Clinton Heylin is the author of Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades, Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions, Bootleg: The Secret History of the Other Recording Industry, and No More Sad Refrains: The Life and Times of Sandy Denny.
"A meticulously researched account of Morrison's life and work.
Silence is loaded with stories of the man's misdeeds, not to
mention plenty of dish about the singer's cantankerous dislike of
record companies and biographers." --Rolling Stone
"A terrific, detailed look at Van Morrison's life. . . .
Particularly fascinating is the portrait of the artist as a young
R&B fan in Belfast. . . . Silence should prove indispensable
for Morrisonites--and a must for anyone who enjoys tales of
tortured stars behaving badly." --Entertainment Weekly
"For long-suffering admirers, Silence both deepens his enigma and
gives various aspects of the tortured-genius myth a kick in the
Astral Weeks." --The Village Voice
"I sincerely hope that this volume does not come across as the petulant riposte of a spurned writer," states Heylin, one of pop music's premier biographers (Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited), in the preface to his new work on Morrison, pop music's premier curmudgeon. Alas, Heylin's dislike for his subject has indeed tainted the results. Granted, his subject is difficult to like. Morrison, who earned lofty critical plaudits with his seminal Astral Weeks and Moondance albums, is renowned for his surliness, especially toward journalists. Heylin illustrates this in numbing detail, with scores of quotes from former Morrison associates (at least those who were not intimidated by Morrison's camp to back out of participating), verifying that the man, indeed, has a nasty temperament. Heylin is not nearly so generous in his praise, exerting far less energy educating the reader on Morrison's artistic importance and repeatedly reminding us that Morrison is not nearly as famous in reality as he believes himself to be. This begs the question: Why did Heylin spend so much effort, and over 500 pages, on such a disagreeable man who has apparently only shown flashes of (often muted) brilliance in a career of nearly 40 years? Fans will be angered, and those with a casual interest may be turned off, but it is unlikely that we'll see as detailed a biography of "Van the Man" again in the near future. Recommended with reservations.-Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
"A meticulously researched account of Morrison's life and work.
Silence is loaded with stories of the man's misdeeds, not to
mention plenty of dish about the singer's cantankerous dislike of
record companies and biographers." --Rolling Stone
"A terrific, detailed look at Van Morrison's life. . . .
Particularly fascinating is the portrait of the artist as a young
R&B fan in Belfast. . . . Silence should prove
indispensable for Morrisonites--and a must for anyone who enjoys
tales of tortured stars behaving badly." --Entertainment
Weekly
"For long-suffering admirers, Silence both deepens his
enigma and gives various aspects of the tortured-genius myth a kick
in the Astral Weeks." --The Village Voice
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