Review of The Last Mad Surge of Youth on Zap!
Bang! Magazine
“He was going to be one of the select few - The Rolling Stones, U2,
Bob Dylan, REM, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen - artists who remained credible
but still had commercial success and who’s every album felt interwoven
with itself, a cultural landmark.”
It’s 2009 and John Barrett, former Killing Stars frontman is a has-been.
In his heart he knows this, but he still has loyal fans so even if his latest
album Godspace has sold a handful of copies, both his agent, Rupert Green
and his second wife Esther are not even sure if he is worth it anymore. Where
had it all gone wrong? What had happened to the ambitious punk wannabe who
had been so full of integrity? How did he end up here?
Dave Carey is the forgotten man, the one in the long forgotten photographs.
He had been Barrett’s best friend as a kid, life has not turned out so
well. They dreamed of changing the world together when they were teenagers.
At 14 they had seen punk poet Patrik Fitzgerald, a truly revelatory experience,
but everything changed when Paul Kennedy arrived at school in leopard skin
trousers, a capped t-shirt covered in zips, his hair spiked high and a small
white feather dangled from a stud in his ear. He was the school’s first
real punk, both Carey and Barrett were inspired to rebel. At 16 they formed
their own floating band, Group Hex. Instead of having regular members, anyone
could join and could come and go as they pleased. Their fanzine, Carey’s
inspiration was sold locally and their following grew. However, as everything
took off, things changed. They could not have floating members any more and
eventually re-christened themseleves Killing Stars. Carey had never felt adequate
on the guitar so left, instead, ending up as a journo on the local rag. He
could have been so much more, he could have been an author but he kept getting
rejected.
It is Barrett’s appearance on lunch time TV show Lunch Brake that is
going to change their world’s again. Barrett, now a lush, shows himself
up and Carey writes an article in his defence. An autobiography is planned
and Carey is asked to write. He knows Barrett better than anyone else, he
knew him before it all. He understands Barrett, shared the pain of lost friends
and understood what drove him. As a result, “the autobiography of John
Barrett would be rich, engaging, informed, lively”. But before any of
that can happen, two past demons have to be set to bed? Can Barrett overcome
the drink problem and what is the secret that Carey needs to face?
Author Mark Hodkinson has toured with bands including The Stone Roses and
Pulp, something which is evident in his writing. He has a clear understanding
of the music industry and The Last Mad Surge Of Youth is an enthralling
insight to the pros and cons of a world unknown to most, but dreamt of by
many. He manages succesfully to side step the cliches, creating instead rounded
and intelligent characters. Before fame, Barrett wanted to change the world,
he dreamt of being a working class hero. The world of celebrity is what he
achieved, losing his freedom of speech to record company executives. He chose
to ride the wave and ended up lost and alone, losing his connection to everyone
that surrounded him.
The Last Mad Surge Of Youth is an insightful overview and subtle attack
of the world of celebrity. Punk promised to change the world, but fast forward
from 1980 to 2009 and what is left of the big pretenders? They grew up and
got fat, they didn’t stop caring but realised that even they could not
change the world. For anybody who has ever daydreamed for a second of a life
in the fast lane of fame, this book is a must. Barrett and Carey’s wasted
dreams are a worthwhile read, both moving and amusing, you won’t be able
to put this book down.
by Jeremy Williams, published on 3 June 2009.