As soon as I saw that Bernie Taupin had written a memoir, I felt immediately compelled to read it. I grew up listening to the music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and I've long said that Elton John is my favorite musical artist of all time. I was quite excited to see how the writer of many of my favorite songs might write about his own life, his work, and his relationship with Elton John.

While there were many anecdotes in the book that I found quite entertaining (mostly related to the music industry, or more specifically to working with Elton John and other members of the band), overall I felt that there were simply way too many anecdotes. Reading this book felt like visiting an older, slightly out-of-touch, white male relative who is well intentioned but still fails to filter his own stories. Taupin occasionally teetered into the territory of problematic language choices, while making offhanded comments trying to defend himself, like, Oh, you might judge me for saying this. While those moments made me feel uncomfortable, my primary feeling while reading this book was bored. I'm always reluctant to write critical reviews of memoirs, because it feels like I'm criticizing the author's life. Overall, I just feel that Scattershot could have benefited from a tighter (and more intentional) edit.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

3.5 stars

Songs should be treated not only as escapism but as thought-provoking in the same way as motion pictures or modern art. Take a ride and invest yourself in letting your ears create visuals that are your own invention. Don’t rely on me—I’m liable to make things up.

If you're looking for salacious information, you won't find it here. Although a few well-known singers like Rod Stewart and Grace Slick do deserve little reprimands. Bernie Taupin writes considerably about his passion for music, his solid relationship with Elton John and the different personalities he's encountered over the years.

He's a great storyteller and I loved finding out the true inspirations for some of his most famous songs. It is easy to tell that Bernie gets a kick out of the rumoured inspiration for some of his music. I loved finding out who was the ORIGINAL inspiration for Candle in the Wind( before it was Marilyn Monroe). Also, his John Lennon and Brian Wilson story was my #1 favourite. I am going to enjoy retelling that one.

Why 3 stars? Well, I liked it. That's a fact. But at times, I do feel like I couldn't follow the deep and thoughtful Bernie Taupin throughout all his tales. Maybe it's just me but I felt there were times I forgot what he was talking about in the first place. LOL!


Publication Date 12/09/23
Goodreads Review 24/03/24

* I had originally received an ARC through NetGalley and Hachette Books but it was archived before I could download it. My review and highlights are from a recent Kindle purchase of the published book. *

I think I was expecting something more from this book though I don’t know what. Having grown up listening to the early Elton John music and seeing Bernie Taupin's name on the liner notes. I still think those early albums were some of his best and the two of them working together did great work. His life of four marriages and addiction to drugs and also being a loner only makes this a sad story at times. His hanging out with musicians friends and other famous people does add to it at times but I still felt off for some reason. I am sure others will enjoy this book.

I love reading memoirs and often the writing is okay and pretty pedestrian but it gets the story told. As I started reading Bernie Taupin's memoir, I kept saying to myself - wow, he is a really great writer - very descriptive and has a way of phrasing things well. Then I suddenly realized -- oh of course-- he is the brilliant lyricist for all the Elton John songs I adore. Hearing his version of events and his friendship with Elton was really interesting to read. I was enthralled throughout most of the book but got a little bored toward the end as he detailed his various relationships, ranch, etc. But I still recommend it because he is a really interesting person and I loved hearing his stories of interactions with other famous people.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Books for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.

A captivating memoir by "the one who writes the words for Elton John".
Spanning over the past fifty years Bernie Taupin takes us around the world describing his extraordinary life. We read about his many ups and downs, famous and not so famous people he spent time with and his love of the art world including writers, painters and artists in many forms.
A truly captivating read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hatchette Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I was a teenager when Elton John’s music exploded onto the radio, and to this day, there are certain songs that I play in celebration, or when I need my mood lifted. For decades it lay in the back of my mind, wondering what was behind these lyrics or those. Never one to delve into the lives of celebrities all that often—a few shallow attempts convinced me that usually the most interesting thing about them is their work, which I’ve seen or heard already—I nevertheless filed it away, to find out about those lyrics one day.

Retirement came, and so with extra time to spare, I finally learned that Elton didn’t write those words. None of them! It was his writing partner, Bernie Taupin. I found this out only after reading an Elton John bio. I searched for one of Bernie’s and found empty air instead. When I saw this galley, I had to read it, and I am so glad that I did. Big thanks go to Net Galley and Hachette Books for the review copy; this book is for sale now.

Sometimes a public figure will publish a memoir, but either openly or secretly, they require a ghost writer, and in the cases of some others, we may wish that they had. Taupin, however, is a writer, and boy does it show! His eloquence is undeniable, hilarious in some places, moving in others. His judgment is unerring, knowing when to be brief and when to use detail, and his candor is refreshing as well. The result, for me, is that when I’ve finished reading, instead of the usual five or six quotes that I’ve highlighted so that I can select one or two to use later, I instead find that I’ve highlighted eighty-eight, and some of these are multiple pages in length! I’ve spent an hour trying to choose which one to share, and it’s hard because they’re all brilliant. Since choosing just one is impossible, let’s just go with the first, which is near the beginning of the book, the beginning of the Bernie and Reg (Elton, later) show. The chapter begins:

“Sheila hated my coat. I can’t say I blame her. It hung on a hook on the back of our bedroom door like a Neanderthal artifact from the Natural History Museum…when it rained, which was often, it smelled like an uncured yak hide. Afghan coats were in style, as were kaftan jackets, three button tees, and velvet pants. I’m positive we didn’t succumb to the latter, but as for everything else, my new best friend and I did our very utmost to look the part…Sheila was Reg’s mother.”

Born in a tiny, isolated hamlet into the very bottommost scrapings of the working class, Bernie knew from an early age that he wanted out. He loved his family, and later, when money came his way, he took good care of his parents, but he never wanted to live in that place again, and became Californian down to the marrow of his bones the instant he landed in Los Angeles.

Taupin doesn’t hold much back, that’s for sure. The most essential ingredients of a top notch autobiography are that the person has lived an interesting life; knows how to write about it; and is willing to talk about just about every aspect of it. Taupin gets top marks in all three areas. Early on, I became concerned about his attitude toward women, given that the first we learn of his having married is when he makes a side reference to his first marriage dissolving, and I thought, Seriously? You tell us all of the everything, but don’t even mention your marriage? Small wonder it didn’t take. I maintain that concern through two more marriages that get little ink; but then we reach his current, and most likely permanent union, and everything changes and I feel much better.

Taupin has stories about just about every celebrity on the planet, and he does talk about the inspirations for his lyrics. I would have finished this book much sooner, but the greatest joy of reading a rock and roll musician’s memoir is reaching back to listen to the songs whose lyrics he scribed, as well as the many musical influences that shaped him. (Country western, I kid you not!) This book became such a prominent part of my day that my family was leery of turning up during the lunch hour, because I had passages to read aloud. And yet they had to admit that many of them were pretty damn good.

This book is highly recommended to all that love rock music, Elton John, and also to those that just love a resonant, well written memoir.

Thank you to Hachette Books and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.


I am not sure where to begin with this review. I saw this book and was really excited about it. I had previously read Elton John's book and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading the other side of the story.

At the top of the book he states that his thoughts are not in a linear order. Much like the way his brain functions, he said it is a jumble of thoughts and memories and he wanted to share them with us. That is where the title of the book comes from. I was ok with that, and was still very excited to hear how he came up with the lyics to all of the wonderful songs he has written with Elton John.

This was not that. This was the equivalent of someone inviting you over for dinner, and then spending the next few hours showing you their vacation photos. It was a whole lot of name dropping but not a lot of much else. I was really disappointed in this one,

In conclusion, I think that Bernie Taupin is a fantastic lyricist. but an awful book writer.

The music of Elton John and the words of Bernie Taupin were my lifeline during adolescence and I heard the same from my friends when I told them I was reading this memoir. Their music spawned an interest in songwriting and its process in me, so when I saw this title, I couldn't wait to read it. I though it would touch upon the songwriting aspects of this dynamic duo. Sadly (for me) it wasn't about that at all.

This is more of a personal tale and an acknowledgement of influences. I did like learning about his deep interest and love for Americana and the American west. This was interesting and I could see these influences thinking back to these early albums (which I do own and may need to give a re-listen to after reading this book). I also found his discussion of his art refreshing and was compelled to google some images.

But far too often the book became a copious list of celebrity name dropping with some adjective, simile and metaphor laden words that pushed me to skim through these sections. Honestly, I lost track of all of the people he partied with, worked with, and even married, so that part of the book was less interesting to me, aside from the discussion of how some of these folks influenced his lyrics. It was a bit jarring to read those lyrics I loved were written in ten minutes in some cases, but there were few, if any details about their songwriting in this memoir and that was a disappointment.

That being said, I did slog through to the end on this one, gobbling up the little bits and pieces of what interested me and skimming over the pages that didn't. It was clear there is a deep loving relationship between BT and EJ, Their songs will always be timeless to me, and best of all, this memoir didn't change that for me.

Bernie Taupin certainly has a lot to say, not only about his relationship and collaboration with singer Elton John, but about almost everything in his life. A memoir to be savored, enjoyable, if a little wordy (only my opinion).

Bernie Taupin’s “Scattershot” delivers insight into one of rock music’s most visible unknowns. Known as Elton John’s lyricist, his photos were on a number of the 1970’s albums… but anything else could pretty much be fabricated with interpretation of his lyrics. The wide-eyed innocence of “Your Song” was a landmark and melded perfectly with Elton’s unforced piano work. From there… a long, extraordinary road.

I can never get enough rock biographies— until I read one. Music has been a huge part of my life, both as an entertainment and as a livelihood. Casey Kasem’s countdown shows were always a must and to this day I possess wonderfully pointless trivia neutrons lounging in vital brain cells. All that being said, worthwhile music biographies have been illusive in my pursuits. Keith Richards’s book was surprising with its profound and illuminating insights. The recent Ricki Lee Jones bio was enjoyable, and the stories Robbie Robertson told were (from his angle, at least) amazing. On the less worthwhile side, Chuck Negron’s Three Dog Night story was mostly one of a heroin tragedy. I found Donovan’s to be so self-aggrandizing I wanted to sic ‘Superman or Green Lantern’ on him. Most of the other accounts were hit or miss, pretty tepid “as told to” tales of drugs, groupies, two-year peaks and crashes.

In the Author’s Note, Bernie warns us this is not a straight-forward biography, not a strictly chronological tale. It is going to be “Scattershot,” perhaps haphazard in its form. If a scholarly document is desired, this is not the place to look. The book takes off from there. The initial, well known telling of the Elton-Bernie collaboration is covered, there are the early struggling years, and the career breakthrough Troubadour performances. Much of this was covered in Elton’s book, “Me,” and the hyper-glitzy film “Rocketman.”

“Scattershot” is not limited to Elton’s adventures with his sidekick. We do get insights into their relationship and there are passages like Elton’s suicide attempt and how that is transformed into “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” but Bernie stresses the differences in their personalities and how they have found their own separate paths to happiness. He is not just one of the Captain Fantastic posse as he travels on tour, he claims his job is to be a witness.

“I’m a complete voyeur when it comes to my ideas. I always have been, from day one. I think if there’s anything you could put on my tombstone, it could be: HE WAS AN OBSERVER.” – Bernie in a Vanity Faire interview.

Is this a “tell all” book? It is a “tell some” with entertaining anecdotes about people like Cher, Nilsson, John Lennon, John Belushi, Bob Marley, Frank Sinatra— even encounters with Salvador Dali and author Graham Greene. He pulls no punches as he blasts Chevy Chase, John Bonham and Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant. Fun stuff.

Songwriters are often grilled on the meaning of the lyrics. One of the big reveals is that he was never a Marilyn Monroe fan, that “Candle in the Wind '' was not originally about her, and that while he did adapt the lyrics for Princess Di’s memorial, he was never particularly a royal family follower. There are a few instances where Bernie reveals his inspiration, but he includes Lou Reed’s quote, “Just because I wrote it doesn’t mean I know what it’s about.” Then he adds, “Don’t rely on me– I’m liable to make things up.”

Bernie’s life is much more than songwriting. The ‘Brown Dirt Cowboy’ has been an accomplished equestrian, a successful restaurateur, and a celebrated artist. While these areas show a great deal of diversity, there is much more detail here than necessary and could have been edited down.

Finally: I do not hold it against “Scattershot” that Mr. Taupin was responsible for writing “We Built This City.” There must be a statute of limitations on that crime. Oh, “Island Girl,” too.

“I’m just a hack writer who drinks too much and falls in love with girls.” – Holly Martins from “The Third Man” as quoted by Bernie.

I do recommend “Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and Me” for its entertaining reveal of a pop life we could only imagine. It rises above the average rock bio, thankfully.

Thank you to Hachette Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Bernie Taupin's biography is compelling, honest, and hard to put down. Although his is a private person, takes us on his journey of childhood through his life as we learn the man behind the brilliant lyrics. His details and descriptions of his extraordinary life and partnership with Elton John make this an excellent, well-done memoir. As always, I love memoirs and hearing the stories behind the songs. This is especially true for this book, as I was a teenager in the 1970s, and the songs from the musical collaboration of Bernie Taupin and Elton John were part of that era for me. They have remained with me through the present. Hearing these songs performed live by Elton John in Nashville, Tennessee in 2019 is a memory that will last forever.

Thank you to Hachette Books and Net Galley for an advance reader's copy. My thoughts are my own.

Everyone knows the music of Elton John. But some may not know that Elton never writes any lyrics. He’s the music man and those idiosyncratic lyrics (“Bennie and the Jets,” “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fightin’” for instance) are all the handiwork of Elton’s writing partner and best mate Bernie Taupin who changed both their lives when he answered a want ad looking to pair a lyricist with a musician.

Elton’s story has been well told but, in his memoir Scattershot, Bernie gets a chance to tell the tale from his perspective. And it’s a delight to hear the true story of the distant want ad that Bernie happened to read in the New Musical Express. It was placed by someone who worked for Dick James, then the publisher of The Beatles catalog. Lightning struck twice when Bernie found Elton, who was then still Reg Dwight.

Bernie was 17 years old and working a variety of blue-collar jobs. He didn’t care much for education, but he loved rock and roll, liked to write lyrical stories, and was fascinated with the American west.

He saw the ad and figured he had nothing to lose. That might be an understatement. At the time, Bernie was working on a chicken farm and, when hundreds of birds began dying because of some sort of virus, the boss handpicked Bernie to shovel the deadbirds into an incinerator. Things were so dire that Bernie was scouring condom machines for loose change.

He quit his dead chicken gig and a month later, spotted that want ad. “Unsure as to what songwriting consisted of,” he writes, “I covered my incompetence by way of flowery purple prose . . . how it wasn’t tossed in the bin after a good chuckle is anyone’s guess.”

Bernie was so ineffectual that he actually forgot to mail in his pitch. It was his mother who sent it along. “I just forgot, OK?” he writes and, in an attempt to “dispel myths,” Bernie tells the sad truth of that letter and why it wasn’t tossed: “How many lyricists do you honestly think responded to the advertisement? Er, me, that’s how many!”

Elton or Reg liked what he saw in Bernie’s lyrics, and they formed a partnership where each got 50% of the music royalties even though Elton was writing the melodies, playing the piano, and singing the songs.

It’s hard not to think of Bernie as one of the luckiest people alive, and he knows many think he’s just a barnacle who attached himself to one of the most talented pop stars alive. About three-quarters of the way through the book, Bernie tackles that common perception as he accompanies Elton on yet another massive tour:

“For those who might assume that I was simply coasting on a wave of Elton’s tour dollars and flaunting around as if I was owed this luxury by way of my lyrical contributions, take note,” he writes. “I was continually observing, always in the minute, drawing my blueprints from every single thing that steered into my path throughout the day and into the night. . . . I was deadly serious about my work . . . the thing is,good, bad or indifferent, I never stopped writing.”

Serious, yes, but also a party animal, as he makes clear. Bernie may have been “only” a lyricist, but he lived the life of a major pop star. Much of the book is devoted to his excesses in the realm of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. He leaves no doubt he made his mark and swanned around with celebrity rock friends like Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, and Keith Moon. The two drummers were reportedly so wild back in the day that Bernie seemed a little afraid of them.

What’s surprising about the memoir is how little Bernie delves into his inspiration and where the songs came from. For a guy who wrote, “Candle in the Wind,” “Crocodile Rock,” “Rocketman,” “Tiny Dancer” and on and on, he just doesn’t outline his inspiration very often. By way of explanation, early in the book, Bernie quotes the great Lou Reed as saying, “Just because I wrote it doesn’t mean I know what it’s about.”

But there are lots of anecdotes that make this memoir a great read, as long as you skip over the parts about Bernie’s ranching days, how he learned to waterski, and his own group “Farm Dogs,” which he tells us constantly was a great band even though it was a classic vanity project.But the anecdotes make up for that, like the time when Bernie was vacationing in Barbados and got a call from Elton about a backing track he’d just come up with. (By the way, this almost never happened. Nearly 100% of the time, Bernie came up with the lyric first and then Elton wrote the music.)

Elton played the track and Bernie listened over the phone, even though he’s aware “the afternoon’s cocktails [had] muddled my brainwaves.” Elton said he envisioned the track as a duet of the sort Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell once recorded.

“I listened, told him I’d give it a shot, hung up and stuck my head in an ice bucket,” he writes. “In ten minutes I’d thrown something together that was simplistic without being overly trite, and this is how ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ came about. Not exactly ‘Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands,’ but the second biggest selling single of 1976 and our first UK number one . . . not bad for ten minutes of drunken scribbling.”

As great as that story is, it does make the reader wonder: What would Elton have been with another lyricist? He would have been a different Elton for sure, but would he still have been as massively popular or was there some kind of magic in Bernie’s lyrics? And would there have been an Elton John at all if not for the endearing lyrics of “Your Song” that brought Elton to the public’s attention.

Bernie knows all too well that he got to live a charmed life. Aside from the tremendous wealth that came from those songs, Bernie got to personally hobnob with the biggest rock names of his generation. And some of those intimate stories are worth the price of the book.

Bernie tells a most poignant story from a time he and a bunch of rock stars descended on Dean Martin’s house, then still a beacon of cool. He found himself sitting next toBrian Wilson of the Beach Boys who was going through his what became his well-publicized breakdown. “Wilson plopped down beside me and whispered breathlessly into my ear, ‘Bernie, Bernie, will you introduce me to John Lennon.’”

Bernie knew Lennon from his friendship with Elton and a nervous Lennon had dragged Bernie onstage for the ex-Beatle’s last performance ever. It was at Madison Square Garden when Lennon sang “Whatever Gets You Through the Night.” The footage from that night shows Bernie near Lennon playing a tambourine.

So Bernie was in a good position to introduce Brian Wilson to Lennon even though he wondered how the two had never met since The Beatles were great fans of Wilson’s music. Wilson and Lennon chatted and minutes later, Wilson again asked Bernie to introduce them. He did a second and then even a third time. Lennon was always polite and chatted Wilson up.

At that point, Bernie told Lennon that should leave before it happened again. “What did he want to talk about?” Bernie asked Lennon.

“John shook his head, ‘Across the Universe.’

“’Sorry about that,’ I said.

“John looked at me, smiled and in that unmistakable Liverpudlian drawl just said, ‘Bless him, he’s not well you know.’”

Maybe someone needs to write a song about Bernie and the Jets.

A non-linear, anecdote laden, quasi biography of one of the greatest songwriting teams of all time. The writing is exactly what you would expect from this esoteric lyricist, filled with flowering prose, insider pop culture references, and enough actual biography to qualify as such. If you are looking for a guide to the songs or the origin of the lyrics, you'd be better off reading the 1976 book, "Bernie Taupin: The One Who Writes the Words for Elton John." Thoroughly enjoyable, it kept my interest throughout. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for an advanced reader copy.

That the man who wrote lyrics for international superstar Elton John’s hits could write an extremely entertaining memoir should come as no surprise. Bernie Taupin can write, no doubt. His book,“Scattershot” is aptly named, as the reader is taken through Taupin’s early life, friendship with John, his personal life and career, but not always in a linear fashion. This approach might bother some readers, but I found it extremely entertaining.
“Scattershot “ is not a rock music tell-all book. It is not an Elton John story, even though John plays an important part in Taupin*s life. Taupin takes readers through his life as the lyricist for one of the world’s biggest stars, but also takes us through an interesting life of a man with eclectic interests and the desire to pursue as many of those interests as possible. He wanted to experience art, music, and…rodeo! Frank Sinatra and Salvador Dali make an appearance in the story.
Throughout the book, even though Elton John isn’t featured, Taupin’s love for his longtime friend is obvious. I thought “Scattershot” was engaging, entertaining, and well-written.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy for review.

My thanks to Net Galley and Hachette books for allowing me to review this arc.

Enjoyable story of Elton John's writing partner. This is NOT a linear autobiography. Great stories, but jumps a bit. I was hoping for more Elton stories, but you'll like this. Well written.

My ONLY negative thoughts was story dragged on with too much detailsm

Growing up, Elton John's music was a constant in my life due to my mom's lifelong love of him and his music. Because of that, I was also very aware of Bernie Taupin's talents as a songwriter for Elton John, as well his myriad of other accomplishments throughout his life. I found myself fully immersed in Taupin's story and really appreciated this chance to get a closer look at everything he found himself a part of. I felt as though he wasn't all that worried about staying on a single track and meandered a bit here and there, but overall most things he shared were interesting and kept me engaged, while also let me learn a bit more about him and get an inside look into various parts of his industry and relationships. I think this would make a great audiobook, so if you have the opportunity to read that, I would definitely consider it! Overall, this was a fascinating book and it was awesome to get a chance to learn a bit more about Bernie Taupin.

Mr. Taupin certainly has a way with words and ‘Scattershot’ is yet another way that we witness his story, The candor, imagery and the beauty of observances are so detailed that I had the feeling of ‘being there’. His life has brimmed with the highs and the lows of success. his relationships, endless days fueled by cocaine and alcohol and the deep love he has for friends, family, Americana and book collecting. The glory of the last chapters chronicle Mr. Taupin on his California ranch, settled amongst horses, his art and rodeo competitions. He at last is the ‘Brown Dirt Cowboy’ and how wonderful it is to ride alongside him on this glorious adventure.
Thank you NetGalley, Mr. Taupin and Hachette Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

Most mornings I wake up with a song in my head. And most of the time, it's an Elton John song! Elton composed the medleys but Bernie Taupin, almost always, wrote the lyrics. You can't have Elton without having Bernie.

This book is not your typical memoir/autobiography. As the title, Scattershot, suggests, it is about certain people, places, and events Bernie has encountered during his life and is not in any chronological order. These scattered vignettes are beautifully written. I would expect nothing less from one of music's most legendary lyricists. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher Hachette Books for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to provide a review.

Thank you publisher and author for the opportunity to read a free copy of this book for review. I apologize but I could not delve deeply into his tale. May be my fault? I thought it would be more detailed and may I say exciting around very events, but I think what I did was overlay aspects of others’ stories on his. And that was not fair to him and his book. Maybe one day I will pick this up again when I might do a music unit challenge focus, but I just have way too many other books to read right now.

3 Stars @ 33%

I kept thinking of the words "self-indulgent" as I read this book. Loving rock biographies/memoirs and being a casual Elton John fan I thought this would be intriguing. Bernie Taupin is the lyricist for many iconic Elton John hits. Back in the 90s there was a TV special and accompanying CD called "Two Rooms" documenting how Elton John and Bernie Taupin composed songs separately; Bernie would supply Elton with lyrics and then Elton would dash off to pair them with melodies- creating sonic magic.

Bernie reminds me of Neil Peart, the late Rush drummer who wrote lyrics for all their compositions. Like Bernie, Neil was an avid reader. Neil was able to parlay this into becoming a successful writer of books such as "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road" and "Roadshow: Landscape With Drums", but I don't forsee any such talent in Bernie Taupin's future. Bernie has a writing style that is not exactly free-flowing and easy to read. Some without a expansive vocabulary might need a dictionary to comprehend his passages. If you're reading at bedtime (as I often do) this might not pass for relaxing reading.

He meanders in a rather unstructured fashion into in-depth vignettes and stories about famous people he interacted with while travelling the world. As the "silent partner" who didn't have to perform on stage he roamed around in Paris, New York and Los Angeles, drinking in experiences that hopefully would translate into meaningful lyrics. Upon making it a third of the way into his book, I found myself frustrated and disinterested. I then consulted some reviews to check for shared experiences and found similar complaints, and people that checked out about the same time I did.

Thank you to the publisher Hachette Books for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.