Reluctant Heroes: The Story of Elbow

Mick Middles

Nov 2009 · Omnibus Press

About this ebook

When Elbow won the Mercury Prize in 2008 for their fourth studio album - The Seldom Seen Kid - the accolade followed an organic 17 year long career marked by four classic albums and a cult following that cast them in the role of Manchester's best kept music secret. Elbow started out at a time when great songs and evocative lyrics were not generally recognised. Their music transcended genre, age and image, eventually finding its own distinctive global audience as Guy Garvey evolved into one of the most brilliant and intriguing lyricists of recent times. Reluctant Heroes charts Elbow's long journey from humble roots through modest success to international recognition. It features interviews with the band and those close to them to form the most complete band history to date.

Ratings and reviews

This book would have been more appropriately titled "Guy Garvey's Life in Elbow." There was so very little mention of Craig, Pott, Jupp or Pete. The author clearly has a vast understanding of the then music industry and Manchester's relationship with Guy Garvey. But I wanted to read about the band - all of the members of the band. Don't get me wrong, nothing but love for Guy, but he does interviews so often, he leaves little to wonder about. I wanted to feel like I was living "Weather to Fly," with all the figuring out of who they were and where they stood in the world. I know there is an "understanding" that Guy speaks for the band in most interviews, but for a book about THE BAND, that rule should have been broken. Other than that disappointment, the book was well written and interesting.