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Tony Visconti: The Autobiography: Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy. A nostalgic journey through the golden age of British pop and rock music Paperback – October 26, 2007

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 689 ratings

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A name synonymous with ground-breaking music, Tony Visconti has worked with the most dynamic and influential names in pop, from T.Rex and Iggy Pop to David Bowie and U2. This is the compelling life story of the man who helped shape music history, and gives a unique, first-hand insight into life in London during the late 1960s and '70s.

This memoir takes you on a roller-coaster journey through the glory days of pop music, when men wore sequins and pop could truly rock. Featuring behind-the-scenes stories of big names such as Bowie, Visconti's unique access to the hottest talent, both on stage and off, for over five decades is complemented by unseen photographs from his own personal archive, offering a glimpse at music history that few have witnessed so intimately.

Soon after abandoning his native New York to pursue his musical career in the UK, Visconti was soon in the thick of the emerging glam rock movement, launching T.Rex to commercial success and working with the then-unknown David Bowie.

Since his fateful move to the land of tea and beer drunk straight from the can, Visconti has worked with such names as T.Rex, Thin Lizzy, Wings, The Boomtown Rats, Marsha Hunt, Procol Harum, and more recently Ziggy Marley, Mercury Rev, the Manic Street Preachers and Morrissey on his acclaimed new album 'Ringleader of the Tormentors'.

Even Visconti's personal life betrays an existence utterly immersed in music. Married to first to Siegrid Berman, then to Mary Hopkin and later to May Pang, he counts many of the musicians and producers he has worked with as close friends and is himself a celebrated musician.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

‘What makes this latest instalment of the baby-boomer’s tale so readable is his easy-going, unjudgemental familiarity with the professional foibles of his clients. Not many people can remark, as he does of Bob Geldof, that “singing is not his forte”, without the slightest trace of bitchiness or reproach.’
The Sunday Times Culture magazine

‘Without question, Visconti is one of the greatest and most innovative music producers of all time. His gritty history of two decades of British pop makes me want to brush the dust off my old Bowie and T.Rex albums and skip-jive around the kitchen’ Daily Mail

Four star review in MOJO: ' A life in music, rich in chemical romances, bickering stars and some wonderful work, is recounted with great dignity.’

‘Just as George Martin was the definitive '60s producer, so Tony Visconti's work with David Bowie and Marc Bolan shaped rock's landscape in the '70s.’
Q

‘[Morrissey] is so spectacularly presented by producer Tony Visconti that we end up not just with a Morrissey masterpiece … but also a Visconti masterpiece … Ultimately, Visconti helps transform Morrissey's dogged oddness and phenomenal fussiness into pure magic.’
Observer, 2006

‘Visconti recently teamed up again with his old foil David Bowie to record Bowie's best album in 20 years; now he has helmed Morrissey's best in 15 years.’
Scotsman, 2006

‘Visconti’s sparky autobiography takes you stomping back to the frantic, glory days of glam rock and pop’
London Lite

'His outsider's view of London's tiny, tatty underground scene of the late 1960s is wonderfully vivid.' '…worth seeking out.' Sunday Times

Book Description

Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy. A nostalgic journey through the golden age of British pop and rock music

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper (October 26, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0007229453
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007229451
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 1.1 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 689 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
689 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They enjoy reading about interesting stories about some of rock's most important artists. The book provides an insider's view of the times and creative process. Readers appreciate the author's honesty and straightforward approach. They also mention that the book offers a different look into his music and persona.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

17 customers mention "Enjoyment"17 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They say it's an enjoyable read and a must-read for fans of 60s and 70s music. The book is well-written and entertaining, with interesting information about Bowie's life.

"...This was a really good read." Read more

"Great read. If you love 60’s & 70’s music—this is a must-read. So many fascinating backstories about how the records were actually made!..." Read more

"...about wanting a new Bowie album is sad and dates the book but an enjoyable read" Read more

"...Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and if you're a fan of when rock and roll was rock and roll, or if you loved the early 70s glam movement..." Read more

16 customers mention "Writing style"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the author's detailed and fast-paced writing style. The story is told in a conversational style, but some readers feel it could have been longer.

"...I found him to be very honest and straightforward in his approach. If he criticizes some people, he also criticizes himself just as readily...." Read more

"...make you feel like listening to them. Mr. Visconti's writing style is fast paced...." Read more

"...He does a good job of chronicling it all - good and bad." Read more

"...different look into his music, his persona and it is written by a good friend of his...." Read more

14 customers mention "Story quality"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-written stories about some of rock's most important artists. They find the book interesting for those into the music of the seventies, with clever passages and anecdotes from that golden era of music. Readers appreciate the author's contributions towards the history of rock and roll.

"...I ended up enjoying the whole book and Mr.Visconti has had a very interesting life and he is still going strong." Read more

"...If you love 60’s & 70’s music—this is a must-read. So many fascinating backstories about how the records were actually made!..." Read more

"A fascinating autobiography from a man whose name I had read many times but about who I knew very little...." Read more

"...Its full of very clever passages and anecdotes of that golden era of music...." Read more

7 customers mention "Insight"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights into the creative process and the early days of glam rock. They find it provides an insider's view of the times, with information about each recording and the creative process. The book also gives perspective on Bolan's relationship with Bowie and his mentoring of colleagues in creating classic albums.

"...There is so much information about each of the recordings he produces, from how he brings out the best efforts of certain artists, which..." Read more

"...This includes studio experiments and coaching/mentoring his cohorts in creating these classic albums. Enough said...." Read more

"...Fans gain insight into the creative process and my people - the recording engineers and producers - will see themselves in this book, as Tony..." Read more

"Really enjoyed this book - a great glimpse into the early days of glam rock written in a down-to-earth, direct & humorous style...." Read more

6 customers mention "Honesty"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's honesty and straightforward approach. They enjoy getting to know Tony Visconti better through his autobiography.

"...I found him to be very honest and straightforward in his approach. If he criticizes some people, he also criticizes himself just as readily...." Read more

"I really enjoyed reading the autobiography of Tony Visconti. Its full of very clever passages and anecdotes of that golden era of music...." Read more

"...with Bowie and other international stars but I really appreciate the biography of the man and where he has come from to where he is now..." Read more

"...He's a very normal, flawed human and I appreciated his honesty. He didn't attempt to be the big hero. He kept it real...." Read more

4 customers mention "Color"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's color. They find it an insightful look at Visconti's colorful and adventurous life. The book provides a different perspective on his music and persona.

"Being a huge Bowie fan, this book gives you a whole different look into his music, his persona and it is written by a good friend of his...." Read more

"A great inside look at the making of many of the seminal albums of 70s rock and into the following decades...." Read more

"What a great book. Visconti has had a colorful and adventurous life and he (or he and his ghostwriter?) writes about it very, very entertainingly." Read more

"life is colorful..." Read more

Great Read!
4 out of 5 stars
Great Read!
Liked the book. A great peek behind the scenes of working with the artists and the issues he encountered. Love his work ethic and rise to the top. Some of the technical stuff and artists I never heard of were a pass...but for the most part a great read!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022
    If your a fan of early 70’s glam rock and are interested in Bowie and Bolan working in the studio you will enjoy this book.Tony Visconti has a great memory and he has some great stories.I’m very happy I got to read this book,I really bought it for the Bowie stuff but I ended up enjoying the whole book and Mr.Visconti has had a very interesting life and he is still going strong.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2015
    As far the writing goes, I'd say that this is the best of the producer bios from the golden era of the 60s - 80's. . I've read the George Martin, Geoff Emmerick, Ken Scott, Phil Ramone books. (Probably more, that I'm forgetting!) While Visconti doesn't have Beatles (my favorites) stories like Martin and Emmerick, he does have lots of other stories involving David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Moody Blues and many others. I wasn't totally aware of just how many other artists he worked with throughout his career. I found him to be very honest and straightforward in his approach. If he criticizes some people, he also criticizes himself just as readily. This was a really good read.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2020
    Great read. If you love 60’s & 70’s music—this is a must-read. So many fascinating backstories about how the records were actually made! I would totally read again! My only complaint is that this will be challenging to do, since I bought a cheap copy from a discount seller that fell apart & separated at the binding & I had to use a rubber band to keep pages in tact when storing.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2014
    Many items sound new to me, even if apparently they were well known for a while ?
    recommended to everyone interested in the '60 and '70 music.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2013
    Reading this book was like being a fly on the wall with so many artists and recording sessions from the late 60s into the 2000s. Some great and not so great artists benefit from Mr. Visconti's ever evolving production style. The insights into David Bowie alone are worth the price of this book. The stories about T. Rex, Mary Hopkin, Thin Lizzy and countless others will make you feel like listening to them.
    Mr. Visconti's writing style is fast paced. Once he addresses the subject of each chapter title he goes on about a half dozen other artists before you can catch your breath. There is so much information about each of the recordings he produces, from how he brings out the best efforts of certain artists, which instruments he played (he is a multi-instrumentalist), to the orchestral music he scored for many of his artists albums including Band On The Run.
    He tells about his early life and family tree, growing up in NY, how he became educated in music and then got his lucky break to go to England in 1967 where he began he amazing production career. Along the way you learn about his several girlfriends and wives throughout the years. He is quite candid about his forays into different self-improvement groups.
    All in all he came across humble but he wasn't shy about talking up some of his best efforts. This is a book i shall reread again. I only wish the Kindle version had pictures.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2019
    A fascinating autobiography from a man whose name I had read many times but about who I knew very little. The last twenty years is rushed and feels like an outline and the line about wanting a new Bowie album is sad and dates the book but an enjoyable read
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2023
    Tony Visconti played a big role in producing the soundtrack of my life, especially IN his work on 11 (I believe) of David Bowie's albums. I was surprised at how candid he was about certain rock stars, but when he was, it was never sensationalist or gossipy - but written in more a "just the facts" way. He also writes about his own short-comings and demons, and how he overcame them. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and if you're a fan of when rock and roll was rock and roll, or if you loved the early 70s glam movement pioneered by the likes of Marc Bolan (T-Rex) and David Bowie, then you too will enjoy this book. A great read that I devoured in 3 days!
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2019
    I really enjoyed reading the autobiography of Tony Visconti. Its full of very clever passages and anecdotes of that golden era of music. Is very good, recommended for all who likes glam rock and all fans of Bowie or Bolan.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read!
    Reviewed in Canada on September 8, 2021
    Very interesting Read on T Rex as well as others he has worked with !
  • Liam Devany
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 6, 2023
    Tony led a blessed life as a record producer. He had the foresight to move from the US to the UK in the late 60s under the wing of an established producer, Denny Cordell. Then made friends with the two most pivotal members of the glam rock movement, Bolan and Bowie. These two artists basically set him up for the rest of his life as a producer. Its a fascinating glimpse into the early years of these artists and he doesn't hold back about their obnoxious traits either as well as his own follies. This is what makes this a great read, you get the ugly as well as the beautiful. For baring his soul, Tony Visconti is to be applauded.
  • Marcus
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tony è il maestro in vita
    Reviewed in Italy on October 26, 2022
    Se vi piacciono Bowie e i T-Rex non potete non leggere il libro del loro storico produttore
  • louise
    5.0 out of 5 stars C'est un livre passionnant
    Reviewed in France on February 13, 2019
    Tony Visconti nous éclaire sur le rôle d'un producteur de disque , sur son implication dans l'enregistrement des albums de David Bowie et d’innombrables artistes, il nous fait partager une vie passionnante et de nombreuses anecdotes.
  • Gary Thompson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Arrived quickly, perfect condition .
    Reviewed in Australia on March 18, 2022
    Been looking for this book for years, finally found it along with two other books. Good price excellent service.