I Was There: Dispatches from a Life in Rock and Roll

by Alan Edwards

'Alan is such a wonderful storyteller' Debbie Harry

'Alan Edwards is a class observant, attentive, always in the right place at the right time. I Was There tells you how' Jon Savage

'A beautiful, warm, jaw-dropping, once-in-a-lifetime, lifting-the-stone guide to a secret world . . . I loved it' Tony Parsons

Alan Edwards, the godfather of British music PR, has worked with some of the most legendary artists of our time, from David Bowie to the Spice Girls via the Rolling Stones, the Stranglers, Prince and Amy Winehouse.

In I Was There, he describes getting his break in the mid-'70s as a scruffy, stoned 20-year-old just back from the hippie trail; his encounter with London's thriving punk scene, which inspired him to set up his own PR company; broadening his horizons as his work with the likes of Blondie takes him to the US and beyond; and his move into the world of pop with the Spice Girls during the tabloid-crazed '90s.

At the centre of this story sits the defining relationship of Edwards' his close, thirty-year collaboration with David Bowie. He guides us through a series of vivid, funny, always insightful behind-the-scenes reports, whether he's playing a spontaneous game of football with Bob Marley, listening to Prince discuss the future of civilisation in a nightclub VIP area, or being used as a pawn in the power struggle between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Above all, we're treated to Edwards' fascinating observations about the brilliant artists he was worked with and what makes them tick, as he looks back on his role in the last five decades of music and culture.

Genres: Music, Biography, Memoir

333 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 6, 2024

About the author

Alan Edwards majored in English at the University of Florida for approximately four weeks, until the endless daily grind of non-stop investigations into whether every single mention of a long straight object was nothing more than a phallic symbol made him quickly realize that he would never make it through to actually get a less-than-useful English degree. He determinedly became a drunkard and dropout afterwards.

Later, he learned the fine art of bookkeeping, decided he enjoyed it, and eventually went back to school, this time for an Accounting degree, which he was able to complete while working full-time and attending night classes for the simple reason that there was no discussion of phallic symbols.

Becoming a stalwart and valiant accountant, he set the world afire with the speed of his T-accounts, the precision of his reconciliations, and uncanny way of balancing debits and credits. By night, he dazzled and amazed all and sundry by reading, playing computer and console games as well as tabletop role-playing games, watching TV, and playing with his dogs.

Nearly all of his time is spent with his lovely wife and companion Lisa, whose patience and love quite seriously carries him through the tribulations of life.

The Curse of Troius is his first novel.

Reviews

[Gary Duckworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely brilliant, brilliant book. It’s so entertaining! It’s stuffed full of great stories. It’s superbly written too. Oh the life of a PR!

A great many of the stories are highly original and could only be told by Alan Edwards. After all, He Was There! Many of the stories are priceless - you could dine out on them for years! Amongst my favourites: Bob Dylan in Crouch End, Uriah Heap up a mountain. The PR for Robert Smith..classic! Bowie and Blair and Clinton…lots of interesting stories on Bowie, The Stones, Beckham, phone hacking and much much more.

A Highly enjoyable, very engaging read. This book and Kevin Armstrong’s book Absolute Beginner are my two favourites over the last year..2023/24.

[James Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

[Totos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great entertaining book about music PR. Legendary stories told well. The best chapter for me was the last one, where the author acknowledged his traumas and shortcomings and how he had passed that on to his family. What made him an incredible PR man had also made him an absent father and husband and it warmed my heart to hear him recognise that and want to put it right with his grandchildren. I had felt sorry for his family during the whole book so to hear that at the end was important.

[Rob Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost Famous (But Not Quite)

The promise of Alan Edwards' memoir is intoxicating: four decades behind the velvet rope with rock's most legendary figures. As Britain's PR maestro to the stars, Edwards should have stories that would make Keith Richards blush. Instead, we get a frustratingly sanitized greatest hits collection that keeps readers permanently in the nosebleed seats.

When Edwards does occasionally let his guard down, the book crackles with electricity. His retelling of damage control after David Bowie dropped political bombshells at a Berlin press conference feels like watching a high-wire act without a net. Similarly, his raw account of Amy Winehouse's spiral—equal parts heartbreaking and maddening—offers a rare glimpse of the human behind the publicist's practiced smile.

But these moments of genuine revelation are buried under mountains of celebrity name-checking. Edwards stands tantalizingly close to rock history's most explosive moments, only to retreat into the safe harbor of publicist-speak just when things get interesting. Reading "I Was There" often feels like being stuck at a party with someone who constantly mentions their famous friends but never shares the good stories.

The writing itself suffers from the same polished restraint that plagues the content. Edwards crafts sentences with professional competence but never captures the sweaty, chaotic energy of a backstage pass or the adrenaline rush of a stadium show. The result is a book about rock and roll that feels strangely buttoned-up—like seeing Iggy Pop perform in a three-piece suit.

For die-hard music obsessives, there's just enough insider baseball about the British punk explosion and the industry's awkward digital adolescence to justify a read. But for everyone else, Edwards' dispatches feel like they've been filtered through the same PR machine he operated so skillfully throughout his career—informative but ultimately bloodless. Edwards may have been there, but his memoir leaves you wondering if he was actually present.

[El · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this was really interesting, and Alan Edwards for sure has enough of an interesting life to write a memoir, but I also think that the way this was written was pretty poor. Maybe it's because I listened to it rather than reading it physically, but each chapter felt very disjointed, and one topic would veer suddenly into another with no preamble to insert another anecdote, and then it would immediately cut back to the original premise with no warning. Every chapter started the same way with a quote, and it all felt kind of repetitive.

I did otherwise enjoy the reading, and I did especially like the parts of the book where Edwards talked about his own life and his more personal relationships with his clients, but the majority of the middle of the book felt very messy.

[Christine Busuttil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not like the title, not drawn to tales of manipulation nor stories of smoke and mirrors. Plenty of anecdotes but they were not gossip, insightful but without elitism. I had got it wrong.
If the author had the title of professor or if sociology was included in the title it would present as a reference on modern society over the last 60/70 years.
This book made me think and to learn so unexpectedly.
It was the personal aspect that turned my expectations to the point where my closing comment is simply read this book, MORE THAN A TITLE AND REVIEW might offer.

[Dennis Bertoldo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, but perhaps on the balance a little too polite. I understand the author himself wasn’t a massive drug user or drinker but to ignore this subject matter all together for a book about pop and rock stars seems weird.

Anyway, he offered a nice look into the world of music PR and how pop stars make and not make the news.


But if you want warts and all and celeb gossip, look elsewhere.

[Kevin Bergin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Alan. What a brilliant book. Alan and I were friends as kids, teenagers. I lost track of him as I disappeared into addiction and he headed off into the Himalayas. We caught up a few years back. Great stories and so well written. Read it wether you an aging baby boomer like me or Gen Alpha. Alan has something for us all. Looking forward to the next book Alan :)
Kevin

[Mancman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A third of the way n, I thought this was going to be a 4 star review, at least. Then the narrative stopped being quite as dazzling, and I limped through the last half of the book.
There are some truly fascinating parts of the book, but also some disappointing parts, where it felt the author was simply going through the motions.

[Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few music based biographies and to read one from the PR side of the business was very interesting. Great stories working with everyone from Bowie to The Stones to The Spice Girls and the cloak and dagger level of espionage that became the PR game in Britain. I had concerns my interest would fade during the book yet they didn't.

[Dave Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent read, some interesting Rock'n'roll Anecdotes, well he worked with Bowie & The Stones.

The elevated status he attaches to the Spice girls seems somewhat inflated by his own proximity, my views were different; as a 30 year old dad being dragged to "Spice World".

Easy read, enjoyed on my holidays.

[Mike Mcmonagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by a friend who knew I would be interested. Edward's experience in the music industry is more than just hearsay and rumour. It's personal. A book packed with stories of his relationship with some icons of the transformational period in British popular culture from the 70s to the current day. A must read especially for Bowie fans.

[gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful book. Alan walks you through amazing experiences in the company of the gods of rock and roll. It's modestly written and insightful. If you love music you'll love this. Now, 'I just don't know what to do with my time!'

[gregory allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

definitely worth a read

Easy read with insightful episodes…I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it …I don’t see why I have to use more words when I have said what I want to say with fewer

[William Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

PR

A good read but the more you read , you realise what a top PR bloke our Alan is , giving you lots of snippets , but never the whole story, particually about his personal life.
Still, definitely worth a read,

[P D Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant

A real lesson in what actually happened and a real honest account of his life and who gets met very much worth a read

[Chris B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up: very interesting but not written in a particularly engaging way

[sean fullerton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm amazed he can move under the weight of his ego
The dullest 1000 pages of name dropping drivel ever
Why did I read this? Better than a sleeping pill.

[Jim Mcmanus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Name dropping from start to finish.

[Jeff Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest & interesting account of Alan's life as a PR. A very enjoyable read indeed.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracking read, full of funny and entertaining anecdotes. I laughed out loud several times and enjoyed it so much, I am going to read it again soon. I am told there is another book in the works. Can't wait!