Mark Lanegan
Sing Backwards and Weep
White Rabbit Books
Out April 28th
The author of this book, with his ‘six-foot-four cross-dressing drug buddy’ hail a cab and discover that they are being followed by undercover cops. The scenario that follows plays out like a scene from a Tarantino epic set in 1990’s Seattle. This is just the first chapter of an unflinching and vivid bare-knuckle ride of a memoir by singer and songwriter Mark Lanegan, whose back catalogue is as enthralling as Nick Cave’s.
Like Cave, Lanegan has had to wrestle some ferocious demons in his time and as a result, ’Sing Backwards and Weep’ is nothing like the usual music-related autobiography. This tome has more in common with the written word of Hubert Selby Jr than Gary Barlow. To accompany this memoir, Lanegan is releasing an album: ’Straight Songs of Sorrow’.
Mark Lanegan grew up in Washington (state) in a ‘dead-end redneck town.’ His break from boredom and delinquency came when he became the singer of alternative psychedelic rockers, Screaming Trees. Lanegan relocated to Seattle where he kick-started his solo career in tandem with singing for Screaming Trees after getting signed to record label Sub Pop, who also initially signed Nirvana. Lanegan’s darkest times came during the drug ridden 1990’s Seattle music scene.
He survived to tell this tale by the skin of his teeth, whilst his close friends Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley were sadly – not so lucky. ’Sing Backwards and Weep’ takes the reader through different emotions and crazy situations. There are occasions where Lanegan does not depict himself as being a saint by any means and many extremely funny as well as dark and emotional moments. This memoir is truly the real deal.
New album ‘Straight Songs of Sorrow’ released 8th May
@marklanegan
9/10
Words: DN
