Jack Bruce Composing Himself: The Authorised Biography |  | Authors: Harry Shapiro, Foreword by Eric Clapton
Publisher: Jawbone
Category: Book
List Price: £14.95
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Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 32655
Media: Paperback
Pages: 320
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.5
ISBN: 1906002266
Dewey Decimal Number: 781
EAN: 9781906002268
ASIN: 1906002266
Publication Date: February 1, 2010
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Product Description
When Cream broke up in 1968 it was by no means a foregone conclusion that it would be Eric Clapton who would enjoy continued commercial success. After all, it was Jack Bruce who had the looks, and who co-wrote and sang all the band's major hits. This is a biography of Bruce.
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| Customer Reviews:
 THE MAN, THE MUSICIAN... ONCE UPON IN A LIFETIME May 29, 2010
CARMELO HERNANDEZ RAMOS (Alicante. Spain. Europe.)
Without doubt, the best biography ever written about a character as charismatic as JB, in every sense. A bold and honest chronicle of the amazing musical career (and all life that has been built around that constant progress) of a man that in itself is a concept: an approach to the "total-musician", able to position himself in the four corners of the stage and not leave anyone indifferent.
Jack Bruce's trajectory is not only for his brilliant striking good output, but by all interstitial areas in which it has converged with the "cream" of the best and most innovative musicians of the last century, and also because his own human kindness is like a mirrored cronography of some of the most exciting moments of the rock'n'roll age, with a special feeling that "hooked" you strongly from the beginning to the end. A book, in short, full of rhythm and pulse.
With Ginger Baker (without a doubt, an extraordinary drummer) and Eric Clapton (an exceptional and inspired guitarist), Jack Bruce undoubtedly was, is and will be the active principle in "that CREAM" that still today remains the best on the market, but, in his own words, the best... is still to come.
top book May 20, 2010
M. J. Gilfrin (uk)
really enjoyed this book but not much input from god or ginger-not surprising really
wish i had followed his career after harmony row-catching up now
 Who is Jack Bruce?? April 4, 2010
Alisdair Fleming (Glasgow Scotland UK)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
As a fan of Jack Bruce for many years, I really looked forward to the publication of this authorised biography. I have been quite disappointed by it however, as it is really light on any kind of insight into Jack Bruce - the person. The book includes lots of impersonal details about who recorded what and when, and who stood on stages where and when; but it is sadly lacking in any insights into the personality of Jack Bruce. For all Jack's grumbles about the other biography - "Jack" by Steven Myatt, I think this is a much better book for anyone trying to find out about what makes this great musician really "tick". Real Jack Bruce fans will buy this authorised biography anyway, and enjoy the window into this master musician's life - but, I fear they will be left none the wiser as to the thoughts of the man. As a fellow Scot, I can understand Jack's reticence but I wish he had opened up a bit more!
Al F
A good account of the man and his music history March 31, 2010
D. Caldwell (Melbourne,Australia)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I think that Harry Shapiro and Jack Bruce have worked well together on this biography and have struck a good balance where each of them can hold their head up and feel proud of the outcome.
Harry because he has obviously researched well and widely and has told the story as it pretty well must be in reality. Jack because he has had the courage to permit the author to allow us to see both good and bad about him.In other words it doesnt give the impression that it has been overly sanitized for the public's consumption!
The book was well written and quite a pleasure to read compared to a previous well intentioned but very poorly written effort released by another author about 5 years ago.
Another first rate biography from Shapiro! February 24, 2010
J. HOLMES (uk)
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
Harry Shapiro has maintained his high standards with this excellent biography of Jack Bruce, who co-operated fully throughout. In addition, there are many comments and insights from the vast number of top musicians Bruce has worked with during his long and varied career.
The book charts not just his music, but also his rock star lifestyle, and how it almost destroyed him, as it resulted in a liver transplant from which he very nearly did not recover. Amazing to think that only 1 year after staring death squarely in the eye he was back on stage with the reformed Cream.
Interesting to read the Jack Bruce side of the so-called Baker - Bruce feud (having read Ginger's version in his autobiography last year). Perhaps suffice to say that whilst they would not necessarily choose each other as best friends, when it comes to working together as a rhythm section, they are virtually joined at the hip most of the time.
I guess that many people, like me, got a little lost from his music after the breakup of Cream, his early solo albums, and the short stint with WBL. However, reading this book has encouraged me to delve once again into the Bruce back catalogue.
Like most of Shapiro's books, once you pick it up, it is very hard to put down.
All in all, a worthy subject, and a book that does the monumental talents of Jack Bruce justice.
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