Author:David Owens
In the late nineties, Wales (is) the centre for guitar bands in the UK so says John Robb in THE NINETIES and with bands as strikingly fresh and individual as Catatonia Welsh denomination looks assured. It has taken Catatonia eight years of hard work and persistance to gain the recognition and adulation that they so richly deserve, but finally Cerys' searing vocals and lilting guitar pop have made the breakthrough. Hardly surprisingly really, considering the wealth of talent that is Catatonia and the crest of the Welsh wave they are so assuredly riding. But as anyone will tell you, what makes Catatonia different from the rest, the Manic Street Preachers, Stereophonics and others, is Cerys. Cerys Matthews is fast becoming an icon in herself - a combination of sweetness and South Walesian toughness that is proving to be so endearing to her legion of fans. Often likened to Blondie, Cerys has graced more magazine covers than you care to mention, yet she is the sort of pop star who still sends away for free tights. This book will be the first to chart the rise and yet further rise of Catatonia, from Cerys busking outside Debenhams in Cardiff to their new found fame.
Beautifully written, honest and thoroughly enjoyable. A great read
—— Gay ByrneA warm and fitting tribute to the legend that is Humph
—— Darren Rea , http://www.reviewgraveyard.comCabin Pressure is one of the best written, cast, acted and directed comedies on anywhere.
—— Gillian Reynolds , Daily TelegraphThe more I listen to John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure, the more I think what a stonking masterpiece it is. Perfect in every department.
—— Philip Pullmanno-holds-barred
—— Listvery funny but also very moving
—— The London Papervery funny
—— Hampshire Viewthere are moments here that shine with the genius for observational comedy for which Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders (the Fatty of the title) are famous
—— GuardianDawn writes (with) tenderness, caring and oodles of charm. Well-paced, it's a reminder of why she has been a staple of the British comedy scene since the early 1980s
—— Guernsey PressAnyone perparing for another dry, identikit celebrity autobiography is going to be delighted by these hilarious memoirs
—— SheFrench can still cut the comic mustard
—— Time Outwhile much of the book's tone is that of the unassailably jolly Dawn we all expect ... other letters are tear-jerkingly poignant and none more so than those she writes to her late father Denys French
—— Daily ExpressFor all her honesty anyone hoping for a light-hearted romp will be delighted ... While her charm shines throughout, the more intense moments stay with you in a way that most celeb autobiographies can only strive for
—— Sunday Expressyou'll be captivated by her witty and warm style
—— PrimaSelf-depracating yet never self-pitying, irreverent yet never truly cynical, she comes across as a woman genuinely at ease with herself ... French is engaging company, and at her best she writes about heartbreak and elation with such grace that her book is impossible to dislike
—— Boston Standard