How Does It Feel?: A Life of Musical Misadventures

by Mark Kermode

'A rattling tornado of a tale' DANNY BAKER

'Wonderful and wry . . . it will increase your zest for life' RICHARD AYOADE

Following a formative encounter with the British pop movie Slade in Flame in 1975 , Mark Kermode decided that musical superstardom was totally attainable. And so, armed with a homemade electric guitar and very little talent, he embarked on an alternative career - a chaotic journey which would take him from the halls and youth clubs of North London to the stages of Glastonbury, the London Palladium and The Royal Albert Hall.

HOW DOES IT FEEL? follows a lifetime of musical misadventures which have seen Mark striking rockstar poses in the Sixth Form Common Room, striding around a string of TV shows dressed from head to foot in black leather, getting heckled off stage by a bunch of angry septuagenarians on a boat on the Mersey, showing Timmy Mallet how to build a tea-chest bass - and winning the International Street Entertainers of the Year award as part of a new wave of skiffle. Really.

Hilarious, self-deprecating and blissfully nostalgic, this is a riotous account of a bedroom dreamer's attempts to conquer the world armed with nothing more than a chancer's enthusiasm and a simple how hard can it be?

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography, Film, Biography Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 20, 2018

Reviews

[Jo Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean, this is just Mark Kermode waffling on about skiffle and the Comsat Angels, but if you like that kind of thing it's a very soothing read. He makes quite a convincing case for skiffle bands being very punk rock, and made me want to play a washboard. I always like his mixture of bolshiness and self-deprecation, and the section about learning the harmonica where he confesses "I didn't want to be good - I just wanted to get away with it", reminded me why we are such great imaginary friends.

[F.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I primarily know Mark Kermode – like most people, no doubt – as the UK’s leading film critic. So, this version of his life story, focusing only on his musical adventures, was like peering into an alternative universe. Yes, I remember him being in the house band on Danny Baker’s early 90s chat show (and on a more personal note, remember being an eighteen year old in his wife’s tutor group at Liverpool and Mark coming in to ask us about The Lemonheads as he was interviewing the band later and – at that point – didn’t know anything about them), but really when I think of Mark Kermode, I think of films. And, yeah, THE EXORCIST in particular.

But the man has, as well as being a stupendous film critic, built himself a quite impressive music career. Lord knows where he found the time.

We have it all here: the dodgy bands, the dodgy gigs, the dodgy haircuts. Anyone who has read his film books will know, he’s a genial narrator. Witty and self-depreciating to a point where he actually jumps up and down to advertise his flaws. Probably lays claim to flaws that aren’t really there, in fact.

I used the word ‘adventures’ above, rather than the ‘misadventures’ of the book’s subtitle. It seems like any man whose band has played the Barbican and Glastonbury, as well as performing solos at The Royal Festival Hall (even if all those things triggered imposter syndrome in him) has been on an adventure more than anything else. Besides, I listened to his current band The Dodge Brothers after reading this, and an Elvis fan like me can’t help but appreciate them. So, adventures it is and hopefully there are many more to come.

[Chris Cowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable. I like Mark and enjoy listening to him on the radio. However, his voice solo with no leavening from eg a Simon Mayo - 285 pages is a tad too much. Also, He seems barely aware of his audience when playing live, at least there's little sense of connection between him and audience, which is part of the essence of live music. He's better on movies than on music!

[Henry Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason I love Mark Kermode so much is that he's consistently so self-effacing. I know some people get the idea of arrogance from him but as he illustrates again and again through this lovely ride, he's always willing to make himself the butt of the joke for a great story. Also, I know he's "the film guy", but he truly never writes better than when he's talking about his love for Linda.
Anyway, guess I'm going to go and listen to Comsat Angels now!

[Jeff Howells · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bizarrely, for a person who has made his name as a film critic and has written several books about that medium, this book about his other life as a musician is his most enjoyable.
The trouble is with Kermode the author, as opposed to the critic, is that he thinks he’s funnier than he actually is. Thankfully he’s (mostly) dialled down the bad humour and this is a pretty enjoyable alternative memoir - of a secondary but surprisingly successful career.

[Stephen Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute delight. I must confess to being a huge Kermode fan from his film and culture pieces - from film intros, reviews, interviews, show with Mayo and his sadly recently retired weekly film music show on Scala.

I was aware of The Good Doctors musical prowess on the double bass for the Dodge Brothers when I saw them perform in London a good 10+ years ago, and Kermode do one of his (personally feared) harmonica performances at of the film music concerts he hosted.

I was however, totally ignorant of the story of his origins in them music world pre-all-things-film and found this book to be a fascinating insight into the musical mind of Kermode from teenage punk and transitioning into skiffle.

Some of the most enjoyable parts were reading his passion, enthusiasm and frustrations at the lack of knowledge that existed in the 70’s / 80’s about learning an instrument (when compared to the wealth of knowledge new people picking up instruments today can get on the internet), trying to work out parts to a song, the horrendous build quality of starter guitars back then and the astonishing cost of the known brands. This resulted in him building his own ‘futuristic’ looking guitar from a plan, which provided some great anecdotes.

As a guitarist myself, I took great enjoyment and shared pains in Kermodes descriptions of blisters, struggled with learning and the enjoyment that comes from both learning an instrument and unlocking the secrets of your favourite songs. His use of musical language was always at the right level, but I feel those without any knowledge would struggle with his details.

Many great stories are featured (including his long quest to try and catch the attention of lovely Linda) as he rubs shoulders with many of his idols and locales, rubs quite a few people the wrong way with the punk playing. The amount of bands he forms throughout is nothing short of astounding. Mark admits that some of these stories maybe a tad embellished (intentionally or perhaps just genuinely forgetting the minor details), never let the truth get in the way of a good story. After-all, isn’t music history full of exaggerations and inflated egos.

Marks writing style is personable, witty, self-deprecating, occasionally meandering but what always comes across is his passion and downright shock at how lucky he feels he’s been at every step. An essential read for anyone that is into the love of music and it’s history, playing an instrument and mostly Kermode, who based on the emotional weight he puts on these moments of life I would say his biggest interest in not film but music. His passions best summed up by what he declares he wants on his tombstone.

“Married to Linda Ruth William,
Father of Georgia and Gabriel,
Once co-wrote a script with William Friedkin,
Recorded at Sun Studio, Memphis”.

P.S. I’m surprised it took him the first 2/3 of the book to mention The Exorcist

[Andrew Garvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most purely enjoyable, positive, fun book I've read all year, Mark Kermode's account of his progression from a failed teenage rock star to member of a moderately successful, well-reviewed part-time band (the Dodge Brothers) is a tremendous, decades-long story rammed with self-deprecating anecdotes and asides, loving tributes to his musical heroes and the sheer pleasure of music. And just winging it.

Kermode is an excellent, engaging writer and, as a "clueless chancer" who fell arse-backwards into musical adventures time and time again, his enthusiasm is infectious and almost adorable. Along the way, he explains the history of the electric guitar, how hard it is to build one, why it hurts like Hell to slap a double bass, how he met his wife and just how intimidatingly awesome it is to record at Sun Studios in Memphis.

His many, many musical failures (Henry One Hundred is a particularly brutal episode) are recounted with a charmingly, fist-chewingly embarrassing honesty that make his successes (Danny Baker's television house band, busking success and bluffing his way through American festivals and a Glastonbury set) all the more happily relatable.

A beautiful, nostalgic, lyrical journey, Kermode's tale is an inspiring one for anyone who's ever found any success by just wanting it and having a go. Lovely stuff.

[Snoakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know Mark Kermode from his film reviews on television and radio, but I had no idea he had a pretty successful secondary career as a musician. How Does it Feel? is his memoir following his musical misadventures (as he styles it) from building his own electric guitar while at school through a number of different bands and instruments right up to playing the harmonica at the Royal Festival Hall.

He's very self-deprecating, and insists that everything has happened on a wing and a prayer, through sheer luck and blagging, flying through things by the seat of his pants but to be honest he must be a pretty talented musician to have had the successes he's had. I'm listening to a Dodge Brothers album as I type this and it's really good - much better than Mark would have you believe from reading this! He's an entertaining and witty writer and although he occasionally gets a little too obsessed with details about specific instruments (especially guitars), he clearly had a lot of fun revisiting his musical escapades and makes the whole thing sound a riot. And I'll definitely be playing more Dodge Brothers.

[Andy Matheson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed spending time with Mark and his musical adventures.
Confession: I am a big fan of his radio and podcast shows, have seen the Dodge Brothers and grew up in Hampshire as a musician. So reading the book brought many smiles of recognition.
I hadn’t really appreciated the extent of Mark’s musical legacy and enjoyed hearing his tales of recording and life on the road.
Full of great anecdotes and his famous sharp wit. It is an easy read and enjoyable for that .
I did wonder if our paths had crossed as I realised we had spent a lot of time at the same music shops and venues. I like to think so.
My favourite chapter was on the Royal Iris. I think every musician will recognise this story and will have their own version.
Recommended reading (especially for all musicians)

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Kermode shows another side of his talent, that of a musician. In his book he covers his life in music, from being inspired by the Slade film 'In Flames' in his early years, through to recording at the legendary Sun Studios with the Dodge Brothers (you can find this band easily on Spotify, so you can listen whilst you read!). Along the way he runs through many a band name and tries his hand at playing various instruments, eventually honing his skills onto the double bass and harmonica.

Told in a self-depreciating style it is a great read, reinforcing the joy and pleasure music gives to people.

[Mat Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this wry, heartfelt and warm memoir of the authors adventures in musicland. It’s more a love letter to following your dreams, embracing failures and honing your passion than a straight autobiographical tome and all the better for it. Kermode, best known as the UK’s foremost film critic, is a witty, self-deprecating and engaging narrator, unflinchingly honest and as warm and engaging as you’d hope for. You don’t need to be a dedicated music fan to enjoy this book: its humanity shines through with endearing luminescence. Highly recommended.

[Boneist · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amusing (but occasionally terrifying and caused not a little amount of anxiety) stroll through Kermode’s musical (mid?)adventures.

This book is proof that you can just bumble your way through life without necessarily having the skills to do what you’ve promised. Kermode’s nerves (not to mention his family’s!) must be made of steel by now!

What is evident throughout this book is his deep, abiding love for music (even if he can’t read sheet music or can’t actually play the things he’s supposed to!), and his willingness to have a go.

[Lara A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this, especially as I adored his previous books. But I honestly found this a slog. There were glimpses of the Kermodian wit, but it was sadly bereft of Kermodian rants. Despite the self-deprecating tone, there is a lot of the musical in here, in rather exacting detail and not quite enough of the misadventures. It also feels like it reached a natural end, but then continued to give a thorough overview of the Dodge Brothers, which unless you are a keen fan of theirs, is less than engaging.

[lucy dendle · Rating 5 out of 5]

the writing in this book is fantastic! i lost track of how many bands mark has been in somewhere near the beginning. i found the beginning a little long-winded but when i got into it, i really loved it. his life has so many points of high interest and he is such a good story teller, even admitting at points that he may have exaggerated stories while still being entirely truthful to all the events. by the end of the book, i really didn't want to finish it, i could've just kept reading.

[Ranjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different kind of rock autobio, by someone whose musical career was completely unknown to me and most people. The author, Mark Kermode, is much better known as a film reviewer and for his funny podcast with Simon Mayo, which is what led my wife to get me this book. It’s a hoot, as Kermode brings the same dry humor of the podcast to recounting his career in skiffle and roots revivalist bands. Lots of LOL moments and promising musical leads.

[David Muir · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tried self-deprecating humour... but I wasn't very good at it. Mark Kermode, on the other hand, is a master.

If you listen to the award-winning podcast, Kermode and Mayo's Film Review, you will know how he speaks; with enthusiasm, wit and a deep knowledge of his subject. If you want a preview of how this book reads, listen to the podcast. He writes the way he speaks.

His passion for music shines through the pages of this book and while I do not understand his obsession with The Comsat Angels, I recognise the same obsession in my own life with the band Rush. Where we differ is in what he does with that obsesion. I must admit to some jealousy when I read where his obsessions have taken him; the people he has met and the things he has experienced. Perhaps it helps when you go to school with people like David Baddiel and Jason Isaacs (a quick Google suggest nobody famous went to my secondary school) but it is almost certainly true that interesting things happen to interesting people... and a lot of interesting things are described in this book.

I have a signed copy because I went to hear him speak on one of the dates where he was promoting this book. At the Q&A, someone asked him why he watched movies and thought, "I could write about that!", but listened to music and thought, "I could do that!". It was an interesting question but he was unable to fully explain the difference. For me, I enjoy watching films but music hits me at much deeper level. Mark feels the power of both and can talk eloquently about both. This book, however focuses on music and I love the way he describes it, especially the music you hear as a teenager:

"…I felt like I was in an episode of Doctor Who; as if I had somehow created a warp in the time-space continuum and was being sucked back into the past at a speed of thirty-three-and-a-third revolutions per minute.

If you want proof that time travel is possible, just listen to a record you first heard as a teenager. If that's not a time machine, I don't know what is."

If that doesn't make you want to read this book, I don't know what will.

[David Meldrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I'm a lover of music who is genetically incapable of making music, but still found something that resonated with me in Mark's tales of his musical career. It's a joyful, life-affirming book; Mark is quite the story-teller, and on several occasions, it's laugh-out-loud funny ... and it takes a lot to make me laugh out loud at a book. It's a blast, and highly recommendable.

[Sarah England · Rating 4 out of 5]

great little book. Kermode writes as engagingly as he speaks on TV - self deprecating, witty and informative. His music knowledge is on a par with his film one, and he has tackled an admirable number of instruments in his time, none with _success_ as such (!) but with gusto and pretty impressive results.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rattling good read, from a natural storyteller. Kermode is funny, likeable and charmingly self-deprecating here, and is more than happy to poke fun at his attempts at rock n roll superstardom over the years, as well as being magnanimous about friends, colleagues and band mates who supported him over the years. An enjoyable and zippy tale, told with a great deal of passion and joy.

[John Boyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

It reads as pacily as a Kermodian rant and is even funnier. An excellent and truthful sounding tale of a wide range of musical advebtures.

I had tickets booked earlier this year to see the Dodge Brothers in Edinburgh and at the Bo'ness Hippodrome cinema. Unfortunately both gigs were called off because of Covid-19 but hopefully I will catch them on their return.

[Keith Astbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obviously knew Kermode as a film critic, one whose opinions I respect. This, however, is all about his alternative interest and - to a degree - 'career'. From the early school bands to his skiffle bands (who, to be fair, have achieved more than many of us), this is is a hugely enjoyable read, with a self-deprecating wit and a nice way with words x

[Gareth Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is slightly odd, as many have said about a film critic biography; at least this one, being about music.

The first half I didn't really care about, and it gets a bit more interesting the further it's get into the 2nd half.

His writing, like his personality is pure marmite. Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cringe.

More like 2.5 stars for me as its readable with some good bits

[Caroline Parry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a grower. I didn't know much about Mark, other than he is a TV film reviewer, and I found his stories slightly smug and irritating at first. Over time, however, his infectious personality wins through, and I ended up rooting for him through his many unlikely adventures.

[Flyss Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 I do love Mark Kermodes writing his enthusiasm about any subject he turns his pen too is so infectious. I didn't know a whole lot about his music career, and this was a facilitating foray into his life as a musician.

[Cleo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable light read full of fun and entertaining anecdotes, accessible even for those who know nothing about music (like myself). His self-deprecating tone becomes a little tedious near the end of the book, but can be easily overlooked.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vim, zeal, enthusiasm. Cheeks ached from smiling throughout. Highly recommended. Lots of interesting movie facts from the maestro himself peppered throughout, replete with Mark's mandatory Exorcist anecdotes.

[Jon Meek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another 'sort-a-biography' from Mark Kermode, this time covering his life through another of his great loves: Music. Very readable, written in a witty, fast and amiable style. The author has a tendency to drift into slightly over the top self deprecation at times, which is a little distracting, but overall a really enjoyable, fun and inspiring book.

[Elizabeth-anne Syme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, enjoyable read

If you have ever been in a band during your teenage years\early twenties, or been on the fringes of fledgling bands a lot of this book will strike a chord (no pun intended). Enjoyable read through the high and lows of being in bands.

[Bethnoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

An uplifting, joyous book written with wit and a charming lack of ego by Mark Kermode.
Skiffle is not my music genre of choice, but I went to find some of the recordings chronicled in this book and really enjoyed it.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello to Jason Isaacs. Mark's a funny man (both ways), and this charming memoir made me want to start a band immediately, so I had a lie down until the feeling passed.