Rock Bottom

by Michael Odell

Michael Odell is a rock music writer who takes his responsibility as cultural gatekeeper seriously; he asks rock stars the forbidden questions to discover whether they’re worthy of readers’ admiration.

But after interviewing Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – two of the ‘Big Six’ icons – Michael is depressed. He has a public meltdown while chaperoning Oasis at an awards ceremony; he’s lost joy in his bathroom full of rock’n’roll memorabilia; and his young son is in trouble at school for emulating rock star behaviour.

Reluctantly Michael consults Mrs Henckel, a no-nonsense therapist with zero experience of pop culture. As Michael addresses his feelings about the past, in particular his failed teenage band, Mental Elf, he’s forced to confront the question: is it finally time to grow up and forget rock’n’roll?

Michael Odell is a former contributing editor to Q magazine and has written about music for NME, the Guardian, the Independent and Spin, among others. Currently he does interviews and writes on family matters for The Times. He lives in Bristol.

"Please don't put your life in the hands of a rock 'n' roll band, who'll throw it all away." So advised Noel Gallagher in 1995 and Michael Odell ignored him anyway.

One of Britain's most fearless rock interrogators, Odell turns his merciless searchlight on himself in this wry, compelling odyssey into the heart of his own - and rock n roll's - madness. Larks with the legends are all here (Bowie, McCartney, Mick `n' Keef ... Michael Buble) but it's his inner life which illuminates, his psyche traumatically crumbling as he confronts his chaotic past.

Hilarious, tragic and timely, this is high farce in high (and low) places, uncovering why rock's lost highway is littered with the bodies of the righteous dreamers. Could it be because "the music people are all mad?" (Clue: yes.)' -- Sylvia Patterson, author of I'm Not with the Band

`Hilarious and disarmingly honest; a journey into the neurosis of rock fame, but through doors you don't expect.' -- Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

`Rock Bottom is one of the best music books ever written, because Michael Odell knows music isn't about the musicians - it's about what it does to the listener, even if what it does ends up being wholly disastrous. It's sad, funny, fascinating and wise. And everyone who ever claimed a record changed their life should read it, and then think again.' -- Michael Hann, former Guardian music editor

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography

Paperback

Published June 7, 2018

Reviews

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hand towel once used by a sweat drenched Ozzy Osbourne, one of Mariah Carey’s hotel slippers, a half-eaten sandwich belonging to James Brown, two French fries stolen from Sting and a cigarette butt from Ron Wood are just some of the rock memorabilia that Odell had accumulated over the years as a rock journalist, which he kept in his toilet for a number of years, before getting rid of them all in an act of maturity.

The name Odell didn’t ring a bell with me, but seeing the time line, mostly around 2005. I realised that I must have read him before as I was subscribing to Q magazine up until the end of 2005 and sure enough I recognised many of the interviews and the writers who were working there at the time. I mind reading and enjoying many of the interviews mentioned in here, that he did with the likes of Michael Buble, Keane and David Bowie, though cringing at the desperate and puzzling shoehorning of Kate Moss with Bowie in the interview and on the cover, which Odell is rightly cynical about.

In one sense this gives us an absorbing look into the world of music writing, showing the delicate balance between serving a paying readership and not alienating the people you rely onto sell your magazine, which can lead to some nauseating displays of brown nosing and chumminess. As the editor Paul Rees said to him, “Go easy, or we’ll have no one left to put in the magazine.”

With lines like, “They must show considerable voodoo prowess before they are admitted to the pantheon of greats! As a rock writer, I serve as a gatekeeper to the pantheon. Only the most free-thinking nutters shall pass!” it’s hard not to cringe. But thankfully there is more to this memoir. It has its amusing moments like the scene where he is peeing beside Robin Gibb at the Q Awards, and the Gallagher brothers are on fine form with a witty succession of brilliant one liners. Another amusing scene occurs during an interview with Slipknot, where they receive a prototype, wipe clean Slipknot lunchbox leading him to conclude, “You cannot trust Americans with nihilism. They might start off grouchy and miserable but will always find a way to monetise the experience into a burger franchise or a workout video.”

He talks a lot about the so called “Big Six” which consists of McCartney, Jagger, Richards, Townshend, Page and Bowie, (he has interviewed them all). These are the six giants, the men who he believes to be the most important men in shaping modern rock music. His ideas and expectations of what a rock band should be act like are incredibly narrow and juvenile, especially for a forty-something middle aged man. Yet both his wife and sister seem incredibly perceptive and aware of this ludicrous mind-set as does the therapist he seeks to help him. He largely starts to see how ridiculous and immature he has been and we get to see the reasons behind this, which make for entertaining reading.

He reveals the use and importance of the grenade question, a deeply controversial or offensive question you throw in early to the interview just to see how they react to it. I admit that I would probably have been a lot more impressed with this style of writing maybe 15 - 20 years ago as a teenager or twenty-something, but I suppose as you get older your tastes inevitably change. This was an enjoyable enough read, with some really impressive interview subjects, but there were plenty of times when I was physically cringing, and I really would have liked him to reveal more about what else was so bad about his upbringing in Croydon, that gave him and his sister such mental health issues.

[Hilary Mortz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of rock books in my time, some are frankly disappointing, some impressive, some even a bit boring in parts, but Rock Bottom completely stands out from the crowd and has immediately zapped up to the top of my personal rock memoir chart. It is a brilliant read from start to finish.

This is a book that ticks a lot of boxes; it reads like a modern bestselling comic novel but it still carries a thought provoking message about the inherent power of rock music and the massive impact it has on a lot of lives. I found myself nodding in empathy all the way through. The quotes and anecdotes about the world famous rock stars Michael Odell has interviewed were without exception hilarious and priceless – his account of when Kate Moss and David Bowie first met will definitely stay etched into my memory for a long, long time and that is just one of the many highlights.

An absolute classic.

[Mairi Byatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful and hilarious in equal measures

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly wasn't expecting what I got. I laughed out loud with this book.

I gave it 4 stars just because I think the ending was kind of abrupt, but all in all, it was awesome.

[Phil O'Shaughnessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book. I'd give it a six if they'd let me.

[James Traxler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rock lifestyle/dream attracts mentally damaged people. Discuss.