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The Story of the Streets

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The Story of the Streets

By: Mike Skinner
Narrated by: Mike Skinner
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About this listen

Winner of the Best Book Award 2013 at the NME Awards

"This book is going to try and get as close as possible to the full story of what informed the noise of The Streets. Obviously that's something I should be fairly well qualified to know about, and I'm going to be as honest as the publisher's lawyers will allow."

With the 2001 release of The Streets' debut single "Has It Come to This?" the landscape of British popular music changed forever. No longer did home-grown rappers have to anxiously defer to transatlantic influences. Mike Skinner's witty, self-deprecating sagas of late-night kebab shops and skunk-fuelled Playstation sessions showed how much you could achieve simply by speaking in your own voice.

In this thoroughly modern memoir, the man the Guardian once dubbed "half Dostoevsky… half Samuel Pepys" tells a freewheeling, funny and fearlessly honest tale of Birmingham and London, ecstasy and epilepsy, Twitter-fear and Spectrum joysticks, spread betting and growing up. He writes of his musical inspirations, role models and rivals, the craft of song writing, and reflects on the successes and failures of the decade-long journey of The Streets.

©2012 Mike Skinner (P)2012 Random House Audiobooks Entertainment & Celebrities Music Celebrity Funny Witty Inspiring Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

"Cleverer, funnier, more illuminating and beautifully written than anything I have read in the longest time." (Decca Aitkenhead, Guardian)
All stars
Most relevant
Great ending. Would recommend to anyone; ‘The Streets’ fan or not, brilliant insight into the music industry, evolution of modern genres and the personal life of a highly driven, talented, legendary artist. Thank you Mike Skinner.

Thoroughly enjoyable

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I loved the streets and adore Mike Skinner. This book told me so many interesting things about the man and the music. It took me back to that time when he first came out and I had lots of warm and fuzzy memories of those days.
This book thought me a lot about music and songwriting and was an all round joyful experience to listen to.

loved it.

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I absolutely loved this. The fact that Mike Skinner narrates this audiobook makes the listening experience so much better. If you are or have ever been a fan of The Streets or Mike Skinner's work I highly recommend it.

Bostin!!!

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What made the experience of listening to The Story of the Streets the most enjoyable?

Mike's integrity - and the fact he choose to narrate himself. Contrary to what I had read on here, he does a fabulous job.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mike himself, naturally.

Have you listened to any of Mike Skinner’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Owning the first two albums, the prose makes complete sense.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, but often I listened longer than I had time to!

Any additional comments?

Unique talent - ego completely under control - rare in this business. And down to earth. Great study of an interesting period in UK music.

Original Pirate Material!

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Skinners second album showed that he could write a great story and he continues it in this book. I thought i knew a lot about the streets before this book and it shows how little i did. in the words of the legend Mike Skinner don't mug yourself and go get this book

Another masterpiece from Skinner

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