Something to Believe In

by Andrew Stafford

Set to the soundtrack of music that has shaped a generation, Something To Believe In will resonate with anyone whose life has been saved by rock 'n' roll. Born in Melbourne's outer suburbs in the 1970s, Andrew Stafford grew up in a time when music was a way out and a way up. His passion for rock 'n' roll led him to a career as a journalist and music critic, but along the way his battles with family illness, mental health and destructive relationships threatened to take him down. Andrew Stafford delves bravely and deeply into a life that has been shaped and saved by music's beat. From the author of the cult classic Pig City comes a memoir of music, madness, and love.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2019

Reviews

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a series of partially connected essays, mirroring the tracks on a long player, it works. I loved the structure of this book. I loved the majority of the musical tales that filled each groove. Stafford and I are around the same age, so many of them reminded me of my own musical journey - and some of the rest gave me something new to explore. I’ve already started to enjoy The Apartment, for example.
While the thread of the life stories, and especially that of his mothers challenges seems like a good way of connecting his musical experiences to life lived, I found them too fleeting. Perhaps it was deliberate, in order to fit into the LP structure, but for me the brief glimpses mostly contributed to a sense of being introduced to something underdeveloped and left me dissatisfied at the end of too many of the cuts.
What a playlist though, even if I’m struggling with Kiss and Savage Garden!

[Stuart Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to give this 6,maybe seven stars. That could be a very personal view. I loved living the author's personal journey, and respect the candour at the sometimes turbulent journey his life has taken.

More than anything I love how the memoir makes me want to act, to listen to the music referenced (you can find some Spotify play lists of key songs if you search for the author's name).

As it draws to a close, the final line is like a punch in the gates, or maybe that's just if you've ever experienced loss like that.

[Ryan B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Something To Believe In, and read it in record time - for me. I’m less passionate about music, but was kept interested through the great honesty Staffo showed in weaving life’s struggles through a life of music.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm pretty disappointed I missed the Cramps gig at Easts Leagues Club too.

[Michael Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read with a very insightful look into Andrews life and the Brisbane music scene.

[Meredith Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may not have lived long in the Brisbane of 4ZZZ, but just the mention of Rocking Horse records takes me back on a nostalgic trip to a time of reading Time Off and seeing that Nirvana gig at Festival Hall. Stafford’s style is accessible and represents a nice balance between real life and the music that soundtracks it. And even if his musical journey may take different routes, there is still a lot to draw from his observations, readily applicable to life in general.

[Ric Hayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply personal journey through an as-yet unfinished life set to a soundtrack as meaningful as it is important. Hope I’m still around in thirty years for the next instalment (and its playlist!)

[Dennis Bertoldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book about some really great music, mostly from the indie world. Andrew writes with passion, economy of words and warmth.

[Hala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stafford details his love of rock and roll and punk in this impressive biography. He is disarmingly frank about his mental health struggles, his mother’s sad decline due to dementia and his own failed relationships. Reading this will make you want to seek out many of the songs he mentions, but if you grew up in the seventies or eighties many will be familiar anyway. It’s hard not to like a book where Neil Finn saves the day and the author is a sometime bird watcher! My only small quibble (apart from him and all his family being Collingwood supporters!) is that some sections feel like ‘padding’, but overall this is much recommended.

[Derek Huckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book! So sad but great in its feeling which came through the pages and gripped you. Thankful for Stafford sharing his pain. Many of us have been there or likely will traverse it so it was appreciated he sharing this with us. And the other experiences were great to feel through him as well, the rock ‘n’ roll life roading for Hits, & relating his feelings with passion for The Ramones etc.
Recommended for anyone wanting to relate whose been through this, good writing, or likes a rock n roll read with great heart.
After this, and Pig City (that I’ve almost finished), I look forward to his next book.

[April Bradford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stafford employs a unique structure in 'Something to Believe In.' In a cross between a memoir, a sequel to Pig City and interconnected personal essays, Stafford brings something personal to Brisbane's rock music history.

The writing is fairly casual while imbued with Stafford's lifetime of journalism.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Brisbane music scene. Coming from outside this interest area, I left with new knowledge of my hometown, however, I have to admit some meaning was lost on me.

[Sophia Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read. Brimming with musical nerddom, Aussie pop culture and nostalgia. I inhaled this sort of memoir, sort of rumination on family ties (the author’s relationship with his ailing mother is fraught but loving) and sort of collection of music criticism in a single sitting. Hard to categorise, but that’s mostly a reflection of the author’s hard to categorise writing career.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rock on brother

[Kate Cornfoot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book - the musical history of Brisbane alongside the story of a fairly unassuming man. Beautiful writing.