WINNER OF THE 2025 PENDERYN MUSIC BOOK PRIZE
Rough Trade Book of the Year
Uncut Book of the Year
Mojo Book of the Year
A Guardian Book of the Year
A Daily Mail Book of the Year
A Financial Times Book of the Year
A Resident Book of the Year
A Telegraph Book of the Year
A Daily Express Book of the Year
'Will has finally written his masterpiece. I'm glad I could be of assistance' LAWRENCE
Lawrence is the greatest pop star who never made it, his dreams of glory thwarted over the past five decades by bad luck and self-sabotage. At sixty-one, he set off on a new mission: to escape poverty, obscurity and the humiliation of kids at the bus stop laughing at him by writing a smash hit. But what is the cost of a dream?
In 1980, Lawrence formed Felt, releasing ten albums and ten singles in ten years. In 1991, he reinvented himself with novelty-pop outfit Denim. Signed to EMI, riding the wave of Britpop, in 1997, Denim's song 'Summer Smash' became Radio 1's Single of the Week and looked like a sure-fire hit. Then Princess Diana was killed in a car crash. All copies were melted down. Crushing depression, addiction and homelessness followed... but in the face of it all, Lawrence never gave up.
In Street-Level Superstar, bestselling author and journalist Will Hodgkinson follows Lawrence as he rebuilds his life. He gets mistaken for an old lady by an amorous pensioner, is reduced to dragging sacks of 2p coins to his local bank and wanders through London's distant suburbs in search of lyrical inspiration. As they walk together down rain-soaked streets, Will tells the story of Britain's most eccentric cult star. Will he write the greatest song the world has ever known before the year is out? And was it worth sacrificing everything - family, relationships, health, sanity - for art?
| ISBN: | 9781785120237 |
| Publication date: | 10th July 2025 |
| Author: | Will Hodgkinson |
| Publisher: | Nine Eight Books an imprint of Bonnier Books UK |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 368 pages |
| Genres: |
Music Popular culture Housing and homelessness Health, illness and addiction: social aspects Music industry Addiction and therapy Popular music |
WINNER OF THE 2025 PENDERYN MUSIC BOOK PRIZE
Rough Trade Book of the Year
Uncut Book of the Year
Mojo Book of the Year
A Guardian Book of the Year
A Daily Mail Book of the Year
A Financial Times Book of the Year
A Resident Book of the Year
A Telegraph Book of the Year
A Daily Express Book of the Year
'Will has finally written his masterpiece. I'm glad I could be of assistance' LAWRENCE
Lawrence is the greatest pop star who never made it, his dreams of glory thwarted over the past five decades by bad luck and self-sabotage. At sixty-one, he set off on a new mission: to escape poverty, obscurity and the humiliation of kids at the bus stop laughing at him by writing a smash hit. But what is the cost of a dream?
In 1980, Lawrence formed Felt, releasing ten albums and ten singles in ten years. In 1991, he reinvented himself with novelty-pop outfit Denim. Signed to EMI, riding the wave of Britpop, in 1997, Denim's song 'Summer Smash' became Radio 1's Single of the Week and looked like a sure-fire hit. Then Princess Diana was killed in a car crash. All copies were melted down. Crushing depression, addiction and homelessness followed... but in the face of it all, Lawrence never gave up.
In Street-Level Superstar, bestselling author and journalist Will Hodgkinson follows Lawrence as he rebuilds his life. He gets mistaken for an old lady by an amorous pensioner, is reduced to dragging sacks of 2p coins to his local bank and wanders through London's distant suburbs in search of lyrical inspiration. As they walk together down rain-soaked streets, Will tells the story of Britain's most eccentric cult star. Will he write the greatest song the world has ever known before the year is out? And was it worth sacrificing everything - family, relationships, health, sanity - for art?
Street-Level Superstar features in the following genres: Music, Popular culture, Housing and homelessness, Health, illness and addiction: social aspects, Music industry, Addiction and therapy, Popular music
Street-Level Superstar is available in Paperback, Hardback
Street-Level Superstar was written by Will Hodgkinson and published by Nine Eight Books an imprint of Bonnier Books UK
Street-Level Superstar has 368 pages
£11.69