A vivid biography of John Lee Hooker, from a critically acclaimed journalist
Charles Shaar Murray (born 1951) is an English music journalist. His first experience in journalism came 1970 when he was asked to contribute to the satirical magazine Oz. In particular, he contributed to the notorious Schoolkids OZ issue, and was involved in the consequent obscenity trial. He then wrote for the New Musical Express from 1972 until 1986. His writing has also appeared in Q , Mojo, New Statesman, Prospect, Guardian, Observer, Daily Telegraph, and Vogue. He currently writes a monthly column about his life-long love affair with guitars in Guitarist.
* Murray's book represents a paradigm of investigative biography: musical nuts and bolts threaded through vividly recounted social history and philosophical muscle, written by a thinking writer who knows exactly how to operate and manipulate language. Sprawling over 500 pages, Murray is word - and comma - perfect. -- Philip Clark Gramophone 20131111 * Charles Shaar Murray combines a serious grasp of what he needs to take from post-modernist notions such as intertextuality or shamanism, and chastened common sense about life and sorrow, with an adult capacity to shut up and, a lot of the time, let John Lee himself do the talking -- Roz Kaveney * The new foreword drops tantalising hints that the chronology on which the book is based may be out by five or six years...this is a fascinatingly detailed account of an equally fascinating life. Record Collector
![]() |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
![]() |