****

In his own words this is an exploration of “the centrality of drugs and drug culture to the development of the British music business”,

A legendary manager in  pop and rock, this account by Napier Bell is an exhaustive, largely accurate and illuminating insight into how drugs culture have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship.

His roster of artists under his management impresses, but his analysis crosses the industry, and both sides of the Atlantic

It is authoritative, intelligent, diligently researched and unpretentious , and largely avoids self -aggrandisement. his first hand experience of managing Marc Bolan , The Yardbirds ,Wham! and Japan- uses his wealth of contacts and personal experiences to tell the story of an industry in thrall to substance abuse. Where bad behaviour is not only tolerated but encouraged and where drugs are sometimes as important as talent,

I loved his inside track on the artists, but tired of the drugs tales after a while. Just like the real thing , there is only so much you want to take. He is disappointingly tight lipped about the indiscretions of some of his fellow managers, notably Tom Watkins. A policy of omerta reigns.