An autobiography is all about the life that’s been lived, but for Mark Everett (better known as E, frontman for EELS), that life has largely been about death.
Videos by American Songwriter
Label: ST. MARTIN’S
[Rating: 3]
An autobiography is all about the life that’s been lived, but for Mark Everett (better known as E, frontman for EELS), that life has largely been about death. He found his mad scientist father’s body after a heart attack; he nursed his mother as she died of cancer; his drug-addicted sister committed suicide; his favorite roadie OD’d on heroin; his cousins died on 9/11; and so on. Friends, family, dogs, the landlady and even Nina Simone die during the course of this book; Things The Grandchildren Should Know has a higher body count than a Stallone movie. And yet–it’s a fairly upbeat read. Like many songwriters, E takes the tragedies of life and turns them into his art, using his work as a life-preserver in a sea of misery. E never presents himself as a saint, however, reporting his years as a juvenile delinquent in the sticks with the same self-depricating humor as his career successes. Whether recounting the indignities of touring, explaining his songwriting process, attacking his fans (“F@#$ off, everybody…If you want what you expect, why not make your own album then?”) or merely labeling John Legend “a twat,” E uses his plainly written prose to provide an entertaining tour of his life throughout the course of this heavy-very heavy-but enjoyable book.
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