Andrew Matheson
Sick on You: The Disastrous Story of The Hollywood Brats, The Greatest Band You’ve Never Heard Of
Published by Blue Rider
Sep 06, 2016 Web Exclusive
Sick on You tells the story of London’s The Hollywood Brats, a New York Dolls-esque punk outfit that lasted from 1971-1975 mostly in obscurity before fading away just before their big break.
Andrew Matheson was the frontman of said group of misfits and he tells his story here with self-deprecating humor to spare. Matheson dreamt big. He had his band’s ethos conceived and his rise to fame all planned out. Except, as things often go, things didn’t go as planned.
The Hollywood Brats toiled for years with little to show for their hard work, irreverence, and shambolic musical style. And by the time they did score a management deal, it turned out to be connected to the mob. They were unable to secure a record contract despite asking everyone they could think of in the industry, and eventually succumbed to frustration and, in one member’s case, drug addiction. In a particularly cruel twist of ironic fate, the band finally got a Scandinavian record label to bite, but by this time the band members had gone their separate ways.
Matheson tells his story with wit and, surprisingly, fewer hard feelings than one might imagine. Reading along, as Matheson gets closer and closer to his dreams, being heralded by the likes of Keith Moon and partying at the Penthouse Club’s Christmas soiree, one is almost happy for him, if one didn’t already know how it was all going to end.
For a band you probably don’t know, Sick on You is a remarkably terrific tale. Sure, there’s little to relate it to as far as songs one might know or histories one might recall, but Matheson’s story is in some way all of ours. A tale of dreaming big and settling for reality. In Matheson’s case, he achieves some measure of sweet redemption in the end with Sick on You.
Author rating: 7/10
Most Recent
- Elbow – Guy Garvey on Their 10th Album “AUDIO VERTIGO” (Interview) — Elbow, Guy Garvey
- Vampire Weekend Share New Song “Mary Boone” (News) — Vampire Weekend
- Interplay (Review) — Ride
- Feeder @ Rock City, Nottingham, UK, March 25, 2024 (Review) — Feeder
- Bernard Butler (ex-Suede) Announces First Solo Album in 25 Years, Shares New Song “Camber Sands” (News) — Bernard Butler, Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, Suede, McAlmont & Butler
Comments
Submit your comment
There are no comments for this entry yet.