Telling Stories (book)

{{Short description|2012 book by Tim Burgess}} {{Infobox book | name = Telling Stories | title_orig = | translator = | image = Telling Stories book.jpg | caption = Hardcover version | author = [[Tim Burgess (musician)|Tim Burgess]] | illustrator = | cover_artist = | country = United Kingdom | language = English | series = | subject = [[The Charlatans (English band)|The Charlatans]] | genre = [[Autobiography]], [[Music journalism|music]] | publisher = [[Viking Press]] | release_date = 26 April 2012 | media_type = Print | pages = 240 (hardcover)<br/>256 (paperback) | isbn = 978-0670921294 | isbn_note = | oclc = 840071903 | preceded_by = | followed_by = }} '''''Telling Stories''''' is a 2012 autobiography by [[Tim Burgess (musician)|Tim Burgess]], about his time fronting British rock band [[The Charlatans (English band)|the Charlatans]]. After a false start with a [[ghostwriter]], Burgess began the book in earnest in late 2010, completing it in early 2012. Originally released as a hardcover edition, a paperback iteration with an extra chapter was printed in 2013. The book received mainly positive reviews from music publications, several of which commented on Burgess' writing style.

==Background and writing== Since the 1980s, [[Tim Burgess (musician)|Tim Burgess]] has been the frontman for British rock band [[The Charlatans (English band)|the Charlatans]], and since the 2000s, released solo material.<ref name=AMbio>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tim-burgess-mn0000598593/biography|title=Tim Burgess Biography, Songs, & Albums|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|author=Sutton, Michael|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916134546/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tim-burgess-mn0000598593/biography|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, Burgess had been approached about writing an autobiography by an agent of some mutual friends.<ref name=Londonistinterview>{{cite web|url=https://londonist.com/2012/04/gig-and-lit-preview-an-evening-with-tim-burgess-telling-stories|title=Preview: An Evening With Tim Burgess 'Telling Stories'|publisher=[[Londonist]]|author=Doron|date=20 April 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=30 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151130051749/http://londonist.com/2012/04/gig-and-lit-preview-an-evening-with-tim-burgess-telling-stories|url-status=live}}</ref> He spent the following two years mulling over the idea, before finally deciding to do it.<ref name=DPreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a378813/tim-burgess-interview-i-must-have-enjoyed-my-time-on-drugs/|title=Tim Burgess interview: 'I must have enjoyed my time on drugs'|work=[[Digital Spy]]|author=Nissim, Mayer|date=27 April 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=15 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515122639/https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a378813/tim-burgess-interview-i-must-have-enjoyed-my-time-on-drugs/|url-status=live}}</ref> Though Burgess' agent proposed writing it alone, he was offered a [[ghostwriter]]. In early 2010, he attempt to start with friend and former publicist Robin Turner. Despite the pair thinking it would be a fruitful partnership, the match-up did not work and they both lost interest in the idea. After a period of procrastination, Burgess sought advice from people such as author Mick Middles, [[deputy prime minister]] [[John Prescott]] and journalist [[John Robb (musician)|John Robb]].<ref name=Londonistinterview/> Prescott told him to focus on "research", Burgess understood this to make sure specific pieces of information, such as dates and chart positions, were accurate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/apr/19/tim-burgess-tried-lots-drugs|title=Tim Burgess: 'I tried a lot of different drugs'|work=[[The Guardian]]|author=Jonze, Tim|date=19 April 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=26 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526152247/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/apr/19/tim-burgess-tried-lots-drugs|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Charlatans released their 11th studio album ''[[Who We Touch]]'' in September 2010; after touring concluded in December 2010, Burgess visited Wales for a break with his girlfriend. Here, she suggested he should begin work on the book – she would interview him, which would be recorded through his phone.<ref name=Londonistinterview/> They accumulated around 20 hours of audio, which he then transcribed.<ref name=BBCtells/> The pair visited [[Monnow Valley Studio]] in [[Monmouth]], where the Charlatans previously recorded and to the location where the band's former keyboardist [[Rob Collins (musician)|Rob Collins]] had been killed. After realising that he had the skeleton outline of a book, he continued working on it almost daily until January 2012.<ref name=Londonistinterview/> He commented that he would have been unable to write a book in the years prior, as he was occupied partying and consuming drugs and it would not "have been a good idea to write a book high on cocaine".<ref name=BBCtells>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17777228|title=The Charlatans singer Tim Burgess tells all in new book|publisher=[[BBC News]]|author=Geghegan, Kev|date=25 April 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112003137/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17777228|url-status=live}}</ref> Writing the book coincided with the making of his second solo album ''[[Oh No I Love You]]'' (2012): "the book covered the past and the solo album covered the present. I had to do them at the same time because it would have killed me to just look at the past".<ref name=DPreview/>

==Content and publication== ''Telling Stories'' is named after the band's similarly named fifth studio album ''[[Tellin' Stories]]'' (1997).<ref name=NMEannounce/> It starts with Burgess experimenting with drugs during his adolescent years, leading into occasions when he would frequent band gigs and club nights at [[The Haçienda]] in Manchester. He then talked about joining the Charlatans as their frontman and the early success they had with their first two singles, "Indian Rope" (1990) and "The Only One I Know" (1990).<ref name=Timesinterview/> It goes into detail on the rest of the band's history through the [[Madchester]] and [[Britpop]] movements in the 1990s.<ref name=GIITTVreview/>

Later in the book, Burgess discusses moving to Los Angeles, California, quitting drugs and studying [[Transcendental Meditation]].<ref name=SOSreview/> ''Telling Stories'' was announced in January 2012, and was first printed as a hardback edition on 26 April 2012 by [[Viking Press]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Telling Stories Hardcover|id={{ASIN|0670921297|country=uk}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/tim-burgess-to-release-autobiography/|title=Tim Burgess to release autobiography|work=[[Louder Than War (website)|Louder Than War]]|author=Robb, John|author-link=John Robb (musician)|date=6 January 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=24 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124084914/https://louderthanwar.com/tim-burgess-to-release-autobiography/|url-status=live}}</ref> The release of the book was promoted with a short tour where the band played that album in its entirety.<ref name=NMEannounce>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-charlatans-36-1271569|title=The Charlatans' Tim Burgess to release memoir|work=[[NME]]|date=15 March 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=23 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923090724/http://www.nme.com/news/music/the-charlatans-36-1271569|url-status=live}}</ref> A paperback iteration followed in July 2013 by [[Penguin Books]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Telling Stories Paperback|id={{ASIN|0241957974|country=uk}} }}</ref> This edition included an extra chapter on Burgess' musical roots, highlighting [[the Clash]], [[the Doors]], [[Bob Dylan]] and [[New Order (band)|New Order]] among others.<ref name=WONreview/>

==Reception== ''[[The Times]]''{{'}} Will Hodgkinson wrote that the "clear, honest style of ''Telling Stories'' reads like an advertisement for clean living, though it took 20 years of dirty living to build up the material".<ref name=Timesinterview>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/lead-singer-of-the-charlatans-tim-burgess-on-coming-clean-6q7vq2n6tln|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211107080322/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lead-singer-of-the-charlatans-tim-burgess-on-coming-clean-6q7vq2n6tln|title=Lead singer of the Charlatans Tim Burgess on coming clean|work=[[The Times]]|author=Hodgkinson, Will|date=17 April 2012|archive-date=7 November 2021|access-date=15 May 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The Independent]]'' reviewer Fiona Sturges added to this, noting that Burgess "doesn't shy away from confessions that cast him in a bad light", highlighting a drunken encounter with [[Madonna]].<ref name=Independentreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/telling-stories-by-tim-burgess-7697695.html|title=Telling Stories, By Tim Burgess|work=[[The Independent]]|author=Sturges, Fiona|date=30 April 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=7 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407131525/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/telling-stories-by-tim-burgess-7697695.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Margaret Chrystall of What's On North considered it a "rock odyssey that shares juicy details, funny stories and a lifetime of passionate music nerdery before dodging the darkness and docking in a surprisingly good place".<ref name=WONreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.whatson-north.co.uk/whats-on/books/review-telling-stories-by-tim-burgess-104010/|title=Review: Telling Stories by Tim Burgess|work=What's On North|author=Chrystall, Margaret|date=25 September 2013|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=15 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515120255/https://www.whatson-north.co.uk/whats-on/books/review-telling-stories-by-tim-burgess-104010/|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[God Is in the TV]]'' writer Mike Furber said Burgess writing the book solely gave it a "slightly off-kilter rhythm which, at its best, reminded me of the disorientating, folksy style" of ''[[Chronicles: Volume One]]'' (2004) by Dylan and "at its worst became a series of pedestrian lists".<ref name=GIITTVreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2012/05/07/tim-burgess-telling-stories/|title=Tim Burgess – Telling stories|work=[[God Is in the TV]]|author=Furber, Mike|date=7 May 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506104421/https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2012/05/07/tim-burgess-telling-stories/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Spectrum Culture''{{'s}} David Mansdorf disliked this approach, stating a co-writer would have likely aided Burgess form "his story in a way that shows him in a better light".<ref name=SPreview>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumculture.com/2012/07/24/telling-stories-by-tim-burgess/|title=Telling Stories: by Tim Burgess|work=Spectrum Culture|author=Mansdorf, David|date=24 July 2012|access-date=15 May 2022|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126095049/https://spectrumculture.com/2012/07/24/telling-stories-by-tim-burgess/|url-status=live}}</ref> Fiona Shepherd of ''[[Scotland on Sunday]]'' said it was "diverting in places without really creating much of a lasting impression". While she considered it to be "generally upbeat and conversational so the occasional tangents placing The Charlatans in the wider musical context of the times read like ghost-written interventions".<ref name=SOSreview>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/scotland/book-review-telling-stories-by-tim-burgess-1-2234988|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428170322/https://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/scotland/book-review-telling-stories-by-tim-burgess-1-2234988|title=Book review: Telling Stories, by Tim Burgess|work=[[Scotland on Sunday]]|author=Shepherd, Fiona|date=17 April 2012|archive-date=28 April 2012|access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref>

==See also== * ''[[Tim Book Two: Vinyl Adventures from Istanbul to San Francisco]]'' – Burgess' second book * ''[[Twisting My Melon: The Autobiography]]'' – autobiography by [[Shaun Ryder]] about contemporaries [[Happy Mondays]]

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{WorldCat|oclc=840071903}} * [{{Google Books URL|id=YO1Bap-dJ1gC}} Telling Stories] at [[Google Books]]

[[Category:British autobiographies]] [[Category:English-language non-fiction books]] [[Category:Music autobiographies]] [[Category:2012 non-fiction books]] [[Category:Viking Press books]]