Simon Spence Libros

From his child star beginnings to his battles with drug addiction and untimely death in a housefire, All or Nothing is a visceral and unflinching account of Steve Marriott's extraordinary and often troubling life.

Peter Doherty embodies the ultimate rock 'n' roll saga, captivating audiences since The Libertines achieved global fame. This account presents his perspective for the first time, positioning him alongside iconic figures like the early Rolling Stones and Sid Vicious as a notorious bad boy. To his devoted fans, he is a cult hero, a modern rebel Rimbaud. His career elicits mixed reactions; while he garners accolades like "Greatest Hero of Rock," he also faces harsh criticism. Musically, he has profoundly influenced British rock 'n' roll over the past two decades through his distinctive sound, lyrics, and lifestyle, often overshadowed by the controversies surrounding him since his 2003 imprisonment. His tumultuous life features hard drugs, personal losses, intimate performances, and grand stadium shows, alongside notable collaborations. The narrative delves into his artistic ventures, relationships—including his iconic romance with supermodel Kate Moss—and his musings on poetry, philosophy, and politics. With trademark wit, Doherty candidly addresses his struggles with addiction, multiple jail sentences, and family estrangement, reflecting on his journey with honesty and a sense of resilience, particularly in his recent reconciliation with his father after years of distance.

"Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham was the enfant terrible of Swinging Sixties London, the man who had crafted The Beatles' antithesis. By 1965 he was a millionaire notorious for working every publicity angle for his rising stars but he still felt frustrated by the men in grey suits who controlled the music industry. His solution to that problem was Immediate Records--the UK's first independent label--with a mission statement to wash away those grey men. What followed was five years of scams, chicanery, sex, drugs, violence and sensational music. Immediate's 'in-house' polymath producers: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Oldham himself, Jimmy Page and Steve Marriott, attracted a crowd of daring, young British talent, forging the hippest scene in the world. Yet, following his ousting as Stones manager in 1967, the label itself began to fray at the seams as the drugs and booze clouded Oldham's creative genius and the grey suits quietly took their revenge"--

The only book to consider Oi! as a distinct genre within punk rock, What Have We Got? is the story of a musical movement that became a national concern in the eighties and still divides opinion today.

Newly published in paperback, All or Nothing is drawn from over 125 interviews with those who knew Marriott intimately: his wives, children, bandmates and closest friends, managers, record producers, record label bosses and his fellow musicians. Included are scores of people who have never told their story before.