Arthur Lee: Alone Again Or

by Barney Hoskyns

Arthur Lee's band, Love, is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential groups of the late sixties. Led by Lee through a tempestuous history of dissolution and resurrections, their psychedelic-folk masterpiece, Forever Changes, regularly appears high in polls of the greatest albums of all time. Recent times, however, have not been so in 1996, Lee was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and also received a twelve-year sentence for threatening his neighbors with a gun. Including interviews with Lee himself and guitarist Bryan Maclean, among many others, this fascinating tale reveals the dark side of the Summer of Love -- heroin, crime, and bitter ego battles -- while also tracking Lee's musical career through the post-Love years to his recent incarceration in a U.S. jail.

Genres: Music, Biography

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of the band Love it was quite nice to read about the bands struggles and label politics that took place and what resulted in the bands dissolution. I had always wondered about Arthur Lee's run ins with the law that got him jailed under California's three strikes rule.

The Love album "Forever Changes" has been one of my all time favorites for many years and it was just too bad that the pinnacle of that creation could never be re-created. The complete CD can be found here on Youtube --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1L11...

And Arthur Lee in 2003 Live --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdPLl...

[Still · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well written and researched book by Barney Hoskyns.
Arthur Lee along with Love bandmate Bryan MacLean was responsible for one genuine all-time classic album in 1967, Forever Changes. Prior to that they released a debut album that was every bit as enjoyable as the early years of The Byrds.

Recommended to all fans of Love.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Love fans, this is a must.

[Miguel Sánchez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biografía del grupo Love y, en especial, de su líder Arthur Lee. Escrita hace años y reeditada con un capítulo adicional.

La verdad es que no me resulta muy interesante, a pesar de que Forever Changes sea uno de mis discos favoritos. Tal vez para fanáticos de la banda sea recomendable, aunque el contenido es bien parco.

[Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthur Lee is...an enigma, to say the least, and Barney Hoskyns is one of the few rock writers worth a damn. A fascinating look at a fascinating musician. The sign of a great book: I wish this was much longer as I wanted to keep reading. Maybe one day BH will expand this into a full length (this is only 100 something pages.)

[Benjamin Fry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather brief biography of Arthur Lee one of the most enigmatic musicians of the 60's. The author does well to bring to life the turbulent history of one the most underrated bands of the era in the small amount of space the book offers.

That said, it felt at times that I was reading an extended article in magazine rather than a monograph.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, sad. The best book Im aware of about the incomparable Arthur Lee. The story of the true Love years is riveting. Like many of the best rock books, this one is written by an Englishman.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice history of Arthur Lee. For lovers only.

[Darran Mclaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bit too short and insubstantial. I would have preferred something a bit meatier.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sketchy, flimsy & insubstantial, more of a booklet.