Miles Copeland Book- Great Read

[jerseyfan]

I just finished reading the new autobiography by Miles Copeland, "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: My Life in the Music Business."

It's very substantial, detailed and entertaining with dozens of anecdotes about his early life and the dizzying number of bands he worked with. There's no doubt that James Brown was the second hardest working man in show business. Miles Copeland was first. I'm sure the 318-page book could have easily been twice as long.There are just so many famous artists who may have never made it without being launched by Miles and IRS.

As expected with Miles (who most Police fans consider part of the band) he's very honest and gives the good, the bad, the ugly (the hits and misses) and the outrageous.

I will not give away any details. I don't want to spoil the book.

The book is not about the Police and Sting. That's about 15 percent of the material. I will state that our own Dietmar Cloes was thanked by Miles as a fact checker. Wow. Go Dietmar!

I give the book four out of five stars. I highly recommend it to any musician, music business fan and, of course, fans of the Police. It fills in many gaps that we didn't get from books written by Ian, Stewart, Andy and Sting.

Why not five out of five stars?

1) I wanted more about the Police and Sting and reasons for Sting firing Miles after his most successful solo album. I will say that Miles did not hold back when briefly discussing the people around Sting. Perhaps he has an NDA with Sting and can only go so far?

2) He didn't talk about the reported riff with Stewart. That situation makes me sad. I hope they can work it out. I don't think I have heard Stewart talk about it.

3) No mention whatsoever about being cut out of the Police reunion. I was astonished that Miles did not mention that- a glaring omission.

I didn't know that Andy was briefly managed by Miles for his first solo album- the vocal album. I think Andy refused to accept criticism and refused suggested changes/adjustments. I am going to guess that Police reunion was partially payback from Andy. I am a huge fan of Andy. I have almost all his solo work. I have seen him live. However, I think we all know that he tends to be overly sensitive, which is common among artists. A review can be 98 percent raves yet they will brood and dwell on a single negative comment.

4) More photos. I know it increases printing costs.

That's why I give the book 4/5. Overall, however, a very nice job by Miles.

After also reading the books written Ian, Stewart, Andy and Sting, I know there's tons of material for a Hollywood movie or mini-series. (If I can find reasonably priced copies of Miles "CIA" Copeland's books I would have read those, as well.)

Spies, CIA, intrigue, coups, Vietnam, Middle East, sex, drugs & Rock 'n Roll, many rags to riches tales, music business machinations, the castle, the Police, Sting, REM, Go-Go's, Bangles, Squeeze, bellydancers, Courteney Cox, and much more. Why has no one written a script?

[njperry]

I completely agree that this is a great book. Very informative and entertaining. I would give it 5 stars myself.

As Jerseyfan said, it is not about the Police but a great book about the new wave movement of the early 80s and full of all sorts of interesting stuff.

Now Miles, Stewart, and Ian have all written very interesting books.

[Dietmar]

I haven't read it yet. And I must say a credit is very generous as I didn't do too much for him...

[giovanni]

I loved the book!
Being a music business insider myself, I lived some of the tales he wrote about in a very similar way.
I really liked his honesty in telling the ups and downs, that's not easy to display, but he really had no barriers at all in this sense. Also, it seems like he gives more importance to the 'negative' side of the careers, but maybe, that's my impression.
I expected more 'Police' tales, but at the end of the day, reading the whole story, The Police were only one of the acts he worked with, surely the most important, but he really had to deal with so many other important artists that he had to share his time with a lot more business.
No mention of his relationship with The Police at the reunion: there is something that 'they' don't want to talk about. Too personal. I personally tried to get into the reasons but, trust me, it's all very personal and I don't think they all want to share it with the world. Easy.

Congrats to Dietmar! I'm sure you helped with a lot of details concerning dates and places. We all thank you for that!
An amazing reading!

[ManWithGoodTaste]

Just say it goes in-depth regarding the No Speak line, and I will buy it.

[Howstupidmrbates]

Gio:

[quote]"No mention of his relationship with The Police at the reunion: there is something that 'they' don't want to talk about. Too personal. I personally tried to get into the reasons but, trust me, it's all very personal and I don't think they all want to share it with the world. Easy."[quote]


Um, no. NOT easy. Now we want to know even more!!! lol

Seriously, though. A great read. I always thought he was just an ass - and he is. But he was also super smart. And pretty funny too.

[Dietmar]

I got a credit, but I can hardly remember what it was for. I guess we only discussed very few events where I was able to help. I wish I would have been able to proofread, as there's still a lot of avoidable mistakes in the book...