Reelin' in the Years: The Soundtrack of a Northern Life

by Mark Radcliffe

Mark Radcliffe takes a record from each year of his life, using the song as a starting point from which to reach out and pull together a wonderfully entertaining catalogue of memories and asides about British culture. And, as one would expect from this unique and popular broadcaster, the tunes he lists are not the usual suspects.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Humor, Autobiography

333 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2011

Reviews

[Nigeyb · Rating 3 out of 5]

He shoots. He scores.

Mr Radcliffe was in front of an open goal with not even the keeper to beat. Needless to say he slotted the ball home with style and aplomb. Then again, how could he miss? 55 year old DJ, all round good guy, and music obsessive writes a book (when he was 52 years of age) about his favourite songs (one for each year of his life), which is read by a 51 year music obsessive. It was already a pretty good "fit".

I don't share Mark's enthusiasm for Pink Floyd or Genesis, though daresay I would have if I was four years older, however - that aside - I agreed with virtually all of his opinions.

It's fair to say I didn't learn anything about the artists or tunes I didn't already know (except the origin of Leadbelly's moniker (chronic constipation triv fans)), however I did read a lot of interesting biographical stuff about Mark, and - as ever - warmed to his dry, matter-of-fact, and quietly witty style.

If you can answer "yes" to at least two of the the following:

Do you love popular music?
Do you find Mr Radcliffe engaging?
Do you enjoy biographies?

Then I'd say you will really enjoy this book too. I have ordered his biography "Thank You for the Days: A Boy's Own Adventures in Radio and Beyond" on the strength of this one. I shall, of course, report back.

[Veronica · Rating 1 out of 5]

At the beginning I was quite happy with the book, since it appeared funny and all, plus it is related to music. The book structure was promising, so I thought it was gonna be a nice, pleasant read. After a while I got really bored. Radcliffe seems to go around without really having a point in every chapter, and also the funny effect fades away after a while. Sure, you get a smile once in a while, but the process to get there is a bit too boring to make you really enjoy it. He builds up the story related to the song for each year fairly well, but then he closes it poorly most of the times. Sometimes he goes on and on with descriptive details of very superficial things, and he is not really good at playing with those either. At a point, I decided to go through the chapters I was most interested in (because of the songs) so to re-gain enthusiasm about the book; that didn't work either, since even reading those I wasn't particularly entertained. Eventually I decided not to read the others.

[Norman Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this, but then I liked Mark's 'Thank You For The Days' which I read a few years back. As a fellow Northerner with a similar taste in music (apart from those over-rated Manc bands, but then Mark's from Bolton and grew up with them, so I'll forgive him for that), what's not to like? I even walked Hadrian's Wall recently, which brought me right up to date with Mark's concluding chapters, so I feel as though I almost know him. We'd easily bond over a pint, that's for sure. Hadn't realised he was a drummer - when I saw his band a few years back, supporting Wilko Johnson at the O2 Islington, he was out front, singing and playing really good harp, the bastard! And they were a very tight band too. This book is full of wonderful anecdotes and insightful comments which will mean even more if you love the music, as I do (mostly, but then wouldn't it be boring if our tastes were identical?). If you've a train or a plane to catch, this is the ideal companion.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part autobiography, part guide to popular culture, Reelin' in the Years has the original approach of taking a pop song for every year of the author's life and using that as the starting point to riff on events of the time.

Radcliffe has a strong voice and is reliably funny. There is the odd overwrought sentence that has you backtracking to get the meaning but that's forgivable. Less so the relentless professional northerner thing where "that there London" is a strange and distant land and Belgium is a place for maudlin reflections on middle age - actually he may have a point there. Overall Radcliffe is an engaging companion for a look at the past five decades, more so if you're of a similar age and share some of the same reference points.

[John Parkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up whilst on a weekend break at a price i couldnt ignore. Having read several "soundtrack to a life" books i pretty much knew what to expect with this: Mark Radcliffe picks a song for each year of his life and writes around it. However, Radcliffe's writing style and mordant wit raise this to the top of the heap . Some of the tracks wouldnt fit into anyones top tunes ever (Puppet on a String anyone?) but the way he presents his selections as emblematic of their wider cultural contexts is satisfying and sometimes novel . Being a Northerner of a similar age and background i found his insights rang true and his delivery in the main unforced and light. Also liked quite a few of the tunes! Not a game changer but recommended.

[Steve Gillway · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an enjoyable wander around memory lane. He has some funny anecdotes and a great turn of phrase. If you've heard him before then not all the qupis will be new to you. As he reminds us in his sardonic way, he's been lucky to see and speak to luminaries from the music scene and attend memorable concerts. Most of it paid for by us. I think he has been doing too many of those middle-aged moaning shows as seen in his diatribe aginst t-shirts and his over zealous championing of nice shoes.
I'm glad he's still banjoing, but not banjoed.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've not actually fully read this book yet because I lost it, however I've read enough to give a quick review and finish it off once I can afford to replace my copy:

A very interesting book for fans of music and Radcliffe, I think I got up to the 70s before I misplaced it so the chapters I was really excited to read haven't really come about yet, however so far the song choices have been good and the autobiographical style is enjoyable.

edit: found it and finished. I was correct really, the chapters didn't disappoint and the good choices continued.

[Mancman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read Mark Radcliffe's other books, but this was certainly a departure: the premise is simple, for each year of his life he picks a song that means something to him, and then riffs off it.

Clearly given the nature of the book, some chapters work better than others, but overall it gives a great insight into the workings of his mind, if that's a place you wish to venture to?

I'd forgotten some of the timelines of songs, and it may be evidence of my advancing years that I thought some were much more recent than they actually were!

[Jeff Howells · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in a row I've read by a Radio 2 DJ. I've read all of Mark Radcliffe's previous books, and although I rarely get to listen to him broadcast now, he is an incredibly funny writer. This isn't a normal memoir (he's already written a lot about his life) but rather a chapter about each year of his life 'framed' by a song from that year. In reality the conceit is just an excuse to steer off into an extremely funny series of stories/anecdotes/musings. There is literally something funny on every page.

[Derek Bridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

For each year of Radcliffe's life, a chapter. For each chapter, a pop record - the title of the chapter - and a meditation that starts from that record. The chapters that take the music seriously are among the most successful; the chapters that take a wry look at the events of Radcliffe's life and career are slight but amusing; the other chapters are mostly fatuous. I like Radcliffe a lot - but this is an obvious conceit and somewhat uneven.

[Jim McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. Mark Radcliffe reminisces both music and British life over the course of his own life, with the same sense of humour and meandering trains of thought that you hear in his radio shows. He is so enthusiastic about the records he picks that I wanted to listen to each one as I read each chapter. This book should come with an accompanying CD!

[Elizabeth Coldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

DJ and radio personality Radcliffe uses the conceit of picking his favourite record from every year of his life to weave together snippets of autobiography, social commentary and humorous anecdotes. Interesting and deliciously nostalgic for anyone born in the late Fifties/early Sixties, but a bit too random and self-indulgent to warrant a higher rating.

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Radcliffe attempts to make a virtue of digression. He fails. I've always found his faux Peel manner somewhat distracting anyway. It reaches fever pitch in this slight volume. His use of an old fashion turn of phrase in an "ironic" way is plain annoying. Yes and subtitles in books should strictly stay in the academic domain. Mark, please leave the writing to Maconie...

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read- I like this type of factual but anedotal book. Mark Radcliffe using excellent descriptions and laugh out loud absurdities and situations. I could hear his accent and voice in my head as reading. So why only 3 stars - I did find some of chapters a little rambling and had to check where the incident had started. Highly recommended.

[Daniel Proctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful musical journey of a book with plenty of laugh out loud moments as well as interesting insight into music, politics and culture. Every word I read I could hear Radcliffe's voice as if on radio. This is a must read if you love music and Mark Radcliffe. Biggidy biggidy bong!*

*OK that was actually Marc Reilly's trademark jingle.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've enjoyed his other books much more than this. I enjoy his radio shows especially his series on northern comics. When he was driving down listenership with Marc Riley was the only time I've regularly listened to the radio one breakfast show. What works when you're driving or preparing supper doesn't always work as well when its got your 100% concentration.

[Monty · Rating 3 out of 5]

each year of Radcliffe's life told in light of one song, what that song meant to that version of himself and then whatever he feels like writing about that is funniest, sincerest, most embarrassing etc. Minus the completeness of something like High fidelity, say, it becomes hit an miss but some hits are significant - top ten even...

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intermittently amusing ramble through fifty-odd years of popular music told through the device of a record to represent each year of the author's life, starting with Cliff Richard in 1958 and ending up with Elbow, The Unthanks and Fleet Foxes in 2010, by way of The Kinks, Genesis, Bob Marley, Joy Divison and The Smiths.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great idea for a book and Radcliffe is knowledgeable and entertaining in the writing, so he manages to pull off what others might fail with. Taking a song a year he looks at his life through the idea of how music has shaped it. Some great stories. Some funny bits. Some sad bits. A nice snapshot of life with a built-in soundtrack.

[Richard Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the second half of the book had been as entertaining and funny as the first half, I would have given it 4 stars. Whilst reading the first entries I found myself laughing out loud and the author's observations were accurate, witty and often a little wicked. However, anecdote replaces observation in the latter chapters and I found these less interesting.

[Salma Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly likeable DJ and all round good chap with no end of musical knowledge and anecdotes. Sometimes the wittering on style of humour which works well on the radio doesn't translate so well to the written word though I thought.

[Steven Pilling · Rating 2 out of 5]

radcliffe is an entertaining guide but it just doesnt get past the stylistic confines of the book.

the criticism is not strong enough to get past the issues i have with the book but it does have some humour and some enjoyable touches

[Sara Eastwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Mark! Armed with Spotify and a pair of headphones this was a truly wonderful journey through the musical history of my life. Even discovered some musical gems I had never heard before. Sad to finish this one!

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. Some laugh out loud funny lines in it and some good anecdotes, particularly as I used to listen to Mark and Lard on radio 1 back in the day. Overall though it was a bit rambling and felt a bit like the author was very much phoning it in.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny educational a wistfull look back on you're life through records. Great idea x

[Ipswichblade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read (I'm on a roll of good books!!) This is Mark's memoirs based on songs from each year of his life. As usual a funny read and as good as his previous books

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good tunes. Some not so good ones. I've enjoyed other books by Radcliffe more. I found it worked better with access to YouTube.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan. The lengthy rambling anecdotes are mildly amusing the first few times, but become tedious and subtract more than they add.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny, as much a biography as a music tome, and I love some of the choices - All the Young Dudes, Slade, Human League, Pulp and Nirvana.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable and informative romp through the history of music, but did lose the structure required to make a must read. Still, Radcliffe is always engaging and amusing.