Wild Boy

I'm 57 and have read most every major R & R book about groups and performers from 1950-1995. My teenage years were spent listening to the Beatles, Doors, Hendrix, etc. So, it might seem odd that I'd like this book so much. This book is a classic...even if you weren't part of the Duran Duran generation. I turned 30 when MTV started and was blown away by the creativity of 1980s rock groups. This book really takes the reader back to that amazing decade when R & R was reborn thru the medium of video. This book is well written and is hard to put down. I liked it as much as I liked Anthony Keidis' "Scar Tissue". I read this over an 8 hour period and didn't come upon a single boring page. Whatever age you are...if you like rock 'n' roll or pop-culture history - you'll like this book.

This fascinating autobiographical comes from the point of view of the only member of Duran Duran who had marital/familial responsibility from the beginning, was not as caught up in the personal "image" of the band as most of the others, nor did he come from any sort of privileged background. (As a matter of fact he went through a pretty heart-breaking childhood as he describes.) These factors give credibility to trust his account of events and such. Of course, one of the most tantalizing reasons for me (as a guitarist for 30+ years, and a DD fan from the early 80's) to read this, as I imagine it was also many other's reason, was to vicariously experience in my mind what he experienced in reality! What was life like as a member of one of the most famous musical groups to ever grace a stage? He gives many fun details, dark details, and dishes the "dirt" o-plenty; but he also confesses his own errors which I found to give further credibility to his accounts. My foremost concern with this book is the risk he took in [irreversibly] damaging his association with his former band mates. (I did shake my head after reading some of the darker accounts he described about the others because he definitely tests the virtues of mercy and forgiveness!) But after recently purchasing the 'Classic Album' DVD series (the making of) RIO, hearing the other band members' respectful comments on Andy's guitar parts/investment, and seeing the appreciative expressions on their faces (especially Nick's), there seems to remain at least an affectionate appreciation for his talent and role in Duran Duran that will likely remain regardless of wounds inflicted--past or present. Whether it is fact, or just this reader's hope that he is communicating it, I saw within the lines of this book a confessional (to the other guys in the band) as to reasons for his breakdown in behavior causing his most recent separation from DD. Perhaps there is a hope to someday reunite? As a musician who became a fan of Duran Duran in the early 80s while stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany (celebrated by Andy in his book), I have only really been adamantly interested in the version of Duran Duran with Andy as part of it. Therefore it is my hope that there will be amends and the original five will once again create what only the five of them can. But the clock is ticking...

Duran Duran-what a name and what band. This book is a great read and is deserving of a mass audience. I learned a great deal; even though I have been a "Durannie" since 1984. To have gone what they went through and still remain alive, etc. is remarkable. My only qualm with the book was wondering if Andy was biased in some of this, in which I would only guess he'd have to be. I hated the bank broke up in the 80's and again a few years ago. Duran is still relevant today and deserving of a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pick up this book! DLW

I personally loved reading Andy's book, it's a fantastic read that flows nicely starting from his fractured family (no thanks to his adulterous mother), to that fateful call to Birmingham to respond to the ad for a "live-wire guitarist". He describes JT in a positive light, the first member of the band he met at the Rum Runner. His descriptions of the bands beginnings, the recording of the first 4 albums confirm many rumours (i.e. the writing process, the videos, the idiosyncrasies of the other band members, problems with the Berrows and entourage, etc.) and presents some fabulous back story that will certainly impact the next time you view a FAB FIVE video or listen to a FAB FIVE song. Of course he highlights his contributions, but I find he also mentions the significant contributions of the others, esp. Simons original vocals/deep lyrics and the fact that John was a complete natural at the bass. His recounting of the time he told Nick that he was only playing one key is hysterical. Yeah, he goes well into the rivalry with Spandau Ballet and gloats that Duran came out on top - as they were clearly the better band. His accounts about Julie-Anne (Nick's psycho ex-wife) are humourous, especially when someone secretly hid her passort so she could not travel with them to Montserrat. The accounts of the band's drug abuse and alcohol intake is not new news, but its description is engaging. The wild ride these 5 guys took between drugs, alcohol, babes and record hits is a swirling ride - its really a miracle that no one in the band died at the time. He talks about his courtship with Tracy, their marriage, and I was shocked to read Tracy's post-partum problems. The story about Tracy and their first son made me feel for him even more so than ever before. Some good stories about the Power Station, working with Robert Palmer, Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson, Rod Stewart, Steve Jones are great anecdotes. He even mentions time spent with the two best cops to ever appear on television - Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas (aka Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice). I am glad that he also clears out the reasons why he's no longer in the band, I was pissed to learn that he did actually want to be at that Poland show (remember that Warsaw show??). He did want to be in New York for the Timbaland sessions - and the reasons why he was not there are now something that Duran Duran/band management have to answer for - I now look back at their statements from September/October 2006 as utter falsehoods. I now look back at the bands comments during the Howard Stern interview and shake my head. He even comments about what he thought about working with Justine Timberflake. I think its better that Andy is out of the band now, from the issues they had to get Astronaut together and the problems during the San Francisco and Sphere recording sessions make you think how he survived so long. Yep, all those corporate gigs from 2006 were done to pay for the studio time that

I wanted to add a review after reading the post of someone who gave the book 1 star without ever having read the book (it's obvious from her remarks, which are completely disconnected from the contents of this book). Andy gives a very down to earth, conversational account of growing up in a small fishing town in England. His mother abandoned him and his father when he was a boy. Fortunately, Andy and his father shared a strong bond. He describes answering the ad that would lead to him becoming the guitarist for Duran and chronicles the bands rise and ultimately, their fall. He matter-of-factly mentions disagreements within the band, but mostly sticks to being very complimentary of the other members and points out how each of them contributed to the success of the band. There is a chapter or two which describes Andy's drug use in the 80s and in one of the more moving stories, he describes being sold out to the newspapers by the band's old body guard from their Rum Runner days. The story broke describing the band's cocaine use and how his dad had walked (as he did each day) to get the morning paper at the local store, only to be greeted with disapproving looks from the other locals. He talks about his dads hurt/disappointment and his own guilt. You really get a sense of his father being a very decent, good man who was proud of his son and also worried about him. He goes on to talk about living in Los Angeles and embarking on a solo career and, later, being asked to be part of reforming the original Duran Duran. He also talks about the circumstances leading to his no longer being in the band (something he does without any sense of anger....he's very diplomatic). The final chapters bring the book full circle with the opening chapters in describing his fathers recurrance of cancer, and later his death. I hadn't really expected the book to have such a strong narrative. A very relaxed, conversational style memoir and it's great that he has so many fond memories of the band and so much pride in what they accomplished together.