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One Train Later: A Memoir (Hardcover)

by Andy Summers (Author), The Edge (Foreword) "I am born at the edge of the River Wyre in Lancashire, where my dad is stationed with the RAF in the north of England..." (more)
Key Phrases: sunken temple, New York, United States, Les Paul (more...)

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Summers—a musician best known for playing guitar in the seminal 1980s band the Police—recounts the details of his time in the spotlight and his circuitous and fantastic journey toward fame in a memoir that is just as generous (and sometimes meticulous) in providing details as it is in exploring the human toll of living out the "collective fantasy" of being a "rock god." There are many great rock moments that dazzle—hanging with Clapton, jamming with Hendrix, hallucinating with John Belushi—but the less extraordinary memories make for a more compelling narrative: he recalls his childhood in England, where, after an "immediate bond" with the guitar, "the spiritual side of life slowly fills with music." Narrated in the present tense and with occasionally vivid language (Summers recounts "the familiar backstage" as "the taste of Jack stuck on a Wheat Thin"), every rock cliché is described (drugs, sex, ego), but, refreshingly, little is romanticized. This is a stage-side account of the birth, rise and dissipation of the Police—and fans of the band will not be disappointed—but it is also an honest travelogue of a British kid who, subsisting "on a diet of music and hope," traversed the most coveted landscapes of pop culture and lived to write about it. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
The guitarist of the Police begins his entertaining, highly readable memoir of superstardom near the end, on August 18, 1983, at Shea Stadium, when the band became the first to play there since the Beatles. It was one of the band's last concerts. Thereafter, Summers discusses, quite eloquently, the Faustian pact fame seemingly involves, which in his case entailed divorce and estrangement from his daughter. He also spends a good portion of the book on his earlier life: his English seaside childhood in Bournemouth, his parents' difficult marriage (he and his younger brother were placed in an orphanage for six months), the first inklings of musical talent. He reports years of struggle, later moderate success in nationally known bands, and stints in the internationally known Soft Machine and the Animals before the Police. By his lights, life on the road with the Police was one hotel room in a strange city after another. A candid appraisal of the cost of celebrity. June Sawyers
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (October 3, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312359144
ISBN-13: 978-0312359140
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #586,862 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
I am born at the edge of the River Wyre in Lancashire, where my dad is stationed with the RAF in the north of England. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
sunken temple

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, United States, Les Paul, Big Roll Band, Dantalian's Chariot, Soft Machine, Kevin Ayers, Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, Blue Note, James Brown, Ray Charles, San Francisco, Sex Pistols, Shepherds Bush, Hong Kong, Kim Turner, Kings Road, Buenos Aires, Jimi Hendrix, Melody Maker, Mexico City, Middle Earth, Miles Davis, Milton Keynes

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 29 books:

The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Citadel Underground) by Ralph Metzner on page 83, page 87, and page 88
The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac on page 48, page 50, and page 127
Every Breath You Take: Guitar Ensemble Series (Hal Leonard Guitar Ensemble) by The Police on page 317, page 324, and page 331
My God by Michael Green on page 224, and page 290
Conversing with Cage by Ric Kostelanetz on page 33, and page 35

See all 29 books this book cites

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Hippie by Barry Miles

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Customer Reviews

42 Reviews

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4.5 out of 5 stars (42 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A funny blitz-force adventure of the highest order!, October 7, 2006

By	Thomas A. Meigs "Tom" (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an amazing "life story" told with heaping amounts of humor and insight -- easily accessible to both the hardcore Police fan, and the reader simply interested in gaining perspective on the churnings of the music business amidst a more spiritual pursuit. Andy uses his fantastic sense of humor to great effect here. I was constantly giggling at the absolute mayhem surrounding him at every turn. I had no idea he was such a roving wild man -- but from the man who wrote the classic "Behind My Camel" -- who would expect otherwise. I admire someone who enjoys Spinal Tap and Camus.

I'm baffled at his ability to stay sane amidst this carnival of motion. If you are even remotely interested in the sacrifice, hard work, and drive that it takes to "make it" in the music industry, this is required reading. Make plans, but do it in pencil. In the end, you follow the music. This book is a spiritual adventure. I'm looking forward to the next one!

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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rock 'n' Roll Story, October 15, 2006

By	Timothy Haugh (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

When I was in junior high, The Police was one of the biggest bands in the world and I was a huge fan. I had grown up listening mainly to sixties music like the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, etc. The Police was the first band I came to on my own and from my own era. No music group before or since has meant as much to me.

On the other hand, my brand of fandom mainly centered around playing my LPs over and over and over. I didn't care much about the personalities. Other than a few magazine interviews, I never knew much about the three musicians in the band and I don't read much in the way of exposes or biography. I will, however, read the occasional autobiography and when I saw this one by Andy Summers, I couldn't resist.

There was so much I didn't know about Andy that every page seemed a revelation and I was fascinated. I gained a lot of respect for this musician who went through the rigors of learning the guitar and held to his own musical tastes through the ups and downs of the business of music. I was also surprised to learn of Andy's close connections to so many other musical greats even before he was world famous himself--he gave Clapton one of his best guitars, he jammed with Hendrix, he played with the Animals. Wow.

Less interesting to me was the continual stories of drugs and drunkenness. I suppose it's part of his life and part of the rock `n' roll legend, but I quickly grew weary of the inebriated craziness and trippy observations. I, for one, actually am disappointed when I find out a musician has played a concert drunk and/or stoned, no matter how well he might feel he pulled it off. Of course, it wouldn't surprise me to be in the minority here.

Anyway, one of my disappointments in Sting's recent memoir was that he didn't talk about his time in The Police at all. Andy takes us through all the highs and lows of superstardom with what feels like a very refreshing honesty. It may be his point of view only (I'm sure Sting and Stewart would have things to say about some of Andy's observations) but I liked the fact that he was up front about the egotism that all three of them shared which made the band create great music but also blew them apart.

Overall, this is a very good book. Andy is a good writer and his prose is very dynamic though I would have dumped the recurring story of "August 18, 1983." It didn't add anything to the book and seemed twisted to unfold in a way that allowed him to tell the rest of the story. Still, anyone who liked The Police would be crazy to pass this up and anyone interested in the history of rock `n' roll will find a lot of great stuff here.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Zelig-like, hysterically funny journey through modern popular culture!, June 10, 2007

By	M J Heilbron Jr. "Dr. Mo" (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: One Train Later: A Memoir (Paperback)

I could NOT have enjoyed this book more!

Andy Summers proves to be a terrific writer. The book follows his life from childhood to the break-up of the Police.

I found myself laughing out loud often while reading this memoir. He's genuinely funny; describing a boxing match in which he was forced to participate in grade school, he comments that his loutish opponent burst from his corner towards him like "a dog with his tail on fire."

During a sojourn through Spain while still a teenager, he recounts a dinner where he and a friend are guests of a kind Spanish family, with two beautiful daughters there to tempt them. At the table, he says the mother enjoyed torturing them (by sitting them across from the two goddesses but preventing any sort of contact) "like a witch cooking two shrimps in her cauldron."

He's self-deprecating, witty and vivid with his descriptions of life in England, life on the road, observations on human behavior.

He's merciless in commenting on his own shortcomings, especially with his wife and with drug use. There are passages that are acutely painful, like how he let his family down while seduced by the life of a rock star.

On the other hand, I will never forget his description of what it is like to urinate while on LSD. I laughed so hard I had to put the book down.

I was continually surprised to see how he floated through popular culture, Zelig-like, for decades. The tale of the 1959 Les Paul Sunburst, Eric Clapton and the first Cream album will have you slack-jawed. Not only are there several episodes involving Clapton (and how he fits into rock history as a central figure), but Summers encounters people like Hendrix, places like NYC and LA, the psychedelic era, prog-rock...I had no idea he was such good friends with John Belushi! He captures Belushi wonderfully.

The birth of the Police is fascinating. Being one of the biggest Police fans ever, this was the initial reason for buying the book, being in The Police is a thread laced throughout the whole book.

You know they're gonna be huge, and then break up. It all happens with such inevitability, like some Shakespearean tragedy.

The image of the three guys pushing a dead van over a bridge in Paris is a riot, and the subsequent genesis of the song, "Roxanne" (and hence, the whole Police sound) is almost fairy-tale in it's construction.

Seriously, I feel like starting all over and reading this book one more time...there are SO many great passages, SO well written! His love of music...the appreciation for musical theory and talent...is infectious. You will want to learn how to play guitar after finishing this book.

The story of the Police plays out like the arc of a flare, burning impossibly bright for a few moments, sailing high, and then at it's apogee, it burns out. Disappeared.

The epilogue is most hopeful...both personally and professionally. It seems with the Police reunion this year, Mr. Summers may have done what he wanted...to give us Police fans a proper farewell.

Just buy this book...it's perfect for beach reading, perfect for ANY music fan, terrific for anyone who can appreciate good storytelling...

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The engaging story of a man and his passion for the guitar
Andy Summers has always been my favorite police man. Even though Sting has enjoyed great fame, Andy's had an interesting solo career. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Mauricio Torres

5.0 out of 5 stars Most enjoyable read
Summers is an interesting (and very good) writer, a somewhat Baroque, gonzo style that is both insightful and often laugh-out-loud funny. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Eric C. Petersen

5.0 out of 5 stars One Book Later....
This is a great read. In addition to being a great Musician, Andy Summers shows his skill as a writer as well. i really couldn't put this book down. Read more

Published 7 months ago by Brian M. McCloskey

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best reads ever
A friend at work recommended this book. I was going on a week vacation in Mexico and needed something to read. This was by far one of the best books I have ever read. Read more

Published 9 months ago by Brad C.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Incredible Life of Andy Summers
Reading this book was like riding a roller coaster.

I'm a huge 'Police' fan, and when I saw Andy had an auto biography out I ran out and bought it right away... Read more

Published 12 months ago by Jeff Eskow

4.0 out of 5 stars Inside the New Wave
This is an epic tale of a New Wave musician that spans his beginnings in the '60s to his triumphs in the '80s. Read more

Published 15 months ago by William Siwicki

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read For Any Police Fan!
Totally entertaining from cover to cover. Packed full of great stories about the band including some never before heard stories about the making of the albums and the studio... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Merrick Tom

4.0 out of 5 stars Awesome: A Must-Read for Any Police Fan
Doesn't get much better than this is you want a behind-the-scenes accounting of the Police from literally the beginning to the end. Read more

Published 17 months ago by Anthony Ian

5.0 out of 5 stars Super!
When the book arrived by mail at home, by coincidence I had just read Clapton's "Autobiography", so an immediate comparison between the two guitarists/writers was innevitable... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Caetano Scatena

5.0 out of 5 stars A rare treat
A rare treat as far as the genre of music books is concerned. Not only is Andy Summers a most entertaining writer, this is also a 'bio' that has real substance and structure... Read more

Published 18 months ago by Colin Rusch

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