Title: VAN MORRISON

by John Collis, John Gill

Book by JOHN COLLIS

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 1 out of 5]

I apparently bought this book about 20 years ago when I was in a Van Morrison phase of music. Found it at the bottom of a box and decided at the last minute to take it with me on a flight. What a mistake. It did start with a promising and amusing anecdote about how Morrison acted dismissively to the author when he wanted to conduct an interview. That would have made an nice short article for a music magazine. But instead, after being stymied trying to do investigative work, it seems that Collis sat in his office, listened to Van's records, wrote down his impressions and reworked the liner notes. The only saving grace is a good list of recordings and bootlegs in the appendix that goes through 1996. Otherwise, don't waste your time.

The one lesson I learned: when getting on a flight and picking something up at the last minute, bring two or three selections in case the first one stinks as much as this book did.

[Kiof · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exceedingly fair. Covers all the press clippings and tries to redeem a man who's a really grumpy pain in the ass. The antidote to No Surrender by Rogan.

[Lord Bathcanoe of Snark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was half way through this biography when l heard about the passing of Dolly Parton. Two people born within a few months of each other, both blessed with enormous musical talent. But that's where the comparison ends. Dolly, effervescent, benevolent and sociable; Van Morrison, the self obsessed, offensive misanthropist.
The writer is obviously an admirer of Morrison's music (though not all of it), but he makes no bones about his dislike of the musicians personality flaws.
All in all the book is a decent read. A little too heavy on the song analysis at times, but ok.

[Skylar Burris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not generally interested in reading celebrity biographies, but I've been a fan of Van Morrison since middle school. I own nearly all of his albums, and I probably listen to at least one of his songs every day. Yet I know next to nothing about his life, so I was admittedly interested to read this biography. Two hundred pages later, I still feel I know next to nothing about his life. I know more about his music, but not all that much more than I already knew from listening to the albums and reading the linear notes over the years. Too much of the biography reads something like this: Van recorded this album. These are the songs on this album. This is what I, the author of this biography, think about those songs. Then Van went on this tour. Here's what I think about this tour. Then Van recorded this other album. Here's what I think about the songs on this other album. Then...in other words, neither entertaining nor particularly enlightening. And yet, still, I read it to the end. I did find an interesting tidbit here and there, and I did generally agree with his evaluations of songs and albums. My copy of this book was missing the last two pages. Perhaps all the really interesting stuff was contained therein. The book is of course quite out of date now too, with a copyright of 1996, and a discography that ends with Days Like This.

[Harry Burnside · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was virtually a review of all Van's albums with a smattering of Biog along the way. That being said it was quite interesting and gets three stars for inspiring me enough to listen to some of Van's albums.

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Bio of a hard to pin down subject learned a lot about Van the man but questions still