The Other Life of Brian [Paperback]

Graham Parker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2003

Some might call Brian Parker's musical career washed up. As the acid-tongued front man for the Soulbilly Shakers, a 1970s one-hit-wonder, he penned the hit single "Knee Trembler," a sweet little ditty about having sex while standing up. But sales for his newest record are miniscule and his concert crowds have been steadily dwindling. This being said, it's not hard to figure out why Brian is angry with just about every person who has the misfortune of drawing his attention. The brunt of most of his vitriol is his manager, Tarquin Steed, who in an attempt to broaden his client's fan base, has just signed Brian up for consecutive tours of the nether regions of Scandinavia, Tasmania, and the Arctic Circle. Just when Brian thinks things can't get any worse, he has separate encounters with a group of cultists who believe him to be their prophet reincarnate, a rare marsupial dog, and a group of Nordic cryptozoologists who will do anything to get their hands on the beast! But then again, who said the life of a rock star would be uneventful?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Few authors are as qualified as British singer-songwriter Parker (formerly the front man for the Rumour) to explore the fate of a one-hit wonder after the glow of fame fades away, but Parker's second novel (after The Great Trouser Mystery) is an erratic, overwritten account of a has-been rock star's tours to such unlikely locales as Sweden, Greenland and Tasmania. Brian Porker is Parker's musical alter ego-a cynical, middle-aged former front man for the Soulbilly Shakers, who lives in Vermont in idyllic semiretirement with his wife. When the royalties from Porker's cheeky '70s hit single about having sex while standing up begin to fizzle out, Porker's scurrilous agent, Tarquin Steed, convinces him to tour some backwater locations to boost his cash flow. The tour gets off to a bizarre start: Porker is approached by a Baha'i religious leader, and her followers track him throughout the novel after they notice his physical resemblance to their founder. Meanwhile, the Swedish leg of the tour is a qualified success, and Porker finds himself signed on for follow-up ventures to Tasmania and Greenland. The strained musical scenes are desultory, and Parker adds a silly subplot (Porker and his quirky soundman, Carruthers, acquire a rare marsupial dog coveted by a wealthy English nobleman). Parker pens a few funny chapters, but his florid, overblown writing requires the underpinning of a more compelling plot, and while Porker is a solid character, he's not up to carrying the novel.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press; 1st ed edition (September 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560255498
• ISBN-13: 978-1560255499
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,014,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Funny, but it goes on a bit., September 8, 2007

By 

jblyn (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Other Life of Brian (Paperback)

Consider now the mid-life crisis of Brian Porker, hard-rockin' creator of "soulbilly" with his one hit, "Knee Trembler." He's been living on its diminished returns ever since, playing to ever-smaller audiences in ever-smaller venues every time he tours. And that's where the fun begins......

Graham Parker the writer has many similarities to Graham Parker the rocker---venom, humor, a way with words and the tendency to plow an idea into the ground if left unrestrained by a editor (or producer). THE OTHER LIFE OF BRIAN is acidly funny much of the time, but mainly when Parker covers his hapless alter-ego's travails playing to semi-filled halls in Northern Scandinavia, Tasmania and somewhere near the Artic Circle. When he deals with the book's subplot involving an endangered marsupial and adherents to the Bahai faith, the book loses steam and it peters out altogether at the very end. I bought it at the beach this past week and read it in one sitting, and that's probably the level of involvement Parker was hoping for with this book---a quick read, a good chuckle, then pass it along to somebody else.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HYSTERICAL!!!, March 26, 2005

By 

on the banana peel "on the banana peel" (california United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Other Life of Brian (Paperback)

I am one of those people who enjoy cds of artists that arent popular so if you think GP was great on his first two albums (arent they called albums?) then you probably wont like this book.

I laughed out loud so many times i lost count. i like his writing style, the ranting, the story and the insanity of the characters life. it was torough joy to read. i dont compare this to his music although there are obvious comparisons through the cynical humor. the best of the book is some of the most original stuff ive read in a long time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Other Life of Brian, January 25, 2005

By 

L. W. Hanson (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Other Life of Brian (Paperback)

Having just finished off Carp Fishing on Valium I was very excited to dive into The other Life Of Brian...Graham's style of writing is very engaging. I was wisked off to the frozen tundra with a cast of amazingly funny and unique characters. Carruthers and Steed (soundman and manager respectively)play exceptionally well against Brain Porker, our hero, who is neither short on intellect, pessimism or ego. I found the entire escapade to be an enjoyable, funny and well written journey. I would recommend this book for anyone who needs a good laugh. There are plenty of them in this book. From Steed, who is one of those people who can commit a "stupid human trick" and come out unscathed (totally hilarious)to Carruthers, a rather young and gangly soundman with connections to the most interesting people in some of the coldest places on Earth. You'll catch yourself yelling Kimber and Nibbs before you're done...also, if you are a Graham Parker fan, and you appreciate his story telling ability this is a must.