Cider With Roadies [Paperback]

Stuart Maconie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 2004

Cider with Roadies is the story of a boy's obsessive relationship with pop. A life lived through music from Stuart's audience with the Beatles (aged 3); his confessions as a pubescent prog rocker; a youthful gymnastic dalliance with northern soul; the radical effects of punk on his politics, homework and trouser dimensions; playing in crap bands and failing to impress girls; writing for the NME by accident; living the sex, drugs (chiefly lager in a plastic glass) and rock and roll lifestyle; discovering the tawdry truth behind the glamour and knowing when to ditch it all for what really matters. From his four minutes in a leisure centre with MC Hammer to four days in a small van with Napalm Death it's a life-affirming journey through the land where ordinary life and pop come together to make music.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stuart Maconie is a journalist and writer, and is familiar to millions as a TV and radio presenter. He is the host of Stuart Maconie's Critical List on BBC Radio 2 and Freak Zone on Radio 6, and has written and presented dozens of other shows on BBC Radio. He presents the DVD Collection on BBC Four and is a regular panellist on Never Mind the Buzzcocks on BBC2. As well as a popping up in Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, he is a favourite on hit nostalgia TV series such as the BBC's 'I the 1970s'. His other books include the acclaimed official biographies of both Blur and James. He can name GQ Man of the Year and Sony Awards Radio Broadcaster of the Year amongst his accolades. He lives in Birmingham and is happiest when fell-walking with his dog, Muffin.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Random House (December 18, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0091897459
• ISBN-13: 978-0091897451
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,849,518 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun read, October 17, 2010

By 

Lovblad (Geneva, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cider With Roadies (Paperback)

Stuart Maconie was one of the great writers for the NME in its best or second best era. While it is true that he was maybe not such a persona as Nick Kent or Paul Morley, he was on the staff of this journalin some of its more exciting years: the post-punk years and he managed to stay along for a while. This book that is really nice to read is made up of a few sections: at first he explains his musical heritage and how he became a music lover. Then in the last third of the bok he manages to give an excellent account of his years at the NME. It is somewhat unfortunate that this part of the book is not the longest since it is the most interesting one; this is also a shame because it is during that time that Stuart Maconie was writing some of the most exciting rock journalism available. What is also interesting to notice is that here one has a music journalist who is actually a music fan and he does not really spend hours writing about himself (even if some of the best rock journalism has been exactly that: people witing not about the music but themselves). So overall it is a fun read and I got it very cheaply at Glasgow airport.

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, August 20, 2007

By 

Peter Clarke - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cider With Roadies (Paperback)

Funny, true, brilliantly written - my favourite book of the last year. There's a reason why 25 people have this on their Facebook visual bookshelf.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great title - even better book, July 29, 2004

By 

J. M Powell (Blackpool, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cider With Roadies (Paperback)

Never heard of this man before (sorry, old person)but one of the best reads of my year.
Very, very funny - many 'laugh out loud' moments (and I'm not a 'laugh out loud' type - more of a 'swear out loud' type).
Also - makes you want to listen again to some music and search out other things you haven't heard yet but suspect you may really enjoy.
Add to this some sharp social observation and sociological insight (you don't have to be Northern but it helps)and you have a real cracker on your hands.