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Who Killed Mister Moonlight?: Bauhaus, Black Magick, and Benediction
‘Heroic and absurd, scurrilous and profound, Who Killed Mister Moonlight? charts the descent of four intelligent young men with faces like rubyeyed dimestore skull rings into a glittering and very modern maelstrom. Fast, compelling, and disarmingly honest, this is an invaluable account of a strange and spectral cultural twilight era that we shall almost certainly never see again. Highly recommended.’ – Alan MooreBeginning with the creation of Bauhaus’s seminal debut hit 'Bela Lugosi’s Dead', David J. Haskins offers a no-holds-barred account of his band’s rapid rise to fame and glory in the late '70s, their sudden dissolution in the '80s, and their subsequent and often strained reunions. In between, he explores his work as a solo performer, and with acclaimed trio Love And Rockets culminating in the devastating fire that ripped through the sessions for their 1996 album Sweet F.A. He also delves deep into his exploration of the occult, drawing together a diverse cast of supporting characters, including William S. Burroughs, Alan Moore, Genesis P-Orridge, and Rick Rubin.
Bristling with power and passion, music and magick, Who Killed Mister Moonlight? is a rock’n’roll memoir like no other. This revised and updated edition adds an extensive Bauhaus timeline, plus a selection of rare photographs not included in the original book.
Bristling with power and passion, music and magick, Who Killed Mister Moonlight? is a rock’n’roll memoir like no other. This revised and updated edition adds an extensive Bauhaus timeline, plus a selection of rare photographs not included in the original book.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 9, 2014
So I'm probably biased. Bauhaus are my favorite band of all time and David J my favorite band member but I really loved this.
The book is divided into three parts, the first is the early days with Bauhaus, creating the albums, lots of touring madness and gives a really great insight into the late 70s and early 80s music scene. It was probably not that surprising to see that some many of the bands early influences were things that I also loved and shaped my teenage years. From Bowie to punk to the beats. There were stories about recording Bela for the Hunger and how sweet David Bowie was to the band. One thing that surprised me was how violent a lot of the early gigs were. Skinheads looking for trouble, the audience turning violent, and even Peter using his microphone stand as a weapon. Also included was the bands first review written by Alan Moore which was the most over the top piece of prose I've read in a long time and quite brilliant. David's writing was never dry or dull, but rather had a lyrical quality to it. He was very open about many things, not just touching on the band but also very personal issues of sex, drugs and relationships that weren't what they were.
The middle section was during the time David, Daniel and Kevin were making Love and Rockets records but the band takes backstage here to David's magical experiences. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to take drugs and work magical ritual with Alan Moore, then read this. David details the whole thing in such a way you can picture not just the events but the feelings that accompanied it. David writes very honestly about his experiences with magik and what he had hoped to accomplish and what worked, and how it all went together. Included were trips he made to visit William Burroughs which reminded me so much of when Burroughs would show up in a Kerouac book it was nice to see that span the generations.
Bauhaus reunion was the focus of the third section. In many ways this was the hardest section to read. Having seen the tour and loved the concert so much it was disheartening to read how the fights and egos were playing out backstage. It was sad to read how the old school friends of Daniel and Peter had become so different they now seemed to be locking horns over everything. David seemed to have a good grasp of the personalities involved and there definitely wasn't any mud slinging in his account, just an honest portrayal of the problems that were happening.
There was so much happening in this book, it's really hard to write a review that does it justice. Countless stories are beautifully told, sex, drugs and occult philosophy, this is not your average rock and roll memoir!
The book is divided into three parts, the first is the early days with Bauhaus, creating the albums, lots of touring madness and gives a really great insight into the late 70s and early 80s music scene. It was probably not that surprising to see that some many of the bands early influences were things that I also loved and shaped my teenage years. From Bowie to punk to the beats. There were stories about recording Bela for the Hunger and how sweet David Bowie was to the band. One thing that surprised me was how violent a lot of the early gigs were. Skinheads looking for trouble, the audience turning violent, and even Peter using his microphone stand as a weapon. Also included was the bands first review written by Alan Moore which was the most over the top piece of prose I've read in a long time and quite brilliant. David's writing was never dry or dull, but rather had a lyrical quality to it. He was very open about many things, not just touching on the band but also very personal issues of sex, drugs and relationships that weren't what they were.
The middle section was during the time David, Daniel and Kevin were making Love and Rockets records but the band takes backstage here to David's magical experiences. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to take drugs and work magical ritual with Alan Moore, then read this. David details the whole thing in such a way you can picture not just the events but the feelings that accompanied it. David writes very honestly about his experiences with magik and what he had hoped to accomplish and what worked, and how it all went together. Included were trips he made to visit William Burroughs which reminded me so much of when Burroughs would show up in a Kerouac book it was nice to see that span the generations.
Bauhaus reunion was the focus of the third section. In many ways this was the hardest section to read. Having seen the tour and loved the concert so much it was disheartening to read how the fights and egos were playing out backstage. It was sad to read how the old school friends of Daniel and Peter had become so different they now seemed to be locking horns over everything. David seemed to have a good grasp of the personalities involved and there definitely wasn't any mud slinging in his account, just an honest portrayal of the problems that were happening.
There was so much happening in this book, it's really hard to write a review that does it justice. Countless stories are beautifully told, sex, drugs and occult philosophy, this is not your average rock and roll memoir!
May 1, 2015
I loved this book. One of the best autobiographies I've ever read, definitely the best music autobiography. I'm not even the biggest Bauhaus fan. I prefer Love And Rockets, and would've loved more about them but I do see how focusing on that band would be a shift away from the theme implied by the title. David J has done a fine job with 'Who Killed Mister Moonlight', very well-written and full of interesting anecdotes and keen occult/spiritual insight. The descriptions of the Magickal workings with Alan Moore were excellent, offering perspective on the dangers and wonders of magic. Rare in fact for people to give such up-close looks at participation in a Magick ritual. Mr. Haskins' mystical connection with Genesis P. Orridge is very intriguing as well. The circumstances surrounding the fire at Rick Rubin's mansion whilst L&R were recording there is one of the best bits of the book. I thought David's descriptions of his cohorts (notably Peter Murphy) were eminently fair, rather than attacking their characters, he simply gives an account of the situation as he saw and felt it.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
May 18, 2015
What an exasperating and often silly read this was!
I adored Bauhaus in the early 1980s and was rather fond of some of David J's solo output. Love and Rockets and the reunited versions of Bauhaus I could do without but, fortunately for me, there was very little about them in this book. Unfortunately for me and for most readers, there was very little about, well, much of anything in this book beyond some protracted nonsense about sigils and fetishes and oooohhhhhh!!!!!! other spooooooky scary dark stuff that should serve as a cautionary tale for those who might want to indulge in too many drugs and too little self-awareness. I found myself laughing out loud several times during the midsection and then stopped and reminded myself that it wasn't intended to be humorous — that the author took it very, very seriously. And that thought made me laugh even harder.
Through reading this memoir I learned little about Bauhaus beyond the (already pretty well-established) fact that the four band members squabbled and bickered but somehow managed to overcome their personal differences long enough to produce some wonderful, influential music and play some amazing gigs. I learned very little about the music industry other than the (already pretty well-established) fact that it is corrupt and awful and lends itself to excesses, some of which temptations are difficult to resist for young lads (and middle-aged men who claim they know better). I learned very little about David J's background and motivations and personality, other than how special and amazing and intuitive he is — well, that's what everyone who was quoted as having spoken to him says in the book, so it must be true.
A couple of the catty anecdotes were amusing but most came off as childishly obvious attempts not to set the record straight so much as to place the blame squarely on someone else's shoulders. Alternating between mocking Murphy as dramatic and ridiculous, then professing to be concerned (as opposed to demonstrating concern) for his mental health, came off as rather tacky. Making snarky comments about how immature and emotional Ash was and then attempting to dismiss such snottiness with a gallantly tossed "but you have to love him" is rather disingenuous, too.
Having said all that, however, my biggest gripe about this book has less to do with the author's ramblings and more to do with basic proofreading and editing (if there even were such things) of the manuscript. In addition to the expected number of stupid typos generally found in Kindle editions (How can a rabbit-fur vest "malt"? Oh, he meant "molt"!), the text was riddled with hideous mistakes in grammatical construction and blatant factual errors. Perhaps the author didn't realize he was misspelling the names of people he claimed to admire, such as Rowland (not Roland) Howard, Lux Interior (not Interia), Bettye (not Betty) Lavette, etc., but any fool of a proofreader with access to Wikipedia should know that Peter Cook played the devil in "Bedazzled" and not, as the author asserted, "Bewitched." Is there no such thing as fact-checking anymore? What a carelessly thrown-together piece of work this was — on so many levels!
I adored Bauhaus in the early 1980s and was rather fond of some of David J's solo output. Love and Rockets and the reunited versions of Bauhaus I could do without but, fortunately for me, there was very little about them in this book. Unfortunately for me and for most readers, there was very little about, well, much of anything in this book beyond some protracted nonsense about sigils and fetishes and oooohhhhhh!!!!!! other spooooooky scary dark stuff that should serve as a cautionary tale for those who might want to indulge in too many drugs and too little self-awareness. I found myself laughing out loud several times during the midsection and then stopped and reminded myself that it wasn't intended to be humorous — that the author took it very, very seriously. And that thought made me laugh even harder.
Through reading this memoir I learned little about Bauhaus beyond the (already pretty well-established) fact that the four band members squabbled and bickered but somehow managed to overcome their personal differences long enough to produce some wonderful, influential music and play some amazing gigs. I learned very little about the music industry other than the (already pretty well-established) fact that it is corrupt and awful and lends itself to excesses, some of which temptations are difficult to resist for young lads (and middle-aged men who claim they know better). I learned very little about David J's background and motivations and personality, other than how special and amazing and intuitive he is — well, that's what everyone who was quoted as having spoken to him says in the book, so it must be true.
A couple of the catty anecdotes were amusing but most came off as childishly obvious attempts not to set the record straight so much as to place the blame squarely on someone else's shoulders. Alternating between mocking Murphy as dramatic and ridiculous, then professing to be concerned (as opposed to demonstrating concern) for his mental health, came off as rather tacky. Making snarky comments about how immature and emotional Ash was and then attempting to dismiss such snottiness with a gallantly tossed "but you have to love him" is rather disingenuous, too.
Having said all that, however, my biggest gripe about this book has less to do with the author's ramblings and more to do with basic proofreading and editing (if there even were such things) of the manuscript. In addition to the expected number of stupid typos generally found in Kindle editions (How can a rabbit-fur vest "malt"? Oh, he meant "molt"!), the text was riddled with hideous mistakes in grammatical construction and blatant factual errors. Perhaps the author didn't realize he was misspelling the names of people he claimed to admire, such as Rowland (not Roland) Howard, Lux Interior (not Interia), Bettye (not Betty) Lavette, etc., but any fool of a proofreader with access to Wikipedia should know that Peter Cook played the devil in "Bedazzled" and not, as the author asserted, "Bewitched." Is there no such thing as fact-checking anymore? What a carelessly thrown-together piece of work this was — on so many levels!
February 3, 2015
Wow! What an excellent tell-all staring some of my favorite musicians! This is very well written and at times a lil' juicy if you know what I mean. The gossipy quality this book holds is slightly tempered by David J.'s charm, sincerity, and just a touch of self-deprecation.
All the personalities of Bauhaus (and Love & Rockets) are just as I imagined them to be and even maybe worse! :) And yes Peter Murphy is described at one point as an "insufferable prick" with many incidents to back that up, but he is still something of a musical hero for me.
Equally telling (if one reads between the lines) is how very little there was in this book about David's own brother Kevin. :(
David J. is friends with Alan Moore, and so the reveals about that reclusive character are also delightful.
The only things lacking for me in this book were anything about David J.'s solo work, and anything about The Jazz Butcher, except the briefest of tidbits.
But it was awesome to see my friend John Van Eaton mentioned on page 241!
So Cool!
And I must admit my criticisms (about stuff left out) might have changed the over-all flow and power of the book.
All the personalities of Bauhaus (and Love & Rockets) are just as I imagined them to be and even maybe worse! :) And yes Peter Murphy is described at one point as an "insufferable prick" with many incidents to back that up, but he is still something of a musical hero for me.
Equally telling (if one reads between the lines) is how very little there was in this book about David's own brother Kevin. :(
David J. is friends with Alan Moore, and so the reveals about that reclusive character are also delightful.
The only things lacking for me in this book were anything about David J.'s solo work, and anything about The Jazz Butcher, except the briefest of tidbits.
But it was awesome to see my friend John Van Eaton mentioned on page 241!
So Cool!
And I must admit my criticisms (about stuff left out) might have changed the over-all flow and power of the book.
November 13, 2014
You know, it's all fun and games until you start playing with toilet paper angels at Alan Moore's house. Amirite?
Also, I would still like to know why Daniel Ash tried to beat me up in Athens, GA back in 1986. I guess David ain't telling.....
A little too much black magick, needed a little more witticism from "The Undertaker." All and the same, a book that brings me back to my well-spent youth!
Also, I would still like to know why Daniel Ash tried to beat me up in Athens, GA back in 1986. I guess David ain't telling.....
A little too much black magick, needed a little more witticism from "The Undertaker." All and the same, a book that brings me back to my well-spent youth!
October 13, 2016
An extremely entertaining look at life inside a fascinating personality- and artistically-driven band. In addition to being a pioneering musician, David J. is a bookworm and a very good writer, so it's an unusual treat to get to read a firsthand account so skillfully presented. He is nakedly honest about what made the band work well, and then ultimately fall apart. Bauhaus made a lot of amazing, original music, but they also have a lot of crazy near-unlistenable tracks. They loved experimentation, so it goes with the territory. They also loved drugs! Lots of drugs.
David skims over the musical aspects of the Love and Rockets years in favor of discussing his growing interest in what he calls "magicks", often in the form of a number of mystical coincidences and unexplained phenomena he observes. He spends lots of time with some kindred spirits such as William S. Burroughs and Alan Moore. He also swears off some drugs but tries a bunch of other ones. I'd like to have learned more about the music during this period but it's interesting to see what he considers more worthwhile in retrospect.
I was fortunate to read a signed copy of the book, obtained directly from the author himself when he performed an intimate solo acoustic set here in Raleigh just last month.
David skims over the musical aspects of the Love and Rockets years in favor of discussing his growing interest in what he calls "magicks", often in the form of a number of mystical coincidences and unexplained phenomena he observes. He spends lots of time with some kindred spirits such as William S. Burroughs and Alan Moore. He also swears off some drugs but tries a bunch of other ones. I'd like to have learned more about the music during this period but it's interesting to see what he considers more worthwhile in retrospect.
I was fortunate to read a signed copy of the book, obtained directly from the author himself when he performed an intimate solo acoustic set here in Raleigh just last month.
November 10, 2014
Brilliant, well-written, hilarious, disturbing and detailed. If you are a fane of Bauhaus or Mr. J this is very obviously a must-read. David J is a great writer of prose and is refreshingly honest in his recounting of the history of a very important (and overlooked) band. Reveals plenty of hitherto unknown incidents and encounters. Thoroughly recommended. A highly readable rock biography - which is a bit of a rarity. PS: please note that a certain Mr. Murphy isn't portrayed in too flattering a light!
April 18, 2020
Of course, like all readers of this wonderful memoir, I was a Bauhaus fan. Then a Love and Rockets Fan. As a writer, music has always been essential to me, as a background on which I can lay my words. Many of my novels have been written with a Bauhaus song in the background at some point or another. What I loved with Bauhaus was the atmosphere of mystery, the energy, the violence and yes, the culture present in the numerous references of their songs. But, as an old fan, I also felt that I only saw the tip of the black iceberg. David J does the formidable exploit of both confirming the extraordinary genius of the band(s), and giving us a deeply human account of the difficulties (human or otherwise) that they encountered. What's more, it confirms absolutely all the aspects I have mentioned before, from the creativity, the violence and the culture. Bauhaus was not an "act", but truly a most sincere project of exploring the utmost fringes of creativity, even if it brought the walls and the roof with it. Impressively honest, incredibly funny and deep down touching, I can warmly recommend this book to all those who think that "killing your idols" is actually a good thing - as the humanity of the artist comes through like a liberating light.
August 20, 2018
Wow. That was an intense and engaging read. Perfect reading material for a fan of Bauhaus, and a great look into the life of the bassist David J. I’d always been curious about the friendship between Bauhaus and and fellow Northamptoner Alan Moore, so it was cool to learn of his connection to David. Thorough explanation of his relationship to the Bauhaus band members with honest portrayal, good and bad, and an interest look into his life as an occultist alongside his spiritual journey. Loved it.
Fantastic author like Alan Moore, actually. I hope he looks into writing occult fiction.
Fantastic author like Alan Moore, actually. I hope he looks into writing occult fiction.
August 4, 2015
This was a bit bittersweet for me. I am a huge Love and Rockets fan. I never really got into Bauhaus but this was mainly because i had really only heard Bela Lugosi's Dead and never liked it and therefore never listened beyond that. That was obviously a mistake because while reading this book i figured i should spotify the rest of their output to follow along with. The rest of their stuff i found to be so much better than the Bela single which was a nice happy discovery for me. So all in all i enjoyed the story and background of Bauhaus after reading this. The writing was great with a huge roaming vocabulary which i appreciate. It was also mostly devoid of any pettiness and back stabbing and shit-talking about other band members which is nice as I find it brings down the book as a whole when that type of nastiness takes center stage. I did however lose interest during the few chapters that started to deal with all of the magick that the author was interested in. I realize it is a big part of his life but for me it was completely uninteresting and ridiculous.
For some reason, I expected there to be the full story of Love and Rockets as well. I guess I didn't read the summary close enough so I was disappointed when the story turned to the formation of Love and Rockets which turned out to be a few scant mentions here and there. But i guess that is my fault. So agin, this was a great book and highly recommended, however, David J if you are reading this, please please write another one dealing strictly with Love and Rockets! Dog End of a Day Gone By is probably my favorite song of all time and I would love to hear the stories behind the making of that song, the debut album and everything else surround the band.
For some reason, I expected there to be the full story of Love and Rockets as well. I guess I didn't read the summary close enough so I was disappointed when the story turned to the formation of Love and Rockets which turned out to be a few scant mentions here and there. But i guess that is my fault. So agin, this was a great book and highly recommended, however, David J if you are reading this, please please write another one dealing strictly with Love and Rockets! Dog End of a Day Gone By is probably my favorite song of all time and I would love to hear the stories behind the making of that song, the debut album and everything else surround the band.
May 29, 2018
Well written and filled with great stories about David's interesting life the reader is given an honest look inside the experience of a megastar from a day when that meant something different. Bauhaus was a giant band in the late 70's and pioneers in goth/punk sound but it was still a humble existence, monetarily speaking. Haskins reveals how the stresses manifest themselves on the young rockers, in many different ways, but focuses most of the book on himself and the complex and varied moments in a career that spanned decades. Although Love and Rockets is really not spoken of in any great detail, Bauhaus is, seemingly, his main focus and everything comes back to getting the boys together for one last powerful show or recording. Bauhaus seems to be where David's heart is focused upon in his book from beginning to end (and of course his only wife, Annie, whom he marries at a young age). Strangely, he barely mentions his brother, Kevin, which, I thought a strange omission, and talks extensively of the troubled and complex Peter Murphy. We get to follow David's journey from black majick to Sufism, from art school to Cochella, from international superstar to solo troubadour. Solidly constructed with more words than pictures, Haskins proves himself, not only a skilled songwriter, but storyteller, as well.
June 23, 2022
I don't necessarily think of myself as a person who engages in a ton of fannish behavior regarding Bauhaus (reading this book is probably the most fannish thing I've ever done in that sphere) nonetheless, I obsessively love a large swath of their music. As such, my favorite parts of the book related to stories of making their music and tales related to their various performances. Yeah, that stuff was fantastically delightful.
The "sex, drugs, and rock n roll" stories of touring, on the other hand? Zzzzzzz. David J, while a very talented musician, just isn't good enough of a storyteller to make those stories in any way compelling. And all the bits about the magick? Ok, fine (I have so. many. comments. which mostly can be summed up with, David J's brain chemistry must be very, very different from mine), but also zzzzzzz. My eyes skimmed past that content as much as possible.
So, as a personage who backed into Bauhaus music from being a Love and Rockets fan (as in, in the late 1990s, I did actually engage in fannish behavior for L&R and was suuuper sad when they broke up), I found enough enticing bits to keep me reading through the drudgery bits. Ultimately though? This exemplifies why I'm not overly fannish - I don't really want to know the dirty, boring details behind the humans who bring me such joy with their music. (um, sorry)
The "sex, drugs, and rock n roll" stories of touring, on the other hand? Zzzzzzz. David J, while a very talented musician, just isn't good enough of a storyteller to make those stories in any way compelling. And all the bits about the magick? Ok, fine (I have so. many. comments. which mostly can be summed up with, David J's brain chemistry must be very, very different from mine), but also zzzzzzz. My eyes skimmed past that content as much as possible.
So, as a personage who backed into Bauhaus music from being a Love and Rockets fan (as in, in the late 1990s, I did actually engage in fannish behavior for L&R and was suuuper sad when they broke up), I found enough enticing bits to keep me reading through the drudgery bits. Ultimately though? This exemplifies why I'm not overly fannish - I don't really want to know the dirty, boring details behind the humans who bring me such joy with their music. (um, sorry)
November 24, 2015
I was a huge fan of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets during the 80s, but for as much as I liked them I did not know much about the people behind the music. Here, bassist David J. talks about his life, the bands, and some of the stories behind the music.
J. is quite a good writer, and he is quite candid when it comes to describing certain events that other writers may have glossed over. I found it interesting to see just how casual the band members were about their music. I suppose the other musical biographies I have read centered around musicians who were serious about things like musicianship and the craft of songwriting--not that J. was not serious, but he is a different class of musician that sprung from the punk movement which had vastly different rules. I was also saddened to learn of all the infighting within Bauhaus; it seemed to all be a result of Peter Murphy, who, according to J. may not have been completely emotionally stable.
Bauhaus was unequivocally a huge influence on alternative and underground music, and I enjoyed learning more about them.
J. is quite a good writer, and he is quite candid when it comes to describing certain events that other writers may have glossed over. I found it interesting to see just how casual the band members were about their music. I suppose the other musical biographies I have read centered around musicians who were serious about things like musicianship and the craft of songwriting--not that J. was not serious, but he is a different class of musician that sprung from the punk movement which had vastly different rules. I was also saddened to learn of all the infighting within Bauhaus; it seemed to all be a result of Peter Murphy, who, according to J. may not have been completely emotionally stable.
Bauhaus was unequivocally a huge influence on alternative and underground music, and I enjoyed learning more about them.
December 20, 2019
Fascinating look at the "Byronic Heroes" of English post punk and godfathers of Goths. Was gobsmacked to learn that Bauhaus's masterpiece, "Bela Lugosi's Dead" was the first thing Bauhaus recorded and was done in a single take. Moreover, it was Peter Murphy's first time in a recording studio. There are many accounts of the rancor between Peter Murphy and various members of the band and its crew. Curiously, Haskins has very little to say about his relationship with his own brother and bandmate Kevin. Also, all of Love Rockets is reduced to a few paragraphs. Haskins makes up for these omissions with some wild stories about his explorations in the occult with comics genius Alan Moore. An engaging and well-written read. Perhaps someday there will be a sequel about Love and Rockets.
March 5, 2015
Too much David J, not enough Bauhaus.
October 24, 2018
"Presiding over the madness that ensued was the spirit of the nineteenth century symbolist poete maudit Isidore Ducasse, aka le Comte de Lautréamont. Peter and I had been consumed by his brilliant prose poems, which told of fantastic savage acts and a desire for burning transcendence at any cost. (We were both 24 years old after all.) On the inner run-off tracks of the vinyl copy of the album is a punning riddle. ‘When is a door not a door?’ Flip it over to read the answer: ‘When it’s Ducasse!’”
January 26, 2021
Wow. Peter Murphey is a dick.
And also don't let Genesis P-Orridge teach you magick.
And also don't let Genesis P-Orridge teach you magick.
February 7, 2023
Recap of life before, during, and after Bauhaus. Interesting foray into David J’s mystical and magickal pursuits, which were extensive. Altogether a satisfactory and well written book.
November 10, 2021
I'm a big fan of the author's music, especially from Bauhaus and Love and Rockets. He has written the lyrics to and sung the vocals on my favorite L&R songs, such as "Dog-End of a Day Gone By," "Haunted When the Minutes Drag," "Kundalini Express," and more. David J wrote the lyrics to "Bela Lugosi's Dead," Bauhaus' most famous single. I consider Bauhaus an influential band and also enjoy some of his solo work. I am reading this book to find out about David J's creative process, how he has become a musician, artist. As a musician, I love learning about inspiration behind the songs, how the music gets produced in the studio, the deep hidden meaning of a song.
The memoir is an enjoyable read, and David J has an engaging and unique voice. However, a few issues detract from the narrative momentum. Overall, I agree with many of the reviewers who also thought that the memoir had too little information about music and art, too much about the occult. There were also errors in spelling, facts, that the editor should have corrected at the galley stage.
His memoirs gave a behind the scenes look on Bauhaus, the UK post-punk scene. It was strange that the memoirs provided very little about how David J chose the bass as his main instrument, how he decided on the fretless bass, who his favorite, most influential bass players were. He briefly mentions his gear, using an Ampeg amp, Fender Precision fretless bass, a Gibson acoustic guitar, taping a fuzzbox to his bass.
His younger brother, Kevin Haskins, who was the drummer of Bauhaus, Love & Rockets (and also Tones on Tail for the Bauhaus nerds who keep track), got mentioned very little, and David J & Kevin Haskins were a solid and inventive rhythm section. Did they jam together often when they were kids? Did he feel protective of Kevin, who was in his teens when Bauhaus became successful? According to David J, Peter Murphy was the main source of conflict in Bauhaus, and Daniel Ash was a distant second source of drama. The book presented David J & Kevin Haskins as the reasonable peacemakers of Bauhaus.
At least a third of the book detailed David J's explorations of magick, the occult. If readers might be interested in how David J experienced hallucinogens combined with occult explorations, they might enjoy those descriptions. I found those passages odd.
Whoever did the fact checking, spell checking for this book deserved to be fired. Like other careful readers mentioned, I also found multiple factual errors in the main text and in the endnotes. "Shoreline Amphitheater in Irvine"? Did he mean Irvine Meadows Amphitheater or Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA? Gary Glitter was not convicted of sexually assaulting 13 yr-old Taiwanese girls but was convicted of sexually assaulting girls as young as 9 in Thailand, Vietnam. These errors distracted from the flow of the narrative and made the reader question the reliability of the rest of the writing.
David J said in interviews that he was writing another book about Love & Rockets. I am really looking forward to reading more about Love & Rockets. When David J and Daniel Ash sang in unison, their songs had a special power.
The memoir is an enjoyable read, and David J has an engaging and unique voice. However, a few issues detract from the narrative momentum. Overall, I agree with many of the reviewers who also thought that the memoir had too little information about music and art, too much about the occult. There were also errors in spelling, facts, that the editor should have corrected at the galley stage.
His memoirs gave a behind the scenes look on Bauhaus, the UK post-punk scene. It was strange that the memoirs provided very little about how David J chose the bass as his main instrument, how he decided on the fretless bass, who his favorite, most influential bass players were. He briefly mentions his gear, using an Ampeg amp, Fender Precision fretless bass, a Gibson acoustic guitar, taping a fuzzbox to his bass.
His younger brother, Kevin Haskins, who was the drummer of Bauhaus, Love & Rockets (and also Tones on Tail for the Bauhaus nerds who keep track), got mentioned very little, and David J & Kevin Haskins were a solid and inventive rhythm section. Did they jam together often when they were kids? Did he feel protective of Kevin, who was in his teens when Bauhaus became successful? According to David J, Peter Murphy was the main source of conflict in Bauhaus, and Daniel Ash was a distant second source of drama. The book presented David J & Kevin Haskins as the reasonable peacemakers of Bauhaus.
At least a third of the book detailed David J's explorations of magick, the occult. If readers might be interested in how David J experienced hallucinogens combined with occult explorations, they might enjoy those descriptions. I found those passages odd.
Whoever did the fact checking, spell checking for this book deserved to be fired. Like other careful readers mentioned, I also found multiple factual errors in the main text and in the endnotes. "Shoreline Amphitheater in Irvine"? Did he mean Irvine Meadows Amphitheater or Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA? Gary Glitter was not convicted of sexually assaulting 13 yr-old Taiwanese girls but was convicted of sexually assaulting girls as young as 9 in Thailand, Vietnam. These errors distracted from the flow of the narrative and made the reader question the reliability of the rest of the writing.
David J said in interviews that he was writing another book about Love & Rockets. I am really looking forward to reading more about Love & Rockets. When David J and Daniel Ash sang in unison, their songs had a special power.
November 11, 2014
I really enjoyed this book from David J. If you have any interest in Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, the supernatural or how a band can burn so bright and crumble several times you'll love it, too. One caution, though… if you are a Peter Murphy fan you probably won't enjoy it too much. I was on the fence after the last couple of times I saw Murphy and now… ugh. David paints him mostly as a paranoid egotistic lunatic.
The other part of the book does deal with magick (yes, with a K) and spirituality - and tripping with Alan Moore. So if you have issues with those topics, you may want to stay away. I found it interesting, though. I'm neither spiritual or interested in magick, but there were many coincidences that happened while reading the book, though. For example, just this weekend I was wondering if Drastic Plastic would release Express by L&R (like they did earlier this year with Seventh Dream) and damn if it wasn't released yesterday! Also, certain words or topics would turn up (TV on the Radio just last night) in random conversations that would have already appeared or would appear in the book almost instantly. I'm not saying it's connected, but it is kind of strange.
The book also made me revisit David's solo album "Crocodile Tears and the Velvet Cosh". I remember the first time I heard it when I a goth kid… I was totally confused. Acoustic, almost jazzy songs? I was not into it, but I forced myself to listen it. You did that back then - especially with an expensive import! I ended up really liking it. It was really chill and the lyrics were very good. I just didn't get it on the surface. So give that a try as well!
The other part of the book does deal with magick (yes, with a K) and spirituality - and tripping with Alan Moore. So if you have issues with those topics, you may want to stay away. I found it interesting, though. I'm neither spiritual or interested in magick, but there were many coincidences that happened while reading the book, though. For example, just this weekend I was wondering if Drastic Plastic would release Express by L&R (like they did earlier this year with Seventh Dream) and damn if it wasn't released yesterday! Also, certain words or topics would turn up (TV on the Radio just last night) in random conversations that would have already appeared or would appear in the book almost instantly. I'm not saying it's connected, but it is kind of strange.
The book also made me revisit David's solo album "Crocodile Tears and the Velvet Cosh". I remember the first time I heard it when I a goth kid… I was totally confused. Acoustic, almost jazzy songs? I was not into it, but I forced myself to listen it. You did that back then - especially with an expensive import! I ended up really liking it. It was really chill and the lyrics were very good. I just didn't get it on the surface. So give that a try as well!
October 12, 2016
Interesting... pretty weird. He gives much more time to his Bauhaus years than to the Love and Rockets days, barely covers the L&R releases, especially the more popular early ones. When he delves into his black magick phase, things get a little loopy. About as interesting as when a Facebook friend describes in detail a dream she/he just had. A bit of an unreliable narrator too, you wonder what his wife thinks of some of his rock-star sexual dalliances, and then he explains their open arrangement, and then suddenly they're split up. Some good dirt on Peter Murphy, boy did that guy sound like an increasingly painful character to work with. The incredibly abrupt ending is a bit shocking. Kinda like Sonic Youth's end, when it's over, IT'S OVER. Still, a fun trip back in time to a much more personally identifiable musical era. Sigh. The "Daniel Ash & hairdresser left behind at a truck stop outside of Rochester NY" story is pretty hilarious.
November 6, 2014
Bauhaus is one of my favorite bands of all time. Mr. Haskins is an excellent writer, and I loved the first and third part of this book, recollections of life with the band and all the debauchery involved. The second part is about his drug filled trips into "juju shit" - his words. Some of it made me uncomfortable, some of it I skimmed cause it didn't hold my attention. It felt like an entirely different volume.
It was interesting to read about the many issues Peter Murphy has, and I alternated from feeling compassion for him and rolling my eyes at his Diva-like antics that are unfortunately a cliche amongst rock n roll frontmen/women.
All in all a good read.
It was interesting to read about the many issues Peter Murphy has, and I alternated from feeling compassion for him and rolling my eyes at his Diva-like antics that are unfortunately a cliche amongst rock n roll frontmen/women.
All in all a good read.
December 18, 2019
Not much of a review from me but just thought it lost it's way with all the magical crap. Wasn't interested in that at all. Far too much of it. The first third of the book is great & I was enjoying it then the magic/fantasy crap came & I literally never picked the book up for a few months again!! I decided to just ignore that bit & skip through until stuff of interest came back Bauhaus, music stuff stories about that etc Maybe his brothers will be a bit better when that comes out. Sorry David!!! It's well written mind & definatly gives you an insight when the hocus pocus stuff isn't at the forefront!! Peter Murphy's bio will be mental I suspect!!!
January 2, 2015
Really dug this. A great read - mainly concentrating on the various incarnations of Bauhaus and the troubles therein plus some excursions into the land of magick. I wish there would have been more about David J's solo work and Love and Rockets, but that's a minor complaint.
May 25, 2017
Disappointed that it barely mentions the Love and Rockets years. Would have liked to hear more about L&R and less about the Magik .
January 11, 2025
Probably more of a 2 & 1/2, but due to fondness for the subject matter I rounded up. It's a fragmented, fairly standard story of rock n roll and partying and drugs with a little Magick thrown in as well. The partying and name dropping gets a little tiresome by the end, and the Magick stuff doesn't really add much, although I'm sure there's a segment of Bauhaus fans that may enjoy it. Personally I think most people who aren't Robert Anton Wilson who try to write about the occult make themselves look fairly silly, but that's just my opinion, and RAWs not perfect either. Maybe if there had been a stronger narrative structure to the book it could have fit in better, but it just seemed like a rather random addition that popped up half way through the book, and didn't really fit in with the rest of it.
The main focus is probably the band dynamic, there does seem to be a bit of Kevin Haskins, Daniel Ash and David J vs. Peter Murphy thing going, at least the way it's portrayed through the book. Murphy came from a lower class Irish family while the others were more middle class, so maybe the ever present English caste dynamics had something to do with that, and Murphy is potentially trying to compensate; at times Murphy seems to let his ego get out of control which the others have trouble contending with. There is certainly much more outrageous or rude and sometimes even violent behavior that Murphy is reported as having done than any of the others.
There are two kind of slightly odd half omissions, Love and Rockets hardly gets covered at all, a few mentions of working on this or that album but no real details, and even though he's mentioned as constantly being present, almost nothing is said about David's brother Kevin Haskins. I know he drove a Jeep at one time, threw a cymbal at a crew member and got teased by Murphy once and that apparently it happened fairly often, but that's about it. More is definitely said about Murphy and Ash and maybe even some of the crew members, producers and various friends than his own brother.
The book ends after they break up once again after the 2008 tour. I think they have re-formed and toured again at least a couple of times since, as recently as 2023, before that Murphy and David J. even toured together without the others, which, considering how contentious the relationship seemed to be, is interesting. Overall the book is an unique glimpse into the difficult life of a pioneering gothic rock band that at times gets a little tedious.
The main focus is probably the band dynamic, there does seem to be a bit of Kevin Haskins, Daniel Ash and David J vs. Peter Murphy thing going, at least the way it's portrayed through the book. Murphy came from a lower class Irish family while the others were more middle class, so maybe the ever present English caste dynamics had something to do with that, and Murphy is potentially trying to compensate; at times Murphy seems to let his ego get out of control which the others have trouble contending with. There is certainly much more outrageous or rude and sometimes even violent behavior that Murphy is reported as having done than any of the others.
There are two kind of slightly odd half omissions, Love and Rockets hardly gets covered at all, a few mentions of working on this or that album but no real details, and even though he's mentioned as constantly being present, almost nothing is said about David's brother Kevin Haskins. I know he drove a Jeep at one time, threw a cymbal at a crew member and got teased by Murphy once and that apparently it happened fairly often, but that's about it. More is definitely said about Murphy and Ash and maybe even some of the crew members, producers and various friends than his own brother.
The book ends after they break up once again after the 2008 tour. I think they have re-formed and toured again at least a couple of times since, as recently as 2023, before that Murphy and David J. even toured together without the others, which, considering how contentious the relationship seemed to be, is interesting. Overall the book is an unique glimpse into the difficult life of a pioneering gothic rock band that at times gets a little tedious.
February 6, 2022
Please understand where I'm coming from. I am a huge Bauhaus/Love and Rockets fan. I am certain that colors my experience reading this memoir.
I really loved reading this book! David J brings you into the inner-workings of Bauhaus and really illuminates what made that band tick, and what continually has caused them to fall apart over the years. For those of us that have wondered why Bauhaus could never stay together and how they always seemed to break up at the peak of their success more than once, this tome gives us the answer. It's not a complete surprise to find the main tension centered upon Peter Murphy and Daniel Ash, made worse because of the bandmembers' liberal use of drugs.
I say the Bauhaus tension is not totally surprising because David J, Kevin Haskins and Daniel Ash worked together apart from Mr. Murphy for almost two decades as Love and Rockets. I was a major Love and Rockets fan as well, and they unfortunately get short-shrift in this memoir. Like others have said, I hope David J decides to put together another book that has the spotlight on L&R as they are definitely an important and influential band in their own right.
I enjoyed the magick parts of the book, but I understand why others would want the focus to stay on music. We have to remember this is a David J memoir and his time with occult activities is a large part of his life, and informed many decisions he made including inspiration in his music.
I recommend any Bauhaus, Tones on Tail and/or Love and Rockets fan read this book. I don't know about its appeal beyond the bands, but it definitely is rewarding for fans of David J's music.
I really loved reading this book! David J brings you into the inner-workings of Bauhaus and really illuminates what made that band tick, and what continually has caused them to fall apart over the years. For those of us that have wondered why Bauhaus could never stay together and how they always seemed to break up at the peak of their success more than once, this tome gives us the answer. It's not a complete surprise to find the main tension centered upon Peter Murphy and Daniel Ash, made worse because of the bandmembers' liberal use of drugs.
I say the Bauhaus tension is not totally surprising because David J, Kevin Haskins and Daniel Ash worked together apart from Mr. Murphy for almost two decades as Love and Rockets. I was a major Love and Rockets fan as well, and they unfortunately get short-shrift in this memoir. Like others have said, I hope David J decides to put together another book that has the spotlight on L&R as they are definitely an important and influential band in their own right.
I enjoyed the magick parts of the book, but I understand why others would want the focus to stay on music. We have to remember this is a David J memoir and his time with occult activities is a large part of his life, and informed many decisions he made including inspiration in his music.
I recommend any Bauhaus, Tones on Tail and/or Love and Rockets fan read this book. I don't know about its appeal beyond the bands, but it definitely is rewarding for fans of David J's music.
May 10, 2021
This was a tough one for me because I am doing something I normally wouldn’t. I’m giving this book a pass. See, love the author-as-musician and loved Bauhaus tremendously but I thought this book lacked in so many way. It felt off center, unsubstantial, occasionally almost boring and I ultimately feel a bit disappointed because it think it could and should have been much better. As far as rock autobiographies go, this was below average to me and after reading hundreds I think I’m just going to stop because most seem to either suck OR they suck and make you hate a band you’d loved for years. I don’t know if I could even get to 2 hands if I had to say I liked different autobiographies. I’m not at all a big Stones or Keith Richards fan, but ever since I read his, it has remained the gold standard for what they should be. Deserves 3 stars, giving it 4.
August 21, 2022
Who killed Mr. Moonlight? Well, according to David J., that would be one Peter Murphy. So this is a fun read a surely an enjoyable one for the Bauhaus fan, but very slanted towards the story that David J. Wants you to believe. But the truth is that the members of Bauhaus were often at odds with each other. That animosity seemed to feed the hard edge sound that has carried a fan base for decades and inspired many bands and a whole goth genre of music. Though the book ended well prior to this Summer, Bauhaus got back together and toured once again. An absolutely amazing performance. Though Peter, Daniel, David and Kevin are all in their 60’s, they still take their performance to a visceral level and carry a stage presence unlike any other. And just to put it out there, nobody believes that you were faithful to your wife David. Not after reading this book. Cheers!
June 25, 2020
I will leave a concise review; this isn't one of my strong points.
I like David J. I appreciate his talent, honest, and respect for the supernatural. Anyone who maintains a friendship with Genesis P'Orridge is chill in my book.
My only real complaint is I often found myself questioning the authenticity of his "magickal experiences." I'm open-minded to the possibility of the supernatural, and I'm sure he did have some mystical experiences. However, between his experiments on drugs and desire to create an interesting story, I found myself chuckling at some of his adventures.
Overall, it was an amusing read. It's definitely worth the money!
I like David J. I appreciate his talent, honest, and respect for the supernatural. Anyone who maintains a friendship with Genesis P'Orridge is chill in my book.
My only real complaint is I often found myself questioning the authenticity of his "magickal experiences." I'm open-minded to the possibility of the supernatural, and I'm sure he did have some mystical experiences. However, between his experiments on drugs and desire to create an interesting story, I found myself chuckling at some of his adventures.
Overall, it was an amusing read. It's definitely worth the money!
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