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Some Fantastic Place: My Life In and Out of Squeeze
A captivating memoir of Chris Difford's upbringing in South London and his rise to fame in Squeeze, one of the biggest bands of the 1970s and 1980s
'King George Street in Charlton, South London, was my first home. Six prefabs, three pubs, a school, a church and a yard where the electricity board kept cables. Two long rows of terraced house faced each other at one end of the street; and, at the other, big houses with big doors and even bigger windows. There was a phone box next to one of the pubs and when it rang everyone came out to see who it was for. It was a tiny road - at one end of which there was Greenwich Park. It was heaven being there, its beauty always shone on me from the trees at sunsets and from the bushes in the rain. I was there in all weathers. It was 1964, I was ten years old and this is when my memory really begins. The previous decade is built up from vague recollections that lean heavily on the imagination.'
Chris Difford is a rare breed. As a member of one of London's best-loved bands, the Squeeze co-founder has made a lasting contribution to English music with hits such as 'Cool For Cats', 'Up The Junction', 'Labelled With Love', 'Hourglass' and 'Tempted'. Some Fantastic Place is his evocative memoir of an upbringing in Sixties' South London and his rise to fame in one of the definitive bands of the late Seventies and early Eighties.
'King George Street in Charlton, South London, was my first home. Six prefabs, three pubs, a school, a church and a yard where the electricity board kept cables. Two long rows of terraced house faced each other at one end of the street; and, at the other, big houses with big doors and even bigger windows. There was a phone box next to one of the pubs and when it rang everyone came out to see who it was for. It was a tiny road - at one end of which there was Greenwich Park. It was heaven being there, its beauty always shone on me from the trees at sunsets and from the bushes in the rain. I was there in all weathers. It was 1964, I was ten years old and this is when my memory really begins. The previous decade is built up from vague recollections that lean heavily on the imagination.'
Chris Difford is a rare breed. As a member of one of London's best-loved bands, the Squeeze co-founder has made a lasting contribution to English music with hits such as 'Cool For Cats', 'Up The Junction', 'Labelled With Love', 'Hourglass' and 'Tempted'. Some Fantastic Place is his evocative memoir of an upbringing in Sixties' South London and his rise to fame in one of the definitive bands of the late Seventies and early Eighties.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published October 23, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 2, 2018
I heard about Some Fantastic Place: My Life In and Out of Squeeze on a Word Podcast. Chris Difford was discussing the book and the interview made it sound wonderful. I love a music biography and have read hundreds. Sadly this is not up there with the best, far from it.
I like Squeeze but am not a big fan, that said I am passionate about the era in which they came to prominence and was expecting to be enthralled by this book. It's enjoyable enough but a little incoherent and scattershot. It's strewn with metaphors, frequently mixed. I noticed this quite early on and consequently they soon became very intrusive. I’m guessing Chris did not employ the services of a professional writer to assist. He probably should have. Despite his amazing lyrics this book is poorly written, often jarringly so.
Here's a typical example, Chris describing the making of 1998’s Domino album by Squeeze:
"The rest of the songs were tossed off like pancakes on a less-than-emotional grill. The band had become just Glenn and me, really, and it didn’t feel like the full shilling. Glenn had these wonderful ideas about change and how the record industry was the enemy. I was holding on to the castle walls as people were being tossed out into the moat. He was right in a way, but it was all going too quickly for me. I was scared to lose what I could not keep. People I knew in the industry were being put out to graze; perhaps he was right.
Glenn always says at that point I left the building, but it was up to him to turn the lights off. We were both heaving the elephant in the room further and further up the hill."
There are also odd little errors that undermine the book's authority. For example, when reminiscing about 1972, Chris states it was wonderful, Rod Stewart's Maggie May in the charts and "Minder on the telly". Minder first appeared on British television in October 1979. Perhaps he meant The Sweeney, which also starred Dennis Waterman, but even The Sweeney didn’t start broadcasting until January 1975.
The stylistic and structural shortcomings are a shame because Chris has got many great anecdotes and has gained a lot of self-insight over the years, but a lot of what Chris chooses to relate is details of the names of family, friends, partners, band members who come and go. Chris gets married, has a kid or two, the marriage falls apart. Drink, drugs, sobriety, counselling, marriages, kids, albums, new band members, tours, repeat.
That said, there are some wonderful stories in here. Chris spent a period of time as Bryan Ferry's "lyric doctor" which quickly evolved into him chauffeuring Bryan around the place (complete with cap bought by Bryan, partially in jest) and sharpening Bryan's pencils. Both wonderful and bizarre. I'd love to have heard a bit more about that.
Chris's commitment to sobriety and AA means he must commit to help others and, on one occasion Marti Pellow of Wet Wet Wet fame came to live with Chris and his family, and stayed for two years. Another extraordinary tale. Chris's own sponsor was none other than Elton John, who emerges from this book as a wonderfully kind and generous person.
I also enjoyed reading about Chris's early life, his parents, growing up in South London in the 1960s, his school days, and his journey from skinhead to hippy.
Sadly all of these interesting sections are awash with the aforementioned mangled metaphors, platitudes drawn from years of counselling and therapy, and way too much detail about albums and people that are simply not that interesting, even to the most ardent Squeeze fan.
A good writer could have really made a wonderful book out of this raw material, sadly Chris, for all his undeniable gifts as a lyricist, was not the best person to write this book. By the end, I was relieved to have finished.
2.5/5
I like Squeeze but am not a big fan, that said I am passionate about the era in which they came to prominence and was expecting to be enthralled by this book. It's enjoyable enough but a little incoherent and scattershot. It's strewn with metaphors, frequently mixed. I noticed this quite early on and consequently they soon became very intrusive. I’m guessing Chris did not employ the services of a professional writer to assist. He probably should have. Despite his amazing lyrics this book is poorly written, often jarringly so.
Here's a typical example, Chris describing the making of 1998’s Domino album by Squeeze:
"The rest of the songs were tossed off like pancakes on a less-than-emotional grill. The band had become just Glenn and me, really, and it didn’t feel like the full shilling. Glenn had these wonderful ideas about change and how the record industry was the enemy. I was holding on to the castle walls as people were being tossed out into the moat. He was right in a way, but it was all going too quickly for me. I was scared to lose what I could not keep. People I knew in the industry were being put out to graze; perhaps he was right.
Glenn always says at that point I left the building, but it was up to him to turn the lights off. We were both heaving the elephant in the room further and further up the hill."
There are also odd little errors that undermine the book's authority. For example, when reminiscing about 1972, Chris states it was wonderful, Rod Stewart's Maggie May in the charts and "Minder on the telly". Minder first appeared on British television in October 1979. Perhaps he meant The Sweeney, which also starred Dennis Waterman, but even The Sweeney didn’t start broadcasting until January 1975.
The stylistic and structural shortcomings are a shame because Chris has got many great anecdotes and has gained a lot of self-insight over the years, but a lot of what Chris chooses to relate is details of the names of family, friends, partners, band members who come and go. Chris gets married, has a kid or two, the marriage falls apart. Drink, drugs, sobriety, counselling, marriages, kids, albums, new band members, tours, repeat.
That said, there are some wonderful stories in here. Chris spent a period of time as Bryan Ferry's "lyric doctor" which quickly evolved into him chauffeuring Bryan around the place (complete with cap bought by Bryan, partially in jest) and sharpening Bryan's pencils. Both wonderful and bizarre. I'd love to have heard a bit more about that.
Chris's commitment to sobriety and AA means he must commit to help others and, on one occasion Marti Pellow of Wet Wet Wet fame came to live with Chris and his family, and stayed for two years. Another extraordinary tale. Chris's own sponsor was none other than Elton John, who emerges from this book as a wonderfully kind and generous person.
I also enjoyed reading about Chris's early life, his parents, growing up in South London in the 1960s, his school days, and his journey from skinhead to hippy.
Sadly all of these interesting sections are awash with the aforementioned mangled metaphors, platitudes drawn from years of counselling and therapy, and way too much detail about albums and people that are simply not that interesting, even to the most ardent Squeeze fan.
A good writer could have really made a wonderful book out of this raw material, sadly Chris, for all his undeniable gifts as a lyricist, was not the best person to write this book. By the end, I was relieved to have finished.
2.5/5
March 6, 2019
I went to hear Chris Difford promote this book in late 2017. He came across as tired and somewhat jaded and I felt he wasn’t comfortable talking about himself to and audience. Funny really, when he had done this via his lyrics for so many years.
The book is interesting and well written. I enjoyed the chapters on his early life and the relationships he had with his family and of course, Glenn Tillbrook. His battles with addiction are well known, and he still struggles with his demons to this day. There were a few surprises in the book, but he comes across as someone who has grafted hard to gain the respect of other musicians, and who finally has realised he is talented and deserves the success he has.
The book is interesting and well written. I enjoyed the chapters on his early life and the relationships he had with his family and of course, Glenn Tillbrook. His battles with addiction are well known, and he still struggles with his demons to this day. There were a few surprises in the book, but he comes across as someone who has grafted hard to gain the respect of other musicians, and who finally has realised he is talented and deserves the success he has.
June 21, 2023
I remember being very hesitant about this book, even debating whether to pick it up to begin with. Yet, once I started, I couldn't put it down. I've never finished a(n) (auto)biography, so I already saw myself regretting having even picked this up. Yet, this book is so much more than just a retelling of Chris Difford's life.
Reading this made me feel like 'life' itself was put down into words. Not just Chris Difford's life, life in general. While obviously going into great detail about his life in Squeeze, how Chris, as a seventeen-year-old was dreaming of finding his gang and being in a band, managed to pull it all together, this book tells so much more. It made me laugh out loud, it made me cry multiple times and I still find it hard to put down into words how I feel. There is so much in this book to talk about.
Reading through this was an amazing experience. I took in so much information yet I feel unable to reproduce it all. Though that might be the case, I feel like I've learned a lot. Not only about Squeeze or Chris Difford, or even Glenn Tilbrook for that matter, I feel like I've learned things about life in general. This book feels alive. It feels human, more human, I suppose, than anything else I've ever read. The collections of stories of Chris Difford's life, the struggle of trying to fit in, the relief and feeling of ecstasy when you finally do meet those, the feeling of being in a good place, yet with personal struggles still facing you. Then the other side of the coin: the constant touring, life on the road, being in a band, arguing with record companies, managers and producers, and doing all that while being absolutely stoned. And still, the rest of life happens on the side. Marriages falling apart because of incompatible life styles, illness, grief and addiction while trying to cope with it all.
This book breathes the feeling of being lost and finding comfort in those around you. I suppose it's a dream we all share. Yet, lack of proper communication getting in the way, and resulting in the fact that you push the ones you love and admire away. Then, turning that all around: the tough road of having to accept you're in a wrong place and that you've got to turn your life around in order to survive. Then finding yourself on that edge, but with people around you supporting you, and being able to dedicate that major change in yourself to someone, as an act of thankfulness. I deeply admire Chris's ability to reflect on his own life and his mistakes and on how his own choices have influenced those around him.
This perfectly captures how life passes just as we're in the middle of it, and the journeys we make. I feel like it captures how life passes more quickly than we hope it does. It reflects the choices we make, and the influence it has on our own future. It made me think of those around me, and the grief we will all experience. It makes you aware of all the goodbyes we will have to say in our lives.
To end on a more positive, less emotional note, this was a wonderful book, written by a wonderful lyricist. Chris Difford manages to write beautiful words to which Glenn Tilbrook writes wonderful music, and Chris also managed to write a wonderful book. To read Chris reflect on his life was amazing, because his life was, and still is, one heck of a journey. It was beautiful reading how he writes about Glenn, full of praise. While their relationship has been rocky, it is very clear that Chris has always admired him.
I felt like a leaf that had fallen from a tree onto a bed of flowers.
The feeling of being on TV was a feeling of having arrived, but where?
I could not feel the emptiness because that was all I knew; I could not feel the loneliness because that's exactly how I wanted to be.
So I thank Maxine, as the keeper of the keys that unlocked my small and complicated world.
Each day flicks past, one after the other, and here you are one minute and gone the next.
Change is so hard, so difficult to embrace when you're clear in your mind how your world should be.
If I got things wrong, it was OK. I learnt from it and moved on. If I got things right I proudly owned my feelings and savoured the moments.
I still want to be that guy who sings 'Cool for Cats' and I still want to be a little bit famous.
We are dream makers and heartbreakers, we are drifters. Some friendships are wider than a mile and it's the effort needed to cross that divide that will keep me with the ones I love.
I put an ad in a sweet shop window and the rest of my life just arrived.
Reading this made me feel like 'life' itself was put down into words. Not just Chris Difford's life, life in general. While obviously going into great detail about his life in Squeeze, how Chris, as a seventeen-year-old was dreaming of finding his gang and being in a band, managed to pull it all together, this book tells so much more. It made me laugh out loud, it made me cry multiple times and I still find it hard to put down into words how I feel. There is so much in this book to talk about.
Reading through this was an amazing experience. I took in so much information yet I feel unable to reproduce it all. Though that might be the case, I feel like I've learned a lot. Not only about Squeeze or Chris Difford, or even Glenn Tilbrook for that matter, I feel like I've learned things about life in general. This book feels alive. It feels human, more human, I suppose, than anything else I've ever read. The collections of stories of Chris Difford's life, the struggle of trying to fit in, the relief and feeling of ecstasy when you finally do meet those, the feeling of being in a good place, yet with personal struggles still facing you. Then the other side of the coin: the constant touring, life on the road, being in a band, arguing with record companies, managers and producers, and doing all that while being absolutely stoned. And still, the rest of life happens on the side. Marriages falling apart because of incompatible life styles, illness, grief and addiction while trying to cope with it all.
This book breathes the feeling of being lost and finding comfort in those around you. I suppose it's a dream we all share. Yet, lack of proper communication getting in the way, and resulting in the fact that you push the ones you love and admire away. Then, turning that all around: the tough road of having to accept you're in a wrong place and that you've got to turn your life around in order to survive. Then finding yourself on that edge, but with people around you supporting you, and being able to dedicate that major change in yourself to someone, as an act of thankfulness. I deeply admire Chris's ability to reflect on his own life and his mistakes and on how his own choices have influenced those around him.
This perfectly captures how life passes just as we're in the middle of it, and the journeys we make. I feel like it captures how life passes more quickly than we hope it does. It reflects the choices we make, and the influence it has on our own future. It made me think of those around me, and the grief we will all experience. It makes you aware of all the goodbyes we will have to say in our lives.
To end on a more positive, less emotional note, this was a wonderful book, written by a wonderful lyricist. Chris Difford manages to write beautiful words to which Glenn Tilbrook writes wonderful music, and Chris also managed to write a wonderful book. To read Chris reflect on his life was amazing, because his life was, and still is, one heck of a journey. It was beautiful reading how he writes about Glenn, full of praise. While their relationship has been rocky, it is very clear that Chris has always admired him.
I felt like a leaf that had fallen from a tree onto a bed of flowers.
The feeling of being on TV was a feeling of having arrived, but where?
I could not feel the emptiness because that was all I knew; I could not feel the loneliness because that's exactly how I wanted to be.
So I thank Maxine, as the keeper of the keys that unlocked my small and complicated world.
Each day flicks past, one after the other, and here you are one minute and gone the next.
Change is so hard, so difficult to embrace when you're clear in your mind how your world should be.
If I got things wrong, it was OK. I learnt from it and moved on. If I got things right I proudly owned my feelings and savoured the moments.
I still want to be that guy who sings 'Cool for Cats' and I still want to be a little bit famous.
We are dream makers and heartbreakers, we are drifters. Some friendships are wider than a mile and it's the effort needed to cross that divide that will keep me with the ones I love.
I put an ad in a sweet shop window and the rest of my life just arrived.
August 26, 2017
As Chris Difford writes, “My history with Squeeze carries weight, and people want to know all about this part of me.”
‘Some Fantastic Place’ charts the band’s critical and commercial ups and downs as well as its bewildering changes of personnel and managers but at the heart of both book and band, is Difford’s complicated relationship with his song-writing partner, Glenn Tilbrook.
Difford-Tilbrook have often been likened to Lennon-McCartney and this book sharpens the parallels in some respects, with Difford-Tilbrook being at least as prolific (with 137 songs, including ‘Take Me I’m Yours’, written in their first year together); a shared ambition to write a musical; and Chris sharing John Lennon’s problem of remembering lyrics when performing, even when they were very memorable and he was their author.
‘Some Fantastic Place’ also points to the differences with Lennon-McCartney, including a much clearer division of labour between the lyric writing Difford and the tunesmith Tilbrook (who also took the lead in terms of arrangement, recording and performance). Although now fulsomely acknowledging Tilbrook’s many vital contributions to the band, including his constantly embracing change, Difford admits that for many years there was unspoken rivalry between the two men for the band’s leadership; a leadership to which Difford could lay claim insofar as it was Tilbrook who had originally responded to his advertisement for a guitarist rather than vice versa (a claim somewhat diminished by the fact that Difford was guilty of false advertising in claiming that there was a band or recording deal at that time) and because Squeeze songs are all lyric-driven, as Difford’s words precede Tilbrook’s music.
The word “unspoken” was used advisedly in the preceding sentence because one of the problems with which Difford has laboured throughout his life is that - ironically for a lyricist - he finds difficulty in putting his feelings into words in everyday life. This has been both curse (for many relationships) and an artistic blessing for, as he explains in ‘Some Fantastic Place’, “When I was a child, to be told to speak when spoken to by my mother gave me the backstage pass to my imagination, and there I found the many songs and stories I have written and have yet to write.”
‘Some Fantastic Place’ is, however, ultimately much more than just an insider’s story of a much loved and highly respected group. It is also a consistently candid, often very humorous and always interesting story of Difford’s entire life, from his working-class prefab home in King George Street, Greenwich, aged ten (“when my memory begins”) down to the present day, via teenage gangs, petty (and once not so petty) crime, song-writing, albums, touring, managing, alcohol, and drugs and rehab, with friendships (celebrity and otherwise), marriages and children along the way.
There are two respects in which this book could have been improved.
Firstly, someone at the publishing house should have pointed out to Chris that he sometimes mangles metaphors, examples being: “Her cold shoulder definitely gave me food for thought”; “I could feel the penny dropping at an alarming rate”; “my emotions were tickled to the roots”; “we fell to our emotional knees”; “The rest of the songs were tossed off like pancakes on a less-than-emotional grill”; and – my personal favourite - “We were both heaving the elephant in the room further and further up the hill.”
Secondly, although we learn a lot about the dynamics of his various song-writing partnerships it would have been good to have had more from Chris on the actual mechanics of his writing of lyrics.
Having said that, this is still a fascinating read about a talented artist and interesting individual, which merits an audience far beyond Squeeze fans and those interested in anecdotes about celebrities, although for me the chapter on Difford’s dealings with Bryan Ferry, with Chris as Max von Mayerling to Ferry’s Norma Desmond, itself makes the book well worth the price of purchase.
‘Some Fantastic Place’ charts the band’s critical and commercial ups and downs as well as its bewildering changes of personnel and managers but at the heart of both book and band, is Difford’s complicated relationship with his song-writing partner, Glenn Tilbrook.
Difford-Tilbrook have often been likened to Lennon-McCartney and this book sharpens the parallels in some respects, with Difford-Tilbrook being at least as prolific (with 137 songs, including ‘Take Me I’m Yours’, written in their first year together); a shared ambition to write a musical; and Chris sharing John Lennon’s problem of remembering lyrics when performing, even when they were very memorable and he was their author.
‘Some Fantastic Place’ also points to the differences with Lennon-McCartney, including a much clearer division of labour between the lyric writing Difford and the tunesmith Tilbrook (who also took the lead in terms of arrangement, recording and performance). Although now fulsomely acknowledging Tilbrook’s many vital contributions to the band, including his constantly embracing change, Difford admits that for many years there was unspoken rivalry between the two men for the band’s leadership; a leadership to which Difford could lay claim insofar as it was Tilbrook who had originally responded to his advertisement for a guitarist rather than vice versa (a claim somewhat diminished by the fact that Difford was guilty of false advertising in claiming that there was a band or recording deal at that time) and because Squeeze songs are all lyric-driven, as Difford’s words precede Tilbrook’s music.
The word “unspoken” was used advisedly in the preceding sentence because one of the problems with which Difford has laboured throughout his life is that - ironically for a lyricist - he finds difficulty in putting his feelings into words in everyday life. This has been both curse (for many relationships) and an artistic blessing for, as he explains in ‘Some Fantastic Place’, “When I was a child, to be told to speak when spoken to by my mother gave me the backstage pass to my imagination, and there I found the many songs and stories I have written and have yet to write.”
‘Some Fantastic Place’ is, however, ultimately much more than just an insider’s story of a much loved and highly respected group. It is also a consistently candid, often very humorous and always interesting story of Difford’s entire life, from his working-class prefab home in King George Street, Greenwich, aged ten (“when my memory begins”) down to the present day, via teenage gangs, petty (and once not so petty) crime, song-writing, albums, touring, managing, alcohol, and drugs and rehab, with friendships (celebrity and otherwise), marriages and children along the way.
There are two respects in which this book could have been improved.
Firstly, someone at the publishing house should have pointed out to Chris that he sometimes mangles metaphors, examples being: “Her cold shoulder definitely gave me food for thought”; “I could feel the penny dropping at an alarming rate”; “my emotions were tickled to the roots”; “we fell to our emotional knees”; “The rest of the songs were tossed off like pancakes on a less-than-emotional grill”; and – my personal favourite - “We were both heaving the elephant in the room further and further up the hill.”
Secondly, although we learn a lot about the dynamics of his various song-writing partnerships it would have been good to have had more from Chris on the actual mechanics of his writing of lyrics.
Having said that, this is still a fascinating read about a talented artist and interesting individual, which merits an audience far beyond Squeeze fans and those interested in anecdotes about celebrities, although for me the chapter on Difford’s dealings with Bryan Ferry, with Chris as Max von Mayerling to Ferry’s Norma Desmond, itself makes the book well worth the price of purchase.
August 30, 2017
If I wasn’t enjoying my career quite as much as I do, the one thing I would love to be (other than a novelist) is a song-writer. One of the reasons that I love the music artists that I do, is purely down to their lyrics. I rarely like a band or artist that doesn't have what I consider to be good lyrics.
There is a line in Chris Difford’s autobiography where he's talking about early punk, that sums this up perfectly;
"I was always looking for the lyric and I felt there was no depth to it. The music felt like it was falling down the stairs".
Those not familiar with Chris, should know that not only is he the founding member of Squeeze, but also one of this country’s greatest ever lyricists, having written for Elton John, Jools Holland and Elvis Costello to name but a few.
Some Fantastic Place is the perfect title for Chris’ book. Personal to both him and Glenn, the song of the same name is one of their finest.
If you aren’t familiar with Squeeze (and/or Glenn Tillbrook and Chris Difford asolo artists) then this account of their musical history should at the very least make you curious to seek out some of their work. From their humble beginnings in local pubs to sell out shows in New York's Madison Square Gardens, Chris weaves a magical tale of life on the road.
But this isn't a book about Squeeze, it is a very personal account of Chris Difford's life from his earliest childhood memories, to finally finding happiness with his beloved wife Louise, via the highs and lows of being in a world famous band whilst battling with addiction, Some Fantastic Place is a real insight into Chris's struggles, talent and personality.
Some Fantastic Place is a fascinating insight into the life and works of one of the most talented artists that we have in Great Britain, and after reading I wanted to give Chris a hug and tell him that everything will be okay. Writing such a personal account must be hard for anyone to do, but for a former addict who has also had problems expressing how he truly feels, it is a masterful achievement.
A must read for anyone who has ever struggled with... Well life in general. This isn't a book just for music lovers, this is for everyone.
As an aside – I met Chris once after one of the pop up shop tour shows and he was so lovely! He had noticed me and my friend singing along in the front row and commented on this, much to our embarrassment!
There is a line in Chris Difford’s autobiography where he's talking about early punk, that sums this up perfectly;
"I was always looking for the lyric and I felt there was no depth to it. The music felt like it was falling down the stairs".
Those not familiar with Chris, should know that not only is he the founding member of Squeeze, but also one of this country’s greatest ever lyricists, having written for Elton John, Jools Holland and Elvis Costello to name but a few.
Some Fantastic Place is the perfect title for Chris’ book. Personal to both him and Glenn, the song of the same name is one of their finest.
If you aren’t familiar with Squeeze (and/or Glenn Tillbrook and Chris Difford asolo artists) then this account of their musical history should at the very least make you curious to seek out some of their work. From their humble beginnings in local pubs to sell out shows in New York's Madison Square Gardens, Chris weaves a magical tale of life on the road.
But this isn't a book about Squeeze, it is a very personal account of Chris Difford's life from his earliest childhood memories, to finally finding happiness with his beloved wife Louise, via the highs and lows of being in a world famous band whilst battling with addiction, Some Fantastic Place is a real insight into Chris's struggles, talent and personality.
Some Fantastic Place is a fascinating insight into the life and works of one of the most talented artists that we have in Great Britain, and after reading I wanted to give Chris a hug and tell him that everything will be okay. Writing such a personal account must be hard for anyone to do, but for a former addict who has also had problems expressing how he truly feels, it is a masterful achievement.
A must read for anyone who has ever struggled with... Well life in general. This isn't a book just for music lovers, this is for everyone.
As an aside – I met Chris once after one of the pop up shop tour shows and he was so lovely! He had noticed me and my friend singing along in the front row and commented on this, much to our embarrassment!
September 2, 2017
I have a soft spot for memoirs in the music realm. I knew about Squeeze of course, but I cannot say I knew much about them, just a few songs really. They are one of those bands drifting at the edge of consciousness. Yet, I grabbed the opportunity to read this book with both hands, and boy, am I glad I did!
The first thing that made me warm to this book is the writing. The story is simply told in a personable voice and it felt immediately familiar and made me smile. Chris takes us on a journey from being young boy hiding under his mother’s table while she makes cakes until Glastonbury festival just this year.
I was with him as he formed the band and gained success and then lost it again. I felt his pain as alcohol took centre stage in his life and felt proud of him for beating addiction to begin a new leash of life.
He tells about the relationships, the friendships and chance encounters that changed his life and he tells it so well. I cannot remember reading a memoir this warm and honest and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
If you like music, I would thoroughly recommend this book.
(E-book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
The first thing that made me warm to this book is the writing. The story is simply told in a personable voice and it felt immediately familiar and made me smile. Chris takes us on a journey from being young boy hiding under his mother’s table while she makes cakes until Glastonbury festival just this year.
I was with him as he formed the band and gained success and then lost it again. I felt his pain as alcohol took centre stage in his life and felt proud of him for beating addiction to begin a new leash of life.
He tells about the relationships, the friendships and chance encounters that changed his life and he tells it so well. I cannot remember reading a memoir this warm and honest and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
If you like music, I would thoroughly recommend this book.
(E-book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
July 27, 2022
A matter-of-fact memoir from a legendary lyricist. Difford comes across as someone who feels he has been misunderstood in some key moments in his life, (some being his own fault but many not), and this memoir reads as a way of using his internal monologue to explain these misunderstandings and attempt to put them right. His personal sensitivity is obvious and very inviting, and his poetic lyricism blossoms in between long stretches which read like a Wikipedia entry: meticulously informative, if a little distant.
June 7, 2025
I've been a Squeeze fan since I began listening to pop music, and have always marveled at the close observation of Chris Difford's lyrics. A few years ago, we got to see him sing and tell stories at a London club, which was great despite his obvious discomfort at playing the raconteur. That said, I wouldn't have bothered finishing Some Fantastic Place if I hadn't ordered an inscribed copy from Difford's website. It turns out that for Squeeze's glory years—the band's three astonishing 1979–81 albums—he was mostly drunk and stoned and generally out of it, and unable now to offer much backstory or insight about writing or performing or life as a sudden, unexpected celebrity.
And then he runs through the next thirty-five years, pretty much in order, as Squeeze disbands & reunites and his relationship with co-writer Glenn Tilbrook waxes & wanes and romantic partners come & go and solo projects happen & don't, most of it described in startlingly blurry terms. He mentions particular songs but almost nothing about their inspiration or craft—which, in a book by a full-time lyricist, is maddening—and doesn't think to address the most obvious questions. For example, the song "Take Me I'm Yours" introduces the signature style of two vocalists singing in octave unison, and Difford doesn't think to remark on how that came about or why they've used the trick throughout their career or why he thinks it works, though he's the perfect person to elaborate.
What's in Some Fantastic Place instead of the specifics and details that are Difford's lyrical hallmark? Well, it's a (hazy) memoir, from childhood on, with tons of names of family and friends who come and go, and a story of substance abuse and recovery. All of it reads smoothly—I finished the book over six evenings—and none of it is flat-out dull. Difford is decent company throughout. But he fails to keep in mind why anyone would be interested in his autobiography. It's not his feelings about his brothers, or his earnest recounting of his stints in counseling or his moves from one London suburb to another. It's his songs.
In fact, when it comes to explicating Squeeze tracks, the book is nowhere near as insightful as the 2004 volume Squeeze: Song By Song, with Difford and Tilbrook each commenting on each of the band's tracks. Much of the best material in Some Fantastic Place is there as well, with Tilbrook's commentary and co-author Jim Drury's summaries of each album's circumstances. That book is the one that's a must-read for Squeeze fans. And then, if you want more, by all means give the memoir a try.
And then he runs through the next thirty-five years, pretty much in order, as Squeeze disbands & reunites and his relationship with co-writer Glenn Tilbrook waxes & wanes and romantic partners come & go and solo projects happen & don't, most of it described in startlingly blurry terms. He mentions particular songs but almost nothing about their inspiration or craft—which, in a book by a full-time lyricist, is maddening—and doesn't think to address the most obvious questions. For example, the song "Take Me I'm Yours" introduces the signature style of two vocalists singing in octave unison, and Difford doesn't think to remark on how that came about or why they've used the trick throughout their career or why he thinks it works, though he's the perfect person to elaborate.
What's in Some Fantastic Place instead of the specifics and details that are Difford's lyrical hallmark? Well, it's a (hazy) memoir, from childhood on, with tons of names of family and friends who come and go, and a story of substance abuse and recovery. All of it reads smoothly—I finished the book over six evenings—and none of it is flat-out dull. Difford is decent company throughout. But he fails to keep in mind why anyone would be interested in his autobiography. It's not his feelings about his brothers, or his earnest recounting of his stints in counseling or his moves from one London suburb to another. It's his songs.
In fact, when it comes to explicating Squeeze tracks, the book is nowhere near as insightful as the 2004 volume Squeeze: Song By Song, with Difford and Tilbrook each commenting on each of the band's tracks. Much of the best material in Some Fantastic Place is there as well, with Tilbrook's commentary and co-author Jim Drury's summaries of each album's circumstances. That book is the one that's a must-read for Squeeze fans. And then, if you want more, by all means give the memoir a try.
September 20, 2017
As a big Squeeze fan I knew I just had to read Chris Difford's autobiography as soon as I could and it doesn't disappoint.
Chris charts his family life, the crests and falls of Squeeze, through the various albums and line ups and his complicated relationship with fellow songwriting partner Glenn Tilbrook. He also tells of his life outwith the band which includes his personal relationships and also his various employers who to my surprise include Bryan Ferry and Marti Pellow ! Most significantly however Chris tells of his spiralling descent into alcohol and drugs dependency and his battle with his subsequent depression. He details the various therapies that he undertook and they sound both brutally emotional and also physiologically draining. Despite one or two 'slips', they seemed to have helped him recover and to regain some normalcy and control over his life again although it is a lifelong, ongoing process. He also recently celebrated 25 years of sobriety, this with the help of his sponsor who turned out to be Elton John.
I always identified more with Chris, than I did with Glenn in Squeeze, as he always looked like the 'cool one' who stood in the shadows of the stage but on reading his memoir there were obviously different reasons than I ever imagined why he did this ! Thankfully both Chris and Squeeze's star is on the rise again, he has a settled family life, he appears to have come to terms with his depression and can manage it and his relationship with Glenn has healed and there is a new album 'The Knowledge' to look forward to soon.
This is an essential read for every Squeeze fan and any rock/pop fan in general. If you think it is only heavy rockers that have their drink, drug and relationship problems then Chris defies the stereotype and shows that even 'nice' bands can fall prey to the rockstar lifestyle.
Chris charts his family life, the crests and falls of Squeeze, through the various albums and line ups and his complicated relationship with fellow songwriting partner Glenn Tilbrook. He also tells of his life outwith the band which includes his personal relationships and also his various employers who to my surprise include Bryan Ferry and Marti Pellow ! Most significantly however Chris tells of his spiralling descent into alcohol and drugs dependency and his battle with his subsequent depression. He details the various therapies that he undertook and they sound both brutally emotional and also physiologically draining. Despite one or two 'slips', they seemed to have helped him recover and to regain some normalcy and control over his life again although it is a lifelong, ongoing process. He also recently celebrated 25 years of sobriety, this with the help of his sponsor who turned out to be Elton John.
I always identified more with Chris, than I did with Glenn in Squeeze, as he always looked like the 'cool one' who stood in the shadows of the stage but on reading his memoir there were obviously different reasons than I ever imagined why he did this ! Thankfully both Chris and Squeeze's star is on the rise again, he has a settled family life, he appears to have come to terms with his depression and can manage it and his relationship with Glenn has healed and there is a new album 'The Knowledge' to look forward to soon.
This is an essential read for every Squeeze fan and any rock/pop fan in general. If you think it is only heavy rockers that have their drink, drug and relationship problems then Chris defies the stereotype and shows that even 'nice' bands can fall prey to the rockstar lifestyle.
September 28, 2017
Full disclosure, I have probably spent more time playing, seeing, reading about Squeeze than any other band except for Paul McCartney and the Beatles. So when this book was published I pre-ordered it knowing that I would not enjoy waiting to read it. It does not disappoint. Very much a confessional book, which fills in a lot of the gaps I was curious about in Squeeze's history. I was at a show in Baltimore where Chris Difford was unexpectedly not present, now I know why. I wondered about all the lineup changes, now I understand.
Chris Difford has a way with words not only lyrically, but in book form, many clever phrases and almost throwaway lines all over his prose as he explained the many twists his life has taken.
Chris Difford has a way with words not only lyrically, but in book form, many clever phrases and almost throwaway lines all over his prose as he explained the many twists his life has taken.
June 19, 2021
despite some muddled metaphors, chris difford relates his life story in the typically english, good natured way that only he can. his writing does feel like his lyrics just translated into prose form. i am a major squeeze fan, even more so than when i first added some fantastic place to my tbr, so to read about certain anecdotes, the making of albums, and of course, difford's nearly five decade long relationship/songwriting partnership with glenn tilbrook was a very enjoyable experience. that being said, i personally would've loved some more insight into the making of 1995's ridiculous (one of my favourite squeeze albums), but when you've got edits to make, there has to understandably be an emphasis on the records that people know and love best.
the thing i was not expecting going into this was how beautifully and how candidly difford speaks of his struggles with mental illness and addiction. his journey is not simply a case of going to rehab, getting the band back together and presenting us with a happy ending. while his book does have a happy ending, throughout it difford shows how mental health recovery is not a linear progression: it comes back round when you least expect it. i really appreciated his discussions surrounding his experiences with depression and anxiety; a lot of his feelings were altogether relatable yet heartbreaking to read about. there is not a shred of romanticisation, only gratitude for those who have helped him come out the other end of the dark tunnel. overall, a musical memoir that felt a lot more emotionally mature than some of the others i've read, and a fascinating read for any squeeze fan, budding or long term.
the thing i was not expecting going into this was how beautifully and how candidly difford speaks of his struggles with mental illness and addiction. his journey is not simply a case of going to rehab, getting the band back together and presenting us with a happy ending. while his book does have a happy ending, throughout it difford shows how mental health recovery is not a linear progression: it comes back round when you least expect it. i really appreciated his discussions surrounding his experiences with depression and anxiety; a lot of his feelings were altogether relatable yet heartbreaking to read about. there is not a shred of romanticisation, only gratitude for those who have helped him come out the other end of the dark tunnel. overall, a musical memoir that felt a lot more emotionally mature than some of the others i've read, and a fascinating read for any squeeze fan, budding or long term.
December 19, 2017
It was just 50p that set Chris Difford up for the rest of his life. And it wasn’t even his 50p. It paid for an advert looking for a guitarist to join a band that didn’t actually exist. Glenn Tilbrook responded (well, more accurately, Tilbrook’s girlfriend Maxine did), and a bond is forged that connects Difford and Tilbrook for the next 44 years and still counting.
If Chris has had any help writing this, it’s been done with the lightest of touches. Chris’s voice is very much in evidence, his turn of phrase on every turn of page. It’s a candid, unflinching assessment of his work, his upbringing, his marriages and his addictions.
Throughout the book Chris paints himself as an outsider. The third of three boys, his brothers are grown men when he is born, making him almost an only child. His affection for his parents shines through but his home life full of silence and distance. Therapy later in life entails searches for explanations for his demons but Chris feels it revealed little memory of conflict or unhappiness. Describing his childhood there are suspicions of infidelity, acts of jealous anger and feelings going unsaid – the latter something that precisely encapsulates his depiction of his relationship with Tilbrook.
Nicknamed “Mo” at school, an epithet I recall from my school years, lobbed at anyone who wasn’t “hard”, he’s not alpha enough to fit in through sport. Put in goal for football, “batting like a little girl and in running I walked”. His academic achievements are also limited, struggling with unrecognised dyslexia and to his father’s dismay inept at maths - “I was nice but dim”.
Withdrawing into a rich fantasy life with imaginary friends (which later became fantasy bands) he seems never to fit in, no matter where he is. From hippy to a skinhead who can’t stomach the casual violence it’s music that becomes his first and most abiding passion.
Chris is hard on himself, rarely giving himself any credit beyond a song or two. Even before the advent of Squeeze he feels he will never be as talented or intelligent as Keith Emerson or Robert Wyatt – something he says he is still coming to terms with. And yet he forms Porky’s Falling Spikes where he bluffs his way on bass, getting support slots with Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe and The Flaming Groovies. He brushes off his contribution as his ability to score drugs and load the truck whilst loaded himself. Not for the first time he dismisses his musical value - “the bluff was total”.
His dad tells him “If you join a rock n roll band son you’ll end up an alcoholic, a drug addict and skint”. According to Chris “it turns out he was absolutely right”. But rock and roll is the path he chooses and a stolen 50p earns him his introduction to Glenn Tilbrook. On meeting Glenn and his girlfriend Maxine Chris recalls “They were like Mary and Joseph. I may have been the donkey”. So not Jesus then.
Chris has spent four decades of being in awe of Tilbrook. Glenn teaches him new chords, and how to tune his guitar, Glenn’s voice Paul McCartney to his Lou Reed. A band is formed – briefly called “Cum” but in turn Squeeze. Chris the pens words, leaves them on the stairs and Glenn takes them away and turns them into songs. According to Chris, Glenn is “a born leader – something I’ve fought against from the start for no reason. After all, I could never do it myself”.
The ascent to stardom arrives at a gallop, possibly because the way drink and drugs have scrubbed holes in memories. Jools Holland joins the band – a real man’s man, “dangerous”, and in 1976 they sign on the line for £15 a week with Miles Copeland.
Initial record company indifference is matched only by the bands growing capacity for drink and drugs. Indifferent to the arrival of punk - “I was always looking for the lyric and I felt there was no depth to it” - Copeland spots an opportunity and with the addition of a few safety pins and some hair dye the recently new wave Squeeze sign to A&M and record an album despite star producer John Cale not because of him. “Take Me I’m Yours” (recorded when Cale was off ill) becomes a chart hit. “Rebels without any real cause” and no image to speak of they are off and running.
Many albums and tours follow, each seemingly invoking joy and anxiety in Difford, who takes refuge in drink. Difford depicts Tilbrook as the one with the vision and drive, whilst Difford finds himself resentful but unable to articulate his ideas and needs, sulky whilst fearful of Glenn’s reaction if he expresses any adverse comments. The parallel with his parent’s marriage is both obvious and unremarked upon.
Band members, managers and wives come and go but the bond that ties Chris and Glenn together has results in several incarnations of Squeeze and withstands an 8-year period where they barely spoke, reuniting for weddings and funerals. Chris frequently reflects on his discomfort with change whilst acknowledging Glenn’s ability to see the need and make it happen. It’s only when Chris finally accepts his addictions and goes into rehab - “I had become stuffed with sadness, but at last I was being unpacked” - that he finds a way to start working with others musicians as well “let go of all of my fear around my relationship with Glenn”.
Given the stark nature of the way he lays out his life and his failings it’s heartening to see the book close with Chris describing how he now enjoys performing both with Glenn as well as in his own right, and how he now has 25 years of sobriety behind him – a sobriety he touchingly dedicates to Glenn’s ex-girlfriend Maxine who reached out to Chris not long before she died to and opened his eyes to just how much he needed to get on the wagon.
Indeed, he seems to finally be at home with himself;” I still want to be that guy who sings “Cool For Cats, and I still want to be a little but famous. All the big cash is sadly gone but I still have socks in my shoes”. In recent years Glenn and Chris have toured an acoustic show with just the two of them – the “At Odds Couple” who start the show in bed Eric & Ernie style. Here’s hoping this odd couple keep going for many more years.
If Chris has had any help writing this, it’s been done with the lightest of touches. Chris’s voice is very much in evidence, his turn of phrase on every turn of page. It’s a candid, unflinching assessment of his work, his upbringing, his marriages and his addictions.
Throughout the book Chris paints himself as an outsider. The third of three boys, his brothers are grown men when he is born, making him almost an only child. His affection for his parents shines through but his home life full of silence and distance. Therapy later in life entails searches for explanations for his demons but Chris feels it revealed little memory of conflict or unhappiness. Describing his childhood there are suspicions of infidelity, acts of jealous anger and feelings going unsaid – the latter something that precisely encapsulates his depiction of his relationship with Tilbrook.
Nicknamed “Mo” at school, an epithet I recall from my school years, lobbed at anyone who wasn’t “hard”, he’s not alpha enough to fit in through sport. Put in goal for football, “batting like a little girl and in running I walked”. His academic achievements are also limited, struggling with unrecognised dyslexia and to his father’s dismay inept at maths - “I was nice but dim”.
Withdrawing into a rich fantasy life with imaginary friends (which later became fantasy bands) he seems never to fit in, no matter where he is. From hippy to a skinhead who can’t stomach the casual violence it’s music that becomes his first and most abiding passion.
Chris is hard on himself, rarely giving himself any credit beyond a song or two. Even before the advent of Squeeze he feels he will never be as talented or intelligent as Keith Emerson or Robert Wyatt – something he says he is still coming to terms with. And yet he forms Porky’s Falling Spikes where he bluffs his way on bass, getting support slots with Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe and The Flaming Groovies. He brushes off his contribution as his ability to score drugs and load the truck whilst loaded himself. Not for the first time he dismisses his musical value - “the bluff was total”.
His dad tells him “If you join a rock n roll band son you’ll end up an alcoholic, a drug addict and skint”. According to Chris “it turns out he was absolutely right”. But rock and roll is the path he chooses and a stolen 50p earns him his introduction to Glenn Tilbrook. On meeting Glenn and his girlfriend Maxine Chris recalls “They were like Mary and Joseph. I may have been the donkey”. So not Jesus then.
Chris has spent four decades of being in awe of Tilbrook. Glenn teaches him new chords, and how to tune his guitar, Glenn’s voice Paul McCartney to his Lou Reed. A band is formed – briefly called “Cum” but in turn Squeeze. Chris the pens words, leaves them on the stairs and Glenn takes them away and turns them into songs. According to Chris, Glenn is “a born leader – something I’ve fought against from the start for no reason. After all, I could never do it myself”.
The ascent to stardom arrives at a gallop, possibly because the way drink and drugs have scrubbed holes in memories. Jools Holland joins the band – a real man’s man, “dangerous”, and in 1976 they sign on the line for £15 a week with Miles Copeland.
Initial record company indifference is matched only by the bands growing capacity for drink and drugs. Indifferent to the arrival of punk - “I was always looking for the lyric and I felt there was no depth to it” - Copeland spots an opportunity and with the addition of a few safety pins and some hair dye the recently new wave Squeeze sign to A&M and record an album despite star producer John Cale not because of him. “Take Me I’m Yours” (recorded when Cale was off ill) becomes a chart hit. “Rebels without any real cause” and no image to speak of they are off and running.
Many albums and tours follow, each seemingly invoking joy and anxiety in Difford, who takes refuge in drink. Difford depicts Tilbrook as the one with the vision and drive, whilst Difford finds himself resentful but unable to articulate his ideas and needs, sulky whilst fearful of Glenn’s reaction if he expresses any adverse comments. The parallel with his parent’s marriage is both obvious and unremarked upon.
Band members, managers and wives come and go but the bond that ties Chris and Glenn together has results in several incarnations of Squeeze and withstands an 8-year period where they barely spoke, reuniting for weddings and funerals. Chris frequently reflects on his discomfort with change whilst acknowledging Glenn’s ability to see the need and make it happen. It’s only when Chris finally accepts his addictions and goes into rehab - “I had become stuffed with sadness, but at last I was being unpacked” - that he finds a way to start working with others musicians as well “let go of all of my fear around my relationship with Glenn”.
Given the stark nature of the way he lays out his life and his failings it’s heartening to see the book close with Chris describing how he now enjoys performing both with Glenn as well as in his own right, and how he now has 25 years of sobriety behind him – a sobriety he touchingly dedicates to Glenn’s ex-girlfriend Maxine who reached out to Chris not long before she died to and opened his eyes to just how much he needed to get on the wagon.
Indeed, he seems to finally be at home with himself;” I still want to be that guy who sings “Cool For Cats, and I still want to be a little but famous. All the big cash is sadly gone but I still have socks in my shoes”. In recent years Glenn and Chris have toured an acoustic show with just the two of them – the “At Odds Couple” who start the show in bed Eric & Ernie style. Here’s hoping this odd couple keep going for many more years.
November 19, 2025
In my album collection, pretty much the highest number of albums I own are either by Bruce Springsteen or Squeeze. Squeeze is the best band you’ve likely never heard of. If I say “Tempted” then you’re likely to have an idea who I’m talking about.
At some point last year, I heard that frontman and lyricist Chris Difford had written a book. I had to read it, and blew through it in a few days.
Difford grew up in Greenwich, England. He lived a sort of rough life and could have turned out quite differently if he hadn’t turned to music. With the great lyrics he typically writes, I would have thought him to be well-read, but he was actually a pretty poor student. I’d read many years ago about how Difford and his songwriting partner Glenn Tilbrook met when Difford posted an advertisement for a guitarist. The two have had their fractious moments over the years, but they are the core of the great “slice of life” songs Squeeze has recorded since the 1970s.
To read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
At some point last year, I heard that frontman and lyricist Chris Difford had written a book. I had to read it, and blew through it in a few days.
Difford grew up in Greenwich, England. He lived a sort of rough life and could have turned out quite differently if he hadn’t turned to music. With the great lyrics he typically writes, I would have thought him to be well-read, but he was actually a pretty poor student. I’d read many years ago about how Difford and his songwriting partner Glenn Tilbrook met when Difford posted an advertisement for a guitarist. The two have had their fractious moments over the years, but they are the core of the great “slice of life” songs Squeeze has recorded since the 1970s.
To read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
October 23, 2022
One thing that Squeeze fans could talk about all day is Chris Difford’s lyricism. He’s a great writer, he has a knack for telling stories in song format. The classic that is “Up the Junction” still lives today not just because it’s catchy but more so the story it tells plays out in everyday life up to this day. The song carries nostalgia for the generations before, but sounds fresh to a listener today with its unique structure. It’s relatable, simple, but effective and well-written.
To me, any insight into the man who has made many fall in love and relate to Squeeze’s songs is a dream come true. I found the book after a year of listening to their music. I was giddy and full of excitement as any fan would be and read it within three weeks.
It’s a charming book. I can hear his voice clearly in the jokes he cracks and the way he visualizes memories. I found myself grinning at sarcastic remarks and metaphors he made with the hindsight of time. The writing felt genuine, personal and it was filled with honest self-reflection. While it doesn’t fit a linear story neatly, I don’t expect it to be that neat. Lives are often messy and unpredictable. He takes us through the whole journey, each year with its highs and lows, each year with its revelations and confusions. We see him circle back to the same problems when we thought they'd been resolved. It doesn’t make us think of him less, rather we root for him to find lessons along the way.
What I loved about each chapter was it wasn’t always about him, he wrote about people he loved, how they influenced him and made him better. He was prone to being a loner. He was someone who lived in his head most of the time. You see him climb out of his mind, his addictions and his grief with the help of his friends, family and support groups. While an autobiography is bound to touch on the people who impact the person’s life, Chris writes lovingly about them and they don’t just feel like a footnote. You feel his love for Glenn as he parallels a marriage to their songwriting partnership. You feel Jools’s energy in the way he describes him as a circus ringmaster. You brighten up whenever he’s with his children, his foundation for him to keep going. This is not just his story, but the story of the people around him.
It’s not perfect mind you. I feel like my reading was only elevated by the fact I loved his music and him as a person before going in. If someone was a casual listener of his work, I think they’d leave with good insight. But some parts may drag and feel repetitive. Oftentimes he spends too much time reintroducing recurring people with too many descriptors when we’re already familiar with who they are. This bleeds into him sharing his feelings of loneliness which appears throughout, and while one can run out of ways to describe emotions it can feel like you’re trudging the same path over and over again. I can praise it for being raw and messy like most humans feel their feelings, and how some problems cannot be solved overnight, but I wish he found new ways to reintroduce important people and feelings in each new chapter of his life. I know he’s talented in writing short stories through song, and how he takes one subject such as divorce in many of their lyrics and transforms this common issue through different situations and perspectives. I wish he brought that more onto the table.
His descriptions can also be a bit wordy. At best the book is a great scrapbook and collage of human life, flaws and all. His influences and experiences make up a great tapestry of who he is. As a whole, it might not be the most cohesive story. It jumps from time periods and careers quickly. It tackles not only his music, but his addictions, family life, relationships among many others. I had to keep in mind, as a Squeeze fan, that this book is about his life in and out of Squeeze. Some parts may be interesting to you, some may not. Despite my gripes, it’s a worthy read. You get an autobiography that’s more down-to-earth than most. Not many pop stars are writers, but he's a writer who happens to be one.
After I read the last page I didn’t see him just as the lyricist of my favorite band, I saw him as an imperfect but genuine father, the oh-so-loved youngest son, a man whose dreams came true and a humble soul who tries his best. He seems like someone I would know in my family or neighborhood.
For him to end with him saying he’s found his own fantastic place after sixty years warmed my heart– It makes a young reader like me realize there is much more to life than the spectacular big moments, and Chris would know coming from a successful band.
It is hard to condense a full life like his into three hundred pages. In fact, I expected something else when I first started reading the book. I expected a story of a man who lived the pop star life and eventually settled down. While it’s probably just that to some, it delved deeper into unexpected territories. I never knew how big addiction was a presence in his life, how much of a family man he was or how fast-paced and unstable much of his life was even after the heyday of Squeeze.
In the end, I can only remember myself laughing and being deeply moved by his words. He took me through a stroll in Deptford, a ride in his Audi, a bumpy airplane ride and in the end sat me down in a cozy home in the countryside. He's all over the place and he doesn't hide it- it's been an entertaining and emotional read.
I recommend this book to anyone who knows a bit about him. Whether you’re a diehard Squeeze fan or someone who knows him by name, learning more about his life doesn’t feel like the backstage of a sold-out stadium, it feels like being welcomed in a home. If you don’t know who he is, this book can lead you to listening to some of the best music out there. Whatever the case, the stories in here probably aren’t so far from your own.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned from him is that it’s the everyday moments that matter, just like the songs he pens. There is much to love in a single cup of tea or a stroll in the park– that and a million more tiny memories make up your own fantastic place.
To me, any insight into the man who has made many fall in love and relate to Squeeze’s songs is a dream come true. I found the book after a year of listening to their music. I was giddy and full of excitement as any fan would be and read it within three weeks.
It’s a charming book. I can hear his voice clearly in the jokes he cracks and the way he visualizes memories. I found myself grinning at sarcastic remarks and metaphors he made with the hindsight of time. The writing felt genuine, personal and it was filled with honest self-reflection. While it doesn’t fit a linear story neatly, I don’t expect it to be that neat. Lives are often messy and unpredictable. He takes us through the whole journey, each year with its highs and lows, each year with its revelations and confusions. We see him circle back to the same problems when we thought they'd been resolved. It doesn’t make us think of him less, rather we root for him to find lessons along the way.
What I loved about each chapter was it wasn’t always about him, he wrote about people he loved, how they influenced him and made him better. He was prone to being a loner. He was someone who lived in his head most of the time. You see him climb out of his mind, his addictions and his grief with the help of his friends, family and support groups. While an autobiography is bound to touch on the people who impact the person’s life, Chris writes lovingly about them and they don’t just feel like a footnote. You feel his love for Glenn as he parallels a marriage to their songwriting partnership. You feel Jools’s energy in the way he describes him as a circus ringmaster. You brighten up whenever he’s with his children, his foundation for him to keep going. This is not just his story, but the story of the people around him.
It’s not perfect mind you. I feel like my reading was only elevated by the fact I loved his music and him as a person before going in. If someone was a casual listener of his work, I think they’d leave with good insight. But some parts may drag and feel repetitive. Oftentimes he spends too much time reintroducing recurring people with too many descriptors when we’re already familiar with who they are. This bleeds into him sharing his feelings of loneliness which appears throughout, and while one can run out of ways to describe emotions it can feel like you’re trudging the same path over and over again. I can praise it for being raw and messy like most humans feel their feelings, and how some problems cannot be solved overnight, but I wish he found new ways to reintroduce important people and feelings in each new chapter of his life. I know he’s talented in writing short stories through song, and how he takes one subject such as divorce in many of their lyrics and transforms this common issue through different situations and perspectives. I wish he brought that more onto the table.
His descriptions can also be a bit wordy. At best the book is a great scrapbook and collage of human life, flaws and all. His influences and experiences make up a great tapestry of who he is. As a whole, it might not be the most cohesive story. It jumps from time periods and careers quickly. It tackles not only his music, but his addictions, family life, relationships among many others. I had to keep in mind, as a Squeeze fan, that this book is about his life in and out of Squeeze. Some parts may be interesting to you, some may not. Despite my gripes, it’s a worthy read. You get an autobiography that’s more down-to-earth than most. Not many pop stars are writers, but he's a writer who happens to be one.
After I read the last page I didn’t see him just as the lyricist of my favorite band, I saw him as an imperfect but genuine father, the oh-so-loved youngest son, a man whose dreams came true and a humble soul who tries his best. He seems like someone I would know in my family or neighborhood.
For him to end with him saying he’s found his own fantastic place after sixty years warmed my heart– It makes a young reader like me realize there is much more to life than the spectacular big moments, and Chris would know coming from a successful band.
It is hard to condense a full life like his into three hundred pages. In fact, I expected something else when I first started reading the book. I expected a story of a man who lived the pop star life and eventually settled down. While it’s probably just that to some, it delved deeper into unexpected territories. I never knew how big addiction was a presence in his life, how much of a family man he was or how fast-paced and unstable much of his life was even after the heyday of Squeeze.
In the end, I can only remember myself laughing and being deeply moved by his words. He took me through a stroll in Deptford, a ride in his Audi, a bumpy airplane ride and in the end sat me down in a cozy home in the countryside. He's all over the place and he doesn't hide it- it's been an entertaining and emotional read.
I recommend this book to anyone who knows a bit about him. Whether you’re a diehard Squeeze fan or someone who knows him by name, learning more about his life doesn’t feel like the backstage of a sold-out stadium, it feels like being welcomed in a home. If you don’t know who he is, this book can lead you to listening to some of the best music out there. Whatever the case, the stories in here probably aren’t so far from your own.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned from him is that it’s the everyday moments that matter, just like the songs he pens. There is much to love in a single cup of tea or a stroll in the park– that and a million more tiny memories make up your own fantastic place.
August 11, 2021
It was a book that for me never really got going, it never reached any speed even during the peak years of Squeeze. I love Squeeze and I think that Chris is an excellent lyricist so I was sad to find I didn't enjoy this book. I found it quite dull and I read it to get through it rather than because I was enjoying it.
At points Chris was very insightful and talked often about personal issues such as his addiction issues but on the other hand I felt the book lacked any emotional depth (or depth in general) because it seemed that he often skimmed over telling the reader how he truly felt. Situations such as the breakdown of his marriage or Jools Holland's departure from Squeeze are covered in a paragraph or swept over very quickly. I felt he was giving a surface level, best behaviour version of everything as he rarely showed any dislike towards anyone even when situations must have really annoyed him and sometimes it was clear there was more going on at the time than he was letting on.
However the sections on his time in rehab and subsequent therapy experiences were very interesting and these sections also help to give a better understanding of the rest of the book. There is a lot of self-analysis throughout the book (which I liked) and I think this is a result of Chris having a large amount of therapy in the last 25 years, overcoming his addiction issues and a gaining a new way of life and perspective.
As I've written this review I have realised that I actually did like the book, it was just poorly edited and if the editing had been better I would have rated it higher. From reading the book Chris seems a nice man who has had an excellent music career with many great, interesting anecdotes but there were also some less interesting, 'filler' sections. Editing should have stripped these down and should have asked for more detail on some sections - I feel his partnership with Glenn Tilbrook is mainly skimmed over to just factual statements, more insight and feeling in to that would have been nice.
I'd recommend this book to any Squeeze fan and any fan of music.
At points Chris was very insightful and talked often about personal issues such as his addiction issues but on the other hand I felt the book lacked any emotional depth (or depth in general) because it seemed that he often skimmed over telling the reader how he truly felt. Situations such as the breakdown of his marriage or Jools Holland's departure from Squeeze are covered in a paragraph or swept over very quickly. I felt he was giving a surface level, best behaviour version of everything as he rarely showed any dislike towards anyone even when situations must have really annoyed him and sometimes it was clear there was more going on at the time than he was letting on.
However the sections on his time in rehab and subsequent therapy experiences were very interesting and these sections also help to give a better understanding of the rest of the book. There is a lot of self-analysis throughout the book (which I liked) and I think this is a result of Chris having a large amount of therapy in the last 25 years, overcoming his addiction issues and a gaining a new way of life and perspective.
As I've written this review I have realised that I actually did like the book, it was just poorly edited and if the editing had been better I would have rated it higher. From reading the book Chris seems a nice man who has had an excellent music career with many great, interesting anecdotes but there were also some less interesting, 'filler' sections. Editing should have stripped these down and should have asked for more detail on some sections - I feel his partnership with Glenn Tilbrook is mainly skimmed over to just factual statements, more insight and feeling in to that would have been nice.
I'd recommend this book to any Squeeze fan and any fan of music.
December 15, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography. Difford is engaging and honest, and writes as well as I'd expect from such an accomplished lyricist.
As a fan of Squeeze's early music and recent work (such as the soundtrack to Danny Baker's Cradle to the Grave series), I was interested in the background to the music and to learn about Difford's approach to songwriting. I also liked the details of place, with his love of south London and Sussex much in evidence. Although Difford covers life in and out of Squeeze with as much detail and openness as I would have hoped, he also explores much more about life in general. Difford details his struggles with drugs and alcohol, and the progress he has made in all aspects of his life thanks to recovery (and his generous supporters in this, such as the very loyal Elton John).
Overall, Chris Difford comes across as an emotional (in a likeable way) person, with a warm love for his friends and family. The descriptions of his love and gratitude to Squeeze's instigator and muse, Maxine, are as moving as I have read anywhere.
As a fan of Squeeze's early music and recent work (such as the soundtrack to Danny Baker's Cradle to the Grave series), I was interested in the background to the music and to learn about Difford's approach to songwriting. I also liked the details of place, with his love of south London and Sussex much in evidence. Although Difford covers life in and out of Squeeze with as much detail and openness as I would have hoped, he also explores much more about life in general. Difford details his struggles with drugs and alcohol, and the progress he has made in all aspects of his life thanks to recovery (and his generous supporters in this, such as the very loyal Elton John).
Overall, Chris Difford comes across as an emotional (in a likeable way) person, with a warm love for his friends and family. The descriptions of his love and gratitude to Squeeze's instigator and muse, Maxine, are as moving as I have read anywhere.
January 10, 2020
I like that this is written in the author's own voice, not through a ghost writer. The structure of the book is imperfect, sometimes the writing is imperfect, the stories don't tell me the intricacies of the great songs, but the honesty, and the readiness to address the dark as well as the light, and the absolute lack of self congratulation make this book a great read for a Squeeze fan.
Chris Difford tells the story as he sees it, and in the telling the reader gets a great insight into the man and the people around him. Despite having many demons, he is slow to criticize, and when he does, it is balanced.
The amazing constant though this book is that Chris never dwells on just how amazing a songwriter he is.
For me, memorable other 'own voice' music stories include 'Bedsit Disco Queen' by Tracey Thorn and 'Here comes everybody' by James Fearnley of the Pogues, and this is right up there.
Chris Difford tells the story as he sees it, and in the telling the reader gets a great insight into the man and the people around him. Despite having many demons, he is slow to criticize, and when he does, it is balanced.
The amazing constant though this book is that Chris never dwells on just how amazing a songwriter he is.
For me, memorable other 'own voice' music stories include 'Bedsit Disco Queen' by Tracey Thorn and 'Here comes everybody' by James Fearnley of the Pogues, and this is right up there.
August 24, 2025
Along with his long-time musical partner Glenn Tilbrook and his bandmates from Squeeze, Chris Difford has gifted the world with some of the most memorable songs of the late 70s/80s British New Wave invasion. "Tempted," "Pulling Mussels from a Shell" and "Black Coffee in Bed" only scratch the surface of this creative and soulful Englishman's output. This book is a wonderful journey through the evolution of Squeeze, who many called "the next Lennon and McCartney," and it examines what happens when fame grows just a tiny bit colder. But Squeeze and Chris Difford have created some unforgettable records well beyond the 1980s, and this book is just another example of Chris' captivating voice and ability to compel decades after his band's first hit record. Not a self-indulgent rock and roll memoir, "Some Fantastic Place" is a tour through some very rarified space in the music industry with a very talented and honest "regular guy" and hitmaker as your guide.
October 8, 2017
Real writers paint with words so thoroughly that you can viscerally see, smell, and taste the scenes in writing. They leave you shaken or moved. This is what I loved about Chris Difford before reading the book.
This book is an extended version of the great storytelling he uses in his lyrics. Great art feels like falling in love to me. I could not have been more in love with Difford when I finished his book today. I just want to give him a big hug for his journey to and from recovery from addiction (of course, recovery is life long) and everything before and after it.
There are parts that will have you howling with laughter and other parts that make you want to weep for the sad boy Chris still carries within him.
Recommended for fans of Chris and/or Squeeze.
This book is an extended version of the great storytelling he uses in his lyrics. Great art feels like falling in love to me. I could not have been more in love with Difford when I finished his book today. I just want to give him a big hug for his journey to and from recovery from addiction (of course, recovery is life long) and everything before and after it.
There are parts that will have you howling with laughter and other parts that make you want to weep for the sad boy Chris still carries within him.
Recommended for fans of Chris and/or Squeeze.
July 30, 2019
Warm and candid, and you’ll want to read it with your phone nearby to play the songs he refers to. Early chapters about his child and teenhood are outstanding. He’s very open about the emotional ups and downs of life in a band. Much discussion of AA and his recovery, and he’s clearly besotted with his current wife and family situation. Most surprising fact, tossed off in a single paragraph and never mentioned again: during a lull in his music career he went to school for and became a therapist. Huh!
Back half of the book is a little wandery and might have benefited from a stronger editorial hand. But it’s nice to see that the guy who wrote my favorite album has found peace and love and happiness, so I’m happy to indulge it.
Back half of the book is a little wandery and might have benefited from a stronger editorial hand. But it’s nice to see that the guy who wrote my favorite album has found peace and love and happiness, so I’m happy to indulge it.
September 28, 2019
One of the dangers of autobiography is...well...the auto part. All too often I long for someone else to have written the story of the subject so that I could have been party to more nuance, more depth and, for sure, a little more context. The inherent preservation filter on autobiography keeps everything just a little too clean and safe and this is no exception. I enjoyed the book as a fan of Squeeze, but there's nothing too groundbreaking within its pages. It's a fan book...and offers a nice read as long as expectations are kept to a minimum. I would LOVE to know however, why Chris chose to NOT specifically call out, Glen Tillbrook, his main Squeeze partner in his acknowledgements...conspicuous by its absence.
May 2, 2018
Difford's writing ability are not limited to the the wonderful lyrics he writes. This is a very readable and enjoyable book of his tempestuous journey through life.
It's a very involving book and not as self-obsessed with himself as some former addicts books have been (Hello, Eric!!).
I hadn't been aware of his relationships with Bryan Ferry and Elton John, or that Pete Townshend provided some mentoring during one of his periods of rehab.
At the core of the book is his relationship with Glenn Tilbrook and there is an air of bromance about.
Chris is in a good place now and I, for one, hope that this continues.
It's a very involving book and not as self-obsessed with himself as some former addicts books have been (Hello, Eric!!).
I hadn't been aware of his relationships with Bryan Ferry and Elton John, or that Pete Townshend provided some mentoring during one of his periods of rehab.
At the core of the book is his relationship with Glenn Tilbrook and there is an air of bromance about.
Chris is in a good place now and I, for one, hope that this continues.
November 6, 2017
It'd be unfair to state that Difford is a better songwriter than he is an author, but, well, he is! You almost get more of an impression of his personality by listening to Up the Junction or Black Coffee in Bed than you do from this account. But I suppose you could say that is why good songwriting is an art, whereas an autobiography is more of a set of remembrances, observations and impressions. I liked the book, it's worth reading, but it's his songs I will recall long after I've forgotten most of what he's written here.
December 29, 2017
Fans of Squeeze or not (and why not?) will find it interesting and enjoyable, I believe.
It’s well written, painting a vivid picture of a sensitive man who started a band and then had to cope with the highs and lows of the music industry and his own demons.
Being a loyal fan of Squeeze, Chris Difford, and Glenn Tilbrook, this was a must read for me, and I devoured every page—I’m full, but without that heavy, uncomfortable feeling you get from some of those other bloated and fatty memoirs.
It’s a terrific story, and I’m thankful Mr Difford chose to share his experiences with us.
It’s well written, painting a vivid picture of a sensitive man who started a band and then had to cope with the highs and lows of the music industry and his own demons.
Being a loyal fan of Squeeze, Chris Difford, and Glenn Tilbrook, this was a must read for me, and I devoured every page—I’m full, but without that heavy, uncomfortable feeling you get from some of those other bloated and fatty memoirs.
It’s a terrific story, and I’m thankful Mr Difford chose to share his experiences with us.
March 22, 2021
Actual rating: 3.5
I knew the hits from Squeeze and think that 45s and Under is the best singles compilation you can get, but had never bought a studio album other than the underrated Some Fantastic Place. While I enjoyed this memoir, I enjoyed listening to the music along with it even more. Sprinkling that music listening in amongst all my other music listening is what made me take almost 3 months to finish this. That was a choice I made, though, and not indicative of anything lacking with Difford's tale.
I knew the hits from Squeeze and think that 45s and Under is the best singles compilation you can get, but had never bought a studio album other than the underrated Some Fantastic Place. While I enjoyed this memoir, I enjoyed listening to the music along with it even more. Sprinkling that music listening in amongst all my other music listening is what made me take almost 3 months to finish this. That was a choice I made, though, and not indicative of anything lacking with Difford's tale.
March 8, 2022
What a book. I loved Chris's 'matter of fact' manner in describing his life. He seems to have no ego and was very down to earth in describing the ups and downs of both his career and well being. I enjoyed playing different songs that he has written whilst reading about their creation. The nomadic life of a musician doesn't appear to suit marriage! I also liked the way he tenderly described his feelings for loved ones who had passed away. The book covers his becoming dependent on alcohol and the rehab that followed which became a daily part of his life. And he wrote 'Cool For Cats' - Superb
October 11, 2023
I quite enjoyed this book. Chris Difford does not hold back on his life, its high points and low points. I found it quite interesting to read about all of his struggles with drugs and alcohol and that he hardly if at all played on any Squeeze album for years. I found however that the ending of the book was drawn out and he could have summed it up better. Also, the extra chapter he added did not really do much for the narrative of the book.
December 21, 2023
I rarely say this, but in this case I wish there was an in between 3 and 4.
Overall I liked it and I learned a lot of interesting things about Chris Difford and Squeeze. The first half had a bit too much navel-gazing for me and not enough about his song writing process, how he developed it, how he learned and realized he had a talent for it.
The second half covered more about his time outside of Squeeze, which I knew nothing about and enjoyed.
Overall I liked it and I learned a lot of interesting things about Chris Difford and Squeeze. The first half had a bit too much navel-gazing for me and not enough about his song writing process, how he developed it, how he learned and realized he had a talent for it.
The second half covered more about his time outside of Squeeze, which I knew nothing about and enjoyed.
July 17, 2019
The Squeeze fan in me absolutely loved this book. The editor in me wishes a little more time had been spent checking continuity and shaping a slightly smoother narrative (a couple of stories are repeated and contradicted). Overall, though, Difford's prose is lovely, and it's nice to gain some deeper insight into my favorite band.
March 24, 2021
I’m a big Squeeze fan so this book was a real treat. Chris Difford is very open and honest about his addiction issues and crises of confidence. At the same time, some of his anecdotes are hilarious. I did lose interest towards the end and found a few factual errors, but otherwise a very enjoyable abs interesting read.
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