Pandamonium!
How (Not) to Run a Record Label
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bonnier Books Ltd
Published:1st Sep '22
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An honest and astonishing memoir by Fierce Panda record-label founder Simon Williams, charting his love affair with indie, his music-industry successes and his heartfelt personal struggles.
'Hilarious, heart-wrenching and packed with British music history.' - COLDPLAY
A Virgin Radio Book of the Year
It's a life-and-near-death story. But whose life? And whose near-death?
As a one-time NME journalist, former Xfm radio presenter, toilet-circuit promoter and the founder of enduring homespun British record label Fierce Panda, Simon Williams has been at the cutting, cutting, cutting edge of all things 'indie' for over thirty years.
During his tenure as managing director of Fierce Panda (a role he holds to this day), Simon was responsible for tripping over bands such as Coldplay, Keane, Placebo and countless other acts of independent hue - some of whom have gone on to achieve earth-shattering musical superstardom, while others have merely baffled the crowd at the Bull & Gate in north London on a wet Wednesday evening.
Unfiltered and unflinching, Pandamonium! is the story of Simon's time at the indie coalface, filled with insider anecdotes to entertain music enthusiasts everywhere - from the origins of a bootlegged Oasis release to Chris Martin's delight at reaching number ninety-two in the charts. But it is also the story of how Simon tried to bring a premature end to proceedings, documenting in blunt, matter-of-fact detail his longstanding mental-health struggles.
Yet, despite his raw and often poignant honesty, Simon writes with the warmth, wit, self-deprecation and wide-eyed good fortune of someone who has stared into the abyss and survived, bounding down a few indie rabbit holes along the way.
'Coldplay wouldn't exist without Simon Williams. He was the first journalist to write about our band and released our first single on his legendary label, Fierce Panda. His memoir is hilarious, heart-wrenching and packed with British music history.' -- Coldplay
'Remarkable tales from both the frontline of rock journalism and behind the scenes at one of our greatest underplayed British indie labels; open, entertaining and extraordinarily poignant.' -- Steve Lamacq
'Williams is a towering colossus of indie. Pandamonium! is filled with autobiographical honesty, engaging humour and some really awful puns.' -- David Quantick
'A brilliant memoir: funny, thrilling, but also as moving as any book about music I've ever read. It's full of the same stuff as the best records and gigs - entertainment, but also a sense of life at its most profound.' -- John Harris
'Jaw dropping ... really moving. Highly recommend it.' -- Ted Kessler
'A truly shocking episode from the recent past helps turn an entertaining romp into something much more moving. 8/10' -- Classic Rock
'A dryly self-deprecating and desperately poignant picture of heartfelt endeavour and harsh reality. 4/5' -- Record Collector
'Hilariously funny and deeply moving.' * Variety *
'A sweet natured romp.' * 4/5 Mojo *
'A fascinating book for any lover of indie music and those wanting an insight into the machinations of the unforgiving, cut-throat music industry. It is also a salutary reminder of the fragility of the human condition. Most of all, it is a most entertaining and, ironically, life-affirming read written with Williams' trademark wit, gentle humour and, let's be honest, silliness.' * Louder Than War *
'Incredible... beautifully written.' -- Huw Stephens
'What a book; Simon perfectly captures the joy, excitement and sheer buzz of so many sides of the music industry. It's written with warmth, love and with just the right amount of humour that keeps you going during the darkest passages of his story.' -- Rick McMurray, Ash
'A thoroughly entertaining, emotional and frank look into one of the most underestimated indie labels and the most overly modest man behind it. Simon and Fierce Panda were a huge part of the band's history and we are eternally grateful.' -- Rod Jones, Idlewild
'Simon Williams was there from the very start. Like a lot of bands we wouldn't be where we are today without his initial enthusiasm. One of the true music aficionados.' -- Danny McNamara, Embrace
ISBN: 9781788707282
Dimensions: 240mm x 162mm x 32mm
Weight: 555g
336 pages