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HUNKY DORY (WHO KNEW?): The best I can remember from twenty years at the heart of '60s and '70s rock and pop
Laurence Myers was born in London, England to Gerry and Alice Myers, the children of Russian and Polish Jewish immigrants. His early years were spent in East Ham, where his parents ran a hairdressing salon. Laurence's big break into the music business came in 1964, when he agreed to represent legendary record producer Mickie Most, who needed an accountant. Laurence went on to represent The Rolling Stones, The Beatles' Apple Corps, The Kinks and also worked with The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Jeff Beck and Peter Grant (manager of Led Zeppelin) among others.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2019
145 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 3, 2019
Sometimes it's being the right person at the right time. Something which really struck me about the peek into the London music scene in the 60s and 70s was that it was just so Wild West. There were no barriers and little structure to things. If you were interested in music and thought you could help, you might just be able to rock up to a band in a pub and ask, "Do you need a manager? Ok, I'll do it." And presto--you're managing The Animals.
The stories are little vignettes and I think that it works really well. It gives you the feeling of being at a dinner party or in the pub with a really good storyteller. Laurence Myers' own story is an amazing one--north London shopkeeper's son who starts a so-so accounting firm with a mate (who had two dark suits, so it was a good start) and falls into becoming the go-to accountant for the music industry. Pretty sexy, huh? It is, strangely. This ends up with him signing and managing some of the biggest names of the era--David Bowie, The Animals, Lulu, working with the Rolling Stones (setting up Mick with a pension; "You won't be singing rock-n-roll when your in your 60s!"), working with The Beatles, taking big cases for artists' rights to the High Court. It's amazing.
The stories are little vignettes and I think that it works really well. It gives you the feeling of being at a dinner party or in the pub with a really good storyteller. Laurence Myers' own story is an amazing one--north London shopkeeper's son who starts a so-so accounting firm with a mate (who had two dark suits, so it was a good start) and falls into becoming the go-to accountant for the music industry. Pretty sexy, huh? It is, strangely. This ends up with him signing and managing some of the biggest names of the era--David Bowie, The Animals, Lulu, working with the Rolling Stones (setting up Mick with a pension; "You won't be singing rock-n-roll when your in your 60s!"), working with The Beatles, taking big cases for artists' rights to the High Court. It's amazing.
June 18, 2020
confess i only read it for the bits on bowie and enjoyed learning a bit more about de fries. there were a couple of other interesting bits and some boring bits.
August 19, 2020
This is a fascinating read for all those who have an interest in pop history and how the business worked behind the scenes in the 60's and 70's. Famous names, artists, producers, labels and records pepper this lively and engaging account from someone who was there in the middle of the British music scene.
January 5, 2021
Great book - who knew!
Fascinatingly different view of the pop music scene from its accountant who became a successful manager and record label boss.
Highly recommended. You will learn new facts about famous music business gossip and stories. Also made me listen to Heatwave again . Worth reading just for the new info on Bowie.
Fascinatingly different view of the pop music scene from its accountant who became a successful manager and record label boss.
Highly recommended. You will learn new facts about famous music business gossip and stories. Also made me listen to Heatwave again . Worth reading just for the new info on Bowie.
February 11, 2020
Great stories of the record business
Fantastic stories and anecdotes of 50 years in the music and film business,well worth a read. Bowie,The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
Fantastic stories and anecdotes of 50 years in the music and film business,well worth a read. Bowie,The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
July 3, 2021
Interesting view into an unknown world
This is a fascinating book relating to a world gone by and with a confusing array of names. So many of the songs and artists one has loved turn out to have interesting stories and the machinations of the people behind them are and eye opener!
I'm afraid I'd never heard of Laurence Myers but he has obviously been immensely significant in the rock and pop industry.
This is a fascinating book relating to a world gone by and with a confusing array of names. So many of the songs and artists one has loved turn out to have interesting stories and the machinations of the people behind them are and eye opener!
I'm afraid I'd never heard of Laurence Myers but he has obviously been immensely significant in the rock and pop industry.
September 13, 2025
Laurence Myers was a British music business executive and this is his memoir which I read primarily for the Bowie chapters which are interesting.
Alongside David Bowie, he also worked with The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles' Apple Corps, and a host of lesser names. It's an easy read, written in a conversational style, and he's very open about both his successes and his failures.
Worth a read if you're interested in the music business in the 1960s and 1970s.
3/5
Alongside David Bowie, he also worked with The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles' Apple Corps, and a host of lesser names. It's an easy read, written in a conversational style, and he's very open about both his successes and his failures.
Worth a read if you're interested in the music business in the 1960s and 1970s.
3/5
September 27, 2022
Much better I expected with a lot of valuable story. Personally expected more on the Stones and Bowie but Myers have a correct picture about eg. Alan Klein and have the flavour of the 60es and 70es. Thankful for the words about Marianne Faithfull , I didn’t know that Myers helped her. Nice gesture . Good book! Worth to read and easy to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2020
One of the best!
One of the best books on the British music business of the 1960s and 70s. Contains many often unseen insights to the methods and the marketing of pop acts, songwriters and record producers.
One of the best books on the British music business of the 1960s and 70s. Contains many often unseen insights to the methods and the marketing of pop acts, songwriters and record producers.
October 28, 2021
lesson in music history
Fascinating read that joins the dots between all business aspects of the music industry. You get an understanding of all the parties involved in creating a hit record. Myers is a witty writer with excellent stories to tell.
Fascinating read that joins the dots between all business aspects of the music industry. You get an understanding of all the parties involved in creating a hit record. Myers is a witty writer with excellent stories to tell.
January 2, 2021
It was okay. Not great.
January 9, 2021
Disappointing book
Not a lot of new information. Not what I expected. Thought it was a good subject. Not fulfilled at all
Not a lot of new information. Not what I expected. Thought it was a good subject. Not fulfilled at all
January 21, 2021
The book was more about the business side of music but chucked full of interesting facts. Worth the read.
July 10, 2022
#69 of 120 books pledged to read during 2022
March 2, 2023
The bits about the behavior of musicians were good. I skimmed through the business-world parts.
June 7, 2022
This review first appeared on my blog - https://nsfordwriter.com - on 5th June 2022.
The only book written by an accountant that I've ever read. But, an accountant to The Rolling Stones! He later became a record company owner and executive, producer of films and musicals, and a variety of other business things in the entertainment world that I don't really understand.
The concept of this memoir is that no one knew at the time, or could have predicted, how iconic and successful the rock and pop musicians of the 60s and 70s would become. Otherwise he would have made better deals, signed artists he had turned down such as Queen, kept stuff that would be worth a mint today instead of chucking it away, etc. It's not a complete autobiography, rather an explanation of what it was like to work in management at the time. Laurence Myers takes pride in his successes and accepts his failings. I liked the honesty of his celebrating having made a lot of money and kicking himself whenever he lost it. Apparently the idea of the 'compilation album' is down to him (along with a number of other ventures), so thank you, Laurence.
I liked the anecdotes which liberally pepper this book. Do you want to know what happened when he let Iggy Pop stay in his house? Or what it was like to spend time with David and Angie Bowie? Or how he tried to tempt Stevie Wonder away from Motown? And there's a lot of more of that kind of thing. What I didn't enjoy were the finance and business bits. They weren't interesting and I didn't understand them.
The only book written by an accountant that I've ever read. But, an accountant to The Rolling Stones! He later became a record company owner and executive, producer of films and musicals, and a variety of other business things in the entertainment world that I don't really understand.
The concept of this memoir is that no one knew at the time, or could have predicted, how iconic and successful the rock and pop musicians of the 60s and 70s would become. Otherwise he would have made better deals, signed artists he had turned down such as Queen, kept stuff that would be worth a mint today instead of chucking it away, etc. It's not a complete autobiography, rather an explanation of what it was like to work in management at the time. Laurence Myers takes pride in his successes and accepts his failings. I liked the honesty of his celebrating having made a lot of money and kicking himself whenever he lost it. Apparently the idea of the 'compilation album' is down to him (along with a number of other ventures), so thank you, Laurence.
I liked the anecdotes which liberally pepper this book. Do you want to know what happened when he let Iggy Pop stay in his house? Or what it was like to spend time with David and Angie Bowie? Or how he tried to tempt Stevie Wonder away from Motown? And there's a lot of more of that kind of thing. What I didn't enjoy were the finance and business bits. They weren't interesting and I didn't understand them.
September 9, 2022
What a life he led!!!! I enjoyed hearing his stories about all of the people he hung out with, worked with or helped become who they are!
Just fascinating!!!!
There is a lot of name dropping without understanding who they are but I think all memoirs have some of that happening!
I would've loved to have sat and had a drink with him just to chat about those days!
Just fascinating!!!!
There is a lot of name dropping without understanding who they are but I think all memoirs have some of that happening!
I would've loved to have sat and had a drink with him just to chat about those days!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews