"I don’t want to visit cheap". This is a quote from John Lurie's latest book: The History of Bones (this link will take you to a google preview of the book, it's a pretty random view of the book, but a good idea of the book).
Amen.
He doesn’t sell himself (or his story) out on what YOU think is important. I am glad that he didn't cowtow to writing about what people want to hear and it’s glorious.
There are a bunch of random reviews out there that will entice you by saying things like: a great book about the grit of NY in the late 70s. Sure, I guess. But really and this is what I got out of it... it's all about the value and desire of a musician to make a difference in the world and what he has to do to get there.
It's gritty as things get with no apologies, but it's really self reflection and not hot goss about Studio 54 and the East Village which is what some of the preliminary reviews were and I couldn't have wished for anything more different.
The first five chapters are so important to the rest of the story do not skip them. Truly. It’s a side I certainly did not know. I mean I read the book so I could know more but this was very important reading to understand who Mr. Lurie is and why he pursues everything in the way that he writes about. To me, this was wildly brave.
It’s a semi-linear story told in fits and starts which while reading it’s like listening to John Lurie tell you the story directly… and yes there is an audio book that will be just be that exact piece of art. If you have watched "Painting with John" (and I suggest that you do), there is a familiarity in the narrative. If you have seen "Fishing with John" then you definitely are in familiar narrative territory.
About halfway through is where the book fine tunes (no pun I promise) so there are some of the more juicer tales. The pace is the same but things get busier and more prolific for John Lurie.
Lots of drug use without apology so it can be triggering and honestly hard to read. But he puts it out there and it’s brave. Lots of memoirs talk of drug use and this is so matter of fact that you have to wonder... how can this be, but knowing that there are no other punches pulled, welp, it can and it was. He doesn't glorify it at all. It's pretty heavy to read.
There is an interlude (one of many) that was so touching and seriously kind an observation about Andy Warhol when I read it my idea of both of them are actually changed.
86 % in the book (at least according to my reader counter thingie) we get this quote- "making a record is a very artificial thing to do. You are trying to encapsulate , in sound, this thing that is a little moment of soul." I sucked in a huge gasp of air when I read that. It was like "boom" this is what this book is about.... little moments of soul , further peppered with moments of struggle, love and other creative gestures.
That is what this book really is about in my opinion, John Lurie... the musician. Every bit of the book always comes back to the music for Lurie.
It was a great read.
There are some great pictures shared too of his life which if you read all the way through the book, then go and look at them and then they will make more sense. So read the book, then look at the pictures. I am glad that I waited to look at what photos he did share.
I honestly will be ordering the audio book too so I can hear him tell me the stories and tales of the road again. It was that good to me.
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