I've got to tell you all about this fantastic book I read: "
"Do Stand So Close" by Jeffrey Lee Campbell.
This is the story of a guy who moved from Chapel Hill to New York City to try to make a living as a guitarist. After less than a year he was hired by Sting for his "Nothing Like The Sun" tour in 1987-1988. Reading it is like jumping into his fairy tale adventure...
Like when he played "Little Wing" on Saturday Night Live with Hiram Bullock (the guitarist who played on Sting's recording of "Little Wing") in the
front row, when a mere two weeks earlier he was selling concessions on Broadway.
Like when the tour goes to Chapel Hill and Sting introduces the band and saves Jeff for last, and follows it with, "And in case you don't know who I am, I'm Jeff's friend!"
Like when, years later, he's walking down the stairs in his NYC apartment and hears a bootleg recording of Sting singing "Tempted" (the Squeeze song) coming from his neighbor's apartment - and
he's the guitarist on the recording!
Now, I'll admit I found this book particularly fascinating because it appears that the author and I are practically the same age and we were doing the same thing (studying guitar at the university) when the author took this detour into a rock and roll fantasy, but I think anyone who loves music and all the spectacle and drudgery that goes with it will enjoy the book as well.
Lastly, his unforgiving candidness about his own mistakes and naivety make the journey real.
Enough from me! Go get the book!!!
Paul
www.npr.org
