Street Level Superstar - A Year with Lawrence - Will Hodgkinson # 2 Felt

 'He stood on an empty street in Ramsgate in an acrylic jumper emblazoned with the Lidl brand logo under an oversized maroon zip -ip leather jacket, a Styrofoam tea cup in one hand  and a 1970s multi-use WH Smith bag in the other.'

The key to much of the magic of Rock & Rpll to me seems to bein  not growing up. Maintaining an eternal innocence .... and more than that, a certain rebellious rage and ebullience. You can be a good child. R.E.M. The Go Betweens and The Lovin Spoonful or Belle and Sebastian strike me as examples. Or you can be a wild child. Stooges, Velvets, Heartbreakers.

Lawrence is somewhere in between. He talks the talk and is guardian of the rules of Rock & Roll of the codification of the  seminal and legendary. His records didn't get played on the radio or get into the charts so he cannot claim to be the ultimate anything except Indie kid in truth. 

Then we hear about Lawrence taking acid before a key Felt gig in front of industry people and having a complete meltdown onstage. Street Level Superstar is a catalogue of falure and foolishness. But it is very funny and makes you want to listen to the records. A man whi has never eaten am olive and is terrified of cheese.nd never appeared on Top of the Pops.

 Many if the records are very lovely and have been incredibly influential. He is a man who deserves to be discussed because his is a perfectly formed obsession. But you suspect he will never be happy and happiness is really the key to healthy living..Still, the book is great/