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Life on Two Legs
Life on Two Legs In March, 1968, Norman Sheffield opened a ground-breaking, new recording facility in London's Soho. For the next 15 years, Trident Studios, was at the epicentre of the music industry, recording some of the era's greatest artists, from The Beatles and David Bowie to Elton John and Genesis. Trident also developed their own talent, including a raw and demanding four-piece band called Queen. After an acrimonious split with Trident, their volatile leader Freddie Mercury famously dedicated a song to Norman: Death On Two Legs. In Life On Two Legs, this legendary music figure breaks his forty year silence and sets the record straight, not just about Freddie and Queen but also about artists from John Lennon and Marc Bolan to Harry Nilsson and Phil Collins and the recording of such classics as Hey Jude by The Beatles and Space Oddity by David Bowie. Funny, fascinating and occasionally irreverent - and with a foreword by Sir Paul McCartney - this is an unmissable memoir that brings to vivid life some of rock's greatest characters as well as the era and the studio that produced some of its classic music.
- GenresMusicBiographyNonfiction
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2013
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95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 29, 2014
This book really comes across as, "I did everything right, other people treated me unfairly." It's mostly a screed against Queen, conveniently using Queen song lyrics for the chapter titles. While Freddie Mercury clearly went after Sheffield in "Death on Two Legs," the whole point of the larger story of Queen v Trident was that the band shone a light on the general exploitation of talent by the record making industry. It's ironic that Sheffield talks about Brian May and Freddie Mercury looking "malnourished" -- indeed, they were not exactly making a living wage! It was entirely reasonable for them to want equipment, costumes, and housing -- especially in the era of Glam, when image was paramount to success for a band like Queen. And if Trident lost money because Brian May was ill (due to dirty needles used by I'm assuming Trident-hired medical staff) and Freddie Mercury had exhausted his vocal chords to the point where concerts had to be cancelled, that's not exactly the band's fault. Yes, the investment Trident put into Queen was large, but the whole system of advances and keeping your talent in the kind of debt that it breeds was a major problem with the system at that time. Moreover, there are a variety of stories in this that I've heard in many other fora, albeit totally differently. Sheffield makes it seem like he was the brains behind so much of the Queen story. It just doesn't add up.
I basically felt like a lot of this book was going after dead people (esp. Freddie Mercury and Marc Bolan). Yes, Trident was very significant, but without the talent, they would be bereft. Who strutted their stuff on the stage, wrote the music, and put themselves out there for public dissection? It wasn't the record company. I'm not naive; I know exactly how the business works, and I don't have Mercury, nor Bolan or any other "star", on a pedestal. But come on -- without them, you're nothing.
I was also really put off by his comment about Freddie's "lifestyle" killing him. (!!!)
PS. Trident published this, and clearly did not have a good copy editor. While it's basically impossible to find all of the typos in any manuscript, this one has loads. There are also incorrect facts galore, and some glaring piece of what is almost certainly fiction; for example, the bit where he has Freddie spouting off "I want it all and I want it now!" in 1975 -- well, that's a Queen song from the 1980s, my dear. I do think it's neat that they put up a spotify playlist at the frontispiece for the reader to check out. But otherwise -- whatever!
I basically felt like a lot of this book was going after dead people (esp. Freddie Mercury and Marc Bolan). Yes, Trident was very significant, but without the talent, they would be bereft. Who strutted their stuff on the stage, wrote the music, and put themselves out there for public dissection? It wasn't the record company. I'm not naive; I know exactly how the business works, and I don't have Mercury, nor Bolan or any other "star", on a pedestal. But come on -- without them, you're nothing.
I was also really put off by his comment about Freddie's "lifestyle" killing him. (!!!)
PS. Trident published this, and clearly did not have a good copy editor. While it's basically impossible to find all of the typos in any manuscript, this one has loads. There are also incorrect facts galore, and some glaring piece of what is almost certainly fiction; for example, the bit where he has Freddie spouting off "I want it all and I want it now!" in 1975 -- well, that's a Queen song from the 1980s, my dear. I do think it's neat that they put up a spotify playlist at the frontispiece for the reader to check out. But otherwise -- whatever!
May 26, 2014
An easy read, and a very interesting story. Being of a similar age as the author, it brought back a lot of memories of my youth. The influence, of the company created by the author, on the music world, comes alive without it being a brag about the author’s accomplishments. I read this while on holiday and found it strange that it stuck in my mind long after I’d finished the book. If you are interested in the history of how they created popular music in the 60’s & 70’s this is the book for you.
September 16, 2015
Really enjoyed the book. Gave another side of the Queen Story and showing the original contracts was a nice touch. I enjoyed the other non-Queen facts and the playlist was impressive enlightening me to hit songs I never knew were recorded the same place as Hey Jude!.
June 11, 2017
Personal insight into music history
Norman Sheffield was an iconic innovative music maker. The stories are interesting but some of the language dated and, of course, the Queen episode is his take on the affair. I suspect the truth is somewhere between this and the band's version.
Norman Sheffield was an iconic innovative music maker. The stories are interesting but some of the language dated and, of course, the Queen episode is his take on the affair. I suspect the truth is somewhere between this and the band's version.
August 3, 2015
Really interesting insight to the man and studio behind some of the biggest music hits of the 60's and 70's. A completely different approach to some of the technical studio books i've read. Loved it!
November 5, 2018
Great to see the story of how Bohemian Rhapsody all started. Highly Recommended!
November 5, 2019
Interesting read about a era in the music industry that has left an impact felt even to this day.
August 13, 2019
Quick read
It is not a literary masterpiece but an interesting read for Queen fanatics like myself. We are fortunate that Norman was able to publish it a year before he died. It was an interesting portrayal of the evolution of rock music along with the progression of technology. The book focuses on The rise and fall of Trident, with the two Sheffields at The helm. The book lacked details about the Queen multiple arguments with Sheffield, instead focusing on the final meeting of the split. Some of the calamities were covered in other books, but how Brian contracted hepatitis was new information.
It is not a literary masterpiece but an interesting read for Queen fanatics like myself. We are fortunate that Norman was able to publish it a year before he died. It was an interesting portrayal of the evolution of rock music along with the progression of technology. The book focuses on The rise and fall of Trident, with the two Sheffields at The helm. The book lacked details about the Queen multiple arguments with Sheffield, instead focusing on the final meeting of the split. Some of the calamities were covered in other books, but how Brian contracted hepatitis was new information.
June 2, 2025
I had to read this book but there were MANYYYYY parts where I wanted to stop reading. Poorly writing women. Making himself be depicted as a 'hero' and can do no wrong and acting like he's on some woke shit😭like ok u don't support apartheid do u want a prize? Lmao it was interesting to learn more about the recording/music industry and the photos were cool but I would not read this book out of free will
February 22, 2022
So Many Iconic Recordings
Did not know how important Trident studios was in recording history! Most of my favourite records made here! Great stories, history 😀 and the other side of the Queen dispute. May everyone who has passed RIP, your great Art lives on, maybe to be enjoyed again by you in your future lives.
Did not know how important Trident studios was in recording history! Most of my favourite records made here! Great stories, history 😀 and the other side of the Queen dispute. May everyone who has passed RIP, your great Art lives on, maybe to be enjoyed again by you in your future lives.
June 4, 2018
Boring
I found this book a bit boring, I stopped reading half way through as it was sending me to sleep.
I found this book a bit boring, I stopped reading half way through as it was sending me to sleep.
August 22, 2018
Interesting history of Trident studios and the early years of the band Queen as written by the studio owner/band manager.
November 5, 2018
Enjoyable read as a Queen and Elton John fan. From a great Era. Loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2025
Very Interesting indeed. Cant believe Elton John made Candle in the Wind at Trident Studios and the Beatles made Hey Jude! Great insight into serious music recording history of Legends. A must read!
March 4, 2017
A reasonable read.
Didn't go into much depth.
Didn't go into much depth.
December 19, 2017
I'll come right out and say I am a huge Queen fan. I was curious to read "the other side of the story". Trident Studios hosted a who's who of rock royalty over 13+years during the heyday of many acts now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yet the impression I get is that this book was written solely to answer the criticism heaped on the author, Norman Sheffield, by Queen and his critics in those early days.
The book reads as a collection of "back in the day" anecdotes killing time until he gets to the real reason for writing the book....answering allegations of improper and unfair handling of Queen. I found myself wishing some of the other anecdotes were fleshed out more completely. Could be many of those details have become blurry over the years but surely there are more stories he can tell about The Beatles and the beginnings of "Hey Jude" or his work with David Bowie?
Had the book spent equal time on other artists and their stories and not focused so much on justifying his handling of Queen I think it would have been a much better book. I get it---you did and did and did for these kids and this was the thanks you got. But what happened with Bowie in studio mixing "Space Oddity"? Or Rush laying down tracks for "Permanent Waves"? Or even Gene Simmons recording his solo album?
Trident was a major studio in the heyday of rock. A similar accounting of the infamous Casablanca Records aptly titled "And Party Everyday" was a much better book with no axe to grind. Glad I read this one if only to get the other side of the story but not a "must read" by any stretch of the imagination.
The book reads as a collection of "back in the day" anecdotes killing time until he gets to the real reason for writing the book....answering allegations of improper and unfair handling of Queen. I found myself wishing some of the other anecdotes were fleshed out more completely. Could be many of those details have become blurry over the years but surely there are more stories he can tell about The Beatles and the beginnings of "Hey Jude" or his work with David Bowie?
Had the book spent equal time on other artists and their stories and not focused so much on justifying his handling of Queen I think it would have been a much better book. I get it---you did and did and did for these kids and this was the thanks you got. But what happened with Bowie in studio mixing "Space Oddity"? Or Rush laying down tracks for "Permanent Waves"? Or even Gene Simmons recording his solo album?
Trident was a major studio in the heyday of rock. A similar accounting of the infamous Casablanca Records aptly titled "And Party Everyday" was a much better book with no axe to grind. Glad I read this one if only to get the other side of the story but not a "must read" by any stretch of the imagination.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews