Third Man Records’ book imprint has announced that it’s releasing new memoirs by Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and Echo and the Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant. It marks the first time the two British rock icons have recounted the details of their storied lives in writing.
First up is Gillespie’s Tenement Kid, which is described as “a righteous path through a decade lost to Thatcherism and saved by acid house.” That may sound bleak, but rest assured that the memoir is supposed to be rather celebratory and beautifully written. It’s structured in four parts that examine Gillespie’s working-class upbringing in Glasgow, the early days of Primal Scream, the “Second Summer of Love”, and the lasting legacy of his band.
Meanwhile, Sergeant’s memoir is titled Bunnyman: Post-War Kid to Post-Punk Guitarist of Echo and the Bunnymen. It’s billed as a detailed, first-hand account of the birth of the legendary post-punk band, a social and musical history of post-WWII England, the effects of Thatcher-ism, English rock, and the beginnings of punk. It’s also the first authorized written history of Echo and the Bunnymen by a member of the band, which is a pretty big deal.
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Tenement Kid will arrive in stores this October, while Bunnyman will follow shortly afterwards in November. Pre-orders for both books are currently ongoing over at the Third Man Books website.
Primal Scream fans are in for another treat later this summer, too. Gillespie co-wrote a collaborative album with Jehnny Beth of Savages called Utopian Ashes. It doesn’t come out until July 2nd, but you can listen to the blistering lead single “Remember We Were Lovers” and the follow-up cut “Chase It Down” in the meantime while waiting.
