Uncommon People: The rise and fall of the rock stars by David Hepworth

David Hepworth says the Rock Star is dead; so what happened? The idea still lives on but what do we see in them? Confident reckless bastards full of sexual charisma; with great hair and interesting shoes?  Do we wish we were them, to stay forever young and live out their songs in real life? Do we wish for the double-edged sword called fame or is it about the music, the fans, the money? In many ways these people changed our lives and our fantasies, so it’s our story as well.

So what makes a Rock star, a Rock Star? Different musicians have different ideas about stardom just like you or I. TVs thrown out windows, Rolls Royces in swimming pools, drugged-up parties.
The Rolling Stones, Bowie, Morrissey, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen etc. they have all added their own spin on the phrase.

Hepworth has written a year by year look at the music industry and the names that were big in that period.  This a well written snap-shot on rock history. He also gives you a playlist for each year so you can go and search for the music of the period. Even if you listen to it in a digital format.

Music of course today is different, it’s all Disneyfied or record company label created. Occasionally a lone voice like Lana Del Ray will pop up and sear the landscape but overall it’s pretty boring.
A quote in the book says pop stars are only as good as the songs but rock stars will go on forever.
He’s not wrong.

So: Un-Common people is a reference to Common People by Pulp.
Check out the full lyrics on Google Lyrics; the Pulp video on YouTube; or for extra credits the William Shatner version of the same song on YouTube.

Posted by Rob M

Catalogue link: Uncommon People