Book: Tony Visconti: The Autobiography. Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy

 Known in the mainstream as David Bowie’s producer, Tony Visconti put this bio out in 2005 and took the opportunity to be honest about everyone he has worked with (AKA have a go) including Paul McCartney. Perhaps because of his loyalty to Lennon, who’s ex he later married.Marc Bolan seemed to be a bit of an ass, but still managed to make it into the book title, perhaps as T-Rex were the first artists Visconti hand-picked to work with rather than people being sent to him via the studio he worked for.David Bowie, however, he can say little bad about. The book sees them as kindred spirits, respectfully relying on each other’s creativity for each project they worked on.It seems producers can have their version of the tiresome rock n roll lifestyle too – perhaps more so as no one knows what they look like – so there is plenty of, wine, women and drugs if that’s what you’re into. (I’m not).It’s certainly interesting to hear the producer’s side and read some interesting stories I'd never come across.  Visconti will include every time he was first to use a method or push the boundary a little, and rightly so. I learn he’s also an accomplished musician, including the bass he first picked up as a kid. Amongst the tons of little bits of info unknown to me, he was married to Mary Hopkins, his second wife, the folk singer around in the 1970s. Not so rock n roll.Although had I known it was endorsed by whining Morrissey, I may not have picked it up!!6½/10 @RickieWrites