Wild Thing: The Backstage, on the Road, in the Studio, Off the Charts: Memoirs of Ian Copeland

This is the best nonfiction book I have ever read and I have read alot. The Copelands are an amazing family!

It's hard to review this book. I read it while The Police were in full Reunion Tour and old Police Fans were feeling the cruelty of Ian and Kim Turner precocious deaths. Ian was a force, he wasn't perfect and he knew it, but nontheless he tried to do his best.... and what best! Along with his brother Miles he created a new way of managing music and musicians, against all odds. The book alternates moments of fun, of tragedy, of description of the secrets behind the musical scenes.... hilarious scenes, along with Viet Nam tales. My perspective on music business has been confirmed by this great book. And now I'm sure The Police have always been 4: Sting, Stewart, Andy & Ian. Yes, Miles was obviously important: Ian was determinative. We miss you so much Leroy.....

Ian Copeland, brother and booking agent of The Police's Stewart Copeland, gives an amazingly detailed description of what it takes to manage a band and put them on the road. It's a very complicated process. I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this, but I was instantly enthralled. I had presumed it was going to be just another third person account of the antics of The Police, but I was wrong. Ian is no name-dropper. Instead, he takes you on a journey, from growing up in foreign lands to watching his brother play sold-out stadiums, the drugs, the women, the cruel machine that is the music industry. I got this book when it first came out, and never had the chance to tell Ian how good it is - he passed away earlier this year. However, it remains a treasured part of my library.

Warning: reading this book may be hazardous to your sleeping patterns. Why? Because it's nearly impossible to put down once you begin Ian's tale, and you may find yourself staying up all night to finish it in one sitting. Ian Copeland is a fabulous storyteller, and in this book he takes us on an exciting journey through his life and times, from his youthful adventures in the Middle East, through Vietnam, and then into the music scene of the 70's as the rock dinosaurs were dying out to be replaced by a "new wave" of young musicians. The Copeland brothers Miles, Stewart and Ian would each have a tremendous influence on the development of rock music in the late 70s and 80s, and reading Ian's inspirational story of hard-fought success will provide you with great insight into how it all came about. Don't read this book if you are a Police fan simply looking for insight into that band only; although they certainly play a part in Ian's story, it is only one chapter in a much greater adventure. Read this book if you are looking to be inspired about what a person can accomplish with determination, and the self-confidence to break out of how he's told things should be done to instead find his own way.

Although not strictly a book about either the Police or Sting the links to both are fairly obvious. Ian "Coolbreeze" Copeland's autobiography is well worth buying. His experiences of growing up in a (let's be honest) unusual family situation, of serving in Vietnam, his time as a road manager and the ups and downs of booking agency are all recounted and hold the interest consistently. There are two specific chapters on the Police - one on the early US tours and one on the Shea Stadium show - and many other references to them scattered throughout the book. Buy it - you will definitely enjoy it!