Street-Level Superstar

'Finally, Will has written his masterpiece. I'm glad I could be of service.' -- Lawrence
'This book will make you laugh and cry - Lawrence is a monument to the power of Pop. The best and the worst of it. Essential reading.' -- Jarvis Cocker
'In a music world awash with fakes, straights and careerists on the make, Lawrence is that rare creature - an artist committed to realising his vision no matter how many humiliations and bad rolls of the dice he's had to endure. Lawrence is the one true poet of austerity Britain and Will Hodgkinson's wonderful book captures the essence and strangeness of the man.' -- Bobby Gillespie
'I can't tell you how good this book is' -- John Niven
'I've known Lawrence - off and on - since we were both in our teens, but I never really understood what makes his brilliant mind tick. I think I do now. A truly fabulous book about a truly unique and gifted man and one of the best music books I've ever clapped eyes on' -- Marc Riley
'Street-Level Superstar has the same sense of discipline and whim as Andy Warhol's From A to B and Back Again, with a hint of the entirely personal philosophy of Huysman's À Rebours. A fantastic, singular book.' -- Mat Osman
'There's success and there's failure but Lawrence's destiny was to be something uniquely in-between. A fascinating tale beautifully told.' -- Brett Anderson

'A litany of perceived slights, unrequited lust, milky tea and liquorice quests. Celibacy, control-freakery, glitter and grit. Lawrence is elusive and obsessive. The enigmatic auto-didact. This funny and often impossible tale of the romantic who always fails in love is grandiose, unflinching and low-rent. His world of vagrant glamour exists in the rare place where fame and destitution meet. It is champagne taste and beer money.

Street-Level Superstar is a masterclass in self-sabotage from a connoisseur of 20th-century pop.'

-- Adelle Stripe

'If you admire Lawrence for his timeless songs and sublime lyrics, his embrace of the absurd and all-sacrificing dedication to his art - you'll love this book. If you've dismissed him as a self-deluded, self-sabotaging fuck-up of niche interest - you'll love this book. If you're fascinated by the legions of anecdotes mythologising Lawrence's eccentricities, control-freakery and failed attempts at pop stardom - you'll love this book. If you want to read a hilarious, infuriating and ultimately insightful and touching account of what it is like to spend a year in Lawrence's company - you'll love this book. I've felt all of the above and I loved this book'

-- Miki Berenyi
'Lawrence is Britain's greatest enthusiast for the arcane and unloved, who can find magic in suburban sweet shops, high-end book shops, or Chas and Dave b-sides.' -- Bob Stanley
'Completely brilliant. Really unusual and original. It tells you something very specific about the nature of fame and the pursuit of fame. It's fantastic' -- Mark Ellen
'Will Hodgkinson has written a brilliant and affectionate book about a year in the life of the mysterious pop legend Lawrence. As he accompanies him on a series of walks across various urban hinterlands, searching for records, liquorice and other clues about how the man under the blue vinyl visor became who he is today. This beautifully told zig-zag wandering biography is an utter joy from start to finish.' -- Caroline Catz
'This is a terrific book, I didn't want it to finish. Loved it, loved it, loved it!' -- Nige Tassell
'[An] excellent book ... worthy of your full attention. If you love Anvil, if you love Paul Simpson's Revolutionary Spirit, if you love Copey's Head On, this is a worthy addition to your library of mythologising music's messier corners. Superb' -- Joel Morris
'My Book of the Year so far. If you also wrote a book this year, yours was definitely my second favourite' -- Pete Paphides
'Rock books often promise to be candid and brutal but chicken out. Not so here. Entwining comedy and misfortune at every step' -- 4 stars * Mojo *
'10/10 - In less skilful hands, the air of desperation might overwhelm the fragile humanity of the tale. An extraordinarily empathetic study' * Uncut *
'Very moreish ... it's a droll, sweet, sad account of a life well spent or misspent, depending on your point of view' * The Herald *
'Sympathetic ... an immense kindness' * Observer *
'This is a magnificent book, regardless of whether the reader knows who it is about ... hilarious, compassionate and ultimately inspiring ... Street-Level Superstar is travelogue, pen portrait, love letter and cautionary tale all rolled into one' * Spectator *
'Maverick Felt-man's tale told tenderly. 8/10' * Classic Rock *
Guardian Book of the Day * Guardian *
Top Ten Read for September * Foyles *
'A mesmerizing biography....offers a forensic case study of our culture's pathological fascination with fame and the damage it can wreak' * Telegraph *
'Funny, tragic and transcendent by turns. One of the great Pop biographies' * The Sunday Times *
'A fascinating, funny and occasionally sad character study written with tremendous affection and empathy, an insightful tribute to a sometimes selfish and exasperating eccentric who nevertheless remains strangely loveable' * Big Issue *
'A unique insight into a fascinating character. A nuanced, understanding and tender portrait 4/5' * Record Collector *
'Pure gold. Anyone who has ever failed at anything ... will gain so much from this story of a man whose desire for stardom remains undiminished. Beautifully written' * Daily Mail *

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 New European Book of the Year
A Vanity Fair Book of the Year
A Tortoise Book of the Year

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