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'One of the best music books ever written, because Michael Odell knows
music isn't about the musicians – it’s about what it does to the listener, even
if what it does ends up being wholly disastrous. It’s sad, funny, fascinating
and wise.' Michael Hann, former Guardian music editor
‘Hilarious and disarmingly honest; a journey into the neurosis of rock
fame, but through doors you don’t expect.’ Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely
Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
A tale of loving, living and surviving rock music
Michael Odell is a rock music writer who takes his responsibility as
cultural gatekeeper seriously; he asks rock stars the forbidden questions to
discover whether they’re worthy of readers’ admiration.
But after interviewing Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – two of the ‘Big Six’
icons – Michael is depressed. He has a public meltdown while chaperoning Oasis
at an awards ceremony; he’s lost joy in his bathroom full of rock’n’roll
memorabilia; and his young son is in trouble at school for emulating rock star
behaviour.
Reluctantly Michael consults Mrs Henckel, a no-nonsense therapist with zero
experience of pop culture. As Michael addresses his feelings about the past, in
particular his failed teenage band, Mental Elf, he’s forced to confront the
question: is it finally time to grow up and forget rock’n’roll?
Michael Odell
Michael R.L. Odell, PhD, has spent more than three decades inside the strange republic of higher education -- as professor, program founder, administrator, and occasional heretic. He has written strategic plans, accreditation reports, and improvement initiatives that all promised transformation -- and sometimes delivered it. He believes in the improbable resilience of the university and the quiet decency of those who still make it work. He currently serves as Professor of STEM Education at The University of Texas at Tyler, where he teaches, writes, and continues to mentor those brave enough to lead from within. He dedicates this work to the faculty, staff, and administrators who, despite bureaucracy and budget spreadsheets, keep learning alive through persistence, humor, and hope.
More by Michael Odell
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