Fast Forward: Confessions of a Post-Punk Percussionist: Volume II

Description

Iconic drummer Stephen Morris presses play once more to the tune of the long-awaited second volume of memoirs . . . Poised on the brink of success, the dizzying heights of the unknown lying ahead, Ian Curtis had taken his own life. Grieving yet determined, Stephen Morris emerged from the wreckage of Joy Division to the dawn of something new: a new band, a new tour, a new beginning. Under the name New Order, Morris and his bandmates set their sights on America, only to encounter new disasters. Yet, in true northern spirit, not even this sudden tragedy could dissuade them from following their haphazard path to greatness. Following the highs and lows of New Order, Fast Forward tracks the changing rhythm of Morris's life and the music that shaped it. From 'music differences' to the ever-growing Joy Division legacy, music is the constant beat through the verses of Fast Forward as Morris's personal and professional life grew increasingly intertwined. This came to a head when his girlfriend was invited to join the band. Tentatively stepping into their testosterone-filled world, Gillian was the right person at the right time for New Order. And for Morris. What began as just a trial period in the band spun into a whirlwind of new projects and experiences, including The Other Two - a project born during one of New Order's (many) hiatuses. Blending entertaining anecdote with profound reflection, Fast Forward strips back a lifetime of fame and fortune to tell, with raw honesty, how New Order threatened to implode time after time. And yet, despite everything, the legacy of their music continued to hold them together.

Stephen Morris has been a consistent fixture in New Order since 1980. The band's long career has included multiple world tours and headlining appearances at festivals, as well as a performance at the closing concert for the 2012 Olympics. Outside of New Order, Morris has released albums and television soundtracks with his wife Gillian Gilbert under the name The Other Two, and has contributed in the studio and on tour to Bernard Sumner's project Bad Lieutenant. He is also well known for owning a collection of tanks, which he drives recklessly near his home. The first volume of his memoirs, Record Play Pause, was a Sunday Times bestseller.

Once again Morris's loquacious, daft wit makes this old yarn feel freshly alive . . . Fans will love the detail . . . Honest accounts of his dad's death and his daughter Tilly's illness are also rendered beautifully, reminding us of the ordinary worlds behind pop, and how precious they are -- Jude Rogers * Mojo *