My Rock 'n' Roll Friend Paperback – 5 May 2022

Fluide, perspicace; excellent. Le lecteur n’a pas besoin d’avoir connaissance des Go Betweens, ce n’est pas du tout le but. Nos perceptions changent grâce à ce récit.Un seul problème - on dévore les livres de Tracey Thorn et après on regrette qu’on a déjà terminé...

The go-betweens and everything but the girl have been part of the soundtrack to my life. As with earlier writings, Tracey Thorn is so accomplished and writes so brilliantly. You will love it!

I was struck by what a sweet idea it is to write a book about a friend but it's not quite that innocent, the book continues the path of the friendship where the brave, outspoken and impulsive Lindy Morrison stands to the fore allowing the very thoughtful, less impulsive Tracey to reveal herself in Lindys vapour trail (so to speak).Thus you get a double biography that is very enjoyable and intelligently written. I really enjoyed it.

This memoir is like no other rock book I have read before -- it is a study of friendship, of respect, of giving credit, long overdue, to someone seemingly bereft of it. And it is a snapshot of female camaraderie.Lindy Morrison, the drummer and backbone of the Go-Betweens, a beloved yet relatively minor Australian indie band, is a singular character, and Tracey Thorn admires her for it, enough to make her the subject of her latest book. The fact that the former is lesser known than the one painting her portrait makes it all the more interesting.Prior to picking up the drumsticks, she was a social worker, providing legal assistance to the Indigenous population and sharing her life with Australian Black Panther activist Denis Walker. But all this is of little importance to the fans and music journalists who want to know all about their new favorite band - mainly about the two frontmen. Morrison herself keeps mum about this, so as not to give away her age. "She is all experience to their innocence. She has such a rich tale to tell, if anyone would ever think to ask her". Thank heavens Tracey Thorn did.

This isn't so much a biography of Lindy Morrison, as a biography of a friendship that has a life of its own. I'm not familiar with The Go-Betweens, but I found myself wanting to listen to their music, although knowing what I know from this book about their story, I may judge the songs unfairly. Tracey and Lindy meet when Lindy's star is on the rise, and their friendship endures beyond the vicissitudes of the music business, relationships, motherhood and trauma. It's a cold, hard look at what it takes to become and remain friends. Tracey's writing is honest and funny, and I'm off to find more of her books.