Rob Jovanovic Richey book

[Seconds From Revolution]

I think Rob hadn't done a toss of work, he just knows this forum is gonna get a bee in it's bonnet and gradually write the whole thing for him.

[VCK]

A Mess Of Eyeliner And Spraypaint

[Flint]

Gone Fishin'.

[tzb]

Richey Manic - 4REAL 4EVA

[robj]

sorry to cut part of this thread dead so early on, but the books is going to be called A Version of Reason. (with the capital R backwards)

as for the cover image though, we are open to ideas. i'm currently in touch with most of the best known photographers to have worked with the band (but not mitch ikeda who we can't seem to locate at the moment).

i don't know if richey will be the only person on the ocver or the whole band. we've been asking the photographers to supply shots that were previously unused from their shoots with the band and then we hope to get a book jacket designed in such a way that is sympathetic to artwork used by the band, not just a plain cover with a pic stuck on the middle.

if anyone has an image that they think would work well post it here or email it me robj@innotts.co.uk with the name of the photographer please.

[raven]

Did the publishers decide?
A version of ... to keep the lawyers happy?
I'll go away

[Jackie Collins]

Can't wait till it's made into a film. All good bands have a film don't they? ....

[tzb]

Originally Posted by robj

the books is going to be called A Version of Reason

Why? Not being facetious, just interested. If it's a reference it's not one I can place. Hope it's not just an attempt to sound vaguely Richey-ish.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by robj

(with the capital R backwards)

Nooooooooooo...

[A boy called Rita]

Originally Posted by FlintGF

Nooooooooooo...

You just want to call it something lame like "I am a this is my truth fanboy, show me yours"

[robj]

well considering that i haven't written a word of the book yet and am only just starting the preliminary interviews i realise that i'm leaving my self open to alot of advance abuse, but hey, what the heck.

the title came from one of several reasons. i really didn't want to call it richey edwards: The biography. on some previous books i'd gone down the route of a fan vote - Beck! On A Backwards River and Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement. Each time a lot of fans wanted these titles and then a lot slagged me off.

anyway, in this case i didn't want to use something taken right out of a manics song but chose to use a part of an arthur rimbaud piece, see below.

everyone will have their own interpretation about it but i thought it had some relevance to the subject, and no i'm not getting into a discussion about that here, that will have to wait for the actual book. i also thought that this book was going to be my own version of the story. someone might take on the same research and come up with their own version. anyway, fire away.

One tap of your finger on the drum releases every timbre and founds the new harmony.
You take a step and new men materialize; they march out.
You turn your head away: the new love! You turn back: the new love!
‘Alter our destiny,’ you hear these children sing. ‘Stamp out plagues! Stamp out time, for a start!’ Everyone begs you: ‘Raise the substance of our fortunes, our desires, whatever you can.’
You - fresh out of forever. Making for everywhere.

‘To a Version of Reason’, from Illuminations, 1886
by Arthur Rimbaud.

[robj]

Originally Posted by FlintGF

Nooooooooooo...

would that be the general opinion of fans on here?

[robj]

Originally Posted by River Boy

People will be quick enough to moan if the book comes out and blatantly isn't up to scratch, better to make thoughts and feelings clear straight away I think rather than have someone go to all the effort and be disappointed.

I applaud anyone disciplined enough to write well and would love to read this book if I felt the material was there - my concern is that there isn't anything new to say other than speculation unless Richey's friends and family are more forthcoming. I think they will consider the issue unresolved though and a book unhelpful.

of course you are right to a point. by putting myself at the mercy of the forum i hope to get some feedback before i even start if you see what i mean.

there is definately new material out there, i have some already and i'm only just starting interviews. these are things that don't necessarily involve the rest of the band and are not directly related to his disappearance but they will be new to fans.

[robj]

Originally Posted by tigerlily37

you say you cant contact his family but you must imagine how they will feel if they find out another book has been wrote about their son, maybe forewarning them would be a better idea and you dont know if they will give their approval or not. i,d rather someone tipped off my mam or siblings first before we have to see it on amazon website.

i don't have a direct contact to them at the moment, but i'm hopeful that will change at some point.

martin hall has known about this book for some time and i see no reason why he wouldn't have informed them about it yet.

i'm still waiting for a reply to my requests. even if they don't want to directly contribute i'm happy to let them read the manuscript before publication if they are concerned about anything in it.

[Cuppa]

Originally Posted by JenniTiger

I just hope that it's a well put together book that's handled sensitively. Richey deserves more recognition, otherwise the rest of the world could just forget all about him, which would be a bigger tragedy than a crap book.

I agree. it'd be nice for him to remembered by the public as the brilliant lyricist that he was rather than "the bloke who disappeared out of the manic street preachers" - which is what too many people seem to know him as.