Review: Outside Looking In
Posted: Monday, July 24, 2006
by ngoldman
Norm Goldman
Author: Pete Mitchell Alias Stratmaster
ISBN: 184667-011-X
The following review was contributed by: NORM GOLDMAN: Editor of Bookpleasures. CLICK TO VIEW Norm Goldman's Reviews
Outside Looking In ends with the words “Remember, Keep on rocking, it’s the only way to survive, especially-if you’re-OUTSIDE LOOKING IN." This just about sums up singer-songwriter, blues guitarist and author Peter Mitchell alias Statmaster last words of his memoirs.
Mitchell’s first venture into the world of music was at the tender age of eleven when he picked up the guitar and four years later he gave his first performance. His pub and club scene began in the 1970s in
Chronicling and sketching his thirty-year journey in the music business Mitchell reminds his readers that life as a musician is not a piece of cake, however, as he states he doesn’t play to survive but rather survives to play. There were times when things really turned sour that sacrifices had to be made, even if it meant selling some of his music gear including his working guitar. As Mitchell confides, the only consolation was that he knew it was going to a musician who would appreciate it and in this case his Telecaster guitar was purchased by Mike Rutherford from Genesis. However, as he mentions, “it was like cutting one of my arms off."
There were other moments when looking back Mitchell wonders if he did the right thing. As an example, he was offered a solo deal without his band. However, after working with these fellows perfecting the songs, gigging live with the hope and belief that they were in it together, he just had to turn down the offer. As he states, “it was not a simple case of five guys playing together, we were like brothers."
However, the ultimate hurt and sacrifice is when your own family falls apart. Unfortunately, due to the enormous pressures musicians are constantly called upon to endure, their families suffer, leading very often to breakups. As pointed out in the memoirs, if anyone wishes to succeed in the music business, he or she must first be dedicated, with total belief in oneself, utterly selfish. Nonetheless, as Mitchell confesses, nothing compares with the pain and upset one goes through when your family falls apart.
Mitchell structures his autobiography in such a way that he allows the reader to walk along with him through his thirty years in the music industry, experiencing his successes and disappointments. Much of what Mitchell went through is quite recognizable among musicians, it nevertheless will come as a surprise to those unfamiliar with the music industry that all is not as glamorous as it appears and the road to success is often filled with many difficulties. Mitchell has told his story well, although perhaps a good editor would have helped him tell it better. Incidentally, Mitchell is still gigging strong.
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