We kick of our Books content with ‘Karma’ from Boy George, out in November(UK) We look forward to sharing our thoughts on what we will be an essential insight.
Boy George CREDIT: RANKIN
Karma is the definitive autobiography from music icon, Boy George – the Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award-winning lead singer of 80s pop/reggae band, Culture Club, since its inception in 1981.Boy George has led a colourful life, to say the least, with his androgynous look making him the poster boy of a counter culture and of the glam rock generation, becoming a LGBTQ+ icon along the way. Controversial and unapologetic, he was part of the New Romantic movement that started in the late 1970s/early 80s, birthing other stars like Marilyn and Steve Strange who were equally influenced by glam rock pioneers like David Bowie and Marc Bolan. The band itself had incredible success and remain together to this day, through the ups and downs of the ensuing decades.
Now, Boy George is telling his story in full for the very first time – from the early days of his music career in the 70s and 80s, through the hedonism of the 80s and 90s, through to the resurgence he’s enjoying in present-day, Karma promises to be an illuminating read that holds no punches and lifts the lid on Boy George’s crazy transatlantic life and career through the decades.
The genius of Bowie was the width of his circle. The subjects he explored, the characters he created or the poets and artists he told us about from Bob Dylan, Kahil Gibran to Andy Warhol. Each one a revelation. Another road map to another point of view. I got into Bob Dylan after hearing Bowie sing about him on his album Hunky Dory. When my schoolfriend Tracy Carter played me ‘Hurricane’ from the album Desire I discovered new ideas about songwriting. For me Bob Dylan is a master of lyrics and and he can wound with a simple line. Go melt back in the night, everything inside is made of stone, there’s nothing in here moving and anyway I’m not alone. It’s taken me most of my career to realise that words are everything. I have often started with the song title before writing a song. If you write a song called ‘Karma Chameleon’ it will never be written by anyone else. ‘Because I Love You’ is a more accessible sentiment but I dig deeper into the word bag because of Bowie, Bolan, Dylan and Morrissey. I could never leave out Leonard Cohen or Joni Mitchell who once said to me over lunch ‘it’s ok for you, no one ever called you a genius’. At the time I was deeply offended but she had just told me that ‘Dylan was a phoney’ and the ’The Beatles had a good sense of melody’. My friend Paul Starr who sadly passed away in 2008 used to do Joni’s make up and like me was obsessed with her lyrics. We would drive around in his Jeep singing along to Court & Spark which is an album Joni hates and everyone else loves. When I was waiting for Jon Moss to arrive at my flat in Alma Square I would listen out for the sound of his engine and play ‘Car On The Hill’ ‘He makes friends easy, he’s not like me, I wait for judgement anxiously, now, where in the city can that boy be’. The first time I met Joni was at a brunch at The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. She was scathing and poetic and had a bad word to say about everyone. I liked her despite and because she was so polarising. She was nothing like a hippy.
This is one of our favourite tracks from Boy George – Amazing Grace (Kurd Maverick Remix)
I no longer consider anyone a genius. Ok, Einstein and anyone who creates something impossible that changes the world, Scientists, doctors and surgeons with steady hands. Musicians can seem genius if you never leave the house but we are just observers and narraters of our experiences. Every word we use already exists unless you make up new ones like Shakespeare and melody is just pitch and rhythm. Everyone has the ability to tap into their own genius but it is always subjective. I’m always being told someone is a genius but radio and records sales do not make you genius. For me, how an artist sees the world is what makes them stand out but genius is mostly overstated. Being young, angry or fame hungry can bring out the best in some people but ambition can turn some of us into fools. As Bowie once said ‘Fame, puts you there were things are hollow. As a song writer, you need to listen to everything from Bessie smith to K-Pop and read, read, read. Reading books has sharpened my lyrics but eavesdropping is just as essential. Some of my most favourite opening lines have come from other people’s mouths. I ask myself constantly ‘is this a conversation or a song? I can turn most things I hear into a hook and people say ‘wow, how do you do that’. Hello, it’s what everyone does. I am surprised that people can keep writing new songs because even when it seems everything has been written you can just start again. At 62 I am more cynical, yet still as optimistic as ever. I see that music is a grid and that every guitar twang is the cousin of another guitar twang. When I’m channelling Smokey Robinson or Bowie I know I’m doing it but I also consider who they were chanelling. How you put it together is what makes it genius or unique. In ‘the words of Jim Jarmusch Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Trying to be original is what get’s in your way. I have sat in so many writing session with artists as they try to find inspiration and it’s painful. To be inspired you have to be inspiring. When I’m stuck I just play my favourite songs backwards or google a word or a sentence. Who said ‘You’re so much stronger than your excuses’. Look it up. If I had writers block I would probably write a song about it.
Karma is available: 14th November 2023 from your local bookstore & online. updates for purchase links here when information is available
ISBN: 9781785120367 ISBN-10: 1785120360 Format: Paperback Language: English Number Of Pages: 304 Available: 14th November 2023 Publisher: Bonnier Dimensions (cm): 23.4 x 15.3
