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Never Understood
- The Jesus and Mary Chain
- Narrated by: Jim Reid, William Reid
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
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Never Understood
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Summary
For 5 years after they'd swapped sought-after apprenticeships for life on the dole, brothers William and Jim Reid sat up till the early hours in the front room of their parents' East Kilbride council house, plotting their path to world domination over endless cups of tea, with the music turned down low so as not to wake their sleeping sister. They knew they couldn't play in the same band because they'd argue too much, so they'd describe their dream ensembles to each other until finally they realised that these two perfect bands were actually the same band, and the name of that band was The Jesus and Mary Chain.
The rest was not silence, and picking up those conversations again more than 40 years later, William and Jim tell the full story of one of Britain's greatest guitar bands for the very first time - a wildly funny and improbably moving chronicle of brotherly strife, feedback, riots, drug and alcohol addiction, eternal outsiders and extreme shyness, that also somehow manages to be a love letter to the Scottish working-class family.
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What listeners say about Never Understood
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- John O'Brien
- 02-10-24
The switch between the two brothers as they narrate this is great, especially where their memories vary wildly!
JAMC were a band I was not that fussed about. But hearing their backstory, I really appreciate the purity of their approach. The story is honest and were brutal, it’s mainly brutal about themselves rather than others.
A great music book. Bow off to re-listen to Bobby Gillespie’s book!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Craig
- 18-09-24
Confessions of the unsuccessful yet influencial
Having the story read in the dour Scottish accents of these ambitious misfits has had the effect of turning me into a fan. I can't say I was overly fussed by the Mary Chain when I heard them in my youth, although they influenced some of my favourite bands (Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine). Fortunately this wasn't a deep dive into the music, it was much more about how these two introverted weirdos came to form a band. Easy recommendation for anyone interested in outsiders who make art.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-09-24
Fantastic Read
Great story of one of the greatest Rock & Roll bands of all time told by the brothers. Really interesting insight into one of the most underrated bands of all time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MR M PIDGEON
- 16-10-24
The best audiobook I've ever listened to
Uncompromising and never dull. Fascinating insights into the workings of this one of a kind band. I couldn't turn it off.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 12-09-24
A Tale of Outsiders
I no longer need to meet my heroes. This is one of the most honest accounts I’ve ever heard/read. You end up hoping they’ll both be okay. And then you realise they always are.
Two big hearted men with a genuine belief in love.
I cried in parts. I came to the realisation that whatever your path in life, it’s the personal battles that unite us all. And in the end, the very end maybe, none of us really know what will satisfy us. And that’s really alright.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Geedubya
- 30-10-24
One of the best autobiographies I’ve came across in a while, and unexpectedly funny too
This is a great listen/read, partially because the brothers are very different and bounce off each other in an engaging and often funny way in the book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Jane
- 17-11-24
Candy was their dog?!
I’m a big j&mc fan, so I’m likely biased, but I really, really enjoyed this ramble through the Reids’ memories. Both Jim and William display a laconic sense of humour, alongside rueful embarrassment at past misdemeanours/mistakes. Moreover there’s a tangible sense of glee in the retelling of gossipy asides that makes the audiobook funnier than you might expect.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- peter rhodes
- 31-10-24
Jim and Williams different perspectives
Brilliant listening to Reid brothers talk about their lives and career. A big early JMC fan...was great to go down memory lane with them.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 30-10-24
Deadpan, funny, takes you back to the music
So glad I listened to William & Jim reading their book. Added another layer of enjoyment and brought out their mordent wit.
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