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Play On
Now, Then, and Fleetwood Mac
Mick Fleetwood and Anthony Bozza
Read by Martin Dew with Mick Fleetwood

Hachette Audio
November 2014 / ISBN 978-1478957201
Nonfiction/Autobiography / Audiobook - /Unabridged

Reviewed by Leslie C. Halpern

 

Beginning with his childhood in England, supported by two loving parents and an older sister, Mick Fleetwood recounts how he discovered his life-long passion for music as a teenager seeking a means of dealing with dyslexia. He remembers having anxiety at school when forced to stand at the blackboard unable to answer teachers' questions. He remembers always being the tallest boy in class, and often the new kid, as his family moved frequently due to his father's job. He also remembers beating on drums to accompany record albums as he performed shows for his friends in his make-shift studio at home.

The book's title, Play On, references Fleetwood's favorite message when signing autographs and one of Fleetwood Mac's albums, titled, "Then Play On." A combination of memories (reflections on his early behavior, impressions of other musicians, conversations with people), facts (where Fleetwood Mac performed, how many albums sold, band members over the 46 years on the road), and a PDF with photographs comprise the nine CDs in this audiobook. After a brief introduction by Fleetwood, Martin Dew reads the book in a clear, pleasant, and sincere style that captures the emotion of each particular scene.

Readers expecting gossip, drugs, sex, and music trivia won't be disappointed. There's plenty of that. There's also introspection. At age 65, Fleetwood looks back on his life, loves, and career with different eyes than when he was younger. He also ties in some of life's most pivotal moments (the death of a friend, a drug bust) and how they eventually appear in music. He's candid about his mistakes and his achievements, sharing credit for the band's success with long-time collaborator and business partner, John McVie, and singer-songwriter, Christine McVie. In this book, co-author Anthony Bozza, who wrote seven New York Times bestsellers, worked with Fleetwood to produce a fascinating - and occasionally profound - account of the man behind the rock 'n roll lifestyle.

Reviewer Leslie C. Halpern is the author of Passionate About Their Work: 151 Celebrities, Artists, and Experts on Creativity, Rub, Scrub, Clean the Tub: Funny Children's Poems About Self-Image, and Shakes, Cakes, Frosted Flakes: Funny Children's Poems About Table Manners.
Reviewed 2014
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