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Uncommon People

The Rise and Fall of the Rock Stars 1955-1994

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Uncommon People

By: David Hepworth
Narrated by: David Hepworth
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About this listen

The age of the rock star, like the age of the cowboy, has passed. Like the cowboy, the idea of the rock star lives on in our imaginations.

What did we see in them? Swagger. Recklessness. Sexual charisma. Damn-the-torpedoes self-belief. A certain way of carrying themselves. Good hair. Interesting shoes. Talent we wished we had.

What did we want of them? To be larger than life but also like us. To live out their songs. To stay young forever. No wonder many didn't stay the course.

In Uncommon People, David Hepworth zeroes in on defining moments and turning points in the lives of 40 rock stars from 1955 to 1995, taking us on a journey to burst 100 myths and create 100 more. As this tribe of uniquely motivated nobodies went about turning themselves into the ultimate somebodies, they also shaped us, our real lives and our fantasies. Uncommon People isn't just their story. It's ours as well.

©2017 David Hepworth (P)2017 Random House Audiobooks Entertainment & Celebrities Music Celebrity Thought-Provoking cowboy

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All stars
Most relevant
An excellent romp through four decades of pomposity and misdemeanor and an enjoyable litany of hoary rock anecdotes which are told with a freshness and a cynical overtone.

A riveting and trenchant listen.

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If you could sum up Uncommon People in three words, what would they be?

For a Generation

What did you like best about this story?

The presentation of facts about the music industry spanning a very long time

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The Zeppelin/Sabbath stuff but all good really

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

No I wanted it to last

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in rock/pop music especially those born in the 50s and 60s who lived the same period as the author. I listened to this whist driving and it helped pass the journey and thought it to be a brilliant and entertaining book. My only criticism is that the author has a tendency to drop his voice for the one word during the more sensational revelations as if he is almost embarrassed by what he is saying and consequently you can miss the punchline.

Well researched and presented

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I very much enjoyed David Hepworth's '1971' book, and so approached this book with a degree of anticipation. I was not let down, and this title remains engaging, informative and entertaining throughout.

Hepworth takes a novel approach in that he bases the book on the most pivotal moments in popular music starting in 1959 and the fateful Buddy Holly plane crash. He then takes each subsequent year and examines a key event that would have major repercussions on popular music. So we have the first meeting of Lennon and McCartney, The UK tour of Jerry Lee Lewis that basically killed his career, The Rolling Stones finding their 'classic' line-up, the arrival of Jimi Hendrix, and so on.

Every story is well researched and expertly presented, and Hepworth keeps the listener engaged throughout.

An excellent choice for any lover of popular music

Another winner from David Hepworth

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Fabulously entertaining with a wealth of knowledge delivered in a concise way. So many interesting facts and insights make this book a fabulous addition to anyone’s library. I highly recommend this book!!

Riveting book!! Highly recommended!!

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I loved this book. The narrator was fantastic. The facts were in my opinion accurate!

uncommon People

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