Deadly Obsessions - Life and Death in Formula One - Phil Shirley

Upon reviewing my bookshelves in the Spring of 2022, it has come to my attention that many of the books which reside on said shelves are of a similar vintage. Most of them were purchased or received over ten years ago, and I am left wondering how "dated" some of them have become, and to what degree their philosophical orientation, apparently to my approval back then, remains so today.

I decided to treat one book as a "test bed" for my theories. Picked almost at random, my gaze alighted on Deadly Obsessions - Life and Death in Formula One, by Phil Shirley. This work, which was originally published around the year 2000, is essentially an exploration of racing drivers' attitudes towards their chosen profession. Whilst the book was not exactly a masterwork, it did serve my purposes. I think the world started to change when I was not looking, or at least when I was not paying sufficient attention.

The odd factual error, and the occasional inconsistency, did ever so slightly mar my enjoyment of Deadly Obsessions. That said, there is some valuable and intriguing material in the book, although I gained the impression that the author embellished certain episodes in order to replenish his supplies of case studies. 

How convenient also that some of these drivers apparently encountered "premonitions", and contemplated withdrawing from the events in which they would perish or be injured. The talk of premonitions and such-like should be treated with a drum of salt.

The thought occurred to me that this type of analysis of motor racing and its participants is out of kilter with todays sanitized, digital, video-game-like incarnation of the sport. In 1999, some semblance of the visceral and gladiatorial pursuit of yore remained, or at least was detectable in recent memory.

To return to my original premise, what piqued my antennae when shuffling through the pages of Deadly Obsessions was just how noticeably the world has altered in some respects, by way of tone, outlook and "narrative", in the space of two-and-a-bit decades. The roots of some of these shifts were admittedly already present in 1999/2000, if one was smart or perceptive enough to know where to look.

Talk of "masculinity" and "male identity" would clearly, ahem, raise eyebrows if employed nowadays. I do think, however, that examining and discussing such topics is still valid, if one embraces a more inclusive mindset overall.

In more general, "moral" terms, I sense that the mentalities and attitudes, or at least some of them, on display in the book, would be eschewed even by todays Formula 1 competitors, against the backdrop of a more sentimental, hyper-sensitive age. The views on "life and death", safety and risk have changed, if perhaps not as radically as some might imagine, The opinions of Jacques Villeneuve, for example, on such matters would be even more vigorously debated and scrutinized now than they were around the turn of the millennium.

One thing which I liked about the book was its use of short, snappy and digestible chapters. The book was also instructive, in that it illustrated a certain demarcation in philosophies and approaches between drivers. These separations might well have been mirrored in "real life". There were (and are) the rationalists, the romantics, the pragmatists and so forth.

This was not too bad a read, although I think my appraisal of its literary merits have to be viewed in the the context of how my horizons in this area have broadened since 2010. Reading classical and modernist literature, and studying the work of the great philosophers, can render other types of reading matter rather mediocre and shallow by comparison.

I may well continue this new "project" of mine; reading books which were published before the social media era. It will, I think, sharpen my appreciation, and understanding of, recent social and cultural history. One observation which did make its claims on me was how confident and assured the world seemed in 1999/2000. Today's uncertainties and regressions only throw this assessment into sharper focus.

Berkmann's Pop Miscellany - Marcus Berkmann

As part of some festival which occurred in late December 2021, I received a gift in the form of this book, Berkmann's Pop Miscellany, by Marcus Berkmann.  It struck me at the time as the type of book which was a quintessential gift given at the time of the aforementioned festival. Consequently, I did not get around to reading it until recently.

The bulk of this tome is made up of "pen portraits", of varying lengths, of assorted luminaries from the world of music. These are broken up with other content, most of which relates to songs and albums which the author considers to be noteworthy in some way.

I found the author's quirky and impish humour to be endearing at first. In his views on music and musicians he does not seek to conform with trends and what is perceived to be cool. He makes it clear what kinds of music he is drawn to, and whilst I consider myself to have possibly the most eclectic musical tastes in the known universe, his arguments are bright and persuasive.

Although I did not agree with all of Berkmann's opinions, and did not concur with all of his reasoning, the anecdotes and stories were invariably entertaining and often very funny.  He is not trying to appear as a contrarian, but rather comes across as honest, unpretentious and sincere in his inclinations. This is actually quite refreshing when I think of much of the music-related literature which I have been exposed to down the years. 

The paragraphs contain lots of amusing tales of music-industry chaos, and in places these elaborated or expanded usefully on already well-known stories. All of this is delivered in a breezy and digestible style. 

If I was to venture one criticism it would be that, as the book progresses, it becomes a touch "formulaic", and relies too much on the same styles of jokes and humour. It even threatens to become slightly smug. Then again, I don't think this was intended to be a major work of scholarship, or to be taken too seriously.

In spite of the minor criticism outlined above, I found this to be quite an enjoyable book.

The Second World War - A Complete History - Martin Gilbert

 I recently finished reading Martin Gilbert's The Second World War - A Complete History. One volume chronicles of such a monumental subject cannot realistically hope to be comprehensive, or cover all the bases, but this particular work offers an absorbing and deeply impressive perspective on the conflict.

The 'format' I found surprisingly effective and workable. The war is documented in a chronological pattern, sometimes meaning that chapters alternately cover developments across the different theatres (Europe, Pacific etc.).  This could have rendered the story confusing and messy, but it turns out to be affecting and relatively efficient. Coverage of grand strategy and the pronouncements of leaders is mixed with quotations and anecdotes from 'on the ground' and from those whose were directly involved and personally impacted; eyewitnesses to horror and heroism.

There is a particular focus on the terror inflicted on Europe's Jews, as well as the activities of partisans and spies, and the effects of strategic bombing.  These emphases serve to convey the cruelty and futility of war, and the way in which it devastates the weak and the defenceless.

I found the text to be quite matter-of-fact, rather letting the facts and the quotations speak for themselves. The author does not dwell unduly on major military episodes or technological developments. I was also glad of the relatively short duration of the chapters, making the enterprise digestible and easy to follow.

Another feature which I found sensible was the tendency to continuously cite quotations from the same people and sources. This ensures consistency, enabling the reader to gauge and assess the changing moods and perspectives of those participants.

I was profoundly intrigued by the passages which dealt with the evolving relationship between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. It seemed that in the earlier days there was a mixture of solidarity and mutual suspicion, with the Western powers sensitive to how their delays in opening a meaningful 'second front' would be received in Moscow. Of course towards the book's conclusion the thorny subject of the prospective post-war landscape looms larger and larger, especially the question of Poland.

As I moved deeper into this book, I gained the impression that it was not really an attempt to deliver an exhaustive, all-encompassing account of the war, but more a striving to give people a strong flavour of the true nature of that cataclysmic period in global history. In this sense Gilbert succeeded admirably. It does not just highlight the injustice and senselessness of war, but in addition it illustrates the political and social factors which promote armed conflict and what measures may be taken to reduce the likelihood of such catastrophes occurring.

Some people might complain that the book offers an 'establishment' Anglo-centric viewpoint, and even in places underestimates the role of the USSR in the war, but ultimately it is a powerful and gripping read, which will give any reasonable person ample food for thought and reflection.

Transformer - Lou Reed

For reasons which are difficult to fathom accurately, I had until relatively recently steered clear from examining in detail the solo career of Lou Reed. Maybe I thought that the subject matter of the songs would not be to my taste. 

Anyway, having opened my eyes (and ears) to other so-called alternative quarters of the musical universe, Transformer and other Reed solo LPs entered my consciousness. I am resoundingly glad that I felt ready to make that leap.

On first impressions, Transformer felt more meaty and guitar-heavy than The Velvet Underground. However, as has become customary for music people to emphasize, Lou Reed is primarily a tunesmith. These songs have an infectious and invigorating quality about them. Some of the energy and accessibility of the album may be attributed to the involvement in the project of David Bowie and Mick Ronson, as producers and musicians, The tunes are compact and tastefully captured. It may well be true that the material lacks the provocative and "subversive" flavour of the Velvets' greatest output. However, the tracks here are generally likeable and catchy - 'Vicious', 'Andy's Chest' and 'Hangin' Round', for instance.  They have also hidden depths and fascinations.

'Perfect Day' was hitherto a song which I rather loathed, considering it vacuous and overblown, but it now inspires my admiration and affection. I "get" the sentiments now, probably because I am older (or wiser?). 'Walk On The Wild Side' has undergone a similar transformation (pardon the pun) in my estimations, but for different reasons. I had tended to regard it as a novelty song, almost. The other famous number on the record, 'Satellite Of Love', has an elusively absorbing quality, in keeping with much of what surrounds it.

If Transformer ever appears in danger of growing too cosy or bland, then Mick Ronson's incisive and adroit guitar contributions serve to lift it. I also detected, vaguely, the influence of Bowie's Hunky Dory period here and there. All these elements assist in ensuring that the record retains its validity as an artistic endeavour worthy of exploration and respect.

A word too for 'Goodnight Ladies', a whimsical offering which has a strong 1920s Berlin ambience, and which adds welcome variety and humour.  A great and vibrant way to close. 

As for Reed's reputation as one of the godfathers of punk, it may be more visible and discernible on other records, but certainly the short and simple arrangements and riffs must have struck a chord with some aspiring musicians. 

So, not as challenging as other works involving Lou Reed, but a tight and coherent set of entertaining and sometimes intriguing pieces, competently produced and performed. It has been widely influential, and it still sounds urgent and energetic. The type of album which demands attention, and which draws the listener back repeatedly, despite its minor shortcomings.

Time - Electric Light Orchestra

 It is always an intriguing and revealing process to re-evaluate the output of a particular group or artist, and come to recognise that one's opinion of said discography has shifted. I myself have gone through such a series of instructive revelations and discoveries with regard to the work of the Electric Light Orchestra.

In years past I generally 'ran with the crowd', the crowd being the masses, and deemed their work in the period 1976-1979 to be the strongest and the most appealing which they had managed. However, my assessment nowadays would be that they started off with some excellent, rich but unfocused and slightly flawed albums, then polished and refined the sound in the years 1973-1975, before the music gradually grew too 'slick' and over-produced; although it was difficult to find fault with the pop craftsmanship and the tunefulness of Jeff Lynne's compositions.

My new appraisal of ELO's oeuvre was in all likelihood of my broadened cultural horizons and philosophical outlook, and a new emphasis on modernistic and progressive currents. Harder edges and diminished sentimentality assumed a greater importance.

Which brings us to Time, the excellent and cohesive record which Electric Light Orchestra released in the year 1981. Though it was probably not acknowledged or recognised at the time, the group was reborn and revitalized with this LP (if only temporarily, as it turned out).

Gone were the 'syrupy' string arrangements, more reliance being placed on keyboards and new technology. I gather there is some orchestration, but it is much less conspicuous, much less ostentatious, and to my ears almost indistinguishable from the keyboards, in the main.

 There is something of the concept album here, with common themes of science-fiction, space exploration, futurology and other aspects of 'modernity'. To add to the potent mixture, Jeff Lynne seems fully engaged and motivated here, imbuing Time with a certain vigour and air of commitment.

The changes in the 'format' of the band evidently freshened things up, and the album exudes a more contemporary feel, ELO becoming a combo more in keeping with the brave new decade.

Of the tracks,  'Twilight' is an invigorating first salvo (if we disregard the 'Prologue'), exuding real intent, and illustrating many of this record's sonic hallmarks, showcasing an electronic 'dryness'. The listener can really gauge the renewed urgency and zeal within the musicians. 

'Ticket To The Moon' has grown in stature down the years, and to my mind it builds on some of the foundations established by a couple of the sophisticated but less heralded tracks on A New World Record. The atmosphere is engineered quite adeptly, to draw you in.

Of all the tracks, 'Here Is The News' is one of those which exemplifies both the musical and thematic patterns which Time weaves. It does not look out of place when set against some of the music being purveyed by younger, more 'hip' bands in the early 1980s. '21st Century Man' and 'Rain Is Falling' are other highlights, exhibiting many Beatlesque leanings.

The main single from the album, 'Hold On Tight', is an infectious and compact effort which sees Jeff Lynne returning unmistakably to his rock n roll roots. Despite the quality of the melody and the studio implementation of the song, it does in truth sound rather out of place in the folds of this collection.

So Time was something of a new dawn for ELO, but it proved to be a false dawn. Subsequent projects prior to the group's mid-80s disbandment were relatively tired and uninspired.  Basically Time appeals and endures because of its freshness and its brightness, and the prevalence of ideas and enthusiasm.

Aladdin Sane - David Bowie

 When considering the David Bowie discography, I would say that his 1973 album Aladdin Sane occupies a curious place, and fulfils a rather nebulous role. It sometimes might seem that the record is a token gesture, an afterthought in the wake of the spectacular '...Ziggy Stardust....' project which came before it. Indeed, such evaluations had until comparatively recently instilled in me a tendency to ignore the work. The better-known numbers were familiar to me, of course, as were snippets of the less prominent tracks.

It was whilst on a lengthy car journey (as a passenger) a few years ago that the sheer effervescence and excellence of Aladdin Sane was truly brought home to me. The CD was playing on the car stereo, and although the road noise and other extraneous distractions conspired to make the listening experience less than ideal, I was left enthused, and eager to explore the work more at my leisure.

The 'Ziggy Stardust' album is regularly held up, along with a couple of other releases from around the same time, as one of the primary monuments of British glam rock. This assessment is difficult to contradict, but I would also contend that Aladdin Sane exudes a consummately 'glam rock' sensibility in large measures.  This stems in part from what I would term the 'sleazy decadence' of much of the sound, and the extravagant, almost exaggerated production values of some of the tracks are in line with other landmark 'glam' records of the early 70s. Add the 'avant-garde' trappings, which many have drawn attention to, and you have an invigorating spectacle, which does not feel contrived or self-conscious. The music has many dark and mysterious corners and departures to examine, imbuing it with a peculiar personality and force.

To me, the influence of contemporary American rock music can be keenly felt on the album; I am thinking of songs like 'Watch That Man' and 'Panic In Detroit'. which exhibit harder edges and are less buttoned-down and contained. On closer inspection, these tendencies predominate on a goodly portion of the record, and the presence of 'The Jean Genie' only underlines and reinforces this point, but somehow they linger less in my memory and my psyche than do other elements or affectations, and therein lies my perception of the record.

Some of the material, including the title track, has an unsettling atmosphere, perhaps reflective of the tense and uncertain social and economic climate of the times. What unites the compositions though is their air of confidence and self-assurance on the part of the artist, as if he rather revels in, and thrives on, instability and foreboding.

Although this record sees Bowie engaging in some experimentation, and hinting at the direction his music would take in the mid-Seventies, one or two of the songs would not sound out of place on previous LPs, notably 'Drive-In Saturday'. 

'Cracked Actor' is, I would estimate, a case of the two 'schools', the rock and the art-rock, coalescing, but the pugnacious narrowly wins out in the end. 'Time' on the other hand sees the Bowie of 1971/72 assuming new goggles, taking the 'template' into fresh territory, growing, expanding.

'The Prettiest Star' is another track which embraces the flavour of all of Bowie's classic 71-73 studio albums, highlighting traits which we might associate with them all. When joined together, they help to assign Aladdin Sane its identity and its aura. The essential sound of '73, perhaps?

A word must also be reserved here to draw attention to Mick Ronson's crunchy and pleasing guitar work throughout, a motif and a recurring delight. It has been said before, but those guitar parts add a new dimension, standing out even amongst the genius of Bowie.

Arriving last on the original album, but for me constituting the centrepiece of the album, is 'Lady Grinning Soul'. Its slinky 'out of time' spirit and its menacing inventiveness are a reminder of what, in qualitative terms, the collection is really all about. 

So there you have it. One of Bowie's greatest achievements, but also one of his most 'deceptive' and awkward to pin down. Essential listening for a full, if complicated, understanding of what Bowie meant in '73, where the world and culture were in '73, and for some tantalising hints of where Bowie might have been heading in the years ahead.

Muhammad Ali - His Life and Times - Thomas Hauser

 This was one of several enticing books which had been languishing on my bookshelves, waiting for that opportune moment when it would receive my rapt and undivided attention and interest.

The edition of this book which I had access to was published in 1997, so it obviously does not cover the closing period of Ali's life, but I found it to be an illuminating and interesting read, which equipped me with a greater understanding of Ali the man, as opposed to Ali the legend or the myth.

Much of the text takes the form of quotations, and extracts from interviews with, various figures who knew Ali or came into contact with him. At times it occurred to me that the work relied too much on this material, and would have welcomed additional direct interpretation and subjective analysis from the writer himself, but at the same time the reminiscences of a diverse group of observers serves to deliver a balanced and rounded view of Ali the person and the boxer. 

If I was to venture another criticism it would be that the coverage of Ali's early boxing career (his amateur days) is a touch thin. My perception was that the story moved somewhat hastily to him winning an Olympic gold and then initiating his professional career.

The turbulent and pivotal period of 1964-1970 is well covered, and here the recollections of people is invaluable, as it assists in understanding what an intricate position Ali found himself in. This was the section of the biography which I personally learned the most from, about Ali himself and also the social and cultural backdrop against which he operated.

As the book wore on, any minor reservations on my part gradually diminished, and the chapters chronicling the major boxing contests of the 1970s were nothing less than gripping and entertaining. There is a genuine sense of "time" and "occasion" in these passages, and it mattered little to me that some events are seemingly dismissed with little commentary. What mattered to me was the overall effect and what I discovered about that stage of his life and his boxing journey.

The information imparted about the business and promotional sides of boxing were also intriguing, eye-opening even. Life was indeed simpler, more informal and more "off the cuff" in those days.

As well as serving as an engrossing account of Muhammad Ali's life up to that point, the anecdotes, reflections and prose act as evocative portraits of the changing times, shifting attitudes, changing values and new forces.

The author and the contributors do manages to bring across the nobility and allure of boxing, as well as its occasional cruelty and destructiveness. I was fascinated by the chapters which examined the decline in Ali's career (the years 1976-1981), and this does not always make for comfortable reading. It is disconcerting to read about the fears for the boxer's physical wellbeing, and how long the situation was allowed to persist.

This biography quite bubbles and soars towards its conclusion. It pulls few punches, if you will pardon the pun. Aided by candid and honest opinions from some, it offers a clear insight and depiction of who the real Ali was, his journey in life, how he changed, and in what senses he remained the same, his flaws and his greatest genuine qualities. Also, what made him unique as a boxer and as a sportsperson.