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I've Always Kept a Unicorn: The Biography of Sandy Denny
I’ve Always Kept a Unicorn tells the story of Sandy Denny, one of the greatest British singers of her time and the first female British singer-songwriter to produce a substantial and enduring body of original songs. Sandy Denny laid down the marker for folk-rock when she joined Fairport Convention in 1968, releasing three albums with them in 1969 before her shock departure just ahead of the release of the celebrated Liege & Lief. Her music went far beyond this during the seventies, driven by a restless search for the perfect framework for her songs, first with Fotheringay the group she formed but controversially left after recording just one album. On leaving, she immediately collaborated on a historic one-off recording with Led Zeppelin on ‘The Battle of Evermore’ – the only guest vocalist ever to record with the group. Four fascinating, mercurial solo albums followed as well as an ultimately misguided return to Fairport Convention before her tragic and untimely death, aged 31, in 1978, in circumstances still shrouded in hearsay and speculation.
Sandy emerged from the folk scene of the sixties – a world of larger-than-life characters such as Alex Campbell, Jackson C. Frank, Anne Briggs and Australian singer Trevor Lucas, whom she married in 1973. Their often turbulent relationship is at the core of Sandy’s later life and work, as she tried to reconcile a longing for the simple life and motherhood with the trappings of a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and a fear of the fame and success which others expected of her.
This is her story told with the help of more than sixty of her friends, fellow musicians and contemporaries all of whom spoke with great candour, some with too much candour, and all with a mixture of joy and sadness when talking about Sandy.
Sandy emerged from the folk scene of the sixties – a world of larger-than-life characters such as Alex Campbell, Jackson C. Frank, Anne Briggs and Australian singer Trevor Lucas, whom she married in 1973. Their often turbulent relationship is at the core of Sandy’s later life and work, as she tried to reconcile a longing for the simple life and motherhood with the trappings of a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and a fear of the fame and success which others expected of her.
This is her story told with the help of more than sixty of her friends, fellow musicians and contemporaries all of whom spoke with great candour, some with too much candour, and all with a mixture of joy and sadness when talking about Sandy.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2015
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226 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 19, 2022
I’ve read more than my share of rock bios that end in tragedy, Vivian Stanshall and Steve Marriott in particular, but none saddened me as much as this Sandy Denny bio. Several times towards the end I actually had to put the book down and calm myself.
Mick Houghton delivers a very fair and balanced overview of the folk-rock star’s life, every phase of her career brilliantly covered. In addition, he also fills in lots of factoids of her peers, like Pentangle, John & Beverley Martin and Steeleye Span.
A few things I didn’t know about her:
1. She almost succumbed to the call of Scientology, who demanded a cut of all her earnings in addition to taking her antique piano. Fortunately, her husband Trevor Lucas stepped in and prevented it.
2. Peter Townshend rebuffed her advances, breaking her heart enough so she wrote a song about it, “Friends”.
3. Sandy Denny and…Frank Zappa? Wow, hard to conjure but it’s true.
I’ve Always Kept A Unicorn is an unnatural story in that Denny may be one of the few women in music who lacked self-independence, always dependent on the supervision of men, whether it was Joe Boyd, Richard Thompson, or Trevor Lucas. Unfortunately, once Lucas leaves her after too many episodes of child endangerment she fell apart. Yeah, this was a tough one to get through.
Mick Houghton delivers a very fair and balanced overview of the folk-rock star’s life, every phase of her career brilliantly covered. In addition, he also fills in lots of factoids of her peers, like Pentangle, John & Beverley Martin and Steeleye Span.
A few things I didn’t know about her:
1. She almost succumbed to the call of Scientology, who demanded a cut of all her earnings in addition to taking her antique piano. Fortunately, her husband Trevor Lucas stepped in and prevented it.
2. Peter Townshend rebuffed her advances, breaking her heart enough so she wrote a song about it, “Friends”.
3. Sandy Denny and…Frank Zappa? Wow, hard to conjure but it’s true.
I’ve Always Kept A Unicorn is an unnatural story in that Denny may be one of the few women in music who lacked self-independence, always dependent on the supervision of men, whether it was Joe Boyd, Richard Thompson, or Trevor Lucas. Unfortunately, once Lucas leaves her after too many episodes of child endangerment she fell apart. Yeah, this was a tough one to get through.
June 4, 2016
Houghton's biography of Sandy Denny was published in 2015, the latest in a number of biogs on Sandy and her music. Clinton Heylin wrote 'No More Sad Refrains-The life and times of Sandy Denny' in 2002, after his 'Gypsy Love Songs & Sad Refrains-The Recordings of Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny' in 1989. Pamela Murray Winters wrote 'No Thought of Leaving: A Life of Sandy Denny' in 2000, which remains unpublished and Philip Ward came in with 'Sandy Denny:Reflections on her Music' in 2011 and Jim Irvin's 'Wildflowers:Sandy Denny, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush' 2014.
'I've Always Kept a Unicorn' provides a full in depth biographical story that illuminates her life and her musical development and career. Mick Houghton contributes his vast knowledge of the British music scene of the sixties and seventies. His text is punctuated with 'notes' giving details of the many personalities that Denny came into contact with, from her earliest appearances in the London 'folk scene' and throughout her collaborations with such as 'The Strawbs', 'Fairport Convention', and 'Fotheringay'.
I was lucky enough to see Sandy with Fairport Convention in 1969, and I saw Fairport again in 1970, after Sandy had left. Although much is made of 'Liege & Lief', for me, 'Unhalfbricking' remains a timeless masterpiece that I have had to replace on vinyl, cassette and c.d.
Her final years make for sad reading, not unlike the demise of other female musical talents whose careers became dogged by life style pressures and changing times, such as Alma Cogan, Judy Garland and Janis Joplin.
'I've Always Kept a Unicorn' provides a full in depth biographical story that illuminates her life and her musical development and career. Mick Houghton contributes his vast knowledge of the British music scene of the sixties and seventies. His text is punctuated with 'notes' giving details of the many personalities that Denny came into contact with, from her earliest appearances in the London 'folk scene' and throughout her collaborations with such as 'The Strawbs', 'Fairport Convention', and 'Fotheringay'.
I was lucky enough to see Sandy with Fairport Convention in 1969, and I saw Fairport again in 1970, after Sandy had left. Although much is made of 'Liege & Lief', for me, 'Unhalfbricking' remains a timeless masterpiece that I have had to replace on vinyl, cassette and c.d.
Her final years make for sad reading, not unlike the demise of other female musical talents whose careers became dogged by life style pressures and changing times, such as Alma Cogan, Judy Garland and Janis Joplin.
July 5, 2016
Sandy Denny's life was full of beautiful music, substance abuse, and tragedy. This biographer does a good job of putting together her life's story through interviews with relatives, friends, and acquaintances. This also includes some fun photos of Sandy that I've never seen before. The track list section at the back of the book is extensive and includes music she enjoyed, as well as all of her known recordings.
October 24, 2017
I've been wanting to read this bio since I first saw it about 18 months ago in one of my fav culture shops in Adelaide as a hard back. Earlier this year, I bought the paperback release. I was/am a huge fan of Fairport Convention, which how I first learned of Sandy Denny. And I followed her first couple of solo albums post Fairport before I dropped away when punk and post-punk penetrated my consciousness. And only discovered of the early death of Ms Denny years after the fact. This is a no holds barred insight into Sandy's life, full of interviews with family and close friends, piecing together a conflicted artist - one who wanted fame and yet when it started to look possible, she shrank from and ran away from it. If you have an interest in the English folk/rock revival of the late 60's/early 70's that in turn inspired the current crop of young traditionalists in the UK, this book is a must read.
November 7, 2017
An excellent biography of the tragic life and career of Sandy Denny. Incorporating interviews with most of the surviving players in her life, the book addresses all of the key areas and decisions in Sandy's life.
As such, it provides a welcome nuanced take on many of these including her relationship with husband Trevor Lucas (who has often been portrayed as the villain of the piece).
As with many artists, Denny was a mass of contradictions and insecurities, and these helped to misdirect her career at inopportune moments.
Dying tragically, but perhaps inevitably, at 31 Denny has a large and growing reputation but the level of success during her life always fell below what you felt was possible.
As such, it provides a welcome nuanced take on many of these including her relationship with husband Trevor Lucas (who has often been portrayed as the villain of the piece).
As with many artists, Denny was a mass of contradictions and insecurities, and these helped to misdirect her career at inopportune moments.
Dying tragically, but perhaps inevitably, at 31 Denny has a large and growing reputation but the level of success during her life always fell below what you felt was possible.
Want to read
February 22, 2015
The Guardian
, February 2015.
June 25, 2019
An exhaustively researched and well-written biography of Sandy Denny, the gifted British singer/songwriter who passed away much too young at age 31. I've been listening to a lot of her music recently and it was fascinating to learn the backstory behind some of her more personal works. It's an interesting look at the British folk/rock scene of the 1960s and 70s if a somewhat depressing story. Read for Book Bingo 2019: music or musicians square.
April 16, 2024
Some of the most exceptionally talented artists lead fairly dull lives; possession of a remarkable way with words, musicianship or singing voice does not automatically imply a life full of interest, excitement or incident. That Mick Houghton has managed to get over 400 pages out of the short, sad life of Sandy Denny is, I suppose a triumph of sorts, although of precisely which sort I can’t decide. ‘Sandy’s brilliant but exasperating career’ as the author astutely describes it, came and went in little more than a decade. Her voice was, without doubt, exceptional and at her best, there was no one to touch her; but she was let down by bad advice, bad relationships and a music industry that didn’t quite know what to do with a stunning voice that arose from the folk scene and didn’t fit into any convenient marketing niches. I’ve Always Kept a Unicorn is a thorough account of Denny’s life, but rarely rises above the workmanlike, although that’s probably down to the enforced reliance on interviews with friends and family as the main sources. Still, there’s always the music.
October 14, 2023
Thorough biography on a talented singer who deserves to be better known. Sometimes the coverage of the folk scene and other musicians and figures associated with Denny is a bit too exhaustive, but there is a lot of good firsthand interviews with many of her collaborators and friends. It also does a good job of covering both the good and bad about her neutrally and fairly. The author's conclusion that Denny lacked the ability to focus her career--or a shrewd manager who's do it for her--seems like a pretty good reason for why she never achieved the fame that so many thought she would. The last chapter or so when her long-time problematic relationship with alcohol and drugs finally causes her to unravel shortly after the birth of her daughter and in the leadup to her own premature death at 31 is particularly poignant.
February 11, 2017
Comprehensive, informative, impeccably researched & written. Faultless.
April 20, 2016
Brilliant, didn't want it to end. Actually, was surprised it did end given my Kindle said 58% - the rest was the index and a playlist (which is a brilliant idea - a full chronological list of all Sandy's recordings along with other relevant releases that were influences and/or records she loved). The only bit I thought was lacking was the exploration of Sandy's relationship with her parents. Neal Denny did not attend her wedding to Trevor Lucas and the situation with her parents is occasionally alluded to but never fully explored. I would've liked to have known a bit more, is all. On the whole a totally immersive book sympathetically written.
May 15, 2015
Despite Sandy Denny's colourful life, this is a rather dry biography. I have no doubt that it is accurate and it certainly took me back to the albums I listen to less frequently than others. But I couldn't help thinking that the writing lacked some zip.
The story made me feel sad as well. Sandy seems to have been lacking confidence in some aspects of her life, despite that wonderful voice and some superb songs. The end of her life was certainly very sad.
The story made me feel sad as well. Sandy seems to have been lacking confidence in some aspects of her life, despite that wonderful voice and some superb songs. The end of her life was certainly very sad.
March 28, 2020
With the routine of life on hold one pleasurable aspect of this dreadful situation we are all now in is that I can enjoy some extra time for reading and writing. I had for some time wanted to read : I've Always Kept a Unicorn: The Biography of Sandy Denny by Mick Houghton. So, this last week I read this over 400 page biography in almost one sitting, it was that engrossing. It was also difficult to read in many ways, quite unbearably sad if you had lived through her life and times, you wanted the story to evolve differently and the ending to be revised. The research in this wonderful book is astonishing and it is a story told with great love and respect for its subject but never shies away from the reality of Sandy’s short and tragic life. It is a fitting tribute to a singer and songwriter who despite her lack of commercial success stands head and shoulders above any other British female artist.
My opinion of Sandy is unashamedly biased but deep down I know it to be true and Mick Houghton’s book sets out the reasons why she should be considered as Britain’s finest and there are plenty of people who feel the same. My relationship with her music started around 1970 when I was in my mid-teens. I should really have been getting into the ‘pop’ scene – Motown, Northern soul, Yes and Deep Purple were being fired at me endlessly at that time. I never did go down those routes and my taste in music, my love of all things sad and introspective, started with Sandy. As the book expresses so eloquently there is no voice as emotive and powerful as Sandy Denny and her interpretation of song is peerless. I was hooked. The first band I saw live was indeed Fairport Convention. Yes, I was a strange child, but I look back on that gig with a fondness that has never dimmed, it was truly magical. I recall being in the foyer of Bolton Town Hall that night during the interval, eight of us trying to cram into the wooden telephone booths and persuade someone to come and pick us up at the end of the concert. Others had their big stars at that time but to us their chosen ones were pygmies on the music scene. Fairport were to us a big as it gets and we were beyond excited. Just as we were phoning the outside doors crashed open as the band, sadly minus Sandy, rushed past us into the hall. What a moment for us star struck teenagers. It is fair to say our friends in sixth form college were still distinctly unimpressed the next day.
I can still recall that show in great detail, a performance of power and character, none more so than Dave Swarbrick on the fiddle, three cigarettes on the go at once as he manically prowled the stage. It was when you were back home though that you always went back to finding a Sandy track. You wanted to be moved and you wanted to see if she was really that mesmerising. She was and still is, the music has not aged and it has not lost its power and intensity. Dave Houghton’s book conveys that exceptionally well describing the effect that her voice and interpretation had on you and for me it still does.
A few years later as I was in my local newsagents collecting my order for the Melody Maker I saw on the counter the headline ‘Sandy Denny Dead’. Never before or since has news brought such emotion to me as that did. I had to absorb that and return to work and I still can never forget that dreadful day.
I attended the concert a few years ago that was a tribute to Sandy’s music based around Thea Gilmour putting music to unrecorded songs of Sandy, songs written shortly before her death. One incident that night encapsulated the strength of Sandy’s writing and the ability she had to move people. The American artist Joan Wasser, better known by her stage name Joan as Policewoman, sat at the grand piano in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and began to play ‘No more Sad Refrains’, a song that looking back over times is just unbearably poignant. Joan Wasser is an artist that is no stranger to tragedy, having been the girlfriend of Jeff Buckley. As she drew her gorgeous interpretation of the song to a close she gave way to tears and so it has to be said did most of the audience. Sandy had that effect in her lifetime and this ability in song has never diminished.
I recommend this book to anyone who is familiar with Sandy Denny and wants to understand her more. She was dearly loved by all who knew her it is clear but she was a difficult artist and person to work with. She had her demons in spades and was devastatingly affected by the Fairport vehicle crash that took lives of people she was close to. She travelled separately that night and was consumed by guilt. She was insecure and never could be convinced that she really was that good an artist. Ultimately like many talents of pure genius she could not cope with a destructive needy relationship and her career going nowhere after such promise. Her decent into drink and drugs and her early tragic death are recounted in the book but you are left with grateful thanks for what she achieved and left behind. Mick is a skilled writer in being able to balance the emotions that her life throws at you. If you are not familiar with her music then still read this remarkable book. Listen to ‘Banks of the Nile’ and ‘A Sailors Life’ and then tell me that she is not the finest lady to have ever sung on these shores.
My opinion of Sandy is unashamedly biased but deep down I know it to be true and Mick Houghton’s book sets out the reasons why she should be considered as Britain’s finest and there are plenty of people who feel the same. My relationship with her music started around 1970 when I was in my mid-teens. I should really have been getting into the ‘pop’ scene – Motown, Northern soul, Yes and Deep Purple were being fired at me endlessly at that time. I never did go down those routes and my taste in music, my love of all things sad and introspective, started with Sandy. As the book expresses so eloquently there is no voice as emotive and powerful as Sandy Denny and her interpretation of song is peerless. I was hooked. The first band I saw live was indeed Fairport Convention. Yes, I was a strange child, but I look back on that gig with a fondness that has never dimmed, it was truly magical. I recall being in the foyer of Bolton Town Hall that night during the interval, eight of us trying to cram into the wooden telephone booths and persuade someone to come and pick us up at the end of the concert. Others had their big stars at that time but to us their chosen ones were pygmies on the music scene. Fairport were to us a big as it gets and we were beyond excited. Just as we were phoning the outside doors crashed open as the band, sadly minus Sandy, rushed past us into the hall. What a moment for us star struck teenagers. It is fair to say our friends in sixth form college were still distinctly unimpressed the next day.
I can still recall that show in great detail, a performance of power and character, none more so than Dave Swarbrick on the fiddle, three cigarettes on the go at once as he manically prowled the stage. It was when you were back home though that you always went back to finding a Sandy track. You wanted to be moved and you wanted to see if she was really that mesmerising. She was and still is, the music has not aged and it has not lost its power and intensity. Dave Houghton’s book conveys that exceptionally well describing the effect that her voice and interpretation had on you and for me it still does.
A few years later as I was in my local newsagents collecting my order for the Melody Maker I saw on the counter the headline ‘Sandy Denny Dead’. Never before or since has news brought such emotion to me as that did. I had to absorb that and return to work and I still can never forget that dreadful day.
I attended the concert a few years ago that was a tribute to Sandy’s music based around Thea Gilmour putting music to unrecorded songs of Sandy, songs written shortly before her death. One incident that night encapsulated the strength of Sandy’s writing and the ability she had to move people. The American artist Joan Wasser, better known by her stage name Joan as Policewoman, sat at the grand piano in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and began to play ‘No more Sad Refrains’, a song that looking back over times is just unbearably poignant. Joan Wasser is an artist that is no stranger to tragedy, having been the girlfriend of Jeff Buckley. As she drew her gorgeous interpretation of the song to a close she gave way to tears and so it has to be said did most of the audience. Sandy had that effect in her lifetime and this ability in song has never diminished.
I recommend this book to anyone who is familiar with Sandy Denny and wants to understand her more. She was dearly loved by all who knew her it is clear but she was a difficult artist and person to work with. She had her demons in spades and was devastatingly affected by the Fairport vehicle crash that took lives of people she was close to. She travelled separately that night and was consumed by guilt. She was insecure and never could be convinced that she really was that good an artist. Ultimately like many talents of pure genius she could not cope with a destructive needy relationship and her career going nowhere after such promise. Her decent into drink and drugs and her early tragic death are recounted in the book but you are left with grateful thanks for what she achieved and left behind. Mick is a skilled writer in being able to balance the emotions that her life throws at you. If you are not familiar with her music then still read this remarkable book. Listen to ‘Banks of the Nile’ and ‘A Sailors Life’ and then tell me that she is not the finest lady to have ever sung on these shores.
April 6, 2017
The life of Sandy Denny was happy, sad, triumphant, tragic, crazy and mixed up. This biography follows all curves in the road, and taught me more about a favorite singer and songwriter.
January 29, 2023
In the last couple of decades or so, there have been several books covering the life and work of Sandy Denny, one of the greatest English voices of the twentieth century, but this is arguably the best all around. Mick Houghton wrote it with authorization from the Denny estate, who allowed him access to never-before-seen notebooks, photographs, and memorabilia, yet at the same time he is very open about Denny’s foibles and the descent into drink, drugs and isolation that ultimately killed her in 1978. Houghton also interviewed loads of people who knew Denny, from close friends and collaborators like Richard Thompson and Joe Boyd, to more passing acquaintances like Jacqui McShee. Since husband Trevor Lucas was such a major influence on Denny, we get a great deal of biographical information on this man, too, who was just as complex and ill-fated as she was.
Houghton worked in the music biz for a long time as a publicity man, giving him great familiarity with music scene of which Denny was a part. Another advantage of this biography is how Houghton sets Denny in that wider context, and fans of Denny’s recordings will discover many other folk and electrified-folk albums worth hearing.
Houghton worked in the music biz for a long time as a publicity man, giving him great familiarity with music scene of which Denny was a part. Another advantage of this biography is how Houghton sets Denny in that wider context, and fans of Denny’s recordings will discover many other folk and electrified-folk albums worth hearing.
December 23, 2020
A clear, strong biography of a wonderful artist, with input from all the key players. The story is a sad one, and respectfully told. The author had a knack for detailing the folk and rock scenes that Sandy Denny moved through, and I discovered a number of great singers by looking up those he referenced, such as Anne Briggs.
As Sandy began to struggle with her career, marriage and addictions, I found myself pondering over things that were alluded to and then tactfully glossed over; I wanted to know more of her relationships with some people (her mother, her husband, David Swarbrick) as these clearly shaped her decisions, her songwriting and her mental wellbeing.
Overall, this was an engaging look at the short life of a fascinating and unique singer-songwriter. It left me wanting more.
As Sandy began to struggle with her career, marriage and addictions, I found myself pondering over things that were alluded to and then tactfully glossed over; I wanted to know more of her relationships with some people (her mother, her husband, David Swarbrick) as these clearly shaped her decisions, her songwriting and her mental wellbeing.
Overall, this was an engaging look at the short life of a fascinating and unique singer-songwriter. It left me wanting more.
January 6, 2024
Sandy's music has meant so much to me over the decades, and it was great to finally piece through this biography that's been waiting too long on my shelves. It was gut-wrenching to watch her life gradually dissolve as early as Fairport's tragic car wreck in 1969 and all the various factors that contributed to her not having a successful solo career. I learned a lot, and this book feels rather exhaustive, for better or worse. Houghton does not have the finesse I would have liked, with the focus seeming to relay as much information as possible (as well as inserting his opinion as fact) at the expense of a more coherent story. Regardless, I'm happy to have read this. I feel so much closer to Denny's music now that I have a better understanding of her life as a whole.
July 22, 2020
I quite enjoyed this biography of Sandy and learned a lot about her life and the context of her music. It was well written, a tiny bit workmanlike and very fair. I admit to finding it extremely depressing, especially the end of her life and after her daughter was born. What a hideous situation. Her voice is one that has sustained me for so many decades - she was such a gifted and joyous singer, the toll of her addictions is really tragic.
April 23, 2021
5 Stars on depth and breadth of the coverage of Sandy Denny's life and those that entered and exited her orbit.
Houghton covers peak Fairport Convention (68-70) more thoroughly than Richard Thompson's recent autobiography, "Beeswing". Even if you are a fan of English folk more so than Sandy Denny, "I've Always Kept a Unicorn" is worthwhile reading.
Houghton covers peak Fairport Convention (68-70) more thoroughly than Richard Thompson's recent autobiography, "Beeswing". Even if you are a fan of English folk more so than Sandy Denny, "I've Always Kept a Unicorn" is worthwhile reading.
November 6, 2016
So sad this amazing singer passed away at just 31 yrs old without really fulfilling her potential. Some of the best songs I've ever listened to are either her with the great Fairport Convention or her solo works. This book tells the story so well.
March 3, 2017
A hundred times better than Clinton Heylin's hyperbolic No More Sad Refrains. Houghton's only flaw is that he lets too many people weigh in on Sandy, to the point where they often contradict each other. But this is generally a biography written with a deep regard for Sandy's talent.
August 17, 2025
A fascinating review of a sad life & even sadder death.
Nevertheless, I found it quite uplifting to read this book accompanied by Spotify, so I was able to enjoy a voice the likes of which we may never hear again...
Nevertheless, I found it quite uplifting to read this book accompanied by Spotify, so I was able to enjoy a voice the likes of which we may never hear again...
August 27, 2017
Read my review here...
http://www.chrismeloche.com/?p=213
http://www.chrismeloche.com/?p=213
August 12, 2019
Exhaustive and exhausting read. An almost minute by minute account of the all too short life of Britain's finest voices.
August 29, 2021
A beautiful and heartbreaking portrait - much like Sandy's music
February 7, 2022
I was very pleased with this book. Learning about the folk music scene in Britain during the 1960’s was fascinating to learn about. A must read for any Sandy Denny fan.
January 6, 2024
A haunting and moving portrait of ‘the lady’. Also gives a real insight into the music industry of the sixties and seventies.
June 21, 2024
What a kind, sweet, biography of a talent who slipped away too soon.
There is a lot here; I'm still going through a discography at end.
Highly recommended.
There is a lot here; I'm still going through a discography at end.
Highly recommended.
December 12, 2019
Well written book but very sad I was fan of Sandy Denny from the first time I heard Fairport Convention What a troubled life
June 26, 2016
The first time I heard Led Zeppelin IV, Sandy Denny's backup vocals were one of the highlights. The emotional depth, the power that her voice conveys is magical and mesmerising, a quality so rare it leaves you dumbstruck. After listening to her albums with Fairport Convention, the Swarbs, Fotheringay, and her solo efforts, I felt the urge to learn about her life, about her experiences and what led to her death. This book really hit the spot.
I've Always Kept a Unicorn is everything a biography should be. Mick Houghton has managed a fair and thorough treatment of the incredible character that is Sandy, throughout her complicated albeit short life. He goes into detail on her relationships, her aspirations, her collaborations and her legacy. The writer never leaves any detail in the shadows, and skillfully highlights the most important traits of her personality, including the flaws which end up being her undoing.
Sandy had many talents. Her singing, song construction ability and sad, somber lyrics are nonesuch. Nevertheless, she was very insecure and self-aware, she had difficulties in relating at people. She was full of "opposites." She could go from being suicidal to being control very quickly, she had an overactive mind. This, I would have never guessed.
Her pursuit of commercial success that eluded her most of her career is nothing short of tragic.
Mick Houghton puts all of this into perspective in a brilliant manner, making the book as addictive as some of Sandy's songs. He uses his music business connections to obtain valuable insights into her life from the likes of Richard and Linda Thompson, Joe Boyd, Dave Swarb, Trevor Lucas, her parents, and even Robert Plant!
If you are as infatuated with Sandy Denny as I am, do not hesitate one second. READ THIS BOOK!
I've Always Kept a Unicorn is everything a biography should be. Mick Houghton has managed a fair and thorough treatment of the incredible character that is Sandy, throughout her complicated albeit short life. He goes into detail on her relationships, her aspirations, her collaborations and her legacy. The writer never leaves any detail in the shadows, and skillfully highlights the most important traits of her personality, including the flaws which end up being her undoing.
Sandy had many talents. Her singing, song construction ability and sad, somber lyrics are nonesuch. Nevertheless, she was very insecure and self-aware, she had difficulties in relating at people. She was full of "opposites." She could go from being suicidal to being control very quickly, she had an overactive mind. This, I would have never guessed.
Her pursuit of commercial success that eluded her most of her career is nothing short of tragic.
Mick Houghton puts all of this into perspective in a brilliant manner, making the book as addictive as some of Sandy's songs. He uses his music business connections to obtain valuable insights into her life from the likes of Richard and Linda Thompson, Joe Boyd, Dave Swarb, Trevor Lucas, her parents, and even Robert Plant!
If you are as infatuated with Sandy Denny as I am, do not hesitate one second. READ THIS BOOK!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews