Memory Songs: A Personal Journey Into the Music that Shaped the 90s

by James Cook

This is the story of a music-obsessed boy’s journey from his bedroom in Hitchin to the heart of nineties London just as Britpop is about to explode...

From James Cook’s early encounters with pop’s pioneers – Revolver heard for the first time, Led Zeppelin glimpsed on evening TV – through an adolescence in which friendships are forged on a mutual love for the Velvet Underground, to the high-stakes gamble of moving to the metropolis, the years between the assassination of John Lennon and Kurt Cobain’s suicide are mapped in musical memories. Along the way, we explore the diverse influences that fuelled the nineties guitar pop boom, from John Barry to Bryan Ferry, and follow James as he forms a band with his twin brother and releases a critically acclaimed debut album.

More than a memoir, Memory Songs  stands as a testament to music’s power over the imagination, the way it punctuates our past and shapes our future. Woven through with meditations on the artists who defined the UK's last legendary scene, it delivers a passionate analysis of the music that shaped a crucial moment in British cultural history. 

Genres: Music

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2018

About the author

James Cook was originally a musician and songwriter for the band Flamingoes. His first book, Memory Songs, an exploration of the music that shaped the 90s, was published in 2018. His second book, In Her Room: How Music Helped Me Connect With My Autistic Daughter was published in 2020. His short fiction has appeared in the anthology Vagabond Holes, and his journalism and essays have appeared in the Guardian and Boundless magazine, among others. He lives in London.

Reviews

[Jennifer Ozawa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I was expecting something different. This is a pretty standard guy-in-a-rock-band memoir. Only a handful of songs are discussed but in the service of the author’s stories.

[britt_brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Nothing stays with you like music you loved between the ages of fifteen and nineteen.”

So true.

I was not familiar with James Cook prior to requesting this from NetGalley, but I’m a fan now. He’s so passionate, and even though I don’t share the exact same passion, reading about the music that shaped him made me happy. I was impressed by his writing and knack for storytelling.

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Cook, co-frontman for the band Flamingoes, has written a combination of memoir and analysis of the elements that go into making the seminal songs that resonate and define who you are in a tribal “us against them” way. For me, 1991-1999 were the years I was able to stop lamenting that I missed the 1960s. Therefore, if you think Britpop -- even if you hate that label -- was the last great musical movement on planet Earth, this is the book for you. It certainly got me thinking about the similarities and differences -- mostly similarities -- to my own experience of the era despite living on a different continent. And yes, I am back to being pissed about missing the '60s though I can at least say I did not miss the '90's.

It is clear that, like me, James Cook thought the '80’s were largely an abysmal decade with its reliance on drum machines and synthesizers. However, British synth pop seemed pretty good in comparison to what was happening in the U.S. at the time (I was actually in London in 1982 and it seemed like another universe where obscure underground bands like XTC, the Stranglers, The Jam, Kraftwerk, the Sex Pistols, and the Psychedelic Furs were on national television and blaring from car radios….and Soft Cell was not just a one-hit wonder). At that time, I couldn’t imagine that mainstream music would ever be good again in America. And to remind myself just how bad it was, I looked up the Top 40 for August 1991 (the month before Nirvana broke) and it was all “Hair Metal,” Mariah Carey, Color Me Badd, and Don Henley. All of this was temporarily swept away by Nirvana (at least as far as MTV was concerned).

While it took the author a while to come around to Nirvana [it was probably the flannel shirts and stringy hair that were the antithesis of "glam"], we in America saw a guy who exemplified the punk aesthetic [he wore a Flipper shirt on Saturday Night Live for chrissakes] yet admitted to liking the Beatles and ABBA. We certainly never renounced the Beatles, but we were never really “punk” either. That’s because punk had moved away from the fun 1970s version, to a sort of humorless buff-guy, straight edge mentality where admitting you listened to anything so “lame” as the Beatles would be heresy (we know, we made a bunch of NY skinhead house guests listen to the Mamas and Papas once).

Of course it didn’t last long as Cobain’s suicide cast a pall over much of 1994, that is until October of that year. That’s when Oasis, a band that were already playing stadiums in London, arrived at Maxwell’s, a tiny club in Hoboken, NJ that held 100 people. We were the only Americans in the audience thanks to my having read a gushing piece in the NME by someone who was clearly besotted by the group. The only other "Britpop" band we had been listening to at that point was Blur’s Leisure [which I realize the band themselves consider to be their worst album...it's still great].

I could literally go on and on citing my own experiences with the music referenced here as I am familiar with most of it (with the exception of the Triffids and the Waterboys which I am now motivated to seek out), and the personal story of how Jude and James dropped everything at 18 to move to London and become starving artists is a moving one (both brothers even gave up a place at Cambridge University). They came very close to making it too, until Elektra UK imploded. I was actually thinking of comparing this to that other rock and roll bio about an a band most people never heard of, Sick On You, the story of the Hollywood Brats, when I got to the part where Cook mentions that his "cool" uncle actually owned the Brats' album.

Keep in mind that you do not need to own the Flamingoes’ album in order to enjoy the book. However, I was motivated to read it because I am one of about 8,000 people in America who has a copy [I base this on some Soundscan figures I recall seeing circa 1996 because I worked at the U.S. label that licensed it for release here]. Inexplicably, it is not even on Spotify. (You can go to YouTube and look for the official videos for “Scenester,” or “Teenage Emergency” to get an idea of what they sound like). I would say it is a much better album than the Hollywood Brats [and that is available for download at least]. As for this book, I was able to get it as an ebook from Barnes and Noble (because I want Amazon to get as little of my money as possible).

[PS, The bizarre coincidence that really got Plastic Jewels noticed at press was the fact that it has the same cover photo as the Fountains of Wayne’s eponymous debut. When both albums arrived in journalists’ mailboxes simultaneously, all over the country, it caused an instantaneous uproar and the phones blew up. The album also got universally good reviews and some Sunday night specialty radio airplay in places like Los Angeles. Too bad that did not translate to more sales].

[Bob Schnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Cook is one of the twin brothers that formed the British band the Flamingoes in the 1990s. His unusual memoir "Memory Songs" tells his tale of musical obsession a song or album at a time. If you've never heard of the Flamingoes, don't worry, it isn't necessary to enjoy the book. I simply enjoyed it more because I am familiar with the band and most of the touchstone music that guided James on his journey.

From the Beatles album "Revolver" to the Nirvana song "All Apologies" we walk beside James as he grows up with music as his fascination and life force. As a fan, he lets us know what makes any specific artist stand out. As a musician he breaks down the songs to let us know why their lyrics, structure, chord progression, etc make them worthy of a permanent place in his memory. As a young man growing up in Britain from 1970 to 2000 he lets us in to his personal life and how these songs resonated to him and his situation. If you are not familiar with a song, I recommend bringing it up on YouTube since James is often won over by a band by their TV appearances.

If music is just bubblegum for your brain, this is not the book for you. If you've ever spent time digging beneath the surface of a song, I recommend it.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

One man's journey through the first 20-odd years of his life, told through the songs that meant the most to him at various points on that journey.

Why do certain songs grab us and never let go? Why can I remember the words to almost every Oasis song, but not why I just walked through to the kitchen?

Anyone for whom music isn't just the background noise will love this memoir.

[Axelle Blanpain · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars

👏🏻 I loved how well documented this book was on some bands & artists

👍🏻 Great if you’d like to know more about what being in a band was like in the 80’s 90’s in the UK.

👎🏻 this book wasn’t exactly what I expected. While I love music and share some favorites with the author, I didn’t expect that the book would be mainly focused around his personal experience as a musician

[Ophelia Sings · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Cook's poignant memoir isn't just about the songs that saved your life - it's about the songs that made your life, too. As somebody who was 'created' by Bowie, Morrissey, and a whole cherished cast of others, this tale of a life in music truly touched a chord; from the first stirrings of curiosity as a child, to the hunger to get inside the music which compels you to pick up an instrument for the first time, to the friendships and lifelong bonds that music creates - it's all here.

Memory Songs is a memoir unlike any I've read, soundtracked as it is by Cook's most beloved songs and albums (many of which are familiar friends, some of which I revisited - joyously - after reading, a few of which were new to me and, being me, I had to investigate further. And I'm glad I did). Cook writes with great warmth and sensitivity; his relationships with his parents and his brother are often quite affecting, and I have yet to read, anywhere else, more touchingly honest and moving words on the topic of Richey Edwards.

For me, Memory Songs was something of a personal journey - I lived in London in the mid-90s and there were a fair few recognisable faces (Kevin, the drummer in Cook's band, being particularly memorable from my days propping up Camden bars). But there's something personal for everyone who's ever loved music here - for anyone who's ever felt that rush of adrenaline at the start of a show, who's made a mix tape for the object of their affection, who's studied sleeve art for hidden meaning, who's worn the t shirt or the hairstyle to identify oneself to like minds. It's about music as life, not background, and it's actually pretty perfect.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ian Tuton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your ordinary rock and rock memoir. Rather it is the tale of a boy who grew up listening to The Beatles , and watching James Bond films. His musical tastes were added to in the 1980's and by the 1990's not only was he listening to different music again( Manic Street Preachers, Nirvana and Pulp ) but formed his own band-The Flamingoes- who toured extensively and released their own album. The album was influenced by what was heard before and particular songs along the way signpost this.He may be looking back but also has some interesting thoughts on today's music industry.
The author can certainly write and is well read as well . The book is less than 300 pages but the story is told with style and humour that will engage you from start to finish.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me of Dick Clark's "Music is the Soundtrack of our Lives."
As someone who grew up in the 1990s, so many of Cook's stories resonated me, even as I was across an ocean and completely musically untalented.

I loved so many of the stories, and so many of the artists and songs featured were personal favorites of mine.

Those who grew up as music lovers in the 1990s will really enjoy this book.

[Elaine Mullane || Elaine and the Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big music fan and had a music blog for years and worked with a few music/arts & culture publications, so I was very much drawn to this book. As well as being about the music that shaped the 90s period, this is also a story about the personal journey of James Cook, who grew up listening to music in his bedroom before moving to the heart of London circa Britpop explosion.

The book chronicles Cook's musical timeline, from his early interests to his own experimentation with music and forming a band, and I did enjoy the story. The focus here is heavily on British music, although the writer's many musical inspirations are referred to and provide context for his anecdotes. I am not a fan of Britpop, really, so some parts of this book were difficult to connect with. When someone is speaking about something you also love, you can really feel the passion emanating from the source and you can really get into it, but on the other side, when the topic doesn't hold as much interest for you, the writer's views can come across as slightly dramatic.

Despite a heavy use of cliché in the opening pages (and a little more throughout), this is an engaging book, especially if you share Cook's love of certain 90s music. Personally, my interest lagged a little in parts. My love of music is deeply ingrained in bands such as Nirvana and Led Zeppelin (to name a couple) and I found these relevant sections relatable and enjoyable. 2.5 stars, rounded up.

[Simon Jakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memory Songs is already a favourite book of mine. Exceptionally well written and very smart. Funny at times. Hilarious at times. I had a warm smile on my face throughout reading the book, it was such an infectious read I couldn’t wait to turn the page. A real life musical journey. I feel so lucky to share many of James’ memory songs and memories of the music scene at that time , my heart tingled as I reminisced my own youth.

[Ann T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Unbound and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book and reminiscing about the music of the 90’s. It was great to spend a few days reading about some of my ‘memory songs’ amd such great music.

Highly recommended for anyone who loved the music of the 90’s.