A collection of interviews with the weird and wonderful musicians who defined an iconic era.
Whatever happened to the weirdos? The rock 'n' roll rebels? The children of The Revolution who not so much raged against The Man as barely acknowledged the concept of authority? Sylvia Patterson remembers them. The freaks, geeks and oddballs who picked up microphones and instruments not to become rich or famous, but because they were too mad (or unemployable) to do anything else.
I've not read the previous book - I'm Not With The Band. The book covers all genres of music, some of the good, some of the weirdos that have had some kind of music in the pop charts. Sylvia used to interview these people. This is quite an interesting read.
Published 2nd July 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #LittleBrownBookGroupUK and the author #SylviaPatterson for my ARC of #ImNotWithTheMan in exchange for an honest review.
“A Great Romp Through the Carnival of Pop Culture”
Having read I'm Not With The Band I was delighted to be approved to read this next volume of Sylvia's memories of working in the music industry. Each chapter starts with a band or performer who was of significance either to Sylvia, pop culture or both. We are then treated to a behind the scenes report of times that Sylvia was sent to interview the performer, with a coda about what, if they are still with us, they are doing today. We shift from Marianne Faithfull to Sinead O'Connor, from Liam Gallagher to Pete Doherty. Because it doesn't have the anchor of Sylvia's memoirs to hold it together, even though there is a theme of the weirdos and freaks of the music world to tie the chapters together this was a little less satisfying to me, although it was really well written and held my interest. I miss the grounding and grit that Sylvia's life gave to her last book which was a fantastic counterpoint to the lunacy of the lives of the musicians she interviewed.
