Heady Daze

by Wayne Hussey

Picking up where the critically acclaimed Salad Daze left off, Heady Daze sees Wayne Hussey revisit the years from 1985 to 1990 leading The Mission through their formation to global success. From headlining some of Europe’s major festivals, playing with U2, Robert Plant, and The Cure and sweeping the UK music papers’ readers’ polls, to the excesses of touring the world and the lurid headlines that followed them wherever they ventured, it’s all here in this memoir packed full of candid moments and hilarious anecdotes.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

455 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2023

About the author

Jerry Wayne Hussey is an English musician who was born in Bristol, England. He is best known as the lead singer of The Mission, and the guitarist with The Sisters of Mercy.

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a pleasure! This book was a good consolation prize for not being able to see The Mission again this year (we've had the tickets since 2019, but when the show finally happened, we'd recently had our first child). Mr. Hussey has kindly provided chapter playlists again, and while they contributed to slowing down my reading, I still enjoyed the soundtrack. Still not sick of hearing The Mission!
I have to say this one wasn't as fun as his first book, he does ramble on a bit here and there. It's still a really fun book, with so many great, crazy and hilarious anecdotes, which is what I enjoy the most about musicians' biographies. As a youngster born in 1994, I wasn't aware how big The Mission actually were, so it's a shame I didn't get to see their heyday! This (and clips on youtube) is the closest I'll get. There are three sections of glossy behind the scenes photos likely never seen before.
The book takes us from when Wayne and Craig Adams left The Sisters Of Mercy in 1985, through the whirlwind 5 years until the cliffhanger ending when Simon Hinkler left the band. Wayne did mention at the start of the book that there will be a third, so I'm looking forward to getting it!

[Bethnoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is disarmingly honest and made me feel like I was having a chat with nice Uncle Wayne.

He doesn't hide his flaws or past questionable behaviour, I am very glad he survived to tell the tale and look back with fondness but a wiser mind on the exciting times of top ten chart positions and Top of the Pops appearances.

Thanks Wayne, I look forward to the next chapter!

[Sander Steggink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niet zo leuk en informatief als Salad Daze maar zeker weer gelachen om de talloze grappige anekdotes die Wayne met zijn band The Mission heeft meegemaakt in de hoogtijdagen 85-90. Soms wel erg wijdlopig en de hoeveelheden drank en drugs die genuttigd worden, zijn 'beyond the pale'.

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have done with a bit of editing but still a good read, especially for those of us who remember 'Serpents Kiss' blaring out over the speakers in Beggars Banquet in Kingston circa 1986.... :-)

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have to admit that I didn't enjoy this second volume of Wayne's memoirs as much as the first one. It covers The Missions glory years and is very much a sex-&-drugs-&-rock'n'roll story & it's nothing that we haven't heard before. While there are some interesting insights into band dynamics and Wayne's own creative processes, it continually reverts back to... "took a load of drugs and shagged some birds"... territory. There's also the problem of the ego... while he still shows a degree of self awareness and can be self deprecating, the band were nowhere near as big as he seems to remember them being. At one point he refers to them as one of the biggest bands in the world - granted, they had some success but they were hardly troubling the likes of U2 or Simple Minds on the stadium tour circuit.

[Nick Hazlewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery's are solved

With its cliff hanger ending this is the book Mission fans have been waiting for with more sex drugs and influences.

The rise and consequences of the Mission at their commercial peak from God's Own Medicine to Carved in Sand.

Wayne Hussey handles some delicate areas of the bands history really well as well as admitting who he was by being who he now is.

[Mancman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the first volume Salad Daze, I was keen to get this second part. It too didn’t disappoint, the conversational tone makes it an easy read, and more confessional.
Hyperbole abounds, but there are no excuses made, or punches pulled, which makes for a compelling read.
I’m already curious as to what the next chapter of this tale will bring.

[Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mission fans only need apply, but a great laugh

[leemarriott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read about the legendary Wayne Hussey, the man new how to party , 🥳,