Kim Fowley (1939–2015)

Being a first volume of memoirs from LA scenester and rock impresario Fowley, describing his life up till age 30. His writing is sloppy and ramshackle, and the book can be compared to Neil Young's writings, though Fowley does a much better job of staying on topic (that would be his musical career) and does retain some sense of chronological organization. The book clearly has not been edited; he often manages to spell the same person's name different ways on the same page. For me, the book wasn't helped by the inclusion of liberal selections of his poetry; I'm no poetry critic, but the poems were too oblique for me and they certainly didn't advanced the narrative. All that said, this book is very genuine as the author relates his horrific childhood, tells about his sixties accomplishments in making and producing music , and reminisces about the many musicians and actors he socialized with at that time. This book was an education even for this lifelong fan of Fowley's music, and anyone with an interest in the sixties LA scene will find it difficult to put down as well.… (mehr)