On Some Faraway Beach: The Life and Times of Brian Eno

483 Pages·2009·65.61 MB·English

by  David Sheppard

music $27.95
O
“ An extraordinary tale of how rock’s most infamous non-musician became pop’s n

most articulate spokesman and in-demand producer. . . . David Sheppard’s near S
O On Some Faraway Beach EW rECOrD COLLECtiOnS
magisterial biography, written with Eno’s co-operation though largely unsani-
TM remain untouched by Brian Eno’s
tized, meticulously unpicks the thinking that motivates a genuine modern music h
original. . . . As Sheppard makes clear in this superbly researched and written eE aesthetic DnA: from ambient
F
L soundscapes and world-music hybrids
book, Eno earned his right to popular music sainthood three decades ago.” A
i
—Mojo fer to cut-and-paste vocal samples and amni-
aA otic chill-out rooms, Eno is all around
W
“ [One of the] ten best music books [of the year]. This exceptionally well-written n
us. A sonic alchemist to the stars, his
dA
biography celebrates [Eno’s] great achievements with Roxy, Bowie, Talking
Ty address book is a veritable who’s who
Heads, and his own solo work in compelling detail.” —Uncut im B of rock and pop and his credit adorns an
E outrageous number of albums. tellingly,
e
A
“ Sheppard’s diligently researched, flamboyant and fascinating book provides a s Eno’s work with roxy Music, David Bowie,
C
o
long overdue critical perspective on Eno, the man and his work—by someone H talking Heads, Devo, U2, and Coldplay
f
other than Eno.” has coincided with those artists produc-
—The Wire B
ing their most challenging and critically
“ Sheppard’s book provides the definitive story of one of rock’s most fascinating revered work.
r
DaviD ShepparD is a practicing figures.” The Life and Times of On Some Faraway Beach is the first seri-
—The Independent i
musician and a writer on music and culture. ous, critical examination of the life and
a
He has been a regular contributor to Mojo “ [An] honorable, authorized attempt to do justice to a mind-bogglingly restless times of Brian Eno. From an idiosyncratic
magazine for a decade and has written for and prolific subject. . . . With his uninhibited fondness for sex and intriguing cul- n Brian Eno childhood in a sleepy little British market
Q, the Observer, the Glasgow Herald, and tural hypotheses, Eno comes across in On Some Faraway Beach as an archetypal town to the top of the international pop

the Mail on Sunday, among others. He has man of the 1970s.” E charts, Eno’s journey has been lengthy
also written short biographies of Leonard —The Sunday Times and colorful. David Sheppard has inter-
Cohen and Elvis Costello. n viewed many of those who have strayed
“ Sheppard has corralled the many strands of Eno’s hectic creative life into a
into Eno’s orbit, including key collabora-
coherent and highly readable account. . . . The book possesses that quality which o
tors like David Byrne, robert Wyatt, John
distinguishes all the best music biographies—it sends you scurrying back to the
Cale, Bryan Ferry, and Gavin Bryars, who
actual records.”
—Total Music all help illuminate the man and his ideas.
But more importantly, Sheppard has had
considerable assistance and input from
Sheppard
Brian and Anthea Eno themselves, while
retaining an edge and independence in
keeping with his subject.
Jacket design: Monica Baziuk
Front cover image: © Deborah Feingold/Corbis
Author photo: Peter Wix David Sheppard
Printed in the United States of America
On Some Faraway Beach
The Life and Times of
Brian Eno
David Sheppard
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On Some Faraway Beach
Interior design: Typset by Input Data Services Ltd., Bridgwater, Somerset
Cover design: Monica Baziuk
Cover photo: © Deborah Feingold/Corbis
Copyright © David Sheppard 2008
First published by The Orion Publishing Group, London
This edition published in 2009 by
Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
ISBN 978-1-55652-942-9
Printed in the United States of America
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Contents
1. EventsinDenseFog 1
2. Backwater 12
3. HereHeComes 31
4. SpiritsDrifting 61
5. TheHeavenlyMusicCorporation 87
6. Baby’sonFire 127
7. TheGreatPretender 154
8. BrokenHead 182
9. EnergyFoolstheMagician 215
10. DistributedBeing 250
11. AmericaisWaiting 281
12. MoonlightinGlory 316
13. Blissed 349
14. WhatActuallyHappened? 368
15. SpinningAway 397
16. Epilogue(AlwaysReturning) 436
SourcesandReferences 440
AdditionalBibliography 451
Index 452
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For Louise and my parents
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Acknowledgements
I’m indebted to Michael O’Connell for his genially disguised assidu-
ousnessandroundsoftheblackstuff,toIanPreeceformuchthesame,
to Stephen Fall for his scrupulousness and to Louise Clarke for her
patienceandBritishremedies.
ThankyoutoBrianEnoforhisco-operationandtoeveryoneelsewho
agreedtothegrandinquisition,especially:
Gavin Bryars, Harold Budd, David Byrne, John Cale, Tim Clark, Dave
Coppenhall,SarahEno,DavidEnthoven,BryanFerry,JohnFoxx,Fred
Frith, Robyn Hitchcock, Chris Hobbs, James Johnson, Russell Mills,
Colin Newman, Tom Phillips, Achim Roedelius, Howard Skempton,
ChrisSpedding,LloydWatson,RobertWyatt
Thanksforlettingmedarkenyourinboxes:AlfredaBenge,RogerEno,
ChrisFrantz,RobertFripp,JaneGeerts,DanielLanois,PhilManzanera,
KrisNeeds,JudyNeiland,RichardWilliams
I’m indebted to the following for their recollections, advice, research
material, interlocution and inspiration: Pete Astor, Mark Blake, Mark
Brend, Michael Brook, Paul Buchanan, Chris Carr, Geoff Dolman,
Hannah Eno, Darren Hayman, Martin and Lene Holm, Mark Howard,
Paul Lambden, Graham Lovatt and his ‘Rockular Archive’, Keiron
Phelan,SylvieSimmons,TomVerlaine,PeterWix
SpecialthankstoAntheaEnoforhermemories,objectivityandassist-
ancebeyondthecall.
My gratitude to all the other (sometimes inadvertent) interviewees,
correspondentsandcommentatorswhohelpedshedsomelight.
AuthorphotographbyPeterWix
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