The obvious passion involved, despite inner band turmoil, makes the stories of Kosmiche, Bikeshed, Maps of Jupiter and Magnetic North Pole incredibly involving as you genuinely share the authors resulting joys and disappointments.

The initial chapters regarding Thee Moths and Lipsick are quite different from the rest of the book. Where the author had previously invested all his enthusiasm into talking about the bands the emphasis now shifts to his personal relationships. The efforts of Thee Moths and Lipsick become less anecdotal and merely a list of things that happened. Knowingly on the authors part or not, the main focus becomes Alex's relationship with Dominique from Thee Moths. The ups and downs of their long distance relationship are presented in a detailed and ultimately quite intense manner. And this is where I draw you back to the start of my review and the fact that a lot of stories are crammed into little more than 200 pages.

While leaving out the more mundane details of being in a band helps the story move along briskly the only personal relationship Alex gives any real detail about is the one with Dominique. It jars somewhat that this relationship is described in such a detailed manner yet other relationships, while mentioned, are never explored. I suppose this might have something to do with the fact that Dominique was in one of Alex's bands and therefore their relationship has the most relevance to the narrative. That might be the case but it begs the question: Why bring up the problems of his other relationships at all? Other relationships mentioned in the book, which include issues such as divorce, depression and infidelity, are skimmed over when they must surely have had a similarly profound effect on the authors musical output. It leaves the book feeling a little unbalanced. I'm sure these subjects were not explored in any detail due to reluctance on the author’s part to write about such sensitive matters but the brief lip service they are given make some sections of this tale difficult to empathise with.

I would hate to end this review on a negative note though. I really did enjoy the book and towards the end it reverts back to the familiar ground of interesting gig stories and inter-band friendships and rivalries. It's funny, well written and delivered in a charming manner throughout. It should be warmly received by anyone involved or interested in the current under ground music scene.

[AlanG]

link on lulu

Hanging Around by Alex Botten (Book) in Entertainment

[Thee Alex]

Thanks!

Skimming over some of the other relationships was a deliberate choice. The whole issue with my ex-wife was something I didn't feel right about putting in a fairly lightweight tome. Similarly I decided it was best not to write too much detail about people who, whilst sharing my bed on occasion, didn't impact a great deal on the narrative - one particular relationship that is actually quite important to the story is practically left out altogether due to her having a partner at the time who still doesn't know she cheated on him with me....there are allusions to it however.

I think that was a very fair review, and I thank you for it Kev.

[AlanG]

how much for a copy signed to your "best internet pal and most frequent banner" or some other ridiculous phrase?

It looks quite interesting.

[Thee Alex]

I have to get them from Lulu.com as well, if you *really* want a (arf!) signed copy then you could paypal me the money and I'll order it, sign it with the phrase of your choice, and then post it on to you!

Or you can get it straight from the site

[Curate]

Completely forgot to say, but I got this from my brother for Christmas. I enjoyed it, and not just because I know people mentioned in it.

Good work.

[Thee Alex]

I should mention that the new edition of this is now 15,000 words longer and brings the tale right up to 2008.

[Ritchie Ramone]

I read this last week and really enjoyed it. I don't know any of the people mentioned in it and have no experience of being in a band etc. so it was an interesting insight for me.

The tone is light and amusing for most of the book, but the more serious and downbeat parts didn't seem out of place. It's quite self-deprecating but more in a 'benefit of hindsight' kind of way rather than the false modesty route sometimes encountered in memoirs.

Definitely worth a read, probably even more so for those involved in the music scene, Dundee or otherwise.

[kj]

I can still pick up a copy right? Is there a newer new edition for 2010?