Just read this and thought it did a splendid job of describing the early days. I grew up in Horley, went to balcombe road school and the kings head was my local for a while. The book even reminded me of stuff I'd long forgotten. Excellent.
Well it does cram a lot into the last hundred or so pages. Could have done with more detail. But still the early stuff was just how I remember it. I can clearly remember see Smith at the bar in the kings head and one of my mate's telling me 'that blokes made an album'. Must of been around 1979.
Hmmm, I don't really rate it. Lots of it seems to be lifted straight from TIY, a few factual errors, and pretty weak on the later years. Having said that, I agree with Renny about the early years, those sections are good, and particularly entertaining as a Sussex girl myself.
I was thrilled to see lockjaw and the magspies get a mention. Saw both those bands. Part of my youth I'd long forgotten...
My favourite bit is where it says "The Cure had been booked to play Felbridge Village Hall" ... I remember going to see my mate's sh!tty punk band play there a couple of times some years later. They should play there again!
It's worth pointing out that Simon was two years above me at school. I wasn't old enough to be allowed to drink at the time - although I could always get served at the kings head. The older lads used to make sure that fellow ex balcombe roaders were alright fir a beer. Sometimes they sat with us sometimes they didn't. We were sat together when Smith came in on his own. He was a bit of a laugh.