This was a book I was looking forward to reading, and it didn’t disappoint, wether your a fan of Happy Mondays or Black Grape or not, this autobiography opens up a different side to Bez I didn’t know existed; interesting, thoughtful,loyal, carefree and kind, all shines through this book. The life he has lived has been from despair to peace and you as the reader are taken along for the trip, throughly enjoyed Bez’s story, highly recommended.

Not many of us could claim to have lived a life anywhere near as intensively and diversely as the infamous Bez and this biography certainly captures his lust for life and up-for-it-ness. One wonders how he was still alive to do so after the copious amounts of drugs and alcohol he consumed non-stop for a period of years. Perhaps the biggest lesson to be gleaned from Bez’s story is that when an opportunity comes along, it should be grabbed with both hands, as Bez grabbed his maracas when he stepped onstage with the Happy Mondays and later with Black Grape. His memoirs are both honest and humble, the sense that he cannot believe his luck comes across loud and clear. Not that his life was a bed of roses from that point on. Aside from his close friendship with Sean Ryder, he was also fortunate to later come into contact with Joe Strummer, who had a strong influence on him. The latter section was perhaps the most interesting for me, despite being a bit repetitive in places (probably the drugs); learning about Bez’s escapades on Big Brother, Celebrity Masterchef and other programmes and latterly his attempts to become a politician to change the system. The book was written after the Covid pandemic that affected so many of our lives. At that time, Bez was lucky to be living in rural Herefordshire with friends and family, where he farmed and partied his way through the pandemic. As the subtitle states: the nine lives of a happy Monday. He has escaped numerous close calls and has been one lucky cat.