Louis Walsh's Fast Track to Fame

by Louis Walsh

X-Factor judge, Louis Walsh, has managed acts such as Westlife, Girls Aloud, Shayne Ward and G4. He formerly steered Boyzone to chart topping success and also propelled Ronan Keating to solo stardom. Now he plans to guide other budding pop stars to superstar success with his Fast Track to Fame.





Louis has succeeded in notching up a staggering 28 number one singles through his stable of artists and has starred alongside Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne on X-Factor for three years. Now he is sharing his expertise with a new generation of pop wannabees.





Fast Track to Fame takes us through the A-Z of the music business (or from A is for Agents to X is for X-Factor) with the honest truth of how the pop industry really works. The book is peppered throughout with contributions and anecdotes from many of Louis's stars, stories of their own successes and setbacks, and lavishly illustrated with exclusive colour photographs. Essential reading for anyone, of any age, dreaming of becoming a star.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Simon Taylor]

X Factor veteran Louis Walsh publishes his fast track to fame – a compendium of advice on how the music industry works, and how to make it work for you. The book is arranged in alphabetical order (sounds like quite a Louis system) with topics such as Royalties, Naming Your Act, Riders and many more.

I was expecting a fluffy, novelty piece without too much detail, but to my surprise Louis “made the book his own” and put together a really impressive introduction to a baffling behemoth of an industry. Joking aside, Walsh’s guide is much more comprehensive than its colourful layout would have you believe. It visits every faucet of the journey of a popstar, from picking a name and putting together a demo tape and press pack to staging a tour and cutting the cash. Walsh explains clearly how every penny is divided by the record company, artists, songwriters and producers – what is recouped and what is written off. He tells you what bodies collect which monies and how to get in touch with them. No matter where you are in your journey to stardom, Walsh has got some advice.

Every set of experts, from managers to stylists to dancers, has a directory of contacts nestled in a compact info box – easy to find if you need them and easy to skip if you don’t. After explaining the function and workings of each person you might need to encounter, Walsh then helps you progress from his guide to the world.

If you’re like me and more interested in observing the music industry than being part of it, this is still an informative and easily accessible introduction. The curtain is pulled back and the phenomenal machine is proudly displayed in a way that makes the industry even more fascinating and exciting. And his frank discussion relating to his own sacking and return to the X Factor is the best bit of quite a sprinkling of gossip that the cheeky chappy sprinkles throughout the book.

Beginning with Sharon Osborne’s foreword and ending with some sage words from Keith Duffy, Yvie Burnett and others, this is a surprise hit, a minefield of valuable information that should be treasured by aspiring international stars and enjoyed by the rest of us. Louis – you’re like a little musical David Attenborough!

[Louise]

Oh Louis, this isn’t it

[Noel]

now i know how to become a megastar watch out hollywood