One Train Later: A Memoir

by Andy Summers, The Edge (Foreword)

"The train jerks to a halt, and as I get out at Oxford Circus, Stewart gets out with me. We look at each other, laugh, and make the standard remark about it being a small world. But this is the brilliant collision, one train later and it might all have turned out differently."
 
In this extraordinary memoir, world-renowned guitarist Andy Summers provides a revealing and passionate account of a life dedicated to music. From his first guitar at age thirteen and his early days on the English music scene to the ascendancy of his band, the Police, Summers recounts his relationships and encounters with the Big Roll Band, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, the Animals, John Belushi, and others, all the while proving himself a master of telling detail and dramatic anecdote.

But, of course, the early work is only part of the story, and Andy's account of his role as guitarist for the Police---a gig that was only confirmed by a chance encounter with drummer Stewart Copeland on a London train---has been long-awaited by music fans worldwide. The heights of fame that the Police achieved have rarely been duplicated, and the band's triumphs were rivaled only by the personal chaos that such success brought about, an insight never lost on Summers in the telling.
 
Complete with never-before-published photos from Summers's personal collection, One Train Later is a constantly surprising and poignant memoir, and the work of a world-class musician and a first-class writer.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Rock N Roll

354 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2006

About the author

Andrew James Somers, known professionally as Andy Summers, is an English guitarist who was a member of the rock band The Police. Summers has recorded solo albums, collaborated with other musicians, composed film scores, and exhibited his photography in galleries.

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a familiar feeling I get when reaching the end of a book I’ve really enjoyed. It’s a bittersweet, slightly disorienting sensation of departing -- against your will -- a world that’s thoroughly captivated you, even if some part of you knew all along that your time there was destined to be limited.

In this insightful musical autobiography, guitarist Andy Summers shares in intimate detail how he came to experience that same sensation, arriving -- after great tribulation -- at the peak of a legend-making career with the Police, only to face the inevitable yet all-too-soon breakup of the band that transformed him from a rock and roll footnote into a global superstar...

Summers renders one scene after another with a rich mixture of clarity and bemusement, conveying both the intimate details and, with the benefit of twenty years’ perspective, the greater significance and/or absurdity of any given situation along his twisting path. One Train Later is a captivating ride through both a musical era and a life made in music, narrated by a gifted storyteller -- a treat for any music lover, and essential for any Police fan.

[ For the rest of my review, see the original, posted on The Daily Vault at http://www.dailyvault.com/article.php... ]

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, either Andy Summers or his ghostwriter is a florid little writer. It gets to be a bit much, especially for a rock guitarist.

I'd recommend this book for music majors, as Summers goes into quite a bit of detail about, say E#7 chords with flatted 9ths, etc., so the non-theoried among readers may get wicked bored. I know music theory and it bored me, frankly. Also there is, imo, way too much information on Summers' past before the Police, which I was not really interested in. Yes, he was nearly Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page and came thiiiis close a zillion times, but he still made it, so get over it.

Sadly, I wanted more dirt on the Police and didn't get it. Says more about me than about Summers, in all probability.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the studio the tension is so high that you can hear it twanging like an out-of-tune piano. As a group we seem to swing between high emotional intensity and sophomoric fraternity with surprising ease, almost like a group version of bipolar disorder. The best result is that when 'it' happens, we can play with an empathy that is hard to imagine achieving with other people. But making albums is a brutal affair: you are forced to stand down, moodily let go of an idea, play someone else's idea, watch all your cherished licks go out the window--often accompanied by boos and jeers. It's painful because none of us likes being told what to do or being controlled in any way. In truth, we are like children locked in a house with big shiny machines and a handful of explosives."

Andy Summers is the guitarist for the Police. The title refers to the fact that he and drummer Stewart Copeland had discussed Summers's joining the band but had not come to any clear decision--and then the two of them happened to see each other as they exited the same train in London. One train later and Summers might have spent the rest of his career in the not-at-all-well-remembered psychedelic band Dantalian's Chariot.

Also, Summers was pals with Jimi Hendrix, sold Eric Clapton a secondhand guitar that the latter made his signature instrument, and threw up on Richard Branson's Persian rug. All in all, a full life.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is much more than the story of The Police as told by the guitarist (you know one of those two guys besides Sting who is in the band?)
I really enjoyed his writing style - descriptive, honest,
funny, very British

An interesting portrait of the making of a rock star. He came from very humble beginnings with a great love for music. A lot of talent, determination and some luck is what got him from playing in local pubs in a broken down van to having hit records, groupies and selling out arenas and stadiums.

[Christian]

Okay. What a book! Andy's wit and sense of humour are present in any video footage of the man but, in the written medium, he really shines. As a huge Police fan, I knew this book would be great, but was unprepared for this. Extremely hard to put down and, although it has been a few years since last reading, is far better than Sting's 'Broken Music'. Andy is a natural story teller and, in my humble opinion, has a bright future in writing, if he ever chooses to pursue it. 5 stars and highly recommended to anyone, Police fan or no.

[Ben Eldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Police have just reformed and are selling out stadiums again.
Here's how it all began.
Summers writes well and his erudite style is good fun.
He has some great anecdotes in here about masochistic piano teachers husbands, selling Eric Clapton his 'Fresh Cream' Les Paul, meeting Hendrix and trading his marriage for 30 rolls of film and a magic mushroom omelette.

[Dad · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a life-long musician, I found the book to be honest and grounded. The style and delivery were a bit slow to start, but once they got going it was a smooth and enjoyable glide right to the end. If you were born in the 50's or 60's and have any regard for classic rock, read this. Andy does a nice job.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit. This book is fantastic. Andy writes extraordinarily well. The account of his life as a starving musician in London and Los Angeles, before he joined the Police, is fascinating and inspiring. The Police years were pretty incredible as well, apparently. Highly recommended for musicians and non-musicians.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective on the growth and evolution of a "rock star". Mr. Summers is articulate, witty, and also very humble and down to earth. This book really humanized the "rock star" image, and brought into perspective why The Police were such a great band.

A great read!

[Graden · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Biography's of a musician I have read. A perfect balance of personal and professional information. He also digs a little deeper than some when discussing the making of the music which I love. Of course, his great sense of humor does not hurt at all.

[Chuck Slack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge Police fan. They were a big part of high school and university. I saw the documentary before reading the book. Highly recommend the documentary the book not so much. The book is quite well written albeit flowery.

[Marcus Vetrano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars.

Let me start off by saying Mr Summers is a very eloquent writer which at first glance is both exciting and refreshing (most rock n rollers tend to write in practical straightforward prose) however with this autobiography it quickly turns into a meandering, pompous, slightly torturous, slow stroking of his own ego, to hell with it, it might as well have been his own penis.

I honestly did not expect him to romanticise so many aspects of his own hedonistic selfish pursuits which I found to be quite boring and extensive.

We get it man, you tripped on some DMT and met the great Buddha and found out the elixir of truth or whatever the fuck, but why did it need whole chapters and repeated mentions even when you admittedly found it to be embarrassing in the end? All sounds pretty wish washy to me but hey thats my opinion.

I wanted to learn more about the dynamics of The Police, the characters involved, the fights, the good times, the brotherly relationships between the 3. The opinions on certain pieces, tonal choices etc.

In fairness I did learn some of all that however I am left feeling like the focus of the book was mainly placed on his own teenage debauchery (just gets a bit sad when it continues on till after his 30s)

Like the pages and pages devoted to getting high on mushrooms with John Belushi? I know that might seem entertaining to many but I don’t know personally I found the book to be a meandering shallow account of his own hedonistic whims+ the odd mention of music, art and books.

Not saying that there is anything wrong with that type of storytelling, Its entirely possible that I am missing the point here and in actual fact this is an accurate account of a true rock and roller, inflated ego and pomposity to boot.

Then by all means he fits the label and he can rock it-I commend him on playing the part so well. I love his work with The Police and enjoy his musical contributions- but after reading his biography I can’t say I respect much else from the guy.

If you want to hear a bunch of cocky drug stories and crazy rock n roller escapades, look no further :)

[Graeme Dunlop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. A memoir of Andy Summers' life up until the end of The Police.

Being a decade older than Sting and Stewart Copeland, Summers was already an established musician by the time he joined The Police. I had no idea he was in (one incarnation of) The Animals. He was a contemporary of Clapton, Hendrix, Eric Burdon and all the well-known musicians of the late 60s and early 70s.

I appreciate the writing style. It's written in an engaging and intelligent way that doesn't shy away from Summers' failings. He certainly lived the rock lifestyle, even when detrimental to his relationships.

One thing that's always bugged me is how some people rag on Summers for being a crap guitarist because of the seemingly simple sound of The Police. One thing he mentions is that because The Police ostensibly started out as punk-ish, the punk credo of "no solos" became part of The Police sound, meaning it was a deliberate choice not to include heroic flights of guitar fancy.

In any case, the guitar parts in The Police aren't simple at all! Man. Try the arpeggios at the beginning of "Bring On The Night."

If you're interested only in The Police, that doesn't start until halfway through the book. Which, of course, underlines that he had a career before The Police.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I caught the whole Police vibe as I was growing up -- they were my favourite band at the time and this book adds a lot of interesting stuff I didn't know about a great guitarist.

[Barry Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting with The Police's climactic concert at Shea Stadium August 18, 1983, guitarist Andy Summers flashes back to tell the convoluted and twisting tale of how he came to the top of show business with one of the most celebrated bands of all time. It's certainly not a straightforward story, with many detours in side paths like Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band, Soft Machine, The Animals and Neil Sedaka along the way. It's also a detailed record of the inhuman grind of rock and roll touring, how exhausting, alienating, inhuman, and ultimately how it turns anyone narcissist and infantile. It's a well-written and tellingly detailed account. Summers is a thoughtful and insightful guide through his own psyche. A good read. - BH.

[Jeff K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were enough nuggets here to keep me interested, but Andy doesn't meet Stewart and Sting until after page 170, halfway through the book. I think he definitely could have benefited from a ghostwriter or co-author the way Tom Petty did. There were a few songs where he really dove deep and explained in detail how they got the sound in the studio (like Every Breath You Take), but I would have loved much more of this. Interesting that this book came out one year before their reunion tour was announced, could've been a couple more juicy chapters!

[Todd Lewicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me forever to read this. Quite a boring book about an egomaniac. All the women loved and wanted him, he is SO talented, blah, blah, blah. He definitely likes himself A LOT! Boring...

[Bruce · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a well-written memoir, filled (when not name-dropping Police song titles) with impressionistic passages such as this typical one from page 9,

"Between the ages of seven and twelve the overpowering sense of nature makes me feel drunk, and in a future filled with electricity, lights, and loud music, it will linger like a sanctifying echo, a chord I used to know.... I fancy myself as [Dr.] Doolittle junior, a son of nature strolling through long grass with a pipe in my mouth. I pore over books about plants and animals and take to making long lists or names, which I give dimension by gluing lizard skin, bird feathers, and dead flowers onto pieces of cardboard until my bedroom becomes a personal museum and acquires a slightly strange smell.

As I pull myself closer and closer to these things both living and dead, the world -- in my nascent imagination -- becomes alive and vivid. Now as if for the first time, I see it teeming with natural events, a connection between all things, a web, the underlying soul. Animus mundi."

Clearly, Summers' style is closer to Faulkner than Hemingway. However, style is not all in a book, substance also matters. From this standpoint, "One Train Later" suffers more from being inconsequential than because the narrative rambles (it is more or less told as a straightforward flashback chronology from the day of the last Police performance at Shea Stadium on August 18, 1983). The title is a reference to Andy Summers' belief that if he chose one train-to-London later than the one in late 1976 from which he happened coincidentally to debark with Stewart Copeland (and presumably, if Summers had therefore lost the coincident opportunity to persuade Copeland that Summers should replace the raw, untalented Henri Padovani as the Police's guitarist), The Police as we know them (and Sting as well) would never have happened.

But if this book seeks its relevance from Summers' experience as a third of the Police, this event is a long-time in coming: halfway through the book at page 170 or so. Until then (and even afterward), this book comes across as a travelogue of a skilled, albeit marginally creative session musician. A weak personality (he doesn't fight for his few compositions, display much initiative, and often describes situations on tour in which he is "ashen," "chalky," "knock-kneed," or otherwise cowed), there is little of musical or personal insight beyond random names of chords and celebrities or roadies. If Summers was the introverted, isolated character he appears to describe, where is the payoff in introspection? Spare yourselves, Police fans, the "Message in a Box" liner notes are ultimately more instructive about the lives, music, and performances of this band.

Our protagonist is likeable enough (thanks to the narrative style and his predilection for journalistic photography), but fairly unsympathetic. Summers toils into his late 30s for a shot at rock 'n' roll greatness (dabbling at seeming random with each new fad as it comes along), is cranky with early-80s success, and experiences bittersweet remorse when it inevitably leaves. He would apparently prefer to achieve an anonymous, middle-class existence as a mediocre, musical nonentity (an ambition which he can finally realize 340 pages later in a one-page Afterword). Should anyone care? At the end of the day, the chronicle of one man's ongoing struggle for tedium is just plain dull.

[Judeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

One Train Later isn't much different than ice skating. It barely cuts below the surface. Summers gives a decent amount of detail and loves to use strings of beautiful yet unnecessary adjectives. He describes things, events, experiences, and people with flourish but gives them zero substance. It is his memoir and it is, without a doubt, all about him. Ironically, towards the end, in discussing the deterioration of The Police and his marriage, Summers examines the role of egos and selfishness but those fleeting observations aren't applied to his telling of the story as a whole.

If you're a fan of The Police you may like it.

[Chris C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a big fan of the Police, but I read Sting's book. This is so much better than Sting's book. I picked this book up expecting to skim through it. It's one of the best autobiographies of a musician I've read. He certainly had a lot of perserverance. He was down on his luck for so many years. He had some very lucky breaks. This book is a must read for any frustrated musician. I was glad to see his personal life was going well at the end of the book. A nice surprise. Hopefully, this won't be his last book. A very underated guy.

[Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Summers is a fantastic writer! I really hated to finish this book because it was so interesting. The book starts in the early 1950's when Andy was a young boy and ends in August 1983 when the Police were at the pinnacle of their popularity. Before I read this book I had no idea that Andy had been part of the whole 'swinging London' scene of the 1960's. Being part of that scene allowed him to be friends with such folks as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, etc.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always respected the Police, can't say I was ever a huge fan. Imagine my surprise when I became engrossed with this book while in Glasgow for a couple days last winter. The book was in the possession of host, and I read about half the book in the time available. Finally picked up a copy for myself and gave it a fresh read cover to cover. Engaging, honest and insightful. Sometimes the grass isn't greener...

[Jo-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well...I cannot say exactly why but I thought I'd enjoy this book more than I actually did. I have been a fan of "The Police" and have seen them in concert, and perhaps didn't want the fantasy to be marred by reality...there's one theory. The band remains a favorite but I will not rush to read about them or their travails.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good rock 'n roll memoir. Provides some insight into the dynamics of The Police as well as a glimpse into the London rock scene in the late 6o's and early 70's. Summers writes stylishly and with considerable wit and intelligence.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am crushing hard on Andy Summers. It's unfair that some people get to hog all the talent - in addition to being a musical pioneer, he's a damned fine writer.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellet storyteller, really felt his passion for music and his instument. Even not being a guitar player I was along for the ride.

[Jason]

my second favorite Policeman...right behind stewart copeland. not only is this guys story intriguing, his writing style is so poetic. read it or die.

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of The Police and of Summers’ guitar work, and having bought and enjoyed all their albums I was very interested to see how this memoir would stand up in comparison. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed and that I got a lot out of this book.

The late 50s in London were very much a time where jazz and blues ruled much of the alternative night life. Home grown stars such as Hank Marvin and Cliff Richard were enjoying much success in the UK, but they were nothing compared to the exotic allure from across the pond. The likes of Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Chet Baker, were pioneering the counter-culture in pre-sixties America with some profound repercussions. This was the time of the Beat generation, immediately before rock n roll became established, before The Beatles and The Stones and before the so called swinging sixties of Carnaby Street etc. Summers’ paints an often grim yet compelling account of being in London during that time and tells us how he immersed himself in the music and in the nightlife, learning so much along the way.

As we roll into the 60s, Summer recalls the period of cutting his teeth with his first proper group, Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, which saw him doing gigs at the renowned all-nighters in the smoky London clubs, as well as driving all round England playing to people. He also did a series of intense all night gigs in Frankfurt in front of thirsty, punch happy US GIs. It’s also around this time that he meets and befriends the likes of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Long John Baldry amongst many others.

After taking his first acid he descends into a period of mysticism and psychedelic (heaven or hell depending on your opinion), that is soon felt and heard in the music he tries to create, which receives mixed responses, as his previous audience were more accustomed to loud, stomping rhythm and blues. Summers then joins the Soft Machine and tours the States, after being thrown out the band, he is invited to join The Animals over in L.A., where he ends up spending five years of his life, experiencing love, loss and soul searching as well as a brief stint in jail after a minor drug bust.

There are quite a few memorable stories here, such as his time with The Animals, which was short but certainly memorable, particularly his trip to Tokyo, where a gig involved some upset members of the Yakuza. The story of him driving around Bali in a battered old jeep, tripping on mushrooms with Copeland and John Belushi, is also quite entertaining. We see that Summers is also not shy in letting his political feeling surface now and then, “This is the eighties, the era of money and excess. Reagan is king and will triple the national debt, support apartheid, back Saddam Hussein, fantasize about Star Wars, support Central American death squads, and trade arms for hostages.”

After much contemplation and feelings of stagnation, he returns to London in the early 70s with an American girl, who he soon marries. After working with the likes of Neil Sedaka, Kevin Coyne and Kevin Ayers, he soon gets acquainted with Stewart Copeland and a man named Sting. With three talented, confident men with strong personalities and eager egos, The Police were never going to be short of conflict, and as Summers acknowledges, it was often this tension that made the band what it was and gave it that extra oomph. He gives his version of events with a telling amount of restraint, but still reveals enough to give us a feel and flavour for the power struggle that went on. By the end, Summers was getting sick of feeling like a guitarist in someone else’s band, “After a few years of unparalleled success together, the fragile democracy has become a dictatorship, and Sting’s agenda-has natural proclivity to do it alone-has begun to manifest itself with a kind of grumpiness around the band.”

Overall this was a really enjoyable read and a must for fans of The Police. Summers writes really well, even if he does lapse into the odd cliché and cloying spiritualism. On a more trivial note, it never ceases to surprise me in these rock autobiographies, how often musicians don’t know their own charts stats, Summers seems unaware that “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” topped the charts in the UK, when he states “But ‘Magic’ goes to number one everywhere else in the world (except Britain).” Aside from that, he proves to be good company and an eloquent voice that makes this a worthwhile read, giving valuable and entertaining insight into a very diverse and fruitful career.

[Boris Lermontov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seguramente la mejor autobiografía que he leído de un músico de rock, y eso que no soy fan de Police.
De entrada es de lejos el libro mejor escrito que me he encontrado cuyo autor sea un músico, revelándonos que o bien Andy Summers tenía un talento oculto como escritor o bien que ha tenido muy buen ojo al contratar a su negro. Lo mejor para mí es lo bien que recrea las sensaciones e instantáneas de determinados episodios de su pasado. Sí, sin duda muchos detalles se los debe haber inventado para dar colorido (no es creíble que 50 años después recuerde tantos detalles insignificantes de hechos de sus infancia), pero ¿qué más da? Lo importante es que funciona.
En términos de contenido dos grandes puntos a su favor. El primero lo bien que transmite su descubrimiento de la música y esa época en que uno es más inocente e impresionable y cada nuevo disco que llegaba a tus manos era un acontecimiento, o la dificultad por sacar canciones de oídas en una época sin tutoriales. El segundo, el hecho de que a causa de su trayectoria profesional haya pasado por todas las fases de la edad de oro del rock clásico: el skiffle, el blues-rock de principios de los 60s, la psicodelia y luego, de refilón, el punk. Leer sobre su vida es un repaso magnífico a la evolución del rock.
Por último me gusta lo bien que transmite la vida en la carretera y cómo es el verse succionado por un éxito inmenso hasta que llega un punto en que no puedes controlar tu vida. Solo le reprocho una cosa: que no explique casi nada de su vida post-Police. Entiendo que su carrera es mucho menos interesante pero en las últimas tres páginas deja caer algunas ideas sobre el trauma post-ruptura de Police que me he quedado con ganas de ver desarrollado más a fondo. ¿Cómo rehaces tu vida después de haber estado en una banda tan gigantesca?
Pero salvo eso, un magnífico descubrimiento.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a definitive biography of The Police this is not the place to go. This is a memoir by Andy Summers, and an interesting journey in itself. At the time that The Police were perhaps the biggest act in music, I had no idea how much longer Summers had been in the music business than Sting and Stewart Copeland. Summers was born before George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page and Rod Stewart. Yet there he was in the punk/new wave explosion of the late 70's, a newcomer it seemed.

His years as a journeyman guitar player form the bulk of this book; his struggles and various attempts to find a foothold. His post-Animals years in L.A. were depressing, as connections severed and he was reduced to giving private guitar lessons. Later back in London he scored a gig touring with Neil Sedaka at the height of his comeback. "One train later" has a significance in the coming together of Stewart Copeland, Sting, and Andy Summers.

The career of The Police isn't quite an afterthought, but it is shorter than the rest of the book. He describes life at the top, and also the knowledge that Sting was going to break out on his own eventually, and the dizzy ride would end.

Summers has his own voice and it makes this book interesting. He was the man who invented the 80's guitar sound (or at least one of the most prominent) so his musical legacy is secure.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summers' biography is really two love stories, one with his wife and one with music. There was far more in this book about Andy's musical life before The Police which was surprising, and far less about the process of writing the Police's music. The Police half of the book went very quickly, as I'm sure it seemed during those frantic few years with the band. It was enjoyable to read about how Andy crossed paths with Caption, Moon and others from the 60's/70's. There was very little about the reconciliation with his wife, or of the Police's final breakup, and none about his present musical endeavors.Some of the writing was good here, with occasionally well-turned phrases, but I could have done without some of the descriptions of his rock n' roll excess. The best thing about the book was to see how music played a role for him in the ups and downs of his life. Music is a true gift from God, but like a read through the book of Ecclesiastes, the book demonstrates what happens when we direct those gifts towards ourselves instead of towards our Creator.