Music autobiographies appear to be a blossoming area of non-fiction, least of all as we head towards the festive season. Yet few unearth the behind-the-board secrets and tales like Trevor Horn’s recent memoir, Adventures In Modern Recording. Horn’s nickname, ‘the man who invented the 80s’, is a testament to the string of songs with his DNA in their production in just one decade alone.
Amidst the anecdotes and the incredible range of artists who wander on and off the pages – Dusty Springfield, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and t.A.T.u., among many others – are charming reflections on some of the most significant songs in Horn’s repertoire, with each afforded its own chapter in the chronology of his CV and life story.
Given that he’s arguably one of the most recognisable names in British popular music production, Horn writes modestly of his career, which chronicles studio time with the likes of Paul McCartney and Grace Jones, and consequently, throughout the development of popular music and the business world orbiting it. Poignantly, he also notes the influence of his late wife on the book’s journey into fruition, alongside his early life and the role of music.
The author’s production credits and skills translate into an extraordinary autobiography of an equally extraordinary career. Adventures In Modern Recording reads like an intimate trip through the record collection of Trevor Horn’s life’s work, with retrospective insight and vibrant honesty.
Adventures In Modern Recording: From ABC To ZTT, Trevor Horn (Nine Eight)
Price: £19.99. Info: here
words CHLOË EDWARDS