Title: Sick on You

Author: Andrew Matheson

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Publication Date: 2 August, 2016

First off, I put off reading this one because I thought it was a YA romance. I didn’t even look past the bold title on the cover (not the part that actually says what the book is about—I didn’t even notice that) for a few weeks. Well, let me tell you, YA it ain’t, and the romance was all between me and this book after the very first page! Once I realized it was a memoir, I still had no idea who the band might turn out to be and decided not to google to find out. A promise I kept for myself until after the last lovely word was read. I may one day decide to youtube the song. As of today I still have no idea who they are musically, but Andrew Matheson is still brilliant. This book!

I have never read a music memoir in all the years of reading anything and everything, not even one. I am glad this was my first. I drank it in like the Hollywood Brats drank whatever they could afford. I laughed so much. I enjoyed every page of vicariously tramping the streets of 1970’s era London in cringeworthy velvet and high heels with the boys in the band, emphasis on tramping. I applauded their brazen bad choices and Romper Stomperesque antics, despite knowing where they must lead eventually. I now know what living in a squat is like in great detail.

In fact, now I know a lot of things that I did not know before. I feel good about it, like Andrew might have felt after a good raunchy set for the hate-filled masses. We could all do with such unflinching commitment to whatever we are doing, regardless of negative feedback. Success would have been nice for the band, but here’s hoping Matheson receives more love this time for the book! As for me, I am going to make everyone I can put it on their reading lists because it is an experience unto itself. A lot of people won’t get it, but who cares, right, Andrew?

An advance review copy was provided by the publisher through FirsttoRead in exchange for an honest review.